Jennifer sat up, collecting her emotions and hating that she'd slobbered all over Garrett. He must think her such a fool.
"Carrie's death is what split you and Jeff?" he asked, softly.
"For a long time, I thought so." She'd blamed herself for the demise of her marriage. "If our marriage had been what it should have been, if we'd loved each other, Carrie's death wouldn't have driven us apart."
"What happened after she died?"
"He told me it was my fault she'd died, that I was too busy being a doctor to take care of my own child and husband. He got another woman pregnant and divorced me to marry her."
Her pain was palpable, filling the room and his heart.
"He was a jerk. Do you hear me? Your ex was a fool." Just like Garrett had been a fool in many ways. "I had this idea of what the perfect woman for me was going to be like. I was looking for a cross between Martha Stewart and Mary Poppins."
"I can't cook and never could say that Supercalifracha word."
"There's always take-out," he said, grinning. "There are two little boys downstairs who need a mother."
"Is that why you're here? Because your boys need a mother? I failed my own daughter, Garrett. You don't want me mothering your children."
"No, the boys aren't why I'm with you." He laced his fingers with hers. "I'm with you because I need you, Jennifer. I can't imagine my life without you in it."
Jennifer stared at him in disbelief. When his gaze didn't waver, her mouth dropped. "You're serious."
"I love you, Jennifer. I want you to be in my life and in the boys' life. Always." Garrett knelt on the floor, took her hand in his. "What I want is to marry you and spend every day of my life loving you."
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure." Her career was important to her. He understood that. "If moving back to Huntsville isn't an option, I'll relocate."
"You'd do that?"
He shrugged. "The boys would miss their grandmother, but they'd like living near the beach. We'd make it work."
"But—"
"But nothing. I want to be with you. I'll do whatever it takes for that to happen."
"You love me that much?"
"I do."
"Me, too." A smile spread across Jennifer's face. "Garrett, you're sure you're not doing this just to give the boys a mother?"
"I'm positive. For a short while I told myself I shouldn't be doing this because the boys deserved a mother who wasn't so dedicated to a career. Now I know that what they deserve is parents who love each other and them as well."
"They've been through so much," she mused. "With losing their mother." Ian's words from earlier in the day hit her. "Did you cheat on your wife?"
"I never cheated on Emma, although she considered medicine my mistress." He sighed. "We married because she was pregnant. I thought we could make it work. I was wrong. She never forgave me for loving medicine more than her, but I don't regret the choices we made because God gave us two beautiful sons."
Jennifer digested what he said, knew he was telling her the truth. "We'd have to take things slow, Garrett. Give the boys time to get to know me, to make sure our being together is what's right for them."
"I'm not sure how slow I can go when you're involved. I want to wake up next you, to sleep holding you."
"My mother would be ecstatic if I moved back to Huntsville."
"She would." He waited, giving her the opportunity to expound.
"The boys shouldn't be uprooted. They've had enough changes. Leaving their grandmother and their home shouldn't be thrown in."
Garrett smiled. Already Jennifer was putting the boys before her own life. Like a mother did. Did she even realize that's what she was doing?
Jennifer's gaze met his. "I love you, Garrett. With all my heart. If you still want to marry me after we've given the boys time, my answer is yes."
"Yes, you'll be my wife?"
She closed her eyes. "I won't be able to give you more children."
Garrett cupped her cheek. "Jennifer, even if we didn't have the boys, I'd still want to spend my life with you. Never doubt that."
Staring into his eyes, seeing the love shining there, Jennifer's heart blossomed. Garrett loved her. Deep down real last a lifetime loved her.
The End
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