Right Here Waiting (18 page)

There was a knock on the door and Josh walked in before
she could respond. “Now for the next step,” he announced.

“What next step?”

“Hair and makeup, of course.” Was he joking?  How far did
he plan to take this thing?

“C’mon, Josh. You can’t be serious. I put this dress on
for you. Doesn’t that make you happy?”

“Where is your sense of fun and adventure?”

“Fine, I’ll do it,” she said, picking up her hairbrush
off the dresser. She ran it through her hair a few times. She decided if they
were playing dress up, she would wear her hair up the way she always did in New
York. She would go for glamour and sophistication.

Back in the city, men would go out of their way to ask
her out. She wondered if it would have the same effect on the men in Hidden
Oaks.

She would never know since she didn’t plan to go outside.
This was just a harmless little game of dress up to satisfy her bored friend
and keep him entertained.

She pulled her hair up and pinned it in place with hair
pins. Next she applied her makeup. It was the first time she put any makeup on
since the morning she left New York.

She admitted to herself this was fun. She glanced over at
Josh. She couldn’t believe it. This whole thing was his idea, and now he looked
bored out of his mind, wearing the same clothes as before!

She knew what the problem was. She was the one having all
the fun. He needed to play dress up himself to experience the fun she was
having.

She imagined Josh in a dress and makeup. She laughed out
loud at the mental image. If only she could get him to play this game too.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, looking up at her.

“It’s nothing. I’m having so much fun I think it’s your
turn to experience the fun.”

“I don’t know, maybe. I’ll think about it while I pick
out a pair of shoes for you and some accessories.”

He dug in her closet, and a few minutes later, he emerged
holding up her light pink flats and handed them to her.

She sat down on the edge of her bed and slipped them on
her feet while Josh went through her jewelry. When she finished, he handed her
a simple pair of diamond solitaire earrings and a strand of pearls. She put
them on and looked up at Josh and smiled.

“What?” He suddenly looked nervous.

She got up and walked over to him. “It’s your turn,” she
said with a devilish grin as she tugged on his hand. I know the perfect dress.
It will look great on you.”

“I don’t think so,” he said as he pulled his hand out of
her grasp.

“Drats, you’re no fun,” she teased, sticking her tongue
out at him.

There was knock at the cabin door and all playfulness
came to an end. “Who’s out there?” she asked Josh. “Were you expecting
someone?”

“No, I wasn’t expecting anyone. Why don’t you go to the
door and find out who’s out there?”

“Me?” Why couldn't Josh get the door himself?  Did he
have something to hide?

“Yes, you answer it. I always answer it. It’s your turn
now.”

“Oh alright,” she said dramatically as she turned to
leave the room. When she got to the doorway, she couldn’t resist teasing Josh
one last time. “Just remember, buddy, if there is an ax murderer on the other
side of the door, I’m holding you responsible.”

Josh laughed. “Just go answer it before whoever is out there
gets tired and leaves.”

“I think I already know who it is,” she said before
turning and walking out of the room. She went over to the door and opened it.
She was surprised to see Blade standing there wearing a suit. He let out a low
whistle.

“Blade, what are you doing here?”

“I’m here to pick up my date.”

“You’re here to do what?” she asked, unsure she heard him
correctly. Could she be dreaming?

“I think you know what I said. I’m here to pick up my
date,” he repeated.

“Me?” she asked for the second time tonight.

“Of course I mean you. I’m not going out with Josh.”

She laughed nervously. She was about to tell Blade she
wouldn’t go out with him when he pulled out a light pink corsage she knew would
look good with her dress. How could she tell him no?

She stared in shock as he slipped the corsage on her
wrist. She was too stunned to say anything.

“Are you ready?” Little did he know, she was born ready,
but she decided to play it cool.

She fought to find her voice. “It all depends. Where are
we going?”

“Let it be a surprise.”

She allowed him to take her by the arm and steer her out
to his truck. He opened the passenger side door and waited until she was seated
inside, with no parts of her dress hanging out, to close it. Moments later, he
slid behind the wheel.

“Where are you taking me? Is it very far from here?”

“You will see,” was his only response. She wasn’t going to
get any clues from him. It was just as well. She loved surprises, even if the
anticipation drove her nuts.

He started the engine and drove down the gravel drive
leading out of the ranch. He pulled out on to the paved road and drove for a
short distance.

She was surprised when he turned down the dirt road
leading to the cottage. “Why are we going to the cottage?” What did he have up
his sleeve?

“You’ll see when we get there.”

The anticipation was driving her out of her mind when he
pulled the truck to a stop in front of the cottage.

He cut the engine and hopped out of the truck. He came
around to the passenger side and opened the door for her.

He helped her out and held her hand as he walked her up
to the cottage. She could hear rock music coming from inside. She looked up at
him questioningly.

She waited as he unlocked and opened the cottage door.
“Welcome to your prom, Megan Marie Nelson.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

T
he cabin was lit with candles placed
periodically throughout the place, since there was no electricity. The music
came from a battery operated stereo. Furniture was moved to create enough space
for dancing. A table set off to one side of the room set for an intimate dinner
for two. The cabin was decorated like a school gymnasium. She was too busy
taking in her surroundings to say anything.

“I know it’s not much and it won’t take the place of the
real prom you missed. I just wanted to make this evening special for you.”

