by Faye Sonja
He turned to look at Florence once again and their eyes caught. He was tall enough to see her over the crowd that had gathered around her. She started at him with so much peace and joy in her lavender eyes, and Ben had a second revelation. He was in love with Florence Tilson.
Ben made his way over to her and the crowd seemed to part like water for him. He reached out and took Florence’s hand. The moment they touched, the rest of the world faded away. Ben touched Florence’s cheek. “I love you.”
Florence smiled and then her eyes went wide. Panic.
“What’s wrong?” Ben felt something splash on his shoe. He took a step back. “What was that?”
Florence whispered, “My water just broke.”
Ben’s eyes went wide. “What does that mean?”
“The baby is coming.”
The crowd began to panic.
Ben took Florence’s arms. “But, you’re not due until next month. It’s too early.”
Florence nodded. Her eyes began to water. “Help me!”
Ben didn’t have to be asked twice. He leaned over, picked Florence’s small body up in his arms, and began to carry her out of the art exhibit.
Jeremy came up to him. “What do you want me to do?”
“Bring a car around. We’ll take her to Belinda’s. She’s a midwife.”
Pastor West from Haines’ local church came jogging up to them. “I’ll pray for you, Florence,” he said to her.
Ben said, “You can do more than that.”
Florence began to moan in pain. Ben quickened his pace to the parking lot.
“What do you need?” West asked.
“Marry us.”
“Now?” Florence and West said in harmony.
Ben nodded and looked down into Florence’s eyes. “I want our child to be born with my last name.”
Florence smiled. “I love you, Ben.”
Ben returned the smile. “I love you, too.”
Jeremy stopped the car in front of them. He got out and passed Robert, who’d shown up out of nowhere. Robert got into the driver’s seat. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
Ben smiled and a part of him relaxed as he got in the back seat with Florence; stretching her out on the seat. Pastor West got into the passenger side. He turned around to look at them just as they peeled out of the parking lot. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here—”
Florence was breathing hard. She held her stomach as tears began to flow.
Ben held her up and stroked her hair. “I’m here, sweetheart. I’m here.” His heart rate went back up. He didn’t know what to do for her. He’d never felt so helpless in his life.
Florence grabbed one of his hands and squeezed tightly. She started to wail as she cried. “It hurts.”
Pastor West got their attention again. “Do you, Benjamin Manning take Florence Tilson to be your wife? To live together in holy marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor her, keep her in sickness and in health, and forsake all others, and be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?”
Ben nodded. “I will.”
Florence screamed. Ben’s hand went numb.
West’s eyes went wide.
Ben swallowed. “Keep going.”
The car turned into a neighborhood. They were close.
“Do you,” West began, “Florence Tilson, take Benjamin Manning to be your husband? To live together in holy marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor him, keep him in sickness and in health, and forsake all others, and be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?”
Florence was at a full blown cry now, but he got an “I will,” out before going into another round of screams.
The car stopped. The doors opened. Ben carried Florence up the front stairs. Belinda opened the door. Pastor West stood on the stairs. “Then by the power vested in me, and the state of Kansas, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
Ben turned to the man.
West’s eyes were wide. He nodded. “Kiss her.”
Florence screamed.
Ben smiled and kissed her, and then ran into Belinda’s house, feeling more at peace than ever before, and believing that everything would be okay.
* * *
Epilogue
Two hours later, Ben was holding Benjamin Jr. in his hands. They’d decided to call him Benny for short. The name had been Ben’s idea. As he’d promised; their child would know no difference in his love. Ben had felt attracted to the little boy with lavender eyes the moment he’d gotten the chance to hold the little bundle in his arms.
Florence had decided to take a nap, but Eve and Clara had arrived with Clark, Lewis, and even Joe in tow. Everyone wanted to see the new addition to the family. Ben had never felt so happy in his life; showing his and Florence’s son off to the room.
“We’ll have to take the family to New York,” Robert said. “Our parents will be anxious to meet their newest grandchild.”
Ben nodded, but couldn’t pull his eyes away from the little boy in his arms. He turned to Joe. “Have you been to New York?”
“A few times, but I haven’t been since marrying Clara.” Joe turned to his wife. “What do you say we take a trip out east?”
Clara smiled up at him. “I’ll go anywhere with you, Joe Dawson.”
Joe kissed his wife.
