by B. A. Wolfe
“We’re here, Cass.” Mel’s soft voice brought me to.
I opened my eyes, the leafless tree came into view, and I couldn’t deny the smile that tugged on my lips as we drew closer. Mel stopped the car in the middle of the street, with the tree adjacent to me. “Are you coming?” I turned toward her.
She kept her hands on the wheel as she shook her head. “No. I’ll go park down the way and wait for you. Go have your moment. I’ll be close by.”
“Okay,” I said with a grin. My stomach fluttered as I reached for the handle and stepped out of the car. The little girl in me wanted to sprint to the tree to see what was waiting there. The older, less naïve, girl was afraid. Scared that there would be something I didn’t want lingering next to it. What I didn’t realize was that my feet already had me only steps away from the tree. While my mind had contemplated what to do, my heart took me where it obviously knew I should be.
Its bare branches dangled overhead as the elephant-sized trunk stopped me from moving any further. My lips curved into a grin as I let my hand graze against the tree, rounding its base and heading toward the back where initials were carved. Three large steps and I faced dozens of hearts and letters engraved in the rough bark.
Each carving meant something to someone, and each one except mine had an initial next to it. My eyes toured the area, knowing exactly what it was looking for, but a note dangling at chest level caught my eye instead. As I noticed it, I realized it was hanging from the exact spot where my initial was carved. My insides fluttered, half of me excited, the other in a state of anxiety. I pulled the nail out of the note and clasped the paper between my fingers.
Wherever you’ll be is where I’ll stay
We’re not ever going away
I covered my gaping mouth as I stared at Aidan’s handwriting. They were the same words I wrote when I signed his book. Did this mean . . . did it mean what I thought it did? I needed to talk to him. I had to find him. Where could he be? My pulse quickened as a husky voice quietly echoed through my ears.
“For so many years I did what I thought was right. For once, I’m doing what I know is right.”
Aidan! I twirled around and there he was, heading toward me with a sexy grin splashed across his face.
I gripped the note and couldn’t conceal the smile that split my lips. Tingles danced along my skin as he approached. His hand that was once in his pocket was now warming my cheek. A look I had yet to witness veiled his eyes as they peered into mine.
“You’re here,” I said in a soft voice.
“I’m here,” he murmured. “Cassie, I went away for Jase, but I’m staying for you, for my mom and dad . . .” He leaned into my ear. “For the family I want to have with you.”
My feet rooted, my heart skipped, and a searing heat flashed through my body. “What are you saying?”
Aidan inched back as his lips continued to tug upwards. “I’m saying that . . . we’re staying.”
“We-We’re staying? In Keaton?”
“Yes.” He lifted my hand and pressed my knuckles against his smiling lips. “No more running away for either of us. You and me—this is where we belong. In Keaton with our initials in this tree, raising a family, close to ours. We have to stay.”
Excitement barreled through me but there was still one thing that didn’t add up. “What about your job?”
“It’s taken care of. I’m working with my dad at the farm now. He needs my help and it’s where I belong.”
When? Where? How? Question after question bombarded my already overwhelmed mind. I didn’t care, though. All I could do was ask if this was okay with him. “Won’t you miss teaching and coaching?”
A soft laugh escaped him. “No. You and Jase are the only thing I’d miss. The other stuff I can live without, but you . . . there’s no possible way.”
Wetness slipped from my eyes. My voice vanished and all I could do was mouth the words ‘I love you.’ His lips pressed to my cheek and whispered, “I love you.”
I slipped my hand from his and held it against his face. “Do you want to know what I love?”
“What?”
“I love that we found each other and that fate gave us both a second chance.”
He nodded and drew in a heavy breath. “Until you, I lived my life as if it were just a movie. I’d hit play in the morning and pause at night. I didn’t have much to live for. I went through each day, living the motions, but not really living. I didn’t even realize what I was missing until I met you.” His lips pulled into a wide grin.
