Bourbon Street Blues (15 page)

“It’s hard to admit,” he said, “but I was scared by all you were making me feel. You opened up a need in me I didn’t even know I had, but I was too leery to risk doing anything about it.”

She reached up and covered his hands with hers. Tears glimmered in her warm, gray eyes, but didn’t fall. “Parker, I felt the same way. I didn’t want to care because I couldn’t believe that you would ever really want me in your life.”

“God, Holly…”

“And when you pulled away that last time, I knew
it was because you realized I would never fit into your world.” Before he could protest, she hurried on. “I’m a nobody, Parker. I know that. In New Orleans society, you’re a king and I’m a peasant.” A smile twitched at her mouth. “Not that I mind being a peasant. I think it sounds a lot more fun than being a queen. But I don’t have the kind of pedigree a man like you needs in a woman.”

Parker laughed and shook his head. “We
are
a perfect match, Holly. You’re an idiot, too.”

“I beg your pardon?”

He grabbed her close, gave her a hug fit to break her ribs, then pulled back and kissed her until both of them were breathless.

“Don’t you get it? Holly, if I want a damn pedigree, I’ll go to the American Kennel Club. I want
you.
I think I always knew on some level that you were the one woman I was born to love. It was only my own fears that kept me from saying so.”

“Parker…”

“I
love
you, Holly. Completely. Desperately. I love you so much, I’m going to spend the rest of my life proving that to you.”

She gulped. “What do you—”

“I’m asking you to marry me, Holly. Just as soon
as Frannie’s out of my life forever, I want to start a new life. With you.”

Her mouth opened and closed a few times, but nothing came out and Parker laughed again.

“Who knew I could actually make you speechless?”

Shaking her head, she managed to say, “I do love you. Know that. Believe that.”

“I do.”

“But, Parker…”

“No buts.”

“This is a big one, so think about it before you answer.”

“Okay,” he said, still not letting go of her. Not daring to let her out of his reach now that he finally had the chance to keep her in his life forever.

“If I marry you, I’ll still want to live in that big ol’ house I just bought. I’ll still want to take in foster kids. That dream won’t change.”

“It doesn’t have to,” he promised, already loving the image of a house full of kids. “We’ll get contractors out to start on the house as soon as escrow closes. And the minute we’re married, we’ll sign up for the foster program and we’ll take in as many kids as they’ll allow—though I warn you going in, I’m going to want one or two of our own kids, too.”

She smiled up at him, and Parker felt as though
he’d just climbed the highest mountain and was taking in a breathtaking view.

“Just—please.” He dipped his head, kissed her again. “Say you’ll marry me.”

“I’ll never be the high-society wife you might need, Parker James,” Holly said, leaning into him and cuddling close. “But I swear to you, I will love you forever.”

“Honey, all I’ll ever need is my jazz singer. You’re the only world I’m interested in.”

She pulled back and smiled up at him. “And the big house.”

“And the big house.”

“And the dog.”

“A dog?” He grinned. “Deal.”

“And the foster kids.”

“And the foster kids.” Parker dropped a kiss on her forehead.

“Plus the one we’ve already got cookin’.”

“Plus the one—” Parker stopped. He felt his jaw drop. He looked into her eyes and saw the deep well of love and pride and joy shining back at him. “You’re pregnant?”

“I am,” she said, taking one of his hands and holding it to her belly. “
We
are.”

He swallowed hard and realized just how closely
he’d come to losing everything that was worth living for. If he hadn’t come to see her, he would have lost Holly. And in losing Holly, he would have lost his child.

And he might never have known.

That thought was enough to terrify him.

But as he looked into gray eyes that held a world of love for him, Parker knew he had dodged that particular bullet—making him the luckiest man alive.

Bending, he planted a kiss on her abdomen, then straightened up and smiled at her. He knew he was looking at a future filled with happiness.

Outside the dressing room, Tommy played the piano, signaling the beginning of the final set of the night.

“I’m so sorry, Parker,” Holly said. “I hate to leave you. Especially right now. But I have to get out there.”

“Don’t be sorry,” he said, giving her a quick, hard kiss, feeling the rush of joy race through him. “You’re a singer, Holly. I’ll never try to change that. I’ll always want you to be the woman I fell in love with. The woman I can’t live without. And when the show’s over, we’ll go home. Together.”

“Together,” she said. “It has a real nice sound to it.”

“Sure does,” he said, opening the door and stepping back for her to walk past him. Then he dipped his head, and under the noise of the applause, whis
pered, “Though tomorrow, I’m putting a bed in your dressing room at the jazz café. For those mid-set breaks.”

“Mmm…make it a small one,” Holly whispered with a smile. “So we’ll have to cuddle in close.”

“Lady, you’ve got a deal.”

Then he followed her out of the shadows and into the bright glare of the spotlight, knowing that at the end of the night, love would guide them both home.