"You don't frighten me."
Katherine smiled slowly. "Don't I? Are you sure?”
Fiona took a step back. "Bitch. Stupid old cow. I hate you."
"Really? I don't have the energy to even think about you."
***
“This is a mistake," Gloria said as Dani pulled out more clothes and put them on the bed. "You can't run away. I forbid it."
Dani tried to smile. "Then what? I'll be grounded."
"If that's what it takes."
“I’m doing the right thing and deep in your heart you know I’m right. There's no other solution."
"There's always another solution. You can't leave now."
"I don't want to" Dani admitted, wishing they could talk about something else. It was hard enough to think about leaving without facing her grandmother. "I can't keep hurting the people I love."
"You're not hurting your Buchanan family. So what if you hurt them?"
"That's warm and loving."
"Katherine and Mark have eight children of their own. They'll hardly notice you. You're the only granddaughter I have."
Dani didn't know if she should laugh or burst into tears. "You do have a way with words."
"Am I wrong?"
She sank onto the bed. Gloria sat next to her.
"Don't go," her grandmother said. "I’m old. What if I get sick and die and you never see me again?"
"Don't you dare play the death card. That's not fair."
"I don't care about being fair. I want you to stay. Dani, you have to stay. We just found each other."
It hurt so much, Dani thought as she fought against the pain. It hurt to breathe. She didn't want to leave-not now when she'd found everything she'd ever wanted. She was supposed to be starting her dream job, learning about her new family while being with her old family, being in love with a great guy. It should have been perfect. If only…
"I know," Dani said, staring into Gloria's eyes and seeing the pain there. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry. Stay. We'll work it out. I didn't raise you to be a quitter."
"I'm not quitting. I'm doing what's best. Can't you see those things are bigger than us?"
"They might be bigger than you, but they're not bigger than me."
Dani managed another smile. "You are determined, aren't you?"
"I fight for what's mine. You could learn from that. What about that boy you're seeing? Alex?"
"I don't know. We had a big fight."
"So that's it? One fight and it's over?"
"I can't make him love me."
"How do you know he doesn't? Did you ask? Did you tell him you love him?"
Had she? "Not exactly." And Alex had said he'd fallen for her. Which meant what?
"Not exactly?" Gloria stood and glared at her. "Dammit all to hell, Dani, you're really screwing this up."
Dani opened her mouth, then closed it. "You're swearing. I'm shocked."
"Get over it. This is important. This is your life. This is for real. Why do you feel that everyone else comes first? Why do their dreams matter more than your own?"
"Because she's afraid."
Dani rose and turned toward the speaker. It was Alex. He stood in the doorway to her bedroom.
Her heart instantly started dancing in her chest. The rest of her body sighed in appreciation, as if every cell had always been waiting for him.
She ignored the biological betrayal and raised her chin. "I'm not afraid."
"Sure you are. You've been fighting your whole life and time and time again you got slapped down. All those years fighting Gloria." He glanced at the older woman. "No offense."
"I'll decide if I'm offended when I see where this is going."
Alex turned back to Dani. "You gave everything you had to Hugh and he dumped on you. Ryan was worse because he planned it. Gary was…" He shrugged. "I don't know what Gary was."
"Biblical humor," Dani murmured, not sure what she thought of Alex's words.
"You've been burned so many times, you're afraid to get near the fire. So when you and I got together, you were terrified. Maybe not consciously, but somewhere deep inside. Then you found out you were hurting Katherine, which you hated. You respect her and didn't want to make things harder. You were totally out of your comfort zone. Throw in a political campaign and the attack on Bailey and you reached your breaking point. It makes sense."
"Thanks for the recap," she murmured, knowing he might be right. "Now what are you doing here?"
He stepped into her bedroom. "Fighting for you. I'm making sure you don't do something you'll regret for the rest of your life."
"Which would be?"
"Walking away from me."
"You've never lacked confidence."
"Not really. But I've never been as sure of something as I am of knowing we belong together. You can't leave, Dani. This is where you belong."
If only, she thought again, wishing it were possible. She loved him, needed him, wanted him. Only him. Being with Alex had taught her to understand Katherine's devotion to Mark. "There are complications."
"Not as many as you think," Katherine said as she and Mark walked into the bedroom, followed by Dani's brothers.
Dani found herself backed into a corner-literally. "What's going on?"
"We're holding an intervention," Alex told her. "It was my idea. You can thank me later."
"I don't understand."
"We're not letting you go" Cal said, then grinned. "I don't mean that in a scary stalker way."
"Good to know," she murmured.
"You belong here," Walker said. "With all of us. Maybe with that guy." He jerked his head toward Alex. "He seems okay."
"I like him," Reid said. "He's got good taste."
"But what about how much I've hurt you?" Dani looked at Katherine, then at Mark. "I'm hurting the campaign."
Mark, as handsome and smooth as ever, put his arm around his wife's shoulders. "I'm pulling out of the race. This isn't a good time. My press office is issuing a statement-" he checked his watch "-right about now."
Dani felt the need to sit down. Everything was happening too fast. "But you want to be president. It's your dream."
"Some things cost too much." He looked at Alex. "I got a little carried away before. With the charges. We'll talk later?"
"Okay. Yeah." Alex turned back to Dani. "You're running out of excuses."
Dani's mind went into a free fall. If Mark wasn't running for president, then the press wouldn't care about her, or anyone in the family. If there weren't any watchful eyes around, then life could be normal.
Alex reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a velvet box. Dani's body froze.
Her first thought was that he was going to propose. Her second was that proposing probably meant that he loved her, which made her want to do the happy dance. Her third was how much he was putting on the line by doing this in front of both their families.
