Summer in Good Hope (A Good Hope Novel Book 2) (26 page)

“It’s for Rory’s ashes. I know he’ll always have a place in your heart. I’m okay with that.” He expelled a ragged breath. “You loved him a lot. Maybe you’ll never be able to love me that much. But if one day you love me even half as much as I love you, it will be enough.”

Her heart pounded in her head. Was this really happening?

“I can promise to always be there for you.” He stepped forward, as if he simply had to touch her. With one hand, he smoothed her hair back. “I will love you forever.”

“You said you couldn’t be with someone who still loved her husband, even if he had passed away.”

“I was a fool,” he said simply. “I can’t imagine my life without you in it. I love you, Prim. And I love Callum and Connor.”

He pulled her down to sit, then took a seat beside her on a folding chair.

“Rory isn’t between us. He was my husband. I loved him.” Prim cupped his cheek with her hand. “He’s my past. You’re my future.”

“Prim.” Just her name, spoken in that low, sexy tone she loved, made her shiver.

“I don’t need this, though I appreciate the gesture more than you’ll ever know.” She pressed the locket into his hand. “Deb and I scattered Rory’s ashes yesterday.”

Clearly startled, Max blinked. “All of them?”

She nodded. “Other than what I gave to Deb to bury.”

Deciding to give those ashes to Deb had been a difficult decision. Rory had made his wishes very clear. Yet it seemed to Prim there was a duty to those left behind that must be considered. Rory was a good son who’d loved his parents dearly. Prim firmly believed if Rory could have seen the comfort having those ashes gave his mother, he’d have agreed with the decision.

“That was nice of you.” He pulled her into his arms, holding her tight, stroking the back of her head.

“Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and fight for you. I’d make it clear how much you meant to me.” His gaze shifted to the water. “But then I think, if you hadn’t married Rory, then the boys wouldn’t be here. I can’t imagine life without Callum and Connor in it.”

“I can’t either,” she said softly.

“When we were playing that card game you asked what one thing about you I’d change.” He took her hands in his. “I’m telling you now, there is nothing I would change. You’re perfect just the way you are. You and me, we add up. The only thing I want to change, that I
will
change, is to make you see that we are meant for each other.”

Her stomach felt as if it had dropped three feet straight down, but she held his gaze.

“I already see that, Max.” She touched her lips to his. “I love you.”

“I want it all, Prim.” He gripped her hands tightly and his voice took on desperate urgency. “I don’t just want to date you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want us to be a family. I want to sit on the sofa and relax with you after a busy day. I want to walk down the streets of Good Hope holding your hand. I want to hold you when it’s time to go to bed and be there when you wake up.”

Love swirled inside her, filling her to bursting. Being with him was what she wanted. It was what her sons wanted. Prim knew in her heart—and her head concurred—that being with Max, making a life with him, was the best thing for her and her boys. She couldn’t imagine anything more wonderful. “That—that sounds heavenly.”

Without warning, Max released her hands, reached into his pocket, and dropped to one knee, flipping open a small box. “Primrose Bloom Delaney, I want all that with you and more. I promise that I will love, honor, and cherish you and your boys for the rest of my life. I want to be a husband to you and a father to them. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

The old-fashioned filigreed ring with its emerald-cut diamond glittered in the sunlight.

For a second Prim had trouble catching her breath.

“Yes, oh, yes.” The words tumbled out as Prim took the ring from his shaking hand. She slipped it on her finger just as a loud boom rent the air, followed by a flash of red and a shower of glittery stars against the pale blue sky.

As Max closed his lips over hers, Prim knew this was only the start of what would be a star-spangled and dazzling life together.

E
pilogue

Fin hefted a box marked “toys” and grunted. “You have rocks in here?”

Prim grinned. All morning her family—and what seemed like half the population of Good Hope—had been moving her household items into Max’s home. The duplicate furniture had been donated to a needy family.

“I’m actually not sure what’s in there. It could be rocks.” Prim rested her hands on her hips, amazed at how good her sister looked despite lugging boxes next door all morning.

For today’s move Prim had pulled her hair back into a tail and tugged on her oldest jeans and a faded tee. Fin’s layered hair looked as if she’d just stepped out of a salon, and she wore heels with trim black pants.

“Let me help with that.” Jeremy Rakes lifted the box out of Fin’s hands and was gone before either of them could respond.

Fin whirled, but the mayor was already out the door. She turned back to Prim, an unreadable expression on her face. “I didn’t know he was here.”

“There are so many people here, I’m not sure if I noticed Jeremy before or not.” Since her sister’s hands were now temporarily free, after glancing down to make sure her own were clean, Prim stepped in and gave Fin a hug. “Thank you for coming for the wedding and staying to help us move. I know it was short notice.”

