Reasons to Stay

by Lisa J. Hobman

  Feeling a distinct attack of déjà vu that took her back to prom night, Stevie stared at herself in the mirror. The bodice of her wedding dress was fitted to her waist and scattered with pearls and crystals. The skirt was full but not over the top. It had been the first dress she had tried and she had known immediately.

  She smirked at her mum’s overzealous reaction. ‘I certainly hope not. It’d be rather tricky for him to say I do if he’s sprawled out on the floor.’

  As always Dana had been emailing and trying her best to cajole her daughter into being more organised, but since moving to Scotland to be with the love of her life, Stevie’s priority was simply spending as much time with him as possible. They had a lot of time to make up for after all.

  They had managed pretty well in the little cabin and had been putting off plans to find somewhere else. But eventually Jason had decided that his new wife and any family they may have would be more comfortable in a house made of brick or stone or something a little more stable and permanent.

  Dorcas and Dillon were engaged to be married and were enjoying running the second camp. And after the wedding, Jason and Stevie would finally move into a proper house in Aviemore.

  Stevie had become quite accustomed to, and fond of, the stunning Scottish landscape that surrounded their every journey. Her job at Aviemore High School had been the best career decision she had ever made. She had taken the Lead Science Teacher post there with a little trepidation but had settled right in and had made lots of new friends.

  Jason took a deep, calming breath and sipped on the amber liquid in his glass, his single malt Dutch courage. The camp had been decorated with flowers, ribbons, and fairy lights and no longer resembled the rugged outdoorsy place that he was used to. The place that usually catered for muddy, noisy teenagers and loud corporate groups was now decked out like the garden of some stately home. Dorcas had told him she was doing something special at the gateway, and Jason laughed out loud when he saw what she had done. The Wild Front Here sign at the end of the lane had been draped partially with a banner that simply replaced the words Wild Front with the word Wedding in fancy scrolled lettering. Bless her. She really was sweet.

  The clearing where the campfire sing along usually took place had been swept and the surrounding trees strung with more fairy lights and heart shaped bunting. A red carpet had been laid and rustic wooden chairs had been placed for the guests on either side. Even Matt from the Rothiemurchus Rough Trax had played a part. He turned out to be quite the craftsman and had constructed a driftwood and willow arched arbour, which would be where they would stand and take their vows. It too had been adorned with wild flowers from Jason’s garden and looked absolutely stunning. Stevie had seen none of this. He hoped she liked what he had done.

  It had surprised him that she had agreed so readily to get married at the camp. He had expected some protest about it being the least romantic place she could think of, but instead when he had suggested it, she had simply spoken his thought out loud. ‘It’s the place that brought us back together, so it seems very fitting to be married there.’ His heart had swelled with love for her one again.

  Later in the evening after the ceremony, he planned to take his bride and a picnic basket to their special place overlooking Loch an Eilein. It was all arranged. There would be Champagne and soft music. Dillon would play chauffeur for the night, leaving them to enjoy a few hours together. There Jason would make love to his new wife and tell her all over again how much he loved her and how he would never run again. The viewpoint was private and felt like it almost belonged to them. It was where Jason had proposed to Stevie six months after she had moved over five hundred miles to be with him in Scotland. Thinking back to that special day made his eyes sting. He wanted to make her happy like that for the rest of his life. And he would certainly try his very best.

  Dillon would later collect them and take them to their plush hotel suite, where they would spend the night in each other’s arms.

  Looking over the camp at the wondrous sight before him, his heart thundered in his chest at the anticipation of what was to come in just a few short hours.

  The guests began to arrive and Jason was overwhelmed by the amount of love that their friends, old and new, and their family were showing them. Some of their old school friends had made the journey along with others who had known their story from the beginning.

  The Halfords had flown in especially for the big day, and Oliver had been emotional since the moment he grasped his son in a bear hug at the airport. He had told Jason over and over again how grateful he was that he’d been given the opportunity to be here for the special occasion and how very proud he was of him. He had even agreed to step in and give Stevie away when Dana had admitted she would be far too nervous to handle the role. Jason was so very touched by the gesture that he had struggled to speak the words when it came time to tell Stevie about Oliver’s suggestion.

  Once the guests were all seated and Jason and Dillon stood at the driftwood arbour with the Registrar, the nerves kicked in. Jason took deep breaths under the instruction of his brother.

  ‘You’ve gone pale, Jace. Just breathe. In through the nose and out through the mouth, yeah? We don’t want you fainting… I…I want to tell you something before Stevie gets here.’

  Jason frowned, suddenly worried. ‘Of course, Dill. What’s up?’

  ‘Don’t look so terrified. All I wanted to say is…you and Stevie are to me how couples should be. You’ve spent so many years apart, and you’ve pretty much been to hell and back, but you still found each other again. That’s real love, bro. It’s meant to be. You’re an inspiration and…’ He cleared his throat as his emotions began to surface. ‘In spite of the truth about us…not being blood related…you’ve been such a great brother. I wish we hadn’t lost ten years, but the last year or whatever it’s been…maybe not that long…but however long it’s been has been amazing. I love you brother. Always have and always will. Being your best man is the greatest honour.’ His voice broke and his lip quivered as he spoke. Jason, who was bereft of words at that point, pulled Dillon into a strong embrace and did his best to keep his composure.

