FLASHBACK

by Nancy Warren

  "Keep walking or we'll have the whole town gossiping about us," Laura warned, knowing the best-kept secret lasted mere minutes in Laroche.

  "Good," said Jack, taking her hand firmly in his. He let her drag him along with her, and she let him keep her hand in his.

  "I thought, after…" She felt herself coloring. "After we didn't use anything that night – I felt so rejected. Like you didn't want me or a child."

  He pulled her back into his arms, heedless of the gossips. "No! How could you think that? I just didn't want to trap you into marrying me. Believe me, it doesn't work," he said bitterly.

  "I … I do want children," she said softly.

  "I want more children, too. I think you'll make a wonderful mother. The only thing Cory was right about was that Sara needs a mother. Are you willing to take that on?"

  Laura smiled, letting the happiness that was swelling her heart spill over again. "I like Sara very much. Once I get to know her better I know I'm going to love her. We'll be a happy family, I'm sure of it."

  "If love and hard work are enough, I'm sure of it, too."

  She sighed, and didn't protest when he put his arm around her waist and pulled her close. So what if the whole town found out they were in love? "Who do we tell first? Gran or Sara?"

  Jack grinned the wolfish grin that made Laura quiver. "I already packed Sara off to her friend's for the night. You see, I was planning on surprising you with an engagement ring and the McNair House. I already have dinner reservations at a great little place I know up island."

  "Pretty cocky, aren't you?" Laura teased.

  "Let's just say … hopeful."

  She traced his upper lip with her index finger. "Does this little place cater to overnight guests?"

  He took her finger into his mouth and bit gently, his tongue hot and delicious against the sensitive fingertip. "Now who's cocky?" From her finger, his mouth moved to her thumb and then finally to her lips. "Now you mention it, they might just have a room tonight with my name on it."

  Just the thought of the two of them, alone together for the night, had her heart fluttering. How she'd missed his loving. His hand was warm and possessive around her waist and she couldn't wait to feel it on her naked flesh. "So you really want to marry me."

  "Mm-hmm."

  "I wonder how Cory will feel … having me take her place…"

  He shook his head. "You won't take her place. Her idea of being a mother is flitting into town once in a while with presents. She can still do that. And Sara can still have her annual birthday trip to see her mom. But Sara will also have a woman in her life every day to help her and guide her. That's what she really needs."

  "I'll try my best."

  He cleared his throat. "I've already talked to the real-estate agent about putting my place up for sale. If we can't have the McNair House, I want to build you a house. On the ocean, if you like."

  She was so relieved he didn't expect her to live in Cory's old house she couldn't resist teasing him. "Can I have one just like Chip's? I still want to do a harem bedroom."

  "We'll build anything you want if you're sure you'll marry me."

  She smiled up at him and let him see everything she felt. "I've wanted to marry you since I got my first training bra." Then she tugged at his hand. "Let's tell Gran."

  As it turned out, they didn't have to tell that wise old woman anything. They walked into the house, deliberately not touching. Gran took one look at them and snorted. "Well, it's about time."

  "Oh, I'm so happy." Laura threw her arms around the frail figure and squeezed.

  "Leave me a rib or two unbroken, girl. I plan to dance at your wedding," Gran scolded, but her eyes were teary.

  Then it was Jack's turn to hug her. "I'm a lucky man," he said huskily.

  "Yes, you are," Gran agreed. "You're both lucky. You've spent a lot of years trying to deny the obvious. You two were meant for each other. I'm glad you finally came to your senses. You'll find champagne in the fridge, Jack. We'll have it in the living room."

  The living room. Jack and Laura exchanged glances. The living room was dusted and polished once a week and used about twice a year. This was a real occasion.

  "Why have you got champagne in the fridge, Gran? Don't tell me you have 'the sight.'"

  "Don't be cheeky, young lady. Mildred Aspick phoned me an hour ago from the Seaside Boutique. After the way you've been carrying on in public with my granddaughter, Jack, you'll have to marry her."

  "I intend to." His promise floated back from the kitchen.

  "Good, I have a wedding present for you."

  The champagne was French and expensive. Jack and Laura exchanged amazed glances again. "I'd like to propose a toast," Gran said, raising her champagne flute.

  Jack raised his glass, smiling at Laura with warmth in his eyes and promises that made her eager to get to that bed-and-breakfast inn.

  "I wish you the kind of love that builds with time. The kind of love that's worth working for – and fighting for, if you have to. It's the only kind worth having. To Jack and Laura." Gran raised her glass at them and sipped.

  Laura's future husband mouthed "to us" and drank. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Gran raise her glass in a tiny salute to Grandpa's picture. A lump formed in Laura's throat as she realized how indebted she was to Gran and Grandpa for the example they'd set her of married life.

