“Yes, I just got out of the shower.”
“Good.” His voice turned serious. “I want you to meet me at this address in an hour.” Diamond’s spirits dropped again. “Beth said you can borrow her SUV, the keys are already in the ignition.
“What’s the address?” Diamond knew that there was no use in putting off the inevitable.
She repeated the address back to him before hanging up. Diamond sat down on the side of the bed, looking at the clock as she watched the minutes click past, one after another. She had become fairly familiar with Treepoint and with Knox’s instructions was sure she would have no trouble finding the house.
When she had no choice other than to leave or be late, which she was tempted to do, but she couldn’t bring herself to keep Knox deliberately waiting. She got to her feet, straightened her shoulders, and gathered her pride, determined this time to accept his decision without breaking down and pleading with him not to stop seeing her. As she went out of his room and down the stairs, she missed the concerned looks everyone she passed gave her when they saw her white face.
She managed to keep her resolve all the way to Beth’s SUV. Climbing in, she drove to town, and with each mile, her resolve weakened. She would only ask for more time once. When she was a couple miles away, she would only cry a little bit. By the time she pulled into the driveway of the big house she was unfamiliar with, she got out of the car and walked to the front door. Her resolve completely disappeared, knowing she would go down on her knees and beg if she had to. She wasn’t going to let the big jerk go. Whatever he said, he was hers.
Diamond started to knock on the door, but the note taped to the door stopped her.
“Diamond the door is unlocked. Come in, I’m waiting.”
Diamond read the short note twice before she gathered enough courage to open the door.
She stepped into the average-sized living room, which was completely unfurnished. Diamond took a hesitant step forward, seeing a suitcase sitting at the bottom of the steps. As she drew closer, she heard music from the upstairs. She slowly went up the steps until she reached the top where she saw a door opened and could hear the music pouring out from the room behind it. Diamond walked into the room and came to a stop.
“Knox.” Her hand reached out, bracing herself in the doorway.
The bedroom was completely decorated with her bedroom furniture; her dresser, her chest of drawers, her chair with her nightgown on it. It was all exactly as she’d left it. Everything perfectly like it had been in her apartment except for the bed. It was a king size bed with a beautiful comforter on it.
“I don’t understand,” Diamond said.
“If you don’t like it, we can pick out something else. I thought this wouldn’t be too far from your office and would still be convenient for me to make a quick stop every now and then when we’re not busy at the office.”
Diamond didn’t take her eyes off Knox.
“Are you wearing a... is that a…” Knox walked forward, moving to stand in front of her.
“A deputy’s uniform,” Knox said. “The sheriff wants to retire in a few months. He’s tired, Diamond. He wants to leave the town in someone’s hands he can trust. I’ll be a deputy for a few months while he trains me before I take over as sheriff. The mayor has already okayed it and doesn’t think the city council will cause any opposition.”
“You’re going to be the sheriff?” Diamond asked in disbelief.
“Yes. I’ll have a regular job. I want you to move in here with me.”
“Knox, are you sure?”
“Diamond, I’m sure. I love you.” Knox went to his knees in front of her then, looking up at her, he said. “I need you. I don’t expect you to believe me, but I can be the man you need. I can be reliable, faithful and there for you and our children. I love you, Diamond. I’ll always love you. I haven’t touched another woman since that first time with you.”
“Even when we were apart those months?” Diamond asked in shock.
“Even then, that’s why I gave my bed up,” Knox told her.
“Knox, I love you, too.” Diamond smiled down into his face. The shadows that were so much a part of him were gone. His beautiful eyes were clear, making no effort to hide his emotions from her.
At her words, he stood, picked her up, and laid her down on the bed. Knox then began pulling off his clothes, and Diamond sat up to take off her own.
She smiled as she crawled to the end of the bed. “What would you have done if I wasn’t such a sure thing?”