She stared at him. Eyes steady. Unsmiling. "I'll think about it and let you know."
She walked away and left him standing alone in the rain.
He dropped the umbrella, stumbled over to the wet railing, and curled his fingers around the cold metal. His eyes stung. He'd never felt so empty or so alone. As he stared out into the harbor, he wondered what he could have said that would have convinced her. Nothing. He was too late. Meg had no patience for procrastinators. She'd cut her losses and moved on.
"Okay, I've thought it over," she said from behind him. "What are you offering?"
He spun around, his heart in his throat, rain splashing his face. "Uh . . . My love?"
"Got that part. What else?"
She looked fierce and strong and absolutely enchanting. Wet spiky lashes framed her eyes, which didn't seem either blue or green now, but a rain-soft gray. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair a flame, her mouth a promise waiting to be claimed. His heart raced. "What do you want?"
"The church."
"Are you planning to live there again?"
"Maybe."
"Then, no, you can't have it."
She appeared to think it over. He waited, the sound of his blood rushing in his ears.
"How about the rest of your worldly possessions?" she said.
"Yours."
"I don't want them."
"I know." Something bloomed inside his chest, something warm and full of hope.
She squinted up at him, rain dripping from the tip of her nose. "I only have to see your mother once a year. At Halloween."
"You might want to rethink that. She's the one who secretly put up the cash so you won the contest."
He'd finally thrown her off balance. "Your mother?" she said. "Not you?"
He had to lock his elbows to keep from embracing her. "I was still in my mad phase. She thinks you're- I'm going to quote her. She thinks you're 'magnificent.' "
"Interesting. Okay, how about this for a deal breaker?"
"There won't be any deal breakers."
"That's what you think." For the first time she looked unsure. "Are you . . . willing to live someplace other than Wynette?"
He should have seen this coming, but he hadn't. Of course she wouldn't want to move back to Wynette after everything that had happened to her there. But what about his family, his friends, his roots, which stretched so deep into that rocky soil he'd become part of it?
He gazed into the face of this woman who'd claimed his soul. "All right," he said. "I'll give up Wynette. We can move anywhere you want."
She frowned. "What are you talking about? I didn't mean forever. Jeez, are you crazy? Wynette's home. But I'm serious about getting my degree, so we're going to need a place in Austin, assuming I get into U.T."
"Oh, God, you'll get in." His voice cracked again. "I'll build you a palace. Wherever you want."
She finally looked as dewy-eyed as he felt. "You'd really give up Wynette for me?"
"I'd give up my life for you."
"Okay, you're seriously starting to freak me out." But she didn't say it like she was freaked out. She said it like she was really happy.
He looked deep into her eyes, wanting her to know exactly how serious he was. "Nothing is more important to me than you."
"I love you, Teddy Beaudine." She finally spoke the words he'd been waiting to hear. And then, with a happy whoop, she threw herself at his chest, plastering her wet, cold body against his; burying her wet, cold face in his neck; touching her wet, warm lips to his ear. "We'll work out our lovemaking problems later," she whispered.
Oh, no. She wasn't getting ahead of him that easily. "By damn, we'll work them out now."
"You're on."
This time she was the one dragging him. They raced back to the limo. He gave the driver a quick set of directions, then kissed Meg breathless as they rode the few short blocks to the Battery Park Ritz. They dashed into the lobby with no luggage and rainwater dripping from their clothes. Soon they were locked behind the door of a warm, dry room that looked out over the dark, rainy harbor.
"Will you marry me, Meg Koranda?" he said as he pulled her into the bathroom.
"Definitely. But I'm keeping my last name just to piss off your mother."
"Excellent. Now take off your clothes."
She did, and he did, hopping on one foot, holding on to each other, getting tangled in shirtsleeves and wet denim legs. He turned on the water in the roomy shower stall. She jumped in ahead of him, leaned against the marble tiles, and opened her legs. "Let me see if you can use your powers for evil instead of good."