A Taste of Temptation(50)
His looked into her eyes. “You see who’s here, don’t you? Was this your doing?”
“Absolutely. I made the contact, but it was solely up to him to follow through. Glad he did.”
“I’ve missed him, probably more than I could miss anyone other than you.”
“I see my brother hasn’t missed fighting, though.” Greg pointed as if scolding him. “Very unattractive, Tim.”
“He’s slowly getting out of that. I’ve finally gotten him to accept the fact that it’s okay to walk away. Right, Tim?”
“Umm, I’m working on it, honey. I just need someone young and beautiful to keep me in line.”
“Is that invitation still open to me?”
“It was never closed; just put on hold.”
She wanted to kiss him for that, but didn’t want to embarrass his brother. “I should leave before we get into real trouble in front of Greg. I don’t think he is the type who can deal with mushy stuff. You two need more time together, anyway, and I need to get a bite to eat.”
Greg reached into his pocket and fished out a $10. “Can you take Destiny? She likes cheeseburgers, but no fries for her. She’s getting too fat.”
“No fries with a burger? Sacrilege, man!”
Once she was out of the room, Greg said, “That’s some lady you have there.”
“A dream come true. I never thought in a million years I would land someone as incredible as Brandi.”
“Don’t you think it’s about time? From what I heard, your marriage to Charlotte was a disaster.” He looked down. “I am sorry about the baby, though. I really am. I could have been an uncle.”
“And you will be. The baby was the only tragic part of the marriage. Getting away from Charlotte was actually a relief. But the baby, well, that floored me; it still does. She would be ten years old this coming July twenty-third.” He saw the sadness in Greg’s eyes. “Hey, I didn’t mean to go off on that tangent.”
“It’s all right. She was your baby and you’ll never forget her.”
“I would rather talk about you, about something more positive. What happened with you and Destiny’s mother?”
“Carmen? There’s nothing positive about that. She and I did eventually get married, but a year later she left me with a two-year-old baby to raise on my own. Good choice, wasn’t she?”
“From what I remember, she wasn’t exactly the picture of mental health.”
“She wrote the book on what not to be in life. But I got Destiny out of it, and that makes everything Carmen put me through well worth it. She’s beautiful, Tim, and she’s ‘growing’ things, know what I mean?”
“That’s the age, man.” Tim thought about his own child. “Had she lived, she would be about the age to be ‘growing’ things, too.” He lay back remembering the one time he saw Destiny. “I would love to see her. I think she was only a few months old, last I saw her.”
“That you will. She’s been pestering the hell out of me since we’ve been here. Brandi showed her your picture, and she’s been carrying it around everywhere.”
“Why? I look just like you.”
“Not the same, man.” Then he thought about it. “Hey, are you and that pretty thing going to have kids of your own one day?”
“Only if she wants to; I’d rather her graduate college first. She’s got plenty of time, though it will be a lot of fun trying.”
Greg thought back on her in his arms and how intoxicating she was. “Yeah, I’ll bet!”
A week later, after Mr. Moore finished his speech congratulating the award recipients, he brought on a guest speaker. No one knew who it was. Brandi assumed it would be someone from Niagara University or from the Academy of American Authors. When Tim walked onto the stage, she stood with the others to applaud him; tears moistened her spring green suit. Tim had worked hard to make sure everything went exactly right, but it hadn’t in the end, thanks to Monica’s shenanigans. Tim looked good despite everything. In his navy double-breasted suit, he looked sexier than ever, not at all like a man who was recovering from a concussion. The surprise for her was not knowing he had been released from the hospital. She waved at him from the front row.
Tim announced Tiffany Jackson as the Madison student to receive the Norton Scholarship. Tiffany ran on stage, crying. She hugged him and then gave her acceptance speech, which Brandi had helped her draft. Tim’s eyes met Brandi’s, who seemed not at all upset about not winning; she looked happy. He was glad for her, for he selfishly had not wanted Brandi going even a mile away from him.
