“Good evening.” Marc greeted everyone with a polite nod of his head.
A chorus of hellos ensued. All eyes were glued on Charlotte and Marc. You could have heard a pin drop in the room. Even Mary, the college student who worked at Savannah House part-time, seemed fascinated by the unfolding drama from where she stood at the front desk.
“Let’s head back to the kitchen and give them some privacy,” Callie suggested, ushering the group down the hall and away from the foyer.
“Why don’t we go into the library? I don’t think anyone is in there at the moment,” Charlotte said in a quivering voice. Her nerves were all jangled up at the moment.
She turned away from Marc and led the way into the library. Once they stepped inside, Charlotte closed the door behind them. It would be humiliating if anyone overheard Marc dumping her. At this point she was convinced of that inevitability. It was written all over his gorgeous face.
She had always loved this room. It had grace and charm and the shelves overflowed with books. It would be tragic if all her hopes and dreams died in the very room she loved so dearly.
Charlotte had a hard time meeting Marc’s gaze. She knew if she did she might just burst into tears and make a complete fool of herself. How she wished to be cool, calm and collected during this meeting.
“Charlotte, please look at me,” Marc said in a low voice.
Charlotte shook her head. “I can’t. I’m too ashamed of how I acted. Of the things I said to you. So, if you’re breaking up with me, please just go ahead and do it.”
“Breaking up with you? Why would I do that, Charlotte? I love you.”
Charlotte swung her head up. “Excuse me? C-could you repeat that?” Surely she must have misheard Marc.
“I love you, Charlotte Duvall. I am over the moon in love with you and I have no intention of ending things over a silly argument.”
Marc heard the love shining forth in his voice. She saw it reflected in his eyes. She knew it to be true from the way he spoke with such conviction.
Charlotte threw herself against his chest and wrapped her arms around him. “Marc! You don’t know how happy I am to hear you say those words.” She pulled away from him. “I love you too, Marc. And I’m so deeply ashamed of how I acted the other day. The only thing I can say is that sometimes I let my insecurities get the best of me.”
Marc ran his hand across her cheek. “We all stumble and fall sometimes. The issue of the wedding was bound to bring tension. I’m not sure I handled it right either. I don’t think I considered how important it was to you.”
“You’re important to me. And I thought I’d lost you.”
“Charlotte, I’m crazy about you. You’d have to do a lot worse to run me off,” he said with a laugh.
“I’m trying to be a stronger person, Marc, one who loves herself. You’ve helped me with that. But please know I’m a work in progress.”
Marc pressed a kiss against her forehead. “I love you just as you are, but positive growth is good for all of us.”
“It may take me years to get to where I want to be, but I’m going to get there. I promise,” Charlotte vowed.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about the night at my parent’s house. You tried to tell me something out on the porch, but I distracted you. I’ve been thinking about it and wishing I’d let you speak. Something tells me it might have been important.”
Charlotte bit her lip. “I don’t know if now is the right time.”
He stroked her cheek. “There’s never a bad time to tell me anything. I love you, Charlotte. And I don’t want to spend another minute without you. These last few days have been awful. I wanted us to have some space so we could both cool down, but it was torture.” Marc winced.
“I feel the same way. I’m just happy we’re back on track.” She let out a sigh. “I want us to go the distance. I don’t want any secrets between us. It’s hard for me to say this because I don’t want it to change the way you view me.” She took a deep breath. “A few years ago I was sexually assaulted. For a long time, I’ve felt a great deal of shame about it. Victims tend to blame themselves and I was no different. If it hadn’t been for Case—he found me on that terrible day after the assault—I don’t know what I would’ve done. We were supposed to meet for lunch that day and I went to meet someone at a studio for a job I’d seen online. To this day I have no idea who my attacker was. He fled the scene and left me in a pretty bad shape. My brother, bless his heart. When I didn’t show up for lunch he came to find me. For that I will always be grateful.”
