This Heart of Mine (37 page)

"It's only July, loser," she sneered. "By Super Bowl Sunday I'll have forgotten your name."

"I seriously doubt that."

"Whatever." She scratched a mosquito bite, looked bored, and spoke the ugliest words she'd ever said. "My mistake. I really don't think I love you after all."

Horrified, she began to snatch it back, then stopped because he didn't look upset, only calculating.

"Liar. Have you ever heard of the Saxeten River Gorge?"

"Can't say as I have." Had the fire alarm lost a few decibels? "It sounds boring. Did you hear me say I didn't love you?"

"Yeah. Anyway, it's in Switzerland, and it's as treacherous as they come. But I'm prepared to rappel to the bottom, and once I get there, I'll carve your initials in the rock."

Yes, definitely not as loud
. She tapped her foot in the grass. "Touching, but Switzerland's almost as far away as the Super Bowl. Besides, when it comes right down to it, all you're talking about is a little graffiti, right?"

"There's a sport called parapenting. You parachute off a mountain peak—"

"Unless you're going to write my name in the sky on your way down, don't bother."

His eyes lit up.

"On second thought," she said hastily, "you'd probably misspell it. And the closest mountains are on the other side of the state, so what about the here and now? Okay, maybe I do love you, but truth is, champ, all this Iron Man stuff might impress the guys in the locker room, but it won't get you babies and home-cooked meals."

Babies and home-cooked meals! A family that was all hers. And a man who satisfied her to the very depths of her soul.

Just like that, the fire alarm went still forever.

"So we're going to play hardball," he said.

Kevin understood her better than anyone on earth. He understood her so well that he still hadn't thrown up his hands and stomped away. She listened to the glorious silence inside her and wanted to weep with the joy of knowing that this man's love didn't have to be earned with perpetual good behavior.

"I was willing to give up the Stars for you," he reminded her, his expression shrewd. "But I guess that's not good enough…"

"Oh, yes… " Kevin without the Stars was unthinkable.

He didn't take his eyes off her. "So I'll have to give you something more."

"Not necessary." She smiled her love at him. "You passed the test."

"Too late." He grabbed her hand and began pulling her back toward the campground. "Come on, sweetheart."

"No, really, Kevin. It's all right. I was just—It's the fire-alarm thing. I know it's neurotic, but I wanted to be sure you really loved me. I—"

"Could you walk a little faster? I'd like to get this over with so we could start working on one of those babies you mentioned."

A baby… And this time it would be all right. She realized he was pulling her toward the beach. "You don't have to—"

"We'd better take one of the rowboats. Not that I don't trust you in a canoe, but let's face it, you've got a spotty record."

"You want to go out on the lake? Now?"

"We have unfinished business." He led her onto the dock. "You're still looking for that great romantic gesture."

"No I'm not. Really! I've already had the most romantic gesture you could possibly make. You were willing to give up the Stars for me."

"Which didn't impress you."

"More than you can imagine. I've never been so impressed."

"Could have fooled me." He stepped down into the row-boat tied to the end of the dock, then pulled her in with him. "Apparently I still haven't met the Dan Calebow Standard."

"Oh, but you have." She sat on the seat. "I was just being… careful."

"You were being neurotic." He untied the line and picked up the oars.

"That, too. So do we really need to take to the high seas?"

"Oh, yeah." He began to row.

"I didn't mean it. When I said I didn't love you."

"You think I don't know that? And you can tell me how romantic I am when we get to the middle of the lake."

"I'm not being critical, but I don't imagine you'll be able to do anything too romantic out there."

"That's what you think."

She loved him so much that it wasn't hard to humor him. "You're right. Rowing us to the middle of the lake is a very romantic gesture."

"I do know my romance."

He didn't have a clue about romance, but this sweet-talking son of a preacher man knew everything there was about love. Daphne rippled on his chest with the movement of his muscles as he rowed. "I like your T-shirt."

"If you're right about your sister—which I hope you are, even though I swear I'm going to report her to the commissioner—I'll have them made up for all the guys on the team."

"Maybe not your best idea."

"They'll wear 'em." He smiled. "I'll make a concession to the defense, though, and put Benny on theirs. And congratulations on saving your books. Lilly told me all about it over the phone. I'm sorry you had to sell your place, but it would have been too small for both of us anyway."

