Page 40 of Harbinger of Destiny

Amy pointed at Kelly, then looked at Joshua. “Do you want somebody like her for a wife? Somebody who lies to you, and who’ll trade you in for a richer guy first chance she gets?” She sighed. “That’s all I wanted you to know.”

She turned away.

“Amy,” he called after her, but she didn’t turn back.

She was following Rosie’s advice. Tell Joshua the truth about Kelly, and give him time to adjust. And if he really loves you, he’ll come to you. Be patient.

23

WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN

Amy sat outside on the small terrace of Pod 48, and jumped up when she saw Joshua approach with a black woman and a white man, both in their fifties, following him. Her heart began to pound out of control. Had her action had the desired outcome?

Joshua stepped onto the terrace and stopped a few feet away from her.

“Amy,” he murmured and ran his eyes over her, before gesturing to his companions. “I want to introduce my parents to you. Georgia and Marcus Fletcher.”

Amy cast a hesitant look past him, a smile forming on her lips. There could only be one reason for him to bring his parents to meet her. Her pulse spiked.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher.”

Joshua turned to his parents. “Mom, Dad, this is Amy. This is the girl I’m in love with.” He looked back at her, meeting her eyes. “The girl I want to marry if she’ll have me.”

A gasp rolled over Amy’s lips. Joshua wanted her. He wanted her, the ugly girl, when he could have taken Kelly back. It felt like she was in a dream. “Joshua…”

He reached for her hands and clasped them. “I would have never gone back to Kelly, even if you hadn’t told me that she lied to me about Corbin.” He reached up to her face and pulled a strand of hair away from the scarred side of her face, almost as if he wanted to emphasize that he truly saw her. “I’m sorry it took me so long to realize that I’ve been in love with you all along. I was a fool to focus on the outside, when I already knew who you really are on the inside.”

Amy sniffled, unable to find the words. “Oh, Joshua…”

“Will you forgive me for being such a bone-headed idiot?”

She nodded. “Yes. Yes, of course.” How could she not?

He grinned, then dropped onto one knee, while he pulled a small velvet box out of his pocket. Amy noticed his parents smile at the scene. At the same time, she saw several other people stop to watch them. Joshua didn’t seem to mind. He glanced at them, and it looked as if he welcomed the witnesses. Her heart expanded.

“Amy, I love you with all my heart.” He opened the velvet box and presented a ruby engagement ring to her. “Will you marry me?”

Amy pressed her hand to her mouth, still stunned. A sob escaped her lips, and with it her answer. “Yes! I love you, Joshua. I love you so much.”

He slid the ring onto her finger, before he jumped up and pulled her into his arms. A moment later, his lips were on hers and he kissed her passionately. She heard dozens of people clapping. Joshua severed the kiss and looked at her. His chocolate brown eyes looked like molten lava.

“I love you, baby.” Then he turned toward the crowd. “She said yes.”

The people cheered, and his parents beamed with joy. She still couldn’t believe what was happening. Joshua had really declared his love for her, and asked her to marry him. Not only that, he’d done it in public where everybody could witness whom he was choosing as his wife: not a beauty, but a girl with disfiguring scars. But right now, she didn’t feel those scars, because the way Joshua looked at her made her feel beautiful and desired.

“Welcome to the family, Amy,” Joshua’s father said and opened his arms for a hug.

Joshua let go of her, and she accepted her future father-in-law’s hug.

“Do I get to hug my future daughter too?” Joshua’s mother asked with a smile.

She went from Joshua’s father’s arms to his mother’s.

“Thank you,” she said, her voice still choked up with tears of joy.

“We’d better get to planning the wedding,” Joshua’s mother announced. “When would you like to get married?”

“The sooner the better,” Joshua said. He reached for her and pulled her back into his arms. “Right?”