by Jill Sanders
“Easy,” Aiden said softly, causing her eyes to jerk open.
“You’re here,” she said, trying to smile.
“I am.” He smiled down at her.
“Did you get the bitch?”
“Hey.” He frowned at her.
“Sorry, Mom called her that so… I figured…” She shrugged and then hissed as pain traveled into her shoulders.
“Yes.” He chuckled. “I got her. Tammy Bergstein admitted to running you over and to attacking you in the alley. We found the rusty spade in the back of her truck. It still had blood on it. She also owned up to hitting your display cases outside the store. I guess I owe Brad an apology for that one.”
He lifted her hand up to his lips.
“Why? Why would someone throw her life away like that?” she asked.
“Her husband, Andrew, had gambled away all their business money on an offshore boxing ring.” He nodded. “Yeah, same one. Anyway, when blocking you from opening the store didn’t work at the city level, she resorted to sabotage. Then when you stole—her words not mine—the Jarvis’s wedding order, she attacked you in a fit of rage in the alley. The last straw was the birthday party order you filled today.”
Suzie frowned, remembering what the woman had said about her flower order and how it had been lost. “But she lost their order.”
“The woman is crazy. Trust me. After spending half an hour in the car with her and then interviewing her for another hour, I think she’ll be lucky if she isn’t locked away for the rest of her life. She blames you for her marriage problems and for her husband’s infidelities with another woman. She claims that if you hadn’t opened your store, her husband wouldn’t have cheated and gambled their life savings away.”
“I’ve only been open for a month and have only met her once. I don’t think I ever met her husband.” She frowned.
“Crazy,” he added.
“My parents?” she asked, glancing around the room.
“Outside. I asked them to give me a chance to talk to you alone.” His eyes searched hers.
Here it was. The moment he was going to tell her that he was leaving. She’d known it was coming. She could see it in his eyes. Whatever he had to say, it was going to break her heart and she was not prepared for it.
“Aiden,” she started, but he stopped her by placing a finger over her lips, then rubbing it gently over them as his eyes followed the movement.
“Remember your dad’s plan about the land?” he surprised her by saying.
She frowned and then nodded. “He was going to buy up those two parcels so the developer couldn’t get them.”
“Right, well, what he didn’t tell you was that he put a plot of it in your name. The smaller one, not the hundreds of acres. That he bought as an investor in Parker’s neighborhood idea. They’re going to start building homes spread out on that land.” He chuckled.
“Okay,” she said with a slight shake of her head. “And?”
He sighed. “And I’ve made a decision.” Her heart fell, causing her stomach to ache. She didn’t know how she was going to live without him. Now that she’d come to love him so much, she doubted she could ever go back to just being friends.
“I understand,” she said as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“No, I don’t think you do.” He carefully wiped the tear away with the tip of his finger. “Because, I’ve agreed to start building a house on your land. One that you and I would live in together,” he finished. “That is, with your family’s permission.”
She blinked a few times. “I think the drugs are making me—”
“Suzie.” He laughed. “It’s the worst timing ever, but I’m telling you that I’m staying in Pride. Dad’s going into semi-retirement and wants me to take over for him. The county commissioners have agreed to appoint me, and I’ve decided to stay on in Pride. If you’ll have me, I’d like to remain here, with you.”
“What about your job in Portland?” she asked, still a little foggy on what was happening. She’d never dreamed that he would change his mind.
He laughed and kissed her knuckles again. “I can push and file paper here. Besides, this job is way more exciting than anything I did in Portland. And I don’t have to climb the ladder to get to the top. I guess it really does pay to have family in high places,” he said with a smile. “Besides, I still haven’t caught the bastard who tried to kill my father. I’m not going anywhere until I find out who hurt my family.”
“You’re staying?” she asked as it finally sunk in. Her heart was racing now, and she felt light-headed all over again.
“Yes,” he answered with a smile then took a deep breath. “I love you. I hadn’t expected to, but I do. I can’t imagine being anywhere without you. I want to stay here, fight for my hometown, our hometown. A place I see myself building a future with you.” She felt tears rolling down her face and he gently wiped them away. “Now that I’ve given you my answer on if I’ll stay, will you give me your answer?”
“Yes,” she answered quickly. “I love you, too. I’ve loved you for what seems like forever. Yes, I’ll build a house with you,” she said again and tried to pull him in for a hug, only to cry out in pain. “Okay, let’s do that part later.” She leaned back.
“Is everything okay in here?” Her father poked his head in the door.
“Yes,” they both said at the same time and then laughed. “Everything is perfect,” Suzie added. Her dreams had finally come true. The man she’d loved all her life loved her back.
Also by Jill Sanders
The Pride Series
Finding Pride
Discovering Pride
Returning Pride
Lasting Pride
Serving Pride
Red Hot Christmas
My Sweet Valentine
Return To Me
Rescue Me
A Pride Christmas
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The Secret Series
Secret Seduction
Secret Pleasure
Secret Guardian
Secret Passions
Secret Identity
Secret Sauce
* * *
The West Series
Loving Lauren
Taming Alex
Holding Haley
Missy’s Moment
Breaking Travis
Roping Ryan
Wild Bride
Corey’s Catch
Tessa’s Turn
Saving Trace
* * *
The Grayton Series
Last Resort
Someday Beach
Rip Current
In Too Deep
Swept Away
High Tide
* * *
Lucky Series
Unlucky In Love
Sweet Resolve
Best of Luck
A Little Luck
* * *
Silver Cove Series
Silver Lining
French Kiss
Happy Accident
Hidden Charm
A Silver Cove Christmas
Sweet Surrender
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Entangled Series – Paranormal Romance
The Awakening
The Beckoning
The Ascension
The Presence
* * *
Haven, Montana Series
Closer to You
Never Let Go
Holding On
Coming Home
* * *
Pride Oregon Series
A Dash of Love
My Kind of Love
Season of Love
Tis the Season
Dare to Love
Where I Belong
Because of Love
* * *
Wildflowers Series
Summer Nights
Summer Heat
Summer Secrets
Summer Fling
Summer’s End
* * *
Distracted Series
Wa
ke Me
Tame Me
* * *
Stand Alone Books
Twisted Rock
Hope Harbor
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For a complete list of books:
http://JillSanders.com
About the Author
Jill Sanders is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of Sweet Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense, Western Romance, and Paranormal Romance novels. With over 65 books in eleven series, translations into several different languages, and audiobooks there’s plenty to choose from. Look for Jill’s bestselling stories wherever romance books are sold or visit her at jillsanders.com
* * *
Jill comes from a large family with six siblings, including an identical twin. She was raised in the Pacific Northwest and later relocated to Colorado for college and a successful IT career before discovering her talent for writing sweet and sexy page-turners. After Colorado, she decided to move south, living in Texas and now making her home along the Emerald Coast of Florida. You will find that the settings of several of her series are inspired by her time spent living in these areas. She has two sons and off-set the testosterone in her house by adopting three furry little ladies that provide her company while she’s locked in her writing cave. She enjoys heading to the beach, hiking, swimming, wine-tasting, and pickleball with her husband, and of course writing. If you have read any of her books, you may also notice that there is a love of food, especially sweets! She has been blamed for a few added pounds by her assistant, editor, and fans… donuts or pie anyone?