The knock comes again. Then again, much louder this time. My God, the maid here must be a linebacker.
I get up and pull the door open. “I said I’m st—”
My heart thumps wildly.
Dale.
He stands on the other side of the door, looking worse than I do, if that’s even possible. His gorgeous green eyes are bloodshot, and his hair… Well, the only time I’ve seen it worse was after the fire.
“Ashley…”
Oh, God. That voice. That Syrah-coated voice that makes me tremble.
Why? Why has he come here to torment me?
“Why are you here?” I ask in a clipped voice.
His gaze drops to my left hand. “You’re still wearing them.”
My wedding band and engagement ring. I couldn’t bear to take them off. Now I wish I had…until I notice he’s still wearing his band as well.
He strides inside the small room then, owning it as usual. He owns every room he walks into. That’s just who he is. Dale—so strong and masculine and brilliant and full of vigor—and he’s the only one who can’t see it.
He holds a small paperback and a bottle of wine. Château Lascombes. His favorite. He opens the book. “Read this.”
“What for?”
“Please. Just read it.”
I take it from him with a huff.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
* * *
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
* * *
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
* * *
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
“Robert Frost,” I say.
“Yes.”
“I’ve read it before.”
“Does it speak to you?” he asks.
I close the book and hand it back to him. “Robert Frost wrote beautiful stuff. It speaks to everyone. What is this about? Because if you’re here to break my heart again—”
“No, Ashley.” He reaches toward me, his hand trembling, as if he wants to touch me but fears my reaction. As well he should. “I’m here to tell you the truth. I’m here to beg your forgiveness. I’m here to share my favorite Bordeaux with you. Only you. I’m here to… I’m here to take a road I didn’t think I could ever take.”
He opens the bottle of wine, grabs two glasses from the table in the room, pours, and hands one to me. I take a sip. It’s delicious, but that’s all I can contemplate, because Dale begins to speak.
He speaks earnestly.
And I listen.
I listen to the man I love tell me his innermost secrets. I watch him cry. His red-wine voice morphs into silver sadness.
He lets go. He opens up. He tells me things he thinks will turn me away from him forever.
Instead, I turn toward him, my heart breaking for the lost little boy inside.
And I hold him.
Epilogue
Dale
Freed.
Finally.
Ashley is home, and we’re going to make this work. Yes, it will take work. My past won’t disappear. Not ever. Like Dad said, I have to live with it. That’s not part of the choice. The choice is how I live with it—which road I choose to take.
I’m seeing Aunt Mel again to help sort everything out. The big question is whether I need to tell Donny what happened those last few days of our captivity. I waver on that. I want to tell him, to be honest with him, but he’s happy. I don’t want to destroy that.
Ashley made arrangements to finish her coursework online. By May, she’ll be a true doctor of wine! Where she goes from there is up to her. She has my full support, whether she wants to use her knowledge at the Steel Winery or live her dream to become a sommelier at a fine restaurant in Grand Junction.
Willow is moving to Colorado. She’ll be here by Thanksgiving for the big party for Uncle Ryan and Aunt Ruby. She’ll stay with us until she finds a place of her own. Ashley has already found a place in town for her to open a salon. She’s starting over in a new place, and Ashley couldn’t be happier.
And Donny…
Donny’s moving back home.
He accepted Mom’s offer to become the assistant city attorney for Snow Creek. Yes, my little brother gave up a partnership track at a top Denver firm to come home. I can’t help wondering if Callie Pike had anything to do with that decision. They were cozy the night of the reception.