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  “Let’s go outside,” Jemma said, tugging him by the hand toward the gazebo. “I want to watch the lake for a bit.”

  The gazebo offered a spectacular view of the lake. He slipped his arm around her waist and held her close. For several long moments they simply stood in silence, listening to the waves.

  “I’ve wasted so much time, Garth,” she said, breaking the silence. “Running from Randal, being afraid. Never looking to the future. All this time, it wasn’t Randal at all, but Stephan Ahern. It makes me realize how much I’ve let Randal get to me. Get inside my head. I need to stop thinking and worrying about him.”

  “I’m sure it won’t be easy,” Garth said in a low voice. “But you’re strong, Jemma. More courageous than you’ve given yourself credit for. And your ex is smart enough to know that you’re surrounded by friends, one of which is a cop and family here. He’ll stay away, I’m sure.”

  She nodded. “Even though Randal wasn’t involved, I still feel better. As if I really can do this. Be independent and run a successful business.” She tilted her head to the side so she could look at him. “And you know what? A big part of that is because of you.”

  He tightened his grip, afraid she’d slip away. “I promised to keep you safe, and it bothers me that I almost failed.”

  “Stop looking at the dark side. You did save us, and that’s what matters.”

  Tough to argue that one. He rested his cheek against her hair. “I’ve been alone for a long time, Jemma. But I don’t want to live that way any longer. I love you. I know it might be too soon for you, and that’s okay, but I want you to know how much I love you. If you give me a chance, I promise to love and cherish you and Trey for the rest of my life.”

  “Oh, Garth.” She turned in his arms so they were facing each other. “I’m glad to hear that, because I love you, too. So much that it scares me.”

  “Love should never be scary,” he said with a frown. “I can wait, give you however much time you need. I know this wasn’t a good time, trust me, there’s no rush.”

  She cupped her palm against his cheek. “Poor choice of words. I’m not afraid of you, Garth. It’s just all this emotion is so overwhelming. I guess there’s a tiny part of me that’s afraid it’s nothing but a dream.”

  “A good dream,” he said with a smile. He lowered his mouth to capture hers in a heartfelt kiss. When they could breathe again, he went on to add, “The best dream. I’ve always wanted a big family. Are you okay with that?”

  She laughed. “Absolutely. A few kids and a Goldendoodle, right?”

  “Right.” He couldn’t think of anything more perfect.

  Epilogue

  Three weeks later . . .

  Jemma couldn’t believe how quickly Garth had woven himself into the fabric of her and Trey’s life. Her son loved Garth and looked up to him, rarely asking about his other daddy who, as Garth had predicted, had stayed away from McNally Bay.

  A week after the incident, the authorities had arrested David Graves for his role in Trey’s kidnapping. Both David and Sherry Talbot insisted they had no idea Ahern had a gun or that he would actually harm the little boy, so the judge had let them out on bail. But Garth had put together a tight case, so she was certain they’d all do jail time.

  As long as they stayed far away from McNally Bay, she didn’t care what happened to them.

  The mystery of Lucy’s identity was still unsolved because Mrs. Cromwell had ended up in the hospital before Jemma could meet with her. Thankfully, Mrs. Cromwell was doing better and should be released soon. Rumor had it that Mayor Banks had become a permanent fixture in her hospital room, which made Jemma smile.

  Jonas was due home by the end of the week, so Jazz and Dalton had scheduled their wedding for the following weekend. Jazz would be a June bride. Her twin agreed to let Jemma post pictures of the event on their website for marketing purposes. And best of all, they had their first wedding booked! Mr. and Mrs. Perry had confirmed their daughter Noelle would marry Marvin Anderson here in the gazebo at the B&B the last weekend in August.

  Each day brought more guests. With Garth at her side, she couldn’t ask for anything better.

  “Is Trey asleep?” Garth asked.

  “Yes, finally.” She smiled and wiped her hands on her grandmother’s rosebud apron. “One good thing about Goldie, she wears him out.”

  He smiled, nodded, and held out his hand. “Walk with me.”

  She took off her grandma’s apron, then took his hand, allowing him to tug her outside, past the gazebo toward the lakefront.

  She loved his romantic gestures. Not only was he great with Trey, but he always made her feel loved and cared for. So different than what she’d experienced with Randal. Outside, the June weather was balmy and peaceful, a faint breeze causing ripples across the water. The sun was just beginning to set on the horizon, the sky glowing with orange, pink, and purple rays of color.

  “It’s so beautiful,” she whispered.

  “You are,” he agreed, making her smile.

  At the rocky shoreline, he gently turned her around to face him. Then he shocked her by going down on one knee and holding up an engagement ring.

  “Jemma McNally, will you please marry me?” He hesitated, then added, “It doesn’t have to be this year if that’s too soon. Any time in the future would work.”

  That made her laugh, and she tugged on his hand until he was standing so she could throw her arms around him. “Yes, Garth. Yes, I’ll marry you. And it can be this year, if you like. I’m pretty sure Trey would like you to become his stepdaddy sooner than later.”

  “I’d like that, too.” He crushed her close and kissed her. When they came up for air, he slipped the ring on the third finger of her left hand. “I love you both so much.”

  “I love you, too.” She sighed and shook her head, gazing at the modest yet beautiful engagement ring that fit perfectly. “Let me guess. Jazz helped you pick out the size.”

  “Yep.” He grinned and threw his arm around her shoulders. “Your sister also told me not to let you push me away. Aren’t you glad I listened to her infinite wisdom?”

  “Yes.” She rested her head on his shoulder and watched as the sun made its final decent behind the lake. She couldn’t imagine what she’d done to deserve a second chance at love with Garth, but she wasn’t about to let him go.

  He was hers, now and forever.

  Want to read Jonas and Bella’s story next? Click here!

  Dear Reader,

  I hope you’re enjoying my McNally Series. Thank you for all the wonderful notes and emails, you have no idea how authors love hearing from our readers!

  Reviews are very important to authors, so if you enjoyed To Cherish, please leave a review at the platform from where you purchased the story. Also, if you want to be kept up to date on my newest releases, please stop by my website at www.laurascottbooks.com to sign up for my newsletter. I offer a free novella from my Crystal Lake Series Starting Over to all newsletter subscribers. Don’t miss your chance to read this heartwarming story.

  Lastly, if you are interested in seeing a sneak peek at the next book in the series, To Laugh, I’ve included the first chapter for you to read, here.

  * * *

  Sincerely,

  Laura Scott