“I think that’s a fine idea.” She took Avery from her arms and held the girl close to her heart. “Come on. I’ll make you a nice cup of coffee.”
“Thank you.”
“And I’ll stay with you until Devlin comes home.”
Gratitude made the tears she tried so hard to keep at bay flood her eyes, especially now that her panic was dissipating and her heartbeat was returning to normal. Her knees weren’t as weak anymore, either, but she didn’t trust herself to walk any distance alone. “I love you, Lucy Hart. You’re a good friend.”
Lucy smiled. “Thebestfriend.” She hooked her hand into the crook of Tresia’s arm and walked her home, leaving Teddy and Esteban to take care of Mr. Wagner.
CHAPTER 16
Devlin slammed into the house, his anxiety as well as his temper high. Killing Ned Delany had been necessary, considering the man had wanted both him and Merrill dead. Alfonso and Damita probably wouldn’t have survived the encounter, either.
He knew doing so would attract all kinds of attention, but he’d expected that attention to be on him and his deputy, not Tresia and his daughter. He’d barely kept his anger under control after Teddy and Esteban Silva came to the Marshal’s Office and told him what had happened with the newspaper man.
“Tresia!”
“In here.” Her voice came from the kitchen and he stopped in the doorway to just look at her, relief running rampant throughout his body. She stood at the table, peeling potatoes. She didn’t look worse for wear, but her face was pale, highlighting the shadows under her beautiful, pansy-colored eyes.
“Are you all right?” He crossed the room and took her in his arms, regardless of the peeler still in her hand, and held her close, wanting to protect her from everything. “Is Avery?”
“We’re fine. A little shaken, but we’re all right.” She spoke into his chest, clinging to him like he was the only thing holding her to this earth. She was still trembling. He could feel it as he held her in his arms and that just made his anger flare hotter. Vann Wagner had a lot to answer for.
“Avery was scared—so was I—but I was able to calm her down. She’s napping now.”
“Oh, thank God!” He inhaled the sweet honeysuckle scent of her hair and just held her tighter then dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Teddy and Esteban stopped by the office and told me what happened….after he and Esteban had a little conversation with Vann Wagner. I talked to him, too. He won’t be bothering you anymore.” He finally pulled away from her a little so he could see her face then looked deeply into her eyes. “I made sure he understood that he is to stay away from you and Avery. If he sees you walking down the sidewalk, he is to cross to the other side of the road.”
She smiled a little at that. “You didn’t hit him, did you?”
“No, but I wanted to. Chasing you down, scaring both you and Avery. In fact, you can expect an apology from him.”
“Thank you.” She moved away from him and went back to peeling potatoes. “You warned me there would be questions. I didn’t realize how bad they would be. Or how invasive to my privacy. And yours.” She looked at him, her eyes wide and shining with what he assumed were tears she tried to repress. “People know.”
“Know what?”
A flush colored her cheeks. “About us. About what we did.”
He reached out to cup her cheek. “They don’t know, Tresia. They only think they do, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t care if everyone knows how I feel about you.”
She stiffened as her gaze rose to his, the peeler and potato still in her hands.
“I love you, Tresia. I didn’t think?—”
“I love you, too,” she blurted out before he could finish.
He smiled and his heartbeat picked up its pace to pound in his chest, so much different than the anger that had made his heart thunder just moments before. “You love me.”
She nodded, her gaze roaming over his face, touching him without touching him. “Yes, I do. Very much.”
“Marry me?” he asked, surprising himself, but now that he’d said the words, he couldn’t—wouldn’t—take them back. It’s what he wanted, and had from the moment he met her, only he hadn’t realized it until a short time ago.
“What?” Tresia whispered, her eyes widening. Apparently, he had surprised her as well. It felt right though, and the more he thought about it, the better it sounded.
“Marry me.” This time it wasn’t a question, but a demand. “We’re good together, you and me. You’ve brought joy back into my life, hope back into my heart. And Avery adores you, almost as much as I do.” He took a step closer and pulled her into his arms again, his gaze sweeping over her face to settle on her eyes, which were still wide with surprise…and now, shining with the love she so clearly had for him. How had he missed that before? He was supposed to be observant. It didn’t matter. “Will you do me the honor of marrying me and making me the happiest man on earth?”
“Yes, Devlin, I’ll marry you.”
Pure bliss flooded him as she uttered the words he wanted to hear. He tightened his arms around her, but still he had to ask again, not sure he’d heard correctly, but hoping he had. “You will?”
