“You were dealing with a lot,” he said. Understanding that had made patience easier. He stepped closer and tucked a finger under her chin until she met his gaze. “I never wanted to hold you back, Cait. I want you to have everything you’ve ever dreamed of.”
“And I couldn’t imagine how that was possible,” she said. “Not until my mom gave me a not-so-gentle shove in the right direction. Then Dr. Davis gave me another push earlier today. I realized I could still have it all, just maybe not in the order I’d planned. Lots of doctors volunteer overseas after they’re established here at home. Even Gram pointed that out to me months ago, but I wasn’t ready to hear it yet.”
She gave him a look filled with regret. “Here’s the crazy part. I was so worried about losing one dream, I almost blew the chance to fulfill another one, a dream I have to wonder if I even deserve.”
“If you’re referring to us, I think we both deserve to have this dream,” Noah said. He put a hand on her stomach and felt the baby shift, almost as if he or she was aware that what was happening here and now was momentous, and was snuggling into the comfort of Noah’s touch. “God wouldn’t have given it to us otherwise.”
“You’ve never once lost faith that this is right, have you?” she asked, a sense of wonder in her voice. “You don’t have a single regret about that town in West Virginia.”
“Not a single one. I recommended one of the other residents to my old mentor. He’s a good fit, so it worked out for the best.” His gaze held hers. “Is it really okay with you? Waiting to go back to Africa, I mean, at least for a little while?”
She nodded. “I realize that the work might be important, but none of it would matter if I lost you in the meantime. I want us to be together to raise our child. Or at least as together as we can be with you here and me in Baltimore. I want the commitment, Noah. I was raised to believe in marriage and family, as much as I was to make a difference. I just lost sight of that.”
Noah finally released the breath it felt as if he’d been holding for months now. “Wait here,” he said. “I have something for you.”
He went to the master bedroom and took a small jeweler’s box and a thick envelope from the dresser. He went back to the nursery. He found her standing beside the crib, her hand on the railing, a smile on her lips.
“Cait?”
When she turned, he caught her gaze and held it. “I’ve been waiting a very long time to ask you this. Officially, I mean. Will you marry me? Will you let me try to give you everything you’ve ever dreamed of? Once you’ve finished your residency, will you join me here in this town that means so much to you to make a home for our child?”
Tears spilled down her cheeks as she nodded. “I love you, Noah McIlroy. I really do. I can’t imagine my life without you.”
He slipped the engagement ring on her finger, then smiled. “There’s one more thing.” He handed her the envelope.
“What’s this?”
“Open it.”
Inside was the paperwork from Doctors Without Borders, forms for both of them to serve as volunteers. More than likely, it would be several years before they’d be able to submit them, but he needed her to know it was something he intended to share with her.
“Oh, Noah,” she whispered. “You really do get it.”
“Of course I do. It’s just one of the million and one reasons I love you.” Once again he rested a hand on her belly, felt their baby give a good strong kick this time and smiled. “I think our little one approves of our plans.”
“Either that or he or she is kicking me for waiting so long to get with the new plan,” she said, covering Noah’s hand with her own.
“When do you want to get married?” he asked. “Have you given that any thought?” Even as he asked, he laughed. “Of course you have. You’re not the kind of woman who leaves anything to chance.”
“Christmas,” she said at once, proving his point. “Maybe one day between Christmas and New Year’s.”
“But the baby,” he protested. “It’s due in December. What if it comes early?”
“It won’t,” she said confidently. “It was the bouquet from a Christmas wedding that set us on this path. I think it’s only fitting that we celebrate that.”
Noah thought they were taking a chance on having the wedding upstaged by the birth of their child, but he nodded. How could he deny her anything that obviously meant so much to her? She was giving up part of her dream to marry him and raise a family. He could only pray that over time she’d believe that she’d gotten even more in exchange.
“If that’s what you want, then that’s what we’ll do,” he told her. “Have you got one more plan up your sleeve? Like what happens after the baby gets here?”
“That one’s a little trickier,” she confessed. “I’m planning on the shortest maternity leave on record. I’d like to nurse the baby, but that’ll mean having it in Baltimore with me.” She regarded him with bewilderment. “That’s as far as I’ve gotten.”
“A nanny during the week when you’re working?” he suggested. “Me on weekends when I can join you?”
There was no mistaking the relief in her expression. “You’d do that?”
“Did you think for a single second I’d suggest you take a long leave of absence in the middle of your internship? If you think you can juggle everything, I’ll do whatever I can to support you.”
“Grandpa Mick’s not going to be very happy that a nanny is caring for his first great-grandchild.”
Noah laughed. “Grandpa Mick doesn’t get a say, not unless he wants to take over the babysitting himself.”
“Don’t even joke about that,” Cait responded with a shudder. “I suggested something similar to Mom about my little brother and she reminded me that letting my grandfather have undue influence over a child is probably a very, very bad idea.”
