Page 45

Lips pursed, jaw clenched, Frances flounced from the room in the most unladylike way, which made his smile grow.

He followed her outside but didn’t go any farther than the porch steps.

“Goodbye, Frances,” he said to her departing back then signaled to Rafael, who still stood with his gun trained on Humbolt, to let them go.

He watched the carriage pull away, then walked back into the house. Tresia stood in the doorway to the kitchen, her eyes bright, her mouth turned down into a frown, her face as pale as he’d ever seen it. And she was shaking. He could see it from where he stood and his heart hurt for her.

“Is she gone?”

“For now, but I’m certain this isn’t over.” He took the few steps toward her and gathered her in his arms, relieved for the moment. “Are you all right?”

She placed her hand on the side of his face. “I am. Oh, I’m still angry the way she barged in here, thinking she could get her way, but I’m all right.”

“How much did you hear?”

“I heard you tell her that you loved me and that we’re getting married.” She smiled, though it wasn’t up to her usual standard. “Are you certain that was wise?”

“Wise or not, she’d find out anyway, but at least she’ll know what she’s up against. I’m not the man I was. I am no longer afraid of what she might do. I think she knows I’ll fight her until my last breath.”

She nodded as if agreeing to his statement. He had no doubts that she would fight for Avery as well. She tightened her arms around him, snuggling closer. “Can she really ruin you?”

“She can try, but she’s not going to win—” he lifted her chin with his finger and gazed into her eyes, so beautiful, so filled with uncertainty, then rubbed his thumb against her cheek. “—not with you by my side. We’ll fight her together.”

Again, she nodded, the doubt vanishing. “Yes, we’ll fight her together.”

He laughed, unable to help himself. How had he ever gotten so lucky to have this smart, beautiful—fierce—woman come into his life? “Where’s Avery?”

“I took her to Lucy’s. I didn’t want to run the risk that she would come into the house and see her grandmother.

I doubt it would do her any good. She’s made such great strides since the first time I met her, I didn’t want to undo all that progress.

” She pulled out of his arms and leaned against the door jamb.

He noticed that she was no longer shaking and color returned to her face. “What do we do now?”

“We wait, I guess, to see what Frances will do next.”

Tresia let herself into the boarding house later that evening, secure in the knowledge that Devlin loved her and couldn’t wait for them to be married though she knew this was far from over.

Frances wasn’t one to give up so easily and she steeled herself to fight for what she wanted—what she needed—a family with Devlin and Avery.

Let Frances try to do her worst. Let her try to ruin Devlin.

The woman had no idea what she was up against. She and Devlin were stronger together.

“Tresia!”

She stopped, her foot on the riser of the staircase going up to her room but didn’t turn around. She didn’t need to. She recognized the voice. Arnold. Why was he here?

“I need to talk to you.”

He was the last person she wanted to talk to right now after Frances had tried to turn her world upside down. She closed her eyes for a moment, looking for strength and kindness, though both seemed to be in short supply, then she turned to see him lumber across the parlor’s carpeted floor.

“What is it, Arnold?”

He removed the bowler from his head and worried the brim with his blunt fingers. “I don’t want the store anymore.”

It was the last thing she expected to hear, and it took her a moment to fully grasp what he’d said.

He didn’t want Sullivan’s anymore? Her emotions soared though she tried to keep herself under control, lest she only heard what she waited so long to hear.

“Excuse me? Did you just say you don’t want the store anymore? ”

“I did.” He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and ran it over his face.

“Willetta hates it, hates living here in Serenity. She even hates me now. She’s moving back to Santa Fe.

” He swallowed hard. “She said she’ll go without me.

” His eyes glowed with what she thought were unshed tears. “I can’t lose her.”

Willetta may not be the nicest person in the world, but Arnold obviously loved her, so much so that he was willing to give up Sullivan’s to keep her. She understood what someone was willing to do, all in the name of love.

He reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a thick packet of papers, neatly folded. “I had Mr. Applebaum draw up the papers reverting the store back to you.”

Tresia unfolded the papers and scanned them quickly. It seemed everything was in order. She rifled through the stack and found the deed to the store.

He gave her a tremulous smile, his face reddening even more.

