She hoped he didn’t mean what she thought he did. “There were two versions of that article. Exactly which one did you want me to give an opinion on?”
Lisa pulled the mask from her eyes. “I wrote the one when you wouldn’t answer any of my questions. I thought I’d deleted it.”
“Does the article portray all of your feelings?” Adam’s face didn’t give her a hint as to how he felt about the article.
She faltered. “Which part, exactly?”
“The cowboy part.”
Lisa tried to hide her smile. “You mean, ‘the view is breathtaking, the food divine and then there’s the cowboy’ part? It really isn’t a very well-structured sentence. If I were going to sell that story, I’d have to fix—”
He smiled. “Just answer my question.”
Lisa nodded. “Even when you’re angry and stubborn. I think I love you....” The words lingered like snow gently falling from the midnight sky. Adam took her into his arms and kissed her soundly.
“Adam...don’t you dare give up this ranch for me or anyone else....”
He pressed his finger to her lips. “Hush. I’ve spent all week rehearsing this.” The horse continued to the top of the hill overlooking Whispering Pines. “You have yet to see springtime in the Rockies, Lisa, but I can’t begin to tell you how you remind me of a delicate wildflower, strong, determined and ever so beautiful.”
She started to protest and he stopped her.
“No matter where life’s journeys take you, I’d like you to always return to Whispering Pines. The roots of wildflowers grow deep into the rocky soil. If you’d like, this ranch could be your home.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a modest diamond ring. “If you would have me, I’d like to be your husband and I’d be proud to have you as my wife.”
Lisa closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his, savoring each and every moment. “Yes, I’d love to be your wife.”
In the distance Lisa heard a deep bark. She turned around and saw the cuddly black dog lumbering through the snow toward them. He jumped into Adam’s lap and smothered both of them in kisses.
“And, Adam, I’d love nothing more than to come home to you and Whispering Pines. This time, forever.”
EPILOGUE
“FRANCIE, LISTEN TO me. For the last time, I’m thrilled that you liked the article, but I don’t want the job. I’m getting married. I assume this means you’re not coming to the wedding?”
“It’s today? Oh, dear, no, we couldn’t get off right now.” Lisa could hear papers shuffling on the other end. “I don’t suppose Adam would go for separate houses. We’d really like you to join us here in the California office, but you’d have to agree to keep your ‘Romantic Getaways’ column.” Her editor’s voice turned dramatically throaty. “Think of it... An all-expense-paid honeymoon every month. Readers loved your feature on Whispering Pines.”
Lisa nodded to her future sister-in-law and Susan pinned the veil to her hair. Katarina stitched Adam’s grandmother’s handkerchief to the inside of Lisa’s slip and her mom adjusted the satin bow of the elegant wedding dress. Emily took the strappy sandals from the box and set them at Lisa’s feet. “Francie, I really need to go now. I’ll have the column in your mailbox by the deadline—don’t worry.”
Liz took the cellular phone from Lisa’s hand and held it to her ear. “Excuse me, Miss Editor, but the bride is about to miss her own wedding. And if I know my brother, she won’t be doing a lick of work for the next couple of weeks.” Then
Lisa’s soon-to-be-sister-in-law pressed the power button. “Is that all I need to do to quiet this thing down?” She handed Lisa the bouquet of calla lilies.
“You look lovely,” Millie said, smiling. “I couldn’t be happier with Adam’s choice of a bride.”
There was a light knock on the door, and Lisa’s grandfather poked his head inside. “You ready, dear? The groom is getting a bit restless.”
“Almost, Grandpa.” Lisa gave each of her helpers a hug before they went outside to be seated.
“Adam also asked me to help you with this.” He stepped into the room and pulled a delicate wildflower necklace from a box. Lisa fingered it and opened the note that came with it. “I give you this flower, that our roots may continue to grow together.”
Her grandpa’s shaky hands handed it to Lisa’s mother to put on. “I think you’d do better at this than I would.” She put it on, and they walked out of her suite, down the stairs to the great room where Adam waited at the altar.
Their friend Mike, the pastor, performed the wedding ceremony inside the rustic gazebo, and Toby served as ring bearer.
* * *
AFTER THE FORMALITIES of the receiving line were over, Lisa and Adam took a minute to be alone. Adam kissed his bride’s bare shoulder as they stood on the veranda watching the crowd. “I never believed anything could feel so right.”
The shimmering white satin skirt rustled as she turned in unison with him; the guests’ smiles reflected the joy she felt. “It was the bouquet, you know.” She lifted her gaze to her husband’s. “We should have listened from the start.”
“Who says I didn’t?” He placed his hand on her satin-smooth waist and pulled her closer as the music started. “May I have this dance?”
Adam carried her from the lodge veranda, across the yard to the specially designed gazebo. She stepped into the middle of the gazebo floor and lifted her hand to the stiff fabric covering his broad shoulders. “Could have fooled me. You didn’t exactly give me a red-carpet welcome when I arrived.”
Adam chuckled. “What did you expect from a cad?”
“I’m never going to live that one down, am I?”
He spun her into his arms and dipped her. “Not a chance. And we have a long, long future ahead of us.”
Lisa giggled as he pulled her back up to meet his waiting lips. “Forever.”
* * * * *
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ISBN: 9781460304389
Copyright © 2013 by Carol Steward
Originally published as THIS TIME FOREVER
Copyright © 2002 by Carol Steward
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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Rocky Mountain Valentine Page 17
