Page 64 of Chasing Shelter (Sparrow Falls #5)

ELLIE

NINE MONTHS LATER

With windows open wide and my beloved *NSYNC blaring, Keely, Leah, and I danced around Keely’s brand-new bedroom in Leah’s brand-new house—a house she was sharing with Gabriel. I still couldn’t help grinning like a fool when I thought about it. But it shouldn’t have been all that surprising.

Gabriel and Leah were the perfect kind of opposites, the way Trace and I were.

Gabriel had a mischievous, fun-loving spirit that brought Leah out of her shell and made her embrace the messy, beautiful moments life had to offer.

And it didn’t hurt that Keely already adored him, and Trace was just happy the two of them had found their perfect matches.

Some people might think it odd that Leah ended up with her ex-husband’s best friend, but I found it… perfect.

We’d become a truly blended family. One that was all the more beautiful because of its uniqueness and wide array of colors. And the fact that I’d converted both Leah and Keely to 90s pop girlies didn’t hurt .

As one song ended and blended into the next, I grinned at the two of them. “Are we ready for phase two?”

Leah pushed her hair back in a glittery hair band Keely had gifted her for Christmas and gave me a salute. “Let’s get this pegacorn flying.”

Keely grinned at her mom and then at me. “Can I be in charge of the glitter paint?”

“There’s no one I’d trust more.” I’d found a company that made pure glitter wall paint and sealant for furniture and had gotten the hardware store in town to special order it. Keely’s room was a test. If it went well, I’d be using it on other clients’ projects.

Word had gotten around Sparrow Falls about my interior wall murals, and I’d slowly found myself back in the interior design business. But this time, I was doing it as me. I got such a charge out of meeting with the clients and finding out who they truly were, then making their homes reflect that.

But I’d never felt more honored than when Leah had asked if we could tackle Keely’s room at their new place together.

I put everything I had into the design, and there were pieces of all the people important to Keely in the mural.

Leah and I had gone to estate sales and pored over design books until we had the perfect vision for our girl.

And it only made it more special that we were painting it together.

The music bumped as we got to work, bringing every inch of it to life. It would be a couple of days before we could move the furniture in and make everything complete, but it would be worth it in the end.

And it was all the sweeter that I’d felt free to do it.

With Jasper gone and Bradley serving a serious sentence in France, I could breathe.

Philip had tried to keep contacting me for a while, but when he was caught with contraband in his detention facility, he’d lost all outside contact privileges.

Even Jasper’s friend, Rainer Cruz, was doing time after Trace and Gabriel finally located his stash house.

And Will the jerk-face had been relegated to the graveyard shift as mall security, where all they’d give the power-hungry fool was a Taser.

And Fletcher had gotten his desk just as he should’ve.

Sparrow Falls was looking brighter, and the Colsons were finally breathing easy. And we all more than deserved it.

As the sun sank a little lower in the sky, marking the beautiful deep afternoon of late summer, the music cut off. Gabriel stood in the open door, grinning. “It looks amazing.”

“Isn’t it the bestest?” Keely called, running for him.

He picked her up without a thought to the fact that she was likely covering his jeans and tee with paint. “You are, without a doubt, going to have the coolest room in the entire second grade.”

Her grin only got wider. “I can’t wait for all the slumber parties.”

I laughed. “You ready for that, Gabriel?”

He grimaced but did it with a hint of a smile. “I’ve got the snacks covered, but I’m not sure my eardrums are ready.”

Leah patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll get you earplugs.”

Gabriel chuckled, set Keely down, and turned to me. “Trace texted. He’s on his way to pick you up.”

I frowned, grabbing my phone to check the time. “Already? We’ve got a few hours left.”

Gabriel and Leah shared a look.

“What?” I asked, a hint of suspicion sweeping through me.

One corner of Gabriel’s mouth kicked up. “Should’ve been a cop, El. The crew just got done with the last of the finish work.”

“Seriously?” I shrieked.

Shep’s crew had been working practically around the clock to finish the last of the new house build.

It felt like we’d been close for months, but true to new-build nature, there were endless things that held us up from getting to that completed status.

