All the pain, all the grief hadn’t been from Anna’s truthful words. All the angst and heartache had stemmed from the fact that Cora knew she had to make the most difficult decision of her life and let him go.
“We’re back.”
Just as Braxton’s words hit her, Heidi’s fur tickled the side of her calf. “Thank you,” she said, extending the walking stick for Braxton to take. Once she had her grip on Heidi’s collar and that damn stick was gone, she felt so much better. “You didn’t have to come here, but now that you’re here, I want to know what you meant in there.”
“There’s no hidden meaning behind any of my words,” he told her, taking her free hand and guiding her toward one end of the porch where Cora knew a settee and chairs were positioned perfectly. “Everything I said was true. I came here because I gave you the time you needed to think. I won’t let you walk away again.”
Cora reached her free hand out, feeling for the arm of the settee. Turning, she eased down onto the cushion and patted Heidi’s head as she settled next to her feet.
“I didn’t walk away,” she corrected. “I released you from this because you’re not ready for—”
“What the hell am I not ready for?” he demanded. The cushion dipped beside her, Braxton’s arm extended behind her back. “You think you’re some rebound? You think I’m just passing the time with you?”
“Maybe not in your mind, but Anna said—”
“I knew it. You heard us talking.”
Cora shook her head. “No, I didn’t. She actually met me coming out of the ladies’ room and the things she said made sense.”
She couldn’t see Braxton, but the anger seemed to roll off of him. His breathing had quickened, the hand behind her back had fisted, but other than those minor movements, he sat perfectly still as if he were a wounded animal ready to strike.
“She said you guys were going to work things out,” Cora hurried on to say. “She told me about how careless you’d become after her and that I was a distraction until you got back with her.”
Whispered curses were muttered under his breath. The front door opened in the distance, music and party noise from inside filtered out into the night as several sets of footsteps sounded across the floor. Once the door shut and the footsteps faded, Cora waited. Braxton wasn’t going to let this go and she didn’t know how much longer she could hold on to her control.
“First of all, Anna is irrelevant to us,” he told her in a low, powerful voice. “I don’t care what she said to you because she’s only out for herself. What I do care about is what you think, why you felt the need to push me away, and why you still think it’s a good idea to be apart because I don’t know about you, but these past few days have been miserable.”
There went more of that resolve crumbling. She wanted to throw her arms around him and be reassured everything would be all right, that this relationship wasn’t just something based in sexual tension and chemistry.
“We both have so much going on,” she muttered, clutching her hands in her lap. “I’ve informed my parents I won’t be taking over as CFO. My shares are still mine and I will be part of the company because it’s my legacy, but I need an out. They’re in denial still, but I think they’re starting to come around to the fact I’m serious. I need to take my life back.”
“And you don’t want me in that new life?”
She wanted him in her life more than anything. “I want you to figure out your own life,” she clarified. “I want you to find what makes you feel alive, what makes you happier than anything else in the world. I don’t want to be the one to stand in the way, Braxton. You’ve lived your life to please others for so long, when have you done something for you?”
That hand behind her slid up into her hair, pulling her perfectly placed bobby pins out one at a time. “Right now I’m doing something for me,” he whispered. “This isn’t you. All these diamonds, the hair in some fancy twist, the layers of makeup. Seeing you smile, knowing you’re happy, that’s what does it for me, Cora. So every day that I spent with you, getting deeper into your world, learning about how amazing you are, all of that was making me happy. Since my engagement ended and Chelsea died, I’ve not felt too alive. But then you came into my life and, yes, it’s been a short time, but damn it, I know what I want and I know how I feel.”
“Am I interrupting?”
Cora jerked her body at Eric’s untimely question.
“Yes,” Braxton growled. “Who are you?”
“Eric,” Cora replied.
Braxton’s hand slid from her hair as the settee shifted and he came to his feet. Cora pushed up as well because she had no clue what was about to happen and she needed to prepare herself for a fallout. Her mother would definitely never forgive her if there was a fight on the front porch during the Christmas party.
“Cora, may I talk to you? Alone.”
Braxton’s hand settled on the small of her back and she was utterly shocked he didn’t immediately say no. “I’m in the middle of something. Can we talk later?”
“Actually, this won’t take long and I don’t feel so bad about telling you this now that I know you’re going to be okay.”
“Why the hell wouldn’t she be okay?” Braxton asked.
Cora shifted in her heels, wishing she could take them off and get the hell out of here.
“I just meant that it’s clear the two of you have something going on,” Eric amended. “I thought her parents required her and me to marry to secure my place in the company. Even when Cora moved, I thought she’d be back, but I knew in the back of my mind she wouldn’t. This isn’t her lifestyle, as much as I wanted it to be so we could take this company into the next generation.”
The tension was back as Braxton’s entire body stilled against hers. He was coiled and ready to spring once more. She reached over, placing her hand on his side as she leaned against him, silently offering her support, her loyalty.
“Cora, I know we aren’t a good match,” Eric went on. “I mean, on paper we’re perfect, but I honestly don’t want to marry, not for a while anyway.”
