“I can’t be here. Every time I come home...I think of your mother.” His voice broke just enough to create an answering thrum of sympathy.
But only for a moment.
“And what about me? I’ve stayed here, missing Mom, as well. And on top of that, missing you.”
Her father sent her a pained look and reached across the table to catch her hand. “I love you, you know that, but I can’t be here. It hurts too much.”
Evangeline’s mind tripped back to one of her first memories of Denny. A reluctant father.
But following that, the reality of how he had coped. How he had rearranged his life to take care of Ella. How he made everything about her.
And another thought struck deep in her soul.
Denny was nothing like her father, after all. He was solid. He was real.
He was true.
She stared at her father a moment, thinking, trying to rearrange her perceptions. Her thoughts.
Then she knew what she had to do.
She leaned forward. “Dad, how much money would you get from the ranch?”
“You know what it is worth.”
“Sort of. But would you get the same amount if you sold the bookstore?”
“Sell the bookstore?” Her father looked surprised. “Why would I do that? It’s yours. It’s for you. Always was.”
Not always, Evangeline thought, but she pushed that petty thought back. “Just tell me.”
Her father leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest as he seemed to consider this.
“It wouldn’t be as much, but real estate in downtown Rockyview is pretty primo especially because I own the building outright. I’ve had a few people interested but it was always for you, poppet, so I told them no.”
“But you have some loans against the ranch yet.”
He shrugged that comment aside. “Not that much, but I guess if I pay them out, what the store would bring would come close to the same.”
She nodded, her heart thudding against her chest wall. A moment of indecision clutched at her but then she thought of Denny. Thought of all he had lost. Thought of Ella and the sacrifices Denny had made for her.
“Because I want you to sell the bookstore. I want you to use that money to finance your scheme.”
Her father only stared at her. “But, poppet, you can’t afford to buy the store.”
She waved off his objections. “I know. And it doesn’t matter.”
“So why are you doing this? This store is all you’ve ever wanted.”
It was. But now that she didn’t have Denny and Ella in her life anymore, it didn’t seem as important. The bookstore had been a large part of her life and now as her deepest wish was about to come true, she realized she had clung to the bookstore for the wrong reasons. It had become the focus of her life. It had become a way to keep her father connected to her when, in reality, her father would never be the father she had hoped he would be. He would never settle down here.
And, somehow, it didn’t matter as much.
If she gave up the bookstore, Denny could keep the ranch. He could take care of Ella and give Ella the kind of childhood Evangeline had had for only a few short years.
It was for Ella, she told herself as she told her father again that this was what she wanted to do. It was all for Ella.
But later, as she lay in her bed, her heart lonely and aching, she knew it was more for Denny.
The next day the sun hid behind clouds and rain drizzled down. The bookstore seemed gloomy and dull and as Evangeline watched the water slide down the large front windows of the store she felt a chill slowly seep into her soul.
She leaned her elbows on the counter and idly paged through a book she had just received in a shipment this morning.
Most of the boxes sat in the back room, where book club was held, still unopened.
Evangeline had only opened the box of books she had ordered for the book club. She wished she could cancel. She wasn’t in the mood.
And the book they had decided on was too depressing. Something Jeff Deptuck had campaigned for. An Arctic expedition gone wrong and the repercussions for a man and his family back home in England.
She leaned her elbows on the counter, suddenly tired. The morning had been unusually busy, which was good, and right now it was lunchtime. In half an hour she was to meet her father and Tate Truscott at Mug Shots to talk about the sale of the store. Evangeline wanted to make sure that her father kept to his side of the bargain and part of that was to draw up a legal lease agreement for Denny.
She shivered, wrapping the soft cashmere sweater her father had given her this morning around her shoulders. At first she’d wanted to refuse. But the reality was that this was her father’s way of expressing his affection for her and she was at a low point in her life. Ready to take any expression of caring.
So she’d put it on.
But the soft wool and the pale yellow color did nothing to brighten her low spirits.
I miss him. I miss Denny.
Her heart clenched at the thought.
Then she closed her eyes, slapped the book shut and straightened. She had to get over this. Her life was about to make some major changes and that was a good thing.
Change was as good as a rest. Maybe she had stayed in Rockyview, waiting, too long. Maybe it was time she ventured out and figured out what she wanted. Make some plans and schemes of her own.
She lifted her chin, ready to take on her new life when the door to the bookstore opened.
A man, silhouetted against the gloom behind him, paused inside the frame. Tall, with broad shoulders, lean hips.
And a cowboy hat that dripped water onto the floor of the store.
Icy fingers clutched at her heart and Evangeline pressed a hand against her chest as if to contain the chill.
“What...what can I do for you?” she stammered as the man stepped farther into the store, sweeping his dripping hat off his head, déjà vu ripping through her.
Denny stood in front of her, his jaw shadowed with stubble, his eyes bleary. He blinked a moment, as if coming back from a dark place into light, then he took another tentative step toward her.
“I was just talking to your father,” he said.
Evangeline could only nod as she ran her suddenly damp palms down the sides of her skirt.
