Natalie stood beside her mom as Gabe unlocked his truck. After two weeks of editing his manuscript, he was flying to New York City to speak to his agent and publishing house. For someone who had already published two books, Gabe seemed incredibly nervous.

He threw his duffel bag onto the back seat of his truck. “Remember to call me. For anything. I can’t do much from Manhattan, but I know plenty of people who are closer.”

“I’ve got your cell phone number on speed dial.” Natalie was joking, but Gabe’s relieved smile made her sigh.

“Caleb is twenty minutes away, so don’t hesitate to contact him, either. There’s another bag of Sherlock’s kibble in my laundry and the vet’s number is on the contact list I gave you.”

The contact list he was talking about contained at least thirty numbers. Natalie had lived in Sapphire Bay for most of her life and even she didn’t know that many people.

“We’ll be okay,” she assured him. “Have fun in New York City. We’ll see you when you get back.”

“Are you trying to get rid of me without giving me a hug?”

Natalie laughed at the forlorn expression on his face. “We wouldn’t dream of sending you into the big old world without a hug.”

“Good, because you’re not going to get a choice.” Gabe gently wrapped his arms around her. “Be safe and don’t eat too much candy at the opening of Brooke’s store.”

Natalie poked him in the ribs. “You’re just jealous you won’t be there.”

“Maybe,” he laughed.

It was good to hear him laugh—even if he was stressed. The last two weeks had been an emotional roller-coaster for both of them. Gabe’s PTSD had added another layer of uncertainty to his life but, with a doctor who’d helped a lot of PTSD patients, he was in the best possible hands.

“Good luck in New York City, Gabe.” Kathleen gave him a hug. “Tell your publisher they need to pay you more money. Your book will be another bestseller.”

Natalie smiled at her mom. Gabe had sent them electronic copies of his manuscript and they’d devoured each page. Zac Connelly had fought for justice and won. Natalie’s only disappointment was that Zac hadn’t fallen in love with the gorgeous medical examiner.

Gabe knelt on the ground and hugged Sherlock. “Be a good boy for Natalie and her mom. I’ll be home on Friday.”

As Gabe climbed into his truck, Sherlock gave an excited woof before looking up at Natalie.

“Not today. You can go in the truck another time.”

Sherlock gave a half-hearted whine before sitting quietly at her feet.

Gabe rolled down the passenger window. “I’ll call you as soon as I land.”

“Sounds good. Drive safely.”

With a final wave, he drove away from the cottage.

Kathleen smiled. “I bet he calls before he leaves Polson airport.”

“It wouldn’t surprise me, either.” Natalie watched the truck until it disappeared from view. She knew it sounded silly, but she missed Gabe already.

“He’ll be okay. His family will look after him.”

“I know. It’s just…” She tried to put into words how she felt. “Sometimes I wonder if this is all a dream. I never thought I’d love someone as much as I love Gabe.”

Kathleen’s eyes filled with tears. “Your daddy made me feel the same way. It was a shame it didn’t last.”

“Do you miss him?”

“Sometimes. We were happy for so long that it came as a shock when it was over. But we’ve both moved on and are happy.”

Natalie patted Sherlock. “Do you ever think you’ll remarry?”

“I don’t know.” A mischievous smile lit her mom’s face. “You don’t know any sixty-year-old millionaires who like spending money on their girlfriend, do you?”

“Not at the moment.” Natalie laughed. “But if I meet anyone who looks promising, I’ll let you know.”

“You do that.” Kathleen wrapped her hand around Natalie’s elbow and helped her up the stairs. “Do you still want to visit the cemetery after lunch?”

Natalie sat on the sofa. “I’d like that. I wonder what grandma and granddad would think of everything that’s happened.”

Her mom handed Natalie a cup of wildberry tea. “They’d say it’s all part of the history of the lake. Did granddad ever tell you the story about Mad Mitch?”

She shook her head.

“Well, have I got a story for you.” Kathleen sat on the sofa and sipped her tea. “It all started one dark and stormy night…”

Natalie smiled as her mom’s voice rose and fell in a theatrical whisper. There was nothing like a good ghost story to banish the real demons. Especially when they kept reappearing in her dreams.

Natalie was glad she hadn’t come to the cemetery on her own. Her mom had a way of making the impossible seem possible. And visiting her grandparents’ grave for the first time was almost more than she could bear.

