“I love you right back, and thanks for understanding. I feel so guilty that I didn’t try harder to stay in her life. She’s coming out of her shell so well now that she’s away from her mother and those awful institutions. I’m just afraid that she’ll . . .” Sophie wiped a tear away from her eye.
“If she does, she will call,” Teddy reassured her. “She wouldn’t want you to fret like this, and she sure wouldn’t want you to feel guilty over things you couldn’t control in the past. You’ve stepped up now, and that’s what’s important.”
Sophie took his hand in hers and held it close to her cheek. “Thank you for always knowing how to make me feel better.”
“That’s my job.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Of course, I have other, more important jobs, like taking you straight to bed when we get to the house I’ve rented.”
“I thought that was my job.” She finally let go of the sadness and laughed.
“I think I remember Rebel telling us years ago that the best way to get to know someone was to work together, so . . .” His eyes started at her toes and went to her head.
“Keep your eyes on the road or we’ll never make it to that bed,” she teased.
“Blessed are they who wait, for they shall . . . ,” he began.
“Make love,” she said, and then quickly fastened her seat belt. “And we both better watch for lightning bolts to jump out of the sky and fry us for being sacrilegious.”
Later that evening, Sophie propped herself up on an elbow and stared her fill of Teddy. He looked so much younger than his thirty-five years when he was sleeping. His heavy lashes fanned out on his high cheekbones, and he was so much at peace. She rolled out of the king-size bed on the other side, picked up his plaid shirt, and buried her nose in the collar. She loved the woodsy aroma of his cologne and wished that she could always go to sleep in his arms and wake up in them.
Where did that come from? that pesky voice in her head asked. You’re the first one to admit that you are afraid of commitment.
She slipped her arms into the shirt, buttoned it up, and eased the door shut when she left the room. The house was exactly what she would want in a home if she ever gave up her loft and bought a place. The front door opened into the open living space—a living room, kitchen, and dining area all in one. A hallway led to a master bedroom with a huge walk-in closet and a private bathroom. Stairs led up to two more bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor. Roses were already blooming at the edge of a wide veranda that had a porch swing back in the shadows.
Teddy came out of the bedroom and slipped both of his arms around her waist. “Now, I’d say after that amazing lovemaking that we’ve been working together in the best way possible.”
“If we were judging, I’d give it a ten out of ten.” She flipped around and put her arms around his neck. “And now I’m starving.”
“Supper will be delivered pretty soon.” He had pulled on a pair of pajama pants and a tank top, but the clothing that they’d worn into the house was scattered from the door all the way down the hallway.
“Oh, really? And what’s for dessert?” she asked.
“That’s your department.” He grinned.
“Then ice cream it is,” she teased.
“We’ll need it after Mexican food and before another round of hot sex.” He slid a sly wink her way.
The doorbell rang, and Teddy picked up his jeans from the floor and slipped his billfold from the hip pocket. Sophie took down a couple of plates from the cabinet and some cutlery from a drawer and had the table set when he brought the sacks of food into the kitchen area. While he opened the covered containers, she got two beers from the refrigerator. He pulled a chair out with a flourish and motioned for her to sit down.
“You are lookin’ lovely tonight, my darlin’,” he whispered.
“You don’t look so shabby yourself.” She smiled up at him and put two chicken enchiladas on her plate.
He picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles. “Be honest with me, Sophie. What do you think of this house?”
“If I ever leave my loft in Dallas, this is exactly what I’d want,” she answered.
He let go of her hand. “It’s going up for sale in another week. If you like it, we might put in a bid on it.”
“Are you serious? Why would we live in Del Rio?” She could tell that he was about to burst with excitement, but in a far different way than she was. Her head suddenly throbbed. He was going to propose and ask her to move in with him. The next thing would be marriage and then babies.
“I’m ready for a life change, and I want you to be with me all the time.”
Sophie was stunned speechless.
“Is that a no?” Teddy asked.
“It’s a give-me-a-minute-to-catch-my-breath-and-think-for-a-second.” She dropped her fork on the table.
“Then is it a yes?” he asked. “You can work anywhere, and you must like this area, because you come down here every year to paint.”
“Teddy, I’ve got a hefty savings account, but can we afford to do something like this?” she whispered.
“Remember that trust that my father left me? I’m thirty-five, so it’s mine now, and, honey, we can afford to do anything we want,” he said. “I can’t see myself not working, but I’m tired of traveling. I want roots, and I want to put them down with you. And the rest of the surprise is this . . .” He took a long drink of his beer.
Her head was spinning. Good God, was he about to propose? Was that the rest of the surprise?
“I want to use some more of my trust fund to buy an old store on Main Street. It was built back in the days when owners with a place like that would put a furniture store on the ground floor and a funeral home upstairs. There’s still a service elevator where they took the caskets up to the parlor. The last folks that owned it had an antique store in it, but I . . .” He took another long drink of his beer.
She had been in an old store like that in a little town in the northern part of the state and loved the feeling she got when she was inside it, surrounded by all those old dishes and antiques. Each one had a story to tell, if they could only talk.
