“Six is perfect. See you then.”
Ronan kissed her again before letting himself out. Natalie stood in the middle of the kitchen, her thoughts swirling. He was going home to talk to the woman who had raised him. That was good, right? He was making peace with his past and he wanted her along. Maybe he was thinking they could have a future together. Ronan was many things, but he wasn’t cruel. He knew exactly how she felt and she trusted him not to lead her on.
She told herself she would find out when she found out, then tidied the kitchen before going into her bedroom to figure out what she should pack. San Francisco was a beautiful city, but slightly more upscale than Happily Inc. As for Fool’s Gold, she was totally flummoxed about that. There would be a long car ride, so comfort was important, but at the other end would be Ronan’s mother! Not that they would necessarily meet, but still. She needed a plan.
By two in the morning, she was as ready as she was going to be. Now she simply had to wait and see how the events unfolded and hope that when it was all over Ronan would be willing to admit that he needed her in his life.
* * *
“THANKS FOR COMING with me,” Ronan said as they headed north on I-5 toward Business 80. He’d told himself everything was fine, but couldn’t help the sense of apprehension that weighed on him.
Natalie shifted in her seat. “You’ve already thanked me like a thousand times. I’m happy to be here with you. I mean that.”
“A thousand times? Really?”
She laughed. “Okay, maybe more like four hundred, but still.”
He reached across the console of the truck and took her hand in his. She squeezed his fingers. So far they hadn’t talked about their relationship, but he knew that time was coming. She deserved to hear him tell her about his feelings and she would. Just as soon as he cleared things up with Elaine.
He hadn’t slept in a couple of days, but he wasn’t tired. More on edge, he thought. Running on adrenaline. He would have to sleep at some point, but not until all this was resolved.
“I made reservations at a hotel in San Francisco,” he told her. “For tonight and tomorrow night. That will give us a day to sightsee.”
“I’d like that. Did you tell Elaine we’re stopping by?”
He nodded. “I texted her last night. She said she would be home all afternoon.”
He wasn’t sure about Ceallach. He had no interest in seeing his father, but if the old man was there, Ronan figured he would deal as best he could.
“You said your hometown has a lot of festivals,” Natalie said. “What do you mean?”
“They celebrate everything. There’s a waterskiing festival and a casserole cook-off in the winter. Parades all the time.” He grinned at her. “Christmas is the best. From Thanksgiving until New Year’s, there’s something going on. Right after Thanksgiving, a huge tree goes up in the center of town. There’s a Day of Giving, when all the local charities have booths and there’s an animal adoption. Every Christmas Eve we went to see the Dance of the Winter King put on by the local dance school, then to midnight services.”
“You were busy.”
“Always. Growing up there was great. We were able to run around as much as we wanted. The town is safe and friendly. If one of us got into trouble, someone called home to rat us out.”
“That’s nice. You must have been happy.”
“I was. I had my brothers.” Especially Mathias, he thought. Back then, they’d been twins. Part of a unit—them against the world. He missed that.
“You were close,” he said, changing the subject. “Just a few miles away in Sacramento. I never knew.”
“You mean what if we’d met back then?” She smiled. “I don’t know what would have happened.”
“I would have liked to meet your mom.”
She squeezed his hand. “I would have liked that, too. Although I think she would have warned me about you.”
“Why is that?”
“You’re kind of a bad boy.”
“Never.”
He took Forest Highway off Business 80 and pointed out several familiar buildings. The library and police station. He told her about his favorite restaurants, and when they turned north on Mother Bear Road, he motioned to the offices of Score PR.
“It’s owned by former football players,” he said.
“I’m not really a sports fan,” she admitted.
“What a surprise.”
She grinned.
But as he got closer to the house where he’d grown up, they both got quiet. He had a feeling Natalie sensed his tension. After all this time, what was he supposed to say to the woman who had raised him?
He still hadn’t worked out how he felt about everything. The information was too new, too surprising. He was happy she’d taken him in and kept him out of the foster care system. More than that, he was grateful she’d made him one of her own. Growing up, he’d never once guessed he wasn’t hers by birth. She’d raised him as her fifth son, had loved him, disciplined him, supported him and been there for him exactly as she had his brothers. Yes, she’d kept the truth from him, but he was starting to understand how that had happened. Once concealed, a secret tended to take on a life of its own, growing bigger and bigger with time.
He knew he could complain about what she’d done, but the truth was, there was no good time to shatter his world. Being who she was, Elaine would have also wanted to protect Ceallach—a flaw that was unlikely to change after all these years. She was who she was and he was the man he’d grown into because of her.
