Trouble Me
Page 30
The crowd of female helpers clears out ahead of me. I walk slowly out of the house and down the steps. I see Hunter and Beau at the gate to the garden. They have Quincy in the baby carriage now. Tessa found it, a perfect old-school pram, and tricked it out with cabbage roses and tulle. It’s lovely. I can see my baby girl kicking her feet up above the rim. Hunter jiggles the handle to keep her distracted. Beau waves at me and holds up Quincy’s binky. He’s ready for any extenuating circumstance.
They get their cue and push the pram down the aisle, in front of me. I walk through the gate and into the garden.
There it is, my new life spread out in front of me. Tessa’s little black-haired girls have just thrown the last of the rose petals and run down the side of the garden, trying to escape from Tessa and Joe, who are in hot pursuit.
My mom stands up at the front of the garden in the front row of guests. Hunter and Beau push Quincy along, and everyone laughs and sighs at the sight of her. My dad stands next to me, arm out to walk me down the aisle.
And Andrew. Andrew stands at the end of this aisle, Tucker and Jeremy beside him, waving the boys up to the altar to join him, to stand as his best men.
He sees me and smiles so broadly. He’s always had a million-dollar smile. He looks right at me and mouths, “Love you.” I nod and mouth it back.
Joy sweeps through my body. Electricity prickles the hair on my neck, sends chills out to my toes and fingers. The tears come to my eyes, and I look up to the sky. The blue of it is crisp and perfect.
My life could not be more perfect. It’s been scary and terrible and lonely and wonderful and filled with love. And it is my perfectly imperfect and wonderful life to live.
I walk down the aisle to meet Andrew, so we can begin our perfect ending.
Together.
Acknowledgments
First, to my husband: Every day I’m reminded that the team of you and me is the best team ever. And to my boys: Love you madly.
To my Chix: As always and of course.
To Jessica: The editor supreme, Queen of Everything.
To Elizabeth at Omnific and Micki at Gallery Books: Thank you for your continued support.
To my education family: You encourage me in both of my jobs.
To the Anderson, Finn, and Skold clans: All of your support and enthusiasm is invaluable.
It takes a village to grow a writer. My village is very big. Thank you all.
About the Author
Beck Anderson loves to write about love and its power to heal and grow people past their many imperfections. She is a firm believer in the phrase “mistakes are for learning” and uses it frequently to guide her in writing life and real life.
Beck balances (clumsily at best) writing novels and screenplays, working full-time as an educator, mothering two pre-teen males, loving one post-forty husband, and making time to walk the foothills of Boise, Idaho, with Stefano DiMera Delfino Anderson, the suavest Chihuahua north of the border.
Her first novel, Fix You, was a RWA Rita® finalist for Best First Book and Best Contemporary Romance. Learn more at:
AuthorBeck.com
Check Out These Titles From Omnific Publishing
Contemporary Romance
Keeping the Peace by Linda Cunningham
Stitches and Scars by Elizabeth A. Vincent
Pieces of Us by Hannah Downing
The Way That You Play It by BJ Thornton
The Poughkeepsie Brotherhood series: Poughkeepsie, Return to Poughkeepsie & Saving Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia
Burning Embers by Hannah Fielding
Recaptured Dreams and All-American Girl and Until Next Time by Justine Dell
Once Upon a Second Chance by Marian Vere
The Englishman by Nina Lewis
16 Marsden Place by Rachel Brimble
Sleepers, Awake by Eden Barber
The Runaway series: The Runaway Year & The Runaway Ex by Shani Struthers
The Hydraulic series: Hydraulic Level Five & Skygods by Sarah Latchaw
Fix You & Trouble Me and The Jeweler by Beck Anderson
Just Once and Going the Distance by Julianna Keyes
The WORDS series: The Weight of Words, Better Deeds Than Words, The Truest of Words & The Record of My Heart by Georgina Guthrie
The Brit Out of Water series: Theatricks & Jazz Hands by Eleanor Gwyn-Jones
The Sacrificial Lamb & Let’s Get Physical by Elle Fiore
The Plan by Qwen Salsbury
The Kiss Me series: Kiss Me Goodnight & Kiss Me By Moonlight by Michele Zurlo
Saint Kate of the Cupcake: The Dangers of Lust and Baking by L.C. Fenton
Exposure by Morgan & Jennifer Locklear
Playing All the Angles by Nicole Lane
Redemption by Kathryn Barrett
The Playboy’s Princess by Joy Fulcher
The Forever series: Forever Autumn (book 1) by Christopher Scott Wagner
Historical Romance
Cat O’ Nine Tails by Patricia Leever
Burning Embers by Hannah Fielding
Seven for a Secret by Rumer Haven
The Counterfeit by Tracy Winegar
Romantic Suspense
Whirlwind by Robin DeJarnett
The CONduct series: With Good Behavior, Bad Behavior & On Best Behavior by Jennifer Lane
Indivisible by Jessica McQuinn
Between the Lies by Alison Oburia
