Best Laid Plans

by Abbie Zanders

  “Enough about them. How are you feeling? Are you hungry? Thirsty? Can I get you anything?”

  She laughed softly. “I’m fine. Stop worrying. I’ve got everything I need right here.”

  Her words warmed his heart, but he wasn’t convinced. “You had a rough day.”

  “I’m not the one who was shot at.”

  “It’s not the first time someone tried to shoot me, sweetheart, and probably not the last. What’s more important is, you could have been caught in the cross fire.”

  “I’m fine. It just rattled me, you know? I’ve never hurt anyone before, but he had a gun and ... and I didn’t think. I just reacted. I could have killed him.”

  “You didn’t.”

  “I know, but—”

  “No buts. Listen. Hear that?”

  She stilled and listened. “Hear what?”

  “Hooves. On the roof. And it’s after midnight. Must be Santa.”

  She laughed, as he’d intended.

  Heff got out of bed and went over to the empty fireplace, peering upward into the chimney. “Yep. That’s St. Nick all right. I can hear sleigh bells.”

  “If you’re hearing bells, maybe we should get you checked out.”

  He reached down and picked up something from the hearth. “See?” he said, holding up a large manila envelope.

  She sat up. “What’s that?”

  “A present for you.”

  “For me?”

  “Well, it does have your name on it.”

  “Gimme.”

  He laughed, shoving the envelope behind his back when she reached for it, tossing her own words at her. “How’s it feel to want?”

  “Heff.”

  He continued to smile but hesitated as some of his courage left him. She picked up on it immediately. Had any woman ever been able to read him so easily?

  Her voice was quieter when she asked, “What’s in the envelope, Heff?”

  “Letters mostly.”

  “Letters?”

  “Yeah. After you left, I wrote one to you every day.”

  Her beautiful eyes widened. “You did?”

  He nodded. “I couldn’t see you. I couldn’t call. I couldn’t text. I couldn’t interfere with you following your dream, but I needed to feel close to you, and that was the only way I could do that. Does that make sense?”

  “It makes perfect sense.”

  “The thing is, I wrote them, thinking you would never see them. I said a lot of stuff, stuff you might not be ready to deal with.”

  “I’m a big girl. How about letting me decide what I’m ready for?”

  He took a deep breath. “Fair enough, but ... let’s wait until morning. It’s been a long day, and right now, I just want to hold you, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Heff put the envelope on the nightstand and then climbed back into bed, back into Sandy’s waiting arms. He was content to stay there, just like that, with her tucked against his side, but Sandy blew his good intentions straight to hell. She climbed on top of him and spent the next several hours proving to him just how fine she really felt.

  Once again, he felt as if they’d reached a new level of connection, beyond what he’d ever thought he’d find in another human being. He only hoped that didn’t change when she read what he’d written.

  Despite his best efforts to savor every moment, the steady thrum of Sandy’s heart against his chest and her deep, even breathing lulled him into sleep. When he woke up, he automatically reached for her, but she was no longer there.

  He was searching for her before his eyes were fully open, finding her sitting in a chair by the window. His letters lay in a neat pile on the table beside her. She wasn’t looking at them though. She was staring out the window.

  Outside, it was snowing. Big, thick, heavy flakes drifted down, creating the perfect background. Hair cascading loosely over her shoulders, dressed in nothing but his shirt, she looked like a Christmas angel.

  His heart began to pound heavily against the inner walls of his chest. Turned as she was, he could only see half of her face, and her expression gave nothing away.

  He’d poured everything into those letters, fully intending to burn them at some point. The whole process was meant to be cathartic, something to help him deal with the fact that he’d allowed his soul mate to walk away.

  It wasn’t just his feelings for her that he’d written about. He’d included every part of his life that he thought she should know. Good and bad. He’d talked about his parents, his sister, his brushes with the law before he joined the Navy and straightened himself out. Things he would have told her eventually, had they followed the normal pattern of things, getting to know each other over a period of months or years.

