“Thank you.”
“I can’t stay too long, Michelle is panicking about pictures.”
“I’m so glad you were able to come.”
“Are you kidding me?” He laughs. “You knew I would be here, sugar. Are you ready for this?”
She pulls away from him and runs her hands over her dress. “Yep.” She nervously smiles.
“Are you sure you wanna marry this dude?” he says, with a smile, although completely serious.
She feels her stomach drop again. “Yes. I’m positive.”
“I haven’t had time to give you my opinion on him, this has all happened so freakin’ fast. I’m not sure he has the Jaden stamp of approval.”
“Trust me. He treats me like a princess. He adores me.”
Jaden shakes his head, holding back his feelings of concern, then leans in and kisses her on her soft, dusty pink lips. Without another word, he leaves her alone in Ben’s parents’ room. A little part of his heart breaking, knowing that any chance he may have had with Grace will be gone in a matter of minutes.
~ ~ ~
Grace sits on the edge of the bed taking care not to wrinkle her dress. Her stomach spinning and twisting with nerves. Ian’s face flashes into her mind, her entire teenage life she had always thought that she would marry him. When he found her in Paris, she once again dreamed that she would soon be his wife. She never imagined that another man could make her feel so loved. She never imagined she would be walking down the aisle to marry someone else. A knot forms in her stomach as a flashback from her time with Ian in Paris passes through her mind.
“I love you so much, Gracie.” Ian held her face in his hands. Staring into her soul.
“You’re my life, Ian. You have my heart, my body, my soul, forever.”
The sound of someone laughing outside Ben’s parents’ house pulls Grace back to the present. She pats at the tears that come from remembering the love she thought she shared with Ian. Her mind flashes back to Ian’s proposal of marriage years ago. She closes her eyes and Ian seems close enough to touch. She clearly sees his smooth face, absent of the tiny wrinkles she only recently came to know and love.
“I said, I’ve decided to stay.” His mouth swooped up into a sly grin and his eyes sparkled.
She landed on his chest with a thud and kissed him rapidly all over his face. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah, baby, I’m serious. I can’t live without you.”
“We can be happy here, Ian, we can!” she said, trying to convince herself as well as him.
“I know we can because we are.” He smiled.
He grabbed her face with both of his hands and stared intently. “Grace Hathaway, will you marry me?”
Grace pushes the painful recollection from her mind as guilt over thinking of another man on her wedding day crushes her. I love Ben, she thinks, as she dabs the corner of her eyes, hoping she has not messed up her makeup. With a deep breath, she stands and readies herself to give her life to Ben.
As James escorts Grace carefully down the staircase in the McKay’s home, she can feel herself trembling on his arm. Michelle’s camera clicks rapidly when they step closer to the massive front doors of the home. James pats Grace’s arm with his other hand giving her some comfort. She shoots a nervous smile at Michelle who snaps away with her camera. Michelle’s tears stream down her cheeks as she gives Grace a reassuring smile.
In front of Grace and James is a paced line of women Grace has barely just met, besides Becca, who is standing directly in front of her. Ben insisted on his cousins being a part of the wedding, making Grace’s wedding party a hefty six. Becca turns her head and shoots Grace a smile with a soundless, “Yea!”
They follow a path that heads to the side of the home and once again, Grace’s tummy does flip-flops as the ceremony area comes into her view. She pulls on James’ arm and he looks to her to see if she is okay. She smiles, feeling frightened.
“You’ll do fine,” James says, in a whisper.
From each side of her elegant updo, tiny curled, blonde strands frame her flawless face. Her cheeks with a slight pink hue and her lips plump with a dusty rose color. She wears a delicate strand of Ben’s mother’s shining pearls and her shoulders bare, the skin around her collarbones glows as if she is an angel sent from heaven.
Over three hundred guests, most of which Grace does not even recognize, rise to their feet and ohh and ah as she exquisitely takes each step down the aisle toward Ben. Elegant piano music plays as James and Grace walk in perfect rhythm to it. James grips tight onto Grace’s arm, she wonders if he is having trouble giving her away.
The sweetheart neckline of her dress plunges elegantly into her cleavage. The dress is made of an immaculate, lacey material that clings to the upper part of her figure, showing every perfect curve of her slender body. A pale taupe satin belt gives way to the bottom of the dress that flows with every step she takes. Behind her, the dress sleeks along the green grass in a small train.
