by Anna Scott
The prayers were spoken, vows recited and passages shared about the beauty of God's love and His intention for us to share it. Finally, after the last song was sung, the man in front of us, with his gray hair and wrinkled face, pronounced loudly, "This young woman that I watched grow from infancy is gladly joined to this man. He is a brave and valiant hero, who has promised to love and protect her from this day forward. It is with pure elation that I introduce you all to Mr. and Mrs. Trent and Amber Harris. Trent, you may kiss your bride."
Amber's eyes shone with love and happiness, as I lifted her beautiful veil, unwrapping the gift she gave me. Herself, her love and a life of unending joy. Her mouth was warm and so soft as I joined with her in front of God and all those witnesses.
EPILOGUE
Five years later...
Trent
"Sweetness, where are you?" Trotting up onto the wrap around deck at our house, my eyes swept the area for any sign of Amber.
Glancing around at my surroundings, I thought about all the things that had brought us to this point. The loss of our first baby had been a horrific pain, and we both really struggled with that fear during Amber's next pregnancy.
My father had died in jail, still awaiting trial several years before, which actually affected me more than I'd anticipated. Natalie had finally been able to move on from the pain he'd caused her and now was good. She had started to live her life fully.
In the distance, I heard a giggle, then a shush. The sound tapping little feet from the back accompanied the giggling. I picked up my pace and collided with the tiny fireball headed my way. Sophie's long red curly hair flew behind her as she jumped into my arms, totally trusting that I would catch her. I always did.
"Honey, we're back here," Amber called distractedly. There was an underlying strain in her voice, which alarmed me. I pulled Sophie up higher and walked briskly toward the sound of Amber's voice. She was resting in one of the white ladder back rocking chairs she bought right after we were married. On the smooth wooden deck, playing quietly at Amber's feet was our second daughter, Leah.
Smacking my face with her chubby little hands, Sophie tried to get my full attention back on her, which was just what she liked. Smashing my cheeks together between her splayed hands, I gave her the fish lips face that made her smile.
"Daddy, Daddy, I'm almost five, you know."
"I know princess, in just nine short months, you'll be five." I was pretty sure that Sophie was conceived on our wedding night, though Amber liked to call her our little honeymoon souvenir. Either way, forty-one weeks after our wedding, Sophie made us a family of three.
Though her labor was long and difficult, Amber was determined to have the girls close together. It took us a little longer than expected to get pregnant with Leah. Her soft-spoken demeanor was the polar opposite of her sister. At just two, she hadn't found her stubborn streak yet. When Leah heard my voice, she put down the block she was playing with and stood and toddled toward me then thrust up her little arms.
I noticed belatedly that the girls are wearing matching dresses - again. Amber did that shit all the time, telling me that she had to do it now because the girls wouldn't go for it in a few more years. I pretty much let Amber do whatever the hell she wanted, so I didn't complain.
"Honey," Amber started, then stopped, placing one hand against her stomach and the other gripped the arm of the rocking chair tightly.
"Shit, baby, you okay?" I asked, distractedly putting the girls down and moving toward Amber. Placing a soft kiss on her forehead, I noticed the sheen of perspiration that had already collected there.
"Daddy, you said a bad word!" Sophie announced from behind me, though I ignored her.
"Trent, I think I need to go."
"Go? To the hospital? It isn't time yet, isn't it too early?" Even though I had been through this with my wife twice before, the panic still swamped me.
Amber's eyes rolled back into her head, and she instructed Sophie to get her the phone. Apparently, I was replaced, since I was unable to comprehend the situation.
"Shit, sorry, okay, I've got this."
Pulling the phone from my back pocket, I started to dial my mom so she could come stay with the girls, but Amber put her hand on mine before I could put the phone to my ear and shook her head.
"My mom will be here in ten minutes."
