by Talley, Liz
“Sunny,” he breathed at her touch. Her cool hands felt so good against his skin, but her eyes delivered something that took his breath away.
“I lied when I said I didn’t love you… that I couldn’t love you, Henry.”
He felt his heart burst. “But why? You know I would never hurt you again. Never.”
“I was scared. I’m so sorry I acted like a fool and tried to avoid my feelings. But I do love you. I really, really do.”
He wanted to sweep her into a kiss, pick her up and test out the new mattress that had been delivered last week, but he wouldn’t until he knew everything.
“But are you leaving?”
“Not unless you don’t want me.”
“I want you. I always have.” He fitted his hand at her waist and lowered his head.
Fancy danced around them, yipping happily like only a dog who’d just realized that everything was going to work out could.
“Are you going to stay with me?” he asked when his lips were inches from her.
Sunny nodded. “Always.”
Their lips met then, and the sweetest bliss filled his soul. Sunny had come home. For real. And this time they would claim the happily-ever-after they’d vowed to have in their dream book long ago. As her tongue slid against his and she moved her hand to his neck, something hooked on his ear.
“Ow,” he said, breaking the kiss and drawing back to capture her hand. “What’s this?”
Sunny blinked and shook her arm. “It’s my new bracelet.”
On her wrist was a charm bracelet filled with charms. He caught sight of an alligator, a flip-flop, and a red dancing shoe.
“Well, it hooked me.”
Sunny started laughing and looked at the bracelet, her eyes crinkling. “God, I think it actually did.”
He kissed her hard and then drew back again. “I’m sensing there’s more to this story than what you’re letting on, and I think I need to hear it.”
“Yeah, and I’ll tell you sometime, but not right now. Right now I want to kiss you some more and maybe go throw the ball for Fancy.”
“That’s what you want to do?” Because he could think of a lot of things they could be doing other than throwing a slobbery tennis ball for a cattle dog who sat looking at them with her tongue lolled out, smile in place.
“Well, I have some other things in mind, but I have missed Fancy,” Sunny said, eyeing their dog.
Their dog.
Because they were going to make this work. They were going to be a family. In this house. On this land.
Where they had always belonged.
He gathered her to him. “We will make throwing the ball like foreplay. Every time we toss the ball, you have to kiss me. And then we’ll start taking off clothes. I’m really digging that you’re wearing a dress. How do you ride that hog in a dress anyway?”
“I have shorts on underneath,” Sunny said, her eyes twinkling. Her hand caressed his chest, and her other hand scratched Fancy behind her ears. The charm bracelet caught in the dying light of the day, and a piece of a puzzle he’d been missing clicked into place.
“Damn it, let’s start now,” he said, pulling her in for another kiss. She tasted like strawberry lip gloss and forever.
Just before their lips met, Sunny whispered. “We both deserve to be happy. I believe that now. I believe in you and me.”
Then Sunny kissed him just as the doorbell rang.
And Henry remembered the sign, the kennels, and that Sunny had no clue about the new space for the rescue. “Come with me.”
He took her hand and they went onto the porch to find that UPS had, in fact, finally delivered the sign. With Fancy still running excitedly around them, he pulled out his pocket knife and opened the box. When he unwrapped the sign, he smiled. Holding it up, he turned it toward the woman standing on the porch, glowing like he’d never seen her glow.
“What is that?” She reached out to run a hand over the custom-made sign featuring the logo of the new organization.
“Hop in the mule and I’ll show you,” he said, taking her hand and pulling her toward where he’d left his ATV.
“I thought we were going to play with Fancy… and then each other.”
“We are, but first you have to see this,” he said, anticipation welling up to take its place beside the love he’d always carried for her. She was going to love having the rescue less than a mile away.
They climbed into the mule, Fancy hopping up to take her usual place, which was right next to him. The sun was hot, making him sweat. He didn’t care. He was as happy as he could ever remember. Sunny loved him, she was staying, and they would be together the way they always should have been.
“I can’t believe this,” Sunny said, her blue eyes shining with unshed tears. “This is real. You. Me. Fancy. Our house.”
As they emerged in the clearing by the pond, the barn sat open, waiting to deliver a sweet surprise. He rode past the water and into the shady building where noisy fans stirred the hot air. He braked and then watched Sunny scan the space, taking in the doggy spa area, the cat room with its climbing structure and air-conditioned cages, the open door that led to the kennels that could house forty dogs.
“What is this?” She turned to him, her eyes wide, her pretty mouth open. “Is this what I think it is? Is this the new rescue?”
“I always said you were the smartest woman I knew.”
“Oh my God, Henry. You built the rescue.” She jumped out of the mule and Fancy followed her, tail wagging. He watched as she walked through the areas, laughing and crying and calling out things like “This is so cool” and “Oh my gosh, it’s perfect.”
When she came back to him, her eyes were glowing, her cheeks were wet, and she was smiling. “Oh, Henry, this is so wonderful! I didn’t think today could get better, but it has.”
The kiss she gave him was as sweet as nectar.
He pulled back and smiled at her. “Oh, one more thing. I couldn’t quite figure it out until I saw your bracelet.”
The office he’d built for the rescue was cool and dark, a welcome reprieve from the heat. He took the padded envelope from his desk and brought it to her. Handing it to her, he said, “I got this yesterday. I wasn’t sure what to do with it, but now I think I know.”
Sunny have him a cryptic look and pulled open the gaping edges, allowing a small box to slide into her palm. “Huh. What’s this?”
“The note might give you that answer.”
Sunny opened the envelope, pulled out the monogrammed stationery, and read the note. “Henry, I know you won’t understand this, but I think this small box could hold the key to true happiness. Take it to Sunny and give it to her before she leaves town. Good luck.”
Sunny made a face. “Who sent this?”
He tapped the monogram. RRG.
“Rosemary?” she asked.
“Open the box,” he said softly.
She pulled the box open and gasped. Inside on a velvet bed lay two charms—one a silver dog, the other a tiny yellow house. “Oh.”
“I didn’t understand until I saw the bracelet. I guess these are supposed to go on it?”
Sunny brushed the tears from her cheeks. “That’s what they are. They’re my charms to finish Lacy’s bracelet.”
“What do they mean?”
“That I have found where I belong. That I’m finally home.” Sunny closed her eyes, opened them again, and said, “They mean I’m home, Henry.”
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Liz Talley is the author of twenty-five heartwarming stories of love and laughter. A finalist in both the Golden Heart and Rita Awards, she’s garnered number one spots on Amazon Romance lists and w
as honored with RT Review’s Best Superromance 2014. Robyn Carr says “laughter and tears spring from the pages,” and Kristan Higgins says Liz’s stories are “written in a warm, intelligent voice.” Liz makes her home in North Louisiana with her high school sweetheart, two teen boys, and three dogs. When not writing romance, she likes to read, volunteer, and watch Netflix. You can reach her at www.liztalleybooks.com.