A Moment Like This: A Contemporary Christian Romance Prequel Novella (The Grace Series Book 4)

by Staci Stallings

  “Well, somebody’s got a good thing going here, don’t you agree, Mrs. West?” And he turned her so her gaze came up to his. “Man, how do you do that?”

  “Do what?” she asked, her eyes melting into his.

  “Make me fall in love with you more every time I see you.”

  Gently he laid his lips on hers, and Jaycee didn’t even argue.

  The sun was already shining when Jaycee reached up out of dreaming and opened her eyes the next morning. Peace and happiness wrapped around her as her brain began recounting life as it was now hers to live. A blink and another, and the smile came to her without effort when she found him lying there, wrapped around his pillow, just looking at her.

  “Good morning, love of my life,” Derek said softly so as not to jolt her into reality too quickly. He slid his hand over and slid his finger across her temple to brush away the hair there. “How’d you sleep?”

  “Mmm.” Closing her eyes, Jaycee relished the feeling of being here with him. There were no other wishes on her list this Christmas morning.

  Smiling even more as he watched her, he slipped his finger down the side of her face, brushing at the strands of hair, watching it as it did so. “Merry Christmas.”

  “Hmm. Merry Christmas to you.” Arching her face, she invited his kiss and was not denied.

  When he settled back on his pillow, he became serious. “You know, I had a thought last night.”

  “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

  “Well, you know how we talked about how we’re going to have to come back here if Caleb takes this, right?”

  Surprised and concerned, she nodded as she looked at him, having not expected this sudden detour back into real life. “Yeah?”

  Derek’s gaze sifted through hers. “And you know how we decided not to do Christmas presents for each other this year.”

  Now she was really worried. “Yeah?”

  “Well, what if I want to get you something?”

  She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Derek. We already talked about this, with the honeymoon, and everything...”

  “I know.” He grinned. “But you know I like to spoil you, right?” Coming over to her, he kissed her again, and Jaycee had the thought that if he didn’t stop that, they’d be having a tough time explaining why they were late for church.

  “You don’t have to get me anything.” Gazing up into his eyes, she let herself get lost there. “I’ve already got everything I’ve ever wanted.”

  His smile lit deeper into his eyes. “Good. Then it’s settled. I’m getting you a Christmas present.”

  “What?” she asked in frustration. Just when she thought she’d talked him out of something… “What could I possibly even want that I don’t have?”

  For a full second, the secret in his eyes danced there. Then he lifted his chin and slipped his finger through the edge of her hair. “How about a house?”

  True bewilderment jumped on her, and her peace scattered. “A house?” She let her eyes search his still dancing in merriment. “No, Derek. Come on. We don’t need a house. The apartment’s fine, and we’re not even going to be there that much especially if this deal goes through here. In fact, we’ll be out here a lot more than we’ll ever be in California.”

  His grin coupled with a nod and then a lift of his eyebrows. “That’s what I mean.”

  A second and she sat up, dragging the sheet with her. “Okay, now you are making no sense. Why would I want a house that I’m not even going to see 90 percent of the year?”

  He tipped his shoulder. “We could call it a vacation house.”

  “Are you kidding? We don’t have time to take care of the apartment we’ve already got! To be honest, we’d be better off buying something here than there.”

  Slowly he nodded, and her heart fell into even more puzzlement. She started to voice the question but got stopped by the look on his face.

  He narrowed his eyes playfully. “I’ll let you think about that for a second…”

  The problem was that looking at him like that brought so many thoughts that had nothing to do with houses or California or North Carolina. Then, suddenly it dawned on her what he might be saying, and her heart jumped a foot. “Are you…? Wait. You’re serious.”

  With a nod, the playfulness drifted away from his gaze. “They’re wanting to sell it, and we really do need a place so we’re not having to barge in on Luke and Sage every time we’re here.”

  Deeper concern twined in her. “But… what if…? What if Caleb says no? What if he doesn’t do the show?”

