by Ruth Langan
She turned. “I don’t understand.”
For a moment longer he didn’t speak. He merely stared at her, drinking in the way she looked. She was wearing a simple parka. Her hair hung soft and loose around a face free of makeup. He’d never seen anyone look so vulnerable or so beautiful. Quite simply, every time he looked at her she took his breath away.
She felt a quick flutter of fear as the silence stretched out. “Do you want to go back to the force?”
He shrugged. “When the chief made it plain that my old job is still waiting, I found myself thinking I was ready. But are you, Alexandra? Would you be able to live with a husband who was a cop?”
“I could never live in New York.”
“I know. I’d never ask that of you. But there’s been another offer. One I’m considering. I just left Snug Harbor, where I met with Chief Miller. He’s offered me a job.”
“A job?” She looked puzzled. “He already has a deputy. Billy Winters.”
“Yeah. He says Winters is a good cop. He thinks I’d like working with him.”
“Does he think a little town like Snug Harbor needs two deputies?”
“He’s offered me the job of chief. It turns out that Chief Miller is retiring in the spring. He talked to my superiors while they were here, and they’ve already faxed him a copy of my records. He’d like me to consider stepping in as his replacement.”
For a moment Alex was afraid to speak. If she did, he’d hear the note of eager expectancy in her voice. Or worse, a note of pleading. Finally, after a deep breath she managed to say, “You’re a good cop, Grant. Your fellow officers consider you one of the best.”
“Being a good cop isn’t enough, Alex. There’s no denying that if I hadn’t been here, none of this would have happened to you. It’s because of me that you had to suffer at the hands of that punk. There could be another one some day, looking for revenge.”
That look was back in his eyes. That hot, fierce look of self-loathing she’d come to recognize. She turned away and lifted her head to the falling snow.
With her back to him she said softly, “It’s a funny thing about storms. They come blowing in with no regard to the destruction they cause. Roads are closed. Power gets knocked out. And then the good guys come along, and plow the roads, and repair the electrical wires. And in no time we forget all about the storm, and concentrate on the beauty it left behind.”
Puzzled, he stepped closer, reluctant to touch her. If he did touch her, he’d crush her against him, and cause her more pain. Instead, he satisfied himself with a mere touch of her hair. “Are you saying Vance Kendrick was nothing more than a wayward storm?”
She nodded. “Sometimes such things are planned. Other times, they seem to be simple acts of random violence. Either way, the victims are always grateful for the men who are trained to clean up the destruction.”
He watched the way the strands of honey hair sifted through his fingers. “I feel as though I violated the beauty of your wilderness. That somehow it’ll never be the same because of me.”
“In one way it won’t be. The Native Americans who once lived here believed that each person who passes through leaves a part of himself behind. But think about this.” She pointed to the swirling snowflakes. “By morning the tracks of the trucks and snowmobiles and helicopters will all be obliterated.”
“You think so?”
She nodded. “You won’t even be able to tell anyone was here.” She turned and drew his face down for a soft, tentative kiss.
At once they both felt the rush of heat and took the kiss deeper.
“You’re sure?” he whispered against her mouth. “You’re sure that in time all the…tracks will be obliterated, and the beauty of this place will be unharmed if I stay?”
“Oh, my darling, I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”
“I was so afraid. So afraid on the drive here that you’d never be able to forgive me for the destruction I brought.”
“You didn’t bring it, Grant. It just blew in like a storm. And now it’s gone.”
He took a deep breath. “I don’t want to just stay here with you, Alex. If I stay, I want it to be permanent.” He glanced down at their linked fingers, and then at the two snowpeople, who were slowly being covered with a fresh layer of clean, white powder. “I’m talking marriage. And forever.”
“Forever.” She sighed, then whispered, “I’m not sure that’s going to be long enough.”