Blind Man’s Bargain by Tracy Winegar
Paranormal & Fantasy Romance
The Light series: Seers of Light, Whisper of Light & Circle of Light by Jennifer DeLucy
The Hanaford Park series: Eve of Samhain & Pleasures Untold by Lisa Sanchez
Immortal Awakening by KC Randall
The Seraphim series: Crushed Seraphim & Bittersweet Seraphim by Debra Anastasia
The Guardian’s Wildchild by Feather Stone
Grave Refrain by Sarah M. Glover
The Divinity series: Divinity & Entity by Patricia Leever
The Blood Vine series: Blood Vine, Blood Entangled & Blood Reunited by Amber Belldene
Divine Temptation by Nicki Elson
The Dead Rapture series: Love in the Time of the Dead, Love at the End of Days & Love Starts with Z by Tera Shanley
The Hidden Races series: Incandescent & Illumination by M.V. Freeman
Something Wicked by Carol Oates
The Chronicles of Midvalen: Command the Tides (book 1) by Wren Handman
New Adult Romance
Three Daves by Nicki Elson
Streamline by Jennifer Lane
The Shades series: Shades of Atlantis & Shades of Avalon by Carol Oates
The Heart series: Beside Your Heart, Disclosure of the Heart & Forever Your Heart by Mary Whitney
Romancing the Bookworm by Kate Evangelista
Flirting with Chaos by Kenya Wright
The Vice, Virtue & Video series: Revealed, Captured, Desired & Devoted by Bianca Giovanni
Granton University series: Loving Lies by Linda Kage
Variables of Love by MK Schiller
Missing Pieces by Meredith Tate
Young Adult Romance
The Ember series: Ember & Iridescent by Carol Oates
Breaking Point by Jess Bowen
Life, Liberty, and Pursuit by Susan Kaye Quinn
The Embrace series: Embrace, Hold Tight & Entwined by Cherie Colyer
Destiny’s Fire by Trisha Wolfe
The Reaper series: Reaping Me Softly & UnReap My Heart by Kate Evangelista
The Legendary Saga: Legendary & Claiming Excalibur by LH Nicole
The Fatal series: Fatal & Brutal (novella 1.5) by T.A. Brock
The Prometheus Order series: Byronic by Sandi Beth Jones
One Smart Cookie by Kym Brunner
Erotic Romance
The Keyhole series: Becoming sage (book 1) by Kasi Alexander
The Keyhole series: Saving sunni (book 2) by Kasi & Reggie Alexander
The Winemaker’s Dinner: Appetizers &
Entrée by Dr. Ivan Rusilko and Everly Drummond
The Winemaker’s Dinner: Dessert by Dr. Ivan Rusilko
Client N° 5 by Joy Fulcher
The Enclave series: Closer and Closer (book 1) by Jenna Barton
The Adventures of Clarissa Hardy by Chloe Gillis
Anthologies
A Valentine Anthology including short stories by Alice Clayton (“With a Double Oven”), Jennifer DeLucy (“Magnus of Pfelt, Conquering Viking Lord”), Nicki Elson (“I Don’t Do Valentine’s Day”), Jessica McQuinn (“Better Than One Dead Rose and a Monkey Card”), Victoria Michaels (“Home to Jackson”), and Alison Oburia (“The Bridge”)
Taking Liberties including an introduction by Tiffany Reisz and short stories by Mina Vaughn (“John Hancock-Blocked”), Linda Cunningham (“A Boston Marriage”), Joy Fulcher (“Tea for Two”), KC Holly (“The British Are Coming!”), Kimberly Jensen & Scott Stark (“E. Pluribus Threesome”), and Vivian Rider (“M’Lady’s Secret Service”)
Singles, Novellas & Special Editions
It’s Only Kinky the First Time (A Keyhole series single) by Kasi Alexander
Learning the Ropes (A Keyhole series single) by Kasi & Reggie Alexander
The Winemaker’s Dinner: RSVP by Dr. Ivan Rusilko
The Winemaker’s Dinner: No Reservations by Everly Drummond
The Winemaker’s Dinner: Amuse Bouche by Dr. Ivan Rusilk
Big Guns by Jessica McQuinn
Concessions by Robin DeJarnett
Starstruck by Lisa Sanchez
New Flame by BJ Thornton
Shackled by Debra Anastasia
Swim Recruit by Jennifer Lane
Sway by Nicki Elson
Full Speed Ahead by Susan Kaye Quinn
The Second Sunrise by Hannah Downing
The Summer Prince by Carol Oates
Whatever It Takes by Sarah M. Glover
Clarity (A Divinity prequel single) by Patricia Leever
A Christmas Wish (A Cocktails & Dreams single) by Autumn Markus
Late Night with Andres (a novella) by Debra Anastasia
Poughkeepsie (enhanced iPad app collector’s edition) by Debra Anastasia
Poughkeepsie (audio book version) by Debra Anastasia
Blood Eternal (A Blood Vine series single, epilogue to series) by Amber Belldene
Carnaval de Amor (The Winemaker’s Dinner, Spanish edition) by Dr. Ivan Rusilko and Everly Drummond
Sets
The Heart Series Box Set (Beside Your Heart, Disclosure of the Heart & Forever Your Heart) by Mary Whitney
The CONduct Series Box Set (With Good Behavior, Bad Behavior & On Best Behavior) by Jennifer Lane
The Light Series Box Set (Seers of Light, Whisper of Light, Circle of Light & Glimpse of Light) by Jennifer DeLucy
The Blood Vine Series Box Set (Blood Vine, Blood Entangled, Blood Reunited & Blood Eternal) by Amber Belldene
Coming Soon From Omnific Publishing
The Forever series: Forever Winter (book 2) by Christopher Scott Wagner
Twice Upon a Kiss by Jane Susann McCarter
Saving Evangeline by Nancee Cain
The Ground Rules by Roya Carmen
The Keyhole series: Keyhole Kinklets (short story anthology)
by Kasi & Reggie Alexander