by Cindy Kirk
Not when his secretary could return any second.
He glanced up, fingers holding the key he’d located in the center desk drawer. Puzzlement blanketed his handsome face. “For what?”
“For putting you through everything last spring.” When he opened his mouth, Lindsay continued without giving him a chance to speak. She’d started this, she would see it through. “I know we’ve spoken since our engagement ended, but I don’t think I ever really said I’m sorry. And I am. I hurt you, and I embarrassed you by spending so much time with Owen while we were still engaged.”
Dan shook his head. “Lindsay, this isn’t necessary.”
“Yes, it is.” Her breath came in short puffs, and she tightened her grip on her purse. “At the time, all I could think about was consoling Owen. I told myself, and I still believe, that it was only out of friendship. But I didn’t consider the position I put you in. I’m sorry and hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
“Of course, I forgive you.” His warm smile, filled with such understanding, somehow made her feel worse.
“I had doubts about your feelings when I proposed. I put you on the spot that evening.” Dan raked a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, too.”
Lindsay extended her hand. “Friends?”
“Friends.” He took her hand briefly in his and gave it a shake.
For a moment, they just stood there, smiling at each other. Lindsay wondered why she hadn’t taken this step months ago. Clearing the air could be so, so freeing.
“You were in love with Owen.” Dan paused, then corrected, “You are in love with him.”
What was the use in denying it? Especially to a minister during a conversation that revolved around honesty.
“I am.” The admission came reluctantly.
“That’s good to hear.”
Lindsay whirled. Her heart slammed against her rib cage.
Owen stood in the doorway. Tousled by the wind, his hair stuck up on one side. His unzipped Carhartt jacket revealed her favorite plaid flannel shirt.
“Good morning, Owen.” Lindsay forced a cheerfulness she didn’t feel into her voice. “I’ll leave you to speak with Dan. It’s time for me to open up Mindy’s Closet.”
She was halfway down the hall that led to the part of the building where the store was located when she heard footsteps behind her.
Not until Lindsay was inside the store, with its racks of clothing and coats and displays of hats, gloves and scarves, did she face him. Holding up the key, she gestured with her head toward the door. “It’s nearly time to open up.”
“We have five minutes, and I’m going to need every second.” His teasing tone fell flat.
Lindsay checked the impulse to ask him to leave. Her conversation with Dan had reminded her that putting off a necessary discussion accomplished nothing.
The desire to put some space between them became overwhelming. She moved behind the counter. “What is it you want to say, Owen?”
Instead of answering her question, he pulled a deck of cards from his coat pocket and placed it on the counter. “We never did do our questions.”
“No.” And now, she thought, it was too late. As of Saturday night, they were no longer in a relationship. The thought had her wanting to weep, but she somehow managed a smile. “We never did.”
So many plans, so many dreams never to be realized.
“If you recall, we were each supposed to answer three.”
Lindsay pulled her brows together, unsure where he was going with this.
“I’ll go first.” He took the top card from the deck and flipped it faceup on the counter. Though she could clearly see the question, he read it aloud. “What do you like about your partner?”
“This doesn’t take any thought at all. Although full disclosure, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about you the past couple of days. I like your kindness, your generosity, your sunny outlook on life. During those months after Mindy passed away, you were the bright light during the darkest period of my life. You, Lindsay Lohmeier, are an amazing woman. I can’t think of anyone better.”
Lindsay couldn’t help it. A warm glow filled her at the sweet words.
He flipped over another card.
“What are the three most important things needed for a relationship to be successful?” Owen’s face took on a thoughtful expression. “This one is more difficult, but I’ll give it a stab. Learning to forgive without holding grudges. Trusting your partner and your instincts. And finally, being a shoulder your partner can lean on, no matter what.”
“Lofty goals,” Lindsay murmured.
The alarm on her phone buzzed before more could be said.
“I need to open up.” She unlocked the door, then pushed it open to see if anyone was waiting.
Lightning cracked, and a thick curtain of water made seeing any distance impossible. She quickly shut the door and turned back to Owen. “It’s raining.”
Which meant it was unlikely they’d be disturbed. Lindsay didn’t know whether to cry or cheer.
Owen selected another card. “Where do you see you and your partner ten years from now?”
