Daddy's Little Girl (A Homespun Romance) (16 page)
Read Daddy's Little Girl (A Homespun Romance) Online
Authors: Geeta Kakade
The paper she held was too thin to be a picture. Turning it over, she scanned the first two lines.
She had to read the letter through twice before she could absorb the contents. From Dee Dee, the note informed Jason that as per the talk they'd had, she'd told her attorney that she was dropping the case. She apologized for all the tension she had created and thanked him and Sara for giving her another chance with Kelsey.
Sara's gaze flew to the date. Jason must have received this in London. And all this time she'd hoped and prayed that Dee Dee would drop the case.
What kind of a man would keep a letter like this from her?
So mad she could hardly breathe, Sara marched out of the room. Jason Graham had some explaining to do.
He was still out on the deck. Sara flung open the patio door and launched into her attack right away.
"Why didn't you tell me about this?"
He swung around at the sound of her voice and her anger went into an immediate nosedive. Unshaven, the top four buttons of his shirt undone, Jason looked exhausted.
"Tell you about what?" He asked wearily.
She held the letter out, telling herself she was still very angry. "It's from Dee Dee. You must have gotten it in London."
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I'm sorry." He turned away as if the view was the most important thing around. His wooden tone made her look at his back in exasperation. He didn't add anything and she stared at the letter in frustration.
Suddenly she knew what kind of a man would keep the letter a secret. The only possibility that occurred pushed the dark clouds of anger aside. A joy so heady it made her pulses race, began to seep through her system. Sara breathed a prayer for help to the patron saint of love.
"I'm going to sue you Jason," she said, as seriously as she could manage.
"What?" He swung around and looked at her.
"I'm going to sue you," Sara repeated, hoping her courage wouldn't fail before she got through with this.
"What for?"
"Breach of promise."
"Breach of promise?"
"You said we had to be honest with each other. By hiding the letter, you broke our contract."
The look in Sara's eyes gave Jason his first clue. There was a new light in them that had nothing to do with anger.
"What are you going to sue me for?" He would gladly give her everything he had.
"I'm going to take you for all you've got...your heart, your body, Kelsey, and shares in the rest of your life."
He felt as if he'd been punched in the stomach. Sara wanted it all?
"I hid the letter because I wanted you to stay a little longer."
"I beg your pardon?"
"I said I wanted you to stay, dammit. I hoped that if you stayed a little longer that you might begin to like us too much to leave."
"Don't swear, Jason. I've more than liked you for a very long time," she pointed out. "You're the one who insisted I leave."
"That's because just liking isn't enough. Nor is staying because you love Kelsey. I want...." he broke off abruptly, and then said. "Oh hell, what's the use? You need to experience freedom, Sara. You need to try your wings, so that you won't blame me for clipping them later."
"What do you want Jason?"
"I want your love, Sara. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but I won't take your dream of freedom away."
Hope began to play the opening bars of a symphony of happiness. "My dream wasn't cast in stone Jason. I've realized I don't have to be on my own to experience freedom. Can't I experience it right here with you? Isn't freedom simply protecting your basic right to choose what you do?"
"Certain situations can deprive you of that freedom, Sara."
"What kind of situations?"
"Marriage, a child, getting pregnant."
The opening bars moved into a crescendo of love. "Is this a firm offer?"
"Sara," Jason reached for her shoulders unable to stop himself. "Don't tempt me."
Sara smiled at him. "Jason, I want to tempt you right out of your mind. That's what you've done to me. You've taken over my head, my heart, my whole life. I know I'll never stop being free with you. I love you."
His grip on her shoulders tightened as he searched her face for the truth. "Love doesn't last forever Sara. The fires die down and the ashes grow cold."
"I know people don't always burn at the same rate as they do in the beginning when their love is new, but the fire doesn't go out for everybody. Look at Peter and Meera. As long as we're willing to tend the flames and work at keeping them burning, they won't ever die down."
"That's easy to say now. You'll hate me when reality begins to creep in. You'll blame me for taking away your chances. Dashed hopes will douse any fire."
"Realistic hopes don't have to be dashed, Jason. I know what I want. I want you, and Kelsey, and any other children we may have together. I also want to write. What do you want out of life?"
