Now and Forever 4, The Renovated Heart (29 page)

Dedication: To Mary and Dan Nichols, who
made me believe in undying love.

Tunney got misty. Then he turned the
page.

With deep appreciation to Tunney Nichols,
the love of my life and the inspiration for this book.

His chest constricted, he couldn’t breathe.
Kit loved him. She didn’t lie, she didn’t leave him. But he had
left her, with no word.
Oh my God. What have I done? I took
off…no better than Johnny. Will she ever forgive me?

“She’s giving a reading at Kiwanis
tonight…in case you’re interested.” Don raised his gaze to Tunney’s
as he dried two wine glasses.

* * * *

She still had four more books to sign when
she glanced up. Her heart lurched, her mouth went dry. There stood
Tunney, in the doorway, with her book tucked under his arm. He
approached her slowly.

“I heard I can get a book signed here.” He
wore a wary expression.

She went back to penning a brief message and
her signature, her head down focused on the page, trying to control
the trembling of her hand.

“Don’t you live in Seattle now?” she asked,
looking at him coolly.

“Not anymore.”

“Where do you live now, Timbuktu?” The
sarcasm dripped easily off her tongue but she couldn’t deny the
prick of tears at the back of her eyes.

“Willow Falls.”

Her heart leaped, but she chewed her lip to
keep her emotions in check while finishing the last book.

“Why?” She stood up straight, her gaze
meeting his.

The last signature given, the woman closed
her book, looked at Tunney and Kit then smiled. A man came up
behind her, tugged her sleeve, motioning for her to move out of the
way. Folks stopped to listen, leaving the noisy room silent.

“Because you’re here.” His lopsided grin
spread slowly across his face.

“I thought you were through with me. You
sure took off fast enough.” A lump formed in her throat, her eyes
watered.

“I didn’t know. I didn’t know where you
went…or why. I waited to hear from you…for weeks. After two weeks,
I assumed you changed your mind, took the job with Johnny’s band.
If I had known the truth…”

She opened his copy of the book but the pen
shook too much for her to write.

“My cell phone fell in the sink at the
airport…I had no way to reach you.” Her voice shook.

“I see.” He stepped closer to her.

“But if you believed me, had some faith
…”

“If you hadn’t lied to me about being
married…”

“We’ve been over that.” She took a deep
breath, trying to control her emotions and the wobble of her
fingers.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you.” He
reached out, putting his warm, dry hand over hers.

“Me, too.” She shook him off.

“Too late now?” His eyebrows formed a
question and his eyes became liquid.

Kit looked away from him, clasped her hands
together but didn’t answer.

“How’s Zoe?” Tunney slipped two fingers
in-between her hands.

“Zoe’s okay now, but she broke her leg, then
got pretty sick.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you.” He
stepped closer to her.

“I told you I wasn’t going to take the job.
Why didn’t you believe me, trust me?”

“I waited for two weeks…your history with
the truth wasn’t too good. Someone else I once cared about took off
to pursue a career, like I thought you were doing.” He closed his
hand around hers.

“How long does it take to earn your trust?”
She brought her gaze up to his but didn’t move her hands.

“I’m sorry. I should have trusted you…” He
stepped closer. No one in the room made a sound.

“When I came back, Anne Marie told me you
had left for Seattle…at first I didn’t believe her. Then I saw the
for sale sign on your house. I…knew then you were gone for good…”
Tears welling in her eyes spilled over, running down her
cheeks.

Tunney took her in his arms.

“I shouldn’t have left you. Can you forgive
me?” He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket with one hand while
the other drew her closer.

“I’ll think about it.” She didn’t move out
of his embrace.

“Please, Kit. I’ll never leave you again,”
he whispered, stroking her hair.

He pulled her into a sweet kiss. Then a more
passionate one. The spectators burst into applause. He cracked his
lopsided smile.

“Aw come on, Sweetie, he said he was
sorry…we all want to go home.” Josie Gallant piped up.

Kit pushed away from him as a blush stole up
her neck. Laughing as she wiped her eyes.

“Okay, I forgive him.”

“She said the book wasn’t about them. Hmpf.”
Agnes Green muttered.

People started to file out.

“We haven’t finished the renovation yet.” he
said, holding her coat up.

“I thought…”

“We have to repaint the living room…Bordello
Red, wasn’t it?”

Kit slipped her coat over her shoulders.

“To go with the Lurid Lavender in the dining
room…you’re right.”

“I don’t think there are any vacant rooms at
Gracie’s Mansion…”

She turned to face him

“Right! You sold your house. Need a place to
stay? You can stay with me tonight.”

“In your room or the guest room?”

“What do you think?” A wicked grin spread
across her face.

“I’m not sure. You’re pretty mad at me.”

“I may be mad, but I’m not stupid.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not going to have your sexy body in my
house and not in my bed.”

* * * *

After a late supper at Bon Appetit, Tunney
built a fire in the bedroom. Kit slipped the pink nightie he gave
her for Christmas over her naked body and splashed on her gardenia
scent.

“You’re going to ignite the bed in
that…whatever you call it.”

“I hope so…” She smiled at him while
unbuttoning his shirt.

Kit put her arms around him, and rested her
cheek against the soft dark hair on his chest. The flames cast
flickering shadows. Fire ignited inside her as she reached up to
touch his rough face.

“I thought I’d lost you forever,” she said,
pushing his hair out of his eyes.

He kissed her hand, his gaze resting on her
breasts, almost completely visible through the sheer nightie. They
shared a passionate kiss as he eased her down on the bed.

