Page 71 of Todd
“Your son was brilliant. He’s good at rescue operations.”
Todd jumped in. “Don’t let her fool you. She was amazing at bringing their operation down.”
David responded, “We were starting to worry he’d never find someone brave enough to put up with his tendency to overthink everything. So glad he’s got you.”
“Dad,” Todd protested, though his embarrassment was tempered by obvious affection for his family’s gentle teasing.
“It’s true,” Susan added, her eyes twinkling with maternal mischief.
Sadie felt Todd’s hand find hers under the table, their fingers intertwining with the kind of automatic comfort that spoke to a deep partnership. “I think we were both being too careful,” she said, squeezing his palm. “But sometimes the best things are worth waiting for.”
“Well, you certainly didn’t waste any time once you made your decision,” Susan observed, gesturing toward what theycould see of the cabin’s interior. “We can’t wait to see the house in person.”
“You’re always welcome here,” Todd and Sadie said at the same time, then laughed.
The conversation continued for another half hour, filled with the kind of easy warmth that made Sadie understand exactly where Todd had learned to be the man she’d fallen in love with. His parents asked about their plans for their new home, treating her not like an addition to their son’s life but like someone who’d always belonged in their family circle.
When they finally disconnected after they’d promised to visit Montana as soon as schedules allowed, Sadie felt the peculiar lightness that came from being fully accepted by people whose approval mattered to the man she loved.
“They’re wonderful,” she said, meaning every word.
“And now, they’re your family, too.” His words meant more than she could have hoped for.
That evening, they sat on their back deck with bottles of beer and the kind of comfortable silence that came from being completely at ease with another person. The Montana sky stretched endlessly above them as the sun settled behind mountain peaks.
“I keep waiting for someone to tell me this isn’t real,” Sadie said, her feet propped on the deck railing as she savored both the beer and the man whose arm was draped around her shoulders. “The house, us, the way everything just... fell into place once we stopped fighting it.”
Todd’s laugh was low and rich, vibrating through his chest where her head rested against him. “It’s real. We’re real. And we have a lifetime now to figure out just how good this can get.”
A lifetime.The concept that had once seemed impossibly daunting now felt like the most precious gift imaginable. Time to build the kind of partnership she’d seen in Logan and Vivian, inSisco and Lenore, and in all the couples at LSIMT who’d found the courage to fight for love despite the dangerous nature of their work.
“What do you think we’ll be like in ten years?” she asked, the question emerging from alcohol-loosened thoughts and the kind of curiosity that came from finally believing in the future.
“Happy,” Todd replied without hesitation. “Probably a little grayer, definitely more settled, but happy. Maybe there will be kids running around, getting into trouble, and driving us both crazy.”
The casual mention of children sent warmth spiraling through her chest, though she’d never allowed herself to seriously consider the possibility before meeting Todd. Now, the image of dark-haired children with his smile and her stubborn streak felt not just possible but inevitable.
“Kids who know how to handle weapons and hack computer systems?” she asked, amusement threading through her voice.
“Kids who know how to think for themselves and stand up for what’s right,” Todd corrected, his voice carrying the conviction that would make him an extraordinary father. “Though, yeah, probably some weapons training too. This is Montana, after all.”
The mountains before them stood eternal and unchanging, witnesses to countless human stories of love and loss and the kind of courage it took to build something lasting in an uncertain world. Somewhere in the distance, a coyote called to its pack, the wild sound emphasizing both the isolation and the freedom of their new home.
“I love you, Todd Blake,” Sadie said, the words carrying the weight of months of suppressed emotion and a future that stretched endlessly before them. “I love our house, our life, and our completely ridiculous story of how we found each other.”
“I love you too, Sadie,” he replied, pressing a kiss to her lips that spoke of promises and the kind of happiness she’d thought was reserved for other people.
The stars began to emerge in the darkening sky, tiny points of light that had guided travelers for millennia and would continue shining long after their own story had ended. But tonight, they were simply two people who’d found their way home to each other, sitting on their own deck, planning a future that finally felt as infinite as the Montana sky above them.
Get ready for the next exciting LSIMT book!
Casper
She escaped Hollywood to find peace. He was sent to keep her alive.
Willow Thorton traded stardom for solitude in rural Nebraska, writing novels far from the spotlight that nearly destroyed her. Until silk roses start appearing on her porch. Hang-up calls. Fresh footprints beneath her window. Someone has found her, and they're getting bolder.
Former Army Delta Force operative Casper Caspini doesn't do small talk or emotional attachments. But protecting Willow means breaking all his rules, starting with the one about not falling for the client.
As the stalker's obsession escalates, Casper and Willow are forced into close quarters and an undeniable connection neither expected. But when a book signing becomes the stalker's hunting ground, they'll have to trust each other with more than their lives.
They'll have to trust each other with their hearts.
~~~~~~~~~~