Page 29 of River Legacy
“I’ll be right there.” He disconnected. “Elaine!” he called as he rose from his desk and picked up his Stetson.
She came racing into the room, looking worried.
“It’s Tilly. She’s at the hospital having the baby. You want a ride?”
“I’ll take my own car.”
“All right,” Holden said. “I’m going, then. Lottie’s there.”
Elaine nodded, smiling. “I’m so glad she made it. I’m sure Tilly is too.”
“Yes, I forget how close the two of you are,” Holden said. “Also, how good you are at keeping her secrets.” He’d only found out recently that Elaine and Lottie had been friends for years. All that time, Elaine had been trying to get Lottie to forgive him and urging him to do what he could to get them back together—all in secret.
Elaine pretended to hold a key and lock her lips, making him laugh. His first grandchild was being born and he was going to see Lottie. He felt suddenly older than his almost sixty years, yet excited to be alive right now.
“Go,” Elaine said. “I’ll let everyone else know.”
The drive into town was the longest of his life. By the time he reached the hospital, he had a granddaughter and Lottie was waiting for him on the bench outside the hospital. She smiled as he took a seat next to her.
“We’re grandparents,” she said and placed a hand on his knee and looked up at him. “Cooper’s in there with her now. I thought I’d give them a few moments.”
He met her gaze. “I’m so glad you’re back.”
She nodded. “Me too. Are you ready to see your granddaughter?”
“Yes, but not just yet. I’ve missed you. Now thatyou’re back, I don’t want to waste a moment. Tell me that after all these years, we’re going to be together.”
Tears filled her eyes. “It’s what I want more than anything.”
He broke out in a huge grin. “Marry me, Lottie.” A tear ran down her cheek. He caught it with his thumb pad before reaching into his pocket and pulling out the small velvet box he’d held on to for years.
Looking into her beautiful green eyes, he flipped it open and took out an emerald ring—the stone the same color as her eyes. “I’ve had this ring for years, Lottie. I never gave up hope.” He slipped off the bench and got down on one knee, glad he could still do that and get back up. “Will you finally be my wife?”
It had been so long coming that for a moment Charlotte only stared at the ring. She’d spent so much lost time being angry and hurt because Holden had married another woman when she knew he was in love with her and always had been.
She looked up, met his blue eyes and saw all the love still there. Smiling, she held out her left hand. She refused to think about what could have been, what should have been. She’d wasted far too much time when all she’d ever wanted was this man. It was never too late, she told herself. Not when you loved each other the way the two of them had for years.
“I would love to marry you, Holden McKenna,” she said.
He slipped the ring on her finger. Of course it fit perfectly. She looked down at it, and then she cupped his wonderful face in her hands and kissed him. She didn’t have to ask for forgiveness for making him wait all this time. She saw it in his eyes. She’d caused them both so much pain, but that was behind them as he took her into his arms and held her tight.
“I think we should keep this to ourselves for now and let this be Tilly and Cooper’s day,” she said.
He nodded. “But after today, I want to tell the children. I’m hoping they’ll be happy for us. Happy or not, I’m happy.”
“Me too,” she said. “I suppose you’re hoping for a long engagement?”
His eyes widened in alarm before he realized she was joking. “Not a chance. We’ve already lost too much time, don’t you think?”
She did. “We could elope.”
He shook his head. “You the deserve the wedding you should have had years ago.”
“No looking back,” she chided. “That’s our new deal. Only looking to the future. You know I don’t need a big wedding.”
“But maybe the community does,” he said, and she nodded. “They’ve put up with our rivalry for years. The least we can do is throw them a party.”
Charlotte smiled, still bowled over by this. She and Holden were finally getting married. They’d spent years unable to keep their hands off each other—even when they should have. “Does thismean no more sneaking down to the creek to make love?”
