Can't Hurry Love
Chapter 28

Beth walked into the community center feeling more nervous than she'd felt in high school before they'd announced Prom Queen. There was a lot more at stake tonight than a plastic crown and a sash. But she'd been pronounced Queen that night, and she fully intended to get her prize tonight, too.

She ran a hand self-consciously over the dress. The red suited her bright hair, and the matching lipstick made her eyes look bluer. But it was a little lower cut than what she was used to, which was why she'd never worn it before tonight. But Brooke had taken one look at it and announced that nothing else would do for the occasion, and since Beth was a little scared of Brooke, she did as she was told.

As she looked around the room, she saw Gerald's eyes widen as he waved at her. She waved back then turned her back in case she'd given him the wrong idea.

Her eyes fell on John the actuary, and she was delighted to see him dancing with Elsie Caine, looking adorably loved up. Looked like their brunch the other day had gone well.

She spotted Zoe and Beck, but they were in the midst of a full on make-out session that she didn't particularly want to get in the middle of.

All of her brothers were with yet more girls, and Beth could only roll her eyes at their antics.

Brooke excused herself and walked to the bar where Damon Wakefield made a beeline for her. And was quickly batted away.

"I don't think he's here," Beth whispered to Paige who gave her hand a supportive squeeze.

"Ladies, you're looking gorgeous this evening."

Beth turned as Mason Decker smiled down at them both, though Beth could see he was only really watching Paige.

Paige stiffened beside her. "I'm just going to check on the band," she said rigidly before hurrying away.

"Still her favorite person in Rocky Valley." Mason grinned, but it was tinged with frustration.

"Maybe if you weren't destroying the thing she loved the most, you'd get a warmer reception," Beth pointed out a little icily.

Mason had never done anything to her, but he was bothering Paige, so sides needed to be taken.

"I'm not destroying anything," he answered. "I'll keep the integrity of the building, which she'd know if she listened to me."

"You don't get it, do you?" Beth asked, exasperated. "It's not just the building, Mason. That library is important to Paige. And she will never forgive you if you ruin it. Never," she emphasized, just in case her hunch about Mason and Paige was correct.

He stared across the room at her for a minute before cursing under his breath. "I need a drink," he muttered, stomping off toward the bar.

And then she was alone. She clasped her hands self-consciously, wondering if Josh was going to be a no-show. Had he changed his mind? Decided that she'd ignored him for too long?

It hadn't been that long, she told herself a little defensively. And he'd kept her waiting a year, so she was perfectly entitled to-

The band suddenly stopped playing halfway through a song.

Beth frowned up in confusion, hoping something wasn't wrong with the sound system. Paige didn't need anything going wrong tonight, not after all her hard work. She was getting ready to rush over to her friend to see what was going on, when music sounded not from the band, but still through their speakers. She recognised it immediately.

Air Supply, Making Love Out of Nothing At All.

Her heart fluttered wildly. The song that had been playing that night in her bakery. Turning in a circle, she scanned the room. And then she saw him.

He was standing in the middle of the dance floor looking ridiculously handsome in a shirt the same blue as his eyes. As she watched, he smiled at her and held out a hand.

The crowd around him parted, and she swallowed hard, walking slowly toward him.

It was actually happening, she thought, her heart hammering in her chest. The movie ending. The part of the book that made her cross-eyed with the romance of it all.

It was happening to her right now.

When she was inches from him, she put her hand in his, and he didn't waste any time pulling her closer and wrapping her in his arms.

"Air Supply?" she asked shakily.

"Making love out of nothing at all," he answered softly. "Something I didn't think was possible until you."

He reached a hand up and ran his knuckles over her cheek.

"I was nothing when I got here, Beth. You made me whole again."

Beth felt her eyes fill with tears.

"I'll never stop regretting hurting you. I'll never stop trying to make it up to you. And I'll never stop loving you." She felt a tear fall down her cheek, and she hoped it looked lovely and ladylike but figured, since she was a certified ugly crier, that her face was a hot mess right then.

