Chapter Seventeen


"And what are those terms?" Zach asked.

"We get to know each other. Know what we are like now that we are adults. See if there is more than just passion between us," Stacey said, wanting to be perfectly clear sexual attraction alone wasn't enough.

"Do we need more than passion?" he asked.

"I do."

"I do, sounds like a wedding vow."

"Which I kept."

"I kept the vows, too, Stacey," he said in a low voice, a hint of anger flaring. "I might have been seen with some other women, but it was only publicity stunts, it never went anywhere. I had a wife whom I thought — I hoped — was waiting for me."

She wanted to believe him. Wanted to know there was a chance. Her heart ached with the loss of years, with the opportunities they'd had and never taken.

"Okay, then. Thanks."

He raised an eyebrow. "Thanks?"

She nodded. "For keeping the vows. That means a lot to me."

"Right. Then we can begin by talking over what's been going on over the last seven years. And seeing how each other lives," he said. "I'll go with you and see your work, learn about the ins and outs of wedding planning. And you'll come with me to Belgium in two weeks."

Stacey wasn't sure about the two weeks, but she jumped on the chance to have him see more of her world.

* * *

The next few days were hectic. There was an evening wedding on Friday night, two to see to on Saturday, and a lavish garden wedding on Sunday. Zach kept his word, he went into the office, met Stacey's staff and did what he could to help. He went with her to the weddings, standing unobtrusively to one side, watching as she also remained in the background, but ensured the ceremonies went off flawlessly.

The evenings they devoted to themselves. He spoke about the early days, about the first big race he won, about the other members of the crew. Stacey listened intently, fascinated by the life he painted. No wonder he wanted to race so much, the passion with which he spoke had her riveted and she would be scared to death to even try to drive a track.

After Sunday's wedding, Stacey had a couple of days respite before gearing up for the next weekend's weddings. The preliminary work had been completed months ago, the last minute checks would be handled by her staff. She took the chance Monday morning to get her hair cut. Zach dropped her off at the salon and said he'd wait in her car until she was ready.

Her hairdresser was still with an earlier client, so Stacey sat in the small waiting area, leafing through magazines. In reading an out-of-date weekly news magazine, her attention was caught when she looked at the pictures of a fiery auto crash on a racetrack in Hungary. She shivered, mesmerized by the scene. Slowly she searched for the story, and her heart stopped. The driver was on the same team as Zach.

She scanned the article, then left it on the small table. Rising, she told the receptionist she couldn't stay and headed outside to find Zach.

"That was quick," he said when she opened the car door and slid inside.

"You didn't tell me a teammate had died recently. Bart Nicholls."

He looked at her, wondering why he hadn't told her from the beginning. "He was my best friend. He died much too young. It was a senseless death, a tire blew. He has a wife and a small child. It hit me hard."

"And made you think of your own wife? Is this the real reason you came back?"

Chapter Eighteen


"When death hits that close to home, it gives a man pause. Suddenly the priorities I had didn't seem as important as coming back and seeing you. Seeing my folks. Heck, I even want to talk to your parents," Zach said.

"So it wasn't some strong urge to look me up after all these years, just a setting your house in order kind of thing."

"It's not like that. I'm not planning to die any time soon."

"I'm sure Bart Nicholls didn't either."

Stacey looked out the windshield, feeling let down and depressed. She'd thought he'd come back because he couldn't stand it anymore. Instead, it was a pilgrimage in honor of his dead friend.

"Did you really want to take up where we left off, or did I leap to conclusions?" she asked, not much caring for the answer. Once again, he hadn't loved her for her. If it was as a result of his friend's death, how different was that reason from his marrying her initially because she was pregnant. In neither case did she come out on top.

"I want to take up from today. We can't go back to where we were," Zach said.

"I'm not sure I'm up to it," she said, longing for the serenity of her apartment where she could be alone.

"Stacey, this changes nothing."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, looking at him.

"I didn't want you to think…" He didn't finish the sentence
She did it for him, "…that you only came back because of Bart's death. Why else? You've had seven years."

"I didn't think I was welcomed."

"But you never tried to find out, did you? I want to go home. And I want you to go."

"Deja vu? You're sending me away?"

"I don't know. But for now, I want to be alone and think about things."

She climbed out of the car when they reached her apartment. "Call me in a couple of days," she said, and turned to go inside. He called something after her, but she ignored him. She couldn't believe she'd been so gullible again. When would she ever learn? Or would she if it concerned Zach Taylor?

* * *

Wednesday Stacey went to work. She had not heard from Zach since he'd dropped her at the apartment Monday morning. She waited for him to call, but he hadn't. She wasn't sure exactly where he was staying, so she couldn't call him. Not that she wanted to.

That was wrong, she did want to talk to him. She had so many questions. So many feelings that were jumbled and mixed up. She couldn't sleep, couldn't concentrate on her job. She just wanted something to happen to end this awful sense of loss that was engulfing her.

She wished he had never come back. No, that wasn't true. She wished he loved her as she loved him. She had done so as a young woman, and despite her attempts to end it, she loved him still. That was the reason she hadn't dated, no other man could hold a candle to Zach. She was probably destined to love him all her life. Wasn't that a fine fix to be in?

When she arrived home that evening, Zach was standing by the apartment doors. Instead of flowers, he held a large box.

