Page 103 of His One True Wish

Abby grabbed my arm and mouthed, “I knew it.”

Axl stepped away and looked something between amused and horrified. I felt like I was walking in on my parents having sex, but no, it was just Mom and Mason expressing their unrequited and repressed love.

“What do you say, Mason?” Mom said. “Apparently, I have enough money in this OACA account to pay off the cabin at Smoke River and then some. You and I will be just fine, thanks to Gran and Axl.”

Mason stood in front of Mom, his big eyes glistening. He looked at Mom and then back at his boys. They were leaning over the glass counter, elbows forward, poised and listening. In fact, the entire restaurant stilled. The line of customers stood with their heads turned, focused on Mom and Mason.

“Well, I … I suppose,” he stammered.

“What do you say, Mason?” Mom whispered. She held out her hand.

“Hell, yes, woman. I say, yes,” he said. He grabbed Mom’s hand and pulled her to him, then he swept her backward and planted a kiss on her lips like a war-time hero home after months at sea. Mason and Mom had found their happily-ever-after.

The crowd erupted into applause.

I reached over and gripped Axl’s hand, tears flooding my eyes. I glanced up at him. He smiled, his expression joyful.

“I think you have some explaining to do,” I whispered.

“About what?” he asked in mock surprise. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“How much money did you transfer into my gran’s account?”

“Enough,” he said, his fingers intertwining with mine.

“How much is enough?”

He sighed and looked at the lights overhead. “Did I forget to mention that I’m filthy stinking rich?”

“Yeah, I think you did forget that,” I said, looking up into his deep-green eyes.

“Whoops, my bad.” He lifted my chin with his fingertips, and he kissed me.

THE END