“Did you meet someone?” she asked.
“No. Actually, I just want to focus on my career. I know I’m secure here and I know your parents were more concerned about you running the company alone than they were with you actually living alone. I went about everything wrong. When I should’ve stood up for you and what you wanted, I bowed to their commands because I wanted to maintain my position.”
Cora was shocked that this was the same Eric who’d been unbending regarding their wannabe engagement. “And now you’re not worried about your position?”
“Actually, I spoke with your father yesterday and after the first of the year, they’re making a formal announcement that I’ll be taking over as CEO.”
She waited for the hurt, waited for the feeling of regret in her decision to distance herself from such burdens, but all Cora felt was relief. Sweet, pressure-releasing relief.
“Congratulations.” She offered him a smile because she was truly happy. “Looks like everything turned out for the best.”
“Are you sure you’re not upset?” he asked.
“Not at all.”
“You know I’ll still want your input and I’ll be calling for opinions,” he added quickly.
Cora laughed and stepped forward, her arms out. When Eric hugged her, she patted him on the back. “I want you to call and I want to be part of this company, I just want the freedom and less responsibility.”
“You better let me go,” he whispered in her ear. “Your bodyguard is glaring at me.”
Still smiling, Cora eased back. “I’m happy for you, Eric. Thanks for telling me.”
“Yeah, I was looking for you earlier. I’ll let you two get back to your talk, I just wanted to let you know where things stood.”
Cora nodded her thanks and listened until his presence was no longer evident. Turning, Cora pulled in a ragged breath. Now she was free of the heavy weights that had
been on her shoulders for so long. She still had a major clench in her heart, though, for the man who’d come here fully expecting her to leap back into his arms. Was it going to be that easy? Was he fully prepared to be committed to a woman unlike anyone he’d ever been with? Could she hope for all of that and not get hurt in the end?
“What’s going through your mind?” Braxton asked softly.
Turning back around, Cora pushed her hair away from her shoulders. “I can’t even concentrate on one thought right now. This is what I’ve wanted for a while. I don’t want to leave the company hanging, but there’s no way I want to run it and have all of that responsibility simply because I was born with the last name Buchanan.”
Braxton’s fingers curled around her shoulder, his shoes scuffed against the porch as he shifted closer. “And what’s going through your mind about us?”
Cora dropped her head and tried to home in on exactly what she was feeling, but the emotions were so jumbled up she was struggling.
“Honesty,” Braxton added. “Don’t worry about a right or wrong response. Just tell me what you’re thinking.”
Those messy feelings all gathered in her throat, forming a ball of tears so thick, she had trouble swallowing. “I want this to be real,” she whispered, biting her quivering lip. “I feel like we were almost victims of such intense chemistry. Then I got so caught up with how you made me feel and I worry it’s so appealing because this is new.”
The pad of Braxton’s thumb swiped at her damp cheek as his arm wrapped around her waist. When he tipped her chin up and gently kissed her lips, Cora nearly lost it completely. The party going on inside didn’t matter because she felt as if her life, everything she’d been seeking, was right here in front of her. But could she trust the feelings? Trust that Braxton was ready for the type of commitment she longed for? Too many uncertainties.
“You’ve spent your whole life having everything planned out,” he told her, sliding his fingertips along her jawline and cupping the side of her head. “What happened with us wasn’t planned and you’re scared to death. Whatever nonsense Anna spewed to you only gave you the ammunition to run, which is exactly what her intent was.”
Cora nodded. She couldn’t argue with the truth . . . that didn’t mean she had to like it, either. She didn’t want to look like a fool, but she also worried about being so exposed, putting her heart on the line when she was trying so hard to be independent and stand on her own. She had felt so good leaning on Braxton the past few weeks, and maybe that was the crux of all her doubts.
“Maybe we should take things slower,” he went on. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to give you peace of mind, to ensure you know how serious I am about you, about us. I won’t let you question what we have, Cora. Not when I’m in love with you and I want you to be by my side so I can tell you every single day.”
Cora’s breath caught in her throat. The dam of tears burst and she sank forward, her forehead resting on his chest as days of worry and doubt poured from her. She’d wanted this with every piece of her bruised heart.
Braxton’s soft chuckle vibrated from his chest. “Not the reaction I was hoping for when I told you I loved you.”
His arms banded around her, his hands stroked up and down her back as she clutched his shirt. If people were passing in and out of the party behind them, she didn’t care. Cora had all she needed right here in Braxton’s arms and with Heidi resting at their feet. In such a short time, this had become her world.
“Tell me you don’t love me,” he whispered in her ear. “Tell me you don’t want to make this work and I’ll leave right now.”
“I do love you.” Cora lifted her head, blinked back the tears, and sniffed. “I don’t know how I fell in love with you so fast, so hard, but I did. Maybe it was the first time I had my hands on you. Maybe it was the night at the pond or when you let me drive. But you’ve given me back a piece of myself that had been missing and when I think of you, when I’m with you, my heart is so full. How did you do this to me?”
