MacNamarasLady (22 page)
Authors: N.J. Walters
He set her on his feet, grinning like a
loon. She was happy, but a bit more reserved. What would his mother think?
“A wedding. We’re going to have a wedding.”
She swept Missy into her arms and hugged her. Missy was taller than Mrs.
MacNamara, but the woman’s hug was fierce.
She broke away and glared at her son. “Is
that any way to ask a woman to marry you? In your mama’s foyer?”
“I got carried away.”
His mother clapped her hands. “Ah, young
love. We must celebrate.”
“You’re okay with this?” Missy asked. “I
mean I can understand if you have some concerns. We’ve known each other for
months but have only been dating a short time.” No way was she telling his
mother they were practically living together.
He had his mother’s eyes. That thought
struck Missy full force when Mrs. MacNamara turned to her. “The fact that you
would ask shows me you are a good girl. You love him and that is all a mother
can ask for.” T.S.’ mother patted at her eyes with a handkerchief she pulled
out of her pocket. “You will be the daughter I never had. We will have such fun
planning the wedding.”
“Mama,” he warned.
“Pah.” His mother waved him away. “This is
for women to discuss. Yes?” She questioned Missy.
“Yes. Absolutely yes. I’d love to have your
help, Mrs. MacNamara.”
“First, you must call me Sophia.”
Missy shot T.S. a look before turning to
his mother again. “Can you tell me his name? He refuses to tell me what T.S.
stands for other than Theo.”
His mother laughed. “It was always such a
big name for a boy. He changed it to just his initials when he started junior
high. Such a shame.”
“Mama,” he groaned. “You don’t need to tell
her that.” T.S. wrapped an arm around each woman.
“You’re marrying the girl, Theo. She will
see it on the marriage certificate.”
He sighed and nodded. He hadn’t thought
about that.
Now Missy was really curious. “My middle
name is Grace,” she offered.
“Such a lovely name,” his mother praised.
“Theo was named after my grandfathers.”
He groaned and lowered his head. “It’s
Theophilus Samuel.”
Sophia patted her son on the cheek and
smiled at Missy. “I must check on dinner.” She hurried to the kitchen, giving
them a moment of privacy.
Missy caught T.S.’ face in her hands. She’d
never seen him embarrassed by anything before. He was so strong, so sure of
himself. She could easily imagine him as a little boy, being teased about his
name. “I love you, Theophilus Samuel.” She kissed him. “Theo.” And again.
“T.S.” And yet again. “It doesn’t matter what your name is. It doesn’t matter
what your past is. I love the man you are.”
“Missy.” He said nothing more but her name.
But he didn’t have to. There was so much love and need in that one word. Her
heart expanded to fill her chest. His mother had accepted her. She was going to
marry T.S. and have a family of her own.
This was better than anything she’d ever
planned. She would change her last name to his. Rid herself of all remnants of
her past and start anew. “Missy MacNamara has a nice ring.”
“You would do that for me? Change your
name?”
She shook her head. “I’d do it for me. For
us.”
He pulled her close and kissed her like she
was the most important thing in his world. It felt good. It felt right. And it
was fair, considering he was the most important thing in her world.
“Dinner’s ready,” his mother called from
the kitchen.
He broke the kiss and stroked the side of
her face. “Later.”
“Later,” she promised.
About the Author
N.J. Walters worked at a bookstore for several years and one
day had the idea that she would like to quit her job, sell everything she
owned, leave her hometown and write romance novels in a place where no one knew
her. And she did. Two years later, she went back to the same bookstore and
settled in for another seven years.
Although she was still fairly young, that was when the
mid-life crisis set in. Happily married to the love of her life, with his
encouragement (more like, “For God’s sake, quit the job and just write!”) she
gave notice at her job on a Friday morning. On Sunday afternoon, she received a
tentative acceptance for her first erotic romance novel,
Annabelle Lee
,
and life would never be the same.
N.J. has always been a voracious reader of romance novels,
and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, dragons,
time-travelers, seductive handymen and next-door neighbors with smoldering good
looks all vie for her attention. And she doesn’t mind a bit. It’s a tough life,
but someone’s got to live it.
N.J. welcomes comments from readers. You can find her
website and email address on her
author bio page
at
www.ellorascave.com
.
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N.J. Walters
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Caresses
anthology
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Cavemen: Jewels of the Nile IV
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anthology
Ellora’s
Cavemen: Seasons of Seduction III
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Fixation
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White
Hot Holidays Volume 3
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Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the
multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or
paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic
reading experience that will leave you breathless.