by Mary Alford
“What do you mean?” She held her breath. Hope taking hold in her heart. She tamped it down. She couldn’t let it take life yet.
“I screwed up things with Kate. I should have told her how I felt about her. I knew she felt something more for me than a physical relationship. If I’d told her the truth, things might have been different. When I met you, well, I hated that you reminded me of how bad I’d let her down.”
“Jase, she loved you…”
He rubbed his hands down her arms. “Just listen. I need to say what I didn’t before.”
“To her?”
“No, Hannah, to you. To you.”
She nodded, and he went on. “What happened between us, well, that had nothing to do with Kate. Before I left for the States, she was everywhere here. I dreamed of her, talked to her, couldn’t extinguish her memory even though she’d never been here before. Since I’ve been back, well, it’s not Kate that’s keeping me awake at night, it’s you. All you. I haven’t been able to get you out of my head … or my heart since I left you in D.C.”
More tears filled her eyes and she went into his arms.
“I love you, Hannah Sandoval. I love you with all my heart.”
When she could speak again she said, “I love you too. I knew it before you left, but after you were gone, well, I didn’t understand it, but I couldn’t forget you.” She looked into his eyes. “Kate’s memories are all gone. I haven’t had a thought or a dream about her in weeks. I believe she’s at peace now. That’s when I truly knew I loved you. When what I felt for you was totally and completely my own feelings. I love you, and I want to share your life. Here in New Zealand. I want us to spend the rest of our lives together here.”
He kissed her slowly, and it was only the two of them. No ghosts from the past. No covert tangled webs. Simply Jase and Hannah, and a future that was as wide-open and full of promise as the green pastures out their back window.
The End
Other Books by Mary Alford
Montana Skies
The Prodigal’s Redemption
Sign up for Forget Me Not Romances newsletter and receive a cookbook compiled from Forget Me Not Authors!