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I take it, yet my brain is scrambling to catch up. “You came.” They’re the first words that come to mind.
“Sorry I’m late.” He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me close. “You’re a beautiful woman, Penny Gilbert.” He leans and kisses my lips. “I’ve missed you.”
My body melts into his. Longing creeps in and settles under my skin. I want this man more than he’ll ever know. Only I decided to do what’s right for me, and while I dream about a life with Franklin, the reality is not all dreams come true.
“You missed all the fun,” I say.
He grins. “Depends on your viewpoint. The last wedding I attended, the fun happened at night.”
My cheeks warm. “You missed a beautiful ceremony today.”
His nose nuzzles my neck. “I would have missed it anyway, as my entire attention would have been on one particular bridesmaid.”
I close my eyes and allow his words to sink in. “While you make it sound romantic, there is nothing chivalrous about arriving late to a wedding. It’s disrespectful.”
He pulls back, his brow pinches and his eyes search my face. “I’m sorry. The storms in Florida delayed the flights. We had to wait for hours.”
My sober brain would have appreciated what he was telling me. Instead, feisty Penny is in the house. “Why did you wait until today? I thought you could snap your fingers and make shit happen.”
Franklin clicks his fingers.
I frown at him.Smartass.
“Maybe my fingers are broken.” He shrugs.
I have never witnessed a shrug from Franklin.
“You are not confessing your love for me, so no, I can’t magically make shit happen.”
My fists dig into my hips.
We’re doing this now?
“You come here hoping I would confess my love for you? Maybe if you had called me late at night when I was all alone and told me you loved me, just maybe I would have told you that I loved you too.”
Franklin pulls out his cell and dials my number. He has it on speaker but keeps it close to his ear. My voice sounds, asking the caller to leave a message.
I roll my eyes.
“Penny, it’s Franklin. I’m sorry I haven’t called because I’m an idiot. I was too scared to get close to you as I can’t give you the attention you deserve. I didn’t want you to be alone weeks at a time in an empty house waiting for me to come home.”
What?
His eyes bore into mine. “I’m a boring man. Work all day… you know the gig. Only I can’t imagine a life without you. Whenever I feel myself needing you, I tell myself a lie and push the coldness into my heart so I can’t get close. I was lonely, but it felt safe to be alone. You deserve someone better than me.”
My heartbeat sounds in my ears, and I’m breathing too fast when I shake my head. He places a finger over my lips before I can respond.
“The problem with the Hendricks’ men is we are a selfish bunch and used to getting our own way. So forgive me while I spend the rest of my life proving to you we can have our own happily ever after.”
Now he’s playing on the fact we are at a wedding.
Goddammit! I storm out of the marquee.
Why did I drink so much?
Franklin is right behind me.
“I have a proposal.”
