Next Door Daddy (19 page)

But she knew now that wasn't true. Lifting trembling hands, she wrapped them around Nate's neck and pulled him close as tears slipped from her eyes and the band around her heart broke.

“I love you, Nate. It scares me, but it's true.”

The words came out, halting the kiss, exposing her heart. She felt a freedom in saying the words.

“Pollyanna,” Nate whispered against her cheek, his strong arms holding her tighter. “I didn't expect—”

“Nate,” she said, leaning back to look into his eyes, “I've been fighting the growing feelings I have for you from almost the first moment we met. I'm not saying it's going to be easy. But I've been sitting here night after night fighting letting go. I thought holding on to Marc would make me happy, but…but it hasn't. I'm understanding that if I hold too tightly to the past I can never be content. And I know that not acknowledging my love for you isn't making me happy, either.”

“Sounds like you have a problem.”

She smiled. “No. A very wise man used to tell me over and over again that life is for the living.” Polly felt tears as she glanced at Marc's tulips, the bright, perfect yellow blooms open and full with promise. “I love you, Nate Talbert. I loved Marc. I always will, just as you loved Kayla…but I feel them smiling right now. For the first time in so long, I feel peace.”

Nate's eyes grew bright as he nodded and Polly felt joy bright and strong spill across her heart.

“I love you, Pollyanna McDonald, and I love Gil as if he was my own. And I promise to love and cherish you, and I make that vow before God, and to Marc's memory. I will always be here for you both as long as God gives me breath to breathe. Will you marry me?”

Polly wiped tears from her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his forehead down to meet hers. “Yes,” she said, and then she kissed him.

And inside from behind the curtain where he and Bogie had been watching and praying, Gilbert Marcus McDonald did a happy dance.

T
he town was crowded as Pollyanna stood at the sign-up booth for the First Annual Mule Hollow Cowboy Bike Race. It was a five-mile race along a route she and Nate had mapped out. It was a mixture of smooth paved roads and rough dirt roads—they'd decided to mix it up a bit and see how the couples fared. Of course, she and Nate had already tested it out and had had a blast figuring out how to get from the starting line to finish line. Like Esther Mae had suggested, they'd made it a couples' race with one bike. And though they were drawing names out of a hat so that the partners were a surprise, they were leaving it up to the couples to decide exactly how to get the bike across the finish line. They could choose for one to pedal while one rode on the handlebars, the seat or the cross bar…or if need be one could run or walk along beside the bike. The only rule to this bike race was that it was a single guy, a single gal and a bike. And a road that represented the good, easy times of life and the rough hardships that came along, too. The couples had creative choice on how to succeed.

All the teams had been determined and Polly's part in the race was done. As she set her pencil down, Nate came up behind her and put his arms around her. They'd been through good times and they'd lived through hardships…and now they were starting a new life together. Polly leaned her head back and rested it against his chest.

“Hello, stranger,” she said, planting a kiss at the base of his neck. She loved this man so much. In the week since they'd faced the fact that they loved each other she'd felt such a peace. She knew that she could have made it on her own, that she was strong enough to have made her life here in Mule Hollow enjoyable and fulfilling. Though she'd lived through the loss of her beloved Marc, God had fulfilled the verse that she'd read that morning in the Book of Psalms:
The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
And it had been true, God had never left her as she'd gone on with her life. He'd been her strength and her song when she was weak. And he'd been her salvation in the worst of times. She would have been okay, but God had brought her to Nate for a reason.

She felt blessed that He'd given her a new love so remarkable, so unexpected. She didn't know what the future held for them, but she knew that she was excited to live it and find out as they went.

“Hello, yourself,” Nate said into her ear. “So how'd the pairing off go over?” he asked, snuggling close.

“Oh, if Norma Sue and Esther Mae wanted sparks, well, there they are.” She nodded down the way a bit to where Dan Dawson stood grinning cockily at Ashby Templeton. Ashby, looking less than thrilled that Norma Sue had pulled their names out of the hat and teamed them up, had her arms crossed, a frown on her face and fire flashing in her usually composed eyes.

Nate chuckled and pulled Polly close, nuzzling her neck. “That right there ought to be interesting. You smell delicious,” he said, sounding distracted.

Polly chuckled and turned into his arms. “If they make it back in one piece they might actually find out those sparks they're sending off could fuel a lifetime of love. I'm so happy. Did I tell you how happy I am? And I hope there are a whole lot of these couples who find what we have.” Polly cupped Nate's chin. “So is everything set?”

“Everything is set. Lacy's about to make the announcement. Are you sure this is the way you want to do it?”

Polly smiled warmly all the way from her heart. “Positive. I don't want to waste another moment. Is Gil ready?”

“He and Bogie are waiting. He's so happy,” Nate's voice caught and his eyes, so intense, seemed to look into Polly's very soul. “Pollyanna, do you know how blessed I feel?”

“I feel the same way.”

“Hello, everyone, y'all come gather around, please,” Lacy said over the microphone that had been set up at the platform in the center of Main Street. “We are so glad for this tremendous turnout for our Mule Hollow Fair day. Before we get the fun under way, though, we have an awesome surprise in store for everyone.
We're having a wedding!
”

Nate grinned and kissed Polly soundly on the lips as whoops erupted from cowboys throughout the crowd. “Are you ready to be my bride?” he whispered, stepping back and holding out his hand.

Polly looked from Nate toward the platform where a beaming Gil and Bogie waited beside Pastor Lewis and Lacy. Polly had never been more ready for anything in her life.

Life is for living, babe.

“Oh, yes. I'm
sooo
ready,” she said, and placed her hand in Nate's, her heart bursting with love when he smiled down at her. Then, hand in hand, they walked through the crowd toward their new beginning. Along the way people called out their good wishes, smiling and whooping with joy for them.

And somewhere on the gentle breeze Polly heard a familiar soft whisper from her past…
“Catch ya later, gator. Have a beautiful life.”

And looking up at Nate, Polly knew she would.