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"I thought you had concluded that the real reason Claudia sent you here was so that you could get wild and crazy"

"Yes, well, if that's true, all I can say is, mission accomplished"

"Not quite" His mouth quirked in sexy promise He reached for her and started to pull her close "But you knohat they say, practice ainst his chest, holding hiet to the wild and crazy stuff, there's so I want to tell you"

"And that would be?"

"It may have been Aunt Claudia who sent me here to Eclipse Bay but you're the reason I decided to stay on even after it becaht?"

"I love you"

He s she could hardly catch her breath

"I was hoping you'd say that," Nick whispered against her et to the wild and crazy stuff?"

"Of course," she said demurely "I'm sure Aunt Claudia would have wanted it this way"

"Do ently down onto the sofa "Don't ain for a while, okay?"

"Okay"

She put her arms around his neck and kissed him with all the love and passion that she had discovered within herself here in Eclipse Bay

Wherever you are, Aunt Claudia, she thought, thank you

Chapter 24

On a sunny afternoon in the fall, Mitchell stood with Sullivan at the end of the long veranda that wrapped around Dreane in one hand Their canes hung, side by side, over the railing Froe point they had a clear view of the needs, ere dutifully working their way through a seely endless reception line

The entire town, from the current ene and Dickhead Dwayne, had turned out for Nick and Octavia's wedding

"Knew all along Octavia belonged here with us," Mitchell said

"You won't get any arguht of Nick standing so close to Octavia, one arm wrapped protectively and possessively around her waist, the other outstretched to shake hands with the next isher in line "She and Nick and Carson are a falanced at Rafe and the now obviously pregnant Hannah The pair was busy supervising the buffet tables