Page 64 of Shifting Sands

A shiver runs through her.

“As for the rest, women are focusing more on their careers and starting families later than our parents and grandparents did. So, I think you’ll be just fine when the time comes. Besides, there’s more than one way to build a family. Lots of options are available nowadays.”

“I guess.”

Climbing on top of her, I kiss her nose, her eyes, her temples, and she sighs. It’s a content sigh, one that hits me in the heart, then settles in my bones.

I want to be the one who causes her to fall asleep, content, every single night.

And that thought scares the shit out of me.

“If you could go anywhere in the world and money was no object, where would it be?” I ask.

We are sitting at a booth in Waffle Castle, waiting for our order. After I fulfilled my promise of number three last night, we both fell into a deep sleep and didn’t wake up until well past noon, craving breakfast. Since it was too late to get it anywhere else, I brought her here. It’s the only all-night diner in Sandcastle Cove, and it serves a greasy breakfast all day long.

“If I could go anywhere at this moment,” she begins, pausing to think before continuing, “I’d choose Yosemite.”

“Really? Not London or Paris? You’d want to go to California?” I ask in disbelief.

“Well, sure, I’d like to visit the UK and Europe someday, but I saw this story one night on National Geographic about the firefall in Yosemite National Park. It’s a natural phenomenon that occurs every February. When the setting sun’s rays align perfectly with the Horsetail waterfall on the east side of El Capitan, it illuminates and creates a fiery effect. It’s beautiful, and I just want to stand at the bottom of the mountain and watch the fire cascading down.”

It’s not the answer I was expecting. Not at all.

“You don’t put much stock into the wholemoney is no objectthing, do you?” I tease.

She shrugs. “Money’s not a big deal. I mean, it’s nice to have your bills paid, but I have friends who are well off and friends who aren’t. Money doesn’t make them any happier or make them better friends. Besides, historically, the incredibly wealthy are the unhappiest people on the planet.”

“You think so?” I ask as our waitress places our plates in front of us.

“Yep. Just look at Hollywood. So many people are caught up in scandals, divorces, drug problems, or announcing that they’re checking into treatment centers for one reason or another,” she says as she picks up the ketchup bottle and squeezes a large dollop next to her hash browns.

“Why do you think that is? Is it because they have money?”

She shakes her head. “No, not exactly. It’s that they have everything they’ve ever wanted. They’ve achieved their dreams. Dreams keep us motivated; they give us a reason to get up in the morning. But if you have everything and there’s nothing left tostrive for and you’re still not happy, what then? What happens if you wake up and the happiness you once felt has worn off?”

“So, you don’t think happiness is attainable? That sounds depressing.”

“That’s not what I said. Happiness is something that can’t be bought. If you think it can, you’ll be disappointed. Happiness is a choice; it’s something that you are. That’s why people often feel depressed whether they have money or not. They put a price tag on happiness.”

“And you don’t?”

She grins up at me. “Nope. I can be happy either way,” she replies, shoveling a huge bite of biscuits and gravy into her mouth and groaning with delight. “This is so good! You have to try it.” She loads her fork again and extends it toward me.

I take the offered bite, realizing that I’m starting to fall a little in love with this woman.

Brandee

“That’s enough business talk for now,” Isley informs me.

We’ve been on a video call since Brew dropped me off after breakfast.

“Okay, how is Asa?” I ask.

She sighs, and I can feel the weight of it across the line.

“He’s comfortable. The people at the facility are wonderful,” she says.

“But …” I press.

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