“Looks like someone approves,” Georgia said with a giggle. Aidan pointed at Molly and smiled.
“I think he’s done with lunch,” Riley said. “His bowl is empty.” Riley walked toward Aidan and ruffled his hair. “You need to wash up, buddy.”
“If it’s okay, can I do it? I’d love to help out more when I’m around,” Molly said. “I have to go back to campus tomorrow, but I’ll be back soon for Thanksgiving,” she said, hope radiating from her eyes. “And I’ll be here permanently in the summer.”
“Of course you can help with Aidan. Go for it!” Riley said, watching as Molly stepped forward and picked up Aidan in her arms.
“Auntie Molly is going to get you cleaned up. And then we can play with Legos. How does that sound.”
“I love Legos, Auntie Molly,” Aidan cried out, joy etched on his face.
Riley’s chest tightened at the sight of Molly and Aidan disappearing from view as they left the kitchen. He shut his eyes tight and said, “Thank you, Lord. For answering my prayers.”
He felt Georgia’s arms encircling him from behind. She laid her head on his back. They stood there for a moment in silence, basking in the happiness Molly had just given them. All was right with his world.
Riley opened his eyes and turned around to face the love of his life.
“You did this!” he said, dipping his head down and placing a triumphant kiss on Georgia’s lips.
Georgia shook her head. “No. Molly did this. All on her own. I was just a listening ear. God placed me at the church at the right time and place. She loves Aidan. And she adores you as well, Riley. She’s struggled with feelings of guilt about giving up Aidan, even though she knows how well you’ve done raising him.”
“I meant what I said. She’s free to be a huge part of Aidan’s life. And when he’s old enough, we’ll all sit down together and tell him the truth.”
Georgia threw her arms around him. “I love you, Riley Somers. I knew you would say all the right things to Molly. Loving, unselfish things.”
“I meant every word I said. We’re all in this together.” He reached out and took Georgia’s hands and lifted them up to his lips, pressing a kiss against them. “Marry me,” Riley said. He nuzzled her neck.
She let out a squeal. “Hey, I’m ticklish. And I already agreed to marry you.”
“I mean now. This week. There’s no need to wait. We’ve been in love for as far back as I can remember.”
Georgia bit her lip. “But I need a dress and a venue and bridesmaids. Not to mention an amazing wedding cake. And what about a honeymoon?”
Riley gently placed his finger across her lips. “Shh. We can make it happen. All of it, Georgia. Where there’s love, anything is possible.”
She threw back her head and let out a hearty laugh. “You’re right about that! We’re living proof.”
Riley reached out and tilted her chin up so that he could look deeply into her eyes. “So. Is that a yes? Can we make this wedding happen?
“Yes, we can, Riley,” Georgia agreed. “I’ve wanted to marry you for a very long time, so I’m not going to play hard to get now.”
“I love you, Georgia Ballou. I can’t wait to make you my wife.”
“And I can’t wait to call you husband. I want to be sensitive to Molly, but I also want to embrace Aidan as our son.”
“I think Molly’s turned a corner,” Riley said. “We’ll include her on every level. And we’ll make it work.”
“I’m so happy you came back to Hope Valley for good. I feel so blessed to have you in my life,” Georgia gushed.
Life had never been so sweet for either one of them. They had both been through dark times in the aftermath of their break-up. Now, with faith and reconciliation and an abundance of love, they had found their way back to one another.
Their love was stronger than it had ever been. And the days to come would be brighter than a sky full of twinkling stars.
THE END
Coming in late Fall
A Christmas novella
Three Matchmakers and a Christmas Wedding
Belle Calhoune
Till death do us part. Kit London ran her fingers over the wedding album and let out a ragged sigh as the pictures of her wedding day came into sharp focus. A tugging sensation pulled at her heart strings. Never in a million years had she imagined that her marriage would be over after four short years.
In sickness and in health. Kit had gotten choked up reciting those particular words as she exchanged vows with her husband, Jayden. Her father had just been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and she’d watched her parents accept the news with grace and love and vows to stick it out together, come what may.
For richer or poorer. Jayden had signed a multi-million-dollar contract with the Colorado Cougars and received several impressive endorsement deals. They were wealthy now, miles and miles away from the way they had grown up in Hope Valley. Neither one had come from a rich family like the Somers. They had both hailed from humble beginnings. Sometimes she almost wished they were poor. Things had been a lot easier with little or no money.
For better or worse. She let out a brittle laugh. They had surely had better days. They had been head-over-heels in love and optimistic about their future together. And now they were firmly entrenched in worse ones. But they had mutually decided to stop trying to save their marriage. They had filled out the paperwork for a legal separation.
