Page 110 of Valor

Lani has always been a ray of light. Despite being abandoned hungry, alone, and only in a diaper by her birth parents when she was a toddler, her outlook on life has never been anything but positive. Sure, she’s been known to have a temper at times, but it’s only in the face of injustices. Never for herself.

“Maybe one day he’ll realize what he has and stop taking out his frustrations on everyone around him,” I say as I pull into Luigi’s parking lot.

“Maybe.” She starts to open her door.

“No. This is a date,” I tell her, then jump out and come around to open it for her. She grins at me as she takes my offered hand and slides out of the truck. The feel of her palm against mine only solidifies what I already knew—we were meant for each other.

It just took me thirty-six years to do something about it.

“Reservation for Gibson Lawson,” I tell the hostess as soon as we’re inside.

She checks her tablet, then smiles. “Right this way, Mr. Lawson.” After retrieving two menus, she guides us over toward a table in the far corner. The lighting inside is dim, granted only by candles on each table and a scattering of sconces on the golden walls. The tables are full, as they usually are, and I’m grateful I took the time to call rather than just show up.

Lani removes her cardigan and drapes it over her chair, then takes a seat. I slide her chair in before taking my own across from her.

“Wine?” the waiter offers as he carries a bottle of red wine over to the table.

“No, thank you,” Lani replies with a smile. “I don’t drink.”

“Neither do I,” I tell him.

“Very well, what can I get you two to drink?”

“I’ll take a water, please.”

“Same,” I tell him.

He smiles and offers us a friendly nod before slipping away with the bottle and both glasses that we’re already on the table.

“So. What should I get tonight?” Lani says as she checks her menu. “Lasagna? That sounds good.”

“Lasagna makes you sleepy.”

She offers me an amused grin over the top of her menu. “It’s okay if I get sleepy now. In fact, it’s encouraged this time of night.”

“As long as it’s not too soon,” I reply. “I’m hoping for a few hours of getting to know each other again before I have to take you home.”

Her cheeks flush with color. “We’ve known each other forever.”

“But not like this. I want toreallytalk, Lani.”

“About what?”

“Everything. Your plans for the future. Mine. I want to know where you stand with this.” I gesture between us.

Lani looks pleasantly surprised. “You want to talk about all of that?”

“I’d say we should talk about everything one typically covers on a first date, but I think we’re quite a way past that. I already know about your childhood animals, and you know what my biggest fear was growing up.”

She laughs, and my heart leaps in my chest. I could spend the rest of my life listening to her laugh. “All right then, Sheriff Lawson. Spaghetti it is. Still delicious, but it won’t have me asleep before we leave this table.”

I laugh. “I’ll do spaghetti too, then.”

“Look at us. Already ordering the same thing. It’s adorable.”

“It really is.”

Her grin spreads, and she sets her menu aside. “As far as aspirations go, the only thing I’m really hoping for is being able to return full-time to my clinic. And possibly spending the summer with Doctors Without Borders, but you already know that.”

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