by Skye Jordan
Zach sucked in a deep breath, stretching his lungs until the stress ebbed, then blew it out nice and slow.
“There you go,” Tucker said.
“You got the ring?”
“That’s the eighteenth time you’ve asked.”
“What’s your point?”
“I have the ring.”
Zach cleared his throat, scanned the guests, breezing over his mother and father sitting up front. His mother was talking with the woman next to her. His father was scanning his phone. Zach was glad they’d come—for Tessa and Sophia. Nothing had changed between him and his parents, but they’d happily welcomed Tessa into the family and were both absolutely bowled over by Sophia. And as long as they treated his girls like gold, he’d let them.
“Did you sign the contract for next season yet?” Tucker asked.
“I’m going to talk it over with Tessa first.”
“If you don’t take it, would you pimp me out?”
Zach laughed. “I didn’t say I wasn’t taking it.” He shrugged and gave Tucker a sidelong look. “But I’ll still put in a word for you—as my understudy.”
Tucker’s laugh carried on the wind. “You fuckin’ big shot.”
Ellie finished a song, slipped off the stool, and handed her guitar over to a young woman sitting in the front row. While Ellie made her way across the sand and disappeared around a bend, the other woman started strumming Here Comes the Bride.
Zach’s blood pressure shot skyward, along with his excitement.
The minister cut his conversation with a guest short and met Zach and Tucker under the arbor with a warm smile. “Beautiful night for a beach wedding.”
“Perfect night,” Zach agreed—to begin the best days of his life.
A collective gasp from the guests pulled Zach’s gaze to the end of the white carpet that had been laid over the sand. Sophia started down the path with a basket in one hand, the other throwing crimson rose petals along the carpet. Zach knew Rubi had gotten her hands on the girl the second he’d seen the elaborate curls tucked into a silver tiara. But he had to admit, her bright smile as she traipsed the carpet made Zach stand taller and smile wider. His heart spilled with joy. This was truly the very best day of his life.
The first couple turned onto the carpet—Lexi and Jax. Followed by Rubi and Wes. By the time Rachel and Ryker fell in behind them, Sophia had reached him. Zach settled his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face the aisle just as Lexi and Jax parted, Lexi turning left and taking up residence on the bride’s side, Jax turning right and standing beside Tucker.
The couples continued to stream down the aisle and part, forming lines on either side of the arbor. After Rachel and Ryker, Grace and Josh started down the aisle, followed by Ellie and Troy, and finally Brook and her ready-to-pop-any-day-now belly accompanying Keaton.
No more than ten minutes had passed since the music had started, but Zach could have sworn it took them half a damn hour to get down the aisle. Sweat collected under his tuxedo shirt and stung the cuts on his face.
The music paused a moment while Ellie took her place on the stool with her guitar. She started singing a song from her latest platinum album, something Tessa had chosen and a song Zach loved, but he couldn’t focus on anything other than Tessa as she stepped onto the end of the carpet where Zach’s father met her and offered his arm.
Her gown was sleek, simple, and sleeveless, with lace from the waist up, dipping in a deep vee between her breasts. Her hair was up, and a fluffy veil spilled out behind her. Christ, she looked beautiful. Radiant. Stunning. A familiar ache churned deep in his heart.
She smiled at his father, and they shared a few words before Tessa looked up and found Zach. He felt the moment their gazes met with a flutter in his gut. The closer she came, the faster his heart beat, until the surf had faded and the music barely registered as a distant hum. Tessa’s smile held strong, even as the shock of his appearance registered in her eyes. And by the time she stood face-to-face with him, she was giggling.
“I know,” he murmured. “I’m so sorry.”
She shook her head. “I’m just glad you’re here.”
His father lifted Tessa’s hand and offered it to Zach. When Zach took it, his father sandwiched Zach’s and Tessa’s between his own and met Zach’s eyes. “I know I don’t say it, son, but I am very proud of you. I wish you and Tessa and this little angel”—he tapped the end of Sophia’s nose—“all the happiness in the world.”
