She smiled. “I’m good.”
“How did you know it was her?” Noah asked. “That she was the one responsible for the fire?”
Naomi shrugged. “I didn’t. I took a guess. She just confirmed it.”
Chapter 15
Since their encounter with Nolan Perry and his family, Naomi hadn’t had anything to say about everything she’d learned. Despite Patrick’s best efforts and those of Noah and her other siblings, she refused to talk about her father, the fire, Mrs. Perry or any of it. Instead, she’d thrown herself back into her work, every conversation starting and ending with horticulture and how that applied to her business model. She tested new raw organic recipes, kept the refrigerator stocked with fresh juices and smoothies and acted as if nothing had changed. She’d even begun a new video blog about organic eating that had attracted a very loyal following, taking the metaphor “busy as a bee” to new heights.
Patrick was still flying back and forth to Arizona with her and he enjoyed the life they were building together. After a very lengthy debate about him investing in the Utah farm, she’d taken him on as a partner, allowing him to give her an influx of cash to help with repaying her investors and restoring the soil and replanting the crop. Opening the co-op had been delayed, but they were still on track to make it happen.
When he came through the door of his apartment, Naomi was already there. He heard her in the bedroom, on the telephone. She was laughing, and he realized that despite his best efforts, she hadn’t laughed that freely since before the fire. He was grateful to whomever it was that had her giggling so easily.
Since Naomi had taken up space in his apartment, every room felt different. The place was energized and alive, feeling more like a home. The many shades of gray were now peppered with vibrant reds and yellows and greens. She’d tossed pillows, draped tapestries, set out candles and filled the space with plants. There was artwork on the walls, pictures of his family and hers on the desktops. His cabinets were devoid of junk food, the fridge stocked with GMO-free fruits and vegetables, and even his beloved coffee was now organic. One month had made a major difference in his life and hers. Every change she’d introduced him to had been for the better, and now he was ready to make things between them permanent.
He grabbed a bottle of spring water from the refrigerator and moved toward the bedroom. Naomi was reclined against the pillows, her cell phone propped between her ear and shoulder. He blew her a kiss and waved, then turned to go back to the living room to give her some privacy. Waving back, she tapped the bed and gestured for him to join her. After crawling up on the mattress, he kissed her cheek, then fell back with his head in her lap.
Naomi was laughing again. “I can’t wait to see those pictures. I can’t imagine what that was like.”
There was a pause as she listened to whoever was on the other end. Meanwhile she trailed her hand over his chest and under his shirt, lightly stroking the muscles of his six-pack. He twitched, her touch tickling him. She smiled down at him, winking, as his own grin widened.
“I will...Yes, ma’am...We’re looking forward to it. Do you want to speak with him? He just walked through the door.”
Patrick tossed her a look, a question forming as he tried to figure out who she was talking to.
“I’ll let him know. I promise. You have a good night.”
Disconnecting the call, Naomi tossed her phone to the other side of the bed. “Hey, honey! How was your day?”
He laughed. “Didn’t we work together all day?”
“We did. But I don’t know how things went after I left and you went to gym.”
“The gym was good. I had fun with the equipment and I even ran into Garrison.”
“Oh. How is he?”
“Garrison. He’ll never change.”
Naomi chuckled softly. “Well, let’s hope you two can rebuild your friendship so you can be a good influence on him.”
“Have you thought about trying to build a relationship with your other family? Maybe talk to Nolan or Garrison and the girls?”
Naomi’s smile disappeared. She didn’t bother to answer the question, changing the subject instead. “Aren’t you going to ask me what I did this evening?”
Hating that he’d put a frown on her face after she’d seemed so happy, Patrick didn’t press the issue. “So, how was your day, babe?”
“My day was exceptionally productive. I didn’t go to the gym! What I did do was plan a vacation for us.” Her frown shifted, the light returning to her eyes. “A much-needed vacation!”
Patrick sat upright. “A vacation?”
“Well, more of an extended getaway. A long weekend of sorts. We’re flying out tomorrow. Then we’ll go back to Phoenix on Monday.”
“Where are we going?”
“Miami!”
Patrick twisted to face her. “Miami? Really?”
“Yes. And your mother said to make sure you check your emails. She’s sending you a list of things she wants you to bring her.”
“You talked to my mother?”
“I did indeed. That was her on the phone. She said to tell you she loves you and she can’t wait to see you.”
“You spoke to my mother!”
“I can’t wait to meet her,” Naomi said, as she leaned to give him a kiss.
Wrapping his arms around her, he rolled until he’d pulled her down against him, his mouth still dancing with hers. She tasted sweet, like milk chocolate and berries. His eyes widened as he pulled back from her.
“You made dessert!”
Naomi laughed. “Really, Patrick O’Brien. You kiss me and all you can think of is dessert?”
He drew his hand through her hair, pulling her back to him. He licked her lips, then gently suckled on her bottom lip and then her top. His touch became heated and intoxicating as their tongues tangled inside her mouth and then his. When he finally pulled back, Naomi was gasping for air. “Parfait!” he exclaimed, lifting his eyebrows in jest. “You made fruit parfaits with cacao bits.”
