I gasped. We’d planned to build a cabin on Drake’s land where we’d live after college. While we were apart, he’d gone ahead and built it. Did he know we’d find our way back to each other? I’d been so lost, I never dreamed of being back in his arms. “Why?”
“It gave me hope that we’d live here together someday.” His thumb brushed my chin. “You’re it for me, Lex. And I knew if I ever got you back, I wanted to have this place for us. I love you, Lex. Always have. Always will.”
With those words, it felt like the final barrier lifted between us. Throwing my arms around him, I pulled him closer to me. “I love you, too. So much, Drake.”
“There’s something else I need to show you.”
What else could there possibly be? As we walked up the stone path that led to the front porch, I tried to take it all in. The railing was more of a half wall to help keep the snow from accumulating in front of the window. There was a fire pit on each side, surrounded by handmade wood furniture. I stopped, recognizing the pieces that—once upon a time—I’d helped craft. My hands shook as I reached out to touch the smooth wood. I knew the answer, but I had to ask. “Are these…?” My voice shook.
“Yes, they’re your dad’s. I managed to get them at the auction without Irene knowing by having a few friends bid on them. I wanted to be sure they weren’t lost to you. I know how special this furniture is to you. Our cabin has other pieces from the bed and breakfast, as well. I got it all, baby.”
My throat tightened. I had a piece of my dad back. I ran a hand over the arm of one of the rocking chairs. The wood was so smooth from hours of sanding. This chair had been my favorite place to sit when Dad told his nighttime stories.
“Drake… I have no words.” I turned to face him. “You… I….” It was too much, and I started to cry in earnest. I wrapped my arms around his waist. “I love you.”
He always took care of me in every way possible. If I could marry this man tomorrow, I would.
A chilly breeze blew, and I shivered.
“Let’s go inside,” Drake said.
I wanted nothing more than the promise behind those words.
He opened the door, and before I could step over the threshold, he picked me up and stepped inside. It was just as we’d drawn it together. There was a stone fireplace on the left side of the cabin. The living room, kitchen, and dining space were combined in one open space.
“Are the two bedrooms down this hallway?”
“Yes, just like we discussed—with a joint bathroom.”
This was home. Our home. The dream we’d always shared. The rooms were for the kids we wanted in the future. “And down that way?”
“The office and master bedroom.”
I was drawn to the bedroom, and I rushed in that direction. Drake followed close behind me. As I walked around the bedroom, I couldn’t believe Drake had done all this. The bedroom was warm and cozy, with rustic, dark wood furniture.
I ran a hand along the wood. “Your dad?”
“I helped. It was something I did on the side.”
“I did the same thing, too. Busied myself with anything and everything. If I sat still for too long, it was hard. My thoughts always drifted to you.”
“Mine, too, Lex.”
He leaned down and captured my lips. When we broke apart, I whispered, “Make love to me.”
He walked me back to the bed, lay me down, and hovered over me. “I love you, Lex.”
“Love you, too.”
Drake always made me feel like the most cherished woman in the world.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Drake
That was, hands down, the best night of my life.