The Old Fashioned Way (A Homespun Romance) Page 16

  The alternative; being a spectator not a participator, watching life go by, was no fun at all. Besides she wasn't the only one in the world who'd experienced pain and grief and failure. Some people had to build only once in life, others had to keep rebuilding. The only failures were those who gave up.

  Abby lifted her head. She'd finally found the courage she needed. Finding the number Daniel had left, Abby dialed it. It must be eleven o'clock on the east coast she calculated as she listened to the telephone ringing.

  "This is Lara," a disembodied voice on an answering machine said. "I'm not in right now, so leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

  Lara? Abby checked the number and redialed it. She got the same message. Abby replaced the receiver with a shaking hand. Daniel wouldn't have written the number down wrong. Lara had sounded very confident and very sexy.

  If Daniel was staying with someone like Lara, he didn't need to hear from her.

  Switching off the lights, Abby locked the office and walked back to the house. Losing Daniel was like a knife in her heart. She had no one but herself to blame. She had taken too long mustering her courage. And Daniel, as she'd known right from the start, was not a patient man.

  Abby came down to breakfast at eight, Friday morning. No one was in the kitchen. Waking up late was a natural outcome of the night she'd spent. She had lain awake till two in the morning thinking of Daniel and tracing the course of their relationship. Her mind was full of if onlys.

  Fetching a bowl from the cabinet, Abby helped herself to some cereal. She had to go over to Mrs. G's. The furniture was going to be delivered today.

  She reached for the newspaper before she noticed the envelope beside her plate. Gran had written her name on it. Curious, Abby opened the envelope. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the ticket inside. It was a ticket to the Hot Tub Resort in Carbon Canyon. There was a note with it.

  FOR ABBY, Gran's had printed. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR US.

  They had discovered the resort last summer. Gran had sprained her knee and Dr. Davisson had advised her soaking in a hot tub would help. He'd mentioned the new resort next to Carbon Canyon golf course.

  Set in the hillside at the resort were nine spas. Each was enclosed on three sides to ensure complete privacy, while the glass on the fourth side allowed a one hundred and eighty degree view of Carbon Canyon Lake below. At twilight, the view was breathtaking. Gran and Abby had visited the place quite a few times.

  Abby looked at the time on her reservation card. Seven o'clock. It would be perfect to sit in the bubbling water in the dark and let it soak some of the sadness out of her. The trio had been invited to a country dance competition organized by a local church. Going to the hot tub resort alone would be better than sitting home and moping over Daniel.

  It was six when Abby pulled up outside The Busy Bee. She had stopped by the outlet plaza to order the mirror and table for the entry way. Carrying a package into the community room Abby was surprised by the sudden hush that fell at her entrance.

  "Well," said Abby, "What have I done now?"

  Everyone jumped in to fill the silence.

  "Nothing," said Gran, without looking at her. "We were just going over the accounts."

  In here? There was no sign of any ledger.

  Agnes seemed to be examining her nails with great concentration. "We have to go. The taxi’s here. I better get my bag." She rushed out of the room.

  "I'll come and help you." Gran followed quickly.

  Since when did it take two women to carry a crocheted handbag.

  Hamish patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry about a thing, Abby," he said as he followed the others out.

  Abby stared after the trio. Their behavior was more than strange. Had they had some of Hamish’s homemade wine to celebrate being on their way up? That would account for the way they were acting. Her eyes narrowed. Agnes didn't drink and she had sounded the strangest of them all.

  The chiming of the clock on the wall reminded Abby she had just stopped off to pick up her swimsuit. Locking the door of the community room, she hurried to the house.

  Slipping into her swimsuit, Abby stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her silhouette certainly advertised the care she was taking with her diet. The emerald green, one-piece bathing suit had never looked so good on her. Putting on the robe Agnes had made for her, Abby looked at herself again. The green and white robe had been patterned on a housedress. It tied at the neck and had a pocket at the side. Gran said she looked beautiful in it. Abby knotted her hair on top of her head securing it with a couple of pins. Selecting a change of clothes, Abby put them in her bag and headed for the van.

  The woman in the resort office smiled when Abby showed her the ticket. "Straight down the path and then turn to your left. The number is painted on the back of each building. You can't miss it."

  Abby wondered why the woman hadn't shown her to the hot tub. Someone had always escorted Gran and her to the tubs on previous visits. Abby found number seven without any problem.

  Opening the door she put a hand out to the light switch.

  "Hi, Abby!"

  The velvety voice turned her blood to ice. Gran and Gramps had taught her prayers were always answered. Abby hadn't expected hers to be anticipated in this way.

  "Daniel."

  Her heart defied medical history and missed a beat. She looked at him. That half smile was in place. The dark eyes looked at her with the old, familiar intensity.

  "The trio have been busy."

  It explained their strange behavior earlier. "Did they send you a ticket too?"

  Daniel nodded. "It was waiting for me in the guest house when I returned from New York this afternoon."

  They hadn't told her he was coming back today.

