Brenna snuck a peek at Zeke as he sipped his wine. She didn’t have to try too hard to imagine what a life with him wouldbe like. Of course, there would be things she didn’t understand about his time, but he would be Zeke no matter where they were. Conversation continued on around her as she daydreamed. The more she thought about it, the more it appealed to her. They would speak later. She would tell him she wanted to go to San Francisco. Lost in her own thoughts, she worried her lower lip.
“Is everything alright, Brenna?” Zeke gently touched her lips with his thumb. “You seem to be somewhere else.”
“All is well,” she replied, a warm, sweet smile lighting her face. “I was only thinking.”
“Brenna, would ye mind helping me in the kitchen? Zeke, Dougall please sit at the table. We’ll serve the meal now,” Helene said.
As they placed the food on two separate trays, Helene seemed to be paying close attention to Brenna.
“I wish to go to San Francisco with Zeke,” Brenna blurted out. “Do ye think he’ll take me with him?”
Helene didn’t appear surprised by this statement. “So that’s what ye were thinking of in there.”
“Aye.”
“Do ye love him?” Helene asked.
“I believe I do,” Brenna answered.
“Does he love ye?”
“I dinnae ken it. We havenae spoken of love.”
“I see. Ye must tell him if ye truly love him. He’s a good man, Brenna. Do yer best nae to hurt his heart.”
“I wouldnae do that,” she assured Helene. “I do fear fer me own heart, though.”
“Zeke would never knowingly hurt ye,” Helene assured her. “I cannae think of a better man, other than yer brother Dougall.”
“I can see who he is and I believe that the day I met him was the luckiest day of me life, but I’m afraid. What if he willnae take me with him? What if he doesnae believe I belong there?”
“If ye truly love each other, ye’ll find yer way,” Helene assured her.
“Thank you, Helene.”
“Come, let’s serve the food before ’tis cold.”
Chapter 21
As they lay awake in bed, curled in each other’s arms, Zeke couldn’t believe how right it felt. He hadn’t come here to find a wife, as he’d said many times over the past weeks, but somehow that’s exactly what had happened. He was at peace, something he thought he had been before, but now he realized had all been an act. An act he played out each and every day. He fooled himself into thinking he had everything he needed. All he ever thought about was the studio, his work and his students. He never thought about his own life and about what the next step would be for him. He ignored the loneliness and solitude. To be truthful, he never thought about it until Sara was suddenly gone from his life. His sister had become his entire world and without her he couldn’t imagine what his life would be like. Coming here to this time and meeting Brenna showed him that there was more in store for him. As much as he loved Sara and wanted her to be nearby, he understood that he needed to go outside of himself and make his own life, and it was becoming more and more possible with the wife he hadn’t known he wanted.
He gazed down at Brenna as her head lay on his chest, his arms enveloping her. He never wanted to let go. Love was what had been missing from his life and he did love Brenna. He realized then that he’d never said the words and she deserved to hear them. He wanted her to know. He wanted everyone to know.
“Brenna …”
“Mmmm …”
“I love you.” His voice was soft, but she heard him.
Her head sprang up and propping herself on her elbow, she gazed into his eyes. The happiness he saw there showed itself in the sparkle of happy tears. “You do?” she asked.
“I do. I don’t know when it happened or how, but I do love you and I hope you’ll come with me to San Francisco. I don’t believe I could leave without you by my side.”
“Aye. I’ll come with ye. I’ve hoped ye’d ask me. Yer me husband and I love ye, too.”
Her trembling lips kissed his again and again. Zeke gently flipped her onto her back so that he could gaze down at her loveliness. She was so beautiful to him. He hoped she knew, but decided it best to tell her. He didn’t want to go without saying what he was feeling ever again. “Brenna, you are the beauty I need in my life. Not just the kind of beauty you look at, because you are very much that, but the beauty that makes everyday a worthwhile adventure. The beauty that makes everything shine a little brighter and keeps me wanting to know where this life is taking me. I know it’s someplace good and I know I want to go there with you.”
“I can hardly speak. Me heart is so full of love for ye. I wish to be wherever ye are. I wish to go with ye on all yer journeys.”
