Chapter 10 - Spring on the Lake
By May, the Lake Geneva estate had transformed.
The heavy iron security gates had been removed, replaced by low stone pillars and open wrought-iron railings that welcomed the spring breeze coming off the water. The staff had been reorganized; Calvin Pike had been reassigned to a security consulting firm in Chicago, replaced by a younger, more empathetic handler who actually knew how to fit a harness without pinching a dog’s ilium.
And Vanessa Sterling was nothing more than a bad memory whispered about in the gossip columns of the Chicago Tribune, where society writers speculated endlessly about why the prominent philanthropist had suddenly relocated her permanent residence to Palm Beach.
On a warm Saturday afternoon, Evelyn stood on the gravel terrace overlooking the lake, watching Titan chase a red rubber ball across the newly green lawn. The big dog moved with a renewed vigor, his limp entirely gone, his black coat shining like polished obsidian in the spring sunshine.
Gabriel stepped out through the French doors of the library, carrying two glasses of iced lemonade. He handed one to her, his fingers brushing hers, before wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her back against his chest.
“You’re quiet today,” Gabriel murmured into her hair, breathing in the scent of lemon and fresh grass.
“I was just thinking about the first day I arrived,” Evelyn said, leaning her head against his shoulder. “Standing in the freezing service courtyard, covered in four gallons of lemon water, wondering how long I’d last before you fired me.”
Gabriel chuckled, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. “You didn't last five minutes before you started giving orders to my security staff. I should have known then that I didn't stand a chance.”
“You didn't,” she agreed smugly, turning in his arms to face him. “Though to be fair, you were a very grumpy employer.”
“I was protecting my investments.”
“You were hiding behind a wall of books and ledgers because you didn't know how to let anyone in.” She reached up, her fingers gently tracing the sharp line of his jaw. “Fortunately, I’m very good at breaking down walls.”
Gabriel’s expression softened, the dark shadows of his past entirely replaced by the golden light of the afternoon. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small, simple silver band inlaid with a single strip of dark obsidian stone—unpretentious, enduring, and entirely real.
“The library panel is locked permanently,” Gabriel said quietly, looking deep into her eyes. “And the guest cottage is officially vacant. Rosa is already complaining that we need a larger kitchen.”
Evelyn looked down at the ring, then back up at his face, her heart swelling with an absolute, unshakable peace.
“Does the dog approve?” she asked softly.
As if on cue, a heavy black head pressed firmly against Gabriel’s knee, followed by a low, contented huff from Titan, who sat down right between them on the terrace stones like an immovable anchor.
May you like
Gabriel smiled, sliding the ring onto her finger. “He helped me pick it out.”
Evelyn laughed, leaning up to kiss him as the spring wind danced across the lake behind them, carrying the scent of pine, new beginnings, and a future they had both fought hard to build.
