907 For Keeps Way (Cherry Falls)

“I love you, Kaylee Richards.”

She reaches up and places her palm on my cheek. Her eyes are misty as she searches mine.

“I love you too, Dane McDaniels.”

“You make me so happy. Loving you is so easy.”

She leans in, so I enfold her in my arms, holding her close. This woman kills me. I nuzzle my face against her hair as we make it to the truck.

We climb inside. I start the engine so she can turn the air conditioner on. Air before conversation after a workout session. That’s a rule I learned early on.

I watch her aim the vents her way and smile.

“What?” she asks when she catches me watching her. “I’m hot.”

“That you are, baby.”

She grins too.

Epilogue Part 2

Epilogue Part 2

Kaylee

“Loving you is easy.”

The truck speeds down the road as an old Waylon Jennings song comes on the radio. I watch Dane as he pilots us back toward town.

If only he knew how deeply I needed to hear those words. True, he makes me feel easy to love but hearing him verbalize it was everything I never knew I needed.

“You know how much you are loved by the goodness shown you, sweet Kaylee girl. Loving you is easy. Anyone who makes you feel like loving you is hard doesn’t really love you. Remember that.”

Grandma’s words come back to me as I sit in the passenger’s seat and feel the warm rays of the sun. I can’t help but smile.

He loves me, Grandma. He really loves me.

There’s a confidence, a peace that settles in my soul at the realization. I never knew this kind of contentment with Derrick. Maybe this is why I was so devastated after the divorce. It wasn’t the loss of Derrick. It was losing the chance to ever have a love like this.

I just didn’t realize what a blessing the universe was giving me. I had to lose Derrick—feel the crash of the whole world that I’d been building—to get here.

To get to a love that is true and deep and real. To have a strong, healthy relationship to model for Anna.

I study Dane. He’s sturdy and solid enough to withstand the hard times. Gentle and tender enough to hold me when I’m sad. He’s also filled with a joy, a playfulness to make every day a little better. He waited for me.

He does everything all the way—and that’s how I know. That’s how I don’t worry about the future.

Dane McDaniels loves for keeps.