Falling for Mr. Right: Still the One ; His Proposal, Their Forever
Page 20
“What?” Lainey whispered as her jaw dropped. “Why?”
“I’m not totally sure, but you need to know Ethan didn’t desert you the way you thought.”
Lainey tried for a moment to wrap her mind around that concept then shook her head. “It doesn’t change the facts. I deserted him. All of you. If I’d had the courage to face him on our wedding day, there wouldn’t have been any confusion. I don’t know if I deserve a second chance with Ethan after what I put him through, but I owe him an honest conversation about my feelings then and now. Like you said, Mama, it’s time to move on. Whether or not I can have children biologically doesn’t make me damaged goods. I’ve let my sorrow define me for too long. I’m making a change starting today. I want a family, and I’m going to have one. I want both of you and Charlie to be a part of my life. This summer has shown how much you mean to me and how lonely I’ve been. I just hope it’s not too late.”
She looked at Julia who smiled then pulled her into a hug. “I have a lot to make up for, too, little sister. We’ll be all right. Charlie needs his favorite auntie to spoil him rotten.”
“Absolutely,” Lainey agreed.
They both turned to Vera.
“Am I allowed to speak now?” she asked with a small smile.
Lainey grimaced. “Of course.”
Her mother took both Lainey’s hands in her own. “I’m proud of you, Lainey. For what you did this summer and the changes you’re making. If my stroke is what brought you back here, then I’m thankful something good could come from it. You’ll be a wonderful mother.” She paused and wiped at her eyes then added, “I want lots of grandkids.”
The three women hugged as more families with dogs trailed by them. Lainey heard her name spoken and looked up to see Tim standing near the clinic’s entrance.
“How dare he show up here,” Vera whispered on a hiss of breath.
Julia’s shoulders stiffened. “I’ll kick his butt into next week.”
She took a step toward Tim but Lainey tugged her back. “I should talk to him. I need to know what happened at the wedding and why he published all that garbage under my name.”
“All you need to know is he’s a scumbag,” Julia argued.
“He’s part of this. Another challenge and I’m going to face it.”
Julia studied her then nodded. “Come on, Mama. We’ll check on things at the shelter. Lainey, we’re right around the corner if you need anything.”
“Your sister can be kind of scary when she wants to,” Tim said when they’d gone.
“She wants to protect me.”
“Since when?” he answered with a scoff. “We were alike—no one in our corner. The way I remember it, the only person who protected you was me.”
Lainey frowned. “Is that what you call switching the note, Tim? The editorial exposing my personal business for everyone to read? That’s exploitation, not protection. I came back here to make amends, not more enemies.”
He took a step closer to her, running one hand through his thinning hair. “Don’t you understand? I did those things for your own good. You need to get out of this town. You’re better than Brevia. Definitely better than Ethan Daniels. He’s just like his father.”
“Ethan is nothing like his father, which is not the point. You had no right to interfere in my life.”
“I did it because I loved you. I still do. If you hadn’t been so obsessed with Ethan, maybe you would have noticed. I hated to see how sad you were when he hurt you. It made me crazy when everyone in town turned on you. I’d never do that, Lainey. We want the same things in life. I could travel with you. We’d see the world together if you’d only give me a chance.”
He reached out and Lainey took a step away. What he’d done was wrong and unforgivable. “You don’t show you love someone by manipulating them, Tim.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I thought we were friends. I trusted you. You abused my trust in the worst way possible. Not to mention the pain you caused Ethan and the rest of my family. There is no chance for us and there never was. Whether or not Ethan is in the picture doesn’t change that. Stay away from me and out of my life, once and for all.”
His jaw dropped. “You can’t mean it.”
She started up the clinic steps. “I have nothing more to say to you, Tim,” she called over her shoulder.
She made it to the front porch just as Tim grabbed her arm. “Let me explain,” he yelled, yanking her back. “I can make you understand.”
As she tried to pull away, her shoe caught on the last step and she tumbled into him. “Get your hands off me,” she hollered as his arms wrapped around her, too angry to care about the small crowd of people that had gathered in the front driveway to watch the spectacle.
“Please, Lainey—”
“Let her go, Reynolds.”
Lainey caught a glimpse of Ethan filling the doorway of the clinic just before Tim pushed her away. Off balance, she dropped onto all fours in the grass.
“Stay out of this, Ethan. It’s between Lainey and me.” Tim’s voice sounded petulant.
“There is nothing between the two of us,” she snapped, standing up then grimacing as she tried to put weight on her ankle.
Ethan’s gaze met hers, and she could see him read the pain in her eyes. In an instant he was in front of Tim, practically lifting him off the ground by his shirt collar. “If you’ve hurt her, I’m going to—”
“It’s okay,” she said quickly, placing a hand on Ethan’s chest. The last thing any of them needed was another public scene.
“Tim, what the hell is wrong with you?” Dave Reynolds elbowed his way through the cluster of people.
Ethan gave Tim a solid shove then came to stand next to Lainey. “Get him out of here, Dave.”
