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“Has it hit you yet?” Thad asked. “This could finally be over for you. You’ll be free to live however you wish.”
I looked down at my lap. The cutoff jean shorts I wore had frayed at the bottom. I stuck a finger through one of the strings and tugged it loose. “If he doesn’t kill me first.” He was alive. The relief that knowledge brought came in equal measure to my fear of his wrath. Now that he knew where I was, I was in danger. Even with the sheriff involved, anything could happen tomorrow.
“We’re not going to let that happen. You’re not alone this time. You have us and the sheriff. We’ll nail him to the wall and toss him into jail where he belongs. He won’t hurt you or Chloe again.”
“And then what?” I asked. “What happens when it’s all over?”
“Then you decide what you want from your life and go for it.”
“It’s the same thing I’ve always wanted. A family. A place to belong. For me and for Chloe. I’d like to stay here with you. For as long as you’ll have us.”
“If it’s up to me, you’ll stay forever.”
“Forever?”
“Yes, forever. I want to marry you, Sammie. I want to be Chloe’s dad and have a bunch more kids and raise them here near my family. I want to give Chloe the childhood I had.” He tapped his chest. “I’m in love with you. I think I have been since the first time I saw you.”
“I’ve not allowed myself to imagine having a relationship with you,” I said. “Simply because it would further shatter me if I had to leave you.”
“You won’t have to. I wasn’t sure we’d have a chance, but Pop was right. He said to pray, and a solution would come, one way or the other.”
“He’s a wise man.” I played with the spot on my finger where my wedding ring used to be. I’d expected a dent to remain in my skin from the ring that represented entrapment, fear, and pain, but instead it had returned to the way it was before I’d become Mrs. Underwood. Could I really marry again? Would I be able to get a divorce and be done? What would happen tomorrow with John? Questions that couldn’t be answered at one in the morning. All I knew now? I loved Thad Moon. “I’d like to stay with you. Tonight, and always.”
He leaned close and kissed me again. By the time we lifted our heads, we were both breathless.
“We should go to bed,” I said.
“As much as I wish that weren’t true, I know it is.” Thad stood and offered his hand. “Come with me upstairs. The rest of our lives starts tomorrow.”
We walked up the stairs holding hands. When we got to the doorway of my room, he stopped and pulled me into his arms for another kiss, gentler this time, as if he knew how skittish the idea of sharing his bed made me. He didn’t want to frighten me away, and his instincts were right. I needed a little more time before I could contemplate moving the relationship to the next level. After all, I was still a married woman and not a murderous widow. Thank God.
“I can give you all the time you need,” Thad said.
“How did you know that’s what I needed to hear?”
“I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about you, studying you. I’m basically an expert on the ways of Sammie. You’re precious to me. I’d never want you to feel pressure.”
“Thank you.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed against his lean, hard chest. Goose bumps broke out on my arms when he stroked my neck, followed by a trail of kisses.
“I better leave you before I get carried away,” he said. “Sleep well. Tomorrow will bring what it brings, but we can face it together.”
“Good night. And thank you. For everything. I mean it.”
“Loving you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done.” He kissed me quickly one more time and then nudged open the door the rest of the way with his foot. “Off you go.”
I stayed where I was, kissing him one more time before murmuring against his mouth, “It’s easy to love you too.”
I went inside, closing the door behind me and leaning against it, wishing I could bring him into my bed and have him hold me all night long. It wasn’t time for that yet, though. We had business to take care of, including extricating myself from the Underwood family for good.
I tiptoed over to Chloe, gazing down at her, my heart so full of love it almost hurt. She slept on her side, with her arms around Slurfpig.
I listened to the sound of Thad’s footsteps as he went down the hall, the creaks of this old house like a friend.
Was it possible I could really have this life? A father for Chloe? A husband for me? One who didn’t hurt us? I leaned down to kiss my daughter’s warm, dry forehead. “I really hope so,” I whispered to my little girl. “For you and for me.”
11
THAD
