“Yes, I’m a nurse. And even if Adam and I had stayed together, I think I still would have become a nurse. I love my work. I want to care for kids with cancer every day, not spend more years of my life in school. Most of all, I love Adam. I’m not going to leave Portland, Mom. I’m not going to med school.”
Though her mother’s face had paled and Claire sank down on one of the thrift-store chairs, Leigh went on as kindly as she could. “I know how you’ve sacrificed for me. I know how you’ve worked for me. I appreciate all of it. But I’d be doing both of us an injustice if I went to med school because it was your dream.”
“You could become an oncology specialist and help so many patients.”
“I can help patients now…in a different way.”
“What did he say to you last night? What did he do?”
“He told me the truth, Mom. He was honest with me. Now I can be honest with myself.” Crossing to her mother, Leigh knelt down beside the chair. “Even if Adam won’t take me back, even if I can’t convince him that we can have a future together, I’m going to stay here. It’s what I want to do. Will you accept that? Can you support my decision?”
At first Claire looked as if she were about to protest, about to give a laundry list of reasons why Leigh was throwing her life away. But then she looked into her daughter’s eyes. “I guess if your feelings for Adam Bartlett have lasted all these years, there must be something to them.”
“And you can still be proud of me if I stay in nursing and forget about med school?”
“If that’s what you really want, honey, I’m not going to stand in your way. I don’t want to lose you. You’re all I have.”
“Maybe. Maybe soon you’ll have Adam, too.”
When her mother didn’t look convinced about that, Leigh smiled. Tonight she’d call Mr. Cambry and find out if Adam was going to do the interview. If he was, she’d find a way to tell him everything that was in her heart and hope that he would accept her love.
When Darlene buzzed Adam that Jared was in the reception area, he closed the catalog on his desk. “Send him back.”
Did this personal visit mean that Mark was worse? That the transplant wasn’t going to take?
Adam was on his feet when Jared entered the office, and his worry must have shown because Jared quickly said, “It’s not Mark. I’m not here because of Mark.”
There was great seriousness behind Jared’s statement, and Adam looked at him curiously. “Why are you here?”
Jared didn’t sit down, but crossed to the credenza, picked up the replica of a Model-T Ford, glanced at the Mustang next to it, then took a deep breath and faced his son. “Danni gave me hell after Shawna’s party.”
“About what?” He knew Danielle could be fiercely protective of her children, but her giving Jared hell painted quite a picture.
“She didn’t like the way I introduced you at the party.”
Adam remained silent.
“The truth is, I wanted to introduce you as my son, but I didn’t know how you’d feel about that. I haven’t known what to do about you…and Lissa. I think she and I are finding our way. But you and I…maybe it’s harder because you are a son. Maybe it’s harder because I think we’re a lot alike.”
Jared held up his hand right away. “Oh, I don’t mean in the way we’ve handled our lives. I certainly did a poor job of that at the beginning. But neither of us has said very much about all of this. I should have. It was my place. You were my son. Yes, you might have saved Mark’s life, and I will appreciate that to my dying day. But you are a gift, too, Adam. A gift I didn’t deserve. A gift maybe I still don’t deserve.” He looked lost for a moment. “I’m saying this all badly.”
“No. No, you’re not. I mean…you’re right. Neither of us knew how to handle this. It seems you’ve been uncertain in how to react to me, and I was unable to reach out to you. I would have been terrifically proud if you had introduced me as your son.”
Adam could see the same emotion he felt in his father’s eyes. Jared tried to speak and couldn’t. Instead he reached out to Adam. “From now on, everyone I meet will know you’re my son.”
Adam wasn’t sure exactly how it had happened, who had taken the first step, but suddenly they were embracing. And, in an odd way, Adam felt as if he’d found a home.
Obviously embarrassed by emotion he wasn’t used to exhibiting, Jared released Adam, backed up a few steps and cleared his throat. “I know you told the producer of Breaking News you didn’t want to be interviewed, but I’d like you to reconsider. You’re a member of my family, and I want you to be a part of this.”
Because Adam hadn’t been able to reach out to his father, today might never have happened. Jared had taken the first step, and Adam saw now that he needed to reconsider a lot of things. He hadn’t reached out to Leigh, either. He hadn’t admitted that he…loved her. The quiet truth had been there all along; he just hadn’t been silent enough to hear it. He’d thought the feelings belonged to long ago. They didn’t. They belonged to now. If he had told her he loved her…if he had told her he wanted to make their relationship work…
What was he willing to give up?
He had enough money in his investments and in the bank that he could retire anytime he wanted. He could leave Portland and start up a new firm in Cleveland. They could be together, if that’s what she really wanted, too. Last night he’d thought only his bed was empty. That was simply the tip of the iceberg. His life was empty without her.
“I’ll do the interview if we can sign Leigh on, too. Is that possible?”
His father’s smile was knowing as he confessed, “I already did that this morning.”
As Leigh entered the lounge on the third floor of Portland General, cameras seemed to be everywhere. So did cords and lights, technicians and microphones. When she’d called Jared last night, he’d told her Adam would be here.