"Okay, is it Braxton Hicks again?" I asked, remembering the four trips we took to the hospital with Sophie, thinking it was time, only to be turned away with false labor. Amber had been embarrassed by her inability to know the difference and when she was finally in labor, had forbidden me from calling everyone to the hospital, just in case.
"No, I've been timing them."
"How long?"
"Four minutes." She answered, just before leaning her head back in the chair and starting to breathe deeply and methodically.
"I'm here." I heard called from inside the house. Amber's mom was there.
Letting out a deep breath, I mentally counted the weeks. She was at thirty-seven. Not too early, but this little girl appeared to be coming more quickly than anticipated.
Once Amber's contraction was over, I reached down to pull her up into my arms. Stroking her cheek, I looked deep into her eyes and did my best to reassure her.
"We can do this, sweetness. I'm right here with you. Okay?"
Nodding, she gave me a small smile, and we turned to watch our girls race into the house to hug their grandma.
With the third baby, I was overly confident, thinking that it was all old hat. Unfortunately, though Amber was fully dilated and our little angel wasn't moving. She had been pushing for over an hour and had labored for sixteen hours before that. It seemed that our little one was face up and big, making the delivery that much more difficult.
As I stroked her hair, I watched as Amber's body tightened in another gut twisting contraction. She was so exhausted, her eyes closed as she struggled through it. She had an epidural hours earlier but for whatever reason, the numbing medication never seemed to be sufficient for her. We had the same problem with the first two also. It dulled the pain for a while but seemed to stop working just when she needed it most.
"Call for the OR." The doctor shouted to one of the nurses.
In my state of worry for my wife, my mind was slow to catch up with whatever was going on around me. Amber started to push with the next contraction, but the doctor stood, placed a hand over her huge stomach and commanded, "Mrs. Harris, stop pushing."
Relaxing back onto the bed, she lay there, completely still. An odd sense of panic overtook me as I looked to the doctor for an explanation, thankfully, she didn't keep me waiting.
"The baby's heartbeat is slowing with each contraction. We need to get her out."
"What?" That hadn't happened before, what the hell was she talking about?
"Your wife is exhausted, your daughter is in distress, we need to take them in for surgery - now."
The blood drained out of my head. I felt instantly dizzy - frightened - petrified. "Will she...,"
"I'll do everything I can, but we need to move. Everything should be fine."
I caught the word should. She hadn't said that Amber would be fine. I didn't like that one little bit. A different nurse came up beside me and instructed me to follow her.
"I need to stay with Amber."
"Sir, please come with me. You can scrub up and meet her in the operating room." Her voice was no-nonsense and without further argument, I followed.
We passed by the waiting room, and I realized that it was filled with our friends and family. I heard Sophie yell, "Daddy," as I moved passed the door without stopping. I was focused on Amber right then and couldn't stop. The door closed quickly, and I heard my mom grabbing Sophie up and redirecting her. Everything that happened over the next few minutes was a blur. If someone asked about it later, I probably wouldn't have been able to recount any of it.
I slipped into scrubs, covered my shoes with little cloth things, a hair net was
placed on my head then nurse showed me how to clean my hands and arms all the way up to my elbows. I was shown into a room that was so brightly lit I was almost blinded. The floor, walls, and ceiling were a gleaming white. The faint smell of cleaner lingered in the air. It was cold and felt oddly devoid of life, though it was filled with medical personnel.
Amber was laid out flat on the table. A drape had been hung over her breasts, hiding whatever was going on below her waist. Since I was standing stunned at the door, the nurse grasped my wrist and pulled me to my wife's side.
Amber's eyes were wet with tears, and she looked terrified, which was just how I felt. Holding onto her hand, I leaned down, kissed her forehead and told her how much I loved her.
Within minutes, a loud cry shocked me back to reality. Amber's eyes had closed a few moments before, and she appeared to be sleeping. When she heard our child's first call to her, Amber's eyes popped open. Pure joy, love, and relief showed clear on her face and I was sure the same reflected on mine.