Their white granite headstone glistened in the afternoon sun. “The headstone is lovely. It looks better than in the photos.”

Kathleen held Natalie’s arm. “I thought so, too, but I couldn’t get a better picture when I took it.”

Tears filled Natalie’s eyes as she read the inscription. Forever in our hearts. It only seemed like yesterday that they were sitting around her grandparents’ dining table, talking about her first exhibition. Her grandma wanted to know who would be there. Her granddad wanted to know how she felt about showing her paintings to a crowd of strangers. They were the perfect couple—the practical, no-nonsense school teacher had married a man who dreamed about what could be instead of what was in front of him.

Natalie blew her nose. “They were wonderful grandparents.”

“The best,” her mom said softly. “They were so proud of you. Even when you were in your twenties, your granddad called you his little bundle of joy. They loved spending time with you.”

Natalie smiled through her tears. “I have so many happy memories of living with them. After I moved to Europe, I wondered if I’d done the right thing. After a while, I became so caught up in the glamor of living in Italy, that I forgot what was important.”

“How do you feel about it now?”

“For the first two or three years, it was the right decision. After that it became more of a habit than a choice. When granddad and grandma died, I felt so guilty for not coming home.” Natalie wiped her eyes. She didn’t know how her mom would feel about what she said next, but she needed to tell her. “I’ve made a decision about whether I want to sell the cottage.”

Her mom frowned. “Are you sure you don’t want to think about it for longer? There’s a lot to consider.”

Natalie took a deep breath. “I’m sorry if this isn’t what you want, but I can’t sell the cottage to the developers.”

Her mom sighed and kissed her cheek. “I didn’t think you’d want to sell.”

“If you’d like me to buy your share of the cottage, I’m happy to do that.”

“I don’t want to sell, either. In fact, I’ve got other plans for the cottage. How would you feel if I moved back to Sapphire Bay?”

Natalie’s mouth dropped open. “I thought you liked living in Indianapolis.”

“I do. But I like living closer to you. It wouldn’t be right away. I’d have to find another job and sell my house.”

“I can’t think of anything I’d like more. Once Gabe finds a place of his own, I could move into granddad and grandma’s side of the cottage and you could have our side.”

Kathleen sent her a confident smile. “I think Gabe might have something to say about that. It seems to me that he’s more in love with you than he realizes.”

“You’ve got your mother-of-the-bride blinkers on again. Gabe is still working out what’s important in his life. And that might not be me.”

Her mom sighed. “Take it from someone who knows a thing or two about love. That man is head over heels in love with you. He just needs a little time for his brain to catch up with his heart.” Kathleen picked up the bucket they’d brought with them. “After I’ve filled this with water, we’ll wash the headstone. And then you can tell me how your painting is coming along.”

While her mom walked across to the faucet, Natalie knelt beside her grandparents’ grave. The white roses she’d brought were from grandma’s garden. Lifting the blooms to her nose, she breathed in the sweet fragrance. It filled her with memories of being cuddled close in her grandma’s arms, of working beside her in the garden, weeding and pruning the plants. It reminded her of the picnics they’d enjoyed in their backyard, the cookies her grandma loved to bake.

Closing her eyes, she wrapped those memories around her, filling all the sad spaces with her grandma and granddad’s love. When she opened her eyes, a calmness she hadn’t felt in a long time washed through her body. She knew, without knowing how, that her grandparents weren’t upset that she wasn’t at their funeral. One day didn’t overshadow all the days they had spent together. The days when they’d loved each other with a depth that would sustain them now and forever.

Four days later, Gabe parked his truck around the corner from the general store. For a few minutes he sat there, watching the people of Sapphire Bay go about their daily lives. For such a small town, it was always busy.

He checked his watch. The grand opening of Brooke’s store had started half an hour ago. On the flight to New York City, he’d rearranged his week, pushing a few appointments into the evening so that he could be back home for Friday afternoon.

His agent hadn’t been impressed, but after everything that had happened over the last few weeks, Eric was ready to cut him a break.

A knock on the driver’s window scared the living daylights out of him.

Caleb’s grinning face didn’t make it any better.

He opened the door, scowling at his friend. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“It’s called living dangerously. Welcome home.”

