The Parking Space (22 page)

“Oh wow.” I covered my mouth with my hand.

“The whole back wall of the living room opens up just like this.”

“I can’t believe this place is ours.”

“Well, we’re renting it for now, but Franck mentioned the owners are thinking about putting it on the market. I’m sure we could get it for a decent price.”

“I guess that means I’ll have to get a job sooner than planned.”

He dropped his gaze as a smile spread across his lips. “Actually, that’s one of the surprises I have for you. I had some assets that weren’t figured into my savings. After I sold some of them, we could still buy this place without your working.”

I pinched my arm, almost thinking that everything around me would vanish in a haze as though in mere moments I’d awake from this dream.

“How did I get so lucky?”

“You mean you’re the lucky one? Because I thought I was.” He drew me into him, kissing me.

“Wait . . .” I paused. “One of the surprises?”

He wiggled his index finger, motioning me to follow him out onto the veranda. Rose petals scattered all over the wood, their pattern like a red carpet leading toward a bucket of champagne and several large bouquets sitting on the patio table.

“What’s all this?”

“You’ll see.” He grabbed the neck of the bottle, yanking it from the ice. He unwrapped the foil and twisted on the cork until a loud POP echoed. After pouring two glasses full of the bubbly liquor, he handed one to me. “To us and to starting this new adventure in Bora Bora.”

“To us.”

As the champagne tickled against my tongue, a broad smile spread across his lips. “I have one more surprise for you.”

He set down his glass and pulled a wrapped present with a giant red bow from the seat of one of the deck chairs.

“What’s that?”

“You’ll see.”

I untied the bow and tore the paper from cardboard box, revealing a picture frame with several yellow Post-Its lying underneath the glass.

My handwritten notes, each and every single one of them left underneath his windshield wipers all stared back at me.

“I know it’s not the most romantic gift, given some of the language that you used, but it’s the start of us when we didn’t even know it was the start of us—profanity and all.” He laughed. “Who would have thought something could start with something as simple as a parking space.”

TWENTY-TWO

“HELEN?” RICK CALLED out as he shut the front door. “Honey, I’m home.”

Lying on the back deck, I snorted a laugh. “Do you even know how cliché you sound?” I answered him.

“Yeah, I heard it after I said it.” With his hands clasped behind his back, he leaned over and gave me a kiss.

My eyes narrowed and my head cocked to the side. “What do you have?”

“It’s a surprise.”

“Well, can I have it?”

With a broad smile on his face, he unclasped his hands, bringing them slowly around him. Clutched in his palm was a tiny orange kitten.

“Oh my goodness. Where did you get it?”

“Someone brought a litter into the clinic this afternoon. They said they didn’t want them and couldn’t take care of them. I saw this tiny thing and thought of Charlie. She was the most playful in the whole bunch.”

“She’s adorable.”

Faint kitten meows echoed through the air as I grabbed the orange ball of fluff. “What should we call her?”

“I’ll leave that up to you.”

I ran my fingers along the nylon collar around her neck, touching something hard and pointed. As I lifted the kitten, a large diamond glistened in the sunlight. Colors of red, blue, and green sparkled from the square shaped gem.

“Rick, what is this?”

I glanced up at him as he knelt down in front of me. With a gentle movement, he fetched the kitten from my hands and removed the collar, letting the diamond ring slip from the strap and fall into his palm.

I caught my breath.

“She just wanted to help me give you something.” Rick paused and reached for my hand. “I spent the whole boat ride home trying to think of the perfect words to say to you. And, then in one moment, it came to me and I thought to myself, Rick, you’ve peed on her leg. I think just about anything you say after that will be perfect enough.”

Laughter burst from my lips and my cheeks flushed hot. I dropped my gaze for a second before my eyes met his once again.

“I know it’s only been a short time, and this is probably the craziest thing we could possibly do,” he chuckled, “but with that said, I know that I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”

I gave him a sly smile. “Only if you never talk about peeing on me ever again.”

“I think can make that promise. Even though it’s only the best first date story, ever.”

“You said that it wasn’t a date.”

“Well, I lied.” He slid the ring against my finger up to the first knuckle and hesitated. An amused playful seduction swam in his eyes. “So do you want this thing or not?”

I pushed my hand toward him, sliding the band of platinum down my finger with my own movement. “I have wanted it since the day you walked into that restaurant at the resort.”

