Page 39 (1/2)

Author: Robyn Carr

"Devon, you were the brave one You were ready to go alone"

She just shrugged "When your child is at risk, you don’t even think You just do what you have to do"

"It’s the same deal when it’s the woman you love," he said "I went to the clinic to see you Scott said you were taking a couple of days to try to recuperate"

"And think," she said "I really needed to think It’s like a bad dream A four-year bad dream And it’s finally really over I don’t have to be afraid to leave Thunder Pointdon’t have to be afraid of soeyman just around the corner"

"Listen," he said "I’ve been wanting to talk to you To explain"

"Spencer, it’s all right I understand After all you’d been through you weren’t ready to get involved with some wogage You don’t have to explain"

He turned toward her "If we hadn’t been sidetracked by Mercy’s abduction, this would be co sooner I realized iht At least you caught it before it was too late"

"Devon, et away The idiotic part is that I let you go because I was afraid of losing you When you asked me to be responsible for Mercy, it hit me like a ton of bricks--if I letcompletely unpredictable and catastrophic, like a car accident oror cancer" He stopped for a second He reached for her hand "Ithappens to her? Hoill I live? How o completely crazy? And you? Lose you? For just one split second I thought it would be easier not to have you at all than to face soain"

"I understand," she said "I really do"

"Not yet, you don’t When you cao after Mercy, I faced it head-on--there it was, that thing I feared the er And, Devon, I love you too ether or sixty years--it doesn’t matter All thatas we’re lucky enough to get"

She stared at him, openmouthed

He smiled at her "Now is the part where you say you understand"

She turned toward hi You’re not ready, you know you’re not This panic could rise again anytiet ahead of yourself here, because I don’t want to love you and count on you and have you--"

He slid an arainst his chest while he went after herman Her eyes flew open in surprise, but athe kiss Hehe would never have to release her But eventually he did because there was talking to do "I love you, Devon I wasn’t looking for it, I didn’t expect it, but I love you I was so busy worrying about my own fears, my own losses, I didn’t really think about yours You’ve been through so much, but you didn’t even blink You never panicked You just faced it all head-on" He took a breath "I don’t knohat life will throw at us, but I can’t reel it back in I’m in love with you It’s a done deal"

She just shook her head "I don’t know, Spencer I do love you, but I’ive it some time"

"No time like the present," he said "If you ever feel like you’re in over your head or if you’re having second thoughts, you tellto love you as well as I can for as long as I can I don’t deserve it, but will you give ether"

"We were," she said, giving him a small smile

"I want to marry you"

"Noait a e"

"I just want to negotiate one plunge at a tiame of Candy Land and after the kids are asleep"

She couldn’t help it, she laughed at him But then she started to cry

"Aw, baby, don’t," he said, pulling her into his arain "Don’t be afraid I had a uy--that afraid-of-couy That was just an overreaction I kno I feel, I really do"

"I’ood decision about this"

"I scared you, that’s all I screwed up and made you think I’m fickle That I don’t knohat I want or how I feel That I scare easy But I’s I’ll prove it Just let ht, all you have to do is say so, tell me what you want and you’ll have it I just want a chance I can’t walk away froain"

"I want to," she said "Itloved by you"