“I’ll try.”
“That’s my girl.”
She smiled as she reached for the hand resting on the railing. His warm fingers closed over hers. “I like being…your girl.”
“You’ll always be my girl.”
Her memory of the events after the surgery might be fuzzy, but she hadn’t forgotten how he held her in his arms the night before the procedure. If that wasn’t love, she didn’t know what love was.
* * * * *
Jase looked out the window overlooking downtown Birmingham. Two weeks had passed since Rosemary’s discharge from the hospital. Instead of going back to Nashville, he, Willow and Rosemary were staying in one of the city’s most luxurious hotel suites. The delay in their return was due to the results of the biopsy.
Her tumor was malignant. The good news was they caught the cancer early before it had spread too far into the surrounding tissue. What they hadn’t been able to remove surgically, they hoped to eradicate through radiation and chemotherapy. This meant a longer recovery and the possibility of serious side effects. Because she was doing both treatment options at the same time, the oncologist wanted to keep her close to the cancer center for at least a month.
Jase heard a door open behind him and swung around in time to see Willow come out of Rosemary’s room. “How is she this morning?”
“A little better than yesterday. She managed to sleep a few hours and was only sick a couple of times. Keep her company while I see about getting us some food.”
When Jase walked into her room, Rosemary was sitting in one of the chairs by the sliding glass doors wearing pink leopard-print pajamas and matching slippers. Her hair hung loose down her back. The only evidence of her operation was the small white bandage on the front part of her head.
“Good morning. You look very pretty today.”
She started to smile even before her head turned to look at him. “Your eyes are…still bad.”
“There’s nothing wrong with my eyes. I finished another chapter last night. I’ll read it to you after breakfast.”
“I can’t…wait.”
He pulled a chair next to her and sat down. “I wonder if you’ll like what I did with the marquis.”
“Did he…have to fight the…duel?”
Jase smiled. “You’ll have to wait and see.” He took her hand and kissed her fingers. “I have a surprise for you. I found that movie about the hobo that you used to watch with your dad. It’s called It Happened on Fifth Avenue. I thought we could watch it this afternoon.”
“I’ll watch…you write.”
“I’ll write after we get back from the hospital. You’ll be ready for a nap then.”
“I used…to hate them. Now all I…do is sleep.”
“It won’t be like this forever. In a few weeks, we’ll be back in Nashville. Just in time for spring. I’ve never seen spring anywhere else before.”
“You need to go home…after we get back. Ellen’s baby…is due soon.”
“Are you trying to break up with me? If so, this is really bad timing.”
She squeezed his hand. “I would…never do that.”
“Good. As for me leaving, don’t you remember what I told you? I’m not going back to St. Marys until you can come with me.”
“You’re too…good to me.”
“Get used to it. I can’t see myself stopping any time soon.”
Chapter Fourteen
The warm temperatures had drawn Jase and Rosemary outside to the deck and to their favorite spot on the double chaise lounge. At the moment, they were watching a group of geese glide languidly across the surface of the pond behind her house.
He turned his head to smile at the woman who’d wound herself even more tightly around his heart. Her clothes hung on her thin frame, and her skin was unnaturally pale. The only color in her face was her eyes, which glowed with a seemingly unquenchable spirit. She was (and always would be) the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
The hesitation in her speech was the most noticeable effect of her surgery. It was something that was expected to improve with time and therapy. Less obvious to others but equally distressing to her were the gaps in her memory. Two rounds of radiation and chemo had sapped her energy and removed what little appetite that remained. She’d suffered through days of nausea and vomiting as well as the loss of her hair with a dignity and sense of humor he could only admire.
“Spring in St. Marys is lovely,” he told her, “but it can’t compare with this. There’s something beautiful about watching nature wake up from its winter nap.”
“You’ve missed so much. You weren’t there…for the birth of your nephew.”
He slid his arm under hers, lacing their fingers together. “This is where I wanted to be, and we’ll be seeing little Quentin in person soon enough.”
“I couldn’t have done this…without you.”
“Yes, you could. You’re a fighter. You’ve taken everything this has thrown at you with a grace and courage that’s inspiring.”
“Only because you were with me.” She stopped for a moment. “I could search the entire…world, and I wouldn’t find someone like you.”
“Blame it on the hospital gowns. I never realized how attractive they could make a woman look.”
Her lips curved into a sweet smile. “I still have a few. If you want I can…wear them sometime.”
“I’d rather see you wearing a wedding dress.” He felt the slight jerk of her hand.
“Don’t joke around, Jase.”
“I wouldn’t joke about getting married. You’re my best friend, and the only woman I’ve ever loved. I want you to be my wife. I want to fall asleep with you in my arms and wake up with you in the morning. I want to argue over trivial things and then spend hours making up. I want to build a life with you and have children with you.” He released her hand and drew her into his arms. “You don’t have to answer now. Just think about it.”
* * * * *
Jase’s words both thrilled and frightened her. There was no one else she wanted in her life, but she was far from back to normal. “I don’t need…to think about it, but…you should. I’m not…out of the woods yet. My cancer may…come back. Do you really want…to go through all…this again?”
