Love Captures the Heart (Sully Point, Book 3) (18 page)

"Him? Him who?"

Jason thrust out his arm and pointed at Rob Tremaine
accusingly. "Him! That's who. I saw you. I saw him holding you in his arms
just a while ago. I knew you'd been having dinners with him in the city, but I
never expected--"

"Are you out of your blasted mind? He was consoling me
about you! After I saw you with Maggie."

Maggie gave a squeak, but kept her mouth closed when Anna
glared at her.

"I already knew you were getting involved with
her," Holly continued. "Then I saw how you doted on every word she
said, laughed at all her jokes. You shouldn't have hidden this from me."

Into the brief silence, Rob said calmly, "Jason, I'm
currently interested in someone, that's true. But it's your assistant Marla."

Jason's glare at him turned into one of confusion, and then
he looked at Marla. She nodded her head.

"And I'm not dating anyone, Holly. Not Jason for
sure," Maggie said firmly. "We're just friends. Besides, he's so not
my type."

Holly stared at her. "What did you say?"

"I said he's not my type."

"Not that. Are you serious?"

Maggie nodded. "Nothin' going on here."

Both Holly and Jason started to sit down, and Anna stood up.
"No, you don't. You're not just going to let this drop. I've had it with
you two commitment-phobes. Why did you both get so upset?"

Holly said, "Well, because, I--"

Jason said at the same time, "See, I thought--"

Anna sighed heavily. "Jason, how do you feel about
Holly?"

"I love her."

He looked startled as if he hadn't expected that to come out
of his mouth.

Holly gasped. "You do? Jason, I love you too!"

They stood there staring at each other in surprise. Frank
was the one who started the applause around the table. Then Jason walked
quickly around the table and was suddenly kissing Holly, while the rest of them
cheered.

When the long and passionate kiss ended, Holly said, "I
was so stupid."

Jason said, "I was an idiot."

Anna said, "And you're both right." Then she
laughed, as they ignored her and kissed again.

* * * *

After a long and filling dinner, the dishes were cleared
away, and the project plans were spread out on the big table. As Jason
described what the diagrams meant, Holly was by his side, arm around his waist.
She couldn't believe how happy she was, or how mixed up everything had gotten.
Jason actually loved her! And she loved him, which might just be even more
miraculous.

The talk with her father earlier had broken something free
inside her that had been bottled up since her mother died. No matter what, she
was going to let herself love Jason with all her heart.

She looked at the plans and realized he was bringing out a
sketch of what the finished compound would look like. "Jason, it's
wonderful!"

Everyone commented at once on how much they liked the look
and feel of the place.

"I only have one request," Jason said, glancing
around the table. "I'd like to build a house on the cliff somewhere, for
Holly and me. I keep dreaming of this house and I think that means I should
build it."

Gloria gasped, but said nothing as she stared at her
grandson.

"A house here?" Holly asked, as it registered what
he was saying.

"Yes. I know exactly what it will look like."

"But our jobs--Jason our jobs are in the city."

Everyone had gone very quiet as the two spoke.

He frowned. "I know your job is, but I no longer think
mine is. I haven't made a definite decision yet, but for now I'm staying in
Sully Point."

Holly felt herself faltering, and reached out for a chair.
"But, how will we be able to live together if I have to be in the city and
you're here?"

Jason knelt on one knee by her chair and said, "We'll
work it out. Nothing says I can't come spend time at your place in the city, or
that you can't spend time here."

"I just don't know." She thought frantically, her
mind racing. Could it work? Could they make it work living in two different
places? But Dad had said love could do anything, or something like that. Maybe
she just had to trust that this would be okay. Besides, they loved each other.
That was what counted.

"Okay?" he asked.

"Okay," she said, nodding her head, and then
leaning forward to kiss him.

Around them she heard sighs of relief. And one snort. She
wished she knew who that had been, to find out what it meant.

