Love Inspired January 2016, Box Set 1 of 2

by Carolyne Aarsen

  “Lily is fine.” She licked her lips. “I...I want to get married. Now.”

  “Now?” His eyes rounded.

  “What about the weekend after next?”

  “I rushed you into a quick ceremony before. Are you sure you don’t want a big wedding?”

  “Yes. I’ve waited ten years for you. It’s time. I want to be free from the moat that I built around my life.”

  He laughed. “Spoken like a true princess.”

  “Do you think Claire would be a bridesmaid?”

  “Does it involve a new dress?”

  “Definitely.”

  “Then I’m sure she’s in.”

  “Good. Now I’ve got to go find Juanita and Marta and ask them to be bridesmaids.” She turned away.

  Matt grabbed her arm. “Anne, wait. We were interrupted before. Let’s do this right.” Matt proceeded to get down on one knee in the middle of the waiting room. He pulled the ring box from his pocket.

  From behind her Anne heard a collective gasp. She didn’t dare look behind her.

  “Marta, grab the remote and turn off that television,” Juanita said. “We’re about to witness history.”

  When he opened the box, a solitaire diamond ring winked at her.

  “That diamond is huge,” she murmured, her knees shaking.

  “No, it isn’t. It looks huge because the last one was so small. Now stop interrupting, I’m trying to propose.”

  She swallowed and nodded.

  “Anne, I love you. I’ve loved you for ten years. Will you marry me?”

  Her breath hitched so she could barely breathe.

  “Say yes,” Juanita whispered.

  “Shh,” Marta whispered back.

  “Yes. Yes. I love you, Matt.”

  His shoulders relaxed as he took the ring from its bed of satin and slid it on her finger.

  From behind her, the applause of the emergency room staff echoed into the waiting room.

  She pressed her lips to Matt’s in a chaste kiss.

  Juanita let out a catcall and a loud whoop. “I knew this was coming. Didn’t I tell you I smelled romance?”

  Anne whirled around. “Ladies, we need to talk. In my office. Now.”

  “Uh-oh, it’s never a good sign when the boss calls you into her office,” Juanita said. “And right after she said I do, too.”

  “Is everything okay, Anne?” Marta asked as she and Juanita eased into the two chairs in front of the desk.

  Anne smiled as she glanced down at the sparkly ring on her finger. She couldn’t help but release a sigh. “I was proposed to by the man of my dreams in my very own emergency department. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

  Marta frowned, obviously confused. “Then what is it?”

  “I need your help.”

  Juanita shook her head and then gently tapped her ear. She offered a short laugh. “Did you just say you need our help?”

  “Very funny. Yes. I need your help.”

  “Whatever you want, you got it, boss.”

  “I’d like you two to be bridesmaids at my wedding.”

  “Ahhh! A bridesmaid. At my age. Yes. Yes. Yes. I am so in.” Juanita jumped out of her chair and danced around the room before finally turning to Marta. “I told you matchy-matchy dresses were in our future.”

  “Wonderful,” Marta said with a groan. “So when is the wedding, Anne?”

  “In two weeks.”

  “Two weeks?”

  “No worries, Marta.” Juanita nodded confidently. “I have Susan’s Boutique on speed dial.”

  “Lovely.” She rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. “What will your wedding colors be, Anne?”

  “I have no idea. Ladies, I’m turning all of the wedding preparation over to you two. That is, if you’ll do it.”

  Juanita’s shoulders shook as she silently laughed. “Of course, we will.”

  “I want it simple. You two know me better than anyone.”

  “We really get to plan your wedding?” Marta asked.

  “I’ve got to sit down. I’m overwhelmed with joy and happiness. This is like a dream come true.” Juanita fanned herself with a hand and then dabbed at the moisture in her eyes.

  “Seriously, you’re putting us in charge?” Marta asked with a concerned frown.

  “You’ve asked me that twice. Yes. You have two weeks. How much damage can you do? We’re getting married in the rose garden. The reception will be outside. We can rent a tent.”

  “Still, this seems highly unusual. All this spontaneity.”

  “I’ve had a reality check today, Marta. My aunt isn’t going to be around forever and in a month my house is moving four miles down the road. We could get snow between now and then. So, if I’m going to do this, it better be now. I’m being spontaneous, isn’t that enough for now?”

  “That’s the attitude,” Juanita said. She leaned forward in her chair. “Would this be the time for some girl talk? Maybe, we can discuss that hunky man out there next.”

  Anne laughed. “No, we cannot.”

