“I can’t take all the credit,” she said with surprising modesty.
Richard didn’t seem impressed by her sudden sense of humility. “You should know by now that Destiny always gets what she wants,” he confided to Melanie.
Destiny beamed at Richard and Melanie, then turned to his brothers, a sparkle of pure mischief in her eyes. “Something you two need to remember, too.”
Mack and Ben, their expressions instantly horrified, suddenly melted into the crowd. Watching them disappear, Melanie turned to Richard. “When their turns come, whose side are you going to be on?”
“Destiny’s, of course,” he said without hesitation. “She’s made me a believer in the power of love.” He looked deep into Melanie’s eyes. “You still haven’t given me an answer, by the way.”
Melanie smiled. “I should make you wait, maybe torment you a little.”
She heard Destiny mutter something about the balance of power again and made up her mind. She knew what it had cost Richard to put his heart on the line in this room filled with people. He’d taken the risk. The least she could do was reciprocate here and now.
“I accept,” she told him, her gaze locked with his.
Their obviously baffled guests, who’d come to celebrate an engagement, seen it broken, then back on again, cheered wildly, taking their cue from Destiny, who swept Melanie into a hug and congratulated her.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better woman for Richard,” she said.
Melanie chuckled. “You act surprised. We both know you handpicked me, though I’ve yet to figure out why.”
“Oh, darling, that one’s easy,” Destiny said, turning her to face Richard, who was more at ease than Melanie had ever seen him. His eyes filled with emotion when he caught her looking his way.
“Can you see what I see?” Destiny asked.
“He’s happy,” Melanie realized, recognizing the signs because she was filled with jubilation herself.
“He’s happy,” Destiny confirmed. “Because of you.”
Melanie gave her a fierce hug. “Maybe we should share the credit.”
Destiny nodded, her expression smug. “Yes, perhaps we should for tonight, but I think over time the lion’s share will go to you. I’ll thank you in advance for that.”
Melanie’s gaze lingered on Richard. “He’s able to love me at all because of you,” she told Destiny honestly. “Your work here is done.”
“Yes, I believe it is.” She looked around the room. “Now where the dickens do you suppose Mack is?”
Melanie chuckled at Destiny’s eagerness as she began moving through the crowd in search of Mack. “You probably ought to find your brother and warn him,” she told Richard when he joined her.
“Hell no,” Richard said. “Mack can take care of himself. In fact, it’ll be a pleasure to watch him squirm for a change. Besides, I have more important things to do.”
“Oh? Such as?”
“This,” he said, lowering his head to capture her mouth.
“Definitely more important,” Melanie murmured against his lips.
“Have I mentioned that I love you?” Richard asked when the kiss ended.
“Come to think of it, no,” Melanie said. “But I thought it was implicit in your proposal.”
He smiled. “I knew you could read my mind.”
She sighed. “There was a while there when I was sure I’d gotten it all wrong. From now on, though, I think I’ll trust my instincts.”
“What are your instincts telling you now?” he asked.
She studied him thoughtfully, then grinned. “Shame on you,” she scolded.
“Then you’re not interested in blowing off this party and getting a room upstairs?”
“I didn’t say I wasn’t interested,” she replied. “I can see you’re going to have to work on reading my mind.”
His expression sobered. “I’ll make it my life’s mission. That and loving you.”
Melanie felt her heart swell. If he said it, she could bank on it. Richard Carlton always kept his promises. That was the backbone of his campaign strategy and, best of all, it was the truth.
Priceless
by
Sherryl Woods
To Dee Adams, Betty Baderman and
Pat Morrissey/Havlin, enduring friends from
my days at Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital.
And to Karen Strauss, RN, Nurse Manager, Paediatric
Haematology Oncology, Jackson Memorial Hospital,
with thanks for her medical expertise.
Any mistakes are my own.
Chapter One
Mack Carlton, who’d had more quick moves on a football field than any player in Washington, D.C., history, had been dodging his Aunt Destiny for the better part of a month. Unfortunately, Destiny was faster and sneakier than most of the defensive linemen he’d ever faced. She was also more highly motivated. It was a toss-up as to how long it would be before she caught up with him.