Grace stared at him.
The pause dragged on until Harrison cleared his throat and his smile became nervous. “What do you think?”
“I have two conditions,” she said.
He exhaled and smiled. “Name them.”
“Number one: I want more bathrooms when we remodel, even if we have to lose a bedroom upstairs to do it.”
“Okay. That’s an easy one.”
“Number two …” She grinned. “I want a real proposal one of these times, with a ring and a kiss and flowery words.”
Harrison chuckled. “I’ll plan the best proposal you’ve ever seen, but … can I have a kiss right now?”
“Yes, sir.”
He leaned close. Grace breathed in his manly scent and forgot about every ache and pain as he kissed her. The promise and joy in their future stretched before her, stopping the wrecking ball and the fear of being alone ever again.
Epilogue
Grace lifted the ponytail off her neck to fan herself and gave the tire swing another heave. Ivy and Lily giggled and clung to each other in the swing. “Higher, Mama, higher,” Ivy begged.
Grace and Harrison had officially adopted the three-year-old twin girls on their one-year wedding anniversary in July. Grace arched her back to stop the ache from the twin boys kicking each other inside her abdomen. She’d hoped to fill their home with children, and they had a good start already.
Harrison came out of the house carrying a tray of sandwiches, chips, and veggies; Aunt Geraldine followed him with iced lemonade and cups. Harrison caught Grace’s eye and grinned. Her stomach swooped. Would she ever stop being so enamored with her handsome husband? She hoped not.
She was so proud of him for all he’d accomplished the past two years. They had used the house insurance to rebuild Sycamore Bay and carefully invested the money from her daddy, but set aside enough to fund a sports program for underprivileged youth, organizing competitive teams for those who showed talent, dedication, and wanted to play at the next level. Harrison paid for the coaches, team fees, and travel for the players. Of course he coached the football team, but he also had volleyball, soccer, and lacrosse and was working on adding basketball and baseball. He was the most amazing coach with his brilliance with numbers and ability to read the field.
Grace loved watching him get right in there with the teenagers and push them physically to the next level. Their teams had proven to be successful and he had more than one triumphant story of bringing young people off the streets or saving them from drugs or crime. Next year, several of his players would be playing at the collegiate level thanks to his contacts and the opportunities he’d given them.
“Come on, girls,” Aunt Geraldine called. “You eat all this yummy lunch, and then I’m going to read you a story before your surprise comes.”
Grace held on to the chain of the swing and pulled it to a stop. The girls scrambled off. Ivy fell to the grass, but hopped up and hurried to the patio table. The child never cried, no matter what happened to her. Sometimes it worried Grace when she thought about the abuse her beautiful brunette girls endured their first year and a half of life, but they were both happy and well-adjusted now.
Harrison set his load down and stopped for a kiss from each of his girls before he reached her side. “Hi, beautiful. You keeping cool enough?”
“You worry about me too much. I’m only ten and half months pregnant.”
Harrison chuckled low and deep. “These little boys proving too much for you, Mrs. Jackson?”
“I’m a tough Southern woman. No man could get the best of me.” She winked.
“Well, you’ve got their daddy wrapped tight around your pinky finger, so I’m sure the boys will follow suit when they finally arrive.” He touched her abdomen with reverence, then kissed her. “I love you.”
“I love you more.”
Ivy and Lily giggled behind them.
“Stop mooning over each other and come eat,” Aunt Geraldine called.
A car motored up the driveway, but they couldn’t see it from back here. They’d built the house almost entirely like the original, except for more bathrooms upstairs like Grace had wanted, and it was amazing to have everything new and low-maintenance, especially the air conditioning unit. They’d also put in a swimming pool and a large outdoor patio and pool house and fixed up the yard with all the flowers Grace had dreamed of. A gazebo graced the huge oak tree with the tire swing in it.
“Who is it?” Lily cried out. She scrambled off her chair and around the house.