Tim swatted at his brother’s hand. “You think he’s your best friend, Dave. But you don’t know the things I do. What his old man did. Ethan isn’t so high-and-mighty. He’s cut from the same cloth.”
“I do know,” Dave said, temper flaring in his eyes. “I know about Ray and our mom. It wasn’t Ethan’s fault. We were all kids when it happened.”
“Everyone knows his mother left town because she didn’t want to be saddled with a family. If it wasn’t for Ethan, maybe his dad wouldn’t have come sniffin’ around Mom. Maybe she and Dad—”
“You need to shut your trap.” Dave grabbed the back of Tim’s neck and pulled him through the crowd. “Before I do it for you.” He looked toward Ethan. “I’m sorry, man. About everything.”
Ethan gave him a small nod.
“You too, Lainey. I wish I could make it up to you.”
She swallowed and tried to offer a reassuring smile. “It’s okay, Dave.”
“Show’s over, folks,” Ethan called out as Dave disappeared into the crowd. “Nothing more to see here.” He looked down at Lainey, his eyes dark. “We need to talk.”
She nodded then winced as she put weight on her ankle.
“You’re hurt.”
“It’s fine,” she said quickly. “Just twisted it a little.”
Ethan cursed under his breath and gathered her into his arms. He climbed the steps of the clinic and maneuvered inside, not putting her down until the door was safely closed and they were alone.
“I know you probably hate me more now,” she said quietly, focusing her gaze on a place just past his shoulder. “The things Tim published in my name were awful, and instead of facing the problem, I ran off again. I’m sorry I didn’t stay, then and now. I was wrong—”
He covered her mouth with his, cutting off the rest of her sentence. A sliver of hope began to grow in her, blooming into something more when she pulled back and met his gaze. She saw the same love shining in his eyes she knew was reflected in her own.
“You don’t hate me?”
“I could never hate you.” He smoothed his palms
over her cheeks. “As much as I wanted to—tried to—I’ve always loved you, Lainey. All those years you were gone, it was like you’d taken a part of my soul with you.” He pressed another kiss to her mouth. “I’m half a man without you. You make me whole.”
“The infertility made me feel like part of me was missing. Even you couldn’t fill the empty space. How could I expect you to accept me when I wouldn’t accept myself? I know I can’t give you the family you’ve wanted—”
He shook his head. “What I want is you. You’re all I’ve ever wanted.”
His words made her heart soar. “I want you, too, Ethan. I want us to have a family. Together.” She paused to catch her breath as emotion clogged her throat. “I should have talked to you earlier, been honest from the start. I love you so much. I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”
“You never have to.” He pulled her down the hall toward his office. “I want to show you something.”
She leaned on him as they walked, his fingers warm and sure laced in hers. He picked up a stack of papers from his desk and handed it to her.
Her eyes widened as she looked over the brochures and books on adoption. She jerked her head up. “You’d be willing to consider adoption?”
He smiled and pulled out a slip of paper with a boarding pass printed on it. “I was leaving for Alaska tonight. I let you get away once and didn’t plan to repeat that mistake. It doesn’t matter to me whether you give birth or we find a child who needs us as much as we need him or her. I want to see you hold our child in your arms, Lainey. I want to grow old with you, take our grandkids to Disney World. I want a life with you.”
“I was such a fool.” She struggled to catch her breath. “For so long I thought I was being punished—I didn’t deserve to be a mother.” When he reached for her she shook her head. “It was an accident, Ethan. I realized that in Alaska. I finally understood my life is what I make of it, not something that happens to me.” She smiled through her tears. “And I want to make a life with you.”
He drew her to him and caressed her mouth with his. She gave herself up to the pleasure of his touch until a thought pierced the edge of her mind.
“Oh, no!” she yelled, pulling back.
His eyes were dark as he looked at her. “What is it?”
“Pita,” she whispered. “I told Mom to put her on the adoptive animal roster. And the puppy, too. I thought they’d be better without me, but I need them. Pita and Chip belong to me. To us.” She whirled for the door. “What if they’re already gone? I have to get them back, Ethan.”
He grabbed her arm. “Come on.”
Instead of turning toward the front, he led her down the hall to the back. “There’s no time, Ethan. I need to—”
He opened the door to one of the empty exam rooms and flipped on the light switch. Pita trotted out with Chip trailing behind her and sniffed at Ethan.
Lainey gasped and the dog charged at her, tail wagging in an ecstatic greeting. She dropped to the ground and wrapped her arms around Pita’s neck while the puppy dashed over to cover her with enthusiastic kisses.
“I never put them with the other animals. They’re yours, sweetheart. Always have been.”
Straightening, she hugged him as Pita and Chip pranced around them, yipping wildly. “Just like you?” She rained kisses across his face.
“Just like me,” he agreed. “You’re still the one, Lainey. You always will be.”
She sighed and rested her head on his chest. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for ten years.”
“Better or worse, Ethan. I’m here for good. Forever.”
His mouth grazed over hers. “Forever,” he agreed.
She’d found her place in the world and couldn’t imagine belonging anywhere else. She lost herself in his kiss once more, knowing she was finally home.
