Coming Home

by Shirlee Busbee

  The conversation with Sloan played over and over in his mind. He wanted to take heart from Sloan's comments, but he was having a difficult time believing that Roxanne was really and truly back in the valley for good. He was convinced that one of these days an offer, a plum assignment that she simply couldn't resist, would come through and Roxanne would be off to the frenetic and glittering world that was her natural setting. Once there he suspected liercurrent enchantment with Oak Valley would vanish and that she'd settle back into the sophisticated life she'd supposedly given up. Oh, she'd show up in the valley now and then, just as she had in the past. She'd open up her house and fill it with her sophisticated, worldly friends and for a few weeks the valley would buzz with gossip and stare agog at all the famous and occasionally infamous people that Roxanne had brought with her. Then like a brilliant, warm sunny day in January, she'd be gone, leaving behind the icy winter, not to appear until the next whim to see the valley overcame her. Jeb believed this. He believed it with every bone, sinew, and fiber of his being. He didn't resent it. He accepted it. For his sake, he wished it was different, but he'd fallen headlong in love with Roxanne, knowing that someday she would once again leave the valley … and him behind—despite what Sloan said.

  He supposed that the reason he hadn't pushed for their relationship to become public had been because he'd been hoping, rather foolishly he now thought, to protect himself. If no one knew of their affair, then no one would pity him when Roxanne left him for the neon lights of New York. He hadn't brooded over it, but he admitted that he wasn't looking forward to being viewed as a three-time loser—nor pointed out as one of Roxanne's discarded lovers. Losing her was going to be agonizing enough without having to be the object of stares and whispers in the valley. He took a deep breath. He'd handle it when the time came and in the grand scheme of things, being gossiped about would be the least of his pain when Roxanne left him.

  Losing her was not going to be easy or simple. Somehow she'd entwined herself so tightly around his heart that he couldn't imagine a life without her. He'd thought he'd suffered at the failure of his two marriages, but compared to what he felt for Roxanne, the emotion his two ex-wives had engendered was a pale, weak thing. Roxanne meant everything to him. She was his whole world and without her, he'd be half a man, an empty shell.

  That Roxanne cared for him, he didn't doubt. She might even love him a little and he was confident that he made her happy. At least for right now. But he never doubted that when she heard the siren's call of those faraway places that she'd be gone, leaving him behind.…

  Jeb stiffened. So when she took off like a will-o'-the-wisp why in the hell didn't he follow after her? Go with her? Where was it written that he had to remain in Oak Valley for all of his life? Other people moved away, took jobs in other cities, why the hell couldn't he?

  He realized suddenly that something fundamental had happened to him when he had fallen in love with Roxanne. Without him even being aware of it, she had become the most important thing in his life. The life he had made for himself in Oak Valley, the career he valued and took pride in, suddenly meant nothingif he couldn't have Roxanne. If he had the choice between having Roxanne and leaving his world behind or remaining in the valley without her, there was no choice to make. Roxanne won every time.

  Something tight and painful shook loose in his chest. The choice was so simple. Roxanne or not. The “not” was unthinkable and when he looked at it in those simple terms all of his agony and dilemma vanished. Determined to stay in Oak Valley, resolved to bravely watch her leave when the time came, he'd imprisoned himself, not given himself any options or choices. By jettisoning his determination to remain locked to his career and the valley, everything fell into place. He loved her. And he loved her enough to follow her wherever she went.

  Would he like living somewhere else? Somewhere like New York? He grimaced. Probably not. But if he had Roxanne in his arms, it wouldn't matter where they lived, as long as it was together. Other people lived in and liked New York just fine, maybe in time, he would too.

  When he pulled into his usual spot in front of the house, he was grinning like an idiot. He had no doubts, no regrets. Roxanne didn't know it yet, but she was his woman. And he was her man. For all time.

  Roxanne and the dogs met him at the front door. At the sight of those bags held in his arms Roxanne blinked.

  “Hungry tonight, are we,” she asked with a smile.

