Up to Me (Shore Secrets)
Page 32
“You did a great job. Raked in the tips, so I hear.” And that little boy had raved about how fun it had been to play with Mr. Locke all afternoon. Eugene said Gray had a good head on his shoulders for hotels. Which had struck her as odd at the time, but now made perfect sense.
“I did those things partly because I enjoy the ever-changing dynamics of working in a hotel. But more so, I did it for you. Because I love you.” Gray enveloped her hands with his. “Because I think about you every minute I’m awake. I feel your touch on my skin when you’re two floors away. I’ve been alone, truly alone, for so long, Ella. When my hometown shunned me, I put up a shell so they wouldn’t see how badly that hurt. Then I forgot to ever take it down. It protected me, but it muffled me, too. Your laughter, your heart, your warmth, your resilient joy in life rubbed it all away.”
Oh, yeah. He was still saying all the right things. In fact, Gray was saying things so right Ella hadn’t even hoped to hear them. He was making her heart do somersaults. No, round-off cartwheels in her chest. Those tears she’d battled back for two days pressed at the corners of her eyes finally, but for a very different reason.
“I want the chance to make it up to you for hurting you,” he continued. “For almost stealing away your family legacy. All that time we spent together, none of it was for work. None of it was for the report to R&M. It was all for me, because I couldn’t get enough of you. I don’t think I could ever get enough of you. I don’t expect you to forgive me right now, or tomorrow, or even next month. But if you’ll let me, I want to prove how much I love you. Prove to you that I can be worthy of your love. If you don’t hire me, I’ll find something else to do in town. But I’m staying put to fight for you.”
Out of everything he said, that was the part she had the most trouble with. And if they were going to do this, Ella had to be sure he’d stick. “Suddenly you’re cut out for small-town life?”
Gray gave a full body shudder. “Most of them? Hell, no. But this one? This town of yours is different. I meant what I said when I made the announcement about the marathon. These people aren’t just a town. They’re a family. That’s what I’ve always wanted. Finding it here, with you? That’s just a bonus.”
It was almost too good to be true. “What about our stupid, quirky journal?”
“I can live with it. I’ve even got proof.” He stood, crossed to the mailbox, and pulled out the journal. Set it on her lap then stood with his arms behind his back, like a prisoner facing the jury for his sentence. “Go on. Read it.”
“The whole thing?”
“Smart aleck. No, the latest entry.”
The broken spine easily fell open to the page with a single, scrawled entry. She recognized Gray’s handwriting.
I love Ella Mayhew. I don’t deserve her, but I love her, and I’ll do everything in my power to put a smile on her face every single day. So I’m officially asking permission of the entire town. Will you let me marry her?
It was proof positive that he really did understand both her and this crazy, over-involved town. That he could belong here. It was the best gesture he could’ve made. Ella traced her fingers across the lines. “Are you finished?”
Gray looked down at the journal, then back at her. Her response clearly wasn’t the one he wanted. “I’m prepared to go down on my knees and beg for another chance. I love you enough to throw my whole life away just for the infinitesimal chance you’ll let me start a new one with you. But yeah, that’s the gist of it.”
“Good. That makes it my turn.” She stood. Took a deep breath of the damp air. “I haven’t shed a single tear since you walked off my balcony. You know why? Because as you left, you told me you loved me. And as pissed off as I was, I believed you. Your love was a gift far too precious to regret. I hated the thought of you leaving. Of you walking away from the chance of a future together.”
One black eyebrow slashed up. “You told me to leave.”
Oh, this man would certainly keep her on her toes. When he didn’t have her flat on her back in bed. And Ella loved the prospect of both circumstances, along with hundreds of others they would share over the coming years.
“Well, it made sense. At the time. Especially because you didn’t have all the facts. One in particular. That I love you right back. I love you so much.”
Gray surged forward, lips on hers before Ella could finish smiling. He kissed all the pain, the doubt, the fear away. He kissed her full of love and hope and promise.
“There’s just one thing. I told you, the town doesn’t get to weigh in on my decisions any longer.” She nipped the pen out of his pocket and scratched out the question.
“But your parents are gone. Who should I ask for permission to marry you?”
Ella drew a heart. Scrawled the word yes inside it. “Me.”
* * * * *
Don’t miss SHORE SECRETS book 2, ALL FOR YOU, coming in February 2015. For more information on all of Christi’s new releases, please visit www.christibarth.com/home/books/
Looking for contemporary romance from Christi Barth? Say “I do” to the Aisle Bound series!
Planning for Love
Book one of Aisle Bound
Wedding planner Ivy Rhodes is the best in the business, and she’s not about to let a personal problem stop her from getting ahead. So when she’s asked to star in the reality TV show Planning for Love, it doesn’t matter that the show’s videographer happens to be a recent—and heartbreaking—one-night stand.
Bennett Westcott admits he didn’t handle his encounter with Ivy very well. But looking at her beautiful smile—and great body—through a camera lens every day? He can’t be faulted for suggesting they have some no-strings fun.
The more time they spend together, the more Ben realizes Ivy isn’t the wedding-crazed bridezilla he’d imagined. But if he doesn’t trust himself to make a relationship last, how can he convince Ivy to give him another chance?
A Fine Romance
Book two of Aisle Bound
They say you form your first impression of someone within thirty seconds of meeting them. Or, in Mira Parrish’s case, within thirty minutes of not meeting them, when said person is supposed to pick you up from the airport and never shows. This is not a perfect start to her new life. Her friend Ivy is depending on her to run a new romance store, and Mira can’t afford to let her down.
Sam Lyons should probably apologize. But every time he sees Mira—which is often, since his family owns the bakery next to her shop—he can’t resist antagonizing her. There’s something about the sexy, straitlaced woman that drives him crazy. He can’t get involved, though. He has too much baggage to be any good in a serious relationship.
Friends to Lovers
Book three of Aisle Bound
As florist and co-owner of a successful Chicago wedding planning business, Daphne Lovell has been there for the happiest days of other people’s lives. As for her own life? Well, it’s hard to be perfectly happy when you’re carrying a torch for your sexy, womanizing and oblivious best friend. So when the lights go out on New Year’s Eve, she seizes the opportunity to kiss him senseless.
British expat Gibson Moore has a lot on his plate. The hotel he manages is being bought out, his family is crazy and someone just kissed him in the dark. When the lights go on, he searches the room, trying to find the mystery pair of lips. Only, he never thinks to ask the woman standing by his side. He’s shocked when he discovers that Daphne is the woman he’s been searching for. But Gib’s also eager to act upon the attraction for her he’s always fought to ignore.
A Matchless Romance
Book four of Aisle Bound
Tabitha Bell is the face of Chicago’s premiere matchmaking service. At least, she hopes it will be someday, once business really takes off. What she needs is more clients, so when she meets a sexy gamer in need of help, it’s the perfect opportunity.
His discomfort talking to women almost cost Drew Watson his job. He’d be happy holed up in his office, designing blockbuster video games, but his boss considers talking to investors a nonnegotiable requirement. Who better than a matchmaker to teach him how to be comfortable around the opposite sex? Trouble is, Drew wants to get more than comfortable with Tabitha, while she’s determined to keep their relationship all business.
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About the Author
Christi Barth earned a Master’s degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes contemporary romance. She is the award-winning author of the Aisle Bound series. Christi is president of the Maryland Romance Writers and lives in Maryland with her husband.
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ISBN-13: 9781426898518
UP TO ME
Copyright © 2014 by Christi Barth
Edited by Angela James
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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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