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"Can you take me into town? I want to do something."

"What?"

She wiggled her eyebrows at him and gave him a sly smile. "Something."

He snorted. "You do realize we're in Wolf River, right? I'll find out about ten minutes after you do whatever it is."

She continued to smile.

He shook his head. "Fine. Keep your very short-lived secret."

Makayla grabbed her purse and headed out with him.

He dropped her off at the library, and she said she'd meet him for lunch in a couple hours. Curious about her objective, he thought about staying and keeping an eye on her, but instead he drove to the church. The wiring was supposed to be finished up so they could begin dry walling. Plus, whatever it was she was up to, he’d find out soon enough.

* * *

"Explain it to me again,"said Jeremiah.

Makayla sighed. "Jeremiah, I've explained it three times. You know what I want. You know why I want it. You just need to decide if it's what you want."

She kicked a piece of trash on the dusty floor of the vacant strip mall.

"I think it's a good idea," said Mary.

Makayla looked over at Caleb's mother surprised by her support.

"Do you?" asked Jeremiah, also apparently surprised.

"It'll give both Makayla and Dakota something to do. It could provide jobs for several others in Wolf River. It's not going to pull in outsiders, but it would bring value to those who are already here."

Jeremiah stared at Mary. "True, but you know how I feel about having a strip mall here."

"Then we'll remodel the outside," said Makayla quickly. "You tell Caleb how you want it designed so it fits in with the rest of the town, and he'll make sure it’s done."

"You've already talked to him about this?"

Makayla averted her gaze. "Well, no. But I know he'll be okay with it."

"And why is that?" asked Jeremiah.

"Because it will make me happy." As selfish as that sounded, it was true. Just as she would do anything to make him happy, he wanted the same for her.

"Write up a proposal," said Jeremiah. "I'll talk it over with Logan and let you know."

It was the best she could hope for.

"Do you know what time it is?" she asked.

"Doesn't your phone have the time?" asked Mary.

"Yeah, but it's at the cabin. I haven't used it lately, so keep forgetting to charge it."

Mary and Jeremiah exchanged a look.

"What?" she asked.

"You really have changed," said Mary. "When you and I went out to lunch a couple of months ago, I was sure you were going to cut and run. But now... You really love him, don't you?"