  "I wanted to talk with you, tell you how wrong I was..." Her voice trailed away as her thoughts became muddled. The foaming water around him accentuated Daniel's big, bare chest. She wanted to touch him, reassure herself he really was back.

  "Close the door, Abby," invited Daniel, reaching for the ice chest beside the tub and pouring wine into two flutes. "What were you wrong about?"

  It was so good to see her again. He couldn't wait to see what she had on under the dress. Her face looked thinner, and it was the first time he had seen her with black circles under her eyes.

  Sitting down on the edge of the tub, Abby slipped her feet into the water. She didn't want to blow it this time around.

  Abby stared at the drops of water on Daniel's shoulders. Her gaze lifted to his mouth, and the decision she had just arrived at slipped out of her head.

  "Who's Lara?" she asked abruptly.

  "Lara?" Daniel stared at her for a moment. "You mean you tried to get in touch with me in New York?"

  Abby nodded miserably. Now she'd gone and made a mess of everything.

  "Lara is Frank Shaw's wife. Frank is my editor. I stay with them when I'm in New York."

  "Oh."

  "Why did you call, Abby?"

  "No reason."

  "Abby." He didn't say anything. He didn't have to. The word was a warning.

  Abby ran a hand through her hair. She had to come up with an explanation Daniel would believe. "I wanted to apologize for comparing you to...to anyone else. It wasn't fair of me."

  "Thank you for letting me know, Abby. Now, come into the water."

  Abby stared at him. That was it? No recriminations, no lengthy sermons? Just, come into the water?

  "Is that the only reason you called?" Daniel asked, as she didn't move.

  "Yes." She couldn't help sounding defensive. His look turned her will power to mush.

  Daniel shook his head, "I was hoping you'd say you called to tell me you care about me as much as I care about you."

  "We're from different worlds."

  When had Daniel moved closer? His hand was on one ankle and he was gently massaging one of her feet. Her mind was fogging up. It wasn't playing fair.

  "I know. That's wh
at makes it so interesting."

  She couldn't keep the truth back any longer.

  "I called to tell you I was willing to move in with you."

  "What?"

  The way Daniel bit out the word scared Abby but she went on. "That last day at the house...you suggested we live together for a while, find out if we're right for each other."

  Daniel felt the tension go out of his muscles. "And you're willing to do that?"

  "Well. Gran says sometimes half a loaf is better than no bread. I love you so much I don't want to lose you."

  Abby felt herself blush. Why had she said that?

  "And that's what you think I'm offering you? Half a loaf?"

  "Isn't it?"

  "When I asked you to live with me in the house, I had marriage in mind."

  "M...marriage." Abby stammered.

  Daniel held a hand up. "Let me finish. I know marriage scares you because of what happened to you the first time round. I thought if I asked you to marry me outright you would refuse. So I took you to see the house, hoping it would help change your mind."

  "Marriage," Abby repeated in a daze.

  Daniel reached for her hands. "That's why I'm buying the house. It's for you, our children, maybe even our grandchildren one day. I know now that a man can have everything, but if he doesn't have love he has nothing."

  Abby stared at him. She wasn't going to interrupt this time around.

  "I love you too much to settle for half a loaf," Daniel said.

  "Oh."

  "Would you really have moved in with me, if that's all I'd been able to offer?"

  Abby shrugged. "I didn't want to lose you."

  Someday she would tell him about life being a train. Abby's thoughts wandered. Daniel's hands were busy untying the ribbon at the neck of her robe.

  "I want forever with you Abby."

  She couldn't say a word. Abby's gaze clung to Daniel's and in his eyes she read the promise of their future together.

  There was something she had to say, "Happily-ever-after doesn't really exist outside fairy tales."

  "Results equal effort, determination and persistence," Daniel retorted.

  It sounded like a line from Daniel's seminar. "Do you mean....?"

  "I mean happily-ever-after is up to us."

  There was nothing she could say to that.

  "Abby..." Daniel's hand slid down her shoulder and came to rest on her thigh. "Are you going to spend all our time here, talking?"

  "You don't want to talk?" The water sloshed around Daniel as he moved to get the wine flutes and hand her one.

  "No," said Daniel. "Remember what you told me once? Actions speak louder than words. I know you want to go slow, but I'm done with slow. I tried it and it didn't work. I almost lost you. I'm going to try it my way now."

  "Which is?"

  "Come into the water and let me prove I love you."

  Her phantom fears that he might not care as much as she did vanished forever. The pulse beating erratically in Abby's throat erupted into a wild tango.

  "Abby." There was unmistakable command in Daniel's voice as he set his glass down and held both hands out to her.

  Standing up, Abby suddenly felt shy. Putting a hand out she switched off the light.

  "Daniel," she asked nervously tugging her robe over her head. "Are you wearing a swimsuit?"

  He smiled at her, moving away from her to the opposite side, so he could look at her. The moonlight streaming in through the glass gave him plenty of light to see by. He took his time completing his survey, glad that Abby made no move to hide herself as she would have a few weeks ago.

