“Thanks, we’ll see you down there,” Jack yelled to them as they walked into the hall.
“Yeah, Dad, I know. I’ll be down in a minute.” Rex and Jack looked at the door and saw Andrew and Cullen Jr. standing there. Their expressions were not happy. They looked unsure of something.
“What’s wrong? Is it McAllister?” Rex asked.
Andrew shook his head. “No, nothing like that.” They had walked completely in the room and shut the door. Andrew turned to Cullen.
“We’ve kept looking into that, um, organization you wanted to help out,” Cullen said and then continued. “We were originally putting out feelers, you know, trying to find any major player so that you could, well, you know. Anyway, Andrew got a call this morning. A man.”
Andrew took a breath. “He says he’s Jesse. Shelby’s Jesse. He’s here. He wants to talk to you.”
Rex stood there for a moment, shocked. “He’s here, now?”
Cullen pointed over his shoulder. “Hallway.”
Rex motioned to the door. “Well, what are you waiting for? Let him in.”
Andrew and Cullen looked at each other and shrugged. There was obviously something they were holding back. Andrew opened the door and motioned for the man to enter. He walked into the room and stared at Rex.
“Holy shit!” Jack said.
He was a dead ringer for Brent, minus the hair color and a few more wrinkles. It was uncanny. “You’re Jesse?” Rex asked.
The man nodded. “I am.”
Rex turned to the others, and they all knew they were silently being told to leave them alone. He waited for the door to close before continuing, “Thank you.”
Jesse cocked his brow at him. “Thank you?”
“You saved her. You did more than save her life. You saved her soul,” Rex told him.
“Ah, I saved her. Yes, well, I may have saved her, but only her life. You, you saved her soul. I’ve watched her, you know?” he said as he walked over to the window and stared out over the backyard.
“You have?”
He nodded. “I was there at her college graduation.” His voice had changed. It seemed almost tortured and sad. “I, ah, well she was different than the others I had saved.” He held up a hand to stop Rex from responding. “Don’t get me wrong. They were all special, and they all mattered. But Shelby, she was different. She–she was the first person who truly helped me to deal with the death of my daughter. I had never cried in front of anyone before her. I felt a connection to her. I can’t explain it. In the short time we had together, I came to love her like she was my own daughter.” His voice choked on the last words.
Rex put his hand on the man’s shoulder. “She told me. She said you were like the father she never had. The only true parent she had ever known.”
Jesse turned back to face him, surprised by Rex’s words. “She remembers me? She remembers our time together?”
“Of course she does. You didn’t know?”
“I thought maybe, my face, or bits and pieces, but I never.” He started to cry. “I prayed she would forget. So many others had been blessed with memory loss from the trauma they endured. I prayed she would forget it all and have a good life. I–It took everything I had not to come to her when –” He cleared his throat, trying to swallow the anguish he felt. “After that man raped her this past year. When I saw it in the papers, I wanted to rip him into a million pieces.”
Rex nodded, understanding just how he had felt. “You could have come to her. Even if she hadn’t remembered then, it would have been good for her, for both of you.”
He laughed. “I chickened out at the last minute. I was outside her hospital room about a week after the rape. I saw you there. You were holding her hand and talking to her. She was unconscious, but you were talking to her. She was covered in bruises and cuts, but you kept telling her she was beautiful. I was about to go in when I overheard one of the nurses talking. They said you had saved her and that you had been with her day and night. You never left.” He laughed. “They said a security guard had tried to forcibly remove you from the room when you wouldn’t follow ICU’s visiting hours but you took him down on the floor like a ninja. Honestly, that’s what the nurse called you, a ninja.”
Rex laughed with him. He remembered the altercation quite well. Looking back, he realized that he had quite a bit of a temper when it came to his protection over Shelby.
“I knew then that I didn’t need to go in. I knew she had someone who loved her,” Jesse said.
“Really? You knew it, too. Damn, I am such an idiot.”
“I don’t understand,” Jesse said.
“Long story, suffice it to say that although I spent all of my time with Shelby, it took me a while to figure out why.” Rex shrugged.
Jesse smiled at him. “I think you were supposed to wait. If you had known it sooner, would she have been ready? Would things have turned out the way they had? No, I think not. I believe that things happened in the time they were supposed to. I just wanted to meet you. I wanted to meet the man who was going to marry my daught–” He stopped and quickly corrected himself. “Who was going to marry Shelby.”
