Lindsay felt her mouth drop open as her heart pounded in her chest. She wanted him there now because she already knew her answer. Had known it from the moment she’d told him she loved him.
“Because when I see you, I’m going to ask you…”
Suddenly, the fog of emotions that had swirled around her as the video had played evaporated. She knew his scent—felt his presence—even as her hand was lifted in a familiar grasp. Lindsay looked to her right and saw him there, down on one knee, all teasing gone from his expression.
It was just him and her as he finished the sentence his videotaped image had started. “Will you marry me, sweetheart?”
Lindsay stared at him, almost afraid that this was a dream. But it didn’t matter. Dream or reality, her answer would still be the same. She reached out to touch his cheek, her heart pounding at the love she saw in his beautiful brown eyes. “Yes! Yes, I will.”
There were whoops of joy as he got to his feet, pulling her along with him. He wrapped his arms around her and drew her close for a kiss. Lindsay gripped his shoulders, the feel of which reinforced just how real this was. When the kiss ended, he pressed his forehead to hers.
“I love you, Lindsay. And you’ve made me the happiest man on the planet today.”
“Then I must be the happiest woman because I love you, too, Than, and spending the rest of my life with you is exactly what I want to do.”
“Hey, buddy!” someone in the crowd called out. “What about the ring?”
Than looked a little sheepish as he moved back from her. “I can’t believe I forgot that.”
“You forgot the ring?” Lindsay asked, fighting the urge to laugh.
“No, I didn’t forget the ring. I forgot to give it to you.” He reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled out a small velvet box. “I was just so excited to see you again and to pop the question, I forgot about giving this to you.”
Lindsay watched as Than lifted the ring from the box. He reached for her left hand and slid it onto her finger. After lifting it to his lips for a kiss, he let her have a look at it.
“Oh, Than, it’s perfect.” And it was. There was nothing super flashy about it, but it was something she would have chosen herself if she’d had a say in the matter.
He bent his head to hers as he curved her fingers over his. “The large stone represents God and the smaller stones on either side represent you and me, because I know now that it’s the only way to be in this relationship with you.”
They kissed one more time and as they turned from each other to face the crowd of loved ones gathered there with them, a cheer went up. “To Than and Lindsay!”
Than slid his arm around her, pulling her tight against his side. Lindsay put her arm around his waist and rested her hand with its new ring on his chest. They posed for a few pictures and then were encircled by their families offering them congratulations.
When Lindsay thought back over the year, she knew that it had been only by surrendering her heart to God’s will that she’d been able to find joy in her life. And she knew the same was true for Than. She was looking forward to what the years ahead held for them, but first she was going to have to convince her mother and his that a long engagement and a big wedding weren’t necessary.
The End
Available Now
BlackThorpe Security
Book 2
Signs of Love
CHAPTER ONE
“Hi, Justin.”
Justin Morrell dropped his bag onto the seat of the truck and pushed his sunglasses to the top of his head as he turned around. “Hey there, Mel. How’s it going?”
Melanie Thorpe approached him with a smile. “Not too bad. Just stopping in to check on the guy that came over earlier. Duncan Miller. Did you work with him?”
Justin rested his arm on the edge of the bed of his truck. “I got him set up on the range. Mitch was with him when I left. I’m heading into the city for the night.”
Melanie nodded. “Meeting tomorrow, eh?”
Aside from church, the Tuesday morning BlackThorpe team meetings were really the only reason he went into Minneapolis most weeks. Since he had to be in the city the next morning anyway, Justin planned to head to his apartment, take a long hot soak in his Jacuzzi tub and do some laundry. He’d spent the last two days training with a team of possible recruits for the company. To say he was sore and dirty was an understatement.
“Yep. I’ll see you there.”
“Yeah. Got flack for the last one I skipped out on.” Melanie smiled ruefully. “Guess I’d better get in there and see how Duncan is doing. Have a good evening.”
“You, too.” After she’d walked away, Justin shoved his bag to the passenger side of the seat and climbed behind the wheel.
Lowering his sunglasses over his eyes, Justin started the truck and sat for a moment waiting for some heat to flow from the vents before heading out of the BlackThorpe compound. The physical activity over the past few days had worked up a sweat even in the cool spring air. However, now that he wasn’t moving around as strenuously, he was grateful for a little more warmth in addition to his leather jacket.
He’d barely reached the highway when his phone rang. Using the hands-free capabilities of his truck, he answered it.
“Justin! Are you coming into the city tonight?”
“Hey, sis,” Justin said when he recognized his sister’s voice. “Yes. I’m on my way in now.”
“Can you come by the house for supper?”
Justin stifled a sigh. “I’m kind of beat, Beth. We’ve been training hard the past few days.”
“Please, Justin? I’d really like to see you since we’ve missed you at church the last couple of weeks.” She paused. “And I want to talk to you about something.”
Even though he was pretty sure the argument would be shot down, he gave it one more try. “I’m a mess. I’m covered in muck from the obstacle course, and I haven’t had a shower in three days.”
“You can take one when you get here. I’ll even do your laundry.”
