by Wendy Davy
“I know.” Sierra dipped her head, studying her fingers. Even before she knew the details, she’d known Chase wouldn’t have taken a life if he’d had any other option—even if it was the man who murdered his sister in cold blood.
She shifted, her side still ached, and the skin had begun to itch as she healed, but considering what could’ve happened she counted her blessings. “This all seems surreal.”
“Give yourself time.” Piper softened her voice. “I imagine you’ll be going through tons of emotions in the coming days.”
Sierra had no doubt. At first, an odd numbness settled upon her at the news of Kevin’s death. Since then, her emotions had been on a rollercoaster ride and not just because of Kevin. “I’ve been home from the hospital several days, and I’ve only seen Chase once.” She thought of the haze she’d been in as Piper had driven her home, and the seemingly unending barrage of questions from numerous police officers in the days that followed. The one time Chase had come by her condo, he’d brought another detective along, only asking for official statements of what had taken place. He’d briefly touched her hand on the way out, but had said nothing of a personal nature. “I don’t understand why he hasn’t come back.”
“I told you”—Piper lounged in the chair opposite her—”Chase has had a ton of paperwork to catch up on.”
Sierra had guessed as much, but still…What would he do next? Would he move to Granite Falls and not look back?
“Relax Sierra. It’s all going to fall into place. You’ll see.”
Sierra thought of all Piper and Zeke had lost. Her respect for her brother-in-law had grown tremendously since his return. Instead of anger at losing his house, he’d shown only understanding. Still, Sierra felt responsible. “I’m so sorry about your home.”
“Zeke and I have always wanted a Victorian. Now’s our chance to have it. I just hope you can put up with us staying here until it’s built.”
“Put up with you? It’s the least I can do, besides, I welcome the company. After what happened here, I’d prefer not to be alone.” Nightmares had come each night in vivid, terrifying detail. She’d expected as much, but each time she woke, she remembered her real-life nightmare had come to an end.
Had her relationship with Chase also ended? She fidgeted at the unwelcome thought. She’d known him for a short time, but she couldn’t imagine living the rest of her life without him. Piper had said he’d come to the hospital, and hadn’t left until he was assured she was going to be all right. But, she didn’t remember seeing him, and she missed him with a vengeance.
His parents had even been by her condo to see her twice, each time carrying enough food to feed an army. She’d eaten so many smoked ribs she thought she’d burst. Showing loving kindness, Chase’s family had made her feel as if she were a part of them. So, why hadn’t Chase come with them?
The doorbell rang, and Piper hopped up as if she was expecting someone. She flung open the door. “Come in.”
Sierra strained to see who was there. Her pulse jumped when Chase appeared. Was he coming to say goodbye?
Although he wore jeans and a flannel, button up shirt, he carried an air of authority with him as he strode inside and nodded at Piper. “Thanks for watching over her. It’s all set. I’ll take it from here.”
Confused, Sierra climbed from the couch, glancing between Piper and Chase. “What’s all set?”
Piper smiled mischievously and disappeared into the guest bedroom.
Sierra’s curiosity sparked. “What’s going on?”
Chase sauntered toward her and took her hand. “You feeling up to a road trip?”
She narrowed her eyes. “You’ve barely spoken to me since I came home. Now you want to take me on a drive? Why should I?”
“You’ve trusted me so far, don’t stop now. Just give me a little time and I’ll show you.”
She wanted to give him a hard time, but he had come to see her, after all. “All right. I guess it wouldn’t hurt. I’ve been staring at these walls too long anyway. I’m ready to get out and do something. Where to?” She picked up her jacket.
“You’ll see.” Chase led her toward the door.
“I take it you’ve finished with the paperwork?”
“Hardly. It’ll take weeks to sort through it all.” He led her outside and secured her in his truck before sliding in behind the wheel.
“Then why are you here? You’ve been staying away for days because of this paperwork.”
“Not exactly because of that paperwork.”
“Then what—”
He shifted, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her with an unspoken passion. His masculine scent surrounded her as his lips softened, bringing the kiss deeper. Several moments later, he eased away. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered.
“I’ve missed you, too.” Her gaze strayed to his lips, moist from their intimate connection. She wanted more, much more. “On second thought, can’t we just stay here a little while?”
He grinned—a cat-that-ate-the-canary grin—and tweaked her nose. “It’ll be worth the trip. Trust me.”
As Chase drove out of her complex, Sierra settled into the seat and tried to relax. She glanced at Chase. He had that look again—the one of total ease as he placed one hand on the steering wheel and another on his thigh.
“What are you up to?”
He shot her a grin, but remained silent.
After several vain attempts at getting him to divulge his plan, she finally gave up and enjoyed the ride. An hour later, they entered Granite Falls. The first time she’d been there, she’d been a nervous wreck. A lot had happened since she’d first met his parents, but her nerves still felt the same. They passed the county line sign and Sierra absently read it aloud. “Population 3,200.”
“That’s about to change.”
Sierra’s brows rose, but her stomach dropped. “A-are you moving here?”
“As soon as I get everything squared away back in Seattle.” His grip tightened on the wheel. “Probably within the month.”
Queasy at the thought, Sierra reminded herself an hour’s commute wasn’t that far away. Even though any distance away from Chase seemed too far.
He maneuvered the truck into a parking space on Main Street. “Come on.”
