Ashley’s lower lip trembled.
Christopher’s stomach dropped to the floor. The ghost was real? “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. We’ll go talk to the officers and straighten out the details. Let’s get home. We can talk about the rest in privacy.”
“What will happen to the tour business?” Zach asked. “It’s in everyone’s best interest that it keeps running.”
“I’m sure we can work out something with the Prims’ lawyer,” Christopher narrowed his gaze. He hadn’t stepped foot inside the boat house in years. “Or maybe I should talk to their bank. Looks like they are on the verge of foreclosure. I haven’t been inside this building in years. I haven’t been on one of their boats either.” He stroked his chin.
“They hadn’t started operations for the summer yet,” Zach said.
Christopher nodded. “I wonder if they had plans to open at all.”
“I heard?—”
“Enough shop talk.” Ashley stood in between the pair, holding up both hands. “Maybe I like you two better as enemies instead of co-captains of industry.”
“You’re right,” Zach said. He bowed and left the room first. “We can discuss business later. I’m sorry again. For everything.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Her voice sounded heavy and weary. Christopher had so much to question. In a night, he had been tossed from his peaceful perch into chaos. He had a feeling he would never be the solitary head of his little kingdom ever again. Wasn’t he lucky?
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “You’re right. Let’s give our statements and get sorted and head home.”
She reached for his hand and squeezed.
He hadn’t beenhomein almost a decade. Home wasn’t a place but a person. Finally on the same page, he could return. She was right. Shared history erased many minor sins. They could build something strong as a community. They could step up as leaders. A team.
He tugged her close.
She slammed into his chest, hitting her head on his chin and widening her eyes.
She chuckled, her laugh low and heavy and shaking straight through him. “Don’t you want to get out of here?”
He embraced her, wrapping his arms around her as tight as he could, gripping his opposite elbows. “In a second,” he murmured, lowering his lips to hers.
Stronger together than they’d ever been apart, he was eager for a new partnership with her and the entire business community.Was this why Dad included the odd terms in his will? Had he seen what could be, if only Christopher and I got out of our own way? Had he pulled some strings to ensure we reunited?
Maybe Xavier was the ghost. Christopher hoped so. He wasn’t taking any chances. He’d hold on to her for the rest of his life.
Epilogue
In the days following the rescue, Christopher would have given her anything.
With no more secrets between either them or the town, he had never felt more secure. He’d worked so hard his whole life to find home. He hadn’t realized until almost too late that he’d tied his soul to a person, not a place.
He would have thrown her another wedding to symbolize their fresh start. He would have taken her on their long overdue honeymoon. Hotel Lavande would be a wonderful vacation. He would have agreed to a complete renovation of their home in the old stables.
Instead, she asked for the one thing he really didn’t want to do.
“You ready?” she asked.
He lifted his head and glanced to his left, folding the latest issue of Seth Boyd’s local newspaper. “I guess.”
On a warm day, a week after the excitement with the Prims, they stood outside the cemetery gate with an unimpeded view of the resort and lake below. She insisted on running the gauntlet.
“Anything interesting in the special edition?” she neared, tugging the paper from under his arm.
He liked how they’d slipped back into reaching for each other, touching each other like they had every right. Because they did. He hadn’t understood the extent to which she was the other half of his soul until he’d almost lost her for good.
