by Vivi Holt
Heath took a seat and Gwen sidled next to him, linking her fingers through his. He smiled, talked about his week and asked about hers. She could imagine a future together, a life shared. For the first time in as long as she could remember, hope surged through her chest. But she knew that if it didn’t happen, she could be content with that too.
Gwen squeezed Heath’s hand. “Okay, we’ve been flying for five hours now, so you’re going to have to cave and tell me where we’re headed. Are you taking me to another country? Because I don’t have a passport. If you want a girl to bring a passport on a date, you have to say so.”
Heath raised her hand to study their entwined fingers. “No, we’re not going overseas – that would take more than a weekend. I guess I can tell you since we’ll be landing soon … New York City.”
“New York?” she squealed. “I’ve never been there before.”
He laughed. “You’ll love it.”
Before long they’d landed at LaGuardia Airport and were in another sleek black limo, headed for Manhattan. Gwen leaned up against the window, eyes wide, straining to see as much of New York as she could.
Behind her, Heath chuckled at her enthusiasm and ran his fingers over her hand and arm. Each time he did, she glanced his way with a smile, her cheeks flushed with warmth. How had everything changed so much in such a short time? Only a week ago life had seemed so bleak – she didn’t think she’d see Heath again, and couldn’t imagine how they could make it work if she did. Now they were really together with no need to act, or pretend that their feelings were something they weren’t. It was as though a veil had been lifted from her face, and she could see everything more clearly.
The car pulled up in front of a hotel that stretched skyward. She craned her neck to look up – the building covered an entire block with cool stone and acres of windows. An ornate P etched in glass shone above, and red carpets lined the stairs to the lobby. She climbed out of the car, taking Heath’s offered hand, and together they ascended the stairs.
The hotel’s decadence took her breath away. Everywhere she looked were wide staircases, gold-and-cream decor, shining tiles and plush carpets. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered. They checked in, each with their own room.
When Gwen opened the door to hers, she gasped in surprise. A huge bed with white bedspread sat by the window. A sitting area with thick rugs. Everything was decorated in the height of good taste. She took off her shoes and buried her toes in a rug, its thick wool tickling the soles of her feet. She grinned, then ran to the bed and leaped onto it with a cry of glee. Heath’s room was right next door, and she wondered if he was doing the same thing.
No – this was all completely normal for him. But she usually stayed at a motel the rare times she’d gotten to travel (aside from camping with Ed). The Embassy Suites by the Seattle/Tacoma airport was the height of luxury she’d experienced until recently – they’d offered free happy-hour cocktails and a breakfast buffet. This was on a whole different level – even more impressive than the resort in Oregon.
She was tired after a long day of traveling – it felt like forever since they’d left her apartment – and Heath said to be ready to leave for dinner at 7 p.m. She thought it a bit late for dinner, but wasn’t going to complain. She soaked in the tub for a half-hour, read a magazine and ate a few of the chocolates from the welcome basket at the end of her bed to tide her over.
At seven, she was ready and waiting for Heath’s knock on the door, dressed in the red gown with the plunging neckline. It was her favorite of the dresses Heath had bought for her, since it was so unlike anything she’d ever worn before. It attracted attention, something she’d never been comfortable with. But with Heath she felt bold, strong, as though she could handle anything life threw her way, including attention.
He knocked and she hurried to open the door, grabbing her clutch and a cream pashmina on the way. She kissed him and he cupped her back with one hand, stroking her cheek with the other. Her legs quivered and she leaned against him, staring into his eyes. “I feel like I’ve stepped into a movie,” she said.
He laughed and took her hand. “I’m glad. You deserve only the best.”
Leading her to the elevators, he seemed almost giddy, and his excitement was infectious. Who was this new Heath, she wondered? He was usually so withdrawn and solemn.
As they stepped outside, she saw tall trees and an expansive green lawn across the street. “Oh, Central Park! Isn’t it beautiful?”
He just nodded. “Let’s take a look.”
They crossed the road and strolled through the park hand in hand. She’d seen the park many times in movies, but never in person. It was so much more beautiful than she’d imagined: green grass in every direction, tall trees rising from the ground, leaves waving gently in the cool breeze. The sun had set behind the skyscrapers, casting long shadows. And people walked, ran and rode along the wide paths that wound in every direction.
Up ahead she spotted a line of carriages, their horses standing patiently, dashing drivers seated on top. Heath tugged her hand. “Let’s take a ride.”
Her eyes widened. “Really?”
“Sure, why not? It’ll be fun.” They climbed into an open carriage and Heath put his arm around her shoulders.
She slid next to him on the seat and let her gaze wander as they clip-clopped through the park. The cityscape as a backdrop and the gorgeous man at her side made her head spin. Thoughts whirled through her head — as wonderful as it was, what did it all mean? She sat up straight and faced Heath with a frown. “I’m having a great time. But can I ask you something?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Shoot.”
“What’s going on between us? I thought we’d broken up – or at least fake broken up. It seemed like the end, and I was … well, pretty upset. Now this … I mean, I’m not complaining, but …” She sighed. “I guess I want to know what you’re thinking.”
