by Sam Crescent
These women didn’t want to know about her real life Andrew. They wanted to know if there was a man out there for them. She smiled gazing down at the book. The argument she had with Andy about real men compared to fiction heroes flashed across her mind. Sara saw Andy had been right. There was no men out there that were like the men she’d read about in fiction. Romance books did not tell the true tale. They only told what a woman fantasized about. She felt the bitter truth consume her. “There is a real life Andrew. We meet him every day. They’re the men we work with and for. The men we pass in the street.” She lifted up the book. “This is a book of fiction. What Andrew does in the book, no man would do in real life.” She quoted Andy’s words to the crowd of people.
Sara didn’t want to believe any of the words she’d spoken. She believed in love and the power it held. Saying the words felt bitter and like she’d finally decided to give up on love.
“I knew a woman once who argued until she was red in the face. She argued until her face was the same color as her hair. She told me there was a man out there for every woman.”
Her heart stopped beating. His voice filled the room. She searched the crowd looking for him. The last time she’d heard that voice he’d been about to walk away from her. She felt drunk from hearing him once again.
Where was he?
“This woman also told me the right man would even make himself look like a complete fool in front of her entire family. What happened to that woman?” Andy asked.
Murmurs filled the room, and then she spotted him. He stood on the edge of the seated area. Andy stood wearing a jacket and holding a copy of her book for her to see.
She stared at him. His eyes caught her attention like they always did. Her heart created a new pounding rhythm inside her chest. Licking her lips she stared down at her copy of the book.
“That woman who spoke those words finally listened to the man who told her otherwise.” Her heart felt like it was in her throat. After all this time Andy stood less than ten feet in front of her. She didn’t know what to do. The desire to run to him was strong. She pushed all of her thoughts from her mind.
Why was he here now?
“The man was a fool with the emotional capacity of an apple pip.”
The crowd laughed at his words.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, no longer caring about their audience.
“Proving to you that I’m not giving up.” He walked down the aisle to where she stood. “There is an Andrew, Sara.” Andy climbed up onto the stage. She turned to face him as he stood in front of her. He reached out cupping her cheek and pulled her close. “And I’m the one. Sara Carroll, I’m completely, totally in love with you.”
“You left.” She didn’t rise to his words even though she wanted to jump for joy.
“I was a fool. You took my heart the moment I saw you on those steps five years ago.”
The audience gasped and started flicking through the book.
“You read my book?” she asked.
“All of it, and do you know what I realized?”
She shook her head.
“Nothing matters but what you feel. Tell me what you feel, Sara.”
Staring into his intense brown eyes she soaked him up like a sponge. Their time apart had only made her crave his touch more.
“I love you.” She whispered the words as the first tears began to fall.
He said no more words. His lips claimed hers instead. The whole room went up in a frenzy. She wrapped her arms around his shoulder as his fingers gripped her head. Andy deepened the kiss, and nothing else mattered to her. The time they’d been apart meant nothing with the way he was laying claim to her now. He pulled away staring into her eyes.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” she said.
“I told your family they’re not getting rid of me. I’m your man, Sara.”
She closed her eyes resting her head against his. “I thought you hated me.”
“Never. In fact.” Her eyes widened as he went down on one knee before her. “Will you marry me?”
A collective sigh echoed around the crowded room.
“You said you’d never marry,” Sara said.
“I know what I said. I was a fool who didn’t realize what was in front of him. I’m your man, Sara. I can make you the happiest woman in the world. All I ask is you become my wife.”
The crowd went silent waiting for her answer.
“I’m not leaving you again. I was a fool. This is real. What we feel is real, Sara.”
Tears fell from her eyes, and she nodded her head. How could she deny the man she loved?
“Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Andy placed the ring on her finger and then pulled her into his arms.
“I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world,” he promised.
“You better.”