Gabe had done his fair share of living dangerously and he wasn’t going back there in a hurry.

“I thought your flight wasn’t arriving until ten o’clock tonight.”

“I moved my appointments around. I wanted to be here for the opening of Brooke’s store.”

“I’m heading there, too. Does Natalie know you’re here?”

Gabe shook his head. “It’s a surprise.” So were the two bottles of champagne sitting on his back seat. He grabbed one of them before locking the truck. “Did you get your project finished?”

Caleb’s smile disappeared. “Not yet. Something’s not working and I can’t figure out what’s wrong. Instead of staring at a blank computer screen, I thought I’d get out of the house and support Brooke. How was the Big Apple?”

“Busy, noisy, and productive. My book’s scheduled to be released in early December.”

“You’ll be hitting the Christmas market. Well done. Did they give you a pay raise?”

Gabe rubbed his leg. Caleb’s grin took the sting out of the cramp making him limp. “You’ve been talking to Natalie’s mom.”

“I saw them on Wednesday. Kathleen couldn’t stop raving about your book. But don’t worry, she didn’t give anything away.”

“It doesn’t matter. It will be in the stores soon enough.”

They turned the corner. Gabe stared at the number of people standing on the street. “All these people can’t be waiting to go into Brooke’s store.”

“You wanna bet? The local paper ran an article about the store on Monday. Since then, social media has been going crazy. Mabel has been adding Facebook updates all week. She even snapped a picture of Natalie and her mom helping to wrap candy. I’m telling you, Brooke’s onto something.”

Gabe wasn’t surprised. Her candy already sold well. The store would make even more people life-long lovers of her candy.

Considering the number of people in the line, he was surprised at how quickly they made it into the store. He looked over everyone’s head, trying to find Natalie.

“She’s beside the water cooler on the far side of the room. Kathleen is with Brooke, behind the counter.”

Gabe’s gaze zeroed in on the beautiful brunette standing beside Mabel. Natalie had pulled her hair into a fancy knot, leaving loose tendrils slipping over her shoulders.

She smiled at something Mabel said, and his heart squeezed tight.

He’d missed her more than he ever thought possible. The phone calls to Sapphire Bay hadn’t helped ease the loneliness that settled in his stomach whenever he thought about her. Even his noisy, boisterous, family hadn’t managed to fill the void in his life.

He’d never felt like this before. Never imagined he’d find a woman who filled his world with so much laughter and love. His brother had told him he was on the slippery slope to everlasting love. Gabe wasn’t sure about the slippery slope. It felt more like free-falling over a two-hundred-foot cliff.

Caleb nudged his shoulder. “If you stare at her like that, you’ll get arrested. Go and say hello before someone else does.”

For the first time in a long while, the heat of a blush hit Gabe’s face. He handed Caleb the bottle of champagne. “Hold this and come with me. You can distract Mabel while I find somewhere to talk to Natalie.”

“I knew there was a reason I came here,” Caleb said dryly. “But you owe me. Mabel wants me to coordinate a laser light show. I’ve been dodging her phone calls for the last two weeks.”

“Just tell her you can’t do it.”

“Yeah, right,” Caleb muttered as they maneuvered across the room. “Have you ever tried saying no to Mabel?”

Caleb had a point. “Tell her you’ll think about it.”

“That’s really going to work.”

Natalie looked across the store.

The air rushed out of Gabe’s lungs. God, she was stunning. As she walked toward him, everything in the store became background noise and movement. The edge of the cliff was fast approaching and he was ready to jump.

He frowned when he saw the sling around her arm.

Caleb slapped him on the shoulder. “Looks like I won’t need to run interference for you. Good luck.”

Natalie said hello to Caleb before turning her sparkling blue eyes on him.

“Is your arm all right?” He could have kicked himself. Of all the things he might have said, that was the least romantic thing he could have come up with.

Natalie smiled. “My arm is fine. The sling helps to stop people from bumping into me. Why are you here?” Color stained her cheeks. “Not that it isn’t great to see you, because it is. It’s just that you weren’t—”

Gabe leaned forward and kissed her. God, he’d missed having her close. Her arm wrapped around his shoulder, messing with his hair. He could have stood here for hours, kissing her senseless.

“Hey, Romeo,” Caleb hissed. “You’re creating a stir amongst the moms waiting to buy their candy.”

