“And if I remind her of all this?”

“Luke, look at me.”

He did.

“That woman loves you. She isn’t going anywhere.”

A breath rushed from his lips. He kissed Jo’s forehead and moved to Zoe’s side.

“You’re something else.” Zane walked up, a soda in his hand.

“How you holding up?” Jo asked.

“I’m okay. Still hurt like hell, but I’m okay.”

“Those were some powerful words you said today.”

“Better than the ones I first thought of.”

“Oh? And what were those?”

“That the bastard burn in hell.”

Jo smiled. “I can’t imagine he’s anywhere else.”

“I heard Zanya talking to Miss Gina . . . something about a job here.”

“You know Miss Gina, she takes in strays all the time.”

“That’s good. I can leave without worrying.”

Jo couldn’t say she was surprised. “Where are you going?”

“I-I, ah, talked to a recruiter with the marines.”

A strange wave of pride washed over her. “Oh?”

“Yeah, they went over my records. Looks like my past isn’t going to keep me from enlisting. Just need to pass my GED, which I was already working on.”

“You were?”

“Yeah, couldn’t have those snot nose teenagers beating me on the track and in the school department.”

Jo sent a silent thanks to her father for her influence on Zane.

She couldn’t stop smiling. “Marines?”

“Yeah, badass, right?”

“I think it’s a good thing.”

He nodded, looked like he was holding back tears. “Feels right. Someone told me once that to change their life something bad had to happen or they needed to join the service. I figure I have two points in my favor going in. Well, three, if I’m as good a shot as my mom.”

Jo couldn’t stop the curt laugh from exploding from her lips.

Then she stepped into Zane’s one arm and hugged him.

“You’re gonna be just fine.”

“I expect you at my graduation . . . or whatever pomp and circumstance I have to go through.”

“I’ll be there.”

Most of the guests had left the inn before Zoe slipped out the back door to watch the sunset.

The door behind her opened, and she felt a throw drop onto her shoulders.

She leaned back against Luke’s chest and enjoyed the warmth of his arms as they circled around her.

“How are you?”

“Hanging in there.”

“Hard day,” Luke said.

“I’ve had easier ones.”

She felt Luke’s lips on the top of her head. “I want to make it easier on you.”

Zoe reached around, held his arms that crossed over her stomach. “You have, Luke. You and everyone here. I can’t imagine going through any of this by myself.”

Luke held her closer. “You’re not alone.”

“I know. I realized earlier how lonely I was when I lived in Texas. I had friends, colleagues . . . they would have shown up for a funeral, maybe even helped me plan one. But they wouldn’t understand.”

“Everyone here knows you, Zoe. There isn’t any need for explanations in River Bend.”

“That used to frustrate me.”

“And now?”

She snuggled closer into his shoulder. “It’s comforting. Which is surprising.”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure. When the doctors were dragging me through X-ray after X-ray last week, I waited for the desire to run to hit me hard. How was I going to face this town? What would people say? I thought my need to get out of River Bend would dump on me like it had in high school.”

Luke shivered, and she looked up to see him holding his breath with his eyes closed.

“It didn’t, Luke.”

He slowly opened his eyes and looked down.

She wanted to erase the fear in his gaze.

“I didn’t feel the need to run away, I felt the need to hold you.”

“Oh, Zoe.” He kissed her temple and let his lips linger there. “I’m right here.”

Zoe turned her attention back to the setting sun that started to boil in a small ball of fire over the trees. She needed to remove Luke’s fears of her fleeing his side, regardless of what was to come, and she needed to start now.

“I’ve been thinking,” she said with a sigh.

“Yeah?”

“Maybe we can have Wyatt remodel our kitchen.”

Luke took a second for her change of subject to click. “Our kitchen?”

“Okay, my kitchen. You can call the garage yours. Maybe even get a beer tap for it.”

His lips pressed close to her ear. She heard the smile in his voice. “Are you suggesting we merge our panty drawers into one place?”

She lowered her eyes and took a chance. “Yeah. I mean, once we’re engaged, there’s no need to pretend we’re not living together.”

Luke turned her around, his eyes bright and hopeful. “Engaged?”

She lifted her left hand in the air. “I’m a five and a half, and unlike Mel, I’m not opposed to tattooing that on your body in your sleep.”

“You’re serious.” He was smiling like a kid on Christmas.

Zoe lifted her hands to his shoulders. “I left River Bend to find myself, to escape . . .” She didn’t need to finish that sentence. “But I had to come back to you to realize what I had lost. I tried to stop loving you, thought I was successful for a little while there . . . but I was wrong. I’ve never stopped loving you, Luke. I’m really praying our timing is finally right.”