It's In His Smile (A Red River Valley Novel Book 3) (29 page)

“I don’t have much to offer you anymore, Miranda.” He closed the small distance between them. Didn’t touch her, but his closeness wrapped and coiled around her, and something started to unfurl low in her belly. And also in her heart.

“I sold my share in Trinity Falls for a fraction of what it’s worth so I could come back here and start over, and Bea’s money
is
going to build a rec center.” His hair was windblown, face dirty, sleeves rolled up, and his shirt was unbuttoned a little too low in the front because he was sweaty. Her head tilted as her eyes took a trip over the gleaming beads of perspiration on his chest.

“I don’t care about your money. I never have.” Her voice rolled over the hushed crowd.

“I know.” He reached up and brushed a lock of hair off of her face. “That’s one of the things Bea loved about you. She obviously saw the woman you were growing into, and she wanted me to finish what she’d started. I think that’s why she set her will up the way she did.” His gaze raked over Miranda’s face. “I resented it when I found out about the terms, but then I realized she wanted me to come home to my roots.” He dipped his head to brush her nose with his. “Come home to you.” His thumb grazed across her cheek.

A wave of
aww
s zipped down Main Street.

“Tell me the rest about Bea’s will.” She had to know. Everything this time. And she wanted to know that he could tell her the truth.

He looked at the sky for a second. “The terms and the money were to be kept a secret.” He ran his hand down Miranda’s arm, and a zing of desire threaded through her. “At first I couldn’t figure out why. But now I realize she didn’t want me to miss out on the best thing that could ever happen to me—a future with you.” He caressed up her arm again, and the rest of her body took notice. “If she’d lived longer than it took you to finish the inn, she probably would’ve kept changing her will with new ways to throw us together.” He chuckled. His lips were just a breath away from hers. “I love you.”

Her eyes stung. “I’ve loved you for seven years.”

“Then give me the chance to love you for a lifetime.” He smoothed a finger across her cheek. “Marry me.”

Her eyes closed against his touch.

This time the
aww
s were like a tidal wave rippling through the crowd. His words also rippled through Miranda’s heart, and she stepped into his arms.

Clydelle had somehow appeared at the bottom of the podium next to Joe, and she tapped it with her cane. “Say yes, dear, or I’ll take him up on that offer.”

A smile spread across her face so big her cheeks hurt, and she nodded. “Yes.”

“Um.” He gently tugged the headset off of her head. “I’d like to kiss you without the sound echoing across the state.”

He did kiss her, long and deep and so, so sweet. And all Miranda could think about was spending the rest of her life drowning in Talmadge’s beautiful eyes and his lovely smile.

When they came up for air, she sniffed the air. What was that smell?

“Uh, sorry. Lloyd and I had an unfortunate run-in with some cow manure.”

Miranda laughed. “I’m glad you didn’t let that stop you.”

Lloyd barked again from the passenger seat.

Talmadge’s embrace tightened around her. “Uncle Joe, did you get that surprise taken care of for me?”

“Sure did.” Joe took off his cowboy hat and waved toward the gazebo.

Someone pulled a cord, collapsing the tarps that had been blocking the gazebo. The band took their places and struck up a tune.

Miranda’s hand flew to her mouth as they started to play “Old Time Rock and Roll.”

“I still have to fly back to Trinity Falls once in a while as a consultant.” He looked down at her. “It was the only way I could get the investors to buy me out and the tribal councils to sign off.”

She threaded her arms around his neck. “I don’t care, as long as you always come back to me.”

He kissed her then. Soft and gentle. And then he said, “Always.” He nipped at her lip. “I promise.”

C
hapter
T
wenty-
F
our

“What can I do to help?” Miranda asked the mommy mafia. She straightened the framed certificate of business hanging on the wall in the inn’s newly remodeled kitchen and smoothed the skirt of Bea’s antique wedding dress, which had been altered to perfection. When Talmadge found it in Bea’s attic nicely boxed and preserved, Miranda hadn’t thought twice about wearing it.

“It’s your wedding day,” Lorenda said, refilling the punch bowl. “Enjoy it.”

“You’ll be working plenty next week, when you open for business.” Ella hurried past into the dining room where she placed elegant paper napkins on the table around Joe’s catered spread of food—his wedding gift to her and Talmadge.

“Yep,” Angelique agreed and arranged cups around the punch bowl. “I looked at the website Jamie designed. You’re already booked solid through the summer, so my obnoxious Italian relatives are coming into town for Thanksgiving instead and have rented the entire place out.”

Yes, the home show episode Talmadge arranged had the reservations flooding in.

“My obnoxious Texan family has dibs on Christmas.” Ella laughed.

Miranda sniffed the flowery scent of her bouquet of yellow roses as she searched the reception crowd for Talmadge. He stood at the stone fireplace, chatting with Jamie, who’d been his best man when they exchanged vows under the gazebo an hour ago. They both looked so handsome in their tuxedos, and Miranda’s eyes grew a little wet.

The key to the city hung just over Talmadge’s head on the mantle, Beatrice Oaks’s name engraved on it. With a hand in one pocket and his tux jacket hanging open, he leaned an elbow on the mantle. He looked just as handsome, just as sexy, just as enticing as he had seven years ago at a different wedding wearing a tux. She’d picked him that night, and today he was finally hers. A good thing, since she’d been his from that night on and always would be.

As if he sensed her staring at him, his gaze found her, and he smiled. Big. Bright. Beautiful. And her heart expanded.

