Last Chance Book Club(46)
Author: Hope Ramsay

Miriam turned toward Dash. “And you’ve figured out that not only can she cook, but she’s got a kind heart. Not at all what you thought when you were young, but see what she’s ready to do now, just to spare your reputation?”

The tears Savannah thought she’d cried out suddenly sprang to her eyes. She stood up and walked toward Dash. “There’s no way I can stay.”

“But there is.” Dash took her hand and pressed it against his chest, right above his beating heart. “You can’t go. Because I have a home for you right here. In my heart. I don’t care what anyone says about me. I want to be with you. And I swear I will be there for you, Savannah, no matter what happens. You can come to me with all your problems. I’ll be the guy cheering you on. I’ll be here to pick you up when you fall. Savannah, I love you. I love Todd. I would endure anything in the world if I could have you in my life. If you leave me, it will break my heart.” He pressed his hand on hers. “I’ve been left so many times in my life…” His voice faltered.

She didn’t let him falter for long. She rushed into his arms.

“I don’t want to go.” She sagged against him. His arms came around her. “I only decided to go because I didn’t want to hurt you, and I thought—”

“Hush, now. No one is going to hurt me. And no one is ever going to hurt Todd, as long as I live.”

“I don’t want to live in Baltimore. I love you.”

His mouth came down over hers in a kiss that made her toes curl. She almost lost herself in that kiss before her common sense returned. She pushed away.

“We can’t do this.”

“Of course we can. We’re not really cousins.”

“No, I mean, Claire is going to ruin you if I stay, and I—”

He put his fingers over her mouth. “Honey, that’s not going to happen. First of all, I realized tonight that everyone in Last Chance with the possible exception of Lillian Bray is going to give me the benefit of the doubt. People in the rest of the world might not, but I don’t really care about the rest of the world. And second, it’s not going to happen.”

She pulled his fingers away from her mouth. “But it is.”

“Nope. Not after Stone Rhodes is finished with your ex.”

“What?”

“Well, I think Greg is going to go to jail for arson.”

“No.”

“I’m afraid so. John Rodgers met with Greg in Baltimore a few days before the fire. And Stone’s got a lead on the snakes, too, that points in the direction of a pool hustler named New York Nate, of all things. So I think I’m off the hook.

“But all this is still going to hurt Todd. It’s never easy to be the son of someone who is an addict. And I’m thinking Greg is addicted to gambling. So you and I are going to have to be there for Todd. I’m going to do my best to help your son get over this disaster in his life. Just like Uncle Earnest was there for me. That’s my solemn promise, whether you marry me or not.”

“Marry you?”

“Finally,” Miriam said on an exasperated breath.

“Will you?” he asked.

She blinked up into his craggy face. “I want to.”

“Then say yes.”

“Yes.”

Dash’s mouth came back down on hers in the sweetest, most tender kiss ever. She wrapped her arms around him. She wasn’t ever going to let him go.

“What’s happening?” Todd came wandering into the bedroom with Champ dancing around his feet.

“Your mother and Cousin Dash are having a moment,” Miriam said.

“A moment?” Todd said. “It looks like they’re playing tonsil hockey.”

Miriam sniffed. “Boy, where did you hear that term?”

“From Oliver. He wants to play tonsil hockey with Sherrie Ann.”

“Oh, my, she’s all wrong for him,” Miriam said. “You tell Oliver not to kiss that girl.”

“Yes, Aunt Mim, I will.”

The old woman and the boy stood there for a moment observing the kiss that went on and on. “I told you your mother and Dash loved each other, didn’t I?” Miriam finally said.

“Yeah, you did. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you. But hey, this is tight.”

“Yes, very tight, indeed.”

Todd gave Champ’s big head a little pat. “C’mon, boy, Aunt Miriam was right after all. Looks like Mom and me are staying. C’mon and help me unpack.”