“I think your mom likes me now,” she said.
Deeply touched by the joy emanating from her face, Brody could only nod. Then, after gathering himself, he said, “She spent a lot of time here after the ambulance brought you in. So did the rest of my family.”
“I didn’t tell her our secret,” she said, smiling.
He laughed. “Good. We’ll tell everyone together. When you’re feeling better.”
She moved her head in a tiny nod. “Okay.”
Two days later Reese was cleared to leave the hospital. Reese smiled when she saw the SUV Brody had rented, and after he helped her get in the passenger seat, he climbed behind the wheel and pulled away from the curb.
“I’m sorry about your car,” she said as she thought about totaling his pride and joy.
He glanced at her with a smile. “It’s just a car. I can get a different one. It’s you that I can’t replace.”
He had barely left her side the entire time she had been at the hospital, and his family had stopped by when they could. Reese thought about a moment she had had alone with Grace. When she had arrived, she had told Brody she would stay with Reese and for him to go home and shower.
With a nod from Reese, he had kissed her good-bye and left.
Grace had sat in the chair beside her bed and had looked at her with a smile. “I’m relieved you’re going to be okay,” she had said.
“Thank you.”
She had smiled. “It’s not just for me that I say that.” Her expression became serious. “There’s only one time I’ve seen Brody as distraught as he was the afternoon this happened to you, and that was when Megan…” Her mouth pursed, then she shook her head. “When Megan was killed.”
Touched to know how worried Brody had been, Reese felt guilty that she had put him through that. “I’m sorry,” she murmured.
Looking briefly perplexed, Grace placed her hand over Reese’s. “You have nothing to apologize for. Brody adores you and that’s all there is to it.” Then a sardonic smile curved her mouth. “I’m just glad the two of you were too stubborn to pay attention to my opinion.”
“I’m over it, Grace,” Reese said. “Let’s put it behind us.”
Grace nodded, and they talked about other things until Brody returned. Grace gave her a hug before leaving them.
Now, as Brody drove her home, she looked at him and smiled. “I like your mom.”
He laughed. “I’m glad to hear it. Especially after…everything.”
Wanting to change the subject, she asked, “Are you going to get another Porsche?”
He glanced her way. “I don’t know. Maybe.” Then his lips turned up in a smile. “But I do know I’m going to get a safe car for you and our baby to travel in.”
“No,” she immediately said, not wanting to be a burden to him. “You don’t have to do that.”
He laughed. “I do have to do that. Otherwise I’ll worry every time you walk out the door.”
Knowing that it made sense, Reese didn’t argue. Instead, she said, “Maybe I can…help buy it?”
He looked at her before focusing back on the road. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I know. But maybe I can…” She thought about whether she really wanted to make the suggestion, but then she pressed forward. “Maybe I can sell my RV. You know, to contribute to the expense.”
Looking uncertain, Brody asked, “That’s up to you, but don’t feel like you have to. I can afford to buy a second car.”
Not sure if she was actually ready to sell her home, she nodded. Your home’s with Brody now. Peacefulness settled over her. “I want to tell your family about us. About the baby and our engagement.”
He smiled at her. “So do I. You just tell me when you’re feeling up to it.”
“Okay. I will.”
Twenty-Two
Two Months Later
“What else do we need to do?” Reese asked Brody as he seasoned the tri-tip. It was a Sunday afternoon, and they were preparing to host Brody’s family for dinner.
“I think we’re about ready.” He turned to her with a smile. “Are you ready? To tell them our news?” He set the seasoning down and stroked her still-flat stomach.
They had recently heard the baby’s heartbeat, which had made them all the more excited.
“You know I am,” Reese said with a broad smile.
He pulled her into his arms for a kiss. “Me too.”
“I just wish Seth could be here,” she said after he released her. Soon after her accident she had emailed her brother and told him everything that had happened to her. He had been upset to learn about her car accident, but pleased to know she had found happiness.
Seth had kept in touch with their mother and her doctor, and had recently let Reese know that their mother had passed away from liver failure. Though Reese had felt some guilt for not being able to help her, she also knew that she had made the right choice in putting her baby first. Wanting to preserve Seth’s good memories of their mother, she hadn’t told him what their mother had asked Reese to do. She had also decided it was something Brody didn’t need to know.
A few minutes later Avery was the first to arrive.
“You look like you’re getting around pretty well,” Avery said when Reese let her in. “No more crutches?”
Glad that her broken leg had healed, Reese smiled. “Nope. And good riddance.”
“No kidding.” Avery held up a large bowl. “I brought potato salad, just like you asked.”
Reese took it from her and placed it on the counter. “Thanks.”
Logan, Jim, and Grace arrived a short time later, and they all went out on the balcony overlooking the beach while Brody grilled the tri-tip. Over the previous two months, Reese and Brody had spent a few evenings with his parents, and Reese was beginning to feel more comfortable with them.
Once Brody finished grilling the meat, the group sat at the table and began dishing up the food.
“This all looks delicious,” Logan said.
“Hey, Logan,” Avery said. “Why didn’t you bring Jessica?”
