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“Well, not giving up definitely got me one thing I’ve wanted for a very long time.”
James grinned. “Oh yes? What’s that?”
“The Scrabble Champion title,” she whispered.
He blinked, then threw his head back and laughed. “You’re a brat, you know that?”
“What? You thought I was going to say you?”
“You know I did.”
“Well...” She threaded her hands through his hair, then lifted her arms to lock them around his neck. “There’s that too.”
“I know things have happened fast, but I’m pretty sure I love you, Lainie,” he whispered.
She smiled. “I’m pretty sure I love you too.”
He hugged her to him and kissed her. When they came up for air, she sighed. “Are you sure you can handle my family’s baggage?”
“If you can handle mine.”
“I think you might be getting the short end of the stick on that, but it’s a deal.”
“Excellent. And now I have a surprise for you.”
She raised a brow. “What’s that?”
“Come on.” He pulled her out the kitchen door and down into the backyard that led to the lake.
“James?”
“You’ll see.” He placed two fingers in his mouth and gave a piercing whistle.
“What in the world?”
Seconds later, two dogs with trailing leashes whipped around the side of the house. Lainie gasped. “Rex and Tex?” She gaped up at him, even as she dropped to her knees and held her arms out. “How did you know?”
“I have my ways.”
The dogs leaped on her, and Lainie spent the next few minutes giving ear scratches and belly rubs.
“This is the perfect place for them,” James said, “with a fence on three sides and water on the fourth.”
“But...” She frowned. “I’m confused.”
“I adopted them. For you. And me. I’ve also bought the lake house and plan to move out here permanently.”
She gaped. “B-but what about your job?”
“I’ll bunk with Cole when I need to, but this place is home to me, and Mom and Dad were ready to let it go. Steph, Dixon, and Keegan didn’t have any objections, so...” He shrugged. “I bought it.” He shot her a small smile. “The fact that Dad was willing to sell it to me said a whole lot about where he was in his journey to forgive me. And Mom can be very persuasive.”
“You bought the lake house on Lake City Lake.”
“I did.”
“And you adopted my very favorite pups.”
“I did.”
“I’m not just pretty sure I love you. I think I absolutely adore you.”
He kissed her again, thanking God for his protection, provision, and promises. Life might not always be easy, but with Lainie—and the two dogs trying to get in between them—it would never be boring.
