by Helen Lacey
“I think I was being ironic when I said that,” she observed, trying to ignore her still fluttering heart. “You know, making a point.”
“Your point was taken. I could try reciting a sonnet.”
She bit back a smile. “That looks like lavender from Tess’s garden.”
“Because it is,” he replied. “It’s the best I could do on short notice.”
“I have no idea what you’re doing, David.”
He exhaled heavily, looking up. “Firstly, making amends.”
“For what?’
“For thinking that you had run off with... Byron.”
It was the first time she’d heard him use the other man’s name. “Is that an apology?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“Apology accepted.”
“Put my stupid accusation down to the fact that the very idea of you being with him made me crazy.”
“You were jealous?”
He nodded. “Absolutely.”
“Okay, you’ve made your point.”
He took a breath. “Now I’d like to ask you a question...and I would like you to tell me the truth.”
She stiffened. “Sure.”
“Do you believe I am a man of integrity?” he asked, surprising her.
“What?”
“Do you think I’m honest and trustworthy?”
Annie had no idea where the conversation was going, but she nodded. “Of course I do.”
He sighed, looking relieved. “Good...so, let’s just park that for a moment. I’d like to ask you another question.”
She hesitated, thinking she should get down the ladder and meet him on level ground. But she was curious and remained where she was. “Go ahead.”
“You care about my children, correct?”
“You know I do.”
“And they care about you, right? They regularly tell you how much you mean to them?”
She nodded. “I don’t see what—”
“And my grandmother,” he said, cutting her off. “She cares about you, too. She thinks you’ve hung the moon and tells you as much whenever she gets a chance, yes?”
“Ah...yes,” she replied, thinking about how Mittie was very forthcoming with her affection and that she adored the older woman. “I don’t see how this is—”
“Then there’s my sister, who clearly loves you as a friend and holds you in high regard. I suspect the feeling is mutual?”
“Very much so.”
“And of course, then there’s my dad, who calls you an angel...would that be an exaggeration?”
She smiled, still not knowing where this was going. “No, Ivan is very sweet.”
He took a second, inhaling, looking at her with his penetrating gaze. “So, we’ve established that my kids, my grandmother, my sister and my stepdad all care about you...love you, in fact. And you care deeply about them in return, correct?”
She nodded. “Correct.”
“And when they tell you how they feel, you believe them?’
“Well...yes.”
He nodded, dropping his hands to his sides, and a few lavender buds landed on the barn floor. “All right, so I’d like to go back to my earlier question when I asked you if you though I had integrity and could be trusted.”
“I don’t see the point in you—”
“My point,” he said quietly, “is that you say you trust me. You say you think I’m honest and trustworthy. And yet,” he said, pausing for a moment, “you clearly don’t trust me.”
“Of course I do. You know—”
“I know that when my kids, my grandmother, my sister and my dad tell you how they feel, you believe them.” He looked at her and she got lost in his eyes. “But earlier, when I told you I loved you, you didn’t believe me. Why is that?”
Annie sucked in a sharp breath. What could she say? That she was scared of believing him?
“Because I—”
“Because you think I have an agenda?” he queried, his voice breaking a little. “The only agenda I have is wanting to be with the woman who loves my children as much as I do. The woman who came into my life four years ago and helped heal my grief. Who healed my kids, my sister, my grandmother, my step-dad. The woman who made me want to feel again.”
Annie stared at him, transfixed by the vulnerability in his words. “But you’ve never said anything,” she reminded him, “in all the years we’ve know one another.”
He sighed and nodded and moved to the bottom of the ladder. “Would you come down here please?”
Annie slowly made her way down the ladder. When she reached the ground he held out the flowers and she took them with a shaky hand. She inhaled the sweet scent and swallowed hard, meeting his green-eyed gaze.
“David...”
He reached out and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “When you first came to work for me, I was so relieved that finally I had someone who my children could trust and rely on. They bonded with you so quickly and I think I placed you inside a bubble because anything else would have been completely inappropriate.” He sighed, touching her cheek. “For a long time after Jayne died, I wasn’t in any sort of headspace to do anything other than raise my kids. I couldn’t think about moving on with someone. And by the time I was, you and I had settled into our working relationship that made anything else impossible. And even if it hadn’t been, I was too blind to see what and who was in front of me.”
“What was that?” she asked softly.
“An angel,” he said simply. “A healer. It occurred to me, only recently, that somehow, while we became friends and you became part of my family, while everyone else was working out how incredible you are, I was actually falling for you and didn’t know it.” He shrugged, cupping her cheek gently. “Stupid, huh.”
“And now?” she asked, allowing happiness to seep through her.
“Now I know I am completely in love with you, Annie.”
She shuddered, opening her heart, knowing now was the time to tell him how she felt. “I love you too, David.”
