Blue's gaze flicked to her arms, where she was hugging her bag so tightly to her chest, and he looked back at her face. "My mom and dad were there, too," he said, without preamble. "My brother is some sort of private investigator, and his partner, his mentor, recently died. Everyone was there for his memorial service. I saw them all. My mom, my dad, and my brother."
Her throat tightened, and she nodded, realizing that this was the moment he was going to let her down gently. He was healed now, and he didn't need her. "How did it go?" Her voice was raw, and a little shaky, but she managed a smile.
Blue sat down in front of her and crossed his legs. "Great. Hugs and tears. Forgiveness. There's still a lot of healing that has to happen, but it's good." He seemed oblivious to the people walking past, apparently content to simply sit on the airport carpet in front of her. "I would never, ever have gone to see them if it wasn't for you. Even if I'd lived another hundred years, I still never would have gone back. You made me, and I owe you."
Chloe shook her head and shrugged. "You don't owe me anything. I'm glad it worked out." She hated what he'd said, that he owed her. That made it sound like an obligation, not something that was done out of love.
He frowned. "What's wrong?"
She shrugged again. "Nothing. When do you leave for South America?"
"Never."
She stared at him. "What?"
"Never." His frown deepened. "Do you not know what that means? I'm sorry. I was under the impression that you're fluent in English. What language would you prefer I speak in?"
"You're making a joke?" She couldn't keep the emotion out of her voice. "You're about to break my heart, and you're making a joke?"
"Break your heart?" His face softened, and his gaze flicked to her arms, wrapped so tightly around her bag. "You think I'm not coming back to you, don't you? You think I'm going to disappoint you, like all the other people in your life, don't you?"
Chloe's throat tightened, and she shrugged, tightening her arms around her bag even more. "It's fine if you leave. Just don't make a joke out of it."
Blue reach forward and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "My dear Chloe," he said gently. "You're the strongest person I know. You're brave, courageous, and you open your heart to people without hesitation. But at the same time, your soul is so fragile and delicate that it could be shattered by the tiniest breeze. How could I ever risk creating even a crack in that beautiful soul of yours? I want to protect it. I want to be the strong hands that shield it from any kind of pain, any kind of damage, and any kind of threat, even from something as small as a cloudy day."
Tears filled her eyes, but she lifted her chin. His words were so beautiful, but they felt like a good-bye. "I don't need a protector."
"No, but you have one." He pulled an envelope out of his pocket. "This is my thanks to you for saving my life."
She didn't even look at it. "I don't want thanks."
He didn't seem to hear her. Instead he opened the envelope, pulled out a piece of paper, and set it in her hand. His eyes were sparkling, but at the same time, they were so gentle and understanding that she wanted to cry. Why wouldn't he love her? Why couldn't this amazing man love her?
"Read it," he said.
Sighing, she looked down at it. She realized immediately that it was an itinerary. Her name was on it, as was his. Her heart started to pound, and she saw a flight departure for the both of them for later that afternoon. She scanned down the list of flights checking their connections, until she saw the final one, the place of their arrival. Her heart seemed to stop as she stared at it, reading the words again and again and again, unable to believe what she was seeing. Finally, she looked up, searching his face through tear-blurred eyes. "Paris?" She whispered. "We're going to Paris?"
He smiled, a beautiful, brilliant smile. "Of course we're going to Paris. It's the only place in this world that I would dare propose to you."
She blinked, staring at him. "What?"
Blue took her hand and drew it to his lips, pressing tender kisses along each knuckle, as he had done so many times before. "My dear Chloe," he said. "I meant everything I said a minute ago. I treasure your beautiful heart, your amazing soul, and I know what a gift it is that you open it to me. You were right that I was dying in the life I was in, but you saved me, not by sending me after my family, but by loving me, and teaching me how to love again. I could never have faced them if I hadn't had you holding my hand, loving me, and believing in me. I couldn't have faced them, if you hadn't taught me how to open my heart and to love."