I was still worried about Amber. I didn't care how many times a day they performed cesarean sections, this was my wife, and I would worry about her until I saw that she was safe and healthy.
"It's a boy!" Someone shouted from the other side of the curtain.
"A boy?" Amber asked, incredulous.
Unable to speak, I just nodded and smiled at my wife.
"Mr. Harris, would you like to hold him?"
Turning toward the voice, I watched the nurse from earlier with my son in her arms, walking toward me. Reaching out, I took my boy and cradled him to my chest, leaning down so Amber could see his beautiful face.
A week later, I walked into my bedroom. My boy, Bradly Trent Harris in my arms, to see Amber sitting up against the headboard of our bed. Sophie was on one side of her, Leah on the other. Sophie bounced, unable to hold in the excitement to see her brother while Leah sat calmly, with the look of anticipation and joy on her chubby little face.
My family was complete, in our beautiful farmhouse, in the middle of nowhere Texas. I'd found total redemption. the guilt of past mistakes was gone. All the pain I used to feel, scabbed over. This woman, the light of my life had brought me through some of the most difficult times in my life, to this place of beauty.
THE END
This book is over, but the series continues.
Please keep reading for a free preview of:
Reed, A Redemption Romance, Book 5
* Remember! Reed's story is not yet finished,
so the preview you are about to read will change before its release. *
Free Preview: Reed
Reed
Drumming music blasted through my wireless earbuds as my feet pounded the pavement. The sun was just beginning to rise over the streets of McKinney but fortunately for me and my daily run, the citizens of this once small town weren't out in droves yet. Random and disjointed thoughts flitted through my mind each time the song changed. Gillian, my mom, the latest case that just hit my desk - Gillian - Gillian - Gillian. When Master of Puppets came on, I blanked my mind of everything and focused on each pounding step.
A quick look down at my watch told me it was already five-forty-five, which meant that if I wanted to have time to take my dog out, I had best pick up the pace. I used to take Blazer, my six-year-old Irish Setter with me on my morning run, but about eight months ago, he started limping. After taking him to the vet and paying through the ass to find out what was wrong with him, I was informed that he had hip dysplasia. Thankfully, we caught it before arthritis set in, so I was able to adjust his lifestyle and add in a shit load of healthy food and vitamins. Unfortunately, he couldn't run eight miles a day with me anymore.
Turning the corner that would take me around the block and back toward my house, I saw the reason for my chosen route, up ahead. Gillian Cathleen Young, age twenty-three, born June 9, 1993. I met Gillian over a year ago at Indulgence, a woman's shop owned by my good friend Aurora. Gillian ran the cafe down the street, she was shy and young. Too young for me. She was the woman I couldn't get out of my mind.
I didn't see her often, almost never during my run, but she appeared to be pacing on the sidewalk next to her car. The small gray SUV was parked on the street, in front of the cafe with the hood up. As I approached, I heard the soft melodic tones of her voice. She sounded more agitated than I had ever heard before. As I got closer, I slowed my pace and stopped just a few feet behind her. She hadn't noticed me yet, so I was able to hear her conversation.
"Can't you get anyone here sooner?" She pleaded into the phone. When she turned to walk back to the front of the car, she noticed me. Stopping mid-step, she stared at me in shock. It was as if I had appeared out of thin air.
She acquiesced with the person on the other end of the line and pushed the button to disconnect her call. Several seconds passed, as we looked at one another before I finally broke the silence.
"Gilli, what's up?"
Shaking her head as if to clear it, she broke eye contact and looked toward the open hood of the car and huffed. "It won't start."
Stepping toward the vehicle, I asked, "Want me to take a look?"
"Sure," she replied with a shrug of her delicate shoulders.
After a few questions to unearth the problem, I fiddled with the battery connection.
"Do you have baking soda and vinegar?"
