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Olivia’s curiosity matches his, and he sneaks glances at her as they traverse the lower floor, gauging her reaction, too nervous to ask outright just yet.

She reaches a hand out toward a cluster of dusty picture frames on the wall, stopping short before pulling it back.

An old man who looks like Santa Claus smiles with his wife on his arm, precocious children make faces at the camera, and those same kids as grown adults further down the line of photos all stare back at them.

Cole used to imagine they were his family, back when he had no one and nothing and all he could do was pretend or risk being crushed by abandonment.

He will make his own family here now. He rubs a soft hand down Olivia’s back and leads her into the kitchen.

Herbs stretch across the upper cabinets, hanging dried like a frame above an oversized sink.

The setting sun begins to sparkle between the leaves, casting ragged shadows on the floor and leading their attention to an open pantry stocked with enough canned vegetables and fruits to last them a few weeks.

Olivia opens the backpack and lets the cat roam freely before joining him at the pantry shelves with Lucy asleep over her shoulder.

Her eyes shine and her palm finds the middle of his chest, resting over the excited cadence of his heart.

“It’s everything you said it would be and more. It’s perfect.”

The relief at knowing she approves forces a hard exhale from his lungs and then they’re both grinning at each other, love-struck and grateful, standing within their winning lottery ticket.

There is running water from the well and when he flips on the tap, Lucy giggles at the sound, reaching out with eager fingers toward the faucet.

Flower jumps up to bat at the stream with her paw and Olivia leans over so the baby can feel the water, too.

Lucy erupts into the loudest fit of laughter he’s ever heard.

“I think she approves,” Olivia grins. “Three guesses on what I’ll be doing tonight.”

“I don’t even need one because it’s the same thing I’m doing.”

“Shower,” they say in unison.

There’s only one bedroom in this place, something he wasn’t aware of before, but thankfully they’re in a position now to make good use of it together.

He notices an empty space in the corner opposite a second wood stove.

“I can build her a crib from leftover fence posts in the shed. There’s room over there. ”

“Build her one?”

“Mhmm. It’ll take a few days, maybe.”

“Can I help? Me and Flower can bring you snacks.” She lays Lucy on the bed where the baby kicks her legs out of the wrap and flails her arms, entertaining herself.

“Absolutely.”

The fact that Wade isn’t here hangs between them unspoken. Cole assumed all along that his friend had gotten here first, but now that hope is completely shattered. The sudden sadness on his face must prompt the sympathy on hers .

“I’m not giving up on him,” he says quietly. “If anyone can make it out there, it’s him. He could walk up that driveway tomorrow. I know it sounds like I can’t accept—”

“It doesn’t.” She cuts him off, her expression fond.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if he’s anything like you at all, and since you grew up together, I think he might be, then I fully believe he can survive whatever might be holding him up.

He knows to come here. We’ll keep hoping until he does. ”

“I was so mad at him for running off with a woman he just met,” he says with a shake of his head. “Didn’t get it. Now I do.”

She pauses, her tone serious. “Are we really doing this? Making a home here together?”

“Is that what you want?”

She nods. “More than anything.”

He takes her hand in his to run a thumb over the wooden band on her finger. “This is all I want. No matter what, I just need you. Us. I’d live with you in the woods if we had to. This is only home because we’re together.”

She glances at his mouth and he takes the obvious hint, leaning in to capture her bottom lip between his own. Wants to make sure there’s no doubt left in her mind that all he needs is what they have.

“It is our wedding night. What do you think we should do?” Her low, raw tone has his cock hardening.

“Are you sure?” He thinks they’re within the safe zone time-wise, but he doesn’t have a calendar to keep track.

“I’m sure. I feel good, but I want a shower first and to get the baby settled, and we need a condom, lemme just…”

“Got one!” Cole fishes out a handful from his pocket, glad he had a run-in with that old timer at the nursing home.

He shows her the different colored condoms like a bouquet until he realizes the implication of secretly hiding them.

“Shit, I wasn’t…I didn’t mean…these were given to me and I just thought… you know, only practical.”

Pressing her finger to his lips, she quiets him before disappearing to search for her spare pants in a bag. She’s got a closed fist full of something when she comes in closer again, hooking one finger through the waistband loop on his jeans.

“You were just hoping?” she says, softly.

He nods.

She holds up her hand between them and fans out an identical offering of condoms, with the sweetest smile that he wants to kiss off her lips. “I’ve been hoping, too. I grabbed them from the first store we raided together.”

They share a shy laugh, toss the condoms on the bed, and then nothing else matters except showing his wife how much he loves her.