He laughed. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m just admiring the view.”
She sat down at the table. “It’s a view you’ve seen many times.”
“That doesn’t make it any less appealing.” He set a plate and a cup of coffee in front of her.
“Thanks for doing this, Stratton.”
“You’ve done it often enough for me.”
She took a bite, and her eyes got big. “Wow! This sandwich is amazing. Did you learn how to make these from Maria?”
He shook his head. “When I was in college, I ate a lot of grilled cheese. Being something of a perfectionist, I started experimenting with different ways to fix it. I found out that the secret to gooey melted cheese and crunchy bread is to grill both sides of each slice in butter before adding the cheese.”
“I would never thought of doing that. Do you have a cheese preference?”
“My favorite combo is Havarti and baby Swiss, but as you can see cheddar and Monterey Jack work just as well. Why do you like old movies?”
She paused in the act of licking butter off her fingers. “It’s their simplicity. The humor isn’t questionable, everyone knows how to dance, and the nice guy gets the girl.”
“Do you have a favorite?”
“Arsenic and Old Lace. I’ve probably seen it fifty times.”
“Can we watch it tonight?”
“Sure, but don’t you want to look through the others? There might be something else you’d like better.”
“I want to see your favorite movie first.”
“Why?”
“Because if you like it that much, it must be worth watching.”
“What a sweet thing to say.”
“It also happens to be true.”
An hour later, they were huddled under a blanket on the couch. The coffee ice cream they’d consumed was the reason for that, but Stratton was fast reaching the point where he didn’t need it. Not with Leah cuddled up against him, her head on his shoulder, and her hand splayed across his chest.
The movie was as funny as she promised, but he’d found it more enjoyable to watch her watching the movie. The appearance of the credits meant it was time for him to go. Leaving her was getting harder and harder. Stratton wanted her face to be the last thing he saw before he closed his eyes at night and the first thing he saw when he opened them in the morning.
Leah reached for the remote and the screen went black. “What did you think?”
“I liked it.”
She tilted her head to look at him. “Are you just saying that?”
He tapped her on the nose. “I don’t just say things.”
“What was your favorite part?”
“It hasn’t happened yet.”
“What are you talking about? The movie is over.”
“I wasn’t talking about the movie.”
“What were you talking about?” she asked with a playful grin.
“My favorite part of the evening. You know; the part where I kiss you.”
“That’s strange,” she said, her fingers playing with the buttons on his shirt. “That’s my favorite part, too.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Stratton pulled up to the security gate of Sand Piper Cove. Beside him, Leah put down the Southern Living magazine in her hand.
“This doesn’t look like the driving range.”
He hid a smile as he punched the code into the keypad and waited for the gate to open. “You’re right. This is a detour.”
Leah looked at him with narrowed eyes. “What are you up to?”
“Why do I have to be up to something?”
“Because you’ve got that mischievous look in your eyes.”
“I didn’t know I had a mischievous look.” He drove through a tunnel of pine trees and turned into a long driveway leading to a bungalow-style house. As the sound of the engine died away, he turned to look at her. “Every time we pass by this subdivision, you talk about how much you like the houses and how you wish you could see inside one of them. I figured it was about time we did something about it.”
She laughed as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “How did you manage that?”
“One of my patients is a real estate agent, and she recently listed this house. When I mentioned your interest, she offered to let me have the key so I could show it to you.”
“That was nice of her.”
“I thought so, too. This is one of the few homes in here that overlooks the golf course and the water.”
“Something you would consider to be the best of both worlds.”
“Without a doubt.”
“I’ve always liked houses with dormers,” she said as they left the driveway for the flagstone sidewalk.
“Me, too. The porch is a nice size. It’s large enough that you can put furniture on it, but still small enough to have a cozy feel.” He retrieved the key from his pocket and opened the door, allowing Leah to precede him into the sunny two-story foyer.
“Hardwood floors and crown molding,” she murmured. “I’m liking what I see so far.” She walked into the room adjacent to the staircase. “Look, Stratton. The dining room has a coffered ceiling.”
His lips twitched. “I’m no longer surprised at the wealth of information in that brain of yours.”
“This information comes from the countless weekends Lydia and I spent touring model homes.”
“That means you can explain all the other architectural wonders of the house to me.”
“I need a moment to reflect on the novelty of this occasion. It’s not often I know more about something than you do.”
Stratton didn’t comment on this. Instead, he lifted her hand to his lips and started kissing her fingers.
“No, you don’t,” she said, attempting to pull her hand out of his clasp. “If you start that, I won’t be reflecting on anything but you.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“I want to see the rest of this house.”
“That’s another blow to my fragile ego.”
“I’ll make it up to you later.”
Laughing, he followed her down the hall into the kitchen. He didn’t have to ask what she thought. He could read the answer in her glowing eyes and the upward curve of her lips.
