Chapter 56
FIFTY-SIX
F
resh from a lovely hot shower after the best night’s sleep she’d had in ten days, Willow twisted her hair up in a damp bun and went downstairs to Tripp’s kitchen.
It was empty.
Rufus was nowhere to be seen either. He normally waited just outside the bathroom door and followed her around like a shadow. Maybe they were out for a walk together.
She spotted a note under the mug waiting for her by the full coffee pot.
Come out to the shop.
Ooh, she loved surprises.
She poured her coffee and headed outside into the warm, late summer sunshine. It felt good to be back into a bit of a routine. Felt fantastic to get her life back.
Almost two weeks had passed since Darren Lassiter had been killed in front of them.
Rafe was overwhelmed with the investigation on top of all his other duties, and the FBI was involved.
Rumors around town were that it was all linked to major gang or drug smuggling operations based on the mainland, but nothing had been proven yet.
She and Tripp were both doing way better, both individually and as a couple. She’d seen a big difference in him since the night they’d talked about Peyton, as if a giant weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He smiled more. Seemed far more at peace and excited about their future together.
She had decided not to tell her parents what Tripp had told her. The hypocrisy of lying to them by omission to save them more pain wasn’t lost on her. If anything, it was a reminder that she’d reacted too harshly with Tripp when she’d found out.
They were on solid ground now. With him next to her every night she was sleeping better. She had never felt so loved and had even been painting again.
A cool breeze danced on the air, birds singing in the trees as she made the short walk from the main house to the workshop. The bay doors were open. She walked in, caught her breath when she saw her finished painting displayed on her easel, encased by a gorgeous, carved wooden frame.
Touched by Tripp’s unexpected gift and in awe of his talent, she stepped closer to run her fingers along the intricate design. He’d painted it a rich, burnished gold that made the deep blues and purples of the piece pop while picking up on the colors from the glowing windows in the town.
When had he had time to do this? She’d only finished the piece the other night, throwing herself into her painting as part of her self-care regimen.
“Do you like it?”
She turned around, her heart swelling at the sight of Tripp standing there, his tall, powerful frame silhouetted against the open bay doors. “It’s incredible. When did you do this? It must have taken you dozens of hours.”
“I started working on it when I first saw the blank canvas at your place. I took note of the measurements when you weren’t looking.”
“It’s stunning. Like, museum quality.” She turned back to it and put a hand to her mouth, smiling like an idiot. “It makes it look like I’m a real artist.”
Tripp chuckled and came over to wrap his arms around her from behind. The bandage was off, his wound almost healed. “You are a real artist. A gifted one.”
“Stop.” But she had to admit, it looked damned professional. “The frame just sets it off perfectly. Oh, I love it so much. And you.” She spun to throw her arms around his neck. Breathe him in. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’m happy you like it.”
She closed her eyes, savoring the feel of his big, solid arms holding her to his hard chest. Her life had been full of chaos and terror these past few weeks, and through it all, Tripp had been her rock.
She’d tried to be his too, as much as he would allow it. “I can’t wait to hang it. Where should I put it? It’ll get pride of place. Over the fireplace in my living room?”
“I was kind of hoping you’d hang it over mine.”
The way he said it made her ease back to look up at him. His tone made it clear this was about far more than the painting. “What do you mean?”
His long fingers traced the strip of bare skin across her lower back where the material of her dress dipped low over her spine. “Hmm?” He brushed a kiss across her lips, dipped his head to press another one to the side of her neck.
He was distracting her, and this was important. “Tripp.”
The click of doggy toenails reached them. Tripp straightened and released her. She smiled as Rufus trotted toward her, ears up, tail wagging. “Well, good morning, handsome. Where have you been? Oh, and look at your new bandana. Very distinguished.”
She crouched down to pet him. Stopped when she saw the writing on the front of the bandana tied around his neck.
There was a pawprint at the top, followed by Please Say Yes.
“Say yes to what?” She looked up at Tripp.
He grinned at her and held up a fist. Turned it over and opened his hand to reveal a key the same shade of gold as the frame. “I want you both to come live here with me.”
She took it from him, smiling. “Are you sure?”
“More than sure. You could keep your place and rent it out for a nice amount every month. Oh, and there’s one more thing.” He rummaged in his pocket. Pulled something else out that she couldn’t see in his hand.
She caught her breath when he sank to one knee in front of her. No. Was he...
“I love you. I’ve loved you for half my life, and I want to be with you for the rest of it.”
“Tripp...” Oh my God, this was happening. Was she crying?
“I called your dad to get his blessing.” He held out a beautiful amethyst ring in his fingertips. “Will you marry me, Will?”
