“How’s it been for you without the girls?”
Lanier hunched her shoulders, swallowing hard. “It’s hard. I enjoyed having them under my care, and I really love them. It was a very demanding undertaking at first, but I’m ready to do it again. As you know, Ashleigh and I put Haven House on the emergency list.”
“Sounds like you’re doing great. Do you have any other important news?”
Lanier nodded. “It’s actually good news. I’ve been seeing a new therapist. He’s good with me and has helped me a lot. Reality checks are much easier for me now.” As she thought about her problems with Casey, she decided not to tell Dallas how she’d gone there and had given her hell over the games she’d been playing with them. That was in the past.
Dallas stroked his chin. “What made you change therapists?”
“My old one wasn’t a good fit for me. She shared with me a few of her own emotional problems, and some of hers were bigger and more intense than mine. Several of our issues were similar.”
Lanier’s eyes connected with his. She quickly looked away to break the spell she was already succumbing to. “What about you? What’s been happening in your life?”
And who is the eye candy that opened the door? Better yet, who and what is she to you?
“I’m not through finding out what’s going on with you yet. We’ll get to me. Where do things stand with you and your parents?”
Lanier smiled. “Things are good. I’ve gotten close to my mother and I’ve forgiven my dad, though I never thought I could.”
“That’s great news, Lanier. Forgiveness is an important part of living.”
“I know. I learned that the hard way. My mother was infected with Joseph’s diseases, alcoholism and addiction, but they’re both working seriously at a twelve-step program. I go to a meeting with them once a month, and I’ve also joined a support group for family members. In short, we’re all getting the help we need.”
“Wow! That is fantastic news. How are the girls doing in school, and are they still coming home for the holidays?”
Lanier filled Dallas in on the latest with the girls, who still loved her enough to keep her in the loop. “They going to Europe for Christmas, and I’ve been abandoned for Thanksgiving. I’ve had a couple of invitations to Thanksgiving dinner, but I think I’ll just have a quiet day at home. It seems easier that way. Maybe I’ll invite my parents to dinner.”
“You and your parents should join our family. Mom and Dad would love to have all of you. So would I. Will you at least think about it?”
“I will,” she said, without the slightest hesitation. “Where is dinner being held?”
“Right here. All three of us are hosting it together. We’ll have Christmas at Austin’s ranch. Ashleigh wants A.C. to have Christmas at home until he’s older.”
Lanier smiled. “That’s our Ashleigh. She loves being a wife and a mom.”
“You can say that again. They’re such a happy family, and I don’t expect it to ever change.”
“Me, neither, Dallas. Those two are made for each other. Ashleigh tells me she and Austin want four kids. She wants to have them close together so they can grow up and have each other’s backs.”
“She has it all figured out. Austin loves kids. We try not to spoil A.C. rotten, but it’s hard.”
Lanier smiled gently. “I know what you mean. It was hard for me to keep from spoiling the girls. I’d even considered adopting them at one time, but they should have two parents.”
“I agree.” Dallas slapped his hand down on his thigh. “Please forgive my rudeness. Can I get you something to eat or drink?”
“Thank you, but I’m just fine. I should probably let you get back to your company.”
“My company? Oh, you mean Althea. She’s a cousin on our father’s side, and she’s visiting from Los Angeles for a couple of weeks. She’s staying at our parents’ home. Althea wants to be a movie star.”
A whoosh of relief hit Lanier. Although she had tried not to dwell on the identity of the woman who’d opened the door, she was glad to know how she fit in with Dallas.
Dallas grinned broadly. “I’m glad you came here today. Was there another reason you came other than to stop by and say hello?”
Lanier licked her lips and her insides fluttered. “There’s a very specific reason why I came. The most important one is to let you know how much I love you and that I’ve never stopped loving you. I’m not going to apologize for anything that happened because it was all a part of my growth. I love you, Dallas Carrington, wholeheartedly. I’m here to ask you to marry me.”
Dallas was totally blown away. A myriad of questions rushed through his mind, but he didn’t dare ask one of them, not when the woman he’d never stopped loving was waiting for an answer to her proposal.
Dallas smiled brightly. “No ring to offer?”
Wondering if he’d somehow heard that she’d been shopping for one, Lanier laughed. “As a matter of fact, there is a ring.” Her hand wrapped around the velvet box in her purse and she brought it forth. Flipping it open, she showed the ring to Dallas. “Will you marry me, Dallas Carrington? Will you make me the happiest woman in the world by accepting this ring?”
Dallas dropped down in front of her on one knee. “Lanier Watson, I will marry you. Today, tomorrow, whenever you choose a date, I’ll become your husband. I love you deeply.”
Lanier’s tears fell. “How does Christmas Eve sound?”
They both knew it was the day for Houston and Kelly’s wedding and for Ashleigh and Austin to renew their vows. Dallas pulled Lanier forward and reclaimed the lips he’d longed to taste. “You have just made me the happiest guy alive. I can’t believe this is happening.”
“Believe it. On Christmas Eve, all the Carrington men will take vows, and I will become Mrs. Dallas Carrington!”
* * * * *
ISBN: 9781459219526
Copyright © 2012 by Linda Hudson-Smith
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.
® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
www.Harlequin.com
Tempted by a Carrington Page 18
