Page 91 of Broken Heart

“What do you mean?”

Skye didn’t immediately respond. She looked away for a moment, a sweet smile spreading across her face as she was clearly recalling something. Finally, she shared, “I remember the way I felt whenever I was around my parents together. I was always happy, Cooper. Always. And I remember the way my dad looked after us—my mom and me. Even when he knew she could get them herself every day at work, he never failed to bring her flowers just because. Whenever he did that for her, he did it for me, too. And I remember being so disappointed when the flowers would eventually die. I think that’s why I’m so in love with the gardens at your parents’ house and your grandparents’ lake house. They remind me of my parents.”

Suddenly, I had the overwhelming desire to make sure Skye always had a fresh bouquet in her house. Or, beyond that, I wanted her to have her very own garden. “So, you’re saying your parents taught you what it feels like to be loved properly.”

“Exactly. And I think they’d think you’re doing an excellent job of loving me the way I deserve to be loved.”

It was a relief to hear that. I’d never be able to get their approval in person, but it helped to know that Skye believed her parents would have liked me for her. “What about your grandmother? You had so many more years with her. If she was still alive, what would she have said the day that piece of wood flew through the front door?”

Skye’s whole face lit up with her smile. “That first day, she would have undoubtedly believed it was the start of a very interesting story.”

I raised a curious brow. “Would her opinion have changed in the days that followed? And wouldn’t she have been upset about her store?”

Laughter filled the air. “Where do you think I get my ability to always try to look on the bright side? I learned that from her. She wouldn’t have been the least bit upset about what happened to the door.”

Skye’s eyes danced with delight, and I could easily tell she wasn’t finished. So, I waited, completely content to stare at her beautiful face.

“After some time passed, especially if things continued with you the way they have, there’s not a question in my mind that my grandmother would have thought you were the hero from every one of her favorite books. It wouldn’t matter if it was romance, mystery, fantasy, or something else. She would have adored you.”

Now, it was my turn to laugh, burying my face in Skye’s neck. I found it hysterical that Skye’s grandmother would have compared me to fictional heroes. Even still, I thought it was a massive compliment, so I was happy to have it.

When my laughter dissipated, I pulled back to look at Skye and tucked a lock of her soft hair behind her ear. She was still smiling brightly at me.

“I wish I could have met her,” I said softly. “All of them, if I’m honest.”

She nodded. “Me, too.”

Skye and I returned to the comfortable silence we’d been in before I brought up this conversation, and I was happy to sit in that for a while. Because I used the time to think about all the ways I intended to give Skye the life she deserved to have.

Eventually, even though I didn’t think there was anything wrong with considering what was ahead for us, I decided it was best to focus most of our effort on the present. So, I said, “I didn’t expect our weekend together was going to start the way it did, but I’m glad for how it led us to this. But now that it’s even later, I’m thinking it might be wise to get some food, because I’m starved.”

“Yeah, I like that plan. I’m a bit famished myself,” she returned.

“How about we go get ourselves cleaned up? Then I’ll run back out to my truck to grab the bag I packed for the weekend here with you, along with a special treat I brought for after dinner.”

Skye perked up. “Special treat?”

I nodded.

“What is it?”

Shrugging, I said, “You’ll have to wait and see. But I’ll just say that I know how much you enjoy food, so I’m doing what I’ve got to do to start this weekend off right.”

The corners of her mouth tipped up, her eyes dancing with such happiness. “Not that I’m not looking forward to whatever it is, but if you ask me, we already started this weekend off on the right foot.”

I couldn’t disagree with that sentiment. So, I laughed. “That’s fair.”

“Do I have to climb off of you now?” Skye asked.

I didn’t come out with words, but I did give her a response. Wrapping my arms tight around her, I got to my feet and carried her to the bathroom, so we could get ourselves cleaned up.

And after I got my clothes back on, I went out to my truck to get my things, so we could settle in for a long weekend with one another. And not once during the entire two and a half days I had with her did my mind ever drift back to the work that would be waiting for me on Monday morning.

If there was one thing my relationship with Skye had taught me, it was that the work would always be there, waiting for me. It was far more important for me to take the time away from work to build the life I wanted with a woman who made me want to give her the world.

EPILOGUE

SKYE