by Ciara Knight
“That ring was never meant for anyone else. It was only meant for you. He’d asked for it weeks ago, in order to prove his feelings for you. He planned to make a grand gesture by coming to sweep you off your feet and convince you to love him once again. But before he could execute his plan, Cookie and Sunny stepped in and created a mess,” Birdie dropped her hands and angled a glare at the others.
Both Cookie and Sunny bowed their heads.
Hope sucker punched her to the gut, twisting her resolved. “You’re not lying to me? He seriously asked you for the ring to win me back? You didn’t tell him to do it?” Savannah asked. A crack formed in her wall of protection.
“No. Never. It was all him,” Birdie said.
She struggled with the truth, with her conflicting emotions. How could she let go of so many years of loneliness and regret to trust a man she thought had left her behind because he couldn’t face her anymore? “I…how?”
Cookie dropped her spoon to the floor and pounced on Savannah, wrapping her into a bear hug. “You listen to me, girl. You ain’t got no more time to sit on your duff and think this through. It’s a simple question. Do you love him?”
“Yes,” she said, despite her mind screaming for her to shut up. And to her astonishment, it felt good. It felt right, like she had finally spilled the secret she’d carried for so long. “Yes, I do.”
Cookie released her, holding her by the shoulders a step away and staring her down. “Then stop wasting precious time and go after him before he gets on a plane and you lose him forever. There’s no way any man would stick around after you told him to never return like that. While Mason has all the determination to fight for what he wants, he can’t go against your wishes.”
“Or can he?” Sunny announced. They all followed her gaze to the front door. It opened slowly and in stepped Mason.
“I know I said I loved her enough to let her go, but I couldn’t even step off the front porch without trying one more time, or a dozen, or for eternity. I’m sorry, but I can’t give you your miracle, Savannah Blake. I just can’t leave you again. I don’t know if it’s because I love you too much, or not enough. All I know is that I love you.”
Savannah looked at all three women. Even Cookie had tears in her eyes.
“I won’t force you to love me back. I just want you to know that I can’t give up trying. If that means I follow you to Beijing then so be it. I guess I really am a stalker.” Mason shuffled between feet. “I’m just not sure what to do to--”
“I do.” Her voice became hoarse with emotion. This time, she had to take the initiative, to take the plunge and choose to love him. She went behind the reception desk and pulled out the ring. With it on her open palm, she knelt in front of Mason. His eyes shot wide, and he sucked in a breath of air. “If you still want me to, I’d be honored to wear Birdie’s ring. Today, tomorrow, and always. I know you think that I’ve hated you, that I deserved more out of life than you, but it’s not true. I’ve never stopped loving you from the moment I saw you all those years ago. I loved you the day you ended up in detention for knocking Walter Stan on his butt when he told me my sister was easy. I loved you when you sent Suzy away when the GGs told you she was trying to make trouble for us. I loved you when you promised me forever.” She seizes a short breath and forced her words to continue despite the rising emotions that came with it. “Mason, I’ve never stopped loving you. I haven’t even kissed another man, looked at another man. It’s been you always and forever.”
He collapsed to his knees, his eyes full of tears. “I have loved you always. Yesterday, today, and forever.” His hands trembled, but he managed to retrieve the ring from her palm and slid it onto her finger. It fit perfectly. Strangely, her finger no longer felt naked and her heart no longer felt alone. He pulled her tight against him. “And I don’t want to spend another minute without you.”
She flung her arms around his neck and he held her tight, just the way she remembered. The way she wanted him to from the moment he had walked back into her life. He kissed her madly, deeply, lovingly sealing their fate into a happily ever after.
Epilogue
Mason stood in the center of the room, eyeing the chipped tile and cracked plaster, while Christmas music wafted around them. “Is this really legal?”
“Stop your worrying. I told you I’m an ordained minister. You’re not the first couple I’ve married. And once the Miracle Mountain Inn is open for business, I’ll marry more.” Sunny walked to the fireplace, floating like an angel in her long white robe.
He wanted to ask why she had been ordained but decided against it. The story would take half the day, and he had other plans.
Cookie shuffled into the atrium, holding a two-tiered wedding cake decorated with white dots and ribbons streaming down the sides. She set it down on the solarium table, then flipped off the overhead fixtures to allow the Christmas lights to twinkle with all their magic. When she moved to stand by Herbie, he cleared his throat and straightened his suit jacket, a powder blue number circa 1972 that he barely squeezed himself into.
“Can’t believe you two is finally gonna get hitched after all these years,” Herbie said. “And so quick, too. What makes you wanna do it today?”
Mason straightened his tie and shrugged at his dirty, ruined shoes. What did his clothes matter when he was about to finally start his life with Savannah? “Because I can’t wait another minute to make her my wife. Thanks for coming up here on Christmas morning. I know it means a lot to Savie.”
Herbie tugged on his jacket again, the seams along his shoulders threatening to bust. “I wouldn’t a missed it.”
Aunt Birdie opened the front door and Cookie pushed a button on the little boombox to change the song to a Christmas rendition of the wedding march, filled with bells and chimes. On cue, Savannah entered. Her hair was pulled up on her head, with ringlet curls cascading around her temples. A tight-fitting white, vintage-style gown, that hugged her thin frame in all the right places. It looked like something he’d seen in Aunt Birdie’s closet once. He thought he loved the way she looked in flannel and jeans, but this…this was perfection.
“Close your mouth, or Jiminy Cricket’s gonna hop in there,” Sunny teased.
