In the Line of Fire (14 page)

“Don't make a big deal out of nothing.”

“Do you know I'm the one who asked your daddy to marry me?” She added water to the potatoes in the pot and set it aside.

That was news to him. “How is it that I'm thirty-two and just now hearing this?”

“Because things were different back when we were dating, thirty-six years ago. Nowadays young women don't think a thing about asking a man out, but that's not how things were done in my day. And asking a man to marry you…well, it wasn't anything Allen or
I ever wanted to advertise since it didn't particularly reflect well for either one of us for our day in time.”

Opening the refrigerator, she pulled out a bag of fresh carrots and a container of fresh green beans. He loved her gingered carrots. She really was pulling out all the stops for him.

“Why did you feel you had to ask him?”

She looked at him as if he had missed the obvious. “Because I loved him and I was pretty sure he loved me, but he wouldn't ask me. Apparently you Sawyer men require some nudging. It turns out both your grandmother and your great-grandmother had to step up to the plate as well…and it certainly was unheard of in their day.”

“And you know this how?”

“Women used to keep diaries and journals. Your aunt Margaret—” that was his father's older sister “—shared her mother's and grandmother's diaries with me a couple of years ago.”

“And you're telling me this why?”

“Because I thought you needed to know.”

Well, while they were dragging all of this out, he might as well tell her the other news Andi was going to break to Daisy because Daisy'd be sure to bring that up to his mother, as well.

“There is another conversation Andi's going to have with her mother which will probably make its way back to you, as well.”

“Why do I have the feeling this is going to be even better than her other bit of news?”

He didn't see any good way to ease into this so he simply threw it out there. “Andi says she's in love with me.”

His mother looked triumphant. “Ah-ha. So we were right. I'm telling you it was your sister who figured it out.” She paused. “So then why isn't she moving to Natick? I'm confused again.”

“Mom, she was supposed to marry Blanton less than a week ago. And now she's in love with me? All this time and she never gave me any inkling, any sign?”

“Did you ever let her know how you felt?”

“Well, no,” he answered automatically…and then realized what he'd said.

Across the expanse of Formica, his mother looked smug. She'd been tricky and he'd fallen right into that.

“No worries. We'll get it all sorted out over dinner. I talked to Daisy earlier today. Andi and Daisy are joining us for your farewell dinner this evening.” She paused in midcarrot scrape. “Hold that thought,” she said as she put down the vegetable and utensil and rinsed her hands in the sink. Drying them on her apron, she bustled off to her bedroom. She returned within a few minutes and dropped a velveteen box on the counter in front of him.

She'd gone and gotten the ring. Inside was a ruby
that had been handed down for generations by the Sawyer men to their intended. His great-great-grandfather or perhaps it was his great-great-great-grandfather, he always forgot just how far removed he was in the line of greats. But anyway, his name had been Orin Sawyer and he'd won the ruby ring in a poker game. It had been handed down subsequently as a sign of devotion to the wife of the oldest Sawyer son.

“I don't need that, Mom.”

“We'll see, we'll see.” She reached over and patted his hand. “Just hold on to it.”

A
NDI HEADED FOR
the shower. She could hear her mother crying in the other room. That had gone just as badly as she'd anticipated. Much as with when her brother was leaving for the military, her mother had taken her decision to move as not a sign of independence but as a severing. She didn't see how Andi could leave her if she loved her. It had been a repeat of the same tapes she'd played for years.

Andi did know that, as had happened with Rion, her mother still loved her and would eventually come around. She had, however, reacted precisely as Andi had known she would when Andi brought up her feelings for Colton. And Andi had had a huge epiphany. Her mother only wanted Andi's happiness on her mother's terms.

Things would eventually sort out with her mother. Andi'd been infinitely relieved to hear her mother say Martha Anne had talked her into seeing a therapist
and was going to go with her. Of course, it had been thrown out there as an inducement for Andi to stay so she could see the miracle change her mother was going to manifest in her life. Andi was simply encouraged she was going to seek some help.

Her bigger dilemma, however, was that stubborn man next door whom she was certain loved her as much as she loved him. If he were any other man, she wouldn't be so certain. But he wasn't any other man. He was uniquely Colton. A little bit of a strange bird and so was she.

He hadn't denied he loved her. Neither had he denied she was the woman who'd always been unavailable. Of those things she was certain. What she didn't know was how to get through to him before he headed back out tomorrow for danger and uncertainty. As her grandfather Mitchell had been fond of saying, you could lead a horse to water but you couldn't make him drink. Apparently the same held true for a stubborn jackass.

 

C
OLTON WAS STRETCHED OUT
on the guest bed trying to get his head into his book, to no avail, when his cell phone rang. He checked the display. He'd been expecting this call. It had taken longer than he'd expected.

He answered. “What took you so long?”

Rion's voice had just a bit of static on the other end. “Thought I'd give you enough time to hang yourself.”