  Except there was nothing normal about their situation. He was a former SEAL with things in his past he wasn’t particularly proud of. She was a small-town girl just finding her wings. It was only through a serious lapse in judgment—or a twist of fate—that she’d ended up in his path.

  Even more unusual was how he felt about her. He hadn’t needed weeks or months or years to get to know her; his soul recognized her as a kindred spirit. As far as he was concerned, everything else was extraneous. There was nothing she could tell him that would change the way he felt about her even if she decided her future lay elsewhere. It would break his heart, but it would change nothing.

  He’d done everything he could to do right by her, including letting her go. Yet she’d kept coming back to him. Now, by reading those letters, she knew all the things he’d never had the guts to tell her out loud, and his future, their future, was once again solely in her hands.

  As if sensing his gaze, she turned to him, meeting his eyes. For long seconds, he forgot to breathe as he looked for something, anything, that would tell him what she was feeling.

  Then ... she smiled.

  Not just a little smile either, but a full-fledged, heart-stopping smile that told him everything he needed to know.

  She got to her feet and sauntered—that was the only way to describe the way she moved—over to him. “Is that really how you feel about me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well then,” she said, slipping into the sheets beside him, “we are totally, completely, one hundred percent on the same page.”

  Epilogue

  Sandy

  “Hey, beautiful. Ready to go?”

  “Almost. I just want to put the finishing touches on this design.”

  Heff came up behind her and leaned down, placing kisses along her neck. He knew it was the only thing capable of breaking her concentration when she lost herself in a project.

  “Not fair,” she murmured, tilting her head to the side to give him better access. “I hope you plan on following through.”

  He laughed and nipped her ear. “Later. Right now, we’ve got to go.”

  She pulled him back for more kisses. “We can be late.”

  “We already are.”

  Sandy looked at the time. “Oh shit. Why didn’t you say something?”

  He raised a brow and gave her that look, the one that said he had. Several times.

  “Right.”

  She saved the files and then got to her feet and stretched. Business was good, very good, but what was even better was being her own boss. She made her own hours, picked her own projects, and worked right out of her—their—home.

  For most of the winter, she’d stayed in the main building, “earning” her room and board by helping Sam in the kitchen and dining room. Lenny had already rented out her old place, but even if he hadn’t, it wouldn’t have been an option. A single trip down into town to pick up the box of memories he’d been keeping for her was awkward enough.

  It worked out for the best. She and Sam got along well, and she liked feeling as if she was contributing in some way. After a couple of months of spending nearly every night with Heff anyway though, she’d finally surrendered to both charm and logic and moved into his cabin.

  After re
ading the letters he’d written and then given to her at Christmas, she knew there was no way she could take the position at Kensington. It had come down to a choice between wanting the job and wanting a life with him, and there really was no question of which she wanted more.

  She probably could have had both, if she were so inclined. If she’d asked Heff to go with her, he would have. But she wouldn’t have asked him to do that. What he was doing at the Sanctuary was so much more important to her than an ad campaign for some multibillion-dollar company’s new product. And truthfully, a high-stress, fast-paced job in the city wasn’t nearly as appealing as opening her own design studio in Sumneyville.

  Once she’d made up her mind, things had moved quickly. The day after Christmas, Sandy returned to the city to officially decline the position and hand in her resignation. She finished out the year, doing everything she could to make it easy on her replacement, whomever it might be.

  Heff showed up two days before New Year’s and helped her pack. She hadn’t accumulated much during her time in the city, so they spent more time making love and sightseeing than they did actually packing.

  She got to cross another item off her bucket list on New Year’s Eve. They spent it together in Times Square with thousands of others, watching the ball drop and sharing a soul-deep kiss at midnight.

  Then, they’d returned to the Sanctuary, together, and she hadn’t regretted a single moment since.