  “That’s what I thought you’d say. And we did get to witness the proposal, so I guess I shouldn’t complain. Too bad I didn’t get it on my phone. I bet it would have gone viral.”

  “Juanita, no you wouldn’t have,” Anne said.

  “Of course not, I know the rules. Still...”

  * * *

  Anne peeked through the French doors of the dining room out to the backyard where the celebration had already begun. Guests were filling the rows of chairs strategically placed next to the rose garden. A white tent filled the space beyond that and inside caterers were already setting up.

  “We really pulled it off. In two weeks,” Marta said. “We’ve got temp staffing in from Alamosa so everyone from the emergency room can be at your wedding.”

  “I see Megan is here,” Anne said. “With Sam or with Luke Nelson?”

  “Neither. She’s playing her cards close to her chest. She finally figured out what I was doing and told me she’d find her own husband, thank you very much.”

  Juanita burst into the dining room. “I want to see the bride,” she said.

  Anne turned.

  “Oh, my, my, my. You’re going to make me cry. You look so beautiful. Where did you get that dress? I love that sweetheart neckline.”

  “Believe it or not it was my mother’s.”

  Anne twirled around in the princess-length, oyster-white dress with the full petticoat skirt. She touched her hair to make sure that it was still in place. The sides had been pulled back and pinned to a headpiece of pink rosebuds from Lily’s garden.

  “You look amazing. The prettiest bride I can remember,” Juanita sniffed.

  “Both of you look lovely, as well.”

  “We do, don’t we?” Marta added. “Even in matching dresses, though I can’t believe I’m saying that.”

  “Anne, how does this look?”

  Claire came in from the hallway in a pale pink version of the darker pink dresses that Juanita and Marta wore.

  “Oh, Claire, look at you.” Anne circled the little girl, taking in the tiny braids wound into her caramel-colored tresses. “Who fixed your hair like that?”

  “I did,” Juanita said.

  “She looks so grown up,” Marta said.

  Claire whirled around, her arms spread wide. “I am grown up!”

  “Did you test your blood sugar?” Anne asked. “We don’t want to get too busy to check.”

  Claire nodded. “Not too high. Not too low...”

  “But just right,” Anne said.

  “You two channel Goldilocks often?” Juanita said with a laugh.

  “That’s a family joke. Right, Claire?”

>   “Uh-huh.”

  “You’re about to become a family and already you have inside jokes?” Marta said. “I like that.”

  “You are about to become Mrs. Matthew Clark,” Juanita said. “A very impulsive, spontaneous and brave lady, and I am so proud of you.”

  Marta sighed. “So am I.”

  “Wait. Flowers. Where are the flowers?” Juanita said, looking around in a panic. “We need our bouquets.”

  “In the refrigerator,” Marta reminded her.

  “Anne, look,” Claire called, excitement simmering in her voice as she stood at the French doors. “Aunt Lily is giving the signal. It must be time to start.”

  Anne turned and saw that Claire was right. Aunt Lily was waving her straw hat, the signal for them to begin their little processional down to the rose garden. She turned to Claire and took her hands. “I’m ready to be a family. Are you?”

  Claire nodded and giggled.

  * * *

  Matt adjusted his tie. He turned to Manny. “You have the ring?”

  “You asked me that two minutes ago.”

  “I did?”

  “Yeah. Relax. This is supposed to be fun.”

  “I’ll take your word for it.” He cocked his head. “Do you hear music?”

  “The Paradise band is set up in the tent. That’s the wedding processional music. Look, up there.”

  He turned his attention to the house. Sure enough, the French doors had been thrown open wide. First, Claire stepped out onto the deck and slowly walked down the steps. His daughter. The happiness on her face was radiated in her big smile. She was followed by a grinning Juanita and then Marta.

  Then he saw her.

  The air whooshed from Matt’s lungs and he nearly stumbled.

  “You okay, man?” Manny asked as he grabbed Matt’s arm.

  “Yeah. I’m good.”

  Manny chuckled. “Yeah. You’re good, all right. Best you’ve ever been.”

  Matt gave a distracted nod as he stared straight at Anne. Their eyes met and locked.

  She looked like a princess in white. Suddenly he realized that he didn’t have to apologize for staring, because the beautiful woman walking toward him was about to become his wife.

  His wife again.

  How had that happened? Given the circumstances, it was nothing short of amazing.

  How had the Lord turned everything around and given him all the desires of his heart? Desires he hadn’t known were there until he’d stepped into Paradise. He didn’t understand, but he would never stop being grateful for God’s grace.

