20. Shane

James,

Liam and I finally made it to Ackerly Lake after a long drive from Miller Town. We"re enjoying our days here, waking up early for hikes in the woods, and spending afternoons by the lake.

We'll be heading to Wakefield next for the cheese festival.

Thanks for helping me out with the house renovations. I'll try to give you a call once we get to somewhere with a good cell phone signal.

But from the pictures you sent me last week, things are looking good. If you can, try to squeeze in a more shelves for Liam's library. He's getting some books brought over from their house.

Also, is there room in the backyard for a small greenhouse? I think he'd like that too.

Thanks again for everything.

- Shane

Cliff,

Here's your dumb postcard. Are you happy now? I can't believe you're making me send you one of these again. Just come out here with Declan next time.

I'll get you some cheese at the Wakefield fair. We should be back in a couple of months in time for the wedding.

- S.

P.S. I better see this on your fridge the next time I come over. It's a pain to send this.

I lookedover the postcards I"ve written and tucked them into a small folder. It was a habit now, one I had grown accustomed to during our travels. I made a mental note to send them the next time we headed into town for groceries.

A soft chuckle escaped me as I remembered Cliff"s insistence on receiving a postcard from every town Liam and I visited.

He had joked that his fridge door was looking bare and needed some decoration.

It was a bit of a hassle at first, but eventually, Liam and I enjoyed looking for the most tacky and ridiculous looking postcards for him.

Cliff never did say that he wanted those nice, picturesque-looking ones anyway.

"Are you done writing?" Liam"s voice interrupted my thoughts, accompanied by the comforting aroma of hot coffee.

I nodded, accepting the cup gratefully, especially on such a cold morning.

Setting aside my writing materials, I made room for Liam on the foldable chair I was sitting on. It was a little small, but, hey, we would warm up more if we were closer, right?

He settled beside me, wrapping his arms around my neck and practically sitting in my lap, but I didn"t mind it at all. Draping a blanket over us, I began to rub his shoulders.

"Are you cold? You should've stay inside," I suggested, concern evident in my voice.

"Mm, but you"re out here," Liam said, leaning on my shoulder as we watched the sun rise over the lake.

I smiled, my hand gently rubbing his back, feeling a sense of contentment wash over me.

It had been roughly three months since we left Fox Have for our cross-country road trip in our newly acquired RV.

Before going on this trip, I considered getting him his own bike, but he wasn"t confident riding one. So, we settled on an RV.

It was a different experience traveling around in one compared to a bike, but I have to say one thing—it's definitely a little more comfortable.

At first, we hadn"t set a definite timeline for our journey, but now, as I sat here with Liam, I found myself open to the idea of extending our adventure.

While I did think we"d only be on the road for just a couple of months, being with Liam in moments like these made me realize that I could continue this journey a little longer.

Of course, we had to make it back in time for Cliff"s wedding, but afterward, who"s to say we couldn"t set off again?

Although, if we did choose stay in Fox Haven after, where our newly renovated house would be waiting for us, I wouldn't mind it either.

I couldn't wait to show Liam my surprise, and, well, mostly see how he"s going to show his appreciation afterward.

But for now, I wanted to savor every moment of this trip with him. Exploring the country, sharing my favorite spots, and discovering new places. Together.

THE END

Turn the page to read a preview of Hots for Mr. Fox. Owen's story.