Heated Rush - Leslie Kelly [78]
At least, she hoped that was why he was here. From what Sean told her about the man, his father could be here to drag him away from the nobody-American-farm-girl he’d been stupid enough to propose to.
Ugh. Maybe Sean wasn’t the only one in for an incredibly uncomfortable evening.
The two men stood face-to-face for a moment. Moira and the older woman, apparently the stepmother, stepped back to let them talk. Shaken out of her own worry, Annie remembered her manners and hurried toward them. Reaching for Moira, she greeted her with an enthusiastic hug.
“Can you believe he’s here?” the girl whispered as she continued the embrace.
“No, honestly, I can’t.”
Then Annie let her go, turned toward Moira’s mother and shook her hand. The woman was very attractive, looking a little like her daughter, but she didn’t have the younger woman’s warmth. Still, she was polite, and a genuine smile seemed to light up her expression as she watched the Murphy men still talking quietly a few feet away.
As if she felt the tension, Annie’s mother joined them, putting a gentle hand on her daughter’s shoulder. She didn’t know all the details, but she knew enough about Sean’s history to realize this was an important moment. All four women watched while everyone else at the party continued their celebration, oblivious to the tension.
Finally, after what seemed like years, but had probably only been a few minutes, a tiny smile softened Sean’s perfect mouth. He hadn’t even tugged his lips all the way up when the older man in front of him reached out, put his arms around his shoulders, and drew him close.
That paternal embrace had been seven-and-a-half years in the making. So it lasted a long time.
Annie didn’t know what had been said, or who had said it. But she knew Sean’s eyes were moist and his smile was genuine by the time his father let him go.
All was well. That was all she really needed to know.
“Father,” Sean said, walking over to slide a possessive arm around her waist, “meet Annie Davis. My future wife.” Dropping his hand to her hip and squeezing her lightly, he added, “The woman who helped me figure out who and what I really am. And what I can be.”
The older man could have resented her. Considering who Sean really wanted to be was an independent businessman in Chicago, working to help American companies wade into international markets, the older Murphy could have seen Annie as an enemy. Because Sean would never return to his old life in Ireland, and he had to have told his father that.
But those blue-violet eyes, so much like Sean’s—so much like the ones Annie hoped her own children would someday share—were full of nothing but warmth and gratitude.
“I couldn’t be happier to meet you, my dear.” Her future father-in-law kissed her cheek and squeezed her hand. “You are a most welcome addition to our family.”
Annie squeezed back, then looked up at the man she loved, almost unable to believe the way her life had changed in the past several months. Both their lives.
As always, Sean knew what she was thinking. He drew her away to a quiet corner of the room, touching her chin and lifting her face. “Thank you for paying out all that money to give me the happiest Christmas of my life, darlin’.”
Confused, she tilted her head. “But I haven’t given you your present yet.”
“Oh, yes, indeed, you have.” He dropped his hands to wrap his arms around her waist and drew her closer. “Last June you paid out five thousand dollars.” He kissed her softly, sweetly, with absolute tenderness. “And gave me a whole new reason for existing.”
Tears pricking her eyes as she heard the emotion in his voice, Annie could only kiss him back, then repeat what he’d said, knowing he’d given her exactly the same thing.
“A whole new reason for existing. And a lifetime to be thankful for it.”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-1892-9
HEATED RUSH
Copyright © 2008 by Leslie Kelly.
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