"I have the letters," he said.

Chapter Nineteen


"I don't believe this," Stacey said when they were both in her apartment. Zach set the box on the sofa and she sat beside it. He opened it, then went to sit in the chair across the room.

"The advantages of living in a small town. Remember Cyrus Snyder?"

She shook her head, looking at the stack of envelopes in the bottom of the box. On top was a paper-clipped stack of bank statements. She looked at the balance and her eyes widened.

She looked at Zach. "That much?"

He shrugged. "It was over seven years, I told you."

"Who is Cyrus Snyder?"

"The postmaster of Carson Valley. An old-fashioned man who believe in delivering the mail to the recipient."

She nodded, vaguely remembering some old man who was in charge.

"When no one picked up the mail, he contacted your mother first, but she refused delivery. Then he called my Dad. No go there, either. Mr. Snyder isn't the type postmaster who gives up. He kept them. Said he knew one day you or I would show up for the mail. I put them in chronological order. Read them, Stacey. They are your letters."

She picked up the first one and held it for a long moment, her heart beating rapidly. Letters from the past. She checked the postmark, it was just a couple of days after he left.

Slowly she opened the envelope and slid the letter out. Opening it, she recognized Zach's bold handwriting. It was several pages long. She began to read.

The first letter brought tears to her eyes. She glanced at him from time to time, but he never said a word, just watched her read the missives he'd written so long ago.

The second asked her to join him, just as he'd said. The letters began to blur together as she read them, he'd told her he loved her and wanted her with him. One letter spoke of all the disappointments of the racing circuit, and asked to come home. Another described what hopes he'd had for their child, and future children. Yet another told her of his unbearable loneliness and hurt that she didn't even answer his letters — if only to rail against him for failing her.

Gradually the tones changed. He no longer spoke of coming home, or of her joining him. The frequency diminished. The cards for her birthdays held photos in them. She touched his young face in the first one, glancing again at the man sitting so silently across from her.

"I never knew," she said. "I was alone and hurting and so were you. Why didn't you come home?"

"I asked to, you never said come. You only said go."

"Come home now, Zach. I need you."

He was off the chair in an instant, crossing to pull her into his arms. "I need you to say that. I love you, Stacey. I always have. We didn't get married because of the baby, we got married because we are a part of each other. We were too young to handle what life threw our way. But we are older and wiser now. Marry me. Have my babies. Grow old with me. What do you say, Stacey? Love me until the end of time, for that's how long I'll love you."

Stacey cupped Zach's face in her palms, gazing deep into his eyes. She saw only love. "I say yes. I love you, Zach, I always have. I'm so sorry for the lost years. For the pain you went through all alone."

"I'm sorry for yours, sweetheart. I always thought you were ignoring me. It never once crossed my mind that you didn't get the letters."

"I'll always cherish them," she said through her tears. "I love you."

"I love you." He sealed the vow with a kiss.

Chapter Twenty


"This time we'll do it right," Zach had said. Stacey remembered his words as she stood with her father in the vestibule of the old family church in Carson Valley. Lila reached out to twitch her gown into place.

"I'll wait here for you when the ceremony is over," she said smiling brightly. "Then we'll take the wedding photographs at the altar when the church empties, before heading to the reception."

"I know, Lila," Stacey said smiling back. Hadn't she said that to hundreds of brides before her?
"Just practicing boss. Knock him dead!" She gave Stacey a thumbs-up and moved to the door, watching as the bridesmaids walked down the aisle.

"I guess you know what you're doing this time," her father said patting her hand held in the crook of his arm.

"I always knew," Stacey said, impatient for the Wedding March to begin. She was anxious to pledge her love publicly in front of all her friends and family. Zach had known exactly how to make their start in life perfect — the wedding she'd always dreamed of.

"He better not walk out again," her father said.

"He won't. Give him a chance, Dad, he's a good man. I trust him with all my heart."

Zach was waiting at the altar, his best man one of the men from the racing team. She'd met Phil in August when she'd flown to Belgium to watch Zach rack up the points in the race at Spa. It had been thrilling, and scary. But her faith in him had remained strong.

Their team finished in the top three worldwide at the end of the season. He blamed the lack of first place on Bart's death. Next year, he'd promised, they'd sweep the circuit.

She knew she couldn't talk him out of racing. She wouldn't try to change him. He'd been right. They were older and wiser. She loved him as he was. As he loved her just as she was. If he wanted to race, so be it. He would hate being confined, constrained and any love he had for her would change over time if she asked that of him. No one said life would be easy. Just easier together.

The familiar music started, the congregation rose to their feet and turned to look at her.

Zach stepped out, as if coming to meet her when she and her father entered the sanctuary. His eyes were only for her. Stacey could scarcely see through her tears of happiness, but she focused on the one man who would be there for her from now on. No matter what, he was not leaving, he'd made that promise over and over. And she would never utter words that would make him think he should go.

They'd been given a second chance. She grabbed hold with both hands. Never to let go.

"Dearly beloved," Zach said softly, just before the minister began.



The End


.Hope you've enjoyed it

thank u sooo much
By the way i've a large collection of English novels both as text or books (printed) that I've collect throw years & years so we can co-op in transferring in the forum or sharing them between us if you wish
Thank you