by Kate James
“It’s over, then?”
“It’s over, Emma. It’s tragic about Morgan, but it’s over. You did a good thing. A very good thing by coming forward. All the defective rifles have been accounted for. AFM will likely be out of business.”
“I don’t know what to say.” She covered her face with her free hand, rubbing her fingers over the spot on her forehead where a headache was brewing. “It doesn’t seem possible.”
“Not only is it possible, it’s true. Is Josh with you?”
“No.” She checked her watch. “He’s still at the clinic.”
“Call him. It really is over, Emma.”
Emma swiped at the moisture on her cheek with the back of her hand.
“Thanks for calling, Daniel.”
“No problem. Emma...?”
“Yes?”
“It wouldn’t have been possible without you. Let’s stay in touch.”
Emma ended the call but sat motionless. With Morgan gone, she no longer had to live in fear of his threats. She no longer had to dread the prospect of an appeal and a drawn-out legal process.
Was it really true? Could she go on with her life and focus on what was important to her?
With that thought, Josh came immediately to mind. She loved the dogs, her cottage, the idea of training service dogs, but it was Josh who was most important to her. She smiled as she picked up the phone.
First she called Arlene. Apologetically, she explained that she was grateful for the opportunity she’d offered, but she just couldn’t move back to the city. Arlene said she’d presumed as much, but it staggered Emma when she said that if she couldn’t have her as a partner, she still wanted her on contract. Exclusively. And she was prepared to pay a premium for it.
In a bit of a daze—but a good one—Emma called Josh next. “What time can you leave work?” she asked.
“I have one more patient waiting. Barring any emergencies, I’m done for the day.”
“Good.” Her smile broadened. “I would like to celebrate.”
“What are we celebrating?”
“Us,” she said simply.
After she hung up the phone, she got caught up in a flurry of activity. She rummaged through her refrigerator and realized that with her preoccupation, she’d been neglectful about her shopping. She settled on steak, potatoes and salad, as she had to acknowledge the pickings were slim. She set the dining room table. She started a low fire. She lit candles and turned on soft music. She hopped into the shower, rubbed scented lotion all over her body and dressed in slim black jeans and a white tuxedo shirt. She applied makeup, sparingly, and dabbed Josh’s favorite scent behind her earlobes and on her wrists.
Back in the kitchen, she opened a bottle of cabernet and left it to breathe on the counter. She fed and let the dogs out. Then, suddenly, her energy deserted her.
The realization of all that she’d been through and she was now free of Morgan forever coursed through her system, left her stunned. She leaned heavily on the kitchen counter, dropped her head and let her shoulders slump.
* * *
JOSH FOUND EMMA in the kitchen and rushed to her. He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Emma...?” His concern for her was acute.
“It’s over,” she said softly, as she melted into his arms.
“Over? How?”
“He’s dead. Morgan was killed in prison. He can’t touch us anymore.”
Josh’s arms tightened around her, one hand gently cradling her head against his chest. Closing his eyes, he murmured, “We got through it, unharmed, thank God.”
When Max’s soft whine was followed by a nudge at her knee, Emma swayed. Josh slid his hands down her arms and moved a step back. “Are you all right?”
She took a deep, steadying breath. “Yes. I was feeling great. Then it hit me. It just all caught up with me.”
“That’s understandable. You’ve been through a lot.” He brushed his knuckles along her cheeks. “The color is coming back to your face.”
Her eyes met his. No longer hollow. No longer afraid. “It’s really over.”
“Yeah, it is,” he agreed. “Let’s get some fresh air.” He held his hand out for hers. She linked her fingers with his as a hesitant smile softened her face.
They walked along the stone path, past the gardens cheerful with the early blooming daffodils and tulips, across the damp grass, beneath trees laden with fresh green shoots yet to unfurl into leaves, and down the gentle embankment toward the lake. The dogs followed, prancing playfully.
Josh put his arm around Emma’s shoulder, drawing her to him, as they followed the water’s edge, then walked back up the embankment. They continued along the path, skirting the clearing, and finally crossed the driveway and headed toward the cottage. As they reached the large outcropping of granite, Josh stopped and pulled Emma down beside him on the rock.
The early evening sky was clear and calm, the deep-blue water of the lake still. The heron called out as it skimmed above the lake’s mirrored surface.
Emma sat with her knees drawn up, her head resting against Josh’s shoulder. “I told Arlene I couldn’t accept her offer.”
“You did?” He hoped he hadn’t imagined what she’d just said. “How did she take it?” he asked, needing the confirmation that it was true.
Emma laughed. “She wants me to keep working on assignments, but exclusively for Elite. And she’s prepared to put me on a long-term contract.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“Great. I can work from home. From Sanctuary Cove. That’s part of the deal. It’s non-negotiable.”
