Page 124 of The Oscar Escape
Oh, how wrong the judge was.
Those words meant everything.
And from this very moment, nothing would ever be the same.
Chapter23
OSCAR
Oscar held up his mother’s letter and broke out into a fit of swashbuckling laughter like a drunken pirate. “Actually, Judge, these words can’t be an accident.” He sprang to his feet and knocked over Ivy’s backpack. A piece of weathered wood fell out—wood with his name and Aria’s carved into the surface.
“The driftwood.” He picked it up and touched the carvedAin her name.
Ivy must have packed it. It was another sign. He stood in front of the cabin and gazed into the sky. “Cotija cheese, mole, brioche! I get it. I understand.”
The judge came to his side. “Oscar, are you ill or momentarily deranged?”
“This is it, Judge,” he said, holding the page for the man to see. “This is my mom talking to me. This is the nanny love-match magic. I didn’t ruin it.” He waved his arms like he was signaling a rescue plane. “I didn’t ruin it,” he bellowed, breathless, when a flash of scarlet caught his eye.
“Dear Oscar,” came a woman’s rich vibrato voice in an Eastern European accent he’d recognize anywhere. “Why are you ranting about nanny-love-match magic?”
Oscar dropped his hands and took in Madelyn Malone. And she wasn’t alone. Inez Gordon, Georgia Winstegan, his father, and his sister stood with the matchmaker. They stared at him as one would watch a lunatic yelling at the sky, which was what he appeared to be. But he didn’t care. Joy pulsed through his veins. This was his mother pointing him toward his purpose. It was as if he could hear her voice whispering in the wind.
“Choose love.”
He and Aria were meant to be together as a team—two people who supported each other. Their strength came from their commitment to each other and their passions. That didn’t mean it would always be easy. But they were always meant to be. And they needed a place that meant something to them. A place where he could put down roots and make a difference. A place connected to a community. Then it hit him. He knew where he was supposed to be. The nomad had found a home. His mother had pointed the way.
“Where did you come from?” the judge asked.
“We parked on the road by the creek and decided to walk to the cabin with Ivy and Mitch,” Inez answered. “It appears we got here just in time. Oscar, do you need medical attention?”
His dad looked him over. “Did you break my kid, Judge?”
“I don’t know, Mitch. One minute we were talking, and the next, Oscar was yelling out ingredients like a demented chef.”
Oscar set the letter and the bit of wood on the hood of his truck. “I’m fine. I’m better than fine.” He checked his watch. “Inez,” he continued, his mind whirling a mile a minute. “What do we need to do with the house?”
The woman gestured to her bag. “Just sign the papers. It’s a cash offer.”
“How fast will I have the money? I need to look into making a purchase.”
She watched him closely. Now, she was looking him over like he’d hit his head. “How quickly do you need it?”
He pulled out his phone. “Ten minutes.”
“Ten minutes?” his dad echoed. “Why on earth do you need one point five million dollars in ten minutes?”
That’s right! That was the cabin’s sales price, and it was the exact amount he needed.
This had to be another sign.
“I’d like to make an offer on a property. It can’t wait.”
“What do you want to buy?” Madelyn asked with that glint in her eyes, like she already knew the answer.
He held her gaze. “A Sweet Escape that can last a lifetime.”
This is the gift he’d give Aria. This and his solemn promise of no distance and no secrets. Only support and love. He knew his purpose. He understood what mattered. There was only one place for them to make that happen.