He traced the length of her collarbone. “I want to be with you, no matter what that entails.”
“Does your love…have no end?”
“No, it doesn’t. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.” He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers, one of those feather-light kisses that made her tingle all over. He seemed in no hurry to resume their conversation. Taking his time, he trailed kisses to the place just below her jaw before sliding down to the hollow in her neck. His touch gentled her fears and awakened things in her she’d only dreamed of. When he lifted his head, he smiled. “We’ve given your security detail something to talk about for the next week.”
“True. They’re not used to this…sort of behavior from me.” She touched the laugh lines on either side of his mouth. “You remind me of my father. You protect and…cherish. You give without expecting…anything in return. From the moment I first met you…I knew you were different.”
“If I’m any of those things, it’s because you bring out those qualities in me. Since you’ve more or less agreed to marry me, we need to get a ring. What kind do you want?”
“I’ve never thought about it.”
“Never? I think Terry had hers picked out in high school. Anyway, if you feel like it, we’ll go look for one tomorrow.”
She laughed. “I can’t imagine a woman who…wouldn’t feel like picking out…an engagement ring.”
“That’s settled then.” He swung his feet to the floor. “Let’s go inside. I want to hear that song you were playing in the music room this morning.”
She took the hand he held out and let him pull her to her feet. “This melody has been dancing…around in my head for…weeks now. It was time…to get it on paper. I’ve really missed…not being
able to play.”
“By the amount of mail you receive, your fans miss you, too.”
“It hurts to think,” she stopped and bit down hard on her lower lip, “I’ll never perform again.”
He put his arm around her shoulders. “Sage isn’t finished, Rosemary. She will perform again. It’s just going to take time, that’s all.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t believe it.”
* * * * *
On a sunny, fall afternoon six months later, Rosemary sat in front of a mirror applying mascara. Standing next to her was Collette, looking especially pretty in her pink matron of honor gown. Seated on the other side was her mother and leaning against the wall was Willow, watching the proceedings with a great deal of amusement.
“I wish women still wore gloves,” Collette said, admiring the pair of long, white gloves lying on the counter next to a pink garter. “There’s something so feminine about them.”
“I think so, too. They also have the advantage of covering my stick-thin arms.”
“Thin is in. You look like one of those models in Vogue.”
“Where’s your bouquet?” her mother asked.
“Ellen is holding on to it for me until I’m dressed.”
“I got a peek at the sanctuary,” Willow said. “You’re going to have some lovely pictures.”
“Did someone make sure Jase is here?” Rosemary asked. “I’d rather know now if he decided to back out.”
Her mother laughed. “He’s here all right. When I went to check on Cedric, I found him outside in the parking lot talking to Jase. They were going on and on about some comic book convention coming up next month in Atlanta.”
“That reminds me.” Rosemary darted a glance at Willow. “You and I have a project to work on when I get back. I want to get tickets to San Diego Comic Con. It takes place in July. From what Jase said, they’re not easy to obtain.”
Willow rolled her eyes. “Sage won’t have any problem. How many do you need?”
“At least three. I know Cedric will want to come.” She turned to her mother. “If that’s all right with you.”
“Cedric would never forgive me if I didn’t let him go.”
Collette put her hand on Rosemary’s shoulder. “I hate to interrupt this fascinating conversation, but your wedding is about to start and you’re still wearing a bathrobe.”
“Willow will tell you that I can go from a bathrobe to ready to walk out on stage in five minutes. We’ve got this down to a science.”
“How does this compare with all those other times?”
Rosemary smiled as she stepped into the vintage lace and tulle gown Willow was holding out for her. “Nothing compares with this.”
An hour later when she and Jase walked through the arched doorway of the church, she still felt the same way. The words that had joined her to the man who taught her the real meaning of love lingered in her mind. As they approached the waiting limo, she felt Jase squeeze her hand. In response, she brought his hand to her lips and saw his eyes sparkle with a familiar expression. If they’d been alone, she knew he would have kissed her. He made up for that omission almost immediately after they entered the car.
“How does it feel to be married, darling?”
“Like a dream come true,” she answered, her gaze drawn to the shiny gold band that had so recently joined her engagement ring. “I keep pinching myself to make sure I’m awake.”
“If it would help, I can kiss you again.”
“It would definitely help.”
He touched the white lace cap covering her short hair. “I like this.” His fingers slid down her cheek to her mouth and skimmed her parted lips. “And this,” he whispered as he lowered his mouth to hers. After a few delightful seconds, he sat back in the seat. “Do you think anyone would notice if we skipped the reception?”
“Our mothers would. I’m not sure about anyone else.”
Violets are Blue had transformed the ballroom of the St. Marys Hilton into a sea of pale pink and ivory. The three-tiered wedding cake was decorated with fondant cherry blossoms. In front of the miniature bride and groom standing on the top was a pair of cherries. When they cut the cake, Rosemary surprised Jase by offering him one of them.
