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Six hours was a long time for things to go terribly wrong, and that's how long it would take her to get to the outskirts of Bend, Oregon. Stay safe, Gabby. You're my whole life.
Then Sofia got in the car, and she was on her way.
CHAPTER FIVE
"I'm glad we switched the deliveries to your truck," Bella said as Keegan drove them along the winding road north toward Seattle. They'd been on the road for over an hour already, and they were well into the mountains. "The vans are terrible in the snow."
"Agreed." Keegan had taken one look at the icy sleet and the forecast for more of it, and he'd decided they were doing the deliveries in his pickup truck. He'd already put on chains as they headed toward the mountains, and his truck was handling the icy roads easily.
Millie was sitting between them, harnessed to the seatbelt to keep her safe. Her chin was resting on his thigh, the wind was whipping, and the trees were glistening with the icy mix. "It feels good to be out of the house."
"I agree." Bella stretched her arms above her head, her feet resting on his dashboard. She'd brought fuzzy slippers for the ride, and packed the back with blankets, fleece coats, and more warm stuff than they could possibly wear.
Which was fine. He got it. Bella had been cold a lot as a kid before she'd caught up with the Harts, and she didn't ever want to be that cold again if they slid off the road and got stranded.
They all had something.
"You think we should head back?" Bella asked. "Wait until the roads clear?"
"Nope. I need this. I need to get out of there."
"Me, too." Bella was quiet for a moment. "Keegan?"
"Yeah." He glanced at the GPS. They were about thirty minutes from their first stop, and the anticipation was building. It had been several years since he'd seen his old customers, and he was surprisingly excited to see them again.
"You think it'll happen for us?"
"What will?"
"What Brody and Tatum have. They're so happy. It feels like a normal family when I'm around them."
"There's no such thing as normal," Keegan said. "We're good."
"I know, but…I didn't really think that it would happen for any of us. I didn't think I cared. But when I see them…" She paused. "I want it, too. Do you?"
"To grow old, fat, and happy with someone?"
"Yes. Do you?"
His mind went to Sascha…and then it went to the engagement he'd ended a year ago. "No chance. I'm good with being single."
"What about Sascha?"
He laughed softly. "I knew her for a week sixteen years ago. I like the spirit she carried with her, but as for her? I didn't know her at all. For all I know, she could have turned out to be just like Naomi." His ex-fiancée hadn't been the most altruistic person, as he'd found out almost too late.
"Naomi isn't worth thinking about." Bella's tone was hard. "Don't let her ruin you for life. Not all women will try to marry you for money while continuing to have sex with their boyfriend."
"She didn't ruin me. She just showed me that I didn't need a wife." He patted the dog by his side. "I have Millie. We're good now." The little dog sighed deeply and tucked herself closer against his thigh. "See? True love already."
Bella laughed. "How can I argue against Millie? She's the sweetest."
As Bella bent down to whisper to Millie, Keegan noticed a fresh break in the icy snowbank on the opposite side of the road. He slowed the truck, trying to see over the embankment. "Does that look like fresh tire tracks?"
Bella twisted around in her seat, then she nodded. "It does. You think a car went over?"
"Everything's icy. If they didn't have chains, it would be easy to lose control." He eased the truck to the right side of the road, then swung a U-turn. "Let's make sure no one's in trouble."
"Of course." Bella was already pulling on her boots.
