Finally Mine: A Small Town Love Story

by Lucy Score

  “And you’re not afraid now?” he asked softly.

  “I’m freaking terrified,” she corrected him. “I’m scared you won’t be able to forgive me. I’m scared that I wrecked the best thing that happened to me because I thought it was too good to be true. That someone like me didn’t deserve to be loved by someone like you. I’m scared that I’m not going to be able to fix it.”

  “Gloria, that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

  She laughed, hot tears bubbling up.

  “I thought I was too damaged to know what real love was. But I was wrong. I know what it is because of my scars, because of my past. I know what love is. I know that I love you and that I’ll spend the rest of my life loving you if you let me.” Her voice trembled. “Hell, I’ll spend the rest of my life loving you even if you don’t let me.”

  “You and your baggage,” he confirmed.

  She nodded. “Unfortunately, it comes with me. But maybe between the two of us we can whittle it down to a carry-on.”

  He looked at her, then looked at the ground.

  “Do you still love me?” she asked in a tiny voice.

  “Of course I do, Gloria. But, Jesus, woman. You walked out on me.”

  “I didn’t know how to be happy when she was sad,” Gloria blurted out.

  “Harper?” he asked, looking at her again.

  Gloria nodded. “She was so hurt, Aldo. And all I could think of is that’s how it was going to end up for us.”

  “We aren’t them,” Aldo said softly.

  We. We. We. He said we. He bought Mrs. Diller’s house to get the woman out of Benevolence, away from her. They could make this work. He just needed to believe in her.

  “No, we’re not. We make our own mistakes—mostly me and mine—and have our own baggage, and Aldo, I’m probably going to screw up again. I’m really new at this healthy relationship thing. So I’m not always going to do or say the right thing, but I want to try. I want to try so hard with you. Please, at least think about it?”

  He nodded slowly and then knelt down next to the tree.

  Gloria hung her head and turned back to her suitcase. She’d said her piece. He’d listened. She shouldn’t have expected him to jump at the chance to bring her crazy back into his life. Now she was going to have to do the walk of shame back down the hill of the tree farm with a fucking piece of luggage. Thank God she hadn’t actually packed anything in it.

  “Gloria.”

  She turned back to him, swiping a knuckle under her nose, and then froze.

  Aldo Moretta was down on one knee holding what looked to her teary eyes like either a diamond ring or a piece of star that had fallen from the sky.

  “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m far from perfect, too. And I never stopped loving you. Would you and your baggage do me and mine the great honor of marrying me?”

  “Wha?” She couldn’t even get the whole word out. She was hallucinating, wasn’t she? Mrs. Diller had hit her in the head with a frying pan to show her how it felt, and she was imagining this entire scenario. That explanation seemed more plausible than Aldo Moretta proposing marriage after she’d so carelessly cut out his heart and stomped on it.

  He flashed her that devilish grin that sparked a thousand memories spanning more than a decade. “Gloria Parker, will you marry me and move in with me and have a family with me? Will you forgive me when I’m an ass and love me like I love you until the day I die? Will you bake pies and smell like flowers and paint my life with all the color you bring?”

  “I think I’m having some kind of hallucination,” she whispered. She reached out, pinched his arm. He was real. So very real. And he was hers. All she had to do was say…

  “Yes!”

  She launched herself at him, tripping and falling into his waiting arms. They landed on the fallen tree. Then she was kissing him with the urgency of a lifetime.

  “Put the ring on before I lose it,” he demanded, breaking the kiss long enough to shove the stunning solitaire onto her finger.

  “Why are you carrying an engagement ring with you?” she asked, kissing him again.

  “In case I ran into you at a Christmas tree farm.”

  “Aldo!” She laughed.

  “I believe in us, Glo. I believe in you. I was sure. I just needed you to be sure.”

  “I’m so sure! So sure. Let’s get married tomorrow!”

  He shook his head. “Huh-uh. I’ve waited this long. We’re doing it right. White dress, big party, tux.”

  “Mmm, I love you in a tux.”

  She kissed him softly this time, not even minding that there were branches and sap and needles everywhere.