Tears slid silently down her cheeks, but her throat was too tight to reply. His words were so beautiful, so full of love that she could barely keep the sobs from overtaking her. No one had ever spoken to her like that before. No one had ever looked at her like he was, as if she was the very thing that gave his soul life.
He pressed a kiss to the palm of her hand, his eyes not leaving hers. "I love you, Chloe."
"You do?" She could barely whisper the words. "You love me? Really?"
"Damn straight I do." He smiled, rubbing his thumb over her palm. "I'm going to wait until we get to Paris before proposing to you, but you should know that I already decided I'm going to move to Birch Crossing with you, I'm going to hook up with Jackson Reed's construction crew for a while, and I'm going to make a difference to kids in the same way that you are, by bringing a whole bunch of foster kids into our home, and helping them get through all the crap they're facing. I might not have been a foster kid, but I think I have a lot of insight. I want to help on the healing side now, not just plucking people out of danger."
Tears slid down her cheeks, but she didn't try to stop them. There was no way to. "You want to marry me?" she whispered, unable to believe what he'd said.
"Hell, yes. Haven't I made that clear enough?" He searched her face, and frowned. "Clearly, I haven't. All right, you can have this for a minute, but you have to give it back until we get to Paris." He grabbed his bag, dug into it, pulling out a blue velvet box. He took her hand and set the box in it, closing her hands over it the same way she'd done when she'd given him the keychain. "Chloe, I love you. I will love you forever, and I will never walk away from you, no matter how tough things get. I'm intensely loyal, and every single night when you go to bed, you'll be in my arms. You can sleep well, knowing that I'm with you, and will always be. You can count on me. You can depend on me with those kids. You can rely on my help with the shop. And you can trust me with your heart. Chloe, you make me the man that I never thought I could be. Will you marry me?" As he spoke, he released her hands, and opened the lid of the box.
Nestled in white velvet, was a diamond ring. Simple, elegant, and the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. She stared at it, understanding finally dawning on her that it was real. That he wasn't leaving her. That everything she felt, he felt, too. "It's beautiful," she whispered. "I've never seen anything so beautiful."
He grinned. "Read the inscription."
Tentatively, she took the ring out, and held it up. Engraved on the inside, in beautiful script was a single word. "Home," she read aloud. Home. He'd chosen the one word that encompassed all that mattered to her.
He nodded at the ring. "That's my promise to you. Together, we'll create a home for both of us, a home for foster kids, and home for feisty locals who like to knit. Home is what we are together. Home is that place where hearts can stop running and settle down." He took the ring, and held it over the tip of her fourth finger. "May I?"
She raised her gaze to him, as the final scars on her heart healed. "I love you," she whispered.
"I love you, too, and I'll spend the rest of my life making sure you never doubt it." He held up the ring. "But you're evading the question of whether you'll marry me, and it's killing me. Is this how it's going to be for the rest of our lives? I ask you hugely important questions like, 'will you marry me?' and 'may I put this ring on your finger?' and you're going to leave me hanging? Because if that's the way it's going to be, I'll
adjust. But it's kind of torturous, I'm not going to lie, to find the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, and to not know if she's on board."
She laughed, a laugh that seemed to start deep inside her and bubble over with happiness. She held up her hand, grinning. "You can put it on my finger and bind me to you forever, but I have to warn you that I'm not going to give it back to you. We're going to get engaged on the floor of the Dallas airport, not Paris."
He hesitated. "I really wanted to make it magical for you."
She laughed and scooted across the carpet toward him, tangling their legs together. "Home is where the heart finally comes to peace, right?" At his nod, she smiled. "That's here. With you. With us. I love you, Blue. I'll love you forever, and yes, I'll marry you."
His face lit up, and he slid the ring over her finger. "Let's make Paris our pre-wedding honeymoon, then? Engaged in the airport. Celebrated in Paris? Cool?"
She beamed at him. "So cool."
