Sleigh Ride to Love
Page 17
Holly looked around her. The one person she thought would be there sharing the limelight was Astrid, but she was nowhere to be seen. Commenting to Zachariah in regard to her whereabouts, he informed her that Astrid had actually been disqualified, because of her reckless actions. Actions which had put not only Holly at risk, but further on the trail had caused difficulties for two other teams. And it was then Holly realized that Zachariah had in fact reported to the officials Astrid’s dangerous behavior. Thinking back, she realized this was the reason for his quietness. Although pleased she wasn’t there, Holly did find a little compassion in her heart for the other woman. After all, the Iditarod was everything to Astrid and she knew that she would have done anything to win the race and being disqualified would have hurt her unbearably.
Finally Zachariah and Holly were free to go to the hotel. Holly, although desperate for a bath, food, and change of clothing, was reluctant to leave the Arch, because doing so would presently mean saying good-bye to Zachariah and she found that thought just too hard to bear. So, it was now or never, make or break, a faint heart and all that. She smiled. The list of axioms was endless, and she was still playing for time thinking of them all. So, gathering her courage such as it was, she stopped dead and turned to face him.
“Zachariah, I need to get something off my chest and I–I…” She hesitated, biting her lip, her courage already beginning to desert her.
“You?” Zachariah lifted an eyebrow in enquiry.
Drawing a ragged breath, Holly momentarily closed her eyes. Say it, say it, she whispered silently. Snapping open her eyes she gazed a trifle mistily into Zachariah’s.
“I love you!” The words burst from her, shocking not only herself but Zachariah as well. “What I mean is, err, is…”
Catching hold of her shoulders, Zachariah pulled Holly toward him. “Is that you love me to distraction, that you want to marry me, and that you long to be the mother of my children. Is that right?”
“Well, of all the conceited, arrogant…” She never finished her diatribe, because wonderfully, excitingly, and sensationally, Zachariah was whispering a tender, “I love you as well,” against her softly parted lips before masterfully covering them with his own.
Epilogue
It was summer, and even in Alaska the sun sometimes shone brightly. Holly was in the kitchen, an apron tied neatly around her miniscule waist, and she was kneading dough for bread. The kitchen was warm and she was looking through the open window at the long spread of garden before her. The flowers danced in the slight, warm breeze that had sprung up, their cornucopia of colors glowing like a thousand butterfly wings. The silence was broken by the sharp yapping of a puppy as it chased a couple of brown ducks around the pond. Looking toward the paddock on her left, she smiled at the antics of the old donkey as it nipped at the other dogs’ tails as they lay around enjoying the early evening sun. Both her and Zachariah’s dog teams lived with them in the sprawling old house with its massive grounds.
Holly smiling with genuine happiness recalled back to what had happened after the race. Astrid in a public huff because of her disqualification had vowed never to compete in the Iditarod again. Luckily, there had been on hand a seasoned musher who’d taken advantage of the situation and purchased her dogs outright, and Holly knew they would be better looked after than ever before. She had also had the courage to confront Zachariah as to why he’d told the other woman about the first time they’d made love. And then felt a bit of a fool when Zachariah had explained that he hadn’t, and it was surely the look on Holly’s face the morning after that made Astrid take a guess as to what had occurred. Finally, with all her demons put to rest Holly had eagerly agreed to a short engagement. They were married a few months later and after a wonderful honeymoon had returned to Anchorage.
After that it was like fate stepped in, and almost immediately an ancient, rambling monolith on the edge of Anchorage had come up for sale. Snapping it up quickly, they had bought it for what Holly considered an astronomical sum and made it their home. She smiled. A plethora of building work and decoration later, they moved in and she loved every little inch of it.
Turning as the door swung open, a smile playing gently around her mouth, Holly’s gaze met that of Zachariah’s. Words were not needed as love transformed their faces. Catching up one of Holly’s hands, he planted a butterfly kiss in her palm, and closed her fingers around it. Holly’s insides fluttered in response and her smile grew brighter.
“Zachariah.” She breathed.
Pulling her into his arms, he bent his head and found her lips with his. The kiss was everything Holly could ever hope for, conveying love, loyalty, and tenderness.
Reluctantly disengaging his lips, Zachariah smiled gently down into her misty eyes.
“How was your day?” he murmured softly, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand.
“I’m pregnant!” she announced, unable to wait any longer to tell him her exciting news.
Kissing her tenderly, he pulled her closer. “Of course you are, my darling.”
Confused, she pulled back, staring at him in crestfallen astonishment. “You don’t seem surprised.”
“Of course not, my love, I’ve known for a while.” He smiled tenderly down into her happy, sparkling eyes. “I am a doctor after all.”
* * * *
Five months later a squealing bundle of joy came into their lives and Holly felt fit to burst. She had everything she ever wanted. A husband, she smiled at the man leaning over the cradle openly adoring his daughter. She had a much wanted and loved child, a wonderful home, and she’d even begun to write. Romance novels set in exotic locations full of fun and adventure, novels which had it all, gorgeous men, pirates, kissing, and most of all love.
Feeling his wife’s gaze on him, Zachariah looked up. He smiled his eyes filled with love. This woman of his, this wonderful woman had given him the world and he would be forever under her loving spell.
Catching hold of her hand, he brought it to his lips and, kissing the palm, folded her fingers around the kiss.
“Holly, my wife, my love, my world, I will love you for eternity, you took a broken grieving man and made him whole again. You and…” He looked toward his daughter, Ellen. “You and our daughter has made my life complete. Thank you.
Leaning forward, Holly gently touched his face. “Husband of mine, I don’t need your thanks. All I need and ever want is you.”
Their lips met in a kiss that sealed their happiness and their love.
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rosemary Anderson was born in Shipston Upon Stour, Warwickshire, England and is one of seven children. Born into a military family she has moved all over the country. She now lives in the village of Adlington in Lancashire and shares her home with a large dog, a long-haired Akita named Sumo, and numerous cats. She enjoys reading, going to the cinema, eating out and spending time with friends and family. Before moving to Lancashire she spent many years in Bristol working as a Legal/Financial Caseworker for the Legal Aid Commission. Her passion is for all animals and of course writing.
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