Love or Luxury (16 page)

He sighed. And looked up at the ceiling, rubbing his hands across his face as if doing so could make her and this conversation disappear. "What else?"

"Tonight, after the gala, he invited me back to his house."

Finn groaned loudly and fidgeted on the couch looking increasingly more uncomfortable. "Why are you telling me this? I don't want to hear about your night with the man who's actually good enough for you."

"He asked me to marry him."

Finn stared at her. Hurt, betrayal, anger, sadness—all of it playing in his expression at once. He glanced to her hands as she wrung them together in her lap. "And?"

She rubbed her thumb across her left ring finger where Reid's ring had been earlier. "I said no."

"So that's supposed to make this confession okay? You were with someone else while you were with me long enough he proposed to you?" He yelled, actually yelled. "Were you sleeping with him after these dates, too?"

"No, of course not. I only went out for dinner with him."

"Oh, well, that makes it all okay then. Wow, he must have fallen for you faster than I did if he was already asking you to marry him."

"No, it's not like that. We have a history together. We dated in high school before he graduated and left for college."

"Great. Thanks for sharing. Want to tell me about how you went to prom together and how you made out on the dance floor, too? Because I'd love to hear that shit."

"I wanted to explain how he could have feelings for me so quickly."

"You really know how to make me feel good about this situation."

"The point is," she said, her voice rising to match his, "I said no. Did you hear that part? He offered me everything I wanted—the house, the lifestyle, the friends I know and love—everything… and I said no."

Hurt flashed in his eyes. "Why did you say no? Wasn't his house big enough? Wasn't he going to buy you a nice enough car? Or maybe his job wasn't to your specifications."

"Because I love you, not him." Her words hung in the air while she tried to catch her breath around the tears she couldn't stop. The pain of his words stung like a slap across the face. And she deserved the pain.

"You what?" he asked, his voice soft, quiet.

"I said no because even though he could offer me all the luxury in life I could ever want, he couldn't offer me the one thing I didn't realize I'd never be happy without. The minute he put that ring on my finger, I knew I would never feel for him the way I feel for you. I would never be able to give my heart to him because I'd already given it to you. He could give me all the luxury in the world, but I would never love him.

"And it doesn't matter anymore if I live in the Meadow, or if I drive a fancy car, or if I have to work my whole life at the diner. The only thing that matters to me now is that I get to be with the man I love. I want to be with you, Finn. Forever."

"You love me?" The disbelief in his voice overrode any other emotion.

She nodded. If she tried to speak again, her voice would break over the sob lingering in her throat. Or she'd say something stupid and piss him off again. Neither would help her right now.

He pulled her up to her feet and into his arms, holding her so close she could practically feel every inch of him. She certainly hoped things were leading to feeling every inch of him again soon. Preferably in the bedroom.

But first he had to want her back, too. Maybe he wouldn't love her the way she already knew she loved him, and that was okay. She didn't expect him to fall for her so quickly, not after what she'd done… what she'd said.

As long as he took her back, as long as he gave her another chance, it would be good enough for her.

He
would be good enough for her. Always.

She bit her lower lip and held her breath waiting for him to speak. The fact she was in his arms and not on his doorstep already had to be a good sign. Didn't it?

He threaded his fingers in her hair. "This wild and crazy hair of yours, those beautiful, fire-filled eyes, this pouty bottom lip you can't help but nibble on… I missed all of it when you walked out my front door and out of my life. I had an idea of how much you meant to me after the accident when I thought I'd lost you. But when you left me after our night together, my world shattered."

Finn brushed his thumb across her bitten bottom lip as if he hoped to nibble on it himself soon.

"I love you too, Becca. Stay with me tonight—stay with me always."

Epilogue

Rebecca finished rinsing the cherry tomatoes in the colander in the sink then carefully sliced each one in half, before arranging them on top of the salad. The chatter of voices filtering in through the sliding glass door leading to the backyard brought a smile to her face and contentment to her heart.

She grabbed the big bowl of salad and headed out to the yard. Out back, Finn and his brothers stood around the grill with beers in hand. At the patio set, Scarlett and Eliza watched the boys while pretending to be doing anything but watching. They might be fooling the boys, but their quick glances and smiles behind their glasses of sangria were never going to fool Rebecca.

Seeing her friends here made her chest feel as if it might burst with happiness. The only one missing was her father, who was determined no barbecue would stand in the way of his weekly canasta night with the ladies in his condo building. Turned out his condo was actually a lot better than Rebecca realized. It had all the amenities he wanted and a few extra too—namely Iris, Ruthann, and Margo. And now that Rebecca lived with Finn, she'd been able to subsidize her father's housing, finally giving back a little of what he'd given her over the years.

Scarlett and Eliza had proven their friendship would withstand all, but the same couldn't be said for Bryn. A sadness still simmered under the surface whenever she thought about Bryn, and the disgust on Bryn's face when Rebecca had told her that not only was she moving out of the Meadow to live with Finn, but that she planned to continue working at the diner as a waitress.

Bryn's unfriending had been instantaneous and thorough.

As was the pain that filled Rebecca when she realized how many years she'd wasted on their fictitious friendship. Some friendships weren't meant to be.

After leaving the Meadow, Rebecca vowed to surround herself with positive things and leave behind the toxic things in her life—Bryn and financial debt. She'd put Bryn out of her mind as much as she could already, and now Rebecca was focused on paying off every ounce of debt she'd accumulated. Every tip from her customers at the diner got her one step closer.

