“How did you handle it?”
“By leaning on Gideon. He taught me to renew my faith in the Lord. God is my strength. If I can’t control my life—and I can’t—I’m glad it is in His hands. Let your insecurities and fears go. Life is too short to worry all the time.”
In the middle of the field, children sat on the grass, digging into their baskets and unwrapping their candy. Zane planted himself in their midst supervising them, making sure no child went without his share. He was good with kids, she reminded herself again. He should be a father.
“You see it, don’t you?” Kathleen asked.
Kim didn’t have to ask what Kathleen meant. “Yeah.”
“Go talk to him.”
“I can’t. I—”
“Do you love him?”
“Yes, but it’s not that simple. I loved him fifteen years ago, and he left me.”
“You’ve never forgiven him, have you?”
She started to say, “Yes, of course I have,” but she realized if she examined her heart, she couldn’t really answer that truthfully. Instead, she said, “No, not like I should have.”
“First you need to do that. Everything else will fall into place after that.”
* * *
Later that afternoon, she heard Zane calling her name as she stood in the middle of her bedroom upstairs at Bienville. She went into the hallway and leaned over the banister. “I’m up here.”
He appeared at the bottom of the staircase. Wariness guarded his expression while he made his way to the second floor. “Dad told me everything was going well. Is there a problem?”
“Yes, there is.”
His forehead crinkled. “What?”
“I’ve been doing things all wrong.”
“With the house?”
“No, with you.” She grabbed his hand and tugged him toward her bedroom. “You see this room?”
“Yeah.” He sent her a puzzled look.
“When I used to look at it, I thought it was my home. Where I grew up. Where I would always live. I used to think this house grounded me. Kept me focused on what was important—family and tradition. I was wrong. Now all I see is just a room. One day it will be a nice bedroom again but just a bedroom. No more, no less.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“After talking with Kathleen earlier at the egg hunt, I started thinking about what she asked me. She wanted to know if I forgave you for leaving all those years ago.”
Both of his eyebrows rose.
“In the end, I had to tell her no. I’d been holding on to a small part of my anger and fear. I couldn’t quite let go and forgive you totally because that would mean I would be free to feel again. And I was scared of my feelings. Didn’t trust them.”
Skepticism darkened his eyes. “You do now?”
She inhaled then exhaled a deep breath. “I’m trusting God. For so long I’ve tried hard to control my life because I didn’t want to go through the kind of marriage and divorce I had with Scott again. The Lord has shown me I’m not in control really. Life changes sometimes quickly and unexpectedly. But through all of that I won’t be alone. I like that feeling. It’s kind of freeing not to feel I have to control everything for it to work.”
“I’m glad for you. You’ll be happier.”
He said all the right words, but he remained a few feet away from her, his arms crossed over his chest. Had she lost his love? Was it too late? She fortified herself with another deep breath and said, “I love you, Zane. I know now I never stopped. I hope I can play a part in your life.”
He held his ground, and she worried it was too late for them. “You know the foundation was approved, right?”
She nodded. “I’m glad. It’s needed.”
“What if I wanted to travel for the first year or so getting it started and training the right team?”
“You should. I’ll be behind you all the way.”
Finally, he stepped closer and said the words she wanted to hear. “I love you. I want us to marry. Are you willing to leave Hope for me?”
“Yes,” she said without hesitation. “Because I love you and where you are is my home. Not this place.”
“What about Anna?”
“She can go, too. I can homeschool her. She’ll learn so much traveling, being involved with your project. It’ll be an adventure.”
His gaze penetrated through any barriers she’d erected as though he could peek into her heart and see her true intent. Suddenly a smile graced his mouth, and he closed the space between them. “You really mean it?”
“You know me. I wouldn’t say it unless I did. I’m tired of being alone. I want a partner, someone who will love me through the bad times, as well as the good.”
He slid his arms around her and tugged her nearer. “Ma’am, I’m up for that job.”
