Unraveling the Truth About Love (Sweet with Heat Page 26

  With her attitude adjusted, she went back to leafing through her clothes. She’d worn every outfit a hundred times. She scrutinized herself in the full-length mirror that hung beside her closet. She turned to one side, then the other. Riley didn’t believe in scales. She didn’t care what she weighed as long as she felt good about how she looked and felt healthy, and as she ran her hands along her sides and down her hips, she swore something had changed, though she didn’t feel any physical difference.

  She moved tentatively toward the back of her closet, reaching behind the winter coats in the back and retrieving a dress she’d made while she was in college. She had no idea if it would still fit, but it was one of her favorite designs. She ran her fingers along the red silk, thinking about what she told the customers in Macy’s. Ninety-nine percent of feeling good is looking good. If you dress in sweats, you’ll feel sluggish, but throw on the right outfit, and you’ll immediately get a new boost of energy. She pulled the dress from the rack. Riley slipped the cowl-neck dress over her body, shimmying against the silken fabric, then belted it with the matching silk tie. Admiring the elegantly finished cuffed sleeves, she turned to face the mirror and slammed her eyes shut, silently praying she looked at least passable.

  A knock on her bedroom door brought her eyes open. She gasped at the image in the mirror. The combination of the hint of cleavage exposed by the low gather of the cowl and the mid-thigh hem were pretty, but it was what she felt inside, the illumination of her heart, the explosive love she felt for Josh and accepted more and more with each passing second, that made her feel breathtakingly stunning.

  “Wow,” she said to the empty room.

  “Honey.”

  “Yeah, coming, Mom.” She slipped her feet into a pair of nude heels and pulled open the door.

  “My word.” Her mother’s eyes ran down her body.

  “Too much?” Riley asked, covering her waist with her arm.

  “Goodness, no. You are a vision, Riley. You look like you’ve just walked out of a fashion magazine.” Her mother thrust a package into her arms. “We have to leave, but this just came for you.” She called over her shoulder, “Sweetheart, come here and see your little girl.”

  A moment later, her father stood behind her mother, one hand on her mother’s shoulder and the other on his slim hip. “Sunshine, you are gorgeous.” He whistled. “Beauty and brains, you’re a dangerous combination. No wonder that woman is accusing you of horrible things. She must be jealous.”

  Riley felt her cheeks warm. “Daddy.”

  He wrapped his arms around Riley. “I love you, sunshine.”

  “I’ll be down in a sec, okay?” Riley watched her parents descend the stairs; then she went to work opening the package. Her pulse kicked up a notch when she withdrew a box of gingerbread cookies, along with a note—not in Josh’s handwriting—Comfort food. She dug deeper and found a compact disc of Hunter Hayes, featuring her favorite song, “Wanted.” She brought it to her chest and closed her eyes. Josh. She tossed aside the packing and withdrew the last item from the box. A photograph of a bouquet of peach roses, with a note taped to the back.

  Josh asked me to get these for you, but finding them at a moment’s notice was impossible. I’m so sorry, and I know he’ll kill me, but this is the best I can do. Love, Savannah.

  Savannah? Riley flipped open her laptop and Googled the meaning of peach roses. Within seconds, she had her answer.

  Peach roses—closing the deal; let’s get together; gratitude.

  Her heart swelled, and she knew she’d made the right decision. When she leapt, Josh would be there to catch her.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  JOSH BARRELED INTO his father’s house after the four-hour flight, during which he’d come to realize just how much Riley meant to him, how much the few short weeks had changed his outlook and his heart, which was bubbling over with love. Even the anger he felt toward Claudia had subsided, as if he’d left it behind when the airplane had taken off.

  Hugh grabbed Josh’s arm as he came through the door. “Josh, is it true?” A few days’ worth of stubble peppered his chin and cheeks, and the gray button-down shirt he wore was a refreshing change from his typical T-shirt and racing jacket.

  Josh beamed. “Absofrigginglutely. I need to shower. Where’s Dad?”

  Treat embraced Hugh. “Good to see you.”