She nodded, a ridiculous, wobbly smile on her face while tears spilled over. It was fast. Way faster than she’d imagined. But she knew. They both did. And there wasn’t a single reason in the world for them to wait.
“Yes.” She threw her arms around him. “To moving in and marrying you.”
He crushed her to him. “Thank you.”
“Yes, thank you.”
They turned to find Tripp’s dad standing just inside the doorway, grinning at them.
“Did you two set this up?” she accused, grinning back.
He shrugged. “I might have helped a bit by hanging out with Rufus until I got the signal to let him go.”
She turned to her dog, who was sitting politely, ears relaxed, tongue hanging out slightly as though he was smiling too. “Rufus, you were adorably perfect.” She crouched and wrapped her arms around his neck to hug him, got a wet kiss up the side of her face.
Laughing, she eased back on her haunches and took Tripp’s hand, pushing to her feet. “The bandana and including Rufus was perfect, but you need to put that ring on my finger now and make it official.”
Tripp smiled, took her left hand and slid the ring onto her finger. The amethyst shone in the beam of buttery sunlight coming through the open doors. “It was my mom’s. I know she would love you to have it.”
“It’s beautiful. I’m so touched...” She put a hand to her chest, overcome with emotion. “And you even called my dad.” That old-fashioned gesture meant the world to her.
“I did. He said he was glad to finally be getting rid of you.”
“Ha, he did not,” she said with a grin and lifted up on tiptoe to kiss him, still overwhelmed. And happier than she’d ever been in her life. “I had no idea you were this romantic, Tripp.” It just showed she had a lot to discover about this amazing man.
“Me neither. Don’t get used to it.”
Tripp’s dad cleared his throat. “Still here. Do I get a hug, too, or what?”
“Of course!” She hurried over to embrace him, fighting not to cry at the love and care she felt in his hug. “Thank you. I love you too, by the way.”
“It’s mutual, sweetheart. Now.” He released her, smiled at the two of them. “I’ll leave you to celebrate, and when you’re ready, come on over. I’m making us an engagement brunch feast at my place, and I’m about to invite Mae.”
“Oh, she’d love that. And I would too.”
Tripp came up to curl an arm around her waist as his dad walked off into the sunshine. “Wow. Thought he’d never leave.”
She jabbed an elbow playfully into his ribs. “Hey. That’s my future father-in-law you’re talking about, and I adore him.”
He looked down at her, his eyes darkening with desire. “Want to celebrate here, or in my bed?”
“Our bed,” she corrected, her body heating in anticipation. His big, wide and comfy bed, with total privacy.
“Good. Race you.” He took off running for the house. “First one there gets to be on top.”
Laughing, Willow sprinted after him, with Rufus leading the way out front.
Top, bottom, she didn’t care, both were awesome. Even if she lost the race, she still won.
Rufus lifted his head sometime later when the door finally opened, thumped his tail when Nice Lady came out of it, followed by Nice Man. They had been in there a long time, making strange noises, and now they smelled the same.
Must have been grooming each other.
Rufus had scratched at the door twice to tell them he wanted in. But they hadn’t let him in, and he’d eventually fallen asleep out here in the hallway.
“Hi, buddy. You hungry? How about a chewy?” Nice Lady asked him.
He jumped up. Oh, boy! He loved chewies!
He raced down the stairs, danced around in the place where humans made food while she got a chewie out of her bag.
“Sit.”
He sat. His best sit ever, and stared up at her. What next?
She held out her hand. “Paw.”
It was his first trick. Nice Lady had taught him. He gave her his right paw, eyeing the treat so close yet so far away.
Rufus huffed. She always made him work for his treats.
“Good boy. Now, nicely.”
He wanted to snatch it and run away before someone could take it from him. Wanted to do that very badly.
But he sat like a good boy and carefully took it from Nice Lady’s hand when she gave it to him, making sure his teefs didn’t touch her fingers.
Then he trotted away to the soft bed Nice Man had put out for him by the long thing humans sat on and laid down, holding his prize between his front paws as he chewed on it with his back teefs on one side of his mouth.
His eyes half-closed in bliss as he gnawed away. Aww, yisss. Chewy...
By the time he finished it and got up to slurp down some cold water from his dish on the floor, Nice Man and Nice Lady were both in the food-making room, talking and smiling at each other.
Rufus went back to his bed and flopped down with a sigh. He liked the sound of their voices together.
He liked it here at Nice Man’s house too. He still had to guard him and Nice Lady from the fluffy tree rats and the angry gray garbage creatures with black masks around their peepers, but at least Bad Man hadn’t come here.
He closed his eyes, warm and content, a bit sleepy from all the chewing. Maybe Bad Man would never come back. He hadn’t gotten up after the person hit him on the head.
Rufus knew who had done it, too. He had seen everything.
—The End–