For a moment her shock kept her rooted to the spot, her gaze drinking in the beauty of his tanned, bare chest, the firm muscular legs. Even in the ridiculous boxers, he was a hunk. He stopped in the middle of the front yard, the crowd of followers stopping at the edge of the sidewalk.
“Bonnie Baker.” His voice reverberated in the sudden stillness. “You wanted a wild and crazy boxers man. You’ve got one. I’m wild and crazy in love with you.”
The crowd cheered and began to chant, “Bonnie. Bonnie. Bonnie.” Their voices filled the air like crazed fans at a music concert.
“You’d better get out there before that mob comes in and carries you out.”
Carolyn’s words broke Bonnie’s inertia. She raced to the front door, threw it open and motioned Russ inside, refusing to acknowledge the hopeful beating of her heart. Nothing has changed, she reminded herself. Her bags were packed and she was ready to leave. Russ standing in the front yard half-naked changed nothing.
Russ came inside, the look in his eyes as wild and crazy as the boxers he wore. As if by magic, Carolyn disappeared from the room, leaving Russ and Bonnie to face each other alone.
“Do you really think this will change my mind?” Bonnie asked.
Russ shrugged. “At this point I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep you here and in my life.”
His gaze caressed her lovingly, causing her heart to ache painfully.
Bonnie ignored the hurt, wishing he wouldn’t make this more difficult than it already was. “Russ, it just wouldn’t work. I’d do something stupid. I’d embarrass you, disappoint you, and eventually you’d be sorry you ever married me.”
“You’ve forgotten one very important fact.” He moved closer to her, his eyes the warm brown of rich earth.
“I told you once that when I love, I love unconditionally. There is nothing in this world you could do to make me stop loving you.”
The words seeped inside her, warming her and promising the kind of love and acceptance she’d always sought. She saw the love, the promise, in his eyes. She wanted to reach out to him, embrace his love... but she was so afraid. She closed her eyes, seeking the strength to walk away from him. Why was he making it all so hard? “I can’t cook,” she finally said.
“I can.”
He wrapped his arms around her, his bare skin smelling of his cologne and the fresh scent of sunshine.
“I might decide one day to go skinny-dipping in a pond,” she returned.
“I’ll just go with you.” He smiled at her, a smile full of love, rife with passion. “Unconditionally, Bonnie Baker. I love you and nothing you could ever do will change that fact. I want you to be my wife, and I’ll follow you around the country in horrid-looking boxers if that’s what it takes to make you mine.”
Bonnie laughed, and in her laughter was release from her fear. She believed him. Tears sparkled in her eyes as she gazed at his face. “Oh, Russ, I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you and Daniel.”
Joy danced on his face, and with a groan he claimed her lips, kissing her deeply, thoroughly. When they parted, Bonnie leaned her cheek against the warmth of his chest, nuzzling against his sweet-smelling skin.
“As if I could ever leave you,” he murmured into her hair.
“As if I’d let you.” She raised her head and grinned at him. Together they laughed, and as they kissed once again, Bonnie knew her days of running were over. She had found what she sought—herself, her life, her love—with Russ.
Epilogue
Bonnie stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection in awe. A bride. Today she would marry Russ, and she truly felt that it would be the first day of her life. A real life, with substance and meaning, with love and laughter. “Dreams,” she murmured to the woman in the mirror. Today those long-ago dreams were coming true.
It had been a full week since Russ had stalked up the street wearing those ridiculous purple boxers, and in those seven days, Bonnie had only been assured of Russ’s love. Even Daniel seemed happy with the idea of her being part of their family. He’d jumped into the wedding plans with both feet, making suggestions and helping Russ choose Bonnie’s ring.
She returned her attention to the mirror. The dress she had on wasn’t the same one she’d worn when she’d run out on Helmut. Russ had insisted she buy another one and she had agreed. Traditional white, the gown had classical lines and layers of lace, making her look far more angelic than she thought possible.
“Can I come in?” Carolyn’s voice drifted through the door.
“Sure.”
Carolyn walked in, a vision of loveliness in her gown. The purple dress brought out the blue of her eyes and the color in her cheeks. Bonnie had insisted on purple, having developed a fondness for the bright color since the day of Russ’s momentary madness.