  “Dad? How about me?” Dane called from the next room. He appeared in the hall and pulled Josh into a hug. “Get over here. I’m happy for you, bro.”

  “Thanks, but it’s not a done deal yet.”

  The heavy hand on his shoulder nearly brought tears to Josh’s eyes. “Dad,” he whispered as he turned to the man who had always been there for him. Hal Braden stood three inches taller than Josh, and as Josh walked into his arms, he took comfort in the strength of his father’s embrace. He feared the day that strength would diminish and his age would erase his father’s commanding presence. His dark hair was now streaked with gray and not quite as thick as it once had been.

  “I hear this is a big night for you,” his father said.

  “I hope so,” Josh said. He looked around the house where he’d spent his formative years, where he’d learned most of life’s hard lessons, and where he’d lost his mother. He swallowed past the lump in his throat and forced a smile. “Still talking to Mom?” he asked.

  His father clenched his jaw and flexed his biceps, a habit he and Rex shared. “Son, I’ll never stop talking to your mother,” he said in a serious tone.

  “Good, Dad. Good. Where’s Rex?” Josh asked.

  “He and Jade are meeting us at the restaurant. Savannah and Max are already there.” Hal looked at his watch. “Seems to me you have about ten minutes before we need to walk out the door. You about ready?”

  “Quick shower and shave.” Josh headed down the hall toward his childhood bedroom.

  THERE WAS A war going on in Josh’s gut as he stepped from Treat’s Lexus SUV and stood before the restaurant.

  Treat came to his side and swung an arm across his shoulder. “Second thoughts?”

  “No, just nervous as all get out,” Josh admitted. He was done hemming and hawing. Riley was the woman he wanted to spend his life with, and he was ready to tell her. He knew she might not want to return to New York after the mess she’d already gone through, but his heart drove him to her, and he wasn’t going to turn away—no matter what was going on in his gut.

  “That’s good. If you weren’t nervous, there would be something wrong with you,” Treat said.

  “What if she says no?” Josh asked.

  Treat shrugged. “Then you try again and again until she says yes.”

  Josh handed Treat the package they’d bought earlier that morning. “You’ll make sure Rex knows what to do? And Savannah?”

  “Sure will,” Treat said.

  “She won’t say no, Josh,” Hugh said. “You’re every girl’s dream. You’re wealthy, handsome, and quite a catch with your social status.”

  “None of that matters to her,” Josh shot back.

  “But the thing that does matter is too obvious to mention. You’re a good man.” Hugh patted him on the back and took a few steps forward, allowing Dane to come to Josh’s side.

  Josh wouldn’t have believed those words came from Hugh’s mouth if he hadn’t heard them himself. My baby brother is growing up. “That means the world to me, Hugh. Thank you.”

  “You’re crazy, you know that? You sure you really want to tie yourself down? Take yourself out of circulation? Get that old ball and chain?” Dane grinned.

  “Get outta here,” Treat said.

  “Uh oh, you just spent time with Mr. Lovesick? No wonder you’re doing this,” Dane teased. “No, really, Josh, I’m happy for you. I’ve got your back. You need anything, I’m here.”

  “Thanks, Dane.” Josh looked over at each of his brothers, feeling the absence of Rex and Savannah like missing limbs. He’d see them inside, but he wished he had a private moment with eac
h and he wondered if they felt the same. Treat, Dane, and Hugh stood before him. Josh felt support coming off of them in waves.

  “Boys?” their father said. “May I have a word with Josh?”

  “Of course,” Treat said.

  Dane’s phone vibrated, reminding Josh to get rid of his. Josh took his phone from his pocket and handed it to Treat.

  “Can you hold on to this? I don’t want it vibrating, and I’m too nervous to mess with the buttons right now.”

  “Yeah.” Treat looked at it. “There’s a missed call from Reggie. You might have your answers.”

  “I’ve already made up my mind, and I’m doing this no matter what the answers are,” Josh said. He watched Treat and the others head toward the restaurant.

