by Amy Frazier
EPILOGUE
Four months later
GARRETT, SAMANTHA AND RORY stood in the international concourse of the Atlanta airport as Rory was about to board his flight for London and his Christmas vacation with Noelle. Having lived with his son every day since the beginning of summer, Garrett was having difficulty letting him go for two weeks. Had Noelle felt this wrenching pain each vacation when the custody arrangement had been reversed? He felt new admiration for her strength.
As if she understood his inner turmoil, Samantha slipped her hand in his and squeezed. He shouldn’t be surprised. This amazing woman was like a part of him.
“You’d better get on the plane,” Garrett said to Rory, unable to eliminate the catch in his voice. “Do you have everything you need?”
“I’d better.” Rory stared directly at Garrett. “Do you have everything?”
“Yes.” He could feel the small box resting in his jacket’s inner pocket.
“I could stay a few minutes more.” His son looked behind him to the gate where people were already boarding. “If you need help.”
“Some things a man has to do by himself, kid.”
“What are you two talking about?” Samantha asked.
“Nothing!” Rory tried for the innocent look—he’d make a horrible poker player. “See y’all after the New Year,” he said, waving goodbye and trotting over to the diminishing line of passengers.
“Don’t forget to e-mail!” Garrett called out.
They stayed until the plane took off. As soon as it was out of sight, he turned to Samantha. She had tears in her eyes.
“I’m okay. I’m okay,” she said, swiping at her face. “I just get a little sentimental at the holidays.”
“Then maybe you need an early present.”
“I don’t need any presents. I have you,” she said as she stepped so close there was nothing between them. Nothing but happiness and a sense of wholeness. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”
“You have, but I never get tired of hearing it.” He kissed her lightly on her nose, then pulled the jewelry box from his pocket. “Samantha Weston,” he said, “I know you just went through a name change…but would you consider another? Or, at least, a hyphenated version?”
“What are you asking?”
He opened the box to reveal a platinum band set with four small diamonds. One for her. One for him. One for Rory. One for the future. “Will you marry me?”
“Of course I will!” she exclaimed and threw her arms around his neck to the applause of holiday travelers on the concourse.
“There’s just one stipulation,” he said.
She raised an eyebrow. “Stipulations already?”
“Rory says he’s to be the best man. So the date has to coincide with his time with us.”
“Hmm. How about spring break?”
“He’ll be in—”
“London, yes. And the London Ashley is the Lawrence flagship hotel. I have an in.”
“Your parents won’t have the maid short the sheets?”
She laughed, and, as if to capture that laughter and feed his soaring spirits, he lowered his mouth to hers.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-1294-1
SINGLE-DAD SHERIFF
Copyright © 2008 by Amy Lanz.
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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.
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