Once Max had proposed and Prim had accepted, they’d decided there was no reason to wait to get married. Within four weeks they’d recited their vows in an outdoor ceremony, then celebrated into the early morning hours at a reception hosted by Ami and Beck.

“I’d never miss my little sister’s wedding.” Fin’s green eyes met Prim’s. “I always thought you and Max were a perfect fit. I’m happy you two finally got the memo and proved me right.”

Prim had always thought Fin and Jeremy were a perfect match, too, but that was one thought she didn’t dare voice. In terms of her and Max, Prim totally agreed.

“Mom.” Callum burst into the room, trailed closely by his brother. “Grandma and Grandpa want to take Connor and me to the ball field. Can we go?”

Only seconds after the boys appeared, Deb and Mike stepped into the boys’ bedroom.

“The twins were getting a little antsy and we thought it might be fun for them to have an outing.” Deb placed a hand on Callum’s shoulder.

Prim wondered if “antsy” was another word for “underfoot.”

“If it’s okay with you,” Mike added.

“Can we, Mom, can we please?” Callum begged.

“Sure, that’s fine.” Prim crossed to her in-laws as the boys cheered and raced out of the room to find their gloves.

She took Deb’s hand, gave it a squeeze. “Thanks.”

A look of surprise crossed Deb’s face. “For what?”

“For coming to the wedding, for helping with the move.” The outpouring of support she and Max had received humbled Prim.

“You and the boys are family. And now, so is Max.” Deb smiled tremulously. “We were happy to be invited.”

“It meant a lot.” Mike’s voice came out unnaturally raspy.

Prim was saved from responding when the twins returned, gloves in hand.

“We even found a ball.” Connor held it up.

“I can hit it almost every time now,” Callum boasted.

“An athlete.” Mike tousled Callum’s hair. “Just like your daddy.”

“You know, I’m actually developing an affinity for baseball.” Deb gave a little laugh. “We’ll have them back by five. Just in case you need help with dinner.”

Fin waited until Deb was out of earshot before she turned to Prim. “Her being that nice is downright spooky. Next thing you know we’ll be linking arms with Anita Fishback and singing ‘Kumbaya’ around the campfire.”

Prim chuckled at the image. “I’m counting my blessings that Anita hasn’t yet deigned to make an appearance.”

“Probably because she knows there is work to do.” Fin’s droll comment had them both giggling.

“You gals are having way too much fun.” Marigold flashed a cheeky smile as she awkwardly maneuvered several suitcases down the hall.

“Let me help with those.” Cade Rallis’s smile showed a mouthful of perfect white teeth.

Before Marigold could react, he’d lifted the luggage and disappeared down the hall.

Fin cocked her head. “Yummy.”

“Hands off, Fin.” Marigold’s tone may have been light, but Prim heard the warning.

Apparently so did Fin. She raised her hands. “Just appreciating the view.”

Prim laughed. It felt good to have all of her sisters together. She bent over to pick up another box and felt strong arms wrap around her from behind.

“I appreciate the view, too.” Max pressed a kiss against her neck.

“Now I see why the boxes are slow in coming.” Ami’s cheery tone sounded from the doorway.

Prim turned in her husband’s arms. “What can I say?” A warmth flowed through her veins, as thick and sweet as honey. “He can’t keep his hands off me.”

“She speaks the truth.” Max tightened his hold on her.

“If it were any other couple I’d be gagging by now, but that’s actually very sweet.” Marigold’s gaze lingered on Prim and Max. “It reminds me of what Mom used to say about us finding our prince.”

Fin rolled her eyes and received a short jab to the ribs from Marigold.

“I found mine.” Ami’s eyes softened the way they always did when she thought of Beck.

“Me too.” Prim tilted her head and looked deep into the brilliant blue eyes of the man she loved, the man who was now her husband, the man she would love for all of eternity. “And you were definitely worth the wait.”

A
cknowledgments

A heartfelt thanks to Sharon Tubach, accountant extraordinaire. Any accurate portrayals of life in the accounting world must be attributed to her. Any mistakes are my own.

Thanks to my Facebook buddies Kym Maltman Collar and Sue Chilson for suggesting “Boris” as the name for Prim’s beloved Russian wolfhound.

To editors Chris Werner and Lauren Plude—working with you on this book was an absolute pleasure!

A
bout the
A
uthor

Photo © 2013 Marti Corn Photography

Cindy Kirk started writing after taking a class at a local community college. But her interest in the written word began years earlier, when she was in her teens. At sixteen, she wrote in her diary: “I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t be a writer.” After her daughter went to college, she turned to her first love and jumped straight into book-length fiction. She loves reading and writing romance novels because she believes in happily ever after. An incurable romantic and an eternal optimist, Kirk loves seeing her characters grow and learn from their mistakes and, in the process, achieve a happy ending through the power of love. She and her high-school-sweetheart husband live in Nebraska with their two dogs.