Broken Ground: (Broken Series Book 1) (51 page)

She turned the canvas over, pulling the thin strips of tape off the thick brown paper. Once the back was open, she turned it right-side-up and placed it back in my lap, slowly sliding the covering away. I'd thought seeing Gran's painting had prepared me for what mine would be.

I was wrong.

The image was an up-close rendering of the lake, its depiction so real I expected to feel water dripping from my fingers as I trailed them over the surface. There in the lake my mother and my twelve-year-old self floated side by side, our fingers entwined to hold us close to one another, matching looks of serenity on our faces. The likeness was absolutely astonishing. Not only did she manage to capture my mother's face, every freckle, every curve, every fleck of gold in her hazel eyes; she also depicted me at twelve in such a way that I felt like I was back there. It felt more and more like a memory the longer I looked at it. I held something real from my past recreated in a tangible way to remind me of the happiest time of my childhood.

"I hope you don't mind that I used some of the pictures from the box Gran left you." She leaned into my shoulder, the warmth of her body blanketing me as I shook my head, too entranced to speak as I trailed my fingers lightly over my mother's cheek.

I'd heard people say that a true artist captures the soul of their subjects and, looking at the incomparable gift I'd just been given, I finally knew what that meant.

ONCE EVERYONE'S EMOTIONS
leveled off, we settled into a comfortable coexistence. Gran hovered and worried too much, but we loved her for it, and I was quite frankly glad to have her where I could keep an eye on her. Though I had to admit I kind of liked her new ink; a clever depiction of a ball of wadded up paper that was made more realistic by the wrinkled flesh beneath. The caption beneath it read 'Screw the rules'.

Despite understanding the sentiment behind it, I still worried about her insistence on acting like a teenager. I might have even exaggerated my injury a bit to keep her from going to karaoke night. I suspected she was on to me, but she never balked. She stayed right by my side, fussing over me like I was a child. It was nice.

And I'd probably pay dearly for it later.

Mostly, we all talked and ate and rested. Gran and I reminisced a lot, talking openly about my mother for the first time since her death, the paintings having left us somehow freed. It was nice hearing her say my mom's name without hesitating out of fear of upsetting me. I hadn't realized just how much Gran had needed that; to talk about her with me. It was nice, remembering without the pain. So much went off track the summer my mother died — altering the man I would become — but being with Ali and facing my past gave me the feeling that I was somehow finding my way to being who I could have been.

My summer in Denson had affected me in ways I'd never anticipated and, damn, I was glad of it.

We discussed what to do about the house. Rebuild or redesign? Maybe both; maybe neither. Gran still said the house was never the point, so she refused to make a decision, leaving
my
house and
my
land up to me now that I was ready to officially claim my inheritance.

I had a few ideas, but I wasn't sharing just yet.

We talked with Vanessa and played with Daniel when they stopped by to visit, both of them looking especially happy when Daniel shared the news that his daddy was sleeping at home again. Vanessa had been incredibly relieved to know she hadn't been the cause of the fire. She and I were in a good place again, maybe even better than before.

Ali and I still didn't know how we were going to deal with our return to our regular lives, having thought we still had a few weeks left in the build to figure it out. She seemed intrigued by the idea of moving to Richmond but was hesitant to leave Talia.

There was so much still left to figure out, so many possibilities. No matter what we decided, we'd be together, on that we were both in agreement. And for now, that was all I needed to know.

Toward the end of the week, Gran left to go out with her friends for bingo night, at least that's where she said she was going. I had my doubts. But her absence meant Ali and I were alone in the house for the first time since our arrival.

Seizing the opportunity, she and I did something we'd been dying to do for two weeks.

We snuggled on the couch and watched old corny comedies, content with the closeness of our bodies. We were unconcerned with going any further until we knew we were both healed enough to do it right. And do it right
we would
, but until then, having her fall asleep with her head on my chest was close enough to ecstasy for me.

It was home.

Denson

THE LATE-OCTOBER
breeze was cool and crisp, a far cry from the relentless heat I'd grown accustomed to while working here over the summer. The sun was barely peeking over the distant mountains, the first stirrings of crickets announcing the arrival of evening.

I stepped out of my truck and took in the cleared lot where the house once stood, its chance at completion thwarted a second time. Nothing was left but a gaping hole that I once would have seen as a defeat, now viewed as a fresh start.

Everything was falling into place. Ali had agreed to move to Richmond after Talia assured her that she was fine on her own and the distance wasn't enough to keep them from seeing each other often. I'd taken the contract with the amusement park and, after taking one look at Ali's work, they'd commissioned Ali as well. Once we finished this installation, there was the possibility of traveling to their other parks to help with coordinating attractions. The idea of travel excited us both.

After news of Keith's arrest broke, GFS had burned up Ali's phone trying to make amends but she wasn't interested. Her heart was never in it, so it was easy to walk away. And she'd done it with a clean slate and an offer for a glowing recommendation, should she need it.

The contract with the theme park suited her just fine, though. She was already excitedly working on sketches and collaborating with the park owners to set up a special weekend to benefit the Outreach Hospice with a portion of the park's sales going to the charity. I'd never seen anyone smile so much.

