She smiles as she leans in, wrapping her arms around my neck. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I reply, kissing the top of her head.
“Where am I going to put it?” she asks when she pulls back.
I take it from her. “I was thinking right . . .” I say, getting up and walking up to the entertainment center, “. . . here. Front and center where everyone can see.”
She gets up and walks over to me, wrapping me up in her arms as we both stare at it. “I like it there.”
“I like it there too,” I reply.
She turns toward me and our eyes meet. Then, slowly, she leans in for a kiss.
She pulls back after several minutes. “It’s been a long day. Let’s go to bed so I can reward you for all your hard work.”
I laugh. “Go ahead. I’ll be in after I put the food away.”
She releases me and goes into the bedroom. I lock up the front door and turn off the light in the living room before moving into the kitchen to put everything away. I load the dishes into the dishwasher and get it going, then I manage to squeeze the leftover food into the fridge. I wipe down the countertop, the stove, and the table, and finally turn out the light in the kitchen. Walking into the bedroom, I find her fast asleep. The blankets are pulled up to her chin and her eyes are closed, thick lashes fanned out across her cheeks. The bedside lamp is on, softly illuminating the room, but that didn’t stop her from passing out.
I strip down to my boxers, slide into bed, and turn off the light. The moment I’m next to her, she scoots closer and I wrap my arms around her, holding her close. I breathe in her sweet scent and let her warmth tug me into unconsciousness, where I dream of her, us, and our future.
In my dream, I see our wedding: beautiful, simple, perfect. I see us moving into a new home—a big one in the country, where our kids can grow. I see us growing old together and falling more and more in love every single day we’re together. I see beauty, peace, and more love than any one heart can hold. I’ve found my home in Cora and I know that there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her. I can only thank God that Cora gave me the chance she did. That list brought her to me, and I’m never going to let her go . . . even if we have to create more lists in the future.
Epilogue
Cora-January
“Are you sure you’re not nervous?” Harley asks me as she buttons up the back of my satin dress over my growing belly.
I laugh. “Of course I’m not nervous. Why would you ask me that?”
I see her shrug in the mirror we’re standing in front of. “It’s just that . . . you’re getting married. And the last time we thought that, it didn’t turn out well. I just don’t want you to be nervous, because Grayson is nothing like Jimmy.”
I smile. “I know that.”
“Grayson is the one,” she insists.
I laugh. “I know that too. That’s why I’m marrying him.”
She steps back. “Okay, all done.”
“Damn, my tits look amazing in this. These hormones are doing me some serious favors.”
“Seriously, you look like you have all the benefits of being pregnant but don’t look it. So unfair. I swear I was glowing from sweat and showing at, like, day four.” She laughs.
“You doing okay being away from Sidney and Stephanie?” I ask as I see a bit of sadness in her eyes.
“Yes, I’m fine. I just . . . ugh, I miss them so much and it’s only been two days!” she says as she grabs her phone and flips through photos of her newborns. I told her she didn’t have to fly out here so soon after giving birth, not to mention having to pump all that milk beforehand, but she said she wouldn’t miss my wedding for the world. She and Foster plan on jetting right back as soon as the wedding’s over. They want to get back to their babies, and I don’t blame them. We considered postponing the wedding, but Harley wouldn’t hear of it for her sake, and I’m glad, because I didn’t want to be waddling down the aisle.
I look at myself in the mirror from head to toe. My blonde hair has grown out over the months, now long enough to get into this elegant updo. There are curls framing my face and falling down from the waterfall-style bun. My veil is tucked up underneath it, flowing to the floor. The dress I chose is strapless, but it buttons up the back. The material is thin and cool, but still pretty traditional. The bodice is tight and form-fitting. It hugs my breasts and belly, flowing out around the hips and ending at my feet. The train is long, but not too long, especially given that it’s a beach wedding. I’m going barefoot in the sand and I can’t wait to feel that sand between my toes, knowing it will be one of the last things I feel as a single woman.
Harley is my maid of honor, and she’s wearing a cream-colored summer dress that’s made of antique lace. She looks beautiful. Foster will be standing with Grayson at the end of the aisle. The guys are wearing khaki pants and white dress shirts. And they’re barefoot too, of course.
I double-check my makeup one last time and everything looks perfect. The sun is just starting to set, so I grab my bouquet and Harley leads the way to the big double doors that lead outside. The music starts up and two men open the doors for us. She walks out and I wait a few moments. I count to 10 then start walking toward my future.
When I step outside onto the deck, I look down the aisle at Grayson. He’s there, waiting for me with his hands clasped together in front of him. His blue eyes are on mine, and I can’t help but smile. I take the couple of steps down to the sand, then walk to the edge of the beach where everyone is waiting for me. When I reach him, I hand my flowers to Harley as Grayson reaches out and takes my hand in his.
“We’re gathered here today to bring these two people together in holy matrimony. Before we begin, let’s pray.”
