by Meier, Susan
So what the hell was he doing? Why was he letting her go when he loved her?
…
Ellie decided to take a nap after the funeral. Her head hurt from crying. Her eyes felt as though they’d been scratched by two cats. She slept a few hours, woke, stretched, and considered going to the diner for supper, but she wasn’t really hungry.
And the sooner she got the apartment cleaned out, the sooner she could go home.
She decided to give her bedroom furniture to Ashley for one of her daughters, then realized she didn’t want anything in the house. Maybe a picture or two, but that was all.
In fact, the easiest thing to do would be to have a huge yard sale and direct people up the stairs to the apartment to consider buying the furniture. That way, all she had to do was clean everything out of the cabinets and cupboards and either mark it for the yard sale or toss it as trash.
And Ashley could help her. B.B. too. Maybe Jason and Dan. And some of the Dinner Belles. They could probably empty and tag everything in one day. She could have the yard sale on Saturday, donate the proceeds to the Dinner Belles, and then she could leave.
Ignoring the tug on her heart when she thought about leaving Harmony Hills, she remembered the two bottles of wine in her refrigerator. She found them, poured herself a glass, and headed downstairs to the front porch.
When she opened the door and saw Finn sitting on one of the two wicker chairs, she stopped, but remembering that he would be the owner of this building once the paperwork went through, and he might need to talk about McDermott’s, she stepped out onto the porch.
“Hey.”
He rose. “Hey.”
She motioned him back down. “Sit.” She displayed her wine. “I just came outside for a few minutes of peace and quiet. What can I do for you?”
He smiled. “I’m not here for business.”
“Really?” She dropped to one of the chairs. “I don’t know what else we’d have to discuss.”
“That’s just it. I made a mistake. A big mistake. I do love you.”
She blinked. Hot syrup flooded her body, warming places that had been cold and dark since he’d left her the day he’d heard Ashley’s answering machine message. Still, no matter how much her body wanted to believe he loved her, it wasn’t true. He’d just watched her go through the very traumatic loss of her only living relative, and he felt sorry for her. On top of that, she’d saved him. Of course he was feeling things. Just not the right things.
She shook her head sadly. “You don’t have to say you love me.”
“That’s my point. I never do anything I don’t want to do. So you can trust me when I say I love you.”
She laughed a little bit. “Finn, don’t you see what’s going on here?”
…
He frowned. Her eyes were still red and puffy from crying. She looked small and fragile in the oversize shirt she wore with jeans. But her face was a study in calm. And he had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.
“First, I sold you the business and saved you. Then my dad’s funeral was hard. So part of you is grateful, the other part feels sorry for me, and your answer is to give me the one thing I wanted but you couldn’t give…your love.”
His breath hissed out. “What?”
She rose. “You feel sorry for me.” This time her voice was stronger, and angry. “Damn it, Finn. Thanks for making me feel like a charity case.”
With that she opened the door, and wine in hand, left him alone on the porch.
He sat there for a few seconds, then shook his head. She didn’t believe he loved her.
He’d come here with his heart in his hand, and she didn’t believe him?
Now what?
Chapter Seventeen
Ellie, B.B., Ashley, Sandy, Karen, Charlene, and Dan cleared out the apartment. They tagged the salable items with prices and tossed out fourteen garbage bags of junk.
Saturday morning dawned warm and muggy, so Ellie filled her dad’s enormous drink dispenser with fruit punch and set three sleeves of paper cups beside it.
Residents of Harmony Hills strolled into the pristine yard of the yellow Victorian, took a cup of fruit punch, and evaluated her offerings. Most happily paid the low-ball prices she’d put on the dishes, the throw rugs, the bedding. But if anyone came up to her and haggled, she simply told them to take the coffeepot, the cups, the tea cozies.
What did she care? She had a good job. In a few months, she’d get a bonus. She didn’t need to haggle over a tea cozy.
As Barbara Beth ushered people upstairs to the apartment to show them the furniture that was also for sale, and Ashley chased her daughter around the front yard, Ellie casually watched up the street.
She wasn’t sure why. Finn might have told her he loved her, on the worst day of her life, but obviously she’d been correct. He’d simply gotten carried away with the sadness the entire community felt over her dad’s loss.
Still, for the days in between the funeral and the yard sale, she’d felt ridiculous hope. Hope that he’d meant what he’d said, hope that he’d fight for her. But he hadn’t come back. He hadn’t brought wine or food or asked her to go skinny-dipping.
And though it was difficult to accept, she had to acknowledge she’d said the right thing when she told him he didn’t love her. He’d felt sorry for her. But he’d also gotten over it. He’d already contacted Barbara Beth and Dan about working for him. There might not be enough business for two funeral homes, but there was more than enough for one. And he’d hired her staff. Proving he was moving on. Getting on with the rest of his life.
Without her.
