by Mary Manners
She did belong now, Avery felt it in her bones. Her path was now connected to all of theirs, forever and eternally bound.
“This seems like the place to be.” Hattie Moretto settled into a chair beneath the shade of the sweeping red maple. The rest of the women followed, carrying drinks of sweet tea or lemonade. These were women Avery considered the sisters she never had—Brynn Cutler who was Dillon’s wife, Peyton who’d married Reese, Kami Cutler was wife to the eldest Cutler son, Wyatt. Together they owned and operated Pappy’s Pizzeria—hands-down the best restaurant in town.
Then there was Maddie, the only Cutler daughter, who had become Maddie Holt several years back when she married Gunnar. Maddie moved to Hattie’s side now, her belly rounded with the impending birth of a third child.
As Avery watched Maddie lower herself into a lawn chair with a sleeping toddler in her arms, she wondered how it might feel to cradle a child of her own.
Kenzie had given her some indication, having fallen asleep in her arms a few evenings ago while Avery read her a bedtime story.
“Would you mind?” Maddie asked, seeming to sense the question. She handed little Lanie off to Avery and then smoothed a hand over the taut maternity shirt that covered her blooming belly. “The baby’s restless today.”
“Of course.” Avery cradled Lanie’s head against her shoulder, smoothing the crown of damp, baby-fine hair from her forehead, and then settled back to watch Kenzie skip around her new play house with the handful of children who remained. The bulk of them were Cutler kids. “So many beautiful children. It’s wonderful…and a blessing.”
“And it’s about to get even more wonderful.” Lila splayed a hand across her midsection. “My secret mission to the drugstore was a roaring success. I’m pregnant. Morgan and I are going to have a baby.”
“Oh my!” All of the women leaned in to hug her and offer congratulations. Tears stung Avery’s eyes. Her heart welled with happiness. “That’s just perfect.”
“Perfect, indeed.” Lila massaged her belly. “A few more children, and we’ll have our own baseball teams—both sides— and an umpire, too.”
“The men would love that.” Hattie adjusted a floral sun hat over her salt-and-pepper hair as she sipped sweet tea. Her dark eyes twinkled as she watched grandchildren scamper while Sadie chased and yapped. “It’s quite the legacy they’re building here.”
Quite the legacy…
Hattie’s words mirrored Jason’s from earlier that morning. It got Avery to thinking once again. She thought of her past…and her future. What kind of legacy did her actions weave?
“Are you OK, dear?” Hattie touched Avery’s shoulder gently. “You look a little peaked. Would you like some tea?”
“Yes, please.” Suddenly Avery’s throat knotted. Tears gathered in her eyes. Legacies…perfect days…they were wonderful. But would they last?
She took the glass of tea Hattie poured. Her gaze sought Jason. When she found him huddled with Gunnar and Morgan, laughing, a warmth rushed through.
This is right where I want to be…this is home. Whatever happens, I’ve found true friends…sisters…family.
My legacy.
“Speaking of legacies,” Hattie slipped a sheet of paper from the pocket of her peach colored cotton slacks. “I uncovered a bit of information on the letters you found in the Victorian’s attic, Lila.”
“Oh?” Lila leaned in. “Do share.”
“Seems the building was once a bed and breakfast, owned in the late 1800s by a couple named Winchester.” Hattie glanced at her notes. “They had one daughter, Julia, who was in her late teens or very early twenties.”
“A daughter…do you think she’s the lady in the high-collared dress that Kenzie insists she’s seen?”
“I have no idea.”
“It’s a start.” Lila grabbed the arms of her chair. “Please tell us more.”
“I’m not certain, but some of what I’ve read indicates Julia fell in love with a man who was passing through town. I haven’t found a clue yet as to who he might have been, so I don’t have a name. But the letters seem to be proof that Julia’s parents didn’t know about the secret love affair.”
“Why?” Avery asked. “Why wouldn’t she tell them?”
“Maybe they didn’t favor the man,” Brynn offered.
