02_Groom of Her Own (25 page)

Slowly Sam had begun to believe that maybe—maybe—there was a future for them together. According to everything she was learning in Bible class, the Lord offered forgiveness to those who repented. And if the Lord could forgive her, maybe, just maybe, Brad could, as well. She even began to harbor a precarious hope that if he loved her enough he might be able to accept the possibility that theirs could be a childless union.

Sam knew she was juggling a lot of “maybes.” There were issues she needed to resolve with Brad. And she would. Soon. But not tonight. Not when he was holding her so tenderly, his hand stroking her back, his lips in her hair. There would be time to face reality later. For tonight, for this moment, she just wanted to lose herself in the magic of his arms. And so, with another contented sigh, she molded herself even more closely against the hard planes of his body and refused to think about tomorrow.

Brad felt Sam move closer and glanced down at the top of her head. Her cheek was pressed to his shoulder, her glorious red hair resting softly against the front of his jacket. It was becoming more and more difficult to imagine his world without her, he realized. She was lively and energetic and fun, bringing joy and renewed life to his existence. She was also tender and compassionate and loving, and those qualities touched his heart, filling him with a deep yearning that grew stronger each day. He no longer wanted to part from her at the end of an evening together and return to his empty house—and empty bed. He wanted to fall asleep with her every night, his last conscious sensation her soft body snuggled against his, and wake up each morning to find her burnished hair spilling over his arm, her gorgeous green eyes merely inches away as they smiled sleepily into his. He wanted her to share everything with him, from his morning coffee to his last waking thoughts. In other words, he wanted her to share his life. Anything short of that was becoming less and less acceptable.

Weeks before, Rebecca had said he was in love. Brad had denied it then, but now he was forced to admit the truth. Rebecca was right He loved Sam. And maybe it was about time he told her.

The music came to an end, and reluctantly he loosened his hold. Sam released a small sigh and stepped back slightly to look up at him, her unguarded eyes seeming to mirror his deepest feelings.

Yes, he decided. It was time he gave voice to what was in his heart.

*   *   *

“Okay, big brother, you’ve got fifteen minutes,” Rebecca said with a glance at her watch. She poured herself a glass of orange juice then joined him at the kitchen table, where Brad was enthusiastically working his way through a gargantuan waffle.

“For what?” he mumbled between bites.

“To finish the conversation we started last night.”

He looked at her innocently, twirling a bite of waffle in the syrup. “Which conversation was that?”

Rebecca took a sip of juice and pointed out the window, where Henry and Sam were in deep discussion next to the rose garden, apparently oblivious to the oppressive late-August humidity. “About you and a certain redhead. Who I like very much, by the way.”

Brad smiled. “I like her, too.”

Rebecca chuckled. “Yeah, I know. So why are you dragging your feet? Is it serious or not?”

Brad’s hand stilled and he turned to look out the window, his eyes lovingly tracing Sam’s profile. “It’s very definitely serious,” he affirmed quietly.

Rebecca reached over and touched his arm. “I’m happy for you, Brad,” she said softly, all traces of her teasing tone vanishing.

“Thanks. I just hope she feels the same way.”

Rebecca turned to look thoughtfully out the window. She had no doubt that Sam loved Brad. It was obvious. Yet she sensed some sort of tension, almost worry, in the other woman that she couldn’t quite get a handle on. But maybe it was just her overactive imagination, she told herself. There was probably no reason for concern.

“Why so quiet all of a sudden?” Brad asked cautiously, wondering if Rebecca harbored doubts about Sam’s suitability as a minister’s wife. Sam wasn’t stereotypical, that was for sure. Her flamboyant nature and less-than-active religious life had given him pause as well. They were issues he still grappled with on occasion. Yet he knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he loved Sam. The rest he had put in the Lord’s hands.

Rebecca suppressed her wayward thoughts and turned back to Brad. “Just thinking about what a nice couple you two make,” she said, much to his relief. “And as for hoping she feels the same way—you won’t know till you ask her,” she pointed out. “But I wouldn’t worry too much. The lady is definitely in love,” she added with a smile. Then she swallowed the last of her juice and stood up. “Sorry to run like this. But Rose and Frances held the fort for me last night at the restaurant, and I don’t want to impose too much.”

