Tenderly (Seven Brides Seven Brothers Pelican Bay)

by Belle Calhoune

  The sound of the front door opening made his heart beat a little bit faster. The clicking of shoes on the hardwood floor echoed in the silence. Suddenly, Faith was standing before him looking as beautiful as a summer day. She was dressed in a cornflower blue sleeveless top and white shorts. He loved how she no longer felt the pressure to cover up her burns. In his eyes, Faith was the most beautiful woman in the world. Inside and out.

  “Where is everyone? I saw all the cars outside. Am I late?” she asked, looking around her.

  “No, you’re right on time, sweetheart,” Micah said, placing his arms around Faith’s waist and pulling her toward him. “I’m so glad you’re here.” He dipped his head down and placed a sweet kiss on her lips.

  As the kiss ended she smiled up at him, then rested her head against his chest.

  “Micah, I’m so happy I could burst.”

  “For any reason in particular?”

  She scrunched up her nose. “Don’t you know? You make me happy, Micah. Just spending time with you on a Saturday night makes everything feel magical.”

  “I feel the same way,” he said, pressing another kiss against her forehead. He took her hand in his and led her toward the screened in porch door. “Let’s go outside. Everyone is waiting to see you.”

  She raised a hand to her mouth. “Oops. I guess I am late. I thought having dinner at nine was a bit odd but I asked you several times and I must have misunderstood.” Micah hid a smile. Faith was getting a little bit flustered, but he wasn’t going to clue her in until they got outside. Then everything would be revealed to her.

  Once they went outside to the back deck, Micah did a quick survey of the yard. There were candles set up on the table, creating a romantic ambiance. The rest of the yard was dark. Right on cue, soft music began to stream through speakers set up around the yard.

  “W-what’s going on?” Faith asked as Micah led her down the stairs. “Where is everyone?”

  Just then twinkling lights came on all over the yard, creating a brilliant spectacle.

  Faith let out a gasp. She looked all around her with her mouth wide open. “What is all of this?”

  Micah dropped down to one knee. Faith didn’t see him there at first. She was too busy taking in all of the lights.

  Suddenly, all of his family members stepped forward. They were holding lit up letters spelling out WILL YOU MARRY ME. Little Logan—Parker and Cadence’s son—was grinning as he held up the E. Tears brimmed in Micah’s eyes as Faith turned toward him and let out a cry. He was down on one knee holding up the final part of the puzzle. A lit up question mark.

  “Will you?” he asked.

  Tears coursed down Faith’s cheeks as she vigorously nodded and said, “Yes. Of course I will, Micah. Today. Tomorrow. It will always be yes.”

  Micah put the lit up question mark down on the grass and reached into his shirt pocket. He pulled out a navy blue velvet box and popped it open. A three carat pear-shaped diamond sat on a throne, shining and twinkling at Faith. He took the ring and placed it on Faith’s ring finger.

  “Oh, it’s stunning.” She was gazing down at the ring with a look of disbelief on her face. She looked up at Micah and brushed tears away from her face. “A year ago I never imagined I’d be so happy. How am I so blessed?”

  “We’re both pretty blessed, Faith. And we have the rest of our lives to be thankful for each other.”

  She turned toward his family. “Thank you all for being part of this. I’m pretty incoherent right now, but I want you to know that I can’t wait to become a Donahue. I’ve always wanted a big family and now I have one.”

  He stood behind Faith as she faced his family and wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned back against him, letting out a sigh of contentment.

  “Thanks for making this so special,” Micah said, feeling a bit choked up at how his family had shown up this evening in full support of his future with Faith. These were the people who would never in a million years let him down.

  Micah felt as if he was sitting on top of the world. All of his nerves had dissipated. There was nothing he was feeling right now except pure, heartfelt joy. It hummed and pulsed in the night air.

  Faith turned towards him and pressed a deep, lingering kiss against his lips.

  “You’re the one I’ve been waiting for. My heart wasn’t awoken until you came into my life. You’ve always made me feel beautiful and way more special than anyone ever has before. I asked God to send me someone who would love me as I am, the way He loves me. And he did, Micah. He brought me you.”

  Micah reached out and traced her beautiful lips with his fingertip. “He brought us into each other’s lives. I was beginning to wonder if something wasn’t wrong with me. Why hadn’t I fallen in love? Was there something empty inside me? And then I met you with your sweet, tender heart and your amazing spirit. You’ve shown me so much, Faith, in the short time we’ve been together. You’ve shown me what it means to live courageously. I love you so much. And I can’t wait to begin our lives together.”

