Page 102 of A Hard Habit to Break

Before she knew what was happening, Noah had her off her feet, swinging her around like a new bride. “I’m packed. Six and I are leaving town.”

ClamClam’s “MRRRRAAAAAOOOOWWWW!” announced she came with the deal.

Did he just say he was packed?

“About time” came a chorus of soprano and baritone voices. “I knew he was waiting on you, Rachel,” someone said. The band even picked up the tempo; the theme song fromThe Beverly Hillbilliesblended with the cheers.

“Noah Calvary,” Rachel cried, tears of joy ruining her makeup, “you are full of surprises. What am I going to do with you?”

“We got eight weeks of my vacation to figure it out… Submitted a leave of absence request for the rest,” he announced louder than his first declaration.

Rachel’s eyes widened in surprise. “When?” she demanded. Word traveled fast in Service, and she hadn’t heard a pin drop about Noah’s plans.

“What do you think I’ve been doing the last two days?”

Rachel nodded, her heart racing. “Missing me as much as I’ve been dreaming about you.”

He placed her on her feet and kissed her, tried and true, within a quarter inch of her boiling point. Noah took a deep breath, his gaze locked with hers. “I’ll show how much later tonight.”

Rachel felt her heart skip a beat. A dozen different fantasies swirled in her imagination. She looked up to find Noah watching her.

“What?” she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Rachel,” he murmured, his voice thick with promise. “You have no idea how happy you’ve made me.”

She held him close, a sense of exhilaration and oneness washing over her. She felt complete for the first time in years, all the empty corners in her life filled. She pulled back to look into Noah’s eyes and knew she had made the right decision. “You promise to show me?”

A grin broke out across his face. “A Calvary man always keeps his word.”

As the sound of laughter and music filled the air, Rachel and Noah mingled, hand in hand, throughout the reception. She couldn’t help but reassemble the building blocks of her life, including a plus one—Noah.

This was her father and Bethany’s day, but in a way, it was also her own. She had found the courage to take a leap of faith, to embrace the love she wanted and the adventure she had always craved. And as she looked toward the future, she couldn’t wait to see what new and exciting experiences awaited her and her Calvary man.

EPILOGUE

Two years later

IT WAS Acrisp autumn day in Service, the kind that made you feel alive with the cool breeze and bright sunshine. The town buzzed with excitement as people gathered in the open field for the charity football game fundraiser in support of the newly built Service County Public Response Complex and Care Clinic. In their absence, the town had seen fit to vote Pete out and healthcare in. Thanks to Rachel, the old mill, now Wanakee Crossing, was a place where residents, visitors, and new businesses intersected. Mr. Wanakee’s donated land had expanded the affordable housing units beyond even Rachel’s vision.

After six months in San Diego, Noah and Rachel rolled back into town, renewed and healed from Pete’s betrayal. The distance had allowed Noah the time to reexamine his careeraway from longstanding expectations and commentary. His final decision led him back to college to study fire engineering. The livestream of Rachel’s proposal for Service’s redevelopment plan and Bethany’s crisis had captured the attention of Benji’s followers and Rachel’s firm.

Lawrence + Begatta offered her a partnership and the opportunity to establish their new rural development division. Benji was her first employee hire. In five years, the three of them would start up an independent architectural firm dedicated to rural and residential redevelopment. But today, they were ready to take to the field and settle an old rivalry.

Noah versus Benji.

“Go Noah,rah rah,” came Rachel’s voice above the teenage girls’ snickers and the adolescent boys’ crimson-colored faces. Noah shot Rachel a glare from the huddle. The crazy woman had been screaming his name since the two teams had taken to the field.

ClamClam joined in, her distinct “MRRRRAAAAAAAAAOOOOWWWWWWW!” adding to the excitement.

“Six, the game hasn’t even started yet.”

“That doesn’t matter to your biggest fan,” she yelled back, cupping both hands around her mouth to amplify the message.

Noah laughed. She had kept her end of the bargain, too. During their first three months, she’d been his biggest champion when he began researching fire protection engineering curricula and enrolled in college. “I know how much this game means to you.”

Noah smiled and then ran over to give her a quick kiss. “Promise you won’t be mad when I leave your best friend in my dust?”

Rachel slung her arms around his neck. “Only if you acknowledge I’m the best fan you ever had.”