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  “I’ve got a new lease on life,” Lee answered.

  Lee proposed to her the next day, just before he got out. Ivy had no idea where he’d managed to get the ring, cooped up in the hospital. She said yes before he’d even finished asking the question.

  They headed back to New York, this time checking into a nicer hotel. Ben proposed to Stella three weeks later, undoubtedly under pressure from Stella, who’d been both happy about and acutely jealous of Ivy’s engagement.

  None of them had ever been happier. Even the death of Ivy’s estranged father back in Oregon did little to dampen her mood. Lee had immediately bought tickets for them to go to Oregon, though Ivy thought that it was as much out of his own excitement to check back in on the Pacific Northwest as it was to help her out.

  They got into the SUV, which was parked in the cemetery’s parking lot. Ben and Stella took the driver’s and passenger’s seats respectively, while Ivy and Lee sat in the far back so that Lee could sit in the middle and stretch out his broken leg.

  “Do you think the car rental place will let us drive this all the way to New York?” Ben said as he started up the vehicle.

  “I don’t see why not, they have offices in New York too,” Lee said.

  “Well after we eat let’s drive up to Seattle for a few days before we hit the road again,” Ben said. “I’ve got three weeks until my interview at City College, so we have plenty of time.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Lee said.

  “Me too,” Ivy agreed.

  Goodbye dad, I’ll be back to visit, Ivy thought as Ben drove the SUV slowly out of the cemetery gates. She closed her eyes and put her head on Lee’s shoulder and dreamt of a love that would never end.

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  About the Author

  Matthew Blake lives in Washinton state. He is the proud father of a daughter, Adrianna, who is the apple of his eye. Besides being a voracious reader and writer, he likes to take long walks through the scenic beauty of Washington, and play disc golf when the weather allows.

  If you liked this novel, please consider leaving a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or any other site. It helps out a lot, and may allow others to discover the book.

  Also, try out Matthew Blake's novella, The Vampire Murders, new short The Camper in the Woods, and short story collections Rose Blossoms at Midnight and Dead Night.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Epilogue

  About the Author