by Carol Ross
“No, no, that’s not it, although that’s incredibly sweet.”
“What is it, then?”
“I want to get married somewhere that means something to me.”
Bering sighed. “All right, as soon as we get back to San Diego, we’ll make the arrangements. Is there a church or a country club or something that you have in mind?”
“Ugh,” she said with a groan, “it would take months to plan a wedding like that.”
Bering kissed her. “Emily, I don’t want to wait months, but I will do whatever you want. At least then my mom could be there and maybe even some of my aunts and uncles and some cousins—”
“Bering, they can all be there.”
“Yeah, I know. But it’s not just the expense of flying everyone in—it’s the logistics of it. Everyone getting time off work and kids out of school—”
“I want to get married in Rankins.”
Bering bolted to a sitting position. “What? Emily, really? Are you sure?”
“There are three churches in Rankins, right? If we can’t get one on such short notice, maybe we could get married at the VFW where the Rotary auction was held. Or the inn—does Shay do weddings? Oh, Bering, let’s get married at the inn.”
Bering kissed her again. It was too much. She was too much. The happiness he felt, after all the weeks of misery. It just couldn’t be possible to have everything now, could it?
“Emily, that would be so...so...perfect. When are you going back to work at Cam-Field? Because that would give me time to pack some stuff and make arrangements and—”
“And what, Bering? Move to San Diego? Give up your business and your work with the Department of Fish and Game? You would do that for me?”
“Maybe we could work something out where I just give up the Department of Fish and Game stuff. I don’t do it for the money anyway. I do it because I enjoy it and I find it interesting. But if I gave it up, then I could spend the winter here with you and then I could go back up for the summer—”
“No way,” Emily said aghast. “And live apart all summer? And what about the spring fishing season and hunting in the fall? Are you crazy?”
“Emily, I’m willing to work something out. But I don’t know what I would do in San Diego. I can’t get a regular job—like in an office...”
Emily laughed. “Bering, the look of terror on your face is absolutely priceless.” Then she said, “Why does no one believe that I’m not going back to Cam-Field? Franklin is still sending me a paycheck. I haven’t even cashed them, but he still won’t get the message.”
She sat up and grabbed Bering’s chin and turned his face toward hers. “I love you so much for your brave, albeit ridiculous, attempt at compromise.” She feathered a soft kiss across his lips. “I want to live in Rankins, Bering. I miss it and that’s what I want. I’ve never felt more at home anywhere in my life than I did there.”
“But I thought you hated it.”
She placed a hand on each of his shoulders. “I did at first—or I thought I did. Until you...and this.” She tapped on his chest. “And this.” She leaned over and kissed his chin. “And your family.” She kissed his cheek. “And your wolves,” She kissed his lips. “And your moose.” She kissed him again. “And your seafood, and your ugly, puffy clothes that kept me impossibly warm, and the salt that kept me from slipping on my own sidewalk, and that fire in your cabin. I think I’d like to honeymoon at that cabin or maybe Hawaii.
Bering shrugged. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Emily, we can go anywhere you want.”
Her look was pure delight. Bering felt her happiness mixing with his, replacing the last remnants of the piercing sadness that had been a part of him for too long now.
“Anywhere?”
“Anywhere.”
Emily smiled slowly and said, “You know what? I would love to go anywhere with you, Bering, as long as we can always go home to Rankins.”
* * * * *
ISBN: 978 1 472 07435 5
MOUNTAINS APART
© 2014 Carol Ross
Published in Great Britain 2014
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited
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