The gathered guests clapped with enthusiasm. Someone in the back whistled, sharp and loud, causing a ripple of laughter to pass through the crowd. Charlie gestured for silence again. “One more thing before I give the stage over to the fine proprietress of Lily’s Café. I think we all need to give a big thank you to the man who organized this campaign. Our new doctor, Jake Hadley.”
Applause broke out across the yard again. Coralee tugged at Jake’s arm, encouraging him to stand. Cringing, he rose halfway from his seat and responded with a quick wave and what he hoped was a smile and not a grimace. He had never been more relieved than he was when Charlie went on to introduce Lily and the guests turned away from him. But his embarrassment evaporated when Coralee intertwined her arm through his. His skin heated at the contact. Maybe she would be more willing to forgive him than he thought.
Lily took Charlie’s place on the stage and Jake’s heart beat faster. He couldn’t wait to see Coralee’s face during this announcement, a special surprise he had planned just for her. “My brother, William Holbrook, was a man who loved this town. He worked hard until the day he died to build up Holbrook’s Apothecary so the people in Spring Hill would have access to the medicine we need. Losing that shop to the fire is a terrible loss for all of us.”
Jake heard a sniffle and saw Coralee wiping wetness from her cheeks. He reached over and squeezed her hand, glad to see her smile at him through the tears as Lily continued. “William would have been proud of our town as we come together to protect ourselves for the future. I’m proud to announce that, because of his contributions to Spring Hill, our new fire equipment will be dedicated in his honor.”
More applause followed the statement for long moments before fading out. The guests started visiting with each other as Lily left the stage. Coralee was crying and hugging her sisters. They all looked proud of their father and they had every right to be. When Lily and Charlie arrived and took their seats at the table, Coralee leaned close to Jake’s ear and spoke in a low voice, for him alone. “Thank you, Jake. I have a feeling that was your idea.”
Her voice was soft and eyes glowing. He couldn’t help resting his arm along her chair, pressed against her back. It was as close as he could come to holding her in such a public place. Jake had trouble containing his impatience through the rest of the tea. There was soft music in the background, dainty finger foods that weren’t very filling and, of course, plenty of tea. Several women from the ladies’ society recited poems and the children from Cecilia’s school sang a song.
It seemed to take all day, but finally the program was over and guests started leaving. As they stood from the table, Jake cupped Coralee’s elbow and spoke quietly, sweat breaking out on his forehead. It was time. “I have something to show you at the clinic. Feel like a little walk?”
She took his arm and they walked down First Street, in the direction of the clinic. Jake’s heart felt ready to burst with pride. Just the thought that this kind, intelligent, beautiful woman chose to walk at his side was enough to bring Jake to his knees in thankfulness. But he had some business with her before they reached the clinic.
“Coralee, I owe you a terrific apology. Before the fire, I behaved in the worst possible way. I let my fear get the best of me and hurt you in the process. When Samuel returned from St. Louis, he was mad as a hornet because I was helping you. He threatened my position in his practice. I was wrong to even consider that choosing to hurt you was the right response. But I was worried about my parents and I didn’t know what would happen to the twins if I had to leave town to practice medicine.”
Her face tilted up to look at him. “Jake, it’s all right. I understand the pressure you were facing.”
He lightly stroked her hand where it rested on his arm. “No, I need you to know that I realize how wrong I was. I couldn’t stand to let my family down. But in trying to protect them, I ended up hurting you. And, Coralee, that’s just as bad. Not having you in my life for those few days was terrible and I never want that to happen again.”
They came to a stop in front of the clinic as a pretty flush worked its way up her cheeks. “Thank you, Jake. I recognize the fear that drove your choices. I lived with that fear for years, ever since Alan’s death. So I forgive you, for all of it.”
He couldn’t contain the giant grin that stretched across his face. “You don’t know how happy that makes me. Now, get ready, because I have a surprise that I think you’re going to love.”
Jake stepped back to open the clinic door for her. Coralee hesitated on the threshold and his muscles tensed. How would she respond to what she saw inside?
“Jake, what is all this?”
Before the tea, Jake had pushed his old desk into the middle of the empty room. On it, he had unrolled several large pages, the corners secured with tools. From his spot behind Coralee, he rested his hands on her waist and urged her closer. “Why don’t you take a look?”
He watched her eyes roam over the building plans. She took in the outline of the clinic building, with the new addition off one side of the waiting room. He looked over her shoulder as she flipped to the next page: a drawing of a wall of shelves with counter space underneath, similar to what had been in Holbrook’s. She spun around, wide blue eyes searching his face.
“I’ll ask again. What is this, Jake?”
He bounced on his toes, excitement and nerves clashing inside. “I hope you aren’t upset that I had these drawn up without asking you first. But I wanted you to see it before you decided. It occurred to me that the perfect place for an apothecary to operate is right in the doctor’s office. The patients won’t have to go across town for what they need, and we can consult together on the best course of treatment.”
His excitement started to win the internal battle as he explained the plan to Coralee. She blinked a few times, lips pursed as she studied the plans again. “You want me to have a shop right here? In your office?”