He laughed, then kissed her softly. “I know – I thought we were doing the right thing by going our separate ways. But I missed you so much. I considered it all, and what I wanted from life, and I realized that what I wanted was you.”
“Really?” She swallowed hard and her eyes stung with tears. “Well, I don’t want to be without you either.”
“That settles it, then. Let’s stick together.” He grinned and kissed her again, then added, “For real this time. But first, I just want to ask you something.”
Gwen smiled. “Okay.”
“My faith has become really important to me. I guess I’d like to know just where you stand.”
Her cheeks flushed with warmth. “I love God. I always have. While I was married, I really struggled to attend church or spend time with God. Ed didn’t like it — he thought it was a sign of weakness.” She shook her head. “But now… I want to get back to spending time with God and with others who love Him the way I do.”
He nodded, seeming satisfied with her response. Gwen leaned back against him, her gaze roving over the park. People walked, jogged and rode by, and Gwen’s heart soared.
From then on, they talked about life and love and their hopes for the future. And when Heath kissed Gwen beneath a giant magnolia tree, she forgot about everything else.
Heath rolled onto his back, yawned and stretched his arms high in the air. He hadn’t slept so well in months. The bed was comfortable, the room was dark with plush curtains pulled across the windows.
Most of all, his heart was full. The previous evening had been everything he’d hoped it would. He and Gwen had toured Central Park in a horse-drawn carriage, dined at one of the trendiest restaurants in the city, and walked together back to the hotel. He only wished they didn’t have to say goodbye in the hall outside their rooms. There were no more doubts in his mind. Now that he’d let Gwen into his heart, he didn’t want to look back. He knew it was right where she was supposed to be and he couldn’t be happier about his decision.
He smiled and hurried to shower, having slept later than he’d planned.
Once he was dressed, he knocked on Gwen’s door. She didn’t take long to open it, already dressed in a long, flowing skirt and white blouse, her hair loose around her shoulders and her blue eyes gleamed. “Good morning,” she said brightly.
He put his arms around her waist, pulled her close and kissed her softly. “Good morning.” She giggled and returned his kiss, making his heart race. “Ready for breakfast?”
She nodded and pulled the door shut behind her. “Let’s go.”
They held hands as they walked, and Heath studied Gwen out of the corner of his eye. She seemed happy. Until last night he hadn’t been certain she felt the same way about him as he did about her. Her smile warmed him all over. He’d never felt this way before about anyone, never come close to getting serious, having never found the right woman. He’d been waiting for that feeling, the certainty that now filled his heart.
In the restaurant downstairs, they sat across from each other as the mouth-watering aroma of pancakes, waffles, eggs and bacon filled the air around them. His stomach growled as a server poured them each a cup of coffee. “So what would you like to do today?” he asked.
She raised an eyebrow as she sipped at the coffee. “Hmmm … you don’t have anything planned?”
He shook his head. “No. We can do whatever you’d like. We have to head back to Montana this afternoon – the jet is booked for another flight in the morning and we both have work tomorrow. Other than that, we don’t have any commitments.”
Gwen stared out the nearby window at the tall buildings. There was always something exciting about New York City. Every time he’d been there, he always felt a surge of energy.
“I know it’s corny and touristy, but I’ve always wanted to go to the top of the Empire State Building,” she said with a grin.
He laughed. “Not corny at all. We can definitely do that.”
“And I’ve heard Chinatown is amazing – maybe we could have lunch there.”
“Do you mind walking?”
With a shake of her head, she slid one foot out from beneath the table. “Not at all – I even put on flats in the hope we’d do just that. I’d love to spend the day wandering around the city.”
He took her hand and squeezed it. “That sounds perfect.”
After breakfast, they got directions from the hotel concierge and walked down Fifth Avenue to the Empire State Building. Gwen grinned happily, gazing at everything they passed. There was a hot dog vendor on one side of the street, a pretzel cart on the other, people bustling by and around them in a hurry to get to wherever they were going, and yellow cabs stopping and starting by every curb.
Before long they could see the building, reaching up ahead of them with its telltale spike seeming to split the sky in two. It was just like An Affair to Remember – so romantic – and her nerves buzzed with excitement. Even more so when they reached the skyscraper’s front doors, and Heath spun her toward him, cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her passionately. It took a moment to respond – he literally took her breath away. “What was that for?”
“Oh, just because.” He grinned, and his eyes sparked with passion.
She couldn’t help laughing at him. “I feel like I don’t know you at all – you’re so different from how you were.”
He stroked her cheek. “I haven’t changed. You’ve just cracked me out of my shell.”
Her eyes widened and she kissed him back.
When they reached the observation deck, she walked cautiously to the windows and peered over. It was a long way down, and her head spun a little as she saw the streets filled with tiny people scurrying this way and that and toy cars inching forward. “This is amazing,” she whispered.
Heath walked around the entire deck while she stood there pressed against the Plexiglas, then stopped beside her and took her hand, pulling her to him. She faced him with a smile. “What …?” Then she froze as he dropped to one knee and pulled a small box from his pocket. He flipped it open and she saw an enormous pink diamond on a thin gold band, surrounded by white diamonds on both sides. “What are you …?”
