Cherish Collection January 2014 (Books 1-12). Rebecca Winters

the kitchen. Jeanne was still too angry with Joe to face him, and Stacey had made sure her father was working away from the house that day. She picked up her precious baby girl and carried her to the front foyer.

      Joe stared at Piper for a long moment. “She’s beautiful.”

      “Yes, she is and always has been,” Stacey said. “I can’t thank you for how you left us, but I can thank you for giving her to me.”

      Joe pursed his lips together in sadness. “I’d like to try to see her every now and then.”

      “I think she deserves that,” Stacey said. “I think she deserves the best you can give her.”

      Joe gave a slow nod. “I don’t know how to be a good father. I never had one. I’m gonna need some hints and nudges. My father was never there for me when I needed him. I was afraid I couldn’t be a good father when you told me you were pregnant. That’s why I told you that you should—” He cleared his throat. “I was wrong,” he said in a gruff voice.

      “You can put your meetings with Piper on your schedule on your smartphone calendar. You put your other appointments on there, don’t you?” Colton asked.

      “Yeah. I never thought of that,” Joe said.

      “You can start now, then,” Colton said. “Input a date three weeks from today to call Stacey about when you can see Piper.”

      Joe pulled his cell phone from his pocket and tapped the information into his calendar. “Done. I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused you, Stacey. But I’m going to try and—” Joe glanced at Colton. “It looks like you’re in good hands now.”

      Stacey smiled. “Best hands ever,” she said.

      * * *

      Ten days later, Rachel insisted on taking care of Piper for a full twenty-four-hour time period. Colton had completely recovered from the accident. He picked up Stacey and drove his new truck to Vicker’s Corners so they could take a stroll downtown and spend the night at a bed-and-breakfast after dinner.

      “It’s perfect, but freezing,” Stacey said, snuggling her gloved hands in his.

      “It’s the dead of winter,” he said and looked down at her. “But I’m glad you think it’s perfect.”

      “If I’m with you, it’s perfect,” she said. “And if you’re recovering—”

      “Mostly there,” he said.

      “But don’t push it,” she urged. “If you’re recovering, that’s perfect, too. Things could have been terribly different.” Her heart caught at the thought of losing Colton, and her smile fell.

      Colton caught her chin with his thumb. “Hey, no sad faces tonight. We’re together and happy, right?”

      Stacey nodded. “Yes, yes, yes.”

      “I like the sound of that word,” he said with a sly, sexy look. “Let’s have dinner,” he said, and they stepped inside the restaurant.

      The host led them to a table in front of a fireplace. “Oh, this is fabulous. I feel as if I’m in heaven.”

      “It gets better,” he promised.

      They ordered dinner and were served a delicious meal. Stacey savored every bite. She patted her belly toward the end of the dinner. “I don’t think I can eat any more, but I would love some of that chocolate dessert.”

      “I’ll get it to go,” he said.

      After he paid the check, they walked to their charming suite at the bed-and-breakfast. Stacey couldn’t remember a more wonderful evening. With Piper in Rachel’s care, and the full support of her family and Colton’s, she couldn’t feel happier to have such a special evening with Colton. A bottle of champagne welcomed them as they walked into the room. A gas fire flickered in the fireplace.

      “Like it?” he asked.

      “Oh, it’s amazing,” she said. “I love a gas fireplace. No work and all the pleasure.”

      “Does that mean you’d like that in my house plans?” he asked.

      “I don’t need a gas fireplace to be happy with you,” she insisted.

      “I’ve got a lot packed into my savings account, Stacey. Speak up about what you want,” he said, putting his arm around her back.

      “Okay,” she whispered. “Gas fireplace and hot tub big enough for you and me.”

      Colton’s eyes darkened with sensuality. “Sold. I like the way you think,” he said, and took her mouth in a kiss.

      With Colton holding her in his arms, she almost forgot about her surroundings. It was so good to hold him and kiss him. It was so good to be alone with him and to know he was healed from the accident.

      Colton pulled back. “Let’s have a glass of champagne,” he said.

      Stacey would rather have had a bucketful of Colton, but she went along with him. He pulled the champagne bottle from the ice and popped the cork. Grabbing a glass, he spilled the bubbly liquid into the flute and offered it to her. He poured a second flute for himself.

      “To you,” he said. “The woman I love. I’ve asked you once, but I want to do it the right way this time.”

      Colton knelt on one knee, and Stacey’s breath hung in her throat. The past few weeks had caused such a roller coaster of emotions. She felt as if she were taking another heart-pounding turn on the ride. “What are you doing?”

      He pulled a jeweler’s box from his pants pocket and flipped it open to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. “Will you marry me?”

      Stacey’s heart squeezed so tight she could hardly speak. “Oh, yes, Colton. I can’t believe how lucky I am.”

      Colton rose to his feet and kissed her again. “I feel the same way, Stacey Fortune Jones. I can’t wait for you, Piper and me to start our lives together.”

      Stacey couldn’t believe how her life had turned out. She was in love with the best man ever, and her daughter would have a daddy to show her the stuff of which a real man was made.

      Stacey had never believed much in chance, but she’d just received the best fortune ever in Colton Foster. Love forever. She’d come from a long line of lovers, and now she was getting her chance at the love of a lifetime.

      * * * * *

      Chapter One

      Early-morning fog danced in wispy tendrils outside the bay window of the breakfast nook, making the rural, southwestern Virginia landscape resemble a dreamy watercolor. Leaning against the cherry window frame, Kinley Carmichael sipped cinnamon-laced coffee and studied the pink-and-gray sunrise framed by lace curtains. Her sentimental younger sister, Bonnie, would see that lovely spring view and sigh, thinking of fairy tales and romance. Practical and pragmatic Kinley saw an excellent photo-op for the Bride Mountain Inn website. In fact, maybe tomorrow morning she’d head out early with her camera in hopes of capturing a similar scene for advertising purposes, aiming to appeal to potential guests looking for quiet relaxation in pristine, natural surroundings...just the ambiance the inn aimed to provide.

      She almost laughed when the wistful sigh she’d predicted sounded from behind her. “Isn’t it beautiful?” Bonnie asked in little more than a whisper, her tone almost reverent. “Even after living here just over two years, I never get tired of seeing that view first thing in the morning.”

      “That view would make a perfect cover for a marketing brochure. I’m considering going out in the morning with my camera to try to capture it.”

      Bonnie gave her a teasingly chiding look. “You can’t capture magic, Kinley.”

      “I can try,” she answered cheerily. “And then I’ll do my best to package and sell it.”