  Stevie’s white, vintage Rolls Royce pulled up to the gates of Wild Front Here and her heart leapt. She glanced up and saw the Wedding Here sign and felt her smile grow. As they travelled on under the sign, her mother clung to her hand but looked preoccupied. Stevie glanced out of the window and suddenly felt overcome with emotion. She chewed on the inside of her cheek in a desperate bid to fend off the threatening tears.

  Dana squeezed her hand. ‘Stevie…I need to say something.’

  She turned to face her mum as worry washed over her. ‘Of course, Mum. What is it?’

  ‘Look, sweetie, I know that you didn’t have the best upbringing. Your dad…well, as they say any man can father a child, but it takes a special kind of person to actually be a dad. And I worry that you’ve missed out. Jed was less than useless, and so you haven’t had a father figure in your life. Days like today are when a girl needs her daddy. He should be here to give you away. And then you've felt you had to look after me after my diagnosis when really you didn't. And I’m a coward because I daren’t walk you down the aisle. I feel so bad for—’

  ‘Mum! How can you even think that I’m lacking at all? Least of all through not having him here. You’ve been more than enough for me. Do you hear what I’m saying? More than enough. You’re the strongest woman I know and what better role model could I have had? You’ve been a mum and a dad. And I can’t miss something I never had. When I look at what Jason and Dillon went through with the man they both called Dad, I think I’ve been so very lucky. You’ve loved me…you’ve looked out for me and you’ve protected me. I didn’t miss him then and I don’t today. Because I have you.’

  Dana wiped an escaped tear away from her eye and cupped Stevie’s cheek tenderly. ‘We’ve done okay, haven’t we, Stevie? Me and you? We’ve been okay, haven’t we? I haven’t made any huge mistakes, ha
ve I?’

  Stevie squeezed her mum’s hand fondly as her eyes became glassy. ‘Far from it, Mum. You’ve been wonderful. I count myself as one very fortunate girl. And I hope my children love me as much as I love you.’

  ‘Children? But you always said you didn’t want children. What’s changed?’

  ‘I’m marrying the only man that I would want to have children with. That’s the difference. I can imagine being a mother if I have Jason by my side.’

  Stevie clung to her mum as she dabbed at her eyes and tried not to ruin her makeup. Dana’s partner Tom came into view and was standing alongside Jason’s dad, Oliver, chatting and waiting for them to arrive. When the car came to a halt, Oliver opened the door and helped Stevie to step out. Tom kissed Dana, and Stevie and smiled at how the pair gazed at each other, their eyes filled with adoration.

  Oliver held Stevie at arms-length, and she met his eyes with her own. Knowing he was an emotional man, she braced herself for his reaction. ‘Oh my word, Stevie, you look stunning, my darling girl.’ He hugged her tightly and then stepped away to greet Dana, hugging her and telling her what a wonderful daughter she had whilst Stevie looked on, her emotions teetering on the edge once again. Don’t cry. You can do this, Stevie. Think of your makeup.

  They began to walk towards the clearing when Dana stopped Stevie in her tracks, grabbing her arm. ‘Stevie, I’ve changed my mind.’

  ‘What? What do you mean, Mum?’

  ‘I mean…I want to give you away. You’re my daughter. I’ve been there for every big event in your life up to now, and I have no intention of letting you down today.’

  Stevie’s battle with her fragile emotions was finally lost as the tears began to flow and she grasped her mum in the tightest hug.

  ‘Thank you…thank you so much, Mum. I love you.’

  ‘And I love you, darling. Now let’s go get you married.’

  Jason stood with his eyes closed, breathing slowly and deeply. He inhaled the sweet scent of the flowers around the arbour and tried to calm his shaking hands.

  ‘She’s here, bro,’ came Dillon’s whispered words, making Jason turn around.

  His breath caught in his throat at the sight of his beautiful bride standing there waiting at the end of the red carpet in her white dress as the crystals glinted in the sunlight. The smile on her face as she locked her eyes on him was filled with love. Her beautiful auburn waves, scattered with white flowers and pearls, fell naturally around her shoulders. She truly was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

  He glanced at the woman accompanying her and knew instantly that Stevie’s dream had come true. With a wide smile, he turned and raised his eyebrows in a signal to his younger brother Josh, who waited in front of the sound system. The younger man nodded and hit play.

  Jason mouthed the words, ‘I love you,’ to Stevie as she began to make her way towards him, and the sound of ‘Never Gonna Be Alone’ by Nickelback filled the air.

  The End

  About the Author

  Lisa is happily married to her soulmate and they have a daughter and two crazy dogs. She especially enjoys being creative and now writes almost full time.

  In 2012 Lisa and her family relocated from England to their beloved Scotland; a place of happy holidays and memories for them. Her new location now features in all of her books.

  Writing has always been something Lisa has enjoyed, although in the past it has centered on poetry and song lyrics. Some of which appear in her stories.

  Since she started writing in 2012 she has loved every minute of becoming a published author.

  Acknowledgments

  I’m going to keep this brief as I know you don’t want to read reams and reams of waffle from me!

  I just want to say a simple thank you to every single reader, blogger and reviewer I have come across in my writing journey. As always your support means the world to me.

  And a special thank you to Tammy from The Graphics Shed who designed the stunning covers and who continually comes to my rescue. You’re an absolute star.

  Also by Lisa J Hobman

  Reasons to Stay

  A Seaside Escape

  Through the Glass

  The Girl Before Eve

  Christmas Presence (novella)

  Last Christmas (novella)

  Duplicity

  The Worst of Me

  In His Place