Page 84 of Shadowed Agenda
“Perfect,” Regan said and sunk into the soft cushions. Pavlo sat beside her and gently placed his arm around her shoulder. She leaned into him.
“First…” Shirley dug into a pocket, pulled out a bottle of ibuprofen, and set it on the small table beside Regan. “Now, who would leave an unopened bottle of ibuprofen outside? The Asters need to be more careful.” She whispered, “I got it from the Asters’ cook. He’d just picked it up with the groceries.”
Pavlo would need to tell Jake his officer was a keeper, but the man probably already knew that.
“Thank you,” Regan said and swallowed a tablet before filling them in on what had happened after she’d been separated from him.
Shirley had stopped writing halfway through Regan’s account. Not once had Regan expressed any concern for herself. She’d been worried for others. She was an amazing woman, and Pavlo wasn’t going to lose her again.
“Are we done, Officer?” Pavlo asked when Regan was finished.
“Yes, sir,” she said.
“I’m taking Regan back to Mackenzie’s. You can find us there.” He didn’t wait for a response. He scooped Regan off the couch and carried her to the steps at the front of the house.
“Hey,” Regan batted his shoulder. “I can walk.”
He ignored her and headed down the manicured lawn leading to the sandy beach.
“I thought you said we’re going to Mackenzie’s. The cars are in the other direction,” Regan said. “For a SEAL, you have a poor sense of direction. It’s a good thing there are other reasons I love you.”
“You love me, huh?”
“Yes.”
Pavlo smiled as he felt Regan settle into his heart. “Good, because I intend to spend the rest of my life with you, Regan Christenson, and it could have been awkward if you didn’t love me.”
Regan laughed as he walked past the trees separating the Aster’s property from their neighbor’s. He waded out to the motorboat, gently rocking in the shallow water. “Finlay’s yellow car wasn’t made for speed. I would have never reached you in time.”
Pavlo placed her in the boat. He got in and sat behind the helm. Regan took the seat beside him. He turned on the engine and headed for the middle of the lake.
“You’re going the wrong way,” Regan said and pointed back to Mackenzie’s cottage, slowly disappearing from view.
Pavlo smiled and said nothing. He cut the engine when they reached the middle of the lake.
“Why are we here?” Regan asked.
“The kids are still asleep, and we’d just be in the police’s way. We can take a moment for ourselves,” Pavlo said and left the helm to set the anchor. “This was the only place I could think of that would give us some privacy.”
“Why do we need privacy?” Regan asked as she took a seat in the stern.
Pavlo sat beside her. He lifted her onto his lap and grinned. “So I can tell you how much I love you.”
Epilogue
WhenPavlosaidhe’dinvited a few people for a barbeque, Regan expected a dozen people max. His sprawling bungalow was jam-packed with people.
“Do you need a hand getting the salads out of the fridge?” Finlay smiled as she walked into the kitchen. “This kitchen is amazing. Just look at all the gadgets. You’re going to have so much fun in here, girl.”
“Pavlo is the chef.” Regan smiled. “I stick to the basics. Soup from a can. Sandwiches. My latest hurdle has been explaining to Emmeline why she can’t have crepes for breakfast in the morning when Pavlo isn’t home. Cereal appears to no longer be her thing.”
Finlay howled with laughter. “You may regret your decision to move in with Pavlo.”
That was one decision Regan would never regret. She’d spent two weeks at the cottage with Mackenzie, healing. During that time, Pavlo had hired movers to pack up her house and move everything into his home.
“Help me with these salads.” Regan picked up two bowls and headed out to the patio. Finlay followed.
“Is there anything left to put out?” Mackenzie asked as she passed Regan.