Josh felt as if a two-ton weight had been lifted from his shoulders. His hand slipped into his jacket pocket and he fingered the silver box he’d kept there since they’d stayed at the Seacliffe Hotel.
They watched the sun’s slow descent and in its wake, the wash of glowing crimson and gold.
With Josh’s eyes on hers, he lowered his head and kissed her. When they drew apart, Emma’s lips were rosy red, her eyes brilliant in the dimming light, her love for Josh, shinning in their depth.
He kissed her again, tenderly. “This is not how I had intended it, but it occurs to me that perhaps it’s the way it’s meant to be.”
He smiled as he saw her baffled expression. He stroked his index finger along the furrow in her brow, smoothing it gently, before reaching into his jacket pocket again.
Pulling out the silver box, he held it out to her. Raising the lid, he watched her eyes go wide, her lips form a small O, and the contradictory emotions play across her face. He prayed silently that she would trust him, believe in him, now, most of all.
She lifted her gaze from the box to meet Josh’s. Her lips quivered, the corners curving upward into a shaky smile. Her eyes glistened.
Josh’s smile broadened. He held the glittering solitaire engagement ring out for her to examine, before taking her left hand in his. “I’ve been carrying this ring with me far longer than I care to admit. As hard as it’s been for me, being absolutely sure, knowing how much I want to spend the rest of my life with you, how much I want you as my wife, I’ve held off.” He laughed. “The box has been burning a hole in my pocket, as I plotted and planned and waited until the time would be right. Until it could be all about you and me. There were moments when I thought I’d never get the chance to put this ring on your finger, but I never stopped hoping that you would know without reservation that I’m here for the good times as well as the bad.
“I had planned something a little more romantic, a little more traditional.” He flashed a grin, his heart racing. “But here we are. Frankly, this is your special place, and it just feels right.”
He placed his palm on her cheek. “Emma, I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He held her gaze, searching for any misgiv
ing in her eyes. Seeing none, he took the final step. “Emma, will you marry me?”
Emma’s eyes were wide and shinning. “You’ve given me everything—unwavering support, strength of conviction and, most importantly, unconditional love. I don’t have a single doubt, Josh. Yes, of course, I’ll marry you!”
Her laughter echoed across the lake to blend with the cry of the loon and the joyous barking of their dogs, as she threw herself into his arms.
* * * * *
If you enjoyed this novel, you’ll love Kate James’s THE K-9 TRILOGY:
WHEN THE RIGHT ONE COMES ALONG
WHEN LOVE MATTERS MOST
WHEN I FOUND YOU
Available now at Harlequin.com.
And watch for Kate’s next book, coming in July 2017 from Harlequin Heartwarming!
Keep reading for an excerpt from THE WEDDING MARCH by Tara Randel.
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The Wedding March
by Tara Randel
CHAPTER ONE
THE WEDDING GUESTS standing outside the whitewashed church under a clear, blue Florida sky tossed birdseed on the happy couple as the bride and groom made their way down the sidewalk to the waiting limousine.
“I can’t believe I agreed to come to this shindig,” Cassie Branford muttered as she brushed the unflattering brown kernels from her new dress.
“It’s not a shindig. It’s a wedding.”
Cassie cast her younger sister, Lauren, a dubious glance. “A wedding I’d rather not attend.”
“Dad really wanted you here.”
“And therein lies the problem.”
Minutes later a dozen white doves were released in honor of the celebration. Cassie barely controlled an eye roll. For her father, the more pretentious the better. This event filled the bill.
“Well, at least the birds get to eat.” Cassie chuckled at her own humor as she viewed the ground covered with seed.
Lauren merely shook her head, obviously not amused, and walked ahead of her to the car.
The ceremony had been celebrated at the Methodist church off Main Street. Very elegant, very subdued. You’d think the couple were getting hitched for the first time instead of second marriages for both. Still, Angelica wanted a production and Cassie’s father indulged her. It was easy to do when his new wife’s family money covered the bill.
“The doves were a nice touch,” Lauren said minutes later, as she navigated the charming streets of Cypress Pointe en route to the reception.
“Nice? How about unnecessary?”
“When did you become such a downer?”
“I don’t know. When I was commanded, not asked, to come to the wedding?”
“Cassie, we haven’t seen you in a while.”
“True, but at least I talk to you and Mom regularly. Dad? Never. So his summons kind of turned me off.”
Lauren pulled into a space in the country club parking lot. “It’s his day. Be nice.”
It was always Robert Branford’s day, but Cassie got the gist. As they entered the event room, Cassie stopped short. “Really?”
