He cut her off as the tears welled in her eyes. “Don’t apologize again.”
“I have to.”
“No, I have to, and I am sorry. When you told me it was a shock and I was hurt, and angry at you and the world for what we’d been denied. Not to mention the stupid comment all those years ago that made you feel you had to hide the truth from me. I was trying not to let the guys see how much I wanted you, our marriage, and everything that came with it . . . commitment, time away from them, kids. Hell, I even wanted a dog and a cat.”
She laughed as she wiped the tears away. “With our schedules?”
“I wish you had trusted me, us, enough to tell me, but we can’t change the past. We can learn from it and make our future better from those lessons. I’ve missed you. I’ve thought of you every day. I was going to tell you all this at the wedding and then I heard about Chicago and figured I’d blown it.”
He took her trembling hands in his, which was awkward with her still clutching the card. “I was wrong about not being able to forgive you. I wasn’t wrong about the other. I can never stop loving you. Marry me, Dee.”
Oh, wow. Talk about getting hit by a speeding train. She staggered back until she rested her butt against the railing.
Everything she wanted, everything she had always wanted stood within her grasp. All she had to do was say one little word. Before she could answer, though, she needed to clear the air, to make sure he knew everything first, because if she said yes, there’d never be secrets between them again.
“Wow. I wasn’t expecting this when I asked you here. But you’re right. We need to learn from our mistakes and not repeat them, which was the point of today. I’m . . . Oh, hell. Here.” She thrust the card she’d bought five years ago at him and waited.
It only took a couple of seconds for him to read the note she’d handwritten that long-ago day before he carefully returned the card to its envelope. “Thank you. I’d like to think I would have been overjoyed at reading this, but if you were worried that I didn’t believe you, I never doubted your word. It’s all in the past now and we can move forward.”
She laughed a little and pushed the card back at him when he tried to give it to her. “Thanks for believing me. Um, that’s not what I’m trying to tell you, though.”
His hand went to the back of his neck as he stared at the card. His eyes lifted to meet hers. “Wait. You’re not . . . ?”
“Uh-huh.”
Jitters danced inside her.
“But you said the doctors told you that you couldn’t get pregnant.” His voice was filled with awe and doubt and hope.
“Doctors don’t always get it right. It’s why it’s called the practice of medicine; we’re still trying to get it right.”
He stood stock-still, no emotion on his face, just his eyes locked on hers.
“Are you okay with this?”
“Are you kidding?”
His hands clamped on to her hips and he swung her around in a circle. “Woo-hoo. I’m going to be a dad,” he yelled at the top of his lungs.
The mom across the water started clapping and a couple of workers on the deck of the Casino up the hill joined in and yelled congratulations as well.
“When’s the baby due?” He stepped back to place his hand on her stomach and grinned like a fool.
“In December. A perfect Christmas gift.”
“Tell me you’ll marry me, Dee.”
Brody’s voice, his face, his eyes were full of love and happiness, more than she’d ever seen from him before.
Everything she’d ever wanted stood right in front of her. All she had to do was say four little words. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
His mouth slanted across hers as he brushed her lips with a tender kiss before taking it deeper. “Soon. No more waiting.” His voice was rough with desire and laughter.
“Given the circumstances, soon is probably a good idea.”
He looked down at her still-flat tummy, the smile never wavering. When he looked up at her, his eyes were glossy but the smile remained. She’d dreamed of him, of this, the two of them celebrating their upcoming life together so often, and even when the dream had been stolen away, she’d still dreamed of the man and the life they could have had together. This time there’d be no walking away for either of them. This time was for keeps.
Epilogue
They’d tossed a coin. Heads they would go to the town clerk on Monday and exchange their vows. Tails they would do it her way. As she looked out over the Atlantic, she was glad she’d won. It might have taken a little longer than either of them had wanted—three weeks—but as she waited for their family and friends to arrive, time didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was that in less than an hour they’d finally be married.
Brody walked out of the Beach House and took her hands. “They’re starting to arrive. You’d better go inside before they see you.”
She’d opted for one last secret—not between her and Brody but something to be kept from the others—and that was what this day was all about. They’d received an invitation to lunch on the beach to celebrate some good news. Her family thought it was a promotion at work. So she slipped inside to the private room the venue provided for brides and waited.
Laughter floated past the closed door. Her mom and sisters, probably lost as always, as they looked for the restroom. Turning away from the door, she double-checked her reflection. The new theme in her life was simplicity and her wedding day was no exception. She’d chosen a cream-colored, off-the-shoulder cocktail dress with a lace bodice. A girl was entitled to a little frill on her special day even when she was keeping it simple. She’d swept her hair to the side, elegant yet simple.
As she looked in the mirror, she could just see the start of a baby bump. Her hands instinctively went to her abdomen. The door opened a fraction and Brody stuck his head inside.
“Everyone’s here. Are you ready?”
The man took her breath away.
She nodded and he slipped in to the room, stripped off his black jacket, and added the vest and bow tie before putting it back on. Together they walked to the doors leading to the deck, stopping short before all but one of their guests could see them. They couldn’t have pulled the day off without Tawny’s help and connections. She waited for them and, upon her signal, the minister cleared his throat and asked if the guests could form an aisle for the guests of honor.
