Finally, Adam released Daphne, reached into his back pocket and offered her his handkerchief. Then he turned back to Loren, love shining in his eyes. “Ready?”
“Just a minute, Dad.” Daphne blew her nose and shoved the handkerchief into the pocket of her shorts. “I have something to say to Loren.”
Loren held up her hand. “You don’t have to”
“Yes, I do.” Her voice quivered, but she came resolutely forward. “You risked your life for me, and you deserve better than I’ve been dishing out. I...I’m not always such a brat. And I’m hardly ever late.”
Tenderness swelled Loren’s heart. “I’m sure you’re not.”
Daphne held out her hand. “I’m sorry, Loren.”
Loren’s first impulse was to pull her into a hug, but she restrained it. She didn’t want to jeopardize this fragile beginning by going overboard. She clasped Daphne’s hand and looked into her eyes. “Apology accepted.”
Daphne’s smile was tentative, but it was definitely there. “Good.” She released Loren’s hand and glanced down at her outfit. “Josh said I didn’t have time to change, so I look like a wreck.”
“I couldn’t care less what you wear. I think you look wonderful,” Loren said. “Now, why don’t you walk on back with your dad, and I’ll walk with Josh?”
Daphne looked surprised. “Oh, no. I shouldn’t.”
“I think you should.”
Daphne looked as if Loren had just presented her with a precious gift. “Thanks,” she said. Her smile was more definite now.
Arms around each other, father and daughter walked together down the path. When they reached Josh, Adam paused. Then he unwrapped his arm from around Daphne’s shoulders and offered his hand to Josh. He didn’t say a word, but Josh didn’t seem to need words. He looked as if he’d been knighted.
“Good going, kid,” Loren said when she reached Josh.
“Aw, it was nothing.”
“It was definitely something.”
He grinned and slung his arm around her waist and urged her down the path. “Come on, let’s go get you married so I can eat.”
Loren laughed and put her arm around his waist. Then she lowered her voice. “Are you going to tell me how you did it?”
“Well, first I told her that everybody was willing to wait until she got there, and she seemed pretty impressed, but still wouldn’t go. Then I started talking about all the fun we could have as a family. See, I’ve never had a sister, and she’s never had a brother. Like at Disneyland, or Magic Mountain, we could go on rides together. Do you know she’s never been to either of those places?”
“No.”
“I could see she was weakening, so I thought of what else we could all do. I guess the magic word was camping.”
“Really? Daphne?”
“The girl is crazy about the idea of camping. I kind of thought so from something she’d said once before. So I, uh, sorta promised her we’d all go pretty soon after you get back from your honeymoon.”
“How soon?”
“The next weekend?”
Loren chuckled. “Sure, why not? Anything else you committed us to?”
“Well, yeah. She wants to go skiing this winter, during Christmas break, and maybe rent a cottage on the beach next summer. She’s like a little kid, Mom. She’s never done any of the things that families usually do together.”
“Then I guess we’ll have to do them. I sure do love you, Josh.”
“Love you, too, Mom.”
* * *
THE GUESTS, some of them still holding plates of food or cups of coffee, rearranged themselves on the folding chairs. The flutist raised his instrument to his lips, and sunlight flashed off the shiny flute as he began to play.
Daphne, holding the bouquet of violets kept cool in the caterer’s truck, started down the makeshift aisle, her head high, regal as a princess despite her T-shirt and shorts.
With a sigh of relief, Loren knew she’d be able to love this girl, after all. She grasped her bouquet of roses, which had also been saved by the caterer’s ice chest, and took her father’s arm. Ahead of her stood the minister, his Bible open in his hands, a broad smile on his face. Josh stood to the far right, looking very adult and proud of himself, as well he should be, Loren thought.
And Adam. He awaited her, his face glowing with anticipation, his whole body straining subtly in her direction. She’d fantasized about this moment since she was sixteen. The reality made her dizzy with joy.
When she reached him and took his hand, she was trembling. He steadied her with an arm around her waist. His responses were strong and clear as he gazed into her eyes. She barely remembered hers.
And then, they were husband and wife. He kissed her swiftly, surely, as a victor would claim his prize. The guests broke into applause.
She gazed up at him. “I love you so very much.”
“And I love you, Mrs. Riordan.”
Her smile trembled. At last. Then instinct took over. Keeping one arm around Adam, she turned toward Daphne and held out her other arm. Adam saw her intention and beckoned to Josh.
Daphne hesitated, but finally she walked over. Josh slid his arm over Adam’s shoulder and held out his other to Daphne. Loren’s breath caught in her throat. Then, with a little whimper, Daphne stepped into the circle of love.
New York Times bestselling author Vicki Lewis Thompson’s love affair with cowboys started with the Lone Ranger, continued through Maverick and took a turn south of the border with Zorro. She views cowboys as the Western version of knights in shining armor-rugged men who value honor, honesty and hard work. Fortunately for her, she lives in the Arizona desert, where broad-shouldered, lean-hipped cowboys abound. Blessed with such an abundance of inspiration, she only hopes that she can do them justice. Visit her website, www.vickilewisthompson.com.
Books by Vicki Lewis Thompson
HARLEQUIN BLAZE
544—WANTED!+
550—AMBUSHED!+
556—CLAIMED!+
618—SHOULD’VE BEEN A COWBOY+
624—COWBOY UP+
630—COWBOYS LIKE US+
651—MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY+
"It’s Christmas, Cowboy!”
687—LONG ROAD HOME+
693—LEAD ME HOME+
699—FEELS LIKE HOME+
751—I CROSS MY HEART+
755—WILD AT HEART+
759—THE HEART WON’T LIE+
775—COWBOYS & ANGELS+
+Sons of Chance
ISBN-13: 9781460375303
ADAM THEN AND NOW
Copyright © 1995 by Vicki Lewis Thompson
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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Adam Then and Now Page 23