The mood had changed from tasteful to over-the-top. Flanked on either side of the banquet room doors, medieval garbed trumpeters announced each guest in a blast of great fanfare. Crossing the threshold, a trumpet aimed dangerously close to her head, Cassie covered her ear and took in the atmospheric mist courtesy of the dry ice machine. A sultry haze hovered over the dance floor. Hello, could anyone say danger? As she headed to her assigned table, a sudden spate of coughing seized her thanks to the fog irritating her throat. She grabbed a goblet of water from the table for a soothing sip.
Huge white calla lily centerpieces, dripping with crystal beads, took up half the space on the round dinner tables. Spotless linens with the initials A & R embroidered in silver and black thread covered the tables. Champagne glasses with silver rims waited to be filled with sparkling wine. A massive champagne waterfall took up one corner of the room, a chocolate fountain positioned in another.
Soon, a six-course dinner would be followed by dancing until dawn.
Held at the Cypress Pointe Country Club, the town elite made an appearance at the flashy reception. Dressed to the nines, everyone tried outdoing each other. Cassie had let her soon-to-be stepmother talk her into a short emerald-colored dress with a sheer lace covering and high silver pumps. She’d have been happier in a casual dress and sandals instead of shoes that pinched, but Angelica would have fainted on the spot. Even Cassie’s hair bothered her. She reached up to touch the elaborate style.
“Quit fussing,” Lauren hissed, smoothing the skirt of her navy dress.
“I feel like a mannequin in the department store. No one wears their hair like this. And don’t get me started on the time spent at the salon. Three hours? On hair?”
“It’s better than your usual braid.”
“Hey. I like my braid. It keeps the hair out of my face.”
“At least the hairdresser hid that dreadful pink streak you insist on. It’s not appropriate for a beautiful event like this wedding.”
She liked the pink streak. Or any color streak that gave her pizzazz. As a popular music artist, she’d developed her own standout look, regardless of family opinion.
“Suck-up,” Cassie muttered under her breath.
“What did you say?”
“You look lovely,” she answered.
And Lauren did. Both sisters shared a light skin tone, but their hair color differed. Cassie’s, a light sandy brown, hung long and straight, while Lauren’s, a warm ash, was cut at her shoulders, much more fashionable than Cassie’s. Lauren had acquired the conservative gene, which seemed to have skipped Cassie. And while the sisters resembled each other, that was where the similarities ended. Especially with regard to this wedding.
“Thanks. I want Dad to be proud.”
That was never going to happen, but Cassie didn’t express her opinion. How many times had she tried to earn his approval, only to be shot down? She and Lauren argued time and again over the subject of their father and never made any headway. Today wasn’t going to change the impasse.
Angelica came up behind them, her arms circling their waists, catching the tail end of the conversation. “Robert is over the moon. Both of his daughters here for the happiest day of his life.”
Cassie bit the insi
de of her cheek. She liked Angelica, she really did, but sometimes the older woman didn’t have a clue. Maybe it was better like that.
“Now, girls, your father would like you all in a picture together. He’s waiting by the windows.”
Normally, the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the lush golf course. For the wedding festivities, however, a huge cutout fairy-tale castle obscured the idyllic view. Light emanating from the early spring evening snuck in beside the garish photo spot. Cassie sneaked a peek. Honestly, the palette of orange, purple and deep blue streaking the sky, hues only an artist could have conjured, would have been a much more appropriate backdrop for a wedding, but Angelica wanted a “fun” background for guests to take commemorative pictures. Hats, feather boas and masks were scattered on the nearby table for the guests to don in their photos, which were digitally printed out seconds later.
As Angelica stepped back, Lauren grabbed Cassie’s hand and pulled. “C’mon. We can’t keep him waiting.”
Cassie allowed herself to be tugged along. If she had her choice, she’d make an excuse not to be photographed, but Robert loved being the center of attention. Tall, his brown hair immaculately cut, his shoulders straight and steady in a custom fitted tuxedo, he was used to commanding the room. A symphony conductor, he moved audiences with his dramatic flair for interpreting musical scores, touching the hearts of listeners. Tonight, his command included the wedding guests and his daughters.
“Here we are,” Lauren said as they arrived. She hurried to loop her arm through his. Cassie hovered a few feet away.
Robert held out his other arm for Cassie. “Well?”
She shuffled to his side, begrudgingly taking his arm.
“You could look a little more excited, Cassandra,” Robert spoke from the corner of his mouth. “Even when you were a child I never could get you to smile.”
Pasting on a fake grin, Cassie returned with, “Better?”
Flashes of light blinded her as the photographer snapped pictures, but she continued to hold her smile. Before long, Angelica joined in. One big happy family.