She definitely knew him too well. He sighed, not bothering to muffle it this time. “You win, but consider yourself warned, okay?”
Thankfully, he’d stuck a clean set of clothes into his bag so he’d have something to wear while his dirty stuff was being washed. And hopefully, his brother-in-law had some masculine soap and shampoo so he didn’t get out of the shower smelling like vanilla and roses…or toddler scented products.
Since Elizabeth and her husband, Daniel, lived between the training compound and his apartment in Minneapolis, it wasn’t long before he pulled into their driveway. He grabbed his duffle bag and laptop case and headed toward the front door of the two-story house they called home.
Having accepted the inevitable, Justin found himself looking forward to it. He always enjoyed time with Daniel and Beth, but more than that, he loved seeing his two-year-old niece, Genevieve.
The door swung open before he could even press the bell. As he got a look at his sister, he realized something was off. He hadn’t picked up on it from their conversation earlier, but she looked tired and…sad?
“What’s wrong, Bethy?” Justin asked as she stepped back to let him into the house. He kept his gaze on her as she pushed the door shut.
“Why don’t you get cleaned up first and then we’ll talk,” Beth suggested, shoving a strand of brown hair behind her ear before crossing her arms over her waist.
He didn’t like the sound of that. What was going on? And how was he going to fix it?
“Hey, man.”
Justin swung around to see Daniel standing in the entry to the kitchen with his daughter in his arms. He headed over to them and pressed a kiss to Genevieve’s downy soft curls.
“Hello, baby.” She smiled up at him and reached out, but Justin didn’t take her since he was still so dirty. “After my shower. Okay, sweetie?”
Justin shrugged out of his jacket and heard a muffled sound to his left. He turned in search of the sou
rce of the noise and froze. A woman who looked vaguely familiar stood with a young boy pressed to her side. Her dark blonde hair was pulled back from her face which only served to emphasize her delicate features and the size of her green eyes as she stared at him. Her flowing skirt almost reached the floor, and she wore a long sleeved shirt that fit her loosely. His gaze moved to the boy at her side. He looked like the male version of her with curly dark blonde hair and green eyes.
How had he not noticed them when he’d walked in? Usually, he scanned any room he entered to be aware of who was present. He had been too distracted by Beth’s obvious distress to check out what he’d assumed was a safe environment.
He turned back to his sister. “Beth?”
She frowned as she moved to his side. “First of all, you need to lose the guns. You know the rule.”
He arched a brow at her. That’s what she was focusing on? Since it hadn’t been his plan to stop at her place, he hadn’t taken the weapons off before leaving the compound, and he’d forgotten to remove them before coming inside. He looked back at the little boy who was watching him with wide eyes that seemed to be stuck on the shoulder harness he wore.
“Let me get a shower, and I’ll put them away.” The two strangers just added to the mystery of the evening. His gaze met the woman’s again briefly before he turned back to his sister. Under different circumstances, he might have thought she was trying to set him up, but something told him the woman wasn’t there for his benefit.
“You can use the bathroom off the guest bedroom in the basement,” Beth said.
With his thoughts racing as to all the possible explanations for Beth’s apparent distress, Justin made his way down the stairs. His dreams of a leisurely soak were gone, so he made the best of the hot water and tried to keep his mind from going to the worst case scenarios, but it was a challenge.
~*~*~
Alana Jensen felt a tug on her skirt and looked down at her son, Caden. She watched as he signed the words for big, strong man and guns. Before replying, she searched his face for any sign of distress, but the expression on his face seemed more curious than anything.
That is Beth’s brother. His name is J U S T I N. She signed back to him, spelling out the individual letters in Justin’s name.
Caden’s mouth turned up at the corners as he lifted one arm and made a muscle then used his other hand to do the sign for the letter J against it. Alana smiled as she mimicked the movements. Caden didn’t always come up with a sign for someone’s name so quickly. That he did for Justin spoke clearly of his interest in the man.
“Sorry about the guns, Alana,” Beth said with a sigh. “Justin knows I don’t like him to wear them in the house.”
“You need to cut him a little slack, babe,” Daniel said as he set Genevieve down on her feet. The little girl headed straight for Caden, who took her by the hand and settled onto the floor with her toys. “Those weapons are just a part of who he is. You know he didn’t mean any harm by wearing them in here today. He hadn’t been planning to stop by.”
Alana felt bad for Beth and her husband. They’d been through a rough couple of months and from the looks of things, they hadn’t been keeping her brother abreast of the latest developments in their life. Unfortunately, from the brief look she’d gotten of him, something told Alana that Justin wasn’t a man who appreciated being left out of the loop.
Justin Morrell had come as something of a surprise to her. Given Beth’s small, though rounded, stature and open, expressive nature, Alana had expected a male version of that, but Justin appeared to be the opposite of his sister in every possible way.
