They stared at each other and waited. The minutes flipped away on the digital dial. This time, it looked like Kevin had gone back to sleep.
With every slow, rhythmic breath he took, his question echoed inside her head.
After another few minutes, Tanner rested Kevin’s hand on the cover. “Woke up from your catnap, huh?”
She nodded.
“Heard what I said to Kevin?”
And what Kevin asked you. She nodded again.
“I’ve done a lot of thinking, Sarah.” He laced his fingers together and stared down at them. “And I finally figured out you’re not my girl anymore. At least, not the way you’d been in school.”
And you can’t love me. Is that what you’re trying to say now, Tanner?
She’d known it all along, had worried he would want Kevin and not her. Why did his confirmation of it crush her?
“You’re a woman now, Sarah, a strong, self-sufficient one. And I guess it’s taken me a while to get that into my head. No wonder you resented all that stuff I said to you this morning.”
He reached for her hand and held it as gently as he had held their son’s, his fingers wrapped around hers and his thumb grazing her knuckles.
“I was only thinking of taking care of you and Kevin, I promise you. Just didn’t pick the right way of going about it.” He sighed and squeezed her fingers slightly. “I’ve messed up a lot along the way, haven’t I? I’ll try to do better, I promise you that, too.”
She held her breath, waiting for him to go on.
After a long while, he sighed again.
“What I said this morning, about fighting you for Kevin. I swear, Sarah—” His voice broke. “I didn’t mean it.”
“I know,” she murmured.
“And I’d give anything now to change what I did all those years ago—walking away, first of all, and then expecting you to sit home waiting for me. I wouldn’t blame you if you could never love me again. But that’s not the case, is it?”
Surprised by his question, she tried to pull her hand away. He wouldn’t let her go. Instead, he moved to the edge of his seat and leaned closer.
“Sarah,” he said, his voice lower still, her name a teasing, throaty caress. “How could you make love with me the way you did last night, and not love me?”
She felt her entire body flush.
“I know you love me. As much as I love you.”
Now stunned by his words, she couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, couldn’t blink away the tears suddenly stinging her eyes. She had always hated to cry in front of anyone, and in front of Tanner especially.
But if he could tell her he loved her, she could let him see her cry.
She turned her wrist, so her fingers clasped his in a handshake between equals.
“Tanner…” She hesitated, then looked at his beloved face, where she still saw hints of the Tanner she used to love. “You’re not a boy anymore, either. At least, not the boy I once dreamed of marrying.” She took a deep breath and leaned closer. “You’re a man now. A wise one. Because you’re right. I do love you, Tanner. I always have, and always will.” She tightened her grip, knew he had to feel her trembling.
He raised her hand and pressed a quick kiss against it.
She swallowed hard. “I’ve messed up here and there, too, and I’ll try to do better. No more secrets, I swear, once I tell you this last one.”
He frowned.
She raised his hand and kissed it. “You’ll like this one.” Still, she hesitated.
“So tell me, already.”
Her mouth grew dry. How did she admit something like this? By stumbling her way through it, that’s how. “You…you thought I had a husband at some point. And I…I let you think it. I let everyone think it. But the truth is, I’ve never been married, Tanner. I’ve never…never been with anyone but you.”
At first, he said nothing. He didn’t need to. She felt the way his hand trembled in hers.
Then, he smiled and reached over to the bed to touch Kevin’s arm. “Took long enough for the three of us to get together, didn’t it? But we did. Finally. And forever.”
“Forever,” she agreed.
He turned to her. “I’m glad I’m your one and only, Sarah. And I swear to you, I’m keeping it that way.”
“I’m glad, too, Tanner.” She smiled. “And I’m holding you to that promise.”
Epilogue
Two weeks later
“Isn’t this just the loveliest day for a wedding?”
Doc looked across the church steps at Lily Gannett. She’d been all starry-eyed since they’d heard Sarah and Tanner had set the date. To tell the truth, he’d gotten a mite misty once or twice, himself.
“I’ll say one thing,” Delia put in, “if ever two people were meant to be together, it’s them.”
“You’re right, there. You’ve got to admit, though, having me get those pictures in front of Tanner’s nose sure helped.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, Doc, for the hundredth time—a real stroke of genius.”
“Things have all worked out just perfectly.” Lily nodded so emphatically, the flowers on her maid of honor hat bobbed up and down.
“Yeah,” Delia said. “Who’d have thought Tanner would find a buyer for his house inside of a week?”
He frowned.
“Hey.” She elbowed him hard enough to crack a rib. “You’re not sore ’cause Tanner didn’t ask you to be best man, are you?”
They looked through the doors into the church. Near the front pews, Tanner and Kevin stood together, dressed in identical white tuxedos.
“How could I be sore about a thing like that? Besides, I’m giving away the bride.” He smiled. “No, I was just thinking how convenient it all is, with Deputy Worth retiring and Tanner getting his position permanently.”
“Surprised? Shouldn’t be. You’re not the only one with brains in this town.”
He swung to face Lily, whose eyes twinkled. “Don’t tell me you had a hand in that, too?”
Delia roared with laughter and dug him in the ribs again. At this rate, he’d be in no shape to dance with the bride.
“Are you bothered by Sarah and Tanner’s good fortune, Doc?” Lily asked.
“Never.”
Charlie Keller’s white Cadillac pulled to the curb in front of the church.
“Just one thing on my mind,” Doc said as he hurried down the steps, “and that’s getting this wedding under way.” He opened the door and helped Sarah from the backseat.
She looked beautiful in her long white dress and with her hair braided up like a crown. He offered her his arm, and they climbed the steps together.
“Well, move along, ladies,” he said to Lily and Delia, who stood staring all teary-eyed at the bride. He shooed them into the church, then moved toward the door with Sarah.
When the music started, he turned to look at her. “You’ve waited a while for this day, haven’t you?”
She smiled. “Only a lifetime, Doc. And I don’t intend to waste a minute.” Looking a little bright-eyed herself, she hugged his arm and stepped forward. “Come on, I’ll race you down the aisle.”
ISBN: 978-1-4603-6987-6
THE SHERIFF’S SON
Copyright © 2006 by Barbara White-Rayczek.
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