Chapter 9

"You think it's going to work?" Sam asked his
wife.

"Not a chance," Anna replied. "They are going
to have to learn the art of compromise, and one will have to give in to living
where the other one is. Separate houses? This is almost as bad as the friends
with benefits agreement."

"You never know, they might manage living in two places
quite well."

"They might. Except for one thing."

"What's that?"

"Jason is meant to be in the city. Until he realizes
that, he won't really be happy."

* * * *

Betsy sat curled up on the couch, next to Frank. "I
have a confession to make."

"What's that honey?"

"I thought you were getting interested in Marla."

"Marla? For heaven's sake, why would you think
that?"

"Well, she's an attractive woman of our age, approximately.
I don't know. I got insecure."

Frank waited a minute and then said, "Betsy, is this
why you wanted to get married?"

She squirmed in her seat and said, finally, "It might
have had something to do with it. Might have pushed me into really thinking about
it. But Frank, when I did think about it, I knew that it was right. We've had
all this time to get to know each other. I want more for us. A marriage will
give us more."

There was quiet between them, a comfortable quiet.

After a couple of minutes, Frank said, "I have a
confession to make too."

Betsy tensed up next to him. "Okay. Tell me."

He turned to face her. "I don't want a big wedding. I
know women always want all the trimmings and a big crowd, but honestly, after
Julia and Cody had the whole town to their wedding, I would just prefer
something small."

Betsy slowly smiled at him. "That's it? That's the big
confession?"

He nodded.

She reached and placed her hands on either side of his face
and kissed him.

"What was that for?" Frank said, as she pulled
away.

"For being you. I am more than happy to have a small
wedding. Just family. Here or at my house or somewhere else. I don't need a big
wedding. I had that the first time around. All I need this time is you."

He grinned at her and took her into his arms.

* * * *

Rob sat on the back porch swing with Marla. He heard her
sigh. "Let me guess. That sigh has everything to do with the two who
declared their love for each other tonight."

"Exactly. What is Jason thinking?"

"Give him time, Marla. From a man's perspective, what
he's gone through recently in the city hurt his pride terribly. It's made him
question everything in his life. Then you add in his falling in love with Holly
and actually acknowledging it. That boy has yet to stop spinning and figure out
what direction he's facing."

"Perhaps you're right. I just can't see how either of
them could think this living apart thing will work. And I'm not sure Holly
thinks it's a good idea. She's going along because she loves him, and it's all
new to her. But give it time and I bet this is going to be a problem."

"At some point, you have to let them do what they're
going to do. I'd say your work is done. They're together. They may still have
problems to work out, but they are together now. And it's all out in the open."

"I know. I know I can't fix this for them. I think they
are both good people and I want to see them happy. It makes me feel bad for
them when I see them heading into trouble."

Rob leaned back and put his arm along the back of the swing.
"Well, they aren't in trouble yet. So for tonight, let's not worry about
them."

Marla leaned back into the arm that lay across her
shoulders. "You're right. Tell me, where are we going to dinner this
week?"

"What--you're not going to offer to cook for me?"
he said, with a smile.

"Not hardly. I'm a terrible cook. My husband was the
cook in the family. I love restaurants, or having someone else cook for me. My
talents lie more in the area of business."

"Ah, well, now we have something to talk about."

She laughed. "I can almost see you rubbing your hands
together in glee. I've heard about you. You've been a major swashbuckler in the
corridors of high finance for years."

"I do love it. Let me tell you about my latest
acquisition. It's a bit risky, but I think I can turn it around into big
money."

* * * *

Jason and Holly walked into the loft holding hands. "I
feel like a huge weight has been lifted off me," Holly said.

"I know. Me too. Do you want a drink?"

"Maybe just a glass of water. With the champagne and
then wine at dinner, I'm still buzzed."

