Forgiving Paris: A Novel(75)

You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes.

—Song of Solomon 4:9



Their eyes met as soon as she stepped off the small plane, and Jack had to force himself not to run to her. How could a whole year have passed without Eliza near him, without her in his arms?

Jack had on white khaki pants and a white short-sleeve button-down. Five days ago he was nearly killed in Honduras, but that was behind him now. Somehow he had finished his last mission with breath in his lungs.

And now he was here. Ready to start the rest of his life.

There was a yellow line on the ground, one he couldn’t cross. He watched her take her bag from the cart and then turn to him. She must’ve found his note because the look of her made his heart skip a beat.

Her white sundress fluttered in the breeze.

She also wore a wide-brimmed straw hat, as if she still had to be careful about who saw her and what dan ger that might put her in. There was no danger now, but the hat worked. It made her look like the true princess she was. Like royalty from a faraway land.

Then, in a way he would remember as long as he lived, she came to him. She didn’t look around or seem aware of the other people deplaning. Her eyes were on his alone. And finally she was in his arms.

He removed her hat and dropped it to the ground. Then he kissed her like he’d wanted to since they’d said goodbye in Cancún. The years and danger and missions were behind them. From this day forward it would be him and Eliza. Nothing could tear him away from her.

She looked into his eyes. “Every day I missed you, Jack.”

“You’re so beautiful.” And all he could think was that she was here, in his arms. He wasn’t dreaming. Once more he kissed her. “Don’t ever leave me again, Eliza. Promise.”

She laughed, the sort of unguarded laugh he wanted to spend the rest of his life listening to. “I promise.”

They collected her things and walked to his rented BMW, then he drove south down the peninsula. Jack had worked out a deal with the owner of a private resort. Four bungalows and a luxury suite all on the most beautiful strip of sand he’d ever seen. He pulled into the parking lot and cut the engine.

“I have a surprise for you.”

“I see that.” She stared out the window at the stretch of shoreline ahead of her. “I’ve always wanted to walk this beach. Did you know that?”

“I did.” He smiled. That wasn’t the surprise. “We’ll get your things later. Come on.”

He opened her door and led her to a path lined with lit lanterns and Mason jars of white flowers. His heart pounded and his breathing was shallow. He’d worked on this surprise longer than she knew. He turned to her. “I love you, Eliza.” He brushed a lock of hair from her cheek. “Lizzie James. I’ll always love you.”

“I love you, too.” A bit of laughter lifted her lips. “What am I supposed to call you now?”

“Jonathan Ryder.” He winked at her. “But you can call me Jack. It’ll be my nickname. It’s sort of grown on me.”

“Me, too.” She put her hand alongside his face. “The candles… the flowers? How did you do this?”

“I had help.” He took her hand in his and they walked down the path and out onto the sand, where four people sat in white wooden folding chairs, two on each side of a white cloth runner. They faced the water and a white gazebo.

Jack smiled. Just like he had arranged.

“What… Jack, what is this?” She looked at him. “Who are they?”

He hugged her. “It’s okay. Just some friends of mine.”

They took off their shoes and walked barefoot in the sand.

Then from one side of the aisle, a woman stood. She had long brown hair and the same face as Eliza’s. A second later, the young man next to the woman also stood, and when he turned Eliza gasped.

She held on to Jack so she wouldn’t fall to the ground. “Mama? Daniel?”

Jack felt his eyes well up. He waited until Eliza’s mother reached her, then he stepped back. The love of his life had longed for this moment since she was a small child. He couldn’t believe God was letting him watch it play out.

“Lizzie! My baby girl, you’re alive!” Her mother wrapped Eliza in her arms and both of them held on to each other. The way the children of soldiers hold on when their parents return from war. “I can’t believe it. After all this time. My precious girl.”

“They told me… you drowned.” Eliza clung to her mother and then turned to the young man. “Daniel. My brother.” She took hold of him. “Is it really you?”

Jack watched from a few feet away. This was the greatest gift he could ever give her. And it had almost not happened.

Her brother put his arm around Eliza’s shoulders. “Lizzie.” Tears streamed down his face. “I’ve missed you every day. Father told us you had drowned, too.” He held her close, like no time had passed. Then the three of them formed a circle and held each other for a long time.

Daniel stepped back first. “Jack found us. He sent an agent to Lancaster.” He touched Eliza’s face. “I never stopped believing you were really alive. You were out there somewhere, looking for us.”

“Jack?” Eliza still had one arm around her mother and the other around her brother. “How did you…? When…?”