Molly thought of the big old Victorian farmhouse on the outskirts of Du Page County she'd heard Phoebe mention was up for sale. It would be plenty big enough.

"I think we're about in the middle," she said.

He looked behind him. "Just a little farther. Did I tell you how deep it was out here?"

"I don't think so."

"Really deep."

She could feel her smile spreading all over her face. "I'm hopelessly in love with you."

"I know that. It's my own hopelessly-in-love feelings that are in question."

"I promise I won't ever question them again."

"Let's make sure of that." He shipped the oars, and they drifted for a while. He looked at her and smiled. She smiled back.

Her heart felt as if it had somehow gotten lodged in her throat. "You're the most steadfast man I've ever known, Kevin Tucker. I can't imagine why I thought, even for a moment, that I needed to test you."

"Every once in a while you go crazy."

"Phoebe calls them 'incidents.' And today was the last one. I risked throwing away the most important thing in my life, but I won't make that mistake again." Her eyes filled with tears. "You gave up the Stars for me."

"I'd do it again. Although I sincerely hope I don't have to."

She laughed. He smiled, then looked serious. "I know you don't love football the same way I do, but, driving up here, I kept thinking about coming out of the huddle and looking over toward the fifty-yard line." He touched her cheek. "I saw you sitting there just for me."

Molly could see it, too.

"The wind's picked up," he said. "It's getting colder."

The sun shone in the sky as well as in her heart, and she knew she'd never be cold for the rest of her life. "I'm fine. Perfect."

He nodded toward the sweatshirt that was still wrapped around her waist. "You'd better put that on."

"I don't need it."

"You're shivering."

"That's from excitement."

"Can't be too careful." The rowboat wobbled a bit as he stood and drew her up in front of him, where he unfastened the sweatshirt and pulled it over her body. It was so large it came to her knees. He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Do you have any idea how precious you are to me?"

"Yes, I really do."

"Good." Quick as a flash he crossed the empty sleeves in front of her like a straitjacket and tied the cuffs in the back.

"What are you—?"

"I love you." He brushed a kiss across her lips, picked her up, and dropped her over the side.

She was so astonished that she took a mouthful, then had to kick furiously to get to the surface. With her arms imprisoned, it wasn't easy.

"There you are," he said when she bobbed up. "I was getting worried."

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting till you're ready to drown." He smiled and eased back down on the seat. "And then I'm going to save your life. Dan did it for Phoebe, and I'm going to do it for you."

"Dan didn't try to
murder her first
!" she screamed.

"I go the extra mile."

"Of all the stupid—" She caught another mouthful, coughed, and tried to say more. Unfortunately, she was sinking back under.

He was in the water waiting for her when she came up—hair dripping in his eyes, Daphne plastered to his chest, his green eyes dancing with the sheer pleasure of being alive, in love, and having such a good time. There was no woman on earth who could entertain him the way she could. And no woman who would ever love him more.

Which didn't mean she was giving in without a fight. "By the time you save me," she pointed out, "I'll be too tired to do anything but sleep."

Seconds later she watched the sweatshirt sink to the bottom of the lake without her.

"That was fun." Kevin's smile was a mile wide, and his eyes were misty with something other than lake water.

"Not in front of the children." Her eyes were misty, too, as she tugged off his Daphne T-shirt.

They made love in the shadow of the rowboat, holding on to the gunwale and each other, choking and gasping, first one of them underwater and then the other, two daredevils who'd found their perfect mate. Afterward they gazed into each other's eyes, not saying anything, just feeling peaceful and absolutely perfect.

Found in a notebook tucked under the gazebo at the Wind Lake Campground.
Author unknown—although there are suspicions.

All the animals in nightingale woods gathered for the christening. Daphne wore her second-best rhinestone tiara (she'd misplaced her best at a road rally). Benny polished his mountain bike until it shone. Melissa dazzled with a swirly scarf from the rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré, and her new husband Leo the Bullfrog created a beautiful painting in honor of the occasion.

The ceremony took place under a shady tree. The animals waited until it was over to scurry out from the shadows of the gingerbread cottages and move among the guests, invisible to all but the very smallest of humans.

Victoria Phoebe Tucker blinked down at Benny from her perch on her father's shoulder, her green eyes alive with curiosity.
What's up, dude
?

"What's up yourself?"

Hey, you look familiar.

"I know your dad pretty well."

