“You remember that?”
“Yes,” he said quietly. This wasn’t easy for him, but he owed it to her. Owed it to both of them.
She took a deep breath, shrugging off the feeling that was edging over her. “That’s okay, I never hold a man to what he says just before he passes out. There’s something in the Geneva convention about taking unfair advantage—”
Shayne knew what she was doing. She was throwing up a smoke screen. He wasn’t about to let her. “What if the man wants to be held to it?” That, he saw, got her.
Sydney’s mouth dropped open. “What?”
Before he could say anything more, Sara was tugging on her arm, pointing toward the tree behind her. “Sydney, there’s a present for you.”
She’d already opened up two boxes with handmade gifts from each of the children, gifts that warmed her heart. There’d even been a gift from Asia, gloves that the woman had made herself. There hadn’t been one from Shayne, but then, realistically, she hadn’t expected a gift. It was unrealistic that she’d cherished a tiny hope. Even she knew how foolish that was.
Sydney shook her head. Sara had to be mistaken. “I’ve already got my presents.”
“No, there’s one more,” Mac insisted. “That little one right there.” Both children were pointing toward the tree. Not under it but at the heart of it.
Confused, playing along, Sydney approached the Christmas tree. She didn’t notice that Shayne was holding his breath, watching her every move.
And then she saw it. In the center of the profusely decorated Christmas tree was a tiny box suspended from a branch by a tiny, silver ribbon.
She could have sworn it wasn’t there before.
Feeling suddenly very nervous, she plucked the box from its perch. She took a deep breath. “Are you sure it’s for me?”
Mac stood on his toes and looked over her arm. But he already knew what he was going to see. His dad had shown him the box before he’d hung it. Sharing the secret made him feel very important.
“Got your name on it,” Mac told her.
She looked at it, then glanced up at Shayne. She would have known that handwriting anywhere. “So it does.”
Damn, thought Shayne, even his palms felt sweaty. She did everything fast, why had she suddenly slowed her pace to that of frozen molasses? She was putting him through hell.
“You going to stand there with it all day, or are you going to open it?”
What she was doing was trying to quell her nervousness. “I like savoring things.”
Then, as she began to slip off the ribbon, he suddenly looked at Sara and Mac. He needed this time alone with Sydney. Just in case.
“Kids, why don’t you see if Asia has breakfast ready yet?”
“Okay.” Sara, a miniature woman in the making, took Mac’s hand and pulled him along behind her.
When Shayne looked back at Sydney, she was still holding the box in her hand. It was unopened.
Shayne took a breath. “Open it.” Nerves danced all through him. He’d barely gotten the gift in time. He’d had to rely on Ike to select it and bring it to him. The complications had felt as if they were endless.
They’d all be worth it if she smiled.
Sydney could feel her hands shaking. They’d been steadier when she’d flown the plane to Anchorage. For some ridiculous reason, she was afraid that when she opened the gift, there wouldn’t be anything there.
But there was. There was a black velvet box inside the paper. And ring inside of the box. A ring with a perfect small diamond mounted in the center of it.
Afraid to think, to let herself feel, she raised her eyes to his. “Shayne?”
He couldn’t read her expression. Something twisted inside him. If she didn’t want it, he didn’t know what he was going to do.
Yes, he did. If he had to, he was going to beg her. This one time in his life, he’d humble himself and beg her to marry him. To stay in his life. Because he knew that life without her wasn’t life at all.
“It’s an engagement ring.”
She wanted to laugh. She wanted to cry. “I know what it is. Why are you giving it to me?”
Was she rejecting him, after all? He took her hand. “Why do you think?”
That was just it, she couldn’t think. Was afraid to think. “If this has anything to do with what you said to me in the plane, you don’t have to feel obligated, Shayne. I—”
She was babbling. He placed a fingertip to her lips and stopped her words. “For once, will you please just let me talk?”
She pressed her lips together. “Sorry.”
He hadn’t meant to make that sound like an admonishment. This wasn’t starting out right, he thought in frustration. Not knowing what else to do, he pushed on.
“I had a lot of time to think, lying awake in that hospital bed, listening to the intercom go off every few minutes.” He was digressing. Because he was afraid of the outcome. “Time to think about how you were always coming to my rescue. I don’t mean the plane flight—although I’d probably be dead by now if you hadn’t gotten me there in time. I mean, in my life. Taking down the wall between Sara, Mac and me. Making me realize that I was only half a man if I couldn’t feel things.” Without realizing it, he took hold of her shoulders to wage the argument of his life. “You made me feel again, Sydney. You made me whole. Now make me happy, and say yes.”
She was afraid to breathe, afraid that if she did, she’d wake up and find that all this was just a lovely dream. “You mean that?”
“I’ve never meant anything more in my life,” Shayne swore.
Very slowly, she began to breathe. “And you’re not going to disappear?”
“Where would I go?” He slipped his arms around her. “Everything I love is right here, in this house, in this room. In my arms.”
Love. The word was so very precious to her. “You love me?”
“I love you.” Once the words were out, he couldn’t help wondering why they had been so hard to say. They seemed so easy now. “I’ve been afraid to say it, afraid to think it, but I do, Sydney. I really do, and I’ll make you a good husband, I promise. If I don’t, you can take me on another plane ride.” He grinned, kissing her temple. “One I’ll stay conscious for.”
Her maiden run had been a bumpy one, but they had walked away alive and that was all that counted. “It’s a deal.”
Mouth stained with the remnants of the jelly doughnuts Sydney had stayed up late to make for them, Mac came running back into the room.
“What’s a deal?” he asked around a mouthful of jelly.
Shayne looked down at his son’s face. How did one man deserve to have this much happiness? “You’re getting a new mom.”
Confused, Mac frowned. “I don’t want a new mom. I want Sydney.”
The boy had good taste, Shayne thought. “You’re in luck. Two birds with one stone.”
Sara came running into the room, chasing her new kitten. Catching it, she stared at her father. “We’re getting a bird?” In her excitement, she squeezed the kitten, who mewed a protest and wriggled in her arms.
“No, I think Taffy would have something to say about that.” Shayne scratched the kitten’s head. “But you are getting a new mom.”
Sara took the news in stride. “Can I pick her out?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “Because if I can, I pick Sydney.”
Apparently his kids were way ahead of him here. “Then I guess it’s unanimous.”
Sara scowled, trying to understand the new word. “What’s u-nanny-mouse?”
“It means that we’re all going to be happy.” Shayne looked at Sydney. “Right?”
Sydney put her arms around his neck. “You bet ‘right.’”
“Are you two going to kiss now, or do you need mistletoe?” Mac looked around the room, just in case.
“We don’t need excuses anymore.” Sydney smiled up into Shayne’s face. “Do we?”
“Nope.”
And to prove it, he kissed her.
&nbs
p; ISBN: 978-1-4592-8156-1
WIFE IN THE MAIL
Copyright © 1998 by Marie Rydzynski-Ferrarella
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.
® and TM are trademarks of Harlequin Books S.A., used under license. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
† Baby’s Choice
‡ The Baby of the Month Club
** Two Halves of a Whole
* Those Sinclairs
? The Cutlers of the Shady Lady Ranch
‡‡ Like Mother, Like Daughter
Table of Contents
Letter to Reader
Dedication
Books by Marie Ferrarella
About the Author
Map
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Copyright
Wife in the Mail Page 21