The horizon was water as far as the eye could see, glistening like diamonds on a bed of blue, and the sky above them was so clear and so bright. She watched, her lips parted in awe as the horizon suddenly disappeared and all she could see was sky.

Above them.

Around them.

Below them.

“Oh, Hunt. It’s beautiful…so beautiful.”

Hunt heard the tremble in her voice and smiled. She got it. She really got it.

Ava was at a loss for words, and the expression on her face told Hunt all he needed to know.

They flew in silence, not speaking.

Finally, as they were heading back, Hunt spoke.

“You’re hooked, too, aren’t you?” he said.

Ava jumped at the sudden sound of a voice in her ear, and then she looked at him and nodded.

“This is God’s realm,” he said. “Before, I used to say it was the closest I could get to heaven without dying. But I can’t say that anymore.”

“Why?” Ava asked.

“Because of you. I don’t need to run away from earth anymore, like I ran away from home. You are my home. You are my heaven. God is love, and I see nothing but love when I look at you.”

There were tears on Ava’s cheeks.

“You know what I thought of when I first saw how clear and bright everything is up here?”

“No, what?” Hunt asked.

“Remember when I told you what I saw when I died? About the light, and how beautiful it was, and that I didn’t want to leave until I saw you? That’s what this felt like…that you were bringing me back to that beautiful place. Thank you for this. Thank you.”

“Always,” Hunt said. “Are you ready to go home now?”

There were still tears on her face.

“Where you go, I go. If you’re going home, take me with you.”

The End

Order Sharon Sala’s next book in the Blessings, Georgia series

The Christmas Wish

On sale September 2021

About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Sharon Sala has 125 books in print, published in six different genres—romance, young adult, Western, general fiction, women’s fiction, and nonfiction. First published in 1991, and once a member of Romance Writers of America, she is an eight-time RITA finalist. Her industry awards include the Janet Dailey Award, five-time Career Achievement winner from RT Magazine, five-time winner of the National Readers’ Choice Award, five-time winner of the Colorado Romance Writers’ Award of Excellence, the Heart of Excellence award, the Booksellers Best Award, the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award presented by RWA, and the Centennial Award from RWA in recognition of her hundredth published novel. She lives in Oklahoma, the state where she was born. Visit her on Facebook.

Once in a Blue Moon

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Sharon Sala brings the comforts of home and love to you in her Blessings, Georgia series