She curled beside him. “I will. I’ve always loved you, too. When you took that bullet I feared I would lose you again. I’m yours forever.”
He brushed his lips over hers. “Forever isn’t long enough.” He groaned. “Damn shoulder.”
“The wound will heal.’
“Not soon enough. Do something for me.”
“Sure.”
“In the top drawer of my dresser is a small box. I bought the contents years ago and intended to give it to you when you graduated high school.”
She slid from the bed. After a time she returned. “Is this?”
“Open the box. The stone isn’t large, but it’s what I could afford back then.”
She took the ring from the box. Andi studied the small diamond surrounded by a wreath of tiny rubies. “Oh, Rob.”
He clasped her hand. “Andi Sherman, will you marry me?”
“Yes. I’ll say that as many times as you want.”
He slid the ring on her finger. “Do you want a bigger one?”
“The promise of this one is perfect.”
She rested her head on his right shoulder. The soft whisper of her breath lulled him to sleep.
* * *
Tammy’s wails woke Rob. He tried to sit and fell back the moment he heard Andi’s voice via the baby monitor. “Hold on. I know you’re dripping. You were good to sleep late.”
A short time later Andi popped Tammy on the bed beside Rob. She bent and kissed him. “Watch her while I shower and dress.”
He nodded. “Lucky you. I’ll be sponge bathing since I can’t get the dressing wet.”
“When I come home I’ll figure a way.”
He leered. “Maybe a bed bath.”
She shook her head. “Let me come up with something more creative. Wouldn’t want a soggy mattress.” She gathered clothes and dashed into the bedroom.
Rob turned on his side. His niece grabbed his finger and pulled it into her mouth. He laughed. “That is a losing battle.”
He managed to sit up and pull on briefs and shorts. Shirt could wait. Andi returned and scooped Tammy into her arms. They walked to the kitchen.
Over cups of coffee Rob touched her hand. “Let’s have the wedding soon.”
“I’m all for that. I’ll need to sublet my apartment. My lease is for a year.”
“Ask Janine. She’s living in a rented room.”
“I’ll ask.” She met his gaze. “I don’t want a large wedding.”
“Agreed. Once we set a date, I’ll tell my mother.”
“And I’ll clue my partners.”
“Honeymoon?” he asked.
“I can swing a three day weekend, maybe four.”
“Then we’ll honeymoon here.” He grinned. “Want breakfast?”
“You have no cold cereal. I figured I’d eat at the hospital.”
He shook his head. “We’ll have French toast. I’ll give you step by step directions.”
Before long they sat to eat. Rob’s cell buzzed. He answered. His smile broadened. “He did…Great…Oh, Andi and I are getting married.” He hung up. “Nate said congratulations. Your brother signed away his parental rights. Tammy will be ours.”
Andi kissed him. “Great news. I have to go, but tonight we’ll celebrate.”
“We certainly will. Love you.”
“Love you back.” She kissed him and then Tammy.
Rob walked to the door and watched until her car vanished around the bend. He lifted Tammy to his shoulder. “She loves us. We’ll soon be a family.” He patted her back. “Thanks, kid.”
The End
Books We Love Books by Janet Lane Walters
Past Betrayals, Past loves
Seducing A Pair of Blakefield Friends
Seducing the Blakefield Sisters: Double Feature
Seducing the Blakefield Brothers
Seducing The Baker (At First Sight Book 6)
Seducing The Attorney (At First Sight Book 5)
Seducing The Doctor (At First Sight Book 4)
Seducing the Innkeeper (At First Sight Book 3)
Seducing the Chef (At First Sight Book 1)
Seducing the Photographer (At First Sight Book 2)
The Cancer – Capricorn Connection (Opposites in Love Book 4}
The Gemini – Sagittarius Connection (Opposites in Love Book 3)
The Taurus – Scorpio Connection (Opposites in Love Book 2)
The Aries – Libra Connection (Opposites in Love Book 1)
A Marriage Takes Two
Sanctuary's Ending (The Goddess of Solunda Book 1)
Dragons of Fyre (Island of Fyre Book 2)
Wizards of Fyre (Island of Fyre Book 3)
Temple of Fyre (Island of Fyre)
Pursuing Doctor West
Bast's Warrior (An Alternate Egypt Book 1)
Horu's Chosen (An Alternate Egypt Book 2)
Toth's Priest (An Alternate Egypt Book 3)
Amber Chronicles
Shattered Dreams (Moonchild)
Rekindled Dreams (Moonchild)
Melodic Dreams (Moonchild)
Divided Dreams (Moonchild)
A Double Opposition
Moon Summoned
Lines of Fire (The Guild House - Defenders Hall)
Code Blue
The Doctor's Dilemma
Heart Throb
Books We Love Special Edition - Janet Lane-Walters
Gemstones
Choices
Healwoman
Young Adult books By J L Walters
Escape (Affinities Book 1 - Young Adult Fantasy)
Havens (Affinities Book 2 - Young Adult fantasy, Books We Love)
Searches (Affinities Book 3 - Young Adult Fantasy, Books We Love)
Confrontations (Affinities)
Janet Lane Walters was born in Wilkensburg, Pennsylvania on July 17, 1936, reported to be the hottest day of the summer. She has been a published author since 1968 beginning with short stories and moving into novels when an editor told her a short story sounded like a synopsis for a novel. In the 1970s and 1980s she published four sweet nurse romance novels. Then she returned to school to earn a BS in Nursing and a BA in English. Returning to work as a nurse to help put four children through college, she put her writing career on hold. In 1993 she retired from nursing and began writing again. A new nurse romance followed in print. Then she discovered electronic publishing and since 1998 has been electronically published.
Janet calls herself an eclectic writer since she moves from genre to genre. There are mysteries featuring Katherine Miller, a former nurse who seems to stumble over bodies wherever she goes. Using her interest in Astrology, she has several series that use Astrology as a premise for the stories. Once she earned enough money to travel to Ireland by casting charts for people. She has many books in the romance genre, some of them are contemporary and are nurse romance, and others fall into the fantasy or paranormal forms of romance. Interested in reincarnation, she has used this as a jumping point for at least two novels. Two of her novels deal with alternate worlds using a love affair with Ancient Egypt.
Under her other name, J.L. Walters, she has written a YA fantasy series called Affinities. She has also written a non-fiction book with co-author Jane Toombs that won the EPIC Award in 2003 for best Non-fiction. During her career she has received other awards and has a number of great reviews.
Besides her four adult children, she has seven grandchildren. Five of them are the models for the YA series. The other two arrived too late to play a large role in the series. Four of her grandchildren are bi-racial and three are Chinese so the eclectic even invades her family. She has been married to the same man for more than 50 years. He's a psychiatrist who refuses to cure her obsession for writing.
with friends
Divided Dreams Page 15