by Ruth Langan
“Don’t forget the fireworks.” Boyd cleared his throat, wondering if either of them was even aware that he was still there. From the looks of them, they’d gone off somewhere to their own little world.
“Oh, you can count on that. There’s definitely going to be fireworks.”
At Jason’s words Emily looked at him and felt her heart do a strange little somersault. Then she laughed, a clear, lilting sound, as giddy relief washed over her.
When Boyd and his officers took their leave, bearing Albert on a gurney, Jason and Emily were still standing, arms locked around each other, foreheads pressed together, laughing like two children, mumbling incoherent words about fireworks.
Epilogue
“You’re late.” Hannah speared a strawberry that garnished her fruit tart and watched as Emily and Jason took their places at the table reserved for Bert and her family. “I hope it was worth missing the best fried chicken on earth.”
Emily couldn’t stop the smile from lighting her eyes. “It was.”
The school auditorium was packed with people enjoying the banquet catered by the chefs from the Harbor House.
The judge pointed to Jason’s hand. “A little accident?”
Jason grinned and lowered his hand to his lap. “Yeah.”
“That’s what comes of being a writer. Soft hands. Doing a bit of research, no doubt.”
“You might say that.” Jason and Emily shared a smile.
Sidney leaned close to whisper, “Good thing you didn’t miss the fireworks, too.”
“Yeah.” Jason winked at Emily, who seemed unusually flushed. “They’re the best part.”
The principal of the school mounted the steps and paused before the microphone on stage.
“It’s been quite a day.” His words echoed across the room as he stared knowingly at Emily and Jason. After much wrangling, the authorities had agreed to keep the news of Albert Sneed a secret until Bert’s tribute ended. The morning edition of the local newspaper would carry the story, and it would no doubt be picked up by the national media, with all its attending frenzy. But for now, this last night belonged to Mrs. B.
The principal lifted a glass of champagne. “Would you join me in a toast to our town’s most beloved teacher.”
The room was filled with the sound of chairs being scraped back and shuffling feet as everyone stood and turned toward Bert, seated at the head table.
“To Alberta Brennan, for a lifetime of service to the most important members of our community—our children.”
The crowd erupted into thunderous applause.
The principal held up his hand until the crowd fell silent. “And now, after that delicious feast, we invite you to make yourselves comfortable out on the lawn of Harbor House. The barge is just offshore, and the fireworks display is about to begin.”
As Jason and Emily set out with her family, Courtney nudged them. “Did you see Prentice and Will Osborn?”
Emily craned her neck. “Where?”
“Up ahead. They were having dinner with Carrie and her daughter, Jenny.”
Emily sighed. “He finally found the courage to ask her.”
“Ask her what?”
“For a date.” Emily chuckled. “It’s only taken him ten years.”
“Better late than never.” As the others surged past, Jason caught her hand and held her back.
“We’ll lose our place.” Emily glanced at the others who continued walking across the sloping lawn toward the waterfront.
“No, we won’t. In fact, I think we’ve both just found it.”
She arched a brow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He glanced down at their joined hands. “Tell me something, Em. Are you still considering going back to University Hospital?”
She gave a negligent shrug of her shoulders. “It’s becoming less and less appealing as the weeks go by. I think I like being back here.” She swallowed. “What about you, Jason? Are you eager to get back to Malibu?”
“It lost its appeal the minute I saw you.” At her quick smile he said, “There’s something I have to tell you. I started to earlier, but was interrupted before I could finish. You asked why I never contacted you.”
She wasn’t even aware of the fact that she was holding her breath.
“The reason I was able to leave Devil’s Cove the day after graduation is because a very generous person gave me enough money for a one-way ticket out of town.”
“Who…?”
He held up a hand. “But there were strings attached to his gift. I wasn’t to contact his daughter, or try to influence her life in any way, until she had made her own way in the world.”
“His…daughter?” As the truth dawned, she took a step back as though she’d been struck. “My father? But why? Why would he be so…coldly manipulative?”
“That’s your term. He’d probably call it being a concerned father. Think about it, Emily. What was he supposed to do about a brilliant but head-strong daughter who was wildly in love with a loser with no future? He was desperate. And though what he did may have been manipulative, it gave us both the time we needed to grow up.”
“And grow apart.”
“For a while.” He touched a hand to her shoulder. “I went to your grandmother for advice. She disapproved of the conditions, but she told me to take what he offered, since it was my only chance to break away from a life that was bound to take me down. She said, also, that if you and I were meant to be together, it would happen in time.”
“In time.” Emily lifted a hand to his cheek. “How did you survive all alone?”
“I found, to my amazement, just how strong and resilient I could be.” He shook his head, remembering. “I’ve never been so lonely. Especially for you. But I made it, and I grew stronger and smarter along the way. And now, in retrospect, I realize that your father was right. If I had stayed, I would have taken you down. That wasn’t what I wanted for you, Emily.”
“What did you want?”
“The same thing I want now. You. This.” He nodded toward the crowd settling down on blankets and quilts on the sloping lawn of the Harbor House. “If you’ll have it, I’d like to share my life with you, Em.”
In the gathering darkness they heard the boom and saw the first brilliant flash of light as the fireworks display began.
“I’ve been waiting such a long time to hear you say that. But it was worth the wait.” Emily wrapped her arms around his neck. Against his lips she whispered, “Welcome home, Jason Cooper.”
“I like the sound of that. Home.” As another brilliant display lit up the sky, and the crowd cheered, Jason drew her close and covered her mouth in a kiss that seemed to spin on and on, leaving them both breathless.
He knew now that it wasn’t just this place, or the familiar people he’d known for a lifetime. It was this woman. In her arms he had truly come home.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-7751-3
COVER-UP
Copyright © 2004 by Ruth Ryan Langan
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All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
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§The Wildes of Wyoming
**The Sullivan Sisters
‡‡The Lassiter Law
ΔDevil’s Cove
Table of Contents
Prologue
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
Epilogue