ChapterTwenty
Beau
Three weeks later, the crew was back on the job. He was making his rounds when Kyle told him there was a problem.
He went downstairs and found a man in what would be the lobby. “Can I help you?”
The man held out his hand and introduced himself. “I’m Chuck Lowery from the Environmental Protection Agency. We’ve received several emails reporting the sighting of burrowing owls in the building. You’ll have to stop all work until a thorough inspection can be done.”
“Burrowing owls, huh?” He pulled his phone from his pocket and sent Bobbie a message.
Burrowing owls? Sweetheart, if you missed me, all you needed to do was say so. Beau
It took her ten seconds to call. “Oh, that was Bobbie Cruise who made that call. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He and Bobbie had married at the justice of the peace, and she was now Bobbie Westhaven. They didn’t need a fancy wedding. All they needed was each other.
“Sure, you don’t.” She promised being married to her wouldn’t be easy, but he knew it would be worth it.
”Well, it took them long enough to get there. Damn bureaucrats.”
“It looks like we’ll have to shut down for the day. What do you suggest I do with my free time?”
“You know the motto, Using Our Resources for Good. Come home and do some good.”
“On my way.” He told the crew to head home for a paid day off. He invited the inspector to explore the building at his leisure and asked him to lock the doors when he left.
Beau raced home to find Bobbie waiting in bed. “Sweetheart, you can delay the job any day as long as the reward is you.”
“Good to know because I have a proposition for you.”
He stripped off his clothes and climbed into bed with her. “I’ll need an extensive outline of your proposal, Mrs. Westhaven.” He rolled over to kiss her thoroughly. “But don’t worry. I have plenty of time.”
* * *
Nine months and fourteen days later, Catherine Brianna Westhaven was born. She was the spitting image of her mother, except for her blue eyes. She entered the world hell-bent on wrapping herself around her parents’ hearts. Their lives would never feel empty again.
His life had gone full circle. He arrived in Colorado trying to escape his past and gain control over his future. With reminders like Thirteenth Street and 911 Larimer, it was difficult to let it go. Those numbers historically had been harbingers of doom and bad luck, but Bobbie changed everything.
In the end, he would never forget the past, but he could use the lessons he’d learned to forge a better future. Genesis was only the beginning. He and Bobbie were two sides of the same coin. Their hurts ran deep, but their love ran deeper, and their commitment and devotion to changing the world ran deepest of all.