Loving the Landlord
Page 10
“Regina wouldn’t let me up for more than five minutes at a time yesterday, so I got some studying in. This is a beautiful place, Wendell. What’s it for?”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few sheets of paper. “For this,” he said, handing it to her. He bit his lip, incredibly nervous. She could laugh—she could mock him. She could rip out his heart and stomp it into the dirt at her feet.
She unfolded the pages and began to read them aloud. He hadn’t expected her to do that, and he nearly asked her to stop, but he didn’t. He wouldn’t disturb the already delicate balance of this moment.
“‘In a quiet little glade in the center of the woods stood a little cabin made of the smoothest wood imaginable,’” she said. “‘The men who made the house worked long hours until it was just right because they knew it had a special purpose. This house was meant to be filled with love. Every wall, every floorboard, every roof shingle had to be perfect. No ordinary house would do.’”
She glanced up at him, and he nodded for her to keep reading.
“‘It wasn’t a fancy house or an expensive house, but everything inside it was made to go together. The saucers and the plates matched, and when they were set on the table, the patterns lined up just right.’” Her eyes flew to his and she smiled, but she continued. “‘There were crisp sheets and new towels, everything as it should be to welcome home its new owners. All that was missing from this perfect house was the bride.’”
She lowered the page, tears shining in her eyes.
“You said I should try my hand at writing a children’s story,” Wendell said. “I thought the first one could be one that we’d share with our children about how our family came to be. That is, if you’ll have me, Ariadne.”
She threw her arms around his neck so quickly, it nearly choked him. Then she seemed to realize what she was doing and loosened her grip. “Yes!” she said into his shirtfront. “Oh, yes. Please. Marry me.”
He held her close for a moment, then eased her back just enough that he could cup her face in his hands. “You make me so happy,” he told her, loving the way her eyes sparkled and her cheeks pinked. Then he kissed her, long and sweet, as the butterflies danced around them in the growing dusk. So much remained uncertain about the future, but this he knew—he was the most blessed man on earth with this woman in his arms.
About Amelia C. Adams
Amelia C. Adams is a wife, a mother, an eater of chocolate, and a taker of naps. She spends her days thinking up stories and her nights writing them down. Her biggest hero is her husband, and you just might see bits and pieces of him as you read her novels.
You can reach her at ameliaadamsauthor@gmail.com.
Please join Amelia on her website to learn more about her, sign up for her newsletter, stay on top of news and upcoming releases, and follow her on Facebook. In fact, you can join her readers’ group by clicking here!
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The Kansas Crossroads Series:
A New Beginning (free!)
A Free Heart
The Dark and the Dawn
A Clean Slate
A Clear Hope
The Whisper of Morning
A Careless Wind
A Narrow Road
The Bitter and the Sweet
The Calm of Night
A Begrudging Bride
A Broken Wing (A Kansas Crossroads novella)
A Twisted Fate
An Unspoken Dream
A Joyful Noise
The Nurses of New York series:
Sea of Strangers (free!)
Cause of Conflict
Touch of Tenderness
Heart of Hearts
Test of Time
The American Mail-Order Brides series:
Hope: Bride of New Jersey
Tabitha: Bride of Missouri
The Hearts of Nashville series:
Whiskey and Women
Records and Rebels
As part of the Brides of Beckham series by Kirsten Osbourne:
Mail Order Molly
As part of the River’s End Ranch series:
Accidental Agent
Rugged Rockclimber
Welcome Wagon
Santa’s Shopkeeper
Delivering Destiny
Lucky Lifeguard
Poinsettia Promises
Christmas Catch-Up III
Candy Crush
Paislee’s Path
As part of the Grandma’s Wedding Quilts series:
Meredith’s Mistake
As part of the Magnolias and Moonshine series:
Sweet Georgia Peach
As part of the Burnt River series:
Ashley’s Hope
Phoebe’s Fate
As part of the Rocky Mountain Romances series:
Utah Sunrise
As part of the Mail Order Mounties series:
Bride for Joel
Bride for Jonathan
Bride for Samuel
Bride for Calvin
Bride for Peter
Bride for Michael
As part of the Seven Sons series:
Benjamin
Daniel
Frank
As part of the Cowboys and Angels series:
Bribing the Blacksmith
Tea for Two
As part of the Main Street Merchants series:
And Something Blue
For Love or Money
Five Golden Rings
Just Desserts
In the Stars
Sugar and Spice
As part of the Brody Hotel series:
Generations
Short Fiction:
The Ghost of Dunlow Manor
The Best of Me