Harlequin Heartwarming May 2016 Box Set (69 page)

“What can I say? I got homesick for the Rockies,” he admitted.

“And what about The Meetinghouse? You're leaving Torry and Mark in a lurch?”

“You know that old song,” Mark said. “Got along without him before we met him...”

Torry snorted. “Anybody can plug in amps and go around tapping mics saying, ‘Testing...testing?'”

“Hey,” Sam said. “If it wasn't for me, you guys would trip or strangle yourselves on the cords.”

“Oh, yeah. We shouldn't forget that.” Torry leaned around Mark and said to Finn, “Trust us, we're okay without him. Spare us the rest of this lovesick fool's speech and just say yes, will ya?”

“Yeah,” Torry agreed. “You have to say yes.”

“I do?”

The comedian held up one hand. “No, no, no...save that for the wedding. Say yes now, so we'll all have a place to stay when we come visit you in Denver.”

“Why would we go to Denver?” Mark asked.

“Why, to see us, of course!” Ciara rolled her eyes.

Finn's silence and furrowed brow worried Sam. He could almost see the wheels whirring in her pretty head, trying to think up a valid reason to stay in Nashville.

“What about the homeless shelter? It's barely off the ground. If Connor is in Denver, who will—”

“The mayor put his youngest boy in charge of it,” Connor said. “The kid just earned a degree in...I forget what...but he already has a budget and a staff, all ready for when headquarters is renovated.”

“Headquarters?” she asked.

“Oh.” Rowdy chuckled. “Did I forget to mention? I donated another rental property. Your contractor? He's donating man-hours and materials.”

Finn shook her head. “I can't believe all of this,” she said, mostly to herself.

When she met his eyes, Sam's stomach lurched.

“And you seriously expect me to believe you'll be happy giving up the department and music to saddle up and run the Marshall spread?”

Y'gotta love her
, he thought. And he meant it.

“I've done it before.”

“Alone?”

“Yes'm.”

She sighed. Had she finally thrown in the towel?

“You'll have a vested interest in the ranch, if...”

“If...?”

“Well, folks out there are old-fashioned.”

She bit her lip, and he continued, “You'll have all the ladies in the beauty parlor's tongues wagging.”

Now she frowned.

“You'll need a ring on your finger.”

Her eyes widened and her lips formed a tiny O.

“My family hasn't been to Nashville in a couple of years. They can come out for the fund-raiser. If you'll say yes—”

“Yes to—”

“Date's set, performers signed, posters printed, media's on board,” Torry said. “We're good to go.”

“Good to go...”

Sam stuck a forefinger in his ear, wiggled it a few times. “Funny, but I never noticed before that there's an echo in here.”

Finn was smiling—not much, but it beat that frown!—and he hoped it was because she'd remembered a similar conversation between them. He felt a little guilty, springing it on her this way, in front of everyone. But she'd shut him out, and he still wasn't sure why. He'd ask her forgiveness later...if she let him.

“What about the contract?”

“What about it?”

“You signed it, right?”

If he answered that, he'd blow the entire surprise.

“I don't need a record deal to write music. And I can do it anywhere.”

“Songwriting. You mean to say you gave up on your dream of performing, just like that, to write songs?”

Sam withdrew an envelope from his pocket and slid it to her.

“What's this? A Thanksgiving card?”

“Oh. Sorry. My mistake.” He took it back and handed it to Ciara. “Happy birthday, kiddo.”

“Thanks, Sam! I think I'll wait to open it—” grinning, she wiggled her eyebrows “—until we slice my cake. And stuff.”

Sam extended another envelope.

“Well, don't just sit there,” Rowdy said. “Open it!”

“Why do I get the feeling you've all seen what's inside?”

“They haven't,” Sam assured her. “Everyone will be as surprised as you. I promise.”

She got to her feet, then stood behind her chair.

“First, we need to get a few things straight.”

Sam's heart sank. He should have known she'd resent being ganged up on this way.
Should have found another way to make her talk...to make her see how you feel.

“I think I fell in love with you that first night—no, I'm sure of it—when that long leg of yours tripped me. I tried to deny it. Made excuses. Tried to convince myself it was something else I was feeling.

“The reason I avoided you last week? Because I couldn't bear the thought of you finding out that, as happy as I am that you earned a contract, I was terrified of what might happen if you went on the road.”

Sam started to interrupt, but she held up a hand and silenced him.

“You can't just show up here with your gorgeous eyes and your sweet smile and your fancy speech and expect I'll turn to goo and fall into your lap!”

“Finn, I don't expect that. You've got my word.”

Did she believe it? Not if that furrow on her brow was any indicator.
You blew it, idiot. So just shut up, and maybe you can leave here with some of your dignity intact.