“My sweet Charlotte. First of all, this changes nothing for me. I still view you as the strong, gorgeous woman I love. I’m so sorry you went through all of that. I wish I’d been in your life then so I could help you get through it.” He reached out and squeezed her hand, his eyes awash in tears. “There can be so much evil in the world. It’s understandable that it crushed you. But I’m so proud it didn’t break you.”
“And now it never will. Because I have you in my corner, Marc. You restored my faith in men and love and faith. For a long time, I was afraid to hope…to believe that I deserved the fairytale. I didn’t feel worthy of it. Oh, Marc. You made me feel worthy.”
“You are so very worthy,” he said, moving toward her and placing a kiss on her lips. “You’re worthy of it all. The brass ring. The happily ever after. The fairytale. I want to give it all to you on a silver platter.”
“I’m the luckiest girl in the world,” she gushed, pulling Marc’s head down so she could shower him with a flurry of kisses.
“Mmm. You’re spoiling me, Charlotte,” Marc murmured.
“I’m just making up for lost time,” Charlotte said as their lips met in a triumphant kiss. They both knew how blessed they were to have found each other against all odds.
EPILOGUE
Marc and Charlotte were standing outside Savannah in the moonlight with their arms wrapped around each other. It had been a long day for both of them. Fancy and Case had gotten married this morning with a reception afterward at Savannah House. Marc had come to the reception, but he’d spent the morning with his father. It had been made clear at Lucien’s most recent doctor’s visit that his time was reduced to weeks now, perhaps even less. Marc knew time spent in the bosom of his family was precious.
“The reception was lovely, wasn’t it?” Charlotte asked, her face luminescent with the soft glow of the moon.
“It was really nice. I’m glad Case and I talked things through. It made being here way more comfortable than I ever imagined. We both agreed life is way too short to harbor any bad feelings.”
Charlotte smiled up at Marc. “My two favorite men in the world. My heroes!”
“You and I came together against all odds,” Marc said. “God really showed us the power of true love. It pushes past all pre-conceived notions, all judgements, all prejudice.”
“We sure did,” Charlotte said. “You’ve taught me so much about life, Marc. With your gentleness and caring. Opening myself up to you, warts and all wasn’t something I was prepared for, but I know it’s what you do when you love with all your heart. You reveal yourself. Marc, you always walk in your truths and you learn from your mistakes. I love that about you.”
Charlotte reached up on tippy toes and pressed a kiss against Marc’s lips.
“After Gretchen I wasn’t sure I could love again. Loving you is such a gift, Charlotte. It humbles me. And it lifts me up higher than I ever dreamed possible. I look into your eyes and I see my future reflected there. I see children and adventures on Tybee Island and lunches at Huey’s. I see joy and wonder and the presence of God right there with us.”
Charlotte choked back tears. She wasn’t sure she could even utter an intelligible word. God had showered her with blessings. It was almost too much for her to absorb. She felt so truly blessed.
Marc knelt down on one knee and looked up at her with love shimmering in his eyes. “I want you to be my wife more than I’ve ever wanted anything in this world.” He reached
into his pocket and pulled out a cedar box. Charlotte covered her mouth with her hands and let out a little shriek. Her eyes pooled with tears. Her most fervent dream was coming true.
“You’ve changed my life, Charlotte Duvall. Your grace and willingness to be vulnerable astounds me each and every day. What you’ve been through has only made you stronger and more courageous. I don’t want perfection in our life. I just want truth and faith and an abundance of love. I’ve made mistakes in my past, and with God’s grace and forgiveness, I’ve been allowed to move past those errors in judgement. I’ve grown Charlotte, and being loved by you has helped me on that journey. But there’s a bigger journey waiting for us. One that’s filled with unlimited potential.”
“Will you be my bride? Will you wear my ring?” Marc asked as tears ran down his face.
By this time Charlotte was openly weeping. “Of course I will, Marc. You’re the love of my life. My handsome prince. My true North. I didn’t expect to find someone like you. You’re generous and kind and funny. And you see the best in me even when I’m needy and insecure and dead wrong about things. I make a lot of mistakes, but I’m growing and evolving into a stronger person. I love you, Marc. There aren’t enough words in the dictionary to fully express the depths of my love. But since you’re asking me to marry you,” she teased, “I’m hoping to spend the rest of my life showing you my complete and utter devotion.”