His hands slid up my neck and his lips pressed into mine.

“So what should we name the kitten?” I asked, catching my breath.

“How about Jellyfish?”

“Never again.” I pointed my finger at him.

He laughed.

As I kissed the top of her head, the orange fur tickled my nose. So soft and sweet, I’d almost forgotten how a cat could calm my soul.

“All right, fine. I’ll give you Jelly.” I smiled through my slight groan.

“Good. Because that’s when I pretty much knew I wasn’t going to spend another day without you in my life.”

THE END

Angela lives on a ranch with her husband, two daughters,

and many farm animals. She was born and raised in Nevada,

and grew up riding and showing horses.

While she doesn't show anymore, she still loves to trail

ride her paint horse, Honky. In December of 2007, she and her husband moved to Oklahoma.

From a young age, she always wanted to write a novel.

However, she never believed she could write anything well enough for a publisher to even consider her.

Every time the desire flickered, she shoved the thought from my mind until one morning, in 2009, she awoke with the

determination to follow her dream

VISIT WWW.ANGELACHRISTINAARCHER.COM

FOR MORE INFORMATION.

First and foremost, I’d like to thank my husband Aaron, daughters Alexis and Alaynah, my parents Nick and Noreen, my sister Michelle, my nephews, Kade and Kruz, all my aunts, uncles, and cousins, and my close friends for all their love and support through another novel. Writing is never easy, but it’s a lot easier when you have people around you that are out to help you in any way they can.

I’d also like to thank the wonderful woman who edited this novel, Tamara Grantham. Thank you for, once again, turning my written words, characters, and created world into something to be proud of and love.

Lastly, but certainly not least, I’d like to thank my beta readers and proofreaders, Aurora Abrams, Erin Bevan, and Debi Harris. Without their help and input, I don’t know what I would have done. Actually, I do, I would have had tons more typos in these pages and a story with faults.

Alexandra Monroe is a slave smuggler, smuggling slaves north to Tennessee where they can live as free people. Her crime is sedition and her punishment, if caught, is death. The daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Montgomery, Alexandra lives a life not by her own accord, but a life she willingly accepts for her secret quest to save the lives of slaves. Her ultimate sacrifice is to marry the town’s most eligible bachelor, Thomas Ludlow.

One afternoon, Alexandra comes face to face with handsome William Graysden. He captivates her, and her thoughts confuse her. Born a Creek Indian, not only is William forbidden because of his race, but also because Alexandra is a closely betrothed young woman. William and Alexandra fascinate one another, finding in each other a bond they don’t wish to ignore. After a series of events; however, William is forced to face the choice to continue the dangerous pursuit of Alexandra’s affections or forget about her.

Looking down upon Christopher Payton, Cora Colton can’t believe she even doubts saying yes to his proposal. From a good family, wealthy, and charming, Christopher is perfect for her. However, staring down at the band of gold and diamonds, she hesitates. Something is missing, something is wrong, but she just doesn’t know what that something is.

After her father’s untimely death, Cora travels to Tacoma and learns that she is now the owner of his gold claim in Dawson City, Canada. Throwing caution to the wind, she leaves her ring on the table, and departs for Canada and the adventure of a lifetime. Arriving in the canvas tent town of Skagway on edge of the Klondike trail, Cora catches the attention of Flynn O’Neill, an Irishman who has lived on the trail guiding stampeeders for a few years.

A bond thrusts them together, but their pasts threaten to tear them apart, if they can even survive the hardships and death on the trail to the land of gold.

In 1692, the fear of witchcraft is spreading around Salem village. While those who are accused and sentenced face death, everyone else faces the risk of accusations placed upon them.

As Emmalynn Hawthorne, the daughter of a woman hung for witchcraft, places a bouquet of flowers upon her mother’s grave, a circle of black roses sprouts out of thin air. Dark magic, the roses strike fear through her heart as she flees. Her panic soon turns into terror as another vine of black roses sprouts and grows throughout the inside of her home. Is she a witch? Will she be the next accused?

James DeKane has secrets of his own. Ones that could prove deadly for him and anyone he holds dear. At fault for the untimely death of his parents, he must protect his hidden brother and dying sister, all while fearing that the haunting prophecy bestowed upon him at birth will come to pass. Desperate and fighting the monster deep inside of him, he’s searching for the one love who can alter his destiny