  The cabin was small, but it wasn’t much different than her studio in the city and included amenities not available anywhere else. Like being able to step out the door to a beautiful view and breathe in the scents of fresh, clean mountain air. Or picking up the phone and meeting with her two besties—Tori and Sam—for lunch, coffee, or spontaneous girl time. Or getting to spend time with Kevin every week.

  But the best perk of all was the golden-hearted, incredibly sexy roommate that came with it.

  Life wasn’t perfect, but it was damn near close to it, and more importantly, she no longer felt as if she was navigating it alone.

  “Are we riding or driving?”

  “Riding.”

  Sandy’s heart leaped. She loved riding with Heff. After spending so much time at Happy Trails, he’d decided to buy his own horse—a five-year old Morgan named, oddly enough, Herb.

  Sometimes, he’d drive over to the ranch in the morning to let her work in peace. Then, he’d ride back on Herb to pick her up, and they’d work their way around the perimeters of both the Sanctuary and the ranch—Heff on Herb and Sandy riding any one of a number of horses borrowed from the ranch for an afternoon. More often than not, those trail rides involved stopping along the way to explore some of those forest-related fantasies of hers.

  She certainly wasn’t complaining.

  When they stepped outside, however, Herb wasn’t alone. A beautiful strawberry roan with cream-colored mane and tail and big, soulful brown eyes stood beside him.

  “What’s this?”

  “Sandy, Peaches. Peaches, Sandy.”

  “She’s beautiful! Is she one of Tori’s new acquisitions?”

  “Not exactly. You seem to enjoy riding so ...”

  Sandy whipped around, afraid to hope. “She’s mine?”

  He nodded. “Yes. Tori said we could board them together.”

  She squealed and launched herself into his arms. “You are the most wonderful man ever. Have I told you that?”

  “Yes, but I like it better when you show me.” He ground his hips against her core, making her wish they were naked.

  “You said we didn’t have time for that.”

  He exhaled heavily and released her. “We don’t. Later though, you can thank me properly.”

  “You’re on.”

  He protectively stood by as she mounted her new ride, and then he swung up with masculine grace on his.

  “Wait a minute ... Peaches. And Herb? We’re riding Peaches and Herb?”

  He grinned. “It was Kevin’s idea.”

  “Sure it was.”

  As they rode side by side along the trail to Danny’s birthday party, Sandy couldn’t remember ever feeling happier. She had her soul mate, her own business, and the best friends she could ask for.

  The party was in full swing when they arrived. They watered the horses and then left them in one of the enclosures to join the others. Brian called out to Heff, inviting him over to where some of the largest men she’d ever seen were tossing horseshoes.

  “Go play,” she told him with a pat on the backside.

  “I’d rather play with you, especially if you’re going to keep grabbing my ass like that.” He leaned down and gave her a kiss, and then he went over to join the guys.

  She watched him walk away, laughing when he exaggerated the movement for her benefit.

  Reluctantly, she peeled her eyes away from his fine backside and took in the scene. Party decorations had been hung around the porch and the gazebo. A second massive grill had been set beside the one that was normally there along with tables filled with a dizzying assortment of food and drinks.

  A dozen or so kids were scattered about the lawn along with several large dogs. Some of the canines were running with the kids; others were lying quietly in the shade, watching with interest. One of them sat protectively by Kevin, who sat beneath a massive oak and had his head down, drawing in his sketchbook.

  Off to the left, two picnic tables had been pushed together and were occupied by a number of women. Sandy recognized Sam and Bianca, but the rest of them, she didn’t know.

  “So, were you surprised?” Tori asked, emerging from the house with yet another bowl and adding it onto the already-loaded tables.

  “Very. I’m guessing you had something to do with that.”

  She grinned. “Maybe. Come over here. There are some women I’d like you to meet. Sandy, this is Taryn, Lexi, Maggie, Rebecca, Nicki, Lacie, and Faith Callaghan. And that on the end there is Mary Harrison. Ladies, this is Sandy Summers, the one I was telling you about.”

