“This is forever,” he continued. He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. “And nothing— not time, not secrets, and definitely not some silly wives’ tale— is going to change that.”
I traced circles around one of the buttons on his dress shirt. Times like this, I wished Jayce and I could escape to an island far away from the rest of the world and just… be. I moved my hand to rest on the curve of his jaw and let my thumb graze the stubble there. In twenty-four hours, this amazing man would be my husband. I thought our story had ended. I thought I’d never see Jayce Sterling again. Now I was standing in front of him discussing the details of wedding superstitions.
“Bennett will thank me. I’m sure he has a full night of debauchery planned for you,” I teased.
“You’re seriously trusting Bennett with my well-being the night before our wedding?”
I laughed. “I trust you.”
He placed a soft kiss on my lips then smiled against my mouth. “Smart girl.”
His breath molded with mine. He breathed out. I breathed in. The tip of his nose brushed against mine. Kiss me again.
He didn’t. I supposed it was his way of paying me back for staying at my gram’s tonight instead of at the B&B with him. I called it cruel and unusual punishment. You don’t dangle a steak in front of a hungry lion and expect the lion to be okay with it. His lips were the steak, and I was starving.
“The room keys for Bennett and Stella are in the top drawer of the front desk. I even put welcome baskets in their rooms. Annie is picking Stella up from the airport in an hour.” I moved my hand from his cheek and pulled the car key from my pocket. If he wasn’t going to kiss me, I might as well get going. “And Bennett Kane is not sleeping in our bed.”
“The only man going near our bed is me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Every night for the rest of our lives,” I said.
Jayce took my free hand and locked his fingers with mine. “I like the sound of that. Could you say it a little louder for the people in the back?” he said with a grin.
“Every night… except tonight,” I added, and he threw his head back and groaned.
“Way to kill the mood.”
I laughed and ran my fingertips along the collar of his shirt. “Pretty sure your mood is alive and kicking…”
He smirked. “You know, I’m holding you to this every night thing.”
“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”
He inched closer to me again. “You know, we could go back inside…”
I placed a palm flat against his chest. “My mother is waiting and you’re going to be late for your meeting.”
“The meeting can wait, and your mother will get over it.”
The meeting couldn’t wait, and my mother wouldn’t get over it. She’d gotten a lot better since I’d officially moved back to Clover Creek. She wasn’t nearly as overbearing as she’d been for most of my life, but she still clung to the notion of the perfect cookie cutter family. She’d had nothing to do with my wedding to David. There wasn’t much planning involved when it was the bride, the groom, and the Justice of the Peace. My maid of honor was the receptionist at the courthouse. David didn’t want a long engagement. Six weeks after he proposed, he rushed me to the courthouse like the aliens were coming and we were all doomed. I should’ve taken that omen and run far, far away.
I wanted a big wedding, the kind with a fancy white gown and more flowers than the Rose Parade. What little girl didn’t dream of that? My mother made sure this was one Clover Creek would never forget. I let her spend the last eight months focusing her energy on planning the perfect wedding for Jayce and me. The more energy she spent on that, the less she had left over for me. I was just happy to finally be able to spend the rest of my life with the man I’d loved all my life.
“You know neither of those things is true,” I told him.
He chuckled. “I had to try.”
“Give me a kiss and let me go.”
He circled his arms around my waist and pulled me close. His forehead leaned against mine. He smelled like fresh cotton and soap. I closed my eyes and breathed him in.
“I’ll give you your kiss. But I’m never letting you go,” he said. Then he pressed his lips to mine, and I got lost in the taste of him. My mother. His meeting. Mr. Davis walking his dog on the sidewalk across the street. They were all distant memories. It was just me, him, and the taste of spearmint toothpaste.
“You think we could just elope?” Jayce asked when he pulled his mouth from mine.
I’d had the same thought at least once a day since the day he proposed. As ready as I was to start the rest of my life with him, I also wanted the fairy tale.
“One more day. Then you’re stuck with me.” I forced myself out of his arms. If he kept touching me and holding me and kissing me, neither one of us would get anything done. “When Annie gets here with Stella, send them to Gram’s. And make sure she stays far away from Bennett.”
Jayce’s best friend was one of the best guys I’d ever known. His heart was pure gold. The rest of him, not so much. His dating life was more like a trip to Costco on a Saturday afternoon—the kind where you walk around the store and try out all the samples but never actually buy anything. Not that Stella would mind. She shared Bennett’s no commitment philosophy. As long as she was the one doing the sampling. She didn’t take well to being the sample, and I was not being held responsible for the aftermath of that toxic explosion.
Jayce held up both hands. “I make no promises.”
He was right. With those two, the unpredictable was the predictable. I laughed and opened the driver’s side door. Jayce grabbed the edge of the steel frame and held it open. He leaned forward, placing his mouth just below my ear. His breath skated over the sensitive spot on my neck.
“Except one. I do have one promise,” he whispered.
I tilted my head to one side on instinct. His lips brushed my skin. “What’s that?” I questioned.
“I promise to love you. Hard. Fierce. And with everything I am. For the rest of my life.”
