"Thank you for being here with me." My words are soft and intimate.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

A demure smile curves the corners of my lips. James truly means that and it moves me to pieces. I feel myself getting more attached to him, falling deeper in love with him, if that's even possible, and I'm okay with that. I just hope he is too.

"Aubrey Abrams…"

"Get going, sweetheart." James smiles at me.

I glance at the stage and my eyes widen when I realize the honorees are already up there.

In a quick succession, James cups the side of my neck and presses his kiss to mine. My eyes automatically roll close at the touch of his lips between mine. His thumb is gently resting on the front of my throat then sweeps over to the side and strokes down. I lean in just as he breaks the kiss and mumbles against my lips. "They're waiting on you. Get your ass up there."

I nod quickly and blink a few times to gather my bearings. Standing up, I exhale a breath I didn't even realize I was holding and smooth down the front of my gown. I smile at James one last time before I make my way toward the front of the room then up the few steps to the stage.

A shiny trophy-like award is handed to me. It's black and in the shape of a tall rectangle. Though I'm filled with disbelief, I smile at it. It's heavier than I anticipated, and the corners could scratch glass, they're so fine. I glance at the gold-plated tag and read the inscription as the applause dies down.

The award’s committee had informed us we would be going in alphabetical order to give our acceptance speeches. Lucky me, I get to go first. Licking my lips, I take a deep breath before stepping over to the podium. I gaze into the crowd of designer suits and custom dresses and allow the reality of the moment to sink in.

My full heart is content. All the people in this room are on similar wavelengths as I am. We're all just trying to make a difference in the world.

"As most of you may know, my grandmother raised me after I lost both my parents. Giving back is something she instilled in me at a very young age. She was my best friend, my mom, my dad, my sister…" Tears fill my eyes. Nearly five years later, and I still get choked up thinking about Grammy not being here anymore. I miss her every day. "We may not have been able to afford heat every winter, but that never stopped her from offering a helping hand. She always said it could be worse and I needed to count my blessings.

"As I grew up, I wanted to be just like her. I still do. She taught me to follow that driving need in my heart, to go after what makes me happy, and that's what I've been doing ever since. My need to help others has never wavered. When she died, I lost a life, but in opening Sanctuary, and now Retreat, I’ve gained so many more. I think she would've been proud of the shelters she helped me build even after she left."