Gemma thanked the man with the hairy eyebrows who held open the door for her at the cafe. She walked in and immediately the volume rose to near-deafening levels. Questions were being thrown at her. People were hugging her. But she still couldn’t see Cy. Although the celebratory atmosphere did cheer her up, she couldn’t shake the feeling she had to find Cy.
“Kenna, have you seen Cy?” Gemma asked when she finally made it over to her table.
“No, I haven’t. Have you, Will?”
“Yes. I passed him on his way out to the farm. You may want to check out there.”
“Thank you.” Gemma leaped up and smiled at Kenna and Will before trying to make her way to the door.
Finally breaking free of the happy crowd, she hurried through the door and out onto the street. She needed a car. Gemma turned to head back inside to ask Kenna and Will to give her a ride when she heard something. She looked up Main Street and there was a man on a horse coming down the center of the street. Cars pulled over to honk and wave. The rider waved back.
Gemma shielded her eyes from the sun and looked at the rider. He was in jeans and a button-down shirt with the long sleeves rolled up on his masculine arms. A dusky brown cowboy hat set low on the man’s face, but she didn’t need to see it. She knew Cy’s body anywhere.
The cafe door opened and people started pouring out onto the sidewalk, but Gemma didn’t even see them. She started walking down the street toward Cy. He slowed the horse in front of her and dismounted with an amazing amount of grace. The hat hid his face, except for the smile he was wearing. He turned back to the saddle and set Fred down on the ground. Gemma put her hand to her chest and laughed at her little dog with a black bandana around his neck.
“Fred and I have come to find you,” Cy said as he swept off his hat. The sun shone on his face. His eyes danced with excitement as he smiled at her.
“Well, here I am.” Gemma was overtaken by excitement. She belonged here, with him.
“He’s turned into a good farmhand and doesn’t want to leave. I don’t want you to leave either.” Cy’s smile disappeared as he hung his hat on the horn of his saddle. He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes. “Gemma, this is me. The new me and the old me, all mixed into one. A former spy and stuntman turned farmer. I've had trouble coming to terms with my new life, but I've never had trouble coming to terms with how much you mean to me. I love you, Gemma. I loved you when I was a stuntman, when I was a spy, and now as a farmer. Do you think you love me for who I am now? A boring farmer living in a crazy small town in Kentucky with a huge family?”
Gemma reached up and ran her fingers along his jaw. “Oh, Cy. There’s nothing boring about you. I love you so much—the real you. The one who loves his family and the one who embraces this town.”
She raised her chin and pressed her lips to his. At first he was hesitant, but then his arms wrapped around her and he deepened the kiss. Cheers erupted from the patrons spilling from the cafe.
Cy smiled against her lips and stepped back. He dug into his pocket and Gemma couldn’t stop staring as he pulled out a black box. She heard herself and all of Keeneston gasp when Cy went down onto one knee. Fred ran around him barking and wagging his tail as Cy opened the box, showing her a ring—a solitaire diamond between two emeralds.
“I love you for everything you are, have been, and will be. I am yours and the love we share will only grow throughout our lives. I look forward to each day when I wake up with you beside me. Gemma Perry, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Gemma felt the tears streaming down her face as Gia’s voice filled her head with the memory of their conversation when they were just sixteen. And she was right. Gemma had found the perfect man who made her smile and laugh. She looked down at Cy’s nervous face and nodded. “Yes.”
Cy fumbled the ring but managed to slip it onto her shaking finger before standing up and pulling her to him. He kissed her with such love and passion that Gemma forgot she was in front of other people. His tongue caressed her mouth as she flung her arms around him urging him on. The sharp sound of catcalls and whistles broke the spell as Gemma felt her face flush with embarrassment.
“Come on. I know the perfect place to celebrate,” Cy whispered in her ear before grabbing his hat and mounting his horse. “Thank y’all. Miss Lily, would you mind watching Fred for a bit?”
“Not at all.”
Congratulations broke out from the crowd. Gemma smiled and waved, but looked up at Cy, wondering what he was planning.
He held out his hand. “Grab my hand and put your foot here.” He withdrew his foot from the stirrup and when she put her foot in it, he swung her up and into his lap. His arm wrapped securely around her waist as he turned the horse and trotted back up the road.
“Where are we going?” Gemma asked as she tossed her head back in the air and soaked up the moment.
“Home.”
Cy sat down next to Gemma on the blanket and tossed his hat on the ground. He looked out at the flat field surrounded by large trees like the one they were sitting under. “I thought we’d put the house right here. What do you think?”
“Oh, it’s lovely.” Gemma glowed with excitement. He leaned over and kissed her. He had a romantic picnic planned, but right now all he wanted was her.
As he deepened the kiss, Gemma arched forward, pressing her breasts against his chest. Cy fought for control as his hand slid up her side, caressing the outside of her breast before reaching her shoulder. He slipped her dress straps down, freeing her to him. His hand cupped her as his thumb traced a nipple.
His heart pounded as he eased her down on the large blanket. Soon all pretenses of slow and romantic faded as she tore his shirt off and tossed it on the ground. When words weren’t enough, action was. And he was going to show her just how much he loved her.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Gemma heard her new sisters in the room next to her laughing while they got dressed. Her hair was finally pinned up and the fingertip veil floated around her as she grabbed a replica of the maid of honor’s bouquet and put it in a basket. Without saying a word, she went down the large staircase of Miss Lily’s bed-and-breakfast. She picked up the front of her A-line gown and hurried down the street. The smell of fall was strong in the air. The trees were radiant shades of red, orange, and yellow as she ran past them.
It only took five minutes to make it to the Keeneston Cemetery where she stopped in front of her sister’s grave. After her engagement to Cy was announced, Gemma sent notice to her magazine and had movers pack up her house while she and Cy went to Gia’s apartment to pack. They arrived back in Keeneston the next day and buried her sister next to Morgan’s mother. The whole town came out to support her and to honor Gia, who was laid to rest with honor befitting an American hero.
The next day Tammy and Pierce announced they didn’t want to wait to get married. They got married the following weekend in a beautiful ceremony at the church. Tammy looked fantastic in her tea-length dress with sky-blue high heels. The Rose sisters had been hired to cater and were in a state of frenzy and pure delight to have been asked.
Gemma had needed an outlet and had started writing her and Gia’s story. It was a story of a sister’s love and determination and the downfall of an international criminal. Marianne from the
Gemma opened the basket she had brought with her and pulled out the book she had placed inside. “This is