He moved closer, putting his hand gently around her nape. “That’s why you resigned? You told me once you’d been in love and he didn’t love you back...you were talking about me...about us?”
She nodded. “I couldn’t stay... I knew if I did, I’d never get over you.”
“Promise me you won’t,” he said teasingly. “Get over me, I mean. I couldn’t bear to lose you, Annie. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to grow old with you. I want my children to be your children. I want your face to be the last thing I see before I go to sleep at night, and the first thing I see when I wake up each morning. I want to hear your laughter in every room. I want to kiss you and make love to you. I want to marry you, if you’ll have me.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks. They were the most romantic words she had ever heard. “You are a poet,” she whispered, loving him so much in that moment she thought she might burst. “And I’d love to marry you, David.”
He kissed her, long and deep and sweet and Annie sighed against his mouth. “Do you know when I started to realize I was in love with you?” he murmured against her lips.
Annie gripped his shoulders. “When?”
“At the cottage that day...you know, after you resigned and we were stuck there because of the rain. It was as though the world tilted on some kind of altered axis and suddenly I was looking at you differently...perhaps really seeing you for the first time.”
“As a woman, you mean?” she scolded teasingly.
“Don’t be mad at me,” he begged, kissing her neck. “I was trying to take the high ground by keeping you in the can’t-touch category. And then I kissed you that first time and I was a goner.”
Annie smiled against his mouth. “I love it when you kiss me.”
“I intend to
kiss you every day for the rest of my life,” he said and held her close. “When will you marry me?”
“Whenever you want.”
“Soon,” he said quickly. “And... I would love to have a baby with you, Annie. Maybe two.”
“Or three?” she suggested, laughing.
“As many as you want, sweetheart,” he said gently and wiped the tears from her cheek. “And now we should probably go back to the house and tell everyone that we’re getting married. You know the kids are going to be over the moon. I did promise your sister I’d come out here and unbreak your heart.”
“Mission accomplished,” she said and pressed closer.
Annie looked at him, her heart filled with love and hope and happiness.
Her life had just been made, and that was the best feeling ever.
Epilogue
Four Weeks Later
“You know,” Leah said as she fluffed the ivory tulle around the skirt of Annie’s gown, “this really is the most stunning dress.”
Annie glanced at her reflection in the long mirror, taking in the beauty of the long ivory satin gown; with its off-the-shoulder style and princess line bodice, it was incredibly flattering. She smiled, looking at her soon-to-be sister-in-law. “I know. I feel stunning wearing it.”
Tess came around to face her, holding a hairpin encrusted with tiny pearls. “Mom asked if you wanted to wear this—she wore it when she married your dad...that was the day we became sisters.”
Annie’s eyes filled with moisture and Leah grabbed a linen handkerchief she had tucked in her purse. “No tears,” she chided gently. “Or I’ll have to redo your makeup.”
Annie blinked and took a steadying breath. “I can’t help it. I’m so happy and it’s all a little overwhelming.”
It had, in fact, been something of a whirlwind since she’d accepted David’s proposal. They’d quickly gone engagement-and-wedding-ring shopping, taking the kids with them, who were joyously happy about the prospect of them marrying. She got a part time admin job at the Cedar River police station, working two days a week during school hours. Two days after his proposal she moved back into the ranch and they had begun planning their wedding. Small by some standards, but as romantic as Annie had ever dreamed about. They’d decided to stick with Culhane tradition and get married at the Triple C, by the orchard and underneath a huge white tent, with a local band playing their favorite songs. Mitch was standing up as best man, Tess was her matron of honor and Leah, and Ellie were bridesmaids. Scarlett was as cute as a button in her flower-girl dress and Jasper was the ring bearer. Her father was giving her away and when he stepped through the door a few minutes later, her bridesmaids disappeared and left her alone with her parent for a moment.
“You look beautiful,” Ian Jamison said and hugged her gently. “Your mom would have been so proud of the woman you have become. You know, I never really believed there would ever be a man good enough for you. But I like David,” he added and smiled.
“Thanks, Dad. I like him, too,” she said and chuckled.
“He called me and your stepmom, you know, and asked for your hand,” her dad said and grinned, tears plumping at the corners of his eyes. “He said you were the air in his lungs and the ground beneath his feet. It was all I had to hear to know he was worthy and would look after my baby girl.”
Annie’s eyes filled with moisture. “We took the long road to get here...but it was worth it.”
Her dad hugged her gently and took her arm just as Suzanne Jamison came through the door. “It’s time.”
Annie nodded and walked to the door with her father, embracing her stepmother before they left the room. Tess was standing outside the room, while Ellie, Leah and Scarlett were at the bottom of the stairway and she couldn’t help the beaming smile when she spotted them waiting for her.