He laughed and lifted her gently into his arms. She fit so perfectly against him, like the missing piece of a puzzle. He lowered his face to her hair and breathed her in before heading toward the lodge. Halfway there he paused to kiss her again. “You’re right. That isn’t nearly long enough. I won’t settle for anything less than eternity.”
“I’m willing if you are.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling all the warmth of love flowing between them.
As their lips met, she reminded herself that she’d have to phone Grandpa Sully and thank him for this, the most beautiful, wonderful gift he’d ever sent her.
The gift of love.
Epilogue
“Hold still, Alex, or I’m never going to get you dressed.” Lizbeth Sullivan stood in Alex’s bedroom, helping her into her gown. Her blond hair had already slipped from its neat pins to frizz around her cheeks. She wore an ankle-length dress of palest peach which, at the moment, matched the pink of her glowing cheeks. “Why do they make so many of these tiny fasteners on wedding gowns?”
“To frustrate the poor groom who has to deal with them later.” Celeste Sullivan, looking sleek and sophisticated in a bronze Armani cocktail suit, her red, chin-length hair pulled behind one ear with a jeweled comb, stepped inside and closed the door behind her. “I just had a look at your husband-to-be. He is, to quote Kayla and Kelsey, some kind of hunk.”
Lizbeth looked up. “Well? What did you expect?”
“To be honest, I wasn’t sure just what to expect. He is, after all, marrying our Alex. I thought he’d be a cross between a Marine drill sergeant and some sort of nature nerd.”
“Thanks, Celeste.” Alex was too happy to take the bait. “As far as I know he doesn’t spit bullets or eat worms. And he hasn’t asked me to live in a cave.”
“That’s a comfort.” Celeste bent over the night table to inhale the perfume of a bouquet of white roses. “These are fabulous. Who sent them?”
“My drill sergeant.” Alex watched her sister’s face in the mirror as she read the note that accompanied them.
“Oh.” Celeste touched a hand to her heart. “The man not only looks like a Greek god, he has the heart of a poet as well.” Just then Alex turned and she was nearly overcome with tears. “Oh, Alex. You look so beautiful.”
The three sisters embraced, then Lizbeth and Celeste stepped back, smoothing the wrinkles from the long column of snow-white silk that adorned their oldest sister.
“I’m so happy for you, Alex.” Lizbeth dabbed a lace handkerchief to her eyes.
“Me, too.” Celeste heard the crunch of tires in the snow and looked up. “That’ll be Reverend Hawkins.”
At the door she turned. “I hope you like what I did with the great room.”
Alex’s eyes glittered with laughter. “Lizbeth told me the local florist almost quit after you began redoing all his arrangements.”
“I told him this was a wedding, for heaven’s sake, not the local bridge club’s annual tea. I sent him back to his shop for the biggest baskets he could find, and had him fill them with masses of holiday flowers. Now the room looks worthy of a Sullivan celebration.”
When she flounced out, Alex and Lizbeth waited until the door closed before bursting into gales of laughter.
Alex shook her head. “Why am I not surprised?”
Lizbeth chuckled. “Leave it to Celeste. But the truth is, Alex, she has an excellent eye. You’re going to love what she did.”
“You mean I won’t find myself surrounded by crystal swans?”
They shared another laugh before Lizbeth shook her head. “It looks…simply perfect.” She turned toward the door. “Speaking of perfect, I promised Bren I’d help her in the kitchen. I brought a few of my specialties along for the wedding supper.”
Alex laughed. “Knowing you, it’s probably more like a dozen specialties.”
“Well…more or less. You know how I love to cook.” Smiling, Lizbeth hurried away, just as her parents stepped into Alex’s room for a few minutes alone with their daughter before the ceremony began.
“Told you we’d find Grant in here hiding from all your noisy relations, Sully.”
Grant turned from the window to see his grandfather stepping into his room, followed by Patrick Sullivan, carrying a bottle of fine Irish whiskey and three tumblers.
When Sully finished pouring he handed one to Mickey Finn and one to Grant.
