Page 23

Lara

The sharp ring of the phone jolts me out of thoughts of being in Lark’s arms while he—

“Hello?” I say, taking the call as my heart threatens to pound out of my chest.

“Miss Mills?” The voice on the other end is official, professional, almost cold. “We have him in custody.”

My brow furrows as I try to figure out who I know who could be in trouble. Is it Lark? Has he reverted back to a life of crime? He better not have, I’ll be so mad.

“Who,” I ask, feeling silly, like I should know the answer already.

“The individual responsible for the intellectual property theft, Kevin Oaks. He's in jail.”

I lean back against my desk, suddenly weak-kneed. Relief floods me and I let out a deep breath, feeling relaxed and like I can finally breathe again. But the officer isn’t quite done talking just yet.

“Seems he resisted arrest or upset someone. He got a bit roughed up.” There's no remorse in the officer’s tone, and I'm not searching for any. The guy probably got what he deserved. He’s a low life, petty thug who hurt my company, my friend, and my life.

“Good,” I say, more to myself than to him. “So, what happens now?”

“Restitution, most likely. He won't be doing this again anytime soon. I’ll be in touch.”

“Thank you, officer.” I hang up and exhale a shaky breath. This has to be some of the best news I’ve gotten in days, and I’ve had some good news lately.

My door swings open. Shana's there, her eyes wide and excited. Obviously she got the news, too, because she crosses the room in two strides.

“Did you hear—” Her voice is animated, almost breathless.

“He’s locked up.” My voice is strong, and I know that no matter what, we are going to be just fine. How can we not be?

“I’m so happy!” Her arms wrap around me in a tight, warm hug. “You can relax now.” There’s more than a hint of humor in her voice, but I’m happy to hear the absolute relief in her tone.

I hug her back, feeling the tension in my neck begin to relax. “Yeah,” I say softly. “Relax.” There’s no way I’ll do that – there’s so much work to do, ideas to work on, paperwork to fill out. I can’t wait to get started on the next step, because these next few years, they’re the ones that are going to make us billionaires; I just know it.

The chime of my phone breaks the post-victory hush with a light melody that has me pulling back and checking the screen. Carol’s – Lark’s mom’s – picture stares back at me. Confusion and a touch of fear pinch my brow as I answer the call.

“Mom!” The word is a giggle, all the joy in the world stocked into a single word. My heart swells.

“Hey, buddy!” I couldn't stop the smile that spreads across my face if I wanted to – but I don’t. “How are you? Where are you?”

“Grandma took me to this cool place!” His voice bubbles with excitement. I imagine his whole body wiggling like a puppy as he tries to contain his excitement, his wide eyes darting around, trying to soak in everything all at once. “I painted a big picture and got to look at some really old bones!”

“What kind of bones?” I ask, waving at Shana as she heads for the door with an apologetic smile on her face. She’s gone in a moment, and I focus all my attention on my son.

“Dinosaur!”

I can hear Carol’s voice in the background.

“Wow, that sounds amazing!” The warmth of his happiness seeps through the phone, a much-needed antidote to the stress of the past weeks.

“I love you!” he says, and then there's the muffled static sound of the phone changing hands.

“Hi, Lara,” Mom says, her voice filled with affection. “He's having such a wonderful time.”

“Thanks for taking him. He sounds thrilled.”

“He's a delight, truly.” There's a pause, and she says, “Enjoy your weekend, dear.”

My forehead creases. “This weekend?” What the heck is she talking about? We don’t have plans for the weekend.

“Didn't Lark tell you?” Her tone suggests a smile I can’t see, and I want to know right now. I don’t like feeling like the last person to know something and so help me, I’ll march into his office right now and drag him out by the ear until he tells me what he did.

“Oh, got to go! Win’s on the move.” With that, the line goes dead, leaving me with more questions than answers.

Before I can call her back or make my way to Lark’s office, my office door swings open once more.

Lark strides in, a grin on his face that tells me he’s up to something, even if his mother hadn’t already clued me in.

“So, I just got off the phone with Carol,” I say, giving him the chance to come clean about his plans, even though I’m feeling more playful than annoyed at this point.

“Really? What did she have to say?” He’s feigning innocence, but I know better and cross my arms, eyeing him with suspicion.

“She told me to enjoy the weekend,” I say, wanting him to know he’s caught. His expression doesn’t seem all that worried, though, and he moves closer to me.

“Are you ready for an adventure?” he asks, offering me his hand.

My hand finds his, and we're moving, out of the office, up to the roof in the crisp air of the city.

A sleek helicopter awaits, its blades whirling fast and loud, making it impossible to hear my own thoughts. Lark helps me inside, the roar swallowing any chance for conversation or questions.

As we lift off, the world falls away—skyscrapers shrink, streets blur into dark ribbons. He slips bulky headphones over my ears, but I’m busy watching the world fall away as the chopper angles toward the tree-covered mountains.

