“Malcolm!”
She threw herself at him and he caught her, then held on so tight, she thought he might never let go.
They stood like that for a long time, hugging, holding, breathing. Finally she drew back enough to look up into his eyes.
“I’ve missed you so much,” she said, talking quickly so she could get it all out and they could move on to the good part. “I’m sorry for what happened before. I needed to work some things out. My past messed me up a little, or maybe a lot, but whichever, I had to figure it all out.”
She smiled at him. “I have a new job. I’m the CFO of a Boeing supplier. It’s really exciting and I’m beyond thrilled. I’ve talked to my dad and to Beryl and I know now I should never have stayed engaged to Tim as long as I did. I was so scared to get it wrong. I needed to be free but at the same time I didn’t think that was allowed. Then there was the shooting and everything changed.”
She searched his gaze, but had no idea what he was thinking. Which meant she was going to have to be brave all on her own.
“Going back to college wasn’t right for me. Or the doctor thing. I’d already found my passion. I don’t know if I was punishing myself or if I just needed a break. Regardless, I’ve come through it. I’m better and stronger now. A lot of that is because I found you.”
She smiled. “You’re a really good guy, Malcolm. You’re exactly who I want in my life. I wasn’t ready before, but I am now. If you still want me.”
No, she told herself. That was the weasel thing to say. Not if he still wanted her. “If you still love me,” she amended. “Because I am very much in love with you.”
He studied her before speaking. “I do still love you, Delaney. I always will, but I need you to be sure.”
“I know and I am. I want you. I want this house. I want us.” She curled her toes in her shoes. “I want us to have a family and grow old together. I love you, Malcolm.”
The carefully neutral mask fell away and she saw into the soul of a man who’d just been given the moon and the stars. He grabbed her and swung her around, his laughter echoing in the afternoon. When he set her down, he kissed her with a fiery passion that left her weak.
“I’ve missed you so much,” he told her.
“I’ve missed you, too. I’m sorry I had to get my act together, but it’s done now and we can move forward.”
He put his arm around her. “About this house.”
“We should so buy it, despite the insane price. But I want to pay for it, too. I want us to be partners in everything.”
“Even a mortgage?”
“Especially a mortgage.” She grinned at him. “As it happens, I’m very good with numbers.”
“You’re very good at a lot of things.”
“I know. Cool, huh?”
“You have no idea.”
epilogue
“You’re so calm,” Delaney said as Callie sat by the vanity set up in the temporary bride’s room.
The makeup artist hired for the event finished applying blush. Callie waited until she was done before opening her eyes and smiling at her friend.
“There’s nothing for me to worry about. Santiago has it all under control.”
One of the advantages of falling for a guy who always wanted to be the hero was he had no problem taking care of details. Once she and Santiago had picked their wedding planner, he’d coordinated most of their wedding with her, leaving Callie free to focus on her classes at the university and taking care of Keira. She, Delaney and Keira had gone together to buy her wedding dress and the attendant dresses. Callie had given her thoughts on the menu and had picked the flowers for her bouquet, but otherwise, Santiago was in charge—with a little help from his mom and Hanna.
Emma raced into the bride’s room, Keira at her heels.
“Everyone’s arriving,” Emma announced, grinning with excitement. “There are so many cars. And the swans are in the lake.”
Yes, swans, Callie thought with a secret smile. Because they made him happy and he made her happy.
Their quiet wedding had grown from family and close friends to something a whole lot bigger. Santiago had hired out a local winery and brought in a caterer. They’d agreed on a fall harvest theme and, of course, swans. The wedding colors were burgundy, soft green and blush.
Luis, Santiago’s youngest brother, had flown in for the wedding. Paulo’s lawyer had eventually worked out a deal on his charges. He’d pled guilty and was serving time, so would not be attending. Hanna had filed for divorce and was picking up the pieces of her life.
Santiago had changed the family trust so the house was in Hanna’s name only. Callie suspected he’d put aside some money for Paulo to be given to him when he’d served his time. She hoped Paulo would accept the gesture in the spirit it had been given, but with him, she wasn’t sure.
Not thoughts for today, she thought, looking at her soon-to-be sister-in-law. Delaney and Malcolm were engaged and getting married on Valentine’s Day. They’d already moved into their new house and were working hard on decorating it. Keira joked about her two families, but Callie knew she appreciated that both sets of adults wanted as much time with her as possible.
Santiago had listed his condo a few days before the wedding. He would move into the big, old house on the lake when they were back from their honeymoon. Malcolm’s old rooms had been renovated into a master suite.
Her wedding day hairdresser sprayed her updo one last time, then Callie got up to finish dressing.
Keira and Emma had on junior bridesmaid dresses done in soft green. They were knee length, with cap sleeves and lace over the bodice. Delaney and Hanna had the grown-up version of the same dress, but in burgundy.
Her own gown, also with a lace bodice, was a little surprise for her husband-to-be. Strapless and fitted to the waist, the dress had a full skirt that billowed and swayed with every step. It was a classic princess dress. One she thought he would appreciate.
Delaney helped her into the petticoats, then she and Hanna held up the dress so Callie could shimmy into it before they took turns fastening the thirty-six buttons.
When she was ready, the wedding planner got everyone into place. Grandfather Alberto, tall and handsome in his black tuxedo, smiled as he joined her.
“You are as beautiful as your grandmother was the day I married her. I hope you will be as happy.” He reached into his jacket pocket.
“Something old,” he said, handing her a diamond choker. “Something blue.” He pointed to the small sapphire on the clasp.