He pulled into the long driveway. Their house was on the outskirts of town to give Ceallach quiet and space to work. As a kid, Ronan had loved the freedom of the forest only a few yards from the edge of the backyard. Now he saw that the house was isolated and wondered if Elaine ever missed being closer to town.
He parked by the garage and turned off the engine of the truck.
“I have no idea what to say,” he admitted.
“It’ll come to you. I’m going to wait out here. You two need some time to clear the air.” She pointed at her bag. “I’ve brought a book—I’ll be fine. You can come get me when everything is settled.”
He wanted to tell her that he needed her with him, but knew she was right. As always. Later, when this was behind them, he had a lot of things he wanted to talk to her about. But not until then.
“I won’t be long,” he told her, before kissing her, then stepping out of the truck.
He faced the house. The front door opened. Sophie, Elaine’s beagle, ran out onto the porch, barked when she saw him, then raced toward him, her tail wagging happily. He crouched down and greeted her before starting for the house.
Elaine stood on the porch. She looked as she always had—maybe a little older with more gray in her dark hair, but otherwise the woman he remembered always being there for him. She smiled when she saw him. There was no anger, no recriminations or judgments, he thought as he approached. But then, with her, there never had been.
A thousand thoughts raced through his mind. As he’d told Natalie, he didn’t know what to say, how to explain all that had happened. Not just with Pippa, but the rest of it. How he’d felt and the anger and fear and worry. She might not understand, but he sensed she would want to talk about it and heal what she could. He also wanted to thank her for being there for him, for loving him, for making him believe he could do anything. So how on earth was he supposed to say all that when he didn’t know how to begin?
They faced each other. Her smile widened as tears filled her eyes.
“You made it.”
“I did.” He opened his mouth, closed it. Finally he reached for her as he figured out exactly what he wanted to say. “I’ve missed you, Mom.”
“Oh, Ronan. I’ve always been right here, waiting for you. I thought you knew that.”
“I do now.”
/>
* * *
NATALIE WAS ALL cried out. Happy tears were still exhausting, she thought contentedly as she hugged Elaine one last time before they left.
Order had been restored. Natalie knew there would still be bumps in the road, but Ronan and his mother had talked—probably for the first time ever—about the past and what it meant to both of them. She’d apologized for not telling him about Pippa and he’d been sorry for simply walking away. They had a lifetime of love to fall back on, she thought happily. That would cushion any fall.
“You’ll stay in touch?” Elaine asked anxiously as she walked them to the door.
“I promise,” Ronan told her. “I’ll call. I’ll text. You’ll be sick of me.”
“Not likely.”
Elaine turned to Natalie. “Thank you for coming with him. He needed the support.”
“I was happy to be here.”
They petted Sophie, then walked out to the truck. Ronan held open Natalie’s door before glancing back at the house.
“What are you thinking?” she asked softly.
“That I’ve been an idiot. I thought I didn’t need this, didn’t need her. I thought I wasn’t a part of anything.” He turned to her. “Thank you for telling me I was stupid to turn my back on all I had.”
“You’re welcome.” She got in her seat.
He watched as his mother went back in the house. “I stopped seeing who she was and all she did for me. I forgot what was important and only focused on a single lie. I should have remembered everything else, only I didn’t.” He looked back at her. “I remember now.”
“Good. You’re not mad at Nick, are you? For getting in touch with her?”
“No. He did the right thing.” He touched her arm. “I’m sorry you got caught up in all this. I hurt you and I never wanted that to happen.”
“I’m tougher than I look.”
“You are.”
His gaze settled on her face. She tried to read what he was thinking. There was still so much they hadn’t talked about, hadn’t cleared up. She wasn’t sure what to say, so thought maybe he should be the one to initiate the conversation. Which sounded smart and mature but was so not her style.
“San Francisco?” he asked.
“I can’t wait.”
The drive into the city was relatively quick as they caught one of those rare traffic lulls. Before she’d really had a chance to decide what she was going to say, or not say, or if she was going to insist on her own room, they’d pulled up in front of the Ritz-Carlton. She took in the beautiful entrance and knew that once again Ronan was going to dazzle her. The man was good at that.
The check-in process was quick. In a matter of minutes they were in an elevator, then on their floor. Ronan opened the door to their room and let her step into what turned out to be a beautiful suite.
It was close to sunset and the first thing she saw was the view of the city with the bay beyond. There were a couple of sofas and a doorway leading to what she assumed was the bedroom, but none of that mattered. Not when she saw the bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket and rose petals scattered on the floor.