Brad grinned, picturing the two maiden sisters who were combination hostesses, cooks and mother hens for Rebecca. “You were lucky to find them.”

Rebecca smiled. “Don’t I know it! They’re a treasure! That’s why I don’t want to leave them in the lurch to handle the Saturday crowd alone. I’ll just say goodbye to Dad and Sam on my way out,” she said, pausing at the door. “And keep me informed,” she added, smiling.

Brad watched as Rebecca joined Henry and Sam, giving each of them a lingering hug. She said something that made Sam laugh, and then, with a wave, she was gone. Henry and Sam went back to their gardening discussion, and Brad tackled his waffle again, spearing a bite and chewing thoughtfully. Rebecca was right. He wouldn’t know how the lady felt till he asked her. And he would. Just as soon as the right opportunity presented itself.

“Well, I’d say the party was a success,” Sam said as they approached St Louis. “Your dad seemed to have a great time. And I like your sister. She’s very nice.”

“Yeah. I’m kind of partial to her,” Brad replied with a smile. “She liked you, too, by the way.”

Sam returned his smile. “I’m glad.”

There was a moment of silence, and Brad suddenly sensed an undercurrent of excitement. He glanced at Sam curiously, in time to see her tuck her hair behind her ear—a gesture he’d come to recognize as a sign of nervousness or excitement Something was very definitely up.

Sam drew a deep breath and turned to him. “I guess this is the weekend for surprises,” she said with studied casualness. “I have one for you, too.”

He looked at her and quirked an eyebrow questioningly. “You do?”

“Mmm-hmm. Just follow my directions when we get in a little closer.”

He did as she asked, pulling to a stop a short time later in front of a contemporary ranch-style house.

She turned to him eagerly, no longer trying to restrain her excitement, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “Well, this is it!” she declared.

He looked at her quizzically. “This is what?”

“Your house! I found your house!”

“My house?”

“The one you need, remember?” she teased. “I’ve been keeping my eyes open, but I just couldn’t find the right one. This came on the market Thursday, and I took a quick look, even though it hasn’t been officially listed yet. But I’ve got the key.” She reached into her purse and withdrew it, dangling it in front of him enticingly. “Do you want to take a look?”

He grinned. “Absolutely.”

For the next hour they poked through every corner of the house and the yard, and Brad had to admit that Sam’s instincts were right on target. Even he hadn’t known exactly what he wanted. Until now.

“So…what do you think?” she asked anxiously, when they’d completed their tour and stood once again under the vaulted ceiling in the living room.

He shook his head. “I don’t know how you did it. But it’s perfect.”

A smile of relief brightened her face. “Thank goodness! I thought this was the sort of house you had in mind, but I wasn’t absolutely sure. And it’s close to your church, too.”

“What do
you
think of it?” he asked.

“I think it’s great!” she said enthusiastically. “It’s modern—but not too much so. And it’s bright and airy and spacious. I know it’s a little more than you want to spend, but I really think it’s worth it, Brad. This is a solid neighborhood, and the prices have steadily risen here. So it’ll be a good investment.”

“I’ll take your word on that. And it does seem ideal.” He took a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s make an offer.”

“Great! I’ll get the paperwork ready.”

He glanced at his watch, a thoughtful look on his face. “I’ve got to take care of a few things this afternoon. How about if I stop by your place around seven? Would that work?”

“Sure. I’ll be ready for you. I’ll even chill a bottle of wine so we can celebrate.”

“That would be perfect,” he said with a smile. And if things went well, he thought, they’d be celebrating a whole lot more than buying a house.

Brad nervously fingered the small velvet box in the pocket of his jacket as he waited for Sam to answer the door. He hadn’t planned to move quite this quickly, but the opportunity he’d been waiting for had unexpectedly presented itself, and it was too good to pass up. What better time to ask Sam to marry him than when he was buying a house they would hopefully share? He’d spent the afternoon at the jewelry store, emerging lighthearted and excited with his purchase, but now that he was actually faced with posing the question, his confidence faltered. Maybe he’d misread Sam’s feelings. Despite Rebecca’s assessment, maybe Sam just liked him. Maybe that’s as far as it went with her. What if she said no? he thought in sudden paruc.

