by Lucy Clark
Her heart went out to him even more and she wanted to comfort the lost boy she saw before her. The number plate on his car now made perfect sense. So many things had happened when he was nineteen…life-changing things.
‘You can’t blame yourself for his death. Depending on how bad he was, he probably would have been in shock and it would have taken a medical professional to be there on the spot to save him.’ Rachael paused. ‘It wasn’t your fault and neither was John’s death.’
‘It’s taken me years to work through that, but you’re right. Regardless, after the shark incident, I sat down and did some hard thinking. That’s when I decided what to do with my life.’
‘To become a doctor?’
‘Yes. You’d given me the idea and the surfing trauma and John’s senseless death cemented it.’
‘I gave you the idea? Joe, I never once suggested you needed to change.’
‘No, you didn’t. You accepted me for me, just as you’ve done now. You’ve put your heart on the line once more, which shows just how much you trust me.’
‘Love is nothing without trust, Joe.’
‘You’re right. You’re so right.’ Telling her about his past, about John, had lifted an enormous weight from his shoulders.
‘Thank you, Joe. Thank you for opening up to me.’ She touched the hair at his temple. ‘I know how hard it was for you.’
‘It was long overdue.’
‘Still…thank you.’ She wanted him to know she understood the enormity of what he’d revealed. ‘But there’s just one more thing I need to know.’ She held her breath for a second before asking, ‘Do you love me? Can you say it? Because I can see it, I can feel it, but I need the words, Joe.’
‘I know, sweetheart.’ He edged back and looked at her, his blue eyes gazing down into hers. ‘I love you, Rachael. I always have and I always will.’ He confirmed his words with a bone-melting kiss. When her knees gave way, he held her closer.
‘I’m part of a package deal, Joe.’
‘I know, and you already know how much I love Declan but I’m going to need help with the parenting thing.’
She smiled. ‘My advice to you…just be yourself, Joe. I know how tough that is for you, to open up to someone, but don’t shut him out or you’ll risk him shutting you out.’
He nodded. ‘What about the others?’
‘Others?’ She frowned and then her eyes widened as his words penetrated the fog beginning to cloud her mind. ‘You want to have more children?’
‘Only with you. The thought of you with anyone else churns me up. I want to take care of you, to protect you, to help you, to—’
‘Smother me?’ She laughed. ‘Joe, we’re a family. We work together to care, protect and help each other.’
‘Rach, what I’m trying to say is I need you. I need you, I need Declan. I can’t go on any more without knowing both of you are going to be there. You were right when you said love creates emotion. It does, and I’ve been fighting them all my life. I want to stop fighting and start enjoying.’
He took her wedding band from his pocket, and until that moment she’d forgotten he’d taken it off her finger. Then he got down on one knee.
‘Joe? What are you doing?’ She shook her head but was unable to remove the enormous smile on her face.
‘I’m proposing.’
The door to the living room burst open as he spoke.
‘You’re proposing?’ Declan said in a loud voice. Helen came rushing in.
‘Did someone mention proposing?’
‘Will you both keep quiet and let me do it?’ Joe growled.
‘Here? In the living room?’ Rachael grinned. ‘You old romantic, you.’
‘Why not? At least it’s better than the first time.’
‘Where was the first time?’ Declan wasn’t going anywhere and neither, it seemed, was Helen.
‘On a bus with rowdy people all around us. He made a big scene.’
‘You loved it.’
She smiled. ‘I did. At least we’re not being jostled by the bus this time.’
‘Are you going to keep quiet?’
‘Yes, but only for a second so be quick. I’m already getting excited.’
‘Does that mean you’ll say yes?’
‘Ask the question and find out.’
Joe sobered and took her left hand in his once more. ‘Rachael Elizabeth Cusack…’ His gaze was intense on hers. There was no one, nothing else—just the two of them. ‘I love you, but first I want to ask your forgiveness. I hurt you badly and I never want to do that again. This time it’ll be different, I promise. You are my soul mate and I was a fool to let you go. I’m not making the same mistakes again. I’m done running. I want you, I need you with me…for ever. Without you, I’m only half a person. Marry me, Rach—make me whole again. Please?’
Rachael closed her eyes for a second, letting go of the pain, hurt and humiliation she’d felt in the past. He’d asked her to forgive him, and she did. They would start their new life together with a clean slate.
She took a breath and looked down at him, her heart reflected in her eyes. ‘I love you, Joe, so much it hurts when I’m not with you. Of course I’ll marry you.’
Declan and Helen whooped for joy but Rachael and Joe continued to ignore them. Joe slowly placed her wedding ring back on her finger before standing to gather her close. He pressed his mouth to hers and felt the same sense of freedom he’d felt when she’d said yes all those years ago.
‘Now, where do you want to get married this time, Dr Cusack?’
‘Las Vegas.’
‘Again? Are you sure?’
Rachael nodded. ‘Declan will love it.’
Joe raised his eyebrows wolfishly. ‘He’s not the only one.’ And bent his head to capture her lips in a kiss which would bind them together, as a family, for ever.
ISBN: 978-1-4603-5819-1
DR. CUSACK’S SECRET SON
First North American Publication 2005
Copyright © 2005 by Lucy Clark
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All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
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