Traces (31 page)

Max strode up to where she lay, his footsteps sending small shocks through the ground. “Hey, beautiful.”

She sat up and smiled at him. “Hey, yourself. Care to join me?” She patted the grass beside her, and Max folded his legs to sit down.

“I have some good news.” He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips, his eyes glowing.

“What’s up?” Meredith put a blade of grass between her thumbs and blew on it, producing a whistling type of sound.

“You’re pretty good.” Max clapped, then sobered. He took her hands, the grass blade fluttering to the ground. “I’ve been made senior partner.”

“Wonderful. Congratulations.” She helped him celebrate with a quick peck on the mouth. “What does that mean?”

“It means the county council passed my proposed ordinance to protect historic homes like Twin Oaks.” He squeezed her hands, pulling her closer to him. “It means I have everything I’ve worked for all my life, except for one very important element.”

“What?” Her heart skipped a beat at the smile illuminating his eyes.

“A wife.”

“Oh.” Her heart fluttered, and she couldn’t prevent a silly grin from emerging on her face.

“So what do you say?”

“About what?”

“You know…”

She shook her head, not wanting to admit she did. But was she ready for such a serious commitment? “You want to move in with me?”

“What? No. That’s not it.”

“Oh. Then, um, what?”

“Will you marry me?”

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why?”

“This is rather sudden, you have to admit.” She couldn’t let him think she was too eager, right? “Why do you want me to marry you?”

“Because we’re good together.”

“Oh, we make a good team?” Really? There must be more to it. She loved him. But he’d never said how he felt. Marriage didn’t require the couple to love each other. Take all the arranged marriages that had occurred through history for political reasons or merely for convenience. She could only marry for love. Her heart sank. What if he
didn’t
love her?

“No.” Max scrubbed a hand over his smooth jaw.

“We don’t?”

“Well, yeah, we do, but that’s not why.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “This isn’t coming out the way I’d planned at all.”

“So how did you plan it?”

“I was much more debonair in the truck on the way over here. Let’s start over.” He stood up and then pulled her up beside him. His eyes sobered as he peered at her, taking deep breaths. He squeezed her hands. “Over the last few weeks I’ve discovered something missing in my life. Or more explicitly,
someone
missing. A woman who challenges me to be more than I could be on my own. A woman to love me and to care for me, and whom I can love and care for. In short, Meredith O’Connell Reed, I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life caring for you, laughing with you, loving you. Will you give me the honor of becoming my wife?”

“You’re sure about this? I don’t want you to rush into something you may regret later.” She fought to keep her expression serious as she gazed at his gorgeous blue eyes, the ones that first caught her notice despite her resolve to never be with another man. She watched his tempting mouth tighten as he considered her question.

“Meredith…”

She bit her lip and then smiled as she punched him on the arm. “Of course, I’ll marry you, you dolt.”

Max let out a whoop, then scooped her into his arms, and swung her around three times. He set her down and drew her into his embrace, kissing her in the shade of the fairy tree.

Meredith’s heart filled to bursting. “I love you, James Maximillian Chandler.”

“I love you, Meredith, and I will until the day I die.”

She kissed him again. “Without a trace of doubt, I’ll love you forever.”

The End

Publisher’s Note

Please help this author’s career by posting an honest review wherever you purchased this book.

Betty Bolté, historical and paranormal romance author, writes stories featuring strong, loving women and brave, compassionate men, with a touch of paranormal. Other works include
Hometown Heroines: True Stories of Bravery, Daring, and Adventure,
the first edition of which won Honorable Mention in the 2003 Writer’s Digest International Self-Published Book Awards and 2000 Writer’s Digest Writing Competition. Get to know her at www.bettybolte.com.