With a puzzled look my way, she nodded and walked into the cafe, which wasn't open for business yet.
After about twenty minutes, I'd cleaned the corrosion from her battery and tightened the connections. She was able to get it going again. Thankfully the battery hadn't been dead since I was a good distance off from my truck and it sounded like the roadside assistance company was going to be quite a while.
"Thank you so much, Reed. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't shown up when you did."
With the issue resolved, she relaxed and even graced me with one of her beautiful smiles.
"Glad I was able to help."
Her eyes seemed to be trained on my chest. Confused, I glanced down and realized that my tight moisture wicking tee was sticking to my sweat-dampened skin, clearly outlining the muscles that lay underneath. Gillian's gaze moved slightly taking in the size of my pecs, my shoulders and finally to the ink clearly visible from under the fabric. My shirt was old, and I had cut the sleeves off years ago so the eagle wings that curled up and over my shoulders from my back, poked out. She could also easily see the USMC insignia on my left bicep along with random other tattoos I had gotten over the years.
"Um, yeah. Thanks." She stammered quietly, her focus still on my body.
My cock decided to stand up and take notice of the beautiful young woman eyeing me. The prick probably would start waiving around to get her to look down at him soon. I had a feeling that wouldn't give him the result he hoped for. I was a big man - everywhere. More than one woman had expressed reservations with me when it came to naked time. I wondered if Gillian would be afraid of it.
With her car running, I lowered the hood and tried to hide my growing excitement and wondered how the fuck I was going to run home in that state.
"Come in anytime and have coffee and something to eat, on the house." She offered, finally dragging her stare to my face.
"Thank you. You know I love your...,"
"Bear Claws," she answered for me, then she giggled. Damn, that was sweet. Sweet? Fuck, she was young. YOUNG damn it. She was young. Right? I mean, twenty-three was young, but was twenty-nine too old?
Gillian's face was gentle, her appearance naturally beautiful. When she looked up at me like she was doing right then, I felt like I could do anything.
"Hey, Gilli?" I asked, nervous as hell but knowing that if I didn't do that shit right then, I would regret it forever.
"Yeah, Reed?"
"Do you want to go out with me this weekend?"
I watched closely for her reaction. I saw surprise, a little bit of wariness but overall I saw excitement.
&nbs
p; "Um, sure. I could go out Saturday. The cafe is closed on Sunday, so I don't have to get up this early then." She was nervous, so she rattled on all in a rush, but she said yes.
A smile spread huge across my mouth, and I noticed her eyes dip to it and linger there just before she licked her lips. Well damn, that didn't help my dick.
We talked for another couple of minutes setting up the time, and I used her phone to text myself so she had my number and I had hers. She texted me her home address, which was just down the street from me. I actually knew that already but decided that I shouldn't mention it. I didn't want her to know just how creepy I was. Hell, I had been lusting after that woman from the first moment I saw her. It hadn't taken much to find out everything I wanted to know about her.
As an agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms or ATF I had access to plenty of information, but since I wasn't a total douchebag, I hadn't utilized any federal databases to glean information on Gilli. Nope, I did it the old fashioned way - Google search.
Gillian
"Hey," opening the door to my tiny yellow house, I looked up into the striking azure eyes of Reed Allen. His soft grin lit his eyes with a light like nothing I had ever seen before. A timid smile shone on my lips, and I glanced down shyly before he saw the eagerness of what was to come, in my eyes.
"Hey," he responded, placing a single gentle finger under my chin. When my eyes met his once more, I knew the same excitement was as clear on my face as it was on his.
Clearing his throat, Reed glanced away then back with a slightly nervous and timid smile. Tilting my head to the right, I wondered at the change in his expression.
"These are for you," Reed stated, pulling something from behind his back.
Reluctantly, my eyes broke from his and I saw the pretty bunch of wild flowers he held in his huge hand. The beautiful blooms were dwarfed by the sheer mammoth size of his fist.