Anything for Her - By Janice Kay Johnson Page 0,102
coiling painfully. “Because you’re still mad at me? Or because you’ve realized you don’t love me enough to commit to the long haul?”
“What?” Crinkles formed on her high, curved forehead. “No! What are you talking about?”
He unclenched his jaw. “Then what did you mean?”
“I meant thank you but I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying here.” Her gaze was suddenly shy. “If you want me.”
Shaking his head, Nolan tried to figure out what she was saying. “You mean, your mother has gotten word they won’t be moving her?”
“No. She doesn’t know. What I’m trying to tell you is that I was an idiot. I love you. I’m staying even if Mom is relocated. I was going to come to tell you as soon as I closed up shop. I need you to know how sorry I am for hurting you the way I did. I will never leave you.”
He had to take a moment to let it sink in. She loved him. She wasn’t leaving. She’d chosen him. The tsunami of emotions was almost painful. She loved him. She’d forgiven him. She...
Nolan let out a whoop, grabbed her and swung her in a circle. Laughing, Allie clutched his shoulders. Her nose was still pink, her face still blotchy, but with that smile, she was also lit with all the delicate beauty and promise of sunrise over the mountains. He slowed, came to a stop and let her slide down his body.
“God, I love you.”
Her hands left his shoulders to cup his face. “I love you.”
“I meant it, you know.”
“That you love me?” She looked perplexed.
“That Sean and I are willing to go.” Nolan needed her to understand this. “I’m more honored than I can say that you chose me, but I don’t want you to suffer any more losses in your life.
“Some of what I said to you before was crap. Sure, most of us let go of our parents—but not all the way, like I was demanding of you. I understand why your mother is so important to you. Talk to her before you make up your mind, Allie. My offer is sincerely meant. Say the word and Sean and I will start packing.”
She shook her head, but he saw a new shimmer in her eyes. “No. I love my store, and quilting, and being Allie Wright. Thanks to you, I can be Allie, with no regrets.”
He looked into her eyes and saw that she meant it, heart and soul. The tangle inside him was still painful but also so sweet. Having everything you’d ever wanted handed to you was an astonishing experience.
“Does that mean you’re not going to take my name?” Lightening the moment seemed like a good idea.
Allie’s smile brightened. “Actually, I would love to take your name. I’m not all that attached to the name Wright, you know. You promised that I could keep Radek forever. I like that idea.”
“Yeah.” His arms contracted around her. “Forever sounds good to me.”
“Me, too.” She lifted her face for a kiss.
Kissing her was a damn good idea, too. He kept right on doing it long after hearing a stupid little bell ring somewhere.
One month later
“I HAVE THIS horrible feeling we’ve forgotten something important. Rushing is never a good idea.” Mom paced almost to Nolan’s dining room, then back across the kitchen. She frowned. “Flowers.”
“Done, Mom.” Knowing perfectly well why her mother was so nervous, so lacking in her usual confidence, Allie could be patient.
“Your dress is perfect.”
Allie smiled at her. “So is yours.”
“I can’t believe tomorrow is your wedding day.”
Allie could. She’d been ready from the moment she told Nolan that she was staying with him no matter what happened with Mom.
Their first thought was to get married immediately in a civil ceremony so Allie’s mother could be there. But when it became apparent that she wouldn’t be relocated, after all, they had decided to arrange a somewhat more traditional wedding.
The intervening month had seemed to drag on forever as far as Allie was concerned. Nolan had been even more impatient. Because of Sean, neither of them was comfortable with her moving into his house before they were a married couple, which meant not seeing each other nearly as often as they wanted.
And now here they were, less than a week before Christmas, and tomorrow was her wedding day.
But at the moment, it wasn’t her wedding that had Allie and her mother both fidgety and hopeful.
They were waiting to hear the sound of Nolan’s truck turning into the driveway.