It was a long, silent ride back to the farmhouse, but for me, it was a peaceful one. I had a very good feeling that Teddy would have a hard time convincing anyone that anything suspicious was going on at the farm. I also had a sneaking suspicion that he’d be very busy working to repair his public image once the story of his visit to our little town hit the media. Too bad I couldn’t recommend a good PR rep for him. He was going to need one.
Our visitors didn’t say goodbye. While incredibly rude, it wasn’t a big surprise. Ernesto, Mayor Cole, Belinda, and Derek said hurried goodbyes, no doubt making a beeline to the nearest hot shower. I had the same idea. Mom and I stumbled into the back door of the house to find Maxima sitting in the kitchen.
“Erica just left with her husband. She’ll call you later,” Max said,though it was muffled by her shirt over her nose. I took a step toward the table. “Uh-uh,” Maxima said and held up both hands to stop me from getting too close. “We can talk after you take care of this.” She waved a dismissive hand over my body, and I could’ve sworn I saw her gag.
“Okay, okay, I’m going.” I laughed.
“But before you go upstairs, there’s something for you in the living room.”
“What? What is it?”
“Girl, go see!” Becks shouted. “And get out of this kitchen. Whew!”
I shook my head with a grin and walked into the living room to find that nothing was out of the ordinary. Before I could question Max, Dan walked into the middle of the room holding a single red rose. He was just as gorgeous as I’d remembered, even though he was just wearing jeans and a white T-shirt, but more somehow because he was real and standing right in front of me. It could have also been the hair—silky curls he’d grown out for the wedding.
“All right, Emma?” He raised an eyebrow.
“No,” I shook my head and my eyes stung with tears. “I betrayed the trust of the man I love and I’m afraid that I lost him forever.”
“Emma,” Dan started, but I cut him off.
“I’m not sure why you came back early, but I’m glad you did because no matter what happens, I just want to tell you face-to-face how sorry I am.”
“Emma,” he repeated.
“What I did was so wrong. I know that now. I couldn’t stand the thought of anyone thinking you’d be capable of—”
“Emma.”
“If you could find it in your heart to forgive me, I will never give you a reason not to trust me again. I can’t—”
“Emma!” Dan grabbed me by the shoulders, and the rest of my sentence died on my lips as he pulled me into a kiss. I melted into his arms and kissed him as if he were going to disappear in a puff of smoke. After a long while, he separated our lips and rubbed our noses together.
“You stink, love.” He grinned.
“I know.” I laughed and pulled our faces together again.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Mom was having dinner with Mrs. Lee. Becks and Max were gone. Dan was home, and I was freshly showered, sitting in his lap, and holding a cup of tea.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered with my head resting on his chest, inhaling his delicious scent.
“I know, love,” he whispered. “I’m sorry, too.” I picked my head up and looked at him.
“Why are you sorry?” I asked. He cupped my chin in his hand and brought our lips together.
“I shouldn’t have left the way I did.”
“Well, I forgive you.” I smiled and he kissed me. “You came back. That’s all I care about. So were you responsible for the greenhouse?” I smiled and narrowed my eyes.
“Guilty.”
“How?” I shook my head in disbelief. “Where did it all go?”
“Well, Ernesto called me and told me what was going on. And in the very wee hours of the morning, a bunch of us moved the whole lot into a semitruck parked outside of town.”
“Did you come back in thewee hours of the morningbecause Ernesto called you?”
