***
The smell of coffee, and warm light streaming through the curtains, woke Cora the next morning. She was snuggled down under Nick’s covers, still warm from where his body had pressed against hers just a while ago. They’d come back to his rented house and fallen into bed, exhausted beyond belief. It’d felt like heaven to sink down into his covers and fall asleep with him, one of his arms under her head and the other wrapped around her. She didn’t think they moved until after the sun came up, and then their closeness had awoken the passion in both of them. It’d been a nice way to start the day.
She stretched and smiled now, seeing Nick enter the room holding two mugs of coffee. It even smelled good now that she wasn’t running for her life and feeling sick. He grinned when he spotted her in one of his white shirts.
He handed her a mug and settled in against the headboard. “I would have stayed in bed with you but Adam called. He brought that CD over so you could read your file.”
“I forgot about that.” Apprehension fizzed up in her stomach, but she took a deep breath and was able to stop it. Whatever was on the CD, she could deal with it. “Was there any information on there that the police needed?”
“Yup, this information put the nails in Keith’s coffin. You were smart to save it.”
“Did you read my file?”
He shook his head, surprised. “No, that’s for you. Do you want to see it? I’ll bring my laptop in.”
She nodded, knowing she needed to know what it said before doing anything else. He quickly retrieved his laptop and set it on the bed for her. “The CD is already in.”
She opened the CD, scanned the file names, and opened the one marked “Cora.” A letter opened before her.
“Dear Cora, if you’re reading this, I guess I finally had the guts to explain things to you.”
So he did steal the money? Why did Nick and Adam feel she needed to know that?
“I hope things have come to light by now, I hope Keith’s behind bars. I’m not sure what you’ll know when you read this, so here’s the entire story. About a year and a half ago, I was approached by the FBI to help infiltrate Keith’s operation. They figured I should have earned his trust by then, as I had already been working there for three years. They also hoped I knew what was going on and didn’t approve, or didn’t want to rot in jail with them. They’ve been running drugs a long time. They grow and make the stuff and also sell it to kids. The plan to expose and arrest them wasn’t so complicated at first, but the further I got in, the harder it got to back out. I thought Alexander Pierce was a good guy, despite what he was doing for Keith. Well, he’s ripping the guy off, big time, and I don’t know how to keep myself from looking guilty. Keith knows we’re friends. As I write this for you, I can only hope the FBI can wrap up their investigation and we can bring him in. I can’t stay involved much longer, especially since you might someday be put in danger because of my job here and what I’m doing for the FBI. If I’m left high and dry, blamed for wrongdoing, or whatever the case, I pray I get a chance to explain things to you. You’re my baby, and I did everything for you. I want you to have a happy life, not one like I ended up having. You’re the sun in my day, the reason for my smile, Sweetie, and I’ll always be thankful for you. Love, Daddy.”
Cora could hardly read through her tears. Not only was Jerry innocent, he was a hero. She felt so thankful that they had each other and that now Nick could know Jerry as well. She wanted him to read it so she turned the screen toward him.
A few minutes later, he looked up, his own eyes shiny. “Jerry’s a good man,” he whispered solemnly. “Look what a wonderful daughter he brought up.”
“I can’t wait for you to get to know him.”
“Me, either.”
They both recognized they were two people adrift before, but not anymore. His warm brown eyes waited for her, full of love and promise.
Nick’s finger teased her lips as he said, “I want you to marry me and live here. I want today be to the first day of forever for us.”
Tears choked her and prevented any verbal response, but she nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck.
She swallowed hard and said, “I don’t want to be a Holloway.”
Nick surprised her with laughter. “Neither do I. We’ll find a new name for both of us.”
He couldn’t help but kiss her.
“I love you, Cora, and I always will.” His husky voice tickled her neck. In a hoarse voice, she tried to tell him she loved him back.
“I know, baby, I know.”
Maybe he understood that she had loved him before she even realized it, before she pushed her fears away and took hold of what they shared.
“Forever,” he breathed against her cheek. “Forever starts right now.”
The End
About the Author
Kristen James is berry fanatic and outdoorsy girl who enjoys micro adventures around her region, hiking, traveling, reading, and spending time with her family. She's also a bestselling author of romance and family drama, mostly set in the rugged and beautiful Pacific Northwest. Kristen discovered her love of writing in the fourth grade when her class wrote short stories, and she's been writing ever since.
https://www.writerkristenjames.com
https://www.facebook.com/WriterKristenJames
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By Kristen James:
Costa Rica
In A Field of Oranges
Point Hope
A Cowboy For Christmas
The Cowboy Kiss
More Than Memories, Book 1
A Wedding to Remember, Book 2
Embers of Hope, Book 1
More Than a Promise, Book 2
The Enemy’s Son
The Fairy and Her Giant
The River People
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