The door opened, and Sam’s tender smile and warm, welcoming eyes allayed some of his doubts.

“Hi,” she said, her gaze sweeping over his cream linen blazer, open-necked blue shirt and crisply pleated tan slacks. “You look nice,” she added approvingly, her eyes returning to his.

“Thanks. So do you,” he replied, returning the compliment with a warm smile. Then he reached for her, and she went willingly into his arms, her ardent, breathless response rapidly dispelling the rest of his doubts. His wavering confidence steadied.

When Brad released her after a lingering kiss, Sam smiled and stepped back, emitting a small sigh of pleasure. “Mmm. Nice. But you’d better keep your distance until we fill out the paperwork on the house. If you distract me too much I might add a zero to your offer or something,” she warned with a laugh as he entered. She closed the door behind him, leading the way toward the kitchen. “I’ve got all the paperwork ready. It’s on the table,” she said, heading in that direction.

“Sam.”

An odd note in his voice stopped her, and she turned to give him a questioning look. “What’s wrong? Are you having second thoughts?”

He shook his head. “Far from it.” He raked his fingers through his hair and gestured toward the couch. “Could we sit down for a minute?”

“Sure.” She moved toward the living room, watching him with a worried frown as he sat down beside her and reached for her hand, cradling it between his. “What is it, Brad? Is the price too high? I know it’s a little more than you wanted to—”

“The price is okay, Sam,” he interrupted her.

She fell silent Something was wrong, though she didn’t have a clue what She’d just have to wait for him to tell her in his own way.

Brad smiled at her tentatively, his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand. “You’ll have to forgive me if I seem a little nervous. But I’ve only done this one other time.”

Something in his tone triggered a faint alarm bell in the back of her mind, and a knot began to form in her stomach.

“I know we’ve only been dating for five months, Sam. But as my father and sister told me, that’s long enough when you meet the right person. And I have.”

He gazed at her, and she stared at him, mesmerized by the soft glow of love reflected in his eyes. “Before you came into my life, there was a cold, empty place in my heart that desperately needed light and warmth. I found those things in you. And somewhere along the way, I also found something else. I found love.”

He reached into his coat pocket and withdrew the small velvet box, flipping it open to reveal a sparkling solitaire.

“The simple fact is, I love you, Sam. I want to spend the rest of my life waking up next to you, laughing with you, sharing with you. I want us to grow old together surrounded by our children, with wonderful memories of a life filled with love and joy and discovery.” He paused and took a steadying breath. “Will you marry me?”

Sam continued to stare at Brad, her eyes now wide with shock. This wasn’t supposed to be happening. Not yet Brad wasn’t the impulsive type. He was the kind of man who should believe in a long courtship. She thought she had plenty of time to bring up the secrets from her past. But obviously she had thought wrong.

With all her heart Sam wanted to throw herself into his arms and say yes, to forget her past and think only of the wonderful future Brad offered. But that wouldn’t be fair to him. He deserved to know exactly what he was getting. There were issues that had to be faced. And they had to be faced now, whether she was ready to address them or not. Carefully Sam withdrew her hand from between his and rose, nervously lacing her fingers together as she began to pace, trying to formulate the words that needed to be said.

Brad sat perfectly still, tuned in to every nuance of her response. While he had limited experience with proposals, this was
not
the reaction he had hoped for. He had expected surprise, yes. But not shock. And Sam was clearly shocked. She looked agitated and distracted, and the fact that she was putting physical distance between them was not a good sign. He felt his stomach clench, and his throat grew tight with tension. Had he misread her interest after all? He waited with trepidation for her to speak, but as the seconds slowly ticked by she remained silent, pacing nervously, her eyes almost desperate. Something was very, very wrong.

Finally Brad couldn’t stand the silence any longer. “Sam?” he prompted, striving to keep his voice even, trying not to reveal his tension.

She ignored him, so he tried again. “Sam?” His voice was gentle, but a bit more insistent, and this time she paused, slowly turning to face him. Brad frowned at the fear and despair reflected in her eyes. “What is it?” he asked, suddenly afraid himself.