Summer time nods and bites her lip as tears fill her fairly blue eyes. “I do know. I’m simply glad that nobody else misplaced their companies. Thanks, Bridger, for the whole lot.”

“Right here’s my card,” the fireplace chief says, and passes a card to Summer time. “Name me anytime. I’ll be comfortable to work along with your insurance coverage firm, as effectively.”

“You’re the most effective,” Summer time says with a smile. “I actually respect it.”

“I believe it’s time to go house and get some relaxation,” my dad says and pats Summer time on the again. God, she appears drained. “There’s nothing extra to do right here, my pricey. However there might be loads that want your consideration later. Go house.”

Summer time nods after which smiles at everybody. “Thanks all for coming. You didn’t have to remain all evening.”

“That’s what household does,” Brady says with a wink. Everybody takes turns hugging us each, after which they begin to disperse, strolling a number of blocks away to seek out their autos to go house.

“I’ll come by later,” Polly guarantees as she pulls Summer time in for a hug. “I’ll deliver liquor and meals. As a result of I’m your individual, and that’s what I do.”

“Thanks,” Summer time says, holding on only a minute extra. “I’ll take it. However go catch some sleep first, then we’ll wallow in meals and liquor.”

“Seems like a plan,” Polly says earlier than strolling away.

“Everybody got here,” Summer time murmurs as I take her hand in mine and lead her to the place I deserted my truck final evening. “Despite the fact that it was the nighttime, they only…got here.”

“You’ve lived right here lengthy sufficient to know that this city bands collectively, particularly when one thing like this occurs. They need to assist, in any method they’ll, even when it’s simply to face by and be ethical assist.”

She chews her lip and stares out the window as I drive her to my place.

“I need Lily,” she says and turns to me. “Can we go get her? Or have somebody get her and convey her house?”

“I’ll go get her, child. Let me get you house first.”

“Okay.” She sighs and relaxes into the seat, and simply once I suppose she’s fallen asleep, she reaches for my hand and holds on tightly. “Thanks.”

I didn’t need to depart her. She was simply out of the bathe, lastly washing away the smoke and soot from the fireplace, and I needed to simply curl into mattress along with her and maintain her.

However she needs Lily house with us, and I’m not about to disclaim her something proper now.

“I’m sorry, I do know you needed to sleep,” I say to Paula as she opens the door of her cottage. “I believe Lily might be a consolation to Summer time right this moment.”

“After all, she’s going to,” Paula says with a form smile. “Lily needs to be house with you two.”

I squat down and choose up the canine, and once I stand, Paula’s nonetheless grinning at me.

“You’re going to marry her.”

It isn’t a query, and I grin again at her. “How have you learnt that? Are you a fortune teller?”

“I do know real love once I see it. Go on now. Maintain our lady.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

SUMMER

“It’s so good of your loved ones to incorporate Aunt Paula right this moment.” I grin over at Chase, who’s driving Lily and me out to the ranch for Thanksgiving dinner at Remington and Erin’s home. “That method, I didn’t must attempt to decide on between the 2 or spend half the day at one place after which race over to the opposite.”

“All of us love Paula,” he says and reaches for my hand, lifting it to his lips. “All the time have. And all of us love you, so it is sensible that we’d all spend the vacation collectively.”

“You’re candy.” He brushes his thumb over the again of my fingers, pausing over my ring finger, and lets go so he can pull off of the freeway and onto the ranch highway. He keys us via the gate, however somewhat than turning towards the farmhouse, he takes a proper on the fork within the highway and drives us across the lake, on the recent filth highway that was just lately made, to the place his home might be.

The store is completed now, due to the assistance of so a lot of Chase’s mates. They put in time on their days off to assist him get it achieved earlier than any snow fell for the season.

The previous two months have passed by shortly. The insurance coverage firm lastly paid me to rebuild the flower store, and I’m in talks with an architect on the design. Hopefully, it’ll be completed earlier than marriage ceremony season subsequent 12 months. My home bought, and Lily and I formally moved in with Chase lower than every week after the fireplace.

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