She loved that full-on smile. It touched her soul like nothing else she’d ever experienced.

She made her way through the crowd, with a lot of congratulations along the way, and a big hug from her mom and Ted. Finally Miranda reached Talmadge. He pulled her into the crook of his arm and smiled down at her with those beautiful blue eyes.

“Hi,” he whispered.

“Hi,” she whispered back.

Jamie rolled his eyes. “Get a room, you two.”

Oh, she planned for them to get a room as soon as the reception was over. The honeymoon suite, in fact. The very reason she’d chosen to delay the grand opening of the inn, fondly named the Bea in the Bonnet Inn, another week. She wanted her and Talmadge to have the place to themselves, because . . . well, they were going to make good use of
every
room before they both had to start back to work.

“Do I know you?” She gave her little brother a curious look.

“Yeah.” He unknotted his tie and let it hang loose. “I’m the one who sucks all the money out of your bank account for tuition.” He looked into the dining room. “Speaking of, I’m only here for the free food.” He walked off.

Talmadge laced both arms around her waist and pulled her into an embrace. “You are so beautiful today. I wish Bea could see you in her dress.”

Miranda wished Bea could too.

“You ready for the rest of our lives?” he asked.

Bea had told Miranda to reach for the stars, and she’d managed to catch a few. Her dream of being her own boss, her dream of being a respected leader in the community, her dream of Talmadge loving her as much as she loved him. Tears welled in her eyes. “It’s all so new, so different.” So unexpected, and so very, very wonderful. “I feel like I’m jumping off a cliff. In a good way, but still plunging over this unknown mountain and you’ve agreed to follow me over.” Talmadge had stayed in Red River, starting a small green architectural firm in one of the office spaces in Red River’s historic business district, where he planned to focus on smaller jobs and stay close to home. He already had the Red River Independent School District and the owners of the historic buildings on Main Street lined up as clients. But he’d moved back for her too, so she wouldn’t have to leave her dream.

He laughed and nuzzled her neck. “Well, someone has to bring the parachutes.”

She laughed. “Where’s Lloyd?”

He yipped when Miranda said his name, and Talmadge moved a step. Lloyd sat on the hearth in a small bed with rails that boxed him in. Talmadge shrugged. “I built this contraption because I don’t want him to get stepped on, and I can’t carry him around all the time. He’s getting kind of spoiled.”

She slid a hand inside Talmadge’s jacket and smoothed her fingers over his chest. Purple flared in his eyes.

Clydelle and Francine walked over, interrupting Miranda and Talmadge’s silent, sensual communication.

“What are you two going to do for entertainment now that the
Red River Rag
has disappeared?” Talmadge teased. Miranda had filled him in on who was responsible for the blog.

“I’m starting a strip pinochle night at the senior center. Co-ed, of course.” Francine waggled her brows, and come to think of it, her purse looked substantially lighter. When Talmadge frowned, she said, “Don’t judge me.” They lumbered off to cause trouble with Langston and a few young members of the Red River Fire Department.

“So can we sneak upstairs soon?” She batted her eyes at him. “I have something I want to show you.”

That purple in his eyes was back, and her heart skipped.

“Give me a hint?”

She toyed with a button on his shirt. “Since you seemed to like seeing my panties so much that day out on the porch, I got a special pair for today.” She smiled up at him, loving the lust that blazed in his eyes just for her. She looked around to make sure no one was close enough to hear. “I’m wearing a white, lacy thong.” His eyes dilated. “And a matching bustier.”

“You’re the best wife ever,” he growled against her ear, and her insides coiled. Then he looked deep into her eyes, and the love she saw there stole her breath. “I’ll love you forever, no matter what life brings. I promise.” He brushed her lips with his.

She nodded, her heart so full, so content, that she thought it might burst. “Just keep smiling. That’s all I need.”

The End

A
cknowledgments

I am indebted to Ted Grumblatt for giving me insight into green architecture and for coming up with the solution to Trinity Falls. It was brilliant.

A huge thank-you goes out to Katy Pierce, Fritz Davis, Ron Weathers, Steve Heglund, and the entire town of Red River, New Mexico. While the characters and establishments are formed solely from my imagination, the real people and places of Red River are wonderful.

I am ever grateful to my BFF and partner in crime, Kim Rasmussen. Without her, I wouldn’t have nearly as much funny material to write about.

A big thank-you goes to my critique partner, Shelly Chalmers, for helping to breathe life into my stories. I’m so fortunate to know you.

And last but certainly not least, my deepest gratitude to my editors, Kelli Martin and Maria Gomez of Montlake Romance at Amazon Publishing, and Melody Guy, the entire Montlake team, and my agent, Jill Marsal of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. You guys are simply maaaaarvelous!

A
bout the
A
uthor

Photo
©
2014 Frank Frost Photography

Shelly Alexander is the author of
It’s In His Heart
and
It’s In His Touch
, part of the Red River Valley series. A 2014 Golden Heart finalist, she grew up traveling the world, earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and worked in the business world for twenty-five years. With four older brothers, she watched every
Star Trek
episode ever made, joined the softball team instead of ballet class, and played with G.I. Joes while the Barbie Corvette stayed tucked in her closet. When she had three sons of her own, she decided to escape her male-dominated world by reading romance novels and has been hooked ever since. Now, she spends her days writing steamy contemporary romances while tending to an obstinate English bulldog named Lola.