She didn't want to bring anything negative from her past into this new chance at a fresh start with Finn. The life with Finn she loved more every day.

The smell of the first barbecue of the spring was a welcome scent after the long winter months. Rebecca looked forward to many more nights spent in her new backyard with her good friends and a new family she never expected to have.

Finn's brothers had taken to her right away. Maybe it was because she could hold her own in a conversation about the "hotties" at the bar. Or maybe it was because they'd never had a little sister to tease before.

Whatever the reason, they looked at her with the love that only a brother could feel for a sister and had welcomed her. She finally felt like she had the family she'd always wanted.

Rebecca set the salad in the middle of the table and poured herself a glass of sangria before sitting down to relax with the girls while the boys finished grilling.

"So, I couldn't help but notice the motorcycle is parked out front," Eliza whispered. "I take it you're allowed on it again?"

All winter Rebecca had worked on him about getting past his fear of another accident. And every time she'd brought it up, he said no. But she couldn't let him not do something he loved because of her. Not now when they planned on being together for the foreseeable future.

"Well, I convinced him to let me sit on it, at least, which he still hasn't let me do yet. But I'm pretty sure once he sees me on the back of his bike, helmet hair and all, he'll remember how much fun we had cruising around and he'll crack and take me out for a ride."

"Burgers and dogs are done," Colin said, bringing a big platter of grilled meats to the table.

"That's some pretty fine meat you got there," Ronan said, stabbing a burger with his fork before the platter was even on the table.

"I'll say," Scarlett said, not as quietly as she meant to by the look of red streaking through her cheeks.

Colin turned his attention on Scarlett, holding the platter before her, a grin playing on his face. Obviously, he'd heard Scarlett's comment, too. "Care for some of my meat?"

The entire table laughed as Scarlett quickly grabbed a hot dog from the platter.

"Good choice," Colin said with a wink. "My wieners are the best of the family."

Scarlett sucked in an audible breath, but didn't reply.

"Hey now. Let's not go making crazy statements no one can prove right or wrong." Rebecca took some potato salad then passed it to her left and accepted the corn on the cob from Eliza.

"Oh, we can prove it," the brothers said in unison.

"Okay, well let's
not
prove it at the dinner table." Rebecca shook her finger at the brothers playfully. "It's a good thing your mother isn't here today to witness you acting like cavemen."

"And you'll be a good sister and not tell her about this, won't you?" Ronan questioned, giving her the expression she'd come to learn meant he was ready to challenge her. And challenging her usually meant a beer chugging contest which she would always lose.

"I won't as long as the only meat I see tonight is the stuff on the table."

"Thanks, losers. I had plans later tonight." Finn smiled at her from the other end of the table, and she wanted to take him upstairs right then, but wouldn't. She may not be invited to any of the fancy formal teas in the Meadow anymore, but she still knew good hosting manners. And running upstairs to bang wasn't one of them.

She smiled back at Finn, the man who made her so unbelievably happy. "I meant while we have company. You're completely exempt from the rule once everyone leaves."

"Get a room," Colin teased.

"We have one. Upstairs. And I plan on taking my future wife up there later."

The table fell silent.

"Your what now?" Rebecca asked around a bite of burger, barely able to swallow now that her throat felt as if it was closing. What did he say?

"You didn't tell us?" Scarlett accused, turning on her.

"I didn't even notice a ring," Eliza said, grabbing Rebecca's hand.

"That's because I haven't given her one yet." Finn got up from his seat at the table as everyone stared at him with various degrees of smiles and cheering. When he got to Rebecca's chair, he got down on one knee and took her hand back from Eliza. "I can't imagine my life without you. Will you marry me?"

"But you insisted you never wanted to get married."

"That's what you're focusing on right this moment?" he teased.

"I'm just surprised—shocked, that's all."

He pulled a ring from the front pocket of his jeans. A beautiful ring with a simple diamond set in a platinum band. No extra bling or busy details. Just a simple ring in the hands of the man she loved. Everything about it was absolutely perfect.

"Don't make me ask you again." Finn poised the ring at the tip of her finger. "Becca, be my wife."

Once again at a loss for words, she nodded, tears springing to her eyes.

Finn slipped the ring on her finger then pulled her into a hug, kissing her with a deep passion. A chorus of cheers rose from the table around them.

Rebecca kissed him back. Finally, she felt like she had everything she ever needed in life, and she hadn't spent a penny to achieve it. All she ever needed to be happy was Finn.

The End

About the Author

Heather Thurmeier was born and raised in the Canadian prairies, but now she lives in upstate New York with her own personal romance hero (aka her husband) and their two little princesses. When she's not busy taking care of the kids and an adventurous puppy named Indy, Heather's hard at work on her next romance novel. She loves to hear from readers.
Heart, humor, and a happily ever after…

Website:

http://heatherthurmeier.com

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Twitter:

@hthurmeier

Blog:

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Email:

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Also by Heather Thurmeier

Available at
Silver Publishing
:

MEADOW RIDGE ROMANCES

Love and Lattes

Love on Landing

Love or Luxury

Reviews:

"Heather Thurmeier has once more created a fun, exciting love story that will keep you turning the pages until the satisfying, emotional conclusion. 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommended for fans of contemporary romance."

—Shoshanna Evers, bestselling author of
How to Write Hot Sex
.