“We were married for sixty-two years before he passed,” Bea said. “I still can’t take a deep breath without smelling his scent.” Her face filled with strength, rather than tears. “We had a good life. He always made me laugh. Loving him was a wonderful way to pass my time here. And someday we’ll be together again.”

“I hope you know how rare a girl like Livia is.”Blake nodded, but said nothing.“I’ve only met a few souls as crystal clear as hers,” Bea continued. “One of them was my Aaron; we were married for sixty-two years. Souls like that, my boy, are a gift. Cherish her.”“I will.” Blake stood and gave Bea a formal bow only he could get away with.”

“Look at me. Please.” It was more than a whisper but less than a shout. She got quieter. “Blake, please.”His green eyes found hers. She spoke as if they were alone.“I made a mistake,” Livia began. “I know you overheard me talking to my dad. I needed him to understand who you are, but I had to talk on his level. As a father he needed to know I was being decisive. I don’t think you heard the last part when I told him you were the path I wanted to take.”A flicker. Was it hope? Livia smiled.Blake’s lips moved, and she knew he’d counted her smile. “I’ll make mistakes. I know I will,” she continued. “I want to be perfect for you. But I’m human. I can only be me. That probably isn’t enough for a soul as beautiful as yours. But if I hurt you by accident, can’t we stay and hold hands until we fix it? Can’t we fix it?” Livia now spoke louder than she wanted to, but she had to be heard over the cacophony.Blake bit his lip. “You’re perfect.”“No, sweetheart. I can’t even pretend to be perfect. Look where we are right now. That’s my fault, Blake.”Here. I need to tell him now. “Blake, I love you,” Livia confessed quietly.The tears in her eyes had nothing to do with smoke this time.Livia leaned toward Blake and tried again, louder still.“Blake, I love you.”Livia shouted in the silence because now her soul was free. “I love you, Blake!”She smiled as he mouthed the words back to her.”

“Don’t pray to me. Don’t pray to me!” Kyle said, alarmed. “We’re in this together. I’ve done things wrong too. We’re human, Cole. We’ll still make mistakes, but now we’ll always have each other to hold when it hurts.” Kyle’s eyes filled with tears.”

“There isn’t a single spot I’ll miss tonight, my wife.” Blake pulled her against him, tilting her head until he could kiss her again. His fingers and lips made her moan. He placed a hand on her stomach and the other behind her neck. “How many times can I make you come before you can’t take it anymore?”

“Cole shut the bedroom door and gazed at Kyle. His eyes said he’d married his salvation, and Kyle knew what he meant. Two souls in need had finally found resolution with “I do.”“Wife. You’re the most stunning vision I’ve ever seen. Will you always be mine?” Cole held out his hand as he unbuttoned his shirt.“Husband, I already promised you that.” She accepted his hand and cuddled into his chest. “I, Kyle McHugh, choose you, Cole Bridge, to be my husband, to respect you in your failures, to care for you in sickness, to nurture you, and to grow with you throughout the seasons of life.”“Why did you leave out the good parts?” Cole tilted her delicate face toward his.“It’ll be easy to stand next to you during good times. It’s the bad times, the scary times that are tough. I’ll never leave—no matter what life hands us.” A tear shone on Kyle’s cheek.Cole wiped it dry with his thumb. “To the bad times then, my divine bride. I pledge my heart to bad times as well.”He leaned down, changing his hold so he could pull her body into his and deliver a passionate kiss. She buried herself in his chest when they needed to catch their breath.”

“He’d stood like a baby deer. He lurched toward her with no grace at all. She enclosed him in a hug that was so much better than a restraint. She’d patted his head just like a mother. Like a mother who cared.Cole’s body had heaved with tears. She kept hugging him. She handed his heart back the dreams it had thrown away.“That’s it, sweetheart. Let it out.” She rubbed his back.Her shirt was soaked by the time he stopped crying. They sat down together again.“I’ve read your file,” Mrs. D said. “What your parents did to you was terrible. It was a horrible, horrible mistake. You should’ve been cherished. You should’ve been treated like the beautiful little boy you are. They were wrong, Cole.” She held his hand. “I’m sorry for what they did to you.”Cole’s mind had flashed with images from his time before Evergreen. The cage. The belt. The drugs. They still made him feel scared.“You’re going to make it. You’ll be a great, thoughtful, proud man. I can see it. I know it as sure as I know my name.” She wouldn’t let go of his hand.“I’m always awful. How can you know that?” Cole’s voice remained thick with tears.“I’ve been doing this job for twenty-five years. I know a good one when I see him.”