“Oh, Bonnie.” Tears immediately formed in Carolyn’s eyes as she gazed at her sister. “You look absolutely radiant.” She crossed the small floor of the church dressing room and hugged Bonnie tight. “I’m so happy for you.” She stepped back. “It’s a happy day.”
Bonnie nodded, for a moment her heart too filled to speak. “I just wish Colleen and Sam could be here. That would have made it a perfect day,” she finally managed to say.
Bonnie had tried to get their youngest sister to come out from Long Island for the wedding, but Colleen was in the middle of testifying at a child-custody hearing and couldn’t get away. As for Sam...
“You know they’d be here if they could,” Carolyn replied softly.
Bonnie looked at her sister, and realized she was thinking the same thoughts. Would Sam ever come back and be a part of their lives? Or would he end up caught by the police, and spend the rest of his life in prison for a murder they were all certain he didn’t commit? Oh, Sam, Bonnie thought, I wish you could quit running, the way I have.
Carolyn looked at her watch. “You only have a few minutes before you walk up that aisle.”
Bonnie reached into the small suitcase she had brought with her to the church. “I have a present for you,” she said.
“Your happiness is all the present I want,” Carolyn protested.
“It’s just a little something.” Bonnie handed Carolyn a jeweler’s box. “It’s not the same as the one that was stolen, but it’s close,” she explained as Carolyn opened the box to reveal a gold chain necklace with a phoenix charm. “The charm is a little bigger than the original, but Father must have had the others specially made.”
“Oh, Bonnie, it’s lovely.”
Bonnie gazed at the necklace with a small smile. “Somehow the phoenix seems appropriate for us. Hopefully all of us can rise out of the ashes of our childhood to find happiness.”
“I just wish I knew why somebody wanted to steal the others.”
“We’ll probably never know,” Bonnie replied. “Caro, would you do me a favor and find Brenda Jo and send her in? I have a little something for her, too.”
“Sure. I’ll be right back.” Carolyn left the room.
A moment later Brenda Jo appeared, her purple gown clashing horrendously with her bright-red hair. She looked at Bonnie and burst into tears. “Oh, sweetie, I’m so happy for you,” she wailed. She pulled a pink tissue from her bodice and wiped her eyes. “Don’t mind me. I always cry at weddings.”
Bonnie gave the older woman a tight hug, then handed her an envelope. “Let’s hope the next wedding you cry at is your own.”
Brenda Jo gave her eyes a final swipe and opened the envelope. As she saw the airline tickets inside, she wailed again. The tears streamed down her face as she grabbed Bonnie in a bear hug.
Laughing, Bonnie disentangled herself from the older woman’s grasp. “Consider that our wedding present to you and Lloyd. Two round-trip tickets to Paris. Now, you go out there and tell Lloyd there is no reason the two of you can’t get married right away.”
“You made my dream come true,” Brenda Jo cried, “and all I got you was a Crockpot.”
“Every
thing all right in here?” Carolyn stuck her head inside the room.
“Everything is fine,” Bonnie assured her. “Brenda Jo was just leaving to speak to Lloyd.”
“Yes...yes, I’ve got to go talk to that man of mine.” Smiling radiantly, Brenda Jo left the room and Carolyn reentered.
“What did you do to her?” Carolyn asked curiously.
Bonnie smiled. “Just made a little dream of hers come true.” Her nerves jumped as she heard the chords of the organist. “Is it time?”
Carolyn smiled. “It’s time.”
Together the two sisters left the little dressing room and joined the others who stood ready to walk down the aisle in the formal procession.
Before Bonnie knew it, the people in the church were on their feet, and it was her turn to walk down the flower-bedecked path. She stood there for a moment, looking at Russ, tall and proud next to the minister.
She waited for the old, familiar unease to ripple through her, for the desire to run away to suffuse her. They didn’t come. The fear of disappointing, the fear of not being loved were gone, swallowed up by the loving look in Russ’s eyes, the smile that lit Daniel’s face.
The only thing she felt was an overwhelming need to run...run as fast as she could toward Russ and her future. Taking a deep breath and picking up her long, lace skirt, that’s exactly what she did.
ISBN : 978-1-4592-7990-2
MOM IN THE MAKING
Copyright © 1996 by Carla Bracale
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, 300 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017 U.S.A.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
“Tell me something, Russ. Do you wear boxers or briefs?”
Letter to Reader
Books by Carla Cassidy
About the Author
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Epilogue
Copyright
Mom In The Making Page 13