He laughed, taking her by the hand and pulling her to the wall, gesturing as he explained. “Yes. We’ll open up this wall right here.” Leaving her in the middle of the room, he jogged to the other side. “I’ll have another examination room built in this part of the waiting room, but we’ll share the rest. We can put up whatever kind of partitions we find necessary, but it will all be accessible from this spot.” He returned to stand near her, his whole body coiled tight as he waited for her reaction.
“Oh, Jake. That’s so kind and thoughtful. But I can’t just let you spend that kind of money. And what would people say about us working in the same building all day?” Even as she protested, he saw her eyes exploring the spots he’d pointed out. He knew she was envisioning the changes he had come up with.
But there was hesitation in her eyes when she turned to him. Fear washed over him, but Jake forced it away. Now was the time. He was ready to lay out his love for her to see, ready to risk rejection again. The chance of winning her heart was worth it. And this time, he was going to be perfectly clear about all of his intentions. Even if she said no in the end, he was going to do this right. Gathering every ounce of his courage and love, Jake reached for her.
* * *
As Coralee stared at the wall, seeing the plans Jake had made in her mind’s eye, she was ready to decline his generous offer. It was almost the perfect arrangement, but she couldn’t agree to it. She had no idea how Jake felt about their relationship now, but she knew how she felt. She loved him. His selflessness, his generosity, his loving way with the twins. She loved every bit of it. Even his tendency to do things on his own, while it frustrated her, was part of who he was, and she would gladly live with it.
But she wasn’t sure she could stand the pain of working across the building from him every day if he didn’t return the feelings she could no longer deny. She turned to face him, heart heavy, mouth opening to explain that she couldn’t accept what he was offering.
It stoppe
d her in her tracks when he took her in his arms. “I’ve thought through all your arguments. I want to do this as partners, not just in business, but in life. I love you, Coralee. I always have, even before I left for school. I know I’ve made mistakes in the past. Letting you walk away all those years ago without telling you how I felt is something I regret every day. I hope you can forgive me and accept this. All of it.” His voice lowered as he held her gaze, sincerity written on every inch of his face. “I’m going to be clear this time. I love you. I want to spend my life with you. I want you to help me make every decision from here on out. Will you marry me?”
Was this real? After everything that had happened between them over the years, they had the chance to be in love with each other again? Her eyes scanned his face as she searched for words. His lips parted as he sucked in a breath and she realized how long she’d left him standing there with the question unanswered. Her heart screamed to say yes but—
No, there wasn’t a single reason to do anything but accept. She rested her head on his chest. “Yes, Jake. I love you and I will marry you.”
He squeezed her tight enough that her feet lifted off the ground. Then he leaned in and lowered his lips to hers. The sweet kiss held all the promises she wanted to make, all the things she had hoped for, but didn’t dare believe could be hers.
Jake broke the kiss but then came back for another. And another. When he finally pulled away and released her from his arms, they were both flushed and breathless. Leaning against the edge of the desk, Jake’s shining eyes held the same longing she felt.
“There’s one more thing I wanted to discuss. I never thought much about what it would be like to have children. But since I’ve been caring for the twins, I’ve come to realize how important and wonderful a family of my own could be.”
Coralee’s breath caught in her throat. He had just proposed. Was he going to tell her now that he was upset that she couldn’t have children? Had he just remembered and decided to take back his declaration? The urge to run almost took over. But Coralee refused to give in to it. She was a different woman now. She would choose to trust Jake and hear him out instead of fleeing from what scared her.
He took both her hands in his, thumbs caressing her skin. “I think you know how much I’ve come to love the twins. And I’m pretty sure you love them, too.” She nodded emphatically and his smile grew. “What do you think about adopting them? Making the four of us a family?”
Without warning, tears filled her eyes as relief made her knees weak. He wasn’t going to take back his sweet words. He was offering the chance for all her dreams to come true. She started sniffling. Jake crossed the room and took her in his arms again, looking worried. She laughed unsteadily. “You must think I’m so silly. One of the happiest moments in life and here I am, blubbering like a baby.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think you’re silly. But I’m not sure why you’re crying, either.”
“For so long, I’ve lived with hurt and loss and fear. Now, all my dreams are falling into place, right in front of my eyes. You, a new shop and the children I’ve longed for. Most couples have time to get used to the idea, but as soon as we marry, we’ll have a full-fledged family.”
He tilted his head. “It’s a big idea to get used to. But is it what you want?”
Joy surged through her. His declaration of love and proposal were wonderful. But more than anything, that little question showed evidence that he had changed. He cared about what she wanted and he was making a point to seek her opinion rather than assuming she would go along with his plans. She wandered around the waiting room, pausing here and there, envisioning the changes he had planned for the space and the changes on the horizon for their lives. Finally she turned back to him with a grin. “Yes. I want you. I want the twins. I want the shop here by your clinic. All of it. For the rest of my life.”
