A Tender Moment Under the Stars: An Inspirational Historical Romance Book

by Grace Clemens

  Betty’s grin was wide. “Yes. He is a handsome man, isn’t he? Oh, don’t answer that. No jealousy between us from now on. Maybe we can have a double wedding.”

  “No,” Isabel said firmly. “No double wedding. I’m serious about that, Betty. It’s my day and I’m not sharing.”

  Betty laughed again. “All right, Izzy. I won’t tell a soul my wonderful idea.”

  Isabel laughed with her.

  Epilogue

  The festival was in full swing. Much to Solomon and Isabel’s delight, the storm hadn’t done a great deal of damage to the town square area and they were able to drag the pastor out in the middle of the street to marry them in front of everyone present.

  The crowd erupted in thunderous applause when they kissed as husband and wife. Their next task was to join in on as many games as a couple as they could.

  They ended up in the dunking booth, sitting right next to each other on the wooden platform that would drop them into the water if someone hit the target. They were safely dry until Freddie came up to the counter.

  “Hey, wait a minute,” Solomon said, lifting one hand while the other was around his wife’s shoulders. “I know this fella. He’s got an arm like nobody else. I don’t think he should be given a chance.”

  Freddie feigned offense, raising his eyebrows and putting one hand against his chest as if to indicate he was saying, “Me?”

  Solomon nodded and continued to protest as Freddie was given three balls and prepared his arm to throw one of them. He hit the target on the first try and Solomon and Isabel dropped into the water. Thankfully, it was somewhat warm from the heat of the sun that day.

  Isabel came up gasping for air, pushing her hair and the water out of her eyes with her fingers. “Oh!” she gasped. “Oh my!”

  She opened her eyes and saw Solomon was next to her. He was biting his bottom lip, his cheeks as red as could be, his eyes on the crowd around them. Isabel turned and saw that when Solomon had hit the water, half the liquid in the tank splashed out on the bystanders. Many of them were grumbling but even still had laughter on their faces.

  “Um, I don’t think I should do this game, unless I’m on the other side,” Solomon said, looking sheepish.

  Isabel suddenly saw the humor in the whole situation and began to laugh hard. She covered her mouth with the fingers of both hands and gazed at Solomon lovingly above them as she let out her guffaws. She found it so funny, she snorted to get a breath and continue laughing.

  They climbed out of the tank, breathing hard. Solomon lifted her out with ease and set her on the ground next to him. “That was still a lot of fun,” he said, grinning. “I hope you had fun.”

  “I did, Sol. I really did. I love you so much. I really do.”

  Solomon’s chest swelled up. He grabbed her into a tight hug and kissed her firmly on the lips.

  “I love you, too, my little buttercup,” he said. “You’re just so small and delicate. I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”

  “I do,” Isabel said. “You’re going to love me for the rest of my life. And take care of me and protect me.”

  “I’m definitely going to do those things. Come on, let’s get some food.”

  The newlyweds spent the next hour roaming around Steven’s Gulch, receiving the congratulations of everyone they met.

  They finally ended up at the shoot-the-duck game, where Betty and Freddie were having the time of their lives with the children playing the game. Betty was an excellent cheerleader, encouraging the children and rooting for them. When they won, she made a huge deal out of it.

  Freddie was standing to the side most of the time, watching her. Solomon grabbed Isabel’s arm and stopped her. She looked up at him and then followed his eyes to where he was looking. His eyes were on Betty.

  “Look how happy she is!” he said in a genuine voice. “I don’t think I saw her face like that for at least the last year we were together. Especially right before she left. At first, she looked like that when she looked at me. But now, she has eyes for Freddie. Look at the way they talk to each other.”

  Isabel hadn’t had time to be jealous because her husband was looking at Betty. He explained it away before she had a chance to. And she didn’t want to. So she was happy.

  “Yes, she really does look radiant when she’s with him. Come on, let’s get some cotton candy.”

  “Ah no,” Solomon said as they walked closer to the game. “Not for me. I don’t like the stuff.”

  Isabel laughed. “What? Then why do you own a machine that makes it.”

  Solomon glanced down at her and then back at the crowd.

  “Because of this,” he said. He leaned down a little so he could direct Isabel’s eyes where he wanted them. “Watch this.”

  Isabel watched as Freddie moved the stick around the inside of the cotton candy machine, gathering the candy in a big ball around it. He handed it to the boy standing in front of him, who couldn’t have been more than six or seven.

  “You see that? Look at his face,” Solomon whispered to her. “That’s why I bought the machine. To see the look of delight on these faces, these children and some adults, too. It makes my day.”