Reese pictured the woman Logan had brought to the barbecue Brody’s parents had hosted two months before and waited for Logan to answer.
“Yeah,” he said with a half-smile. “She didn’t work out.”
“That’s too bad,” Avery said as she speared a piece of meat. “I kind of liked her.”
Logan looked pointedly at his sister. “What about you? When are you gonna bring someone by to meet Mom and Dad?”
Everyone’s eyes swiveled in her direction.
“Yeah, Avery,” Brody said with a grin. “What about you?”
“Shut up,” she said with a good-natured laugh. “You know I’m too busy to date.”
“You’ve got to make time,” he said, then he took Reese’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze as if to ask her a question.
She smiled at him and squeezed his hand in reply.
“If I could have everyone’s attention,” he said, and all conversation ceased. He glanced at Reese, then said, “Reese and I didn’t invite you over today just to enjoy your sparkling personalities.”
“What?” Logan asked, his face showing mock-surprise.
“That’s right, bro. We had an ulterior motive.”
That seemed to grab everyone’s attention even more.
Brody glanced at Reese again, this time with a wide smile. “Reese and I invited you over because we wanted to announce our engagement.”
Avery gasped, then leapt from her place at the table and came over to Reese and hugged her. “We’ll be sisters. I love it.”
Avery had been accepting of Reese from day one, and Reese was grateful. “I know,” she said. “I’m super excited.”
“Congrats, bro,” Logan said.
“That’s wonderful,” Jim said.
Reese looked at Grace to see her reaction, and saw a warm smile on her face. “I was wondering when you’d take the next step,” she said. “I’m happy for you.”
Basking in the glow of the heartfelt acceptance of Brody’s family, Reese was even more excited to share their second announcement.
“That’s not all,” Reese said, smiling at Brody as he gazed lovingly at her. She looked at each person at the table, stopping on Grace. “Brody and I are expecting a baby.”
A loud squeal sounded in the direction of Avery, but Reese was only interested in Grace’s reaction. First, her eyes widened in obvious surprise, then a smile slowly lifted the corners of her lips.
“What do you think of being called Grandma?” Brody asked her.
She laughed. “I think I’m way too young to be a grandmother, but I suppose I’ll get used to it.”
“He can call me Gramps,” Jim said.
“It could be a girl,” Avery threw in, drawing Reese’s attention. “I hope it is a girl,” Avery added.
Reese laughed, ecstatic that Brody’s family had taken their news so well. A portion of worry had remained in the back of her mind that they wouldn’t be happy for them, but much to her relief, they had proved her wrong.
“Are you having the wedding before or after the baby comes?” Avery asked.
“The baby’s due in March,” Brody said, “but we haven’t decided on when to have the wedding, although we were leaning towards waiting until after the baby’s born.”
“What do you think, Grace?” Reese asked. Now that her own mother was dead, it was more important than ever to Reese for Grace to be part of her life, and that meant getting her input on important things like weddings.
Obviously pleased to be consulted, Grace said, “I’m fine with whatever the two of you decide.” She smiled at Reese. “Just let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“Thanks,” she said. “I will.”
After the meal was done, and while Reese was alone in the kitchen, Grace came in from the balcony. “Can I talk to you a minute?”
Reese set down the platter she had been scrubbing and turned to her. “Of course.”
Grace smiled as she sat in a bar stool at the high countertop. “Do you remember the money I offered you a while back?”
Tensing at the memory, Reese nodded. Was she just pretending to be happy for Brody and me? Is she going to try to buy me off again? Reese’s gaze slid toward Brody, who was standing at the railing of the balcony talking to Logan, before going back to Grace.
“Maybe I shouldn’t do this because you might feel the money is tainted or something,” Grace said with an embarrassed smile. “But I thought it would be a nice gesture if I offered you the money to use toward your wedding or honeymoon.”
“Oh.” The offer was the complete opposite of what Reese had feared. “That’s very generous of you.”
“Talk it over with Brody and then you can let me know.”
“I will. Thank you.”
Grace leaned forward. “I’m happy for you and Brody.” She laughed. “And to be honest, the more I think about this baby, the more excited I’m becoming.”
Beyond thrilled that Grace had had such a dramatic change of heart from when Reese had first met her, she walked around the counter and gave her a hug. “That means a lot to me. More than you know.”
Grace hugged her back. “Good. Because you deserve to be happy, Reese. You always have.”
Epilogue
One Year Later
“You look absolutely stunning,” Avery said as she straightened Reese’s wedding gown. Then she laughed. “I can’t wait to see the look on Brody’s face when you walk down the aisle.”
Reese looked at herself in the mirror, and as she pictured Brody’s face and thought about becoming his wife, tears flooded her eyes.
“Don’t start crying now,” Avery said as she straightened Reese’s veil. “You’ll mess up your make-up.”
Reese laughed. “We certainly don’t want that.”
“No, we don’t.”
Grace came in a few minutes later, a baby in her arms.
“Looks like grandma has her hands full,” Avery said with a smile.
