Page 93 of The Billionaire's Runaway Bride

Marian is shaking her head as she comes through the hall. “I’m sorry but I don’t have any vacan—Lauren!” She gasps, staring openmouthed at me, then at my man. “Caleb!” She presses her fingertips to her mouth. “I, I can’t believe it!” Then she rushes toward me. Her apron flaps at her sides as she hurries, and in a crushing hug scented with the homey smells of her kitchen, she grabs me tight. Rocking me side to side and laughing in delight, she soaks up my return. Then she slips her arm out to drag Caleb into the hug. We’re meshed together in a happy bundle of a reunion.

At the first sound of her sniffle, I let her go and wipe my eyes. Both of us are overjoyed to the point of tears, and Caleb grins down at us both.

“How? What? When? Where?” She shakes her head. “I don’t know where to start with all my questions.”

Caleb chuckles as she takes our hands and leads us to the living room. “Didn’t you miss one? The why?”

We sit, me and Marian on the couch while Caleb takes “his” chair. He favored it the whole time he stayed here.

“The why of you two showing up here together?” She giggles with mischief in her eyes. “It’s obvious. My matchmaking proves to be a powerful force.” She shrugs. “You love each other, that’s why.”

“But that’s not all,” Caleb says.

Marian sobers for a moment, listening to a guest asking for her.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize you were busy,” the pregnant woman says.

“No worries, no worries.” Marian invites her to ask a question, and once she’s answered it and the guest leaves, our sweet friend smiles at us. “It’s been so busy here. Business is booming.” She shakes her head, and I see how tired she is. She’ll wear herself thin. “I can’t do it alone, but I didn’t want to post for help until…” Raising her brow, she peers at me. “Until I knew for sure that you wouldn’t come back.”

“And here I am.” I smile at Caleb. “Here we are.”

“But I don’t have any rooms!”

“Yes, you do.” Caleb smiles. “I hurried up and got the last one on the flight to get my girl. Paid in full for two weeks.”

“I get you two for a couple of weeks!” She grins, hugging me again.

“I think a lot longer than that.” Caleb winks at me. “You tell her.”

“Tell me what?” she asks, excited like a child about to get a gift.

“Caleb—”

“We,” he amends. Already, I struggle to remember that he really meant it when he said what is his is now mine.

I clear my throat. “We would like to buy the undeveloped plot of land next to the Goldfinch.”

She gapes at us. “You’re here to stay?”

I nod and I take her hand to squeeze it.

“I’d like to purchase,” he says, then laughs. “We would like to purchase the plot next door. We want to build a house there. Our forever house, Marian. And we’d also like to buy the bed-and-breakfast.”

“You’ll live here forever,” I add. “You’ll run the place and keep your ‘system’ in the kitchen.”

She gives me a watery smile. “And you’ll handle the grounds?”

I nod. “Whatever you need. You’ll run this place without owing us a thing.”

Marian is in tears, squeezing my hand and patting Caleb’s knees. “I just can’t believe this!”

“You have already done so much for us,” Caleb says.

“We’ll never be able to stop telling you how grateful we are for you.”

“Grateful? For me?” She giggles. “I’m over the moon and thankful for you two!”

Caleb glances at me.

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