All of Me
Page 31
“Tell me,” she whispered.
“I love you,” he said, and squeezed her tight.
He was ready to risk his heart again. Jillian was worth the gamble. He loved her so much. He still loved Aimee but in the soft way of memories. And his heart was big enough to have two great loves in his life. He was a lucky, lucky man to have found Jillian, and he told her so. Kissing her and whispering his love for her over and over and over. “I love, I love you, I love you.”
“I love you too,” she whispered. “And I want you to know I’ve never said that to anyone before.”
“I know how hard this is for you. I treasure your ability to say it to me now.” Tuck reached out, took her hands, and laced his fingers through hers. He put his head to her forehead and looked deeply into her eyes. “You hear me on this, Queenie? I love you.”
Jillian nodded. She heard him. This man loved her. He not only told her, but he’d also showed her repeatedly, and she’d just been too scared to recognize what it was or admit to herself what she was feeling in return. Too afraid there wasn’t really such a thing as love this deep and wonderful. But now it was here, and she was feeling it, and she felt so stupid for not believing, not understanding. Her friends had tried to tell her, but their words of encouragement had fallen on deaf ears. She had to find out for herself.
As she looked into Tuck’s eyes as deeply as he was looking into hers, she felt her consciousness shift to a whole new level of being.
For Tuck had convinced her to trust. Trust was all she needed to believe in the true miracle of love.
“My Magic Man,” she murmured, and kissed him from the very depths of her faithful soul.
Epilogue
It was time to let go.
Tuck knew that as surely as he knew he loved Jillian. Loving her didn’t mean he loved Aimee less. He had room in his heart for two great loves in his life, and he realized his love for Aimee had been the love of his youth, his feelings pure and simple and, honestly, in retrospect, too dependent.
The love he felt for Jillian was more mature. It was the love of his adulthood. Stronger, more complex, more autonomous. Jillian made him change and grow in ways Aimee never had. He was ready for this grown-up kind of love. Ready and unafraid.
They walked somberly down the dock together on that first day of summer, Jillian carrying the urn with Blake’s ashes. They were dressed in black jeans and sweaters, black boots, and black leather jackets. They climbed into the skiff and rowed out into the middle of the lake. Tuck remembered the last time he’d been out on the lake. So much had changed since that autumn day.
The sun was warm on their faces, but the air was still chilly. From the center of the water, they could see the lake house.
Tuck’s eyes met Jillian’s and she nodded. Slowly, with great reverence, they said a prayer and then they said good-bye to Blake.
They sat for a long moment, not talking, just watching the water wash away the past and the sun slip down the horizon.
“It’s time to go,” Jillian said at last.
Tuck nodded. He dipped the oars into the water, rowing back to the lake house and giving thanks for the woman sitting across from him. Jillian had brought him back to life. He’d been emotionally dead when he’d met her, and she’d saved his soul.
The little craft glided over the gentle current, carrying them to shore. He docked the boat. Jillian climbed out and tied it up, and then she reached for his hand. He took it. Partners, the two of them.
And in each other’s arms, they’d both found what they’d been searching for.
Salvation.
Dear Readers,
Writing the Wedding Veil Wishes has been such fun I hate to see the series end. If All of Me is your introduction to the series, I envy you getting to meet the characters for the first time. To me, one of the most endearing things about Wedding Veil Wishes is the camaraderie between these four friends. In today’s hectic work we all need our women friends to help us through the ups and downs life (and romance) often throws our way.
The adventure all started in There Goes the Bride with Delaney Cartwright who finds that all important wish-fulfilling wedding veil in that mysterious little consignment shop in Houston, Texas. Having the courage to wish on that legendary veil for a way out of her high-society wedding and led to Delaney heart’s true desire—sexy cop Nick Vinetti.
Delaney passed the veil on to wedding videographer Tish Gallagher in Once Smitten, Twice Shy. Some sad life circumstances has broken Tish’s heart and her habit of using shopping as a solace has gotten her into deep financial trouble. But when she wishes on the veil to get out of debt and ends up with a chance to film the wedding of the President’s daughter, she’s stunned to learn the groom is none other than Secret Service Agent Shane Tremont, the ex-husband she never stopped loving.
In Addicted to Love, starry-eyed Rachael Henderson (who was born in Valentine, Texas on Valentine’s Day) wishing on the veil to help her get rid of her foolish romantic notions. After all, she’s been jilted at the altar—twice. The last time on the same day her parents inform her they’re getting divorced after twenty-seven years. Disillusioned with love, she starts Romanceaholics Anonymous, only to discover the feelings she has for her childhood crush, Sheriff Brody Carlton, are anything but foolish.
And last but not least, is Jillian Samuels from All of Me who never believed in true love or fairytale endings. She isn’t about to wish on that veil until a cruel betrayal leaves her raw and aching. Pushed to the limit, she puts on the veil, falls asleep and dreams of her beloved. The only problem is, widower Tuck Manner, is still mourning the loss of his beloved wife.
It’s with a fond farewell I bid Delaney, Tish, Rachael and Jillian their happily-ever-after. And I hope, as you read their stories, they will inspire you to do some wishing of your very own.
