Chapter 9

The next few weeks passed in a relaxed and joyful atmosphere.

Michael was settling into the quiet rhythms of small-town life. He and Sabrina took long walks in the woods or by the lake—sometimes just the two of them, sometimes with Emma and Maggie tagging along.

Sabrina used every opportunity to show Michael her favorite places. She showed him her veterinary clinic.

“There’s an apartment upstairs where I live,” she explained. “Of course, I’m at my parents’ house most of the time.”

She took him to a tall oak tree that had stood since the Revolutionary War, and to her favorite spot by the lake—a rickety old pier with uneven wooden planks. Despite its instability, she loved sitting at the end to watch the sunset.

Finally, she brought him to her dream house: a two-story log cabin near the lake with a large outdoor space. It had been fully renovated not long ago.

“It’s waaaaaaay out of my reach, but I like to come here and dream that one day I’ll live here with my family,” she confided. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and Michael found himself falling in love with the house too.

Sabrina also introduced him to some of the locals. By the end of the first week, everyone in Middletown knew who he was—and everyone was already speculating about when he and Sabrina were getting married.

Michael and Sabrina talked often, getting to know each other’s life stories and values. They discussed every subject they could think of.

One sunny afternoon, they were having a picnic by the lake. Sabrina was staring out at the water, her expression unreadable.

“What’s wrong?” Michael asked, holding her and resting her head on his shoulder.

“Everything’s happening so fast,” she said with a shrug.

“You can take all the time you want. I’m not going anywhere,” he reassured her. “Although ... I know two girls who would be deeply disappointed if we didn’t end up together. Maggie and Emma have already decided it’s meant to be. So, obviously ... it’s meant to be.”

“No pressure,” Sabrina muttered.

Michael laughed, then grew more serious. “I could take Emma and go back to my apartment, if you need time alone to think.”

“No!” She grabbed his arm possessively. The thought of him leaving—or worse, being with someone else—made her chest tighten painfully.

Michael continued gently, “I love you, and you love me. Everyone thinks we’re meant to be together.”

“You make it sound so simple,” she said quietly.

“It is simple. Don’t make it hard. Do you love me?”

“Yes,” she admitted.

“Respect me?”

She nodded.

“Trust me?”

“With my life.”

Michael grinned. “I don’t need to ask if you want me sexually.”

Sabrina blushed. “A lot,” she whispered.

“All those things—love, respect, trust, desire—they make up a relationship,” he said softly. “Whether you realize it or not.”

She cupped his face in her hands. “I do love you. But ... we also have Emma to consider.”

“Do you like her?”

“I love her.”

“If we stay together, would you be willing to adopt her?” he asked, his expression serious.

Sabrina shook her head. “Of course I would. I’d love to be a good mother to her.”

“I have no experience with kids,” he murmured, bending to kiss the tip of her nose. Then he straightened and asked, “I presume you want children?”

“Yes,” she admitted. “Do you?”

“Definitely,” he said, letting his hands slide to her waist.

“And where would you want to raise those children?” she asked.

“Here. With you,” he said simply. “Your work, your family, your friends—they’re all in Middletown. I can write from anywhere.”

Then he raised an eyebrow and added with a grin, “You’re running out of excuses.”

“I love you, Michael. I just need more time,” she said, and kissed him—slow, soft, and sweet. A kiss that left them both wanting more.

Raising an eyebrow, he asked, “Home?”

“Home,” she agreed.

The next day, Paul took Michael, Emma, and Maggie out, leaving Sabrina alone with her mother. Lately, Michael, her dad, and the girls had been going out together a lot. Whenever she entered a room, their hushed conversations would abruptly stop.

The house felt too quiet. Too empty. Sabrina hadn’t realized how deeply her life had become intertwined with Michael and Emma’s. The thought of being separated from them made her stomach twist. How could she bear never seeing Michael’s face light up when she walked into a room? Never catching his eye and feeling that heat, that connection, that knowing he wanted her more than anyone ever had?