* * * * *
HIS PROPOSAL, THEIR FOREVER
Melissa McClone
Melissa McClone has published over thirty novels. She has also been nominated for Romance Writers of America’s RITA® award. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three school-aged children, two spoiled Norwegian elkhounds and cats who think they rule the house. They do! Visit her at melissamcclone.com.
Books by Melissa McClone
Harlequin Special Edition
The Billionaire’s Nanny
Harlequin Romance
A Little Bit of Holiday Magic
The Man Behind the Pinstripes
It Started with a Crush...
Firefighter Under the Mistletoe
Not-So-Perfect Princess
Expecting Royal Twins!
Visit the Author Profile page
at Harlequin.com for more titles.
To Margie Lawson and the Wonderblue Wordsmiths: Allie Burton, Linda Dindzans, Amy Mckenna Rae, Megan Menard, Laura Navarre and Sarah Tipton.
Special thanks to Amy Mckenna Rae, Lisa Hayden, Terri Reed and Kimberly Field.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 1
The hourly chime of tower bells rang through the Piazza del Duomo. Bailey Cole raised her face to let the Florence sunshine kiss her cheeks.
Glong. Glong. D-ding-a-ting-glong.
Not bells from the famous tower, her cell phone ring tone.
Bailey opened her eyes. Not Italy. Home.
Her home. Haley’s Bay, Washington.
She rubbed her face, trying to wake up.
The phone kept ringing.
A glance at the digital clock made her blink: 5:45 a.m. Too early for a social call. Something must be...
Flynn. Bailey’s heart slammed against her chest. Air whooshed from her lungs. Her brother in the navy had mentioned going somewhere in his email last week.
Please let him be safe.
She reached for her phone on the nightstand, read “Grandma” and her phone number on the screen.
Bailey’s chest sank with the weight of a flag-draped coffin. She fumbled for the talk button. “Grandma? Is everything okay?”
“Your aunt Ida Mae called. Told me the craziest thing. Said there’s a construction crew set up in front of the Broughton Inn.”
Not Flynn. Bailey released a breath. “Did you say a construction crew?”
“They’ve been moving things out of the inn and loading them into a big truck since late last night.” The words flew out of Grandma’s mouth faster than her homemade molasses cookies disappeared from the jar. “Equipment is parked on the street. A bulldozer and a crane with a wrecking ball.”
Bailey sat straight, the covers falling to her waist.
“What’s Floyd Jeffries trying to pull? I just saw him two days ago. He didn’t mention any construction, and a wrecking ball sounds more like demolition. He knows owners can’t touch a historic building without approval.” She scrambled out of bed. “He practically wrote the preservation laws.”
“Maybe he forgot.”
“No way.” She turned on the lamp, waited for her eyes to adjust to the light. “I took over the historical committee from him. He knows every single rule and regulation.”
“He could be expanding the owner’s apartment now that he’s in a relationship.”
“Floyd didn’t mention his girlfriend moving here. She’s half his age and most of their relationship has been online. Something’s going on. I need to find out what. Fast.”
Bailey pulled her night
shirt over her head and took a step. Her foot twisted, then slid, jamming into the bedpost.
A sledgehammer pain sliced through her big toe. She sucked in a breath. Tears stung her eyes. The phone slipped from her hand. She swore.
“Bailey?” Her grandmother’s voice carried from wherever the phone had landed. Lilah Cole had been a widow for the past fifteen years, and her grandchildren had become her focus. “Are you okay?”
Hell, no. Bailey was naked, her mangled toe throbbing. She picked the phone off the bed. “I’m getting dressed. Trying not to panic over the twenty-five thousand dollars’ worth of artwork inside the inn.”
She hit the speakerphone button and placed the cell phone on the dresser. She opened the top drawer. Panties and bras. Second drawer—pajamas. Third drawer, empty. She had been so into her new painting this week she hadn’t done laundry.
She wiggled into a pair of underwear, then put on a bra, trying not to cry out and worry Grandma. “Floyd might be struck stupid by Cupid, but he loves the inn.”
“So do you. I know you’ll straighten him out.”
“Gotta go. I’ll call you later.”
Bailey bunny-hopped on one leg to the bathroom. Clothes overflowed from the hamper. Paint-splattered white, long-sleeved coveralls hung on a hook. She gave the fabric the sniff test. The cotton smelled of paint and solvents. Oh, well, this was what she’d planned to wear today while she worked. She dressed.
Clean panties and bra. Dirty coveralls.
Could be worse, right? A glance in the mirror brought a tell-me-I’m-still-dreaming cringe. Nope. This was pretty bad.
She didn’t look sleep-rumpled sexy. More like bizarre, deranged scarecrow. Her wild hair stuck up every which way. Bet she’d freak out folks around town if she carried a broom this morning.
Okay, maybe not, but she would likely scare them, broom or not.
She combed her fingers through the tangles and twisted her hair into a messy bun. A slight improvement, but getting to the Broughton Inn was more important than looking good. So what if she ended up being tonight’s gossip at the Crow’s Nest, the local dive bar? Wouldn’t be the first time or the last. Bailey took a step.