She parked in the lot across the street and walked across, nervous now that she'd see Reid again in moments.   As she traveled along the sidewalk that led through the park, her heart thumped so hard she could feel each beat.   Caroline skirted around the Grecian pool and veered right to where wide cement steps led down to the spring inside the grotto.   This had once been their special place, a refuge in times of trouble. Before she could see anything, she heard small stones pitched into the water, the rhythmic plunks familiar, and she knew Reid was near.   He was nervous, too, or he wouldn't toss pebbles.   When calm, he could sit as still as a statue for hours.  With a long, deep breath, Caroline started down the steps toward where he sat, almost at the bottom.  

            If he heard her coming, which she thought he must have he gave no indication, sitting with his back to her.   His broad shoulders were tight beneath the old chambray work shirt he wore and his black curly hair was longer than she remembered, touching the collar of the shirt.    She sat down next to him and put her hand on his arm.

            “I’m here.”

            At her touch, he turned and she felt the energy surge between them, electric as ever.  Reid’s eyes, the deep navy blue she remembered so well, met hers and her anxiety melted.

            “Caroline.”

            His voice made her name an endearment.

            They stared at each other as if they could bridge five years distance in a few moments and then he put his arm around her.

            “You got here quick.  I thought you might keep me waiting half the night.”

            “You knew I'd come.”

            “Yeah, I did.” It appeared he hadn't doubted her, even after the years of silence and separation and something deep within her stirred and rejoiced at that.   Even now, it seemed he knew her well.

            “Why did you have me come here, to the grotto?”

             “Don’t you remember?”  His voice was very soft.

            “I do.  This was our secret place, somewhere we came when we were troubled.”

            Reid nodded. “We came here the day after my mom died.”

            Caroline leaned against his shoulder, savoring the feel of his strength behind her, inhaling the long remembered but never forgotten masculine scent of him.   En route, she worried that he was injured or ill but even though he looked tense, he also looked well.

            “Are you all right?” She needed to know.

            “I’m okay,” Reid said.  He put his hand in the center of his chest.  “That is, except for this pain I’ve had right here for about five years now.  A deep, burning pain that never went away.  Today though, it feels just a little bit better.”

            She inhaled sharply, panicked at the idea of him having chest pains and then realized his heart trouble was romantic, not medical.   Without analyzing it or planning what she'd say, she leaned forward.

            “Maybe this will help it heal.”

            She touched her lips to his, a very light kiss, her mouth barely touching his.

            “It helps if it’s real,” Reid said, taking her face into his hands and kissing her with thoroughness that ignited fire in her veins.  “Did you mean what you said on the phone?”

            “I came, didn’t I?”

            “You did, but do you?”

            Her answer was a vow.  “I do, Reid. I love you.”

            He exhaled.  “It’s about time you told me so.”

            Five years worth of unshed tears formed a knot in her throat but she choked out the question around it.

            “So what’s wrong?”

            “Ross is missing.”http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-loveneverfails-550136-149.html