A Husband by New Year's
Page 27
“What?” Renee said, staring at Patrick. “But I still haven’t gotten the chance to introduce you to my family.”
Patrick caught her hand. “I know, but I couldn’t ask for your hand in marriage without getting your parents’ blessing first.”
“He came over to the house and we talked for a long while,” Myra said.
Once again, Renee was speechless.
Patrick kissed her lips. “I love you, babe,” he whispered.
The steps Patrick had taken made Renee love him even more. She never imagined that he would go to her parents, but he did. It showed how much he wanted her in his life.
Myra took a step toward Renee. “I knew he was going to propose, I just didn’t know he was going to do it tonight. I’m so happy for you both.”
Myra went to hug Patrick, then smoothed out her dress. “Okay, we’re going to have to celebrate later. We’ve got to get back in there.”
Everyone walked into the ballroom and took their seats while Renee announced dinner. As the staff served the plated meal Renee took Jennifer and Simeon over to their cake so they could cut it and have their picture taken. They would use the cake as the dessert to be served at the close of the meal.
While she stood watching her sister feed cake to her husband, Renee looked down at the sparkling diamond on her finger. She couldn’t have chosen a better man to partner with in life. She thought about her perfect man list and knew that Patrick hit the mark.
After dinner, Selena Johnson came out for an outstanding performance. And later, while Charlie Wilson sang one of the R&B classics from his days with the Gap Band, “Yearning for Your Love”, Jennifer and Simeon danced in the middle of the dance floor. Other couples soon joined them. It was a perfect night.
To top things off, through corporate and private sponsors the McClendon Gives Charity raised over one million dollars to continue research for Brain and Spinal Cord Injury and fund Camp Fun Zone.
Toward the end of the night, Cara came over to Renee, who was standing in the corner. “Let me see, let me see!” she said with excitement.
Renee smiled from ear to ear, loving the fact that her friend was genuinely happy for her. She lifted her hand so that Cara could examine her ring.
Cara looked up at her. “Are you happy?”
“Everything has happened so fast, but yes, I am really happy. I don’t think it’s fully sunk in yet.”
“I guess you won the bet. You found a husband by New Year’s!”
Renee hadn’t thought about the bet for some weeks now. She felt so much better when she didn’t let it weigh on her mind. “Cara, you know what?”
“What?”
“I could care less about that bet. But Patrick does display every single trait I have written in my journal. He is my perfect man.”
Epilogue
The night was magical and there had been laughs and good cheer all around. Renee couldn’t wait for the kiss at midnight. This year, when the clock struck twelve, her fairytale would begin with all new hopes, dreams, and resolutions. Being in Patrick’s arms felt right. They belonged together.
With the guests out on the dance floor with their party hats in glittering black, gold, and silver, and colorful noisemakers, they were all ready for the big moment.
The DJ started the countdown and it echoed throughout the room. “Ten! Nine! Eight!”
Renee tilted her head and looked up at her man. “I’m so happy, Patrick.”
“I didn’t know what happy was until I met you,” he responded before his head descended and their lips touched.
“Soon, you’ll be Mrs. Patrick Dunlap. How does that sound to you?”
“I love it,” Renee said.
“When do you want to get married?”
Renee stepped out of his embrace and gazed into his eyes. “You know what? Everything I do is always planned, so why don’t we just do it?” she suggested.
Patrick smiled. “Okay, we’ll fly to Vegas in the morning, get married, and spend a couple days there. Then we can go anywhere else you want to go.”
“Three! Two! One!”
“Happy New Year!” everyone said in unison.
Patrick kissed Renee passionately. “Happy New Year to my special girl.”
Renee rested her head against his shoulder, held out her hand so that she could see the sparkle from her ring as the balloons fell around them.
“And they lived happily ever after,” she whispered.
About the Author
Sean Young has always been an avid reader. This Gary, Indiana native joined her first book club at the age of seven. A lover of the happily ever after, Sean uses her vivid imagination to craft heartwarming and passionate family love stories that deal with forgiveness, promise, romance, and redemption. A certified wedding planner by trade, Sean continues to help brides plan the wedding of their dreams. She loves to hear from her readers, who can contact her at www.seandyoung.com, seanyoung0907@msn.com and www.facebook.com/seandyoungbooks.
Look for these titles by Sean D. Young
Now Available:
The McClendon Holiday Series
A McClendon Thanksgiving
The Christmas Promise
Be My Valentine
A Husband by New Year’s
For a perfect fit, sometimes you have to make a few alterations.
The McClendon Holiday Series, Book 1
Faith McClendon put her promising fashion career on hold to support her investment banker husband’s climb to financial success—only to be dumped for another woman.
The thirty-year-old fashion designer has come home to Chicago to start over, this time on her own terms. Amid the lingering sting of betrayal, there’s one bright spot. A renewed friendship with childhood buddy Michael Montgomery.
For years, Michael pretended to be Faith’s husband to fend off unwanted attention, gave her a shoulder to cry on, and cheered the loudest when she left home for fashion school. Through it all, he never stopped loving her.
Time hasn’t dimmed the spark between them, but when another man hits on her, Michael realizes it’s time to stop hiding his true feelings. This thirty-one-year-old professional photographer is ready to pose for his own family portrait—with Faith as his wife.
Warning: Contains a photographer who’s through being pictured in a brother-ish light, and a fashionista who’s not sure her heart is quite mended enough to risk further alterations.
eBooks are not transferable.
They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
3116 W Montggomery Rd Ste C292
Maineville OH 45039-8609
A Husband by New Year’s
Copyright © 2017 by Sean D. Young
ISBN: 978-1-61923-306-5
Edited by Heather Osborn
Cover by Leah Kaye Suttle
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: February 2017
www.samhainpublishing.com
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