Chapter Twenty-Two
The following day after bundling up in her warm winter coat, Aylin walked outside onto the path that led to the lakefront just as she had ten years ago. Turning, she glanced over at the window where Danny and Jake were eating lunch with Ben.
Lifting her hand, she waved.
Danielle was the first to notice, waving back.
But where had Ben gone? He no longer appeared to be seated at the table.
“So, you’ve been here for an entire month working inside the boutique?” Ben asked, tugging on a winter coat as he joined her, after walking from around the side of the Inn.
“I have,” she answered.
They took a long moment to stare into each other’s eyes, both grinning.
“Would you like to begin where we left off ten years ago, and go for a walk together?” Ben asked, reaching for her hand.
“I would,” she replied, slipping her hand into his. “Even though I arrived right after Christmas, I still haven’t even been over to see the beach at Dragonfly Pointe.”
“I couldn’t believe my luck when I saw you standing here that morning,” he said as they started walking toward the path. “And then you were snatched by that jerk.”
“I try hard not to think about what would have happened if you hadn’t been there that morning,” she confessed. “I still had my phone, so it could have been tracked. But one thing Ash knew a lot about was technology. They would have gotten rid of my phone.”
He nodded. “We have plenty of surveillance here at the Inn, but that wouldn’t have done much good with their tightly knit plan. You would have been flown away on the chopper by the time anyone even realized you were gone.”
“And now your dad and mine have a plan,” she said.
“I think I might even know what it is,” he admitted, grinning. “Dad and Mom have been manipulating me all along. I’ll bet they even arranged for me to buy that particular house that I bought only a few weeks ago. Especially since the realtor who called me was someone they work with regularly.”
She gave him an impish grin. “They might have said something about that when they were with me in the restaurant yesterday while I was eating lunch.”
“So, I’m your bodyguard,” he muttered.
“I think you’re actually supposed to be my boyfriend,” she admitted.
He laughed. “I’m totally fine with that as long as you are.”
“Totally,” she answered in a breathless voice.
They both laughed, heading along the lakefront path toward the beach.
“Since you’re dressed for a short hike, how about climbing with me to the top of Crystal Rock?”
“Sure. I’d like that,” she answered. “I’ve been reading up on all the landmarks around town.”
They walked in companionable silence across the icy beach, heading toward the path leading up to Crystal Rock, located on the edge of Dragonfly Pointe.
“Desiree and Marc were married at the top of Crystal Rock,” she said as they climbed along the path.
Ben halted. “Really? I didn’t even realize that they’d been here before.”
“Desiree did some training here and the two of them bought a home here in Crystal Rock years ago, located at the edge of town near one of the lakes. Our family has always had to lay low,” she admitted. “Although your Dad would have helped make the wedding arrangements since your family owns the property.”
“I sure hope that we can change that part about laying low someday,” Ben said as they reached the peak of Crystal Rock.
“Me, too. Oh, wow . This is beautiful,” Aylin said, her eyes sweeping across the panoramic view.
“It is,” Ben said, speaking softly as he reached out, gently turning her face towards his. “I’m going to kiss you now, Aylin. I hope that’s alright?”
“It is. It would have been alright ten years ago too,” she admitted, giving him an impish grin.
Ben laughed, but then he gently touched his mouth to hers.
He kissed her gently at first before all control broke loose. And then they were kissing with a passion unlike any she’d ever known.
When they finally broke apart, they smiled. And another ten minutes later, when snowflakes started falling lightly upon them, they silently made their way back down from the peak of Crystal Rock along the trail.