  “You’re the one who did Tori’s website?” a woman in a black heavy metal band T-shirt with hair in streaks of bronze, copper, gold, and platinum and bright purple eyes asked.

  “Yep, that’s me.”

  “Awesome job.”

  “Thanks.”

  “She did the one for the Sanctuary too,” Tori said proudly.

  “I keep telling Aidan we need to vamp ours up,” said a pretty blonde woman. “Would you be interested?”

  “Sure. What kind of business is it?”

  “A restaurant.”

  Tori chuckled. “Lexi and Aidan own the Celtic Goddess, Sandy.”

  “Oh.” She’d heard of the place, of course, but never actually been there.

  It was Bianca who said, “You won’t be sorry, Lexi. Sandy has a gift.”

  Sandy blinked, feeling a rush of gratitude. She’d thought Bianca would be upset about her decision not to stay with Kensington, especially after getting her the job. As it’d turned out, however, Bianca was one of her biggest advocates.

  Just then, one of the kids shouted, “Heads up, Kev!” They all turned to see a ball soaring through the air, landing by Kevin and the dog. “Hey, Kev, give it here, will ya?”

  Sandy held her breath, waiting to see what would happen. Slowly, Kevin reached over, picked up the ball, and threw it back to them before resuming his drawing. Her heart swelled. When Sandy looked at Bianca, she saw that her eyes were moist too.

  “Sit down with us,” Sam said, scooching over on the seat to make room.

  “Who’s the sexy guy with the long hair and the diamond stud?” a woman with jet-black hair and clear, diamond-like eyes asked.

  “That’s Sandy’s man,” said the one with multicolored hair. Sandy thought she’d been introduced as Taryn.

  “Nice,” commented Lexi, nodding.

  Sandy might have felt slightly irritated had a woman with red hair and flashing green eyes not grinned and said, “Don’t mind us. We’re all very happy with our own,
but it doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate a good-looking man when we see one.”

  “And you’re free to ogle our husbands as well,” Taryn said with a wink, “as long as it’s strictly to look but don’t touch.”

  Sandy laughed, appreciating the offer. Besides, if those guys shooting horseshoes with Brian and Heff were their husbands, she’d be a fool not to take them up on it. “Deal.”

  For the most part, Sandy stayed on the edge of the conversation, content to listen. They really were a funny bunch. They occasionally drew her in but not so much that she felt singled out or pressured.

  Heff returned after a few games and joined her as the other men joined their wives. Over the course of the afternoon, she got to meet everyone. Some of the guys she’d seen coming and going from the Sanctuary and looked familiar. Others were new to her.

  Eventually, the sun began to set, and she and Heff prepared to leave.

  Before they did, Bianca pulled her aside and said, “Do you have a moment?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  They moved to a quiet area, and Bianca said, “I wanted to ask if you’d mind if I listed you as Kevin’s guardian in case something happened to me.”

  Sandy blinked in surprise. “Are you all right, Bianca?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. I’d just feel better knowing that if something happened to me, Kevin would have someone who knows him and loves him to look after him. He loves you, Sandy, and Hugh too.”

  Sandy felt her eyes tearing up. “I’d be honored. We love him too.”

  They shared a hug.

  “Thank you. I’ll have the papers drawn up this week.”

  “What was that all about?” Heff asked as they walked toward the car he’d left there that morning.

  “Bianca asked if I’d be Kevin’s guardian in the event something happened to her. I said yes, of course.”

  “Of course,” Heff said. “Kevin always has a home with us.”

  She smiled. “With us, huh?”

  “Yeah, with us. Because there’s no way in hell I’m ever letting you go.” He stopped, pulling her into his arms. “Right now, however, we need to get back to the cabin. I believe you said something about thanking me properly ...”