by Marie Savage
As I play a tune, Julie comes in and sits down on the couch to join me, curling up on the other side and listens to me play. I start playing her song, the one she loves for me to sing to her. The words flow so easily from my heart, now that we are reunited. When I’m done, I set the guitar down and cuddle beside her.
“I love when you sing to me, thank you,” she says, giving me a tender kiss.
“You’re welcome.”
“What do you think about getting married next month? We could invite Carl and Holly and Mike. And of course, Mary, Ken, and the girls, and my friends from the diner, too. Just a simple ceremony right here at the house.”
“That sounds great to me, but don’t you want a big wedding? Or a church wedding?”
“No, just us and our family and close friends.”
“You tell me the date and I’ll be there,” I say as I kiss her again.
“Could you do me a favor?” she asks.
“Anything.”
She reaches behind her and pulls out a small jewelry box—a familiar looking ring box. I know right away what it is.
“Could you make it official?” she says before placing the box in my hand.
“When did you get this? I was going to ask Carl to mail it to me.”
“I saw it the day you left after Holly’s wedding. Carl had forgotten to put it away.”
“I’m sorry, Julie. I can’t tell you how many times I planned a romantic proposal for you. Don’t you want me to wait and surprise you?”
“No way. I’m tired of surprises.” She laughs. “Besides, what could be more romantic than cuddling up next to you after you serenaded me?”
I get up off the couch and kneel in front of her. She laughs as I open the ring box and carefully pull out the ring—her mother’s ring.
“I didn’t mean you had to get on one knee,” she giggles.
“Nope, we’re doing this right, this time,” I remind her, taking her hand and looking into her eyes.
“Julie Walsh, I love you more than I thought I could possibly love anyone. You are my soul mate and I want you to take this journey of our lives together, forever. Would you do me the incredible honor of becoming my wife?”
“Yes,” she says, her eyes sparkling with happy tears as I place her beloved mother’s ring on her finger.
Chapter 17
Julie
One call to my best friend Holly and wedding plans are in full swing. I knew if anyone could help me plan a quick wedding, it would be Holly. Of course, Holly has help with the rest of the Winston family as her backup. I’m pleasantly surprised when so many of them show up to share my special day. Everyone helps out to make it wonderful. Holly found me the most perfect simple wedding dress and we’re both thankful that it fits with my growing baby belly that is quite impossible to hide now. Holly’s sister Jackie uses her expertise in hair and makeup to make me look less like a tired pregnant mother-to-be and more like a beautiful bride. Rose and Christy cooked up a storm last night and today so that our guests will be well fed. Joe and Monty brought Joe’s outdoor grill and smoker to show my friends and family how we barbecue in Texas.
Ben and Dustin spent last night at Mary’s to give me that one traditional night before the wedding. Even though it’s only been a few hours, I miss them terribly. Dustin is warming up to me even more and is happier than when I first met him. He’s not as shy and has definitely charmed his way into all of our hearts. We still haven’t heard from his mother Renee, and according to Mary, rumor has it that she is with Darren again and living somewhere in Nevada.
I sit patiently waiting for the ceremony to start as Holly has already made her way outside. Carl finally comes to get me so he can escort me to Ben. He looks very handsome in his military uniform and boasts about how it still fits him. As we start our walk outside, he stops and turns to me.
“I know this was supposed to be the day your daddy walked you down the aisle, and how your mommy and Aunt Gina should have been here to help you get ready. And of course, your brother would be making sure Ben is good enough to be your husband.”
I start tearing up.
“Now, don’t cry. I just wanted to say how honored I am to have you in my life. You are the daughter I never had. I will always be here for you.” He stops and looks at my tummy. “And for these precious little girls,” he chokes out, as a tear falls down his cheek.
“Thank you, Carl, you have been a great father to me and friend to Ben. And I know you will be the best grandpa ever.” I smile.
“Let’s get this show on the road, shall we?” he says, straightening himself as we continue our walk outside.
We make our way down the rose petal path in my backyard. I can hardly recognize its transformation because there are now so many flowers everywhere I look. It is the most gorgeous sunny spring day, and there at the end of the path, under a beautifully decorated lattice arch, stands the man I have been dreaming of—my Ben. He is also in his military dress uniform, with Dustin standing proudly beside him, along with his brother-in-law Ken. Once my eyes make contact with Ben’s, everything else disappears.
Carl gives me a quick kiss on my cheek before giving my hand to Ben and he then joins his wife Evelyn.