He cocked up one eyebrow. “I hope you know what you started.”
She smiled as she wiped some icing off the side of his mouth. “If I don’t, I’m sure you’ll provide me with all the details.”
“Gladly,” he retorted.
As she looked out at the family and friends gathered around them, she felt unaccountably blessed. The day she’d thought would never come had finally arrived. It had been a long journey, full of highs and lows as well as small victories and disappointing defeats. But she made it, and most of the credit for that belonged to the man at her side. She didn’t know what the future held, but she knew that this was the moment and the man she’d waited for all her life.
When Jase carried her across the threshold of the house on Hibiscus Lane, she couldn’t help but think her grandmother was smiling.
He slowly set her down inside the bedroom, his eyes glowing with an intensity that brought the color surging into her cheeks. “You were a lovely bride, Rosemary.”
“Thank you.” She touched the lapels of his coat. “I’m glad we have pictures of this. I’ll never get you in a tuxedo again.”
“You’re probably right.”
She slipped off her shoes. “It feels good to take those things off.”
When he noticed the color of the satin pumps, he laughed. “Pink! I should have known.”
“You’ll be seeing a lot of pink from here on out.”
He slid his arms around her waist and drew her against him. “I can deal with that.”
“I still can’t believe you did all this work on the house.”
He bent down and kissed her bare shoulder. “It gave me something else to focus on other than the fact that you were gone.”
She put her arms around his neck. “I’m glad you suggested we spend our first night here.”
“We had to spend it here. This is where our story began.” His hands left her waist and framed her face. “I want you to be happy, Rosemary. As happy as you’ve made me.”
* * * * *
By the following evening, they were walking into the Beachcomber Cottage in Martha’s Vineyard. The private house resting within twenty yards of the ocean was theirs for the next seven days.
“It’s so much bigger than it looked in the pictures,” Rosemary said as they left the foyer and entered the kitchen.
Jase leaned against the doorframe, content to watch her open cabinets and drawers. He couldn’t care less about the décor. As long as she was there, nothing else mattered. “It’s the open floor plan and those high ceilings.”
She walked down the hall peering into rooms, her excitement infectious. This time last year, their journey to love was just beginning. Then as now, they had to pass through a storm. Such is the pattern of life. If he’d learned anything at all, it was that getting through those dark days was what made it possible to fully appreciate all the others.
“Jase! You need to see this.”
He pushed away from the wall. “If it’s twin beds, someone is going to be sorry.” When he came up behind her, he saw immediately what she was talking about. The huge Jacuzzi in the bathroom was pink. “Well, this is just great! I’ll never get you out of there.”
Rosemary turned toward him, her hands sliding up his arms to his shoulders. “The problem will be getting you in there.”
Her scent flooded his senses even as the love in her eyes ignited his passion. “I think I can find sufficient incentive,” he whispered against her lips, his hands sliding up her back to stroke the soft skin of her neck. She made a sound low in her throat, and Jase was lost. He kissed her deeply, feeling as if he could never get enough.
It was the taste of her tears that brought him back down to earth. H
e brushed them away with the pad of his thumb. “I thought we’d be married a little longer before I made you cry.”
She gave him a watery smile. “I can’t help it. I love you so much.”
“I love you, too,” he said, drawing her close once more. “My heart is yours, Rosemary Phillips, now and forever. You’re my life, my love, my everything.”
Epilogue
The rumble of voices coming from the packed convention center continued to increase in volume. From his position offstage, Jase could see the continuous movement of people trying to make their way along the crowded aisles to their seats. The concert was supposed to start in twenty minutes. Willow, Carl, and Lisa were with Rosemary in the dressing room located some distance down the hallway behind him.
Until a few months ago, Jase’s only experience with concerts was as a spectator. He had no idea the amount of preparation that went into launching a tour. This first for him was also a very important one for Rosemary. He hoped she was calmer than he was at this moment. This was the culmination of hours and hours of work. It was in essence her comeback; her return to public life after an absence of over a year.
Now that she was performing again, they would divide their time between Nashville and St. Marys. While he would miss his family, he was looking forward to this exciting new chapter in his and Rosemary’s life.
The sound he’d unconsciously been waiting for reached his ears. As he slowly turned around, he saw Rosemary walking toward him. Except she wasn’t Rosemary anymore. She was Sage. As she came abreast of him, she gave him a ‘thumbs-up’ sign.
“This is your moment, darling,” he said over the lump in his throat.
She shook her head. “This is our moment.”
When she walked out on the stage, the applause was deafening. She definitely hadn’t been forgotten.
“Hello, Atlanta,” she called out to the crowd who’d risen to their feet.
A resounding chorus of voices answered her.
“Thank you so much for braving the cold temperatures to be here tonight. As many of you know, I had to take time off to recover from a brain tumor. I can’t tell you how much the outpouring of emails and letters from my fans meant to me. After a delay of nearly eleven months, I’m excited to finally kick off my Love at Last tour, and I can’t think of a better place to do that than in my home state of Georgia.”
Love at Last (Finding Love Book 6) Page 17