He liked that about her. Yes, she struggled to move on, but she had the determination and will to keep moving forward and get a little better every day.
“Please tell Mr. Mayhew that we’re sorry for his loss.” Tate could be the bigger man and understand that the guy had lost his son. That probably meant something to Mr. Mayhew even if Tate and Liz were happy to be rid of Clint from their lives.
“He said if you were amenable, that he’d like you to know how sorry he is. He hoped you’d understand that the hardest thing he had to come to terms with was that he couldn’t help someone who didn’t think anything was wrong with him.”
Liz touched Valdez’s arm. “Tell him we understand. And that actually helped.” Liz turned to Tate. “I see it now. He really thought he could make someone love him.”
Tate kissed her on the head. “Who wouldn’t want to be loved by you? I know what it feels like, and I wouldn’t give it up for anything.”
Valdez shifted from one foot to the other. “I’ll be on my way. If anything else comes up, I’ll let you know, but the cases are closed. I wish you both well.”
“Thank you, Detective.” Liz waved goodbye with the check in her hand.
Tate closed the door and turned to Liz. “This feels like it’s finally over.”
Liz nodded. “I think so, too.” She looked at the check. “We can afford the wood beams in the living room and a stone fireplace in the master bedroom.”
Tate grinned and shook his head. They’d had grand plans for the cabin, but had to lower their expectations because of what they could actually afford. “Okay, but only if we buy a really soft rug to put in front of it so I can make love to you in the firelight.”
She hooked her hand around his neck, careful to miss the stitches still in his head, and pulled him close. Her chest bumped his and he held back a wince when his ribs protested, just like he did last night when he finally made love to her again after getting out of the hospital. His body ached something fierce from that car hitting him, but damn if he didn’t need her desperately.
Just like now.
He pressed his forehead to hers and stared into her bright green eyes. “You look happy.” For the first time since everything happened, he saw genuine joy in her eyes.
“I came down to tell you I got a call from Shady Trails Retreat.”
“That high-end hotel and spa that opened last year on the outskirts of town?”
“Yes. I submitted my application before they opened, but they hired someone else, who apparently didn’t work out.”
“They offered you a job?”
“Yes!” Pure joy lit her eyes.
“Did they know you lost yours?”
“No. It just worked out.” She deserved something to go her way. “They want me to start next week, but I told them I’m getting married. I thought they might go with someone else, but they said they’d wait for me to start.”
Tate kissed her again. “That’s great, sweetheart.”
“No, the great part is that the pay is about forty percent higher than my old job.”
Even better. “You deserve it. You work hard and you’re great at your job.”
“I also get two free spa treatments a month.”
“Fancy,” he teased. “I’m really happy for you.”
“Be happy for us. This means we can stop worrying about money and just live our lives, happy right here.”
He hugged her closer. “I only want to be with you.”
“Isn’t that a song?”
Tate smiled. “If it is, we’ll dance to it at our wedding.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Tate stood under the massive cedar trees near the orchard on the property. He brought Liz out here a couple days ago to show her one of his favorite spots on the property. The cabin they now had architectural plans for was made from cedar cut right here on the property. She loved the spot. All their friends and family were gathered and filled the chairs they’d put out on both sides of the flower petal–strewn path that led right to him.
Liz wanted an elegant country wedding. At first, he didn’t know what that meant. But between her mom, Adria, and Trinity, they put it together in record time. They’d have the simple ceremony here among the trees, then walk back to the house where he, Declan, and Drake had built a temporary dance floor in the pasture surrounded by long tables decorated with green