Grace snuggled the baby in her arms. “Yes, but she wanted to see how her mommy’s doing.” Looking at Reese with a question in her eyes, Grace said, “How are you feeling? Nervous?”
Reese shook her head and held out her arms to her six-month-old daughter. “No, not at all.” Taking the baby in her arms, she gazed at her daughter’s blue-green eyes, an exact match to Brody’s.
“She looks so much like you,” Avery said, then she stroked the baby’s hair. “Don’t you, Claire?”
Claire smiled at Avery.
“She’s such a happy baby,” Grace said. “Let me take her so you can finish getting ready.”
Reese handed her back. “Thank you.”
“We’ll be sitting on the front row,” Grace said, then with a smile, she left the room.
Avery fussed with Reese’s dress a little more. “I think it’s almost time to start,” she said.
The ceremony would be held on the beach, and the reception would take place immediately afterwards at an upscale restaurant. The whole event had been arranged by the restaurant, and Reese had been more than happy to turn over most of the details to them as she had been busy with Claire.
A knock sounded at the door.
“I’ll get it,” Avery said with a secret smile.
Reese couldn’t see who it was as Avery had only opened the door a crack. Then Avery turned and looked at Reese, a wide smile on her face. “You know how you were going to have my dad walk you down the aisle?”
“Yes.” Reese’s brow furrowed in question.
Her smile grew. “Well, I have someone else who would like to do it.”
Completely baffled by who it could be, Reese’s gaze went to the door, and when Avery swung it wide open, Reese gasped. “Seth?”
Her brother, wearing his Dress Blue uniform, as well as a huge smile, stood in the doorway.
Forgetting she was wearing her wedding gown, she ran towards him, nearly tripping over her train. He caught her in his arms and pulled her into a tight hug. After a moment he let her go.
“You look gorgeous, sis,” he said.
“I didn’t know you were coming.” Tears filled her voice. “I wanted you to come, but I didn’t think you’d be able to.”
“I couldn’t miss my only sister’s wedding, now could I?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Plus I wanted to meet my niece.”
Knowing her day would be perfect now, Reese laughed. “She wants to meet you too.”
They chatted until someone knocked on the door and said it was time to begin.
Sudden nerves slashed through Reese. Not nerves at marrying Brody—she had no doubt about that. But nerves that everyone would be watching her—all of Brody’s friends, all of Jim and Grace’s friends, everyone who was important to Brody and his family. What if she tripped or did something to embarrass him?
“You’re going to be perfect,” Avery said, obviously reading Reese’s emotions. “We all love you. We’re your family now, so just enjoy your day, okay?”
Nodding, Reese smiled. “Okay.”
“Good. I’ll see you out there.” With a sideways look at Seth, Avery left the room.
“So, she’s your new sister-in-law?” he asked.
“Yes. Why?”
“Is she…single?”
Holding back a grin, Reese nodded. “Very much so.”
“Hmm.”
A few moments later, Seth led Reese out the door and onto the white runner that spread out in front of them on the beach. Barely noticing the blue of the ocean as she walked down the aisle, Reese’s focus was on Brody, who stood on a white wood stage. A gentle breeze lifted her veil and it floated around her face like a cloud.
The music of the accompanist blended with the soothing sound of waves crashing onto shore as Reese’s gaze swept over the guests who stood at her approach. Feeling like a princess in her own fairy tale, she turned her gaze to Brody, and a few steps later
Seth placed her hand in his.
With their eyes locked on each other, Reese knew this would be one of the happiest days of her life.
Brody smiled at Reese, hardly believing what a lucky man he was to be marrying the woman he loved with all his heart. When he had witnessed her giving birth to Claire, he had fallen in love with her even more. But now, as they stood hand in hand with the ocean behind them, his love for her multiplied even more. And as the officiator said the words that made them husband and wife, and then he pressed his lips to hers, his heart ballooned with the love he felt for her and for their little family.
“I would like to present,” the officiator said, “Mr. and Mrs. Ford.”
Their friends and family applauded, and Brody held tightly to Reese’s hand, never wanting to let her go.
I’m married to the man of my dreams. Reese’s cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but she couldn’t rein in her joy. She didn’t want to.
As their guests stepped forward to congratulate them, Reese clung to Brody’s hand, confident that he would never abandon her, never leave her, never hurt her. He had proven his love to her in so many ways that she had no doubt that they would be together until the end of time. And as she pictured them growing old together, she knew that not only was he right for her, but that she was right for him, that they were perfect for each other, and that they would be by each other’s sides forevermore.
Click HERE to join Christine Kersey’s VIP Readers’ Club and receive 2 free books.
Click HERE to see all of Christine Kersey’s free books.
Click HERE to see the books Christine has enrolled in Kindle Unlimited.
To follow Christine Kersey’s personal FaceBook page, click HERE, then click Follow.
To like Christine Kersey’s FaceBook fan page, click HERE.
Visit Christine Kersey’s website: ChristineKersey.com
Follow Christine Kersey on Twitter @CKerseyWriter
Searching for Love: The Complete Story Page 35