  "You're beautiful Abby." She couldn't doubt the note of sincerity in Daniel's voice. He meant every word of what he said. "About your question...?"

  "Yes?" said Abby tearing her eyes away from the strong column of his neck with difficulty. What had her question been?

  The smile on Daniel's face made her heart pound. "I have one of my own to ask first. When will you marry me?"

  She liked the way he phrased it. Not will you marry me, but when will you? He really had forgiven her for putting them through some unnecessary misery.

  "Soon," said Abby.

  "Would you mind being married at the new house?"

  Abby shook her head. It would make a perfect setting for her new beginning.

  "I promise to do my best to make you happy."

  Daniel's words handed her a license to dream, to believe, to be happy.

  "We'll both work on it," Abby corrected gently.

  "About your question...," said Daniel.

  "Which one?" Abby asked dreamily.

  "You'll have to come in and find out if I'm wearing anything or not," he said smoothly.

  Abby stepped into the water and into Daniel's waiting arms. He gathered her to his chest and kissed her hungrily. Wrapping her arms around him, Abby responded passionately. Her hands skimmed the sides of his body, pausing as they rested on his briefs.

  "Oh," she said, as Daniel lifted his head.

  "I know," he said a tinge of regret in his voice. "But there's Sarah and the others to think of. They'll make a formidable set of in-laws as it is, and I don't want to upset them by not respecting their feelings."

  Trust Daniel to think of everything. Abby pressed her lips against the strong column of Daniel's neck, "Thank you."

  The old fashioned way was best.

  The pressure of his mouth and the touch of his hands repeated all the assurances of his love. Abby knew Daniel and she would face the challenge of life together.

  "Kiss me Abby."

  Daniel's voice was husky with need. Pushing her thoughts aside she concentrated on enjoying the moment. As Daniel had said, the time for words was past. It was time for action.

  The End

  EPILOGUE

  Gran sat by the window rocking two month old Beth.

  Abby looked up from the computer and smiled as she hit the save key. “Accounts are all done for this month and we are doing great.”

  The Busy Bee was doing so well that Abby had all the time she needed for Beth and her interior decorating business. She was getting quite a reputation. Daniel worked from home preferring to write rather than travel and hold seminars. Both Gran and the MacAthurs had a room each in the new house for whenever they wanted to stay over.

  “Everything we have is thanks to that husband of yours,” said Gran. “The day he stopped here was the luckiest day of our lives.”

  “What was the luckiest day of our lives?” demanded Daniel coming into the family room looking incredibly handsome in a dinner jacket.

  Abby was beside him in an instant doing up his cufflinks and smiling at him. “The day you stopped here.”

  “It was the luckiest day of my life,” corrected Daniel giving his wife a kiss. “Goodnight everyone. Don’t wait up for us. “

  “Don’t hurry back,” said Gran as Abby went over to look at her daughter. “Everything’s under control.”

  “And this time, I’m going to insist on my rights,” said Hamish putting the timer he’d brought in with him on the table next to the couch. “I’m next in line for holding Beth and Agnes had better not try to cut me out.”

  “I heard that,” Agnes said from the kitchen where she and another couple were getting dinner ready.

  Abby opened her mouth to protest that Beth should go in her crib but Daniel put an arm around her and steered her to the door. “It’s our anniversary,” he said, “let’s just focus on each other. Gran, Hamish, Agnes and their two friends can’t spoil Beth in one night.”

  Abby smiled as Daniel shut the door on her side of the car. Their first anniversary promised to be very special.

  “Happy?” Daniel asked as their gazes met.

  She put her hands up to cover his where they rested on the rolled down window.

  “Happier than I ever thought it was possible to be.”

  “And this is just the beginning,” he said as he leaned down to seal the promise with a ki
ss.

  The End

  THE HOMESPUN SERIES

  BOOK 1 – FAITH HOPE AND LOVE

  BOOK 2 – PROJECT VALENTINE

  BOOK 3 – THE LONG ROAD HOME

  BOOK 4 – THE OLD FASHIONED WAY

  BOOK 5 – MR. WRONG

  BOOK 6 – DADDY’S LITTLE GIRL

  Use this link to find all Books We Love Ltd. books at Amazon Kindle:

  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=Books%20We%20Love%20Ltd

  About the Author

  Geeta Kakade was born in India where she attended British schools and colleges. An Army brat she has nomadic dust on her feet and loves to travel. The loneliness of the many moves as a child was dispelled by one constant; books. She has worn many hats, teacher, wife, mother, aunt, friend, reader, writer, volunteer. One of her favorites now is grandmother.

  She came to America when she married her husband, raised her family and learned to bake bread. She's lived in Michigan and California and has written seriously for the last 34 years. Her first writing break came when she was discovered in RWA's national writing competition by a very intelligent editor. Geeta’s Homespun series was previously published in print by Silhouette Her first six books have been translated into Italian, French, Japanese, German, Spanish and Hungarian and she has been on the Waldenbooks and BDalton bestseller lists.

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