Mason obeyed then offered Savannah his hand. “You look…breathtaking. The most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.” She blushed, and his heart nearly exploded with joy. Savannah never blushed. He raked a knuckle down her soft, rouged cheek and took her other hand to stand in front of Sunny. “Wait, this won’t be legal without a marriage license.” Mason wanted to kick himself for forgetting such a detail. He didn’t want to wait another minute to have Savannah as his wife.
“Don’t fret. I’m here.” A burly man holding some paperwork walked into the atrium. “It’s a good thing for you I owe the GGs a favor. My wife is none too happy I’m not at home right now.”
Cookie crossed her arms over her chest. “Good thing you did. I still got evidence.”
“That you promised to destroy after this, right?” he said, his face pleading.
Mason didn’t want to know any more. All he cared about was that they’d be legally married now. And for that he would be eternally grateful to the man. But then another thought struck. “I know you have Birdie’s ring, but that’s an engagement ring. I don’t have a wedding ring. Is it okay if I promise to buy one tomorrow?”
“No need to fret. I got ya covered.” Sunny opened a dusty old Bible then withdrew two rings from her pocket and placed them on top of the pages. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony.”
If Mason didn’t know better, he’d think Sunny had gone to seminary school, what with the way she spoke with authority. He tried to pay attention to her every word, to remember every sound and smell from his wedding day, but he was too distracted by Savannah. The white dots of flowers entwined in her hair, her long legs accentuated by the yards of white, satin fabric that draped from her hips.
“Hey, you gonn
a answer?” Aunt Birdie elbowed him in the side.
“Sorry, I was distracted.” He winked at Savannah.
Cookie grunted. “They’ll be time for that on the honeymoon. Now, do you take her to be your wife or not?”
“Yes! Of course I do. Forever.”
Savannah let out a long breath and squeezed his hands. “I do, too.”
“I didn’t ask you yet. It ain’t proper if I don’t ask you first,” Sunny protested.
“Okay, then ask me.” Savannah smiled.
After one huff and an eye roll, Sunny continued. “Do you, Savannah Blake, take Mason Harrington to be your husband? To love him? To honor him? To stay with him and never leave Miracle Mountain?”
They both chuckled but didn’t argue since they’d already decided to stay and help run the inn.
“I do,” Savannah said.
Sunny plopped a small gold band onto his palm. “Place this on her finger and repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed.”
Mason slid the ring onto her slender finger. “With this ring, I thee wed.”
Then Sunny handed a larger gold band to Savannah. “Repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed.”
Savannah repeated the words, sealing their promise with the ring.
“If no one has just cause to keep these two from gettin’ hitched, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Mason didn’t wait for Sunny to finish before he dipped Savannah and kissed her passionately, tasting her sweet breath, smelling her floral shampoo, and feeling her warmth against his body. The GGs whistled and clapped. After a few moments, and several smacks on his back, he released Savannah and hugged his family.
Cookie cut the cake while Sunny made a wardrobe change. All smiles, Aunt Birdie helped Cookie serve the cake to the few guests present for their ceremony. Mason continued to hold and kiss Savannah’s hands. “You sure you don’t mind such a small wedding?”
“I’m not one for attention. I have my family and close friends here. I don’t need anyone else. This is perfect.” Savannah drew dizzying circles around his palm with her thumb.
This day was like a miracle. Everything he’d ever wanted was coming true. “We still need a story for the inn. Have you thought of a modern-day miracle we can use to draw in guests?”
Savannah’s red-tinted lips spread into a wide smile. “I don’t need to come up with a miracle. I’m living one. You’re my miracle.”
Mason couldn’t keep the smile from engulfing his whole face. She really was his beacon in the storm. His fire on a cold, snowy night. He led her over to the cake table and picked up his cell phone to snap a selfie of them.
“Why’d you do that? I have a camera, you know.”
“Yeah, but you can’t upload pictures to social media as easily with that. And I need to share our first Miracle Mountain Christmas with the world.” He thought for a moment then said, “I think I know what our slogan should be. Miracle Mountain Inn…where reality fades away and romance is rekindled.”
The End
Also by Ciara Knight
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for reading A Miracle Mountain Christmas. If you’ve enjoyed the GGs and the Miracle Mountain Inn, please let me know you’d like to read more of their lives in the future. If so, I’ll be creating a new series around the GGs and Inn.
A great way to keep up to date on all releases, sales and prizes subscribe to my Newsletter at www.ciaraknight.com/newsletter. I’m extremely sociable, so feel free to chat with me on Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads.
For your convenience please see my complete title list below, in reading order:
SWEET CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE:
Sweetwater County Series
Winter in Sweetwater County
Spring in Sweetwater County
Sumer in Sweetwater County
Fall in Sweetwater County
Christmas in Sweetwater County
Valentines in Sweetwater County
Fourth of July in Sweetwater County
Thanksgiving in Sweetwater County
Riverbend
In All My Wishes
In All My Years
In All My Dreams
In All My Life
A Christmas Spark
YOUNG ADULT:
Battle for Souls Series
Rise From Darkness
Fall From Grace
Ascension of Evil
The Neumarian Chronicles
Weighted
Escapement
Pendulum
Balance
FANTASY ROMANCE:
The Shrouded Kingdoms
The Curse of Gremdon
The Secrets of Dargon
The Runes of Bramon (Coming late 2016)
HISTORICAL WESTERNS:
A Prospectors Novel
Fools Rush
Bride of America
Adelaide: Bride of Maryland