"You. Kelsey. To make Graham Electronics the best business of its kind."
"None of those are unrealistic dreams, Jason."
She was right.
Sara had had enough of talking for the time being. She put her arms around Jason and kissed him three times. "That's yes, yes and yes."
"Yes, yes, and yes to what?" He lifted a brow though his eyes glowed with tenderness as his arms went around her and hauled her close.
"Yes, to marrying you, yes, to loving Kelsey, yes, to getting pregnant."
"What about your writing?"
"I don't think I'll ever stop writing. Loving you, having a family, is going to make my writing richer not poorer."
Jason picked Sara up and spun her around.
"I'm going to draw up another agreement," he said, when he set her down.
"And the terms?"
"The terms are unconditional and unlimited love for the rest of our lives, and as much care, time and attention as it will take to make sure this fire never dies down."
He kissed her till they were both breathless, and then he said, "I'm taking on a partner, Jake Ramsey, who's going to take care of all the marketing. That'll free me up to concentrate on research at the plant, and you and Kelsey won't have to move around so much. We can convert one of the bedrooms into a study for you, or would you rather rent office space?"
"I want to write right here," Sara said her eyes on the mountains. "I don't want to miss any of Kelsey's growing up. Besides there's another bonus to working at home."
"Which is?" Jason lifted her hand and pressed his lips to the back of her fingers.
Sara's smile widened into a grin. "When the boss comes home for two hour lunches, I'll be right here."
"Sara, I don't think I have ever been so scared of losing you as I was in the last week." Jason kissed her as if he would never let her go. "And now I can't believe you're really going to marry me."
"I can't believe it either."
From the kitchen, the Bintys looked on approvingly.
"Now there's a nice turn of events," Mrs. Binty said to her husband. "Makes a body feel good."
She turned away. "Will you listen for the little one waking? I have to make a phone call from our bedroom."
"At this hour?"
"It's to Mrs. Smythe. She lost her bet and she owes me a hundred pounds."
"A hundred pounds?" Mr. Binty looked horrified. "How could you place a bet with Himself's mother-in-law?"
"She said they wouldn't wrap it up so quickly, that Sara would move out before Himself realized what he'd lost and go after her. I said she wouldn't move out at all...he wouldn't let her. I won."
"It's not right," Mr. Binty protested.
"Oh, hush your grumbling. You wanted this as much as I did. Why shouldn't I bet on something I'm sure of? Look at them and tell me love doesn't win when it's strong and true."
Mr. Binty turned to look at the couple outside the window. Locked in each other's embrace, they looked like they needed some privacy. He turned away and hurried after his wife just in time to hear her say. "There's always a happily ever after for those who believe in it. Always."
EPILOGUE
"Sara!"
She turned her head and smiled at the sound of Jason's voice. He'd come home early.
"I'm in here," she called.
He came into the nursery and smiled. "How are you doing?"
"I'm fine, Jason." She smiled down at her son who nursed at her breast as if he was starving.
"And Justin?" He came nearer and touched his son’s cheek very tenderly.
"He's busy as you can see."
Their gazes met over Justin's dusty blonde head, and the intensity she recognized now crept into Jason's eyes.
"I love you, Sara." He leaned forward and kissed her lightly. "You're so beautiful."
Sara smiled through the tears that gathered in her eyes. "I love you too, Jason. Thank you for filling my life with love and happiness."
Love had filled her life with all the colors of the rainbow; the deep lavender of absolute contentment, the true blue of a lasting love, the vibrant green of family.
"Are you feeling all right?" Jason asked anxiously. "You look pale. Should I call Dr. Rushmore?"
"Jason, of course I'm looking pale. It's only four days since Justin was born. As for calling Dr. Rushmore, did you call the poor woman and ask if you could have a separate line put into her office? Give the poor woman a break."
"I will if you're sure you're all right."
Sara lifted a hand and touched his face. "Stop worrying. I'm fine. Mrs. Bintys has hardly left my side all day. Kelsey said she wanted to stay home and take care of us too, but I managed to persuade her to go to preschool. All I do is eat and rest and feed Justin. Isn't he beautiful?"
Jason patted his son's hand with a finger, delighted when the tiny fingers closed over his. He still hadn't recovered from seeing Justin slip out of Sara's body, a warm, wailing scrap of humanity, testimony of their love for each other. "He's beautiful, Sara."