I knew they’d thought they would finish by the weekend, but today was a complete surprise.

“He’ll be here any minute,” Gabriel said .

“What do you think, Keels? Have the energy for two new rooms in one day?” I asked.

She giggled. “What are we going to put on the wall at your and Daddy’s house?”

“We’re going to have to brainstorm because I’m not sure we can top this one.” I glanced at Leah. “What do you think? Can you help us with round two?”

She cracked her knuckles and did an exaggerated stretch. “I’ll be ready.”

I laughed and grabbed Keely’s hand as I headed for the stairs, my excitement getting the best of me. When I reached the first floor, a horn sounded outside, and I kept us right on going. The passenger window rolled down, and I could just make out Trace’s handsome face behind the wheel.

“Ready to see your new digs?” he called.

“We’re ready!” Keely cheered.

I opened the back door and helped Keels inside. The minute I was in the front passenger seat, I leaned over and kissed Trace.

“Cooties,” Keely said, scrunching her nose.

Trace chuckled. “I hope she always feels that way about kissing.”

“Don’t hold your breath, Chief.”

The drive to the property felt like it took forever, but right as we pulled off to the new gate, one that had Colson branded into the rustic wood, Trace glanced back at his daughter. “You’re up, Keels.”

She let out a squeal of delight and reached for something on the seat next to her. A second later, a pink sleep mask was being placed over my eyes. “Make sure you can’t peek,” Keely ordered sternly.

“What is going on?” I asked as I reached up, feeling the silk mask.

Trace squeezed my hand before easing off the brake. “Keels and I have been working on a little surprise for you.”

My brows pulled together as I tried to puzzle through what it could be.

I’d worked hand in hand with Shep and Thea on the design of the house and yard, with Trace chiming in with both practical and the occasional whimsical suggestion.

The home was the perfect blend of us, with a healthy dose of our Keely girl, too.

The SUV bounced over the gravel road for what felt like eons until we finally stopped. I heard doors open and close and then Trace was helping me out of the vehicle.

“Careful, Daddy. Don’t let her trip,” Keely called.

“I won’t,” Trace said as he took my hand, slowly leading me down what felt like a stone path. I tried to picture where that might be but came up empty.

“Ready?” Trace whispered in my ear as we came to a stop.

“She’s ready!” Keely cheered.

Trace laughed and pulled my blindfold free. I blinked at the sudden brightness as the sun painted the land in front of us in rich reds and oranges. And as it did, I couldn’t believe what I saw.

An entire herd of goats—including my beloved Bumper—and a few horses for good measure. But taking off from the fence line was a wild garden full of color. So many shades and tones I’d never be able to name them all. And butterflies danced from bloom to bloom, happy as could be.

“Trace,” I croaked.

“You said you wanted a herd of goats,” he murmured.

Keely jumped up and down. “And you love riding with me, so now we have our own horses.”

Trace’s lips skimmed my temple. “And you needed that butterfly garden.”

Tears gathered in my eyes as I took in all the beauty around me. But more, I felt it. Because it came from the two of them. “You thought of everything,” I croaked.

“Almost,” Trace whispered. “But not quite.”

And then he dropped to one knee.

Blood roared in my ears, and my heart thundered as Trace pulled out a ring box. “Ellie, Blaze, marry me, be our family, make this our forever.”

My lips were already saying yes before he even opened the box. Keely squealed in delight as Trace slid the ring onto my finger. That, too, was all color. A ring made up of countless gems in a rainbow of tones that almost looked like it belonged in the butterfly garden.

Tears tracked down my cheeks as Trace stood, and I threw myself at him.

He laughed as Keely danced around us. And then he turned me so I could see our beautiful home.

The entire Colson crew was there, waving and cheering.

Arden and Linc cradled my niece and nephew as Brutus and Gremlin raced around them.

All of them raised a glass, and Lolli shook a bottle of champagne, popping the cork and spraying the yard. It was…perfect.

I looked up into Trace’s eyes. “I love you.”

His lips brushed mine again. “Thank you for showing me what love could be.”