Rhonda+Nelson+-+The+Soldier (18 page)

determination. His little fighter, he thought, smiling.

And he’d had the nerve to give her a courage charm?

Winnie was right. She wasn’t the one who needed courage—he was.

Because he’d been afraid to love her, afraid of the future, afraid of becoming a burden. But he’d

just realized something very important, something that shifted his reasoning and made a mockery

of his so-called logic.

He was more afraid of living without her.

For all intents and purposes, the comprehension was so strong the ground should have shook

beneath his feet.

It was true that in all probability at some point in their future, he would not be able to keep up

with Winnie. He still believed that. He would treat his body well, he would show it the kindness

it needed to continue healing. But at some point, he would start to fade. When he did, the

difficulties that came with old age were going to be exacerbated by the fact he was an amputee.

This was not speculation—this was fact.

But that was his hang-up, not Winnie’s.

And it was not worth squandering the rest of their lives, their very futures and possible children

over.

Furthermore, while Winnie might love her little bakery and her niche in Bethel Bay…she loved

him more. She would follow him wherever he might go and always be glad to be there. He knew

this, not because she’d told him, but because she didn’t have to.

Winnie Cuthbert, against better sense, for whatever reason, genuinely truly loved him…and she

didn’t care that he was damaged.

Could a man get anymore lucky?

Could a man be anymore stupid for trying to throw that away?

No.

Adam McPherson was many things, but stupid was not among them.

“We should probably get going, son,” his father said. “Where do we need to take your things?”

Adam looked up at his father. “Back to Bethel Bay for the weekend, General.”

A look of surprise crossed his father’s face. “With us? But I thought you said you were staying

here.”

“Change of plans. I’ve got to right a wrong before I leave.”

“But you’re leaving Monday?”

“Yessir, that’s when I ship out. But don’t worry about having to drive me back up here,” he said,

smiling as a plan fully solidified in his mind. Happiness burst through him, washing away any

sense of doubt, any inkling of uneasiness. “With luck, my wife will do that.”

His mother gasped with pleasure and she lifted her fingers to her mouth to hide her

overwhelmingly wide smile. “Tell Winnie I said hello.”

Adam nodded, suddenly energized with purpose, absolutely desperate to get back to her. “I

always do.”

WINNIE STARED ATthe chocolate cupcake she’d just iced and blinked back tears.

Stupid cupcake.

Instead of working the counter like she normally did, she’d hid in the kitchen the better part of

the morning so that she could be alone. Lizzie and Jeanette knew that something was wrong.

They’d probably also guessed that something’s name and were thankfully, blessedly, leaving her

alone.

She preferred to nurse her wounds in private.

She deliberately licked the chocolate icing off the cupcake she’d just covered.

She was pathetic.

She’d known this was coming. And yet none of that prepared her for the yawning emptiness in

her life that Adam’s absence had left.

She set her tools aside and curled her arms around her middle, trying with every bit of willpower

she had left to hold the pieces of her heart together.

It couldn’t be broken beyond repair because it still beat. She knew at some point she would

recover.

But she would still love him.

Had he gotten his position back? Winnie wondered. Was he as happy as he expected to be? Was

he eager to return to his unit? To finish the tour of duty he started?

These are all things she’d

love to ask him, ached to ask him, but was no longer welcome to do so.

Winnie hung her head and tried to find some enthusiasm for her work, but failed miserably.

Unfortunately, while she’d been off for the past couple of days, she’d gotten behind on her

baking and had no choice but to play catch up now. It was bake or starve, Winnie thought, and

the idea drew a weary smile over her lips. And she still had play-offs to get ready for. There was

nothing like some good stiff competition to get her mind off her troubles.

“Winnie?” Jeanette called. “There’s someone out here who wants to see you.”

Dammit, she’d asked them to handle things up front today, that she wasn’t fit company for

customers. She’d managed to make it most of the morning and afternoon huddled back in her

kitchen. Was a few more minutes too much to ask?

“I’ve got my hands in something, Jeanette, and can’t walk away.

Could you please help them

with whatever it is?”

She heard Jeanette snicker. “Er…I don’t think so.”

“Liar,” she heard a woefully familiar voice say from the kitchen doorway.

Winnie gasped and whirled around.

Adam.

But he was gone—He left this morning—He wasn’t supposed to be back—How—

“If a cupcake is the only thing standing between me and a private audience with you, then by all

means let me help you.” He sidled forward and snagged the mangled cupcake from her hand and

popped the rest of it into his mouth. He swallowed. “See how easy that was. Now you’re free,

right?”

Winnie blinked, astounded. “W-what are you doing here,” she asked faintly. She gripped the

metal table, not altogether sure that her wobbly knees were going to support her.

He smiled, and the insecurity she’d seen in previous grins was nowhere to be seen. This was

Adam’s smile, the confident, self-assured I-know-what-I-want-and-I’m-getting-it-come-hell-orhigh-

water grin.

Hope inexplicably blossomed in her chest and her breathing sped up.

He withdrew a small velvet box from his pocket and showed it to her. “It occurred to me today

that I’d given you the wrong piece of jewelry last night.”

Her heart threatened to pound out of her chest and for the first time in her life, she was in danger

of hyperventilating. “W-wrong piece of j-jewelry?” she repeated.

He nodded solemnly, dropped to his knee and opened the box. A single solitaire blinked from

the satiny folds. Or at least that’s what she thought she saw. It was hard to tell with a sheen of

tears blocking her view.

