The Foundation

Two months later, the Pacific Northwest sun managed to break through the perpetual gray clouds, casting warm, golden light across the grand foyer of the Blackwood Estate.

The house was still a massive project, but it was no longer a ruin. The thick layer of dust was gone. The floors had been polished, the shattered stained-glass windows replaced. It smelled of lemon oil, fresh paint, and coffee.

Maeve stood in the center of the parlor, her hair tied up in a messy bun, admiring the fully restored clawfoot table. It shone brilliantly in the sunlight, the deep gouges completely sanded away, leaving only smooth, beautiful wood.

Strong, warm arms wrapped around her waist from behind. Kaelen pulled her back against his solid chest, resting his chin on the top of her head. He was wearing faded denim jeans and a simple gray t-shirt—a far cry from his rigid military uniform. He looked relaxed, healthy, and devastatingly handsome.

"You did an exceptional job on that piece," Kaelen murmured, his deep voice vibrating pleasantly against her back.

"We did an exceptional job," Maeve corrected, leaning into his warmth. "You did all the heavy lifting. Literally. I'm pretty sure you using your lingering kinetic strength to carry a solid oak armoire up three flights of stairs is cheating."

Kaelen chuckled, a rich, warm sound that filled the bright room. "I consider it an evolutionary advantage. Besides, if I don't make myself useful, you might start vacuuming my feet again."

Maeve turned around in his arms, looping her hands loosely around his neck. She looked up at him, a soft, genuine smile playing on her lips. The prickly, mean exterior was entirely gone, melted away by a man who had proved he wouldn't run, even when faced with the literal end of the world.

"I don't know," she teased, standing on her tiptoes. "I kinda miss yelling at the ghost."

Kaelen smiled, leaning down to capture her lips in a slow, lingering kiss. "The ghost is gone, Maeve. Only the man remains."

And as they stood together in the sunlight of their shared, restored home, Maeve knew with absolute certainty that for the first time in her life, she had found something that would never be broken.