  She sipped the cold, frothy champagne and made a silent toast to another couple who'd gone before her and taught her about building a successful marriage – Elizabeth and Albert McNair.

  Gran retrieved a plain brown, legal-size envelope from the table beside her and handed it to Laura. "Your wedding present."

  The envelope crackled loudly in the still room. Puzzled, Laura removed the single sheet of paper, scanned it rapidly and felt her eyes bug out of her head.

  Too shocked to speak, she silently passed the letter to Jack, who took it from her nerveless hand and read aloud. "'Dear Mrs. McMurtry, It is my pleasure to inform you that the committee has accepted your bid to purchase the property known as McNair House…'"

  His voice petered out, then Jack raised his eyes to stare at Gran. "You were the one who bought the McNair House?" he almost shouted. "But how…?" He stopped, clearly not knowing how to go on.

  "He means, how could you possibly afford it, Gran?" Laura crossed the room to kneel at her grandmother's feet and take her gnarled hand. "This is very sweet, but you must have sold everything … we can't let you…"

  Gran chuckled – a deep, contented belly laugh. "I'm not one to brag, but I'm a very wealthy woman, dear." Her grandmother paused a moment, enjoying their astonishment. "I've been investing in the stock market since your mother was a baby." She sipped her champagne. "It's been a very lucrative hobby."

  Seeing both her listeners were still paralyzed with shock, she continued, "Of course, I have everything I want. I give most of my money to charity these days. But it's nice to be able to buy an extravagant gift for a beloved granddaughter and her fiancé."

  Laura stared at her grandmother as though she'd never seen her before. "I thought you just read all that stuff about orange juice futures and stock offerings. I had no idea you were investing."

  Her grandmother snorted. "What's the fun in that? The toughest part was keeping it a secret. You know what gossip is like in this town." Gran rolled her eyes as though she personally had never stooped to such depths. Ha!

  "So that's why Ed wouldn't tell anyone who the successful bidder was," Jack said.

  The old woman nodded. "And they'll never find out. Next week, it will be announced that you two are the new owners of McNair House. And it will be the truth."

  "You're the best grandmother anyone ever had," Laura said.

  "And the best fairy godmother," Jack agreed.

  *

  A soft, early morning breeze brought a faint tang of the ocean to tease Laura's nose. She snuggled deeper under the faded quilt, enjoying the familiar warm weight of Jack's arm curled rou
nd her body. The fingers of his relaxed hand just touched her breast. She shifted slightly, filling his curled palm with her eager flesh, rubbing the bud of her nipple back and forth.

  His fingers closed obligingly and began to knead and tantalize her while he burrowed his face into her nape, rubbing the sensitive skin of her neck with his stubbly cheek. He kissed and nuzzled until she turned to him in laughing surrender.

  "Didn't you get your fill last night?" she teased.

  "I have it on good authority that I married a sex addict. Don't tell me the honeymoon cured you?" He was trying to look hurt, while his fingers traced their way over her body, touching her in a way that always aroused her.

  She looked into the eyes of her brand-new husband, and knew she had found happiness for life. "I don't think I'll ever be cured," she said huskily, and leaned over to kiss him.

  With the last of the renovations finished, Laura had spent the days leading up to her wedding back on the ladder, stenciling cabbage roses. Jack had repaired the master bedroom with such skill it was impossible to tell the old part of the room from the new.

  As she glanced around the special room, she felt as though Elizabeth McNair was smiling down on her, happy that this home was once again a house of love. Laura glanced at the mantel, where the diary held pride of place, and smiled back.

  For now, she and Jack had the house to themselves, but Sara would be back in a few days from a visit with her mom, who hadn't taken the news of Jack's choice of bride all that well. It was Sara herself who'd finally convinced Cory that Laura was the right person for both her and her dad.

  Sara's room, just down the hall from the master bedroom, was still not decorated. She'd begged Laura to wait until she got back so they could work on it together. It was a project they were both excited about. Jack's daughter had been almost as thrilled about the marriage as Laura's grandmother. Not only had the crafty old woman been the mysterious philanthropist, but she'd arranged for Jack and Laura to work together in the first place.

  But Gran wasn't the only one taking credit for matchmaking. Stan had sent the horsehair parlor set he'd picked up at auction as a wedding present, along with a card that said, "I told you he was the one."

  Laura chuckled aloud. "You know, everyone keeps telling us we were meant for each other. I can't believe it took us so long to figure it out."

  "Was it worth the wait?" Jack patted the heirloom quilt significantly, a grinning question in his eyes.

  "I haven't decided yet," she claimed, grinning back, and pulled him down for another kiss. The big old bed hardly creaked as they made slow, languorous love, beginning one more marriage in the house that love built.

  * * * *