“When you ran into me at the coffee shop, the feeling that ran through my body was unexplainable. I didn’t have a clue what you were capable of doing to me. Cassie, you brought me back to life. My heart beat again because of you. I was never going to be able to stay away from you. We’re connected far greater than either of us can imagine. The day I wrapped my arms around you, I knew I’d never be the same again, and I was right; I wasn’t. You owned me—all of me. And I let you because you’re mine, beautiful. You were always going to be mine.”
He clasped my hand in his and placed it directly over his beating heart. I smiled as each thud vibrated against my palm. “That’s all because of you. I look at you every single day like it’s the first time I’ve ever seen you.”
He released my hand from his chest and pulled me to him, placing his lips by my ear. “Every day you steal my breath away. You’re everything that I need to live.”
Aidan let go of me and wiped the tears from my eyes. It felt as if the earth stilled while I stood locked in his loving gaze. His smile melted my heart as his hands captured every happy tear that slipped from my eyes.
Moments later his hands were by his sides, his lips expelled a deep breath of air and his body stiffened. My insides began to shift at his unfamiliar stature. Something seemed off . . . wrong. My heart raced and before I knew it the beats grew out of control as I watched Aidan lower to one knee. “I promised myself that I wouldn’t carve another initial next to mine until I found the one.”
Aidan’s eyes gazed into mine and without realizing it, my left hand was blanketed between both of his.
“You’re the one, Cassie. You’re my sunshine after a storm, the moon that brightens the night sky, and my hand to hold so I’m not alone. You’re all the things that bring me comfort. That makes me believe there’s heaven on earth.” His voice turned shaky. My throat started to close as the realization of this moment became clear to me. This. Was. It.
“I know this seems sudden, maybe even fast; but, Cassie you’re everything I ever wanted. You’re everything I’ll ever need. I love you, baby. Please, let me be your sequel and every love story that follows. Let me be your forever.”
He let my hand go, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small black box. His fingers pried it open, revealing a teardrop cut diamond ring. I covered my mouth as my eyes flickered between the sparkling ring and Aidan’s tender face. “Cassandra Pierce, will you marry me?”
Feelings I’d never experienced before rushed through me. Waves of love and devotion seeped into my veins. I soaked in one last look of Aidan. His eyes beamed with passion and I knew this moment would be one I’d never forget. “Yes! Yes, Aidan. I’ll marry you.” Tears gushed from my eyes as I answered.
His hand shook as he slipped the delicate silver band on my finger. He pressed his lips to the top of my hand and rose, pulling me to his chest and wrapping his arms around me. “You can’t imagine how happy you’ve made me today.”
“I can, though, because it’s as happy as you’ve made me. I know exactly what you feel.”
A tear slipped from the corner of his eye and before I could reach for it, his mouth claimed mine. He kissed me as if it were the first time he’d ever felt our lips touch. I reached around, hooking my hands around his neck, deepening our ‘first’ kiss. Everything about it—this moment, him—was just right.
His skillful tongue caressed mine, sending a flash of heat coursing through my body. What would make
life more perfect would be if kissing Aidan was the oxygen I needed to live. I’d never have to leave this spot or his lips. Two soft pecks to my mouth and our foreheads rested on one another.
“I have a surprise for you,” he said, catching his breath.
I leaned back and lowered my gaze on him. What was he up to now?
A shameless smile stretched across his face. “Look across the street.”
I eyed him with curiosity. “But, it’s the library. What would I need to—” My heart stopped and my body stilled as I turned my neck to see. It wasn’t the old abandoned library that stared back at me from across the street. No. It was a refurbished building with a new name. A name I wasn’t sure I’d be able to say without fighting emotion. Jason Bradley Memorial Library. I jerked my teary eyes back to Aidan. “How?”
He grinned and with amusement in his voice told me to come with him. Hand in hand, we padded across the asphalt. I stared in amazement. It was completely redone. New windows, fresh paint, and a large red bow spread across the door. Before my eyes could explore anymore, Aidan took my hands in his and turned me toward him.