And, as always, it was contagious.

Ali came around the front of the truck, threading her arms around me from behind, the warmth of her body as familiar to me as ever and still alluring enough to stir my desire. I covered her hands with my own, pulling them up to my mouth to kiss her palms before releasing them from my grasp.

She moved to my side and leaned in, nudging me playfully. "So? Are you going to tell me your idea or not? You brought me all this way without so much as a hint. I thought we'd be looking at blueprints in your office or something. What's this brilliant idea you have for the rebuild?" She pursed her lips, pouting.

The drive to Denson had been entertaining, at least for me. She tried everything she could think of to get me to talk. I hadn't cracked, though, even when she offered to do something very unsafe at such high speeds. That one had been tempting. We hadn't made love in weeks. Between my shoulder and her still healing lungs, it just hadn't felt right to push things.

Ali had gotten her all-clear from the doctor that morning, and my shoulder was fine as long as I didn't try to heft a sledgehammer; a mistake that I wouldn't make twice.

She'd looked disappointed when I suggested a trip to Denson, that naughty gleam in her eye making it all too clear what she would have rather spent the evening doing. She finally caved at my insistence and here we were just a couple hours later, her filled with confusion and me filled with excitement.

I laced my fingers through hers and smiled, pulling her along as I walked. "I told you it would be worth the wait, didn't I? Just a couple more minutes, I promise."

"Why are we going to the lake? It's nearly dark out. I thought we were here so you could show me your big idea about the house?"

"Patience, Alison, patience. You'll understand in a minute." I could barely contain my excitement, having to force myself to maintain a leisurely pace when all I wanted to do was barrel down the path and into my future.

"What's that noise? Is there an engine running?"

I grinned. "Maybe."

She huffed indignantly but kept pace beside me, her curiosity outweighing her annoyance.

We came into the clearing, and I slowed, letting her get half a step ahead as the willow tree came into view. She came to a sudden halt gasping loudly and gripping more tightly onto my hand. "Oh, Clay! It's beautiful."

The entire willow glowed with light, from the trunk to the branches to every pendulous limb; every inch was wrapped in soft white light. The branches swayed softly, the golden color of its autumn-kissed leaves amplifying the glow.

The same glow that reflected so dazzlingly in Ali's eyes.

I gave her a minute to take it all in, silently thanking our friends and family for all the work they'd put into this endeavor. Though we could hear the generator, it was tucked far back into the wood line, giving an almost magical feel to the scene before us.

Seeing tears beginning to form in her eyes, I shook my head, tugging her forward. "No, no. You can't start crying on me now. You haven't seen the best part yet."

She looked from me to the willow, an expression of wonder on her beautiful face. Nodding, she gave my hand a squeeze, and we made our way together to the place we thought of as our spot, awash in the glow of thousands of lights.

I parted the lighted limbs and stood aside for her to enter our canopied love nest. I moved in behind her and placed my hand at the small of her back, smiling to myself as I took in the large blanket spread over the ground. Off to one side sat an ice bucket, complete with a chilled bottle of wine and two glasses. I hadn't thought to request that, so someone went above and beyond making this night perfect.

And perfect it would be.

I made my way onto the blanket, motioning for Ali to join me. When she did, I took a seat and then stretched out on my back, holding one arm out for her to nestle in beside me.

She looked down with a radiant smile and lowered herself alongside me, tucking herself close as we looked up into the illuminated canopy above us. "You were right — this is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." She whispered in wonderment.

"It's definitely impressive, but it can't even begin to compare to the extraordinary beauty I see every time I look at you. Everything about you is stunning, remarkable, exceptional." I spoke softly, reverently. "Right now, you're seeing the glow of thousands of lights... and all I see is you."

She lifted herself on her elbow to see my face, the words she'd intended to say dying on her lips as her eyes locked onto the tiny box sitting on my chest, directly over my heart.

I laid there watching her, the myriad of emotions playing over her features as her gaze lingered on my offering. "Take it, it's yours." I told her. Whether I spoke of the box or the overflowing heart beneath, either way it belonged to her.

With trembling fingers, she lifted the box and reclaimed her spot snuggled into my side. She tentatively opened the hinged lid, and I heard her breath catch in her throat. The surrounding light glinted in the antique diamond's surface as Ali traced her fingertips over it. "Was it your mother's?"

"No. Much as I loved my mother, as much as I love her still, I wouldn't want the kind of marriage she had with my father. There was no love, no connection between them. I don't have one single memory of them laughing together or holding hands." I reached over and skimmed the band with my fingers. "This is the ring my grandfather gave to Gran. When I told her I intended to ask you to be my wife, she said it would mean a great deal to her to have you wear it."

My heart nearly stopped when Ali sat the open box back onto my chest.

Thinking it was a refusal; I forced a swallow and fought to keep my composure.

Then she lifted her left hand, holding it straight above us so that the lighted branches served as a backdrop. "You're supposed to do the honors, Mr. McGavran." She teased.