Page 63 of Cherishing Happily Ever After

Steph smiled to herself and warmth bloomed in her chest. Lynx Creekwashome. Absolutely. But it wasn’t just the location that made it feel that way. She swallowed hard and turned in her seat to face her mom. “I can’t wait to show it all to you. And I really want you to meet Travis. He is so…” She didn’t know how to explain it to them. She swallowed hard and went with the truth. “He’s so important to me.” The words felt good to say. “In fact, I think I—”

“We’re here!” Faith announced loudly, interrupting her.

Steph grunted and gave her sister a glare. Faith was really starting to get on her nerves.

Out of the car, Steph instantly calmed down again. The quiet fresh air filled her soul and she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, letting the spirit of Lynx Creek fill her completely. Faith had driven them to the main lodge building, so it would be a bit of a walk to her cabin. The dress Faith gave her to wear was admittedly quite pretty—although it would be way too short for Faith, who was much taller than her—but it was in no way the ideal outfit for trekking through the woods, but she’d make do.

“It’s gorgeous, sweetheart!” Her mother stood next to her and took it all in.

“It really is nice, Steph. You did a good job up here.” Dale ran his hand along the railing of the lodge. “And that man of yours, he—”

“What?” She spun to stare at her father. “What did you just say?”

“That man.” Her father tripped over the words. “That handyman of yours.”

She narrowed her eyes. She hadn’t told them about Travis. Not really. Faith interrupted her every time she tried.

“Show us around, kiddo.” Her dad started to walk toward the front door, followed by her mother.

But Faith hung back.

“Are you coming?”

She shrugged. “Go. Show your parents. I know it’s important to you to show them all your hard work. I’ll wait here.” She blew Steph a kiss.

Instantly, all the annoyance she’d been feeling with her sister faded away.

And then she added, “But hurry up, okay?”

It turned out that her parents were also in a bit of a hurry and although they seemed to enjoy seeing the lodge and all the details that Steph pointed out to them, they were eager to get moving and see her cabin. Steph tried not to take any of it personally. Especially because she, too, was eager to get moving through the cabins and find Travis. She just knew he was there. She could feel it. Besides, the sandbags she’d helped place by the front door of the lodge had been removed and only Travis would have done it.

When they emerged from the lodge, Faith was typing on her phone. She quickly tucked it into her purse when she saw them.

“Was that Hope?” Steph asked. “Did you tell her I’m not impressed with her? I would really like my phone.”

“It wasn’t.”

Steph stopped herself from asking about Travis or any news stories. She didn’t want to get upset with Faith, not in front of her parents, but she was quickly losing her patience with this wholekeep Steph in the darkroutine that Faith was playing at. “Let’s go see my place,” she said to her parents. “It’s my favorite part of Lynx Creek because it’s right on the—”

“I’ll lead the way!” Faith jumped ahead of her and started down the trail, her parents moving in line behind her.

What. The. Hell?

Steph forced her temper down and let Faith have the lead. Not that she had much choice at that point.

“It’s just up the way,” Steph called from behind. “Around the bend here and—”

Her explanation was cut off when Faith came to an abrupt halt, causing Bonnie and Dale to stop quickly, too.

“Faith?” Enough was enough. Steph was going to have to take charge of the situation. “What is going on? I need to—”

“Steph. I think I should give you something.”

Her parents both moved aside so Steph could pass and join Faith. “Can it wait?” The cabin was just around the corner. Literally only steps away.

“It can’t.” Faith bent and reached behind a tree. When she stood, she held a beautiful bouquet of peonies. She handed it to Steph.

“They’re gorgeous,” Steph said, instinctively bending to inhale their sweet fragrance. “I’ll put them in a vase. But where did they come from?”

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