"Way to go, moite!"
"Rose Red, he's a good man." Lone Wolf said.
"This is all so romantic," sniffed Maybelline.
"Jack, the next rest area is half a mile away," Matt instructed. "Pull up there. I'm right behind you. Ever since I've known Margaret, she's shown a very poor sense of timing."
"Anyone else stop there beside the two love birds, and I'll knock their blocks off," Waltzing Matilda threatened. "Congratulations, you two."
Other listeners chimed in with good wishes as Jack drew into the rest area, a long line of trucks, pulled past, tooting their horns and waving, as Margaret got out of the truck. Five minutes later, Matt drove up.
He jumped down from the cab of his rig, and Margaret flew into his arms. No one noticed Jack leave. Many long, satisfying kisses later, she said, "I can't believe I just proposed to you over the air."
Matt cradled her in his arms and smiled. "I can't believe you did that either my old-fashioned love." His eyes darkened as he said, "I'm sorry I put you through so much while I sorted myself out but I knew you deserved better than a man who couldn't free himself of the past."
Margaret covered Matt's mouth with her hand. "No apologies. Your honesty and the way you always shared your innermost thoughts is what made me fall in love with you. Our pasts are part of us and as long as they don't interfere with the present, they don't matter."
Matt rested his forehead against hers. "I've always loved you Margaret, always."
"Oh", said Margaret. "But earlier..."
"I was an absolute fool," cut in Matt. "I was searching for some sort of guarantee, dwelling too much on my father's experiences. Trish made me see my memories were best buried, that for years I'd had the wrong impression of things. Being with you convinced me that I had to let go of the past and concentrate on us, Margaret."
"I'm glad, but even if it returns to haunt you I want to help you deal with it," said Margaret.
"I'll never shut you out again, Maggie." Matt picked up her right hand and kissed each finger and then her palm. "Where would you like to go on our honeymoon?" Matt asked, pressing kisses down the side of her neck. "Europe? The Orient? Australia?"
Margaret cupped Matt's face and brought his mouth back to hers. It was a while before she could think about her answer. "None of those places will do," she said softly. "I want a trucking honeymoon."
"What?" Matt drew back to look at her.
"You heard me," said Margaret. Her voice held one part shyness, two parts love. "I want you all to myself. No people around, no interruptions. Just us."
A glint came into Matt's eyes. "If I hadn't promised Janet the pleasure of arranging your wedding, we could have gone straight to Vegas and been man and wife by tonight."
"Aunt Jan will arrange things quickly, you'll see," Margaret consoled him. "Besides, I want to have the people who matter to us, at our wedding: Tim, your sisters, Pete, Melissa Ann, Joe, Jack, Gina, and a whole heap of other folk."
"Susan and Trish will help your aunt. You realize that the guest list now includes every trucker who will be close to Inchwater on that day?"
Recalling the avalanche of gifts dropped off for Mikki, Margaret said. "They can all come, but no presents. Instead, anyone who wants to make a donation to the Edward Institute is welcome to do so."
"Have you thought about where you want to live?" Matt asked.
"Wherever you are," said Margaret. "But I'll have to return to Washington till Dr. Edwards can hire a substitute. I can't let him down."
"Of course not," said Matt, "We can rent an apartment there and I can commute, when needed, to L.A. and Inchwater. Eventually I'd like to make Inchwater our base," said Matthew. "It will be a great place for kids to grow up in." He drew back and searched her face. "Of course that's a decision we'll have to make together."
"What is?" asked Margaret absently, fitting her finger into the cleft in Matt's chin.
"Kids," said Matt hesitantly. "Do you want any?"
Margaret drew back in the circle of his arms to look up at him. "Of course. I can't promise I'll be the most exemplary woman in the labor ward, but I can't imagine life without children."
Matt hauled her to his chest and looked down at her, a glint in his eye. "Kids are a long way down the turnpike. Right now, the sooner we get back to Inchwater, the sooner Janet can arrange the wedding."
Margaret nodded. "Let's go home and tell everybody our news."
The road of life stretched ahead gleaming in the light of the promise of love and happiness. Margaret smiled up at Matt as he urged her towards the cab of his truck. She was in just as much of a hurry to begin life with her tender trucker as he was.
EPILOGUE
Margaret sat on the garden swing with her two year old son David in her lap. He had fallen asleep to the sound of her voice crooning a lullaby.
Bending down she dropped a kiss on the top of his head, relishing the peace and quiet and the way he felt snuggling against her heart.
She looked up as Matt came through the back door cradling David’s twin, Emma.
“Is he out?" Her husband asked her unable to see Davy’s face clearly in the deepening shadows.
“Yes” said Margaret.
Matthew sat down beside her. Putting her hand up, Margaret let the back of it rest against the softness of her daughter’s cheek.
“I am the luckiest woman in the world,” she whispered.
“Oh?’ Matt said with a teasing inflection in his voice, “how so?”
“We have each other and David and Emma. Tim will finish college in June and return to work in Bedouin Trucking. Aunt Janet’s travelling like she always wanted to with the Inner Man being managed by Gina and her mother. I have the most wonderful job here in Inchwater with the Edwards Institute and the most amazing husband in the world. What more could anybody want?”
Matt stood up. “It’s time to put the babies to bed,” he said.
“What’s the hurry?” asked Margaret. “It’s so beautiful out here.”
“C’mon. It’ll be six a.m. before you can say omigosh.”
Matt was striding ahead of her and she stood up to follow him.
Coming out of the twins’ bedroom a few minutes later she paused. There was no sign of Matt but the carpet held a sight that made her breath catch in her throat.
Petals of every color from the roses in their beautiful garden had been scattered to make a trail. Following it took her down the hall, through the master bedroom and out to the deck off the master bedroom.
Matt had set a table with a lace cloth. LED candles glowed bright in the increasing darkness and two champagne glasses held the sparkling cider she loved. Her favorite chocolate cake enticed from a stand.
Tears flooded Margaret’s eyes as her husband held his arms out to her.
“To love” he said after he had kissed her thoroughly and handed her a flute.
“To love,” echoed Margaret, safe in his arms. “And to family.”
For a brief moment she closed her eyes and gave thanks.
The long road home had ended at the sanctuary of perfect happiness.
The End
The Homespun Series
Book 1 – Faith Hope and Love
Book 2 – Project Valentine
Book 3 – The Long Road Home
Book 4 – The Old Fashioned Way
Book 5 – Mr. Wrong
Book 6 – Daddy’s Little Girl
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About the Author
Geeta Kakade was born in India where she attended British schools and colleges. An Army brat she has nomadic dust on her feet and loves to travel. The loneliness of the many moves as a child was dispelled by one constant; books. She has worn many hats, teacher, wife, mother, aunt, friend, reader, writer, volunteer. One of her favorites now is grandmother.
She came to America when she married her husband, raised her family and learned to bake bread. She's lived in Michigan and California and has written seriously for the last 34 years. Her first writing break came when she was discovered in RWA's national writing competition by a very intelligent editor. Geeta’s Homespun series was previously published in print by Silhouette Her first six books have been translated into Italian, French, Japanese, German, Spanish and Hungarian and she has been on the Waldenbooks and BDalton bestseller lists.
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Books We Love Ltd.
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