Page 131 of The Bluffing Game

“I got an email today—some good news for once.”

“About the money that was transferred from you selling your house?”

“No. I mean, some real good news.” He grabs his phone, opens an email, and shows me a picture.

“Who’s that?” I frown at the pretty woman with a warm smile on her face.

“That’s Louisa,” he says softly.

“Louisa? Wait, what? Toby’s mom?”

He nods. “She moved to a place in the Midwest. It’s on a farm. It’s a rehab, but they work with animals. Supposedly, it’s a way to get them to focus on something other than the drugs. I don’t know exactly how it works, but she’s two weeks sober, and she emailed me, and she wanted to tell me that she’s grateful to Brett and to me and that she’s ready to really try this time; she wanted to send me a photo because, being out there on the farm in the fresh air with the animals, she’s starting to feel like someone she didn’t know existed. She’s really enjoying the work, and even though she knows it’s early days and she’s taking it one step at a time, she feels like she can really make it this time.” He squeezes my hand. “I think that’s good, right?”

“It’s great. It’s really, really great. You’re paying for that rehab, aren’t you?”

He looks down guiltily and then back at me. “I know it’s a lot of money, but⁠—”

“It doesn’t matter how much money it is. I finally realized money isn’t just for buying expensive clothes and fancy cars. It’s for doing good. It’s for helping other people. It’s for making life better for all of us. And you know what? You’re doing this for Louisa; you’re doing this for Toby. I would never be upset at you for spending your money to help her. I’m glad you are. It shows me the sort of man that you are. You’re the sort of man who would give the shirt off your back to help someone, and, well, that says a lot.”

“You sound like you kind of love me.”

“I think I kind of do.”

“I think I kind of love you too.” He strokes the side of my face. “Tell me you’ll marry me soon, Sage. Tell me you’ll make an honest man out of me.”

“How soon are we talking, Dalton?” I laugh at the intensity in his gaze.

“Tomorrow?”

“I can’t marry you tomorrow.”

“Because you don’t want to?”

“Because we should at least wait a couple of months.”

“Why?” he asks. “Do we really need to wait?”

“I don’t know. It just feels right. Let’s get everything settled first.”

“Everything, like what?”

“You know, all the plans I have in place for the restaurant, all the plans I have for travel⁠—”

“We can travel as a married couple, you know?”

“I know. I love you—you know that, Dalton. You know I’m going nowhere.”

“I know.”

“Did I tell you that Parker pled guilty and that he’s taken a plea deal? Ten years.”

Dalton nods. “How do you feel about that? I know you probably wish it were more time.”

“Part of his plea deal was that he was going to get psychological help, so hopefully, that means something and helps him. I’m just glad that he’s out of my life. He’s out of our lives. You know?”

“I know. He’s a sicko,” Dalton says. “He’s lucky that I didn’t punch the living daylights out of him.”

“Now, now, Dalton. I know. I do not condone violence, only on people who really and truly deserve it,” I say with a laugh.