"They let me come back when I told them I was her aunt," she said.
Gabe and April didn't speak as they sat there watching Stephie. April didn't know if they'd ever really talk again, but she knew she had to try. She'd gone over everything and searched the depths of her soul. Whether Gabe wanted to listen to her or not, she had to say what was in her heart.
When Gabe leaned away from the bed and rubbed the back of his neck, she asked, "Can we step out to the hall for a few minutes?"
"April, this isn't the time or the place for a long discussion."
"It won't be a long discussion. I just need to tell you something."
He looked reluctant to leave his daughter, or maybe just reluctant to talk to her. But he stepped outside the cubicle with her into the hall.
Reluctant to begin, she knew she must. "I should have trusted you and your feelings for Stephie. I want you to also understand when I make a promise, I don't do it lightly. I know it can be a sacred thing. Keeping my promise to Vanessa was important, but I was afraid keeping it would hurt you. I didn't want to do that, Gabe, not under any circumstances."
When Gabe didn't look moved, she realized she had to be absolutely honest with him. "Five years ago, I left because I was scared. I was in love with you and didn't know how to be in love. So I ran. But I do love you, Gabe. I want to show you how much I love you and that I can trust you if you give me the chance. But if you can't, I'll understand and go back to Boston."
The nerve in Gabe's jaw worked but he didn't speak.
April knew she was only causing him more heartache by being here. So she said, "I'll let you sit with Stephie. If you need me, I'm just a phone call away."
Then she started down the hall to the reception area.
****
Gabe watched April walk away for about a minute.
A nurse came bustling in to Stephie's cubicle and he told her, "I'll be right back."
As he'd been sitting by Stephie's bedside, everything Nicholas had said had begun to make sense. He loved his daughter and always would. Nothing would ever change that. She was his and would always be.
Sitting there, waiting for the doctor to tell him what was wrong with her, he'd prayed. But he hadn't prayed just for Stephie. He'd prayed that he'd know what to do.
As soon as he'd seen April walk away, he'd realized what he had to do. He had to make everything right between them. He had to forgive her, and maybe not even that. Had she really done anything wrong?
Going over her words, feeling her turmoil, he realized she hadn't. Putting himself in her position, he wasn't sure what he would have done in her place, and he had to tell her that. He had to tell her that, and a heck of a lot more.
She'd reached the outside portico when he came up behind her and grabbed her arm. "April. Don't go."
"Gabe."
He pulled her to the side where the lights weren't quite as glaring. When she looked up at him, he saw hope in her eyes and that gave him hope that maybe they could have a future.
"I never should have married Vanessa," he admitted. "I did us both a disservice. I did a lot of thinking today. Yes, I was committed to her and our marriage. But, somehow, I wonder if she sensed I still had feelings for you. I hadn't even admitted that to myself. Five years ago I should have asked you to stay. I should have faced your fears with you. I'm not going to let you walk out of my life again. I love you April Remmington. Can you forgive me for my self-righteous attitude? For seeing a wrong you didn't commit? I'm as much to blame as anyone else in everything that's happened. Will you give me a second chance to love you for the rest of our lives?"
There was a moment of shocked surprise when his heart almost dropped to the pavement, but then she was reaching for him, wrapping her arms around him, joyfully holding him.
"I love you, Gabe. I'll love you forever."
Forever was more than he could have ever wished for. Forever was how he felt about her.
After a long deep kiss, he wrapped his arm around her, and they walked back into the hospital…to the daughter who would belong to them both.
****
Epilogue
Two days before Christmas, April crouched down with Stephie in the nave of the church. "You look perfect," she said, adjusting the little collar on Stephie's red velvet dress. "Remember everything we practiced?"
Stephie nodded, the red ribbons in her hair bobbing as she did. The basket she carried was filled with red rose petals, and she was going to scatter them in front of April as April walked down the aisle.
"Daddy says I don't have to throw them far."
"Your daddy's right."
"Daddy said you're the best gift we could get for Christmas, and you know what?"
April felt her eyes tearing up. "What?"
"In that dress, you look like the angel on our Christmas tree."
April laughed. The white taffeta creation with seed pearls was princess-like, and she loved it. It was perfect for tonight, and she hoped Gabe thought so too. She glanced up at the altar where Nicholas stood beside her husband-to-be.
Her mother tapped her on the shoulder. Doing double duty, her mother was going to walk her down the aisle, as well as act as Matron of Honor. In a green two-piece suit with an ankle-length skirt, she was stunning. Her mom was indeed moving back to Cedar Corners, and to everyone's surprise, her new beau had decided to retire and do the same. He was sitting in the front pew. The way he looked at her mother, April thought her mom might change her mind about marriage.
The music began to play. After a last hug for Stephie, April straightened, held her head high, and took her mother's hand.
The walk down the aisle seemed endless but she recognized many of Gabe's friends that she was coming to know as well as his employees. She had quit her job in Boston and gone to work for Nicholas' firm. The transition hadn't seemed like a transition at all. Maybe that was the way it should be when life was right.
And this was right.