  “You bet,” Jeb replied, his heart pounding joyfully at the sight of her. Even without makeup and wearing blue jeans and a dirt-stained orange sweatshirt, her hair curling wildly around her head, Jeb thought she was the loveliest creature he'd ever seen. He wiggled his eyebrows. “And not just for food.”

  “Oh, really,” she said with a dimple as she took a couple of the bags from him. “Now I wonder what that could be.”

  Dumping the bags on the counter in the kitchen Jeb grabbed her and buried his face in her neck. “Miss me today?” he asked huskily.

  Roxanne turned around from her task of taking the various cartons out of the brown paper bags and looked at him. There was something different about him, but she couldn't put her finger on it. He'd never asked her that sort of question before; in fact, they didn't talk about their feelings for each other at all.

  She met his gaze and the warm glitter in those black eyes made her heart turn right over in her chest. Flustered, she muttered, “Of course. It's very quiet when you're not around the house.”

  Jeb made a face. “Ah, you miss my noise. Great.” “I miss you, too,” she added hastily. Shyly she said, “It is a bit lonesome without you.”

  His hands tightened on her waist and he kissed her hard on the mouth. “Good. Don't you forget it.”

  Dinner passed pleasantly, although Roxanne picked at her food. When Jeb noticed and commented, she said, “I think I'm coming down with that flu that's going around the valley—I've felt queasy off and on all day. I don't have a fever—at least not yet. I'm hoping it's nothing more than an upset stomach. If it is the flu, according to what my mom said, I'll be spending at least the next couple of days retching my innards out. Yuck.”

  Jeb looked worried. “You want me to call in and see if I can get a couple of days off?”

  “Nah, I'll be fine.” She wrinkled her nose at him. “I'm a big girl, remember? And I know the drill for flu: rest and plenty of fluids.”

  He didn't argue with her, but his mind was already made up. If she had the flu, he'd take those days off. God knew he had enough of them—Craddock had been dinging him about them only last week. He smiled to himself. Somehow he rather thought that the days of his vacation time stacking up unused were over. With Roxanne in his life, spending every available moment on the job didn't seem quite so important anymore.

  “Saw Sloan tonight when I picked up dinner. He was at the restaurant doing the same thing,” he said a few minutes later. “He'd been down to Santa Rosa. Shelly'd stayed home to paint.”

  “Probably something to do with the business. It hasn't been that long since Ross took over and I expect he still wants big brother to cast an eye over things now and then,” Roxanne remarked.

  “You think Sloan will ever regret giving up the business and coming back to the valley?” Jeb asked quietly.

  Roxanne laughed. “Are you crazy? It would take an atom bomb blast to get Sloan to move out of the valley. He loves it here. Unlike me, it's where he always wanted to be. When I was nineteen all I could think of was how fast I could get away, but not Sloan. He wanted to stay—he and I used to have these horrific arguments about it—for a long time I never understood why he hated living in Sonoma County, why he was always counting the days until he could come home. Nope. Sloan won't be moving back down to Santa Rosa or any other place. Especially since he's married Shelly.” She smiled softly. “They're here to stay.”

  Jeb nodded, a crooked smile on his face. “Nice when everything works out.”

  When dinner was over and the dishwasher was burbling aw
ay, they wandered into the great room and settled on the couch. With groans of bliss the dogs took up their favorite positions on the floor at their feet.

  “Besides seeing my handsome brother, anything exciting happen today?” Roxanne asked. “Capture an ax murderer or something like that?”

  Jeb shook his head. “Nope. But I did learn something interesting about the former owner of this place.”

  Roxanne cocked a brow. “What?”

  It wasn't a decision that he'd made lightly, but ithad dawned on him that by not telling Roxanne what he knew about Aston that he might be putting her in danger. “It's mostly street gossip,” he warned her as he began his tale, “but apparently Dirk Aston skimmed off money and drugs from some big guys in Oakland.”

  He related everything that Gene had told him, including his own suspicion that the money and drugs might be hidden in the floor of one of the greenhouses. Reluctantly, he added, “I know you're not going to be happy about it, but I think we're going to have to get a small backhoe in and find out for ourselves if Aston did hide the money there.”