  Hal wore a pair of dark slacks, a cream-colored dress shirt, and a dark tie. Set against his ever-present tan, massive height, and dark, emotional eyes, he looked like an aging movie star.

  “Son, I wish your mother were still alive to see this night. She’s proud of you.”

  Josh didn’t miss the present tense his father used when speaking of his mother. “Thanks, Dad. I wish she were here, too, and I can only hope she’d have been proud.” Josh felt the lump return to his throat.

  “She’s here with you.” He touched his jaw, as if he were thinking, and then he put his hands on Josh’s shoulders in the same manner Treat had in the car on the way to the airport. “Son, I assume you know what you’re doing with Riley Banks. She’s a nice girl and she comes from a respectable family. And I assume you know what you’re doing with regard to all that nonsense that’s going on back in that big city you live in. You’re an intelligent man, and you make good decisions, always have.”

  “Thanks, Dad,” Josh said. His father’s eyes searched his, and his grip on Josh’s shoulders hadn’t eased. “Was there something else you wanted to say?”

  “Yes, there is. Come with me.”

  Josh followed his father to the edge of the woods at the far end of the parking lot.

  “Dad, we don’t have much time. I want to get in there before Riley notices the family.”

  “Rex is holding them in the lobby. Relax. Make time for your dear old dad. Listen, son. Look in there and tell me what you see.” He pointed to the woods.

  Josh could barely think straight. Anxiety prickled his nerves, and his pulse hadn’t calmed since they’d stepped off the plane.

  “I don’t know. Trees, dirt, rocks.”

  “Okay, that’s pretty good. What else?” his father urged.

  He stared into the woods, trying to think like his father. Like a rancher. He came up empty. He shifted his focus, much like he did when he was designing. If inspiration didn’t come from one presentation, he took it apart and started again, looking from many different angles. He began at the treetops, following the bare branches down to where they met the ground. Dead leaves layered the earth, interrupted by large rocks and fallen branches. Nothing came to mind, so he shifted his focus and began anew. He set his eyes on the ground. The earth. The foundation. Like a streak of lightning, inspiration set in.

  “I see a solid foundation upon which life has grown,” Josh said.

  “Better. I’m not going to torture you over semantics. Son, that foundation is all those trees have. It’s what gives them nourishment. It accepts their roots, thorns and all, and it accepts the leaves as they fall, covering its beauty. The rocks that are embedded into that foundation probably caused hurt at first, burrowing into the depth of it, or sinking in fast and hard—either way, that foundation had to move and shift to accept them. It had to give. And as you can see by that enormous boulder to your right, sometimes it had to give a lot.”

  He looked directly into Josh’s eyes and laid his hand over his own heart. “The heart of the foundation has to be open enough, and secure enough, to allow that change to happen and to accept it even when it hurts or when it makes the appearance of the foundation not quite as attractive.”

  Josh’s throat tightened.

  “Son, I’m proud of you. It takes the strongest of men to endure what you have and to deal with what’s ahead of you. It would have been a heck of a lot easier to back away. There are a million women in the world. You’ve always been empathetic, loving, and strong. Seeing you put your love for Riley ahead of everything else proves you’re with the woman you were fated to be with.” He took Josh in his arms and whispered in his ear, “Your darn mother made me say the whole woods thing. I would have just given it to you straight, but she thinks that a designer is all about presentation and layering.”

  “Dad,” Josh managed. Man, how he loved him.

  “And Treat told me about you feeling like you could rip someone apart. That’s a good thing, son. Family knows no boundaries.”

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  THE DIMLY LIT restaurant smelled of warmed olive oil and spices. A roaring fire burned in the fireplace across from where Riley and her family sat. Classical music filtered through the air. Riley felt at peace for the first time in days. She sipped a glass of wine and listened intently as her parents filled her in on the lives of neighbors and friends.

  The waiter appeared by her side and placed a single red rose wrapped in pink paper across Riley’s plate.

  “Thank you.” She looked at him. “Is this something you do for all the women?”

  “No, ma’am.” He walked away without an explanation.

