by Lois Richer
“I told you I’m good at what I do, Penny.” He grinned then continued. “In my personal inspection of the house I found evidence no one had reported. They probably didn’t know to report it but what I saw almost exactly matches something I’ve noted in two previous fires; a specific fire pattern that is electrically based but is not caused by faulty wiring.” He faced Rick. “I must apologize to you. You were unjustly accused. I do not believe you did anything to cause the fire at your sister’s home.”
Penny could hardly breathe. Rick was free? Innocent?
“Then what did cause it?” Rick demanded but his relief was obvious as he returned the squeeze on Penny’s hand.
“I believe I have enough evidence to prove that the fire in your sister’s house was due to a faulty electrical breaker. Two other cases had used the identical breakers, and the fires burned in the same way. Hot and fast because the electrical breaker in the box was the conductor. Not faulty wiring or shoddy building practices.”
“But we didn’t use anything unusual for wiring,” Rick argued.
“No. Your electrician used breakers that are perfectly legal. However,” Todd continued, “they are also defective. They do not always fully trip. Instead they continue to carry the full load, which causes the fire.”
“Then why didn’t anyone else notice this?” David demanded.
“Because the breakers do eventually trip, when the fire gets hot enough. By then it’s too late but investigators can’t see that unless they’ve seen previous cases that are very similar.” Todd nodded at their shocked faces. “I tried my hypothesis in the lab and the result was the same every time. That particular brand of breaker trips after the fire has started.”
“So what now?” Penny asked because Rick had fallen strangely silent.
“Tomorrow morning I will file my report. My boss will then issue a directive to have that particular breaker removed from all homes in which it has been installed. Fortunately, they’ve only been in circulation for just under two years. Unfortunately, the problem was not discovered in time to save your sister’s life. I’m so very sorry about that.”
With a sad smile Todd glanced at the faces around the group. Penny couldn’t speak. She was too busy considering the ramifications of what he’d said.
It meant Rick no longer needed her.
That knowledge was devastating. She needed to get away, to leave before she burst into tears at the utter collapse of her hopes and dreams. She tried to ease her fingers free of Rick’s but he wouldn’t let go.
“Your sister did not die in vain,” Todd said to Rick to cover the yawning silence. “If you hadn’t pressed your innocence so hard, if Penny hadn’t insisted you’d done nothing wrong, if I hadn’t felt compelled to take another look at the house so as not to cause Penny any more pain—well, let’s just say many more people might have died. You can take some comfort in knowing that your sister’s death will save hundreds of lives.”
“You mean neither my son nor his company are guilty of any wrongdoing?” David said, his relief obvious.
“Exactly. I apologize for the problems you’ve had, Rick.” Todd smiled. “I doubt you’ll have more related to this matter so now you two can go ahead and get married without that hanging over your head. Congratulations.”
Penny dragged her hand free of Rick’s so she could hug her former fiancé. Todd was a wonderful man but now she felt nothing more than deep friendship toward him. Believing that she loved him—that, too, had been an illusion. Just like her dream of marrying Rick.
“Thank you for persisting, Todd. You can’t know how much it means to us.”
“I think I do. I’m just glad I could rectify my mistake before it caused more problems. I’ll go now and let you two get married, with my best wishes, Penny.” He kissed her cheek then quickly left.
“Not guilty,” Rick murmured but Penny thought only she heard him say it.
“Well, now what?” Eva asked, glancing from her son to Penny.
“What now?” Tanner shrugged as if it was obvious. “They get married, of course.”
“I’m not sure—” Penny frowned when Rick cut her off.
“Can you all give Penny and me a moment? Please? There’s something we need to discuss privately. Come on, Penny.” Without another word Rick grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the daycare. “If nothing else we should be able to get some privacy in the nursery,” he muttered.
But when they stood in that room, with the door closed, he couldn’t seem to find the words he needed.
“Congratulations, Rick.” Penny dredged up a smile. “It’s the best possible news.”
“Is it?” He was looking at her in an odd way, as if he hadn’t really seen her before.
“Of course. You and your company are blameless—”
“I am not blameless in Gillian’s death, Penny.” Rick’s mouth twisted in a half smile. “I didn’t get her out and I should have.”
“We’ve been over this. You know you’re not to blame.” But he didn’t know that. She could see it in the way he looked at her, eyes narrowed. She had to do something. “How long are you going to pay, Rick? What does Gillian’s death demand? A lifetime of guilt? Forever berating yourself? Do you think your loving sister would have demanded that of you?”
Rick stared at her, his face darkening with anger. “Now wait a moment—”
“No. Let’s get it all said. Tell me when you’ll feel you’ve paid enough for your failure.” Penny wanted him to fight—if not for her then for himself and his future. “You were ready to hand the twins over to me and walk away to prison to staunch the guilt you can’t get over.” She wrenched off her precious engagement ring and held it out. “Well, that option’s closed now because I don’t intend to stick around and make it easier for you to carry your guilt.”
“You’re not marrying me?” Rick asked, his voice deceptively mild as he pocketed her ring.