She sat down on the couch and Jason sat next to her. When he
put his arms around her, she felt like she'd come home. She had a moment of
worry at that thought, realizing she wouldn't have that feeling every day, but
only on some days. But she brushed it aside, knowing they'd work it out. Love
would work it out.

Jason tilted her head to meet his lips, and they had a long,
slow, sensuous kiss. He ran his hand down her arm lightly, making her shiver.
He pulled her close and whispered in her ear, "I've missed you."

"I have missed you, too," she said. "All I
want tonight is to be in your arms, in bed with you, sleeping next to
you."

"And maybe throw in a little sex in the midst of
that?"

"Yes, that should have been at the top of my
list," she said with a laugh.

"That's good to hear," Jason said, his voice
deepening. "Because I want you, rather intensely."

She looked up to see his green eyes sparkling like green
fire, about to consume her. She let out a little "Oh," and then
suddenly his hands were undressing her in a rush. She started giggling as he
brushed her hands away when she tried to help.

He had her stand up to step out of the skirt she'd worn to
the party. Then he picked her up and headed for the bed. As he laid her down on
the covers, he stared at her as he undressed. "I've needed to be with you,
so much. You fill something missing inside me."

"Make love to me Jason," she said, trembling.

He tossed the rest of his clothes toward the chair and then
was touching her.

Home,
she thought.
At last.

* * * *

The next morning, they got up to a knocking at the front
door. Jason threw on his jeans and answered it find one of the helpers from
Holly's Bakery dropping off a box of pastries, compliments of Anna.

Jason laughed as he showed Holly, and then told her how Anna
had tried to talk some sense into him. Holly got dressed and came into the
kitchen to get a cup of coffee. There was a cheese Danish calling her name.

"That's pretty much what Rob did with me at dinner the
other night. He kept telling me to just talk to you because it was clear how I
felt about you--but I was afraid, so I kept denying it."

"What were you afraid of?" Jason asked.

"Afraid something would go wrong. That if I loved you
I'd lose you. That even if I did love you, you wouldn't love me. Then all the
Maggie stuff blossomed in my mind."

"We're okay now, though. Right?"

"Absolutely. I just wish I didn't have to go back to
the city later on today. We really only have the morning to be together because
I'll need to leave. I have early meetings tomorrow morning."

Jason's face fell, but then he smiled at her and said,
"We'll just have to make the best of the next few hours then. I'm sure we
can find something to do with ourselves after breakfast."

She laughed at the leering grin on his face. Then she began
backing up as he advanced on her with a blueberry muffin. "Now, let's not
get crazy," she said, and then took off running from the kitchen with him
chasing her, laughing wickedly.

Later that day, on the road back to the city, she chuckled
to herself remembering. They'd both ended up with muffin on their hair and
faces which had led to a remarkably sensuous shower. Even though it was hard to
say good-bye to each other, she was hopeful that the week would go by quickly.
Jason had asked her to come back to Sully Point on Friday, or earlier if she
could manage it. He didn't feel ready to face the city yet.

Holly knew that he needed to come back sooner rather than
later. On the other hand, he seemed really content in Sully Point.
But could
I live there again?
She'd left her home town for the big city because she
wanted more. The small town seemed confining to her when she was a resident,
while the city offered so much to do and see all the time. And much as she
loved her family, a little distance every now and then, helped. Moving to Sully
Point would feel like going backwards in her life.

They'd find a way to work it out, she told herself rather
firmly. The main thing was that they loved each other. She had this warm place
now in her heart, warmth that filled her every time she thought of Jason saying
he loved her.

* * * *

Marla sat at her desk in Jason's office that Monday morning
and shook her head. There was no way this business was going to work with Jason
in Sully Point all the time. The employees weren't willing to leave the city to
work there, and there had been a call this morning to set up an appointment to
see Jason about a possible new job. What could she tell them--that if they
didn't mind meeting in Sully Point, they could have an appointment? She had
managed an excuse to put them off for an hour while she evaluated the situation
here, before calling Jason.