One month later

“I can’t believe you’re leaving. That I’m not going to be able to walk into the kitchen to the heavenly smell of your Sunday cinnamon rolls,” Anna said and came to hug Tessa.

“I can’t believe I’m not going to have someone around to make fun of Anna when she heads out to run a marathon every morning,” Quinn said and joined the hug.

Tessa swallowed against the tears that threatened to fall, but she’d promised herself she wouldn’t do that today. Not when she had so much to look forward to waiting for her in Blossom Falls. Dylan, the art center where she would not only be heading it up but teaching art. She even had a new job as Jasper’s partner in his law practice. But that didn’t make saying good-bye to her best friends and roommates any easier. And the tears fell.

“It’s not like I won’t see you guys tomorrow when you come out to the farm for Thanksgiving. Just like old times,” Tessa said, wiping her tears away. “And you’re forgetting that I’m less than an hour’s drive away. Less on James’s new helicopter.”

“True,” Quinn said, finally stepping back, wiping her own tears away. “But it won’t be the same.”

It wouldn’t, but this moment was inevitable and they all knew it.

“Look at it as fortuitous timing, what with your sister needing a place to crash for the next few months. My leaving saves her the back pain of the couch.”

Dylan walked in, ready to collect the last box remaining on the floor. He laughed when he saw their expressions. “You’d think that Tessa was moving to Siberia instead of Blossom Falls. A town that I shouldn’t have to remind you is only an hour away. I promise, I’ll take good care of her.”

The women still looked skeptically at him. Tessa bit her lip to stop the laughter that threatened. A month ago, her friends had practically idolized the rock star and would have vied for the position of biggest fan, but since the whole breakup, they’d been more careful and reserved in their judgment, even though they seemed to finally be warming up to him now that they could see how happy she was.

And she was. Sure, there’d been a few more paparazzi moments to remind her what she was getting into, but she was finding that she could get used to them and the attention—good and bad—of being with someone like Dylan. She could shut out all that noise for the most part, knowing that, in the end, she had Dylan and his love. That was all that mattered.

He was still trying to get her to move into his new place, the beautiful old Wallace place that she’d always wanted as her own—just like she’d always wanted the boy who lived there now. But for the time being, she was enjoying the courting they’d been doing, the late-night walks from his place back to the farm, where her dad was undoubtedly watching them from the front room window on those nights he wasn’t out on his own date. It was probably also a good idea as they eased the brothers around the idea of the seriousness of their relationship. Tomorrow at Thanksgiving dinner would be a good test of that, and she grinned at the prospect.

“Why don’t you take that to the truck and I’ll be right there,” she told him.

He stared at their faces again before giving her a quick wink. “Take your time.”

They all watched him as he strutted out, and her stomach swirled at the fine specimen of a man he was and the fact that he was all hers.

Anna and Quinn laughed as they caught her face.

“What?” she asked defensively.

“Just that you look so deliriously happy,” Quinn said.

“That and the fact you’re practically a puddle on the floor of love—and a little lust,” Anna added.

Tess snorted. “Like you could talk.”

She stared at her friends. If she had to leave, she couldn’t imagine a better time, what with all three entering the next stages of their lives with marriage just up ahead with men who loved them just as they deserved to be loved. “I guess this is it,” she said a moment before they piled on her for one last hug.

When she joined Dylan in the truck and looked back at the two friends standing in the doorway a few minutes later, her heart was filled with love. Sadness, yes, but also a level of contentment. Whether they lived right down the hall from each other or an hour away or a thousand miles away, they would still have each other and their friendship.

She turned back to Dylan, her future. Even now, he still could make her catch her breath, not just because he was easily the most handsome and sexiest man she’d ever known, but because of the way he could look at her with the same passion and love and excitement in his eyes. “I love you, you know.”

He reached out and grabbed her hand, taking a second to touch it to his lips. “Not any more than I love you. Always and forever. You ready?” he asked, his eyes soft with emotion.

She took his hand and nodded. “For you? All my life.”

Dylan finished stirring up the fire the next night and turned around to where Tessa was watching him from the couch. His heart thumped hard against his chest as he took a moment to just stare at the woman smiling back at him.

“Stop looking at me like that,” she said and laughed.

“Like what?” he asked and crossed the short distance to sit next to her on the couch, taking a moment to slide her up against his side.

“You’re looking at me like you did that giant pecan pie you had me make. Like you’re going to devour me.”

“Would that be such a bad thing?” he asked and leaned down to kiss her neck. He smiled as she shivered at his touch. He’d never get used to that.

“It would be if you pulled that in front of the boys,” she said, meaning her brothers.

“Now, I think you sold them all short. They were practically cordial to me tonight at dinner,” he bragged.

“Right, in between Finn pulling that chair out as you passed and Rowan accidentally spilling his ice water on your lap.”

He grinned at the cheap plays, but he also knew that with the pranks there was also a growing acceptance that he was going to be in Tessa’s life. If not, he’d likely have been mowed down by a tractor or poisoned by now.

“Why are you smiling?” she asked.

“No reason. But for all your nerves about having Thanksgiving together, I think things went pretty well.”

She leaned her head against his shoulder and laced her hand into his. “It was wonderful. And I was relieved that Dad didn’t bring any of the string of ladies he’s been seeing with him tonight. That would have only made it awkward with Daphne.”

He nodded. “Who knows, maybe one day he’ll come around and see what was in front of him all along.”

“I hope so, because I can’t imagine anyone more fitting for him. Well, you know. Except for my mom.”

He squeezed her hand. “I do. Your mom was a special lady. Hard to replace.”

Dylan could say that now without feeling any of the usual loss and pain he had when he talked about moms. He’d come to terms finally with his past, accepted the weaknesses in the parents who’d both abandoned him in their own ways and forgiven them. He would choose to see all the positive things they’d offered him instead. Even his dad, who, the more he talked to Lana, he could see had never really stopped following Dylan’s progress and had looked at him with pride. It all made him feel more complete.

Although nothing had come close to what having Tessa back in his life permanently had brought him. The joy and excitement for the future with her, whatever it might bring.

He looked up, knowing that someday this place would be filled with the running of little feet, with laughter and joy and many of their own holiday dinners and traditions.

Tessa was his family. His home. His life.

“You okay?” she asked softly, taking a moment to tuck a piece of hair back from his eyes, her touch, this simple showing of love, so welcome.

“Better than okay. Having you in my life? I’m truly blessed.”