“What is all of this?” I asked, keeping my eyes trained on his beaming ones.
“This is what I’ve been working on. What I’ve been trying to keep from you. The minute you opened your eyes in the hospital that day I knew right then we weren’t leaving. I couldn’t take either of us away from this family. They need us just as much as we need them. But I knew I needed something here for you. Baby, this is ours. If you’ll have it, welcome to your new job. This is yours to run every day.”
Tears clouded my vision even as I fought to keep them away. “You did this for me?”
“Everything I do is for you, us, and Jase. For my family that I could never live without.”
My chin quivered as I peered around the entrance. A bronzed cowboy hat that sat on a large platform caught my attention. I glanced at Aidan. His lips curved a somber smile as he took us over to it. “It’s Jason’s hat. I had it bronzed so we’d always have a part of him here.” A plaque underneath his hat read In Loving Memory of Jason Dean Bradley.
I covered my mouth as I softly cried. “Oh, Aidan. It’s . . . it’s perfect.”
“You think he likes it?”
I let my head answer for me as I nodded.
“Yeah . . . I think so too.”
Our eyes lingered on the hat for a few more moments.
Aidan’s quiet voice broke my stare. “There’s more, beautiful.” I didn’t think my swelled heart or overwhelmed mind could take much more.
He nudged his head toward the entrance as he shuffled behind me. “Open the door,” he whispered.
I sucked in a deep breath and grabbed the doorknob with my shaking hand. Here goes nothing. I inched the door open.
“Surprise!” Loud voices ricocheted off the walls. Startled, I jumped back, blinking several times as everyone came into clear view. Oh my god! Everyone was here. Bart, Trish, Jase, Melanie, Moose, Kacey, Grandma Maggie, and several more people stood in front of me with smiles on their faces.
It was but a few short labored breaths later they all surrounded Aidan and me. Hugs were given. Congratulations were said and tears were shed. Melanie wrapped her arms around me tightly.
“You knew, did you?” Without shame, she nodded and smiled. “I should’ve known.” We laughed and shared a moment I couldn’t forget. Every girl needed a Melanie.
“Welcome to the family, sweetie,” Trish said. She pulled Aidan and me in for a hug and kissed us both on the cheeks.
“Thank you, Trish.”
“We love you both so much,” Bart said quietly from beside Trish.
“Everyone knew?” I asked Aidan. A sly grin appeared on his lips as he nodded. He was busier than I realized.
“Sneaky,” I teased.
“Come here.” Aidan grabbed my hand and showed me around the completely remodeled interior.
The smell of old books wafted through the air. Rows and rows of books stacked high on the shelves. It was every reader girl’s dream come true. My own library.
Our last stop was a closed door. “The town helped with the library, but this . . . this is from me to you. Welcome to your new office.” Written across the door was my name. Cassandra Pierce–Librarian. “I can’t wait to change that name,” he added, flashing me a wink as he opened the door.
A large dark cherry desk took up half the space. A bookshelf sat to the right and bright paint colored the walls. I ghosted my hand across the desk and took everything in. As my eyes toured the room, something on the wall caught my attention. I moved closer and shook my head in disbelief. It was the torn note I wrote for Aidan at the hospital when I had surgery. He’d framed it.
“I’ve hung onto that note in my wallet ever since we left the hospital. I didn’t know what to hang on this wall, and when I was decorating your office the thought came to me to frame the note.”
So this is what it felt like to have someone do this for you. I turned and eyed the generous man before me.
“It was so hard for me to keep this a secret from you. Every day you asked me how my day went and I had to fight the urge to tell you what I was doing. But I knew I had to because of this moment right here. Seeing the smile on your face right now is the exact reason I waited.”
“I don’t even know what to say, Aidan.” I looked around, admiring all the little details that he poured into my new office. A picture that Jase drew was framed and hung next to my bookshelf. A set of X and O bookends bracketed a row of paperbacks. Everything down to the turquoise boot penholder was thought of. “This is all more than I could’ve ever dreamed of. You always seem to know exactly what I need.”