“Adam,” she choked out.

“Winnie, I love you,” he said, his voice sure and emphatic. “You were right when you called me

a coward. I’ve been afraid. I’m still a bit of a mess and I come with a lot of hangups, but…I’m

more afraid of a future without you. I need you.” He swallowed.

“Will you marry me?”

She sank to her knees, as well, her bottom lip between her teeth.

Shaking all over, she merely

nodded.

“Today?”

She blinked, stunned. “Today?”

Another grin. “I ship out on Monday.”

“Oh.”

“And I don’t want to do it without making you mine. I know that I’m asking you to give up a

wedding and cake and guests and gifts and—”

She threw her arms around his neck, then pressed her lips in her favorite spot beneath his ear

and breathed him in. “Do you think any of that matters to me, you fool? I get you. I win.”

He chuckled against her. “You might not think I’m such a prize after we’re married. I hear that

happens.”

Winnie drew back and looked at him through her tears. Those bright sea eyes were alight with

happiness and triumph. The idea that he loved her, that he wanted her forever spilled into every

cell in her body, making her rejoice with utter contentment.

“I win,” she repeated. “And you have always been and will always be my prize.”

His gaze softened and he bent forward and kissed her. “You’re too good for me.”

“I know,” she teased. “But why let a little thing like that keep us apart?”

Adam grinned. “Why, indeed.”

Two months later…

BECAUSE HE KNEW BETTERthan to expect that his wife would be home, Adam went

immediately to the bakery and dropped his duffel bag onto the floor.

Jeanette squealed with delight and Lizzie whooped for joy.

“You’re back early! Winnie didn’t

say—”

“She doesn’t know.” This was supposed to be a surprise. He glanced around, peered into the

kitchen and frowned when he didn’t see her. “Where is she?”

Jeanette and Lizzie shared a look.

“What?” he asked, growing alarmed.

“She’s in the bathroom,” Lizzie said, but there was something in her tone that gave Adam pause.

He frowned. “Is she sick?”

Their lips quivered. “Nothing she won’t get over in a couple of months.”

Still worried and puzzled over their enigmatic behavior, Adam strolled into the hall and waited

patiently for Winnie to come out of the bathroom. He heard an ominous noise, one he recognized

and worry descended on him. She was sick? Throwing up? A moment later, the toilet flushed,

then the faucet ran and he detected the unmistakable sound of her brushing her teeth.

After what felt like an eternity, his wife—his wife, he thought, amazed at how proud that made

him feel—opened the door and stepped into the narrow hall. She gasped and squealed when she

saw him, then launched herself into his arms.

“Adam! What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t getting in until tomorrow. I was going

to come and get you,” she chided softly.

“I caught an earlier flight,” he told her, feeling the peace of finally being with her again wash

through him, settle around him, anchor him home once more. He drew back. “Are you okay? It

sounded like you were sick in there.”

She blinked, then a small secret smile slid over her lips. “I’m completely fine. In fact, I’ve never

been better.”

He didn’t understand. He knew she’d just thrown up. He’d heard her.

“Actually, I need to amend that statement. We’ve never been better.”

Adam felt his heart skip a beat as he quickly put the odd behavior, her sudden malaise and the

euphoric look on Winnie’s face together in his mind to form the most logical answer. “We?”

She nodded once, her face alight with joy. “Yes, our twins and I.”

Adam felt his eyes widen and joy bolted through him. “Twins?

You’re sure?”

She smiled. “Turns out I wasn’t as protected as I thought I was.

My birth control failed. I went

to the doctor when I didn’t start and he did an ultrasound to confirm.”

“Twins,” Adam breathed. He shook his head. “You know, I didn’t think that I could be any

happier than when I just saw you…but I am.”

Winnie smiled. “So where are we going next?” she asked. “New orders yet?”

Ah. His good news. And it was good news. While he would have never chosen this new

opportunity in the past, he couldn’t imagine his life taking a different direction now. He was still

a soldier the same as he’d always been, but he had a different purpose now, one that he was even

more passionate about. Granted there were many things about his new life he didn’t fully

understand—and he still had a few kinks in his head—but he could help people. He’d lived their

nightmare and could relate. In short, he could help.

“Nowhere,” he told her, smiling. “How would you feel if I told you I’d been offered that mobile

position I’d told you about?”

She gasped. “The mentoring opportunity? You’d be able to commute?”

He nodded. “The longest I would ever be away is two weeks at a stretch.”

Her eyes lit up and a slow smile dawned over her unbelievably beautiful mouth. She snorted.

“Two weeks is a walk in the park compared to the last two months. I’ve missed you.”

He hugged her tightly. “I’ve missed you, too.”

Winnie drew back. “Are you sure about this, Adam? We’ll do whatever makes you happy,

because I’m happy where you are.”

He knew that and he appreciated it. But he was certain. He’d proved to himself that he hadn’t

lost anything, absolutely nothing at all. In fact, he’d gained everything his heart ever desired.

“I’m sure,” he said. He nuzzled her neck. “You know what I’ve been craving?”

“A cupcake?”

“Hmm. That, too, but it can wait. I’ve actually been having the oddest craving for…powdered

sugar. Think you can hook me up?”

Winnie leaped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. Her sexy mouth found his and her

arms tightened possessively around his neck, making him feel more complete than he ever had in

his life. Desire burned through his blood, pooled in his groin and caught fire. “I’ve got your fix,”

she breathed against his lips.

And she did.