Epilogue
Three months later
Andy smiled as he watched his wife dance with one of the page boys. Over the last few months he’d worked to get his clubs reopened. Her family demanded he accept the money as they felt responsible for destroying his career. Andy took the money at Sara’s insistence but was determined to pay them back in time. Andy had lost business, but with Sara’s help he’d gotten the place back to being reputable. Her family had organized the wedding with some help from them. They wanted to make Sara’s big day special. Tracy, Tiffany, and Samantha were her bridesmaids while Travis had been his best man.
He never would have thought he’d be the first man to get married. Sipping his beer he watched as Danny took Sara’s hand leading her out onto the dance floor. Over the past few months he and her family had come to an understanding. They all left Andy’s business alone, and in return Sara allowed them back into her life. It was one of Sara’s requests, that they respected him in her life.. Andy had won her family over. They knew the only reason Sara started talking to them again was because of him. She’d wanted nothing to do with them, and he’d asked for her to give them another chance.
When work got too hard, knowing Sara was waiting for him kept him going.
Travis slapped him on the back and stood next to him.
“I can’t believe you were the first of us to get married,” Travis said, speaking Andy’s own thoughts to him.
“I know. She looks beautiful though.” Andy stared at Sara in her white wedding dress. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her.
“I imagine they’re going to be playing your proposal for years to come.”
The television crews at the shop had broadcast his proposal on the news. The real life Andy coming for his Sara.
He chuckled, thinking about the ribbing he’d gotten from his friends. Tracy walked over to him. She gave him a hug then smiled at him. “You’ve made my sister incredibly happy. You better keep it that way.”
She glanced over at Travis then moved away. Travis sipped from his beer bottle. His friend’s gaze was on Tracy as she walked away.
“Is there something going on there?” Andy asked.
“What?” Travis turned to him frowning.
“You’ve not tried to get into my sister-in-law’s pants, have you? That’s the last thing I need.” Andy groaned.
“I’ve not gotten in her panties, so stop putting yours in a twist. This is your day. Enjoy it and don’t start condemning me.” Travis walked away.
Andy noticed he walked in the direction of Tracy.
Great, just what he needed. His friend using Sara’s sister for sex. He shook his head and then headed over to where his wife danced with Danny.
“May I cut in?” Andy asked.
Sara’s face lit up when she saw him. Danny moved away giving Sara back over to him.
“You look so beautiful.” He wrapped both arms around her waist pulling her in close against him.”
“You look pretty dazzling yourself.” Her hands circled his neck. Her body was pressed flush to his. Andy let out a moan.
“What do you do to me?” h
e asked.
“I’m hoping I make you happy,” she whispered, leaning up to kiss his lips.
Her full breasts tempted him. All he wanted to do was escort her off the dance floor and have his wicked way with her.
“There is no doubt in my mind, Sara. You’ll always make me happy.”
She closed her eyes resting her head against his chest. “This is the most perfect day ever.”
Andy held her close. He rested his head on top of hers. Nothing could have made him happier in that moment.
The past three months had been a whirlwind of activity. He’d moved into Sara’s apartment and sold most of his old furniture. Cube and his other five clubs were back to working order. Sara had another successful book released, which took them both by surprise.
When the food was wheeled out, Andy took his place beside Sara.
He couldn’t believe he’d been watching Danny and Bethany in the same spot thinking his future was over. Now, he had Sara by his side, and nothing but the future to keep them company.
Travis stood up and gave his speech.
Sara grabbed his hand as nervous as he was at the prospect of what Travis had to say.
“I’ve known Andy a long time. He is part of the guys, and we all agreed on one thing: marriage was a waste of time.”
A few moans filled the crowd at the start of the speech.
“No, let me finish,” Travis said. His hands raised in supplication. “I for one haven’t seen anything good come from married life. When I found out about Sara, I couldn’t believe it. Andy had kept her all to himself without bothering to share her wonderful cooking and her lovely books.”
Andy kissed Sara’s red cheek. All eyes turned to them in that moment.
“The night I first met Sara, I saw what true love really meant. There was no mistaking what Andy felt for her. He fucked it up a few times, but then—like best man speeches—we all do.” A couple more chuckles echoed around the garden.
