More Than Friends (27 page)
Her father walked into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee, then returned to her side. “Your mother told you I know where you’ve been spending your nights.”
“Yes.”
“You probably think I’m going to yell at you.”
“It doesn’t matter, Daddy. I’m all grown-up. I spend the night where I like.”
“Is that so?”
She chuckled, then turned back to watch the sunrise. Eleven years ago, he would have had her hide for sleeping with Chase, now he could only complain.
A squirrel ran across the backyard, its mouth bulging with food.
“Winter’s coming,” her father said. “I need to get the storm windows up.”
But instead of snow, she saw a warm desert scene, cactus and sagebrush and a man who had sworn to love her forever. How long would he wait? she wondered. How long before some other woman looked into those eyes and saw the loyalty and devotion and love she was throwing away? The picture hurt, but she had no choice.
Or did she?
Was she hiding, as Chase had suggested, using her family as an excuse to put her dreams aside?
“Did you think you’d lose the mill, Daddy?” she asked.
“When he first came and told me he was shutting it down—” he sighed heavily “—I damn near died. I knew then I’d lost everything. But I was wrong. He came around. And we all have a second chance. Don’t get many of those these days.”
A second chance? Was it too late?
“I can’t stay here,” she said suddenly.
“What?”
“I’ve got to get going. What time is it?”
“Hold on, young lady.” He grabbed her arm. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh, Daddy.” She raised herself on her toes and kissed him. “I love you and Mom and the family, but I can’t stay here anymore. You’re right. We don’t get many second chances. I hope you weren’t kidding about finding five people to do my job, because as of now, I quit.”
“About time,” her father said gruffly. “I was starting to wonder if I was going to have to kick your butt to make you see sense. Now before you run off half-cocked, your mother and I have a present for you.”
“Here, darling.” Her mother walked onto the porch and held out an envelope. “It’s an airline ticket to Phoenix. Same flight as Chase’s. If you hurry, you can make it.”
Jenny set her coffee on the table and held out her arms. Both her parents embraced her. “I love you,” she murmured.
“Now don’t forget to call when you get to Phoenix,” her mother said, brushing away tears. “Mary’s looking for her own place, so she’ll move into your house for the rest of the lease. I’ll pack up your clothes and mail them to you. I understand that you’ll want to get married right away, and I’ll forgive you that, but you’d better invite me down when you have my grandchild.”
“Oh, Mama.” Jenny smiled. “I’ve got to run. I promise I’ll keep in touch.”
Her father sniffed.
She looked at him in surprise.
“Hay fever,” he said. “Besides, I never thought we’d have a Jackson in this family. The whole town will be talking.”
“Let them,” she said. “Let them say whatever they want.”
*
Chase rested his ankle on the opposite knee and tried to read the paper. The words didn’t make any sense, and he tossed it into the empty seat next to him.
Damn. He hadn’t even left yet and already he was losing it.
The loudspeaker hummed and a disembodied voice announced the next flight. There was more crackling, then a request for a departing passenger to pick up the white courtesy phone.
“What?”
He sat up. They’d called
his
name.
Grabbing his carry-on bag, he rose and walked to the desk. The clerk motioned to the bank of phones on the wall.
“I’m Chase Jackson,” he said into the receiver.
“One moment, please.”
He heard a click, then, “Chase?”
His heart stopped, then began to thunder against his ribs. “Jenny? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Where are you? Why are you calling? I thought we’d agreed—”
“I love you, Chase Jackson,” she interrupted. “Will you marry me and take me away with you?”
His mind ground to a halt. It wasn’t possible, was it? “You’ve changed your mind?”
“Only if that was a yes.”
“What? Oh, hell, yes, of course I want to marry you.” A thousand thoughts swept through him at once. He glanced at his watch. “My flight’s leaving in about a half hour. Let me make reservations for later and I’ll be back in Harrisville as soon as I can.”
She giggled softly. The sound rippled up and down his spine.
“God, I love you,” he said.
“Good. Turn around.”
He did as she asked. Across the crowded airport lobby stood a slender blond woman with a tentative smile and eyes a man could live in forever. He dropped the receiver.
“Jenny?” he said softly. “Jenny?”
She ran toward him. He met her in the middle of the room and pulled her into his arms. She was warm and sweet and alive. But most of all, she was
here
. “I love you,” he murmured between kisses.
“And I love you.”
“I thought I’d lost you.”
“Never that. It just took me a while to figure out what was right.”
They kissed, oblivious of the people moving around them, the amused glances. Finally, he released her. “I wonder if this airport has sleeping facilities.”
“Chase!”
“I’m kidding. Come on.” He picked up her bag and headed toward the counter. “We’ve got to get you a ticket. Now that you’re here, I’m not leaving without you.”
“I have one.” She showed him. “My parents bought it as a going-away present.”
“I’ll tell them thanks the next time I see them. Where’s your luggage?”
“I’ve already checked in.”
“What would you have done if I’d turned down your proposal?”
She smiled. “Followed you anyway. I brought this old trunk with me. There’s a dress inside I want to wear for you.”
The loudspeaker crackled again and announced their flight. Hands joined, bodies pressed close together, they moved to the boarding gate. He took her ticket and offered it with his, then paused.
His eyes searched hers. “Are you sure? I don’t want to rush you if you have doubts.”
“No doubts,” she promised. “Not many people get a second chance. We’ve been lucky. I’ve only ever loved you, Chase Jackson. Forever.”
“Forever,” he agreed. “For always.”
*
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eISBN-13: 978-1-4603-7812-0
More Than Friends
Copyright © 1993 by Susan Mallery Inc All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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