When the afternoon sun dipped, and the items on the table had shrunk to almost nothing, she told Barbara Beth and Ashley to simply give everything else away.
Sandy took some kitchen items for the Dinner Belles, then hugged Ellie. “I’m hoping that when you visit Ashley, you’ll give me a call.”
She swallowed. “I will.”
“I mean it.” Sandy pulled away.
Ashley sidled up to her. “I’ll make sure she does.”
With one last hug, Sandy was gone. The remaining items found homes with passersby, and suddenly the automatic funeral home lights came on.
“It’s dark.”
Ashley shivered. “I should get home.”
Counting the cash to be donated to the Dinner Belles, B.B. strolled over. “I should too.” She hugged Ellie. “You don’t be a stranger.”
Ellie nodded. “I’ll call.”
“And now that I’m working for Finn, I’ll keep an eye on him.”
“Don’t.”
“Oh, sweetie, this isn’t the time to give up. Once the dust settles, Finn may change how he feels.”
“He already thinks he changed how he feels, but he doesn’t love me. He might have said it the day of my dad’s funeral, but he didn’t mean it.”
Barbara Beth and Ashley gaped at her. “He said it?”
She batted a hand. “Emotion of the moment. He never even visited after that. No phone call.” Just like after their night in the Buick.
Barbara Beth slapped her arm. “Or you scared him off!”
Ellie shook her head. Finn was too strong, too hardheaded to be scared off that easily. “I doubt it.” She hugged Barbara Beth. “I’ll call you once I’m resettled, and Ashley and I will take you shopping at the mall where we got our dresses for Sissy Martin’s wedding.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh, cool.”
“So you behave.”
Barbara Beth said, “I’ll behave.” Then she walked to her car.
Ashley hugged Ellie. “I’ll behave too.”
“I never need to tell you to behave. You already have all the answers.”
She pulled out of the hug. “I do, don’t I?”
“Yes. And I meant what I said about us going shopping.”
“You don’t think I see what you’re doing?”
“What?”
“You’re dragging me and B.B. to Pittsbu
rgh so you don’t have to come home.”
Ellie glanced around. “A lot of painful memories here.”
“Finn too.”
She shrugged. “I learned from Nick not to pine after a guy who doesn’t want me.”
“Then I can invite you for Thanksgiving dinner and you’ll come?”
“Thanksgiving is months off.”
“I know. I plan early.” She hugged Ellie again. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Two weeks,” Ellie said, as she walked backward toward the porch. “I’ll text you and B.B.”
Ashley got in her minivan, started it, and pulled out onto the street.
From the front porch, Ellie watched her drive away. She glanced at the dark park. The quiet road.
And for the first time, she realized she was leaving home. Really leaving this time. For good. No coming back. Next month McDermott’s would be Donovan’s. And she’d never see her childhood home again.
With a determined breath, she walked up the stairs to the apartment, grabbed her purse, and walked out to her packed car.
She took one last longing look, remembering her mom waving good-bye when she sent her off to school, remembering her dad telling her that her mom had loved her, no matter what the people of the town said, remembering sitting with Finn on the wicker rockers.
Now all that was gone.
She got in her car and drove up Main to the rickety road that would take her to the highway back to Pittsburgh.
She wouldn’t cry. She refused to cry. She would keep B.B. and Ashley as friends, and since she’d never really had Finn, she’d get over losing him.
The farther out of town she drove, the darker it got. But that only served to make the electronic billboards stand out.
When she reached the first one, she laughed. There stood Finn, hands on his hips, caption above his head reading, Are you an idiot?
She had no idea how he thought he was going to get funeral home business with a negative ad, but that was his problem.
The second billboard showed Finn again. This time the caption read, Of course I love you.
She frowned. That was weird.
The third billboard showed Finn with his arms crossed on his chest. And now the whole town knows, so I can’t take it back. And you can’t pretend I didn’t say it.
That one almost made her stop her car. Her heart zigzagged through her chest. What was he doing?
I’m asking you to marry me.
She did stop the car at billboard number four. She got out and stood staring as the ad rotated around. Auto mechanic. O’Riley’s grocery store. Two happy birthday notices and, finally, Finn…
I’m asking you to marry me.
She shook her head, but her heart squeezed. He loved her. He was asking her to marry him. The ads rotated again. When Finn’s ad came up a third time, she stepped closer.
I’m asking you to marry me.
Her heart flipped over in her chest.
What kind of an idiot asked someone to marry them on a billboard?
She hopped in her car, turned around, and headed for his house. But the closer she got, the more nerves filled her. He might think he was cute or funny to put a proposal on a billboard, but she didn’t think it was funny at all. Mostly because she wanted to believe him. Desperately, desperately wanted to believe he loved her. Not because she was alone, but because he was wonderful, fun, funny, deliciously sexy, and the other half of her whole. And he was making a joke?
