Page 72 of Healing You
“I also didn't want to abandon you before, either. The anxiety won out, though. I wish I could guarantee it, but I'm terrified.”
Sliding her fingers into his silky, blond hair, she tilted his head down, pressing a kiss to his scar. “Well, I'm not terrified,” she whispered. “Not at all.”
That tension in his eyes seemed to drain away. “I love you, Eve.” With splayed fingers, he stroked up her back, then down again.
“I love you, too.”
Thump, thump.
3 5
S even Months Later Yvonne stood at the top of Mount Washington, a light breeze blowing strands of hair out of her ponytail and whipping it around her face. The view of New Hampshire from up there was just breathtaking.
Emotion tightened her throat, and she touched her hand to Gatsby's handkerchief, tied around her neck and clutched her bottle of water tightly. She'd always suspected she would hike this mountain with her four-legged best friend.
A cool hand slid into hers, his touch silky, though rough. She smiled with a sigh as she laced her fingers into Steve's. Guess she'd just have to settle for her two-legged best friend.
“How you holding up?”
Drawing in a deep breath, she willed herself not to get emotional. It was her thirtieth birthday. She would not spend it crying. “For all its ups and downs, this has still been the best damn year of my life, Steve. Thank you.”
He smiled, twirling the hair framing her face. “We have a few more hours until it marks the end of your twenty-ninth year. Let's make it epic.” He kissed her softly, then let loose with a loud whistle.
From the parking lot near the top of the mountain—the parking lot that some people use to cheat instead of hiking the trail—Molly and Daisy came trotting down, Gatsby following not far behind. Steve's grin widened as Yvonne let loose with a squeal.
“You said we shouldn't bring them!” she said, bending to pet her dogs, scooping Daisy into her arms and squeezing Gatsby and Molly in a hug.
“I said they shouldn't hike it with us. I didn't say anything about them not being allowed to join us at the top.”
“Who's here? Who brought them?” She peered behind Steve searching for Cam or Lydia or Ronnie... anyone. But no one was back there that she could tell.
“It just didn't feel right to do this, be up here without them, you know?” Steve bent down to pet Gatsby. As his hands ran over his fur, he grunted. “Oh, man,” he said. “I think Gatsby has a tick already.”
Yvonne put Daisy down as she bent to where Steve's hand rested at Gatsby's neck. There, tied to Gatsby's collar, sparkling in the New Hampshire sunlight, was the most perfect square cut diamond.
“So, what do you say?” Steve asked. “What do you say we make this great year epic? Will you be my wife, Yvonne Brigitte Sarzacki?”
The lump grew larger and her heart thudded in her chest. “Without a doubt. Without question.”
He hopped to his feet, pulling her into his arms and against his mouth.
As their kiss ended, he pulled her into his arms, hugging her. Holding her. “There's the whole Tripp and Sarzacki clan waiting for us with champagne in the parking lot.”
He moved to pull her toward the party, but she held on tightly to his hand, tugging him back into her. “Can we just enjoy this for one more minute? Just the two of us?”
“Five of us,” he said pointedly, gesturing to the dogs.
She nodded. “The five of us.”
Steve scooped Daisy back into his arms, curling the other around her body. She pressed her cheek to his and looked out over the top of the mountain as Gatsby took his place, seated at her side.
Thump, thump, she heard his tail.
Thump, thump, she heard Steve's heart.
She looked down at the scar on her arm, not seeing a battle scar. But a constant reminder of how far they had both come.
Together.