She pulled him to a standing position. “You don’t have to kneel before me, Marc. It’s my honor to say yes.”
Marc blinked away tears. He gently took the ring from the box and placed it on Charlotte’s finger. “This ring is like you, Charlotte. It represents strength. Endurance. It was my grandmother’s. She was the strongest woman I’ve ever known. She managed to hold on to it during some very turbulent times. I want you to wear this ring and know in your heart that no matter what life throws at us, we’re in this together. There’s nothing we can’t get through.”
He slipped the elegant vintage ring on her finger. “It’s beautiful,” Charlotte said, holding her hand up to admire it. “
“Just like you,” Marc said, reaching for Charlotte and pulling her close. He dipped his head down and celebrated their engagement with a triumphant kiss on his fiancée’s lips. The future looked as bright as the full moon above. And they both knew with an absolute certainty that their lives from this point forward would be lived together as one.
THE END
Heart of Mine. Book 6 in Secrets of Savannah Series (October 2016)
Chapter One
Tybee Island, Georgia
Hope Matthews wiped the sleep from her eyes and trudged over to her daughter’s crib in the next room. Last night had been a real beast. Ella had been running a nasty fever. As a result, she’d screamed and fussed throughout the night. Hope leaned over and scooped her daughter up from her crib, quickly testing her temperature with the back of her hand.
“Thank you, Lord,” she said, uttering a sigh of relief that Ella’s forehead was cool. She couldn’t even put into words how frightened she’d been last night as her baby’s temperature kept climbing higher and higher. Being a single mother and dealing with the stress all by herself had reached a breaking point last night. Thankfully, the morning had brought peace for both of them.
“Good morning, Ella,” she cooed. “I’m so glad you feel better today. Let’s go get some breakfast.” She carried Ella on her hip as she walked down the hall toward her warm, cozy kitchen. Hope looked around her, letting out a sigh as she admired her surroundings. This cottage had been the perfect solution to her housing problem. Living with her parents had been problematic due to their continued insistence on knowing the identity of Ella’s father. Their curiosity had culminated in a showdown where they had accused her of having a relationship with a married man. Horrified by their incorrect assumption, Hope had moved out lock, stock and barrel with Ella.
Callie Duvall Holden—one of her best friends and co-owners of Savannah House—had been living in the cottage until her marriage to the love of her life, Jax Holden. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Now Hope lived a stone’s throw away from Savannah House where she worked as a fitness instructor and gardening specialist.
Hope, along with five of her closest friends, had been the recipient of a very generous inheritance from their mentor, Miss Hattie Alexander. At the reading of Miss Hattie’s will, Hope had been shocked to discover she was suddenly a co-owner of the legendary bed and breakfast, Savannah House. Once owned by Miss Hattie’s parents, the resort had been a haven for folks looking for rest, relaxation, a picturesque setting and all the creature comforts.
Hope still couldn’t believe her good fortune. It had come at a time when she had just returned to Savannah after a lengthy absence. Hope had come back with baby Ella in tow, shocking everyone in town, most especially her five dearest friends—Callie, Olivia Renault Rawlings, Fancy Tolliver Duvall, Charlotte Duvall and Morgan Lucas Duvall.
Thankfully, none of the women had pressed her about Ella’s father. They knew her well enough to know that she would tell them everything in due time.
With funds bequeathed to them by Miss Hattie, renovations had been made on the resort, making it more modern without losing any of its vintage appeal. The reboot of Savannah House was a resounding success. The inn was booked for months in advance and the summer bookings were completely full. It made Hope want to dance and twirl around like in her ballerina days.
