Owen walked out onto the porch, his face lit by the soft yellow light of the porch lamp. He nodded at her. “Bella.”
“Owen, can we talk? Please?” Her heart thumped in her chest. So much was riding on her choosing the right words.
“I thought we had said everything that needed to be said.”
“Please, just listen for a moment.” She motioned towards the rocking chairs on the porch and dropped into one.
Owen paused, then gave her a curt nod, and slowly lowered himself into the chair beside her.
“Owen, I’m sorry. I’ve made such a mess of things. I know you didn’t push Jeremy. I’ve always really known that.”
Owen cocked an eyebrow, but stayed silent.
“I fell back into my pattern of letting Rick run my life. He threatens to do something, I react by doing what he wants to placate him. He threatened to take custody of the boys, and I just overreacted. I can’t spend my life being afraid of him. I can’t.” She slid out of her chair and knelt before Owen, taking his strong hands in her own. Half surprised that he didn’t jerk them away, she held on for dear life.
“I am so, so sorry. I don’t know what else to say. I was frightened of losing the boys. But, I can’t live my life being scared of Rick’s demands. I never should have pushed you away. I wish you would give us another chance. I hope you can forgive me. I have missed you so much.”
She looked up into his eyes, still unable to determine what he was thinking. She jumped up to her feet and walked over to the porch railing, looking out on the streetlight illuminating the brick road. It was probably too late for them, and she didn’t blame him. Why should he trust her now?
The rocking chair creaked as Owen got up, his footsteps softly falling on the wooden planks of the porch. He came up and stood beside her, placing one strong hand gently over hers resting on the railing.
“I knew you were frightened. I knew you just wanted some peace in your life. I wanted to give you that space.” He turned her to face him and she looked into the depths of his eyes. “I never planned to let you go, Bella Amaud. I just planned to give you some time. You are too important to me for me to let you just walk out of my life.”
Tears filled the corners of her eyes and her heart filled with hope. “You mean… you forgive me?”
“Ah, my Bella, how could I not? Don’t you know by now? I’m hopelessly in love with you.”
Her heart flipped in her chest and the blood pounded in her ears. Had he said he was in love with her? “Wh… what?”
“I said I love you.”
“Oh, Owen, I love you, too.” She threw herself into his arms.
“Um, that’s good. Because I want to spend a crazy amount of time with you. I can’t get enough of you.”
She felt his heart beating as she rested her head against him. “I’d like that. Time with you. Lots and lots of it.”
Owen reached down and tilted her face up, his hand gently resting under her chin. She closed her eyes as he lowered his lips to hers, the night sky lighting up with a firework cascade of stars and happiness.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“Come on, Aunt Jo. It will be good to get out of the house. It’s a pretty day for a drive. I want you to come over to Comfort Crossing and see all the remodeling that I’ve done to my house. I could use your opinion on wall colors for the guest bedrooms.”
Josephine doubted that Gil really needed her opinion, but his heart was in the right place. He wanted to get her out of her house, and she really should go with him. Sitting here sulking wasn’t going to get her anywhere.
“Okay, but I’m not going to see Catherine, if that’s what you’re trying to do.”
“No, I swear. I just want some opinions on the remodeling.”
“Okay, let me get my pocketbook and I’ll be ready to go.” She crossed over to the closet and took her pocketbook off the hook in the closet. No need for a coat today, the weather was warm out. She took a quick look in the mirror and tucked a lock of hair back into place. She might be old, but she still liked to look her best.
They drove over to Comfort Crossing talking about Gil’s remodeling of the house he’d inherited from his parents. She was glad to hear he’d redone the kitchen and put in a gas stove. She didn’t trust those fancy electric stoves. Never could get the temperature right. When Gil’s father had put in the electric stove, he’d been so proud of it. Josephine had just shaken her head at the time. She was glad to hear Gil had put in a real stove.
“Hey, Aunt Jo. How about showing me where you used to meet Paul. Wouldn’t you like to see it again?”