“Or perhaps they wouldn’t have approved,” Kami noted. “Maybe they thought she was too young to fall in love.”
“Maybe he was wanted by the law.” Peyton nodded. “Or much older than her. Maybe she was already promised to someone else—like an arranged marriage.”
“Whatever the case may be, we’ll discover the truth, eventually.” Hattie drained her glass of tea. “In the meantime, Avery, why don’t you give us an update on you and Jason? There’s a spring in his step since you came along.”
“Oh?” Her pulse took off at a gallop. “Do you really think so?”
“Yes. That man has got it bad.” Hattie winked. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you. It’s steamy enough to chase the curl from my hair.”
“Hattie!”
“Don’t try to deny it. I have raised three sons and a daughter and I’ve been in love myself—thoroughly in love—twice.”
Hattie had lost her first husband to cancer several years ago. It had taken some time—and plenty of persuasion—but she’d found love again with sweet, kindhearted and insufferably stubborn Anthony Moretto.
“It’s different for Jason and me. We’re still trying to figure things out.”
“I know you are. But I also know all of the signs of a man in love as well as I know my own reflection. And Jason Ingram is absolutely, undeniably, head-over-heels in love with you, Avery.”
“But we haven’t known each other very long. It’s…impossible.”
“I’ve seen stranger things. Maddie and Gunnar—they fell in love at first sight.”
“It’s true,” Maddie nodded. “Right before I ran the Cutler Nursery delivery truck through the wall of his mechanic shop.”
“What?” Avery’s jaw swung wide open. She gasped. “You didn’t.”
“Oh, yes she did.” Gunnar leaned over, blocking the sun as he kissed her cheek. He’d loped over with the others, ready for a water break. “And, for the record, five years and two—nearly three—kids later, she’s still running into things. The garage door, the retaining wall, the bumper of my truck…”
“Gunnar Holt, I wouldn’t run into things if you’d leave me a little more space in the garage with that behemoth, he-man, 4-wheel drive truck that you insist on motoring around in.” Maddie feigned anger but kissed him with an air of affection that clearly spoke of their deep love for one another. “You’re a garage hog.”
“Guilty as charged. I’ll own it.” He laughed. “I know my faults.”
“Reese fell for me the first time he saw me at Cutler Nursery,” Peyton divulged. “He was loading a truck, and filthy. But I still thought he was the most handsome man I’d ever seen. Still do.”
“I fell hard. I was toast.” Reese didn’t even try to deny the fact. “She was wearing these mile high stilettos with a business suit—I still remember the outfit—and she came looking for my mom. What she got instead was a broken heel when her shoe got caught in the mud.”
“And I got you, honey.” She kissed him. “It was a good trade.”
“Well, I fell in love with Dillon the first time I saw him, too,” Brynn offered with the slightest laugh. “But I was only thirteen at the time—and he was fourteen—so we had to wait a while. We found our way back to one another, though. There’s no stopping love. You can’t rationalize it away, or debate it with common sense. You can run from it but you can’t hide. It will eventually catch up to you. It will plow through you like a freight train.”
“Amen to that,” Wyatt Cutler agreed as he planted a kiss on Kami’s cheek. “Yes, sir.”
There were kisses all around then. Hattie and Anthony, Lila and Morgan, Gunnar and Maddie, Wyatt and Kami—again, Dillon and
Brynn, Reese and Peyton. Not to be left out of the mix, Jason rounded to the front of Avery, knelt down, and instead of offering a kiss, he simply took her hand and asked.
“Will you take a walk with me?”
Avery nodded, a lump in her throat. She handed Lanie back to Maddie and stood. Jason led her away. Fingers of late-afternoon sunlight filtered through trees while the creek dipped and swirled over smooth, slick rock.
“Daddy, Daddy…where are you and Miss Avery going?” Kenzie called as they passed by the playhouse. “Can I come, too?”
“Not right now.” He shook his head slightly. “But we’ll call you soon to join us. Just listen and you’ll know when the time is right.”
