Page 111 of Meant to Be
Epilogue
“You razzedme every time we stopped by the hospital, and now here we are for the second time today.” Kevin pulled the car into the parking lot. “I know it’s your first day back, but—”
“You’re going to complain? You getting tired of that pretty wife of yours?”
“Nah. And if you tell her otherwise, I’ll shoot you myself.”
“Just drop me off at the offices. I’ll catch a ride home with Syd.”
“I never thought I’d see it happen. The love bug bit playboy Mitch McKenna. Bit him good, too.”
Mitch smiled, willing to take the teasing. “See you tomorrow.” He exited the car and entered Sydney’s building, heading straight to her office.
He knocked twice on her door and poked his head in when she called, “It’s open.”
“I need a doctor.”
“Do you, now? My specialty is women. I’m not sure I can help you.” She stood and went to him.
Her wide smile, shining with love, made him wonder why the hell he’d been so dense before.
“You’re the only one who can.” His arms wrapped around her and pulled her against him. He smiled at the familiar and welcome jolt that came when he touched her. He kissed her and, for a moment, considered altering his plans to include an interlude on her desk. When her phone rang, he changed his mind.
“Let me take this and then we can go.”
“You’re my ride. I’ll wait by the car.”
She cameout several minutes later, stunning him yet again with her beauty. He opened her car door to let her in, and then he got in the passenger side.
“How was your first day back?” She pulled the car out of the space and headed to his home.
“It was good.” The only problem with going back to work was that on medical leave, he had a reason to keep Sydney at his house. Now that he was recovered, he worried she’d get it into her head he didn’t need her and move back to her place. Of course, he had a solution to that. “We caught the guy who stole Mrs. Ragland’s old Cutlass.”
“You caught a car thief today?”
“It wasn’t that hard. It was her daughter and the daughter’s boyfriend.”
Sydney laughed. As corny as it was, Mitch thought it must be what the sun sounded like when it laughed.
“How about a picnic?”
“Tonight?” She glanced at him for a moment.
“Yes.” He took her hand, unable to go more than a minute without touching her.
“Sure.”
“I’ll pack the food. You grab a blanket. I’ve got a thick army one in the hall closet. It’s warm but ideal to keep bugs and dirt away on a picnic.”
“Okay.” She pulled into his driveway.
Mitch pulledhis truck into the lot at Dogwood Park. He glanced at Sydney and smiled as happiness and nerves washed over him. “Ready?”
She smiled back, the smile that lit her face and shone with love. To think he’d nearly ruined any chance to see her look at him that way again. He shook his head of the thought. It was a waste of time to ruminate about near mistakes.
He grabbed the basket from the back of the truck and took her hand as he led her toward the star grove. He drew her to the middle of the circle, giving her a quick kiss to reassure her, since the last time they’d been there he’d been a mean SOB. She unfurled the blanket and he sat, pulling her down with him.
“I’ve got all your favorites.” He opened the lid and pulled out a box of unicorn cookies and a mason jar with clear liquid.