“Look at you, boy.” Mickey beamed with pride. “The new police chief of Snug Harbor, New Hampshire.”
“Police chief-in-training. It won’t be official until spring.”
“You already look like the man in charge, doesn’t he, Sully?”
“That he does, Mickey.” Sully fixed him with a look. “I hope you realize what a special woman you’re about to wed. Ever since she was just a wee lass that one’s owned my heart.”
“I do know, sir. And I’m grateful every day that you and my grandfather persuaded me to come up here.”
“We had an idea this place might be just the thing you needed.” Mickey’s eyes glinted with humor. “Of course, it didn’t hurt that Alex was part of the package.”
Grant kept his eyes steady on his grandfather’s. “You old schemer.”
“It worked, didn’t it?” He lifted his tumbler. “Here’s to the lass who mended your heart. And then stole it clean away.”
Laughing, the three men drank.
“I remember telling Sully fifteen or twenty years ago that I had a handsome young grandson who ought to suit at least one of his pretty little granddaughters.”
“These things take time.” Sully filled their tumblers a second time, then lifted his glass. “Here’s to time. May it bring you all the things your heart desires.”
Grant drank.
Mickey clapped his old friend on the shoulder. “Speaking of time, do you remember the time we bet a hundred dollars on which of us would get the first catch of the season?”
Grant set his tumbler down and started toward the door.
“Here now.” Mickey called after him. “I was just getting started on a grand story. Where do you think you’re going?”
“To find my heart’s desire.”
The two old men watched as he stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
Sully threw back his head and roared. “Looks like even your own grandson doesn’t want to hear about any more of your tired old bets.”
“Tired, are they? Well, here’s a new one.” Mickey reached into his pocket and slammed a hundred dollars down on the night table. “This bill says those prim and proper granddaughters of yours will do everything in their power to stop him from seeing the bride.”
“Ah. But will they succeed?” Sully was already reaching into his pocket to match the bet.
“Not a chance. He’s my grandson, after all.”
“I agree. Those two will never let tradition get in the way. If my Alex wants to kiss her groom before the ceremony, I’m betting she’ll do it. And nobody will stop her. So we’ve nothing to bet on.”
“Nothing to bet on?”
At Mickey’s words, the two old men looked suddenly deflated until he said, “We could always bet on how soon we’ll have our first great-grandchild.”
Sully’s eyes lit with fire as he mentally counted the months. “I’m betting by this time next Christmas.”
“You’re on. I’m saying it’ll be sooner. October or November.”
The two men shook hands, then proceeded to pour another tumbler.
Sully’s smile was as bright as the sunshine reflecting off the snow outside the window. “We made a good match, Mickey.”
“That we did, my friend.”
Alex kissed her mother and father and watched them rejoin the guests in the great room. No sooner had she closed the door when there was a soft tap.
She opened the door to find Grant’s sister in the doorway. In her arms was her infant son. She and her parents, along with dozens of Alex’s relatives, had spent the past weekend at the lodge, getting acquainted. They had come together as strangers, but had quickly become friends.
“Come in, Ellen.”
“Only for a minute. I just wanted to tell you that when Grant first told us he was leaving New York to settle down here in Snug Harbor, I thought he was making a terrible mistake.”
“And now?”
“I envy him. I really like the town. And this lodge is so peaceful.” She glanced at the infant asleep in her arms. “I’m beginning to think I’d like Jason to grow up in a place like this.”
Alex smiled. “You’d like it here, Ellen. There’s a really nice school in town. They’re probably in need of a good teacher.” She opened her arms. “May I?”
“He might drool on your gown.”
“I wouldn’t mind a little baby drool.” Alex lifted the blanket-clad baby from Ellen’s arms and brushed a kiss over his soft, downy cheek. “Oh, he smells so wonderful.”
Just then Grant came stalking into her room, his eyes looking as hot and fierce as the first time she’d seen him.
