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“I do have one.” She looked down.
He waited. Was she afraid to ask him? Now, that was unlike the Stacey he knew.
Her eyes met his again. “Do you love me as much as I love you?”
His heart raced, his hands shook as he lifted her out of the chair and crushed her to him. He kissed her with all the passion that had built inside him while they’d been apart. It flowed freely over the dam he’d created to try to protect himself. She returned his kisses with the same abandon. He now had everything he wanted in life in his arms and he was going to do whatever it took to keep her there.
“I missed you so much. I’ve called everywhere, looking for you.” He nibbled at her neck.
“Cody?”
“Yes?” He continued to kiss her eyes, her nose and her cheeks. He inhaled the peach smell he couldn’t get enough of.
“You didn’t answer my question.” There was a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
He leaned away until he could meet her eyes. “I love you too. More than life.”
* * *
Stacey lay in Cody’s bed that evening, wrapped in his arms. Life took odd turns and sometimes gave a person something they never dreamed was possible. That had happened for her. She had what she had hoped for all her life—someone to love her, a place to call home and a man who would never leave her. Could her life get much better?
“Hey, what’re you thinking about over there?”
“About how happy I am.”
Cody rolled to her, placing a kiss on her bare shoulder. “You make me happy.”
She cupped his cheek. “I’m sorry I said all those mean things to you.”
“Don’t be. I needed to hear them. You were right. That’s why the girls are at my parents’ and I’m here. I have to start letting go.”
“I’m proud of you. What you said to me hit home as well. I talked to my mother, really talked. She’s the one who convinced me to come and see you, to tell you how I felt. It turns out that in some ways she’s been a good mother. I just didn’t want to see it.”
“It sounds like we have both made steps in the right direction.” He gave her a tender kiss. Pulling away, he said, “It’s about time for the girls to call. They’ll be so excited to see you but they might ask questions we don’t want to answer if we don’t put some clothes on.”
Not long after that Stacey could hear Cody already talking to the girls before she came out of the bathroom. They were video-chatting. She stepped up behind him and smiled into the screen at the two girls that she loved almost as much as she did their daddy.
“Hi, Jean. Hi, Lizzy.”
“Stacey!” the girls squealed in unison.
“You came back. I knew you would,” Jean said with a satisfied smile.
“I’m glad to be back. I missed you both so much. I look forward to hugging you when you get home.”
“You’re wearing the bracelet we gave you.” Lizzy said, pointing.
“I am. I’ve thought about you both every day we have been apart.” She squeezed Cody’s shoulder. She’d thought of him every minute.
Cody pushed the chair back and spoke to Stacey. “Why don’t you have a seat? I think the girls have something they want to ask you.”
Stacey gave him a questioning look but took the spot he had vacated. She looked into the screen at the smiling faces. Cody came round beside her and went down on one knee, taking her hand.
“Okay, girls,” Cody said.
“Will you marry us?” all three of them asked at the same time.
Stacey blinked back tears as she looked into Cody’s eyes. “I can’t think of anything I would love more.”
She wrapped her arms around Cody’s neck and they kissed to the sound of “Ooh!” coming from the girls.
EPILOGUE
STACEY FLOATED ON happiness like a hot-air balloon through a cloudless July sky. It was her wedding day. Wedding day.
Fleur fussed around her, tugging here and adjusting there, as Stacey prepared to walk down Cody’s porch steps to the beach where he was waiting. “You look beautiful. I can hardly wait until Cody sees you. Your dress is perfect.”
Stacey glanced down at the simple gauzy fabric with the pink ribbon at the waist. She carried a bouquet of pink roses that were a gift from Cody. “Thank you. Just think, you and Rick will be having your wedding day in only a couple of weeks.”
Fleur stopped what she was doing. A serene look came over her face, along with a slight smile. She turned to Stacey. “There’s nothing like marrying the man you love, is there?”
“No, there isn’t.” Seconds later the sound of Jean and Lizzy giggling drew her attention. They were coming up the path from the beach.