  “Did you really buy Mrs. Diller’s house?”

  “Technically, it’s in your name. We can fix it up, flip it. Or I thought maybe you’d want to rent it out. Maybe to women or families who are down on their luck? Need a fresh start?”

  She pulled back to look at him. To drink him in. Her beautiful, perfect man that she’d almost thrown away. “Every time I think I can’t possibly love you any more, you go and do a thing like that. I don’t know if I deserve you, Aldo Moretta. But I don’t care. I’m going to spend my life loving you whether I’ve earned you or not.”

  When his lips met hers, when she sighed her breath into his mouth, when their hearts beat together, Gloria knew she was absolutely ready for the rest of her life.

  Epilogue

  The knock at the door came ten minutes on the right side of orgasmic bliss. Gloria and Aldo had returned to her apartment to do a preliminary round of packing and gotten blissfully distracted in the bedroom...and the kitchen. And then again in the bedroom.

  Gloria dragged on Aldo’s huge National Guard sweatshirt over the leggings that she’d found wrapped around her bedside lamp and padded to the door.

  “Harper! What a nice surprise! Come on in.” Gloria made sure to pull the sleeve of the sweatshirt down over her beautiful new diamond. They had plans for the announcement.

  Her mother knew already, of course. Nothing got by Sara Parker. Unlike Ina, Sara could keep her mouth shut for a day or two. But the rest of the world was going to have to wait just a little longer.

  Harper looked tired and sad. Her MO since the breakup.

  “Am I interrupting?” Harper asked wearily.

  Gloria stepped aside, waving Harper in. “No. Aldo’s in the kitchen making grilled cheese sandwiches and trying not to burn the place down.”

  “Are you sure I’m not interrupting?” Harper looked pointedly at Gloria’s sex smushed hair. Her unpainted lips curved just a little.

  Gloria laughed. “Ten minutes earlier, and you would have been,” she winked.

  Instead of laughing, Harper wrapped her friend in a tight hug. “I’m so happy for you, Gloria. I really am.”

  Gloria returned the hug. “Me, too. I owe it all to you, you know.”

  Harper released her. “Don’t be silly. You got yourself here in a real home with a sexy man making you grilled cheese. You deserve every bit of it.”

  She couldn’t help it. Her heart was singing. She had to share just a little. “I’m so happy, Harper. I never imagined life could be like this.” She hugged Aldo’s sweatshirt closer. “Enough gushing. Can I interest you in a half-burnt grilled cheese?”

  “Is that my old pal Harpoon out there?” Aldo poked his shirtless torso out of the kitchen, and Gloria felt the familiar pitter pat of affection and lust curl in her belly.

  Harper laughed weakly. “Hey, sport. I haven’t seen you in a while.”

  “When are we hitting the trails again? Got a new blade that’ll leave you in my dust.”

  “Nice,” Harper said, threading a hand through her hair. She looked nervous, resigned. “I actually wanted to let you both know that I’m, uh, leaving.”

  “Vacation leaving?” Gloria asked, her brow furrowed. Harper couldn’t leave. Not with Luke finally ready to make amends. This was her friend’s shot at her own happily ever after.

  Harper
shook her head.

  “Happy trails leaving?” Aldo pressed. He was always calm in a crisis. Yet another thing Gloria loved about the man.

  “Happy trails. Or, just reasonably okay trails at this point,” Harper joked.

  “It’s not because of Luke and Linc’s fight to the death in the grocery store is it?” Gloria asked.

  “I heard they were both banned for life after they destroyed the bread aisle,” Aldo interjected. “Buns and loaves everywhere.”

  Harper rolled her eyes. “Well, the small-town rumors are one thing I won’t miss.”

  “Are you giving up on him?” Gloria asked, her heart aching for her friend.

  “I have to. For my sake. For his. I can’t change him. And I can’t stay here either.”

  “You have friends here,” Gloria reminded her.

  “And I’m so grateful to have you all in my life. But Benevolence is Luke’s home, and me staying here is just going to be a painful reminder to both of us of what was.”