Grace reaches the altar, and James hesitates before he passes her to Ben, who twitches with nervousness. Grace turns to James and gives him a reassuring smile and mouths to him, I love you. He kisses her on her cheek and with one arm pulls her abruptly to his body, taking her into his arms, and then he lets go of her hand, letting his fingers slip away slowly.
Ben takes both of Grace’s hands into his and gives them a squeeze. Their eyes meet and all Grace’s fears melt away. Her heartbeat slows as they walk hand in hand to the priest. Grace takes her position as they rehearsed, but Ben does not let go of her hand. Grace lifts her chin and exhales. She turns to look at Ben and sees a tear glinting on his cheek. She knows in this moment, that she has made the right choice in Ben. That she will live the rest of her life loving this man with everything she has, letting go of the past, and only looking forward to their future.
Chapter 26
The sun paints the rolling hills vibrant oranges and reds as Ian stares down at the vineyard a few feet below. After all he had been through, he made sure he did not find her until he was clean for good, now it was too late.
Physical pain rushes through his heart as he watches Grace staring into her groom’s eyes, hand-in-hand, their mouths moving as they commit their lives to one another. Ian is too far away to hear what they are saying, but close enough to see every move they make in detail. He knows though, he knows the words they are speaking. The words he always thought he would be saying to Grace himself. Until death do they part, in sickness and health, promises of forever that he should be making to her.
Ian leans against the wooden stake he stands next to, the pain in his chest devastating him, his knees feeling weak as if they may give out. His instincts tell him to run down the hill, down the aisle, and cry out to Grace to stop, not to marry this man, but he knows he cannot. When he first learned that Grace was getting married, it nearly killed him. To think that she could feel that much love for someone else broke him down. His intention when he pulled onto the McKay’s property was to beg Grace to change her mind. To beg her to give him another chance. Now, seeing the smile on her face, the look of love in her eyes, he cannot allow himself to destroy her bliss. He only ever saw her look at him the way she now looks at the man she is about to give her life to.
Ian closes his eyes, shutting it out, but trying to block the vision from his sight does not free it from his mind. He takes a deep breath, opens his eyes and the tears start to pour. He wants to be that man. He wants to see that love in Grace’s eyes, but he now knows it no longer belongs to him.
Grace’s happiness means everything to him. Emotional and physical pain cripple his entire body. He turns and walks the dusty, dirt road back to the car he parked by the winery. With the ceremony almost out of his sight, he turns to take one last look, one last painful vision of his dreams slipping away, one last glance at the woman he loves marrying another man.
To be continued…
Dedication
For my groupies.
Acknowle
dgement
This book would not be possible if it were not for my sister Carraine who came up with many of the gut wrenching moments, my best friend, amazingly talented author, mentor, and editor Angie Martin, my patient and supportive BETA/ARC readers, my PA Amanda, who puts up with so much crap from me, and still works her ass off, and all those who consistently show their support. I’m beyond grateful for your encouragement and love.
About Marisa Oldham
Marisa loves telling stories that “reach into your heart and rip it out.” Her main goal is to make her readers feel all the emotions that her characters go through. She is an avid reader and some of her favorite books bring tears to her eyes when she talks about them. She wants to give her readers the same type of experience.
Marisa loves to connect with readers and has set up a group, Marisa’s Groupies, on Facebook where she interacts with members frequently.
Marisa has two more novels in the Falling series, The Falling of Grace – Book Two, which releases on January 27, and The Falling of Hope – Book Three (coming in 2015).
She recently joined forces with authors Emma Payne, Noah Wilde, and S.M. Rose in creating a unique Angelia Rourke erotic anthology series, Naughty & Nice. The first book, ‘Tis the Season was released on December 14, 2014.
Marisa plans to release a novel titled You Have Such a Pretty Face, a contemporary romance novel that will explore the self-esteem issues of the main female character, with a romantic, witty, and heartwarming story. Marisa has also started working on a spin-off to the Falling series and an erotic novella titled The Box.
Fan Group
Facebook
Twitter
One Last Thing…
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this book, I'd be very grateful if you would post a short review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. Your support really does make a difference and I read all the reviews personally so I can get your feedback and make this book even better. Just click on the links below to leave your review.
Amazon
Goodreads
Thanks again for your support!
The Falling of Grace (The Falling Series Book 2) Page 27