Page 56 of Two Hearts Reunited

Another forty-five minutes later, they were both finishing their sandwiches. Anya was relieved to see that Eric’s appetite was good. Apparently, that had been one of the biggest concerns at the hospital.

When they were finished, Eric’s eyes searched hers. “I’m so glad to be home. Is it bedtime? Can I please just hold you for a while?”

“I’d love that,” she said, smiling and giving him a gentle kiss. “Let me put away the food in the kitchen and lock up before I take a quick shower, and then we can just call it an early night.”

“Good,” he answered, giving her his first real smile since he’d come home.

“Meanwhile, I’ll turn on the TV,” she said.

“Okay. I might have to use the bathroom again. Tomorrow I’m going to see how far I can make it on my own.”

“Let’s not push it. Do me a favor and just make sure I’m in the room first, okay?”

He nodded. “I can do that.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Eric had slept like a log the previous night and that probably had something to do with finally being home with Anya. Strangely, he felt much stronger today. He supposed it might have had something to do with all the food that Anya had been feeding him. She’d tempted him with everything he enjoyed, he’d realized at lunch today, when she’d served food she must have ordered from the Inn. He’d wolfed down shrimp and scallops along with some delicious cheesy potatoes, and he was feeling stuffed, yet again.

“Tonight, we’re having steaks and potatoes on the grill,” she said.

“I’m not going to just reach my required weight, I’m probably going to end up fat and lazy, and won’t want to work out when it’s time,” he said. “I’m sure you noticed that I wasn’t too enthusiastic about finding a place to stay in shape when I was here for Christmas. I paid for it when I returned to duty.”

She laughed. “How do the ribs feel today? I guess we should rewrap them after you’ve taken a bath.”

“I’ve noticed you’ve made big changes in that master bath.”

“I used some of your money for that,” she admitted, grinning. “After you were injured, I thought the whirlpool tub would be a good idea and Brian and Ashley agreed.”

“You know that I’m probably going to have to go back eventually, Anya. I just hope I can manage to get assigned to a base in the States. My injuries might prevent me from continuing in rescue work. I’ll have to see.”

She shrugged. “I understand. I won’t complain about something I can’t change, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

Eric suddenly laughed. “I love you.”

“The feeling is definitely mutual,” she replied.

* * *

Once Eric was asleep, taking a nap, Anya came to a decision. It was time to move forward and fill Jake in on her thoughts about the paintings that had sold at the auction before Christmas.

But first, she would try and confirm what she thought she was going to find when she looked closely at the painting that Eric had purchased for Ashley and Brian at Christmas. She remembered how thrilled they’d been when they’d opened the package and they had it hanging above an accent table in the living room.

Hopefully, they wouldn’t be any less impressed by the painting if Anya discovered she was right about what she might find once she studied it thoroughly.

Pulling her phone from her jeans pocket, she switched it on, hitting a number on speed dial.

“Hi, Ashley,” Anya said quietly when she answered.

“Anya? Is everything alright?” Ashley asked.

“Everything’s fine, Ash. How are you feeling?”

“Good. We’re all looking forward to tonight. It’ll be great to see Eric.”

“We’re really looking forward to it too. It’ll feel like Christmas again.” She cleared her throat. “So, I’ve got a favor to ask. Remember how we were talking about the paintings here in the studio upstairs back in January?”

“I do.”

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