“Would you like to see her?” Rex asked, knowing full well that he had almost called Shelby his daughter and that the man in his heart believed it to be true.
Jesse looked stunned. “Do, um–Do you think she would like that?”
“I know she would. Come on,” Rex said as he led him down the hall toward the master bedroom. He was instantly met with Tamara’s wide-eyed look of shock.
“Tam, relax, it’s Jesse, the man who rescued Shelby,” Rex assured her.
“I know. Jack told me, I just can’t believe the similarity.” Tamara held out her hand and shook his. “Mr. ah–Jesse, thank you for saving Shelby. I believe she is who she is today because of you.” She leaned over to kiss him on the cheek and started to turn away. “Rex?” she said.
“Hmm?”
“He can go in, but don’t you even think about walking in there. Understood?”
“Understood. Geez, Mom. Take the fun out of everything!” Rex teased.
Tamara’s face blushed. “How did you know? I was waiting until tonight to tell Jack. How did–oh, you didn’t, did you? It was a figure of speech. Okay, well, you do realize now that if you tell him I will have to kill you.” She smirked at him and walked away.
“Damn, Jack is going to be a dad. This is turning out to be a good day.” Rex turned to Jesse. “In the same day, I find out I’m going to be an uncle, and I get the wife of my dreams.” He hesitated for a moment. “And a father-in-law anyone would be proud to have.”
Before Jesse could respond, they heard Shelby on the other side of the door. “Rex? Rex, are you out there? Rex, please, I can hear you, but you can’t come in here. It’s bad luck. The wedding’s in twenty minutes. Can’t you wait twenty more minutes for crying out loud, I mean, we’ve wait –”
“Shelby,” Rex interrupted. “Listen to me, honey. I won’t come in. Just listen. Okay?”
“Okay, is something wrong?” she asked him hesitantly.
“No, honey, everything’s perfect. I, ah, I have someone here that would like to see you. I’m going to go downstairs to greet the guests. Wait about thirty seconds and then open the door, okay?”
“Okay. Rex?”
“Yeah, honey?”
“I love you.”
He smiled. “I love you, too, honey. I’ll see you downstairs. Twenty minutes. Don’t make me wait any longer, or I swear I’ll die.”
He laughed as he slapped Jesse on the shoulder and walked past him. Rex could almost see Shelby rolling her eyes at him.
Shelby waited the thirty seconds and opened the door. She figured it was a gift or some flowers that Rex had arranged to have delivered, but she hadn’t expected what she saw. “Jesse? Is it really you?”
He grinned at her and nodded. “I–oh, hell. This is harder than I thought.” He started to cry. “You look so beautiful, and happy. You look so
happy.” He cupped her face in his hands and looked at her. “You did it. You made a life for yourself, and now you’re happy. I’m so proud of you, honey.” He placed a small kiss to her cheek.
Shelby’s shock subsided, and she couldn’t hold back any longer. She threw her arms around him and hung on. “Jesse. I never thought I’d get to see you again. You came. I can’t believe that you came.”
He drew her back. “I’ve come before. I saw you graduate college. I thought you looked beautiful that day. But now, look at you. You’re absolutely glowing. I’m so happy for you. That Rex, he’s a good guy. He seems to really love you.”
She was doing her best to hold back her tears. “He does. And I love him, too, so much. He’s wonderful. Oh, God, I can’t believe you are here. Come sit down.” She led him to a small love seat by the window and took his hand.
“So this is your new home? It’s beautiful. It seems the perfect home to raise a family in.” He brushed a tiny tear that had escaped.
“Oh,” Shelby said as she looked to the ceiling. “I can’t cry. My makeup will be ruined. You’re going to stay, right, I mean –”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Cullen Sr. stood in the doorway. “I guess my Cullen was correct in how much he looks like that Brent character.”
Shelby quickly retorted with, “But nothing like him. Jesse is nothing like Brent.”
“Yes, indeed, Shelby, my apologies. I didn’t mean to imply.”
“Of course not. I’m Jesse.” He held out his hand in greeting.
“Jesse, your father?” Cullen Sr. inquired as he looked to Shelby.
Jesse and Shelby looked frozen by the question. Neither one sure what to say or how to answer.
“Oh, don’t be coy, my dear. This man. You may not have come from his blood, but you came from his soul, no?” Cullen said with a nod and a grin.