The joy in Naomi’s eyes as she laughed heartily made his heart sing. “I left you one in the refrigerator,” she said. “I’m actually surprised you missed it!”
That night, dessert lasted long past the parfait. Naomi was his chocolate delight and then some. They made the sweetest love, over and over again, until exhaustion swept in, sending them both into a deep sleep. When the sun rose, the two were still curled tightly around each other, limbs so tightly entangled that it was hard to tell where one began and the other ended. They had danced merrily together in each other’s dreams, and as Naomi shifted her body even closer to his, Patrick couldn’t imagine himself not waking with her by his side.
Chapter 16
Naomi was still laughing as Patrick ran last-minute errands, trying to find the items his mother had insisted he bring home with him. Most were tourist trinkets: key chains with the Salt Lake City logo, a man’s size large Utah Jazz T-shirt, Cox brand whipped honey flavored with raspberry. And collegiate ice cream, the Aggie Blue Mint, a blue ice cream with pieces of Oreo cookie and white chocolate mixed in.
Patrick tossed up his hands. “How are we supposed to bring ice cream? This is ridiculous.”
“I have a great insulated cooler and all we’ll need to do is pack a ton of ice around it. It will be fine!”
“Why do I feel like you two are up to something?”
“Who?”
“You and my mother!”
“Because we are,” Naomi said with a little giggle. She brushed her body against his and wrapped her arms around his waist. She reached to kiss his lips. “Your mother and I are going to have so much fun giving you a hard time!”
Patrick shook his head. Before he could respond, the moment was interrupted by the doorbell sounding. They exchanged a questioning look.
“Are you expecting someone?” Patrick asked.
Naomi shook her head. “No. You?”
He released the hold he had on her and moved to the door. He peered through the peephole, then stepped back, clearly surprised. Naomi came close, eyeing him curiously.
She mouthed, “Who is it?”
Patrick smiled as he pulled the door open. Garrison and his sister Georgina stood on the other side.
“Hey,” Garrison said, giving him a slight wave. “Is this a bad time?”
Patrick shook his head. “Actually, it’s not the best. We were just about to head out. Naomi and I are going out of town for the weekend.”
“We were hoping to talk to Naomi.”
Naomi moved to Patrick’s side. “Please, come in,” she said, looking from one to the other. She took a step back as they complied. “What brings you by?”
Georgina stepped past her brother. “Hi,” she said, her voice cracking with nervous energy. “We won’t take up much of your time, I promise.”
“It’s not a problem,” Naomi said with a smile. “Come, have a seat.”
The young woman shook her head. “We’re not going to stay.” She and Garrison exchanged a quick look.
Garrison nodded. “Look, I’m not really good at stuff like this, so if I screw it up I hope you’ll forgive me. We just wanted to say how sorry we are for everything that has happened. Our parents being buttheads and all.”
Georgina rolled her eyes. “You can always count on Garrison to screw things up.”
Patrick laughed. “He does have a way with words.”
Naomi smiled again.
“What Garrison is trying to say is that we hope you and Noah and the others will give us a chance. We’d like to get to know you and for you to get to know us.”
“The good stuff about us. Not the screwed-up stuff,” Garrison interjected. “I’m sure my buddy here has already filled you in on that.”
They all laughed easily.
“You might not have heard, but our mother was arrested and charged with setting that fire to your property.”
Naomi’s expression fell, the light dimming ever so slightly in her eyes. “I did hear. I’m very sorry.”
“Don’t be. Father turned her in,” Georgina said matter-of-factly. “He also filed for divorce.”
Garrison nodded. “He’s really not a bad guy,” he said softly. “They were always so cold to each other that we used to make jokes about why they married each other. Now we know...”
“Where’s Giselle?” Patrick queried.
“Doing that diva thing she does. She’s not there yet. You know she already had issue with the inheritance being split three ways. Discovering that she’s now only getting one-eighth has completely devastated her.” Garrison chuckled.
Patrick laughed.
“Well,” Naomi said, “I appreciate you coming by. I really do.”
Georgina nodded. “We know it’s going to take some time, but we really want us all to be a family. At least, maybe try? I need a big brother who isn’t dopey all the time and Noah seemed like a really great guy.”
“Who are you calling dopey?”
The two women exchanged a hug.
Garrison and Georgina left as quickly as they’d come.
Patrick tossed Naomi a look. “You good?”
She grinned. “I’m great.”
* * *
Patrick was a mama’s boy and Naomi loved that about him. Zora O’Brien was everything he had described and then some. She had Naomi at her first hello. She was small in stature, but her magnetic presence was large and abundant, and her hundred-watt smile lit up the room.
They had been there for barely half a day when she’d insisted on washing and retwisting Naomi’s dreadlocks. The products she used had been made in her kitchen, the conditioner a mix of avocado, coconut milk and olive oil. When she was done, Naomi’s hair felt luxurious and the freshly twisted strands looked amazing.
