Seclusion
Page 26
“I got tired of waiting for you to notice I’ve done exactly what you said I should do.”
Sean stood looking down at her. “You did all this because of what I said?”
“I did. You changed my life that day. Made me claim my life. I’m grateful for that. But more, I’m here because I’m in love with you. And I think my life has finally caught up to my heart. I want to be with you, right here, in Seaclusion. At Seclusion. I want to be here for good.”
Sean felt his heart stall. Angie had just said she was in love with him? In the ten years of their relationships, Angie had never hinted she felt anything close to love for him. He wasn’t able to comprehend it. All he saw was her leaving, as always because Seaclusion wasn’t enough, because he wasn’t enough. “What about Marie?”
“Marie? What about her? She’ll love growing up here. And you’ll just have to learn to be her stepfather.”
He felt his heart pick up in movement. Was she crazy? Talking about him being a stepfather? “God, Angie, I never said anything about marrying you; I said we might go for a date.”
She finally, slowly, rose to her full height, careful to keep her footing. She took two cautious steps closer to him. “You did say you’d go out with me. The rest? Well, that’s just what’s going to happen this time.”
“How do you know I want anything to do with a child now, any more than I ever did before?”
Angie shrugged. “Because now you’ve met my child. It’s a lot easier to accept when you have a name and face to love and accept.”
Sean tested her statement. Thought about Marie, her big dark eyes and dark hair, her strangely intent way of staring him down, and her endless, countless hours of talking to him. Angie was right, it was easier to think about Marie, think about including Marie in his life than it had been accepting the slight swell in Angie’s stomach four and half years ago.
Angie tilted her head, her hair sliding over her shoulder. “You like my daughter, don’t you, Sean?”
He let out a deep, slow breath. He held her gaze.
“Yeah, I like Marie.”
“And me? Do you still like me?”
He looked up at the sky, sighed, and rubbed a hand to his neck as if to massage tension. “Aren’t you taking this a bit far? I mean we’re talking about one date.”
“No. We’re talking about the rest of our lives.”
“I can accept Marie if we end up—”
“Why don’t you admit it? You’ve been waiting since I came home for me to come to you. Why are you denying it?”
“Because it’s been so damn long.”
“Yeah, well, you said I had to be complete. You set the rules, not me.”
“You might have given me a heads up that’s what was going on. I thought you were over me.”
“No. Not ever.”
“You’re not bailing this time?”
“Not in our lifetime. What about Marie? You have to answer that question this time, once and for all.”
“I could love your daughter. If you give us time. Let us figure each other out. She has a father; I’m not replacing him. Let us figure out what she needs and wants in me. Whatever that is, I can promise you I’ll be for her. But this place, this life is all I have to offer you both.”
“I didn’t understand before; the world is as big or small as you see it. And I finally see it. Here. In Seaclusion, at Seclusion, most of all wherever you are. I finally see everything I’ve always wanted.”
Sean looked down at her strangely, his heart finally starting to beat faster as he realized Angie meant this. He stepped forward, so did she, they closed the gap between them. His arms came around her as she fell against him, and finally, after all these years, all the turmoil, Angie was back in his arms. She looked up at him, her hair shining in a halo of gold with sunlight falling over it, her blue eyes clear, happy, and focused on him. And finally, he found the ending he’d waited a dozen years for. Angie. He’d built this house, this life, for Angie Peters. And finally, unbelievably she was coming home. To him.
“So, anyways as I was saying before you had to pretend to not know exactly what I was doing here, what do you think about having an annual picnic to kick off the summer season?”
He started to smile. “Sounds expensive.”
She smiled back. “Oh, it’s just the start of my ideas.”
“I guess I could listen to a few more of your ideas, but first why don’t I show you my room? I don’t think you ever saw it.”
“I think, Sean Langston, that I’ve waited way too long to finally see your room.”
Sean took her hand, and slowly they descended the ladder one at a time. Then they walked up the porch steps together, and entered the front door of Seclusion.
Other Books by Leanne Davis:
The Sister Series is about the emotional scars and battles that are often hidden in people.
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And how they can be overcome.
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The Remaining Sister
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A contemporary romance series that will both break and mend your heart.
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About the Author
Leanne Davis has earned a business degree from Western Washington University. She worked for several years in the construction management field before turning full time to writing. She lives in the Seattle area with her husband and two children. When she isn't writing, she and her family enjoy camping trips to destinations all across Washington State, many of which become the settings for her novels.
Leanne loves to hear from readers! Contact her at: leanne@leannedavis.net.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Seclusion
COPYRIGHT © 2019 by Leanne Davis
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the cas
e of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Contact Information: dvsleanne@gmail.com
Digital ISBN: 978-1-941522-74-5
The Seaclusion Series, Book Four
Cover Designer: Steven Novak (novakillustrations@gmail.com)
For Keith Suthar
You told me years ago to go write books...I finally did.
I wish you were here to see it, as I wish you were here for everything. I love you.
I miss you.
I will treasure your memories always...