She gave a little twitch. “You’re sorry? I’m the one who left you.”
“I know,” he said hoarsely, taking both of her hands in his. “But I realized you were right. I was giving you a test or an ultimatum, and it just wasn’t fair. You don’t have to prove your love in any way. We don’t have to move. If you want to be with me, we can stay here in Savannah forever. We can even live in this house. I don’t care. I’ll give up Eden Manor. I’ll let it go without a second thought, if it means I can stay with you, if it means we can stay married. I want you more than I want any of my other dreams. Just please tell me it’s not too late.”
She was so surprised she swayed on her feet. “You’ll give up…Eden Manor?”
“Yes. Yes, of course. I’ll live with you downstairs here for as long as you want. I’ll give you anything you need. Just please tell me that it’s not too late. That leaving tonight wasn’t your final decision.”
She was trying to make herself respond when Peter suddenly looked over her shoulder. Deanna and Rose were there, standing behind her because they’d been going to walk her out of the house. When she glanced back, Kelly saw that her grandmother was standing there too, still in her nightgown. All of them were right there, listening to Peter’s urgent declaration.
His expression suddenly self-conscious, he looked behind him and saw that the driver was standing beside the car. He would have heard the whole thing too.
Peter cleared his throat, his eyes both ironic and amused as he muttered, “Maybe we should go somewhere a little more private.”
Kelly almost giggled, emotion bubbling out of her now. It just couldn’t be stopped. She reached a hand out to take Peter’s. “Maybe the parlor?”
She turned around. Both Rose and Deanna were grinning now. They stepped aside immediately as Kelly came through with Peter.
Grandmama didn’t move. She peered up at Kelly with cool aplomb and then turned to Peter. “Young man,” she said. “In your attempt to earn favor with my granddaughter, please do not damage my parlor.”
Peter blinked, and Kelly hurriedly pulled him down the hall by the hand when she heard her sisters giggling.
As soon as Kelly shut the parlor door behind them, Peter burst out, “Damage the parlor? What the hell does she think I’m going to do in here?”
Kelly leaned back against the door, laughing helplessly. “I have no idea.”
“She’s never going to like me.”
“Oh, but she does. She finally told me earlier. She was just mean to you to push me in your direction. She said I was too stubborn and needed more than a nudge to get me to admit to myself that I was in love with you and it was okay to leave her.”
“What?” Peter looked astounded, his eyes moving between Kelly and the closed parlor door.
“It was all one of her devious tricks. She wanted us together after all.”
“And there wasn’t some nicer way to encourage you in that direction?”
Kelly was almost hugging herself with joy and fond amusement. “My grandmother doesn’t do nice.”
Peter ran his hand over his jaw, as if he were still having trouble processing. “So you…I mean, did your grandmother’s devious trick work?”
“Of course, it did. I’m pretty sure I didn’t even need the shove. Of course, I love you, Peter.” She hugged herself even tighter when she saw the wash of deep emotion on his face. “I want to be with you. I was on my way back to you when you arrived. That’s why the car was here.”
“Oh, thank God,” Peter muttered, taking two steps forward and pulling her into his arms. “Oh, thank God. I was dying the whole way here, thinking I’d forced you away. I meant it when I said I’d be happy to stay here. I love Savannah too. I don’t need Eden Manor. We can live here for as long as you need.”
She was filled with so much emotion that she was digging her fingers into his back. She couldn’t pull away, so her voice was muffled against his shirt as she said, “I don’t want to live here. I want Eden Manor too.”
His body jerked slightly, and he pulled back enough to look down in her face. “You don’t have to do that for me, Kelly. I know this is your home.”
“It is my home. It’s been my home. But I want a new home now—with you. I want Eden Manor. I’m doing it as much for me as for you. I promise, Peter.”
He must have seen something in her face because he let out a rough, throaty sound and pulled her back into a tight hug.
They stayed that way for a long time, just holding each other. And Kelly couldn’t possibly doubt the strength and sincerity of his love for her. She felt it in his grip, in his hoarse breathing, in his warm body.