Until death do us part. Tears rolled down Kit’s face and she didn’t even bother to wipe them away. Once upon a time she had dreamed of forever with Jayden. They had been so in love. And they had wanted kids together. A family. Month after month Kit had cried when the pregnancy test results came in. Negative.
When it became clear that their journey to parenthood wouldn’t be an easy one, they had both vowed to do whatever was possible in order to make it happen. Treatment after treatment had failed, leaving their marriage weighted down under the strain of it all.
Her marriage to Jayden was over. They were done. Everything had fallen apart at lightning speed. And she still didn’t know how things had imploded so quickly. Where had the love gone?
How had they fallen out of love with one another? Why hadn’t they fought for their marriage? For a future together? She felt like a fraud. They had exchanged their vows at Hope Valley Church in front of hundreds of friends and family and Jayden’s teammates. Kit felt as if she was reneging on a promise she’d made to God. She felt so ashamed.
The doorbell pealed insistently, dragging Kit out of her thoughts about her failed marriage. She stood up from her cozy, oatmeal-colored couch and made her way past the fully-decorated Christmas tree and toward the front door.
“What’s with the crazy message you sent me?” Tasha strode into Kit’s house and, once she was inside, turned back toward Kit with her hand on her hip.
“It wasn’t exactly crazy,” Kit said, shaking her head at her cousin. “I was very direct and to the point.”
“So you’re seriously bailing out on Christmas?” Tasha asked, her eyes as wide as saucers.
Kit walked back toward her spacious living room and settled back down on her couch. Her cousin walked behind her and settled down on a love seat.
“I wouldn’t use that word.” Kit wrinkled her nose. “It sounds so negative.”
“Kit. Please don’t go to the cabin for Christmas. Christmas won’t be the same without you.”
Kit hated disappointed her family members, but she needed to get away from it all. She had been given divorce papers to sign and it was heartbreaking to have to deal with it all over the holidays. All she wanted to do was bury her head in the sand. If she couldn’t do that she would head out of Dodge for the holidays. The thought of facing people in the midst of such a personal crisis was daunting.
“I need to get away, Tasha. I’m sorry if that seems as if I’m disappointing everyone, but I’m doing the best I can to wade through this mess and make it out in one piece. I have to be selfish at the m
oment. Otherwise I’ll shatter into a million little pieces.”
Kit put her head in her hands and began to cry. She had been strong for so long. Through infertility treatments. Through marital arguments. Through stress and strain. Through dealing with her husband status as a superstar NFL player. It had all been too much to deal with. And now she felt broken.
“Oh, Kit. I’m so sorry,” Tasha cooed as she placed her arm around her shoulder. “I know you’re hurting. I’m sorry if I sounded harsh.”
Kit allowed herself to sob against her cousin’s shoulder. If you couldn’t fall apart in front of family members, who could you fall apart in front of? Kit asked herself.
“I thought we were going to be together for the rest of our lives,” Kit wailed. “I have no idea how things fell apart so quickly.”
Kit poured her heart out to her cousin, not caring how she sounded or what she looked like. Her heart was breaking. For the first time in her life she didn’t care about the holiday season or decorating a Christmas tree or spreading cheer in Hope Valley.
She was getting divorced from the love of her life. This year Christmas would be skipped over on her calendar. She would bury her head in the snow and pretend that it was any other day. There would be no rejoicing. No jubilation. She wouldn’t eat turkey or stuffing or apple pie with vanilla ice cream. There wouldn’t be any stockings hanging from her fireplace.
Bah Humbug! Kit London would be signing divorce papers and officially severing ties with the love of her life.
**
Tasha walked out of Kit’s house and dug her cell phone out of her purse. She punched in a number and held the phone up to her ear. “Robin. It’s Tasha. We need to get together with Georgia and talk about Kit and Jayden. Things have gotten out of control. Kit is planning to head to the cabin for Christmas. We have to take action. Asap.” Tasha nodded as she listened to Robin. “Yes. Operation Matchmaker is in full effect. We have to take drastic measures to help save their marriage. And we don’t have a moment to spare.
Belle Calhoune Books:
Seven Brides, Seven Brothers Series (Pelican Bay):
Book One: Breathless
Book Two: Adored
Seven Brides, Seven Brothers Series:
Book One: The Way Home
Book Two: Still the One
Book Three: Until You Loved Me
Book Four: Love Me Tender
Book Five: If only in my dreams
Book Six: Baby It’s You
Book Seven: When A Man Loves A Woman
PREQUEL: WHEN YOU BELIEVE
Secrets of Savannah Series:
Book One: Till the End of Time
Book Two: A Moment in the Moonlight
Book Three: The Last Kiss
Book Four: For Love Alone (Morgan and Luke)
Book Five: Falling in Love (Charlotte and Marc)
Book Six: Heart of Mine (Hope and Grayson)
Georgia On His Mind (Hope Valley Book 1) Page 10