Chapter 30

Daniel and Alexis return from their river float to find Hunter loose and skunked. Alexis calmly directs the de-skunking with peroxide, baking soda, and soap, and Daniel insists on helping to avoid losing time with her. The practical teamwork underscores their intimacy as they kennel Hunter and head to shower.

In the shower and afterward, Daniel’s internal monologue reveals mounting dread about Alexis’s likely promotion vote the next day and the finite nature of their arrangement. He reflects on months of deepening comfort—shared routines, trust, and physical closeness—and his terror of losing her.

Daniel recounts recent changes: Amber has stabilized and stopped asking for money; he cleared his garage backlog, earned $8,000 at a swap meet, launched Etsy/Instagram with Alexis’s help, shipped a headboard for $2,000, and is nearly halfway to his financial goal. He decides he would give up Wakan, follow Alexis, and shoulder domestic burdens to make their relationship work.

He contrasts Alexis’s elite medical world—her prestigious hospital and renowned family—with his small-town life, feeling both awe and inadequacy. Despite this gulf, Alexis fits seamlessly into his daily rhythms, intensifying his hope that love might bridge their differences.

As they warm up in bed after the shower, Daniel feels clarity about what matters most. Overwhelmed by certainty, he finally tells Alexis, “I love you,” marking a decisive turning point as the chapter ends.