Tonight, I’m missing him even more.
Katie’s at girl scout overnight camp with her grandma, who is her den mother. I let Logan off early for the night so he could take his car with the new interior out for a ride with his girlfriend.
The night is a slow one at the gym. I look up when the door dings announcing a customer, and my heart drops down into my belly.
It’s Bart.
I start trying to talk, say hello, but can’t find my voice. He strides toward me and picks me up, kissing me fiercely, passionately.
He breaks our kiss, but he’s still holding me in his arms. “I know I should have been more upfront, so now I’m going to be so that you’ll know you can always trust me.”
I lean my head down and nuzzle into his neck, savoring his warmth. God, being in his arms again is perfect. “I know I can trust you. After everything you did for Katie and me, I never should have doubted you.”
He puts me on my feet and has both hands on the side of my face. He’s tilting my head, and I’m gazing up at him. I don’t even try to hide how I feel from him. This week without him has shown me how much I want him in my life. I need him.
“I’ve transferred to work here with the local police department. I’ll be living in Forest Grove permanently.”
I am shocked. “Why? Why would you leave a bigtime city job for a little town detective position? You’ve worked so hard…”
“Because I don’t want to raise Katie and our other kids in Knox. I know what I want. You’re the love of my life. I want to be where you are; here with you is where I belong. If you need more time—”
“I just need you.”
He smiles at that before dipping his head and capturing my lips in a kiss.
Epilogue
Chrissy
“Are you going to live with us now?” Katie asks Bart.
I gasp. Because even though I’ve thought it over and over, I haven’t even considered forming the question.
It’s only been a few weeks that David has been in jail. Katie is completely back to her normal self, and everyone is falling into a routine.
“Katie!” I admonish.
“No, I mean, it’s a good question,” Bart says. “You sure are smart, pretty girl.”
Katie preens under Bart’s comment. She truly already loves him.
“I guess that’s something your mom and I need to talk about.”
She looks down at the toy in her hand and then back up at him again. Usually full of confidence, she asks him shyly, “Do you want to live with us?”
He reaches for her and pulls her onto the couch between us. We were already sitting close, but now with Katie between us, we’re snugged together tightly. “Would you like for me to live here with you and your mom?”
She nods her head emphatically. “Yes.”
“I dunno,” Bart starts. “I was thinking we could buy a new house.”
I gasp. We haven’t talked about any of this, but even knowing that, I know I don’t want to stay in the same house that David once lived in.
“A new house?”
“Do you know what, Katie? If I could have anything in this world, do you know what that would be?”
Her eyes are as big as saucers as she shakes her head.
“If I could have anything, I would be married to your mom, and have you as my stepdaughter. That would make me the happiest man in the world.”
Katie turns to look at me. “Oh, Momma, can we, can we please?”
I can’t help but laugh. It seems that Bart and Katie are quite a pair and have turned to ganging up on me.
“I don’t know. Why don’t you go play in your room and let me and Bart talk about it, okay?”
She hugs the two of us and bounds out of the room. I sit there, watching the doorway when Bart breaks the silence. “Are you mad at me?”
I finally turn to look at him. “I don’t know. Was that a marriage proposal?”
He looks sheepish for a minute. “I thought I should get Katie on my side before I did this.”
He slides from the couch and gets down on one knee in front of me. “I’ve been carrying around this ring since I got back to Forest Grove. I love you, Chrissy, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you and Katie. Will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
I reach for him and pull back. “Are you sure, Bart? Don’t ask me if you’re not sure.”
He laughs then and pulls me in. “I’m sure, woman. Now tell me yes so that we can get to kissing.”
“Yes, yes, yes!” I say, but the last two are smothered by his kiss.
Epilogue 2
Olivia
A Few Weeks Later