She waited while Tess fiddled with her veil, kissed her cheek and then went on ahead. She heard music from the band playing and then the song shifted to the one she’d chosen to walk down the aisle to—a sweet, country song that was almost the storybook of her relationship with David.
They headed down the steps, then around the house and Annie held on to her father as the altar came into view. Leah and Ellie walked on ahead, meeting their groomsmen—two of Mitch’s brothers, Jake and Grant, and Scarlett quickly followed, dropping petals from a basket as she wandered up the aisle. Tess moved forward and walked alone, and then Annie and her father began the steady march. She spotted David and her heart rolled over. He looked so handsome in a gray suit, ivory shirt and bolo tie. Jasper stood in front of him, wearing an identical suit, and holding a small cushion, a beaming smile on his face.
Annie met David’s gaze, seeing the love he had for her in his eyes. There was no barrier, no wall up, no hesitation—just an open and sincere expression and no hint of the closed-off man she’d once believed him to be. Annie had no doubt of David’s love for her and she knew he felt the same. Being in love had solidified the friendship they shared. It was a connection that had been there from the very beginning. It was why they could talk, could argue, could easily finish one another’s sentences, often without realizing they were doing it. And it was why they had fallen in love. When they reached the altar, her dad released her arm and she stepped forward, taking David’s hand.
“Hey there, sweetheart,” he said softly.
Annie met his gaze. “Hi. Did I keep you waiting?”
He smiled. “You’re right on time.”
Jasper and Scarlett moved in between them, David gently released her and then they both grasped a hand of each child. The moment was achingly sweet and exactly how it should be—because they were a family.
“Are we ready to begin?” the minister asked.
Annie’s eyes didn’t leave David’s. “You bet.”
She sighed and relaxed, falling in love with David just a little bit more as she became his wife.
* * *
David had been married for exactly two hours and three minutes when he finally managed to get some alone time with his bride. Well, if you could count being at the long table, with the bridal party stretched out along each end, the music playing in the background and the kids coming up to them every few minutes to ask when they were going to cut the cake. Chocolate, of course, because his wife didn’t like fruitcake.
“Have I told you how beautiful you look?” he asked and looped one arm around her, settling his hand against her shoulder.
She swayed against him, the scent of her reaching him deep down. “Several times,” she replied. “Although I don’t mind hearing it. I mean, how many times am I going to get the opportunity to wear a dress like this?” she teased.
David touched her cheek. “Only once, my love. Even if it means I have to fight every fireman that comes to town.”
She laughed softly. “Poor Byron...he really is a nice man.”
David made a grumpy face for second. “Mmm...real sweet.”
“You’re still jealous?” she teased again.
“Absolutely,” he replied and raised her hand to his mouth before kissing her knuckles. “You know, it occurred to me that in all the time we’ve known one another, we’ve never danced.”
“You have two left feet and don’t like dancing,” she reminded him. “And I thought we agreed we wouldn’t do the ‘first dance’ thing.”
David shrugged. “I’m turning over a new leaf and trying new things. And I know you want to.”
“Even if I want to boot scoot?”
He grimaced. “Even then.”
She touched his face gently. “Tell you what, I’ll settle for one of those really slow, swaying against each other kind of dances.”
“That actually sounds pretty good,” he said and got to his feet, holding out his hand. She took it immediately and David led her to the dance floor. He motioned to the band and suddenly the music changed tempo.
>
Annie looked at him as the dance floor cleared and the George Strait classic I Cross My Heart began.
“You arranged this?” she asked and pressed her face into his neck.
He knew they were being observed, but David was oblivious to the people around them. In that moment, he only saw Annie. “You deserve to have every dream you’ve had realized, sweetheart. Even if that’s dancing with your two-left-footed husband.”
She laughed delightedly. “You can’t be that bad?”
“Wanna bet?” he said and grinned.
He was, he figured, but Annie didn’t seem to care. Neither did the kids when they came up and joined them on the dance floor. It was, he thought, one of those perfect moments. With plenty more to come. As he danced with his wife and children, he silently thanked Jayne, his mom and dad, and everyone who had moved through his life over the years. Because of them, he was the man Annie had chosen to trust and love and that was the greatest gift on earth.
And one he would treasure every day of his life.
* * *
Look for Leah’s story, The Secret Between Them, the next installment in The Culhanes of Cedar River, Helen Lacey’s miniseries for Harlequin Special Edition.
On sale June 2020, wherever Harlequin books and ebooks are sold.
Keep reading for an excerpt from Betting on a Fortune by Nancy Robards Thompson.
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Betting on a Fortune
by Nancy Robards Thompson
Chapter One
“I’m here to see the owners.” The deep, masculine voice was attached to an equally sexy guy in a sport coat. “Ashley, Nicole and Megan Fortune? I have a ten o’clock appointment.”