Andy stared at his friend hoping Travis wouldn’t say anything to embarrass him. This was not only his wedding day, it was Sara’s big day. Andy wanted it to be perfect for her.
“Sara, I know you were hurt in the beginning, but I can swear to you Andy is the right man. He loves you with all of his heart. I’ve never seen another man more in love.”
Sara smiled and turned to him.
“And you guys give me hope that there might be a woman out there for me. Love you, Andy, and I wish you both the best damn marriage a couple could ask for.”
Travis raised his glass, and his speech was complete.
Tracy and her family followed. Andy had no close relatives, and when they’d all finished he stood up. He’d told Harmony and Martin he intended to give a speech.
The garden went quiet as he raised his half-empty glass. Sara stared up at him. He felt her gaze on him like a caress.
“I want to thank you all for coming. It really means a lot to me for you all to be here on this day. I know my parents would love to be here and they’d love my beautiful wife.” He turned to look at Sara. Andy took her hand in his. “Five years ago I met the most beautiful woman on the stairs of the apartment building we shared. She had too many books and brain cells and not enough common sense.”
Sara smiled, squeezing his hand.
“I didn’t know it then, but I fell in love with you that day. I never believed in love at first sight, but now I know it’s real. You’ve made me the happiest man in the world, and I will fight every day to show you how much I’m willing to keep you.” He cupped her cheek running his thumb over her bottom lip. “Sara Green, you were my best friend, my soul mate, and now my wife. I love you with my whole heart.”
He leaned down and kissed her.
The crowd clapped their hands. Andy pulled her up and escorted her onto the dance floor once again. The music started up cutting off all the mumbles from the crowd.
****
Sara laughed when she saw Travis standing next to her sister.
“I think your friend has something going on for Tracy,” she whispered against her husband’s ear.
Andy. Her husband. It was going to take a while to get used to the new title.
“God help them both. She’s hard-headed, and he won’t give up,” Andy said.
She leaned back to smile at him. “This is the best day of my life.”
He took her hand and led her back out of the garden to the summer house located at the back, far from the crowd.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
Andy opened the door and pulled her inside. “I wanted to get away from prying eyes.”
Her eyes were covered as he walked her into the summer house. “I remember what happened the last time we were here, Andy. Are you planning on having your wicked way with me?” she asked.
He chuckled. “We’ve changed since then.”
“How have we? I’m still the same age.”
“No, you were my friend then. Now, you’re my wife.”
She giggled.
Andy let go of her, and she blinked. Champion sat in the summer house, and beside him was a brochure. Sara leaned down and picked up the magazine. The light caught metal, and she saw some ribbon with a key dangling from Champion’s mouth. She took the key from him and turned it over.
“What’s this?” she asked.
“Look at it. It needs a lot of work, but I thought together we could build it.”
She opened the brochure and saw a three story house surrounded with flowers.
His arms wrapped around her waist. “I want to start a family with you. I spoke to the agent, and he said we could get started on the reservations.”
She stared at the key then at the house. “This key opens the door to that house?” she asked.
Andy nodded.
“I didn’t think you wanted a house.” She’d brought up moving several times, and Andy had always found some excuse for them not to move.
“And I found excuses not to get married or to fall in love. I love you, Sara. Buying a house together is what I want. I didn’t want it before because I hadn’t found the right woman to share it with.”
Sara turned in his arms. His large hands cupped her exposed back. She stared into his dark penetrating gaze and was caught in him once again. This was another step she never thought he’d take.
“You want a house and a family?” she asked.
He nodded. “With you, Sara, I want everything.” His palm pressed against her stomach. “I want you to be the mother of my children. I love you, Sara, and I’m never letting you go again.”
She threw her arms around him. Andy had made her the happiest woman in the world. She already had news on the home front. His child had already started to grow inside her.
The End
www.samcrescent.wordpress.com
Other Books by Sam Crescent:
www.evernightpublishing.com/sam-crescent
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Evernight Publishing
www.evernightpublishing.com