Falling For You (Love In All Seasons #2) - Frankie Love Page 0,58
father and clasping his hands. “And I’m sorry for ever doubting you, but I promise I won’t doubt you again.”
“It’s okay, Mom. You were worried about me. I’m glad that people care. That my family cares.”
“We do, baby,” Jim says. “We care so much. And by the looks of it, there are more people in our family to care about now.” He looks at Ryder, tears filling both their eyes, and I can’t believe I’m seeing these strong men cry.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve all this,” Ryder says slipping the ring onto my finger. “And maybe I’ll never know, but I’m going to hold on tight. I swear I’ll never let go.”
The ring fits perfectly, and I feel honored to be wearing it when he tells me it was his mother’s.
“This is crazy,” I say with a grin. “Ryder, we are totally crazy.”
“You know that magazine Exposé is going to have a field day with us, don’t you?” Vicky says.
“They can say what they like, Mom. In fact, I’ll give them an interview.” I wrap my arms around Ryder, kissing him again.
“Crazy, maybe, but there are worse things to be,” Ryder says. When he speaks, his eyes pierce mine, slaying me with emotion. “Like alone.”
“You’re right,” I say, smiling at the truth. We did find each other. And we don’t have to be alone.”
“Are you going to leave California and move to Alaska, or should I pack up my cabin and head south?” he asks.
“You would move to California for me?” I shake my head at his words. “I can’t picture you living in Los Angeles. Like, at all.”
“I’d do anything to be with you, Justine. I mean that.”
“Justine’s been talking about Alaska since she was a little girl,” my dad says.
It’s true. I’ve always been drawn to this state and have been up here a handful of times for various projects. It’s a place I would love to call home.
“If you want to stay, I won’t fight you,” Ryder says. “I was thinking I could be more involved in HAHA. My mom would have liked that.”
“That’d be wonderful,” I say.
Ryder looks at me, his hand cradling my face. “And Justine, you should be on the board too. I’m guessing Luther’s spot is going to be free.”
I lean into Ryder, unable to believe what has happened between us. That our love has blossomed and grown into something strong, so quickly.
My parents’ phones begin to ring. “It’s Eileen,” Mom says.
Dad flashes me his phone. “The police want you both at the station.”
Ryder exhales and lifts me to stand. “I’ll get your clothes from upstairs, okay? I don’t want you to go back up there.”
“Can you give us a second?” I ask my Mom and Dad. They nod, and head to the car to wait for us.
“Everything okay?” Ryder asks, holding my hand tight. “You’re not overwhelmed?
I smile. “What would I be overwhelmed about?”
Ryder grins, running a hand through his hair. God, he looks so good when his arms flex and when the hem of his tee-shirt is lifted. And this man is mine. Forever.
It’s kind of insane.
I press a hand to his rock hard chest. “Are you talking about the fact that we told my parents about our sex life or how we fell in love in less than twenty-four hours? I mean, it could always be because I have a freaking ring on my finger and I just learned your last name this morning.”
Ryder smiles, his arms instantly around my waist, his hands cupping my ass. “Too fast?”
I shake my head. “Not too fast for me. For me, it is perfect.”
“You think your parents are freaked out?”
I laugh. “My parents are used to me digging in my heels once I’ve made up my mind. They know better than to doubt me.”
“I love you, Shortbread.”
“And I love you, Ryder.”
Epilogue: EXPOSÉ
The Gossip Column You Can Sink Your Teeth Into
MOUNTAIN MAN MARRIES HIS VIRGIN! By Trista Piper
In an exclusive, tell-all, heiress Justine Van De Shire—now Justine Ottenbagh, married to Ryder Ottenbagh—shares how she fell madly in love with the man who kidnapped her.
We caught up with the newlyweds at their recently renovated, wooded oasis, two hours north of Anchorage. The same place Ryder took Justine the night he kidnapped her from her history-making auction.
On an outdoor patio, with the afternoon sun shining through the tree branches, I sat down with this extraordinary couple and asked everything our readers are dying to know!