When he answered the door, she poked her finger into his chest. “What kind of man asks a woman to marry him on a billboard?”
“The kind who knows the woman is stubborn and won’t listen to him.”
She crossed her arms on her chest, furious with him. His calling her stubborn was like the pot calling the kettle black. And he still wasn’t saying the words she longed to hear. Part of her almost walked away in pride. The other part loved him and wanted this. So desperately wanted this to be real. Not a joke.
“It’s not very romantic.”
“You didn’t leave me a lot of options.”
Ack! The man was so dense! “I’ve been home all week.”
“I figured if you didn’t believe me the first time, I had to do something over the top.”
She blinked, suddenly understanding. He wasn’t having difficulty admitting he loved her. This was the way they were. Happy. Flirty. Silly. And it was that playfulness that would carry them through a lifetime.
A laugh bubbled out.
…
And Finn’s tension released a notch. He wasn’t sure how she’d take the ads, but he really had been desperate. He knew he’d blown it with her, and the only way to get her attention was to do something crazy. Something neither one of them could ignore.
“That was definitely over the top.”
“And cost me a pretty penny.”
He waited.
She said nothing.
Finally, he sighed. “So?”
She peered up at him. “So?”
“Will you marry me?”
She didn’t answer.
His heart plummeted. Fear surged in his blood. He’d watched his parents’ poor excuse for a marriage and had become so jaded he hadn’t realized he had a glorious opportunity with Ellie. Because of that, he’d lost her. And though he’d done his best to make up for that, it looked as though he was going to lose her anyway.
“I love you. I have always loved you.” He swallowed. “We might have seemed like two bickering bulldogs, but deep down I think we’ve always understood each other. That’s why it was so easy to fall in love with you.”
Her eyes warmed. “Oh.”
“‘Oh’ isn’t yes.”
“That’s just so sweet.”
“Are you deliberately tormenting me?”
She laughed. “Yes.”
He gaped at her. “Yes, you’re tormenting me, or yes, you will marry me?”
She smiled. “Both.”
His heart filled with warmth. His breath whooshed out. He hadn’t realized how worried he was that he had truly lost her until the relief of finally winning her poured through him. He swooped down and kissed her.
She pulled back. “But we’re not getting married.”
Fear flooded him. “We’re not?”
“Well, not yet.” She nipped his lips with a kiss. “First, I really think we oughta date.”
At that he laughed. Long and hard. And knew, absolutely knew in that moment, that this woman would keep him happy for the rest of his life.
Epilogue
Finn and Ellie got engaged but dated for the next year. She’d even shunned the idea of living together until the month before their wedding.
When the big day arrived, they put a tent in the backyard for the reception and a gazebo where they actually said their vows.
Walking down the aisle with her hand securely tucked in Dan’s elbow, Ellie looked at the tuxedo-clad trio with the minster. Finn, Cade, and Devon—the Donovans. With their dark hair and dark eyes, Cade and Devon were gorgeous, but she only had eyes for blond-haired, blue-eyed Finn.
Those blue eyes warmed when she took her place beside him in front of the minister, and she knew her white lace dress pleased him. Ashley, the maid of honor, took her bouquet, and then she turned to Finn and he clasped her hands. Seated in the front row, LuAnn Donovan dabbed her eyes with a tissue.
Everybody half expected his father to show up and ruin the wedding, but as the minister led them through their vows, the air filled with a general sigh of relief. Jeb had stayed away. He’d filed for divorce, but because of arguments over the financial settlement, the case was pending. Still, the start of it was enough for LuAnn.
When the ceremony was over and pictures had been taken, the caterer from the next town over served chicken and steak, so the Dinner Belles could enjoy the day too. The crowd danced. Everybody drank vodka and cranberry juice, as the sun went down and the moon came up.
And as she and Finn raced from their own backyard
to his waiting Range Rover with a just married sign above the back fender and covered in Silly String, Ellie peeked up at the sky and knew—just knew.
Both of her parents were smiling down on her.
* * *
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About the Author
Susan Meier is the author of almost sixty books for Entangled, Harlequin, Silhouette, and Guideposts’ Grace Chapel Inn series. Her books have been finalists for Reviewers Choice Awards, National Reader’s Choice Awards, and Cataromance.com Reviewer’s Choice Awards.
One of eleven children, Susan was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania and continues to live there with her husband, son, and two very personable cats. A one-time legal secretary and former regional director for a charitable organization, Susan found her bliss when she became a published novelist. She’s visited ski lodges and candy factories for research and works in her pajamas.
But the real joy of her job is creating stories about women for women. She’s tackled issues like infertility, losing a child, and becoming widowed. Her favorite stories are those that inspire laughter through tears.
Susan is an avid but terrible golfer and a woman who desperately wants to learn to cook without having to involve the fire department.
Visit her online at www.susanmeier.com.
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