AT LONG LAST (The Playas Series - Book 4)

by Brenda Jackson

  Liz lifted a brow. “Why?”

  “They think it’s cute how much Dr. Crews is into you. The man loves you so much, it’s written all over his face.”

  Liz shook her head again. “You’re mistaken, Gardenia.”

  “No, I’m not. I’m a people-reader as well as being a neurologist,” she said grinning. “I just wonder how long it will take you to finally realize the man cares for you.”

  “He cares for the girls,” Liz countered.

  “And he cares for the girls’ mother, as well. Think about it. If you don’t believe me, ask him. I’m sure he would tell you the truth.”

  Liz was appalled at Gardenia’s suggestion. “I can’t ask him if he loves me.”

  “Sure, you can. In fact, I think you need to,” Gardenia coaxed. “Do you still love him, Liz? As more than a friend?”

  Liz nibbled on her lips. Her father had asked her the same question when he and Ruth had arrived in town this week to spend time with her and the girls. Phillip and Ruth had surprised her by flying to Vegas to get married the same weekend Liz had moved to Boston. “Yes, I still love him.”

  “Then I think you owe it to yourself to see if he loves you.”

  Liz took a sip of her iced tea. “He said he did, even when he was engaged to Asia Fowler. Of course, I didn’t believe him.”

  “Well, I can’t say what his feelings were for you then,” Gardenia said, softly. “All I can say is what they are now. He loves you, Liz. Trust me. I’d give anything for a man to look at me the way he looks at you.”

  A few hours later, Liz sat in her office recalling her conversation with Gardenia. She thought about everything that had happened since she’d left Belfort and how Sean had been with her--as her best friend and twins’ father--every step of the way.

  First, he’d helped her make the drive from Belfort to Boston, and had assisted her in finding a place to stay. She was renting a townhouse close to the same community where he lived. He thought it was a good idea they didn’t live too far apart so he could help out with the girls more. She had agreed with that suggestion.

  He’d been there with her the day she and the girls had moved in and had spent several nights on her sofa when she’d gotten home late. Similarly, she’d spent several nights at his place, in his guest room. In fact, on most weekends, she and the girls spent more time at his place than at home.

  As best friends, she and Sean still did things together, just like old times. They went to movies, concerts, dinners and last week when the hospital hosted a huge charity gala, he had been her escort. They’d decided it was important that the girls saw that they had a good relationship. That’s all.

  Was it?

  She never asked Sean why he wasn’t dating, although she was well aware that with as much time as he spent with her and the girls, he didn’t have much time for anyone else. She had a key to his house and he had one to hers. But he hadn’t done anything to make her think he wanted to be anything but a friend. They held hands whenever they went places, but then, they’d always held hands. He would kiss her on the cheek to say goodbye, but he’d always done that, too.

  She knew she had to fight her attraction to him whenever he was near, but he never gave a sign that he had the same problem. At least, she’d never noticed one. Now she wished Gardenia hadn’t put ideas in her head. Her father would often hint at the same thing, but she’d always brushed the words off as wishful thinking on his part.

  What if both her father and Gardenia were right?

  She decided to push the thought from her mind when her cell phone rang. It was Sean. Funny, she’d just been thinking about him and he called. “Hi, Sean.”

  “Hi. How about hitting a show tonight? I played golf with your father and he mentioned that he and Ruth decided to make it Disney movie night at your place tonight. I thought since he’d be with the kids, you and I could take in our own kind of movie.”

  She couldn’t help but smile. “And just what kind of movie is that?” She already knew. It was Friday night and a new Marvel movie was released today.

  The sound of his chuckle was rich. “You know already.”

  Yes, she did. “That will be fine. What time does the show start?”

  “Eight. You want to do dinner first?” he asked her.

  “That sounds good.”

  “Then I’ll pick you up around six.”

  They ended the call, and Liz got back to work. But she’d decided that tonight, she would find out what type of friendship they shared, once and for all.

  “Dinner was great. Thanks, Sean.”

  “You’re welcome,” he said as he took another sip of his wine. Dinner had been great. They both liked pasta, so they’d gone to their favorite Italian restaurant, one they used to frequent when she’d lived in Boston before.

  So far, he was following Lance Montgomery’s book to the letter. It was hard, especially when he was so attracted to her. Still, he was surprised she hadn’t picked up on anything.

  “Sean?”

  He glanced over at her and smiled. “Yes?”

  “Why aren’t you dating?”

  His smile widened. Although he considered what they were doing tonight to be dating, she did not. In her mind, they were just best friends spending time together.

  “I’m not interested in dating.”

  “Is that the reason, or is it because of me and the twins? Are you spending so much time with us that you’re not allowing yourself any personal time?”

  “I’m fine, Liz. There’s no other way I want to spend my time than with you and our daughters. But then I’d like to ask you the same thing. Why aren’t you dating?”

  He could tell his question surprised her. She nibbled on her bottom lip before shrugging. “I’m not interested. Besides, I’ve got a lot on my plate. And then again, there’s no other way I want to spend my time than with you and our daughters,” she said, basically repeating his words to her.

  He nodded. “I guess we’re on the same page when it comes to dating others then.”

  “Yes, I guess we are.” She then paused and said, “I had lunch with Gardenia today. And she’s got this crazy idea in her head that there is more going on between us.”

  “More like what?”

  “She thinks you’re in love with me.”

  He paused and then sat his glass down and met her gaze. “I do love you, Liz.”

  “I mean that you love me more than as your best friend.”