“You’re so beautiful,” Ben whispers to me before we listen to the minister perform our ceremony. My hand never leaves his as we say our vows and promise to love and cherish each other always.
“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride,” the minister says as Ben smiles and leans in to kiss me gently on the lips. He wants to stop too soon, but I hold on, making our kiss last a little longer. Lately he has been treating me like I am some precious fragile thing, and I have to remind him that I’m pregnant, not disabled. I finally let go of our embrace, giving him a wink. His surprised expression is priceless. Before we turn, I feel a strange fluttering of movement in my tummy, and my hand immediately touches my stomach. Of course, this doesn’t go unnoticed by my now overprotective husband.
“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” he whispers to me, looking very concerned.
Realizing that I just felt the first movements of our beautiful girls inside me, I smile, taking his hand and placing it on my belly.
“Is something wrong?” he asks again. Suddenly his concerned expression changes as he feels the movement inside me. He looks at me and smiles broadly.
“Everything is perfect.” I lean in one more time to kiss my handsome husband.
Epilogue
… Late September
Julie
It’s just after midnight as I sit quietly in the babies’ room, rocking Olivia as she nurses on my breast. I gently touch the soft dark hair on her head, and looking at her, I still can’t believe she’s really mine.
Olivia Marie Parker, and her identical twin sister Melanie Gina Parker, were welcomed to the world a week ago today. There was no exciting run to the hospital routine because I was in labor. It was just a very quiet scheduled C-section. All three of us came through it fine, much to the relief of their daddy. Ben was wonderful and was so happy to be there to see his baby girls come into the world.
“Little Mel is all cleaned up and waiting her turn, Mama,” Ben says as he kneels beside me, holding her cradled in his arms.
“I think Olivia is done,” I whisper as we carefully switch babies. Ben and I make a great team taking care of the twins. I place Melanie next to my breast and I’m thankful when she begins nursing without a fuss.
“She’s getting the hang of it now,” Ben whispers.
“Finally. I’m so glad she isn’t fighting it anymore. Did you check on Dustin?”
“Big brother is fast asleep with Bo lying near his feet,” Ben says as he kisses Olivia gently on her head after she lets out the cutest little burp.
“Go ahead and put her in the bassinet. You need to get some sleep; you have your first day back at training tomorrow,” I remind him.
After much debating, I finally got Ben to see things my way and sign up for the game w
arden training. He doesn’t have much longer before he will be a full-time member of the Texas Game Wardens. I’m so proud of him.
“I’ll be okay.” He smiles as he continues to stare down at Olivia. “Are you sure I shouldn’t stay home one more week?” he says, looking up at me.
“We’ll be fine. Holly and her mom will be here tomorrow, helping me all next week. Then Carl and Evelyn are here the following week. Not to mention Mary, Rose, Christy …”
“Okay, okay, I get it. All of you will be taken good care of. I’m just going to miss you guys so much.”
“We’ll miss you too, but you’ll be home on the weekend,” I remind him.
Ben leans forward and kisses me gently on the lips. “Thank you,” he says.
“For what?” I smile.
“For giving me the one thing I have always dreamed of … a family.”
Bonus Scene
… July
Julie
“Julie, I’m home. Where are you?” I hear Ben call out to me from the living room. I’m so caught up in going through my brother’s belongings that I must have lost track of time.
“I’m in the spare room,” I quietly call out to him. Bo gets up to go greet him as he must not have heard him pull up either.
“Hey, babe, whatcha doing? Where’s Dustin?” Ben walks into the room, searching until he finds me sitting on the floor in front of a mountain of boxes.
“Shh.” I point to the pallet I made for him on the floor when he fell asleep as he sat quietly playing with his toys.
Ben tiptoes to me, giving me a kiss on the lips before kneeling down beside me.
“What time is it?” I look at him, wondering if I lost track of that much time.
“I got off early. So, what are you up to?” He looks at the stack of letters in my lap.
“I took your advice and started going through Jason’s things. This is the box they sent home with him after he died. I’ve never looked in it before.”
“I’m sorry, baby, why didn’t you wait until I got home? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I’m just in shock.”
“What are you talking about?”
“All of these letters. They were written to him … they’re from Jackie.”
“Jackie?”
“Holly’s sister, Jackie Winston,” I remind him.
“Really? Was she friends with your brother?” he asks.
“From some of these letters, I think it was way past friendship.”
“They were dating?”
“Apparently so, and with all of these letters, for quite some time.” I hold the letters in my hands to show him.
“I take it you didn’t know,” Ben says, taking a few of the letters from my hand and looking at them.