Noah nodded. “I see her point.” He gave Cait a reassuring smile. “There’s no need to worry about any of this just yet. We’ll work it out. The toughest hurdle is behind us.”
Cait stood on her tiptoes and linked her hands behind his neck. “I’m sorry it took me so long to get here.”
“The important thing is that you did.” He ran his hand over the curve of her hip. “Want to take another look at that master bedroom?”
She smiled at the suggestion. “Did I notice a brand-new king-size bed in there?”
“You did.”
“Then by all means, let’s check it out.”
“We could wait till our wedding night,” Noah said.
She put both hands on her belly and grinned at him. “I think that particular ship has long since sailed. Love me, Noah. Remind me of how we got here,” she said, then added softly, “And how it’s going to be for the rest of our lives.”
* * *
The holiday season, always chaotic in the O’Brien household, took on an added frenzy after Caitlyn and Noah announced their wedding plans at Thanksgiving dinner.
“You don’t need to worry about a thing,” Carrie promised the next morning after most of the family had left to take advantage of the Black Friday sales. “I’ll call in every favor I’m owed to find you the perfect wedding dress.” She frowned. “That is, if you don’t mind me being involved.”
Caitlyn hugged her twin. “Sanity has been restored,” she assured her. “I know exactly who was behind that attempt to make me jealous. What I don’t get is why you went along with it.”
“Because as sneaky and ill-advised as the plan was, I know you well enough to know it would work,” Carrie admitted readily. “And you needed something big to shove you into realizing just how much Noah means to you.”
“Maybe so, but you won’t get any thanks from me, just an apology for not trusting you.”
Carrie grinned. “Fair enough. Now, do I get to find that perfect wedding
dress or not?”
Caitlyn uttered a sigh of regret. “Do they even make elegant dresses for women who are nine months pregnant?”
“That’s what seamstresses are for,” Carrie said blithely. “And I know the best ones.” She gave Caitlyn a sly look. “Who’s going to be your maid of honor?”
“You, of course. Who else would I want?” Caitlyn replied. “And yes, you can pick out your own dress and decide the color scheme and anything else you want to do. Just keep it simple, please. We don’t have a lot of time and we don’t want a lot of fuss.”
Carrie rolled her eyes. “It’s an O’Brien wedding at Christmas. Of course there’s going to be a fuss. Do you not remember how spectacular Matthew’s impromptu wedding in Ireland was with practically no notice? We can surely top that with all of the resources at our disposal here.”
“All that matters to me is marrying Noah before this baby comes,” Caitlyn insisted.
“You say that now, but you’ll thank me someday for giving you the very best wedding memories. Aunt Jess and I will see that the Inn at Eagle Point is magical.”
“No,” Caitlyn said. “We want to get married at home, though I imagine we’ll lose that battle. Gram’s going to want the ceremony to be in the church. But the reception will be at home for sure.”
Carrie frowned. “Are you certain?”
“A hundred percent certain.”
“Then we’ll make that magical,” Carrie said. “It’ll be a winter wonderland when we’re finished.”
“I’ll leave all of that to you,” Caitlyn told her sister. “Now let’s walk into town and have a huge breakfast at Sally’s. I’m starving.”
“You’re just hoping for a glimpse of Noah,” Carrie said. “I can’t believe you sent him home alone last night. It’s a little late for your sense of propriety to be kicking in.”
Caitlyn thought of the hours she and Noah had spent alone in that king-size bed after she’d accepted his proposal and smiled to herself.
“I know that look,” Carrie said, grinning. “Don’t think you’re fooling me.”
“It just seems as if we should make an attempt to preserve the whole wedding-night-anticipation thing,” Caitlyn said.
“Not buying it,” Carrie replied. “But let’s take that walk. Even with all that turkey, dressing and pie I consumed yesterday, I’m ready for a good breakfast, too. And I love the Christmas decorations and the music that Grandpa Mick insists having piped into the speaker system in the town square. The only other place that’s ever filled me with as much holiday spirit is New York.”
Caitlyn studied her sister closely as they left the house. “So, when are you moving back to New York?”
Carrie let the question hang in the air as they walked into town. Caitlyn waited until they were seated at Sally’s before prodding. “You never answered me.”
Carrie sighed as she sipped her hot chocolate with a mound of whipped cream on top. “Because I don’t know the answer to that. Can we not talk about this? It’ll spoil my otherwise festive spirit.”
Caitlyn backed off. Outside the loudspeakers crackled to life with “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.” The song brought a smile to her lips. In Chesapeake Shores Christmas was synonymous with magic and love. In her life these days, there suddenly seemed to be a whole lot of both.
Epilogue
With almost no time for planning a fancy wedding, even with Carrie’s eager help, Caitlyn went to her aunt Bree for the one thing she wanted to be sure was perfect—the bridal bouquet.
“I don’t want it to be exactly like Jenny’s,” she told her. “I was thinking a small bouquet of lily of the valley if you can find it this time of year with maybe a few red ribbons, something that will look Christmasy without being too cheesy.”
