by Helen Brenna
Maybe Noah belonged to this island more than he’d realized. He nodded at all the faces on his way toward the elevated dais. Arlo and Lynn, Jan and Ron, Herman and his wife, and on and on. Noah finally knew them all by their first names. Even Sally McGregor had braved the blizzard.
When he reached the front of the room, he turned around and smiled at his mom who was sitting in the front row. He’d found her living back near her childhood home in California, remarried, happy, and following his career, waiting for the day when her boys would come looking for her.
There were some hard feelings between her and his dad, but that was their baggage, not Noah’s. She didn’t bat an eye when he asked her to come to a wedding in Wisconsin in January. Turned out Noah had four half siblings, and he was enjoying getting to know them and their families.
The music began, some quiet classical piece Lauren and Brittany had picked out, and Noah’s heart filled with hope this day would be nothing less than perfect.
Kurt and Lauren came to the door. Smiling shyly, they walked toward the front. Next, his dad appeared, the music changed, and Noah’s knees nearly buckled. He waited, unable to breathe. Then there she was. His first best friend. His childhood sweetheart. The only true love of his life. Peace, the kind that stayed with you forever, swept over Noah. There was no place on the earth he’d rather be at this moment than right here on Mirabelle Island. Blizzard and all.
With Sophie’s arm looped through Jim’s, she smiled at the crowd, walked forward and searched ahead for Noah. Their gazes caught, and her smile widened, her eyes grew bright.
“Sophie,” he whispered, “you’re beautiful.”
Her short hair was done up in some messy curls and a simple veil attached to a small princess-type crown poofed behind her head. Her dress was white and sexy, but in truth all he wanted to do was strip it off and make love to her.
He stepped forward as his dad and Sophie met him at the front. His dad was crying. “This is one of the happiest days of my life, son.”
“Mine, too, Dad.”
The suddenly-not-so-scary retired chief of police sniffed and brushed his rough cheeks. “Noah and Sophie,” he said. “I know you two will take good care of each other. I’m so proud of you both.”
Sophie kissed her father-in-law’s cheek, Noah hugged his dad, and Jim stepped back to stand next to Josie. To everyone’s surprise, Jim put his arm around Josie and kissed her cheek in front of the entire island.
Sophie turned to Noah. “Can you believe it?” she whispered. “We’re getting married.”
“Better late than never.” To hell with waiting until after the ceremony. He was done waiting for anything as far as Sophie was concerned. He kissed her, right then and there.
The room filled with the sound of snickering and laughter, chuckles and murmuring. That’s when it hit Noah, hit his heart like a basketful of rose petals. “Love will always find a way,” he whispered.
“If you let it,” she whispered back.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-3838-5
FIRST COME TWINS
Copyright © 2009 by Helen Brenna.
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