  Roxanne's eyes were huge; she'd hung on every word he'd uttered. “Are you kidding?” she demanded. “I can hardly wait! It's such a relief to know what was behind all the vandalism and break-ins. It'll be wonderful to finally have the mystery solved.” She smiled grimly. “And as for Milo Scott … I want to be around to see the expression on his face when he learns about the backhoe.”

  Jeb slanted her a look. “I thought that Scott was a great friend of yours.”

  “Get real!” Roxanne said with a snort. “That lowlife? I never liked him in high school and I can't say that he's improved with age.” She dropped her eyes demurely and murmured, “I only acted that way to make you jealous.”

  Jeb plucked her up into his arms. Settling her on his lap, he said, “Well, it worked. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't employ those tricks in the future. Very bad for my temper.”

  Roxanne nestled her head against his shoulder, her fingers playing with the buttons of his shirt. He'd been jealous! Of Scott of all people. A delicious little flutter went through her. Jeb jealous. How divine.

  He caught her wandering fingers and dropped a kiss on their tips. All evening, the subject of the dinner with his parents had preyed on his mind; half a dozen times he'd almost mentioned it, but he'd uncharacteristically held back. The dinner at his parents wasn't just about dinner; it was a public announcement that he and Roxanne were an item and he wasn't certain how she was going to receive that news. The other night, after Shelly had found out about them, she'd indicated that it didn't matter to her who knew about them, but the fact remained that she had asked Shelly to keep their relationship a secret. It occurred belatedly to him that she might not view his actions with a kind eye. In fact, she might be pissed. Very. He grimaced. Well, it wasn't a secret anymore and figuring the sooner he told his princess what he'd done, the sooner he'd know if he was going to keep his head or not, he decided to ‘fess up. Feeling as if he were stepping off a cliff, he asked, “Uh, you have anything planned for this weekend?”

  “Hnun? No, not that I can think of. Why?”

  “I thought we'd have dinner at my folks. My mother called and invited us for Saturday night. I told her that I'd be bringing you along.”

  Roxanne sat up as if shot. “What?” she demanded, staring at him as if she'd never seen him before in her life.

  Patiently he repeated, “My mother, you know, KC Delaney? She invited us to dinner on Saturday night.”

  Roxanne glared at him. “I know who your mother is, smart ass. You told her about us?”

  Jeb scratched his ear. “Sort of.”

  Her thoughts were whirling. She was frightened and elated; scared and excited, hoping desperately that the peculiar limbo they'd been living in, neither fully committed to each other nor uncommitted, was finally about to end. What she didn't know and what terrified her was whether she was ready for it. Ready for the next step. Dropping her gaze from his, she asked, “What exactly did you tell her?”

  Jeb looked at her averted face, the love he felt for her flooding through him. It seemed he'd waited all his life for her and he wasn't going to wait one second longer. With a lean finger, he turned her chin until she was looking straight at him. “How about,” he said huskily, “we talk about what I didn't tell her? Such as I love you more than I ever thought it was possible to love someone? Such as I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you?”

  Roxanne's heart felt as if it would burst. Oh, God, she was so happy, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry or both. Jeb loved her. He'd said those magic words she'd longed to hear. I love you. Words that she had once sneered at, but coming from Jeb, now meant the world to her. Her eyes flooded with tears, happy, joyous tears. A lump formed in her throat. She swallowed. Scrubbed her eyes like a little child and sniffed back more tears. Eyes shining like stars, she smiled brilliantly at him and said smartly, “Well, it's about damn time that you admitted it!”

  Chapter

  18

  Jeb shouted with laughter, his arms tightening around her. Trust Roxanne. No sign of a simpering miss about her. But then what had he expected? She was a princess. His princess.

  He kissed her, his mouth warm and tender. They clung together, their arms holding the other close. It was a sweet moment. A moment to remember and savor. And they did.

  “So,” he said, several minutes later, “isn't there something you want to say to me?”

