by Julie Kenner
“Yes, well, have you ever heard the saying, ‘Be careful what you wish for’?”
He took a deep breath. He needed to know why she was there, and he needed to know now. “What are you telling me, Lisa?”
“I got everything I ever wanted…and then I realized I didn’t have everything after all.”
“What don’t you have?” Him? He thought so, but he couldn’t ask her outright, didn’t want to run the risk of being hurt again.
A smile teased the corner of her mouth. “I need a favor,” she said.
“A favor?”
This time it was her turn to take a deep breath. “I need someone to show me around Los Angeles. Permanently, this time.”
His heart twisted, and he took a step toward her, wondering if it could really be true. After all this time, had Lisa finally really realized she loved him—and finally understood what that meant? “What are you saying, Lisa? Tell me. In plain English, tell me what you want.”
“I want you. Permanently. Here.”
“What about your job?”
“I, uh, I quit.”
“You quit?”
“I had to.” She moved toward him until they were just an arm’s length apart. “I had to prove to myself I’m not afraid anymore.”
“And now you’re not?”
“No. I still am. A little, anyway.” She took a deep breath. “I’m going to need a lot of help through this.”
The band around his heart loosened. She’d come back to him. He’d had faith in her this time, and he’d been right. “So you’re telling me that you can love me. What about resenting me?”
She swallowed, then straightened her shoulders. “I’m making my own choices. There’s nothing to resent you for. I just need you here to hold my hand.”
He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. “That’s something I’m happy to do.” He paused. “So you really quit.” His Lisa, taking the plunge like that. “I guess it must be love.”
She looked him in the eye, and he saw the truth reflected in her tears. “It is.”
“Where are you going to work?”
“At first I didn’t know. But after my plane landed, Winston called. He said if I was really serious about moving back to L.A., that he could set me up in an office out here.”
“So you said yes, of course.”
She shook her head. “No. I told him I’d call him tomorrow. I’ll probably take it. But I figured I should think about it. See what my other options are.”
He reached out for her, and she moved easily into his arms. “I love you, Lisa.”
“I know. I love you, too.” She pressed her face against his chest.
“About that favor you wanted…” He couldn’t hide the tease in his voice, and she looked up, her eyes wide and playfully wary.
“Yes?”
“I was thinking another quid pro quo.”
Her forehead furrowed. “Okay…what?”
He let go of her hand long enough to step into his bedroom and take the small velvet box from the top drawer of his bureau. When he came back out, he handed it to her. “You. You want someone to show you around Los Angeles permanently. I want you.”
She opened the box, her eyes going wide as she saw the solitaire inside. “Oh, Ken…”
“I wanted to give this to you five years ago. I hope you’ll accept it now.”
A single tear streamed down her face, but the delight in her eyes erased any fears he had that the tear was other than one of happiness. “Is this a proposal?”
“As a matter of fact, it is.”
She slipped her finger through the ring, joy shining in her face. “In that case, this is an acceptance.”
Epilogue
Three years later
“YOU’LL BE OKAY?” Lisa nibbled on her lower lip as Tim held out his arms for Claire.
“He’s great with kids,” Ken said, passing their year-old daughter to the chef. They were in the dining room of Oxygen, where Tim slid into a chair, with Claire happily settled on his lap.
“I know.” She flashed Tim a rueful smile. “It’s just…”
“It’s just you don’t trust me.”
She laughed. “I do. It’s only…”
“My wife’s neurotic,” Ken said.
“This, I know.” Tim bounced Claire. “Is your mommy neurotic? Can you say neurotic?”
“Na ga,” Claire gurgled.
Ken squeezed her hand, and Lisa squeezed back. “Come on. We can do this. It’s a big night.”
She nodded. It was a huge night. The second movie she’d produced for Avenue F—after it landed the deal with Universal Studios—was up for best picture.
“And your limo’s not going to wait forever.” He stood, clutching Claire to his side. “Now go on. Your daughter and I want to see you up on that stage making one hell of an acceptance speech.” He turned to Ken. “And as soon as your mother-in-law gets in, I’ll pass Claire and concentrate on the post-ceremony party. There’s going to be a hell of a crowd here in a few hours.”
“Sorry the plane was delayed.”
“Not your problem. And it gives me the chance to bond with my goddaughter.” He nodded toward the door. “Now go.”
They did, and Lisa couldn’t keep her eyes off Ken as they took the stairs from the mezzanine to the lobby. He looked handsome in the tux, but he also looked proud, and she knew that look was for her.
“What?” he asked.
“What?”
“You’re staring.”
A smile touched her lips. “I just wanted to say thank-you.”
“For what?”
“For loving me. For being here.”
For three years they’d juggled careers—and a family—as she’d struggled to get Avenue F even more firmly on the map. As it turned out, being in Los Angeles helped, and Winston never let her forget that he’d been generous enough to suggest it.
Even now she was amazed that she could spread herself so thin. But she never felt thin. Not with Ken. Not with Claire. Not with work. They energized her. And she loved them all—her family most of all.
She squeezed his hand. “Thank you for putting up with me.”
His laugh delighted her as always, and he pulled her close. “Sweetheart, I’ll put up with you forever. I love you, you know.”
She nodded. She did know. And, fortunately for her, she’d figured out what that meant before it was too late.
He helped her into the limo, then settled in next to her. “So, are you nervous?”
“Nervous?” she asked, even though she knew exactly what he meant.
“Tonight. It’s a big deal.”
She half shrugged. “It’s just an award, not that big a deal. Between you and Claire, I’ve already got everything I need.”
His arm closed around her shoulders and she leaned in close. “It’s a sweet sentiment, but you know I don’t believe you.”
She couldn’t help the laugh that escaped. He knew her so well. “I know.” She twisted in his arms to see his eyes. “And you know that’s one of the reasons I love you?”
He didn’t answer her, just kissed her, but she was more than happy to take that as a yes.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-0024-1
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Copyright © 2001 by Julia Beck Kenner.
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