Lark catches my eye, his gaze steady over the noise. He mouths something, but I can't make it out. Yet his smile makes my heart do a little dance in my chest.

I give him a questioning look, but he just grins wider, pointing out the window. I follow his gesture and gasp. Below us, the mountains hide the city and instead, all we see is a vast expanse of green with blue rivers threading through. The taller mountains are dusted with snow even now, and I’m awestruck by the beauty of this place. We so rarely get out of the city, this is a surprise I never saw coming.

The helicopter begins to descend, and I realize we’re heading toward a secluded clearing near an open meadow dotted with so many colored flowers it’s hard to look at anything else. The sight is breathtaking. As we touch down, Lark helps me out of the helicopter, his hands warm and steady as he grabs my hips and lowers me to the ground.

“Welcome to your adventure,” he says once the chopper lifts off and is far enough away we can hear one another again.

I look around, taking in the beauty of the place. “This is incredible,” I say, exhaling as I take in the nature surrounding us. I feel tiny amongst the tall mountains and the meadow is the most beautiful thing I think I’ve ever seen.

He turns me around and I see a structure nestled in the trees ringing the meadow. Glass glints in the sunlight, making me wonder if it’s just a giant greenhouse. And every bit of me wants to go explore.

I glance up at him and he nods. “Where do you want to go first?” he asks.

With that, I turn and make my way to the greenhouse. He follows, his hand a constant on my back, guiding me through the crisp mountain air. We walk through the grass among the wildflowers, and I study the blue, purple, pink, white, yellow and red blossoms, wondering what each of them are, but not caring because they’re simply beautiful.

With every step, I’m stunned by the majestic splendor. I’m speechless as I take in the mountains shrouded in fog and snow. The green endlessness of the trees fade into blue in the distance along the mountain ridgelines.

“Come on.” He takes my hand, leading me toward the greenhouse.

“What is it?” I ask as we walk.

“Where we’re staying,” he says.

I glance up at him. “A greenhouse?”

He nods, a smile on his face.

“It was a greenhouse. Now it’s a cabin made of glass that can enjoy every bit of the view.”

As we approach, I see the greenhouse-turned-cabin nestled among the trees. Its glass walls reflect the surrounding beauty, making it seem like a part of the landscape. Lark opens the door, and I step inside, my breath catching at the sight.

The interior is cozy and inviting, with a comfortable seating area and a small kitchen. The glass walls offer a panoramic view of the mountains and the meadow, making it feel like we’re still outside, surrounded by nature.

Lark wraps his arms around me from behind, his chin resting on my shoulder. “What do you think?” I squeeze my eyes closed, loving the contact, the closeness.

“It’s perfect,” I whisper, leaning back into him. “Absolutely perfect.”

He kisses my temple, then takes my hand, leading me to a staircase. “There’s more. Come on.”

We climb the stairs to a lofted bedroom, where a plush bed is positioned to face the glass wall. The view from here is even more breathtaking, with the mountains stretching out as far as the eye can see.

Lark pulls me close, his eyes shining with joy and heat that has my body tingling and ready for whatever he wants to do next. “I wanted to give us a place where we could escape the world and just be together.”

I smile, feeling tears of joy welling up. “You’ve outdone yourself, Lark. This is incredible.”

He brushes a tear from my cheek, his touch gentle. “You deserve it. We deserve it.”

We stand there for a moment, soaking in the beauty and the peace of our surroundings. Then, hand in hand, we make our way back downstairs, ready to settle in.

The sound of our laughter echoes through the glass and steel, as I tell him about the first time Win learned he could climb. We laugh, we lean in close, talking about everything and nothing. How I started my business. Why he got hung up with the wrong crowd and the things he had to do to survive. The pop of a wine bottle cork punctuates our conversation, and we pour the rich liquid into glasses, toasting the moment. We joke that we both only drink on special occasions anymore, but every time we’re together, we feel like celebrating.

Together, we cook a hearty stew with the ingredients that stock the kitchen. When the food is done, we work together to get it on the table, talking every second. He wants two more kids. I want one, and I hope for a girl, not that it really matters. He wants to retire at fifty, I want to work until I’m too tired to anymore. We’re so different, but alike where it matters.

We both want to work hard now to enjoy later. We want to pour ourselves into our son, to make sure he knows he’s loved and important, and amazing. We want to live lives we don’t need to escape from, but can choose to anytime we wish.

And as we dig into our stew, I wonder if this is what life is supposed to be like.

“Is this what happiness feels like?” I ask him as we finish our meal.

“I think so,” he says, gathering up our dishes and heading into the kitchen to wash them. I follow him in and shoulder to shoulder, we clean everything and set it all to dry on the rack.

Later, when we’re tired, we sit by the fireplace, listening to the crackling and popping.

He pulls me closer, his eyes filled with love, and this feels like home. Not the cabin, him . He feels like where I’m meant to be.

