A Beautiful Purpose

by Alicia Rae

  “Uh-huh,” I crooned, tossing the idea around in my head. She hadn’t convinced me in the slightest bit. “You can take all this pent-up wrath out on me later”—I grinned wolfishly at her—“in the bedroom after you feed me.”

  She stepped out of my hold and winked at me. “Deal.”

  The whole way back to the building, the only thing I could think about was taking Audrey back to my place, so I could feel her sexy curves and warm body beneath me, hear the sounds she made when my hands were on her, and enjoy the way she nuzzled into me before drifting off to sleep.

  Yes, dinner is going to be quick.

  ~Audrey~

  I quietly snuck back into my parents’ house, mindful not to wake them, since I knew my father would go into his home office early for work, and once my mother woke up, she wouldn’t drift back off to sleep.

  While showering and dressing for the day, my thoughts wandered back to another week spent with Blake. It seemed like the harder I’d tried to stay away and distance myself, the more I was drawn to him. I was amazed at how different I felt after spending time with him each day. Just who he was always left me in a brighter, positive mood. Even on the worst days, like after leaving a doctor’s appointment with my mother, whether it was small or big, he would find a way to make me smile.

  I finished fixing myself up for the day, knowing Abbey was on the way to pick me up first, and then we’d get the rest of the gang, Lily and Gail, so we could hammer out more wedding details today. Then, I headed for the kitchen to prepare breakfast and lunch for my mother during my absence.

  I carefully labeled her lunch and placed it in the fridge. Then, I carried a tray with a ham-and-cheese omelet, a side of oatmeal, milk, and her daily pills down the hallway to her room, and I softly knocked on her door, knowing my father’s separate room was only a short distance away.

  “Come in!” my mother answered.

  I entered the room and set the tray on her nightstand. I proceeded with my usual routine of checking her vitals and recording them in my notebook for her doctor, noting they were very similar to yesterday’s recordings. It was still a tad below average, but sadly, it was my mother’s normal these days. The truth—accepting that my mother’s illness would only worsen—was a profound sorrow no words could describe.

  “Are you just going to stand there? Or do you think you can bring my tray a little closer?” my mother asked, making me snap into gear.

  “Of course,” I replied quietly. I put the notepad and pen back in their former place, so I could help my mother with her breakfast.

  Wanting to spend some time with her before I headed out for a few hours, I tried to make small talk with her. The doctors had no real answers for how much time she had left, so I craved any time she would give me.

  I pulled out my phone, recalling Aunt Deborah, my mother’s sister, had sent me an email. “Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. Aunt Deborah sent me some pictures this week of Madeline and Derek,” I said, referring to my cousins.

  “I’m sure the little rascals have grown since the last time I saw them.” Mom sat up and gave my phone a quick glance, only looking at a few of the images I had saved.

  “They have.” I smiled at my cell, remembering seeing them only a handful of times. “Aunt Deborah said Madeline is a sophomore in high school, and Derek is a freshman this year.”

  “Huh,” Mom snorted. “I still find it hard to believe my sister went from saying she never wanted kids to a mother of two.” She shook her head from side to side. “I can’t fathom what chasing another one of you back in my younger days would’ve been like.”

  I didn’t have much of a reply, so I decided to steer the subject away from me. “She asked if it would be okay to visit you,” I responded, keeping my voice low. I had no idea how my mother would react.

  A humorous, short laugh filled the air. “I can’t imagine why. Deborah was the one who moved away to Nevada, following that husband of hers for his new job.” She glanced over at me, her eyes serious. “So, why now?”

  The first thing that entered my mind was that sometimes, in the end, people started to think about the beginning. I assumed Aunt Deborah was feeling the same, too. And the thought of losing my mother made my heart seize unbearably, so I switched my focus. According to my aunt, she used to be very close with Mom until my parents became public with their unhappiness.

  My mother’s and father’s families staying away was a complicated story. Part of me couldn’t blame them for keeping their distance. I had been guilty of doing the same in my adult years. We had all tried for so long to stick it out. We’d hoped it would get better someday and that our families would come together and share laughter instead of a bickering hatred for one another. But it never happened. After years and years of hanging on by a single thread, we just all let go of the possibility they would change.