Clark and Lewis were flanking Robert. He had baby Evelyn in his arms. “Mom and Dad met the boys last summer when we went to show them Evelyn. They love them.”
Eve was sitting next to Ben. Her hands were out. They’d been out for the last ten minutes, but Ben had been trying to ignore them. Eve narrowed her hazel eyes. “Don’t be greedy. Let me hold my nephew.”
Ben’s hold on the boy tightened.
“Be nice,” Florence whispered through the door in the other room. She was up.
Ben sighed, and reluctantly handed over the child. He felt the loss immediately, but couldn’t help but smile when Eve seemed to glow. The kid was sure to have a ton of love growing up. Ben got up and went to his wife. He closed the door behind him. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine,” she whispered.
Ben nodded. “That’s good.”
Florence reached out for him and Ben leaned over to give her a hug. They held one another. Florence soon began to cry. “Thank you so much.”
“For what?” Ben asked as he pulled back. “You’re the one who has given me a family.” He shook his head. “It is the greatest gift anyone could ever hope for, and I will always be so grateful that you said yes.”
The tears continued to flow down Florence’s face. “And I will always be grateful that you never stopped asking. I love you so much, Ben.”
Ben took her hands; kissing them. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “You’re the absolute best thing that has ever happened to me, Florence. I love you.”
Florence started to cry uncontrollably, but Ben knew they were tears of joy. They were both happy that they’d met one another in the beautiful city of Haines.
* * *
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Teaser Chapter
Here’s a sneak peek at Book1 of Eve’s story:
Yearning of the Reluctant Bride . . .
Eve Haines’ hands felt cool against the gleaming slick surface of her father’s maple wood desk. She ran her hands over the light beige surface; the desk was supposed to have been hers. All too soon, the surface became warm; baking under the heat of her hands. Eve’s blood was pumping quickly, rushing rapidly through her veins. She felt the first warning signs of the major headache that was to come. She fought the urge to place pressure against her temples; fought and won. In front of her very much unwelcomed guest, it would be a sign of weakness. Eve needed to look strong at the moment. “Is that your final decision?”
Mr. Gregory Lowe found an invisible piece of lint
on the brown jacket of his suit to distract him. His silver hair-covered hand shook as he began to make brushing movements across the collar. With a sigh, he finally brought his pale blue eyes back to Eve. “It is not my decision alone, Ms. Haines. But, we, the investors, would simply feel better if Haines Press was run by a man.”
A hard thud made them both jump. Eve looked down at her hands. They were twin fists; red with fury. She’d hit the table. She didn’t remember balling her hands into fists. It had just happened. She brought her eyes up to meet Mr. Lowe. His bushy white brows were wide; the whites of his eyes showing too much. His body was tense and sat as still as a man who’d caught death. Mr. Lowe was a lawyer and was usually very good at hiding his true emotions. Any true reaction out of him was a thing to see.
Eve licked her suddenly dry lips. “I owe you an apology.”
Mr. Lowe’s face relaxed first. The rest of him followed in degrees; shoulders, legs, and then he released the air that he’d been holding in his lungs. His lips quivered as he laughed. “Quite alright, Ms. Haines.” Mr. Lowe had a way of making each word sound like he were dragging his feet. “No harm done.” He tried a smile on that didn’t quite fit his demeanor.
Eve hadn’t meant to scare that man. She’d just allowed her anger to get carried away once again. She shook her head, remembering that at one point in time, Mr. Lowe, one of the richest men in Kansas, had been a friend; or rather, her father’s friend, but still. “Since my father’s death three months ago, I’ve been running the company all on my own.” When Mr. Lowe’s pain-filled face started to blur, Eve shut her eyes; forbidding the moisture from becoming more. “Haines Press is still the most popular paper in all of The Great Plains. It’s my father’s ideas that drove it. It’s my grandfather, Adam Haines Sr., for which this town is named after. It’s my father’s paper that’s made this town the famed art centric community that it is. The company should stay in the Haines family.”
Mr. Lowe sighed. “I agree.”
Eve felt the pressure in her chest lift as if a great weight had left on the wings of Mr. Lowe’s words. “You do?” Eve smiled, but then felt it begin to slip from her face once she realized that Mr. Lowe wasn’t going to share in her joy.
Mr. Lowe’s face still held pain. “And there is a way you can keep the publishing company...”
