Page 115 of The Matchmaker Club

I looked down at the coffee curled in my hand. “Okay.”

His finger hooked under my chin, guiding me to look him in the eyes. “I give you my word that I’m going to do everything I can to make sure my father doesn’t sell this house.”

“What?”

“This is your family’s home. You belong here.”

The mug slipped from my hands, and I wrapped my arms around him. It was like a bubble of emotion kept expanding until it burst out of me. All I could see in my mind was Marlena and my mother smiling down on us. Images of Lainey chasing me in the yard when I was a kid…and the three of us planting flowers by my mother’s grave. Every part of this estate held a piece of all of us.

“Do you really think you can convince him to let us stay?”

He cupped my cheek, wiping away my tears with his thumb. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen. I promise. You and your family are not moving anywhere.”

More tears spilled down my cheek. Lucas wouldn’t promise anything if he couldn’t deliver.

“Thank you so much.” I jumped up and kissed him. “We should tell Lainey and my grandmother.” I could barely contain my excitement.

He smiled and nodded. “You tell them. I need to pack again.”

Oh. That.

My smile faded. “When will you be able to come back?”

“Let’s not worry about that now. Go and give your family the good news.”

“Okay.”

I started toward the trail leading to the flower garden and looked back at Lucas. His elbows were on his knees and his head down.

There was something bittersweet about this moment. I hoped that it wouldn’t turn out more bitter than sweet in the end.