“This reminds me of my grandmother’s kitchen. She had the bead board cabinets, farmhouse sink, and banquette table.”
“Were these the grandparents who had the garden?”
“Yes. They lived in Cusseta, a small town about forty miles south of Columbus. Along with a garden, they had a peach orchard. I loved eating them right off the trees.” She strolled into the living room. “They’re not very practical, but there’s something elegant about cathedral ceilings.”
Stratton joined her in front of the stonework fireplace. “The double pane storm windows make up for that.”
She looked beyond him. “There’s another hallway over there.”
Before he could say anything, she disappeared through the opening. A few seconds later, her voice floated back to him.
“I think I found the master bedroom. I wasn’t expecting it to be on the main floor.”
“Be right there,” he said.
“It opens up to the screened porch and has a great view of the water.”
He leaned against the door frame. “It also has some kind of decorative ceiling.”
“It’s called a trey ceiling. You’ve got one in your master bedroom in Myrtle Beach.”
“That’s not my room anymore. I haven’t slept in there since we got married.”
She came to stand in front of him. “Why?”
“Because it’s haunted with a ghost that looks remarkably like you.”
“Don’t say that. You’re going to make me cry.”
“We can’t have you doing that.” He lifted her chin and lowered his mouth to hers. One kiss led to another and to another. It was always that way. Leah didn’t just get under his skin; she shook him to the core, taking him to places he hadn’t even known existed
.
The sound of a car horn was a reminder that time was passing, and there were other things he needed to do. He pulled back a few inches and waited for her eyes to open. The love he saw reflected in those blue depths nearly had him kissing her again.
Taking a deep breath, he said, “Let’s go see if the master bath is up to your standards.”
She sent him a teasing smile. “All I need is a garden tub.”
“This isn’t the best time to remind me of that.”
“You only had to deal with it one time. I was exposed to your beach-worthy perfection on a daily basis. Brushing my teeth was never so exciting before or since.”
He laughed. “Now you tell me.”
It took them another half hour to explore the rest of the house. The closer they got to the end of the tour, the more nervous Stratton became. When they returned to the living room, Leah walked over to the French doors leading to the pool. With the sunlight coming through the window, she looked more than ever like the angel he’d once called her. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“What do you think of the house?” he said softly.
She leaned into him. “I love it.”
“How would you like to live in it? With me.”
* * * * *
Leah’s heart leapt into her throat and then slowly sank back into her chest. Not daring to breathe, she turned to face Stratton. “What do you mean?”
Without breaking eye contact with her, he reached into his pocket and drew out a worn, pale blue envelope. Leah had no trouble recognizing it. He opened the flap and removed the engagement ring that had, for too short a time, adorned her finger. Then he went down on one knee. “I love you, Leah. Your beauty is merely a reflection of the generous, passionate, and loving person you are inside. Not only have you made my life better, but knowing you has made me a better person. I offer you my heart with the promise that it will always be yours. Will you marry me again and let me be a real husband to you?”
The wish she’d hidden deep in her heart was actually coming true. Tears blurred her eyes and inched their way down her cheeks. “I’d like that more than anything in the whole world.”
Stratton slid the ring on her finger and rose to his feet. “It’s back where it belongs.”
She didn’t get the chance to agree. He kissed his way from her lips to her ear and then to the soft spot below. When she tilted her head to give him access to her shoulder, he murmured her name against her skin. His deep, husky voice reverberated through her body like an electric current. She sank deeper into his arms, close enough to feel the up and down motion of his chest and the wild beating of his heart. He drew back and framed her face with his strong fingers.
“I want to do things right this time, Leah.”
She smoothed the worried lines from his cheeks. “There was nothing wrong with how we did it before.”
“Maybe not, but our reason for marrying is different now. I want you to have the wedding day you’ve always dreamed of.”
“I have everything I need for that right here.”
He smiled. “We can’t disappoint our families a second time.”
“That’s true. My mother is still waiting for a picture for the piano. Is this house really ours?”
“I’m just waiting for your approval.”
“What about your house in Myrtle Beach?”
“I’ll probably sell it. The doctor who’s renting it from me has indicated that he’d be interested in buying it.”
“You don’t want to go back there?”
“That chapter in our life is closed. This is where we found our way back to each other.”
Leah smiled up at him. “You’ve thought of everything.”
Stratton pulled her close again. “I had a long time to think about what I would do if I ever had another chance to be with you.”
Epilogue
Several last minute cancellations gave Stratton the rare opportunity to leave work early. He was finishing up his patient notes when Reggie stuck his head through the door of Stratton’s office.
“I’m probably wasting my time asking you this, but are you free for a round of golf tomorrow?”
Stratton grinned as he closed his laptop. “Afraid not.”
Reggie studied his fingernails. “Aren’t you taking this whole newlywed thing a bit far?”
“I’ve only been married four months. I still consider myself to be on my honeymoon.”