  Moments later and Anne was standing next to him, her arm tucked into his. Her gentle smile radiated the love in her heart and Matt was humbled.

  “The marriage of Matthew and Anne brings us full circle, joining together two families, two unique stories with the one foundation of God. A new chapter in their lives is about to unfold.”

  “Amen to that,” Lily chirped. The guests around her laughed.

  “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” their pastor asked.

  Lily Gray stood slowly, leaned on her walker and offered a nod of consent. “I do. And about time, too.” She grinned at both Matt and Anne before sitting again.

  Anne turned to Matt. “God is so good,” she whispered, her voice laced with awe.

  “He is.” Matt leaned his head closer to her ear. His voice was thick with emotion as he whispered, “I love you, Anne. With all my heart.”

  “I love you, too, Matt.”

  He glanced straight ahead. The green of the yard stretched for miles, meeting the silhouette of the mountains spread before them and creating a backdrop for this special day. The verse that the Lord had given him ten years ago when he’d first married Anne sprang from his heart.

  Be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.

  EPILOGUE

  “Here it comes,” Claire shouted. She jumped up and down with excitement right where she stood in the drive holding her father’s camera, filming the inch-by-inch progress of the Victorian as it came closer and closer to its new home.

  Anne clasped her hands to her chest as her gaze followed Claire’s.

  The huge semi lumbered down the road to the property Hollis Elliott had given to Matt, thanks to Lily.

  A cheer went up from the citizens of Paradise who stood on either side of the road watching the truck’s progress and waiting for the moment when the cookie-cutter trim of the house would become visible above the trees. Minutes later the turret room appeared as the house itself came into view.

  Manny adjusted his sunglasses and yellow hard hat as he walked with purpose in front of the truck with a red flag in his hand. His gaze scanned the road periphery for any potential problems up ahead.

  Behind the huge truck four more of the First Construction crew trailed the house, alert for anything that might signal a need to stop the progress of the move.

  So far everything had gone without a glitch and Anne was grateful her husband’s construction company and the Lord had partnered in this particularly special move.

  “We have the land and now the house,” Matt said.

  “Our home,” Anne breathed. “A historic landmark, thanks to Lily pulling some strings in Denver.”

  “She’s got quite a reach, our Lily.”

  Anne nodded. “I can’t wait until she sees the footage of this.”

  Matt laughed as he wrapped his arm around her. “That video is going to be interesting, with Claire jumping up and down like that.”

  “Lily will still love it because Claire filmed it for her.”

  “Are you sure you can’t convince your aunt to live with us?” he asked.

  “No. She’s ready for the retirement community. She misses her friends. I also suspect she understands that her lucid days have become less and less. She doesn’t want to be a burden.”

  “I miss her already and I can’t believe I’m even saying that,” Matt replied.

  “No worries,” Anne said. “She promised to come and visit and oversee the transplanting of the rose garden. However, you should know upfront that she made me promise to fill the house with children.”

  “Now that sounds like an edict straight from Lily Gray,” Matt said. “No pressure, right?”

  Anne laughed in response.

  “Clear,” Manny yelled to the driver as the truck approached the location where it would turn onto the lush green land that Hollis Elliot had sold them. The house would find its home on a new foundation looking over the beauty of Paradise Valley.

  As Manny walked past Anne and Matt, who stood on the gravel drive behind Claire, he raised his thumbs. “God of the eleventh hour,” he shouted.

  “Amen,” Anne returned.

  Matt grinned and leaned down to kiss her. Their lips met and she realized once again how fortunate she was. This time there was no persuading her to do anything but love her new family and their future in Paradise.

  * * * * *

  Dear Reader,

  I hope you enjoyed the fourth book set in Paradise, Colorado. This story sat on the back burner for a while as I tried to understand the emotional and spiritual conflict of a couple separated by a well-meaning family member. A heroine caught between love and duty. A hero hindered by pride.

  I found that I had to really dig deeper than usual to uncover the emotions of Anne and Matt. In the end the truth for both of them was that their hope and trust could only be in the Lord, and both of them had to learn to wait on Him. Our world is managed by a clock, but His world isn’t. That’s a difficult concept to grasp for all of us.

  I hope this story resonated with you. Drop me a line to let me know. I can be reached at tina@tinaradcliffe.com or through my website
, tinaradcliffe.com.

  I’d really love to hear from you.

  Tina Radcliffe

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired story.

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  ISBN-13: 9781488007002

  Rocky Mountain Reunion

  Copyright © 2016 by Tina M. Radcliffe

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