  Derek tipped his gaze. “He might not, and then you’re right, it wouldn’t make any sense at all.” A second and his gaze slid back up to hers. “But if he does…?”

  Jaycee couldn’t stop the smile or the wonderment from swelling in her. “Okay, but on one condition.”

  “What’s that?” And as if to make sure it was a condition he could live with, he arched his lips for her kiss. It wasn’t at all fair to her what that did, but she complied anyway. Warm and soft. Lands, if she got caught by the magnetism of him, she was going to forget every thought she’d ever had.

  When she backed up and let her eyes fall into his, thankfulness for his love for her pressed into her spirit. “This isn’t just your gift to me. I want us to do this together.”

  His smile graced his whole face and he nodded. “Deal.”

  Chapter 11

  Caleb & Rachel

  Although the bottom of the tree wasn’t stacked with presents Sunday morning, Rachel’s heart overflowed with Christmas joy as she sat with Caleb on the floor and helped her children open the gifts. There was a toy tool bench for Rhett and a doll for Natalie. She put it in her Walk ‘n’ Ride and pushed it all over the living room. Seeing her children so happy was all the present Rachel needed, so when Caleb pulled one more from behind the tree, she put up her hands.

  “Oh, Caleb, no. I didn’t even get you anything.”

  He laughed. “You didn’t have to. I’ve eaten ten pounds of cookies. Besides, you can’t say no. I’ll be crushed forever.”

  She shook her head at his theatrics. “Crushed, huh?” Leaning over, she kissed him. “You’re such a drama king.”

  “And proud of it.” He gave her the little rectangular box. “Merry Christmas.”

  Rachel took it though really she thought he shouldn’t have. “Thank you.”

  His gaze never left hers. “You don’t even know what it is.”

  “Doesn’t matter. I love you, so I’ll love it. Whatever it is.”

  Caleb laughed. “Good to know, but you should open it anyway.”

  Carefully she bent into the task of opening the little silver-wrapped box. When it came out of the paper, she found a dark blue box, and her heart hitched when she saw Taylor’s Jewelry on the box. “Caleb…”

  “Open it.”

  Two little lifts and the top of the box came off to reveal a silver charm bracelet with only one charm in the middle, two intertwined hearts. “Oh, Caleb, I love it.” Leaning over to him, she sealed her appreciation with a soft, lingering kiss.

  “I’m glad.” However, instead of lounging there to watch her put it on, he jumped up. “But that’s not all. Stay right there.”

  Her gaze followed him up. “What…?”

  But he was already across the room and coming back, bringing Natalie with him. She squirmed to get out of his arms, but he held her fast. “No, baby girl. You’re gonna want to see this.” Going back to the tree, he reached under the skirt to retrieve two more presents. “Here we go.” Sitting down in front of her with Natalie on one knee and Rhett on the other, he gave one of the little boxes to Natalie. “Give it to Mama.”

  Unsure, the little child held the gift. She looked at Caleb and tipped her head. “Mama?”

  “Yeah, give it to Mama.”

  In one motion she turned and practically threw the box at Rachel.

  Sincere worry had overtaken Rachel, and she almost didn’t catch the thing. “Oh, Caleb, w
hat did you do?”

  “Now, you, Rhett,” he said as if he hadn’t heard her. “Give her yours.”

  Instead of throwing his, Rhett stood and came over to her. He sat down on her lap and snuggled closer to her.

  Tears she could hardly hold came over her. “Thank you.”

  Rhett nodded, and with that and one more breath Rachel opened first one and then the other, getting the paper off of each first before she opened the boxes. When she saw the first one, a little charm of a boy with a baseball hat and bat, the tears came all the way up. “Oh.” She hugged Rhett to her. “I love it.”

  Wordlessly, Caleb held Natalie and watched as she opened the second. A little girl holding a tiny flower. She started to say something, but the tears overwhelmed even that.

  “Mommy sad?” Rhett asked, looking at her in concern, and Rachel laughed out loud.

