“I meant what I said earlier about wanting to get married. You know my family life was…well, cold and unloving.”
She nodded.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “When I was younger, Charles and I had servants and governesses who would nurse us back to health when we were sick or praise us when we did something well. But I never knew what it was like to have a normal family. That is, not until I met yours.”
Kate snorted. “I’d hardly call my family normal.”
He turned and glowered at her. “You’re interrupting.”
She grimaced. “Sorry. Bad Italian habit.” Using her thumb and forefinger, she moved them across her lips like she was zipping them closed.
“Your family is so completely different from mine. I was never allowed to sample a sauce before dinner, asked to toss the salad, or to set the table. We wore ties to dinner and had servants who served our meals. Our conversation was stilted, and we never spoke loudly or interrupted each other.”
Spending time with her family must have been a complete culture shock for him. It was a wonder he didn’t go running back to New York.
“At first I was uncomfortable by the intimacy, but I realize it’s how I’ve always envisioned a family. Your family is wonderful, Kate. I don’t know if you realize how lucky you are.”
She nodded again, tears filling her eyes. Her parents and siblings often frustrated her, but she always knew that, no matter what, they loved her. That unconditional love was something she often took for granted. It was clear Edward never had that.
“In a way, I can relate to Lucas being an orphan. While my parents hadn’t died, they weren’t there for me. As I got older, I learned to distance myself from all personal relationships. I’d been successful at it—until now.”
He returned to her side and sat on the bed again.
“Let’s see if I can say it better this time.” He clasped her hand. “Will you marry me, Kate? Not because you need a man to take care of you or because it will provide a stable family for Lucas. Marry me because I love you and want to spend my life with you. I want to raise Lucas with you and maybe have a couple kids of our own. Because when I’m around you, I not only want all the things lacking in my childhood, I can actually see them in our future.”
He’d finished talking but she was speechless. She’d been completely unprepared for such a heart wrenching declaration of his love. Tears fell from her eyes and onto the sheet.
“Please say something before I do something embarrassing, like beg,” Edward said.
Kate cleared her throat. “You love me?”
“I love you.”
“What about other women? I won’t tolerate infidelity. If we get married, you’re stuck with just me. Can you handle that?”
“Luv, you are more woman than all I’ve dated combined. I believe in commitment and the sanctity of marriage. Up to this point, I’ve just chosen to ignore them.” He kissed her hand. “I promise to be faithful to you, always. Besides, do you think I want the wrath of your family after me?”
“Good point. My brother does have a license to carry a gun.” She paused, needing to take a moment before clearing up something between them. “Listen, about the cancer—”
He tightened his grip on her hands. “Right, what about it?”
She squeezed back. “I can deal with it. Whatever may or may not happen, we’ll handle it together.”
“Even if that means we can’t have kids of our own?”
“We’d have Lucas.”
Worry etched his face. “Christ, what about Lucas? He doesn’t know what I went through. It might be upsetting to him. He might be scared if he thinks he could lose another parent.”
“We’ll explain it to him. He’s a strong boy.”
He nodded. “So what do you say?”
He loved her. She could hardly believe it. Did she want to go down that road again? Could she risk her heart? Did she love him enough to give up her freedom? The answer was a no-brainer in her mind.
“After the whole fiasco with Mario, I vowed never to get married again. I worked hard to repay our debt and build a new life for myself. I completely reinvented myself, without help from even my family.”
“I admire you for what you’ve overcome.”
“When I first met Lucas, he reminded me of Tony. He’s the same age as Tony would have been, even has the same color hair. I had given up all thoughts of having another child. Having been raised in a large family, I’d always wanted three or four kids, but after losing Tony….well, I couldn’t go through that pain again.
“But spending time with Lucas and you has changed something in me.” She straightened her shoulders. “I don’t want to be alone anymore. I feel like I’ve been locked up in a cage all these years, and I’m ready to break free.”
She lifted a hand and stroked his face. “Yes, I’ll marry you. Not because I need to lean on a man or need help raising Lucas, but because I choose to be with you. I love you, Edward. After years of shutting off my feelings, I feel whole again, and I want nothing more than to raise Lucas together, give birth to your children, and spend the rest of our lives loving you.”
His eyes were wet when she finished, and she wiped away a tear at the corner of his eye. The relief on his face was priceless.
“Thank you, dear God,” he whispered.
He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers, gentle at first before giving in to the need and pulling her tight against him.
“I thought I ruined everything,” he said, tracing kisses along her face.
“You almost did with your first proposal,” Kate said.
“Even Lucas thought it was pitiful. I had to listen to a fifteen minute lecture on groveling from your sister on the car ride over,” he said.
“You didn’t grovel, you spoke from the heart. That’s all that I wanted, although I’m sure the groveling lessons will come in handy in the future.”
“I’m sorry I left. You were right. I was a coward, afraid of what I was feeling.”
“I understand. You needed to be sure. You are, right?”
“I missed you all week. I couldn’t sleep or eat. I was pretty pathetic. When I wasn’t on the construction site working, I was holed up in my suite. Not even the tables could take my mind off you.”