It was their last afternoon there, the trip ending early the next morning. Naomi had danced hard, played hard and laughed until tears ran from her eyes. Patrick had taken great joy in showing off the Little Havana neighborhood he’d been raised in. She’d fallen in love with the Agustin Gainza Arts and Studio, purchasing several prints from the artist’s Mulata series. She’d watched skilled Cuban cigar rollers at El Credito Cigar Factory and had eaten more than her fair share of plantains and homemade mamey-fruit-and-flan ice cream, and continued to drink guarapo juice like water. She’d even strayed from her diet to taste the guava pastelito Patrick’s mother was renowned for. It was one of the best weekends she’d ever had. The time spent with Patrick’s family was reminiscent of what she and her siblings had found with their Dallas cousins. It reminded her of just how important her family was to her.
Everything about the O’Brien home spoke to Naomi’s esthetic. It was comfortable and casual, filled with light and color and the most amazing smells. And the music! The music was constant. Bass-heavy tunes that inspired dancing and movement and simply made her smile with glee. Family came and went without knocking and children played in every room. Naomi imagined that for any kid, growing up in such an environment had to feel like a nonstop party.
Across the room, Patrick was catching up with a cousin, the man jabbering away in English and Spanish. Patrick was trying to look attentive but losing that battle. Naomi laughed as he caught her eye, his smile canyon deep. He twisted a finger at the edge of his temple, amusement painting his expression. The other man laughed and slapped him on the back.
Seeing Patrick so relaxed and carefree was a sheer joy. He was comfortable and the environment suited him to a T. She had worried about him losing his job, and when he hadn’t rushed to find another, seeming to give up his interest in returning to a courtroom, she’d felt immense guilt. They’d had many discussions, until she’d felt okay about what he said he wanted. He was officially on retainer for both farms and his legal skills had come in quite handy. He was also sexy as hell when he donned his boots and jeans to help her out in the fields.
After he’d gone with her to the Perry offices, it felt as if they’d hit a small speed bump. She blamed herself for that, not wanting to open up about the encounter with her father. She hadn’t wanted to talk, and Patrick allowed her the time she needed to process it all. But in that moment, she knew they were right on track with each other, and she would not have had it any other way.
She skipped across the room and pulled him away. Together the two danced to the center of the room. They were wrapped warmly around each other and there was no denying the love they shared. Naomi pressed her mouth to his and kissed him eagerly. “I love you, Patrick O’Brien!”
He chuckled softly. “I love you more, Naomi Stallion.”
“Your mother says you’re going to ask me to marry you. I keep waiting for it but you seem to be taking forever, and you know I’m not a patient woman.”
Patrick laughed. “She did, did she?”
“I did!” Zora laughed with them. She was leaning against the fireplace, watching them closely.
Patrick’s father moved to his wife’s side and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her sweetly, then called across the room, “Patrick, you heard your mother!”
Patrick nodded. He lifted his hand and called out for everyone’s attention. When the room quieted, with only the soft sound of the stereo playing in the background, Patrick reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. He suddenly dropped down onto one knee, taking Naomi’s hand into his own.
Naomi’s eyes widened and she felt the breath fly from her lungs. “Patrick! We were teasing!”
“I wasn’t,” he said softly. He kissed the back of her fingers. “Naomi Stallion, I love you. I love your quiet strength. And your exuberant spirit. I love how committed
you are to others. I love everything about you. You have become my world and I can’t imagine not having a future with you. Will you marry me, Naomi? Will you make me the happiest man in the whole wide world?”
“Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!” Naomi cried. “Yes!” She jumped up and down, squealing with glee!
“Congratulations!” Zora called out to them both. And then she sang them the prettiest love song.
Epilogue
The wedding planner they’d hired had transformed Norris Farms into a magical wonderland. It was over-the-top and simply gorgeous. Going into the planning process, Naomi hadn’t any idea what she’d wanted. But after listening to everything she and Patrick liked, their planner, Jacquie, had worked an absolute miracle.
Standing in the front window of the old homestead, watching the guests arrive, Naomi was in complete awe. It was a secret garden of vibrant color and she couldn’t believe how beautiful it all was. When it was time, she would follow a path of flower petals from the front door of the homestead to the ceremony site, escorted by her brother Noah.
The ceremony would take place in front of the old barn. They would exchange their vows beneath an arch of natural vines, greenery, bright florals and lace ribbons that billowed in the breeze. After the “I dos,” there would be old-fashioned pig pickin’, without the pig, in the barn, with dancing and dining until sunset. Patrick’s parents were in charge of the music and his mother had promised to perform.
Brightly colored paper lanterns hung from the barn’s ceiling, complementing the fresh floral arrangements that adorned the tables. There was tons of crystal, fine china, cloth napkins, a five-tiered wedding cake and an extraordinary vegetarian menu. Naomi was bubbling with excitement, wanting it to be over so she could say she was Patrick O’Brien’s wife.
“You need to get into your dress,” Natalie said, interrupting her thoughts.
“Is it time?”
Her sister grinned. “That’s why you need to get into your dress.”
Naomi laughed. “So now we’re being funny. You know I’m nervous, Natalie.”
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