Over the next few days, we get out and really live. We hike up trails, savoring the firm earth beneath our boots. At the peak, we watch rolling clouds skate along the mountains far below, white over green that shifts to blue like a natural gradient.

And I feel a peace here that I've never known—a calm that seeps into my bones.

Back home, we drag a blanket out into the yard as the brilliant hues of the sunset fade.

“Thank you for bringing me here,” I say as we lay on the blanket in the grass as the stars twinkle overhead.

“Thank you for saying yes,” he replies, his fingers tracing patterns on my lower back as I curl into him.

I wish the weekend would never end, even though I do miss Damon, Win, Carol, and Shana. But we’re having fun and getting lost in one another, just like I worried we might.

But somehow, it’s okay. I’m happy. This feels like it was meant to be. Like fate, maybe.

“I could get used to this,” I say, leaning into him as we watch the dawn break with hot cups of coffee in hand.

“Us?” he asks, sounding hopeful.

“Us,” I say, because there's no denying it now—I’m in love with him, and I’m pretty sure he’s in love with me.

“What do you want to do today, love?” he asks.

And I glance over at him. “Maybe stay in today?” I say, hoping he understands what I’m hinting – not so subtly – at, because while we’ve had fun, we’ve been too tired every night to make love, and I’m really craving his touch.

He gives a wolfish grin and gently squeezes my thigh, making his forearm flex. “That sounds like a plan.”

My heart beats a little bit faster as I think about the possibilities the day holds. And all of them include me being sore tomorrow in the best possible way.

When the sun begins to set on our truly perfect day, I find myself in the bedroom, staring out over the majesty before us. Lark walks up behind me, kissing my neck and revving my body up for another round. I want to melt into him, give him anything he asks, because he’s just too perfect for me. This time away has taught me that I want him in my life as a permanent fixture.

The sun dips behind the mountains, casting a golden-orange glow across everything. Lark's hand finds mine, his grip strong yet gentle, as he continues kissing me, sending a shiver down my spine as excitement flutters in my chest.

“You are amazing,” he says, and I reach up with one hand, touching his hair before turning my head to meet him in a kiss.

“So are you,” I whisper against his lips. I can’t imagine a more perfect end to a perfect day.

His arm slips around my shoulders, the other around my waist, pulling me back into his body in a way that gets my blood pumping.

“You better stop that, mister,” I tease, remembering how he’d been the one needing a break, though the soreness in me made me gratefully agree.

“There’s one more thing,” he says, and I’m dragged back to the day of the scavenger hunt when he’d spoiled both me and Win.

“Oh no, you don’t,” I say, pressing a quick kiss to his lips.

“You can’t stop me,” he says.

“I probably can.” Our teasing back and forth has a smile on my face, until he drops to one knee. My heart stops beating and I stare at him. He has to be joking, there’s no way…

“Lara,” he says in that deep, gravelly voice that drives me wild. “I can't imagine a life without you.”

Wasn’t I just thinking that a little while ago?

“I don’t want to imagine a life without you.” His eyes lock on mine with an intensity that makes my breath catch. “You are my partner, my friend, my love, you are my everything. Every moment with you makes me the happiest man on Earth, and I want to spend the rest of my life making you that happy, too.”

Tears well up in my eyes as I realize this is really happening. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small, velvet box. Opening it, he reveals a stunning ring that sparkles in the light.

I can hardly breathe as I look at the ring. A delicate platinum band reflects the light with a brilliant round-cut diamond in the center that catches and reflects every ray of light with a dazzling sparkle… it’s incredible. More beautiful than I ever imagined. And the thought of it being a symbol of our forever, our love, a commitment to this man…

“Will you marry me?” he asks.

I’m speechless, overwhelmed by the flood of emotions within me, excitement, joy, surprise.... But then, with a smile that feels like it might split my face in two, I nod my head.

“Yes,” I whisper, my voice trembling with joy and nerves. “Yes, I will marry you.”

He slips the ring onto my finger, and as he stands, I throw my arms around him, pulling him into a hug and planting a kiss on his lips.

I never saw this coming, but things make more sense now. I break the kiss. “Carol knew, didn’t she?” I ask.

He nods.

I love how important his family is to him, and now, we’re becoming part of that family, my brother and me. My heart pounds, not just from surprise but with every bit of love I feel for him. I feel the weight of the ring on my finger and everything feels surreal.

The rainbows cast by the diamond scatter around the room, and I’m amazed again. “I had no idea,” I whisper.

“Good. I like that I can keep you on your toes.” He presses a quick kiss to my lips.

We stand like that for a while, his arms holding me, and I rest my head on his chest, listening to the heartbeat that beats in time with mine.

“Forever,” he says into my hair, his voice filled with excitement and disbelief.

“Forever,” I say, and we kiss again, surrounded by the beauty of the great outdoors.

And in this moment, my life becomes whole. I’m with the man I’m meant to be with, even though I still don’t believe in fate.