“There is one present Santa didn’t deliver
yet,” he said, reaching into the nightstand to retrieve the small,
velvet box he put there so many weeks ago.

“Kit, I love you. Will you marry me?” he
asked, handing her the box.

She opened it to reveal a beautiful
three-carat round cut diamond ring. Tears filled her eyes as her
gaze settled on him. He held his breath waiting for her reply.

“I will,” she breathed. The tears flowed
onto her cheeks.

“I’m the happiest man alive....”

He wiped her tears with his hand and placed
the ring on her finger. It glittered as the light from the fire was
reflected in each facet. Kit looked into his eyes, and saw
love.

“I have missed you,” he muttered.

”So much…oh, so much…” she whispered.

* * * *

The early spring sun stole around the
curtains in the bedroom at six thirty in the morning, waking
Tunney. He had Kit in his arms.

“Good morning almost-wife,” he said, kissing
her neck, closing his fingers around her breast.

“Good morning,” she said, yawning first,
then stretching.

She snuggled back into his arms, drawing up
the comforter against the chill in the air.

“When do we start repainting?”

“How about today?” He kissed her neck.

“Do you think we’ll ever finish renovating
this house?”

“I hope not.” He pushed her hair back from
her face.

“Me, too.” Kit rolled over to face him.

While Tunney went to buy more cans of
colorful paint plus endless rolls of blue tape, Kit took coffee up
to the third floor to read Mary’s last letter.

Letter number sixty

Dear Dan,

I can’t believe they found you! I heard
yesterday. I’ve been so excited I haven’t been able to sit down
long enough to write you this last letter. I don’t remember all the
details because I was so scared and excited to hear from the army
when they called.

All that matters is you’re alive and you’re
coming home. The officer on the phone said you’d need to spend some
weeks in the hospital. But I can be there with you. So I’m planning
to fly out to see you as soon as they tell me where you’ll be. Lily
is taking Samson and Lucky.

I keep pinching myself, because my dream has
come true. I’m grateful you were strong enough to survive. I can’t
wait to be in your arms again, to kiss you again…and all that other
stuff, too. I need to touch you, to make sure you’re real.

This is my last letter, Dan. My prayers have
been answered. Whatever happens from here forward, I know we can
deal with it. You made it! We’ll be together again, thank God.

All my love,

Mary

Kit sighed, staring at her engagement ring.
I hope our love is as strong as Mary’s.

Snuggling Tunney’s terry robe around her
body, Kit padded down to the parlor. Opening her laptop she went
right to her email.

Dear Sarah,

Tunney is back. All is well. I got engaged
last night! We’re getting married…soon. He promised to repaint the
living room. With this old house, I’m not sure we’ll ever be
finished renovating.

Hugs,

Kit

One minute later, the computer dinged.

Kit –

Tunney’s back? You’re getting married?
Fantastic! Jim and I set the date yesterday. We can plan our
weddings together. Need to hear more about what happened.

Hugs,

Sarah.

Kit started typing

Dear Sarah,

What date did you pick? We need to talk.
Tunney’s back from the hardware store. Gotta go.

Hugs,

Kit

Kit heard the truck door slam. He entered
carrying paint. She couldn’t wait. But first, the computer
dinged—another message from Sarah.

Kit –

Seems renovation is a full time
job…especially when renovating your heart.

Callie picked up her cell. It was Eliza
Baines, her best friend.

“What’s up?” Callie sipped coffee while she
turned on the dishwasher.

“I can’t believe it.”

“What?” She took her phone to the living
room.

“Guess who has come back to town.”

“Who?” Callie sank down into a soft cushion
on the sofa.

“Three guesses.”

“Give me a hint.” She put her feet up on the
coffee table.

“Male.”

“Another hint.”

“Used to date someone very close to me.”

“Oh, crap. You can’t mean him?”

“I certainly do. Damn. How the hell am I
going to tell Kaitlyn?”

“Why is he here?”

“I don’t know, but it better not be to see
her.”

“What can you do about it?”

“Nothing except not tell her. And don’t you
tell her either,” Eliza said.

“You can’t keep this a secret.”

“I can sure as hell try. Promise you won’t
say anything.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

“Gotta go. Danny’s home.” Callie pocketed
her cell.

The front door opened and Mac entered. He
put down his briefcase on the hall table and turned to her.

“Guess who’s back in town,” he said.

“Eliza already called.”

He shook his head. “You have a direct line
to everything that happens in Willow Falls.”

“Damn right.” She smiled as she lifted her
chin to receive his kiss.

THE END

Continue the saga of the Caldwell family and
their friends in the next book in the series, Now and Forever 5,
Love’s Journey. Find out who has come back to Willow Falls and why
he has returned. Join Callie on her quest to find Jason’s
biological father.

Jean Joachim is an author, wife, and a
mother of two sons. She is owned by a rescued pug named Homer. She
lives in a small apartment in New York City during the winter and
spends summers writing in a cabin in Sullivan County, NY. She has
always wanted to be a writer and storyteller and was making up
fantasies to share with her friends when she was a child. She spent
years writing in advertising as a copywriter.

She has had seven non-fiction books
published but didn’t try her hand at fiction until 2010. Her first
romance, “Sunny Days, Moonlit Nights”, a sweet contemporary romance
was published in February 2011. The Now and Forever series, sensual
contemporary romances, are being published by Secret Cravings. Also
the Hollywood Hearts series and the Manhattan Dinner Club
series.

www.secretcravingspublishing.com