May your life be filled with love,
THE DISH
Where authors give you the inside scoop!
From the desk of Michelle Rowen
Dear Reader,
When I began writing my Immortality Bites series, I thought it would be fun to play with vampire myths. As a longtime fan of vampire fiction, I wanted to see vamps more as heroes than villains. To do that, I had to humanize them a lot. Gone went death-by-sunlight—my vamps can go out during the day. Gone went the compulsion to sink their fangs into any unsuspecting neck—my vamps get their blood from sterilized sources and well-paid donors. Gone went the idea that vamps are undead—my vamps breathe and have regular heartbeats. I kept a few things, though: immortality, extra strength, no reflection, and the fact that my vampires were pursued by hunters who really wanted to slay them.
Now with the fourth book in the series, STAKES & STILETTOS, I asked myself, at this point, what’s the absolute worst thing that could happen to my heroine, Sarah Dearly? And it was very simple, really. Now that she’s somewhat accustomed to being a regular, everyday vampire who doesn’t have to worry about any of those nastier vampire myths, I should give all of them to her in full force.
So I cursed her—or rather, she’s cursed by a vengeful ex-classmate who’s gotten into dark magic big-time since high school—to become a “nightwalker.” These are the nasty vamps who give other vampires a bad reputation; the vamps who are the reason vampire hunters and their sharp wooden stakes exist.
Sarah now has a big problem. She can’t control her thirst for blood. She can’t go out during the day. She can’t enter a house without permission. Her heart has stopped beating and she’s officially room temperature. Her immortal life has gone from pretty good to absolutely horrific as she searches frantically, along with her master vampire boyfriend Thierry, to find a way to break the curse before it’s permanent.
Life for Sarah, forgive the pun, sucks.
In the most entertaining way possible, of course.
Happy reading!
www.michellerowen.com
From the desk of Larissa Ione
Dear Reader,
Ah, my bo
y Wraith. Of all the demon brothers, he’s the most, well … screwed up. Which, of course, is what makes him so fun.
As an avid reader and obsessed moviegoer, I’ve always found that my favorite characters are often not the heroes, but either the shadowy bad boy or the charismatic and/or messed-up buddy who hangs out with the hero.
In the TV series Angel I adored Angel, but there was always something darkly yummy about Spike. In the TV series Firefly, Malcolm was my favorite (after all, he is a bad boy), but the selfish, immoral, and wildly funny Jayne held a strange appeal for me, as well. And the movie Sahara? My favorite character wasn’t Matthew McConaughey’s Dirk Pitt; it was his goofy yet oddly competent sidekick, Al.
In my mind, Wraith was always a blend of those types of characters. Someone you either love or hate, maybe both at the same time. Because when these characters reveal their soft side, you still know that deep down, there’s a scary male in there, just waiting to emerge and kick someone’s butt. And when their dark side breaks the surface, watch out, because only a very special woman is going to be able to peel back those layers and find the tenderness inside.
In PASSION UNLEASHED, the third book in the Demonica series, Wraith finds that special woman, but having her means killing her, and suddenly, the wild, irreverent bad boy must make a choice that, no matter what he chooses, means someone will die.
I hope you enjoy Wraith’s story. And when you finish, please feel free to stop by my Web site at www.LarissaIone.com to learn more about my work and to say hello.
Hope to see you soon!
From the desk of Lori Wilde
Dear Reader,
With ALL OF ME, I’m closing a chapter and leaving behind four very special friends who’ve been part of my writing life for the last two years. From people-pleasing Delaney in THERE GOES THE BRIDE to avant-garde Tish in ONCE SMITTEN, TWICE SHY to starry-eyed Rachael from ADDICTED TO LOVE and now cynical Jillian in ALL OF ME, I’m going to miss them.
Jillian’s story is the final installment in the Wedding Veil Wishes series and while I’m sad to know the books are over, I’m thrilled that Jillian finally gets her happy ending. But the road to happiness is a bumpy one, because Jillian doesn’t believe in love. I saved Jillian for last because I knew her story would be the most emotional.
You see, the man who is her destiny, widower Tuck Manning, has lost his faith in love. After losing his wife to cancer, he’s raw and hurting and unable to believe that lightning can indeed strike twice. Getting these two together was at turns painful, funny, sad, and heartwarming.
And I don’t want to forget Mutt, the Heinze 57 stray, who through his endearing doggie antics melts resistant Jillian’s heart and shows grieving Tuck that it’s never too late for a second chance at love.
But that’s not all. There’s also the close-knit mountain town of Salvation, Colorado, and all the quirky characters who reside there. From Tuck’s sister, Evie, a renowned pastry chef who moved to Salvation to be near her brother, to Evie’s mystic Native American husband, Ridley Red Deer, to the crusty old matchmaking southern gentleman lawyer Sutter Godfrey, the town captivates Jillian and gives her a place to finally call home.
So I bid adieu to the Wedding Veil Wishes series and for me it’s on to the next book. If you enjoyed the series I’d love to hear from you. Please visit me at www.loriwilde.com and let me know your thoughts.
Much love,
Table of Contents
Copyright Page
Acknowledgments
Jillian’s Story
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
Epilogue