Page 113 of Lawbreaker

His face was a study in wonder. “Really?”

She nodded. “Really.” She reached up and kissed him. “I’m like my mother. To me, family is the most important thing in the world.”

“Next to names” came a drawl from the doorway. Cole was holding a dog-eared paperback. “Names are very important...!”

Heather had him by the arm. “You come right back here and leave them alone about names.”

“Very important!” he called back as he was half dragged down the hallway to their bedroom, “Help!” he added.

They burst out laughing.

Eventually, when they were certain that no more attempts were going to be made against Odalie, they went on a two-week long honeymoon to Tangier.

“This is the most exotic place I’ve ever been,” Odalie sighed as they lay recuperating in each other’s arms after a long, sweet night of loving. “I don’t think I’d ever get tired of it.”

“Considering how good the food is, we might live here occasionally,” he teased. “But I also have to take you to Sicily,” he added. “I’d enjoy that myself, seeing where my family came from.”

“That would be lovely,” she said, nuzzling her face against his.

“I still feel bad about the Met,” he murmured. “You might have really liked it.”

“No, I wouldn’t have.” She lifted up on one elbow to look at him. “Scared stiff all the time, sick at my stomach every day before I went onstage.” She shook her head. “Most people can be cured of it. But I’ve spent most of my adult life trying to cope, and I never have. One doctor even told me that the kind of stress I experienced could lead eventually to a heart attack. I love singing. I do have a gift. But it’s enough to share it in church or as an occasional guest artist at some venue. Just not all the time.”

“I almost ruined everything,” he said quietly. He ran his hand through her soft hair. “Almost lost you for good, and thought I was doing the right thing all along.”

“I wanted you,” she said quietly. “Only you. From the moment I met you. I fell hard.”

He smiled gently. “So did I. And spent ages fighting it. I wanted somebody better for you.”

“There isn’t anybody better,” she said simply.

He drew her down to him and kissed her with breathless tenderness. “I’ll probably drive you nuts.”

She smiled. “No, you won’t.”

He nuzzed his nose against hers and smiled. “Okay. If you’re sure.”

“Where do you want to get married?”

He stared at her. “We got married already.” He showed her his wedding ring. “Remember your dad and his new box of ammo...?”

She hit him. “In church.”

He laughed. “How about in Big Spur?”

She searched his eyes. “Where?”

“At your parents’ church.”

“But didn’t you go to...” she began.

He put his fingers over her mouth. “Faith is faith. I never had much use for it when I was younger. But now, after some of the things I’ve seen, I believe in it more and more. When the kids are older, we’ll find a church close to home up north. For now, let’s do something that will make your dad happy. So he’ll shut up about names,” he muttered darkly.

She was diverted. “What do you mean, so he’ll shut up...?”

He handed her his cell phone, opened to his messages. There, on consecutive days for at least two weeks, were suggestions for names.

She caught her breath. “I didn’t actually believe my mother when she said Dad was obsessed.” She looked up. “I’ll have to apologize to her!”