Page 86 of Until Then

The lake glimmers in the distance, sunshine reflecting off the surface, instantly soothing me like it does every time I see it.

“What is this place?” she asks, her eyes wide and filled with wonder.

Without answering her, I get out of the truck and go around to open her door. She takes my hand without hesitation, letting me guide her through the tall grass. I’ll have to check her for ticks later. Can’t say it’ll be a hardship.

“Where are we?” she breathes at my side, her head on a swivel as she takes it all in.

I stop when we get to the edge of the lake. It’s a decent size, but there are only a few other houses built around it.

“This is my land,” I finally answer, letting go of her hand so I can pick up a flat stone. I toss it and watch it skip three times over the surface before it sinks. “I bought it years ago.”

It went on the market about twelve years ago. Brooks mentioned it to me, knowing about my mostly secret dream of buying a piece of land and building my own home. I love myhouse, but I’ve wished for more space and for a home I could build from the ground up.

Despite having the perfect piece of property, my kids were young, and I was burning the candle at both ends, so I put it off.

And the longer I did that, the easier it became.

Last fall, Brooks convinced me it was time to start clearing the land, but that’s as much as I’ve done.

“Your land?” Izzy repeats, the breeze stirring her hair around her shoulders. “What are you going to do with it?”

“The plan has always been to build my dream house.”

“So”—she bends and picks up a rock for herself—“why haven’t you?” She tosses the rock and instead of skipping, it sinks with aplunk. “Dammit.”

“Try one like this.” I grab a round, smooth rock. “And flick your wrist like this.” I demonstrate and wait for her to mimic the movement. Then I put the rock in her open palm. “Go.”

She mimics the movement, and the stone skips twice. Her smile is infectious when she turns back to me. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you’re avoiding my question.”

With a sigh, I scrub a hand over my jaw. “I guess I haven’t seen the point. It’s only me. My house is fine for a bachelor. A place like this… it deserves more than me.”

She turns to face me completely, sticking her hands in the back pockets of her shorts. It pushes her breasts out so they strain against the fabric of her white, ribbed tank top.

I have to look away. Otherwise I may maul her right here, out in the open.

“I don’t know why you think you don’t deserve things like that. You’re enough, you know?”

You’re enough.

My heart stutters, along with my breath.

The words are simple, but they feel like a lifeline.

“This is a beautiful spot to build a house,” she says, gently placing a hand on my forearm. “I hope you do it.”

Without letting go, she surveys the area. The trees, the water, the cleared land.

Does she see what I see? A Tudor style lake house with a wall of windows along the back, creating the most spectacular views of the lake? A dock for my boat? A yard with a playground for kids and?—

Kids.

I haven’t thought about the possibility of more children since my wife died. I was too busy raising Layla and Reid and working to think about what I might want if I met the right person.

A part of me feels too old to have more kids. I’ve already raised two. Would the age difference be strange? And what about Lili? She’d be older than an uncle or an aunt. Would that be frowned upon? Or does that even matter? I love kids, and I love being a dad. Before Izzy came along, I was lonely. The house felt too empty, too quiet.

“I can’t believe Layla and Reid haven’t talked you into building the house already. This place is magical.”

“Uh…” I rub at my nose, stalling. “They don’t know.”

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