Jake let out a whoop of joy and ran to her, swinging her around in his arms before holding her close again. He lowered his head toward her lips, whispering just before they touched, “And I want it all, too.”
It was several moments before either of them could speak. Coralee pulled away first. “I think, since we have the twins to consider, maybe we shouldn’t have a long engagement.”
With mock sincerity and sparkling eyes, Jake nodded. “Oh, yes, for the sake of the children, we should move things along.”
She playfully swatted his arm. “I meant it. I have everything we need to set up a home. We don’t need to spend time arranging a trousseau. And my sisters can whip up a dress in no time.”
Jake pointed out the large front window. “Along with this building, Samuel passed on the parcel of land on the north side, closest to the creek. He said he intended to build a house on it, but it didn’t seem important after a while.” He turned back to her. “I know the whole town would help, so we could put up a house in no time.”
The only answer she could manage around the lump in her throat was a happy smile. All the dreams she hadn’t dared to hope for over the last two years were in her grasp. Awareness of God’s goodness washed over her. Anything she said would be inadequate, so she just snuggled back into Jake’s arms, right where she wanted to be forever.
Epilogue
It was a beautiful September morning but Coralee hardly even noticed. She paced the floor of Jake’s bedroom at the Hadley farm, peeking through the light cotton curtains when she crossed to the window. The road outside the house was empty, just as it had been every other time she’d looked in the last hour.
“You won’t get him here any faster by fretting.” Aunt Lily’s voice was full of barely restrained amusement as she entered the bedroom.
“I know. But he’s late. Cat said Charlie’s been teasing about Jake getting cold feet and hopping on a steamboat instead of coming back. I mean, of course, he wouldn’t do that, but I’m worried that something happened to him.”
Aunt Lily didn’t try to contain her laughter this time, letting out a full-blown chortle. “My dear girl, you aren’t the first bride to worry that things won’t go well on her wedding day. And you won’t be the last. He’ll be here as soon as he can. There’s not much that could have happened to him between town and here.”
Coralee plopped down into a chair, pale gray skirts pooling around her. The satin gown was a sight to behold. It had wide sleeves in the latest style and a beautiful, pleated bodice that had taken Cecilia too many evenings to sew. The fitted waist was finished with a thin belt, tied in a bow with tails that cascaded down the back of the voluminous skirts.
In spite of her arguments that the creation was too much for a widow’s second wedding, Cecilia and Cat had insisted that it was their gift to her. She still couldn’t believe her sisters had accomplished the making of such an elaborate gown in just a few weeks. They had finished the ensemble with a coronet of fresh flowers tucked into her intricately braided and pinned hair. Coralee had to admit, she did look stunning.
But now, it all seemed like too much when she was faced with the question of whether Jake would even attend their nuptials. He had only gone to town to get their marriage license. He should have been back long ago.
Just when she was about to tell Aunt Lily to get her out of the beautiful gown so she could go find him, a shout from below made her rush to the window. There was Jake, riding up in a hurry. He swung off the horse and dashed into the house, out of their sight.
Aunt Lily laughed. “Didn’t I tell you he’d be here? That man is far too in love to let anything keep him from his wedding.”
Coralee was smoothing her gown and checking her hair one last time when Cat stuck her head in the doorway. “Ready, Coralee? Your groom’s waiting.”
With a deep breath, Coralee squared her shoulders. It was finally time for her and Jake to join their lives together forever. Now that she knew he was there, the nerves calmed and all she felt was happiness
and a longing to be at his side.
Strains of music floated from the first floor as Coralee followed her aunt and sisters down the stairs. They passed under an arch of flowers built around the parlor doorway and then she was face-to-face with Jake. Her first love, the man she had always dreamed of pledging her life to but almost missed.
Her groom met her at the door and tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. She scanned his handsome face, taking in every familiar detail. “Jake, was there a problem getting the license? We expected you earlier.”
He patted her hand and smiled, eyes alight with excitement. “No problem, just an errand I needed to see to. But I want to tell you about it along with everyone else.”
Tilting her head, Coralee watched him for a moment. Jake started to step forward but she pulled on his arm, holding him back. “There’s one more thing I wanted to say before we go in.”
Turning to face her, Jake gave her his full attention. Coralee took a deep breath. “For too long, I let fear drive my decisions. I think we both did. But I don’t want to live that way anymore. You encouraged me to take a chance on applying to the Association and I can see now that you were right. Since I’ll have a shop again, thanks to you, I’m going to take the examination. And I’m confident that I’ll become the first female member, just like you said.”
Jake’s strong arms slid around her as he pulled her close. “Coralee, I’ll support you no matter what. But I’m so proud of you for taking this chance, for overcoming your fear.”
With one last look into each other’s eyes, they turned and walked through the crowd of friends and family that had gathered until they came to a stop in front of the minister. Cecilia urged the twins to run up and stand with them, Louisa next to Coralee and Phillip next to Jake.
Charlie leaned into the aisle and teased Jake from where he stood by Cat. “Finally got over the cold feet, I see.” Scattered chuckles accompanied his words.
Taking on Twins Page 21