“Very funny.”

“Well, as the official man of the house, inabsentia, I'm demanding to know when you're going to make an honest woman of my sister.”

“You're kidding, right?”

“Not really. The honest woman part, yeah, but man, how long is it going to take you to own up to how you feel about her and do something about it? I even made damn sure my leave was denied and yours was granted—”

WTF? “How'd you do that?”

He could almost see Rion shrug over the phone. “I've got connections.” Colton didn't doubt it. That was pretty much the way Rion operated. “So, I made sure you were there thinking there was no way in hell you'd let her go through with marrying that guy Blanton when you've only been in love with her yourself for the last several years.”

Colton had always been so careful to guard his feelings about Andi, but apparently not careful enough. They were past the point of denial. “How did you know?”

“Good God, it wasn't hard to tell. And she's been in love with you for forever. I have never seen two more pathetic people dance around one another. Andi brings a little spontaneity to you, obviously if you took off with her like that, and you offer my little sister some stability.”

“What pop psychology book did you get that from?”

“I got that from your sister. Mattie's a pretty smart chick. You ought to try talking to her now and then.”

“Speaking of my sister. I understand you kissed her.”

“You're a day late and a dollar short, Colton. That was way back when and I'm betting you did a whole helluva lot more than kiss my sister this past week so you might not want to go there. So, what's this I hear that she wants to get married and you don't?”

“Did she call you?”

“Nah. Mattie did. But don't try and sidetrack here. What's your problem? You love her and she loves you.”

“You know what it's like where we are. What it's like for the families left behind.”

“Colton, for such a smart guy sometimes you can be a total dumb-ass. It is exactly because of what it's like where we are that you should seize whatever chance you have to be happy and to make someone else happy while you can because you damn well may never have the opportunity again. You know, you're damn well treating my sister the way my mother does. You're trying in your heavy-handed way to protect her without considering what it is she wants, what will make her happy. She's loved you for more than half
her life so how do you think walking away from her is the best thing for her?”

Colton was all for researching the hell out of things but he also tended to get tunnel vision. He'd never examined it from the perspective Rion had just put forth. It felt like a sucker punch to the gut. Rion was right. Colton was no better than Daisy in trying to direct Andi's life and not trusting that she was capable of making her own decisions.

“You want us to wait until you can be at the wedding?”

“Hell, no. Have someone videotape it and I'll watch it on the computer. I think I'm allergic to weddings. That was yet another reason my leave was denied.”

“Later.”

“Hey, Colton—”

“Yeah?”

“Welcome to the family. And just think, bro, my mother is going to be your mother-in-law.”

Rion's laughter was still ringing on the other end when he hung up on Colton.

For the first time Colton really allowed himself to imagine a life with Andi, unfettered by his own denial. He double-timed it down the hall. The meat loaf smelled great. Everything in life was suddenly great. His mother was putzing around the kitchen when he came in and caught her up in a hug. “Listen, y'all are going to have to enjoy dinner without the pleasure of my and Andi's company tonight.”

“If I'm giving up my son's last evening home he better at least be doing what he needs to do.”

“How would you feel about packing up my and Andi's portion of dinner in a picnic basket?”

“Is that ruby ring part of the picnic?” she hardlined him.

“Yes, ma'am, it is.” He started out of the kitchen, then paused. “Oh, and Mom, do us all a favor and keep Daisy occupied.”

 

A
NDI SLIPPED INTO A
pretty spring dress that came off equally easy. She was also wearing that front-hook bra Colton was so fond of. She read his text for about the twentieth time since she'd received it an hour ago.

 

You're invited for a Grand Adventure. 7:15 @ tree house. Bring candles.

 

The summer they were twelve, Colton and Rion had built a clubhouse in a sprawling oak on the back line of the Sawyer property. Their dads had helped them and the boys had spent hours during the summer hanging out there. Long after they'd outgrown the clubhouse, Mr. Sawyer had kept it up, replacing boards as they rotted. A couple of years ago, when he was home on leave, Rion had overhauled the clubhouse himself. He'd said it was because he was bored with nothing else to do but she suspected it was more of an homage
to the memory of a man who'd been surrogate father to them after their own father had died.

As a kid, Andi had begged to be allowed in their sanctuary and had always been denied entry. As a defiant teenager, she'd been up there several times when Colton and Rion were away at school. And she'd loved it because it made her feel close to Colton. Now she was embarking on yet another Grand Adventure and this time it was the sacred clubhouse. She had a good feeling.

After brushing on some lip gloss, she headed down the hall. She'd already told her mother she wouldn't be joining the rest of them for dinner. Her mother would've probably had plenty to say, if she'd been speaking to her. Sometimes you had to be thankful for small blessings. And this was another one because her mother was still sequestered in her room and wouldn't see where Andi went.

