It seemed impossible that just a few months after she came back to Nova Cambridge she’d be hand in hand with the man she’d always loved. She had a beautiful engagement ring on her left hand and the promise of a life together with a larger family than she’d ever hoped for. And probably more to come.
If they could track down the shadowy figures who still threatened their happiness, they could make real plans for the future.
The Gator jolted over the ruts in the back field. After they’d gone to Bea’s funeral today, the promise of new starts had lured them out for a walk. The late-afternoon air held the fragrance of newly mown hay from the Dillard Ranch field to the right and the rich aroma of upturned dirt in the planted field on the other side.
Blake pointed out the trees ahead. “There’s our promised land. It’s really pretty from this direction too.”
Paradise turned a delighted smile his way. “I love calling it that!”
They both fell silent as the sun dipped to just over the treetops and washed the area with golden light. Blake could see them sitting on a back deck or patio watching the animals move across their land in the distance while the sun painted colors in the sky. “We’ll be able to sit out here and smell God’s green earth in the evenings. It’s pretty perfect, babe.”
At the back edge of the property, they got out of the Gator. “This area back here is beautiful too, but I still think the top of the knoll will give us a great view all around. Let’s walk up that way and see what we think.”
Paradise reached back to the Gator’s floor. “What’s this?”
He turned back toward her voice to see her holding up a mini tablet in a navy case. “Open it and see if it comes on. Maybe it belongs to one of the employees.”
She flipped open the cover and the screen to the small iPad came on asking for a password. “There’s a picture of the governor and Angela as the background. I told her she could use the Gator to get back to the parking lot when they were here. She must have forgotten it.”
“We have to go to Pelican Harbor tomorrow to see the attorney. We could drop it off if we knew where she lives.”
“An address is on the back.” She held it up for him to see. “Wait, this has Governor George’s address on it. Maybe it’s hers and Angela had picked it up for her. This must be a second residence. Maybe we can catch her at home tomorrow. I think there’s something hinky about the governor’s relationship with Ben. I’m not sure if Governor George should be on our radar as a suspect, but I can’t rule it out either. It’s strange she warned us off Bear and Percy. Angela did too when I chatted with her alone.”
He glanced at the tablet. “The address is in Fairhope. Our appointment with Foster isn’t until one. There’s time to do both.” He slipped his arm around her waist. “We could go alone first thing in the morning and swing past the Dillard Ranch to get Drew on the way to Pelican Harbor. I love your brother, but I wouldn’t mind three hours alone with you.”
“I think he was planning to return the evidence kit.”
“Perfect. We can reconvene here at the house for lunch before heading to the attorney’s office.”
The vegetation was higher back here and he went first, tramping it down for her so the weeds didn’t scratch those gorgeous legs, bare from mid-thigh down, in the shorts she wore. “There are wild azaleas back here too.” He pointed out the pink bushes on the slope. “Whoa, Paradise, there’s a well here.” He gestured to the pipes sticking out of the ground. “If it’s still in working order, that will save us some money.”
He stomped the weeds down a bit. “There are remnants of an old building here, maybe a cabin.”
Paradise threw her arms around him. “I love this property so much, Blake. Almost as much as I love you.”
His pulse rocketed and he pulled her close. Her lips were soft and inviting, and his surroundings vanished as he kissed her. He pulled back and palmed her cheek. “I’m a lucky man. How long do we have to wait for the wedding?”
Her amber eyes were alight with amusement. “Six weeks. Not that I’m counting or anything.”
He groaned. “An eternity. But you’re worth the wait.” He stepped back and turned her around to see the view back toward The Sanctuary from their vantage point. “We’ll have the best view in the state.”
She took in the landscape silently, and he glanced over to see tears slipping down her cheeks. “Babe, what’s wrong?”
“I never thought I’d have this, Blake. You, your family, my brother, and now this perfect spot for a home that we get to design together. I can see Isaac and Levi playing in a tree house you build right there.” She pointed out a massive oak with the perfect Y-shape to anchor a platform. “Our kids will grow up here, their roots going deep into the land we all love so much. Someday ourgrandkids will come to spend the night and experience the same connection to God through this place that we’ve found. I can see us all piling in the van for church and gathering here for Sunday dinners. It’s a dream come true, Blake.”
She turned toward him again and laid her head against his chest. He buried his nose in the sweet scent of her hair and held her close, too overcome to speak. The future she saw rolled out in images in his head, and thankfulness to God overcame him. “God always knew the plans he had for us, but we sure couldn’t see them in the rough times.”
Blake pulled her away from his chest so he could see her face. “There will be more tough times, babe. Our whole lives those times will come. But let’s hold on to this certainty that God has us, that his plan will work for our good because we love him and want his will.”
“I’m going to do that.”
He turned back to the expansive fields and rolling hills in his view. The Sanctuary was a bucolic scene out of a postcard from here, and they were privileged to care for what had been entrusted to them.
He exhaled. “I guess we’d better be getting back. It’s nearly six, and Mom was going to have pizza delivered about then.”
They walked back down the slope to the Gator. The ride back was just as bumpy, and he took his time, enjoying these last few minutes with her shoulder brushing his and her loving smiles directed his way. They got too little time together, but in six weeks she’d be in his arms at night, and they’d begin building that new life together.
Chapter 34
