“It is. I’m sad that Melinda will never have her father in her life, but she’s better off not having Peter in her life,” she replied.
“So what are you going to tell her about all this?”
“I’ll tell her that Hank Bridges was a bad man who tried to hurt me. I really believe she’s too young to burden with the truth about Peter. I’ll tell her about her father someday when I feel like the time is right. In the meantime all she needs to know is her father stopped talking to her at night.”
“That sounds like a good plan.” He gazed at her for a long moment. “You’re really free now, Colette. You’re free to live your life on your terms. You can go anywhere you want, live whatever life you want.”
“Nothing has changed for me. I still want to make Dusty Gulch my forever home.” She gazed at him somberly. “I know you probably can’t forgive me, Hunter.” Her eyes filled with a sheen of tears. “I lied to you about so many things. But I swear I didn’t lie to you about my feelings for you.”
He searched her face...her beautiful but beat-up face. “You don’t need me anymore, Colette. There’s no more threat to you.”
Her eyes widened and then narrowed. “Is that what you think? That I was only with you for some sort of protection? Oh Hunter, I was with you because I wanted to be. I was with you because I fell hopelessly in love with you. I want my future to be with you. I want to marry you and have your babies. I want you to be the father figure in Melinda’s life. I desperately want to spend the rest of my life with you. None of that had anything to do with my fear of Peter.” Tears began to race down her cheeks.
“Don’t cry, Colette.” He reached out and took one of her hands in his. The words she had just spoken caused happiness to flutter in his heart and shot a huge ray of sunshine into his soul.
“There’s nothing for me to forgive. You lied to save your life. Colette, don’t cry. I fell hopelessly in love with Ainsley, and I’m hopelessly, desperately in love with Colette. I want the same things you do. Will you marry me? Colette, will you be my wife?”
“Deputy Churchill, there you go seducing me again,” she said.
“And I intend to seduce you every day for the rest of your life if you’ll let me.” His love for her nearly took his breath away.
“Nothing would make me happier.” She began to cry once again. “But...but I have one more secret,” she said through her tears.
Hunter steeled himself, wondering if everything was about to be exploded apart. “What’s the secret?” he asked hesitantly.
“I’m really a blonde,” she confessed.
Relief whooshed through him. “You know what’s amazing? I love blondes. I especially love a blonde named Colette who is the strongest, most amazing woman I’ve ever met.”
Her tears turned to laughter. “I love you, Hunter.”
“I’d like to kiss you, but I’m afraid I might hurt you,” he said.
She smiled. “My lips are the only thing on my face that doesn’t hurt.”
“Well, in that case...” He stood and bent over her and gently took her lips in a kiss that fed his very soul. “I can’t wait for you to become Mrs. Hunter Churchill,” he said when the kiss ended.
“The very worst day of my life has now turned into the very best day of my life,” she said. “Kiss me again, Hunter.”
“Gladly.” The kiss he gave her held all the passion, all the love he had for her, and he knew theirs would be a love, a marriage that would last a lifetime.
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Stalker In the Shadows Page 19