Page 77 of Reckless Curves
Tom ran a hand over his face and looked out the windshield. “Really?” he asked the sky. “Really? Now you quit?”
Kendra cracked up and he tried to glare at her, but he couldn’t hold back his own laughter.
In a few moments, Kendra said, “I’m all dressed up because I was supposed to be going out with Marcus, but why are you wearing a suit to visit your dad? A suit I can’t wait to peel off you, by the way. You should wear suits more often. Or perhaps not, you’re way to sexy in them. I’d have to beat the girls off you.”
Tom took her left hand and rubbed his thumb lightly over the ring that glittered on her finger. “Well, I didn’t have this with me by mistake. I was sick of you being stubborn. I believed in us. I believed in your love for me. The reason he told you to come to the shop was because I was going to propose to you there and we planned a party to celebrate.”
Kendra was astounded. “I thought you’d given up on me?”
“Never.” He linked his fingers through hers. “Stella told me you just needed time to process everything. What with finding out I never knew about Connor, to being surprised that I wanted a life with you, to thinking you had cancer... It’s been one hell of a ride for you the past few weeks.”
Tears fell once again. She brushed them away. “The mono makes me weepy.” She wanted to move on to happier things. “You planned an engagement party for me?”
“Yeah.”
She was deeply touched. “You’re unbelievable. How did I get so lucky?”
“Nah. I’m the lucky one,” Tom said. “You waited for me.”
Kendra squeezed his hand. “We’re lucky.”
“Okay.”
She smiled and shook his hand a little. “Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
“No. I didn’t know what you’d say, but I had to be brave and take the chance. I had to know if you still loved me, and still wanted me,” he beamed.
“I was living in the past and I of all people know life is short. Trust is a leap of faith, and I have faith in you—in us. I love you and want to share a future with you,” Kendra responded.
Just then the sound of a phone ringing fileld the car.
“It’s Sam.” Tom’s scalp tingled with dread.
Kendra sobered as he answered it. She rested her hand on his knee and held her breath while he listened to Sam.
“When? Now?” Tom blew out a breath. “All right. I’ll be right there.”
He hung up and Kendra was afraid to ask what Sam had said.
Tom looked at her with a strange expression. “That was Sam.”
“I know.”
“I have to get to the hospital right away,” Tom said, pressing his fingers to his eyes.
Tears stung Kendra’s eyes and she caressed his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, honey.”
Clearing his throat, Tom took calming breaths. “No, Dad’s okay. In fact, the surgeon wants to give the transplant a go since he’s been improving the last couple of weeks. It’s gotta be tonight if there’s any hope for it to work, though. He could start getting worse. Dad understands the risks. I’m sor— “
Kendra clapped her hand over his mouth. “Don’t be sorry. Just drive. Let’s go so you can save your dad’s life.”
Tom nodded against her hand and kissed her hard when she took it away. Then he turned the ignition and the engine roared to life. At a break in cars, he swung the car onto the road, executed a U-turn on the wet pavement, and put the hammer down.