“I want to put a gallery in the downstairs and turn the loft into an area for you to paint. I’ll run the gallery while you paint, and then we’ll come home to this house,” he finally spit out.
“Have I reached a place in my career that I should do that?” She had to give him an answer. She couldn’t break his heart, but . . .
There are no buts in love, the voice in her head said. If there are, then you need to end this relationship right now and let Teddy find someone who will give him what he needs and wants.
He laid a hand on hers. “Honey, you saw that place where you were just a struggling artist in the rearview mirror years ago. You are known internationally, so yes, you are ready. We can do the Europe thing and come home to settle down into our own place, with our own store.”
Sophie’s eyes filled with tears. “This is too much to take in all at once.”
“The last thing is that I want us to get married. I want to know that you are mine forever,” he said.
And there it was. The very thing that she had dreaded.
“First, I have to tell you something that I’ve never told anyone else,” she whispered—could she even say the words? Her emotions zoomed as if on a roller coaster that sucked her breath right out of her chest. Her hands trembled so badly that she laced her fingers together and held them in her lap. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
“Spit it out and then say yes to everything I’ve suggested.” He took her hands in his. “You are shaking, darlin’. Talk to me. There’s nothing we can’t get through together.”
“I . . . there was . . . ,” she stammered.
“Is this something that happened before I met you?” he asked.
She nodded.
“Then it doesn’t matter,” he said.
“Yes, it does, because it’s my biggest fear. I know you want children, and
I’m terrified that God will punish me and never let me have kids, or if I do, I’ll be a terrible mother.” Tears streamed down Sophie’s face.
“Why would you even think that?” he asked. “Rebel is a fantastic mother, and she’ll make an amazing grandmother. You’ll be more like her, I’m sure because she was your role model, not Victoria.”
“I got pregnant my first semester in college,” she said in a voice so low that she could barely hear herself speak.
“You had a baby?” Teddy’s expression went to sheer shock.
“No, I lost it.” She sucked in a lungful of air. “I didn’t do anything to cause it, but I always felt guilty because I didn’t want a baby at that time in my life. The father was a substitute art teacher, and I didn’t know until he’d already gone back to Chicago that he was married and had children. Victoria didn’t want children, and look what she did to Em. What if . . .”
“Good Lord, Sophie, why didn’t you talk to me about this before?” Teddy scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the sofa. He sat down with her and kept his arms tightly around her. “You shouldn’t have carried this burden all alone.”
She shook her head. “I was afraid of losing you. I’m terrified of getting married because look what my father did, and then that substitute teacher cheated on his wife with me. I’ve always been afraid that . . .”
“That marriage would change what we have?” he asked. “Darlin’, that will never happen, whether we have a conventional marriage or just a commitment ceremony.”
“Or jump the broom?” She smiled through the tears.
“What’s this about jumping a broom?” He tipped up her chin and brushed a soft kiss across her lips.
She told him the short version of what Filly had said.
He chuckled and pressed his forehead against hers. “I would be honored to say my vows and jump the broom with you if you are proposing to me.”
“Then I think I am,” she said. “Are you sure you’re all right with what I told you?”
“Honey, that happened before I was part of your life.” He hugged her even tighter. “And you need to give up that guilt trip right along with the one about Em. You are an amazing person, and when we’re ready, we’ll be wonderful parents. But first we’ve got a trip to Europe, a business to put in, and a broom to jump. Just when is this ceremony going to take place?”
Sophie thought maybe she was dreaming and started to pinch herself. But this was real, and she wasn’t sure whether to be relieved that she had finally told someone about her baby, or skeptical that she could be absolved in the blink of an eye. She’d carried the burden, as Teddy called it, for seventeen years. How could she just shake it off now? She immediately thought of Emma trying to get past what she had endured.
“Well?” Teddy asked. “Do you want to jump the broom as soon as we get back from Europe or wait until we get established here in Del Rio?”
“July Fourth,” she blurted, “at the trailer park. That way my friends can be at the ceremony, and it’s the last week I’ve got the trailer rented. We’ll have a weeklong honeymoon right here in our own house before we settle down to a nine-to-five job of running our new gallery.”
“I love it, and I love you. For this broom-jumping business, do I buy you an engagement ring?” he asked. “Or a small dustpan and broom first?”
“Just a plain gold band, please,” she suggested with a laugh.
“Consider it done. Are we in agreement about everything—the house and the business?” he asked.
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” she squealed. “When can I see the building?”
“Tomorrow morning at eight, and then we go straight to the airport,” he said.
“Can we put Josh’s and Em’s and Filly’s and Arty’s work in the gallery?” She could already visualize paintings hanging on the walls, jewelry in glass cases, and Arty’s metal art displayed on pedestals.
“I would like to if they’re willing,” Teddy answered. “But right now, our supper is getting cold, and you’re supposed to be in charge of dessert. Have I told you how sexy you look in that shirt?” He pulled her close and kissed the side of her neck.