“That doesn’t mean you have to spend every free moment together.”
“I don’t have to. I want to.”
“You’re setting a bad example for the rest of us.”
“I think you’ve got that backwards.”
Reggie laughed. “Maybe the truth is we’re all a little jealous. Not that you don’t deserve to be happy. You and Leah had a rough time.”
“Which makes me appreciate what I have even more.”
“Are you going to the cabin?”
“Not this weekend. We’re heading to Florence, South Carolina, to attend a baby shower for Leah’s best friend.”
Reggie’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “You’re going to a baby shower?”
“I won’t be the only male there. It’s a couples’ baby shower.”
“Man, you’ve got it bad.”
Stratton removed his keys from the desk drawer. “No, Reggie. I’ve got it good. Really, really good.”
Fifteen minutes later he was pulling into his garage. After looking through the mail and taking a moment to greet Aristotle, he went in search of Leah. She wasn’t in any of her usual places. Taking the stairs two at a time, he finally tracked her down in the guest bedroom.
She was sitting on the bed looking through a box of pictures. The wireless earbuds explained why she hadn’t heard him come in. When she looked up suddenly and saw him standing in the doorway, the smile he’d come to believe he couldn’t live without formed on her lips.
“You’re home early,” she said, removing the earbuds.
“You know what that means, don’t you?” he asked, dropping down beside her and pressing a kiss on her shoulder.
“Well, it probably doesn’t mean we’re going to leave for Florence sooner.”
“You’re right,” he said, moving up to nibble on her ear.
She set the box on the bed and turned toward him. “I have a few ideas about what it could be.”
“Tell me one,” he whispered in her ear.
Her fingers slowly inched their way up his chest. “We could finish that documentary on the migratory patterns of barn swallows.”
The contrast between her words and the sultry tone of her voice was too much for Stratton. He started to laugh, and once he started, he couldn’t stop.
“You don’t like that one?” she asked innocently.
“You’re not playing fair,” he said, bending down to kiss her upturned mouth.
She smiled. “I’m making sure you don’t get bored with me.”
“That will never happen.” He caught her hands and kissed her fingers. “What are you doing up here?”
“Evangeline’s sister sent out an email asking everyone to bring baby pictures. It’s for one of the shower games. I was trying to find one of me.”
“Any luck?”
She pulled out a faded photograph of a little girl wearing a blue nightgown. Her frizzy white-blonde curls peeked out of a straw hat. One hand was on her hip; the other held a purse that was almost as big as she was. Her tiny feet were stuffed into a pair of adult-size high-heeled pumps.
“You’re adorable. How old are you here?”
She turned it over and looked at the date written on the back. “Two and a half.”
“I hope our children look like their mommy.”
Leah’s eyes flew up to meet his. “I wasn’t sure you’d ever want to have more children.”
“There was a time when I didn’t think I could go through that again, but I don’t feel that way anymore. Being a parent is
one of life’s greatest experiences, second only to getting married. Denver brought so much joy and laughter to my life. I don’t want to miss out on that experience with you because of fear.”
“I’m glad you feel that way. Now we just have to decide when and how many.”
“The ‘when’ is not right away. I want you to myself for a while. As for how many, I seem to remember the number three being mentioned along with something about a biological clock.” He began to play with the rings on her fingers. “Life is never the same after you have kids. It’s harder to get away because you don’t want to leave them behind. We’ll have to get our more exotic trips out of the way first.”
“Exotic trips? Where might that be?”
Stratton smiled. “I’m glad you asked. I just happen to have in my possession two tickets to Ireland.”
Her eyes widened and her pretty mouth dropped open. “Ireland?”
“I wanted to take you there for our honeymoon, but January in Ireland is too cold for my little Georgia peach. May is another story. I’ve been assured by the innkeeper at the Adare Country House that the weather is perfect right now.”
“Adare is where my grandmother lived. How did you remember that?”
He gently pushed her back on the bed and leaned over her. “Because even that early in our acquaintance, you made a lasting impression on me. I’ve wanted to give you this trip since you first mentioned it. I just never thought I’d be the one going with you.”
“Is it any wonder that I love you?” she asked softly. “You’re the most thoughtful, loving, romantic man in the world.”
When her fingers clutched the front of his shirt to pull him closer, he was lost. Lost in a realm that left no room for anything unconnected with her. The kisses that followed were slow and sweet, her touch both soothing and unleashing his senses.
He remembered the words Jade said to him all those months ago. He hadn’t believed he could meet a woman who would make him forget Eva. But that’s because he hadn’t believed in the power of love. He hadn’t yet understood that love doesn’t destroy. It creates, transforms and renews. Love can’t prevent tragedy, but it does give one the means to overcome it.
The End
I hope you enjoyed reading Leah and Stratton’s story. If you liked it, please consider telling a friend or leaving a review. Thank you!
The Gift of Love (Finding Love Book 9) Page 20