Daphne hopped forward. "
Bonjour
, Victoria Phoebe, and welcome to Nightingale Woods." She cast an admiring glance at the frothy confection of white lace and pink ribbons that enveloped the baby and draped her father's large, tan arm. Victoria Phoebe already had an eye for fashion. "I'm Daphne, and this is Benny. We stopped by to introduce ourselves."

"And see if you wanted to play some football," Benny added.

Victoria Phoebe stuffed a pink ribbon from her christening cap into her mouth.
You might have noticed I'm sort of tied up right now
.

"Sarcastic like her mother," Murphy Mouse noted.

Victoria Phoebe's father reached up to retrieve the ribbon. She went after his hand and took a few chomps on her favorite teether, his brand-new Super Bowl ring. He kissed her forehead and exchanged a special smile with her mother, who stood at his side. Nearby her Aunt Phoebe gazed happily at the new family that her special talent for deception had helped create.

"I don't recognize all of the big people," Leo the Bullfrog said, "but I sure know the little ones—the Calebows and Bonners, the Denton children from Telarosa, Texas, and isn't that a Traveler over there?"

Victoria Phoebe liked being in the know, and she abandoned the Super Bowl ring to point out some of the adult guests.
All those giant men are Daddy's playmates. And over there are Uncle Cal's brothers with the mommies and kids. Aunt Jane is talking to Uncle Dan right now. She's pretty nice, but she tried to write something on my leg last night when she was holding me, and Daddy had to take her pen away
.

"We've had complaints before," Daphne said. "Your mother looks particularly fetching."

And she smells totally awesome
—
like flowers and cookies. I love my mom. She tells the best stories
.

"Like, duh," Benny said.

Daphne poked him, but Victoria Phoebe was snuggling into her father's neck and didn't notice. She peeked back up.
This is my daddy dear. He says I'm his very special girl, but not

to tell Mommy, except he always says it in front of her, and then they laugh.

"You have very nice parents," Melissa observed politely.

I know, but they kiss my cheeks too much. I'm getting chapped.

"I remember Rosie Bonner used to complain about the same thing."

Rosie Bonner
! Victoria Phoebe grew indignant.
Last night she tried to hide me in the litter box because I was getting too much attention, but Hannah distracted her with a cookie. I loooove Hannah
.

"She's always been our special friend," Daphne said. "We played with her a lot when she was your age."

Don't you play with her now?

The animals exchanged glances. "Not in the same way," Benny said. "Things change. Stuff happens."

Victoria Phoebe was a future summa cum laude, so not much got past her.
What kind of stuff
?

"Children can only see us when they're very young," Melissa explained kindly. "As they get older, they lose the power."

That bites.

"But they can read about us in books," Murphy Mouse added, "which is nearly as good."

"Books that are making your mother a ton of money," Leo pointed out. "Although not as much as my paintings."

Victoria Phoebe grew huffy.
Forgive me very much, but reading doesn't hold a lot of appeal at the moment. I'm still trying to cope with diaper rash
.

"Definitely sarcastic," Celia the Hen clucked.

Daphne, who appreciated sarcasm, decided it was time for more explanation. "Even though you won't be able to see us as you get older, Victoria Phoebe, we'll be around watching out for you and all your brothers."

Brothers?!

"We're sort of like guardian angels," Melissa interjected hastily.

"Furry ones," Benny added.

"The point is," Daphne said patiently. "You'll never be alone."

Exactly how many brothers
? Victoria Phoebe asked. And then,
Oops! Gotta go
! as her father passed her over to her mother.

The creatures watched Kevin pick up a glass of lemonade from the table under the trees. "I'd like to propose a toast," he said. "To all our friends and the family that means so much to me. Especially to my mother, Lilly, who came into my life at just the right time. And my sister-in-law, Phoebe, who is almost as good at matchmaking as she is at running a football team." He turned, cleared his throat, and sounded sniffy. "And to my wife… the love of my life."

Victoria Phoebe peered around her mother's arm.
Here they go with the kissing again. Right now it's just each other, but they'll get to me and my cheeks next
.

Sure enough, they did.

Daphne gave a blissful sigh. "Now we're at the very best part of being in the book business."

"The happy ending," Melissa said, nodding in agreement.

"Way too much kissing," Benny grumbled. And then he brightened. "I got an idea. Let's go play some football!"

Which they did. Right before happily ever after.