“I love you, too, Jay.” Tears spilled over at the admission. “I . . . I have for a long, long time.”

For a second he didn’t move and then his eyes flew open, he grabbed her and kissed her hard on the lips. Her arms wound around his neck and his circled her waist. They clung to each other as if they’d been separated for years, star-crossed lovers who had at last rediscovered each other.

When finally his head lifted from hers, he cracked a smile. “So?”

“So marry me, Santini,” she said with a low chuckle. “Make an honest woman of me.”

“I don’t know if that’s possible.”

Tossing her head back, she giggled. “Try me.”

“All right. You’re on. We’ll drive to Portland tomorrow, find a justice of the peace and be married in the afternoon.”

“No way. I did the quickie marriage before. This time we’re going all out. My son’s going to give me away. My daughter’s going to be the flower girl and my sisters . . .” She surprised herself. “My sisters will be there.”

“What about your father?”

A cloud crossed Tiffany’s mind and her heart squeezed in the same painful manner it had for all of her lonely life, but she decided it was time for a new beginning. Time to bury all her pain. “He’ll be invited. To be a guest, nothing more. If he shows up, fine .”

“And if he doesn’t?”

“His loss.”

J.D. placed a kiss on her forehead. “Are you sure about this?” he asked.

“As sure as of anything I’ve ever done.”

“We still could lose the house. Dad might not approve.”

“Then we’ll move, won’t we?” She felt lightheaded, freed of the blackness that had shrouded her for so long. “But what about your job?”

“Already quit.” He regarded her with twinkling eyes. “You know, I think there’re some ambulances down here just dying to be chased.”

“No doubt.”

“Besides which, I’m not destitute, you know.”

“No?”

“No. But we do have one more obstacle to overcome.”

“What’s that?”

“I want to adopt the kids.”

“But you’re already their uncle.”

“I know.” A dimple showed in his cheek. “But when they’re ready, I want them to think of me as their father.”

“Do you think that’ll happen?” she asked skeptically.

He twirled her off her feet. “Haven’t I been telling you all along that anything’s possible?”

“That you have, J.D.,” she admitted.

“Then, for once, Tiff, trust me.”

“I do,” she promised, and he kissed her as if he would never stop.

Epilogue

Epilogue

Two weeks later Tiffany twirled in front of the mirror. The blue silk dress swirled around her like a cloud. “It’s beautiful,” she said, turning to face her half-sisters.

“Yep. Looks great.” Katie, dressed in an identical gown, agreed.

“Good.” Bliss flopped into a chair at the dressmaker’s shop where she had ordered not only her wedding dress but the two bridesmaid’s gowns, as well.