But wait...

“You...you love me?”

“Yes.”

“Then, what's left to talk about? I love you, too!”

“There's this crazy deal to talk about, for starters, where I have to give up the business I've put
everything
into! Then this whole go-to-Colorado scheme! Honestly, Sam. Do you really expect me to drop everything and...and...and
marry
you?”

“At the risk of sounding like a heel, yeah. I want you to marry me. Nothing else is as important. Nothing.”

She stared at the ceiling for a long, silent moment, then returned to her chair.

Ciara slid an arm across Finn's shoulders. “Aren't you curious about what's in the envelope?”

“Yeah, I guess.” She rested her head on Ciara's. “A little.”

Finn unsealed the flap and peeked inside, then upended the envelope and sent four squares of paper fluttering to the table. Her hands fluttered, too, as she arranged them in front of her plate.

“Look, Finn,” Ciara said, leaning closer. “There's a word written on each square. It's a puzzle or something.” She reached across the space between her and Finn and slid the squares round, moved them again. “I was right. It
is
a puzzle! And, Finn! Look what it says!”

Leaning forward, she read aloud, “I. Only. Want. You.”

“Nothing puzzling about it,” Finn said. She met his eyes and whispered, “It's what I want, too.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

S
AM
GAVE
THE
Sunday paper a flap and folded it in half. “Will you look at this headline!”

Finn leaned closer. “New Prospects Opens Sixth Facility. Wow. Who would have predicted it would catch on so quickly, and go national!”

“Thanks to your dad.”

Finn glanced across the lawn, where Connor and Ciara were playing croquet.

“He's come a long, long way.”

Sam followed her gaze and nodded. “You can say that again.”

“You know, he tried to straighten out a whole bunch of times. I sometimes wonder—if Mom had tried, too, could they have helped one another, maybe saved their marriage?”

“Wait. What did you just call her?”

Finn smiled to herself. “Ciara once asked me how I'd refer to her if I ever had kids.” She shrugged. “Mom just seems right and proper, you know?”

He went back to reading the paper. “Well, I think that's great. Ciara will be happy about it, too.”

She helped herself to the real estate section. “Take a look at
this
headline...”

“Market Prices Expected to Rise.” Frowning, he met her eyes. “You aren't thinking of becoming an agent, I hope.”

“No, and it makes me sad.”

“Why? If it's something you want, go for it. I'll support you in anything you do.”

“Sam...” Finn shoved the paper from his knees, let it fall to the porch floor and climbed into his lap. “You know it's Mother's Day, right?”

“Yeah, but don't worry, I left a message for my mom.”

“You're a good son.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “But I'm still a little sad.”

“Aw, really? What's got you down in the dumps?”

“Well, I'm not sure I can compete with your planning and plotting skills.”

“My...” He laughed, held her close and kissed her. “Sweetheart, what in the world are you talking about?”

“Think how much fun I could have had if only I'd figured out how to draw your attention to a headline.”

“Headline...” He shook his head. “All I can say is, it's a good thing you're gorgeous, because...”

“Hand me the Arts and Entertainment section, will you?”

“Feel like catching a movie today, huh? What's playing?” He started to hand it to her but stopped when something caught his eye.

“Denver's Marshall Clan Still Growing,” he read. “Wait. That doesn't make a lick of sense. This is a picture of David Beckham and—”

Finn pressed a palm to each of his cheeks. “I did a pretty good job of making my own headline font, don't you think?”

“You... What?”

“I can't wait until your folks get back from California—it's so cute the way they've turned into globe-trotters, isn't it?—because I've already planned a huge welcome-home barbecue for the entire family. The ranch hands, the neighbors...”

“A barbecue...”

“So I can watch while you announce to everyone that you found out you were going to be a father...on Mother's Day.”

Eyes wide, Sam said, “Finn...you're...you're pregnant?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Man. Wow. Really?”

“Really.”

“Aw, sweetheart.” He hugged her tight.

He seemed happy, but then, he was such an easygoing, big-hearted guy. Would she know if he wasn't?

“Sam?”

“What...li'l mama?”

“It's been over a year now, Sam. You still don't regret walking away from your Nashville dreams?”

“Are you kiddin'?” His lips were touching hers when he said, “I. Only. Want. You. Remember?”

How many hours had she spent worrying that he'd regret that decision?

“Well, that isn't entirely true. I don't
just
want you.”

The words chilled her to the core.
Not already
, she thought.
Not so soon!

Sam pressed a palm to her stomach. “I want
this
, too.”

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt from
TO CATCH A WIFE
by Lee McKenzie.

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You've got to have heart....
Harlequin Heartwarming
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