“If you don’t stop, we’ll have dessert first and then reheat supper in the microwave.” Her knees were getting weaker with each kiss.
He scooped her up and carried her down the short hallway to the bedroom. “Best idea I’ve heard since you said yes to my proposal.”
“I thought you said yes to mine.” She nibbled on his earlobe.
“I guess I did.” He closed the door with his bare foot.
Chapter Twelve
Emma wandered through the trailer that evening before supper. She was dressed in one of her long skirts and had flip-flops on her feet. She had slept well the night before, but she missed having that first cup of coffee in the morning with Sophie. By suppertime that evening, Emma was in a funk. She knew the difference between what she was feeling at that time and the down-and-dirty depression she had known for the past years, and this was not the latter. It wasn’t as bad as the blue mood she had sunk into when she and Sophie had to part when they were twelve years old, but it was a similar feeling.
Craving company, however, was a whole new feeling for her, and that evening she was sitting at the picnic table before Arty and Filly brought out the food. She was so hungry and nervous after spending that first night alone in the trailer that she didn’t even realize Josh was anywhere around until he slid onto the bench across from her.
“Hey,” he said.
“Evenin’,” she gasped.
“Did I startle you?” Josh asked.
“Little bit,” she admitted. “My mind was a million miles away.”
Filly set a two-layer lemon cake on the end of the table. “How you holdin’ up, darlin’ girl? Missin’ Sophie?”
Arty put a platter of smoked pork chops in the middle of the table. “That’s a stupid question. Of course she’s missin’ Sophie. We all miss Sophie every time she leaves us.” He headed back inside the house and returned with a container of cheesy potatoes and a bowl of salad.
“Amen,” Josh agreed. “These two”—he pointed at Arty and Filly—“get downright cranky when all they have is me.”
“Arty just brings out the worst in me,” Filly grumbled.
Arty shot a dirty look her way and then bowed his head. He said a quick grace and then passed the pork chops to Filly. “This is me being nice. You should appreciate it.”
Filly put a chop on her plate and sent the platter to Josh. “Well, thank you. I’ll remember to write it down in my diary tonight that Arthur must be sick because he was nice.”
“You’re an evil woman,” Arty chuckled.
“See what I mean?” Josh said. “They’re worse than raising teenagers. Have you heard from Sophie?”
Emma nodded. “She called last evening, but we only talked a minute or two. They’re having a great time, and she said that she’s got a surprise to tell us all about when she gets home. Next time y’all go to the store, I want to send some money for you to buy me one of those prepaid cell phones so she can text and send pictures to me.”
“I wonder if she and Teddy got married?” Filly sighed.
The idea that Sophie would get married and not tell Emma—that just couldn’t happen. Maybe engaged, but not married. No, sir!
“Not without us,” Arty growled. “She wouldn’t do something that big without inviting us to the wedding.”
“What if she gets married in Dallas in a huge church with lots of people?” Josh’s eyes were wide with worry.
Emma could feel his pain, because she shuddered at the thought of possibly being one of several bridesmaids at such an affair.
“Would y’all go to that wedding? The one in a huge church with all kinds of people around?” Josh asked.
Emma sure couldn’t answer yes to the question.
“Of course, but only if I could wear my bibbed overalls and give away the bride.” Arty chuckled.
“I’d
go, but I would go as myself, not a silly dressed-up version,” Filly agreed, “but I’d sure hate to make that drive. I don’t even like to ride an hour up to the grocery store.”
“You haven’t in over a year,” Arty reminded her. “You just make out a list for me and Josh to take care of.”
“Well, I’m going next week,” Filly said. “It’s time for me to get some things that I don’t want y’all to see, and, Em, I’ll be glad to get you one of those phones. I keep one handy for when we lose power out here”—she pointed at Arty—“and I need to check on this old smart-ass right here and make sure he didn’t get struck by lightning.”
A feeling of contentment replaced Emma’s burst of fear over having to walk down an aisle with a bouquet in her hands. If she had Arty, Josh, and Filly with her, she could survive the biggest wedding in the whole state of Texas.
How would you feel about some guy asking you to marry him? Her father’s voice popped into her head.
Scared out of my mind. She had no trouble answering that question.
She looked up and locked gazes with Josh. Her heart threw in an extra beat, and her pulse jacked up a notch or two. Surprisingly enough, she didn’t want to wring her hands and didn’t even blink. She might even say yes if it was Josh who proposed—someday, not right then.
“So, what did you paint today?” Josh asked.
“I started a picture of that beautiful sunrise yesterday morning, but I had no idea what to do with it until I saw a turkey with his tail all fluffed out. I walked out to the spot where he had been and found a small feather. I painted him looking at the sun as it rose, like he was scaring away the dark night,” she said. “I used an eleven-by-fourteen-inch canvas, which is as big as I ever intend to do. What about y’all?”
“Can I see it?” Josh asked.
“Sure. Y’all can come over and see it after we eat.” Emma hoped that maybe they’d even sit awhile and visit with her so the evening wouldn’t be so long.
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