Page 68 of Something to Believe In
He smiled and squeezed her hand.
Driving past Jami's driveway, she turned and looked at Axel. "Babe, you just passed Jami's drive."
"I know. There's something I want you to see."
Staring out the windshield, she watched the scenery change as they drove up a bluff. At the top of the bluff, there was a clearing. Axel got out of the SUV and hurried around the front. The smile grew on his face as he neared. Opening her door, he held his hand out for her, which she eagerly grasped.
Holding hands, he steered them to the edge. The water below glistened as the sun shone down on it. The evening sky was turning orange, and it glittered on the water below.
He pointed to her right. "That's Jami's place."
Her eyes widened as she saw the Barn. "Oh. I had no idea this place was here."
"Jami told me about it a few years ago. He considered buying it but chose the existing farm instead."
"Oh, wow."
He pointed to the left. "This is the last bluff on this side of the water. We're at the edge of civilization, so to speak. It's private, yet close to town. We'd be private up here and have this amazing view every day."
He turned and pointed to the ground, his excitement growing. "I thought we could build a house right here. The living room and the office, with a mini-studio next to it, so both look out onto the water. And of course, our bedroom. The garage can be over here..." He hurried to a spot and stepped on it. "We'll have cameras coming up the driveway and all around the house. Mitch can set us up with the best equipment there is. We'll be safe here. We can create here. We can live here together. Mr. and Mrs. Peters."
Her heart raced as she thought about what this meant. The thought of being safe and secluded wrapped around her like a warm blanket. It made her feel a calmness she hadn't felt in a while. And they'd be together. But not far away.
She turned and looked into his eyes. "It's perfect."
The smile that lit up his face was a sight to behold. Happiness showed through. He ran to her and picked her up. Holding him as tightly as she could, she took a deep breath, and when she exhaled, she felt so much peace she nearly cried.
She kissed him to seal the deal. They once again walked to the edge of the bluff. "We can build a deck here, overlooking the water below. We can have a drink or two as we sit and relax. Coffee in the morning as the sun is coming up, painting the sky bright yellow. Axel, I can see it."
Laughing, he put his arm around her as they stared at the scenery.
She spun. "Is it for sale?"
He grinned at her. "Not anymore." Her shoulders dropped, but he squeezed her tightly and chuckled.
Her eyes rounded as she realized what he meant. "When did you do this?"
"Right after Jami told me about it. I bought it because I worried it would sell to someone else. I wasn't sure I'd ever build up here, but in case the opportunity arose, I wanted the option."
"You never said anything."
He shrugged. "It was a quick decision, and I wasn't sure how everyone would respond. And I guess, I didn't want to keep answering the question about when I'd be building up here."
She squeezed him tightly, and he kissed the top of her head.
Sighing, she breathed, "I can't believe my dreams are coming true."
"Yeah. It's surreal."
"That's a great word."
Her watch chimed. "We have to be at the Barn in five minutes."
He chuckled. "I know. Just give us a couple more minutes to enjoy this."
She rested her head against his chest. The strong beat of his heart comforted her, and the feel of his arms around her made her feel whole. "Are we going to tell them?"
"About what?"
