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“Didn’t work out? It wasn’t reality. I know he seems like the perfect man in your eyes, but he was never the right person for me.”
Her gaze flicked to Beckett. “So you’re just going to hop to the next man then? I suppose it’s not surprising you moved on to a more earthy sort. We all have at least one, don’t we, ladies?”
No one laughed around us.
As Beckett stiffened next to me, it wasn’t accurate to say I saw red. More like virulent purple.
I stepped toward my mother. “You willnottalk about him like that. Not now, not ever.”
“You just met him.” My mother sipped her wine. “Don’t be ridiculous. But don’t think that you can just come home when this…dallianceblows over.”
“She won’t be coming home, Mrs. Danbury. Not that I would want her to go home to you at this point. She’s ours now. She belongs on the orchard with me. You know, I always thought I wasn’t good enough for her, but I see that honor actually belongs to you.”
Daphne and Jessica couldn’t hide their shock. The crowd of women behind them got very quiet.
Part of me wanted to slide right through the stones on the path and into the ground. But then I stepped back to look up at Beckett in awe as I squeezed his hand.
He kissed my knuckles, his summer sky-blue eyes direct and unwavering on mine. “She’s everything to me.”
My mother’s hand shook as anger and indignation poured out of her.“You don’t even know her.” Her blazing gaze landed on me. “Can’t you see he’s using you? He probably just wants your family money.” She pointed at him with her glass. “She comes with nothing. I’ll be sure of that.”
I closed my eyes against the sharp pain of her words. The fact that my mother never understood anything other than the transactional value of me and what I could do for her and my father socially was even more apparent right now.
Beckett wrapped his arm around me and faced my mother. He smelled of sunshine and leather and citrus. All the things that made me feel safe and whole. “The fact that you thought of money as the first thing I’d want from her shows just how cold and empty you are. I’m not sure how you ended up with such a warm and caring daughter, but I’ll thank God and the universe for her every day of my life.”
I gripped his shirt and turned into him.
“I love her.Welove her here and she’ll never wonder if she belongs ever again. And I’ll be sure to remind her how much we appreciate her every day. You know what? She became mine the first moment I saved her from people like you at that wedding. And the wild thing is she’s the one that ended up savingme.”
“Beckett.” My voice was little more than a whisper.
He gazed down at me. “It’s true. I’m going to make you believe it every damn day.” He gathered me close into his chest then stared down at my mother. “Andyoucan get off my land.”
I could feel him swallow as he started to lead me away. “Excuse us, ladies. I’m sorry to have disturbed your luncheon.”
“That’s quite all right.” Daphne’s voice was warmer this time. “I’m happy for you, Helena. You deserve a man who will cherish you. Come now, Jessica.”
She walked away with her daughter, leaving my mother to stand there alone.
Not a single person from the party came to check on her.
I was sorry for it. Sorry that my mother couldn’t see exactly what she was missing. That she’d never realize what she was missing—not truly.
When she stalked toward the exit of the garden path, all I felt was relief. I was sure the sensation of loss would come someday soon. For now, all I saw was Beckett.
And our future.
He drew me toward the sunshine and the trees at the edge of the garden, never letting my hand go as we got away from the party and the people.
We finally stopped in the clearing and I tipped my head up to let the warmth of the sun wash over me. Let it burn away some of the sadness because there was no room for it. Not when a man like Beckett choseme.
I was his first choice in every way.
“Are you okay?” He moved in front of me, holding both of my hands.
“I am now.” Opening my eyes, I released one of his hands and pushed off his hat to see his curls in the sunshine. I slipped my fingers through his hair and around his ear to lightly draw my fingers along his jaw.
This would be the face I saw every day and every night.