The second he’d stepped into the room, he’d dominated everything. Daniel wasn’t a small man, but even he looked short next to his brother-in-law. Alana guessed Justin was a good four to five inches over six feet with a build that suggested hours of work in the gym. Even relaxed, she had been able to see the definition of the muscles of his arms…as, apparently, had Caden. The man’s firm jaw and square chin gave him a chiseled look that, when combined with his deep-set dark blue eyes, definitely made him an attractive—albeit dangerous looking—man.
She was glad Caden’s mind seemed to not have retained the memories of their past that might have made him afraid of a man like Justin. Too bad the same couldn’t be said for her.
“Let’s get dinner prep finished up so we can eat when Justin’s done. I’m sure he’s hungry,” Beth said. “When he comes off these training days he seems to be half-starved.”
“Does he do them often?” Alana asked, a little uncertain where the question had come from. She told herself she was just being polite.
“Yes. He’s in charge of the security teams that are part of BlackThorpe as well as the ones that are sent to them for training from outside agencies. He does have other staff who work with him who could do more of the training, but he seems to like to get in there with them,” Beth said as she set a bowl of salad on the counter.
Alana picked it up and moved it to the table in the dining room adjacent to the kitchen. She had been at the Olson home for dinner several evenings over the past couple of months. By coming into their lives at such a stressful time, she’d been able to see the raw dynamic between the husband and wife. Now she’d get to see the one between Beth and her brother.
Conversation stopped for a bit when Daniel used the electric knife to slice up the huge roast he had pulled from the oven. She took the spoon Beth handed her and scooped the vegetables out of the large pan into a bowl.
Alana had her back to the entrance of the kitchen, but she didn’t need eyes in the back of her head to know that Justin had walked into the room. Something in the air around her changed, and when she looked over her shoulder, she saw him there. His imposing presence was only emphasized by his stance. Even in stocking feet, with his legs spread and fingers splayed across his hips, he was a formidable figure. He wore a pair of camouflage pants that had a variety of different pockets and a black long-sleeve T-shirt. Thankfully, the weapons were nowhere to be seen.
“Now I’ll hug you,” Beth said with a smile when she spotted him. She set down the whisk she’d been using to make the gravy and went to her brother.
His arms wrapped around her, and she all but disappeared into his embrace. He bent down and kissed the top of her head.
When she stepped back, she said, “Where are your dirty clothes? I’ll stick them in while we eat.”
“I took care of them. They’re already in the wash.”
Justin’s gaze moved around the room, and Alana froze when it landed on her. His eyes narrowed briefly before he took a couple of steps in her direction. “Hi. I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Justin Morrell.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Beth said. “Justin, this is Alana Jensen. She’s a friend from church.”
Justin held out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
After a brief moment of hesitation, Alana reached out toward him. His hand totally engulfed hers when she slid it into his grasp. His fingers and palm were large and rough against hers. His grip tightened briefly before he released her hand.
Before Alana could say anything, Caden walked in with Genevieve, who, upon spotting her uncle, immediately abandoned her friend and made a beeline for Justin. A smile—the first she’d seen—crossed Justin’s face as he scooped the little girl into his arms and held her close to his chest. Genevieve put a hand on either side of his face and gave him an enthusiastic kiss. Seeing their closeness gave her a better understanding of why Beth was worried about sharing their news with Justin. It was clear that this big, strong man was securely wrapped around the finger of a two-year-old pixie of a girl with blonde curls.
Caden came to stand next to Alana and when she looked down at him, she saw that he was also watching Justin and Genevieve.
“And this handsome young man is Caden,” Beth said with a smile at the boy.
Justin held out his hand. Caden hesitated then took it for a quick shake. Looking at her son standing next to J
ustin was a startling reminder of just how small and defenseless he was.
“It’s nice to meet you.”
Caden looked up at her, so Alana quickly signed what Justin had said. He signed a reply, and Alana turned her gaze back to Justin. “He says it’s nice to meet you too.”
There was no expression on Justin’s face when he said, “Your son is deaf?”
Alana glanced at Beth then back to Justin. “Yes, he is.”
Caden tugged her skirt and she looked down, following his rapid signs. Alana hoped that Justin had some patience and tolerance for curious little boys. “He wants to know if you shoot your guns.”
Justin’s gaze moved back and forth between her and Caden before settling on her son. “Yes, but usually only for target practice.”
She signed Justin’s response for Caden then added on we’re going to eat. No more questions for now.
Disappointment flashed across Caden’s face so quickly she almost missed it, but he nodded his understanding.
“He didn’t like my answer?” Justin asked.
Alana turned to him, more than a little surprised that he’d recognized Caden’s reaction when it had been so fleeting. “Your answer was fine. I just told him no more questions since we are going to be eating.”
With that, Beth told them to take the rest of the food into the dining room while Daniel brought the large platter of meat. Alana breathed a sigh of relief when she realized the seating arrangement didn’t put her right next to Justin. His presence was overwhelming in a terrifyingly familiar way. If she had known exactly what sort of man Beth’s brother was, she would never have agreed to this. As it was, it took everything within her to keep her hands from shaking as she passed bowls of food and dished up her plate and Caden’s.
Guarding Her Heart: A Christian Romance (BlackThorpe Security Book 1) Page 24
