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“I’m sorry, too.”
“Did your mother tell you everything?”
“Yes, I think so. We saw your father leave.” I searched his face for clues. He seemed fine, even calm. It had been a huge ordeal for him, though. I knew that without him having to say a word. “Are you all right?”
“I’m good. Really good.” James turned to face me. “How about you?”
“I’m fine. Unsure what happens next, though.” I flushed, shy.
“What would you like to happen?”
I looked down at my hands, and warmth flooded my cheeks. “I think you know what I want. What do you want?”
“I want you, Adelaide Barnes. I want you to be my wife.”
I lifted my gaze. He stared back at me with unflinching honesty and love. “I’d like that, too,” I said. “Did you really cut ties with your father?”
“I did. I’m not sure if I’ll hear from my mother or sister again. It’s up to them, I suppose.” He drew in a breath. “I’ve not felt this free in my entire life. I’m sad that it had to be this way, but sometimes a man has to put the woman he loves first. You’re first, Addie. You’ll always be first. From now on, every decision in my life will be to give you everything I possibly can. I just promised your father I would spend the rest of my life taking care of you and giving you everything you want.”
“There have only been a few things I’ve wanted in my life,” I said. “You’re one of them.”
“And your writing?”
“Yes.” I looked up at the ceiling, gathering my thoughts. “When I was ill as a child, I never thought I’d live long enough to fall in love. I didn’t think I’d have the normal aspects of a life that others took for granted. Then you came, and I thought I could see the rest of my days in your eyes. It seemed like a fanciful dream for a long time. But this summer, I knew I was right. We were meant to be together. I just didn’t know how it would happen.”
“You were right all along,” James said.
“I’m grateful for all of it, James. My life. My health. My family. And now you.”
“May I kiss you?”
I nodded, flushing.
James brought me to my feet and took me in his arms. He kissed me, taking his time. There was no urgency to it as there had been the first time. We were free to love each other.Finally,I thought,my life is headed in the right direction. The direction of James.
We returned to our chairs, our hands intertwined.
“Addie, will you marry me?”
“You know the answer to that.”
“Next week?”
I laughed. “That’s soon.” Sobering at the idea of leaving my family, I asked him, “Will we go back to New York?”
He cupped my face with his hands. “You’d be willing to go with me?”
“I’ll go wherever you are.”
He leaned close, kissing me again. “Your father thinks we should stay here in Colorado.”
“For my sake?” I asked.
“No, he thinks I would be happier here. We could work on your writing together—use my contacts in publishing when we have the manuscript ready.”
“What would you do for work?”
“Your father had an idea. A good idea. One that sounded just right for me.”