  She smiled impishly. “Gee, I don't know. Is there?” His eyes darkened. “I love you, Roxanne. I'd like to hear that you share my feelings.”

  She twisted in his arms, raining soft kisses on his face. “How can you even doubt it? I've been crazy in love with you for weeks, but I was afraid that you. …”

  “What? That I was just hanging around you for my health?” He gave her a little shake. “You've had to know that I've been off my head about you.” He smiled wickedly. “Probably since we first made love on your countertop.” He rubbed his jaw. “You know, now that I think about it, I should have rescued that damn thing from the rubbish pile—could have shown it to our grandkids. Great family relic.”

  She slanted him a reproving glance. “I don't think that sort of tale would be appropriate for family gatherings. That little episode will be our secret. Deal?”

  “I dunno, I think that it would make a … ouch! What'd you pinch me for?” he demanded, his eyes dancing with amusement.

  Roxanne laughed and hugged him tightly. “Oh, Jeb, you just can't believe how happy I am.” She kissed his brow, his nose, and finally his mouth. Lifting her mouth breathless moments later, she said, “I do love you, you know—so much it frightens me and I can't imagine a life that doesn't have you in it.” She looked tenderly into his eyes, her fingers caressing his hard cheek. “You mean everything to me—more than just simple words can convey. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you precisely how much I do love you.” She kissed his nose. “Is that OK with you?”

  A muscle jumped beneath her trailing fingers. “Better than OK,” he said huskily, his heart so full of love for her, he could hardly speak. He hugged her so hard, she'd thought her ribs would break.

  “I never thought I'd fall in love again,” he said quietly. “And when I did, I realized that I had never really been in love before—that I'd only thought I'd been in love. What I feel for you doesn't compare to anything I've ever felt before in my life. You blindsided me.” He shook his head and laughed ruefully. “This may come as a big shock, but I think I've probably been half in love with you for the past ten years or so. As I look back, I figure half the reason I was always chewing you out was to keep from kissing you. ”

  She beamed. “Good! Because I suspect the reason you irritated me so much was because I was attracted to you and didn't want to be. It seemed so old-fashioned. Girl leaves small town behind; becomes rich and famous and then gives it all up to return home to many small-town boy.”

  A stillness ca
me over Jeb. “Have you really given it all up?” he asked carefully, his gaze not meeting hers.

  Roxanne's eyes narrowed. “Don't tell me you think that this is all a whim? That I'm just playing house? And that at the first chance I'll be out of here like a bullet from a gun?” She tapped him smartly on the cheek, making him look at her. “Jeb, I love you. I want what you want. I've had my moment of fame and you know what? If it all went away tomorrow I wouldn't regret it and if I had a choice of remaining Roxanne or becoming just plain old Mrs. Jeb Delaney—being your wife wins hands down every time.” Her lips twisted. “Now how's that for an old-fashioned girl?” Jeb didn't appear to be convinced. She bent nearer, her face inches from his, her eyes locked on his. “Jeb, how can you even think for a moment that I want to go back to that life? It's sort of a 'been there, done that.' I had a great run and I wouldn't have missed it for the world, but I've moved on. I've grown up—I hope. And now I know what's real, what's lasting, and what I want.” She brushed her lips against his. “I want you. I want Oak Valley. I want to have your kids and watch them grow up here in the valley.”

  He still looked skeptical. “You sure you won't be pining for all the attention, the glamour when you're knee-deep in diapers?”

  “Come on, I'm not nuts. I'm sure there'll be moments when I'll miss being one of the hottest cover girls in the U.S. But, darling, they'll only be moments. Face it—being knee-deep in diapers is going to be a whole lot more … interesting than standing for hours on end under burning lights with some guy pointing a camera and yelling, 'Smile! Toss your head back! Eat this camera with your eyes!' Believe me, all I want is to be your wife and raise our children—that's going to be my career now.” She kissed him. “My last and only career.”

  He wasn't entirely convinced, but she felt him relax beside her. Words alone weren't going to convince him; she'd have to prove it to him. She smiled. And she had the rest of her life in which to do it.