  Riley leaned forward with a laugh. “What was that all about?” she whispered.

  Her parents shrugged.

  She smelled the rose and unwrapped the paper. Inside was a handwritten note, and she recognized Josh’s handwriting.

  Hi, beautiful. Turn around. J.

  Riley’s breath caught in her throat as she spun around in her chair. Josh, dressed in a dark suit and holding a bouquet of white and red roses, stood before her.

  “Josh?” she managed.

  She pushed to her feet as Josh approached. She caught sight of each of Josh’s siblings, and his father, standing behind him, their hands clasped in front of them.

  He kissed her lightly on the lips.

  “What are you doing here? What’s going on?” She eyed his family, then shot a glance at her mother, whose eyes were suspiciously damp.

  “Sorry it took me so long,” Josh said, and handed her the bouquet of roses. “Red and white. For unity.”

  “Oh, Josh, they’re beautiful, but you didn’t have to.” You’re here. You’re actually here. Riley could barely think past the sound of her heart beating way too fast.

  “I’m done doing what I have to do, Ri. I’m doing what I want to do.” He reached behind him, and Savannah picked up a bouquet of yellow roses from a nearby table and handed it to him.

  Riley’s eyes burned with tears.

  “Yellow roses, the promise of a new beginning. Babe, I want to share my life with you. We’ll get through all the garbage, and then we’ll put it behind us.” He handed her the flowers.

  Riley’s arms wouldn’t move. A tear dripped down her cheek. Riley felt her knees weaken. She reached for the back of her chair. “I want that, too.”

  Her mother appeared beside her and took the bouquet from Josh, then set it on the table behind Riley.

  Josh dropped to one knee. The tears Riley had been fighting slipped down her cheeks.

  “Josh?” Unable to hold her trembling body erect any longer, Riley sank into the chair.

  “Riley June Banks, I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone in my life.”

  Ohmygoshohmy­goshohmygosh. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him. He was really there, before her, sticking by her. He was catching her. He looked at her like she was the only one in the room, like he wanted to wrap her in his arms and keep her safe forever—and, oh yes—she wanted that too, so much that her booming heart ached, but…

  “But what about work? The allegations?” The words tumbled out before she could stop them.

  “I’m not asking you to work for me,” he explained.
r />   You’re firing me? On one knee? I thought…

  “I want you to be my wife, my partner in every aspect of my life, including my business. You won’t work for me. You’ll work with me. Partners. No hiding in any aspect of our lives.”

  She couldn’t breathe. Riley feared she might pass out. Could this really be happening? She gripped the sides of the chair. The hope in his eyes mirrored the hope in her racing heart. “You don’t have to do this,” she said.

  “If you accept my proposal, it’s done. I never want to hide again. Partners in love and life. Forever. That’s what I want, and it’s what I’m offering you. Side by side, you and me, out in the open.”

  Riley leaned forward and practically fell out of her chair. Josh caught her in his arms.

  “Is that a yes, or were you trying to run away?” Josh teased.

  “Yes,” she said through her tears. “Yes. Oh, Josh. Yes!”

  They rose to their feet and Josh kissed her like he’d been waiting for her his whole life. Riley came away trembling even more than she had been before.

  Rex stepped forward and handed Josh a Tiffany’s jewelry box.

  “Here you go, little brother,” Rex said.

  Riley covered her mouth; her eyes flew open wide. “Josh,” she whispered.

  He opened the box and slipped the ring on her finger. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, and we can have one designed eventually. It’s a cushion-cut yellow diamond with, well, you can see, surrounded by white diamonds.”

  Riley had never seen anything so beautiful in all of her life.

  “I love it, Josh, and I love you.” Riley wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again. When they parted, his brothers were beside them, reaching out to them, embracing Josh, and her mother was crying as hard as Riley was.

  Riley looked up, and in that second she saw Jade, her cheeks streaked with tears, too.

  Jade mouthed, I’m so happy for you, which only made Riley’s tears come faster.

  Jade jumped into Riley’s arms with a squeal. “You got engaged before I did!”