Dragon Warrior (Midnight Bay) (39 page)

“But how are you going to make William realize he loves you before you two get married?”

Maddy opened the door and looked at her. “I’m sure as hell not waiting for him to say it
before
we get married, or I’ll be rolling down the aisle in a wheelchair. They’re just words, Eve, and I don’t care if I ever hear them. It took more courage than I knew I had, but I gave William my heart with no conditions attached.” She smiled. “And I happen to have a friend who just happens to be a powerful drùidh, and if William Killkenny starts giving me too much grief, I’ll sic Mac on him.”

“I don’t think drùidhs are allowed to interfere in people’s lives like that.”

Maddy laughed at that. “Mac doesn’t seem all that worried about playing by the rules—look what he did to Fiona. And William said we don’t have to worry about those wolves coming back, because Mac’s going to make sure the guy who sent them will be too busy looking over his shoulder to cause any more trouble.”

Maddy suddenly ran her gaze up and down Eve and frowned.

“What?” Eve said, looking down at herself.

“I’m trying to picture how big your belly’s going to be in October.”

“Why?”

“So I can pick out a really nice dress for you.” She chuckled. “It’ll be refreshing to have the bridesmaid pregnant instead of the bride.”

“Maddy, he hasn’t even
asked
you yet.”

“I was thinking Columbus Day. Um . . . you’ll understand if I don’t ask you to be my maid of honor, won’t you? I’d like to give Sarah that honor.”

“Of course Sarah should stand up with you!”

“And what do you think about my having the wedding at River Run? We have that beautiful gazebo, and the maple trees will be in full color. It shouldn’t be too cold for an outdoor wedding in October, should it?”

“You think you can plan the wedding of your dreams in six weeks?”

“No. But I can plan the wedding I really want—one that’s intimate and personal, with all the people I care about in attendance.” She grinned. “Maybe I’ll invite Mac.”

Eve laughed. “I’m sure William would love to have the man who tried to buy you come to your wedding. You’re not afraid when the preacher asks if anyone has any objections that Mac might raise one or two?”

“Naw, I think he’s actually happy for William. Although it sure was fun having two men haggle over me.” She started walking backward down the sidewalk. “I’ll call you tonight. Maybe we can get together and go over my wedding plans.”

“You need a proposal first!”

“I’ll give him a week, and then
I’m
going to propose to
him
,” she said with a laugh, giving a wave and spinning around to head toward the side street.

Maddy smiled to herself as she marveled at how
not
scared she was. William was right; sometimes fate did give second chances, and she wasn’t about to blow this one. She was marrying the man of her dreams, and they were going to live happily ever after for forever—because she sure as hell wasn’t going to let William blow his second chance, either. He’d fought too hard to become human again to settle for anything less than full-blown love.

Maddy suddenly stopped walking. When William had entrusted her with the box containing his dragon claw, he
had
handed her his heart!

Which meant she
could
give it back to him.

Only not the way it was now—representing his years of anger and despair—but somehow reshaped into a symbol of his love.

When she got home, she had to find that claw, and then use it to show William that six years of being a dragon hadn’t stolen his heart but had, in fact, made it stronger.

Chapter Twenty-six

H
e asked for her hand in marriage three days later; during a candlelight dinner, surrounded by enough flowers to make a bee sneeze, and he even got down on
both
knees. A table had been set up in the center of the large gazebo overlooking the river, little white lights had been hung from the rafters, rose petals had been strewn over the floor, and every window of the nursing home had faces peeking out of them.

William had been dressed in a perfectly tailored suit—although just before getting down on his knees, he’d taken off the jacket, given her a wink, and rolled up his cuffs.

Maddy had been wearing her scrubs.

His proposal had been practically verbatim to what she’d written in her diary, except the word
cherished
had replaced love. And the diamond ring he’d held out to her was absolutely beautiful; the stone tastefully sized instead of garishly large, two shiny pink tourmalines nestled on either side of it.

That was why Maddy was sitting on Sarah’s bed right now, staring down at her empty left ring finger as she waited for her daughter to finish brushing her teeth. God, she hoped she’d done the right thing. She hadn’t said yes when William had asked her to marry him; she’d said . . . maybe.

Maddy took a shuddering breath, remembering how shocked he’d been—that is until she’d reminded him that she came with a daughter who would also be affected by her decision, and that he needed to ask Sarah, too.

William’s beautiful marine-blue eyes had turned downright pained; obviously appalled that he hadn’t thought to include the girl. Rick had already given his blessing, William had told her, since of course he’d had to ask the man of the house for her hand. Then he’d felt honor-bound to ask Patricia, and the woman had hugged him and kissed him and said yes through a small river of tears.

But when Maddy had only said . . . maybe, William had jumped to his feet, shoved her beautiful ring in his pocket, and grabbed her hand with every intention of driving to her house to ask Sarah immediately.

Maddy had pulled him to a stop, this time reminding him that the girl was only nine and that he couldn’t expect a child to make that kind of decision in two minutes. She had instead promised to tell Sarah that night, and then they would give her time to get used to the idea before
he
personally asked if she’d like them to become a family.

“Where’s Mr. Killkenny?” Sarah asked, running in and jumping up on the bed. She grabbed the book off her nightstand and slid under the covers. “We still have two chapters left of
The Chronicles of Narnia
. Isn’t he staying with us anymore?”

“No, he’s camping out on his land on Dragon Cove. He was only staying with us until his arm healed enough that he could take care of himself. Don’t worry; you’ll finish your story with him. But right now you and I need to have a little mother-daughter talk.”

Sarah suddenly took on a mutinous look, her chin lifting defiantly. “I don’t care if I am in trouble,” she said. “If you make me take it back, I’ll just say it to her again.”