Her last thought was that she couldn't wait to say yes.
"Oh, dear," Katherine said, putting a hand on Alex's arm. "I should have gotten to you sooner. I have something to tell you."
He looked at her. "Mom, this isn't the time."
"I know, but I have to say it. I'll talk fast." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a diamond ring. "If you'd prefer the one you bought, I'll completely understand. But in case you want something different…" She handed him the ring. "This belonged to my grandmother. I don't know why I didn't think of it before, with Fi-" She cleared her throat "Anyway, I saw it this morning and hoped…"
Alex stared at the ring. Dani knew exactly what he was thinking. That the ring should stay in the family and until that moment, he'd never been totally one of them. She recognized the emotions chasing across his face because she'd felt them herself when she'd been with her brothers. That sense of belonging and not belonging.
Was that the connection she had with Alex? That they shared a basic knowledge of what it was like to be on the outside? That they were both lookin
g for a place to belong?
She moved toward him. "I want to be the one," she told him, not caring who else was in the room. "I want to be the only one. I want to be that safe place where you can go no matter what."
"You're stealing my speech."
"You had a speech?"
"I was going to tell you I loved you more than I've ever loved anyone. That you're the only one I want to be with. That I belong when I'm with you."
Belong. There was that word again. Those on the inside would never know how much it meant to feel it.
"I love you, Dani," he continued.
"Move back," Gloria whispered. "Everyone move back and give the boy room to kneel. You were going to kneel, weren't you?"
Alex grinned. "Is it always going to be like this?"
Dani glanced around at the people who loved her, then looked at the one man who would always make things right. "I have a feeling we're not getting away from that."
"Is that okay?”
"It's the best."
EPILOGUE
The summer evening was warm, with a perfectly clear sky. It was after seven and the sun was hours from setting. After all, this was Seattle and the city was known for endless summer nights.
Over three hundred people sat in white chairs on a lush, green lawn. The scent of roses and jasmine filled the air. On the left, a small orchestra played softly as the groom's grandmother was seated.
"Arthur seems nice," Reid said as he walked Gloria down the aisle.
"Don't be smart with me," Gloria snapped, a little embarrassed to be her age and dating. She'd been seeing Arthur for three months now and had brought him to the wedding.
"I'm not. Just don't ever tell us if you're having sex. It would be too weird."
"I had to read about your sexual abilities in the paper. I think a little payback is in order."
Reid grinned at her. "Okay, but I won't like it."
"I can live with that."
They reached her seat and he handed her into the care of Arthur, a local entrepreneur who was eight years younger than Gloria. Then Reid bent down and kissed her cheek.
"You look hot."
Gloria swatted his arm, but smiled.
Dani stood inside the Canfield's family room and stared out through the blinds.
“I’m thinking Elissa is going to be disappointed by the twinkle lights. It's too bright out. They're not showing up at all."
"They will later," Lori said as she adjusted the front of her frothy pink bridesmaid gown. "Do I look fat? I can't believe I'm asking that, but do I?"
Dani smiled at her sister-in-law. Despite Lori and Reid's plans to wait and marry after Walker and Elissa's big event, an unexpected pregnancy had sent them to Las Vegas a month ago. They'd married quietly and were now preparing to move in with Gloria. As the newlyweds weren't strapped for cash, the only reason could be they liked living with the old bird. Lori was a brave woman, Dani thought with a smile.
"You look beautiful," Dani told her. "The style of the dress totally hides any hint of a bump."
"Did you see the canapés?" Penny asked as she stalked into the room. "I'm not sure the salmon is fresh enough. Do you think it's fresh?"
Cal moved next to his wife and kissed her. "Deep breath," he said. "Let it go. You look beautiful."
"I was frightened the first time I saw these dresses," Penny admitted. "But now I like them."
Katherine stepped into the room. "Are we ready? It's nearly time."
Dani watched her future mother-in-law and marveled at her ability to pull off something as complicated as a Buchanan wedding.
Alex came up behind Dani and kissed the back of her neck. "Taking notes for our wedding?"
"Most of the planning is done," she reminded him. They had a fall event scheduled. Something much smaller than this. Mostly family, which was a party in and of itself. Penny would be catering-Dani wasn't as brave as Elissa. Better to put her friend and sister-in-law to work than risk the complaining.
“Twinkle lights?” he asked in a low voice.
"Absolutely. I love them. I'm thinking we'll only have your sisters in the wedding party. Much less fighting on the dress front. You should have heard the four of us at the bridal shop."
She smiled as she spoke, remembering the afternoon of arguing, chocolate and champagne. In the end, they'd all been tipsy and hadn't remembered what they'd agreed to. When the fluffy pink dresses had arrived, they'd been shocked.
"Have I told you how much I love you?" Alex asked.
Dani smiled at him. "I think you mentioned it one time. It's hard to remember."
He kissed her. "I love you. For always."
"Good. Because I'm holding you to that."
"A challenge? I like a good challenge."
"Then you're going to enjoy me."
Katherine raised her hands. "All right. Form your couples. Get ready. When the music changes… and now."
She opened the French doors leading to the patio. The orchestra switched to a romantic song. Cal and Penny stepped out first. They moved arm in arm up the petal-covered path between the chairs to where Walker waited for Elissa.
Lori and Reid went next. Dani glanced back at the bride and smiled, then slipped her arm through Alex's. Katherine signaled them to pause before they started down the aisle.
She leaned close. "Don't tell anyone," she whispered. "But you're my favorite couple."
"Mine, too," Alex told her, before leading Dani out into the sunlight.
SUSAN MALLERY
***
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