“Oh heavens, they’ll never eat now,” Aunt Geraldine said, but her eyes twinkled.
Turk came racing around the side of the house, about knocking his younger cousin off her feet. “Lily!” He picked her up and swung her around, showing off his six-year-old strength. Lily’s peals of laughter lit the air, and Ivy hurried to reach her cousin as well.
Jace escorted Moriah much more slowly around the house. Moriah’s abdomen was almost as badly distended as Grace’s.
Harrison wrapped his arm around Grace and they went to meet the other couple, enjoying watching Turk and his cousins hug and laugh together.
“How are you feeling, sis?” Moriah greeted Grace.
“Huge. You?”
“Massive.” Moriah wrapped her hands underneath her stomach. “What do you say we have these babies today?”
“If you’ve got a formula to induce labor, I’d be all over it.”
Moriah laughed long and low. “You’ve still got five weeks left. I’m the one who should be any day.”
“I’m bigger than you.”
“No.” Moriah shook her head, though it was probably true.
Jace gave Grace a side hug. “You two are both beautiful.”
“Thank you, my schmoozer of a husband,” Moriah said.
Harrison nodded. “The two of us are the luckiest men I know.”
“Ah, and you’re rubbing off on my strong, silent type of husband,” Grace told Jace.
“What?” Harrison turned to her. “I tell you you’re beautiful all the time.”
“I know, love, but you’re still strong and—when you kiss me—silent.”
“I guess I’d better get kissing you, then.” He bent down and kissed her, and she forgot about being far too pregnant and the crowd they had watching them. With Harrison close, everything was just about perfect.
Kiss Me in the Rain by Lindzee Armstrong
Cypress Grove Mansion, a treasured constant in Layla's perfect life, will be sold to the highest bidder if she doesn’t date an investor's son. The problem? The man she really wants just rolled into town.
Roping his Heart by Jaclyn Hardy
Rachel has dreamed of owning the old mansion since she was a child. When Patrick comes to town with the deed in his hand, Rachel’s hopes are shattered. Can she have both the house and the man who has captured her heart, or will she be left with nothing?
The Princess and the Pizza Man by Cassie Mae
Cupid is supposedly haunting Frostville Mansions, and skeptic Will heads to the place with the hope his sister will finally find the love she wants. But when he starts to fall for the fun and spunky owner, he wonders if there may be a love god living in the walls after all.
Mending Fences by Lorin Grace
Two decades ago a little girl climbed a fence and found a friend. Now all she finds is trouble. Daniel Crawford has taken to chasing off intruders by any means possible. No one is going to cross the fence into his land. Or his heart.
Love Me at Sunset by Lucinda Whitney
For Afonso, the remote Sunset Manor is the perfect place to start over as the new groundskeeper. But when suspicious accidents start at the property, will he be able to protect the young widow Catarina?
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About the Author
Cami is a part-time author, part-time exercise consultant, part-time housekeeper, full-time wife, and overti
me mother of four adorable boys. Sleep and relaxation are fond memories. She’s never been happier.
Sign up for Cami’s newsletter to receive a free ebook copy of The Feisty One: A Billionaire Bride Pact Romance and information about new releases, discounts, and promotions here.
If you enjoyed Harrison and Grace’s story, I think you would love Jace and Moriah’s story. Read on for a sneak peek of Cancun Getaway: A Billionaire Beach Romance.
Also, don’t miss the first chapter of Kiss Me in the Moonlight by Lindzee Armstrong, the first Destined for Love: Mansions novel.
www.camichecketts.com
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Excerpt from Cancun Getaway
Moriah tilted her head back and let the sun kiss her face. They’d landed in Cancun two hours ago, and a driver had brought them and their friends Trin and Zander straight to the upscale, all-inclusive resort. She and her three-year old, Turk, had changed into their suits first thing and headed straight for the beach. They were having the time of their lives digging in the sand.
