No One But You

you.” His hands cupped her face, cradling her gently with all his strength, all his gentleness. “I promise I will always be there for you. I will never hurt you. My life and my heart are yours.”
    “I know that, Wyatt. And I need you.” It hurt to open up to him instead of pushing him away. She’d never felt so defenseless as he leaned closer. His lips covered hers with the softest caress and lingered with the sweetest stroke. Tenderness filled her—so strong, so perfect—and when he pulled away, she almost couldn’t believe it had been real.
    His arms came around her, folding her carefully against his chest. She listened to his heartbeat, steady and reliable, and tears filled her eyes again. She felt safe with him, only with him. Completely and utterly safe. Her defenses came crashing down, leaving her free. Free to hope and to dream, free to be the woman she was meant to be.
    “Hey, Mom, is that you?” Jake’s footfalls thumped on the stairs. “Is dinner ready? I’m starving.”
    “Me, too.” She stepped out of Wyatt’s arms, brimming with a kind of happiness she’d never known before. And all because she’d opened her heart.
    Love would not let her down this time, she was sure of it. She could feel it in Wyatt’s touch, just as she’d felt it in his kiss. It was so easy to see their future, to believe that great happiness was right here, right now, unfolding before her. Meals at this table, laughter in this room, and Wyatt in this house, home at last.
    Jake bounded into the room, Wyatt pulled out her chair and they sat down at the table together, a family.

Epilogue
    One year later
    “Mariah Royce. Do you have a minute?” The deep baritone rumbled above the noise of the crowd, drawing her out of her thoughts.
    “For you, handsome? I have more than a minute.” Strange, the power that one voice had out of the many rising around her. Her heart skipped three beats as she turned toward the tall, powerful man striding toward her through the crowd.
    Her soul sighed, complete, as she noted his confident gait, the always-in-charge manner, and those dazzling blue eyes that connected with hers. Everything else faded into the background. She didn’t notice the banner flapping in the March wind, advertising the diaper drive, or the line of cars pulling up to hand off donations to volunteers. All she saw was her husband as he stalked closer, looking happy and relaxed in a sweatshirt and jeans.
    Her rock. Her foundation.
    The diamonds of her wedding ring flashed in the cheerful sunshine as she circled around the end of the booth, breathless to meet him. “How was your golf game?”
    “Great. Dave says hi.” Wyatt’s eyes shone with love as he pulled her against his chest. She snuggled into his iron strength, savoring the feel of his arms wrapped around her, holding her close. Serenity filled her, here where she was most safe. Wyatt spoke into her hair. “Dave asked me if we knew a nice single lady. Maybe we could have him over for dinner—“
    “Hey, I’m a nice single lady and I’m free for dinner,” Sunni chimed in, clipboard in hand. “I hate to interrupt, but the camera crew is almost ready for you.”
    “Tell Sally I’ll be right there.” It wasn’t easy, stepping out of Wyatt’s arms, so Mariah lingered a moment longer. What an incredible year it had been, with Wyatt’s courtship, his proposal and a Christmas wedding. He’d moved into their house—Jake had been ecstatic to finally have a father—and she’d never been happier. Wyatt spent his days honoring her and cherishing her, as she did him, the way true love should be.
    And as for Mary’s Place, she and the contractor had done the final walk-through earlier in the morning. The opening celebration was scheduled for next weekend, and the doors would be flung wide, the shelter a safe haven for women and children in need of a fresh start.
    “Hey, Mom!” Jake loped up, a few inches taller, a bit broader in the shoulders, a handsome boy in his senior year. He’d already been offered a scholarship at his university of choice. He was healthy, and thanks to medication, his arrhythmia hadn’t reccurred. “I’m reporting for duty.”
    “Excellent. Then go make yourself useful, kid.” She winked at him, earning a happy smile. “Sunni looks like she could use some help.”
    “I’m on it.” The boy grinned widely, happiness radiating from him as he jogged off to help. She watched him, her throat aching as she remembered