[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
were right about Jason and Trace Coleman, and I was
wrong about Brett Fontaine.
Rowena shook her head. We both were wrong
about Brett, but for different reasons. Thank you,
Tommy. That means a lot to me. Is Van going to be all
right?
He ll be fine. You re good for him. He ll recover
from this for you.
Thank you, she said, wiping the tears from her
cheeks.
Rowena signed her discharge papers and by the
time Toni arrived, she was ready to leave. She walked
to ICU flanked by Toni and Tommy, self-conscious
because basically she was wearing her PJs. But once
she stood in front of the nurse s desk and told them
who she was, all her attention was focused on Van.
The nurse told her only two people at a time, and
Toni said she d sit in the waiting room. Tommy said
he d join her so Rowena could spend some time alone
with Van.
The nurse led her in, telling her to push his call
light if she needed anything. Rowena took in the
oxygen mask obscuring most of his face, his matted
hair still streaked with dark gray the IV pumps
flanking both sides of the bed, and the heart monitor
beeping a steady rhythm. Her own heart was racing.
She approached the bed and gingerly sat on the
edge, stroking the golden hairs on his forearm, taking
care not to disturb his IV. He opened his eyes, blinked
a few times, and she saw him grin through the mask.
Hello beautiful, he croaked, pulling the mask
aside.
Should you do that?
This will only take a minute. Come closer,
Rowena.
She hesitated only a second, scooting closer on
the mattress.
I was so scared when they told me they d
brought you here, he said.
Oh, Van. All that stuff with the press conference,
it wasn t
I know, he whispered. It wasn t real.
His eyes were intense, questioning.
I love you, Van. Anything I felt for Brett is long
gone. Please tell me I haven t lost you.
She actually saw him shiver. His hand came up to
gently caress her cheek. You will never lose me,
Rowena Sommers. You have my body, my soul, and
my heart. I love you.
The nurse walked back in and told Van he had to
keep the oxygen mask on. She replaced it, and as soon
as she left, Van held out his arms. Rowena carefully
lowered her torso over his, and rested her head on his
chest.
How long can you stay? he asked, wrapping
his arms around her.
For the rest of my life?
I was hoping you d say that.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Four months later, a morning in mid-October.
Van covered Rowena s eyes with one of her silk
scarves and tied it behind her head. Too bad we
don t have time to put this to good use, she cooed.
His groin twitched. The last four months had
been the happiest of his life. When he d been
discharged from the hospital a week after Rowena,
and found out she was living in Bobby and Denise s
basement using an old sofa for a bed, he settled her
and Snowball into his house that same day. His tiny
place suddenly had life and warmth.
Aunt Loony s home hadn t been completely
destroyed, but there was serious smoke and structure
damage to the tower. Nothing he and his crew
couldn t fix.
And he d promised to win Rowena a new stuffed
snow leopard at the Corn Festival next summer to
replace the one ruined by smoke and water.
Why do I need to be blindfolded? she asked.
Because I want you to get the full effect of my
big surprise.
She laughed deep and sexy, and he put his arms
around her, pulling her body close. It would be too
easy to simply carry her upstairs and make love to
her all evening. And all night, for that matter.
You re killing me, Rowena.
But you love it.
He turned her around to face him and lifted the
blindfold so he could look into those gorgeous green
eyes. Yes, I do. And I love you too.
Her mouth was on his, and it took every ounce of
willpower to pull away. He replaced the blindfold
and took her hand. Let s go. You re going to love
this.
The trees were bathed in reds and gold, and the
crisp fall air smelled of dried leaves, bonfires, and
pumpkins. This was his favorite time of year. He
loved the cool nights and brilliant foliage. Autumn
meant football, and the sound of crowds at a game
still sent a thrill of anticipation through him.
He grinned as they approached Aunt Loony s
home. The guys hadn t let him down. The front porch
was swathed in Halloween decorations, just as it
always had been when Aunt Loony was alive. This
had been her favorites time of year too, and she loved
to dress in scary costumes and tell ghost stories on the
front porch.
He pulled into the driveway.
I hear tires crunching on brick. Could we be at
the house, perhaps?
He chuckled. You re too smart for me. Wait until
we re outside to take off the blindfold, OK? The guys
will be crushed if I ruin this surprise for you.
He took her hand and led her to the edge of the
new walkway, then untied the scarf. It fluttered to the
ground as she put her hand to her heart and gasped.
Oh! Van, it s finished, isn t it? Oh, it s gorgeous.
Oh my God. I don t believe this.
Denise snapped pictures as his crew clapped and
cheered.
Oh I just don t believe this, she repeated, as he
led her around the perimeter. The roof is new again.
And the siding. Is it still cedar?
Sure is. Didn t they do a great job with the
windows?
They look original.
Do you like the colors?
Oh I love them.
Van had consulted Toni for help with the color
scheme of teal, cranberry and cobalt blue, three of
Rowena s favorite colors. Jeff Masterston and Felix
Santiago painstakingly researched exactly how to
paint the outside of a Queen Anne so it now looked
authentic. Almost better than it had when it was
brand-new.
Oh, and you painted the fence to match.
Is it all right? Not many people have a cranberry
fence, but we thought it fit the yard.
She threw her arms around him and pulled him
close. I love it. I love it all. It s perfect.