We all bow our heads to pray, but I can’t focus on the preacher or his words. All I can think about is how happy and excited I am to be starting the rest of my life with this man I love so much. When the prayer ends, I open my eyes and look back up at his handsome face. His blue eyes are shining bright and his lips are constantly tipped up into a smile.
“Cora,” he says, and I force myself to pay attention. I didn’t realize I’d tuned out so much of the preacher. I was too lost in my soon-to-be husband. He says, “I’ve loved you since the day I met you. I never believed in love at first sight—not until I met you. From that day on, I knew I wanted you to be mine for the rest of my life. I thank God every day that He brought you to me. I vow to stand by your side and help you through the darkest times. I vow to love, honor, and protect you. I vow to be your shoulder to cry on—the person who lifts you up and gives you strength when you need it. I vow to stand by your side every day for the rest of my life. I love you, and with this ring, I thee wed,” he says, slipping the rose gold wedding band onto my finger.
The preacher motions for me and I get the ring from Harley. She yanks it off her swollen finger and hands it over.
I turn back to Grayson and look into his eyes. “Grayson, when this whole thing started with us, I was lost, lonely, and broken. But then something changed. I heard the words of encouragement you were giving me. You were pushing me to reach out and take what I wanted. You gave me strength when I had none. You gave me friendship and never pushed for more—not until you knew I was ready. An oftentimes, you seemed to sense what I needed before I knew I needed it myself. That’s how I know you were made to be my other half. You’ve done nothing but protect me, love me, and stand by my side, even when I tried to push you away. I vow to do the same—to be the same for you. I vow to stand by your side through thick and thin. I vow to protect you, to be your light in the darkness, and to hold your hand through everything life has to offer. I vow to be everything you need, even when you don’t know you need it. I love you, and with this ring, I thee wed.”
“You may now kiss the bride,” the preacher says, and Grayson wastes no time in pulling me against his chest and pressing his mouth to mine.
Harley and Foster, along with Chuck and his girlfriend, cheer and
clap along with the preacher, but their sounds are like an echo from someplace far away. Grayson and I have now entered our own little world—a place we’ll be for the rest of our lives.
The Baby Fling Sneak Peek!
Chapter 1
Bianca
I feel a headache coming on as I push my blonde hair away from my face and pick up my glass of wine. I take a sip and pray that it has some how tripled its ability to erase the night I’m about to have from my memory tomorrow. I place my glass back down on the table in front of me and smooth out a wrinkle in the pristine white table cloth covering the table.
I glance around the restaurant taking in every man walking in the door as I wait for the man my mother set me up with. I look at the time on my watch. It’s now going on eight and our date was for seven-thirty. I vow to give him four more minutes—until eight exactly—before I get up and leave, making sure I tell my mother how long I sat waiting for the man she says is perfect for me.
I lift my glass of wine and finish it off before picking up my clutch from the table and pushing my chair back. I stand just as a man approaches.
“I’m so sorry I’m late,” he says around a nervous looking smile. Small wrinkles form around his green eyes and as he runs his hand through his thick blonde hair. “You’re Bianca, right?”
I force a smile on my face. Damn…I was so close to getting out of this. “Yes. You’re Max?” I ask.
He nods. “I am. Please don’t tell your mother how late I was. She’s been putting so much pressure on me about this date. I can’t believe I’ve already blown it.” He takes his seat across from mine and I have no choice but to sit back down. I flag down the waiter and motion toward my empty wine glass.
“I’ll make you a deal. I won’t tell my mother you were late as long as you don’t tell my mother how much wine I have with dinner tonight.” I offer up a flirty smile.
He lets out a quiet laugh and nods. “Agreed.”
The waiter is back with the bottle of wine and he fills both our glasses.
“Thank you,” I say as I pick up the glass and take a sip. “So, Max. Tell me about yourself.”
He straightens his back and sits taller as his eyes move to focus on mine. “Well, my full name is Maxwell Weaver the third. My family is the owner of The Weaver Distillery. I’m currently working there as head of operations.”
“My mother told you to say all of this, didn’t she?”
He pauses his speech and his face goes slack. He was hoping I didn’t see through his well thought out speech to win me over with old family money, a name everyone knows, and the promise of a bright and luxurious future. “She did,” he finally admits, hanging his head.
I laugh and that causes his eyes to lift back up to mine. “She’s always doing this, you know?”
“What’s that?”
I roll my eyes. “She’s so determined to find me a suitable husband that she latches onto anyone who has a social status and forces them down my throat. No offense, Max, but this is never going to work out between us. It’s only our first time meeting and already it wreaks of Evelyn Greer.”
“Well, that’s good news on my part. I’m sort of engaged,” he says around a nervous chuckle.
That makes me bust out laughing. “Does my mother know?”
He laughs and nods. “She does, but she had it in her head that I would like you better than the woman I’ve been dating for the last four years, so…”
I laugh and take a sip of my wine. “This is a new low. Her list of men must be dwindling.” I place my glass of wine back on the table. “So, what does your fiancé think you’re doing right now?”
“I told her I had a business dinner, that the Greer family was looking to invest and I needed to convince you.” He shrugs one shoulder and offers up a crooked smile. “It was the only thing I could think of.”