“I’m so sorry, Tresia. I never should have convinced Uncle Lyle to give me Sullivan’s.

It was wrong of me. I only did it to keep Willetta.

” He looked…relieved. “We’ll be out of the apartment in an hour or so. You can move back in if you want.”

“Thank you for this, Arnold.” She waved the packet of papers. “Good luck to you.”

He planted his hat on his head and walked toward the door, then paused with his hand on the doorknob.

Turning to face her once more, he said, “Again, I’m sorry for everything.

Neither Willetta nor I realized how hard it was to run the business, especially after you left.

You are the embodiment of Sullivan’s while Willetta and I were not.

And everyone knows it.” He touched the brim of his hat in a two-fingered salute of respect, then opened the door and left.

Tresia stared at the closed door, waiting for him to come back inside and proclaim that it was all a joke. She wasn’t getting the store back. She blinked to remove the moisture from her eyes and counted to ten as she watched the door, then counted to ten again.

He didn’t come back.

She inhaled deeply, swiped at her eyes, and went upstairs to her room.

Overwhelmed with the turn of events, she sat on the bed and simply smiled.

Her life had—in a few short hours—changed dramatically, and she couldn’t be happier.

She thought about packing her things and moving into the apartment tonight, but given how badly Arnold and Willetta kept the store, she was afraid of what the upstairs looked like.

She couldn’t stay there until it was cleaned.

Still, she hugged herself, her excitement growing. She couldn’t wait to share all this wonderful news with Devlin and Avery.

“Arnold gave me the store back,” Tresia announced, barely able to hold back her excitement as she passed through the backyard gate and saw Devlin sitting on the porch, a portable writing desk on his lap.

Avery sat beside him, tenderly, gently, brushing the knots from Cecily’s hair.

Tresia understood how Avery was still affected by her grandmother’s cruelty as that beautiful little girl carefully, patiently, separated every tangle of her doll’s hair.

Devlin put aside the desk and rose to his feet. “He did what?”

“Gave me the store back,” she replied, perhaps a bit too smugly for her own way of thinking but she couldn’t help herself.

“He met me at Mrs. McMurty’s after I left here yesterday.

He said Willetta hated working at Sullivan’s and that she was going back to Santa Fe, with or without him.

He said they’d made a mistake taking it from me to begin with and that he was sorry.

” She pulled the paperwork from her drawstring purse and handed it to him as she stepped onto the porch.

Devlin unfolded the documents and quickly read them over.

“Congratulations!” He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up off the ground to whirl her around.

“This is what you wanted.” He placed her gently on her feet then tilted his head to the side and looked at her.

“We are still getting married, right? Justice Peabody will be here the day after next.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, her forehead touching his. “Yes, we are. My dress is almost ready, so you’re not getting out of your proposal that easily.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He laughed then lowered his head to capture her lips with his.

“You’re kissing again!” Avery exclaimed, but there was a big smile on her face, as she looked up from the doll in her lap. “It’s okay. You can kiss ’cause we’re gettin’ married.” She went back to brushing Cecily’s hair, completely ignoring them once more.

“So, what are you going to do with Sullivan’s now?” He kept her in his arms, holding her tight where she felt loved and wanted.

“Clean! Though I’m a little frightened with what I’ll find when I get to the apartment. The store is bad enough. I can only imagine what it looks like upstairs.” She kissed him, reveling in the taste and feel of his lips beneath hers. “After breakfast, of course. Avery, do you want to help me?”

“Okay.” Avery gently placed Cecily on one of the chairs and scampered inside the house, apparently anxious to help make breakfast.

“I really am happy for you, Tresia.”

“I am, too.” She gave him one more kiss then followed behind Avery.

A little while later, breakfast dishes done, Devlin off on his rounds protecting the community, Tresia changed into the extra clothes she’d brought with her and called out through the open kitchen door. “Avery! Come on inside.”

“Okay, Mama!” She jumped off the swing as it was just starting to rise and landed gracefully on her feet, then picked up Cecily, who she rested against the tree trunk, and ran toward the porch. She stopped on the bottom step, her face registering confusion. “Why do you look like that?”

“Like what?”