"Why aren't you angry with me? Lashing out. Is this the way it's going to be? I hurt you and you simply what? Forgive me and put it aside?"
She paused and he waited with bated breath, wondering if he should have just let it go. But he wanted to know.
"I'm not a pushover. But I don't think we should hold onto anger or pain. I did that when I was a child and it almost destroyed me as well as my mother. I swore to myself that it would never happen again. Yes, I was hurt and angry, but I love you, Dean, and I know where you're coming from. I'm here to change your mind about people, about love and relationships. I want to be the person who makes a difference in your life."
He swallowed the large lump that had lodged itself inside his throat and was not surprised to feel the tears burning the back of his eyes.
"I don't deserve you," he whispered hoarsely. "But I promise to do everything in my power to be worthy of you."
"What more can I ask for?" she asked tremulously. "Come home to me."
"I will," he vowed. "And I cannot wait."
*****
He decided the most wonderful thing he could do for her at the moment was to surprise her. He hadn't told her he was leaving Sunday morning, hadn't given her any specifics concerning his plans to return. The next morning, he woke the pilot from his slumber and within an hour and a half, he was at the private airfield. He had showered and changed before he left. The only thing left was to just show up.
A smile touched his lips as he visualized the look on her lovely face. She had not told him if she was going to the chapel, but he knew her well enough to realize that she took her commitment seriously. And she loved the children in her charge.
Children, he mused. Before now, the thought of being a father never entered his sphere of thinking. Until now, until he met her. Now he had every confidence that with her as a mother, he could do a fairly passable job at parenting.
She would make up for his considerable lack. A frown touched his forehead as he wondered if somehow the bad genes had been passed down to him. Martin Collier was a lousy father, and his grandfather had been one as well. The Colliers were not only famous for making money and doing well in business, but they were notorious for their indiscretions.
Shaking his head to get rid of the nasty thoughts crowding his mind, he made the left turn that would take him to the small Baptist church.
The parking lot was crowded. Searching for a place to park, he found one near to her vehicle.
He could hear the singing going on. A glance at his watch showed that service had started a few minutes ago. He had stopped attending the elaborate Catholic church when he was old enough to make his own decision. His family were significant contributors and had been members for several hundred years. Their name was on several plaques, and his parents, who pretended to be pillars of the community, never missed a service. They were greeted as soon as they entered the lofty chapel, with the priest always mentioning the generosity and 'selfless' giving of the family. It made him sick to his stomach when he thought of the hypocrisy.
He saw heads turning as soon as he made his way inside and was shown to a seat in the middle. He noticed her immediately. She was directing some teenagers onto the podium where they were going to be performing.
He had the extreme pleasure of looking at her. She had worn a soft pink and white cashmere dress that outlined her very seductive curves. Her hair was loose and tumbled past her shoulders to her waist. Her smile seemed to light up the entire surroundings. He also saw that he was not the only one noticing her. A surge of pride and possessiveness raced through him, and he had to tamp down the urge to stand up and declare to all and sundry that she belonged to him.
It wasn't until the young people had finished performing that someone whispered something to her that had her turning in his direction. The absolute stunned pleasure on her beautiful face made the hassle of waking up early and rushing back here worthwhile.
*****
Later, he further surprised her by taking her to their place for a picnic. Leaning back on the thick trunk of the sturdy oak tree, he passed his hand lazily over her arm as she nestled her head on his lap.
"You could have warned me," she murmured, content to just stay this way forever. When she looked around and saw him seated there, her heart had simply stopped, only to pick up again in rapid beats.
"And spoil the surprise?" He brushed back a coil of hair that had blown across her cheek. "You looked as if you had seen a ghost."
"I couldn't believe you came." She tilted her head to gaze at his beloved face. She had also felt pride at the way he looked. "Thank you."
"You're most welcome. How about taking a walk to get rid of some of the food we just consumed?"
"I would love that."
Chapter 9
Catherine had no idea she would be this nervous. The days leading up to the wedding had been smooth sailing. Apart from the annoyances of the press who refused to leave them alone and his mother's constant interference, things had been going well.
After what had happened between them on her front porch where he had lost control, he had stayed away from being alone with her. He took her to dinner and dancing at fancy restaurants where they were the cynosure of very curious eyes, and to her shock, he had flown her to Maine where they had the largest lobsters she had ever seen.
The closer they came to the date, the more anxious and impatient they both were. Last night he had stayed away completely because his mother had insisted on planning a wedding shower at the manor and had balked when Catherine in turn firmly stated that she was inviting her friends from church.
The women had stared wide-eyed at the stone and glass fortress, their dazed expressions taking in the expensive décor and the maids fluttering around to serve them.