Wilson stepped forward and took her hands. “Getting your daughter back—that was just the universe righting a terrible wrong,” he said, quiet but intense. “Losing her in the first place, your husband kicking her out—that needed to be reversed. You and she both deserved that reunion. And you deserve something better than him. Someone who would never, in his life, do a thing like that. Someone who would die rather than separate a mother from her daughter for so long.”
Mavis squeezed his hands with hers, too overwhelmed to speak for a moment. “I believe you,” she whispered finally. “I do.”
Wilson pulled her forward into his arms, his lips brushing her cheek. Mavis held him back fiercely, tightly, wanting with all her might to keep him with her forever.
She did believe him. At least in her head.
When they pulled back, she smiled tremulously. “It might take some convincing before my whole heart can believe this is really happening,” she said. “I hope that’s all right.”
“Mavis.” Wilson cupped her cheek, one thumb brushing a tear from underneath her eye. “Of course it is. You tell me if I can do anything to show you that it’s real, all right?”
Mavis nodded. Wilson’s hand dropped—and she suddenly remembered that they were in public, surrounded by people. She looked around self-consciously.
Most of the guests were clustered around the bride and groom, but Nina’s eyes were fixed on them. She was standing with Teri, Lillian’s sister and maid of honor, and their mates Joel and Zach.
Teri gave them a thumb’s-up. Mavis let out a breathy laugh.
“What is it?” Wilson followed her gaze. “Oh.” He laughed a bit. “There really is a whole community here, isn’t there?”
Mavis nodded. “They’re a very tight-knit pack. Young, but they all have solid heads on their shoulders. Even if they can tease a bit.”
“I can’t wait to get to know them better,” he said quietly.
“How much time can you spend here, though? You work in Washington.” She couldn’t help the frown that was spreading across her face. “Wilson, even if this is real—and I believe it is—how are we going to make it work? I won’t leave Nina...”
Wilson caught her hand again. “Mavis, I would never, ever ask you to leave your daughter. You should stay right here. Thi
s is the right place for you.”
Mavis nodded. “Good. I’m glad you see that. But what about you? I can come visit...”
“Well,” Wilson said, “I’m starting to think that I might want to change some things about my life. Let’s talk about it after the wedding, all right?”
Mavis glanced around. People were starting to head for their cars, ready to get the reception started. “All right.”
Change some things. Mavis remembered how he’d talked about finding his job dull, about not being able to change things as much as he’d once wanted to do, and she wondered if he could possibly mean what she hoped he meant.
Could Wilson come here, to Glacier?
It seemed like a crazy hope—no man wanted to completely uproot his life, his job, and his hometown, just to be with a woman. If anything, they’d usually expect it to be the other way around.
But she had a feeling that Wilson might different.
Surely this all had to be too good to be true...right?
***
The reception was cheerful and crowded—so many people in town had come to the wedding that the place was packed. Wilson was happy to see that Cal and his new wife had such a solid community here at Glacier.
He'd have to think about how he might affect that community.
As soon as Mavis said that she believed him, that they could be together, all of Wilson's life had seemed to fall into place. He'd almost heard the click as everything settled into a new pattern.
He'd been dissatisfied with his job for so long. It was sobering to realize that the only reason he hadn't retired years ago was that he hadn't had a reason to leave. Nothing waiting for him, nothing to take up his time if he didn't have to get up and go to work every day.
It was also sobering to realize how much he truly disliked living in Washington. So many people were there only to get something for themselves—money, power, influence. Some days, it seemed like he was surrounded by naked ambition, and Wilson had never appreciated that kind of attitude.
The idea of leaving it all behind, of coming out here, where the sky stretched endlessly blue, and came down to meet the stone giants of the Rockies, spreading snowmelt rivers and gorgeous wildflower-strewn valleys in all directions...