The Couple Most Likely To
Page 18
She closed her eyes again.
Then she heard a voice. Stace?
Jake had come back. Her eyes flashed open because she couldnt quite believe itshe needed visual confirmation. The collar of his jacket was turned up and his ears and nose looked cold. His eyes seemed darker than usual and his mouth was set in a tight line, but he was so right, standing there looking down at her, she didnt have room in her head or her heart to think too clearly about what it meant. His presence simply made her happy.
And somewhere nearby, something smelled good.
Hi she said creakily.
Wheres John?
He left. The throat swabs came back negative, and Maxs fever responded well to medication. They dont think its meningitis, just a common virus or the start of a bad cold. Were going home when someone gets round to discharging us.
Thats fantastic! Oh, lord, Stacey, thats so good! He bent down and hugged her, and she had to suck back a sob. She wanted so badly to kiss him. No. For him to kiss her. Just sweep her up into his arms and kiss her breathless with relief and happiness and promise ButJohn left? he said instead.
I told him it was okay. He has a big meeting tomorrow.
He looked as if he wanted to say something more, but then changed tack. I brought you some of my stepmothers lasagne. I thought you might be hungry.
Thats what I can smell?
Shes a good cook. I had to fight my stepsister for the last piece. Its hot, and theres a fork and a napkin and a bottle of juice. I considered a hip flask full of bourbon, too, but decided that could be overkill. Oh, and I have the kidsseats still in my car. In a minute Ill find the doctor and get this discharge taken care of and we can go home.
She burst into shaky tears. Oh, Jake
He took her properly into his arms this time, laughing. You hate lasagne that much?
I love lasagne.
Good.
And I love you for thinking to bring it. She hugged him.
You thought Id let you go hungry? I knew you wouldnt leave them to go eat.
I justlove you, Jake. I dont know why you came back, butbut She couldnt go on.
Shh, why do you think I came back?
To bring me dinner? She looked up into his face, knowing what he was going to say but needing to hear it as many times as he wanted to say it.
Because I love you, he whispered. Then he gave a crooked smile. I know, I know. Ive always loved you and its never been enough.
Why, Jake?
Because I was so scared Id let you down. Im still scared but apparently thats normal.
She laughed. Apparently?
Dad read me this quote about bravery and fear. Gave me this quote. Forced me at gunpoint to fold up the printout of the quote and put it in my wallet, and I think he might have personally tattooed it to my chest if hed had the right equipment.
You had a narrow escape. I had no idea quotes could be so powerful.
Neither did I. But the talk we had was pretty good. Im still scared, Stace. Annas still there in my heart, reminding me of all the ways this could be hardthe ways it will be hard, at some point, inevitably, over the next fifty years
Fifty years? she whispered.
but I cant let you go. My Dads right. Youre right. You deserve everything I can promise, and I have to make the promises on pure faith. And I want to make them if you want to hear them.
Oh, I do!
Marry me, Stacey. I want us to take care of each other for the rest of our lives and make this right, at last. The twins need a full-time father as well as a part-time one, and every time I see them I care about them more. By the time we have a baby of our own, therell be no difference in my heart.
A baby of our own? she whispered.
We need a baby of our own. I want to see you blossoming with pregnancy, I want to be there with you and be happy with you at the birth. And if we cant be biological parents together, we can adopt and that baby will be our own just as much. All our kids Ill love with everything I have. I realized you were right about the precious little daughter we lost. I dont want Anna to be the reason I could never love another child. That hurts her memory. Even though you said it to me, I never saw it until tonight, never felt it in my heart, but suddenly it was so clear. I drove away from Dads place and stopped somewhere and just sat in the car, thinking about everything and it fell into place. I guess youve known all of this for a long time.
Yes, oh, yes, I have and I didnt know how to help you see it. I wanted to say it to you in better, clearer words, but I didnt know how.
I dont think you could have said it any better. Not in a way I could have understood before I was ready to. I dont know why none of it fell into place until now. He brushed her mouth in a soft kiss. Actually, yes, I do. Because I needed you back in my life first.
Dont make me take all the credit, she whispered. Share it.
Only because I want to share everything with you from now on.
Sharing her life with Jake. It sounded so good. Stacey started smiling and couldnt stop until Jake kissed her slow and deep and sweet. Beside them, the twins slept, unaware of how much their little lives had just changed. The delicious aroma of the lasagne wafted once again into Staceys awareness.
This was what families were all about, she knew. What life was all about. The scariness of hospitals tempered by the taste of comfort food. The power of love, so much stronger than the power of fear or hate. Faith and responsibilities and promises and rewards. Rifts that could heal, feelings that could change and grow.
Marry me, Stacey, Jake whispered.
Yes! Oh, yes!
At last, seventeen years later than predicted, the Couple Most Likely To Marry Right Out Of High School had managed to get it right.
ISBN: 978-1-55254-820-2
THE COUPLE MOST LIKELY TO
Copyright © 2007 by Harlequin Books S.A.
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