He smiled, a smile so full of warmth and happiness that she knew, without a doubt, that he loved her every bit as much she loved him. She'd found her home. She'd found love. She found the place where she would stop running. And as his hand slid in her hair and he bent his head to kiss her, she knew that her life, her real life, had finally begun.
Chapter 28
"Do you think that's enough books? I don't even know what she likes to read." Chloe sat back on her heels, studying the pale blue bookshelf that had thirty-nine books on it. Well, thirty-nine that she'd purchased. There were another two shelves that Eppie, Judith, and the other Knitting Well ladies had donated, some of them new, some of them used, but all of them given with love.
Emma walked in, carrying a painting. "There are well over a hundred books there," she said. "I'm sure Lizzie will find something she likes."
Chloe chewed her lower lip. "I know, but one of the things that's so hard about being a foster kid, is that you don't even have a book. I feel like books are so comforting. They create places you can visit that are different from where you live." She looked at the nightstand, where a hardcover copy about a little girl who goes to Paris and befriends a dog named Tiffany was sitting.
Blue had surprised her with it the previous night. Somehow, he'd figured out what book she'd had as a child, and he found it for her. And now she was giving it to the little girl who was supposed to arrive at any minute. Her throat tightened as she thought of the man she loved. They had gotten married two weeks after their return from Paris. It had happened so quickly, and yet she felt like she had waited a lifetime for him.
And now, only a few months later, their first foster child was about to arrive.
"What do you think of this?" Emma held up a painting.
Chloe stood up to look at it, and her heart tightened when she saw it was a painting of Emma and Harlan's family. They were in a boat on the lake, laughing, and clearly having a wonderful time. "Oh, it's so beautiful, Em."
Emma grinned. "I want your foster kids to see a happy ending. I want every child that comes through this house to know that it can work out in a beautiful way. I want to give them hope."
Chloe's heart turned over, and she smiled. "I'm so grateful for you, for everything you've done. For bringing me to Birch Crossing, introducing me to Blue, and pushing me not to give up on my dreams."
Emma set the painting down on the floor, propping it against the wall. Then she walked over to Chloe and hugged her, a tight, real hug of friendship. "I love you, babe. We're in this together."
Chloe hugged her back, squeezing hard. "I love you too, Em."
"Hey, girls." There was a light knock on the door jam, and Chloe looked up to see Astrid and Clare in the doorway. Clare was carrying a tray of cupcakes, and Astrid was holding a silver necklace.
Astrid held it up. "I made this for Lizzie. I'm going to make one for every girl that comes through here. You can tell them the story about Paris, read that book, and then give them their own dreams to hold onto."
Chloe took the necklace, and saw it was a tiny Eiffel Tower, handmade by Astrid. "It's so beautiful," she whispered. She looked up at the three women standing around her, the three women who had been her rocks and support helping her get everything ready for Lizzie. "Thank you all so much. You guys have made me feel so welcome."
Astrid laughed and put her arm around Chloe's shoulder. "Sweetie, we've all come from broken paths, but Birch Crossing has become our home, and our healing. We get you, and you've got us. Someday, we'll be like Eppie and Judith. We'll be down in that shop with our wrinkles, gray hair, and swollen knuckles, laughing uproariously about all the trouble we've gotten into together."
Chloe grinned at the idea that in fifty years, she would have such solid roots with these women, and with this town, that she would be like Eppie and the others. "That sounds great."
The others agreed, and Astrid pulled them all into group hug. As Chloe wrapped her arms around these three amazing women, she realized that she hadn't just gotten a man who loved her. She'd gotten a home in Birch Crossing, she'd gotten a community, and she had the start of female friendships that would last forever.
There was a shout and a crash from downstairs, and Emma rolled her eyes. "God help us. I better check and see what Eppie just did. I don't want poor Lizzie to show up and be horrified by what she finds."
"I'll come with you. I need to set up cupcakes," Clare said.
