Harlequin Love Inspired March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Patrice Lewis (best large ereader .txt) 📕

asking you to forgive me, but I understand if you can’t.” He reached out and took her hand. “I want to move forward with you. I know your life is complicated and fraught with danger, but I’m prepared to never divulge a word of this to a single person.”

“What are you saying, Connor?” She was practically holding her breath waiting for him to spell it out. Hope was within her grasp and she wanted so badly to grab ahold of it. If there was any chance that they could work through her being in WITSEC, she wouldn’t hesitate to do whatever she could to make it happen. She believed in Connor. He would be worth it.

“I thought that I needed to know everything about you in order to forge a relationship with you, but I already know all the things that matter or will ever matter. I know how it makes me feel when you smile at me. I know you would never hurt anyone. You radiate kindness and empathy. I know someone hurt you and made you fearful. And that makes me angrier than I can ever express in words, but I also know it’s made you strong and resilient.” He took a deep, steadying breath. “I don’t want to spend another day apart from you. My life is richer with you in it. I’ve been so consumed with your past I forgot to focus on the present and the future. Our future. For so long there was a big hole inside me that needed to be filled up. You’ve done that, Ella. And I don’t want to live a life without you in it.”

Tears were streaming down her face. She let out a sob. “Are you sure? My life is a bit complicated, and there are lots of dos and don’ts involved. And there’s no guarantee that danger might not present itself, not only for myself, but to you as well. And the Marshals might decide to relocate me to another town. That’s a distinct possibility now.”

“Ella, I’m more certain about us than I’ve been of anything in my life.” Connor reached out and ran his thumb against her cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Connor. So very much,” she whispered.

She stood on her tippy-toes and placed a kiss on his lips. In this one moment she was happier than she’d ever imagined. Connor loved her! He’d put the pieces together, and she didn’t have to worry about hiding the truth from him because he already knew it. She’d have to convince Jonah that she be allowed to stay now that Connor knew about her past. There were still obstacles to face. But for now she wanted to revel in this moment.

“There’s one thing I’d like you to do,” she said as their embrace ended.

“Anything.”

“Now that you know my real name, please call me Isabelle just this once.” She grinned up at him, buoyed by the love she saw radiating from his eyes. Her emotions threatened to burst out of her chest. She was deliriously happy.

“Isabelle,” he murmured. “I like the sound of that.”

Hearing her real name rolling off his lips was such a simple thing, yet it filled her with unimaginable bliss.

EPILOGUE

A light snow gently fell from the sky as Isabelle and Connor burst through the wooden doors of the church followed by a crowd of well-wishers. Happiness hung in the air as the newly married couple was bombarded with forget-me-not flower petals and shouts of congratulations.

Connor reached for his wife’s hand and pressed it to his lips. “I love you, Mrs. North.”

She was no longer keeping any secrets from her husband. Jonah had met with her and Connor. He’d given her the green light to discuss her participation in WITSEC with Connor since he’d already uncovered the truth online. Connor had reassured Jonah that he would never divulge Isabelle’s secrets or put her in harm’s way. Thankfully, the marshal hadn’t found it necessary to relocate her from Owl Creek. Everything had come full circle for them. Truths had been brought out into the light. Joy shone brightly in the aftermath.

“And I love you, my husband.” Tears of contentment pooled in her eyes. She’d never dared to dream of such a wonderful happy ending for herself and Connor. It had seemed so out of reach until Connor put his faith in their relationship before his doubts. His belief in her and their love had been a powerful force. Thankfully, Connor had deduced her involvement in WITSEC, then proposed to her a few weeks later. It had taken all of the pressure off Isabelle, who no longer had to hide things from Connor. As her husband, he was privy to all of her truths.

“Husband. I like the ring of that,” Connor said as he dipped his head down and placed a tender kiss on her lips. Isabelle kissed him back with equal measure, all the while rejoicing in the blessings they’d received. She was so very thankful.

“I couldn’t be happier,” she gushed as the embrace ended. “God has been so good to us.”

“I won’t argue with you on that. He brought you all the way to Owl Creek…and to me. I’ll always be thankful for it, even though I know you came to Alaska out of necessity, not choice.”

“I can’t imagine being anywhere but here. Right by your side. Every step along the way led me right to you.” She smiled up at him, joy shimmering in her eyes. Connor was her happy ending. Her rainbow after the storm. “You and me and a lifetime of happiness.”

“That’s all I want, baby. For us to walk through life together. You’ve been through so much, and you’ve shown nothing but bravery and pluck.”

“You were with me, Connor, and because you believed in me…in us, we’re standing here right now as man and wife. You stepped out on a limb of faith, even though I gave you every reason to doubt me. You did the work to bring us