Stephie's rose petals decided each of April's footsteps as she moved forward toward a life she'd dreamed of. Sure there would be adjustments, but one thing was certain. She loved Gabe and he loved her.
At the front of the church, Winnifred kissed April's cheek, took her bouquet, and Stephie's hand.
April faced Gabe and he whispered, "You look beautiful."
"You look like a groom," she said, trying to keep the tears at bay.
He took her hand and squeezed it, telling her he understood. The minister welcomed everyone, spoke a few moments about marriage, and then said, "The bride and groom have written their own vows." He nodded to April.
"I, April Remmington, promise to love you, no matter what. I promise to be vulnerable and honest, sharing my life, my heart and my soul with you. I will cherish each and every day we have together, and every moment I spend with Stephie, too. I hope I can be the mom she needs...the wife you need. I promise you that every day, that's what I'll strive for. Whether we have a rocky road, a smooth road, or an unpaved road, I promise I will hold your hand and never let go. I will trust you, believe in you, respect you, and tell you how much I love you until my dying day."
She could see her words had moved Gabe, and now he took both of her hands and squeezed hard.
"I know promises are important to both of us," he said with resounding certainty. "I know I can believe yours, and you can believe mine. I promise you that today is only the beginning. You are a part of me, April, a part I never thought I'd find. You're that missing piece that gives me peace, and makes my life more worthwhile. I want you to be Stephie's mother in every sense of the word, just as I am her dad. Together we'll raise her with values and optimism, with the cheekiness she'll need to fight the world. I know we can do that together. I promise you all my love, my fidelity, my strength, and my protection. I will support your aspirations and help you make your decisions. I will be beside you whenever you need me. I love you, April, and this will be the best Christmas I ever had, because I have the gift of your love. I give you t
he gift of mine."
April was openly crying now. She just couldn't help it. But they were joyful tears and she was sure Gabe knew that. They sealed their vows by giving each other rings, bands of gold that would encircle them for a lifetime.
At the end of the ceremony, the minister blessed them and announced clearly, "I present to you April and Gabe Chronister, husband and wife."
"You can kiss her now," he said to Gabe.
Gabe did to a breakout of applause from all the guests in the pews.
As he lifted his head, he whispered to April, "Winnifred's taking Stephie to her place to wrap presents all day tomorrow, so we'll have a whole day for a honeymoon."
"And the rest of our lives," April returned easily.
Gabe took her in his arms and kissed her again.
****
A Note From The Author
Some stories sit in my heart until I feel the time is right to bring them into the light. APRIL'S PROMISE is one of those books. It stretches the bounds of category romance. But at its heart, it's a reunion romance. My romances spin around the integrity of my hero and heroine. An honorable man, Gabe never imagined his wife, April's sister, wouldn't be honorable. An honorable woman, April made a promise to her sister when she was dying because it was the right thing to do. In the end, only true honesty can be the foundation for a lasting commitment.
After writing and seeing published over eighty novels, I don't think I'll ever tire of weaving romances and giving my characters happily-ever-afters. APRIL'S PROMISE is the first book in my FOREVER LOVE series. I look forward to writing many more.
When I'm not writing romances, I'm writing mysteries, or blogging, or Skyping with another writer. To take a break from that side of my life, I enjoy digging into my mother's and grandmother's recipe boxes to create food to enjoy with family and friends. I also garden, and watching plants grow is a similar process to watching a plot develop!
I often post about my latest projects on social media. My website www.karenrosesmith.com is your portal to my media feeds as well as the latest info about my books. Readers can also e-mail me from there. I welcome meeting my readers on social networks and chatting.
****
KAREN ROSE SMITH BOOKS AVAILABLE IN E-BOOK FORMAT
FOREVER LOVE Series
April's Promise
FINDING MR. RIGHT Series
Kit and Kisses, Book 1
Forever After, Book 2
When Mom Meets Dad, Book 3 *
Falling For Her Boss, Book 4 *
Toys and Baby Wishes, Book 5 *
Love in Bloom, Book 6
Ribbons and Rainbows, Book 7 *
Wish on the Moon, Book 8 *
A Man Worth Loving, Book 9 *
SEARCH FOR LOVE Series
Nathan's Vow, Book 1 *
Jake's Bride, Book 2 *
Always Devoted, Book 3 *
Always Her Cowboy, Book 4 *
Heartfire, Book 5
Cassidy's Cowboy, Book 6 *
Her Sister, Book 7 *
EVERYDAY LOVE Short Story Series
Everyday Cinderellas, Vol. 1
Everyday Prince Charming, Vol. 2
Everyday Romance, Vol.3
Garden of Fantasy
Abigail and Mistletoe
Writing is a Business
SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY COLLECTION
Journey Into Chaos
BOXED SETS
Finding Mr. Right Box Set One
Finding Mr. Right Boxed Set Two
Search For Love Boxed Set One
Search For Love Boxed Set Two
Everyday Love Boxed Set
* Also available in audio book format
****
Excerpt from HER SISTER
Search For Love series, Book 7
Prologue
Where is Lynnie? Where did she go?
In her mind, five-year-old Clare Thaddeus called to her little sister—Come back, Lynnie. Please come back.