  Isabel thought the love her husband had for his neighbors and friends was what made her day. She couldn’t believe she’d married such a compassionate man, picked him out of the newspaper from an ad he’d placed.

  “You know,” she said, getting his attention and stopping him before they got all the way to the game booth, “I can’t possibly be happier that we came together, Solomon. It means more to me than you’ll ever know.”

  “I know you were worried for a bit there, darling,” Solomon replied. “But you’ll never have to worry another day in your life. Not about anything. I will always be here for you. I will always love you. For as long as I live, just like I told the pastor.”

  Isabel pulled her giant husband into a hug. He picked her up and hugged her back.

  “My sweet little woman,” he said. “I will strive to make you happy every day for the rest of your life. I love you, Izzy.”

  THE END

  Can't get enough of Isabel and Solomon? Then make sure to check out the Extended Epilogue to find out…

  What will Betty confess to Isabelle and how will their relationship be four months later?

  What will be Betty and Freddie’s discussion about their future and how will Isabelle and Sol be a part of it?

  What unpredictable announcement will Isabelle make in front of her friends and husband??

  Click the link or enter it into your browser

  http://graceclemens.com/isabel

  (After reading the Extended Epilogue, turn the page to read the first chapters from “A Hopeful Answer to her Prayers”, my Amazon Best-Selling novel!)

  A Hopeful Answer to her Prayers

  Introduction

  When the orphanage’s owner informs Mandy Jane that she’s being married off, her greatest concern is her younger sister’s safety and future. Taken aback by the grim news, she cannot believe how her life took a turn for the worst in a single day. To make the situation even more unbearable, her husband-to-be turns out to be anything but the sort of man Mandy would want to share her life with. However, as if her prayers were answered, when she shows up for her wedding, a different man awaits her at the altar. Full of renewed hope, she starts thinking that the true love she craves may be within reach. Should she trust that he is saving her from one evil or will she soon be pulled into another?

  Abram doesn’t dare to admit it, but he secretly longs for a wife to care for and protect. When he finds out that an inadequate man intends to marry a helpless young woman, he steps in and manages to take his place. Unfortunately, sometimes, even the best of intentions tend to go all awry and Abram ends up questioning his spontaneous decision. Confused but enchanted by Mandy’s kindness and beauty, he makes an effort to make things work. Is he ready to face every single doubt he has and replace it with faith?

  As Abram a
nd Mandy try to understand one another and build a marriage that honors their values, they find themselves confronted with secrets, misunderstandings, and threats. Inevitably, they begin to wonder if it’s possible to find love in dark places. Will they survive the challenging storm and cherish the sunshine of their blooming feelings?

  Prologue

  “Come on in and sit down, Mandy,” Herb said. He leaned back in the chair behind his desk, the wood creaking under the weight of him. With a pen in his hand and the ink and paper on the table, he looked as if he had been working through some bookkeeping.

  But Mandy Jane looked at Herb Tennyson with cautious, pale blue eyes. It was clear that he had something important to tell her, but Mandy had the strangest feeling that she wasn’t going to like it.

  “Is everything all right?” she asked him, taking a deep breath.

  “Yes, yes, everything is fine. Great, actually. I think you’re really going to like the news I have for you,” Herb said.

  “News? What sort of news?” she asked, not having expected anything more than a lecture on how she needed to keep a closer eye on all the children, not just her sister, Sophie.

  Herb had owned and run the orphanage longer than Mandy had been alive. Whenever there were older children, like her, it fell to them to help with all the younger ones. But Mandy was eighteen now and she also realized that it was just a matter of time before Herb sent her away.

  When she remembered that fact, this meeting suddenly became a good deal more frightening. What if Herb was going to kick her out? What if she was going to have to make her own way, finding work and a place to live? What if she was separated from Sophie?

  “It’s good news, I promise,” Herb said, rubbing his bald head. “I think you know that, at your age, it’s about time for you to get out from within these walls.”

  “B-but you need help, don’t you? With the children, I mean. Isn’t it important that I assist you in taking care of them? Surely you can’t mean that it’s best for everyone if I leave,” Mandy said, nervously trying to come up with excuses.

  “Now, now, Mandy,” Herb said, holding up a hand to quiet her. “You don’t need to get all upset like this. Your sister is going to be here to help me with all of that. You, on the other hand, will be perfectly fine. As it happens, I found you a husband.”

  Mandy froze, staring at Herb in complete surprise.

