by Linda Wisdom
After she parked at the curb, she sat there for a few moments looking at the house.
The lights she could see glowing through the windows looked inviting. She only hoped they would continue to be inviting for her.
She finally took a deep breath and climbed out of the car.
Knowing the twins would be in bed by now, she knocked on the door, instead of using the doorbell. It was a few moments before she heard footsteps from the other side of the door. She stood back so she would be highlighted by the light next to the door.
She held her breath until she heard the click of the dead bolt and saw the door opening. A grim-faced Zach stood before her.
“I could say I was in the neighborhood, which I know you wouldn’t believe,” she blurted. “Or I could say you left something at my house, but I don’t think that would work, either. So I came by to thank you for my new headlights and license-plate frame. And especially to tell you I was wrong,” she whispered.
Zach didn’t say anything, but he stood back and opened the door further. As she stepped inside, she could see a light on in the rear of the house.
“I was working,” he explained, guiding her to one side. “Would you like something to drink?”
“No, thank you.” She perched tensely on the edge of a chair. “Look, you were right. I let the past rule my thoughts. I didn’t let go the way I should have. And I didn’t trust you. I didn’t remember what was important. That you never lied to me.” She blinked rapidly. The last thing she wanted was cry. “I’m sorry.”
Zach walked over and crouched in front of her. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her.
“Thank you. I seem to be doing that a lot lately.” She sniffed and accepted the cotton square. “Crying, that is.” She winced when she noticed the dark marks on the white fabric. “I guess I didn’t use my waterproof mascara.” She balled up the handkerchief.
Zach took her hands in his. “You didn’t even give me a chance, Ginna,” he said quietly. “Admittedly you didn’t scream a resounding no, but you might as well have. I thought we were on the same track.”
“We are,” she told him. “Unfortunately I took a little side trip into temporary insanity. Blame it on cold medicine I never took. PMS. Anything. But please, can we try this again?” she whispered. “Zachary Michael Stone, Jr., will you marry me?”
“You finally believe me when I say we have two kids and that’s enough?” he said, still holding on to her hands. “That I love you and that’s all that matters?”
“Yes, I do. Does this mean you’ll marry me?” she pleaded.
“No backing out now,” he warned her. “Because I’m saying yes, and if you don’t go through with it, I’m not above suing you for breach of contract.”
She nodded, still sniffing. “I have something else I need to tell you,” she said in a small voice that had him thinking of Emma when she’d done something bad.
“There’s more?” Now he was really worried. Had something happened in the past three days? No, if it was something serious, Lou would have called him.
“You see, I never read the medical report the doctor gave me,” she explained. “I just put it away. But Nora told me I should read it. Since I didn’t think I would fully understand all the terms, I asked Gail to lunch and had her read it.”
“Okay? And?”
“And—” she drew out the word “—Denny lied to me. I’m not sterile, I’m just allergic to his sperm. But even before I found out, I told Nora I was going to prove to you I came to my senses,” she said without taking a breath. “So I’m not here just because I learned I’m not sterile. I’m here because I love you and I don’t want to lose you.”
Zach’s grip on her hands tightened until she yelped.
“You’re pregnant?” he asked, stunned by her announcement.
“No! But all those times we never used anything. It could have happened. And don’t dare say I could be allergic to yours. No way. No how. We’ve just been lucky.” Her smile grew larger. “Scary, huh?”
“Scary, hell, it’s enough to stop my heart.” He stood up, pulling her with him. “I should make you as miserable as I’ve been for the past three days,” he muttered, “but dammit, I can’t. Not when I’ve got you here.” He covered her mouth, hungrily taking all she had to give. Her knees were starting to buckle when he released her. “I’ll be right back.” He turned and left the room.
She dropped to the chair before she fell.
When Zach returned, he held the velvet box.
Before she could take a breath, he had the ring out and on her finger.
“I am not giving you a chance to say no,” he informed her. “You better tell your mother the wedding will be soon.”
“Considering she’s been planning one since she met you, I don’t think that will be a problem.” She threw her arms around him. “Maybe I needed this time of misery to fully appreciate this. And to realize how mistaken I was.” She peppered his face with kisses. “I will never doubt you again.”
“You shouldn’t have in the beginning,” he scolded, scooping her up, then sitting down and arranging her in his lap. “The kids were miserable. Lucie thought I did something wrong. And I was in hell.”