"Daddy, can I come in now?"
Jason swung around to the door. "Of course, honey."
Kelsey rushed in. "Mama, there's a surprise for you here, and Daddy said I could bring it to you."
"Thanks Kelsey." She'd adopted Kelsey legally soon after she and Justin were married, thrilled when Kelsey had started calling her Mama.
"First I have to give you three messages," Kelsey held up three fingers. "Aunty Meera called and asked when we were going to London. She, wants to see me 'n Justin on Facetime. Aunty Claire called and asked if I've taught Justin to say damn yet, like Daddy. I told her that was a bad word." She stared at the third finger she'd held up for a while before her face brightened. "Oh yes, Binty said to tell you Grandma called when you were sleeping and wanted to know if she could come over tonight."
Jason looked surprised. "She's been here every night."
Sara nodded. Dee Dee couldn't have been more excited about Justin's birth if he'd been her own grandson. Sara was grateful that the last year had seen Jason and Dee Dee developing a more friendly relationship. "She's a wonderful grandmother. If only she wouldn't keep buying so many presents."
They looked around Justin's room, and then at each other and smiled. It was chock full with over sized stuffed toys. Some things never changed.
"Is Justin hungry again?" Kelsey demanded as her brother let out a cry.
The disgust in her voice made her parents smile.
"Babies have very small stomachs, and so they get hungry often," Sara explained to the four year old. "Why don't you unwrap the package for me?"
Kelsey ripped the paper off. Sara's breath caught in her throat at the sight of the beautiful leather bound book Kelsey held out to her.
Her name was in large gold letters on the burgundy background. Essays by Sara Graham.
Sara couldn't believe what Jason had done for her. All the essays she had written for the magazine were reprinted inside on fine vellum.
"Oh Jason. When did you have this done?"
"I ordered it a month ago."
"Thank you." Tears filled Sara's eyes. Jason was always so proud of her work.
He had slipped a piece of paper into the book. Sara pulled it out. In commemoration of the birth of our son, Justin Cole Graham, the words on the paper said.
"Oh Jason," Sara said again, close to tears.
Tired of the way her parents kept looking at each other, Kelsey said something about calling Grandma and skipped out of the room. Sara put a hand on Jason's shoulder and leaned forward so she could kiss him. "I love you so much."
Mrs. Binty bustled in, took Justin from Sara and patted his back to burp him.
"Everything's ready, sir," she said to Jason.
"What's ready?" Sara asked, dragging her gaze away from the book.
Jason simply picked her up in his arms and carried her in the direction of the master suite. He stopped in the doorway, and Sara stared.
In front of the fireplace was a small table covered with a lace tablecloth. A log crackled in the fireplace and two candles had been lit on the table.
"Jason, what's all this?"
"A celebration, Sara. Remember what you once said about making sure those fires never go out? This is my contribution."
Sara touched her husband's face, in no hurry to be put down. "You make so many contributions Jason. You love us all, you're such a great husband and father. The Bintys mentioned today that they would stay on longer than the ten years they'd originally signed on for. `Seeing as how we were going to keep them busy by having more babes' is how Mr. Binty put it."
Jason didn't know how Sara could talk of having another child so soon. He hadn't forgotten the discomfort and pain she'd endured to have Justin.
"Sara, I don't want any more children. I think two are more than enough."
"We're going to have two more children Jason, but not right away, so don't start worrying about it," his wife said firmly. "Now put me down. I'm starving."
Jason kissed her before he put her into her chair. Sitting down, he looked at the covered dishes Mrs. Binty had placed on the table. He was sure there was a good meal under them just as he was sure that Sara loved him, Kelsey, and their newborn son.
He looked at Sara's glowing face and then bowed his head briefly to give thanks for his family and a love that would endure for a lifetime.
The End
THE HOMESPUN SERIES
BOOK 1 – FAITH HOPE AND LOVE
BOOK 2 – PROJECT VALENTINE
BOOK 3 – THE LONG ROAD HOME
BOOK 4 – THE OLD FASHIONED WAY
BOOK 5 – MR. WRONG
BOOK 6 – DADDY’S LITTLE GIRL
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