“Be warned,” he said, lowering his voice.
“Warned?”
“This time I’m not taking no for an answer.”
“Grady, please…” He made this so damned hard.
“Sorry, it’s too late for that. I don’t want anyone but you.”
She looked away rather than meet his gaze.
“For the past six years I’ve worked day and night and done without—just so I could make up for what we lost because of Richard. He’s stolen six years of my life, Caroline. He’s robbed me and Savannah of too much already, and I’ll be damned if I’ll let him rob me of anything else.”
“I…I don’t understand.”
“If you allow Richard to stand between us now, it’ll be one more thing my brother’s taken from me. But this time I’m not the only person he’s hurting. He’s hurting you and Maggie, as well. Is that what you want?”
“No.” Her voice sounded weak, unconvincing.
“You appear to have doubts.”
“I… There’s more than just me to consider,” she said.
“Okay, let’s talk about Maggie.”
Slowly Caroline raised her eyes to his. Her daughter had to come first. Always. “What about Maggie?”
“I love her, too.” It was the first time Grady had mentioned his feelings for her child, the first time he’d said this. “I’m looking to be more than your husband, Caroline. I’m looking to be Maggie’s daddy.”
She bit her lower lip.
“My brother might have fathered this child, but I’ll be the one to raise her, to love her, to kiss her skinned knee. I’ll put her to bed at night, sit with her when she learns to read, teach her how to ride Moonbeam. Me, not Richard.”
It was a long speech for Grady, and every word was heartfelt. Caroline knew that in her bones, sensed it deep inside. They were the words of a man who understood that fatherhood was more than biological. Much more.
“Oh, Grady…”
“Is that all you have to say?”
“I—”
The door opened and Nell Bishop walked in with Jeremy and Emma. “Hello,” she said with a cheerful wave as she headed for her post-office box.
“Hello, Mr. Weston.”
“Howdy, Jeremy.”
“We’re going swimming in the pool,” Emma announced.
Nell sorted through her mail. “Come on, you two,” she said and steered her children toward the door. She paused to look back at Grady and Caroline. “Everything all right?” she asked cautiously.
“Yes,” Grady barked.
Caroline nodded.
Nell, who’d been married to a man as stubborn and lovable as the one standing there in front of her, smiled. “Yes, I can see that everything is coming along nicely.” Then she and her children left.
“What’d she mean by that?” Grady demanded.
Caroline shrugged. “You’ll have to ask her.”
“Well?”
The gruff question caught her by surprise. “Well, what?”
“Are you going to change your mind about marrying me or not?”
“I—”
“You’re a fool if you turn me down.”
“Honestly, Grady—”
“You aren’t likely to get a better offer.”
This last comment irked her no end. “What makes you so sure?” she snapped. “Look, Grady,” she began before he could answer, “let me ask you a question. Do you love me?”
“You know I do.”
“You might have said so.”
“I did,” he insisted.
“When?”
“The first time I proposed.”
“Oh.” Well, that was true. But everything hinged on how much he loved her. “I’m afraid we’d be a burden to you.”
“How?”
Caroline swallowed. “Every time you look at Maggie—and me—you’ll be reminded of Richard. That’s what I’m afraid of. We’d be just another problem Richard left for you to fix.”
“That’s not the way I see it, Caroline. I told you, remember? I won’t let Richard take another thing away from me. And you know what? For the first time in his life, my brother has given me something wonderful. He’s hurt me, true, but he’s also blessed me—in you. In Maggie.”
“But—”
“Obviously the question is, do you love me?” he said. “You seem to be the one having trouble making up your mind.”
“I love you so damn much,” she confessed.
No sooner had the words left her lips than Grady reached across the counter for her. Their positions, the obstacle between them, made the kiss awkward. It hardly mattered. They’d kissed countless times by now, but no kiss had ever meant this much.
It was a meeting of their hearts.
His mouth was warm and urgent against hers.
“We’re getting married,” he whispered.
“Yes,” she whispered back. She whimpered when he deepened the kiss, then wrapped her arms around his neck and invited the exploration of his tongue.
The sound of someone entering the post office broke them apart. Caroline looked up guiltily, feeling a little shy.
Dovie Boyd stood in the foyer. She nodded toward them. “Hello, Grady. Caroline.”
“Hi, Dovie,” Caroline said, grateful Dovie wasn’t a gossip. She shuddered to think of the consequences if someone like Louise or Tammy Lee had happened upon them in each other’s arms.
“You’re the first to hear our good news,” Grady said, taking Caroline’s hand. He grasped it firmly in his own, then raised it to his lips. “Caroline has agreed to be my wife.”
Dovie’s eyes grew wide. “Congratulations! I couldn’t be happier.” She opened her purse and took out a linen handkerchief. “I really…couldn’t…be…happier,” she said, sniffling and dabbing at her eyes. “You’re a wonderful couple and…and I think it’s just wonderful, really I do.” She turned abruptly and walked out, apparently forgetting what had brought her to the post office in the first place.
* * *
GRADY, CAROLINE and Maggie sat on the front-porch swing. “Will I call you daddy?” Maggie asked Grady.
“Of course. If you want to.”
She nodded. “Then I’ll have a daddy.”
“Yes, princess, you’ll have a daddy.”
“And Mommy will have a husband.”
“And Grady’ll have a family.” He tucked his arm around Caroline’s shoulder, loving her so much.
“Us,” Maggie said and tossed her arms in the air. “Your family is us.”
“What do you think of that?” Caroline asked her daughter.
Maggie considered the question a moment, looked up at Grady and slowly grinned. “You don’t do magic tricks,” she said, “but I like you better ’cause you love me and Mommy.”
“That,” Grady said, “is very true. You’re both very easy to love.”
“I’m glad you think so,” Caroline whispered and leaned her head against his shoulder, utterly content.
* * * * *
#1 New York Times Bestselling Author
DEBBIE MACOMBER
Her grandfather wants her to come home, and Molly thinks she just might. His ranch will be a good place for her sons to grow up, a place to escape bigcity influences. Then she learns—from a stranger named Sam—that her grandfather is ill. Possibly dying. Molly packs up the kids without a second thought and makes the long drive to Sweetgrass, Montana.
She immediately has questions about Sam Dakota. Why is he working on her grandfather’s ranch? Why doesn’t the sheriff trust him? Just who is he? But despite everything, Molly can’t deny her attraction to Sam—until her ailing grandfather tries to push them into marriage.
Some borders aren’t so easy to cross….
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