“OK.” She climbed the ladder to the top of the house. She popped her head through the window and waved with a huge, dimpled smile on her face.
Avery and Jason walked hand-in-hand until they reached the creek edge. Then he squeezed her hand gently. “I’ve been waiting all day for this.”
“Me, too.”
The kiss stole Avery’s breath. It was rich and deep and more…so much more…than she had imagined it would be. She wanted another, so she leaned in and asked, “Kiss me again?”
Jason drew her in and held her for a moment. He skimmed his lips along the delicate stretch of skin that skirted her hairline. Avery gasped with pleasure and tilted her head, offering her lips once more. The effect was high-voltage.
“Sit with me.” Jason led her to a wrought iron bench positioned creek-side beneath a lone weeping willow. The majestic, towering tree had most likely witnessed generations of kisses. “I have a few things I need to say.”
“I do, too. But you, first.”
He smoothed his hands over the thighs of his jeans before settling in beside her. The sweet scents of lilac and moss danced with roses, though not a single rose bush bloomed along the creek bed.
Avery thought of the music box she’d discovered, with the rose petals thoughtfully tucked inside.
Your legacy…it begins here, now…
Jason took her hand again and laced his fingers with hers. Her pulsed raced. It was difficult to swallow. She waited for him to speak.
“Avery, my life hasn’t taken the path I imagined it would, the course I dreamed that it would.” He spoke slowly, carefully. “I had these aspirations and visions of what I was meant to do. And then God showed me a different plan. In the blink of an eye He took away those dreams and gave me Kenzie.” He skimmed the thumb of his free hand over her cheek, trailing a path along her jawline as he lifted his gaze to match hers. “And you. He gave me you.”
“Oh, Jason. I know you love photography. I would never keep you from—”
“Shh.” He pressed a single finger to her lips. “Let me get this out. I need to finish what I have to say.”
“OK.” Avery silenced, waiting as her heart thundered in her chest.
“I never planned to be a daddy…or a husband. I imagined I’d spend my days traveling the world, taking my fill of photographs. Every magazine spread I earned, every contract that came in, seemed to validate this plan. But then I lost Molly and Marshall, and there was Kenzie to consider. Oh, don’t get me wrong—I pretty much came to her kicking and screaming like a two-year-old in the throes of a tantrum. I was so angry with God—angry with Him for wrecking my life. But, what He actually did was save it.”
Jason lifted a hand to smooth the hair back from her forehead. Desire washed through her as he continued, “God only gives us so many days on this earth, Avery, and it’s up to us to make the most of them. I want to make each day count with you at my side. I want to marry you, sweetheart, and ride this adventure called life together. I don’t want to waste another day…another moment…another heartbeat.”
Avery’s pulse skittered along the length of her throat as she sat motionless, stunned by the heartfelt words that proved to be a mirror of hers.
“Say something,” Jason coaxed, his gaze capturing hers to hold tight. “I’ve had my chance. It’s your turn now, sweetheart.”
“I love you with all my heart.” Tears welled in Avery’s eyes. She wiped them away with the back of her hand. “I can’t explain how this happened any more than I can explain why the sky is blue. But it’s obvious that the sky is just that—true blue. And the love I feel for you is just as true.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.” Avery laughed softly through her sniffles.
Jason gathered her close to kiss her forehead. His mouth skimmed the tender swatch of skin behind her ear before dipping down to brush against her neck.
He slipped to his knees.
“Avery Lakin, I fell in love with you at first sight. The love has only grown stronger with each passing day. I can’t imagine what it will feel like in a year, a decade, fifty years from now…but I’d sure like to find out. I can’t think of any better way to spend my days than with you. It’s a dream come true.” Jason drew a ring from his pocket. The princess cut diamond winked merrily beneath the sunlight as the scent of roses deepened. “Will you do me the honor of becoming Mrs. Ingram—soon?”
“Oh, Jason…” Avery gasped as her tears spilled over. “It’s lovely. I can just picture our endless snapshots in time—together.”