In the back row, Theresa nudged Greg. “Isn’t he supposed to be in the hospital?”
“Destiny and I picked him up last night.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
He put his arm around her shoulder. “So you could blab it to the rest of the world? Tim wanted it to be a surprise. He, Dr. Moore and Columbia’s dean of students arranged it so he could deliver the awards.”
“You two did a good thing; look how excited she is. I’ve never seen my niece so happy, other than at her Barbie party I gave her when she was seven, but I digress.” She looked down at Destiny, who was oblivious to their conversation. Her eyes were on her new-found uncle. “She is so happy he is in her life.”
Tim left the podium, and went directly to Brandi and kissed her. “I’m glad you’re not upset about losing.”
“My best friend won; that’s just as good. She worked so hard for it, harder than I did. Besides, I wouldn’t want to leave you.”
“Good, because I’m not worth a damn without you. Come on, let’s join the others.”
They slowly made their way to her parents. Tim kissed Mrs. Miles’s hand. “It’s very nice to see you again.” He looked at Mr. Miles and added, “And you, too, sir.” He still wasn’t wild over the past bad blood between them, but he had made amends for Brandi’s sake.
Mrs. Miles jumped in. “You’re going to make a great son-in-law, Tim.” She nudged her husband. “Right, Jeff?”
He looked Tim squarely in the face, his expression cold and still, then he smiled. “I’ve been wrong about a lot of things, and it took me almost losing my daughter to wake up.”
“You were being a father. Who’s to say I wouldn’t have done the same thing. I know you love her; so do I. I promise to take good care of her.”
Mrs. Miles eyes turned her attention to Theresa and Greg as they approached. “Now we have to get those two married.”
Theresa spoke up, “Give me a break! I just met the guy.”
Tim politely cut in. “If you’ll excuse us, Brandi and I have loose ends to take care of. We won’t be long.”
Brandi winked. “Yes we will, so don’t hold your breath!”
The minute his classroom door closed, he and Brandi were locked in an embrace. “I love you, Brandi, and nothing will ever change that. That’s why I have to give this back to you.” He took the ring box from his pocket. “You remember this silver box, don’t you?” He slipped the ring back on her finger.
She gazed at it in the light. “How could I? It’s perfect; so are you.”
“Then please say yes to me again. Don’t even think, just say yes, and we’ll be on our way to heaven.”
“Yes. I’m already in heaven, and I have a husband to take with me.” She kissed his lips then asked, “When?”
“You really mean it?”
“I would be a fool to let you get away.” She stared at her ring again. “When can we do this? I can barely wait.”
“Anytime you want to—today, tomorrow, this very minute. I don’t care when, so long as you’re mine.”
Her arms tightened around him, her voice mellowed, “Oh, I’m yours all right, Dr. Timothy Edward Polaris, now and forever.”
EPILOGUE
Brandi could see miles and miles of water from their oceanfront window. She and her new husband frolicked on the small strip of beach below well into the early morning hours. She looked at the large diamond on her finger, then at Tim asleep on the bed. He still looked awesome to her, as much as he did the first time they met. Was he real or a figment of imagination? He yawned, and it was like music to her ears. Yes, he was real, very real. The mere sound of his voice still sent delicious chills through her body; his voice, his laugh, everything about him rocked her world. She let her sheer robe fall to the floor as returned to bed.
Brandi’s gentle movements woke Tim. Smiling and dreamy-eyed, he welcomed his bride back with open arms. “Umm, have I told you lately how much I love you?”
“Only a few hundred times, but say it again.”
“Showing is better than telling.”
“As if you hadn’t shown me last night, and again early this morning.” She settled deeper into him. “I can’t believe I’m here with you. I never knew Madrid was so romantic. How did you ever come up with it?”
“I simply thought of the most romantic place to bring the most romantic woman. I only hope you have no regrets about marrying a crazy, wacked-out man like me.”