Astrid dropped a quick kiss on Chloe's cheek and winked at her. "I'll see you downstairs, sweetie. The place looks great."
Chloe closed her fingers around the necklace as the three women hurried down the stairs. She sank down on the pink comforter and stared at the Eiffel Tower in her hand. She remembered all her dreams as a little girl. She remembered all her fears. She remembered feeling so lost. The enormity of those emotions settled down on her, like a great weight.
"Hey, sweetheart. How are you doing?"
Chloe looked up as Blue walked into the room. He was wearing jeans, his hiking boots, and a white tee shirt. He looked adorable and rugged, but his shoulders and face were relaxed and happy. He had changed so much in the few months they'd been together, and her heart filled with love as she watched him approach. "I don't know if I can give Lizzie what she needs. It's so tough, the situation she's in." She gestured at the room, with the pink bed, the striped walls, the overflowing bookcase, and the new doll sitting on the bed, waiting for her. "How can I think that this will fill the gap in her heart? How can I think that this will fix everything?"
Blue sat down next to her on the bed and put his arm over her shoulders, tucking her against him. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and entwined his fingers with hers. His wedding ring glittered in the afternoon sun, a shiny gold treasure he'd never taken off since the day he put it on. "Sweetheart, this room is amazing, and so are all the books, and the toys, and everything else we put together for her, but the truth is all she really needs to feel secure is us. She has you. She has me. And she has a community that will support her. That's all she needs." He brought their joined hands to her heart, pressing them against her chest. "This beautiful, amazing heart of yours is enough. It's more than enough. Just open your heart to her, and let her see the beauty inside you. It won't be easy, but every minute, every word, every smile will chip away at the scars on her heart. You're enough, sweetheart. More than enough."
Chloe smiled and turned her head so she could see his face. She rested her forehead against his, and closed her eyes. "How did I get so lucky as to have you fall in love with me?"
He kissed her gently. "Ah, my dear, I think you have it backwards. The better question is, how in the world did I get so lucky to have you fall in love with me?"
Chloe giggled. "Do you think people roll their eyes when they hear the way we talk to each other?"
"Nope. I think when they hear the way we talk to each other, they understand that despite all the hardship in the world, that there are still some things of such beauty that no one should ever give up hope."
<
br /> Chloe sighed happily. "I love you."
"I love you, too." As he spoke, they heard the sound of the car door slamming outside. They both looked at each other, and Chloe's heart leapt.
"Do you think that's them?" she whispered.
"Let's check." Together, they stood and walked over to the window.
Her hand wrapped tightly around Blue's, Chloe looked down as a social worker she recognized walked around to the back door of her car. As she watched, the back door opened, and a six-year-old girl in hot pink tights and messy braids climbed out. She was holding a backpack in her arms, clutching it against her chest as she looked up at the house, her eyes wide with awe.
Chloe's heart leapt. "It's her." Simultaneously, she and Blue waved.
The little girl stared up at them, then, after a moment, she waved back, a tiny, little wave, her eyes huge as she stared up at them. The social worker looked up, and she waved, too, then she took Lizzie's hand to lead her toward the front door.
"Chloe." Blue took her hands and turned her to face him. He searched her face. "You ready to go be a mom?"
Chloe smiled. "I love how you didn't ask me if I was ready to be a foster mom. You just called me a mom."
"Because I know that's how you'll treat them. You'll consider each of those kids to be your child from the day they set foot in this house until the end of time, regardless of how long they live with us. You'll give them unconditional love no matter how much baggage they bring with them…and I'm the same way." He grinned. "Which means I'm about to be a dad. How about that shit?"
Chloe laughed and pushed at his chest. "There will be no swearing around the kids."
Blue rolled his eyes. "You're so bossy. It's a good thing I love you. Otherwise, I'd have to argue with you, even though you're right." He pulled her into his arms and gave her a kiss, a long, decadent kiss that promised a beautiful, sensual night once Lizzie was asleep.
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