She rose up on her tiptoes and brushed her lips across his. “You’re okay with being a father? Because Anna needs one.”
“Okay? I’m ecstatic.”
She leaned back. “You’d consider more children?”
“Once we aren’t traveling so much. Give me a year to get the project up and running, and then you can have your way with me.”
She laughed, and Zane kissed the laughter from her lips.
Epilogue
Two months later
For years Bienville hadn’t been decked out in such colorful grandeur as it was today, the day of Kim’s wedding to Zane. She came down the staircase after changing into her traveling clothes to find everyone, including her husband, standing on the ground floor of the family’s renovated antebellum home. Cheers rose as she descended toward Zane.
She fit her hand in his, and they faced their family and friends who had been invited to the reception at Bienville. She skimmed over the smiling faces of her dad, Ruth, Maggie, Brady, and Zane’s father and finally rested her gaze on Anna. Her daughter beamed, dressed in a beautiful yellow dress. Kim signaled to Anna who rushed toward her and threw her arms around her and Zane.
“Bring me something back from St. John, please.”
“We will. You aren’t gonna give Papa Keith any grief, are you?” Zane asked what Kim identified as a serious fatherly voice.
Anna giggled. “Ruth won’t let me get away with anything.”
“I know. But I had to ask.” Zane winked at his new daughter.
She turned to Kim. “I’ll do my homework while you’re gone, and Papa Keith is going to work with me on my math and reading.”
“Good because when we get back from our honeymoon, we’ll need to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice. It’s hurricane season.” Kim leaned down, hugged Anna then kissed her cheek.
Anna smiled. “Susan caught your bouquet. Do you think she’ll get married next? I was hoping Maggie would.”
“You never know, especially since Dad and Ruth eloped last month.”
Tossing his head toward the crowd that parted to let them leave, Zane captured Kim’s hand. “Ready to run the gauntlet?”
“I’ve been ready for fifteen years.” With her husband by her side, Kim hurried toward the waiting limousine in front of Bienville and toward her future with the man she loved.
Dear Reader,
Hope has experienced a hurricane that destroyed a good part of the town. I grew up in an area where hurricanes strike—along the Gulf Coast in Mississippi. I have seen firsthand the damage a hurricane can do and the way a town can pull together to rebuild. I have written this book as a tribute to the people who have dealt with a tragedy and have come out stronger. Even if we can’t personally go to a place that has been hit with a hurricane, tornado or earthquake, we can give money through a charitable organization and we can pray for the people.
I love hearing from readers. You can contact me at [email protected]. You can also learn more about my books at www.margaretdaley.com. I have a monthly newsletter that you can sign up for on my website’s main page. I also have a monthly contest running on my website.
Best
wishes,
Margaret Daley
More Books by Margaret Daley
NEW BEGINNINGS Series
Love’s Healing Power
Unexpected Love
Finding Love Again
Heart of a Hero
A Gift of Love
An Act of Love
Love Runs Deep
DARING ESCAPES Series
Into the Darkness
Into the Fire
EVERYDAY HEROES Series
Hunted
Obsessed
Trapped
Kidnapped
STRONG WOMEN, EXTRAORDINARY SITUATIONS Series
Deadly Hunt
Deadly Intent
Deadly Holiday
Deadly Countdown
Deadly Noel
Deadly Dose
Deadly Legacy
Deadly Night, Silent Night
Deadly Fires
Deadly Secrets
About the Author
Margaret Daley
Margaret Daley, a USA Today’s Bestselling author of over 105 books (five million plus sold worldwide), has been married for over forty-seven years and is a firm believer in romance and love. When she isn’t traveling or being with her two granddaughters, she’s writing love stories, often with a suspense/mystery thread and corralling her cats that think they rule her household. To find out more about Margaret visit her website at www.margaretdaley.com.
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Twitter: twitter.com/margaretdaley
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/238174.Margaret_Daley
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Love Runs Deep (New Beginnings Book 7) Page 18