Leah sang along with the radio as she cruised down the highway. It was a much longer commute home than when she had been able to just jog up the stairs to her apartment, but she was finding ways to enjoy it. It was nice to have a little bit of time to herself with nothing to think about, and it helped create an even bigger separation between her work and her home. As much as she enjoyed doing readings for people, she needed to have some downtime.

And her clients had noticed the difference. There seemed to be a steadier stream of walk-in traffic lately. Some even called ahead to make appointments. Not since Josey had anybody refused to pay or stopped her in the middle of a reading. Instead, they wanted it to keep going, gobbling up all the information Leah was able to give them.

The fog that had come down over her after her divorce from Victor seemed to be permanently lifted. It had been almost painful when those celestial doors had slammed in her face and cut her off from her powers, but as the time wore on, she realized she didn’t need to worry about it anymore. She was centered and balanced, and she gave the best readings she ever had in her life.

“Your reputation has been on fire lately,” Autumn had told her on the phone one night. “I heard a couple of ladies in my shop talking about you. One of them said you could tell her dog Skippy had been sick lately, and she hadn’t said anything to give it away. I know that’s a small thing, but it really impresses them.”

Leah had laughed. “I’m not trying to impress them. I’m just doing what I do.”

“Well, keep on doing it, girl. It’s working.”

And it really was. Leah had converted the upstairs apartment to an expanded reading space, where she could let her clients come in and truly relax while they received her services. There was something about being moved a little further off the street and away from the public eye that made their minds more willing to open up to hers. It made it a simple task to give advice based on her visions. Most people wanted to know about love and relationships. Now that she was in a healthy, stable relationship, she felt more than qualified to give it.

Pulling into the garage, Leah could tell as soon as she walked in the door that the house was empty. She moved through the kitchen and out the back door to find Holden and Finn in the backyard. The boy toddled through the grass, trying to kick at a large orange ball. He missed most of the time, but he laughed and clapped every time he managed to bump it with his foot.

“How are my two favorite guys?” she called out as she stepped off the deck.

Finn looked up. The look of curiosity on his face instantly changed to one of glee. “La La! Mama!”

She scooped him up out of the grass and held him to her chest. Finn’s pudgy little arms wrapped around her as much as they could, and he planted a big wet kiss on her cheek. Leah’s heart ripped right out of her chest and wrapped itself around his tiny finger. She’d been so busy focusing on enhancing her powers and building her career that she hadn’t thought much about starting a family. Now that she had a son, she didn’t know how she had ever lived without him.

Holden came up behind her and wrapped his strong arms around the both of them. He kissed her other cheek. “We’re glad you’re home. I plan on grilling up some barbecued chicken.”

She leaned into him, never tired of the broadness of his chest or the strength of his shoulders under her head. Holden was her anchor, and he kept her from lashing about like an abandoned boat when the seas got stormy. She had made the mistake before of thinking it would take someone “normal” to do that, someone without any powers or real understanding of them. But it turned out that she needed someone who wasn’t even quite human, and that was one of the many things she loved about him. “You spoil me. I’m never going to want to cook for myself again.”

“Maybe I like spoiling you.” He let go, and Leah set Finn down to continue playing in the lush grass. “You deserve it, and I’d like to spoil you even more tonight.”

“Oh?”

“There’s a charity ball this weekend, and I bought two tickets. I thought it would be nice if we got to go out and do something a little special. Dinner and drinks are included. Besides, I’d really like to see you in a long black dress.” He raked his eyes down her body and pulled her close.

“Dinner, drinks, and dancing? It doesn’t sound like it could get any more romantic than that.” Leah looked up at him, soaking him in. With that dark hair, square jaw, and dancing blue eyes, he was easily the most beautiful man she had ever seen.

And he was all hers.

His hand moved under the back of her shirt, pressing suggestively at her skin. “And then we can come home and make a little romance of our own.” He kissed her soundly, hinting at everything they would do when the ball was over. Their lovemaking sessions had become a regular part of their lives, and Leah had found that she almost couldn’t sleep unless she had at least a little private time with him. It wouldn’t take a sparkling dress and a night on the town to arouse his interest, and Leah knew that he would whisk her up to the bedroom as soon as he had a chance. “I thought it would be a nice way to celebrate the release of your new book.”

Those were words she never thought she would hear only a few months ago. It had been a difficult start on the second book while she still dealt with her hurt feelings over Victor and trying to understand why she kept running into the same handsome stranger. But Holden’s support had given her the mental space she needed to focus her energies. Leah’s agent swore that Trust Your Instincts was going to be the next bestseller. Even if it wasn’t, it still felt like a huge accomplishment that not only validated her beliefs, but her career.

She glanced down at Finn, but he was too busy with the ball to pay any attention to them. The three of them made a beautiful family, and it was one she cherished. She loved her time at work, but she was just as eager to come home for snuggles and playtime.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”