Made for Marriage

by Helen Lacey

  “This is my favorite spot,” her mother said as she arranged her housecoat on the bench.

  Callie sat beside her and looked at the beautiful deep burgundy rosebush just about to bloom. “Dad’s flower.”

  Eleanor smiled. “Not just that.” She pointed to a small miniature rose shrub with tiny yellow buds on it. “That one is for my grandson.”

  Ryan’s rose. Of course her mother would do that. Callie grasped her mother’s hand. “Thank you, Mom.” Callie sighed. “You know, I never thought I’d feel whole again. After Ryan died I shut myself off from everything.” She looked at her mother. “And everyone.”

  She took a long, shuddering breath. “And then one morning Lily Preston knocked on my door and my life changed.”

  “Kids do that,” her mother said fondly. “So does love.”

  He mother was so right and Callie didn’t know whether she should laugh or cry. “The children are incredible. And they…they need me.”

  “So why are you here?”

  Callie looked at the rose planted in her son’s memory and said a silent prayer and thank you to the precious baby she’d never forget. And slowly the pain began to ease. She thought about Craig, and there was no anger, no lingering resentment for a man she now realized was never who she’d believed him to be. She felt sad for him. Sad for the time lost. But that was all, and it made her feel incredibly free. She thought about Noah loving children who weren’t biologically his and knew he was right—blood and genetics were merely words. And Fiona—forced to give up her baby and living with the belief and hope that her child was being loved and cherished. And she knew, as her heart filled with a heady joy at what the future promised, that loving Noah was the greatest gift she could give his children.

  “Why am I here?” Callie echoed her mother’s words. “I’m letting go of the past.”

  “Are you about done?”

  Callie nodded. “I’m done. I need to go home now.” She squeezed her mother’s hand. “Will you come with me, Mom? I’d like you to meet Noah…and the…and my…”

  “Your kids?”

  Callie’s heart contracted. “Yes.”

  Eleanor reached across and hugged Callie close. “We’re booked to leave tomorrow. That young man of yours can be very persuasive.”

  Callie laughed with delight. “Oh, Mom, don’t I know it.”

  Bellandale airport only accepted small aircraft, so Callie and her mother caught a connecting flight with a small domestic airline and because of the time difference arrived late Tuesday afternoon.

  The airplane hit the runway and took a few minutes to come to a complete stop. Stairs were placed near the door and Callie felt the warm morning air hit her the moment she stepped out into the sunshine.

  It was good to be back. And she couldn’t wait to see Noah and the children. Fiona was picking them up and Callie intended to go directly to his house to surprise him. She clutched her cabin bag and followed her mother down the steps behind a line of other passengers. The walk across the tarmac took no time at all and when they reached the terminal and walked through the automatic doors the strong rush of the air conditioner was a welcome relief.

  People disbursed in front of them, some greeting waiting relatives, some linking up with rental cars or taxis. Callie looked around for the familiar face of her friend and then stopped dead in her tracks as the throng of people in front of her disappeared.

  For a moment she couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. Couldn’t think. She dropped her bag to her feet. Then, through the blur of tears she knew it was true.

  Callie saw Lily first, then Jamie, then the twins. Lily held up a sign, as did Jamie, and the little ones had a hand each on a wide piece of cardboard. It spelled three words.

  Please… Marry… Us…

  The kids all looked hopeful. And Lily—looking so naturally beautiful with her newly colored hair and clean face, stared at her with luminous green eyes that shone brightly with tears. Jamie was smiling the widest smile she’d ever seen and the twins chuckled with such enchanting mischief she just wanted to hug them close.

  I love these kids. I want to love them for the rest of my life. I want to be their mother.

  She smiled through her tears and Lily came forward and hugged her so tight Callie thought she might break something. “Thank you for my birthday present,” Lily said breathlessly. “Please say yes to my dad.”

  Callie hugged her back as emotion welled inside her. “Where is he?”

  “Callie?”

  She heard his voice, felt his presence vibrating though her entire body. He was behind her. Callie turned. Her breath caught in her throat. He looked so good. Sounds disappeared, people faded, until there was just him. Only this man she loved so much.

  “You’re here?” she whispered.

  He nodded. “I’m here.”

  Callie saw Evie and Fiona from the corner of her eye, and watched as they ushered the children toward them and took Eleanor into their inner circle and headed for the exit doors. Noah stepped forward and took her hand. She felt his touch through to every part of her body.

  “I can’t stand being away from you,” he admitted, drawing her closer. “It’s killing me.”

  And right there, in the middle of the airport, with people moving around them, Noah kissed her.

  “I’m sorry I left you,” she managed to say, when the kissing stopped and she could draw a breath. “I know my reasons didn’t make a lot of sense to you. But I had something I had to do before I could give you…all of my heart.”

  Noah held her in the circle of his arms. “What did you have to do?”

  “I had to say goodbye to Ryan.”

  He swallowed hard and Callie saw the emotion glittering in his green eyes. “I understand.”

  “I’ll always cherish him,” she said, holding on to Noah, vaguely aware that people around them were dwindling to just a few. “But I knew I had to let go of all my anger toward Craig and my grief over losing Ryan. I guess it came down to this fear I had of messing up…of not being able to feel what I knew your children deserved me to feel.”

  “And did you let it go?”

  Callie nodded. “Yes—once I realized that I wanted to love the kids and that I wanted to be part of their life.”

  Noah held her hands in front of his chest. “You know what it means, Callie? The whole deal—forever.”

  “I know what it means,” she said on a rush of breath. “I want forever. I want the kids. I want you.” She looked into his eyes. “I love you.”

  “It’s about time,” he breathed into her hair. He kissed her, the sweetest kiss she’d ever known.

  “Thank you for not giving up on me,” she whispered between kisses.

  He held her in his arms. “I never will. Marry me, Callie? I need you. We need you.”

  She nodded. “Yes,” she said, her gaze filled with love. “Yes, I will. I love you,” she whispered. “I love you.”

  “Marry me soon.”

  “Mmm,” she agreed through kisses. “Soon. How about Christmas Eve?”

  He smiled against her mouth. “That soon? Good.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. “Because I’ve been carrying this around with me for days.”

  Callie stared at the box as he flipped the lid. Inside lay the most beautiful ring she’d ever seen—a gorgeous champagne diamond surrounded by a cluster of pure white stones. She looked at the ring, then Noah. “It’s beautiful.”

  He slipped the ring on her finger and it fit perfectly.

  “The kids helped me pick it out.” He kissed her forehead gently. “I love you, Callie.” He lifted her chin and tilted her head. “And if you ever want to explore that ten-percent chance and look at trying to have a baby—then that’s what we’ll do. Whate
ver you decide, I’ll be beside you.”

  Callie felt fresh tears behind her eyes. “Thank you for that. We’ll see what happens. For the moment…I just want to learn how to be the best mother I can be to your children.”

  “Our children now,” he said softly. “Maybe we should head outside and break the news?” he suggested and pointed toward the long glass windows and the sea of eager and clearly happy faces watching them.

  She nodded and he linked their hands and they walked outside together. As soon as they hit the pavement Lily raced forward and hugged her close and Jamie and the twins followed her lead. With her mother, Evie and Fiona smiling, the kids laughing and hugging and Noah holding her hand so tightly she felt the connection through to her soul, any doubts disappeared. This was what she was made for. This man. This family. Her family.

  * * * * *

  ISBN: 9781459219427

  Copyright © 2012 by Helen Lacey

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