She sat in her truck for a minute fuming. How dare they cover for him and hide him? They had to be! Lumpy said he was gassing the truck up. Tony said he was at the grocery. Elvis said he had just left the station and went home. All three men could not look her in the face and it was an emotional blow.
She felt used and embarrassed. Teri had left the plate of brownies and walked out immediately. That’s fine, two could play this game, she thought. Teri tossed her phone on the passenger seat with vehemence, determined she would not text or call him again. Richard would have to reach out to her!
Teri was trying her best to keep busy to prevent herself from texting Richard or calling him. It had been two days since she had left the brownies at the station and still no response. Teri was determined to not break first.
She had no idea what was going on or if he was avoiding her, but something was definitely “off” in their relationship. The calls, texts, and small tokens had suddenly stopped and she found herself analyzing every aspect of her own persona to see if she had “done something wrong” in order to “run him off” as Danielle had so gently put it, she thought bitterly.
Teri pulled up to her last stop for the day. Millie had called her in a panic last night telling her that they needed a last minute inspection so they could close on a contract and the new owners could take possession on the first of January. Teri had agreed since she could use the money and it would keep her from spending New Year’s Eve alone apparently.
Danielle had plans, Carla was out of town and Millie would be at the title office waiting on her report to be faxed over, then going home to her new husband. Teri planned on going home and watching the ball drop on TV as she lay on the couch under a blanket.
Grabbing her clipboard with an exaggerated sigh she began her checks. Teri unloaded the ladder off her truck and moved to inspect the roof, stopping as she noticed a pink sticky note on the front door that was slightly ajar. She hesitated, wondering if the lock did not hold or if someone was inside. Curiosity got the better of her as she walked towards the house, her hand on the mace can and her phone in her pocket. They did not have a vagrant problem, but you never knew! Maybe it was from the prospective owners or Millie? Maybe there was another inspector inside? Teri caught her breath as she read the scrawled note and recognized the handwriting…
After I met you, Teri
Teri looked wildly around for more pink notes since this one abruptly stopped. She peered inside carefully and cleared her throat. “Hello?” she called out hesitantly and noticed another pink note next to the light switch.
You intrigue me like no other,
Excited, she flipped on the switch and noticed another note on the far wall. She entered the house with a grin. Her mind raced as she saw slip of paper just ahead, off to her left, clinging to a cabinet in the small galley kitchen.
Those boots and that smile
Teri chuckled and raced to the next clue. She spotted another pink note on top of the stove amongst a scattering of Hershey kisses. Richard apparently had a thing for kisses- chocolate and the hot, steamy kind!
Meeting you was fate
Teri could feel her hands begin to shake as she grabbed the other note, scanning it. He was terribly wonderful and so very loving to have thought this up!
Your kisses are sweeter than chocolate
She spun around looking for any other lead. Teri spotted roses by the fireplace in a glass vase in the corner of the dimly-lit living room and yet another note accompanied them. Her hands clenched all the notes so far, each one layered on the other and held against her heart.
You are the only thing I see when I close my eyes,
Teri clutched the note to her body to settle the butterflies in her stomach. “Richard?” she called aloud, unsure if he would answer or if he was here. Teri crossed to the hallway and saw it littered with notes everywhere. “Where are you?” she called out as her eyes scanned the small notes on the wall.
Teri spotted an envelope at the far end of the hallway. Glitter sprinkled out and Teri stared at her hands. She gingerly opened the paper inside and felt tears well up as she read:
Our pasts are gone but our future is what we make it. You make me want to be a better person, a better man for you. Your smile lights up my life and your touch drives me crazy. The best days of my life have been days spent with you.
Open the door and join me…
Teri stared between the door next to her and at the paper in her shaking hands. She gently folded up the paper, placing it back inside the envelope and moved to tuck it in her tool belt. She grimaced and yanked off the belt, dropping it on the floor and placing the card on top gingerly.
Indelicately, she wiped her nose and eyes, smoothed her hair and took a deep breath before using the chain to open the vertical blinds. As they parted, Teri felt herself suddenly happy and yet scared at what the next few moments would bring.
Teri opened the door and stepped outside on a small concrete patio surrounded with several bouquets of flowers and sparklers fizzing. They gave off a crackling light that accentuated the man in front of her. Richard stood in dress uniform in the center of the small illuminated patio in the dying sunlight. “Hi,” Teri started, unsure of what to say or do and was relieved to see him smile at her in return.
Richard could feel his heart pounding. He was nervous as hell. When he heard her truck pull up, he had lit all the sparklers never dreaming that it would feel like forever in order to have her join him on the patio where he had it all set up. He was really sweating the sparklers burning out and had relit several more to keep it going to set the scene.
Richard wanted it to be completely perfect for her. He noticed the tip of her sweet nose was pink like she had been crying. There was also glitter on her nose and under her eyes. Pixie dust, he thought, smiling at her expression. “Hey, yourself,” he said gently and held out his hand.