The music began and Brody and Denise stepped into the sunshine to the excited gasps of those closest to them. She’d been a little worried about their plan. It was a dad’s right to walk his daughter down the aisle, but as she looked into her father’s beaming face, she let that worry go. Her mom and Brody’s wore matching smiles, both already wiping at the corners of their eyes.
Denise leaned toward Brody and whispered, “Let’s do this.”
They walked forward, hand in hand toward their new life together. On the edge of the deck, looking out over the Atlantic, Brody took her in his arms and kissed her until she couldn’t breathe.
“Hey, aren’t you supposed to do that after the vows?”
The minister cleared his throat and began, “In case you haven’t figured it out by now, we’re gathered today to join these two in holy wedlock.”
“About time,” Dave said.
“Hear, hear,” came from her dad, of all people.
“We should have eloped,” Denise muttered.
“No turning back now.” Brody squeezed her hand and nodded to the minister to continue.
He probably said something about the sanctity of marriage, the staying power, and who knows what else. For all she knew, he could have been reciting the lyrics to “Old MacDonald.” What she did focus on was the look of love shining from Brody’s eyes and his words as he slid the ring on her finger.
“Denise Amara Saunders, my world is nothing without you in it and everything with you. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and to cherish
you and our child until my last breath and beyond.”
Out of the corner of her eye she caught her mother’s hands fly in front of her mouth as she grasped Brody’s vows. With a smile, she slid on his ring.
“Brody Andrew Nichols, we’ve waited a long time for this day— too long, some would say—but it doesn’t matter when or where or even how. All that matters is that from this day forward we’re together. I have loved you forever and I will love you into the next lifetime and then the next. I will support you, honor and respect you, laugh with and at you, and cherish you and our child until my last breath and beyond.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mr. and Mrs. Brody Nichols. Now, you may kiss the bride.”
The crowd burst into laughter and cheers, a sound she’d never tire of hearing and, hopefully, a sign of the life ahead of them. As she looked into Brody’s eyes and saw the corners of his mouth tilt upward, she had no doubt of the life she’d have. One of love and happiness.
“Love you,” she mouthed for him alone.
Brody cupped her face in his hands, “Love you always,” he whispered before sealing their life together with a kiss.
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Chapter One
Some days it didn’t pay to get out of bed.
Today was not one of those days, or so Tawny Torres had thought a few hours ago. Now, as she made her way back from lunch to her desk, she had some doubts on the matter. Determined not to let getting stood up spoil her mood, Tawny shoved all thoughts of what’s-his-name out of her mind and focused on her to-do list.
She crossed off “blind date.” So maybe it was with more force than necessary. A girl’s entitled to a little anger.
Now she could focus on the next item, “get promoted.” Today was the day. For the past two weeks, her new boss, Mr. Leduc, at Powers Bank & Trust had promised he’d name the new loan officer, and this morning he’d finally posted a notice for a staff meeting. This was it. After eight long years, countless hours of overtime, bending over backward, and kissing ass, she was going to get her reward. Not that being a loan officer was her ultimate goal. Nope, but it was the next step in “the plan.”
Powering up her computer, she glanced around the bank, letting her gaze linger on the empty office to her right. A month ago, her friend, mentor, and immediate supervisor Jane Flannery had transferred to Boston, paving the way for Tawny’s move up the corporate ladder. Jane had even recommended Tawny as her replacement when she left. Her former boss assured her the position was hers. A done deal, or would be if the new manager would stop putting off the inevitable.
“Tawny.” Emma called to her from across the lobby as she hurried over to Tawny’s desk. “I know it’s not official yet, but congrats on the promotion. Really, they should have promoted you to bank manager when Mr. North retired, instead of the guy they brought in. You know how to do everyone’s job around here, and no one works harder than you do.”
“Thanks. I’ll settle for head loan officer for now. Are you still interested in moving over to this side of the house?” The young woman had been hinting for the past couple of years about her desire to move away from the teller department, but since her return from maternity leave a couple of weeks ago, her interest seemed to have waned.
“Definitely. With little Ava’s arrival, it’s even more important to me now than before. To be honest, if I could, I’d be a stay-at-home mom. It’s the best job in the world and I worry about her every minute I’m away. You should have heard the horror stories some of the other moms told in my Mommy and Me class. The thing is, my husband doesn’t make enough on his salary alone. Not for our goals. We have preschool to think of so we can get her in the right primary school, or she won’t get accepted into an Ivy League university.” She started pacing back and forth in front of the desk. “Some of the moms I met at playgroup had started preparing for this stuff before they were even pregnant. I’m so behind the curve.”
Tawny laid a hand on her arm, stopping her in her tracks. “Relax, Ava will be fine and I’ll be happy to put a good word in for you with Mr. Leduc.”