Shelby smiled at him and laced her fingers through Jesse’s. “Yes, I did. And yes, he is my father. In every way that matters to me.” She turned to him, uncertainty in her eyes. “That is if he wants a daughter.”
Jesse gritted his teeth, willing the tears to go away. “He does, after all, you’re the only one who can bring me to tears. It would be an honor to get to know you again, as a father.”
Cullen clapped his hands together. “Well then, it would seem that you are behind schedule.”
Jesse and Shelby looked at him, confused.
“Come now, let’s get you ready to give your daughter away,” Cullen demanded as he pulled Jesse to his feet. “Here, put this on.” He was taking the boutonnière from his tuxedo and placing it on Jesse’s suit.
“Thank you,” Shelby whispered in Cullen’s ear as she went to touch up her makeup. She knew how honored he had been when she had asked him to give her away. To give that up for Jesse to do it meant more than she could ever express.
Rex waited as he watched Jack and Tamara walk toward him. Tamara looked at Rex as he winked at her. She giggled and made a shh motion with her finger. He nodded.
“What was that about?” Jack whispered.
“You know your wife. She’s like everyone’s mother. Always trying to make sure I behave.” Rex shrugged while he laughed inside at their secret.
“Yeah, she’s going to make a great mom someday,” Jack said with a look of longing in his eyes.
Rex heard the wedding march begin, and his eyes went to the door leading to the house. There she was. Her beauty still amazed him. She was absolutely magnificent. He was surprised, but not unhappily, when he saw her arm linked with Jesse’s. Standing in the shadows behind them, he saw Cullen Sr. and knew what the man had done. The man was, if nothing else, gracious and generous.
She was walking toward him. Her white gown was stunning. The thin sleeves were off the shoulder with a V-neckline encrusted with crystal beading and sequins. The dress was snug and accentuated every gorgeous curve of her body. He watched her come toward him as his mouth began to water. He wanted her now! He used all of his restraint and wished for tonight to come sooner rather than later. He wanted to lift that satiny dress and do things to her that were–
“Dude, you’re drooling in front of all the guests,” Jack teased.
Rex chuckled. “Yeah. Do you blame me?”
“Not one bit, my friend,” Jack said as he glanced over at his wife. She was rubbing a hand against her stomach.
Tamara looked up and smiled at him, nodding as she mouthed the words, “We’re having a baby.”
Jack almost fell over at the alter. Recovering quickly, a giant grin formed on his face as he mouthed the words to her, “I love you.”
Shelby now stood at the backyard gazebo that Rex and Jack had just finished construction on days before.
“Who gives this woman to this man?” the reverend asked.
All eyes turned to Jesse. “I do. I am her father, and I give her to this man with honor.” He gently kissed her cheek and took her hands to place them in Rex’s.
Before he could turn away, Rex said to him, “Thank you.” He turned to face Shelby. “And you, I love you.” He leaned down and kissed her. Not a tender kiss either, a passion-filled promise of what was yet to come.
“Ahem. Mr. Metcalf, we’re not quite at that part yet,” the reverend chided him.
Everyone watching laughed.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help it.” He winked at Shelby. She rolled her eyes at him. The reverend began reading from his book when Rex whispered so quiet that only he and Shelby could hear. “Penny for your thoughts.”
THE END
www.nicolemorganauthor.blogspot.com
www.nicolemorgan1.webs.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nicole Morgan was an avid reader who kept having one recurring problem. Ideas for stories kept popping into her head. She ignored her desire to write until her curiosity got the better of her and she decided to research what steps she would have to take if she truly wanted to take a chance and write. After her research was complete, she sat down and started to write that first book.
Nicole took a chance and followed her dream. She has been blessed with some fabulous opportunities and has met some wonderful people along the way. Writing is a true love to her and has brought her a new and profound happiness with every step she’s taken along the way.
She currently lives in Colorado with her family while continuing to write and look for new and interesting ways to bring her characters to life for the reader.
Also by Nicole Morgan
Siren Classic: Intimate Temptations 1: Intimate Persuasions
Siren Classic: Sudden Devotion
Siren Allure: Love Knows No Boundaries
Siren Allure: Sweet Awakenings 2: Sweet Redemption
Available at
BOOKSTRAND.COM
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Morgan, Nicole - Sweet Salvation [Sweet Awakenings 2] (Siren Publishing Allure) Page 29