by Linda Conrad
Bella heard a horn honking from behind their car and saw Ray's surprised look when he glanced in the rear-view mirror. He shook his head and pulled over to a stop. Before she could ask a question, her passenger door had been yanked open and Cal was glaring down at her.
"Were you just going to leave with no explanation?" Cal snapped. "With no goodbye?"
Ray leaned over so he could see him and spoke quietly. "We're just headed to my house in town, Cal. She'd have called you later."
"Shut up, Ray. And stay put." Cal reached around her and undid her seat belt. "Get out, Bella. We need to talk."
Cal looked angry. She'd been positive that she was doing the right thing by leaving. It never occurred to her that it might make him mad. She slid out of her seat and stood on wobbly feet beside him.
"Let's walk," he demanded as he grabbed her elbow and stormed up the shoulder of the road. A tense silence surrounded them as he dragged her about twenty feet away.
"Cal, please don't make a scene," she begged. "Once you think about it, you'll realize this is for the best. Cinco told me about you not going back to racing and wanting to stay on the ranch. You won't need me for that."
She planted her feet and stopped. "And Kaydie has a grandma now to care for her. She won't need me anymore."
"Stop it." Cal took hold of her shoulders and turned her to face him. "Look at me."
She didn't want to look at him. The hurt of knowing he didn't need her anymore was too fresh. "You don't have to worry about me. Ray's found a way for me to go to law school on a grant and with your government's blessing. I have to agree to do three years' advocacy work for undocumented migrants when I get my degree and my citizenship. But that'll be no hardship. I'd—"
"Bella, my love, please look at me."
She knew she'd been babbling, and Bella hadn't wanted this goodbye to drag out. But what had he just called her?
When she finally raised her eyes to meet his, all she could see was his heart, blazing through gray-green pupils. Her own heart lurched and thumped in her chest.
"Bella," he whispered roughly. "Forget about whether we need you or not. What's in your heart? Do you love me?"
He was talking about the same thing she'd realized on her own several days ago. She might as well admit the truth. He'd probably never want to see her again, anyway.
"All right, Cal. It's true. I have let myself depend on you and Kaydie—too much. All this talk about you two needing me was just a way to cover up that I was the one who needed you."
Bending, he claimed her mouth with a sizzling kiss. When they finally came up for air, he smiled at her. "Damn it, woman," he grinned. "You're going to force me into telling you everything, aren't you?"
He took a step back. "I didn't want to need you or Kaydie. I had wished for my parents to disappear, and they were gone. Then when Jasmine and I fought bitterly in the car that day over her seeing another guy, I wished she was out of my life … and she died instantly."
Taking a long breath, he continued. "I was petrified of getting too close to anyone else. I knew I was a jinx. A bad seed that could wish people dead."
"Oh, Cal. No. You're not…"
Abruptly, he dropped his arms to his sides and Bella wanted to pull him back into an embrace. She wanted to give him comfort, and fought to think of the right thing to say.
"I know," he mumbled. "It was stupid and childish. You've made me see that." He shook his head and grimaced.
"Bella…" Cal was the one who reached out for her now, and she stepped closer. "You are my soul … my everything. Say you'll stay on the Gentry with us. I love you more than I ever thought possible. But for God's sake, put me out of my misery and please tell me you love me, too."
Her breath hitched in her throat, but she managed to whisper the words that would change three lives forever.
"I love you, Cal. And I'll stay. For always and ever."
* * *
Epilogue
« ^
Cal ripped off the maddening tie and unbuttoned his top button. Taking a huge breath, he relaxed and gazed around. The puffy white clouds in the crystal-blue sky seemed quite appropriate on this his wedding day.
And what a great day it had been. The first Thanksgiving in thirteen years that the entire Gentry clan had been together, and it seemed like the whole county had come to celebrate. They'd had three weddings in one year on this ranch, but his had been the best. His mother and father had made it so.
"Congratulations, son." Kay Gentry drifted over to him with a champagne glass in her hand. "I couldn't be more pleased with your choice."
Cal felt the grin spread out across his face, as he reached around behind him and dragged his new bride to his side. "Thanks. Tell her that."
His mother laughed and hugged Bella. But his darling wife had a question to ask her new mother-in-law.
"Señora Gentry … Kay. I still don't understand something. Why couldn't you have told your children that you had to go away? Why let them think you were dead?"
"Mostly it was because of Abby. She was too young to understand the danger. The FBI was afraid one of the kids would slip and mention that we were alive. Dr. Domingo knew everything that happened in this county. He would've heard, and they would've found us." Kay's eyes filled with regret. "I've cursed that decision a thousand times since."
Cal threw an arm around his mother's shoulder. "Don't think about it. This is a day for happiness. We have so much good news." He smiled over at Bella. "I've decided to run for the vacant office of county judge, Mom. I think Castillo County could use a new point of view."
"I'd say you're right," Kay brightened. "That's even more great news. I'd been thrilled enough to find out Abby and Gray are expecting my second grandchild. And with you two happily married now…"
"And expecting your third grandchild," Cal interrupted with a proud smile.
"What? How wonderful!" Kay began to cry and hugged him. "I love you both so much."
And with his family here and his new bride by his side, Cal knew he'd finally figured out how to accept that love.
* * * * *