The huge policeman crouched down in front of Clare's mother at the sofa and said in a deep, slow voice, "Mrs. Thaddeus, I know you're terribly upset. But I need details. We've got an hour before daylight. If your daughter wandered outside—"
Clare's father, who'd been talking to another man in blue, glanced at her, and Clare huddled down deeper into the big green armchair. Her dad didn't come to her but rather went to her mom, sank down beside her and wrapped his arm around her. Then he spoke to the officer. "Our daughter, Lynnie, is three. She would never go outside into the dark on her own."
"Tell us again where you were last night," the policeman demanded in a not-so-nice voice.
"I worked late, preparing a brief."
"Until five a.m.?"
"Yes, until five a.m. As I told you, I always check the girls' rooms before turning in. Lynnie wasn't in her bed. I woke my wife. We looked through the whole house and then we called you."
Clare had been sleeping in her brand new room. They'd moved in here—she studied her hand and counted her fingers—five days ago. Boxes were still stacked down here and upstairs. The house was okay. There were more rooms for her and Lynnie to play hide and seek. But she didn't like being alone in her own room at night. She'd liked it better when she and Lynnie had slept in the same room.
Earlier she'd thought she'd heard Lynnie's door open...thought her sister was going to the bathroom and might come in and crawl into bed with her. But she'd been so sleepy. She and Lynnie had been running through the hose sprayer all afternoon in the backyard while Mommy unpacked. She was supposed to watch her sister. She was always supposed to look out for Lynnie. That's what big sisters did.
Where had Lynnie gone?
Then Clare remembered the blue car that had driven down the alley in back of the yard lots of times. The man had stopped once and watched them. But she'd thought he might be one of their new neighbors who just wanted to say hi.
Should she tell the policeman?
He was so big, and he looked mad. Her dad looked mad, too, as he asked, "Why do you want to question me and my wife separately?"
"That's just the way we do it, Mr. Thaddeus."
Although she was scared of the two big men in blue uniforms, she knew her mommy and daddy wouldn't let them hurt her. Policemen helped, didn't they? They were going to help find Lynnie.
She slipped off of the chair, went over to the sofa and tugged on her mother's arm. "Mommy, when I was playing—"
The doorbell rang.
"Are you expecting someone?" the policeman asked, his brows arched.
Not sounding at all like herself, her mother answered, "I called a friend."
"Before or after you called us?"
Her mother's face turned red. "After, of course."
"Mommy." She tugged on her mother's arm again while one of the policemen went to the door.
Her mother took Clare's hand. "Not now, honey. Natalie's going to take care of you for a little while so we can talk to the officers."
"But, Mommy—"
Her mom's best friend, Natalie Barlow, rushed into the living room looking as upset as her mom and dad. "What can I do?"
Her father answered quickly. "Can you take Clare upstairs? And can you call our old neighbors? Maybe they'll help search. I've got to get out there looking, but I have to finish answering questions first."
Natalie gave Clare a weak smile and took her hand. "Come on, honey. Let's go upstairs for a while."
Her mom kissed her.
Her dad gave her a nod.
She tried again. "When I was playing with Lynnie—"
Tears fell down her mom's cheeks. Her dad said, "Not now. Go upstairs with Natalie."
What she had to say wasn't important. The man in the blue car didn't matter. Only Lynnie mattered.
As Clare followed Natalie upstairs, she got very afraid. What if the policemen couldn't find Lynnie? Is that why her mommy was crying? Because she didn't think they could? Was that why her dad was mad?
Natalie bent do
wn to her. "I don't want you to worry. Everything's going to be all right."
But Clare knew better. If Lynnie didn't come home, nothing would ever be right again.
****
Chapter One
"I'm not taking it back. I bought it with my own money." Shara Thaddeus stared at her mother defiantly, standing her ground. At sixteen, she was Clare's payback for the trouble Clare had given her parents when she was sixteen, though certainly not for the same reason.
At thirty-two and a single parent, Clare didn't know what to do with Shara any more than her parents had known what to do with her. She'd rebelled because she'd wanted their attention. Any of their attention. All of their attention. When Lynnie had been around, Clare had loved her and protected her and been her big sister. But after she'd disappeared, it was as if Clare hadn't existed. Everything was always about Lynnie. And Clare had just wanted her parents to realize that although her sister was gone, she was still there.
Shara, on the other hand, had always had all of Clare's attention. What she didn't have was a father. She'd been a precocious child, constantly testing her boundaries. Sometimes Clare just got weary of being a watchdog. But yet wasn't that what parents were supposed to do?
After taking a deep breath for patience then putting her chin-length brown hair behind her ears, she reached out and took the blouse from Shara's hands. It really wasn't a blouse, just a stretch lace concoction that her daughter wasn't going to be caught dead in. "If you wear this out on the street, you'll get arrested. What did you buy to go with it?" She meant to keep her tone curious but it sounded judgmental anyway.
Shara produced a pair of black leather shorts that Clare suspected would fit too snugly.
"The outfit goes back. It's not appropriate for school. It's not appropriate to wear to the mall. It's not appropriate to be caught dusting the house in. What were you thinking?"
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