  “No. Rhett.” She hugged him tighter. “Mommy is very, very happy.”

  Caleb grinned. “Merry Christmas.”

  She smiled at him, the love gleaming in her eyes. “The best one yet.”

  Luke and Sage were already in the lobby when Caleb and Rachel made it to the church.

  Merry Christmases went around as the children compared present lists.

  “Where’re Derek and Jaycee?” Rachel asked, looking around in concern.

  “They got a little late,” Sage said. “They’ll be here.”

  Picking her hand up from around Natalie because the bracelet was so unfamiliar and tended to catch on everything, Rachel jingled it trying to get it in a good place on her wrist.

  “Oh? What’s this?” Sage asked, catching sight of it and then taking hold of Rachel’s wrist to admire the bracelet. “Wow! Someone went all out.”

  Rachel couldn’t stop the smile or the love, and as Sage’s gaze came up to hers, her shoulders came up as tears blinked in her eyes.

  With only a smile, Sage pulled her into her embrace. “I’m so happy for you.”

  “He gave it to me this morning.” Holding her wrist up, Rachel showed her friend.

  “Oh, two hearts and a little boy and a little girl.” Sage put her hands to her heart. “It’s beautiful, Rach. Eep!” And once again, she was being hugged.

  “There they are,” Caleb said from where he was talking to Luke. He put out his hand to Derek who came across the lobby with his wife. “’Bout time you two show up.”

  Derek shook his friend’s hand and looked at his watch. “We’re not even late.”

  “For you, on time is late,” Caleb said with a laugh.

  Each little family unit reconnected to go in.

  “Oh, Rachel?” Jaycee asked. “Where’s your mom?”

  “She said she had a little touch of something this morning. We were over there last night, and I think we wore her out.”

  “That’s too bad.”

  “I also think she’s conserving her energy for the wedding this weekend,” Rachel said as she and Sage climbed the steps into the church. “Last thing we want is for her to be sick for that.”

  “Yeah, definitely don’t want that,” Sage said, and the conversation died between them as they went in.

  “Merry Christmas,” Pastor Steve said from the pulpit when the readings had ended.

  “Merry Christmas,” the congregation responded.

  “As we break open the Word this Christmas morning, we find as we always do on this day, a family. A new family, with a new baby. A baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. We know the story, don’t we? Mary and Joseph travelling to Bethlehem because of a decree that everyone had to come and be counted.

  “It does make you wonder, does it not, just how they were counting people. What, did you line up and go through some people counter like at the stadiums. One, two, three, four… Right?” the pastor asked, and several people snickered. “Because here’s Mary, pregnant and ready to have this baby any day now, and rather than stay home and tell Joseph to go on without her, she gets on a donkey and rides 80 miles! Can you even imagine that?

  “Now maybe it’s because my wife and I don’t travel particularly well, but I can’t imagine that trip. Can you? Really. For a minute, imagine the strain this would put on each of them not to even mention the two of them. I can’t imagine this was a pleasant trip to begin with, and if Mary was at all strained so they had to stop, this could have taken up to a week. And we think preparing for Christmas is tough.”

  More people laughed, and Rachel smiled and hugged Natalie closer.

  “I think one thing we miss in the Christmas excitement is what this family has to teach us about… well, being a family. They did this thing together. We’re not told specifically that Mary had to be there to be counted, but she went. We’re not told where Joseph was with all of this, but he’s there. Whatever happens, they are together. And I imagine that there must have been a considerable amount of grace involved, right? Just like us in our relationships. Things come up that we have to deal with. They aren’t pleasant. They certainly aren’t fun. It would be easier than not to let them pull us apart. But I think what this story teaches us is that with God in the midst of you, you can make it through even the hardest times… all the way to the miracle God has planned for you.

  “So, today, I want you to pay particular attention to the blessings of your family. Men, take Joseph as your role model, be there for your wife, for your children. They are your biggest, most profound blessings. And women, don’t try to make the trek alone. Let him lead the donkey, even if he won’t stop and ask for directions.”