She looked back at Ronan, who crossed to her. He led her to the larger sofa and drew her down next to him.
“When you told me you loved me, I couldn’t handle it,” he said, staring into her eyes. “You overwhelmed me.”
In a good way or a bad? But before she could ask, he was speaking again.
“You are the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. Your spirit, your optimism, your beauty. You have the most giving heart. You’re smart and stubborn, and I am grateful every day that I’ve had the chance to get to know you.”
He touched her cheek and smiled. “I, on the other hand, am a moody bastard who dislikes everyone and rarely sees good in the world.”
“That’s not true.”
“It’s a little true, but I’m changing. I’m becoming a better person.” His expression turned serious. “I was so afraid of who I was. No, that’s wrong. I was terrified of turning into my father. The idea obsessed me, even as I told myself focusing on what I didn’t want was sure to make it happen. I needed a better role model. Running from something wasn’t going to be enough. Then you tumbled into my life.”
“I didn’t tumble,” she whispered, hoping, barely breathing and loving everything he was saying.
“You crashed your car into a tree.”
“It was raining and not my fault. If you’d bothered to take your cell phone home, none of this would have happened.”
“I know. I think about that. How if I’d just remembered, everything would be different and what a tragedy that would be.” He cupped her face and kissed her. “You’re my miracle, Natalie. You are the best person I know and I’m grateful to you for everything you’ve done for me. I have no idea why you’d bother to love someone like me but I’m going to accept the gift and hope you never change your mind.”
He slid to the floor. She was confused for a second, then realized he was on one knee.
Her heart actually stopped beating. She couldn’t breathe and desperately didn’t want to start sobbing because she was not a pretty crier.
Ronan reached around her and withdrew a ring box from behind the cushion, then opened it, revealing a stunning, incredibly beautiful diamond solitaire ring.
“Natalie, I love you. I have for a long time. Being with you is the best part of my day. I want us to share our lives. I want to have children with you and grow old with you. I want to stand in the crowd as you accept awards and accolades for your brilliant art and I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy. Will you marry me?”
“I don’t know what to say,” she admitted, then laughed. “Yes. Yes! I love you, Ronan. Of course I’ll marry you.” She flung her arms around him and hung on as if she would never let go. He held her just as tight before he slid the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly and just looking at it made her heart race. Or maybe that was being so close to Ronan.
“I love you,” he whispered. “For always. I promise.”
She knew in her heart that he would keep that promise. That he would protect her and care for her and be an amazing partner for the rest of their lives.
He kissed her, then led her to the window. They watched the last of the sunlight fade and the city come alive with sparkling light. The view was beautiful, bright with possibilities.
“There’s a balcony,” he whispered in her ear. “I brought some eco-friendly, biodegradable paper with me.”
She grinned. “Paper airplane contest?”
“You know it. I’ve been practicing in secret.”
“You think you stand a chance?”
He stared into her eyes before kissing her again. “Not from the first second I met you, and I’m grateful for that.”
“Me, too. Always.”
* * * * *
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Not Quite Over You
by Susan Mallery
CHAPTER ONE
LOVE AT FIRST sight was never a wise decision, but Silver Tesdal couldn’t help herself. Sure, the Airstream was a few years old, with a couple of exterior dents and a messed-up interior in need of complete refurbishing, but still, the lines, the space. It was everything she’d wished for. She would need a three-quarter-ton truck to tow it and more staff, but she could make that happen—at least in her dreams.
There was a second, smaller Airstream in even worse condition but the twenty-three-foot length would be perfect for low-key affairs. She could already picture what the two would look like refurbished and sporting her AlcoHaul company logo.
She leaned back in her desk chair and smiled. Right now her “company” had exactly one full-time employee—her. She hired any staff she needed on a per-job basis. But, she thought longingly as she looked at the For Sale listings on her computer, with the Airstreams, all that would change. She would need someone to run each of the new trailers, which meant a second and third employee, and hey, the money to meet payroll.
But first she had to buy the trailers, fix them up, get a couple of trucks to tow them from venue to venue and make sure she had enough bookings to make it all worthwhile. She’d run the numbers and she could do it and still turn a profit... In time. As for making it all happen now, when the trailers were available, for that she needed a loan. And while she loved her some Airstreams, she was less excited about dealing with banks.
Silver shut down her browser and picked up the slim, black leather briefcase she’d bought for eight dollars at an estate sale a couple of years ago. She wasn’t the briefcase type, but since starting her business, she’d realized there were times she had to fit in with the conventional world. The briefcase helped her fool those who would otherwise judge.
Why Not Tonight Page 27