  Gloria weighed her words carefully. “I disagree with you, but as your friend, I will support your decision. As long as you promise to let us come visit you,” Gloria said. She felt her panic level rising. If Harper left before Friday, everything would be ruined.

  “Of course,” Harper said with a teary smile.

  “So where exactly will we be visiting you?” Aldo asked, hands on hips, still clutching a spatula. His gaze skated to Gloria, telegraphing the same feelings. She needs to hang in just a little longer.

  “I’m not really sure, yet. I’m leaving Saturday, so obviously I have to have a plan then. I’ll let you know.” She bit her lip.

  Gloria breathed a sigh of relief. Harper wouldn’t be leaving Saturday. She wouldn’t be leaving ever if everything went according to plan.

  “Listen, when I do tell you where I am, do you promise not to let anyone know?” Harper asked.

  “Anyone meaning Luke?” Aldo crossed his arms.

  Harper shook her head. “No. Just anyone who doesn’t need to know. Like if a stranger asks you…or something.” She was fumbling this, making a mess.

  “Are you in trouble?” Gloria asked. She knew exactly what kind of trouble Harper had been in. The man who had abused her and countless other children in foster care had gone to prison thanks in large part to Harper. He’d been sending her threatening letters and had escalated things by tasking Glenn with the job of killing Harper. It still made Gloria shake when she thought about how their monsters had overlapped.

  But Luke had fixed it. There would be no parole for Harper’s monster. And obviously she didn’t know that yet.

  Oh, hell. Things were going to get messy if Luke didn’t make his move.

  “Everything’s fine. I just wanted to tell you both personally. You’ve been such good friends to me. I’m really going to miss you.” Harper’s voice cracked. “I love you guys so much.”

  Gloria wrapped Harper into a hug again. “I wish I could talk you into staying.”

  “Is there room for me in there?” Aldo grabbed them both and squeezed.

  “One joke about a threesome, and I’ll smack you with that spatula,” Harper threatened.

  Gloria giggled. “Promise me you won’t give up on love.”

  “I promise,” Harper nodded. Gloria recognized the lie. Her friend had already given up, and it hurt Gloria’s heart. But soon, everything would be perfect.

  When Harper left, Gloria looked at Aldo.

  “She has no idea, does she?” Aldo asked gleefully.

  “That Luke made sure her evil shadow will never get out of prison? That he’s planning the biggest, craziest grand gesture to win her back? That you spent nine hours yesterday helping Luke decorate the house for Christmas? Nope. No clue.” Gloria grinned.

  She went to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, and together they laughed diabolically.

  Ivan raced by and dove head first into an open moving box.

  “I didn’t know until right this second that I had a thing for Cher,” Aldo whispered into Gloria’s ear, his fingers stroking through her long, black wig.

  “And I didn’t realize how sexy you could make a ridiculous mustache look,” Gloria said, pushing on the fur lining Aldo’s upper lip. He also made tie-dye look pretty damn hot, too. Of course, Gloria had given the t-shirt a little extra Sonny Bono by cutting a deep, 70s-style V in it. Her own matching tie-dye was knotted sassily on her hip.

  She tossed her long, fake hair over her shoulder.

  They were crammed asses to elbows with the Garrison family and a handful of other townsfolk in the storage room at Remo’s just off the greasy kitchen. Word had spread about Luke’s plan to win back Harper, and the entire town had turned out to show their support.

  Gloria’s mother was out there with a glass of wine and a table full of girlfriends, including Ina Moretta. The two had become fast, odd friends.

  Aldo made a show of kissing Gloria and tickling her with the fake ‘stache. “We’re definitely going to hang on to the costumes. I’ve got plans for later,” he told her.

  Gloria laughed and squeezed him in a tight hug. For the rest of her life, she had plans for later.

  “Love is in the air tonight,” Claire said next to them as she snuggled a little closer to her husband, Charlie. They were both wearing hideous Christmas sweaters.

  Gloria prodded Aldo in his ribs and nodded to where Luke stood in the corner studying a sheet of lyrics.

  Aldo rolled his eyes. “Go ahead and fix him. But just this once. Since it’s a special occasion.” He ran his thumb over the diamond on her finger.

