Loving Bailey (24 page)

“You can’t risk it. You love this place,” she
said, her brown eyes gone wide.

“I love you more.” After all the hiding,
those four words felt better than anything he’d ever said.

“What?”

“I love you. You’re my world. Let me help
you. Or if you’d rather, we can sell everything and start over in
some other place. As long as we’re together, I don’t care about
anything else.”

“I love you, too. Even more because you want
to help me, but Trace, even with the money for the fines, there’s
no guarantee Seasons will survive – not if they suspend my license
and the lake stays dry. I can’t let you risk your future on
something so risky.”

“It’s not just my future.” He wanted to do a
better job of this but he was done waiting and there was no way
he’d let her think she was alone in dealing with whatever happened.
He reached for her left hand, wishing he had a ring to seal the
deal. “I want it to be our future. I want us to be in it together.
Seasons, the farm, children, everything. I love you, Bailey
Southerland. Will you marry me?”

She launched herself at him and he caught
her, kissing her eyes, her cheeks, her mouth, tasting the salt of
her tears and willing her pain away.

“Is that a yes?” he asked when they finally
came up for air.

“Yes, God yes. I love you so much. It was
killing me not to tell you.”

He cupped her face in his hands, brushing
away her tears with his thumbs. “I plan to spend the rest of my
life making I love you the first words out of my mouth every
morning and the last words out of my mouth every night. I love you,
Bailey Southerland. I’ve loved you for years and I’ll love you
until the end of time.”

Summer Maddox watched her daughter weaving
her way in amongst the Southerlands. Jude’s huge black dog stood
almost as tall as Abby and stayed right on her heels, a furry
bodyguard, as she moved from person to person collecting affection
and love. Her heart ached with gratitude at the way her sister’s
soon-to-be family had accepted Abby and by extension, her. Since
Gran passed away they hadn’t really had any family except Autumn.
Summer wanted family for her daughter.

She wanted it for herself, too. A big loving
family who supported each other and lifted up everyone around them.
She didn’t have any illusions about becoming one of them, but even
being on the fringe of the Southerland family was more love than
she was used to, and the support it gave her daughter let the
little girl bloom. Summer would be grateful forever for the happy
accident which brought Jude, her sister’s fiancé, into Autumn’s
life.

Jude stood behind Autumn with his arms
wrapped around her and she laughed at something he said, tipping
her head up to steal a kiss. On the other side of the lawn, Bailey
and her fiancé, Trace, sat with their heads inches from each other,
no doubt celebrating the state liquor board’s decision to reinstate
her restaurants license. They looked happy, content and even
peaceful until Abby and Max barreled into them, all squealing six
year old and furry Newfoundland.

Summer moved to extricate her daughter and
the dog, but before she got halfway across the lawn, Bailey had
settled the child on her lap and started stroking her long blonde
curls. Not willing to interrupt the scene, she changed direction
and went stand with Autumn. Her sister ducked out from the shelter
of Jude’s arms to give her a hug.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” said Autumn.

“Abby wouldn’t let me miss it.” Summer
motioned with her head to where Abby sat nestled in Bailey’s arms.
The sisters watched for a moment as the huge black dog circled,
finally wedging himself between Trace and Bailey so he could lie
next to Abby.

“I know,” said Autumn. “But I’m glad you’re
here.”

“Me too,” said Summer.

“Can I get you ladies something to drink?”
asked Jude.

“I’d love some of that chardonnay Bailey
brought,” said Autumn.

“Just sweet tea for me, please.” Summer had
never been much of a drinker, but after the prescription drug
incident she’d started avoiding even wine.

“My pleasure,” he said.

Autumn made a sound of approval low in her
throat as the women watched him walk away. “I love the way that man
looks in slacks and a dress shirt.”

“I’m so happy for you,” Summer said, taking
her sister’s arm.

“I’m happy for all of us. Trace and Bailey
finally got together, Seasons and the farm are going to be okay and
best of all, Travis is home and healing.”

Summer looked over to where Travis
Southerland sat with his parents. With his dark hair, strong broad
shoulders and tight waist he was every bit as handsome as the rest
of the Southerland brothers. If it wasn’t for the fact that his
smile didn’t reach his eyes, he’d be the best looking of all of
them. As it was, he was still an Adonis. Just one with haunted
eyes.

His parents and brothers and sisters circled
around him, so obviously glad to have him home with them. Summer
wasn’t sure any of them recognized the deep pain hiding below the
surface. Maybe she could see it because a part of her was broken,
too. Saying a silent prayer of healing for the soldier who’d
suffered so much, Summer turned her attention back to her sister
and the family she was growing to love.

The End

Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoyed Loving Bailey: Book 2 in
the Southerland Series. I’d love to hear from you at
[email protected] and you can find me on Facebook.Sign up
for juicy bits and find out about new releases at
www.evelynadamseroticromance.com If you have a moment please
consider leaving a review. Honest reviews from readers help authors
and make it easier for people to find books they will enjoy.

As you’ve probably guessed, Book 3 is Summer
and Travis’s story. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted two characters
to find their Happily Ever After more than this couple. It will be
out at the end of Summer 2014. In the meantime, I’m working on a
novella of Jude and Autumn’s wedding with a little surprise. It
will go on sale for $.99 but I will be happy to send it to you for
free if you sign up for my mailing list.

I don’t do newsletters so I won’t crowd your
inbox. I only send announcements when I release a new book. No spam
and you’ll know right away about the next Southerland book. If you
love the family as much as I do, you don’t want to miss a single
story. By the time I’m finished, I love all the couples I write
about. I hope you do, too!

Many Blessings!

Evelyn