Tempting Forever
Page 21
“I like that. She seems sweet,” Tyler said before stepping away and talking to a few more guests he knew.
Looking at Brent, I rolled my eyes, wondering how Tyler and Amber were going to pan out. Somehow, I didn’t hold my breath for the guy. He may have a way with women, but Amber was way too invested in her life to notice men. After years of being away from Grace when she gave her up to Brent, Amber was making up for lost time, making Gracie her entire world—and I respected that, especially as a father who now knew the unconditional love for a child.
Music suddenly blared from the speakers set up around the yard, the guests all scrambled to their seats. My breath caught in my chest as my heart rate kicked up. Monica would be walking down the aisle any moment, and soon, we would be married. I couldn’t believe it. I wasn’t sure how I deserved her, but I would spend the rest of my life striving to be worthy.
“If you hurt my sister, I’ll kill you,” Brent whispered, shoulder-checking me before he and Tyler left to meet the bridesmaids and walk them into the ceremony.
“I know,” I chuckled. Luckily, Brent would never have reason to kick my ass... or at least try. I knew I could take him.
Grace walked down the aisle in a pretty cream-colored flower-girl dress, slowly dropping burgundy and orange rose petals as she went, stopping from time to time to check her work and add more petals to ensure an even layer all around. Brent chuckled, knowing his daughter’s autism was at play, but it was part of her beauty, and we all just smiled and patiently let her master her art. Charlie waddled in behind her, wearing a bow-tie around his chunky neck with his tongue sticking out, as usual. Surprisingly, he made it to my side and sat at my feet with only mild distraction from his course.
“Hi, Uncle Chris,” she said loudly as she finally reached my side.
“Hi, kiddo,” I said with a wink.
Amber slowly came down the aisle with Tyler at her side, their arms linked. Amber looked stunning and completely oblivious to Tyler as he eyed her the entire way with a cheeky grin that said he had a new conquest on his mind. I did my best not to roll my eyes, but inwardly, I chuckled. He had no idea how scattered Amber was, and unless he came right out and asked her, she would never catch on.
Reaching the end of the aisle, Amber walked to my right and Tyler to my left just as Crystal and Brent came out with matching broad smiles, carrying Thomas and Kyle, clearly happy to finally see this day. Not happier than I was, though. We had only been engaged for three months, but waiting to call Monica my wife had been a sweet torture every day, and I couldn’t wait to finally say “I do.”
Once Crystal and Brent were in place, the slow classical piano sounds stopped, making my heart drop to my feet as anticipation flooded my veins. Never had I expected this moment to come so soon in life, and never did I expect to feel this excited to become a married man.
The wedding song started, and I took a deep breath, holding it as everyone rose to their feet, and Monica turned the corner, escorted by her father. With what felt like a swift punch to the gut, the air left my lungs, and my hand came to my heart, a physical ache that threatened to knock me off my feet when I saw my bride, the mother of my child, walking toward me in a stunning fitted gown that hugged every curve and sparkled like sunbeams bouncing off the top of a lake in the summer. With her hair down and curled, Monica looked sophisticated and sexy all at the same time. Her dress plunged in the front but still managed to be classy. Her burgundy lips separated as she flashed a wide smile, making me feel like the luckiest man on the planet to be the one awaiting this goddess at the end of the aisle.
Monica stepped up beside me, and it took all of my strength and resolve not to immediately pull her into my arms and sweep her off her feet. We would have the rest of our lives for such things. For now, it was time to make her my wife.
Handing her bouquet to Crystal, Monica took my hand, and I saw her breathe deeply as she looked into my eyes, her dark irises reflecting the same love and excitement I felt.
Daring to tear my gaze away from her, I looked around our backyard to take in the scene. Her family and friends mixed with mine. My parents wore proud smiles that I never thought to see in my entire life, and her parents dabbed away tears from the corners of their eyes. And beside us in Crystal’s arms, Thomas chewed on his fist as drool dripped down his infant-sized tuxedo jacket’s sleeve.
Shaking my head with disbelief, I looked back at Monica and flashed a cheesy grin. “I love you so damn much,” I mouthed.
“Me too,” she silently worded, squeezing my hand reassuringly.
“Are you ready to make this thing official?” I asked her, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Throwing pretense to the wind, Monica got on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around my neck, placing her lips gently against mine.
“Forever.”
Author’s Note
HELLO, LOVELY READER! I hope you enjoyed Monica and Chris’s story! I’ve been working on it for about a year, ever since quarantine started in early 2020. It was hard to find time to write while both of my kids were home all day. Luckily for Chris and Monica, their story takes place right after “Raising Grace” in 2018, so they don’t know about the horrors awaiting them in 2020 yet! Whew!
I had so much fun writing this story, and I really hope you had fun reading it! Amber and Tyler are on deck, but you probably gathered as much. Amber is a scattered, hard-working single mom who isn’t looking for love, but that doesn’t mean she won’t find it.
Have you read Brent and Crystal’s story in “Raising Grace” yet? If not, I think you should! Of course, Monica and Chris are there, as well as Amber and Tyler, so go get the book and read their backstories!
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Love, Mia
About the Author
MIA IS THE MOTHER OF two human boys, three dogs, a cat, a rabbit, and a guinea pig, residing in the SF Bay Area. How she manages to get anything done is a wonder to all, including herself.
As a child, she often wrote stories about fantastic places or magical things, always preferring to live in a world where the line between reality and fantasy didn’t exist. In High school she entered writing contests and had some stories published in small newspapers or school magazines. As life continued, so did her love for writing, along with her passion for history and genealogy, which fuels her creative mind.
When Mia isn’t writing books or hanging with her family, she also subs at the local schools, drinks coffee by the gallon, gets lost in a good book, hikes with her family, collects all things pug, and drinks really big margaritas with her friends! Her happy place is the Renaissance Faire, where you can find her at the joust, rooting for the shirtless highlander in a kilt.
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Email: miapride.author@gmail.com