He nipped at her lips. “I was going to ask you the same thing. I’ve never ached for a woman the way I do you. You’re part of me, Cora. The next steps in this relationship can go as fast or slow as you need, but please don’t walk away from me again. I can’t live without you.”
Throwing her arms around him, she buried her face in his neck. “I’ve never been in someone’s heart before . . . not like this. I don’t know what to do.”
“Neither have I, but with your strong will and my determination to keep you happy, I guarantee we can make this relationship thing work.”
“Where will we live?” she asked, lifting her head and sliding her hand around to touch the side of his face. She wanted that extra connection, wanted to feel that smooth glide of his strong jawline beneath her palm.
“Live? You mean, you want to live together?” His arms tightened around her as he smacked a kiss on her lips. “I want nothing more than to wake up with you every day. But are you sure you’re ready? You’ve been wanting this independence and I don’t want to take that from you.”
Cora nodded. “You’ve given it back to me, Braxton. Don’t you see that? You’ve shown me that I can make it on my own, but I want to be with you as I stand on my own. Does that make sense?”
“Perfect sense.” He kissed her again, slowly, passionately. . . as a promise of more to come later. “Your house or mine? I don’t care where we live.”
Cora shrugged and smiled. “I know a good real estate agent who can help us decide which house we should put on the market.”
Braxton’s hands slid lower down her back as he pulled her tighter against him. “I love how you think, Cora Buchanan.”
Cora’s heart filled, the emotions she’d been so afraid of suddenly fueled the next chapter of her hopes and dreams. “Take me back to Haven. I’m ready to go home.”
Epilogue
“I learned way more about thread and quilt rings than I ever needed to know,” Sophie stated with a long sigh.
Cora laughed and sank down onto the sofa in Braxton’s living room. Well, their living room now. Sophie had just put Cora’s home on the market the day after Christmas and with the opening of Bella Vous, the Monroe family was quite busy.
“Well, our first set of guests left happy and we’re full of all the quilting knowledge we’ll ever need.” Cora patted Heidi’s head as her dog settled in beside her.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” Sophie said. “Actually, Braxton was supposed to—”
“What was I supposed to do?”
Cora smiled as Braxton entered the room. He and Zach had been making dinner. Cora and Sophie didn’t care what it was, they were too exhausted to care and the guys said they’d handle it. Maybe they should’ve called Liam in for this, but the poor guy was even more exhausted after dealing with a weekend of very eager eaters.
“You were supposed to ask Cora about that position,” Sophie muttered.
Cora groaned. “Position?”
The couch dipped beside her as Braxton’s arm extended behind her back. “We were wondering if you could help with the bookkeeping if we got the proper voice-activated program.”
Cora thought for a moment, how she’d only gone to college for her accounting degree to appease her family. The last thing she’d wanted to do was use it, but that had been a different time in her life.
“You don’t have to,” Braxton went on to say.
“We completely understand if you don’t want to take that on,” Sophie added.
Cora shook her head. “No, no. I don’t mind doing it. I mean, we’re all in this together now, right?”
“Oh, thank God,” Zach stated, his heavy footsteps drawing nearer. “Because I’m pretty sure I messed something up already.”
Cora laughed. Poor Zach. “I’ll fix it. Don’t touch anything until I can get in there.”
“I’m glad to hear that because I ordered the voice program already and installed it,” Zach told her. “I
researched and this was supposed to be the best one and simple to use.”
Cora’s heart melted. This family had taken her in as one of their own, pulling her inside their circle to a place where so much love lived.
“I’m happy to look at it, but can it wait a couple days?” she asked. “I may need a day to recover from those ladies.”
Sophie’s sweet laughter filled the room. “Absolutely. I’ll make sure Zach keeps his hands out of the books. But you need to be warned, we have another large group coming in next weekend.”
Cora nodded. “They can’t be as exhausting as the quilters.”
“Don’t bet on it. It’s a writing group,” Sophie stated. “I’ve already been told they all plan on taking full advantage of the masseuse because their backs are cramped. They’re coming for five days and plan on plotting and relaxing. I’ve already warned Liam of all the chocolate he’ll need to order.”
Cora waved a hand. “I’ll order the chocolate. I have connections and it won’t cost the resort a thing.”
Braxton stiffened beside her. “No. You don’t need to do that.”
“I want to.” Cora shifted to face him better. “After everything you all have done for me, let me do this. It will be nice to do something with my family’s company that joins both of our worlds.”
Even though she didn’t want to run Buchanan Chocolates, that didn’t mean she couldn’t support them. Now that Eric was in charge, and she was still keeping in touch with all the comings and goings, she could easily keep Bella Vous stocked with only the best.
Braxton kissed her temple. “I love you.”
She never tired of hearing those words, of feeling that warmth spread through her at his certainty.
“I have some news to share, since we’re all happy and things are looking up,” Sophie exclaimed.
“What is it?” Cora asked.
“Well, now that Brock is settled in and we are legally his guardians, Zach and I decided to adopt.”
Cora jumped up and squealed, her arms held out, and Sophie instantly hugged her. “Oh, my goodness, that’s wonderful. This is so exciting.”
Caught Up In You Page 27
