Just The Way You Are(93)

"It is a good day."

"I want to kiss you," she said.

And he stopped breathing then, for her eyes were on his mouth, and her body was so close to his. It was the first time in a long time that she'd admitted to wanting him.

"What's stopping you?" he asked.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw that Megan, Tessa, and Jimmy had disappeared into a thatch of trees, their kite string caught in some branches. "Just one kiss," she told him.#p#分页标题#e#

"For starters," he murmured, standing perfectly still, his heart thudding against his chest as she stood on tiptoe to kiss him.

Her lips were warm, shy at first, then growing bolder as their mouths recognized each other in delicious familiarity. He groaned down deep in his throat as he ached for a deeper, harder, longer kiss. But she was gone almost as quickly as she had come. And her eyes were not as happy as they had been a minute ago.

"Don't keep saying good-bye," he told her. "It's not the last kiss."

"It could be," she whispered. "Maybe it should be."

"Since when have we done what we were supposed to do?" His words coaxed a reluctant smile out of her.

"You've got me there." She hesitated. "Sam, I know about the offer you got to buy your business."

"Tessa told you?"

"No, Tessa didn't tell me. You told Tessa?" she asked sharply.

"It doesn't matter, Alli. I'm not going to sell out."

"Are you sure? This could be your chance to start over, Sam, in every way. Maybe you should take it."

"Maybe I don't need to start over, Alli. Most people only start over when they're losing. I don't think I'm losing."

"What does that mean?" she asked in confusion.

"It means you just kissed me."

"So?"

"Like I said, it's a start."

"A start to what?" She held up a hand. "Don't answer that. Not today. I'm feeling too good today, and I don't want to spoil it just yet."

"Daddy, we need help," Megan called, running toward them.

Alli tipped her head toward Jimmy and Tessa. "Looks like it's time for you to be a hero again."

"We're not done talking."

"For now we are. We found the pearl, Sam. And I think somehow everything else is going to work out the way it's supposed to. And for the moment, I'm going to just do what Grams always tells me to do."

"What's that?"

"I'm going to have faith."

* * *

Phoebe put a hand to her neck and felt the warm pearls against her skin. She looked at the man standing a few feet from her. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"As are you."

"The girls found it together. They're a family again. I wish you could see them."

"I can," he said simply. "And you, my love, are you ready to sail away with me?"

She wasn't afraid anymore. In fact, the water was deliciously warm, and when she reached out to John, she could feel him. No more elusive longing. He was here. He was hers.

"You won't leave me again?" she asked.

"Not ever again. I love you, Phoebe. I've missed you."

"And I've missed you."





* * *





Chapter 22



« ^ »

Alli grinned as Jimmy tried to talk Sam into climbing the tree and rescuing the kite entangled in the branches. Before she could suggest that Jimmy make the journey himself, her cell phone rang.

"Hello," she said, flipping it open, expecting to hear Mary Ann's voice, but it was William. "What?" The words rocked her to the core. The group around her fell silent as she tried to make sense of what he was saying.

"Phoebe has had another stroke," William repeated. "They're trying to resuscitate her. Hurry, Alli. Hurry."
#p#分页标题#e#
She flipped the phone shut, her gaze running immediately to Sam. "Grams has had another stroke. We have to go now."

"No," Tessa cried, putting a hand to her mouth. "That can't be right."

"She'll be fine. We have to believe that." But the word resuscitate ran through Alli's head.

"Is Grams going to die?" Megan asked her.

The question hung in the air for a long moment.

"Why don't Megan and I stay here and practice our kite flying?" Jimmy suggested. "We'll meet you back at the house later. What do you say, Megan? I could use some more practice."

She looked uncertain. "Mommy?"

"It's a good idea, honey." Alli gave Megan a quick hug. "Jimmy is pretty bad at this, and we don't want him to embarrass the family."

"Okay. But you'll tell Grams I love her?"

"I'll tell her."

Alli just prayed they would have the chance.