Cadence of Cranberries - Valerie Comer Page 0,64
done not to make a scene in front of their kids? Was he getting too cocky, too quickly?
“Al and I never had a lot of money. We were okay,” she hurried on. “Just not a lot extra with five busy kids and a ton going on. So, your offer to Michael caught me the wrong way, and I grabbed onto the other angle... which is a valid concern, in general, but I didn’t need to throw everything at you all in one swoop. I’m sorry.”
Charlie reached for her, but she crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed her upper arms. His hands dropped back to his sides. “And I should never have assumed.”
“And, just… I’ve been feeling super guilty about thinking I ever deserved to be happy again. I had such a good life, you know? And so many people struggle. It just doesn’t seem fair.”
She was calling it a good life though they’d had little money? But they had enough. And here Charlie went, throwing cash around like it grew on trees. “I shouldn’t have flown Katri and Dominic home today. I blew it again.” A perpetual state for him. Julia wanted all his money, and Winnie wanted none of it. “They just sounded so forlorn that they couldn’t be here when we got back together.”
Winnie studied him.
Charlie swallowed hard. “Are we back together?”
She lowered her hands and clutched them in front of her. “I missed you,” she whispered. “But I don’t deserve you.”
“Nobody deserves love, I don’t think. Especially someone like me, who screwed up so badly the first time around.”
“But you’ve changed.” It wasn’t a question.
He nodded. “God changed me. And Winnie? Why wouldn’t He love you enough to give you that kind of happiness again?”
“You think so?” She took a little step nearer.
Charlie took a giant step closer to her, resting his hands on her upper arms where hers had just been. “I do.” He drew his fingers down her cheek and felt her jaw tighten. “I love you, sweetheart.”
This time she met his gaze as she searched his face. “Oh, Charlie. I love you, too.”
His hands slid around her back and pulled her tight against him. She cradled him close, smelling of fresh air and cranberries and popcorn, but when she tilted her face to meet his, every thought besides kissing her flew out of his head.
And so he kissed her. Long and slow and full of promise, knowing there would be many more in the future.
“They’re kissing!”
It was one of the girls. Charlie couldn’t place which, nor did he care. He dipped Winnie until she clung to his neck, giggling, and kissed her again.
“Ew,” mumbled Michael.
“I’m gonna take out all your space aliens!” called Katri.
Footsteps retreated, and a quick glance up the stairs indicated they were alone again. Charlie pulled Winnie close beside him on the sofa and kissed her again.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Winnie peered into her mirror as she carefully applied her lipstick.
“He’s just going to kiss it off, Mom.” Gabriella peered around the door and grinned at their combined reflection.
“You’re not supposed to know about things like that. You’re only nineteen.”
“Which isn’t exactly a child.”
“It’s not exactly a grownup, either.”
“Pretty sure my eighteenth birthday has come and gone, Mom. In fact, Landon is nearly there. And, oh, did you know seventeen-year-olds in Washington State don’t need parental consent to get married? Good thing Landon isn’t dating right now, huh?”
Winnie managed to set down the lipstick without smearing it all over her face. “You’re such a comfort.”
Her middle child beamed. “I try.”
“You’re very trying.” Winnie leaned over and gave her daughter a hug. “Am I crazy? Is this the right thing to do?”
To her credit, Gabby managed to avoid the eyeroll. “You’re not crazy. It’s Valentine’s Day, and a man who’s crazy about you has invited you to the Wild Sage Bistro for dinner. That’s pretty significant.” Gabby’s eyes widened. “Oh, almost forgot why I came in here. Did you hear the doorbell? Charlie sent flowers.”
Winnie’s tummy tingled. “He did?”
“Two dozen roses. The guy’s a keeper, Mom.”
“You don’t think…”
“Mom.” Gabby set her hands on Winnie’s shoulders and looked her in the eye. “Have you prayed about it?”
Winnie nodded.
“Have you talked to Nonna?”
Yes, she’d taken Charlie to meet Al’s mom not once, but twice. Once they’d played games with Marietta and Kenji.
“Then what’s holding you back? You know Mikey likes Charlie and is trying to teach him to play basketball. And may I just say, Charlie is not a natural, so it’s more than a