"I know. I tried calling you."
He cupped her face in his large, strong hands. "I only have a minute. I"m still tracing the gold and jewelry found in the foundation of the Hip Hop and I have to get back to that. But I wanted to make sure we were okay."
"Are we?"
He leaned close and kissed her. "This isn"t the way I planned this, Darcy, but I can"t wait any longer. I love you. I"ve loved you for a long time, but I didn"t realize it. I was too busy worrying about you being too like Sylvia and being determined never to trust again to realize what a prize you are. But I"ve learned my lesson. You"re the most incredible woman I"ve ever known. I want us to live our lives together. I want to have kids with you and make a home. I tried to tell you the other night, but the fire got in the way. I"m sorry."
Her mind spun as his words washed over her, healing wounds and making her laugh with happiness. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close.
"Tell me again," she whispered.
"I love you. I want to be with you always. I want to help with Dirk and buy a house together and invite people with no families to join us for every Thanksgiving, because leading with your heart is what you do best."
She stepped back and stared at him. "So you don"t think I had anything to do with the fire?"
"Never.Darcy, is that what you thought?"
She bit her lip. "I was worried about it," she admitted. "You disappeared and thenthat phone call ."
"Never," he repeated, and kissed her. "You"re the best person I know. I love you."
"I love you, too." She kissed him back,then pulled away. "However, you do realize I don"t currently have a job."
He groaned. "You make me crazy. Why does that matter? We"re in this together. I would like us to get married right away. Then instead of working forty-seven different jobs you can concentrate on your baking business. It"s the one you like the best, isn"t it?"
Shenodded, still not sure this was actually happening. Mark loved her and was willing to help with her brother? Could it get any better?
She searched his face. "You believe that I love you, don"t you? I mean I"m not doing this for the money."
"What money?"
"Haven"t you been to your office? I left the lottery ticket there for you."
"What are you talking about?"
She couldn"t believe it. "Mark, one of the tickets you gave me is worth a hundred thousand dollars. I didn"t think I was ent.i.tled to the money so I returned it to you with a note. Didn"t you get it?"
"I came straight here and I have to get back in about twenty minutes." He picked her up in his arms and swung her around. "So my wife is a rich woman. Cool."
She laughed and held on to him. "It"s your money, not mine."
"Great. So your husband is a rich man. Either works for me." He set her on the ground. "We"ll use some of it for the wedding and honeymoon,then put the rest away. Now you won"t have to worry about Dirk"s schooling. It"s paid for."
She kissed him. "You"re amazing," she whispered fiercely. "Thank you for loving me.For understanding about my brother. Moving toWhitehorn was the best thing I ever did ... for Dirk and for me."
Mark smiled at her. "It was a lucky break for me, too, Darcy. I"ve been waiting for you all my life."
end.