“Not the pretty ladies either?” she teased, sliding her hands under his shirt to feel his heat.
“Especially not the ladies.”
“I missed you, too. I’ve been a horrible bitch to everyone.”
“I can vouch for that,” Vicky called from the doorway.
“Kate, you’re awake,” Lucas said before running to the bedside. “Did you ask her, Edward?”
“Come here, baby,” Kate called.
Edward picked Lucas up and put him on the bed between them. Kate hugged him tightly to her chest, grateful to see that he was all in one piece.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Kate asked, looking him over for any bruises.
“I’m fine. Aunt Vicky told me the bad man is dead,” Lucas said.
“He is. He’s never going to hurt you again,” Kate said.
“Are you going to marry Edward?” Lucas asked her.
Kate took his hand. “How would you feel if I did?”
He looked uncertain for a moment. “Would you still want to adopt me?”
“Of course,” Kate said.
“Certainly,” Edward replied at the same time.
“Are you gonna kiss all the time?” Lucas asked, wrinkling his nose. “Cuz that’s gross.”
“Yes, we’re going to kiss a lot, and we’re going to kiss you just as much.” Kate tickled his tummy and gave him a loud smooch on the cheek.
“What about kids? Will you have other kids?”
“We’d like to. Would that be okay with you? You’d be the big older brother,” Edward said.
Lucas thought about it. “Yeah, I’d like that. Do you think you can have a little girl? I miss having a sister.”
; Kate’s eyes filled with tears. “We’ll have to leave that up to God, but if you pray real hard, maybe he’ll listen to your prayers.”
Kate pulled both her guys closer, kissing each of them, blessed for a second chance at love. She’d once been so angry that Tony had been taken away from her. The pain of that would never go away, but God had replaced the one he’d taken with two wonderful males in her life, and for that she was eternally grateful.
Epilogue
Kate woke up and stretched. Daylight was just starting to peek through the curtains in her room. She glanced around at her childhood bedroom. It would be the last time she’d awaken alone in bed. Today was her wedding day.
She rose and walked over to the dresser that held an enormous bouquet of white roses and purple lilacs Edward had bought her yesterday. It was just one of the many sweet things he’d done over the past few months. Hanging on the outside of her closet door was her wedding dress.
Her. Wedding. Dress.
She almost couldn’t believe it. The strapless, A-line satin gown had a jeweled bodice that would showcase her breasts beautifully. The waist cinched to one side and was highlighted with a spray of beading. It fell into soft pleats with a chapel-length train. She decided to not wear a headpiece, opting for fresh flowers in her hair instead.
She slipped into capri-length sweats and a light sweatshirt. The stylist would be at the house in a couple hours. But before the mayhem started, there was something she needed to do.
She went downstairs and heard noise in the kitchen. She peeked in and saw her mother rolling out cinnamon buns, Kate’s favorite.
“I had a feeling you’d be up,” Carmen said.
“I couldn’t sleep,” Kate said.
“Nervous?”
Kate shook her head. “Excited.”
“You should be. You’re going to have a wonderful life, Bella.”
“You’re right, Mama,” she said, walking over to give her mom a hug and kiss. “Thanks for loving me.”
Carmen squeezed her hard. “As if I had any choice, although you did make it a challenge at times.”
Boy, had she. Kate thought back over the years. She hoped if she had another child, his or her temperament would be more controlled, like Edward’s, and not explosive like hers.
“Go for your walk and when you come back, these will be ready,” Carmen said, gesturing toward the pastries on the cookie sheet.
Kate smiled, loving that her mother knew her so well. With another kiss and a longing glance at the rolls, she headed toward the front door.
The cool air of late March ruffled her hair as she walked down the street. It had rained the past couple of days, but the hint of sun peeking above the horizon gave Kate hope it would be a sunny day.
A few blocks later she arrived at her destination—Tony’s gravesite. It was her wedding day and she needed to share it with her firstborn.
Shortly after the accident, she’d brought Lucas to the gravesite. She’d shared some of the funny things Tony had started doing right before he died. They’d talked about the death of Lucas’s family, and he’d shown her the pictures he kept in a special box he’d made. It was a special bond that would always exist between them.
She squatted down at the gravesite and brushed away some dirt on the headstone. As she always did, she made the sign of the cross and said a prayer.
“Hi, my sweet baby,” she said in a low voice. “I can’t stay long. Today is my wedding day. I’m marrying Edward. He’s come here with me several times.” She sniffed and reached for the tissues she’d shoved in her pockets.
“I promise to come to visit you, but it may not be as often. I will always love you, my Tony, but it’s time to move on with my life. I wish you were here and could meet Lucas. I know the two of you would have been friends. He’s so sweet and loving, just like you.”
She looked up to the sky. “Thank you for bringing him to me. I’m so very thankful for Lucas and Edward. I hope you understand my need to move on and be happy.”
A gentle breeze blew across her cheek, like a soft kiss, and she felt something at her shoulder. She turned but no one was there. But she felt him, she felt Tony there beside her, and knew he was telling her it was all right to move on.