Gabe’s lips froze against Natalie’s mouth. He felt the curve of her smile, the movement of air as she laughed against his lips. He sighed. “We’ve done it again, haven’t we?”

She stepped away from him and grinned. “You could say that.”

The opening of Brooke’s candy store had been a huge success. By the time the doors closed at five o’clock, the shelves were empty and Brooke was stressing about making more candy for Monday.

Natalie couldn’t stop smiling as she sat beside Gabe. They were driving back to the cottage, catching up on four days of not seeing each other. She turned sideways, soaking in everything that was special about him. “Did I tell you that mom is moving back to Sapphire Bay?”

He nodded. “You did. Do you think she’ll be able to find a job?”

“She already has. Brooke was so impressed with how quickly she learned to make fudge, that she’s offered her a job in her kitchen. She starts in four weeks.”

“Wow. That was fast.”

“That’s mom for you. When she makes up her mind about something, nothing stops her.”

Gabe laughed. “That sounds like someone else I know.”

“I guess I’m definitely a chip off the old block.” As they turned onto Bluewater Road, Natalie sighed. She loved the cottage, the sense of peace she felt when she arrived home.

“Are you getting more sleep?” Gabe asked.

She knew he was worried about her. It was bad enough trying to sleep with a sore arm. It was worse when the person who’d shot her kept haunting her dreams. “More than I was before you left. I don’t know whether it’s the lavender oil that mom sprinkled in my room or the chamomile tea I’ve been drinking, but something’s working. What about you?”

“I slept for five hours last night without sleeping tablets.”

“That’s fantastic.” After she’d been shot, Gabe’s doctor had prescribed sleeping tablets to help manage his PTSD. He hated taking them, but at least he was able to think clearly when he was awake.

She looked through the windshield and frowned. “Where are we going?” Gabe had driven past the cottage and was heading toward the trees at the back of the property.

“Have you been back to the hideout since you were shot?”

Natalie swallowed the knot of fear in her throat. “No.”

“Do you want to go there now?”

Gabe stopped the truck and goose bumps crawled along her skin. She took a deep breath and thought about her granddad. About the sculpture that had saved her life more than fifty years after he’d made it.

She searched Gabe’s face. He knew how difficult it was for her, how much she wanted to move on with her life. “Okay.”

“Are you sure?”

She opened the door and stepped onto the dry grass. “No, I’m not sure, but I need to do this at some point. It might as well be today. How do you feel about going back?”

Gabe wrapped his hand around hers. “As uncertain as you are. We can do this together.”

Stepping into the forest had never been more difficult. Natalie’s feet moved in time with Gabe’s. The scent of pine filled her lungs as they walked beyond the first few feet of trees. Drawing strength from his silence made the first part of the journey bearable. By the time they’d found the sculpture she was a nervous wreck.

“My granddad made this when he was about twenty-five years old.”

Gabe touched the gnarled wood, the holes where the knots had crumbled over time. “Why did he place it here?”

“It used to be in grandma’s garden, but they moved it when I was about six years old.” She took a deep breath, allowing her memories to soothe the chaos. “Granddad would go to his hideout most afternoons. Sometimes he was late getting home for dinner, so grandma and I would go into the forest to find him.” She ran her hand along the sculpture’s long, skinny beak. “As long as we followed the direction of the hummingbird’s beak, we wouldn’t get lost.”

“And that’s what you did when Chapman was chasing you?”

She nodded, half-listening for the sound of footsteps behind her. “I didn’t know where to go. When I saw the sculpture, I knew.”

Gabe’s hand tightened on hers. “What did you do next?”

“I ran. I ran so hard that I thought my lungs would explode.” She pulled Gabe toward the overgrown trail that would take them to the hideout. “Chapman was yelling the whole time, telling me about the women he’d killed. I tried to block out his voice, but I couldn’t.”

“If it’s any consolation, you left an easy trail for Sherlock to follow. As soon as he sniffed one of your T-shirts, he knew where you were.”

“I prayed so hard that he’d find me. When I was in the treehouse and heard Sherlock bark, I thought Chapman would go away. But he didn’t. He kept telling me how he was going to kill me, how good it would feel to hear me scream.”

She took a deep breath, tried to control her pounding heart. When they arrived at a small clearing she studied the forest floor. Specks of yellow fluorescent paint were attached to some of the leaves. “This is where I hurt my leg.”

