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T wo weeks later, Lynda smoothed the edge of the oversized plan with her palm, studying the detailed sketch of the wolfdog habitat she’d designed with Matt. After a lot of planning, measuring, and consulting with wildlife experts, they finally had something to show for their efforts.

“What do you think?” Matt asked, pointing to the enrichment area they’d added. “We could expand this section another ten feet if we rearrange the visitor viewing platform.”

Lynda nodded. “That would give the animals more vertical space to climb. It’ll make them a lot happier.”

Carol burst through the office door, a stack of papers clutched to her chest and her eyes bright with excitement. “They approved it! Every last detail!”

“The board?” Lynda asked, her heart suddenly racing. Though Matt had assured her the shelter board would support their proposal, she’d still been worried.

“It was a unanimous vote,” Carol confirmed, dropping the paperwork on the desk.

“They loved the ‘Paws of Hope’ rebranding and the detailed budget projections. Mrs. Franklin—you know, the one who’s always worried about money—actually said it was the most thorough proposal she’d seen in twenty years on the board. ”

Matt’s hand found Lynda’s shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I told you they’d realize how needed this is.”

“I was concerned about the cost,” Lynda admitted, glancing at the impressive figure at the bottom of their budget. Transforming part of the shelter into a wildlife rehabilitation center wasn’t cheap, even with the money she was investing in the facility.

“That’s the best part,” Carol said, pulling a letter from her stack of papers.

“Mayor Wilson’s already pledged fifteen thousand dollars toward the wolfdog habitat.

He says that, as well as being an educational asset for the entire county, it could also attract more tourists to the town.

That got the business representative on the board excited, and they’ve pledged another fifteen thousand dollars. ”

A wave of gratitude washed over Lynda. In her decades of practice in Denver, she’d never experienced this kind of community enthusiasm. There, her clients appreciated her skills, but here in Sapphire Bay, people didn’t just support the project—they embraced it as their own.

“We should celebrate,” Matt said, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that made Lynda’s heart do a tiny flip. “We could have dinner in Polson.”

Carol checked her watch. “You might want to postpone your celebration until after the town meeting tonight. It starts at six, and Mayor Wilson has added our proposal to the agenda. He’s expecting a presentation.”

“Tonight?” Lynda’s eyes widened. “But we haven’t prepared anything formal.”

Matt smiled. “Welcome to small-town life. Everything happens at lightning speed once it’s approved.” He gestured to their plan and budget sheets. “We have everything we need right here. Everyone will want to know what’s happening and how they can help.”

“I’ve already made copies of the overview,” Carol added, patting a folder. “And Brenda from Matt’s clinic called to say she’s created a slideshow of the puppies. If that doesn’t encourage people to support the rehabilitation center, nothing will.”

Lynda shook her head in amazement. “The meeting’s in three hours, and you’ve already organized visual aids?”

Carol grinned. “Matt’s right. News travels fast, especially good news about animals. If we don’t have something organized, there’ll be a lot of disappointed people at the meeting.”

As Carol left to add a post on the community Facebook page about the meeting, Lynda turned to Matt. “I’m not much of a public speaker,” she admitted. “In Denver, I spent most of my time in surgery, not giving presentations.”

“I’ll be there to help,” Matt assured her. “When you talk about the center, tell everyone why it matters. The community has seen how you helped save the wolfdog puppies and how you’ve volunteered countless hours at the shelter. They trust you.”

Matt’s confidence in her warmed Lynda from the inside out. It was still strange, having someone believe in her so completely. After Ray’s betrayal, she was used to valuing herself by what she did at work instead of who she was as a person.

She picked up a pen and her notebook. “We’d better prepare what we’re going to say. Otherwise, I’ll forget everything.”

Matt sat beside her. “Everyone will be too excited to worry about a few forgotten facts. The town has been wanting something like this for years, and Carol has been pushing for expanded shelter services since I moved here. We couldn’t have done this without you.”

“The buildings are one thing, but what about you?” Lynda asked. “Are you sure you have the time to help with the wildlife cases? Your clinic already keeps you busy.”

Matt shrugged. “I’ve been treating the occasional injured eagle or orphaned fawn for years, usually with limited resources and outdated information. Having you here is a dream come true, professionally and personally.”

Lynda held her breath. Even though their relationship had deepened since her return from Denver, they’d been careful not to rush anything. They both had busy lives and didn’t want to make them any more complicated than they were.

Matt looked into Lynda’s eyes. “These past weeks have been the happiest I’ve known in years.” He reached for her hand. “I was content before we met. I had my practice, the community, and my family. But having you here has changed everything. I’ve fallen in love with you, Lynda.”

“I feel the same way,” she admitted. “I thought I was satisfied with my life in Denver. But it wasn’t until I came here that I realized how much was missing.” She squeezed Matt’s hand. “You make me happy. Happier than I ever thought possible.”

Their quiet moment was interrupted by Matt’s phone buzzing with a text message. He glanced at it quickly. “It’s from Stephanie. I sent her a copy of the plans, and she thinks they’re fantastic.”

“I’m glad she likes them,” Lynda said, meaning it. She knew how important it was to him for his daughter to be proud of what he was doing.

Matt left his cell phone on the table. “Stephanie’s bringing the grandkids here this weekend.” He hesitated, then added more softly, “They’re excited to meet the woman who’s made their grandpa smile again.”

The depth of feeling in his voice made Lynda’s heart swell. This was what had been missing in her carefully reconstructed life after Ray—not just companionship, but a sense of building something together, of being part of a family again.

“I’d like to meet them,” Lynda told him. “Amy wants to meet you, too. However, it’s not for the same reason as Stephanie. I think she’s worried I’ll get hurt again.”

Matt held her hand. “I’m glad she’s looking out for you. But I need you to know that I wouldn’t do or say anything to hurt you. If something happens that makes you unhappy, please let me know. I want to be part of your life, and I’d like Amy to know how much you mean to me.”

Lynda smiled. “You might meet her sooner than you think. I told her I wanted to buy a house in Sapphire Bay, so she’s hunting through the realtors’ websites looking for listings. She’s found two houses she thinks will be perfect.”

“She sounds exactly like Stephanie,” Matt said with a grin. “If it weren’t for my daughter, I never would have found my house.”

Matt’s cell phone buzzed again. “It’s from Brenda. She’s emailed me some more information we can use in our presentation.”

Lynda waited while he opened his laptop. With everyone looking out for them, today’s presentation couldn’t be anything other than a success.

She only hoped that introducing each of them to their daughters would be just as easy. Because families could be seriously fickle when it came to welcoming new people into their lives.