She saw the sofa and chair lined up on the makeshift stage. She saw the other chair and cameras set up for single interviews. Then she saw Adam in a suit and tie, talking to the producer, looking as serious as he had ever looked. She absolutely couldn’t go through this taping without talking to him first. She thought she could, but now, seeing him—
They still had a half hour until airtime, and before she could change her mind, she marched over to him and said, “Excuse me?”
The producer gave her an odd look. “I need to give Adam some last-minute instructions, and then it will be your turn.”
“I’m sorry, but I need to talk to Adam for a few minutes first.” Looking straight into Adam’s eyes she said, “It’s not about Mark. It’s about us.”
Adam’s green eyes seemed to go a shade darker as the producer glanced from him to Leigh and back to Adam again. Checking his watch, he said tersely, “Five minutes. You have five minutes.”
Intending to not waste a moment of that time, she asked, “Will you come with me?”
She half expected him to say no. She half expected him to put her off until after the taping. He was a business-first kind of guy.
Instead of commenting, or answering her, he moved out in front of her and broke a direct path through everyone milling about into the hall. Once there, he glanced down the corridor, apparently finding what he was looking for. “Down here.”
She followed him, not caring where they went, eager to tell him what she had to say, desperate to find out if he was going to give her a chance.
To her surprise, he opened the door to a broom closet. It took her back to her high school days, and she hoped this was a good omen. He switched on the light, and after they were both inside, he closed the door.
“I’m not going to medical school,” she blurted out. “I’m not going to Cleveland. I’m staying here. I love you, Adam. I hope I haven’t realized how much too late. I just want to keep being a nurse, working with kids and live in Portland with you.”
During the moments he didn’t speak, tears came to her eyes, and she thought she’d never breathe again.
But then he was holding her shoulders, bringing her closer. “You can’t give up your dream for me.”
“I’m not giving it up for you. I’m just changing dreams, to one of a life for us.”
“You beat me to the punch,” he said with a tender smile that made her heart soar. “I was going to move to Cleveland because I love you and I know we can make anything work. Anything,” he insisted, as he tipped her head up and found her lips with his.
Adam’s kiss was long and slow and deep. She’d never felt the depth and fervor of his emotion quite like this before. She responded the only way she could—with everything she was and everything she wanted to give him. There was so much more than desire. There were memories and forgiveness and hope and promise.
Reluctantly, it seemed, he broke away, tipped his head against hers and then leaned back. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking.”
“There’s a lot of that going around,” she confessed, trying to lighten the mood a little.
He traced his thumb along her cheek. “I love you, Leigh. More than anything else, I want you to be happy.”
“I will be happy…with you.”
“I’ve been holding back too much. Giving too little. Not reaching out when I could. That’s been brought home to me so many ways in the past month. When I was going over all the scenarios in my head of what could happen today, I had already made a decision about something I wanted to do with Cedar Run Ranch, whether I stayed here or went to Cleveland with you.”
“You don’t want to keep it?”
“Oh, yes, I want to keep it. But if I couldn’t be here, I was going to hire someone good to run it. However, since you’ve decided to stay in nursing, would you consider a different kind of work?”
“What work?” He had her intrigued now.
“What if we turn the ranch into a camp for kids with cancer? You could be the director of the program and the on-site nurse. I could manage the logistics and financial details.”
“What about Novel Programs, Unlimited?”
“Dylan can run it. It can practically run by itself, anyway. I can keep my hand in if I want to. But most of my time would be devoted to Cedar Run.”
“I absolutely love the idea. I have so many contacts—in oncology and physical therapy…and in counseling, too.”
“Anybody but that Reed character you saw at the zoo.”
“Were you jealous?”
“Who? Me? Not any more than you were of Nicole.”
“I was not—”
“The truth. Always the truth.”
He was right. If she had been completely honest with herself about all of this, about her life and everything she was feeling, they wouldn’t have had to go through another difficult parting. “I was jealous, Adam. And I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything I’ve put us through.”
This time his finger covered her lips. Then his lips covered her mouth again, and she knew he’d forgiven her for all of it…because he loved her. Her love for him had lasted all these years. Now she knew it would last until the end of time.
Epilogue
The beginning of April in Portland was often as rainy as March. But today the sun was shining as Adam and Dylan entered Cedar Run Ranch’s spare barn in tuxedos.
In just a week Adam had hired a decorator to transform the empty space into a wedding chapel. As Adam’s gaze canvassed the barn, he couldn’t believe what had been accomplished. Rows of white wooden chairs were filled with his and Leigh’s wedding guests—everyone from Jared, Danielle, Shawna and Chad, to Peggy and John and Sharon and Claire. Lissa and Sullivan also sat with them. Adam couldn’t believe that not only were all these people his family, but they felt like family now—even Sharon, who had grudgingly admitted she’d like to attend. Dylan was his best man, and Adam had also invited Darlene—who still seemed to “like” Dylan—as well as employees he valued and Leigh’s friends and co-workers.