“It’s perfect,” she said just above a whisper. She
couldn’t believe he remembered. She missed her own prom. She worked up enough
courage to ask him to escort her to the prom, but he turned her down.

As if reading her mind, he said, “I couldn’t take you to
your real prom because you were too young for me to date back then. There are
laws against that sort of thing.”

“I understand now, although I didn’t understand it when I
was a teenager. I was devastated when you told me no. Several guys asked me to
the prom afterwards. I turned them all down because they weren’t you.”

“You never have to worry about that again,” he said,
pulling her into his arms just as a slow love song came on. “May I have this
dance?”

“Yes,” she told him as she melted into him. She laid her
head down on his chest and they began to dance to the music. She wished this
moment could go on forever.

She tried to shut out the fact she would be going back to
New York soon. Right now, she wanted to live for the moment and enjoy this time
with Blade, which would soon be only a distant memory.

When she was in his arms, swaying to the music, time
seemed to stand still. She could hear the rhythmic beat of his heart and became
lost in it. All too soon the song ended.

“My sweet Megan,” he whispered and began trailing kisses
along the top of her head. He pulled each hair pin out one at a time, allowing
her hair to cascade down her shoulders. He hooked his fingers in her hair
before claiming her mouth with his.

A few minutes later he pulled back and grinned down at
her. “If I keep this up, we won’t be having any dinner.”

“Would it be so bad?” she challenged him.

“I would say no, but Martha slaved all afternoon
preparing our food.”

“If she cooked it, it must be delicious.” She couldn't
wait to taste it all.

“Are you saying if I cooked our dinner, it wouldn’t be?”
he asked, pretending to be offended.

“I’m not saying that at all. I’m just saying everything
she cooks is delicious.”

“Are you sure you want to go back to New York and give up
Martha’s cooking?”

“Let’s not talk about that tonight. I just want to enjoy
our prom night.”

“Fair enough,” he said as he dipped her.

“What did Martha fix for Dinner?” she asked when she was
righted again.

“Fried chicken, a fresh batch of her biscuits, mashed
potatoes and gravy, and corn on the cob. For dessert, she has prepared us an
apple pie she baked earlier today. All this talk about food is making me
hungry.”

“Me too,” she said as her stomach growled. “I’m starved.
Let’s eat.”

The food was delicious as was expected. It was always the
case when it came the Martha’s cooking, though. Neighbors used to come from
miles around just to have dinner with the Nelson’s because of her cooking.

Throughout the meal, she caught Blade watching her, a
look of desire blazing in his eyes. A tingle of excitement shot through her
like a current of electricity.

She was about to take her last bite of apple pie when
Blade surprised her. He took the fork from her hand and fed it to her. There
was something sensual about the act.

Oh Lord! Did she die and go to heaven? How was she ever
going to be able to go back to New York and leave this man behind? She couldn’t
ask him to give up his life in Idaho and follow her to New York. She wasn’t
even sure he loved her.

If he did, wouldn’t he have told her by now? It seemed
logical he would have. What did it matter? Now he owned the ranch, his life was
here, while her life was back in New York waiting for her to return to it.

Did she really want to leave? The way Blade was looking
at her right now made her want to stay here forever.

He got up and walked around the table to where she sat.
He knelt down on the floor in front of her. “I want to take you upstairs and
make passionate love to you, which I intend to do later, but there are a couple
of things we need to deal with.”

“What is that?” she asked around the lump forming in the
back of her throat. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know whatever it was he
wanted to say.

“Before I tell you what I know I have to tell you, I need
you to know I love you.” Blade finally said the words she longed to hear all
these years.

Tears formed in her eyes and her throat suddenly felt
dry. Did he just say he loved her? She fought to find her voice. She knew how
she felt about this wonderful man. She always knew. “I love you, too,” she
finally managed to say. It felt strange saying those words out loud.

She watched as Blade reached into his suit jacket, and
from a secret pocket inside the lining, he pulled out an envelope. “This is for
you,” he said, holding it out to her.

With trembling hands, she reached out and took it from
him. “What’s this?”

“I’m not sure exactly. You need to open it and read it
for yourself.”

“It’s not from you?” Who wrote this letter? Why was Blade
giving it to her?

“No.”

“Who’s it from?”

“It’s from your parents," he explained. "I got
it from the attorney today.”

“My parents?” she asked, trying to fight the tears which
were now running down her cheeks.

“Yes. You don’t need to open it now if you’re not ready –
“

“No, I’m fine,” she said as she opened it with trembling
hands. She pulled the letter out and began to read it:

Our Dearest Megan, if you are reading
this, it means we have passed away. We are also hoping this means you have just
spent a year on the ranch with Blade, as we have requested in our will.

When you left Idaho and went to New
York to start a life of your own, your father and I missed you, but we weren’t
the only ones who missed you in your absents on the ranch.

Blade missed you as well. You may have
figured this out by now for yourself. Blade was right here waiting for you all
those years, longing for the day when you would return to the ranch.

As each year passed, we began to
wonder if you were ever coming back home to us. After much discussion about
this situation, your father and I decided to make this our dying wish if you
didn't come back to the ranch by the time we passed away.

We engineered the clause in our will
so you would have to come home and stay with Blade for at least a year. By now
we are hoping you and Blade are a happy couple. If not, we hope you will make
the best choices regarding your future with Blade.