“So that’s a yes?”
“A resounding yes.” She splayed the fingers of her left hand. “Mrs. Ingram…I like the sound of that.”
“Me, too.” Jason slipped the ring onto Avery’s finger and sealed the promise with a kiss.
A chorus of cheers rang out as a crowd raced over the ridge. Kenzie reached them first.
“Miss Avery, you said yes! Does this mean I can call you Mama now?”
The words zinged straight to Avery’s heart. “Yes, sweetie. Mama it is.”
“’Cause we’re a family now, right?” Kenzie snuggled into Avery’s lap. She planted a sloppy kiss along her cheek. “Daddy, you, me, and Sadie.”
Sadie barked as she settled at Avery’s feet.
“Yes, forever and ever,” Avery tilted her head to accept Jason’s sweet kiss…one of many, many more to come. “We’re a family.”
***Author’s Note***
If you’ve enjoyed this story and would like to get to know the Cutler family: Hattie and Anthony, Wyatt and Kami, Reese and Peyton, Gunnar and Maddie, Dillon and Brynn…then please check out the Wildflowers and Wishes Series, a four-book prequel to the Diamond Knot Dreams Series. You’re in for a delightful visit to cozy Clover Cove. Thanks for joining me there.
Wildflowers and Wishes Series:
Daffodils and Danger
Freesia and Faith
Lilies and Lies
Evergreens and Angels
Precious Fire
Diamond Knot Dreams, Book 3
1
Claire McLaughlin hummed along to the country tune drifting from the radio as she carefully laced the top tier of the wedding cake with delicate plum-colored bows made of fondant. The cake was coming along nicely, and she was sure the client, Laura Dixon, was going to be pleased with the finished product. A few final touches, and she would be done for the day. She was glad, as it was inching on close to five o’clock and she’d been working without so much as a break for lunch since seven-thirty that morning.
A slight ache had set up along Claire’s lower back, and she redirected her thoughts to draw attention from the niggling pain. She was truly blessed, as she knew that instead of her daytime job designing wedding cakes and other goodies here at Diamond Knot Dreams, with two of her best friends in the world as partners, she could easily still be cooped up at Crown and Barrow, managing the office of an attorney who appreciated her about as much as the dust on the soles of his shoes.
Since she’d arrived in Clover Cove a few weeks ago, orders for her confections—from sugar-dusted, peach-stuffed popovers to lemon cookies and fudge-filled mini cupcakes—had been pouring in. Even now, she had a batch of lemon blackberry tarts sitting on the butcher-block cooling table, just waiting to be sampled.
&n
bsp; If only Lila would return from her appointment with the obstetrician, Claire might employ her as a guinea pig to offer some feedback. She was still in the process of tweaking her recipes and creating a menu for the Diamond Knot Dreams website. Avery, who had stepped out for a moment or two to see her new husband, Jason, at the photo gallery next door, would post the menu as soon as it was ready.
Diamond Knot Dreams…Claire could hardly believe she’d arrived to Clover Cove from Nashville to partner with Avery and Lila, her former college roommates and best friends for the better part of a decade. The bridal shop had expanded by leaps and bounds since Lila first spotted the neglected turn-of-the-century Victorian house that had gone into foreclosure just over three years ago. She’d snatched up the property and her husband, Morgan Holt—who was not her husband at the time but had quickly fallen hard for her—had performed the restoration that had turned the Victorian to the beautiful, functional showplace that drew brides-to-be in droves.
“Claire, you have a visitor.” Jodi Stiles, the part time college receptionist, poked her head through the doorway. Short, saucy-red hair framed barely-blue eyes and porcelain skin smattered with freckles. “It’s Ryan Kendrick. He said he spoke with you this morning concerning the vacant second-story office space we have for rent.”
“Oh, yes.” Claire recalled the slow, southern drawl of Ryan’s voice and how the warm, inviting tone had melted her insides about three words into the first sentence. “Sure. Send him back and we can talk while I finish this cake, if he doesn’t mind.”