When Truth Takes Flight
Page 20
“Yep. Apparently, he kept the corporation on the paperwork as the contact—the manager—but not as owner.”
“I can’t believe it. That’s so much to take in,” she whispered, her gaze dropping to her clenched hands. Then she lifted her chin until her gaze met his. “I wonder if mother ever knew. The whole thing is so strange.” When he only shrugged, she added, “I’m not sure how to feel.”
“I know. I learned recently about some things he did for my own mother to be sure she would be okay, not to mention his paying for my college.”
“I guess he’s not all bad—at least when it comes to those he cares about.”
“True, but he uses people. He used me, or tried to use me to spy on you. He called it keeping an eye on you to be sure you’re safe.”
He stood with his arms around her, gently swaying for several minutes.
“Honey, can you forgive me?”
Her eyes widened as she leaned back to stare up into his gaze. “Of course. You didn’t do anything—although I thought so for a while,” she admitted with a gentle laugh.
He chuckled when she blushed. “You honestly thought I was one of them?”
“Yes. I thought you were his employee. I thought he’d sent you to take me back there.” Her gaze momentarily dropped, then her lips mashed together. “Sorry.”
“At least you know better now.”
“Do I?”
His body stiffened and he scrunched his brows until her laughter filled the suite.
“Just kidding. Yes, I know better…now.”
“When you left the room, I had the opportunity to set the record straight with Vince about the future.”
“You told him you never intend to be part of his organization?”
“No, he already knew that.” When she remained silent, waiting for him to continue, he stepped back and reached for her hands. “No, I told him I’m in love with you and intend to marry you.”
Her eyes widened and her jaw went slack. Had his love really come as such a surprise?
John went down on one knee and squeezed her hands as he gazed up into her eyes. Her hands trembled, but she didn’t pull away. “Hannah Montgomery, will you be my wife for as long as we both live?”
She blinked several times, but remained silent. His heart thundered. Had he misread her responses to him? Several seconds ticked by slowly while he fought the urge to speak—to beg, if necessary.
Then a smile slowly spread across her face. “Yes, John Staples, I’d be honored to marry you.”
Relief washed through his body as he matched her smile and rose without releasing her hands or the gaze that held his captive. His heart swelled when she stepped into his embrace, sliding her arms around his waist and laying her head against his chest. This was where he wanted her forever—held close to his pounding heart.
He kissed her hair, breathing in the fragrance that was hers alone. When she lifted her head, he leaned in to brush a soft kiss on her lips, but one wasn’t enough. His heart rate spiked when she slid her arms up his chest to circle his neck and pull him closer, deepening the kiss.
That’s when he realized her whole body was trembling. “Honey, what’s the matter?”
“It all seems too good to be true—and I don’t want to lose you.”
“Why would you ever lose me?” He tried to make eye contact, but she stared down at his shirt, a hand coming up to run a fingernail around one of the buttons.
“Look,” he interrupted, again refusing to allow her to pull away. “I know you’ve lost people in your life that you loved, but you don’t have to worry about losing me. Honey, I’ve loved you almost from the start. When you looked up from the spaghetti at your feet and focused on me, it was like a bolt of lightning hit me. I knew you were different, and before long, I knew I wanted you in my life forever. But, I also knew a relationship needed to be built on solid ground—honesty and mutual respect. That couldn’t happen for us as long as there were secrets.”
He took a deep breath, thankful she was listening and not pulling away.
“I had to find a way to convince you how much I cared,” he continued, “hoping you wouldn’t kick me out of the boardinghouse and out of your life when I told you the truth about my ill-fated promise to keep an eye on you. Hannah, I want us to share everything.” He lifted his hands up to hold her face between his palms. “The ups and the downs, the sad things in life and the happy times. I know we can make a great life if we stand together, as a united force against the world. I’ll always be here to support and protect you,” he reminded her, gazing intently into her eyes. “And also to stand beside you in whatever you want to achieve in life. I love you so much.”
He ran a thumb across her lips before leaning in to brush another kiss across them. When he leaned back and moved his hands down to grasp hers, she smiled, easing his mind.
“Honey, please believe me, I know you’ve been through a lot, but I’m not sorry this whole series of events has brought you and me together.” John glanced at their joined hands. “I wasn’t looking for anyone when I moved to Los Angeles. I was totally focused on the new job at Hughes Aircraft. I didn’t feel empty or lost or incomplete—until I met you. You filled a hole in my life—filled a need I didn’t even realize existed. Now, I can’t imagine life without you in it. I can’t imagine getting up each day without sharing life’s ups and downs with you. I can’t imagine going back to eating meals I’ve tried to cook,” he added with a sheepish grin. Her tender smile gave him courage to continue. “I love you so much and want to spend the rest of my life making you happy.”
“And designing planes,” she added, broadening her smile.
“Yes, and that, too, but you’re more important to me than a job. I want to marry you, have a family with you, and grow old together. I betrayed your trust once, but that will never happen again. I hope you can forgive me.” He squeezed her hands, hoping she believed him—praying she felt the same. The seconds dragged by as he held her gaze.
Hannah finally stepped in closer, rose up on her toes, and kissed him. “Yes, I forgive you. I’ll admit my life was turned upside down when you told me about my father—and consequently about my mother’s lies. I felt as if truth had taken a flight to the other side of the world. I wasn’t sure what to believe or what the future would bring. I was lost and struggling to find some balance.”
“Ah, honey, I’m so sorry you had to go through this,” he told her, squeezing her within his arms.
“Well, it’s history now. Thank you for loving me enough to stand up to the opposition.” She lowered her chin a fraction, then glanced up at him from beneath long lashes. “I’ve loved you for some time now, too, but never more than at this very moment. I hope you’ll still love me when we’re old and gray,” she added with a smile, “because I love you more than I ever imagined loving someone.”
“Hannah, I love you more with each breath I take,” he countered, leaning in to brush his mouth across hers.
“John, I’ll love you only, now and forever.”
Her hands reached up to hold his face as she pressed in, meshing their lips in a way that sent fireworks exploding behind his eyelids. His dreams were coming true.
A word about the author…
Sandra McGregor was challenged by her husband in 2001 to not wait until retirement in 2005 to start writing the books he had been hearing about for decades. Picking up the gauntlet he threw down, she spent the next eight years honing her craft and finishing twenty-one manuscripts before her first sell.
She now lives in southern Georgia with her husband and cat and enjoys reading, traveling, and hearing from her readers.
http://SandraElzie.com
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Sandra McGregor, When Truth Takes Flight