She turned and her eyes met Edward’s, who stood a few feet away.
“I thought I’d find you here,” he said.
She wiped at the dampness on her face. “You think you know me pretty well, don’t you?”
“Luv, I know you exceptionally well.” He held up a cardboard carrier with two cups of coffee and a pastry bag.
She half laughed and cried before walking into his arms. He held her as she wept for the past, and for the future she’d never have with Tony but would build with Edward and Lucas.
“Are you sure you’re not pregnant? You’ve been very emotional lately—well, more than usual.”
She’d pitched her birth control pills a couple months ago to see how long it would take her to get pregnant.
“It’s possible, but I haven’t missed a period yet,” she replied.
“If you’re not now, we’ll have lots of opportunity to practice on our honeymoon,” Edward replied.
“My mother is going to have your head. It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding,” Kate said, wiping her eyes with the napkin he handed her.
“Right, but considering we’re technically already married, I don’t think the superstition is valid,” Edward replied, leading her to one of the benches.
He was right. They were indeed husband and wife, at least according to the law. A couple weeks after the Sal incident they’d tied the knot in a small ceremony at City Hall. They wanted to be married when they adopted Lucas.
Within the first couple of months of the new year, they’d moved into the brownstone a few doors down from Meghan and Charles. The adoption came through, and Lucas was settled in a private school not far from where they lived.
Today’s wedding was to satisfy her mother, who’d insisted on a Catholic ceremony. While Kate had appeased her, it didn’t come close to the extreme of her first wedding. This one would be intimate, if you could call seventy-five guests intimate.
“You’re right, but I think I’ll keep our rendezvous to myself.” She looked down at the pastry bag. “Do I smell cider donuts in there?”
“Of course. Freshly baked from your sister’s café. The line was out the door when I arrived. Thankfully, I get preferential treatment being part of the family.”
“Yeah, it also means you serve yourself and probably a couple of customers as well.”
“I was there for thirty minutes before I could escape with these,” he said, pulling a still warm sugary donut out of the bag.
“God, do I love a sexy man who brings me donuts,” she said, biting into the soft doughy sweetness. “Mama is going to kill me, though. She’s making cinnamon buns.”
“Somehow I think you’ll have room for one of those, too,” Edward said, sipping from his coffee and taking a bite out of his own donut.
“I have a wedding dress to fit into plus a very teeny bikini for our honeymoon.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Just how teeny?”
“The we-may-not-make-it-out-of-the-room kind of teeny.”
“My favorite kind,” he said, kissing the sugar from her lips. “Something tells me we’ll be spending a lot of time working off the donut and cinnamon bun.”
She was counting on it.
“We’re not making a mistake leaving Lucas home, are we?” she asked.
“No. We haven’t had more than a couple nights alone since the beginning of the year. I want you all to myself for the next seven days.” He tugged a curl. “Besides, Lucas is excited to spend the next week with Grandma, and your mother is looking forward to the trip to New York. She can dote on Meghan during the day while Lucas is in school, which will be a good distraction for both of them.”
“I know, I know. I feel guilty leaving him, but I want you to myself, too.”
It was difficult finding alone time, but they’d managed. Thankfully, Lucas went to bed fairly early and was a sound sleeper. They’d only almost been caught once, but luckily had remembered to lock the bedroom door.
Having finished her donut, she laid her head on her husband’s shoulder. “I love you. I’m glad you found me here.”
“Even the risk of Carmen’s wrath couldn’t keep me away.” He put his arm around her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I love you.”
The words he once couldn’t say now rolled off his tongue as though he’d said them all his life.
“You know this will be the quietest moment we have today. If you think my immediate family is loud, wait until you meet the rest of them.”
“I can’t wait.”
“Ha. You say that now, but wait until Aunt Josephine pinches your cheeks for the hundredth time.”
They sat in silence and watched the sun rise together.
“Happy?” he asked.
She turned her face up to him. “I’ve never been happier. I love the life we’ve started together, and while there will be rough patches, our love will get us through anything.”
“Yes, it will, luv. Yes, it will.”
They stood and headed toward the house. Kate turned and glanced back at the grave. At that moment, the wind picked up a bunch of leaves right next to Tony’s grave, and they fluttered in the breeze.
She wrapped her arm around Edward’s waist and smiled. For the first time since Tony’s death, she felt optimistic for her future and believed in the strength of love and the power of healing. There would always be pain, but through the pain there was joy and hope, and that made all the difference.
A word about the author...
A romantic at heart, Maria K. Alexander spent hours as a young girl getting lost in and wishing to be one of the heroines in the stories she read. Books gave her the ability to go to another world where she loved meeting new characters, learning about their problems, and watching them fall in love.
Maria blogs and shares her writing journey with her critique partners at:
http://thevioletfemmes.com.
When not writing, Maria loves to read, bake, downhill ski, visit the beach, and watch romantic comedies. Maria lives in New Jersey with her husband and children, and writes in her “spare” time between juggling a full-time job and her kids’ busy schedules. You can keep in touch with her at:
Untangle My Heart (Tangled Hearts) Page 27
