Say You Need Me (28 page)

“You didn’t have to come all this way. In fact, a phone call would have done.”

“Oh.” Sounding disappointed, Darrell glanced at the floor.

“Which leads me to wonder what’s really going on.”

Darrell’s eyes flew to hers.

Maybe it was the guarded expression on Darrell’s face that made Serena think he was holding his emotions in check, but hope filled her heart, giving her the courage to say, “You come all this way for a ten-dollar bracelet. I’m kinda wondering if the bracelet was an excuse to see me.”

God, this woman really was bold. But she asked a good question, one Darrell had been asking himself since he’d left Orlando with Cecil.

In his heart, he’d known the bracelet wasn’t worth a fortune, yet he’d taken the trip here anyway. And the smile she’d given him when he’d handed her the bracelet had made the three-and-a-half-hour drive worth it.

He’d missed seeing her smile. And if it meant another three-and-a-half-hour drive, he’d do it again, just to see those beautiful lips curl upward for him.

“How do you feel about living in Orlando?” he blurted out. Serena’s eyes bulged with confusion at the question. Hell, she wasn’t the only one who was confused. Even now, Darrell’s heart and mind seemed to be at odds. The question had come from his heart, while his mind told him he should have kept his mouth shut.

But being near Serena once more, he couldn’t imagine leaving her again. It was inexplicable, but he felt infinitely
better with her around. And he felt the need to draw her in his arms, to kiss those beautiful lips, make love to her once again. Even more, he wanted to make sure she was safe from all the psychos in the world.

For two weeks, he’d missed her to the point where he’d been going crazy. Why was it that he could only admit that to himself now?

God, he was in love with her.

“Orlando?” Serena asked. “Why would you ask if I want to live in Orlando?”

Darrell shrugged noncommittally. “I hear the antiques business is great up there.”

“Really?” Serena asked, her voice full of doubt.

“Yeah. Think about it. There are a lot of tourists who pass through there every day.”

“A ton of tourists go through Coconut Grove.”

“Not as many as Orlando, I’m sure.”

Darrell saw something fizzle in Serena’s eyes.

She said, “I’m opening my business in Miami. This is where I live. It’s my home.”

Darrell opened his mouth to say something, anything, but his tongue was so dry it felt like sandpaper. Why couldn’t he simply tell her how he felt? She was frank, bold, said what was on her mind—which was a pretty good way to live your life. Hell, Darrell had come all this way; he had nothing to lose.

Yet he said, “I’d make a lousy father, Serena. I’m not like you. I didn’t have a wonderful upbringing. I had a mother who walked out on us, and a father who might as well have. How could I be anything
but
a lousy father?”

For a full ten seconds, Serena could only stare at Darrell. She wasn’t crazy. She
hadn’t
been imagining his attraction
to her. Because here he was, talking about commitment—even if he was afraid to come out and say it.

There was a lot of fear, more fear than she could truly understand. Fear because he’d been hurt in the past by people who were supposed to love him the most. Yet she knew he was reaching out despite that, and the reality touched her heart.

“Of course you’d make a good father. Look at the facts, Darrell. You took care of Cecil all these years. No matter what he did, you were there for him through thick and thin.”

“No,” Darrell began, shaking his head. “I failed. I didn’t raise Cecil into a decent man.”

“You weren’t supposed to. Your father was supposed to do that.”

“I…”

“I’ll say this one last time, Darrell. You are not responsible for Cecil’s actions. My goodness, I doubt your own father felt as much responsibility as you do.”

Serena’s words struck a chord with Darrell. She had voiced what he’d only been able to think for years. His father had constantly blamed him for Cecil’s failures, yet he hadn’t taken any responsibility for those failures upon himself. Through those years, Darrell had been seeking his father’s approval as much as Cecil had been, and therefore, he’d accepted his father’s put-downs and had tried better to make Cecil do the right thing, in hopes that he could gain his father’s unconditional love.

Realizing the burden he’d carried but hadn’t known until now, Darrell felt a sense of relief. Serena was right. He wasn’t to blame for Cecil’s failures. Cecil had told him the same thing over and over on the drive to Miami.

It was time he let the guilt go.

“Even with Buford, you were a good father. You made sure he got bread because he was weak and the other ducks were stronger than him. You have a paternal instinct, Darrell, and it’s a good one.”

Remembering Buford, Darrell smiled.

Tilting her head, Serena gave Darrell an odd look. “Why are you talking about being a good father, anyway? What does that have to do with me?”

Yeah, he must have sounded like an idiot—and incredibly weak. He wanted her; he was in love with her. Why was it so hard to come out and say what was in his heart?

For fear she would reject him, the way he’d been rejected by his mother and his father. But hiding from his feelings would get him nowhere. And given how miserable he’d been the past couple weeks without her, he had to take a chance—even if she
did
reject him.

It could be no other way.

“Darrell?”

“Because Orlando wouldn’t be the same without you.” Serena opened her mouth to say something, but Darrell continued before she could. “And because…I’m in love with you.”

Serena didn’t react. Didn’t smile, didn’t frown, didn’t flinch. And Darrell’s heart plummeted. He’d taken a chance, had jumped off the deep end only to find there was no water in the pool.

Then Serena screamed, startling Darrell. For a second, he didn’t know what was going on. Coming from Serena, he wasn’t quite sure if this reaction was good or bad.

But then Serena jumped toward him, throwing her arms around him, and leaving Darrell with no choice but
to gather her up in his arms. Her screams of delight turned into laughter.

Yeah, she was crazy, Darrell realized, his heart filling with warmth. Who but a crazy woman would want to be with the brother of the guy who’d ripped her off?

But her laughter was contagious, and Darrell found himself laughing with her.

“Oh, Darrell,” Serena said when she caught her breath. “I love you, too.”

Darrell pulled his head back to stare at her. “So you’ll move to Orlando? Be with me?” Darrell paused, then continued. “Marry me?”

“Oh, Darrell.” Serena’s eyes misted. “Oh, yes. Yes!” She squeezed the hell out of his neck as she started that laugh/squeal thing again, but Darrell didn’t mind. He didn’t mind one bit.

She may be crazy, but this was one crazy woman he wanted to hold onto—forever.