At the sight of her holding his nephew he came to a halt and felt a sudden burning in his throat.
She looked at him with a smile that would melt mountains of snow. “Ellen is thinking she might like to raise little Jason right here in Snug Harbor. Wouldn’t that be nice? I’m sure she could get a job teaching at the school.”
“Yeah. And just think. You’ll have the inside track with the chief of police.” He continued to stare at Alex. “You look pretty natural holding that baby.”
“Do I?” She could feel the heat of his look clear across the room.
“Well…” Ellen glanced from one to the other, then reached out and took her son from Alex’s arms. “I think I hear the music starting.”
“We’ll be along. In a minute.” Grant waited until she closed the door before stepping closer.
Just then there was another sharp rap and the door was opened. With a snarl Grant stepped back and turned to see Lem standing in the doorway.
“Sorry.” The old man hesitated.
“Lem.” Alex hurried over to catch his hands and draw him inside.
“I know they’re all waiting out there. But I wanted to say my piece before you two get swallowed up by the crowd.” He glanced at Grant. “I’m sorry I meddled.”
“You didn’t meddle, Lem.” Grant placed a hand on the old man’s arm. “You were looking out for Alexandra. And you had every right. I came here with a chip on my shoulder and a demon in my soul.”
The old man smiled. “Looks to me like you’re a man at peace with himself now.”
Grant nodded.
Lem turned to Alex. “I never had a daughter. But if I did, I’d want her to be just like you.”
She felt tears spring to her eyes as she leaned close to kiss his cheek. “You’ve been my best friend, Lem. I hope you’ll continue to be.”
“You know I will, Alex.” Looking slightly flustered, he offered his hand to Grant. “I know you’ll take good care of her.”
Grant accepted his handshake. “I’d better. Because you’ll still be here every day, I hope. Seeing that I do.”
“You can count on it.” The old man walked to the door. “Now you two had better get out there. You’ve got a lot of people eager to share your happiness.”
“We’ll be right there,” Alex murmured as she closed the door.
Grant started toward her. “Not just yet.”
She gathered up her nosegay of white rosebuds and turned toward him. “We can’t hold up
the ceremony.”
“Why can’t we?”
“Because…all those people are waiting.” She touched a hand to his cheek. “You look…worried.”
He shook his head. “Not worried. Thunderstruck. Do you realize this is the first time I’ve ever seen you in a dress?”
“Really?” Pleased, she turned a complete circle, allowing the silk to whisper around her ankles. “What do you think?”
“It’s perfect. You’re perfect. I still don’t know how this happened. I feel like the luckiest man in the world.”
“You are. And I’ll spend the rest of my life reminding you of that fact.”
He caught her hand and lifted it to his lips. “Promise?”
She felt the rush of heat all the way to her toes. Would it always be like this? she wondered. Would he always have the power to make her weak with a single touch?
“We’d better go. The music has been playing for a full minute now, and the crowd will be getting restless.”
“Wait.” He drew her back and brushed his mouth over hers. “Out there, with everyone watching, I may forget a few lines. But know this. I love you, Alexandra Sullivan. And I’m so grateful to you for saving my life.”
“Maybe we saved each other’s.”
“Maybe we did.” He linked his fingers with hers, before opening the door and starting down the hall.
She moved along beside him, achingly aware that they were about to change their lives forever.
Forever.
She glanced at her Grandpa Sully, wiping a tear from his eyes. And saw her parents and sisters wearing matching looks of pride and joy.
Her relatives and friends, standing in a sea of flowers that had been artfully arranged in huge baskets, were smiling. Kayla and Kelsey, who had been thrilled when she’d asked them to act as junior bridesmaids, were blushing and giggling.
And then the crowd faded from view as she turned to Grant. All she could see was the love in those fierce, dark eyes. All she could hear was his voice, low and deep as he spoke his vows. All she could feel were his strong arms as he drew her close for a kiss. This was, she knew, all she would ever want or need.
