All Amity Allows (Fall for You Book 2)

by Irwin, Michelle

  He and Amity had intended to arrive early to help with the set up, but her punishment for his jibes about her car had taken a good hour to resolve, making them late.

  It had been a very good hour though.

  The party was almost in full swing, just waiting for the guests of honor to arrive. A few people milling nearby nodded their hellos or moved closer to welcome the pair. When Drew met his gaze in the crowd, Dr. McGregor’s face turned an odd shade of puce, just like it did every time Amity—whose very existence the psychologist had so vehemently denied—was near.

  Addy bounded over and took Amity’s hands in her own. Since the first moment Drew had introduced them, Addy made it her personal goal to ensure Amity was as comfortable as possible at all times. Addy had taken Amity in as the daughter she would soon become. Although her over exuberant personality had frightened Amity at first, Drew had been able to get his former angel to see that Addy was merely making up for lost time with him and, by extension, his fiancée.

  “You’re here at last!” Addy said, pulling Amity away. “Late on a day like today of all days!”

  Amity looked at Drew with a guilty expression. “Sorry, we were waylaid.”

  Drew’s lips twitched. Laid is right, he thought.

  Amity’s gaze echoed his thoughts and he wondered whether anyone would miss them if they disappeared for another hour.

  They probably would, Drew decided. It’s kind of important for us to be here.

  Before he had a chance to see whether Amity would mind playing hooky for a little while longer, Addy linked arms with Amity and led her into the house. Amity winked at him as she disappeared.

  It was hard to believe that the next time he saw her . . .

  “What are you grinning about?” Becca asked. Drew’s gaze reluctantly left the house that had stolen Amity from his view and turned to greet Becca. He smiled at what he saw.

  The soft plum fabric of her summer dress clung to the newly rounded bump she sported. Her dark curls were loose around her shoulders, and she looked positively carefree.

  “You of all people should know the answer to that,” he responded as he looked in Evan’s direction.

  It hadn’t been all that long ago when he’d thought a friendship with Becca and Evan would have been impossible. Ever since the day Amity had given up her grace to live a normal life with him though, he’d been able to look at Becca without the hurt that had occupied his body and soul for what had felt like an eternity.

  When Amity struggled to settle into her new human life and needed help—assistance that Drew was at a loss to give—Evan had stepped in with his unique understanding. Somewhere along the way, the four of them had become friends. Not just a close approximation, but real honest-to-goodness friends.

  They’d even gone on a double date and Evan had filled in the blanks about how and when he and Becca had fallen in love. Drew had listened to the story with his arm around Amity’s shoulder, confident in the knowledge that it had all worked out the way it was supposed to. He supposed that without Heaven's influence, he and Becca probably would have ended up together. They may have even been happy enough . . . but neither of them would have felt the glow of true love. He’d found someone better suited for him than he could have ever imagined. He’d found his angel.

  “Everything okay in there?” Drew asked, nodding at Becca’s stomach.

  Becca beamed at him and Drew couldn’t help but acknowledge the truth in what people said about the glow of pregnancy. “Scans were perfect. She’s perfect.”

  “She? I didn’t think you were going to find out?”

  Evan moved over to them as they talked and wrapped his arm around Becca’s back. “I didn’t want to.”

  “But he has trouble saying no to me,” Becca added with a chuckle.

  Drew laughed too. “I know the feeling.”

  “Are you excited?” Becca asked.

  “You’d be better off asking him if he’s terrified. There's still time to back out you know?” Evan deadpanned, before issuing a loud “oof” sound as Becca’s hand struck him across the stomach.

  Cathy dragged her husband over to join in the gentle ribbing of Drew. She’d joined Becca in taking Amity into their circle without a second thought. “You know what they say about the only food that kills a woman’s sex drive.”

  She nodded in the direction of the towering cake on a small table to the side of the gazebo.

  “Run for the hills,” Gary said, wrapping his arms around his wife’s waist and pulling her close. “While you still can.”

  “Not a chance,” Drew said with a smile wider than he ever imagined he’d wear. He'd been looking forward to this day for months—ever since Amity had answered his simple question without a single word.

  Over in the one corner of the garden, someone waved once for his attention. She wore a pressed power suit and had a cell phone clutched in one of her hands like it was a lifeline.

  “Mom!” he called after excusing himself from his group of friends.

  When he reached her, she gave him a half-hug and air-kissed beside his cheek. “You’re looking well.”

  “Thanks for coming, Mom.” He’d thought she might pass because of the location, but had desperately wanted her there to celebrate with him.

  She patted his cheek. “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

  “Come, I’ll find you a VIP seat.”

  “You look so beautiful,” Addy exclaimed, before pressing her hand against her mouth. Her eyes were glassy, and in the instant before her fingers had covered them, her lips had quivered. She seemed more nervous about the day than Amity felt. The fact that Addy was the mastermind behind it all was probably largely to blame. No doubt, she was acutely aware of the pressure to get everything right. Not that Drew or Amity would have complained if things went a little pear-shaped. They were both used to things not going as smoothly as expected.

  Amity looked at the mirror. The dress wasn't designer. In fact, it was off the rack, the discount rack at that. With her limited income, she couldn't afford designer anymore and letting someone else buy it for her was another concession she refused to allow. For now. She still had a few designer pieces, but mostly her everyday clothes were discount. That was likely to change once she and Drew were married though. After all, she would be expected to wear a certain type of attire to the various charity fundraisers organized by her mother-in-law and the hospital, but there was a certain pride in paying her own way in the meantime.