This man—boyishly handsome. Successful. Intelligent. Funny. Sexy beyond anything I’d ever imagined—and all mine. What did I do to get so lucky?
As I pulled into my gram’s driveway, I glanced at the empty house down the street. Jared Sterling lost his battle with cancer five weeks ago. Jayce had spent the last eight months alternating between staying with his father and at the B&B with me. Jared had finally agreed to let Jayce hire a full-time nurse. He even let Jayce bring him to a specialist in Houston, but even with the finest health care there was no stopping God’s plan. The cancer had gotten too bad, spread too far. Jayce did everything he could to make sure that his father’s last months were as comfortable as possible. They’d spent time laughing at television re-runs, playing cards until midnight, and rebuilding a relationship that had been broken for so many years. Jared died a happy man.
Jayce had a meeting with his attorney this morning about the final arrangements for Jared’s estate. Jayce couldn’t bring himself to sell the house yet, and Jared’s insurance didn’t cover the balance on the mortgage, leaving a lot of financial ground to cover. I was in awe of the amount of courage and strength Jayce possessed through the whole process.
Some nights he came home, and I took one look in his eyes and knew he’d had a bad day, that he’d missed his father. Those nights, we curled up on the sofa. I let him rest his head against my chest, and we watched Netflix in silence while I stroked his hair. Other nights, he came in with stacks of papers and his laptop and worked on figures until long after I’d fallen asleep. But not once had he ever broken down. I hoped that at least in private, he’d found a way to deal with his grief.
My mother and Gram waited on the front porch like eager children as I walked the path to the front steps.
“Look at you two. Like a couple of cheetahs ready to pounce,” I teased as I wrapped my arms around Gram for a hug. She looked like today was a good day. I hoped tomorrow was
too.
She chuckled. “It’s not every day my only granddaughter marries her soul mate, you know.”
I kissed her cheek then hugged my mom. She’d let go of her grudge against Jayce once she found out I knew the truth. She’d spent all those years resenting his family—his Nana—for taking me. The more she helped take care of Gram, the more she understood how wrong she’d been about Mrs. Sterling. She’d even gone as far as apologizing to both Jayce and Jared for her behavior.
“I have so much planned for tonight,” Mom said. She took a step back and studied my appearance. Her nose crinkled at the sight of my plain T-shirt and leggings outfit. Old habits die hard, I supposed. “But not too much. We have to have you in bed early so you’re bright and fresh tomorrow.”
I gave her an “A” for effort though. She pulled me inside where the kitchen countertops were covered in fruit trays and sandwich trays and much to my surprise a dessert tray complete with brownie bites and my favorite chocolate chunk cookies. She’d even made a bowl of punch with champagne and sprite.
We sat in the living room where Mom and Gram told stories about their wedding days. My mother even told me about how she’d ended up wearing a second-hand wedding gown because my father’s best man had accidentally closed the trunk with half her gown hanging out. By the time they’d made it home from the boutique in Houston, the whole bottom of the dress was a mess from being dragged eighty miles against the highway. She laughed about it now but knowing my mother, I imagined it was nowhere near as funny at the time. It was good to hear her talk about her imperfections and great to hear her admit she had them. Listening to her story and watching her laugh about it, I didn’t feel so isolated from her.
Before I knew it, Annie walked in with Stella. We must’ve been laughing and talking for hours. It was nice. Stella looked as flawless as she ever had. No one should look that gorgeous after spending the day traveling. No matter how far apart we were, Stella would always be my best friend. I missed her. When I’d gone back to Hickory Falls to pack my things, I’d tried to convince her to come with me. Stella had dreams bigger than Clover Creek, bigger than Hickory Falls. She spent most of her time in Atlanta wishing for a different life. Stella’s family was deeply rooted in Hickory Falls. Her father had been the town’s only preacher since Stella was a baby, and her mother was the high school principal. They were loved and respected by everyone. Stella led a more adventurous lifestyle, the kind the people of a small town talk about in sideways glances and whispers. She liked things that moved fast and sparkled. Things that a town like Hickory Falls could never give her. She ended up renting my house. She refused to buy it because she swore that she’d eventually get out of that town. I hoped one day she would.
“You’re going to make the most beautiful bride,” Stella said after she nearly squeezed the life out of me.
Was she drunk? Maybe she had one too many little bottles of airplane alcohol. I wasn’t even in my dress yet. I was a hot mess with no makeup and sloppy hair.
“Yes, because messy buns and yoga pants are what every guy wants to see walking down the aisle.”
She slapped the side of my arm. “Because you’re already glowing. Claire! I have never seen you so happy,” she squealed. “It’s all over your face.”
That was my best friend. She always cut right through the outer layers and saw what was inside. I loved that about her.
I shrugged one shoulder, loosely brushing off my excitement. “I guess I am a little happy…” I teased.
“You did it, girl. You found your happily ever after.”
She was right about one thing. Jayce was my happily ever after. But I didn’t have to find him. He’d been right here all along.