“He told me about the store.”
Another nod as she struggled with what to say to a man who had once held her heart in hands that now worked their way around the brim of a dripping cowboy hat.
“Why are you selling it?” he asked.
Evangeline swallowed, then licked her dry lips. “I think you know why.”
Denny nodded. “I think I do, too, but I’d like to hear it from you.”
“Why? So you can make another decision without me?”
“Evangeline—”
“No. You don’t get to act as if you’re in charge here. I’m in charge. I’m the one who decided to sell the store. And if you really must know, I did it so my dad wouldn’t have to sell the ranch right away and so that Ella could have a home.”
He blanched at that and Evangeline felt suddenly remorseful. He nodded slowly, as if understanding. “Of course you did. That’s amazing of you. I knew you were a selfless person. I’m not surprised.”
She waited a moment, still unsure of what to say and what she was allowed to expect.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?” she asked, resting her hands on the counter as if finding support there. “Why didn’t you think I needed to know?”
Denny bit his lip, as if thinking, then looked up at her, his eyes narrowed. “I didn’t tell you because I was ashamed. Because once your father wanted to sell the ranch it meant I had to go back to the kind of life I had before. And I didn’t want that for you. I wanted the best for you. A home. A stable living. I wanted to be able to support you. And once I knew I couldn’t give you that, I couldn’t...I couldn’t...” His sentence faded away but his eyes held
hers.
“Did you really think I needed so much?”
Denny gave her a weary smile and lifted his chin toward her. “Look at you. I don’t know much about clothes but I can tell quality. Everything you have, everything you wear, is the best. Expensive and beautiful. I can’t give that to you now and I certainly couldn’t give that to you if I had to leave. I couldn’t even offer you a decent home. Maybe a rented double-wide at best while I was off driving a truck and you were scrabbling to pay bills. Lila couldn’t live that life—”
“I’m not Lila,” she protested, hurt that he assumed she was such a princess. “I care about you and I would be willing to make sacrifices to be with you. I’m not a diva and I’m not high maintenance. I know how to make sacrifices for love. That’s why I told my father to sell this store. So you could keep the ranch. I did it because I love you.”
She stopped herself then, clapping her hand over her mouth as if to hold back the words already lying between them.
It was too late to backtrack and the shock on his face showed her he’d heard every word.
“You gave up this bookstore for me?”
“And Ella.” Then she shrugged, realizing he needed to hear the full truth. “But mostly for you.”
Denny walked over slowly, as if engaged in a showdown. But he didn’t stop at the counter. He came around it, dropped his hat to the floor and caught her by the shoulders.
“You love me?”
Evangeline felt exposed and vulnerable but she figured she might as well see this through. “Yes. I do.”
Denny looked down at her, his eyes holding a warmth that kindled an answering glow in her own soul. “I love you, Evangeline. I have loved you for a while now.”
She felt her heart quiver at the fervent note in his voice.
Then he pulled her close, his arms damp from the rain outside, his lips cool, moving against hers, warming hers, warming her soul.
He pulled away, but cradled her head against his shoulder, resting his chin on her hair as he took in a long, slow breath.
“I love you so much,” he murmured. “I can’t believe you would do that. That you would sacrifice what you loved because of me. No one has ever done anything like that for me. Ever.”
She had no answer to that so she wrapped her arms around him and held him close.
He loved her and she loved him. For now, that was enough.
They stood that way for a while, then Denny slowly stepped back, his rough fingertips gently tracing her features. Her eyebrows, her cheeks, her lips, her chin, as if trying to memorize her.
He kissed her again, smiling. “But I can’t let you do that,” he said. “I can’t let you make that sacrifice.”
“But you have to,” she said, holding his eyes. “Not to get all practical, but I know you can’t afford to buy out my father.”
“I can’t. And I have wanted more than anything to give you a home on the ranch, the place you grew up. I was making dreams and plans about us.”
“You were?” she asked, his words lighting a candle of wonder in her soul.
“Of course. You were the reason for all the decisions I was making. But now...” Denny sighed lightly and looked as if he was about to argue with her. “I can’t let you do this.”
“Don’t you understand?” she said, catching hold of his arms. “I want to be with you. And if that means selling the bookstore, then I’m happy to do it. This way you don’t have to leave and I don’t have to leave and we can be on the ranch, the place I grew up. The place I had my happiest memories. We can make new and better ones, and that means more to me than keeping the bookstore.”
Denny’s eyes locked with hers as a smile of amazement crawled over his lips. “You mean that, don’t you?”
“I do. I love you and I want to be with you and I want you to be happy and I want me to be happy and this way...this way everybody is happy. You have all I have ever wanted. You have a loyal, faithful heart. A heart for family. A heart that's ever true.”
Denny laughed but Evangeline could see he still harbored some doubts and concerns. “I come with a lot more family than you might be comfortable with.”
“I’m willing to risk it.” She stopped herself there. She had said enough. It was up to Denny now.
Then the door to the bookstore opened again and Evangeline felt a beat of exasperation. Didn’t people know she was planning her future here?