There were flowers everywhere—white gladiolus, white roses, white daisies. But the most beautiful scent emanated from the gardenia arbor.
The harpist began playing as Adam and Dylan walked up the center aisle to stand by the minister. There was only one person missing today, and that was Mark. They were all still praying for him, hoping with him. The whole country was doing that now. Their interview about the transplant and Lissa and Adam’s reunion had caught fire, and they had also all been interviewed on the morning news. In addition, another segment show had aired clips. The whole country was sending their prayers skyward for Mark, and that couldn’t do anything but help.
Dylan winked at Adam as they turned to face the back of the barn.
The wedding planner, a woman in her midforties who had been doing this for years, rolled the white runner up the center aisle.
The harp music changed.
Adam felt as if he’d waited for this moment all of his life. As soon as he saw a flurry of white, a bit of lace, his head came up and his gaze sought Leigh.
She looked like a princess. The gown was lace and pearls, full and billowing. She’d told him the train seemed to stretch for miles. He didn’t care about that. He only cared about her. She wore the pearl necklace her mother had given her for graduation. Somehow it had survived the fire and the cleanup. Her hair was arranged on top of her head, and the veil framed her face like a waterfall. Step by step, she moved closer to him, and it was hard to take his eyes from her face. But he wanted to take in all of her. A bouquet of white roses cascaded from her hands.
And then he saw it. Something that seemed out of place. On her wrist…
The tightness in his chest blurred his eyes for a moment as he realized she was wearing the bracelet he’d bought her ten long years ago. She’d kept it all this time. She’d loved him all this time.
When Leigh reached the arbor, Dylan had already stepped aside. Her mother, her matron of honor, took her bouquet, kissed her on the cheek and smiled at Adam. They’d form a friendship eventually, he and Claire. It had already started. Since he was taking care of the wedding, she had insisted on having a dinner for him and his family last night. She’d rented a room in a restaurant and all of it had gone better than Adam could ever have imagined. Everyone had mingled and talked and joked. At the end of the evening, he’d hugged his soon-to-be mother-in-law.
Taking Leigh’s hands, he couldn’t imagine ever letting her go. They’d decided they wanted a traditional ceremony with traditional vows. Now as he promised to love and cherish Leigh forever, he understood exactly what that meant. She understood, too, as she squeezed his hands, gazed into his eyes and smiled so tremulously. He wanted to kiss her right then.
The ceremony seemed to be over in a wink, and soon they faced friends and family as Mr. and Mrs. Adam Bartlett.
Pulling strings, Adam had managed on short notice to reserve a reception hall at an inn a few minutes out of town. But Adam and Leigh’s guests wanted to congratulate them and wish them well now. One after the other they came through a receiving line.
Finally Jared was standing before them. Shawna and Danielle had already given them hugs, and Chad had shaken their hands.
Jared smiled at them now and said to Leigh, “I hope someday my daughter finds a man as good as Adam.” Then he looked at his son. “I hope Mark and Chad each find a woman as lovely and compassionate as Leigh. I don’t want you two to be strangers, you hear? In fact, we might have to set up once-a-month family gatherings, just to make sure everybody keeps in touch.”
“We’ll probably be there more than you want us,” Adam joked. “Especially after Mark comes home.” They were all praying for that day, and Adam was beginning to believe it would happen.
“Even when you get busy with building your camp?”
“Even then,” Adam assured him.
“I won’t tie you up any longer. I know you want to get to the reception.” He gave Leigh a hug, and then he gave Adam one, too.
When Jared moved away, Lissa and Sullivan took his place. Lissa hugged Leigh, and then with an uncertain smile,
she tightly hugged Adam. He squeezed her back, wanting to know so much more about his twin. She and Sullivan had come to dinner one night this week so he and Leigh could tell them about their plans and personally invite them to the wedding. He had a feeling the four of them were going to be good friends.
Lissa leaned away from him, and her smile was so bright, he knew she was thoroughly happy for him. “When are you and Leigh coming to the vineyard?” she asked now.
“We’re flying to Hawaii for two weeks. We both want some consistent sun,” he joked. “When we come back, I promise I’ll bring you a lei and deliver it personally.”
“I think I’m going to like having you for a brother!”
After Lissa and Sullivan moved away, he and Leigh were finally alone. Everyone else had gone ahead to the reception.
“Well, Mrs. Bartlett? How does it feel?”
“How does what feel?” she asked coyly.
Wrapping his arm around her, he pulled her close. “How does it feel to be married to me?”
Her teasing tone gone now, she looked up at him with her big blue eyes and decided, “It feels wonderful.”
That was all Adam needed to hear. In the silence of the barn chapel, with the scent of gardenias permeating the air around them, he kissed Leigh as a man kisses his wife. They were united forever…united in soul, heart and body.
And this was only the beginning.
Special thanks and acknowledgment are given
to Karen Rose Smith for her contribution
to the LOGAN’S LEGACY series.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-2921-1
TAKE A CHANCE ON ME
Copyright © 2004 by Harlequin Books S.A.
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Silhouette Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
Take A Chance On Me (Logan's Legacy) Page 19