“They won’t.There was an emergency board meeting and the Brownings will be ousted from the company.”
“I don’t know how to thank you,” Larry says.
“No thank you is needed.It’s what you do for family.”
“Family?”Janice asks.
“I’m hoping that we’ll become family.”I take a deep breath.“I love Salem and want to marry her.”
They both gape at me.
“Marry?But…” Janice looks at me, then her husband.
Larry eyes me for a few minutes, then nods.“It’s up to Salem.”
“It’s awfully sudden,” Janice says.
“I know you’re concerned because of the way her ex treated her and it’s true that I haven’t known her that long.”I put my hand against my chest.“But my heart has.I believe that fate intervened to send her father to rescue me and in turn, it led me to her.”
Her father nods like he understands where I’m coming from, but her mother is still frowning.I decide to pour my heart out.“I’m worth a fortune.I can do whatever I please.Travel around the world on a moment’s notice.But money and material possession are worthless to me.Without Salem, I’m the poorest man in the world.”
“I see,” Janice says, her expression softening.
“Like I said, it’s up to Salem,” Larry says.
“What’s up to Salem?”she asks walking in the front door.“Locke?Why are you here?”
Her father picks up the folder and hands it to her.“Look what he did for our family.”
She skims the paperwork.“You paid the current owners ten times the market value for our former home?”
“I wanted them to say yes and agree to move out quickly.”
“And he gave Doug and his family what they deserved,” Larry says and gleefully explains.Then he takes out his phone and nudges his wife.“Let’s go call our son.”
As soon as we’re alone, Salem pulls me into a guest bedroom.“Locke…I didn’t tell you about my past to get you to do this.”
I take her hands in mine.“Do you remember me telling you about the contractor who rescued me from that abandoned home?”
She nods.
“It was your father.”
She gasps.“That’s…that’s…”
“Fate.”
“I…but…”
“We were meant to meet.Meant to fall in love.”I pause and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.Your father can have any job he wants.Or he can retire.I’ll take care of him and your mother.Your brother, too.Whatever your family wants is what—"
Salem cuts off my words by putting her fingers against my lips.“Why me, Locke?Why do you love me?I’m not special.I’m just a girl who was trying to get my dream back.”
I lower her hand.“Wrong.You are special.I love you because you’re you.And I’m just a man trying to get my dream girl.”
Her lower lip quivers.“It feels like so much good is happening so suddenly that I’m afraid…like I’m waiting for the bad to follow.”
“No, honey.I’m standing behind you supporting and shielding you.Nothing bad is strong enough to reach you with me blocking the way.”I pull her hands up to my chest.“From the first time I saw you, I fell for you and wanted to protect you.I intended to pursue you but thought you were married so my love for you became my secret.”
