“Give me a few minutes, okay? I just need to do something.”
Annie smiled and walked to the door. “Okay.”
Grace followed behind her and closed the door. She pulled her diary out of her nightstand and moved back to the dressing table, her pale pink skirts swirling around her feet. Sitting, she opened her pen and wrote one last note on the very last page.
Dear Diary,
Although our lives don’t always turn out how we imagined, we have to find beauty in the imperfect moments. We must live wholly, love completely, and take risks, even when things seem the bleakest. Because the shining light at the end of the tunnel is our future. We can run for it and take what comes, or we can become stagnant. It’s up to us. In the end, what we did in our limited time here on Earth is our choice. No one else’s.
Christina taught me that. In her short life, she taught me what it was to care about someone. Then she gave me the two best things that have ever happened to me. Cain, my sweet, wonderful boy, and Drake, my fiancé.
I don’t know if she would have told me about Drake if she hadn’t gotten sick. I like to think she would have. The truth is, I’ll never know. Maybe this was her plan all along, to know that the wild roses would have a home. She helped me find myself, and find my father, who has become one of the rocks in my life. Without Dad, I don’t know where Cain and I would be. She gave me a home, and even though she knew she’d never have a family to grow old with, she made sure Cain had one.
We do. All three of us have a home. Her lies saved me from myself. If Drake and I had gotten together back then, we would’ve never made it. Now, on the anniversary of her death…no, on the anniversary of her life, the life she gave up to save her son, I’m bringing everything full circle.
Our family is complete, and I can never thank Christina enough for that. I’ll always miss her. I have her with me, forever. This marks the end of a chapter in my life, one that has been turbulent and rocky. It is ending with a happily ever after. I guess they do come for girls like me.
Grace Evans (only for a little longer!)
She closed the diary and held it to her chest for a moment before putting it on her bookshelf, right next to other diaries she’d filled. Sitting back at the mirror, she wiped her face and reapplied her makeup. There was less than twenty minutes until she walked down the aisle to become Mrs. Drake Stone. A knock came at her door and she called, “Come in!”
Drake’s mother, Connie, stood framed in the doorway. “Oh, Grace! You look beautiful!”
Grace had kept her dress choice a secret until today. She’d picked a small designer in Phoenix who made her an ethereal pale rose colored dress that swirled around her. A sweetheart neckline and beading made up the bodice, and at the waist, a cluster of roses fluttered down to a delicate tulle skirt.
“Thank you.” She smiled at the woman she’d come to care for. Drake had complained that she didn’t seem happy with his life choices, that was, until he got engaged.
“Oh, one of the curls on the back of your hair has fallen down, may I fix it?”
“Please do.” Grace sat still as Connie swirled up the curl and fastened it with a rose tipped bobby pin.
“You make my Drake so happy.” Connie patted her shoulder.
“He makes me happy.”
Annie came to the door. “Are we ready?”
“Yes,” Grace murmured serenely. She was no longer scared of being in love with Drake Stone. The man who had once been the sexy, off-limits teacher had turned into the attainable rock god. Now he fulfilled daddy duties perfectly, and Grace could finally imagine a future for herself with him.
That future was as bright as the sky outside the mansion. The day was nearly cloudless with cerulean skies. Grace followed Connie and Annie to the edge of the garden. The wedding was set next to Christina’s rose bush. It had seemed fitting.
It had been an easy choice who would walk her down the aisle. Both of the men who had raised her would be. One on each arm. Grandpa Archie on her left, and Damien on her right. They came to stand beside her.
“Are you ready?” Archie murmured.
“I am.”
“It’s time.” Damien squeezed her hand.
Strains of a familiar song started to play. “What’s that?”
“Oh, it’s your wedding march,” Damien murmured.
As she stepped onto the white runner into the garden, Drake began to sing. He stood, playing his guitar and singing “Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton. It had always been one of her favorite songs, and she’d divulged that to him in a late night conversation a few weeks prior. To have him play it as her wedding march was one of the best gifts she ever could have received.
She fought against the tears prickling at her eyelashes as she walked toward the man she loved. At the end of the runner, she accepted a kiss from Grandpa Archie and a kiss from Damien. They left her standing there and as the song came to a close, Drake put down the guitar and took her hand.