  “I know what you mean, Liz, and my answer is still the same. I love you as a man loves a woman. A woman he wants to marry and have children with-- but in your case, more children with--a woman he wants to make love to, go on trips with, grow old with.” He paused. “Need I say more?”

  She sat there, staring at him. It seemed he’d temporarily rendered her speechless. So, he thought he might as well add, “I love you, Liz, in a way I’ve never loved a woman before. You would be more than my wife. You will always be my best friend.”

  He saw the first signs of tears that sprang into her eyes and he hoped more than anything that she finally believed him. God knows he’d done everything he could to convince her of it. “I didn’t mean to make you cry, Liz. I was just being honest.”

  She nodded as more tears fell. Then after using her napkin to wipe her eyes, she said, “Can I be honest with you?”

  He swallowed deeply. “Yes.”

  “I love you, too. I mean I truly love you, Sean. I never stopped.”

  He wanted to tell her that he’d never stopped loving her, too, but he thought it might be too much for her to believe that he’d felt no love for Asia. Right now, it didn’t matter anymore. He loved her and she’d just confessed to still loving him.

  Reaching out, he took her hand in his. “Instead of going to the movies, do you want to go back to your place and share our good news with Phillip and Ruth?”

  She shook her head. “No, I think I’d like to go to your place so you can make love to me.”

  A huge sm
ile spread across Sean’s face. He quickly glanced around and catching their waiter’s attention, asked for the check.

  EPILOGUE 1

  LOGAN

  Six months later

  “I now pronounce you husband and wife. Dr. Montgomery, you may kiss your bride.”

  Logan drew Claire into his arms for the kiss he’d been waiting for. She’d had been a beautiful bride, and it had been a wedding to remember, on a tropical island, surrounded by family and friends. Today, he had married his dream girl, the woman he loved, the one who would make his life complete. Claire had resigned from the State Department after receiving a job offer as vice president of Tampa Bay University. It was perfect, since the university was only a thirty-minute drive from their home.

  After releasing her mouth, they turned to their audience as the minister announced, “I now present to you, Doctors Logan and Claire Montgomery.”

  While people were cheering, Logan used that time to kiss his wife again, sealing what he knew would be an everlasting love.

  EPILOGUE 2

  SEAN

  A year later

  “Asia?”

  Both Lance and Asia turned around to face the couple standing in front of them, holding the hands of the most adorable identical twin girls.

  “Sean!” she said, excitedly.

  “I thought that was you,” he said smiling brightly as they stood in the middle of the Atlanta airport.

  Sean then glanced over at Lance. “And how are you, Lance?” he asked, offering Lance his hand.

  Lance took it in a firm handshake. “Fine,” he said, in a curt response.

  “I’d like you both to meet my wife and daughters,” Sean said, still smiling, as if Lance’s chilly response hadn’t bothered him any. “This is Liz and my girls, Kaylee and Haylee.”

  “Liz Howard? Your best friend?” Asia asked with a surprised yet happy look on her face.

  Sean smiled and pulled Liz closer to his side. “Yes, and now she’s Liz Crews.”

  Asia reached out and gave Liz a huge hug. “I’ve heard so much about you, Liz. Sean used to talk about you all the time and say what a great doctor you were. Congratulations.”

  “Thanks,” Liz said, returning Asia’s hug and smiling broadly.

  Asia leaned down and gazed at the twins. “Oh my, they’re so precious. And they look so much like you, Sean. How old are they?”

  “They turned three last month,” Sean said. “We’re flying to Orlando to take one of those Disney cruises for their birthday.”

  “We’re on our way to Tampa to visit my sister Claire and Lance’s brother Logan. They got married earlier this year,” Asia added.

  Sean nodded. “Congratulate them for me. I ran into them last year in Phoenix.”

  “Claire mentioned seeing you.” She turned toward Lance. “And this is our son Leland. He’s almost two,” Asia said, introducing Leland, who at the moment had a tight grip around his father’s neck. He usually wasn’t friendly to anyone he didn’t know, but Leland glanced down at the girls and gave them a huge smile. Asia wondered if that was a sign that her son would grow up to be a womanizer like his father had once been.

  “When is your baby due?” she asked Liz excitedly. She hadn’t missed the fact that the Crews family was expecting another addition.

  Liz beamed brightly. “In March. This time it’s a boy.”

  Asia smiled. “Congratulations. And how’s your father, Sean?”

  “He’s fine. And how is Ms. Annie?”

  “Mom has remarried and is happy.” A sadness appeared on Asia’s face. “I heard about David. I’m sorry, Sean.” David had been killed when he’d been shot by a woman’s husband a few months ago. The man had come home early from a hunting trip and caught his wife and David in bed and had shot and killed them both.

  Sean nodded. “Thanks.”

  “It’s time to board the plane,” Lance interrupted. Asia could tell by the tone of his voice that he was ready to end the niceties with her ex-fiancé.

  “Goodbye and congratulations again,” she said, as Lance took her arm to steer her toward their gate.

  “She’s nice,” Liz said as they stood and watched them leave. “But I don’t think her husband cares for you, though.”

  Sean laughed. “I don’t know why he wouldn’t. He got the woman he wanted and I certainly got mine,” he said, leaning down to kiss his wife on the lips. “I think being territorial is just part of Lance Montgomery’s nature. Come on, it’s time for us to head to our gate as well.”

  There was no need to tell Liz that Lance, or rather, a book he’d written, had been instrumental in helping Sean reclaim Liz’s love.

  Sean was a very happy man and as far as he was concerned, he owed Lance Montgomery a great deal of thanks. In the end Lance had gotten the woman of his dreams. And Sean had certainly found his.