Zach’s throat swelled with emotion. While he’d made peace with the distance between himself and his family long ago, he couldn’t deny the warmth that surfaced now, proving that he would always be his parents’ son, no matter how old he got.
“Thanks, Dad. And thanks for being here. It means a lot to us.”
He nodded, kissed Tessa on the cheek. “Welcome to the family, sweetheart.”
“Thank you.”
And he ran a finger across Sophia’s perfect cheek. “You too, muffin.”
Sophia giggled. “Thanks, Granpa.”
Zach’s father had mellowed significantly over the years, and with Tessa’s and Sophia’s help, he thought he and his parents might just be able to develop a relationship again.
When his father turned toward his seat, Tessa lifted a hand to the injured side of his face with a look of horrified amusement. “Does it hurt as bad as it looks?”
Zach burst out laughing, then immediately regretted it and groaned. “Only when I laugh.”
A wave of soft laughter traveled through the guests.
Tessa leaned her forehead against Zach’s and murmured, “I’ve missed you so much.”
“Me too, baby. Me too. You look…I don’t even have words.”
He lowered his head to kiss her, only to have someone yank on his jacket sleeve.
“Uh-uh,” Tucker said. “None of that before you’re married.”
And more laughter peppered the group.
The minister welcomed everyone to start the ceremony, and Zach released Tessa’s hand only long enough to pick up Sophia before clutching Tessa’s hand again. And while the minister spoke about the wonder of marriage, Zach couldn’t take his eyes off Tessa. Couldn’t stop reveling in the perfection of the moment, surrounded by the people that meant everything to him, to Tessa, to Sophia. He’d never imagined a life so rich or so joyful.
“Zach,” the minister drew his attention. “Would you like to share your vows?”
A pinch of panic burned his gut.
Vows. Right. They’d agreed on short and sweet.
He fully faced Tessa and squeezed her fingers. God, she was so damn beautiful, inside and out.
He cleared his throat and brought up the words he’d practiced.
“Tessa,” he started, slow and deliberate, hoping all the emotions he felt for her came through in his words, his voice. “I love you. I love you for all that you are, all that you have been, and all that you have yet to be. I take you to be my best friend, my faithful partner, and my one true love.” Her mouth quivered into a smile. Her eyes glistened with tears. “I promise to honor and cherish you always and in all ways. In sickness and in health, in laughter and in tears, in good times and in bad, in failure and in triumph, I vow to love you with everything I am, all the days of my life.”
The minister nodded and turned his smile on Tessa. “Tessa?”
She sniffled and smiled. “Zach, with my whole heart, I take you as my best friend and my husband. I promise to be faithful and supportive always and in all ways. I promise to always make our family’s love and happiness my priority. I will be yours in plenty and in want, in sickness, in health”—she smiled, huffed a laugh, and lifted her hand to cup his damaged cheek—“and in injuries.” Zach laughed along with the guests. “I promise to dream with you, celebrate with you, and walk beside you through whatever our lives may bring. Throughout this life and into the next.”
His vision blurred with tears, and he closed his eyes, turning his head to kiss her palm. Zach
could have never imagined this level of love or fulfillment before Tessa. Before Sophia.
The minister tied up the ceremony, Sophia slid their wedding bands onto their fingers, and Tessa kissed his torn lips gently. Then they both kissed Sophia’s cheeks to a rowdy round of applause.
Zach held Sophia close and wrapped his other arm around Tessa’s shoulders as they accepted hugs and congratulations, then started back toward the house for the reception.
As the guests headed into the house where a catered seven-course dinner awaited, Zach lowered Sophia to the ground so she could run ahead with the other kids. He stopped on the sand and wrapped his bride in his arms, holding her close. “God, I’ve missed you so much.”
“I want to squeeze you so hard, but I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Squeeze me. It will be worth it.”
