by Lori Ryan
He pulled her closer still and kissed her, threading his hand into her hair before breaking off the kiss to look at her. “I don’t deserve you.”
She smiled. “Of course you do. You deserve the world.” She stopped when she realized what she’d said and shook her head, a grin breaking out on her face.
James laughed. “I think you just compared yourself to the world. I happen to agree, but still.”
She pushed at his good shoulder as a nurse came into the room and started in on taking vitals and preparing him for the surgery that was to come. She’d waited so long for him. She’d almost lost him. Watching them wheel him out of the room half an hour later was one of the hardest things Presley had ever had to do.
She didn’t have to wait alone. She had Hunt, the General, Laura, and Cade there with her, but her parents arrived shortly after James was taken in. She’d called them to let them know what had happened, but she was surprised to see they’d gotten to her so quickly.
Presley began to cry all over again when her mother and father wrapped their arms around her.
They both looked different somehow, but maybe it was just that they looked as exhausted as she felt. The last she knew, her mother had still been in their New York apartment.
Now, her mom felt up and down Presley’s arms like she might find some injury the doctors had missed or some hurt Presley had hidden from them. “You’re sure you’re okay? I can’t believe this happened.”
Her mom’s words broke off as tears streamed down her face and her father put his arms around her mom from behind. “She’s all right, Kat.”
It took her mind off of the surgery as she filled them in on what had happened. Her mom was pale as a ghost, shaking her head at Presley through most of it.
Then, they’d done the only thing they could do. They waited for news.
Epilogue
Presley looked around the room. The display shelves were perfect. James had also made coordinating free-standing shelving units that were spread around the center of Petals and Posies, each with the distinctive natural touches that made it evident each piece was an original work.
She had put off the grand opening of her store for a month. The shelves were filled with a variety of small plants, bonsai trees, and dried flower arrangements. Her refrigerated cases held more arrangements—these with fresh flowers—as well as cut flowers in lavender colored buckets that would allow her to pull from them as clients told her what they wanted to see in a bouquet.
Outside, window boxes overflowed with colorful sprays and bunches, the warm Texas weather ensuring that she could keep them filled and blooming nearly year-round.
Presley took a deep breath and walked through to the work room in the back. The first few times she’d been back there, she had to have James with her to keep the panic of memories of being grabbed by her kidnappers at bay. In the past few weeks, they’d worked to replace the memories with happy ones of their own. Some of the memories were X-rated. Others were as simple as him helping to set up the space for her, replacing the plain work table with the custom-made table he’d finished for her.
He had needed Cade’s help on the table since his arm was still in a sling for most of that time, but together, they’d gotten it done.
Now, James was setting the box of cinnamon rolls he’d just picked up from the diner onto the table and turning his smile her way. Lulu stood by his side, as always, but he was so different from the man who had barely said a word to her the day they first met.
“What are you smiling at?” He asked as he came her way, reaching out with his good arm to pull her in and kiss her. He didn’t need his sling anymore, but he was still building the strength back in his left arm.
His kisses always rocked her a little. He had the power to set her head spinning so easily, it seemed.
“I’m just really happy,” she said when he’d pulled back to look at her. “You make me so happy.”
“It’s mutual,” he said, then looked around at the room they stood in. “You did it, Pres. You have your flower shop.”
“You were a big part of it.” They were waiting for her friends to arrive for a casual breakfast celebration before her official grand opening.
He made a face and shook his head, but she pressed the point.
“It’s true. My mom’s actions might have spurred me into action, but talking about it with you before that, having you there to cheer me on when I took the plunge, all of that meant something.” She turned to the work table he’d made for her. “And this, all of the things you made for me that make the space so unique, they mean the world to me.”
His eyes flashed with pleasure at her words and she realized she’d been seeing so much more of that in him lately. He was still seeing his therapist, and he was going to physical therapy to help his arm heal twice a week, but he was more relaxed now.