Heath grinned nervously. “I know it’s corny and cheesy and we’ve already broken all the rules, but Gwen Alder, since the moment I saw you in the Lucky Diner, with your hair pulled back in a ponytail and wearing that stained apron, I just knew you were the one for me.”
She laughed and hid her face behind her free hand, her heart racing. This couldn’t be happening!
“We’ve already been engaged, but I don’t think we did it quite right.” He winked. “So my beautiful, sweet, thoughtful, feisty Gwen – will you do me the honor of marrying me? For real this time?”
She nodded, unable to speak, as tears began to trail down her cheeks. Around them, scattered applause broke through their bubble of joy and she smiled, embarrassed, as Heath stood and slid the ring onto her finger.
Gwen stared at it a moment, unable to believe it was all really happening. But when he took her into his arms and leaned her back to kiss her, she knew in her heart that she’d found the man who would comfort, protect and keep her always. He’d never leave her, never put his own needs before hers. She let herself drift away on the intensity and hope of that kiss.
“Can everyone please quiet down for a minute?” Heath yelled across the spacious deck. His parents’ house was bigger than his, yet somehow it seemed cramped. The annual family get-together was the perfect time for their announcement. Problem was, once his family started catching up with each other it was almost impossible to stop them. He frowned and waved his hands, hoping they’d all get the hint.
Conversations ceased long enough for each person to look his way in surprise. Several people sat in nearby chairs. Twinkling lights flicked on as the sun dropped behind the mountain ranges and shadows crept across the ranch. “What is it, dear boy?” asked Nana, her voice shaky.
He glanced at the door that led inside to the kitchen, his stomach churning. Gwen was waiting for his signal, and he had no idea how his family would take the news. Then he nodded and smiled in Nana’s direction. “I have an announcement to make, and I wanted to do it with everyone here.”
His mother cocked her head to one side, not quite smiling, her forehead creased. He knew she didn’t like being out of the loop.
Gwen opened the door and walked quickly to Heath’s side. He took her hand with a smile and kissed it. “A lot of you have already met Gwen,” he began, noting a few people nodding. “Most of you heard that we broke up. Most of you, of course, also heard that we weren’t really together in the first place.” He saw Dad frown and moved on. “Well, given time to think it over, we wanted you all to be the first to know that we’ve worked things out. And we’re engaged!”
The extended family broke into loud exclamations of congratulations, applause and confusion. Several came up to shake Gwen’s hand and examine the ring. Heath stood by her side, an arm around her waist. He knew how intimidating his family could be, but she seemed to be doing just fine.
Finally his parents approached, and the rest of the family quieted again. “So you’re engaged?” Dad asked, his eyes narrowed. “What’s it about this time?”
Heath steeled himself. He’d deserved that. “This is about being in love and planning to spend the rest of our lives together. I know I hurt you with my lies, but this time it’s real.”
Dad glanced at Gwen. “Is this true, young lady?”
She nodded, her eyes glistening. “I feel terrible about everything that happened before. It broke my heart when I thought I wouldn’t see Heath, or any of you, again. But yes, it’s true – Heath flew me to New York on Saturday and proposed on Sunday. And this time he had a ring.”
His mother’s eyes widened. “You’re really engaged?”
“Yes,” Heath replied.
She cried out and clapped her hands. “I knew you two were meant for each other! Oh, I’m so happy for you both!”
His father held out his hand for Heath to shake. “Son, I’m real proud of you. You’ve do
ne well as CEO so far, as I knew you would. You managed that fraud situation well – though I would’ve preferred you included me in your confidence – and now you’re finally engaged. Congratulations to both of you.”
Heath’s throat tightened as he took his father’s hand. “Thanks, Dad.”
His father embraced him – a brief hug, but still he couldn’t remember the last time that had happened. “You know what this means?”
Heath shook his head.
“It means that as soon as the two of you are hitched, your father and I are taking that world trip we’ve been talking about,” Mom replied. “Look out, Europe!”
All four of them laughed. Heath’s heart filled with warmth and he kissed his mother on the cheek as she embraced him lovingly.
Then Nana appeared at Heath’s side. Her head only reached to his elbow, but she’d never failed to get his attention she wanted. “Well, you two led us on a merry chase. But congratulations, my dear boy. And Gwen, welcome to the family. Now that I’m in remission, we can really get those wedding plans underway.”
Gwen’s eyes widened. “That’s wonderful news, Nana.” She bent to kiss the older woman on one cheek.
“We’re a crazy lot,” added Heath, staring at Gwen. “But we’re yours if you’ll have us.” The group burst into laughter.
Gwen laughed along with them. “I can’t wait.”
Heath squeezed her close, then leaned forward to kiss her. He felt the same – he’d been waiting so long for the woman of his dreams. And now that he’d found her, he was impatient for their life together to finally begin.
THE END
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DALTON
Read on for an excerpt from the first book in my Cowboys & Debutantes series, Dalton. Or, buy it here.