“No, I didn’t know. Jason was always a closed book, but why wouldn’t he tell me he was dating my best friend’s younger sister?”
“Maybe it wasn’t that serious.” Ben shrugs as he hands me back the letters.
“These letters beg to differ. She sounds quite serious. Neither one of them said a word about it to me.”
“Have you called her and asked her about it?”
“Do you think I should? I mean he’s gone now. What if it upsets her?”
“You’re friends. Maybe she will appreciate you knowing. Maybe then you can talk about him with her.”
“There’s more,” I add.
“What?”
“This.” I hold up the sealed letter, written by my brother Jason. I want to read it but feel wrong about it.
“It’s the last letter he wrote to her. It was never mailed. And then there’s this.” I show him the black velvet engagement ring box.
“Is that what I think it is?” Ben asks.
“Yes. This looks pretty serious to me.” I go ahead and open the box and show him the very elegant princess cut engagement ring.
“Whoa, that’s some rock!” He frowns, looking at the wedding ring on my hand.
“Don’t you dare say what I think you’re going to say. I love my ring. It’s perfect and I wouldn’t trade it for the biggest diamond in the world.” I lean over, kissing away his frown.
“You think he was going to ask her to marry him, then?”
“It sure looks that way. Ben, I’m at a loss over what to do here. Should I call Holly and ask her about it?”
“I wouldn’t, babe. If Jackie and Jason were keeping their relationship a secret, there has to be a reason, and if you don’t know, I doubt that Holly would know about it either. She tells you everything.”
“You think I should just talk to Jackie, then? Let her know I have these letters and this?” I hold the ring box up once again.
“Yes, but not on the phone. Not until you know the full story. Just put this stuff together and you can take it to her when we go to your baby shower this weekend at Holly and Mike’s.”
“You’re right. I have to speak to her in person—alone.” I nod, putting the letters and ring box back in the larger box.
Ben gets up and helps me stand, my very pregnant belly making it hard to get up from the floor on my own.
“No more sitting on the floor for you, Mama. What if I hadn’t been here to help you?” Ben scolds me before bringing me into his arms for a kiss before releasing me. “And don’t you dare lift any of those boxes. I told you I would take care of them this weekend,” he says as he picks up Dustin carefully and takes him to his room.
At the doorway, I glance over one more time at the box. I realize now that I didn’t know my brother as well as I thought. How could he not tell me about seeing Jackie? Is there more that he didn’t share with me? Was my brother in love with my best friend’s younger sister?
A Note From Marie Savage
I hope you enjoyed Julie and Ben’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it. The Holiday Love Series isn’t over yet. Look for Tyler and Jackie’s story coming late summer 2018!
Tell me your thoughts by leaving a review on Amazon and Goodreads.
Acknowledgments
I would to first of all like to thank my readers, whether or not this is the first book of mine you have read or you’re a loyal fan, you ROCK!!
Thank you to my patient family for understanding my sometimes-anti-social behavior, especially when I have a deadline.
Thank you to my daughter Lauren for being my PA, even if I don’t pay you.
Thank you to my coworkers for putting up with my constant book talk.
Thank you to my even more patient editor Daniela who has the daunting task of polishing up the mess I give to her.
Thank you to my cover designer and formatter Tiffany. You bring my story to life with her beautiful covers and teasers.
To my author and blogger buddies, especially my mentor Nancee Cain, thank you for your friendship, advice, encouragement and allowing me to share my work on your pages.
Thank you to my Savage reader group for sharing my post and supporting me as I continue this self-publishing journey.
Finally, my loving husband, thank you for always being in my corner and allowing me to do what I love.
Other Books by Author Marie Savage
Holiday Love Series
Tidings of Comfort and Joy—Book One
http://a.co/hJGtbp8
Another Auld Lang Syne—Book Two
http://a.co/0clJgK9
Guarding Our Hearts—Book Three
http://a.co/7DLPCRQ
Standalone’s
Asphalt Cowboy’s Girl—
http://a.co/7gKMiNJ
Marie Savage is a self-published author who has a love for family, friendships, patriotic spirit, and hometown pride.
Born and raised in the Florida Panhandle, she has always had a love for reading and writing, with the romance genre being her obvious favorite. Her desire to expand her horizons, led her to join the United States Air Force and proudly serve her country for six years.
While stationed in Atwater California, she met her true love and together they have shar
ed life's beautiful joys and tragic losses. After spending over half her life in the Central Valley of California, she has moved back home to the Wiregrass area, where her passion for writing first began.
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