  “Because she’s family,” I replied genuinely, sitting in a rocker near her bed. “She misses you, and she loves you.”

  “You know I don’t believe in love, Audrey.” My mom sighed and shifted back on her pillow. “The word family doesn’t have much meaning to me anymore either, so I just don’t see the point.”

  I thought of my aunt’s letter and how much she truly missed and loved my mom. In their younger years, they had shared a serious sister bond, but it had been broken. “Then, do it for Aunt Deborah,” I stated.

  My mom began to eat her breakfast, ignoring me.

  “Because she loves you.”

  My mom’s eyes snapped to mine, showing less emotion than I had expected. Minutes passed as we stared each other down.

  She broke the silence first. “I think you should be going now. I’m sure your friends are waiting for you.”

  There were so many more things I wanted to say, but I didn’t want to test the waters. “Okay.” I rose to my feet. At the door, I glanced over my shoulder at her. “Call if you need me.”

  I received a simple nod before I closed the door. I exhaled deeply as I strolled down the hallway to my room, acknowledging my mother had never been an easy woman. I yearned for things to be different, but it was time to accept they never would be.

  I pushed the sadness away, grabbed my purse, and checked my phone to see I had missed a text from Abbey.

  Be there in five! Hope you have your shopping shoes on! Ha!

  The message made me laugh. Abbey was such a good friend and so outgoing. She had this full-of-life personality, and I loved spending time with her.

  I walked to the front door with my belongings and opted for a pair of comfy shoes. If Abbey had said to wear shopping shoes, I was surely in for some power-walking with our limited time frame.

  Sitting outside on the front porch, I let my mind clear of this morning. It had been such a dramatic mood shift from waking up in Blake’s arms and seeing his glowing, tender eyes to being back in my parents’ home. I hated how I let things get to me, dragging my mood down. It wasn’t the person that I had been since moving out to San Francisco.

  Abbey came rolling down the street in her sexy red-hot Camaro, blaring what sounded like “Shower” by Becky G and bopping to the music, as she turned right into my driveway. As I watched her, I promised myself, right then and there, that I wouldn’t let anything have the power to bring my spirits down again today. She slipped the car into park, and I rose to my feet and ambled up to the passenger door. After opening the door, I climbed into the seat.

  “Hey, lady!” Abbey beamed my way before glancing down at my feet. “You got your shopping shoes on, right?”

  “Yep.” I lifted one leg and wiggled my foot at her. “You can’t go wrong with Lucky Brand slip-ons. They’re as good as my slippers.”

  “Good girl.” Abbey chortled and shifted the car into reverse while I set my foot down and buckled up. “After we pick up the girls at Lily’s, I plan to shop to my little heart’s content since the guys are working in Blake’s garage all day,” she added, flooring her car.

  “Whoa there!” I said, sitting
back in my seat, wishing I had an oh-shit bar to hold on to. “I know you’re in a hurry to whip out your Visa, but can we get there in one piece?”

  At the stop sign, Abbey grinned over at me. “I can’t make any promises when all I can think about is finding the perfect flowers and cake and lots of decorations.”

  She shifted back into first and made a sharp left.

  “We won’t find crap if we kiss a tree, lead foot,” I teased good-naturedly.

  “Good point.” Abbey laughed, shifting gears, and then she kept a steady pace down Main Street.

  It was a short drive to Kyle and Lily’s house just past the other side of town. As their country-style ranch came into sight, I admired the view. Gail and Lily were waiting outside on the front porch.

  Abbey parked the car, and the two of us exited as the girls approached us. Gail glanced at her watch before peering over at Abbey, who was standing outside her Camaro and gazing over at everyone.

  “You’re late,” Gail teased, coming to a stop next to me.

  “I’m always late.” Abbey rolled her eyes. “We know this already, so I always get my usual free pass.”

