shambled into the cabin and collapsed in front of the fire. The heat warmed her skin, but did nothing to penetrate the icy core that had solidified inside of her.
Toren was gone, and she wasn’t sure if she’d ever be warm again without him.
Chapter Eight
When spring came, Adria took another vacation, much to the surprise of everyone who worked for her. No more selling her vacation back to the company. No more letting work consume her life. She had better things to do with her time than spend it in the office.
She’d spent the days after Toren left reshaping herself and her world. Grieving—for both of the men that she’d loved and lost. Days spent filling in the crater, and nights spent crying and screaming had left her exhausted, but somehow cleansed. She’d left that little cabin feeling stronger than she had in a long time.
The ragged holes that grief had dug into her had finally healed over, and now every day was a gift she was determined to enjoy.
She pulled up in front of the cabin where she’d finally found peace. The crater in the front yard that had become Grynar’s grave had been completely filled and reseeded. Mr. Corey had believed her lie that a bolt of lightning had done the damage she was unable to repair with the shovel and rake she’d found in the shed. The lawn was perfect and green—even greener than the grass surrounding the patch.
That’s the way she felt inside—as though the healing she’d done had left her improved in some small way. The scars that were left behind were not ugly and blighted, but reminders that some people were gifts meant to be cherished for as long as they were in her life.
She had returned to her life a stronger person, and in exchange for all of her suffering, Toren had given her the most precious gift of all.
She would make sure that their son knew about his father and everything he’d sacrificed for the sake of justice and the safety of his family.
Adria grabbed her bags from the trunk of her car, and waddled up the stairs to start her two weeks of relaxation.
Being here brought back memories, but instead of making her sad, they lifted her up and filled her with the love that had sprouted in this place.
She pushed the front door open and saw Toren standing in front of a roaring fire, his feet braced apart, looking larger than life. She closed her eyes, fully expecting her hallucination to be gone when she opened them again.
He wasn’t.
“I knew you would come back.” His voice sounded real enough—deep and musical, just like she remembered.
Adria could barely find enough air to speak. “Toren? Is it really you?”
“Yes, Adreeahbenwah. I did not know how to find you, so I waited here for many days. The owner of this home found me and ordered me to leave. But when I told him of my love for you, and gave him diamonds for his help in finding you, he said you would come soon, and that I should wait here.”
Diamonds? No wonder Mr. Corey had offered her a free week’s stay out of the blue.
She dropped her bags and launched herself at Toren, realizing too late that if he was only in her imagination, she was going to end up slamming into that stone fireplace again.
Strong arms caught her and lifted her up. The solid heat of his body felt like coming home. His wild scent filled her head, bringing back a rush of bittersweet memories.
She kissed him like it was the last time she’d ever have the chance. Joy filled her up, threatening to make her burst as it buoyed her. He held her to Earth, his questing grip so strong and solid, she could almost fool herself that he’d never let her go.
Toren broke their kiss and pressed his forehead to hers. His hands found her firm, swollen belly under the loose sweater she wore. His eyes went wide with surprise and he pulled back.
He shoved her sweater up, and fell to his knees, as if looking for some hidden trick. When he saw that the baby bump was one hundred percent real, he stared up at her, his mouth
Toren was gone, and she wasn’t sure if she’d ever be warm again without him.
Chapter Eight
When spring came, Adria took another vacation, much to the surprise of everyone who worked for her. No more selling her vacation back to the company. No more letting work consume her life. She had better things to do with her time than spend it in the office.
She’d spent the days after Toren left reshaping herself and her world. Grieving—for both of the men that she’d loved and lost. Days spent filling in the crater, and nights spent crying and screaming had left her exhausted, but somehow cleansed. She’d left that little cabin feeling stronger than she had in a long time.
The ragged holes that grief had dug into her had finally healed over, and now every day was a gift she was determined to enjoy.
She pulled up in front of the cabin where she’d finally found peace. The crater in the front yard that had become Grynar’s grave had been completely filled and reseeded. Mr. Corey had believed her lie that a bolt of lightning had done the damage she was unable to repair with the shovel and rake she’d found in the shed. The lawn was perfect and green—even greener than the grass surrounding the patch.
That’s the way she felt inside—as though the healing she’d done had left her improved in some small way. The scars that were left behind were not ugly and blighted, but reminders that some people were gifts meant to be cherished for as long as they were in her life.
She had returned to her life a stronger person, and in exchange for all of her suffering, Toren had given her the most precious gift of all.
She would make sure that their son knew about his father and everything he’d sacrificed for the sake of justice and the safety of his family.
Adria grabbed her bags from the trunk of her car, and waddled up the stairs to start her two weeks of relaxation.
Being here brought back memories, but instead of making her sad, they lifted her up and filled her with the love that had sprouted in this place.
She pushed the front door open and saw Toren standing in front of a roaring fire, his feet braced apart, looking larger than life. She closed her eyes, fully expecting her hallucination to be gone when she opened them again.
He wasn’t.
“I knew you would come back.” His voice sounded real enough—deep and musical, just like she remembered.
Adria could barely find enough air to speak. “Toren? Is it really you?”
“Yes, Adreeahbenwah. I did not know how to find you, so I waited here for many days. The owner of this home found me and ordered me to leave. But when I told him of my love for you, and gave him diamonds for his help in finding you, he said you would come soon, and that I should wait here.”
Diamonds? No wonder Mr. Corey had offered her a free week’s stay out of the blue.
She dropped her bags and launched herself at Toren, realizing too late that if he was only in her imagination, she was going to end up slamming into that stone fireplace again.
Strong arms caught her and lifted her up. The solid heat of his body felt like coming home. His wild scent filled her head, bringing back a rush of bittersweet memories.
She kissed him like it was the last time she’d ever have the chance. Joy filled her up, threatening to make her burst as it buoyed her. He held her to Earth, his questing grip so strong and solid, she could almost fool herself that he’d never let her go.
Toren broke their kiss and pressed his forehead to hers. His hands found her firm, swollen belly under the loose sweater she wore. His eyes went wide with surprise and he pulled back.
He shoved her sweater up, and fell to his knees, as if looking for some hidden trick. When he saw that the baby bump was one hundred percent real, he stared up at her, his mouth
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