Tears stung the backs of Lindsay’s eyes. She’d been avoiding looking too far into the future. One day to the next was all she could manage.
He stepped close, and she caught the faint tangy scent of his cologne. “I love you, Lindsay. It’s taken me a while to accept that fact. I was scared of having my heart broken again, but being with you, well, it’s worth the risk. I can’t imagine going through life without you by my side.”
Lindsay had to steel herself against a nearly overwhelming urge to launch herself into his arms. “You’re just saying that so we’ll be together for the baby.”
“Trust your partner and your instincts,” he repeated, his voice a soft murmur. “You know me. Do you honestly think I’d lie to you about something this important?”
Lindsay wanted to believe him, but she also knew how much taking care of her and the baby meant to him.
When she didn’t respond, he repeated, “I love you. In answer to where I see us in ten years, it’s together, with our little girl and maybe a couple more kids. I think we’ll have a dog. Maybe a cat. Perhaps both. We’ll be working hard but making family a priority.”
The picture he painted stirred up a longing so intense her entire body quivered by the time he finished. But she’d let herself hope once, and those dreams had been dashed…
She needed to get him to admit his true feelings and his real priorities. Lindsay lifted her chin. “What about my career?”
“I support it a hundred and fifty percent.”
“What if I discover I can’t compete in Good Hope? What if I find next year, or the year after, that I need to move to grow my business?” Lindsay remembered him telling her that Tessa had been forced to commute to Milwaukee because he’d refused to sell his business and start over somewhere else.
Okay, so maybe she wasn’t playing fair. Owen had spent years building the Greasy Wrench into the most successful automotive service center on the Door County peninsula. It was only natural his business would take priority over anything else.
“I love you,” he repeated. “If moving is what you need to do for your business to thrive, I’ll sell mine and we’ll move.”
Lindsay’s heart pulled itself up from the floor. “Say it again, please.”
A look of pain crossed his face. “If moving is what you want, I’ll sell the business and we’ll move.”
“No, not that.” She rounded the counter and stepped to him. “Tell me you love me.”
“I do love you.” His hand cupped her cheek. “So very, very much.”
She thought he was going to kiss her. Wanted him to kiss her.
Instead, he dropped to one knee and pulled a jeweler’s box from his coat pocket. The pear-shaped diamond flashed in the fluorescent lights. “Will you marry me, Lindsay? Will you be my partner for all of life’s adventures? I promise no one will work ha
rder to make you happy than I will. I know there will be challenges, but I also believe we can face anything as long as we’re together.”
The emotion clogging her throat made speech impossible, so in answer Lindsay held out her left hand, a sob of happiness escaping as he slipped the ring on her finger.
Then he was on his feet and her arms were around his neck. “I love you, too, Owen. I want to be your wife and the mother of your children.”
“I’ll move wherever you want,” he whispered against her neck. “As long as I’m with you, I’ll be happy.”
She gave a little laugh and tilted her head back to look up at him. “I don’t want to move. I want to build a life with you here in Good Hope, surrounded by our friends and family.”
When his mouth closed over hers, Lindsay kissed him with all the love in her heart.
Lost in the moment, neither of them heard the door open. Neither of them saw Gladys peer inside, then step back, umbrella shielding her from the rain as she grinned and gave her two friends the thumbs-up.
About the Author
Cindy Kirk started writing after taking a class at a local community college. But her interest in words began years earlier, when she was in her teens. At sixteen she wrote in her diary: “I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t be a writer: After her daughter went to college, she returned to her passion and jumped straight into composing book-length fiction. She loves reading and writing romance novels because she believes in the undeniable power of love and in the promise of the happily ever after. An incurable romantic and an eternal optimist, Kirk creates characters who grow and learn from their mistakes while achieving happy endings in the process. She lives in Nebraska with her high-school-sweetheart husband.
Also by Cindy Kirk
Good Hope Series
Christmas in Good Hope
Summer in Good Hope
Be Mine in Good Hope
Forever in Good Hope
Say I Do in Good Hope
Marry Me in Good Hope
Tie the Knot in Good Hope
Hazel Green Series
One Fine Day
Please see www.cindykirk.com for a complete listing of books as well as news of upcoming releases.
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