  “Don’t let her ruffle your dress, Abbey,” Lily chimed in from Gail’s side, making a fist and pointing her thumb in Gail’s direction. “She was fifteen minutes late, too.”

  “It wasn’t fifteen minutes!” Gail retorted.

  “Fourteen minutes and thirty seconds then?” Lily joked, slipping her purse over her shoulder.

  “What can I say?” Gail got that look in her eyes that could light up a dark room and make it glow brighter than the sun. “I had to properly say good-bye to my man, and it was worth every minute.”

  “Ew.” Lily scrunched up her nose. “Please don’t talk about my cousin like that while I’m standing right here. I’ll have permanent nightmares.”

  We all laughed as I spun around to face the car again, and it suddenly occurred to me that we had four adults to cram in this bad boy.

  “You haven’t traded your sex-on-wheels in for a minivan yet?” Gail asked, climbing in first. She scooted all the way behind the driver’s seat.

  “Hell no,” Abbey snorted. “We only have one kiddo so far. Until we have a herd and need more seating, I’m keeping her.”

  I chuckled under my breath and wiggled myself in next to Gail. Then, I pulled the passenger seat back until it clicked into place and patted the sides while looking at Lily. “Come on there, mama. Hop on in.”

  Lily sat down and shut the door. “Good thing you sweet ladies gave me the front. I don’t think Baby Blimp would even fit back there.”

  Abbey was already inside now, too. She started her Camaro and tilted her head over at Lily. “I thought you and your love for motors would have kept you from picking on my car, too.” She shook her head playfully. “Where’s the love?”

  “It’s currently in hibernation. My sexy hubs grounded me from all my ATV-powered toys until Baby Blimp makes an appearance.” Lily sighed. Her blonde hair blew in the wind from the missing T-tops. “Of course, I can’t blame him. I just miss the fun.”

  As Abbey began to head for the flower shop, she briefly peered over at Lily. “If we can’t talk about our men because they all happen to be your cousins, you sure as hell can’t call my brother sexy in front of me.” She pretended to shiver. “It’s just gross.”

  “Word!” Gail shouted.

  She and I laughed uncontrollably in the backseat.

  When we finally stopped, Gail continued, “I think we are going to have to make a new girl code.”

  “What’s that?” I asked curiously, rotating to face her.

  “Since Abbey is Kyle’s sister and Lily is Damon, Jason”—she rose a brow at me—“and Blake’s cousin, we have to forgo any future bedroom chats.”

  Gail, Abbey, and Lily all laughed again while my whole body froze at the mention of Blake’s name. There was no doubt that she had insinuated that Blake and I were an item.

  After a moment, Gail took notice of me, and I locked eyes with her probing ones. I could soon feel Abbey’s eyes on me, too.

  “Just admit what we can all see, Audrey.” Gail’s voice was a soft purr. “You and Blake have a thing going on.”

  The Camaro was now dead silent—except, I swore, I could hear my heart pounding erratically in my chest.

  Seconds ticked by before I breathed, “Yes.”

  A few girlie squeals filled the car.

  Gail reached over and set her hand on mine in a reassuring friendly manner. “Saying it out loud is always the hardest part. The rest is similar to soaring in the open, clear blue skies.”

  Her analogy made me recall skydiving with Blake, the way his body had flown above my own. That moment, all my thoughts had fled, leaving nothing but the beautiful scenery below. It was something I would never forget, no matter what our future held.

  I smiled down at my hands, blushing at how openly I had just confessed that I was seeing Blake.

  Luckily, the girls changed the subject and let me off the hook as it was by far a huge step for me.

  After deciding to search a few local stores for decorations, we made our way inside of Ava’s Flowers in Lake Tahoe. The four of us began to walk down the concrete aisles. The silver metal roof above appeared to have a built-in watering system. Rows upon rows filled the air with the most pleasant floral scent I had ever smelled before.

  “Wow,” Abbey murmured in awe from my side.

  “You got that right,” Gail responded behind me. “Have you ever seen so many flowers in one room? How on earth are we going to choose just one bouquet?”