Ginna murmured a few soothing words as she continued kissing him.
“I’ll tell them it was my fault,” she told him. “Daddy will say I was crazy. Mom will tell me she was glad I came to my senses, and my brothers won’t have to beat you up, because no matter what they would have blamed you.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” All the tension had been erased from his face. A face she loved. She traced its contours with her fingertips.
“The kids will love knowing you’re going to be their mother,” he said.
“Nah, they just want my dog.” She couldn’t stop kissing him. She smiled, aware he wasn’t about to argue. “But that’s okay. I’m still getting the best deal.”
He moved his hand up her thigh. “Damn, I’ve missed these tires.”
“There’ve been some things I’ve missed, too.” She shifted on his lap.
“Daddy? Ginna!” A small body launched itself onto Ginna’s lap. Zach grunted at the extra weight. “You came back!” Emma hugged her tightly.
“Of course I did,” she said.
“So Daddy didn’t do anything wrong?” Emma asked.
Ginna looked at his face and smiled. “Daddy did something very right,” she murmured before she turned to the little girl. “How would you and Trey feel if I became your mom?”
Emma’s shrill squeal was her answer.
Zach winced. “Hey, kid, you’re going to shatter the windows.”
Before Ginna grabbed hold of her, Emma hopped off and ran down the hallway.
“Trey! Trey! Ginna’s going to be our mom!”
“I guess that’s a yes,” Zach said.
Emma soon returned with Trey behind her. He yelled Ginna’s name and jumped into her lap to hug her.
“Really?” he asked.
“Really,” Ginna confirmed.
“Then Papa Lou and Nana Cathy will really be our papa and nana!”
“You know, we need to celebrate.” Ginna felt the adrenaline race through her body. Keeping Trey in her arms, she stood up. “Put on your robes, we’re going out for hot-fudge sundaes.” She set him down and he ran down the hall after his sister.
Zach laughed. “You’re definitely getting them on your side. It’s a school night and they’re going out in their pajamas.”
“We had our champagne. They need their hot-fudge sundaes. Besides, who’s going to notice a couple of little kids in their pj’s? They can have little sundaes,” she replied. “I want to share the celebration with them. Do you mind?” She rested her hands on his chest.
“Keep touching me like that and the kids will have to wait for their sundaes,” he warned her.
The kids ran back into the room, not caring that their robes were haphazardly belted. Ginna halted them long enough to straig
hten the robes and tighten the belts, then she received more hugs.
As they left the house with the chattering twins running ahead of them, Ginna touched Zach’s arm. He stopped and looked at her with a question in his eyes.
“What do you think if one of the first invitations we send out goes to the judge who gave me that judgment?” she suggested. “After all, if she hadn’t given me the judgment, I wouldn’t have been able to afford the trip that Lucie sent me on so I would meet you.” She smiled.
Zach looked at her lovingly. He believed her when she said she’d already planned to call him even before she knew the contents of the report.
She just needed to come to terms with herself. He was just grateful it hadn’t taken her longer than the three days they’d been apart to know that what they shared was very right.
He smiled. “Just as long as we don’t let Lucie think she gets all the credit. Then she’d be insufferable.”
Ginna clutched his arm with both hands and leaned her head against his shoulder.
“Not when we explain to her that we would have to give the credit to the flight attendant. She was the one who told you to sit next to me.”
“Something tells me if there’s a next book, it will be about a woman who swept me off my feet.” He watched the twins scramble up and into their child seats.
“You do realize something else, don’t you?” she asked.
He shook his head.
“Think about it, Zach. Twins run in both our families.” She hugged him tightly, so happy that she couldn’t stop herself.
He helped her into the passenger seat. “Something tells me we’re going to have to look for a bigger house.”
As Zach drove down the road, Ginna alternated her gaze between him and the twins, who were talking excitedly in the back seat. Mainly arguments as to who Casper would sleep with. Zach glanced her way and smiled. He held out his hand and she took it. Felt the warmth of his skin and the warmth of his love.
Something precious she’d almost tossed away because of past fears.
She made a silent pledge that she wouldn’t allow the past to haunt her present or future. No more looking back.
Not when looking forward was giving her so much more.
Many thanks to my agent, Karen Solem, for keeping me on track, for being there when I need her. You are very much appreciated.
ISBN: 978-1-4603-6830-5
TWO LITTLE SECRETS
Copyright © 2002 by Words by Wisdom.
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