Her coworker thanked her and hurried back to work. Tawny shook her head and brought up her e-mail. If Mom had her way, Tawny would be an Emma clone, popping out babies right and left and worrying about nannies, tuition, and the future of someone whose sole agenda was sleeping, eating, and pooping. She wouldn’t even be Tawny anymore, simply someone’s mom or wife. She’d cease to exist. If she followed her mom’s wishes. For now, she had enough on her plate worrying about her career. Besides, marriage and kids would come in time. She had it on her list.
“Hey, the Martins stopped in to sign their loan papers while you were out. They were walking on cloud nine. Thanks again for helping me get the paperwork done and getting them approved.” Mark James stopped in front of her desk, drumming his fingers.
“No problem, any time.”
Little stress lines dug in deep at the corners of his eyes, between his brows, and at the corners of his mouth. “Mr. Leduc wants to see you.”
“Okay, thanks.”
“I guess I better learn to handle them on my own.”
“It’ll come in time. Is everything okay, Mark?” Tawny looked to the manager’s office and back to her coworker. Was the new guy axing employees already? “You look upset.”
“I’m fine. Everything’s fine. It’s all going to be fine,” he mumbled as he walked away.
Ignoring the happy souls around her in the pub, Tawny lined up her target, focused on one image and one image only, and let her weapon of choice fly.
Bull’s-eye!
Right in the schnoz, or where she’d pictured her former boss’s big, fat nose would be on the dartboard. That made three in a row. Maybe another three or three thousand and she’d be able to release the remains of the anger radiating through her body. She downed the rest of her Cosmo, flagged the waitress, and ordered another. She’d rather be home chilling with her favorite guys, Ben & Jerry, but she’d been summoned. Epically crappy day or not, she wouldn’t let her best friend down.
Of course, there was nothing in the BFF rulebook that said a little liquid fortification couldn’t be called upon. Just enough to enable her to plaster on her yay-it’s-hump-day smile and not ruin everyone else’s day. Not enough to plot out acts of revenge and end up wearing orange coveralls for life. Orange was seriously not the new black.
Caressing the sharp tip with her thumb, Tawny studied the board and imagined her next target. Visual firmly pictured, she let that baby fly with everything she had, taking great satisfaction as the needle embedded in the soft material.
“You’re leaning a little to the left when you release. Hold steady and you’ll get a bull’s-eye.”
Tawny turned to the luscious, but taken male specimen giving her advice and smirked. “Actually, I hit exactly where I was aiming.”
“Oh yeah, and what were you picturing?” Her best friend, Cherry Ryan, studied the board as she laid her purse on the table next to Tawny’s empty glass. “Or should I not ask?”
“Doglover12’s left nut sack.”
Jason, the luscious male specimen and her bestie’s fiancé, flinched. “I think that’s my cue to hit the bar for drinks. Tawny, what are you drinking tonight?”
“Already got one on the way, sweetums, but thanks.” She planted a wet one on his cheek before he scurried off.
Cherry picked up the next dart, lining up the target. “So what did Doglover12 do to deserve losing half of his pride and joy?”
Tawny waved her off as she took the drink from the waitress. “It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. Already forgotten. Besides, you called saying you needed me, not the other way around. What’s up?” She took a sip of her drink, savoring the burn as the vodka slid down her throat. “By the way, you look pretty hot in that sundress. I like how the purple brings out the blue in your eyes, and you’re going to have to show me how to do that braid thingy with my hair.”
Propping her elbows on the tall table, Tawny rested her chin on her laced fingers. “Really, it’s nothing. Not even the bad part of my day.”
“Which is why you’re sucking down Cosmos like they’re Kool-Aid. You may as well spill your guts because you know I’m not going to give up until you do.”
“Dios! A Chihuahua with a bone has nothing on you. Fine. He stood me up at lunch today. Actually, that’s not true. Apparently he showed, saw me in person, and left. Then he sent me a text saying, ‘Sorry, I like my women a little less voluptuous.’”
Cherry flinched. “Where do I find the jerk and how do you want him to die?”
And that was why Tawny loved her friend. Not only would she bail you out when needed, she’d hide the body for you.
“I can see why you were on the verge of giving up dating when you met Jason. Hey—” Tawny looked over toward the bar. Over six feet of deliciousness, with spiky dark brown hair, serious blue-green eyes, and one of the best hearts she’d ever known. Yeah, the world could do with more of his kind. “Do you think we could clone him? You know, with a different face, of course, because otherwise that’d be creepy.”
Cherry smiled dreamily as she glanced toward the love of her life. They’d make beautiful babies, ones with Cherry’s auburn hair and Jason’s eyes. “Trust me, Prince Charming has a few personality faults. Impatient tops the list. Why do you think he keeps pushing for a wedding date?”
“Having a guy who’s crazy about you and in a hurry to spend the rest of his life with you is a fault?” Tawny sputtered.
“You’re right. It’s pretty damn hot. But he has other flaws. He leaves the toilet seat up and he can’t cook more than a few basics, he’s stubborn, and . . .” A sigh escaped as Cherry glanced once again toward Jason. “What I’m trying to say is, everyone has their warts. It’s just a matter of finding the one you can live with. The one who sets your soul on fire with one look.”
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