“We’re not going to see your parents?” Confused, Sierra stepped to the curb. Chase led her toward a nearby building squeezed between a row of small businesses. “What’s this?” A faded sign marked the place as Price’s Handcrafted Furniture, and the boarded windows indicated the store had been closed for some time.
Chase produced a key, unlocked the door, and flipped on the lights.
Sierra entered. Lingering scents of pine, oak and hickory occupied the space, along with cobwebs and dust. Aside from an empty countertop, which looked like an old checkout stand, only a few pieces of shelving and some odds-and-ends remained.
“Looks rough, I know. But the structure’s solid.”
“Is this your dad’s building?”
Chase nodded. “For more than forty years.” He looked around as if the place held fond memories.
“Was he upset you and Jake didn’t take over his business when he retired? Seems like forty years of hard work would be hard to give up.”
“Dad asked us a long time ago if we’d like to work with him. But, after spending our high school summers here, both Jake and I knew our calling was elsewhere.”
“That must’ve been hard on your dad.”
“He understood each of us is different, with varied abilities and dreams.”
Sierra wandered farther into the room. “This large space must’ve been ideal for a business.” The location, in the heart of downtown Granite Falls, would assure everyone in the county would pass by at some time or another. “What’s he going to do with this place?”
“That depends on you.”
She whirled around. “What do you mean?”
“Dad wants to sell it, at a very reasonable price.” He splayed his hands
wide. “Imagine bookshelves lining these walls, covered in every title you can imagine. From children’s literature and classics, to romance and adventure novels.”
Sierra had revealed her dreams the day they’d had breakfast together in Allie’s Bakery. “You remember.” Her heart melted. She spun in a slow circle. This space would be perfect to fulfill her dreams. But, she didn’t have the means to open a business. “It would be great, but I can’t afford it.”
“Don’t be too sure about that.”
“Chase, I know you mean well, but…”
He quieted her with a finger to her lips. “I wouldn’t have brought you here just to tease you with a future you couldn’t have.” He dug an envelope from his pocket. “Take a look.”
Sierra’s name had been neatly handwritten across the front, and a familiar return address resided in the upper left corner. “This is from Brown and McKinley?” She’d used these types of envelopes for mailing correspondence when she’d worked for the law firm, and she’d thought she’d never see them again, much less have one addressed to her personally.
She tore open the envelope and read.
Ms. Malone,
We are deeply sorry for our misunderstanding here at Brown and McKinley. Mr. Eason had us all fooled as to his true nature. While we no longer have an open position for you, we feel we must compensate you for your suffering. Please accept this severance pay as a token of our sincere apologies.
Brown and McKinley
Sierra removed a check from the envelope. The staggering amount was more than enough to buy a building and stock it with inventory. She met Chase’s glittering green eyes. “How did you know? The envelope was sealed.”
“You haven’t been watching the news?”
“I didn’t want to. Has Kevin’s story been all over it?”
“Like you wouldn’t believe.”
“No reporters have contacted me.”
“That’s not because they haven’t tried.”
Sierra’s heart lifted. “You’ve been protecting me from the first moment we bumped into each other back in Virginia.”
Chase shrugged and his lips curved into a grin. “What can I say? It’s what I do.”
“And I’m thankful for it.” Sierra studied him, wondering what else he’d done to protect her. She lifted the check. “So, how did this come about?” She could picture Chase standing in Brown and McKinley’s offices, defending her honor like a chivalrous knight. “Did you have anything to do with this?”
“Let’s just say word got out that you went to Brown and McKinley for help regarding Eason, and they refused to believe you.” He shrugged. “With the press all over this case, their reputation was on the line. I guess they figured they could get off the hook with this act of kindness.” He tapped the check. “Besides, I think they felt just plain guilty for not believing you.”
Sierra’s heart warmed at the possibilities opening before her. “All the while Kevin was after me, I couldn’t understand why God was allowing it to happen. But, now I can see His plan unfolding before my eyes.” She surveyed the building that would soon be hers, and then met Chase’s gaze. “This seems too good to be true.”
“God makes good things come from bad situations. It’s rather amazing what He does behind the scenes, isn’t it? A few weeks ago, I had no idea I’d be praying and relying on Him again. Thank you Sierra, for leading me back to Him.”
“And thank you for all you’ve done. Because of you, I have a future to look forward to. And to think, a few hours ago I thought you’d forgotten about me.”
“How could I ever forget you?” Chase cupped her face in his hands. “I love you.”
Sierra’s heart threatened to burst with joy at his heartfelt words.
“What do you say we take things slow? Have dinner with me tonight. And, the next night, and the next night after that. How does the next sixty-plus-years sound?” His eyes pleaded for her acceptance.
“Is that your idea of taking it slow?” She grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck, snuggling close, treasuring his feel, his strength.
“It’s more of a way of saying I want to spend my life with you.” His warm breath caressed her skin as he bent his head and kissed her neck where bruises had once resided; bruises from a man she’d never have to fear again. “Will you be my wife?”
Sierra took her time answering, enjoying this moment she knew she’d remember forever. “You gave me the gift of freedom, and in return I’m giving you my heart. I’d be honored.”
Chase let out a deep breath and held her as if he’d never let go. She rested within his comforting arms, knowing they had begun the journey to healing together, and thanking God for providing safe passage along the way.
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