“The paint will be from the crime scene investigation.”

She nodded, then looked farther along the trail. “The hideout isn’t far from here.”

No matter how hard she tried, her legs wouldn’t move.

“It’s okay. There’s no rush.”

She studied Gabe’s face, the beads of sweat covering his forehead. It was bad enough reliving the time she’d spent in the forest. For Gabe, it was worse. His memories of the day were connected with what had happened to Michelle. Except Michelle had died. She hadn’t.

Her family had shown her what it meant to be courageous. It was time to pull herself together and help Gabe. Jaydon Chapman would never be coming back and from today, she didn’t want him in her dreams, either.

She squeezed Gabe’s hand. “We can do this together.”

He took a deep breath and stepped forward.

A few minutes later, they were standing below her granddad’s great big tree, each lost in their own memories.

“The ladder is still caught in the canopy,” she whispered.

“It wasn’t safe to use. We strung some rope around the branches and lifted you off in a stretcher.”

She frowned. “Detective Jameson said you climbed the tree to see if I was okay. I thought he meant you used the ladder.” Her eyes widened. “He meant you really climbed the tree.”

Gabe looked into her stunned face. “I used to climb trees all the time when I was younger.”

“You’re nearly forty.”

“That’s not old,” he grumbled. “I might have stretched one or two muscles, but I found you.”

“That’s why you had blisters on your hands.” She studied the tree, then looked at Gabe. “It’s an enormous tree to climb. Are you sure you’re not related to Tarzan?”

The smile on Gabe’s face was good to see. “Would that make you Jane?”

“It depends on whether you want to swing from the branches again.”

Gabe looked up at the tree and shook his head. “Not today.”

Natalie kissed his cheek. “That’s good because I wasn’t going to let you.” She looked at the leaves and pine needles scattered across the ground. Apart from more fluorescent paint, there was no sign of what had happened. “I thought there would be blood everywhere.”

“There was when Chapman was shot. Someone must have cleaned the site.”

She looked at Gabe to see if he was joking. He wasn’t.

They stood below the hideout for a while, each lost in their own thoughts.

When the time felt right, Natalie closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the forest. Somewhere close by, a bird was singing. The trees rustled in the breeze and warm air moved across her damp skin.

“What are you doing?” Gabe whispered.

“Listening. Try it.”

She opened her eyes and smiled at him. “Go on. I won’t tell anyone.”

He lifted one brow before closing his eyes.

“Take a deep breath,” Natalie said softly. “In and out. What do you hear?”

“The forest.” Gabe opened his eyes. “Was that a trick question?”

“No.” She picked up a leaf and held it close to her chest. “The forest has healed itself. All the violence, the anger, and the fear have gone. The birds are singing and the air smells as pure and fresh as it always has. We need to heal, too.”

Gabe looked above them, into the canopy of trees. When his gaze returned to Natalie, there were tears in his eyes. “When I saw you in the tree, I thought you were dead. My heart broke in two.”

Natalie wrapped her arm around his waist and held on tight.

“But you weren’t dead. You’d used everything inside of you to stay strong, to fight for your life. You were courageous, and brave, and I love you.”

Tears stung Natalie’s eyes. “I love you, too.”

Gabe’s hand brushed away her tears. “While I was in New York, I realized my life isn’t the same without you. Would you like to go on that first date we talked about?”

“The one where we aren’t going rock climbing?”

Gabe smiled. “You remembered.”

“I also remember you saying our first date would be creative. How does visiting the latest exhibition at the Polson Art Gallery sound?”

“Would you be upset if I told you I’d sooner climb the tree again?”

Natalie laughed. “No. I’d say you were being honest.” She touched the side of Gabe’s face and sighed. “I’ll always love you, no matter where we go or what we do.”

He kissed her gently. “I’ve always wanted to fly to Paris.”

She wrapped her arm around him and grinned. “Now that’s a first date I’d always remember.”

THREE MONTHS LATER

Natalie smiled at a woman wearing a bright orange dress and the sparkliest pair of high heels she’d ever seen. It was the opening night of her exhibition in Venice and everyone was dressed in beautiful gowns and suits.