“My mother,” I breathe out, running my fingers up and down the stem of my wine glass. “Does your mother do this to you?”
“She tried to. Until I finally meet a woman on my own and brought her home. She hasn’t tried setting me up in two years now.” His brows draw together as he thinks back.
“I thought you said you’ve been with her for four?”
“I did,” he says around a smile. “She didn’t give up until we were engaged. The wedding is set for this fall.”
I take a long drink of my wine. The more I drink the funnier this whole thing is, but the funnier it gets the more angry I get. I can’t believe my mother set me up with a man who’s getting married in a few short months. I plan on giving her a piece of my mind. All this match making has to stop. I don’t know why she’s so adamant about marrying me off. It’s not like it’s the early 1900’s anymore. A single woman isn’t looked down on anymore. In fact, these days, they have a higher standing than ever.
She thinks something is wrong with me because I like to focus on my schooling and career. A woman my age should be focusing on finding a man, getting married, and having children, or so she says.
“Look, you obviously have some place better to be, so this fake meeting/date can wrap up at any time.” I reach for my purse to pay for the wine but he holds up his hand.
“The way I look at it, this got me out of picking out wedding flowers—something I couldn’t care less about. So, how about we continue with our meeting and since this is a business dinner, it’s on dear old dad.” He smiles. “Go ahead and order the most expensive steak on the menu. Hell, steak and lobster, like surf and turf?”
I smile. “That’s nice of you, but I really would like to get out of here. It’s been a long day.” I pick up my purse and pull out my card.
He holds up his hand. “Don’t worry about paying for the wine. I’m going to stick around and have some dinner. If I get done with this too early, I have to join my fiancée at the flower shop around the corner and as you can probably guess, I really don’t want to do that.”
I laugh as I slide the card back into my purse. “Well, thank you.” I stand up and smooth out my dress.
He stands with me. “It was nice to meet you, Bianca. I hope you figure out a way to get your mother off your back.”
I laugh. “Well, I’ll probably have to get married before that will happen but thank you for the wine.”
He takes my hand and shakes it gently before releasing me and allowing me to walk away.
I swear, this is the last date I let my mother set me up on.
***
“I’m Chad, it’s nice to meet you. You’re mother has said wonderful things about you.” He kisses the top of my hand with his wet lips and it makes me want to shutter but I refrain.
I force a smile into place. “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you too.”
He releases my hand and pulls out my chair. I take a seat and he scoots me forward. I look around the restaurant that’s all too familiar. This is my mother’s favorite restaurant and she assumes that it’s my favorite too because every time we go out, we come here. Little does she know that I hate this place. I only pick it to make her happy.
“So, Chad. Tell me about yourself,” I say, the same way I start all of these dates.
“Geeee,” he wiggles in his seat. “I don’t really know what do say.”
I reach for my glass of wine—the only thing that gets me through these dinners. “Just say whatever comes to mind. Where do you work, what do you like to do in your spare time? You’re not about to get married are you?” I joke, but am also completely serious after that last date.
He lets out a laugh with a snort. “No, not getting married. I’m thirty-two and know I need to settle down, but I like my life, ya know? Plus…that would leave mother alone.”
I nod. I can completely agree with enjoying my life but the part about his mother is a little concerning. He’s cute in his nerdy way but still not my type. His dark hair is parted down the middle and combed to either side. He’s wearing black plastic framed glasses—the only thing they’re missing is some white tape across the nos
e. And he’s wearing a bowtie with sailboats on it. If J Crew were a human, it would be him. What is wrong with my mother?
“I still live with my mother,” he confesses completely out of nowhere.
“You’re thirty-two and still live at home?” I ask, reaching for my wine again.
He nods. “Yeah, mother, she’s getting older and was needing some help around the house.”
I nod, trying not to be judgmental. “Well, that was nice of you. So you moved back in?”
He shakes his head. “No, I never moved out. I was living in the pool house but when she got sick, I moved back into my childhood bedroom to be closer to her.”
I motion for more wine. “So, you and your mother are close,” I say, trying to be polite and not feel creeped out at all.
“Oh, we’re very close. Mother likes it that way. She doesn’t like when I spend too much time with friends or playing video games. She insists that I’m with her for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We also have our evening snack and tea together in the living room as we watch reruns of I Love Lucy. It’s her favorite show.”
I nod and force my smile in place. “What’s your favorite show?” I ask, wanting to lead the subject away from his overbearing mother.
“Oh, anything Mother likes usually.”
I nod and press my lips together. “What do you watch when you’re not with your mother?”
“Oh, I’m always with Mother. She wasn’t too happy about me missing dinner tonight. She said she was going to punish me and not let me have snack time tonight. But jokes on her! I’ll just have desert here with you.”
I push my chair back and stand. “I’m sorry, Chad, but I have to go.” I don’t look back as I rush from the restaurant alone.
This is absolutely the last time I let my mother set me up.
The F It List (Love You Forever Book 6) Page 20