As for the inside, the wall colors, window [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl karpacz24.htw.pl
were right about Jason and Trace Coleman, and I was
wrong about Brett Fontaine.
Rowena shook her head. We both were wrong
about Brett, but for different reasons. Thank you,
Tommy. That means a lot to me. Is Van going to be all
right?
He ll be fine. You re good for him. He ll recover
from this for you.
Thank you, she said, wiping the tears from her
cheeks.
Rowena signed her discharge papers and by the
time Toni arrived, she was ready to leave. She walked
to ICU flanked by Toni and Tommy, self-conscious
because basically she was wearing her PJs. But once
she stood in front of the nurse s desk and told them
who she was, all her attention was focused on Van.
The nurse told her only two people at a time, and
Toni said she d sit in the waiting room. Tommy said
he d join her so Rowena could spend some time alone
with Van.
The nurse led her in, telling her to push his call
light if she needed anything. Rowena took in the
oxygen mask obscuring most of his face, his matted
hair still streaked with dark gray the IV pumps
flanking both sides of the bed, and the heart monitor
beeping a steady rhythm. Her own heart was racing.
She approached the bed and gingerly sat on the
edge, stroking the golden hairs on his forearm, taking
care not to disturb his IV. He opened his eyes, blinked
a few times, and she saw him grin through the mask.
Hello beautiful, he croaked, pulling the mask
aside.
Should you do that?
This will only take a minute. Come closer,
Rowena.
She hesitated only a second, scooting closer on
the mattress.
I was so scared when they told me they d
brought you here, he said.
Oh, Van. All that stuff with the press conference,
it wasn t
I know, he whispered. It wasn t real.
His eyes were intense, questioning.
I love you, Van. Anything I felt for Brett is long
gone. Please tell me I haven t lost you.
She actually saw him shiver. His hand came up to
gently caress her cheek. You will never lose me,
Rowena Sommers. You have my body, my soul, and
my heart. I love you.
The nurse walked back in and told Van he had to
keep the oxygen mask on. She replaced it, and as soon
as she left, Van held out his arms. Rowena carefully
lowered her torso over his, and rested her head on his
chest.
How long can you stay? he asked, wrapping
his arms around her.
For the rest of my life?
I was hoping you d say that.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Four months later, a morning in mid-October.
Van covered Rowena s eyes with one of her silk
scarves and tied it behind her head. Too bad we
don t have time to put this to good use, she cooed.
His groin twitched. The last four months had
been the happiest of his life. When he d been
discharged from the hospital a week after Rowena,
and found out she was living in Bobby and Denise s
basement using an old sofa for a bed, he settled her
and Snowball into his house that same day. His tiny
place suddenly had life and warmth.
Aunt Loony s home hadn t been completely
destroyed, but there was serious smoke and structure
damage to the tower. Nothing he and his crew
couldn t fix.
And he d promised to win Rowena a new stuffed
snow leopard at the Corn Festival next summer to
replace the one ruined by smoke and water.
Why do I need to be blindfolded? she asked.
Because I want you to get the full effect of my
big surprise.
She laughed deep and sexy, and he put his arms
around her, pulling her body close. It would be too
easy to simply carry her upstairs and make love to
her all evening. And all night, for that matter.
You re killing me, Rowena.
But you love it.
He turned her around to face him and lifted the
blindfold so he could look into those gorgeous green
eyes. Yes, I do. And I love you too.
Her mouth was on his, and it took every ounce of
willpower to pull away. He replaced the blindfold
and took her hand. Let s go. You re going to love
this.
The trees were bathed in reds and gold, and the
crisp fall air smelled of dried leaves, bonfires, and
pumpkins. This was his favorite time of year. He
loved the cool nights and brilliant foliage. Autumn
meant football, and the sound of crowds at a game
still sent a thrill of anticipation through him.
He grinned as they approached Aunt Loony s
home. The guys hadn t let him down. The front porch
was swathed in Halloween decorations, just as it
always had been when Aunt Loony was alive. This
had been her favorites time of year too, and she loved
to dress in scary costumes and tell ghost stories on the
front porch.
He pulled into the driveway.
I hear tires crunching on brick. Could we be at
the house, perhaps?
He chuckled. You re too smart for me. Wait until
we re outside to take off the blindfold, OK? The guys
will be crushed if I ruin this surprise for you.
He took her hand and led her to the edge of the
new walkway, then untied the scarf. It fluttered to the
ground as she put her hand to her heart and gasped.
Oh! Van, it s finished, isn t it? Oh, it s gorgeous.
Oh my God. I don t believe this.
Denise snapped pictures as his crew clapped and
cheered.
Oh I just don t believe this, she repeated, as he
led her around the perimeter. The roof is new again.
And the siding. Is it still cedar?
Sure is. Didn t they do a great job with the
windows?
They look original.
Do you like the colors?
Oh I love them.
Van had consulted Toni for help with the color
scheme of teal, cranberry and cobalt blue, three of
Rowena s favorite colors. Jeff Masterston and Felix
Santiago painstakingly researched exactly how to
paint the outside of a Queen Anne so it now looked
authentic. Almost better than it had when it was
brand-new.
Oh, and you painted the fence to match.
Is it all right? Not many people have a cranberry
fence, but we thought it fit the yard.
She threw her arms around him and pulled him
close. I love it. I love it all. It s perfect.
As for the inside, the wall colors, window [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]