  That was exactly what surprised Amity the most about her new wardrobe. She was just as happy in a pair of discount store jeans as any of her old outfits, happier in fact. Okay, the brands would have been nice as well, but she didn’t need them to feel her worth like she once had. In the simple cream dress, which Addy had customized with hand-sewn beadwork, Amity felt richer and more beautiful than she ever had before.

  Amity's hair was loose, the powder-white strands falling to her waist. A halo of flowers rested on her head, a secret joke that only a few special people in her life would understand. Today was the day she would finally be able to shed the last of the pain that had pervaded her existence since she’d failed Rose—maybe even longer if she was being completely honest with herself.

  She glanced back over to Addy who was fanning herself to stop her tears. “I promised I wouldn't cry, but I just . . . I can't help it. You are so perfect for Drew. You've brought him out of his shell in ways I never even knew were possible. And now, you're going to marry him, and everything will be perfect.”

  “Thank you, Addy,” Amity said, pulling the older—but also much, much younger in some ways—woman into her embrace. “Thank you for organizing all of this and for being there for Drew, even when he wasn't always there for you.”

  Addy just pulled away and patted Amity’s hand without saying a word. Amity understood why. The last time Addy had tried to voice the emotions she felt about her new relationship with Drew, and about how much it meant to his father, she’d broken d
own in tears. Neither of them needed tears at that moment.

  “Are you ready?”

  Amity nodded and Addy squealed in delight. “I'll go round everyone up!” She clapped her hands with glee and then left Amity alone to her thoughts.

  Amity turned back to the mirror and thought about the changes in her life in the last year. She had been hurting in ways she'd never acknowledged, hiding from the very thing that ended up being her salvation. With one last look in the mirror to make sure she was perfect for Drew, she turned to leave the powder room.

  “Do I get a hug too?”

  She spun at the voice. “Michael? What are you doing here?”

  “I came to tell you that I'm sorry. That I was wrong.”

  Fighting a smile, she raised an eyebrow. “You were what now? I can't have heard that right. My human hearing is a tad less perfect.”

  Michael's lips twitched. “It doesn't happen often. When it does, I'm angel enough to admit it.”

  He paused to eye her from head to toe.

  Amity watched as his mouth twitch again, seemingly to stifle a smirk.

  “He's good for you,” Michael added with a genuine smile.

  “You've been spying on us?”

  “Not spying . . . checking in.”

  “Is there a difference?” she teased.

  He ignored her question.

  Typical angel, absolutely no sense of humor, she thought.

  “I was wondering if you'd do me the great honor of allowing me to give you away?”

  She blinked at him. “You'd do that? For me?”

  He cupped her chin. “Amity, I told you that I relied on you. I've missed your presence here.” He tapped the side of his head. “Even if your duties are fulfilled by someone else, I will always miss you. Let me say goodbye to my beloved sister properly.”

  She teared up at his words. How many times she'd wished for that type of validation before—validation which Drew had willingly given her over and over without her even having to utter a word to request it. Maybe things would have been different if Michael had been willing to voice his feelings more often, if all of the other angels had been, but Amity decided she didn't want different.

  She wanted Drew.

  “The honor would be mine,” she said. “After all, how many women get walked down the aisle by an angel?”

  Michael offered her his hand and they moved to walk to her waiting groom.

  The journey up the aisle passed in a blur. Drew was her goal—and her final destination. When Michael passed her hand to Drew’s, a warmth filled her chest and she broke into a grin so wide she was certain everyone watching could see her molars.

  She turned her head and looked out at the crowd gathered to witness their union and considered how complete her life was now. How full.

  When the celebrant started to speak, she looked back toward Drew and her stomach fluttered with nerves. Not over her choice though, never that. It was her desire to ensure the vows they’d selected adequately covered the magnitude of the emotions she needed to express.

  When it was her turn to speak, she tried to steady her wavering voice so Drew would know there was no doubt in her heart. “Drew, today I become your wife and your partner in everything. I promise to always give you the best of myself, while accepting you the way you are. I will keep myself open to you, to let you know my innermost fears and feelings, and all of my secrets and dreams. I promise to grow along with you, to be willing to face change as we both change, keeping our relationship alive and exciting. And I promise to love you in good times and in bad, with all I have to give and all that I am, in the only way I know how—completely and forever.”

  As the celebrant announced them husband and wife, the crowd burst into applause. Drew pulled Amity toward him, following the instructions to kiss his bride. As he did, Amity knew, without question or doubt, that she would be at Drew's side until the day they died.

  After that, they would find one another once more on the golden shores of their private beach because true happiness, true love, really could last for eternity.

  The End

  If you enjoyed this book, please let others know by sharing your thoughts on the All Amity Allows page on Goodreads, Booklikes, Amazon, and your other favorite review sites.

  Thank you

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  About the Author

  Michelle Irwin has been many things in her life: a hobbit taking a precious item to a fiery mountain; a young child stepping through the back of a wardrobe into another land; the last human stranded not-quite-alone in space three million years in the future; a young girl willing to fight for the love of a vampire; and a time-travelling madman in a box. She achieved all of these feats and many more through her voracious reading habit. Eventually, so much reading had to have an effect and the cast of characters inside her mind took over and spilled out onto the page.