Callie stared at the stunning piece. She had no idea how many carats or who was the designer, but she recognized quality workmanship. The rows of diamonds nearly blinded her and the tiny sapphire was in the shape of a heart.
“Grandfather,” she breathed. “I couldn’t possibly...”
“Of course you could, child. You’re family.”
He moved behind her and fastened the choker, then kissed her cheek. “I’m so proud of you.”
The wedding planner opened the door to the bride’s room. “It’s time,” she said. “Are you ready?”
Callie blinked back tears and nodded. She and her grandfather moved into position, just out of sight of their guests. She listened for the music to change to the wedding march and just for a moment, sent all her love and gratitude to her mother, wherever she might be.
So much had changed, Callie thought as she and her grandfather started down the aisle. Friends, family, a home and a man who loved her more than anything in the world. She’d been blessed in ways she couldn’t have imagined ever happening.
A few months ago she’d been utterly alone in the world and now she had enough love and support to last a lifetime. Her gaze settled on Santiago. He looked stunned. When their eyes met, he took a half step toward her, then stopped himself. She smiled. He would always do that, she thought happily. Always be willin
g to step first, to be there, to support her and love her. And she would be there for him.
There would be rough patches, but they would get through them. Fifty years from now, they would look back on this day and be grateful for all of it. Especially the love.
* * * * *
When We Found Home
Reader Guide
Suggested Menu:
Shrimp with Lemon Linguine (recipe follows)
Salad with vinegar and olive oil
Triple Chocolate Biscotti Brownies (recipe follows)
with vanilla ice cream
Questions for Discussion
Note: These questions contain spoilers. It is suggested that you wait to read them until after you have finished the book.
In When We Found Home, the author weaves together several different storylines into a tapestry of emotions. Where did the individual storylines intersect? What emotions did each story elicit in you?
The reader never enters Keira’s point of view, and yet we learn a lot about the youngest family member. What do you know about Keira, and how did you learn it without going into her point of view? Did you realize as you were reading that Keira wasn’t a point-of-view character? Did that work for you? Why or why not?
Before Delaney’s fiancé died, she was having second thoughts about marrying him. How did those doubts make her grief more complex?
“Finding family” is a recurring theme in Susan Mallery’s books. How did that theme play out here? How about the themes of forgiveness and moving on? What other themes did you notice?
Although Alberto set the ball in motion by tracking down his long-lost granddaughters, once they arrived, he left it to Malcolm to care for them. Do you think it was his responsibility? Why or why not? What did he do wrong and right, and what would you have done differently?
After Callie got out of prison, she isolated herself and kept her hard shell as protection when she moved to Seattle. What was it that finally cracked her shell?
Although Malcolm, Callie and Keira were all abandoned by the same father, they had very different childhoods. How did those childhoods affect their personalities? When did each character truly feel that he or she had found home? At what point did all three begin to feel like family?
With which character did you relate most strongly? Why?
How would your life change if you suddenly found out you were rich? Would you have had conflicted feelings about accepting the money if you’d been in Callie’s position? Why or why not?
How did you feel about the way Santiago reacted to Callie’s role in his brother’s arrest? Was Callie right to forgive him?
Mallery is known for putting good people into emotionally complex situations, in which neither side is 100% right or wrong. Which characters were in conflict with each other, and what were those conflicts?
By the end of the book, how did Delaney’s relationship with Malcolm differ from that with her late fiancé?
Recipes
Shrimp with Lemon Linguine
1 lb dry linguine, cooked according to package directions
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined and thawed (if frozen)
Juice and zest of two lemons, in separate bowls
½ cup half-and-half or heavy cream
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the linguine according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in heavy-bottomed pan with deep sides over medium heat. Add shrimp and lemon zest. Cook until shrimp is opaque, about 2-3 minutes, flipping halfway through but otherwise not stirring. Stir in lemon juice and half-and-half. Scrape up the browned bits from the shrimp. Continue cooking until slightly thickened. Add noodles and cheese. Toss. Season with salt and pepper.
Triple Chocolate Biscotti Brownies
Italian biscotti is traditionally baked twice to remove all the moisture, but Grandfather Alberto Americanized these delicious treats by baking them only once. You might even call them half-baked. They are 100 percent delicious!
2 cups flour
1 cup cocoa powder (optional: dark chocolate cocoa powder)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
¼ cup butter, room temperature
2 cups brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp chocolate liqueur or brewed coffee
3 large eggs, one at a time
1 cup dark chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugars until well mixed. Add the vanilla and liqueur or coffee. Mix well, scraping bowl. Add one egg at a time, mixing well between additions. Add the dry ingredients and mix gently just until incorporated. It’s okay if the batter is a little lumpy. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Form four long, narrow loaves, two on each sheet. Bake until slightly cracked on top, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven, cool and cut into brownies.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery delivers a captivating new novel about the problem with secrets, the power of love and the unbreakable bond between sisters. Watch for
Secrets of the Tulip Sisters
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One of today’s most beloved authors, Susan Mallery mixes her signature cocktail of love, laughter and family drama in this must-read novel of the year. For anyone who has survived the wedding of a sister, mother, friend or daughter, don’t miss
Daughters of the Bride
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“Heartfelt, funny, and utterly charming all the way through!”
—Susan Elizabeth Phillips on Daughters of the Bride
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ISBN-13: 9781488078972
When We Found Home
Copyright © 2018 by Susan Mallery, Inc.
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 22 Adelaide St. West, 40th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5H 4E3, Canada.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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