Chapter 8 #3
“No, that’s not Lizzie. She showed up at the station two days later wanting to pay the citation.
” Keena smiled as the memory came forth.
She just so happened to be in the station when Lizzie had showed up.
Keena tried to help her but for some reason the system was malfunctioning.
“Come to find out she’d paid the citation before she came to the station—”
“She just wanted to see you,” Brice finished her words. She squeezed Keena’s hand. “She asked you out again, didn’t she?”
“She did. I said yes only because everyone was watching us. I didn’t want to embarrass her,” she said softly.
“Then you fell in love with her,” Brice whispered.
“It was fate. The Moon Goddess had blessed me with my mate. My very stubborn mate,” Keena said. She paused and stared off into the flames. “She had this way of making every room brighter the moment she walked into it. I never thought I would be living life without her.”
She paused, blinking rapidly against the tears that began to gather.
“I never got the chance to tell her how grateful I was for her and everything she’d brought to my life.” For a long moment, she simply watched the fire. The flames danced across the logs she’d placed there. Their soft crackle filled the space where words refused to come.
Brice didn’t rush her.
“I thought the hardest part was losing Lizzie.” She shook her head. She heard the tremble of her voice. She took a slow breath. “The hardest part was waking up the next morning and she wasn’t here.”
“Oh, Keena.”
“I remember the phone ringing. I figured it was Lizzie letting me know she was on her way home, but it wasn’t. It was the state police. They told me there had been an accident. I kept asking if they were sure they had the right person, but they kept saying my name.”
She laughed softly, though there wasn’t an ounce of humor in the sound. She sniffed and continued.
“They had to have made a mistake. I drove to the hospital anyway. I expected to see Lizzie sitting there with a broken arm or something. She would have been embarrassed to have a cast and have people make such a big fuss over her, but that wasn’t the case.
” Her voice caught again. She closed her eyes for a moment, the memories of the hospital assaulting her.
“They said she didn’t suffer. That she had died on impact. ”
Brice’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, Keena…”
“I stopped decorating for Christmas. I stopped baking, listening to music…I stopped inviting people over. I stopped living.” Her eyes slowly found Brice’s.
She shrugged. “I’ve spent the last five years trying to not forget her.
I felt guilty every time I laughed, or enjoyed a meal, I even felt guilty if I slept through the night. ”
Brice shifted on the couch and cupped Keena’s face. Tears streamed down her face as she gazed into Keena’s eyes.
“You listen to me. I don’t want you to forget Lizzie,” she said.
“I never would.”
“She was a part of your life. She helped make you the woman you are,” Brice said softly. She smiled through her own tears. “She wouldn’t want you sitting in this cabin all alone.”
“I know.” Keena closed her eyes.
“You don’t have to choose between loving her and loving again,” Brice said.
“I thought if I fell in love with you…” Keena reached up and covered Brice’s hands with hers. “I’d be leaving her behind.”
“Love doesn’t work that way. Your heart grows. She’ll always be in here.” Brice reached down and touched the spot right above her heart.
Keena wiped her face with the back of her hands. She smiled and glanced over at the photo of Lizzie.
“She would have liked you and loved your shop,” Keena said. Silence settled over the cabin once more. Only this time, it didn’t feel lonely.
She felt at peace now.
Her wolf, who had paced anxiously since Brice had arrived, finally settled down. She was content and at peace. She just gave Keena her one word command again.
Mine.
This time, Keena didn’t argue.
She agreed.
Keena reached up and brushed a loose strand of Brice’s dark hair away from her eyes.
“I almost let my fear cost me the best thing that’s happened to me in five years,” she admitted.
“I’m glad you didn’t,” Brice said softly.
Keena smiled.
“Will you stay tonight?” Keena asked. She felt open and exposed asking. She hadn’t allowed herself to feel this way in years. “I don’t want to be alone tonight.”
“I’ll stay.” Brice answered without hesitation.
Relief washed over her. She closed the distance between them and captured Brice’s lips in a slow, deep kiss that left both of them breathless. Brice smiled against her mouth once they parted.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Brice said.
“I like the sound of that.” Keena laughed. She slipped her arms beneath Brice’s knees and around her back. Brice squealed as Keena effortlessly lifted her from the couch and stood.
“Keena!” Brice laughed and wrapped her arms around Keena’s neck.
“What?”
“I can walk. Why are you carrying me?”
“Because I want to.” She entered the bedroom and carefully lowered Brice down onto the mattress. Her heart pounded against her chest at the sight of her mate on her bed. Fate hadn’t asked her to choose, it had simply made room for another love.