  Gloria kissed him lightly on the cheek before wriggling around bodies to get to Luke. His lips were moving, carefully forming each word on the page.

  “Are you ready for this?” Gloria asked him. It wasn’t the ideal place for an intimate conversation. Not with a dozen nervously enthusiastic friends and family getting ready for the surprise of Harper’s life.

  Luke blew out a breath. “Is it enough? Is this enough?” he asked, jerking his chin at the chaos in the glorified closet.

  “Do you love her?” Gloria asked.

  She watched his Adam’s apple work in his throat. “Yeah.” Luke’s voice was a rasp. “Yeah, I do.”

  “Then that’s enough.”

  The corner of his mouth quirked. “That’s it? That easy?”

  Gloria glanced over her shoulder at Aldo. The love of her life. The man who brought her into the light. Who put a promise of forever on her finger.

  “Nobody said anything about easy. But it is so worth it,” Gloria promised. She thought about her purple suitcase and the Christmas tree—the tree they’d already had to stand back up twice, thanks to Ivan. She thought about the boxes that had already made their way to Aldo’s house. Their house. “Just make sure the apology is always bigger than the screw-up. And I’m pretty sure you blew it out of the water with tonight.”

  “I’m asking her to marry me.” Luke said the words so quietly Gloria almost didn’t catch them. “Not here. But at home. If she forgives me.”

  Gloria was having trouble seeing him through the tears that threatened to spill over. If Harper could forgive, she’d be getting her own happily ever after tonight. And knowing her friend’s gigantic heart, Luke had a very good chance at a lifetime of happiness in front of him.

  “We’ll celebrate tomorrow,” Gloria said quietly. She raised her left hand, just enough so that the diamond caught his eye.

  “No shit?” Luke beamed at her, then over the heads that separated him and Aldo.

  “Tomorrow we celebrate. Tonight’s your night,” Gloria said, patting him on the arm. “Oh, and if all goes well, I owe you a stick of deodorant and a toothbrush.”

  Sophie Garrison, wearing a matching Garrison Christmas sweater and a mile-wide grin, ducked her head in the door. “Showtime, guys!”

  Angry Frank and his lady back-up singers kicked things off with a rousing rendition of “With a Little Help from My Friends.” Gloria could
n’t see Harper through the crowd from her vantage point hugging the wall near the service bar, but she had a feeling the festive vibes of the crowd would have her friend smiling.

  Aldo was crowded up against Gloria’s side. Everything, even a night at Remo’s, was different with him next to her.

  Nerves shimmered in her belly.

  She’d spent the better part of this year putting herself out there, but this was taking it to a new level.

  The crowd cheered as Frank and his cohorts exited the stage, and Gloria’s stomach churned.

  “Do you think Cher ever gets stage fright?” Gloria asked Aldo.

  He brought her hand to his lips and fake mustache. “Sweetheart, with everything you’ve faced down this year, a little karaoke is nothing.”

  Fred, the bar’s owner, was back on the stage calling for quiet. “It’s gonna be an old-school night, folks. Put your hands together for our next act, Sonny and Cher.”

  Aldo gave her hand a squeeze and flashed her that charmer’s smile. And the stage suddenly didn’t seem so high, the lights weren’t quite as blinding. Nothing was as scary with him by her side. He led the way onto the pencil-thin stage, bounding up the step. And there sat Harper, front and center, her cheeks flushed. The glee of the community overriding her sadness for the night. Harper clapped a hand over her mouth when she got a good look at their getup.

  Hand-in-hand they approached the mic. Aldo leaned in, his big, booming voice carrying over the bar noise. “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Gloria and I would like to dedicate this song to the woman we owe everything to. This one’s for you, Harper.”

  “We love you,” Gloria said, blowing Harper a kiss.

  The music started, and with a shared laugh, Aldo and Gloria swayed together to the beat. Gloria broke into “I Got You Babe” in the singing voice she hadn’t used since that high school musical.

  “Oh my God,” Harper mouthed from her little table.

  Aldo crooned, Gloria tossed her hair Cher-style, and the entire bar hummed and swayed along.