“That’s right,” she snapped, angry that she’d been so close to having her dream and now it was she who was throwing that precious vision of a family away. “I don’t want to marry a man who won’t fight for himself, for the life he deserves, for the children who count on him. Guilt takes up too much room in your world, Rick. There’s no room for anything else.”
“You’re wrong.” He stood tall in his black suit, his dark eyes holding hers with their intensity. “There’s oodles of room in my world for love.”
“For Gillian, yes. But she’s gone, Rick,” Penny reminded. “And you have to let her go. You have to—”
“Love for you.” He walked to her without breaking his stare. “I would gladly go to prison if it meant I got to marry you,” he said softly, cupping her face in his palms. “You’re my world, my darling Penny. You make things work when no one else can.”
She couldn’t say a word.
“You’re right, my dearest shining Penny. I was hanging on to guilt. I didn’t think I deserved anything more. I guess I was afraid. And then you came bursting in and took over my life and all I wanted was you.”
“Me?” she squeaked, shocked to her core. “You’re saying—you’re in love with me?” Disbelief filled her. “But I’m just a means to an end, a way to keep the twins. And now you don’t need me anymore, Rick.”
She turned, walked toward the door.
“I will always need you, Penny. I need you to keep reminding me that Gillian would have forgiven me so I have to forgive myself.” He walked closer. “I’ll need you to remind me that trusting God is an active not a passive verb.” Another step. “I’ll especially need you to help me laugh and tease and share life with the twins the way a father should.” He took her hands in his. “Penny, I love you. Don’t you know that?”
Actually, she didn’t.
“I love your laugh and your joy and your faith and most of all your generou
s love that you spread everywhere, on everyone. On me.” He stepped nearer still, his face mere inches from hers, voice dropping to an intimate whisper. “I love that you willingly, without counting the cost to yourself, stepped in to help with the twins that very first day, and you haven’t quit since. You just keep giving, keep on loving. I need you to love me, Penny. Because I love you. I have for a long time.”
“I—I don’t believe that,” she sputtered, afraid to trust in what he said, afraid to trust that this man could be her very own happily-ever-after.
“Too bad, lady, because I do love you. And I can prove it to you.” Rick pulled out her engagement ring and held it toward her, his face creased in a wide smile. “Did you ever really look at this ring?”
“For hours,” she admitted, unable to look at him out of sheer embarrassment. “I couldn’t believe we were going to be a family, that you thought enough of me to give me a diamond ring or that I was worthy of it.”
“You are more than worthy, sweetheart. But we’ll discuss that later. What I want to know now is, in all those staring hours, did you never see the inscription?” he asked so tenderly she wanted to weep. “Never read it?”
“How could I? I never took it off, not since you put it there. Not till today. So how could I read anything?” She tried to take the ring but he wouldn’t let go of it. “What does it say?”
He held it so she had to lean in to read it.
All my love, Rick.
Her gaze flew to his, her question unspoken but needing a response just the same.
“I thought, hoped that one day, when I was sitting in prison and you were fed up with caring for my mess, that you’d take off the ring, see the inscription and decide you couldn’t leave just yet. That you might feel something for me.” The yearning in his voice reached into her heart. “I hoped you’d stay, that you’d be there waiting and that one day we’d be together. I’ve hoped an awful lot lately, Penny.”
“Do you know what I hoped?” she said when she finally found her voice beneath a rush of tears. He slowly shook his head. “I hoped that once you married me you’d realize you loved me even a tenth of how much I love you. That’s all I wanted, Rick. Just a tiny bit of your heart.”
“Silly Penny,” he said, sliding the ring back on her finger and kissing it in place. Then he wrapped her in his embrace and bent his head. “Silly to be content with so little when you have my whole heart. I love you, darling Penny.”
“And I love you, dearest Rick.” Penny couldn’t believe the promise that was in his kiss. The breathless promise of a future filled with more than she’d ever dared dream about.
“I know you love me, sweetheart,” he said very quietly, his face sober. “That and prayer are the only things that have kept me going.”
“Oh, Rick.” She took a few moments to show him how much he meant to her world.
“Listen,” he said, drawing away too soon. “I know this is really short notice, Penny Stern. But you have the most beautiful dress and Katie and Kyle need mothering and I need a wife and—will you please marry me?” Rick smiled into her eyes. “Today. Now?”
“It can’t be too soon for me.” As they turned to leave the building she slid her hand into his. “God has used this daycare and Wranglers Ranch for so many things. Today He used it to bring us together. It just goes to prove—”
“The Lord will work out His plan for your life,” Rick quoted with her and nodded without hesitation. “I finally get it. He’s brought us this far. We can trust Him with all our tomorrows.”
Arm in arm they hurried back to the patio, where the twins were disheveled and not in a very good mood until Rick whispered something to them. Katie and Kyle hurried over to Penny, took their baskets from Sophie and waited for the signal to walk arm in arm across the patio toward Rick. Then came Sophie followed by Penny, who carried a sheaf of red roses that Eva had given her while whispering, “It’s going to be so wonderful to have a daughter again.”
