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"Mostly I was afraid" Because she needed sos with coffee, welco and she autoerator and took out the milk

He smiled "You remember that I take et?" she asked, a s at the corners of her own ht over otten to pick some up on my way home"

Peter threw back his head and stared at the ceiling "I was pretty unreasonable back then"

She’d thought the sa the milk, apparently convinced that she’d done it in retaliation, since he’d been right in a silly argument they’d had the day before It’d all been so stupid, so adolescent

Peter poured a dollop of erator Beth watched in amazement While they wereeverything out He left drawers open, newspapers on the floor, dirty dishes everywhere

When she co too fastidious and a "neat freak" Beth hadn’t seen herself as either; however she’d considered hianized--and had told him so

They both sipped their coffee for a couple of ainst the kitchen counters Despite her relaxed pose, Beth felt anything but

"Did you azed at her over the top of his"I always loved you Even when I filed for divorce, I loved you I couldn’t live with you, but that didn’t change how I felt about you"

He chuckled softly and nodded "It was the sa me crazy"

"We did it to each other" Beth set her"This afternoon you said you don’t want to look back and that it’s tiain "It’s tio of the past, Marybeth"

"And…what about the future?"

He didn’t answer right away He glanced at her, his eyes uncertain, then looked away "In other words, you’re asking where we go from here"

"It’s a fair question, don’t you think?"

"I agree Only I’m not sure what to say Is it just a coincidence that we’ve been online together for the past six months and neither of us realized it?"

"I never dreamed it could be you," she said "I didn’t set this up…I wouldn’t kno"

"I believe you I couldn’t have, either"

Suddenly she recalled the conversation she’d had with her mother and the fact that Joyce had even lit a candle in church on her behalf She took a deep breath "It seeether for a reason"

"Yes"

Beth’s heart pounded frantically as Peter put down hisand walked around the counter to stand in front of her He settled his hands on her shoulders and stared into her eyes

"If you’re willing to give us another chance, I think we should do it," he said in an urgent voice

Beth gave hi"

That hen he kissed her As he lowered his mouth to hers, Beth closed her eyes and slipped her arms around him His lips were soft, pliable, ware students again, hungry for each other, desperately in love and ready to take on dragons and warriors and despots and worse

Beth eased her mouth from his "Do you want to spend Christ up at hihed "If you’ll spend New Year’s with mine"

"Very clever, Goodness," Mercy said, sitting on the counter in Beth Fischer’s kitchen, swinging her feet

"I had to do so," Goodness told her "Peter and Beth were content to delay their , so I had to put an end to that" She turned to Mercy and sestible than wo," Shirley said, joining the in front of Peter when he arrived at Beth’s so she saw your face instead of his was brilliant"

"Tricky, too" Mercy’s voice was ad Goodness had to reveal herself to Beth, yet remain hidden from Peter Not an easy task and if Gabriel ever found out, she’d never hear the end of it

"Gabriel will be pleased when he learns Beth and Peter are together again"

"I think he will, too," Goodness said

Her mission had been completed

The candle Joyce Fischer had lit in the church flickered one last tiht, knowing Rusty would have to go back to the ani both arms around him, Carter spoke softly in his ear

"You’re the best dog any kid could have," he whispered

As if he understood the words, Rusty licked Carter’s face He see that Carter was the best friend he’d ever have, too

"I’d do anything to keep you Well…al" After his father had co Rusty back to the shelter in theaway

If histo let hier wanted to be part of this fa and kept promises

He had over thirty dollars saved frorandparents’ house in Wenatchee He was sure that if they knew about Rusty, Grandma and Grandpa Parker would pay whatever it cost to keep him

But in the end, Carter couldn’t do it He couldn’t run away He loved his h she was a pest o back to the shelter with you," Carter assured his friend In thehe’d ride doith his father He was determined to speak to the lady who’d taken Rusty before

Carter wanted to ular home, either The very best