For most of the day she’d been at the gallery, talking to reporters, and meeting some of Lorenzo’s high-profile clients. After a quick dinner and an even faster change of clothes, she’d raced back to the gallery for the official opening night celebrations.

Somewhere in the gallery, a champagne cork popped. A string quartet was playing in the atrium, and every now and then, she heard the voice of a gondolier singing to his passengers.

“There you are.” Lorenzo smiled proudly at her. “It is a night to remember, is it not?”

Natalie nodded. “It’s a wonderful night. Thank you for everything you’ve done.”

Lorenzo lifted his broad shoulders in a very Italian shrug. “It is nothing. For you, I would give the world.”

A waiter stopped beside them, holding a tray of Prosecco.

Lorenzo took two of the wine glasses and handed one to Natalie. “Signora Romano is very excited with your portrait. Are you sure you do not want to sell it?”

She’d met Sofia Romano earlier in the day. Her family was one of the wealthiest in Southern Italy. “I’m sure. I’m giving the painting to Gabe.”

“I hope this Gabe knows how lucky he is.”

“The value of the canvas won’t impress him.”

Lorenzo looked at her with solemn brown eyes. “That is not what I mean. My Natalie is in love. It shines through in your painting as bright as the sun. You bring him to me. I will make sure he is worthy of your love.”

She smiled and kissed Lorenzo’s cheek. “You’re a good man, and so is Gabe. As soon as he arrives with mom, I’ll introduce you.”

“I look forward to it.” His gaze settled on a man wearing a black tuxedo. “Paolo looks a little lost. I will be back soon.”

She watched Lorenzo move through the guests with the ease of someone born to entertain. Most of the people in the gallery wouldn’t realize he came from humble beginnings. He’d built his business with a lot of hard work, determination, and an innate gift for spotting up-and-coming artists.

Leaving her glass on a table, she walked toward the huge wooden doors that opened onto the Canale delle Galeazze. Gabe and her mom would be arriving any minute. From what her mom had said, they’d spent most of the day hopping on and off gondolas, exploring the markets and churches, and eating gelato. It wouldn’t surprise her if they took another gondola to the gallery.

Natalie looked over her shoulder, then quickly slipped off her shoes. She sighed as the cool tiles worked their magic on her sore feet.

“Are you practicing your Cinderella moves,” Gabe whispered from behind her.

Natalie jumped, then stared, open-mouthed, at him. His black dinner jacket clung to his shoulders and made him look even more handsome than usual. “Wow. You look amazing.”

“Thank you, ma’am. I thought I’d better dress to impress. And talking about impressive, may I introduce the beautiful Kathleen Armstrong.”

Her mom swatted Gabe’s arm. “That’s enough of that sweet talking. You’ve made me blush.”

Natalie smiled at her mom. “You look amazing. Is that a new dress?”

Kathleen spun in a slow circle. “I bought it today.”

“It’s gorgeous.” The pale rose fabric was perfect against her mom’s complexion. With a pleated chiffon skirt and a sheer jacket over a satin bodice, it was stunning. “You should wear that color more often. It suits you.”

“Gabe helped me find it. If he ever wants to change careers, he could be a fashion consultant.”

Gabe shook his head. “I enjoyed shopping with you, but I’ll stick to writing. There are only so many fashion boutiques I can visit before I start hyperventilating.”

“The trick is to pace yourself. A little shopping, a little coffee. We did well today.” Kathleen smiled as Lorenzo joined them. “It’s good to see you again, Lorenzo.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Kathleen. You are as beautiful as ever.” He turned to Gabe. “And this must be the man who has stolen my Natalie’s heart. Welcome to the Ricci Gallery.”

Natalie’s face felt as though it was on fire. If a hole had opened up in the floor, she would have gladly jumped inside.

“It’s good to be here.” Gabe shook Lorenzo’s hand. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about your gallery.”

“We try to be the best we can be. Perhaps I could show you some of Natalie’s paintings?”

Natalie glanced at her mom, before holding onto Gabe’s arm. “I can show Gabe around. He hasn’t seen the second painting I finished in Sapphire Bay.”

Lorenzo’s eyebrows rose.

“I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Kathleen smiled at Lorenzo. “Is Alina here tonight?”

Lorenzo studied Gabe for a moment longer, before smiling at Kathleen. “My wife is indeed here. Come. We will find her together. Then later, I will speak with Gabe.”