But she didn't care.

"I love you, too," she whispered. "And I'll never stop either."

Josh watched the tears fall from Beth's beautiful eyes, and damned if he didn't feel his own filling up.

"I love you, too." Her words overwhelmed him.

The relief he'd felt when she'd texted him to say she'd be here was nothing compared to the feelings running through him now. He'd never understand how he'd been fortunate enough to find a woman like Beth Carroway, but he would take it and thank his lucky stars.

The look on her face as she'd stood across the room hearing that song and realizing what it meant would stay with Josh for the rest of his life. And he vowed then and there that they'd dance to it again as husband and wife.

He knew they'd talk about the letter and about his plans for the future and everything else they needed to talk about. But right then, talking just wouldn't cut it.

He lifted her chin, knowing that they were in full view of pretty much everyone in Rocky Valley, but not particularly caring.

"Looks like your matchmaking festival worked," he said, inching his lips closer to hers.

"Only took a week to get a man to say he loves me." She smiled through her tears. "And you did say you can't hurry love."

"You can't," he insisted. "I loved you from the first night I met you, Beth Carroway. It just took me nearly this long to realize it."

She was gearing up to argue, he could tell. She hated to be wrong almost as much as she loved her mushy romances. Before she got a chance to, he kissed her, pouring every ounce of his love into it. "So, what do you think?"

Beth eyed the land in front of her, wondering what she was supposed to be looking at.

It had been two weeks since the dance and every spare second of it had been spent with the man beside her.

And it didn't feel like enough.

Josh wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Um-it's great," she said in confusion. "Very... green."

He laughed and dropped a kiss onto her curls.

"I bought it," he said simply, as if it was no big deal. "Three acres."

She turned to stare up at him. "You bought it?" she repeated "Why?"

"Because the apartment won't be big enough for the brood of children I'm hoping we'll have. And I have no intentions of living with your brothers. Not with what I have in mind for you." He winked, and her insides twisted with desire. But she couldn't let him distract her from what he'd just said.

"You're building a house?" she asked.

"We're building a house," he said. "I've asked an architect to draw up some plans, but if you don't like any of them, we'll start over."

"I can't believe it," she gasped.

After the dance, they'd talked through everything. Josh had told her in more detail about the awful, tragic end to his marriage and his reasons for being so scared of a relationship between them when he first arrived in Rocky Valley. Elaine was back in Chicago and doing well, her mother had told Josh, and he'd told Beth. He couldn't guarantee that she'd never try to come between them again, but he had guaranteed that she wouldn't be successful. Beth knew he wouldn't keep anything from her again. Although this was a bit of a surprise.

"I'd already decided on it before Elaine showed up and sort of ruined things," he said softly, taking her hand and pulling her farther into the field of wildflowers just starting to bloom.

It was gorgeous, and close to Zoe's, she noticed happily. "I'd already fallen in love with you," he said, stopping and turning her to face him. "Rocky Valley is your home, so I wanted to make it my home too." "Josh, this is-this is amazing." "Course, I do expect you to make an honest man of me," he said it so casually that for a second she didn't pick up his meaning.

When he dropped to one knee, she cottoned on.

He pulled out a box and opened it to reveal the most exquisite princess-cut diamond she'd ever seen.

"Beth Carroway, you have taught me to love in a way that I never knew existed," he said while Beth's heart hammered in her chest. "You healed every part of me that was broken. And you made me believe in something that I wasn't even sure was real anymore. I said you couldn't hurry love, and I was right because it took me way too long to get here. But I'm here now, and I'll never stop loving you. Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" Her screech echoed through the field as she thew herself on top of him, sending them both tumbling to the grass below him. She kissed him until they were both breathless, pulling back so he could slip the ring on to her finger. "What do you say we christen our land?" Josh asked with a wink.

So that was exactly what they did.