Wife for Hire (17 page)

“Hey there.”

Her body went numb, but it had nothing to do with the frigid temperature. She clutched the pie closer to her chest, trying to alleviate the ache that had blown into a stabbing pain upon seeing his face. His gaze roamed over her from head to toe, and she resisted the urge to turn tail and run. Everyone knew that the first time you bumped into an ex you were supposed to make him regret losing out, and right now she looked like something the cat would’ve opted
not
to drag in. She’d made a karmic misstep along the way somewhere because the fickle wench had decided to pay her back in spades lately. To add insult to injury, he looked mouthwateringly gorgeous in his jeans and fisherman’s sweater, as always.

“Wh-what are you doing here?” she said when she was finally able to speak past the shock of seeing him again.

“I came to see you.”

“Is something wrong? I cashed the check. I hope that’s all right. I figured since we did catch Nic—”

“I’m not here about the check.”

“What then?”

Despite the fact that he looked gorgeous, something was different. The confidence he usually wore like a force field was nowhere to be found when he walked toward her.

His steps were hesitant, his body language unsure. “Is it too late?”

The question seemed like it was torn from him against his will. She tried to work out his meaning, but as he drew closer, she noted his face looked tired and drawn.

“Are you sick?” Dear God, what if it was something awful? Anxiety clawed at her and she reached out a hand to touch him before remembering that he wasn’t hers to touch. She snatched her hand back, and hurt clouded his eyes.

“No. Yes. No, not the way you mean. I just need to know the answer to the question. Is it too late?”

“Too late for what?” she asked dumbly, still searching his face for clues.

“For us? For me to have figured it out?” He dropped to one knee in front of her and her stomach followed.

Could this really be happening?

“Lindy, I screwed up. I screwed up bad. I didn’t know it, not really, until you were gone. Everything was gray. It was like what happened to my mother all over again. It terrified me until I realized something. I
could
live without you. I could throw myself into my work, socialize, and carve out some sort of life for myself. And, some day, when the memory of you faded a bit, I could be content with my lot.” His eyes beseeched her. “Then I realized that I don’t want to. I want to light up when you walk into a room. I want to fight with you, and be angry when you go down the mountain too fast. I want to risk it. Because I love you.”

He pulled a small velvet box from his pocket and held it out to her. “I know I’m not as brave as you are, but I’m willing to work at it every day. If you’ll have me, that is.” He flipped the lid up and looked her square in the eye. “Marry me, Lindy. Please.”

She stared sightlessly down at the box, tears obscuring her vision. “I’m holding a pie.”

Some color returned to his stark face at her inane declaration. “I see that.”

“Can I put it down?”

He gently plucked the box from her unresisting fingers and tossed it to the ground.

“Ask me again. Without the pie,” she demanded, knuckling the tears from her eyes and fluffing her hair.

A slow smile spread across his face. “Lindy, will you marry me?”

“I will. I absolutely will.” She sank to her knees and threw her arms around him on a sob. “I love you too. So much.”

“I’m sorry I’m so slowwitted. This week was hell, and I can only imagine how it went for you.” He directed a pointed glance to the now-smashed pie on the driveway between them.

“It doesn’t matter now. None of that matters.”

He leaned back and held out the jewelry box again. “Don’t you want to see the ring?”

She nodded and peered in to see a plain gold band. “It’s lovely, but it looks kind of big. I couldn’t care less, though. We can get it sized.” She snatched the ring and moved to slip it on, making a mental note to take it off at bedtime until she had it fitted. Before she got it past the first knuckle, he took her hand to stop her.

“That one’s for me,” he murmured softly, tugging it from her finger. The weight of those words wasn’t lost on her and the tear factory started churning them out double-time.

“I l-love you s-so m-much.” Her sobs turned to semi-hysterical laughter as he removed the velvet padding from the box to reveal an oval diamond in an antique white gold setting. He slipped it on her finger and pressed a kiss to the spot right above it.

“Now come on, I’ve got a surprise for you.” He pulled her to her feet and led her toward the truck. “I couldn’t very well ask you to be the queen of my castle without making sure the royal mutts had a place to call their own.” He swept off the tarp with a flourish, revealing seven tiny doghouses, each hand-painted with the puppies’ names.

“We can keep them? All of them?” She’d been so sure she would be able to let them go when the time came. As she stared at the little red houses she realized that Owen had always known what she hadn’t. Giving even one of them away would have devastated her.

Her heart was so full. She patted her chest, muttering softy to herself as Owen pulled her close.

“Everything’s better than fine,” he whispered into her hair. “Everything is amazing.”

Acknowledgments

Thanks to my Mom and Dad for having my back 100% of the time, still trying to give me gas money when I’m a spit away from my fortieth birthday, following me (and only me) on Twitter, and for being as excited about this journey as I am. You guys are the best.
 

Thanks to my family at home, Chip, Ryan, Allison, Justin, Sean and Spencer, for putting up with me when I’m in deadline-panic-flail mode and I make you clean the bathrooms and eat dinners from a box. You all rock and I love you dearly. (But
you’re
my favorite. You know who you are *wink*.)

  Thanks to my awesome friend and tireless crit partner, Riley Murphy. Having you in my corner is an absolute privilege. Let’s take over the world. 

Thanks to Alethea Spiridon Hopson, Editorial Director of the amazing Indulgence line, for your work on this book. I’m so pleased and proud to be part of this crew!

And last but not least, a million thanks to my amazing editor, Kerri-Leigh Grady. Your knack for finding the leaks amazes me, your trust in me to fix them humbles me, and your bawdy humor delights me. We’re having some serious frigging fun, aren’t we?

About the Author

Christine Bell is one half of the happiest couple in the world. She and her handsome hubby currently reside in Pennsylvania with a four-pack of teenage boys and their two dogs, Gimli and Pug. If she gets time off from her duties as maid, chef, chauffeur, or therapist, she can be found reading just about anything she can get her hands on, from young adult novels to books on poker theory. She doesn’t like root beer, clowns or bugs (except ladybugs, on account of their cute outfits), but lurrves chocolate, going to the movies, the New York Giants, and playing Texas Hold ’Em. Writing is her passion, but if she had to pick another occupation, she would be a pirate…or, like, a ninja maybe. She loves writing fun and adventure-filled romance stories, but also hopes to one day publish something her dad can read without wanting to dig his eyes out with rusty spoons.