The resort was massive. The buildings housing the rooms had eight or nine floors, depending on if they boasted a penthouse or not. The resort was shaped like a horseshoe with the open end to the beach. All of the pools, restaurants, and spa area were in the center. The beach was just a flight of stairs below the pools, separated by a retaining wall, waterfalls, and infinity pools, with most of the pools and rooms overlooking the glorious ocean. Yay for paradise.
“Shovel, Mama!” Turk commanded.
“Demanding, demanding.” Moriah knelt on the sand and put a hand on her hip, tossing her black curls. “You don’t boss the Mama around.”
Turk giggled. “Please shovel, Mama. I need tracks for my monster truck.”
She smiled and dug in. His track was already extensive, but she’d do anything for her little man. As Turk pushed the truck around the track making zoom noises, Moriah savored the sound of the waves. Living in Montgomery, Alabama her entire life, she’d made it to Gulf Shores a few times. It wasn’t like this was her first time at the ocean, but it was definitely her first time on white-sand-Caribbean beaches, and she was in heaven.
Trin and Zander hadn’t made it down from their room yet. Dang newly-married lovers, she thought, but she was happy for them. She couldn’t believe they’d talked her into leaving the bed and breakfast for over a week. Trin and Zander owned the Cloverdale. The mansion had been in Trin’s family for generations, and Moriah felt like the restored bed and breakfast was her home too, and Trin was closer to her than family. In fact, they liked to claim they were sisters just to see people’s reactions. Moriah smiled thinking about people’s reactions. Trin was a tall, beautiful redhead, and Moriah was petite and as brown as her mama’s mahogany bookcases.
A group of young adults were playing volleyball about fifty yards down the beach, and Moriah found her gaze drawn in that direction. Three of the men looked like they could be triplets from this distance—tall, blond, and too good-looking for their own good. Her brother Harrison was always teasing her that she had vanilla fever, but he knew better than anybody that blond men just spelled heartache and trouble for her. Why was it they could steal her eyeballs from their intended target? A pair of nice blue eyes could give her heart palpitations. It didn’t help that she never had time to date and hardly met any single men her age working in a bed and breakfast that catered to couples. Luckily, she always stayed strong where blond men were concerned, or at least, she had for the past three years.
One of the men glanced her way for a third time and gave her a broad smile. His teal-blue eyes were beckoning to her as his tanned cheek crinkled with an irresistible grin. Moriah returned the smile, but quickly refocused on digging the track. Sheesh, she thought she was used to heat and humidity, but she was suddenly burning up. Lord, give me strength to resist the white hottie. She chuckled to herself. As if the man was going to chase her around the resort. There were plenty of women taking part in the volleyball game who looked more than happy to hang on his every muscle.
“Mama, look.” Turk pointed out at the gently rolling waves where some teenage girls were trying to stand up on paddleboards. They squealed as a larger wave came along and knocked both of them into the water.
“Let’s do that,” Turk said.
Moriah sprang up. She was more than ready to try anything and everything in this tropical paradise. Volleyball topped the list, even though she wasn’t any good at the actual sport. She chanced another glance at her blond Adonis. Just her luck that he was serving the ball at that moment. His muscles rippled underneath his tanned skin. A moment later, the other team returned his serve. He dove to save the ball, and she had to look away or risk diving after him herself.
He stood, brushing sand from his shredded abdomen and then caught her eye again. Oh. My. Goodness. Hopefully, paddle boarding would cool her off. A tall redhead bee-bopped up to Moriah’s Adonis and placed her hands on his chest, drawing his attention away from Moriah. Of course he had women draping themselves all over him. Look at the guy.
Turk was already skipping down the beach in the opposite direction of the volleyball net. Moriah hurried after him and found the resort worker who provided beach equipment. Within minutes, they had lifejackets, instructions, a paddle, and a long board in the water that was, unfortunately, not one bit stable.
Moriah placed Turk on the board then knelt behind him, grasping the paddle. They were only inches deep, and one wave shot them back onto the beach.
