Epilogue
Three months later…
If Kaci had to be running late to meet the high school student group she was mentoring for summer semester, at least she had a good excuse. “My shoe!” she called to Lance. “I can’t find my danged shoe.”
He hopped around the bed, tugging his jeans back up. “Did it go in the bathroom?”
“Looked there.”
“The closet?”
“Sugar, think harder.”
He barked out a laugh. “This shoe?”
Sure enough, there was her sandal sitting right on top of that danged stuffed Alabama elephant he kept on his dresser just to torment her.
Or maybe in retribution for her putting Rebel, the Ole Miss black bear, on her dresser.
Her Lance was a mighty fine sport, all things considered. “Hand it over. I gotta get going.”
“Nope. You know the rules. If Big Al has it, he gets to keep it. Unless…”
“I think I just paid that debt, thank you very much.” They’d had a houseguest the past few days—one of Lance’s old college buddies was moving to town, and he’d crashed with them while he was house-hunting—and between the boys sitting out back catching up late into the night and Kaci’s schedule at James Robert with the summer semester starting this week, she and Lance hadn’t had much opportunity to talk.
Or kiss.
Or make love.
Until about an hour or so ago.
And now Kaci was late to meet her group. “Can I pay you back later?”
Lance plucked the shoe off his elephant’s trunk. “Promise?”
“You know I can’t tell you no for anything.” She’d even let him put a diamond ring on her finger a few weeks back. Dang man had used her fears against her and proposed on the airplane ride to Sweden.
Not that she could’ve told him no for anything, even if they’d been safely on the ground.
Plus, he’d let her touch his catapult.
This man was her everything.
Tara was afraid they were moving too fast, but Kaci’s heart knew what it wanted, and Lance knew what he was getting himself into.
She’d never known anyone who loved her so much just for being her.
And she loved him more than she’d ever known she could love another person. So much so, in fact, that she’d promised him she’d be open-minded about his career and where he needed to go when his seven years at Gellings were up.
For all that he’d been willing to sacrifice for her, how could she not?
He handed over her shoe—and stole a kiss in the process—but the doorbell rang before they got too distracted.
Lance tossed a T-shirt over his head. “Go easy on those kids tonight.” He gave her an affectionate tap on the butt, then strolled out the bedroom door.
She slipped into her shoes and grabbed her bag. She had twenty high school kids to entertain tonight as part of a summer program for teenagers interested in STEM careers, and she was looking forward to it. As she breezed out of the bedroom, Lance’s snort of laughter stopped her.
His buddy Jackson, their recent houseguest, was back. Dark-haired and slow-drawled, he was the very epitome of the perfect military gentleman. “Thought you were headed over to Alabama by now,” Kaci said.
He flashed her a dimpled grin. “Won’t be in your hair long, Miss Kaci. Just forgot to leave y’all a thank-you gift for letting me crash here.”
“He means he forgot to leave you a thank-you gift,” Lance said.
Kaci glanced at the clock.
She was seriously late.
But that plastic bag Lance held out for her was clunky and bulky, and that box sticking out the top—“Did you bring me firecrackers from over the border?”
Firecrackers were illegal in Georgia, but plentiful in Alabama.
Both men were grinning now. “Heard tell you might could use some,” Jackson said.
“Jackson Davis, it’s a good thing I’m an engaged woman, or Lance might have to fight you for me.”
“All his idea,” Jackson said. “I would’ve messed up and brought you flowers.”
“Owe me really big now, Kace,” Lance said.
She certainly did. “Y’all come back anytime,” she said to Jackson. “Bring your pup with you next time. Can’t wait to meet her.” She gave Lance one last quick kiss, then darted out the door.
And two hours later, she was sitting in Jimmy Beans, wishing Tara still worked the night shift instead of at her new accounting day job.
Because after Kaci sent her high school program students off on a physics-themed scavenger hunt, guided by Zada and a few of the other girls here for the summer, she saw a sight she recognized all too well.
A young woman with light honey-brown hair and professional clothes, a backpack at her feet, and an untouched drink at her table, darting glances around the shop as though she were looking for someone. Bleak loneliness was etched in her pretty eyes.
Kaci snagged her phone.
Hope you know I meant it when I told you I was fixin’ to keep up my Officers’ Ex-Wives Club, she typed to Lance. Because I think I just found a girl who needs a friend.
She sipped her latte and watched her potential new friend.
The woman had nontraditional student written all over her. She was older than most of the students on campus, and she kept grabbing her ring finger, then glancing at it as though she’d forgotten a ring wasn’t there.
Kaci’s phone buzzed in her hand. Go use that big heart of yours. But don’t go getting any ideas about leaving me. I need you too much.
She smiled as she stood and made her way to the other woman’s table.
That man didn’t need her.
But being loved by Lance Wheeler was better than fireworks, potato guns, and catapults combined.
And even her redneck heart agreed.