Eve didn’t like the look on Mr. Lowe’s face. Whatever he wanted to say could not be good. Eve wrapped her hands around the edge of the wooden desk, bracing herself. “I’ll do anything,” she whispered.
Mr. Lowe’s hands folded in his lap. He kept his eyes on his fingers, watching them as he twiddled them together. “Your family may keep the paper if you marry.”
Eve felt numb. She waited for Mr. Lowe to continue. She waited for Mr. Lowe’s words to make sense, though his words only further confused her, so she decided to help him along. “Mr. Lowe, I don’t follow. You’re going to have to speak to me plain English.”
Mr. Lowe sighed. “If you marry, the investors will allow your husband to run the paper.”
Eve shook her head. “That’s the silliest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“And you couldn’t marry just anyone. The investors will only accept a man with a fancy education from somewhere out east.”
“I’m not marrying, Mr. Lowe.”
“Ms. Haines, this is only way to…”
“No, no, no. I’m not marrying, Mr. Lowe. Not again. I won’t do it.”
Eve’s eyes flew to the hand that touched her shoulder. She followed that trail of brown cotton all the way up to Mr. Lowe’s face. She looked into his eyes and let him see all the pain and fear that now gripped her. “Please, Mr. Lowe. Not this. Anything but this.”
He squeezed her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Eve,” he whispered, using her given name for the first time. Mr. Lowe had been around Eve’s family since before Eve could remember. Mr. Lowe knew all about Eve’s two-timing ex-husband, Harry King. Mr. Lowe knew how Harry had skipped town after Eve had given birth to their twin boys. He also knew about the painful years that had followed. If Eve’s father, Adam, had not been around to help, Eve would have lost her mind. It had been years since her first marriage; eight long years, but not long enough for Eve to ever want to walk down the aisle again. The first tear that rolled down her cheek seemed to open the floodgates. “Mr. Lowe, I can’t.”
Mr. Lowe tried giving Eve a smile again. It was another failed attempt. “It’s alright, Ms. Haines. I told the board of trustees that you wouldn’t do it, and I admit that I don’t believe you should. But, I thought you should know that it is your only hope if you ever plan on keeping the company to pass down to your boys.”
Eve sighed; shutting her eyes tight. Her boys, Lewis and Clark. True to their names, the seven-year-olds were true to the two men they were named after; turning everything into an adventure and trying Eve’s patience. A smile touched Eve’s lips. Haines Press was their legacy. She wanted her boys to have it. She’d give them the world if she could. Her eyes rolled back up to Mr. Lowe. “How long do I have to make a decision?”
“Three more months.”
Eve’s eyes widen. “Three months?”
Mr. Lowe nodded. Eve looked away. “I’ll think about it.”
The sound of Mr. Lowe’s heels clapped across the wooden floor as he made it to the door. He turned back to Eve with his hand on the knob. “Take your time and think about it all you want, but mark my works, Eve.” His face was very serious. “If you are not married by this day in three months, the investors will be taking over Haines Press.” He then turned his back and left.
Eve’s body deflated under the news that she’d received. Three months. Three months to not only find a man, but to also marry him? And it was definitely not enough time to be sure he could run a publishing company. She had no illusions that there weren’t men out there that would jump at the opportunity. Haines Press was a big deal all over America. It specialized in books and papers about the west. Most of the books were fictitious tales about legions of desperados and cowboys which the world ate up like hotcakes and couldn’t get enough of. No, there would be no issues in finding a man who’d want to take over. It was just everything else that bothered her. Like the marriage part of the agreement. Eve kept telling herself to just pick up her things, take her loyal readers, and start from scratch somewhere else. But to do so would mean giving up her father’s company’s name. What’s in a name? Anyone who’s seen a Shakespearian play knew the answer to that. A great deal!
Eve sighed. If she went through with this, the only thing that would be between Eve and another man would be a piece of paper. Nothing more. Eve wasn’t having any more kids, and she wouldn’t dream of letting another man touch her; not after Harry. No, she’d try and save the company, but only with the right man. Eve smiled. She could do this. All she had to do was find the perfect candidate. How hard would that be? With her nerves settled, Eve pulled a blank sheet of paper out of her desk, plucked the fountain pen from its holder, and began to write.
* * *
SEE HOW THE STORY ENDS . . . . .
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Also By Faye Sonja
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