Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 146107 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 731(@200wpm)___ 584(@250wpm)___ 487(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146107 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 731(@200wpm)___ 584(@250wpm)___ 487(@300wpm)
He actually could.
“It’ll be beautiful.” Dante imagined the area filled with trees and kids using the opportunity to unwind.
“I think so, too. We’re going to use artificial turf so they’ll be able to sit and have picnics, even when it’s freezing outside. I get a tingle inside just thinking about what it will look like when it’s done. In the middle, we’re going to have a big pine tree so all of the kids living here can help decorate it during the holiday.”
Dante saw hesitation in her gaze when she turned back to him.
“With your permission, we’d like to call this area the Melissa Caruso Tranquility Garden?”
The tightness in his throat prevented him to speak the words for a moment, “She would like that.”
“I thought I would ask Lucca for help to know what flowers and trees to plant.”
He could only nod his head, knowing Lucca had brought Melissa’s garden, which he had let die, back to life.
“I would appreciate any help he or any of your children would be willing to give.” Linking her arm through his, she proudly beamed at the work that was taking place in front of her. “I want the garden to reflect how much you and her children loved her.”
Dante placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “That isn’t all it will reflect.”
“What do you mean?”
Wistfully, he stared into her eyes. “It will show how much love and dedication you put into Moonbeam. You give everything. You never measure the cost to you. You just give all of yourself. Even to me when you said you wouldn’t. You caved after just one kiss. You share your heart with everyone you come into contact with.”
She lovingly wrapped her arms around his neck. “What can I say? I’m easy.”
He didn’t laugh at her humor. “Just do me a favor and don’t get on anything above four feet.”
Surprise showed on her face. “You were that scared for me?”
“Put it this way, I made two promises when I saw you up there: go to confessional to confess my sins … and tell you I love you.”
“I was perfectly safe, Dante—” Realization hit her at what he had just said. “You love me?”
He nodded, having only been this sure once before. Like what this room would one day hold, Dante had a woman who smelled of flowers, and now a woman who smelled of sunlight. That was why he had been so attracted to Nadia’s scent; it was so different from Melissa’s, but it was the exact thing you needed for flowers to grow. Whereas a flower’s time would come to a beautiful end, the sun was always there to greet you in the morning.
And it was clear his sun had been waiting for this day and wanted to cherish it.
“How much?”
Dante smiled. “A lot.”
“I love you, too,” she said the words that he, too, had been waiting to hear. However, it was obvious from the heat that continued to radiate off him that he was still unhappy she had been up there. “I swear I’ve been much higher than that before. There was nothing to worry over.”
Dante felt himself breaking out in a cold sweat. “If that’s supposed to make me feel better, it doesn’t.”
“If it means that much to you, my feet will stay firmly planted on the ground from now on. I promise.”
Dante gave a sigh of relief. No arguments, nothing except the agreement that she wouldn’t put him in that position of fear again.
“You know, I’ve never begged for anything my whole life, not from any man, woman, or even God have I considered lowering my pride for. Darling, I was getting ready to beg you for that promise.”
“Now you don’t have to. You won’t ever have to with me, Dante.” Her words slipped from her lips like an oath. “Anything you want from me, all you have to do is ask.”
“Then are we going to take that vacation I wanted to?”
“Yes,” she laughingly agreed. “But I still say Desmond won’t fly us there. He wouldn’t let us near his plane and made us fly commercial to Cancun.”
“This is different. I plan to give him a good reason.”
Slight concern showed on her face. “Like what? Is there someone else who wants to kill us?”
“No. We’re going to be celebrating.”
“What will we be celebrating?” She frowned, wondering if an occasion had slipped her mind. “Neither of our birthdays are near.”
Knowing Dante had fulfilled the promise to his late wife, he was now finally ready to move on with his life and make a new promise. “Our honeymoon.”
Desmond
Jamie Begley
Prologue
“Haley, all I’m asking you to do is to take one meeting for me. Is that too much to ask from you?” Her friend and co-partner balefully slapped two folders down on the desk in between them.
Haley pulled on her bifocals to stare down at the thick folders with a sinking stomach. Nadia was already pulling out the big guns to guilt her into agreeing. She hated arguing with anyone, much less the only person she could count as her friend. She had chosen to be an accountant for a reason—the profession suited her introverted personality. She wasn’t required to have interactions with others, and those she did have were kept to a minimum, taking place in her office or over the phone, in an environment she could control.