Page 61 of The Bear's Blooming Mate

He crossed the room and pulled her into his arms, his lips finding hers in a kiss that made her knees weak. She nestled against his chest, breathing in his scent, feeling the steady beat of his heart.

“Good morning,” he murmured against her hair.

“Good morning,” she replied, tilting her face up to his.

Philip drew back slightly, his brow furrowing as he noticed the tears glistening in her eyes. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice gentle with concern.

Elsbeth brushed the tears away with her fingertips. “Yes,” she assured him.

“Are you sure?” He wiped a stray tear from her cheek with his thumb.

“Yes.” She smiled up at him. “These are happy tears.”

“Then you must beveryhappy,” he said, brushing away another tear that had escaped.

“I am,” she whispered.

“Good.” Philip pressed a kiss to her forehead before moving to pour her a cup of coffee.

They took their mugs outside, sitting side by side on the deck steps, looking out over the fields that would soon bloom with flowers. Her dreams were coming true right before her eyes.

Elsbeth leaned against Philip’s shoulder, absorbing his warmth and strength as she sipped her coffee. “I do have one question for you,” she said after a comfortable silence.

“You do?” He turned to look at her, eyebrows raised.

“Why did you come here that first day?” she asked. “To Rose Farm?”

“Because of Finn’s text,” Philip replied.

“But the text was a mistake,” she pressed. “You still came.”

“Yes,” he nodded, “because he was supposed to text me the time and place for us to meet to arrange my parents’ anniversary party.”

“Oh, wow,” Elsbeth said. “So, when was the correct time and place?”

Philip looked a little confused, his brow furrowing. “You know, I don’t know.”

She laughed and shook her head. “You completely forgot about it.”

“I had other things on my mind.” He cupped her chin in his hand and kissed her lips softly. “My mate. I did tell you how much she means to me, didn’t I?”

“Once or twice,” she said when they parted. “But this is your mom and dad’s anniversary. How many years have they been together?”

“Fifty,” he replied.

“Wow.” Her eyes widened in surprise. “That is a long time.”

Elsbeth’s mind drifted to the dinner at the vineyard with Philip’s parents. After fifty years together, they still gazed at each other with such profound love and connection. It wasn’t the infatuated passion of new lovers, but something deeper, more enduring. A love that had weathered seasons and storms, that had grown stronger with each passing year.

She glanced at Philip beside her, his profile gilded by the morning sun, and her heart ached for him. Would they still look at each other that way after half a century together? The thought both thrilled and humbled her. She could imagine them, gray-haired and weathered, sitting on this very porch, surrounded by blooming flowers, still finding each other’s eyes across a room, still communicating without words.

“It is a long time,” Philip agreed, as if reading her thoughts. He sipped his coffee as he gazed out over the fields. “But also, not long enough.”

He was right. No matter how many years they were together, it would never be enough. But she didn’t want to dwell on such thoughts now. Not when there was a party to plan.

“You’d better find out from Finn the right time and place,” Elsbeth said, nudging him gently with her shoulder. “For the anniversary party.”

Philip nodded, setting his mug down and reaching for his phone. “I should,” he agreed, tapping the screen quickly. After a moment, he slipped the phone back in his pocket. “Done. He’ll get back to me.”

---