Page 104 of The Women of Oak Ridge

We stood in silence while Aunt Mae’s heartbroken sobs rose in the summer sky. She asked Dad to pray, and he offered a beautiful blessing on Sissy’s family. With emotion in his voice, he also thanked God for sparing Aunt Mae from going to prison.

When Aunt Mae was ready, we loaded into the Bronco.

“I don’t need to come here again,” she said as we drove away. When I turned to glance at her, I found a peaceful expression on her face while she gazed out the window. “In fact,” she faced Dad where he sat next to her, “I don’t need to stay in Oak Ridge any longer.”

Dad’s eyes widened. “What?”

She heaved a sigh. “All these years, I’ve felt stuck. Stuck in the past. Stuck in my shame. I couldn’t move forward to something new, and I couldn’t go back to change the things I’d done. But now,” she said with a soft smile, “now I feel free. Freer than I’ve ever felt before. I’d like to take you up on your offer, Harry, and move to Boston. I want to be near my family.”

The happy surprise on Dad’s face mirrored my own, but in the best way possible.

Back at the house, Dad walked Aunt Mae inside while I remained in the driveway with Jonas.

“That was unexpected,” he said once we were alone. “It’s like she’s a different person.”

I repeated Velvet’s words about freedom in Christ and how the guilt Aunt Mae had carried all these years seemed to melt away when she accepted them as truth. “That’s what we all need, isn’t it? To know God’s grace and plans are perfect, no matter how it seems.”

“Speaking of plans,” he said, his eyes locked on to mine. “If Mae moves to Boston, I guess you won’t have any reason to come back to Oak Ridge.”

I couldn’t look away. I knew what he was asking. I just didn’t know how to respond.

“I suppose I might return. I still have research to do.”

He cupped my face with his hands, his gaze intense. “Laurel, I don’t want you to come back for research.” He grimaced. “That didn’t come out right. What I mean is, Iwantyou to come back. I want to continue getting to know you. I want to continue...this.”

My heart pounded. After hearing Aunt Mae’s story—a story about a lifetime of dashed hopes and unfulfilled dreams—I didn’t want to look back on this day with regret. My reply to Jonas’s heartfelt declaration could ultimately change the well-laid pathmy life was currently on. Was I willing to take a risk and possibly alter everything?

My galloping pulse slowed. I knew the answer. “I want this too.”

We closed the gap between us. His lips met mine, sweet and full of passion. I felt his arms go around me, and I clung to him as we kissed. Nothing around us mattered. When it came to an end, we were both breathless.

“That went better than I thought it would,” he said, followed by a mischievous grin.

I remained in his embrace, my hands on his muscled chest. “When I came to Oak Ridge, I didn’t expect to find you, Detective Tyson.”

He pulled me closer. “I’m sure Dad will take all the credit, since you were interviewing him when we met.”

“As I recall, you weren’t exactly Prince Charming that day,” I teased.

He laughed. “Guilty as charged.” He caressed my cheek with his thumb. “You’ll find I can be pretty protective of the people I love.”

The ardent look in his eyes sent a delicious sensation racing through me.

“I can live with that.”