  “Well,” I pondered aloud, keeping my pace as I scanned all the colors in the room, “you could always pick your flowers by their meaning.”

  Abbey paused in front of a pink arrangement in a curvy, tall vase. Lightly colored stone rocks filled the bottom. She tipped her head back at me. “By their meaning?” she questioned.

  “Yes.” I came to stand by her, pointing at the bouquet. The others followed us. “Take these orchids, for example. They represent love, luxury, beauty, and strength.”

  “Oh, I like those,” Gail said, and then she pivoted to face the opposing table. “What about these over here?”

  I smiled, coming to her. “With white calla lilies, some say they mean holiness, faith, and purity while others say magnificence and beauty.”

  “Whatever they mean, they are so beautiful,” Gail replied, still admiring them.

  “What does the rose signify?” Abbey asked, turning my attention to her.

  I moved forward to where she was standing. “White roses are traditionally associated with weddings and new beginnings.” I leaned closer to smell them, inhaling the rich, sweet scent they gave off. “But they also have a quiet beauty about them that symbolize remembrance.”

  I pointed to another collection ahead of us. “Red roses and the gardenias both represent love.”

  I noticed all my friends had stopped chattering around me, so I pulled my eyes from the flowers and gazed up at them.

  Three sets of thoughtful eyes were all on me.

  “What?” I asked, concerned.

  “You,” Gail stated in awe.

  Abbey’s and Lily’s expressions were both sincere and kind, observing me.

  “Me?” I questioned at a complete loss.

  Without speaking, Gail grabbed a gardenia from its vase, and she handed it to me. Her face was so full of affection that it made my heart momentarily miss a beat.

  “I’m buying this for you, Audrey, from all of us.” Gail glanced at Abbey and Lily, who nodded their heads in agreement, before she looked back at me. “We all hope, someday, you find the same love and let it fill and nurture your heart and soul the way each of us have because there is truly no greater gift in life than love.”

  My eyes had blurred halfway through her enduring speech and left me without words, just emotions consuming me. I stepped forward and grasped the stem of the flower with shaky hands. Then, I enclosed her fo
r a hug, squeezing her tightly. Abbey and Lily joined in, too.

  “I love you guys,” I sobbed, letting my feelings get the best of me.

  “And we love you, Audrey,” Abbey cried.

  When we drew apart, I added, “Thank you for the flower”—I briefly glanced at it and then back up—“and for being my friends. I would be lost without you all.”

  “So would we.” Lily smiled tenderly.

  ~Blake~

  After touring the grounds of Mountain Warfare Training Center, I was surprised to see how well I could picture myself working there.

  The Marines base had it all—elite training in my area of expertise and great men and women running the base. To top it off, it was within driving distance of my brothers, Lily, and Audrey.

  Now all I had to decide was if it would be the right decision and change of direction for my career and me. It could be my happy middle between being on active duty and living close to family.

  But would I miss active duty and traveling the world?

  That was the part I couldn’t make up my mind on yet. Truth be told, I loved seeing different countries, being put in a variety of circumstances, and being forced to act fast. I didn’t know if the Mountain Warfare Training Center would still give me that thrill. I would train the best of the best to do what I once had.

  Can I be happy in one place?

  It seemed I had more than one choice to make, and time was running out.

  Audrey entered my mind. She didn’t even live here, and San Francisco was a long haul from Lake Tahoe.

  Would she stay and give us a chance?

  I knew if I asked her now, she might ask for time, time I didn’t have. Worse yet, she could say no.

  My whole chest tightened, constricting my airways. It at least answered one question for me. Seeing as giving her up was not an option, I had to make her mine, and I only had a few weeks to make her feel the same way about me as I did her.

  There was no time to waste.

  It was time to go get my woman.

  I now had mad respect for people planning surprises for others. It was no damn easy task. It had taken me all week to talk with Audrey’s dad about giving her the weekend off, to finish prepping one of her surprises, and to pack for another said surprise—all without her knowing. Thank heavens she had left clothes at my house over the past several weeks, or that would have added another bump in the road.