But as the door shut behind the newest customer, Evangeline’s heart thudded in her chest.
Her father stood just inside the door, looking at Denny and Evangeline with narrowed eyes, as if trying to adjust to this reality.
“So. This is the guy you’re willing to give your dream up for?”
Evangeline’s heart slowed, then she nodded. “This bookstore isn’t as important to me as Denny is.”
“He must be special.”
Evangeline looked back at Denny but his eyes were on her father. Holding her hand, he turned to face him. “Before I say anything more to Evangeline, I want you to know that I want to ask her to marry me.”
Evangeline felt her breath leave her chest as Denny shot her a sidelong glance.
“If you’ll have me, that is.”
She clung to his hand with both of hers, her chest unable to hold in the happiness that made her heart want to burst. “Of course.”
“Are you asking my permission?” Andy asked, walking toward them, still frowning.
“I guess I’m letting you know what my intentions are,” Denny said.
Andy looked at Denny then back at Evangeline. “So, poppet, is he the one? Is he the hero you’ve always been waiting for?”
“And more,” Evangeline said, unable to say more than that.
Andy released a heavy sigh then turned to Denny. “You know that she’s precious to me.”
“And she’s precious to me,” Denny said, turning his attention back to Evangeline, his eyes shining with a light that stirred her to the depths of her soul. “And I hope to take care of her the best way that I can.”
“Okay. If that’s the way it is.” Andy walked toward them and laid his hand on each of their shoulders. “Then you have my blessing.” He squeezed Evangeline’s shoulder. “I haven’t always been a good father to you,” he said quietly. “But I hope I can be the father I should be right now. I want you both to know I’m not selling the ranch or the bookstore.”
His words tugged Evangeline’s attention away from Denny.
“What do you mean?”
Andy gave her a melancholy smile. “I’m sorry, poppet. For all that I put you through. But I see that you really care for this guy. I can’t imagine you giving up something so important to you if he wasn’t the one.” He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I want you to be happy and if this is what it takes, then I’m willing to give up a few plots and plans to see that happen.”
Evangeline could only stare at him, hardly daring to believe her father was really willing to do this for her.
“This seems too good to be true,” was all she could manage.
Her father shrugged, then sighed. “Well, it’s true. Besides, I just found out that the guy I was going to partner with changed his mind.”
Again, she could only stare, juggling her relief with a small measure of hurt at his motives.
Her father would never change, she realized. He would never be the man she wanted him to be.
But then she looked over at Denny who was shaking his head, looking as exasperated as she felt.
“You’re not changing your mind about the store, are you?” Denny asked, taking a step closer to Evangeline, as if to protect her. And in that moment, Evangeline knew that no matter what happened, she had this capable, caring, loving man in her corner. At her side. Behind her back.
“No. I’m not.” Andy scratched the side of his head. “I know I’ve not been a great dad. I’m kind of struggling along here. But I do want my girl to be happy. We’ll go to the lawyer first thing in the m
orning and sign over the bookstore. I’ve already made the appointment.”
Evangeline relented and returned her father’s hug. “Thanks, Daddy,” was all she could say.
Andy gave her a quick nod, then took a step back. “So, I guess I’ll leave you two alone. I’m sure you have lots to talk about.”
Denny smiled down at Evangeline, slipping his arm around her shoulders. “We certainly do.”
Andy gave them both a smile, then turned and walked out of the store.
Evangeline waited until the door fell shut behind him and turned back to Denny. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
“Me, either. But I want you to know that I will spend my lifetime loving you and taking care of you.”
“I know you will.”
This netted her another quick kiss.
“So, anything else you need to do here?” Denny asked. “I’d like to go home.”
Home. The word filled her soul, soothing away years of sorrow and pain.
“That sounds like a good plan,” she said. And on their way out of the store, Evangeline picked out a book for Ella. Tucking it under her arm, she slipped her hand in Denny’s and together they walked out of the store and toward the next part of their story.
Toward their ever after.
I hope you enjoyed Ever After. and Evangeline’s story. Before you go, I thought I would give you a sneak peek into the next book, Ever Loving. This is Mia’s story and you’ll get to see if she gets her own Happy Ever After.
Chapter One
“Go to sleep. Please go back to sleep,” Mia pleaded as she dragged the stroller holding her twin toddlers backward into the bookstore. Jennifer had been fussing for the past twenty minutes. She couldn’t be hungry. Mia had given both baby girls and her two sons a good supper before heading out the door into the cool of the late-fall evening. A better supper than she managed to wolf down before Angie showed up. Though Angie wasn’t her regular babysitter, she had offered to take the two boys and the twins. Mia took care of four children all the time, but she didn’t feel right doing that to a temporary babysitter so she had taken the twins with her.
Fatigue dragged at her, and for a moment Mia entertained the idea of skipping the bookstore. However, she had promised Josh and Nico she would get the books. And ever since her husband had left her pregnant with twins and two young sons, Mia was firm on keeping promises to Josh and Nico.
Ever After Page 18