Hearts filled to overflowing, the couple pledged their love to each other in front of friends and family with strong voices and loving glances. Finally they were pronounced husband and wife and sealed their promises with a kiss.
“Too long,” Katie protested.
“Way too long for kissing,” Kyle agreed, his nose wrinkled in distaste.
While everyone else applauded, their wise grandfather suggested they’d better get used to it.
In the beauty of Wranglers Rach with grains of rice scattering all around her and her arm snug in Rick’s, Penny felt as if she was walking on air. Her heart brimmed with thanksgiving as the twins then Eva and David hugged her and welcomed her to their family. At last she had the family she’d always longed for.
A few minutes later Sophie invited everyone to gather around the tables loaded with food to celebrate the wedding. Then Tanner proposed a toast.
“To a couple with hearts ready to be used by God. May He use them mightily, give them a glorious reward and a wonderful future together.”
Everyone raised their glass to the smiling bride and her grinning groom. As gentle music filled the place where she’d shared so many happy coffee breaks with Rick, Penny gloried in dancing as his wife, even if he kept whispering teasing things that alternately made her blush or duck her head in embarrassment. As late afternoon turned to evening on the most wonderful day of her life, Penny’s cup was full.
“It’s time for us to leave on our honeymoon, wife of mine,” Rick murmured when the stars began to blink overhead.
“I love that word—I didn’t know we’re having a honeymoon.” Her heart beat so fast she felt giddy. “Where are we going?”
“Phoenix. On Monday morning I’ll keep my promise to you, Penny.” Rick trailed a fingertip across her cheek to touch her lips then replaced it with his lips.
“What promise?” she asked dreamily sometime later.
“The one to see a plastic surgeon if God came through for us. Monday morning, nine a.m. You and I, Mrs. Granger.”
“Rick!” Penny threw her arms around him and hugged him with the joy of knowing that this was a symbol of his faith in God. “But you don’t have to do it,” she whispered.
“I think I do, my darling. If only for me, to remind me that I don’t have all the answers but I know the one who does and He will lead me.” He kissed her then urged, “Throw your bouquet so we can leave, please?”
Sophie gathered the small group of ladies who were present including Lissa and Tara. She handed Penny her roses then turned her around. “Ready?”
“Throw hard, sweetheart,” Rick urged.
So Penny heaved the gorgeous bouquet as hard as she could and was gratified by a squeal of surprise. She turned and saw an astonished Molly holding the flowers. After her surprise abated that young woman picked up her baby carrier and hurried toward them.
“Molly! I’m so glad to see you. Are you all right?” Penny examined her face, searching for some hint as to her absence. Instead she marveled at the girl’s radiant glow.
“I went away to think and pray like you said I should.” Molly’s eyes shone. “He spoke to me, Penny. God told me what I should do about my baby.”
“I knew He would.” In a rush of tenderness Penny gathered her slim hand into her own. “I’ve been praying you’d hear Him. Do you want to share?”
“I have to.” Molly stared into the tiny face of her son for a long moment then held out the carrier. “You and Rick are the perfect choice as parents for my baby.”
“Us?” Penny frowned, glancing from Molly to Rick. “You want us to adopt your son?”
“You are the ones God showed me would be the parents he needs,” Molly confirmed. “I’ve watched you both with the twins, at the daycare and with Tara and Lissa and their babies and with Jeff, even though he didn’t appreciate your help.”
“He’ll
come around, Molly,” Rick said quietly. “He just needs to grow up.”
“That’s what I told him when I refused to move in with him.” Molly giggled at their surprised looks. “I’m not dumb. He’s just a friend.”
“But about the baby—” Penny was afraid to believe it.
“I know what I’m doing. I’ve watched you and I’ve prayed about it,” Molly said, her voice strong. “You have the kind of hearts I want my baby to be raised with.”
“But, Molly,” Penny argued, wanting to be certain. “What about your list, all the things you wanted for your son?”
“You’ll give them to him. I know that. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. That’s why God wants you to raise my baby.” Molly took Rick’s hand in hers. “The way you made those cabins, with secret hidey-holes and special lights and window seats and then worked so many overtime hours to make sure they were finished on time so that folks could enjoy them—I could see that you love kids. I know you’re a wonderful father.”
“Oh, he is.” Penny couldn’t stop her happy tears from overflowing.
“And you, dear, sweet friend.” Molly teared up. “I was hurting so bad and you came along, offered me a job, had faith in me and kept encouraging me to press on. When my life was at its darkest you were the light drawing me in. I don’t know for sure what God has in my future, but for now I’d like to stay here at Wranglers Ranch working in the daycare.”
“With the babies?” Penny asked with a frown. “Still with the babies?”
“Of course. And when you bring your baby I’ll care for him, too. Because he is your baby, Penny. Yours and Rick’s. He belongs with those who will love him and teach him about loving God. You’re his family.” Molly held out the baby carrier toward them.
Penny’s heart sang a song of pure joy. A child, she would have a child, a baby to love and care for and raise to know God. But this couldn’t be only her decision. She turned, studied Rick’s face, trying to gauge his thoughts as she controlled her overwhelming desire to take the child from Molly. Without Rick her dream could not live.
