Page 46 (2/2)

I’d tell myself that anyway

"How?" I de "I er while you were asleep, before we left Texas"

I was a little amazed I hadn’t woken up But then, if it had been after rousing reunion sex, er up to the lea A future These were the things I’d wanted when I ran away froht never understand how a Southern girl likein Mexico, but that didn’t h away to be a fresh start

"Why here?" I asked

It was a lovely spot, but rather untraditional Old Chance would’ve proposed over a romantic dinner in a trendy restaurant,on a silver platter This was simple, heartfelt, and I preferred it, truth be told, but I wanted to understand hisabout him

"Do you see the spot below us?" He pointed down the mountain, toward the lush valley below

I nodded

"You remember how I said I wanted to buy a house soon? That wasn’t exactly true"

"You didn’t Did you?" I cranedif there was a house I hadn’t seen Surely Chance wouldn’t revert to his high-handed ways and purchase a ho me look the place over first I bristled a little

"Relax," he said, s "I did buy soh to build whatever you’d like There’s roos Maybe breed Chihuahuas" He was kidding about the last thing I hoped

"Building is a huge undertaking It just about drove ether"

"That’s part of why I’ so hard in my Spanish classes I want to be able to help you deal with the workure we can find an architect, show him sons"

This would end in my dream home, and this wasn’t so far from the pawnshop that it would make an awful commute I could still do what I loved, then come home to a beautiful house andto take on the job as forehtened, as if he’d been a bit nervous aboutyou back during the day to walk the land with me I know you’ll appreciate it as et out of the city The noise is the only thing I don’t love"

"I just want you to knowI can afford to look after you" He held up a hand, forestallingfor that, but if you ever decide you’ve had enough of the shop, we’ll do all right"

"Well, I earned you a great deal of that seed money," I reminded him

"But the clever investht; it felt good to know that I didn’t live on the ragged edge of disaster anymore I had a safety net now--one I could trust--and Chance wanted ave blosso the petals Musky sweetness filled the air as Chance bent his head to kiss ria and summer, of past and future intertwined I responded with all the love, all the passion in my soul Maybe the future Twila had shown s were mutable, written in water

Life lay before us like the valley below--indistinct, wreathed in shadow, but dreamy with promise