“You look wonderful today,” he murmured sweetly against her ear.
Archie stood before them, next to Christina’s rose bush. “Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the wedding of Grace and Drake. The couple has decided to forgo traditional vows. Drake?”
Drake took a ring from Toby and smiled at Grace. “I, Drake, take you, Grace, to be my lawfully wedded wife. I promise to stand with you through darkness and light, and I take you as you are, with all your strengths and weaknesses. You complete me, and I am so happy that we are a family. I choose you as the woman I spend the rest of my life with.” He slid the simple white gold band onto her finger and smiled.
Grace turned and accepted Drake’s ring from Annie, who stood in as her matron of honor. “I, Grace, take you, Drake, to be my lawfully wedded husband. I promise to stand by you through darkness and light, and I take you as you are, with all your strengths and weaknesses. You made me see that love is worth having, even though it’s terrifying. I love you. I choose you as the man I spend the rest of my life with.” She slipped his gold band onto his finger.
“And now, by the power vested in me by the state of Connecticut and with special licensing in Arizona, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Grace stared into Drake’s eyes and as his lips touched hers, happiness filled her heart to bursting. The small crowd of their closest friends and family cheered, and they pulled apart. Grace blushed as her grandpa called over the din, “Mr. and Mrs. Drake Stone, everyone!”
A helicopter came buzzing over the mansion and Grace rolled her eyes at the paparazzi trying to get a story. “Shall we take this back inside?” She laughed, not letting anything ruin her day.
Drake took her hand and they ran up the aisle. Once back inside the mansion, they meandered to the large ballroom that had never been used as long as Damien had owned the house. It had been set up beautifully, with roses everywhere. The heavy, sweet scent permeated the air, and Grace smiled happily.
“Are you happy, Mrs. Stone?” Drake whispered in her ear.
She turned and put her arms around his neck. “I am.”
“Someone wants his daddy.” Connie giggled, handing Cain to Drake as they pulled apart.
“Da! Da! Da! Da!” Cain squawked, his first time to babble.
“Yes, little man. I’m your dada, and I love you and your mom very much.”
Addie and Patrick found them, their children following behind. “The wedding was beautiful! I owe you an apology,” Addie started, her eyes welling with tears.
“For what?” Grace asked, reaching out a hand to the older woman.
“I worried you couldn’t handle raising Cain on your own. You’ve proven me wrong, and I’m so glad. Christina made the right choice in choosing you to be his mom. You make a beautiful bride, Grace. I know Christina is looking down with a big smile on her face. I wish the both of you a lifetime of happiness.”
Grace pulled the woman in for a hug. “Thank you,” she whispered brokenly. “I apprec
iate it.”
“You’re welcome,” Addie murmured. They pulled apart and Addie asked, “May I hold him a little while?”
“Please do.” Grace grinned as the couple played with Cain.
A flash made her jump and with a gasp, she realized it was just the wedding photographer, not a paparazzo that snuck in.
“Relax,” Drake murmured. “You’re so beautiful, Grace.” She smiled as he took her hand. “Shall we dance?”
“Of course, Mr. Stone.” Her pulse fluttered as he pulled her in tight. Music began to play as they swayed along. It was the first song Drake had written for her, and shivers coursed through her as he softly sang the song in her ear.
As the song finished, he kissed her cheek. “I love you.”
She turned her lips up for a kiss and murmured as he obliged her, “I love you.”
And with that, Grace knew she finally had her happily ever after.
The End
Discover other titles by
Scarlett Jade
The Rhythm of the Heart Series:
September Tango
November Foxtrot
February Waltz
Just a Little Taste Series:
Love at First Bite
Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Wild Rose Series
Saving Grace
Finding Christina
Raising Cain
The Mistletoe Bride
Connect with Scarlett Online:
Scarlett's Facebook Profile and Page:
www.facebook.com/scarlett.jade.author
www.facebook.com/scarlettjadewriter
Follow Scarlett on Twitter:
www.twitter.com/OScarlettjadeO
Email: [email protected]
Join Scarlett's Newsletter to find out what's
coming out next!
Join Scarlett's Sirens Street Team!
www.facebook.com/groups/scarlettjadestreetteam/
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Discover other titles by Scarlett Jade
Raising Cain Page 16