She laughed and tightened her arms around him, and Zach let out a groan of both pleasure and pain. He whispered at her ear, “I love you so much. This is, hands down, the best day of my entire life.”
“Same, baby.” She pulled back, looked into his eyes, and smiled. “Same.”
Zach kissed her, giving her a gentle taste of his passion. “I can’t wait to get you alone.”
She laughed. “Big words for a man in your condition.”
“Don’t even. You know what happens when you challenge me.”
“Hold that thought. We still have a long night of friends and family ahead.”
“Yeah, about that…” He pulled papers from his inner jacket pocket. “Before we head into partylandia, I wanted to give you this.”
She took the folded papers but only scanned his face. “What is it?”
“Your wedding present.”
She gave him that sweet puppy-dog look. “Oh, Zach…”
He rolled his eyes. “Look, look.”
Laughing, she unfolded the sheets and skimmed the adoption papers Zach had drawn up over the last few weeks. She sucked a breath and pressed her fingers to her lips. “Oh…” Tears gathered in her eyes, and her watery blue gaze jumped to his. “I thought we were going to wait. Until things settled down…”
“You’ve been her mother from day one. These only put that fact into writing.” Zach cupped her face in both hands. “Today, you gave me a whole, complete, amazing family. You’ve brought me more love and more happiness than I’ve ever dreamed of having. I want this day to bring you the same joy.”
Tessa whimpered and threw her arms around his neck. “It already has, baby. It already has.”
DEAR READER
I hope you loved Zach and Tessa’s story! I enjoyed creating a stubborn, adorable little daughter who could wrap Zach around her finger. Thanks for reading!
Until next time,
Skye
Bonus Content: QUICK TRICK
Copyright © 2017 by Skye Jordan
This book is a work of fiction. References to real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locations are intended only to provide a sense of authenticity, and are used fictitiously. All other characters, and all incidents and dialogue, are drawn from the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in encouraging piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
One
Grant Saber peered through the wide plate glass windows of St. Nicholas Hardware, searching the darkness for signs of life.
He cupped his gloved hands around his eyes to cut the glare from millions of Christmas lights reflecting off the snow and searched the shadows. This crazy-ass little town was dressed up for Christmas three-hundred-sixty-five days a year. As a kid that had seemed fun. As a teen, it had seemed just plain stupid. As an adult... Well, he’d bailed on this place as soon as humanly possible.
And he sure as shit didn’t want to be here now.
“I know you’re in there, dammit.” He could see a light burning somewhere in the back.
His breath created a billow of condensation, obscuring his view. He shifted from foot to foot, as if that would keep the blood from freezing in his veins. He might spend half his life on the ice, but the exertion and adrenaline of hockey always kept him dripping in sweat. Now he was just freezing his ass off.
Grant yanked off a ski glove and rapped his knuckles against one of the double glass doors again, then blew into his palm to warm it and raised his voice to yell, “Hello?”
No movement. No sound. Nothing.
Grant pulled out his phone and checked the time. One minute after six p.m. They’d closed early.Calebpical.
“Damn hick town.”
He shoved his phone back into the pocket of his jacket and his hand back into his glove, then turned and looked both directions down Main Street. It was deserted on this bitterly cold night just weeks before Christmas. Not much had changed about the storybook setting—one that belonged at Santa’s workshop in the North Pole. But Grant had been gone long enough for the sugary-sweet gingerbread on every building to make him gag a little. And he was sure Holly dominated ninety percent of North Carolina’s power grid from Halloween through New Year’s with all the additional lights and moving decorations residents added for the holidays. As if they needed more.
Across the street, a lone human figure dressed in a dark parka emerged from the shadowed storefronts and shuffled across the street. “Whatcha need there, son?”
That was just like this place—everyone up in everyone else’s business.
The voice identified him as an older man, and as he approached the sidewalk, Grant caught a look at his face beneath the hood of his jacket, confirming he was in his sixties.