“I heard from Hunt this morning,” he said, shifting the conversation.
“Yeah? How is he?”
“You’ll find out soon. He called to let me know he’d packed up his truck and is heading our way. With Lars gone, he decided he didn’t want to stay in Pennsylvania. He doesn’t have family in the area or anything to tie him there, and he said he’s a little burnt out with his work. He’s going to head this way and stay for a while.”
She smiled. “That’s great. I love hanging out with Hunt.”
He growled at her, but it was playful. He knew damned well she didn’t have eyes for anyone but him. But, she meant what she said. She did like spending time with Hunt, mostly because James could laugh and have fun with him. James and Cade were growing closer, but James needed a friend in the area that understood him and what he’d been through.
There was a knock on the back door and James turned to pull it open.
The faces of all the people Presley loved came through the door. Laura, Cade and Jamie. Jamie squealed and reached for James, who took her with his good arm. Cade’s brother, Shane, and his girlfriend, Phoebe, came next. Phoebe was General Cutter’s daughter and she’d been the first one to track the fact that James was still alive and being held in South America. Without Phoebe and Shane, Presley wouldn’t have James in her life. In fact, without them, he might be dead.
Laura was watching Jamie as she clung to James’s neck. “Watch Uncle James’s bad arm, Jamie,” she warned.
The pair turned exasperated looks on her, answering, “He’s fine” and “I’m fine,” at the same time.
Cora and Emma entered next, followed by Ashley and Haddie. Garrett followed behind them with a carafe of hot coffee and a bag around his wrist. Haddie and Ashley set about stealing the bag from him and emptying its contents onto the table. They’d brought all the fixings for the coffee as well as cups and napkins.
Lily and her boyfriend, Carter, came in next followed by Katelyn and Sheriff John Davies, her husband. Katelyn had surprised them all the week before by announcing she was twelve weeks pregnant. She all but glowed now, but she said she’d been home throwing up for the past month.
Bringing up the rear was Presley’s parents. After hugging everyone as they walked in, Presley went to her parents and hugged them. Her mom was living back at the Texas house now, but Presley got the sense things were still strained between them.
Her relationship with them was better than ever, though. They’d been remarkably supportive of her decision to retire and open the shop. It seemed that a kidnapping could put things in perspective like nothing else.
Neither Presley nor James was the type for big toasts or anything like that, so the brunch was nothing more than what they enjoyed. A quiet visit with their closest friends. Food and coffee. And when the clock struck nine in the morning, they all walked to the front of the shop with Presley as she turned the lock and flipped her closed sign to the open side.
Petals and Posies was officially open for business. No matter how the shop did, Presley could officially say she was never happier. Her life was hers, and it was whole.
Dear
Reader,
Did you just love James’s and Presley’s story? I hope so!
Next up is Treasure and Protect. I know you guys have wanted Cora and Justin to get their HEA for a long time! Grab their story on pre-order now.
I can never thank the people who help me with these books enough. This book wouldn’t have been possible without the expertise of Karen Henderson, Bev Pettersen, Lynn Gaeckle-Avallone, Sarah Bond, and Dr. Ashley Hampton. Your quick assistance and expertise is so appreciated!
Clark Chamberlain, you helped this story come to life. Thank you so much for working with me to make this plot work.
I’d like to thank my amazing team of editors and beta readers. I couldn’t do this without you guys.
As always, any errors are entirely mine.
Lori Ryan is a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author who writes romantic suspense, contemporary romance, and sports romance. She lives with an extremely understanding husband, three wonderful children, and two mostly-behaved dogs in Austin, Texas. It’s a bit of a zoo, but she wouldn’t change a thing.
Lori published her first novel in April of 2013 and hasn’t looked back since then. She loves to connect with her readers.
Follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/loriryanromance/
or Twitter at https://twitter.com/Loriryanauthor
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Contents
Also by Lori Ryan
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Epilogue