After I took over the B&B, Jayce and I remodeled Mrs. Abraham’s room into something a little more modern than the rest of the historic home. We’d updated some of the furniture and appliances but left the kept the cozy feel of the rest of the bed and breakfast the same. I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of my life there with him.
He purchased the property next door not long after the harvest festival. Our holiday gatherings had gotten pretty popular with Clover Creek as well as some of the neighboring towns, so we needed more room. Jayce thought it would be a good idea to be able to host indoor events too. And that’s where the barn came from. It was an absolutely gorgeous huge white barn with a modern farmhouse vibe. The front half was filled with round tables with white tablecloths and wooden chairs. Crystal chandeliers hung from wooden beams by the ceiling. White fabric was draped and filled with twinkle lights along all sides. The back half had a massive white stone fireplace and rows of chairs decorated with white satin bows and more crystal chandeliers and white draping fabric. The windows just below the ceiling let in natural light during the day, and the chandeliers created a romantic ambiance at night. It was the perfect spot for a wedding—the perfect spot for our wedding.
Today was the day. Today, I would become Mrs. Jayce Sterling. Claire Olivia Sterling. I’d scribbled that name inside little hearts all over my notebooks when I was a little girl and now it was about to become a reality.
Music floated upstairs into the bridal room of the barn where my mother and Stella put the finishing touches on my makeup. Not that it mattered. I was sure my mascara was no match for my emotions.
My heart pounded against my ribs. My mouth was dry. I wasn’t sure my brain could function enough to tell my body to put one foot in front of the other and walk down that aisle. Please don’t fall down the stairs. You can’t get married in the emergency room. That wouldn’t exactly be the wedding I had planned. Not to mention it would probably give my mother a heart attack.
Mrs. Abraham opened the door and smiled. “It’s time.”
It’s time.
Two of the most terrifying and exciting words I’d ever heard. This was it. I’d been waiting for this moment since I was seven years old. My heart and my life were about to be complete. And Stella was right. I couldn’t be happier.
The flowers. The lace. The candles. They were all just props. None of it mattered, not to me. I didn’t care if we were in a professionally decorated barn with designer suits and gowns or in the back booth at the diner in jeans and T-shirts. As long as at the end of the day, Claire Cunningham was my wife. The fairy tale was her dream, though, and I did everything in my power to make sure today was perfect. The only thing missing was my pops. He would’ve given anything to see this finally happen. He’d always urged me to tell Claire the truth. He assured me she would understand, that she’d forgive me. He’d told me I didn’t have to run, that leaving was for cowards. I wish I’d have listened to him sooner.
I had to give it to Abigail. She’d done an amazing job with the wedding. I looked around the room in awe. The honeymoon though—that was my domain. Next week, we’d shut off our phones and lock the doors. It would just be me, Claire, and a cozy little bungalow in Hawaii.
I missed her last night. I missed her body next to mine. I missed the warmth of being inside her and the sweet sound she made when she comes. Bennett did his best to keep my mind off of not being with her, but no amount of beer or loud music can take the place of being in her arms.
Soft music filled the room as my groomsmen ushered her bridesmaids down the aisle. Friends and family watched from their chairs with smiles on their faces. I clasped my hands together in front of me to keep from wanting to move them. My palms were sweaty. My heart raced. But I was ready. I’d been ready since the day I tugged on her ponytail at Bennett Kane’s birthday party.
The music stalled then began again, louder this time. The crowd stood. I swallowed the lump in my throat.
Then I saw her.
I’d traveled to exotic places and seen beautiful things. I’d inspected and purchased some of the world’s most flawless diamonds and gems for a living. And never in my life had I ever seen anything as breathtaking as this woman. My hand flew to my mouth to cover my gasp. Tears welled in my eyes, but I blinked them back.
; Her ivory dress hugged all her curves in just the right way. The sequins and rhinestones sparkled in the light. Her hair was pulled up into delicate curls and her veil held in place with a crystal tiara. She was remarkable.
She was mine.
The music stopped as she took her place in front of me. Her father gave me her hand and when she looked up at me and smiled, I silently prayed I wouldn’t lose my shit in front of all these people.
The pastor said words. I heard his voice, but it was a murmur, muted background noise. The only thing I wanted to focus on was her. Claire chuckled and nodded her head toward him, and I knew he must’ve been directing me to do something.
“Do you have your vows?” he asked, probably for the second time.
I nodded once then brought my eyes back to the woman in front of me. I never wanted to look away from her again.
I cleared my throat and began. “Claire Cunningham—” I stopped to smile. “That’s the last time you’ll ever hear that name, by the way.” She giggled. My heart fluttered at the sound. “I vow to eat sandwiches on the floor in front of the tv even though there’s a perfectly good dining table ten feet away. I vow to wash dishes with you after breakfast and get more water and suds on the floor than in the sink. I vow to slow dance with you in the middle of our bedroom after a long day at work. And kiss you in the rain. Maybe those aren’t the ordinary things people vow at a time like this. But we aren’t ordinary, and I vow to spend the rest of my life making sure our love isn’t ordinary either. If there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that life is precious. Cherish every moment. Hold those you love close. Never let them go. I vow to never, ever let you go again.”
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