“Christmas tree,” Grant said. “If I go home without it, my mama’s gonna be pissed.”
The man harrumphed and narrowed his eyes. “Which mama would that be?”
“Hazel Saber.”
The man stopped and straightened out of the cold hunch that populated the streets of Holly this time of year. He pushed his hood back with a gloved hand. “Grant? That you?”
The weathered face looking back at Grant flooded him with a rush of great memories. Some of the best he had of his youth here in Holly.
“Mr. Lowry?” Mike Lowry was the father of one of Grant’s best friends and teammates all through school. Grant laughed and stepped forward to hug the man he spent so many years wishing had been his father rather than the man he’d been born to. “How are you?”
Mike gave him the same bear hug he’d always shared and nostalgic warmth softened a few of Grant’s rough edges. “Good, good.” He stepped back, with a big smile creasing his face. He’d probably aged more than a decade over the last ten years, but he still looked great to Grant. “I’ve been watching all your games, you know, since you went pro. Even sprung for cable so I could watch the ones on those odd ball channels.”
Grant laughed at the farmer’s rough language and made a mental note to pay the man’s cable bill into perpetuity. “That’s great. How’s Bobby doing?”
“Oh, real good.” The freezing temperatures didn’t quicken Mike’s lazy drawl. “Got himself a farm of his own in Bonnettsville. Married Becky Snell ‘bout four years ago. They’ve got a three-year-old little girl and another baby on the way. Bobby’s hopin’ for a boy this time. One he can take out on the ice with him.”
“He can take a girl on the ice,” Grant said, working to engage in the conversation. Every word reminded him of why he’d been so anxious to get out of this town. The whole stuck on a farm with a wife and kids scenario was making invisible walls close in on him.
“Aw, well, he don’t get out on the ice much anymore anyway. But wait until everyone hears we’ve got a star in our midst this Christmas. Did I hear you’re gonna be working with Dwayne and the high school team?”
“Yeah.” Remembering the positive half of what had
brought him back to Holly helped smooth the frustration he’d met up with upon arriving—his mother. “I’m really looking forward to it.”
“Bet he is too. Since MaryAnn passed, he’s real lonely. Bends the ear of anyone who will listen. Those kids keep him going, you know? It’ll be real good for him to see you.”
Mike kept talking, and Grant was reminded of how many people in this town loved to bend an ear. He just kept nodding while Mike talked about Dwayne, the high school hockey team, his granddaughter, and Bobby’s farm until Grant could find a spot to cut in.
“Well, say hi to him for me, would you?” Grant said. “I’ll be in town for a few weeks. I’d love to have a beer with him if he’s around.”
“Oh, he’d like that. Say, how’s your shoulder? It’s been keepin’ you off the ice, right?”
“Yes, sir, but not for much longer. Surgery was a success, and I’m done with PT. Just waiting for the doctors to clear me. I should be back in the game after the holiday break.”
And, God, he could not wait. He’d been going stir crazy. There was only so much working out he could do. So many training tapes he could watch. So many soft practices he could participate in. So many wanna-be Rider Girls to coach through riding lessons.
Okay, there were an endless supply of wanna-be Rider Girls. But in truth, Grant wouldn’t mind a little variety. Though he wasn’t exactly in a place where variety was bursting at the seams.
“Bet your parents are glad to see you,” Mike said.
Grant thought of his mother’s demand to fetch the Christmas tree less than an hour after he’d arrived home and clenched his teeth. “Highly debatable,” he muttered and glanced toward the store again. “And definitely not if I don’t come home with a tree. They closed early.”
“Aw, you just missed her. Saw her leave ’bout fifteen minutes ago from my sister’s shop across the street. She ducked into Yuletide Spirits. Can probably still catch her. No doubt you could sweet-talk her into coming back to reopen and get your tree. She’s great like that. And still the prettiest, sweetest little blonde in town.” He slapped Grant’s arm before moving on. “Welcome home, kid. See you around.”