Maddy arched a brow. “Excuse me? Who is the
her
you said something to, and
what
did you say?”

Sarah blinked in surprise, her cheeks turning pink at the realization she’d just tattled on herself. “Sissy,” she said, lifting her chin again. “I told her that if anyone was a gold-digger that
she
was, and that she’s also a tight-assed, man-trapping hussy with the brains of a chipmunk, because everyone knows you’re supposed to get pregnant
after
you get married, not before.”

Maddy didn’t know if she was shocked or downright proud of the girl. “Mind telling me what compelled you to say that to Sissy?”

Sarah’s mutinous glare turned uncertain. “I was watching TV in the living room Sunday, waiting for Dad to bring me home, when I heard Sissy tell him that everyone in town knows the only reason you’re chasing after Mr. Killkenny is because he’s rich. But when Daddy said it was about damn time you started dating again and that he was happy for you, Sissy exploded and started shouting at him. She said the only reason you divorced him was because
he
hadn’t been getting rich fast enough. Then she said your best friend, Eve, snatched up Mr. Gregor before you could, so you went after Mr. Killkenny before anyone else could get him. But instead of calming down when Dad told her to, Sissy started calling you nasty names and said it was obvious you were jealous of her because Daddy’s construction business finally started making money.”

Maddy opened her mouth to say something, but Sarah rushed on with her confession. “Sissy said you must really be desperate, since everyone knows Mr. Killkenny is crazy because he drives like a madman and is building a big ugly
castle
down on Dragon Cove.”

“Do you think Mr. Killkenny is crazy?” Maddy asked softly.

“No! That’s why I ran into the kitchen and told Sissy he wasn’t. I told her Mr. Killkenny is smart and nice and polite, and that he doesn’t treat me like a baby. But when she called him a caveman, I called her a tight-assed, man-trapping hussy with the brains of a chipmunk,” she finished on a whisper, her cheeks bright red.

Maddy tried but couldn’t stifle her smile. “And how did that go over?”

“Sissy burst into tears and ran upstairs, and Dad just quietly told me to get my stuff and get in the truck.”

“Did he say anything to you on the ride home?”

“He asked me if I felt comfortable around Mr. Killkenny.”

“And you said?”

“I told him I like Mr. Killkenny, and I explained how he taught me about using misdirection when somebody says something I don’t like.” She gave Maddy a sheepish grin. “I guess I should have tried using it on Sissy, but she made me so mad that I just forgot. I told Dad you’re not chasing Mr. Killkenny because he’s rich; that he’s been chasing you because you’re so pretty.” Her smile broadened. “And Dad agreed with me. He said your new hairdo makes your eyes look as big as saucers and that maybe I should get my hair cut just like it. Can I?”

Maddy arched a brow again. “I thought you wanted to keep it long to bug Sissy because she’s been trying to talk you into getting it cut for the last three months?”

Sarah got a mutinous look again. “If I had, everyone would have thought I was trying to be just like
her
. But I only want
one
mom, and . . . and that’s you,” she said, her eyes welling with tears. “Can you tell Sissy to quit trying to make me call her Mama? It’s not disrespectful for me to call her Sissy, is it, if that’s her name?”

Maddy pulled her into her embrace. “No, sweetie, you can call her whatever you want.” She chuckled. “Except a tight-assed hussy.”

Sarah sighed and wiped her face on Maddy’s shirt. “When Sissy has her baby, can I get a puppy?”

Not quite sure if she was being misdirected or simply manipulated, Maddy chuckled again. “I’m afraid that’s something you’re going to have to ask Mr. Killkenny.”

Sarah pulled away in surprise. “What’s he got to do with my getting a dog?”

“William has asked me to marry him, Sarah, and if I say yes, that means you and I would be moving in with him.”

“We would?” she squeaked, her eyes growing huge. “In his castle on Dragon Cove?” Her huge eyes suddenly turned worried. “Wait, does that mean we’d have to leave Gram?”

“That’s how it works, Sarah—children grow up and eventually move away from home. It’s what you’re going to do someday, too.”

“But if Rick moves out, too, she’ll be all alone!”

“We’d only be six miles away, not six hundred. You’ll still see Gram whenever you want. And you can have sleepovers with her.” She brushed back Sarah’s hair and tucked it behind her ear. “And we might not be moving at all. I haven’t agreed to marry William yet.”

“You haven’t? But I thought you really liked him.”

“I more than really like him, sweetie. I love William. But I also love you. That’s why I explained to him that he would have to propose to you, too.” She gave her daughter a lopsided grin. “We come as a package, Sarah. If you were two years old, then I would make the decision myself, doing what I thought was best for both of us. But you’re almost ten, and you deserve some say.”

“Daddy didn’t ask me if it was okay for him to marry Sissy.”

“The circumstances are different. Your dad has another child on the way, so he’s doing what he feels is best for everyone. And you aren’t living with him all the time, whereas you would be living with William. That’s why I’m asking you to think about how you’d feel if we got married.”

Sarah’s big brown eyes turned worried again. “But how can I know what I’d feel until it actually happens?” she whispered. “I really like Mr. Killkenny, but what if he’s only being nice to me because he likes you?”

“Do you trust me, Sarah?”

“Of course I do. You’re my mom!”

“Okay, then, let’s make a pact:
we
won’t marry William until you are absolutely certain it’s the right thing for both of us. And if it takes you two weeks, two months, or two years to get used to the idea of having another man in your life, then that’s simply how long it takes. No pressure.” She laughed. “Although I imagine you might get a few bribes from William.” She gave her daughter a stern look. “But I think you’re old enough and wise enough to take them in the spirit they’re given—as long as you don’t take advantage of the poor sap. Sometimes William gets carried away with his gifts.”