Hope loved early mornings at her cozy little cottage. Ella was such a happy little girl and she loved breakfast time. As Hope spooned baby food into Ella’s little mouth she giggled at the ridiculous amount of food on her daughter’s chin. These were some of the best moments in her entire life, Hope realized. Ella hadn’t been planned. Hope had never imagined in her wildest dreams giving birth to a child as an unmarried woman. But she had made mistakes in her past. Ella’s father was a big old honking mistake. But Ella wasn’t. She was the single best thing in her world. And no matter how much she regretted ever looking twice at Ella’s father, Hope could never regret her sweet cherub.
A loud rapping on her door immediately drew her attention away from Ella’s breakfast. Knowing her daughter was only playing with her food at this point, Hope lifted her up and placed her in the pack and play in the living room.
“I’ll be back in a jiffy, sweetness,” Hope said in a sugary sweet voice. She let out a laugh. Why did mothers always talk baby talk to their little ones? It was sort of funny. Having a baby suddenly reduced you to a high-pitched, sweet talking nut.
Hope made her way to the cottage door in a few easy strides and pulled it open. Standing at her doorstop was a tall, athletic looking man with striking features. Hope almost gasped out loud. With shoulder-length hair and blue-green eyes, he resembled one of those handsome men on the cover of romance novels. His tanned skin spoke of his love of the outdoors. Hope prayed she wasn’t staring. It had been a long time since she’d had this instant attraction to a man. She clenched her teeth. Life had taught her not to fall for good looking, sweet talking men who preyed on your vulnerabilities.
“Can I help you?” she asked in a curt voice.
“Hey. Sorry to bother you. Would you by chance have a bandage?” He pointed down at his foot. “I was surfing and I have a pretty big gash on my foot.”
Hope looked down. He was leaning against her doorframe and standing on one foot. His surf board was propped up against the siding of the cottage. Wasn’t it fairly early in the season to surf? She frowned at the sight of so much blood. “Wait a second. Let me get a towel.” She ran down the hall and rummaged in the closet for a towel. She grabbed it and ran back to the door.
She thrust it at him. “Wrap your foot in the towel and come inside,” she instructed, waving him on in. She really hoped he wasn’t a serial killer. She normally wouldn’t have invited him inside, but she couldn’t very well ignore a person in trouble. He hobbled inside the cottage, immediately dwarfing the premises with his large
size.
“Sweet place you’ve got here,” he said, wincing as he walked.
On pure instinct, Hope reached out and grabbed him by the arm, guiding him toward one of the chairs in the kitchen. By the time they reached it, he plopped down onto it with a loud groan. Out of breath herself, Hope reached for his leg and propped it up on the other chair.
“Can I take a look?” she asked.
“Be my guest,” he drawled, sucking in a breath as she unwound the towel.
“Oh my goodness.” The words slipped right out of Hope’s mouth. The cut was still bleeding and it was fairly deep. It also didn’t look very clean. It seemed as if sand had gotten into it. “Does it feel like something is in there?”
“Yes, it does. I tried to pull it out but I think I only pushed it in deeper.”
“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. You’re going to hold this towel against the wound to try and stem the bleeding. I’m going to go get my first aid kit.”
“Sounds like a plan,” he said with a grunt.
Hope got up and peeked her head in the living room. Ella was making baby noises and playing peacefully with a toy. A sharp feeling seized her chest. Never in a million years had she ever imagined feeling such love for another human being.
She dashed off to retrieve the first aid kit, returning after a few minutes of scouring her medicine cabinet. She was out of breath when she returned. “I’m back,” she said, placing the kit down on the counter. She reached out and took the towel away from his foot. The bleeding had slowed down some but still continued to flow.
“This might hurt a little bit,” she warned as she took a cotton ball and swiped some alcohol on it. She then pressed it against the cut.
He let out a strangled cry and began muttering under his breath.
“I’m sorry but I had to do it. I need to make sure it won’t get infected and part of that is getting the glass out or whatever is in there.”
“Probably glass,” he said, breathing in and out sharply. “People are so selfish with our national treasures. They treat beaches like dumping grounds. Have you ever seen those videos about the poor birds with the plastic around their necks? It’s enough to make you sick.”
Falling in Love (Secrets of Savannah Book 5) Page 15