One in a Million (33 page)

In a matter of minutes Elizabeth and company had
joined them. Names of children in the pool were
passed around and Haley and Elizabeth took the first
shift of watch. Stephanie sat next to Rebecca who
made her laugh with tales of teaching her oldest son,
David, the ins and outs of using the washing ma
chine.

“
He didn't believe me about sorting colors," Re
becca told her. "And there was this bright red
T-shirt."

“I know exactly what happened."
Rebecca grinned. "The boy has pink underwear.
He's humiliated."
Stephanie tried to concentrate on the conversation. But Kevin was with them, as was Kyle, and
every time she caught sight of a tall, dark-haired
man, she thought of Nash. Her heart instantly started
pounding and her thighs went up in flames. Then
she had to remind herself that he was gone. When
that happened, a fresh wave of pain swept through
her and threatened to pull her under.

She found herself wishing for the impossible and
imagining what life would have been like if Nash
had wanted to stay. If he'd fallen in love with her,
the way she'd fallen for him.

Rebecca leaned close. "Whatever happens, I want
you to know the family will always be there for
you."

“I appreciate that," Stephanie told her.

She knew what Rebecca meant—that even if
things didn't work out for her and Nash, the family
would still look out for her. She could call on them
in a time of need. Another kindness, she thought,
trying to be grateful. There was no way for Rebecca
to know the words sounded like the closing of a metal door, locking her in a prison of memories
from which she would never escape.

The twins climbed out of the pool and ran up the
slope. She picked up their towels and handed them
over as the boys approached.

“How's the water?" she asked.

“Not too cold," Jason told her.

Adam frowned slightly. "Brett's talking to a
girl," he said, the confusion in his voice making it
clear he didn't understand why anyone sensible
would want to do that.

“Really?"
At twelve? Was that the right age for that sort of
thing to start? She glanced around the pool and
found her son sitting on the edge on the far side.
Next to him was a pretty red-haired girl with a bright
smile. Brett said something, then ducked his head.
The girl laughed.

Stephanie's longing for Nash increased. She
wanted him to be here to share the moment. She
wanted to ask him how things were going to be dif
ferent as her son became a teenager. She wanted

“
Are you all right?" Rebecca asked in a low
voice.

Stephanie nodded, then had to brush unexpected
tears from her cheeks. She couldn't speak. Not with
out breaking into sobs. Control, she told herself. She
had to get control.

Rebecca said something else, but Stephanie
couldn't hear her. It took her a second to figure out
that a loud noise had filled the sky. She looked up
and saw a helicopter approaching,

“
It's Nash," Jason yelled as he scrambled to his
feet.

Stephanie couldn't blame her son—that was her
first thought, too. Even so, she told both him and
herself it wasn't possible.

“
Nash wouldn't take a helicopter back to Glen
wood," she said. Assuming he was even coming
back.

But Jason didn't care. He raced toward the rear
fence of the complex and swung open the gate.
Adam was on his heels. As she got to her feet, Brett
ran past her.

“It's Nash," he called. "Hurry!"
She walked after them. Even if it
was
Nash, his return didn't mean anything had changed. She was
going to have to talk with the boys tonight and re
mind them that Nash had been a guest and nothing
more. They weren't –
She froze just inside the gate. Once again two
sheriff's cars blocked off the street as the helicopter
set down. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest
as a tall, dark-haired man stepped out.

Her sons flung themselves at Nash. She couldn't
hear what they were saying, but Nash bent low and
hugged them all. Her eyes filled with more tears.
She couldn't do this, she thought. She couldn't pre
tend she didn't care, which meant she was about to
make a fool out of herself in a very public way.

But even the threat of humiliation didn't stop her
from running toward him.

Nash straightened and held out his arms. She
crashed into him and hung on, knowing she never
wanted to let go. She wanted to be with this man forever. Did she have the courage to tell him the
truth? Did she really think she could hide it?

“I missed you," he whispered, wrapping his arms
around her so tightly she could barely breathe.
"Every minute."
The intensity of his words gave her hope. "Me, too."
He kissed her hard, then pulled back enough to
look at her face. His dark eyes blazed with a fire
she'd never seen before. "I want to change the
rules," he said. "I don't want to be a temporary
guest. I don't want to leave. I want to make things complicated and messy and permanent. I love you,
Stephanie. I love you in ways I've never loved anyone before. I want to marry you and grow old with
you. I want us to have one of those marriages that
make young couples sigh with envy. I want to have
a baby with you. If the legend is true, you'll even
get that girl you want."
She couldn't speak, couldn't think, couldn't do
anything but listen to the melodic sound of his per
fect words. He loved her? Really?

“You love me?"

“
Yeah. Are you shocked?" Relief and happiness and promise and hope swept
through her making her feel as if she could float on
air.

“
I'm stunned," she said, then kissed him. "I love
you, too. I know I wasn't supposed to, but I couldn't
help myself."

“I'm not about to complain. Will you marry me,
Stephanie? I know we have a lot of details to work
out, but they're just logistics. I can relocate. Hell, I
can get a different job. I just want to be with you
and the boys."
Someone tugged on her T-shirt. She looked down
and saw her kids standing next to them.

“Say yes, Mom," Brett told her.

Nash chuckled. "Okay, guys, we need a little privacy."
The boys grumbled, but took a few steps back.
He turned back to her.

“
I know the last time you ran off with someone
you'd only known a few weeks, it was a disaster.
So if you want to take things slow, I'll understand. I want to be a partner in this marriage. I want us to
take care of each other. It's not going to be one-
sided, but I'm willing to prove that to you, rather
than have you take my word."

“Oh, Nash." She leaned against him and sighed.
"You've already proved that a hundred times over.
I love you and I want to be with you always." She
looked into his eyes. "Yes, I'll marry you. There's
nothing I want more."

“
All right." Nash pulled her off her feet and
swung her around. "She said yes," he yelled.

There was a collective cheer. For the first time
she noticed the Haynes/Harmon/Reynolds clan had gathered around them.

“
We have an audience," she murmured.

“I know. They're my family. Your family, now. Maybe we should give them a show."
He lowered her back to the ground and pressed
his mouth to hers. It was a kiss of love, of passion
and promise. Stephanie responded in kind, as words
of congratulations washed over them.

My family,
Nash had said with pride. He was no
longer the man on the outside, looking in, she
thought happily. He'd become a part of them, and
of her. He'd come home.