“Come on, Mama. Let’s go.” Turk demanded.
“I’m trying, little man.” Moriah pushed off the sand hard with the paddle, and they moved a few feet. She started paddling ferociously but had to lift the paddle to the other side of the board and over Turk’s head every few strokes. They’d turn one direction then the other and were making very little progress as waves kept pushing them in. She needed to stand up to paddle more effectively and make any headway against the gentle waves.
“Okay, buddy. Hold on.” They were only in a foot of water so it wouldn’t matter if they tipped, but it felt awkward, as if the people in lounge chairs on the beach were watching them. What about her volleyball-playing Adonis? She hoped he wasn’t anywhere nearby.
Slowly, she stood, flexing her abs to help her balance. Her legs trembled, and she couldn’t even think about paddling. She simply tried to stay upright. A wave rolled toward them. As it lifted one side of the board, Moriah let out a yelp, but she rode through it and miraculously didn’t fall in. Turk was cheering. “Yeah!”
“Whew. That was a close one.”
“Good job, Mama. Now, can you please paddle faster? I wanna surf!”
“I’ll try.” She doubted they’d do anything close to surfing, but she had to try for her boy. Shakily, she inserted the paddle into the water and pushed off the sand. Her legs wobbled. They moved a few inches. Moriah lifted the paddle to the other side. The board bobbed and, before she could do much more than cry out, flipped them both off.
Moriah was able to stay on her feet and only landed in a foot of water. Turk got dunked, but his life jacket kept him floating. She hurriedly grabbed him and lifted him out. “Are you okay?”
Turk grinned. “We’re bad at this, Mama.”
She laughed. “Yes, my man, we are.”
“Would you like a little help?” a deep voice asked from behind her. Moriah whirled around, and her eyes widened. Adonis had been good from afar, but he was miles past good up close. She brushed the curls from her face and swallowed hard.
“We’re just newbies, but we’re scrappy. We’ll figure it out.” She arched an eyebrow and gave him a saucy swirl of her hips. It wasn’t a conscious flirtation, just natural instinct. Trin always teased her that she danced her way through life.
He grinned, set his paddle on his board, and pushed it back onto the beach. How had he gotten a board without her even noticing? He had a lifejacket on so at least his chest and abdomen was covered, but his shoulders and arms were picture-per
fect enough to make her need one of those specialty drinks the waiters kept offering. “Wouldn’t it be more fun to try it together?”
“If you’re sure you’re up for a lesson.” Did he have a slight Southern accent? His voice reminded her of somebody who’d grown up in the South then had it knocked out of them by Northern schooling and a rich lifestyle.
“No issue sharing my expertise with a beautiful woman.”
“I meant me teaching you.” She pointed her finger at him, grinning at her sauciness. Of course, she couldn’t teach him anything but dance moves.
“Oh?” He chuckled easily. “I like the sound of that.” Wading into the water, he held out his arms to her boy. “Do you want to ride with me, buddy? Then your sister will have an easier time teaching us how it’s done.”
Moriah opened her mouth to correct his assumption. She wasn’t surprised as she was mistaken for Turk’s sister and aunt a lot. Unfortunately, Turk interrupted her. “Sure!” He hollered.
Moriah loved how Turk’s “sure” always came out as a happy “shore.” As he launched himself into the man’s arms, Moriah scrambled for her boy, but came up empty. Turk was naturally friendly with everyone, but he especially loved large men who tossed him in the air.
Moriah stared at the two of them together, and the world around her seemed to settle. The tall, good-looking, tanned man holding her little boy with his smooth, brown skin and curly hair made quite the picture. She wished she was a painter and could capture this moment. The contrast of the man and her child, yet the absolute rightness of them both, combined with the beach and the ocean was simply beautiful.
Adonis pulled his board out and settled Turk on it, handing him the large paddle. “How old are you, buddy?”
Saving Sycamore Bay (Destined for Love: Mansions) Page 10