Teri placed her hand in his, seeing that it was trembling a lot. She saw him place his warm hand over hers in the cool air. Her eyes shot up from their hands and met his warm gaze as he dropped to one knee slowly, their eyes never separating. Teri stared at him, her heart pounding in her chest nervously.
Richard rubbed his thumb across her knuckles and watched her for a few moments. He wished that everything he was thinking could be relayed in that very moment in one look. His nervousness was fading fast and this never seemed more right in his life. This petite woman made his knees weak and filled his every thought.
“Teri, I don’t really have a speech prepared because I figured I would just be able to tell you, but here I am, looking at your beautiful face and everything I wanted to say is fighting to get out at once. I can’t begin to tell you how the first time I met you that I was swept off my feet. Your little boots, jeans and the sweet way you move got my attention, but your smile? Your smile is special. It lights up your face. And your eyes. You look at me like I am the only man for you and it’s incredible, baby,” he rushed.
“The other morning when we woke up next to each other was the best and worst day of my life.” Richard hesitated and saw Teri open her mouth to protest.
“Baby, it was the worst because I knew how much I did not deserve you. It was the best because I have never had so much tenderness and love in my body in my life directed at one person. I love you, Sunshine,” he explained softly.
Richard grinned at Teri, whose sparkly face waited on every word. “When you realize you have something precious in your life, you never want to let it go. Let me love you for the rest of my life,” he beseeched.
Richard dropped his hands for a moment and pulled out a ring box from his pocket. He opened it slowly towards her, watching her face as she stared at the ring that glistened from the sparklers still flickering.
Plucking it from the box, he slid it on her finger. “I’m so sorry I stayed away the last few days but I wanted to surprise you. I was afraid I would end up giving away what I had planned. You deserve the best and I want to be the man that gives it t
o you. Let me show you how much you mean to me… let our forever start now, in the new year as my wife. Teri Jones, will you do me the greatest honor that I could ever ask for? Will you marry me?” he whispered and dropped a kiss on her knuckle where the ring glistened and sparkled.
Teri stared at Richard in front of her for a few moments. His beloved face was looking at her expectantly and she could see an insecurity in his eyes. It surprised her that for someone so independent and with such a reputation, that he could be nervous about her answer. Did he not know how much she cared for him already? Teri was pretty certain she was clear, even though she never said the words aloud. She looked at the ring for a moment and noticed that he had picked out a brilliant diamond surrounded by small pink gemstone baguettes. She loved that he knew she had a weakness for pink things.
“I am not certain,” she started and saw his face drop. “Richard, hang on,” she pleaded. “I was saying that I am not certain when I fell in love with you. It might have been when you taught me how to walk in high heels or it might have been when you made love to me under the night sky. It might have been when you were with me as I said goodbye to Daniel,” she smiled softly and caressed his strong jaw tenderly.
“But I do know for certain that I love you more than the air I breathe and I would be proud to be your wife,” she announced and gave a loud whoop as she felt him grab her and swing her around in the air.
~The End~
If you enjoyed Teri and Richard’s tale… be sure to check out other books in the Thoroughbred Men series. Turn the page for more details.
Ginny Sterling is a Texas transplant living in Kentucky. She spends her free time (Ha!) writing, quilting, spending time with her husband and two children. Ginny can be reached on Facebook or via email at [email protected]
Sweet Heat Rising
Thoroughbred Men Series, Book 1
Sarah - a strong independent woman flees from her past back home to Pleasureville, Kentucky to start over yet once again. She is playing by her rules this time around and taking the time to enjoy her own life.
Not looking for love, she suddenly finds herself being pursued by not just one but two handsome men in her life. When several unforeseen events hit close to home, are the ghosts from her past coming back to haunt her?
Who do you trust or turn to?
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Stolen Hearts
Thoroughbred Men Series, Book 2
A brusque business woman, Millicent Clark, is determined to make her mark on the small community of Pleasureville, Kentucky. She has no time for her personal life at this point, making sure she is the top real estate company operating in her area and succeeding.
Down to earth police officer, Jacob Hunter, sees something in Millicent’s cool demeanor that is enticing and throws his ‘hat’ into the ring, becoming a player in a bet at the station. Jacob decides to hire Millicent to find a place of his own, only to find he may be gaining more than property out of this business transaction!
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About the Author
Ginny Sterling is a Texas transplant living in Kentucky. She spends her free time (Ha!) Writing, quilting, spending time with her husband and two children. Ginny can be reached on Facebook or via email at [email protected].
Ginny Sterling: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter
Copyright
Redeemed Hearts, Copyright © 2016 by Ginny Sterling
These books are works of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of these books may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Redeemed Hearts (Thoroughbred Men Series Book 3) Page 11