  The pastor was in high form in the humor department today, or maybe Rachel was just hearing the joy deeper now than she had in a long time.

  “Let God knit you together in the miracle of His enduring love. Amen.”

  “Amen,” Rachel murmured, and her mind went to Sage. She hoped they would get to talk about this sermon. She was starting to pay more attention because she had learned her friend would pull some reference out at some point in their discussions in the coming week. As she stood, Rachel smiled at that. Yes, she was infinitely grateful for her immediate family, but she was also grateful for the amazing friends God had somehow formed around her when she wasn’t looking.

  Closing her eyes, she thanked Him for all the blessings of her life, and she took a breath and carefully placed the coming days in His hands as well. The house. The kids. Her mother. Even the wedding and Caleb. She was learning in concrete ways that God knew what He was doing, even when it felt like she was on a donkey riding 80 miles into the unknown. If she could just somehow remember that God had a plan, even in those times, somehow she knew miracles would be waiting for her just as God’s greatest miracle had been waiting for Mary and Joseph at the end of that most difficult journey.

  Chapter 12

  Eric & Dani

  “Please don’t tell me they’re here already.” Dani had been racing around since before Jaden had even gotten up to open presents.

  “Okay. I won’t tell you,” Eric said, wishing he didn’t have to lie. He hated what this was doing to his wife, and truth be told, he was not at all looking forward to today either.

  The doorbell rang, and Dani’s face crumpled even as stoic came over her. “I don’t want to do this.”

  He shook his head at her and sighed too. “I know.”

  “Grandma!” Jaden came tearing down the stair and ran to the front door.

  “At least someone’s excited she’s here,” Dani said, and with that, she put on her best holiday face and went to greet their first guest.

  Eric chose not to join her just yet. Yes, he should, but he didn’t just the same. He heard the happy voices in the living room, but he knew they couldn’t last. As if on cue, he heard the second vehicle pull up at the curb, and worry smashed into him. How they would ever make it through this day without the uneasy détente shattering for good, he had no idea.

  Taking the dressing from the oven, he put it on the cabinet with a thud when it about burned his hand through the potholder.
More voices entered the house, and his anxiety level picked up. He tried not to wish they had gone to visit his family as that wasn’t an overly kind thing to think, but he did just the same. At the very least he needed to call his mother this evening. She should know he hadn’t forgotten about her.

  “Now, Mom,” he heard Dani say, and he knew he was being less-then-chivalrous hiding out in the kitchen while she battled life. It said very bad things about his bravery, but he never knew what to say when the conflict with her family started. By the sound of things it already had.

  And then as he was pulling out the green bean casserole, the drama found him.

  “Well, Eric, isn’t it just like you to be the one cooking?” her mother said by way of greeting. “I wondered how we were going to have anything decent to eat today.”

  Behind her mother, he saw the hurt go through Dani’s eyes. “Oh, Dani did most of the work. I’m just taking things out.”

  “Of course you are,” her mother said as if they shared a private secret.

  “Mom, you’re our guest. You can go relax,” Dani said, the polite words sounding like they were being dragged over glass, as she went to the refrigerator to retrieve the hors d’oeuvres. “We can get this. Really.”

  “Celeste is your guest.” Her mother went over and started lifting pan lids. “I’m the Mama. Now let’s see what we’ve got here.”

  “So, Dani,” Mitchell said when they were all seated in the dining room over the meal and struggling like mad to act like this wasn’t the most awkward, uncomfortable situation they could have decided to have together. God bless him, Mitchell was still trying to make this work, Dani thought. That was her older brother, never one to admit defeat no matter how bad the score looked. “Have you heard any more about the house?”

  Panic slapped her hard, and she nearly choked on a green bean.

  “House?” her father asked from his side of the table next to his now-girlfriend. “What house is this? Are the two of you moving again?”