Bree looked indignant. “Have you ever known me to create anything cheesy?”
Caitlyn laughed. “Of course not. Everything you do is elegant and special.”
“Thank you,” she said, a twinkle in her eyes. “That was just the right touch of respect and reverence for my creativity.”
“One more thing,” Caitlyn requested. “If you don’t think Jenny and Caleb would mind, could you put a few forget-me-nots in there, too?”
Bree smiled. “I don’t think they’d mind a bit. There’s nothing those two appreciate more than an old-fashioned love story. That’s what inspires their music.”
Caitlyn smiled. That’s exactly what she and Noah were living, she thought, a love story. Of course, given how out of whack their timing was, it would probably be a stretch to describe it as old-fashioned.
* * *
They’d finally caved in to Nell’s pleas and decided to have a small wedding at the church on the day after Christmas. Caitlyn had tried holding out for a simple ceremony in the huge sunroom at Abby and Trace’s. It was filled with light and had a view of the bay, but Nell had prevailed. Then she’d used her considerable powers of persuasion on the priest to ensure he’d fit it in with all the holiday services and dispense with any other roadblocks. He’d given in without too much of a fuss, because that’s what happened when Nell took charge of anything.
Noah was pacing the small groom’s waiting area minutes before the wedding, Connor at his side trying to match him stride for stride.
“You seem awfully nervous for a man who’s been anxious to get married for months now,” Connor commented.
“Because Caitlyn admitted to me she’s been having these twinges all day long,” he said. “She swears she’s not in labor, but I think she’s in denial. She flatly refused to let me examine her. She told me her medical degree was just as good as mine.” He shook his head at yet more evidence of the stubborn streak that was going to keep life interesting. “I’m just praying we get through the ceremony before my child shows up.”
An hour later with the ceremony barely behind them and a glass of nonalcoholic champagne lifted in a toast in the sunroom, which had been chosen instead for the family reception, Caitlyn’s face contorted and her eyes went wide.
“Um, Noah,” she whispered. “You might have been right.”
He laughed at her obviously reluctant confession. “The baby’s coming?”
“Oh, yeah,” she said. “Any minute, if I’m any judge of these things. I think getting to a hospital is out of the question.”
Which is why their son, Jackson Noah O’Brien McIlroy, his Irish and Scottish heritage now formally noted, was born in the house where Caitlyn grew up, in her very bed, in fact. His father delivered him with a whole slew of O’Briens just outside the door, waiting noisily and impatiently for the news of his arrival.
“He’s beautiful,” Caitlyn said when Noah placed their son in her arms.
“Looks like his mom with that red hair,” Noah said. He nodded toward the door. “Think he’s ready to meet the family?”
She smiled. “Absolutely. I think he’s going to feel blessed to be a part of it.”
“At least until his great-granddaddy decides to try to run his life,” Noah said.
Cait held his gaze. “Are you complaining? We’re here today, in part at least, because of him.”
Noah laughed. “You sure about that? I’m thinking it’s more in spite of him.” He brushed one of those wayward curls he loved from her forehead. “And because we were just meant to be together.”
“Amen,” she whispered. “But let’s not tell him that. He likes believing this family can’t stay on track without him.”
Noah nodded. “It wouldn’t be the same, that’s for sure. Mick O’Brien is one of a kind.”
“So are you,” she told him.
Noah opened the door and then got out of the way as the O’Briens rushed past him to get a first glimpse of the newest member of the family. To his surprise, it was Mick who held back, his eyes misty.
>
“Thank you,” Mick said quietly.
“For what?”
“Making my girl happy.”
Noah put an arm around the older man’s shoulders. “I plan to do my best to see that her happiness lasts a lifetime.”
Mick nodded. “I couldn’t ask for more.”
They stood side by side, watching the joyous scene before them, for once in perfect harmony. Knowing the O’Brien temperament, Noah imagined there’d be plenty of dissension in the future, but, God willing, there would be many more moments just like this one. He’d certainly do his best to see to it.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from SWAN POINT by Sherryl Woods.
“Love, marriage, family, and forgiveness all play an important part in Woods’s latest richly nourishing, holiday-spiced novel.”
—Chicago Tribune on A Chesapeake Shores Christmas
If you loved The Christmas Bouquet by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods, be sure to catch all these titles in her Chesapeake Shores series, available now in ebook format!
An Inn at Eagle Point
Flowers on Main
Harbor Lights
A Chesapeake Shores Christmas
Driftwood Cottage
Moonlight Cove
Beach Lane
An O’Brien Family Christmas
The Summer Garden
A Seaside Christmas
Get your copies!
Looking for more Sherryl Woods? Don’t miss Swan Point, the latest Sweet Magnolias novel, featuring a world of strong friendships and heartfelt emotions in Serenity, South Carolina. This, and all the titles in her Sweet Magnolias series, are available in ebook format. Order your copies today!
Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!
Other ways to keep in touch:
Harlequin.com/newsletters
Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks
The Christmas Bouquet Page 21