His eyes sparkled with amusement. He was the other half of my soul. My missing piece, and he was standing in front of me. My eyes lingered on my hand and the sparkling diamond that now decorated my finger. “It’s all so perfect and I honestly couldn’t ask for anything more.”
“I can’t wait to marry you, beautiful.”
“I can’t wait to start my life with you.” I leaped into his arms and sank into his hold. It was the only place I wanted to be.
The word ‘stay’ comes in many forms and phrases. Stay here, stay there, stay away, stay close, don’t stay, and nowhere to stay. The term that best fits my situation . . . the only place to stay.
I was home.
Epilogue
Fifteen months later
Cassandra
A STRAPLESS WHITE LACE GOWN decorated with crystals hugged my body and a three-foot train swept behind me. My loosely curled hair cascaded around my shoulders as I stood there, gazing at myself in the full-length mirror.
Who was this woman? Just two years ago, she was a frightened girl who hadn’t a clue what to do with her life. Today, she was about to marry a man who gave her exactly the life she was always destined to have.
I peeked out from the tent I was tucked away in across the street from the tree where we were getting married. Chairs lined either side of the aisle. White linen draped through branches that were lush with leaves and full of life. It was simple, yet neither of us could imagine getting married anywhere else.
“Mommy! Mommy!” Jase’s loud voice echoed around me as he barreled around the corner.
His bow tie was tied perfectly on his toddler-sized grey suit. I swept my son into my arms and smiled. He had grown into a little boy over the last year. He wasn’t my baby anymore. “Mommy preedy.” His little hand reached up to my face as he held it over my cheek.
“Thank you, honey. You look so handsome. Mommy’s going to cry. You’re too grown up right now.”
A toothy smile splashed across his face. Jase put one arm behind my back and the other between us.
“No cwy, Mommy.”
“Mommy can’t help it.”
Tonight as we signed our marriage certificate, Aidan would also be signing one more document. He was already Jase’s dad in so many ways, but today he’d make it official by putting
it on paper and adopting Jase. We’d be one happy family in all ways a family could be.
“No cry is right.” Mel’s voice carried throughout the tent as she came in. It wasn’t seconds later a tissue was erasing all evidence of my tears as she dabbed them away.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
She flashed me a wink.
“MeMe.” Jase reached out and latched around Mel as she took him from my hold.
“Look at you, Jase!” She held him away from her to look him over. “When did you grow up, little guy?” Mel’s eyes welled as she gazed at me.
I nodded and handed her a tissue.
Mel patted her eyes and readjusted herself. “I don’t cry. This is crazy!” Jase stole the tissue from her and took over, wiping the tears away for his Auntie. “Thanks, Jase. What would I do without you?”
Jase scrambled from her arms and went straight to the mirror. He giggled as he left marks on it with his hands.
“I’m supposed to give you this.” Mel’s hand was palm side up with a note resting on it. “Take it,” she insisted, nudging her hand closer to me.
A soft sigh expelled from my lips as I grabbed the tiny piece of paper.
You already have the key to my heart and now you hold the key to our first home.
Happy Wedding Day, Cassie.
My eyes darted to Mel’s.
“That’s my cue to give you this.” She opened her fist, revealing a brass key.
Both of my hands covered my mouth.
“Say something,” she urged, chuckling under her breath.
I lowered my hands to my sides. “Did you know about this?”
She nodded, her lips curving to the side. “Yeah. They have beautiful property over by Grandma Maggie’s. Aidan, Bart, Moose, and his dad all worked to build your new home there.”
Tears trickled down and I couldn’t help it. Never in my life had I received a gift so special.
“You have one hell of a guy and a new family, Cass. You don’t deserve anything less.”
I closed the distance between us and hugged my best friend. She made me promise to stop crying because my make-up was ‘too good to ruin’. I laughed and told her I’d stop. The only pain in my heart was for her. I wanted Mel to have everything she deserved.