Susannah's Garden (Blossom Street #3)(101)

“I couldn’t leave you.”

Emotion thickened her throat. “Oh…I don’t even know what to call you.”

“Dave. I’m accustomed to it now.”

He’d been Dave far longer than he’d been Doug, she realized. Burrowing into his arms, she trembled with the joy of what she’d learned.

“What are we going to do?” she cried, panic taking over. No one must learn the truth. No one must suspect.

“I haven’t got everything figured out yet,” Dave admitted. “I know I can’t leave you, though. I’m through with running.”

That was reassuring but also threatening. They had to go someplace he’d be safe, where no one could possibly guess. That meant she couldn’t stay in Colville. “I’ll sell the mill and we can—”

“No.” His response was adamant. “I won’t let you. Don’t even think like that. I’ve lived as Dave Langevin for the last few months without anyone in town suspecting. Doug is dead and buried. He’s no longer a threat to either one of us.”

“But…”

“It’s a risk we have to take. None of this can come to light, Carolyn. There’s Sheriff Dalton to consider and my mother, too. A shock like this might be more than she could handle.”

“Oh, Dave, I feel so bad for your mother. I know we can’t tell her but I promise you this—I will visit her and care for her on your behalf.”

He raised her fingers to his lips. “Thank you. And if I am found out, then so be it, but I don’t think it’s likely. After Mom and Sheriff Dalton are both gone, I’ll contact an attorney and see what can be done to straighten this out.”

“No.” Carolyn had strong feelings on the matter. “I won’t risk having you go to jail.”

“I’ve been there for the last thirty years one way or another.”

“As your future wife, I should have a say in this.”

Dave went completely still and stepped back, holding her at arm’s length. “My future wife?” he asked hesitantly.

Her eyes brimmed with tears as she met his gaze. His wonderful face swam before her. Lifting her hands to his jaw, she smiled shyly and nodded. “I’m proposing, and if you have a lick of sense you’ll accept.”

“But…”

“I’ve waited for you my entire life.”

“But…”

“Just say yes!”

“Carolyn, you’re—”

“Didn’t you hear what I said?” she cried. “I love you and I’m not taking no for an answer.”

He frowned and a look of sadness settled over him. “I don’t even have a pot to piss in. About all I own is that broken-down truck and my camper.”

He was going to make this more difficult than she’d expected. So she did the one thing that might convince him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him, using her mouth, her tongue, her fingers, her whole body to show this man how much she loved him. He was breathless by the time she’d finished, and so was she.

Dave placed his hand on the washing machine, as though he needed to hold on to something solid to maintain his balance.

“Do you have any other arguments?” she asked and marveled that she could have one of the most important conversations of her life in the laundry room.

Dave frowned and it looked as if he still had some fight in him. “Could you seriously leave me?” she asked.

A half smile lifted the edges of his mouth. “Probably not,” he said.

“Next question. How much longer will we manage to stay out of the bedroom? Don’t answer, because I can tell you right now, it won’t be long. You know it and so do I.”

Dave threw back his head, laughed and then swept her back into his embrace. “Carolyn, oh, Carolyn, I love you so damned much. There isn’t a solitary reason on God’s green earth that you should marry a felon like me, but if you want me…”

“Oh, I want you all right. I want you so much I wonder if I can last the three-day waiting period after we apply for the license.” Only then did she start to laugh, too. Tears ran down her cheeks and she was laughing and crying at once. The man who’d been dead was now alive. No—that wasn’t exactly right. Doug was dead, but Dave was alive. Alive and in love with her.

Joe and Susannah parked in the Memorial Hospital lot and went up to Vivian’s room, where they found her eating lunch with every appearance of appetite. The color was back in her cheeks and she looked better than she had in weeks.

Susannah had been anticipating this visit. She’d had a long heart-to-heart talk with her husband, and together they’d reached a major decision. She’d begun to feel trapped in her job and now acknowledged that this phase of her life was coming to a natural end. A new one was about to begin.

“Should we tell your mother?” Joe asked.

“Yes. I think she’ll be pleased.”

“Hi, Mom,” she said, coming all the way into the room and bringing Joe with her. “Look who’s here. And look what I brought.” She held a vase filled with white and pink roses from the garden and carefully placed it on the windowsill.

Vivian brightened and set aside her fork. “Joe!” She held out her arms for a hug. She sounded more and more like her old self. “Chrissie said you were in town. It’s so good to see you.”