Page 38 of Daddy, Take Me Away
Chloe shook her head. “I…”
He turned abruptly, facing her. “I went back to therapy. I go every two weeks, plus to a group counseling session for military folk like me. They meet weekly. I've been to every one so far.”
She had no idea what to say, apart from, “I hope it helps you.”
“They put me on meds,” he continued. “Did you know they have a pill you can take to control nightmares? I haven't had a single one since I started taking them. ”I haven't woke up swinging for three weeks.”
She feigned another smile, trying hard to be happy for him. “That's great.”
She didn't think she'd had a successful night's sleep since they'd parted. Which didn't mean she couldn't be happy for him, but God, did she ever miss him. And having him standing right here, talking as if they'd never parted… it was heart-wrenching.
How long was he going to stay? Was it just a few minutes, or maybe he'd be in New York a few days? Did it matter? Eventually he would go back home and she'd still be stuck here, without him. She couldn't bear it. Here she was, floundering to keep her tears in check, and he just kept talking like nothing about this was killing her.
“So I've been thinking,” Hamish said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “I could open my house to Ben, my best farmhand, for a private house and office. I trust him not to wreck the place while I'm gone.”
He'd come here just to tell her he was leaving his family home? Like it was her fault? With her luck, it probably was. God knows everything that could have gone wrong on her did. With Hamish standing right here, it still was.
The dam of her tears broke, sending them pouring past her lashes and down her cheeks. She turned away from him, hoping to hide them, but there was no leaving his side. Already his hand had hers, his fingers slipping between hers, holding her to him.
“Chloe, look at me.”
She couldn't. She looked everywhere but him. People were looking at them. God, they were making a scene, nevermind how softly they'd been speaking. At the wall directly across the floor from where she was standing, a tuxedoed man looked up at the portrait he'd been admiring, then back at them. He did a double-take, staring up at the painting again, before nudging the man next to him. He pointed to them, and Chloe wilted, dying inside.
No, no, no! Not here, not like this.
“Chloe,” her Daddy purred, cupping her chin and tenderly forcing her to face him. When he saw her tears, it was as if the whole of his strong body softened. With both hands now, he cupped her face, the warmth of his touch spreading into her, followed by a wave of that wonderful, awful, tingling anticipation his touch never failed to spark.
Her legs began to shake. His gaze softened, his thumbs stroked her cheeks, wiping her ocean of tears away.
“Oh my wee bairn,” he breathed. “I didn't come here to make you cry. I came because I cannae live without you. I don't even want to try.”
Rooted where she stood, Chloe tipped her head, staring up at him, baffled, unable to process what she was hearing. “Wh-what?”
His hands dropped to her shoulders. He gave her a single, gentle shake. “I love you, lass. I've been staring it in the face for the last month and there's no denying it.”
He shook her again, forcing her attention only on him instead of all the whispering that had broken out around them. She could feel the burning stares, boring into her back. But it was nothing like the burning that consumed her as his words began to sink in.
“Do you hear me?” he asked, brow furrowing as his gorgeous green eyes stared into hers. “Have I ruined things to the point that you cannae say it back to me? I dinnae need to stay in Scotland. I'm saying I'm willing to go wherever you are, because being without you is intolerable.”
Something inside her broke. The roots were gone, and so was the sadness. Was he saying what she thought he was?
“You love me?”
Releasing her shoulders, he caught her by the hands as he dropped to one knee.
The whispers around her erupted in volume, punctuated by hushed squeals.
“Oh my god!”
“He's proposing!”
“That's the guy in the pictures!”
“You love me?” she whispered, her fingers squeezing onto his hands.
“With all my heart,” he assured. Reaching into the breast pocket of his jacket, he withdrew a small jewelry box. Opening it, he held up the ring for her to see. She stared into the scarlet fire opal, with sparkling facets in every color of the rainbow and tiny diamonds set into a rose gold band.
“The sparkles,” she whispered, a slow smile breaking through her lingering tears. “Is this really happening?”
