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The RCMP had sworn us to secrecy. For obvious reasons, they didn’t want a word of Phillip and Stuart’s impending arrests to leak out. After months and months of work, the last thing they needed was for them to get the hell outta Alberta and never be seen again.
They had to act fast.
Mom and her team agreed to wait. But she made it more than clear she had her own timeline.
“Your mom’s a force of nature,” Jillian said with a small, sad smile on her face.
“At this point, it’s debatable who loves you more—me or my mom.” I grinned at her, but I also felt my eyes getting wet. I wasn’t sure how to drive this point across, and I really needed Jillian to understand how much she was loved.
Her fingers ran up and down my chest, then to my shoulder. “Cash, I don’t know when,” she looked off the side for a second, “or if,” her eyes locked back on mine. “I’ll be able to pay you and your mom back. But I’ll—”
My hand covered her mouth, and I rested my forehead on hers. “Honest to fucking Christ, Jillian. You need to shut the hell up about money. You’re not paying a dime for any of this bullshit. Those two idiots are going to pay for what they did to you and your mom. And to all those other innocent people.”
I shook my head and gave her a gentle kiss. “And I’m paying for everything else. You concentrate on hockey and your businesses. And,” I kissed her again, “us.”
She blinked and tears slid out the corners of her eyes, down her temples and into her hair. “Cash, I—”
As I shook my head, I also wiped away a couple of tears of my own. I wouldn’t let Jillian finish her sentence. Mostly because I knew it was going to be some kind of bullshit about money. “We’re on the same team, now, sweetness. And you’re going to have to get used to that.”
More tears escaped her beautiful eyes. “Cash, it’s too much money.”
I sighed and really laid into her. “Jillian, I make a shitload of money. And I’ve made and saved an even bigger shitload of money.”
She gave me a small grin. “I know that.”
“Yeah, but what you don’t get is that I’d give up every goddamn penny of it to be with you.” My fingers slipped over her cheek, and she let my thumb wipe the trail of tears falling. “Every fucking cent, Jillian. I mean it. I’d give it all away if I could turn back time and have you hand me that stupid rose.”
She sniffled and shut her eyes while more tears flooded out. I placed feather-like kisses on each of her eyelids. When she opened her eyes, I said, “They’ve stolen years from us. But that’s all they get. Nothing more. They never get anything else from us, do you hear me? What started last night for you and me—”
Jillian wiped my wet cheeks and I swallowed. “no one takes from us. Ever.”
And then—because I’d had enough of her tears, and mine—I took those perfect, plump lips of hers and really kissed her.
And then we made love as the sun rose and filled our little cabin with light.
And joy.
And hope.
And so much promise, I could barely see straight.
Later, during breakfast, there was a light knock on the door. Jillian and I looked at each other and frowned. I walked to the door and opened it.
“Oh, thank God,” my mother threw her arms around me for a second and squeezed. After that, she practically ran to Jillian. “Up,” she ordered, and Jillian set her fork down. The second Jillian stood—Mom grabbed her.
“Oh, my girl. I was so damn worried about you.” Mom’s arms wrapped around Jilian and yanked her in for a huge hug. “Cash texted when he found you, but I had to see you with my own two eyes.”
Jillian hugged her back. “I’m sorry for making you guys worry. I just needed—”
Mom pushed away a bit. “Hush, it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you’re here. In one piece. I only wish we’d found you sooner, so that shitshow wouldn’t have been the shock it was.”
I watched as Jillian’s shoulders slumped. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. Mom turned her head to me. “Go find a moose to wrestle or something. Give us a few minutes, will ya?”
My eyes darted to Jillian’s. She smiled and gave me a quick nod. “Maybe skip the moose and start my SUV? Please?” she asked unnecessarily. I was going to start both vehicles after breakfast, anyway. I’d plugged them in last night just in case. It wasn’t cold cold out. But it wasn’t exactly balmy either.
“Text me when you’re done.” I threw on my coat and boots and took a few more pieces of bacon before I headed out.
26
