Chapter 48

48

Kate sat on the edge of her bed, her Bible open in her lap, as the storm raged outside her tiny hotel room in Endurance. The wind howled, rattling the windows and sending flurries of snow swirling past in a dizzying whiteout. It had been two days since the team left, and while she'd spent the first day working with Burl to fix the strut on the plane, the weather had refused to cooperate, keeping them grounded.

She sighed, her fingers tracing the worn pages of her Bible. The shame of sabotaging their aircraft still lingered, a heavy weight on her heart, but knowing that the team didn't blame her helped ease the burden. Perhaps, with time, the awkward embarrassment would fade. It was hard to believe that only four days had passed since she'd taken a sledgehammer to the strut. It felt like a lifetime ago.

So much had happened, so many emotions had been unearthed, and Kate found herself wrestling with a past she hadn't realized had colored every moment of the years since Hawk's death. It had closed her off, compounded her loneliness, and left her feeling adrift.

Over the past two days, Fenn had been his usual, helpful self. Cheerful, fun, and ever-present, he'd never once mentioned his declaration of love again. But Kate had been thinking about it. Hard.

She loved him, too.

Ever since he'd mustered the courage to speak his thoughts, it was like a dam had broken inside her. The truth was, she'd loved him for a long time too. Maybe since the beginning. At first, with Hawk's loss still so fresh, she'd thought she was just transferring her feelings to another handsome, elite soldier. It was understandable, but not fair to Fenn. Then, over the years, she'd hidden her feelings behind annoyance, trying to push him away. Until they ended up in Endurance, alone, she'd thought it had worked.

Only Fenn had never given up on her. Not after all the years of pushing him away. Not after she'd revealed her ugly secret, and the even uglier reality of an evil former fiancé come back to life as the enemy.

But could they make it over the last hump? Fenn's declaration notwithstanding, they'd been dancing around each other like a couple of wounded bears, neither willing to make the next move.

A knock on her open door startled Kate from her thoughts. Saila stood in the doorway, a hopeful smile on her face. "Do you have a minute?" she asked. "I need help decorating sugar cookies for the Christmas celebration tomorrow. I got a little carried away with baking…"

Eager to escape the confines of her room and the endless cycle of her thoughts, Kate followed Saila across the street to the back room of the store. The wind had quieted, and the clouds were breaking up, revealing a carpet of hard, bright stars that glittered like diamonds against the inky sky.

As they stepped inside, the warm, sweet scent of sugar cookies and cinnamon enveloped Kate, making her mouth water. Sheets of cookies covered a couple of large stainless- steel tables, some already decorated with intricate designs and colorful frosting.

Kate glanced over at Saila, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Where do you want me to start?"

Kate followed Saila's pointing finger to the tray of cookies that were already iced. "Start at the beginning," the older woman instructed before disappearing from the room. Puzzled by her abrupt departure, Kate wandered closer to the cookies, her curiosity piqued.

As she approached the tray, she realized that the cookies were decorated with words, iced in red and green, like lines of poetry across the dozens of treats.

In the beginning, we fought.

Then, we laughed.

And we still fought.

And now, I love you.

And I think you love me.

If I'm not wrong…

An arrow pointed at the door leading to the main part of the store, and Kate felt her heart skip a beat. With trembling fingers, she pushed open the door and stepped into the tiny grocery.

Fairy lights twinkled in the windows, casting a warm, inviting glow that contrasted with the dazzling auroral display outside. Green, blue, and violet waves of light danced across the sky, so stunning that Kate thought she might cry from the sheer beauty of it all.

And then Fenn approached, his eyes intent, his handsome face more vulnerable and tentative than she'd ever seen before. Without a word, he took her good hand, drawing her closer to the window where the Northern Lights swirled and pulsed.

Fenn dropped to one knee in front of her, and Kate's breath caught in her throat.

Please, Lord, let this be what I think it is…

He looked into her eyes, his voice soft but filled with emotion. "Kate, I've loved you for longer than I can remember. Through the fights, the laughter, and everything in between, you've been the one constant in my life. The one person I can't imagine living without. I know we've had our ups and downs, but I believe that every step has led us here, to this moment. You're my best friend, my partner, and the love of my life. Will you marry me?"

Fenn held out his hand, opening his palm to reveal a dull gray circle of steel. Kate gasped, her eyes widening. "Tell me that's not…"

"Oh, it totally is," Fenn grinned. "Burl made this out of the broken strut. It's the best I could do on short notice."

"It's fantastic," Kate breathed, her fingers shaking as she picked up the metal, warm now from his palm. She slipped it onto her finger, marveling at how perfect it felt. Best engagement ring ever.

"So is that a yes?" Fenn asked, his eyes hopeful.

"Yes." She pulled him to his feet, hugging him hard. "Forever and always, yes!"

They held each other close, the Northern Lights casting a magical glow around them. Kate looked up at Fenn, her eyes shining with love and a hint of mischief. "You know, I never thought I'd find a guy who could handle my stubborn streak and my penchant for attracting trouble," she teased. "But you've stuck by me through it all, even when I made it pretty darn difficult."

Fenn grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Well, what can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment." He winked, then grew more serious. "In all honesty, Kate, you've made me a better man. You've shown me what it means to fight for what you believe in, to never back down, and to always keep a sense of humor, even in the toughest times. I can't wait to see what kind of adventures we'll have together."

As they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, Kate knew that this was just the beginning of their journey together. A journey filled with love, laughter, and the unshakable bond they'd forged through the trials and triumphs of their past. And with Fenn by her side, she knew they could face anything the future might bring—even if it meant a few more broken struts along the way.