She slipped out the side door and walked down the block, cutting up on the other side of the Sawyer house into the backyard. Dusk had quickly settled into dark but she picked her way by the light of the quarter moon to the sprawling oak. She smelled him, sensed him, felt him, before she saw him leaning beneath the canopy of branches.

“You came,” he said, putting his arms around her and hauling her close for a hug.

“Of course I did. You know I can't resist a Grand
Adventure.” She lightly kissed him, unsure of exactly where they stood.

“Oh, is that the only reason you came?” he said, but he kept his arms around her, still holding her close.

“Well, I was still on the fence but about halfway across the yard I was pretty sure I smelled meat loaf, mashed potatoes and your mother's gingered carrots, so here I am. When are we going to eat?”

He chuckled quietly and released her, sweeping his arm toward the ladder leading up. “Ladies first. Be careful going up.”

“Are you kidding? I used to climb this thing in the dark all the time. In fact this is my favorite time to be out here because it's getting warm but the mosquitoes aren't feasting in full force.”

“Did you bring the candles?”

“Of course I did. And matches too in case you forgot them.”

When she got to the top, she was surprised to see he'd spread several blankets on the floor and there were a couple of throw pillows. Rion and Colton had been lanky adolescents when they built the clubhouse and now she and Colton were adults, not to mention he was a fairly big man. With the picnic basket and pillows, it made for tight quarters but tight quarters suited her just fine since it meant she was that much closer to him.

She passed the candles to him and he placed them in the far corners before he lit them. Moonlight filtered
through the tree's still-bare branches. It was one of the most romantic setups she thought she'd ever seen.

“I'd suggest we eat first, so you're not about to expire from hunger.”

“You're just too funny,” she said.

“A lot of people don't see that in me.” He was quiet and serious.

“That's because they don't love you like I do.” She would beat him over the head with it.

“I suspect that's true enough” was his only rejoinder.

He passed her a plate and took one himself. Backs propped against the pillows and the clubhouse wall, they ate. For a measure of time it was merely the occasional clink of a fork against a plate. Andi finally broke the silence. “Your mother makes the best meat loaf. I wonder if she'd give me the recipe?”

“I'm sure she would.”

“This is your favorite meal, isn't it?”

“Yep. It's hard to beat. How'd it go with your mother?”

“Pretty much the way we both thought it would. She's currently not speaking to me.”

“Maybe that's not a bad thing.”

“Great minds think alike. It was the same thought I had.”

They finished eating and Colton stacked the plates back in the basket. “Come here,” he said.

She willingly settled on his lap. He wrapped his
arms around her and she snuggled into his chest. “Mmm, this is nice,” she said, a good feeling flowing through her that had nothing to do with the meal she'd just consumed and everything to do with the man who held her in his arms as if he'd never let her go.

“So you like the Grand Adventure I planned?”

She nuzzled her lips against his neck. “So far, so good.”

He shifted slightly, “Uh, honey, can you not do that right now because it makes it hard for me to think.”

She shifted deliberately against his burgeoning arousal beneath her. “It makes lots of things hard.”

“Andi,” he said warningly.

“Okay, I'll behave.”

“Just for now. Just for a little bit.” He cleared his throat and caught her left hand in his hand. “Ah, I see you took off Blanton's rock.”

“Yeah, once I got home and could safely store it. I just didn't want to lose it.”

“You know, I've been told that for a smart guy I can be a real dumb-ass.”

She laughed softly. He had to have talked with her brother. “When did you talk to Rion?”

“How do you know I talked to him?”

“Because that sounds exactly like him.”

Colton laughed quietly. “Yeah, it was Rion. We talked this afternoon.” He rested his head against her hair and said quietly, “I love you, Andi. I have for a
long time. You were the woman who was never available. By the time you were old enough that our ages didn't matter, I was being sent to a war zone and then you were dating Blanton. And I always thought what your mother wanted for you was what you wanted, to stay here in Savannah.”

She wasn't exactly sure what had turned his tide for him, she was just damn glad to hear it. “So does this mean you're going to marry me?”

“Dammit, woman, would you give a man a chance to say his piece?”

“Okay. I'm sorry. Speak, Major.”

He reached to his left and grabbed something. “Well, since there's an empty spot on your finger, why don't you try this on for size?”

In the flickering candlelight and the moonlight sifting down through the branches she opened the box to see the Sawyer promise ruby. Of course she'd heard about it. He took the box from her and pulled out the ring. “Will you marry me?”

A quiet joy, a newfound contentment welled inside her. “Of course.” He slid the ring onto her finger. It was a bit of a snug fit, but that was good since she wouldn't have to worry about losing it. “How soon?”

“Can you plan a wedding in three months?”

“Three months? Are you crazy?”

“Okay, we'll make it longer if you need longer.”

It had taken years for them to get to this point.
She wasn't going to trust him not to come up with some logical, rational ridiculous reason to change his mind. “No. There's no way I'm waiting three months to marry you. Tomorrow.”