  A husband? What did she need a husband for? Sure, she wanted one someday, but now? Wasn’t that only going to get in the way of everything else she had to handle?

  “What do you mean? Why did you find me a husband?” she asked.

  “Mandy, surely you knew that this was the next step, didn’t you? This is very important. You ladies, beautiful young girls such as yourself, it’s so important for you to find a man in your life. I found you a great one. His name is Stanley Hawkins. You’ll like him, don’t you worry,” Herb said.

  “But—but I don’t even know him,” she said, still clinging to any rebuttal she could think of.

  “That’s why he’s here, waiting to meet you. Don’t you worry, Mandy. This is going to be a very good thing, all right?”

  Herb stood before she could respond and led Mandy out of the office and into a small sitting room. There, she saw him.

  “Stanley, this is Mandy,” Herb said.

  Stanley Hawkins had a greasy mustache over his thin upper lip. His jowls sagged as if he had once been a similar size to Herb, but had gotten sick and lost all of his padding. His hair was thin, laying in long strips across the top of his head to create the illusion of more hair than he had.

  “Mandy, nice to meet you,” Stanley said, his voice gravelly and deep.

  “And you,” she replied, trying to smile.

  The last thing Mandy wanted was to judge Stanley based on his appearance. She couldn’t imagine being married to a man she didn’t find attractive, but she hadn’t given a whole lot of thought to marriage anyway. It hardly mattered.

  What she truly had not wanted was to end up in this place. Here she was, having to leave the orphanage. And worse? She was being sent off to marry this man she didn’t know or care for. Whatever difficulties she may have expected from life, this was something else entirely.

  “Please, join me. Have a seat. You really are a pretty little thing, aren’t you?” Stanley commented with a gruff laugh.

  “Thank you, Mr. Hawkins,” she said in a quiet, shy manner.

  “No, thank you. I’m glad that I get to marry someone like you. Now, are you looking forward to being the wife of a rancher?” he asked.

  “Oh…a rancher? Well, I am sure that is a very nice life,” she said, trying to remain optimistic.

  “That it is. Busy, but good. You’ll like it, that’s for sure. You get to handle the woman’s work of course—the cooking and cleaning, mainly—but also some of the other things, like handling the chickens. Well, that and plenty of other chores,” he said, the same gruff laugh reminding Mandy that this was not the sort of man she would have expected.

  Without a word, Herb departed from the room, leaving Mandy and Stanley alone. Panic washed over her, but she maintained her polite smile, not wanting to offend this man.

  “So, I must ask you, Mr. Hawkins—”

  “Stanley. Just call me Stanley. You’re going to be my wife now,” he said.

  “Yes, of course, thank you, Stanley. I must ask you if my sister is coming to live with us,” Mandy said, deeply curious to know what plan lay ahead for Sophie.

  But Stanley scoffed and shook his head.

  “I don’t know what gave you that idea. Herb told me she’s got a leg all messed up and that just ain’t gonna cut it on a ranch. Besides, I don’t want anyone around who I have to explain every time I’m with important people,” Stanley said.

  Mandy was shocked by these callous words. She didn’t understand how he could speak about her beloved sister that way. Who did he think he was? Why would he talk about Sophie as if she was something to be ashamed of?

  “Her leg is not messed up. It is just a little bit twisted. There is nothing wrong with her and no reason you should be frightened to be seen with her in your home,” Mandy said.

  Stanley sighed in sarcastic irritation and looked at Mandy without the faintest bit of care.

  “That’s what you think. You’re her sister so you just want to be with her. You don’t have the slightest bit of care for someone like me and the reputation I need to keep,” he said.

  “I think you are being utterly disrespectful,” Mandy shot back.

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Don’t beg. If you dislike what I am telling you, it is best that you simply forget the marriage. I honestly cannot understand why you would be sitting there, trying to marry someone whose family you cannot respect,” she hissed.

  Mandy was furious at Stanley. She had only just met him, but she was quickly coming to see that even if she could push aside her feelings about his outward appearance, there was nothing that could possibly mend the dark chasm of his heart.

  “How dare you speak to me that way? I’m going to be your husband and you think that’s all right? I’ll tell you right now, little missy, it ain’t gonna fly. You had best accept the fact that I don’t take too kindly to that kind of speech. You oughta know that I am a man with a whole lot of clout to my name. I expect you to treat me the way I oughta be treated,” he said.

  “And I expect you to treat my sister in the way she deserves. She is a person, Stanley. She is a human being with dignity and strength and purpose. She has value. What makes you think you can speak about her like this?” Mandy asked.