Natalie breathed a sigh of relief. After her mom left with Lorenzo, she squeezed her feet into her high heels, feeling more nervous by the minute. “There’s a reason I wear sneakers all the time.”

“You could have worn them tonight. No one would have minded.”

Natalie held the skirt of her blue satin gown away from her legs. “They wouldn’t go with my dress.” Gabe held her hand. The smile he sent her melted her heart.

“Everyone would think you’re an eccentric artist.”

“I might have to try it one day.” She bit her bottom lip. “Are you ready to see my painting?”

He nodded and waited for her to lead the way. “A lot of people are admiring the landscape you painted of Sapphire Bay.”

Natalie deliberately chose to walk around the edge of the room. “It was one of the first to sell.” She’d given her mom strict instructions to keep Gabe away from the wall behind the fountain. If they’d gone anywhere near the portrait, her surprise would be ruined.

As they walked around the gallery, Natalie’s heart pounded. The people who had already seen Gabe’s portrait were openly staring at him. Everyone else simply smiled.

She stopped before Gabe caught a glimpse of the canvas. “I wanted to make something for you, to thank you for being such a special part of my life. The painting you’re about to see is my gift to you and Sherlock.”

Gabe’s eyes widened. “I can’t accept one of your paintings. They’re too valuable.”

“Nothing will ever be as precious as what you taught me. I realized I’m more than a decision I made, stronger and braver than I thought I could be, and I love you more than I ever thought was possible.”

Gabe wrapped her in a hug. “I love you, too. But you don’t need to give me a painting.”

“Look at it first, then tell me what you think.”

“It will be amazing, but okay. I would love to see it.”

She took a deep breath and placed his arm under her elbow. “Close your eyes. We’re going to take a few steps forward. Are you ready?”

Gabe nodded and stepped forward with her. “This reminds me of Pin the Tail on the Donkey.”

Despite her nerves, Natalie smiled. “I wouldn’t recommend using any pins around my paintings. Lorenzo would have you arrested.” She stopped in front of the portrait and sighed. “Okay. You can open your eyes now.”

She watched Gabe’s reaction, trying to work out whether he liked the painting.

His eyes widened. His shocked gaze traveled the height and width of the canvas. It was big—one of the biggest portraits she would ever consider painting. But somehow, the size added to the essence of what she wanted to achieve.

“It’s incredible.” Gabe’s softly spoken words made her blush. He moved closer, studying each intricate detail. “I can’t believe you finished this so quickly.”

“I started it a couple of days after I arrived in Sapphire Bay. When I saw you by the lake with Sherlock, I knew this was what I wanted to paint.”

In the portrait, Gabe stood by the shore with his arm behind him, ready to skim a stone across the water. Sherlock was in front of him, his eyes locked on Gabe’s, waiting for the moment the stone flew through the air.

“You included the whistle.”

She nodded and looked at the painting. Around Gabe’s neck was the small wooden whistle that had helped save her life. “I wanted you to remember that the smallest things can have a profound effect on someone’s life.”

When he looked at Natalie, there were tears in his eyes. “I love it.”

“Enough to take it home with you?” Natalie held her breath, waiting for his reply.

“Enough to take it home with us.” He wiped his eyes and smiled. “This isn’t how I’d planned tonight, but it’s the right time.” With trembling hands, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a black velvet box.

Natalie’s mouth dropped open. Then tears filled her eyes.

Gabe held her hand and knelt in front of her. “I love you, Natalie. I can’t imagine my life without you. I want us to be a family, to have children and grow old together. I want to be beside you in good times and bad, and for you to know that you’ll always be the most important person in my life. Will you marry me?”

He opened the box and Natalie started shaking. “It’s grandma’s engagement ring.”

“When I asked your mom if I had her blessing, she offered me your grandma’s ring. If you’d like a new one we can—”

Natalie leaned forward and kissed Gabe. “No. It is perfect.”

He stood and held her hands. “Does this mean you’ll marry me?”

She looked into his eyes. This was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. The man who would be her soft place to fall. “Yes, I will marry you.”

A loud cheer filled the gallery.

Natalie looked over her shoulder and smiled at the people watching them. She grinned at her mom and Lorenzo, then hugged Gabe tight. “I love you.”

He lifted her off her feet and swung her in a circle. “I love you, too.”