  “Oh, Micah. Me too.”

  She stood up on her tippy toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down so she could plant a kiss on his lips. The kiss was full of triumph and celebration, as well as the promise of all their tomorrows.

  “Enough kissing,” Caleb yelled from across the yard. “We’ve got champagne and sparkling cider here so we can toast you guys.”

  “I want cider!” Logan said in a raised voice as he lifted his sippy cup in the air.

  Laughter rang out. The vibe was festive. Micah thought his chest might explode with happiness.

  Micah took Faith’s hand and led her across the yard to the spot where his family was standing with glass flutes in hand. They were each handed a glass.

  Jude raised his glass and waited for everyone else to follow suit. “To Micah and Faith. May they live out the rest of their lives in bliss.”

  “Don’t sweat the small stuff,” Parker advised, raising his glass in the air.

  “And always follow your dreams,” Daniel said, grinning at them.

  “Be happy! Live in love,” Penelope said as they all raised their glasses in the air and toasted the ecstatic couple.

  “We will be,” Micah said, pulling Faith close to his side with his free arm and pressing a kiss against her temple. She smelled like vanilla and flowers and a thousand tomorrows, all of which she would spend right by his side.

  THE END

  Forever and a Day

  Book 5 in Seven Brides, Seven Brothers Pelican Bay Series

  Chapter One –

  Daniel Donahue had always known something was wrong with him. Ever since he was a little kid it had been crystal clear. For many years his teachers had thought he was autistic or on the spectrum. But tests showed he wasn’t. He was just different. Other kids didn’t relate to him very well, and aside from his siblings, Daniel didn’t have a whole lot of friends. It was a funny thing though. He had been blessed with seven of the most amazing siblings a person could ever have in this world. They had gotten him through what could have been a very lonely childhood. Instead, he had been lifted up and celebrated and accepted.

  The Donahue clan had protected him against the ever-present feelings that he didn’t quite fit in to the world around him.

  Even though he was a fully grown man, there was a part of Daniel that still felt like a little kid on the inside. For instance, he loved going to the candy store—the old-fashioned type with hundreds of different candies and all the bells and whistles. It felt like he was Willy Wonka.

  Creating video games had been the perfect balance for him between being an adult and still feeling as if he could still be spontaneous and whimsical. And he loved making people happy with his video game innovations. It was the reason he had gone into the business of video games. The pure joy of it.

  At the moment he was in the midst of plans to increase his company’s visibility and take it to the next level. It was already incredibly successful and
had made Daniel a very rich man. Money had never motivated Daniel very much. He simply enjoyed the challenges and the satisfaction that arose from creating video content that stimulated minds and his own creativity.

  Whenever he received a fan letter, especially from a child or a teenager, he felt as if he just might burst wide open with pride. He didn’t create the violent ones because he couldn’t stand the idea of people simulating graphic violence or gore or gruesome deaths. He always tried to push the envelope creatively, but he liked to think he had integrity with regards to content.

  And it had worked. His company had made him into a multi-millionaire. And it was still growing by leaps and bounds. By this time next year Daniel hoped his video games would be the hottest sellers in the United States and around the world.

  This morning he was sitting in on an interview with a female model who would be considered for a huge role in an ongoing video series. He had created the character of Rhiannon, a medieval warrior seeking justice. His company—DD Studios—was planning to create a promotional campaign for the new game that would put the model in the spotlight and earn her a lucrative salary.

  Two of Daniel’s top level executives—Sharon Modell and Guy Walker—were also present at the meeting.

  The moment the model walked in, Daniel wanted to let out a groan of frustration.

  Her red hair, green eyes and creamy skin made her look like a princess. He was looking for a warrior. The character of Rhiannon was deadly and dangerous. She wielded swords and daggers. This woman looked as if she might not breathe the same air as mere mortals. Her beauty was ethereal, like a fairy princess.

  “Hello. I’m Lorelei James.” She stuck out her hand and shook all three of their hands before sitting down in a seat across the table from them.

  “You can’t be Rhiannon.” Daniel blurted out the words.

  “I beg your pardon.” She looked at him with widened eyes, then swung her gaze toward Sharon and Guy. “I’m here to audition for that role.”

  He shook his head. “You’re way too beautiful. We’re not looking for Sleeping Beauty. More like Lara Croft, Tomb raider.”

  She let out a brittle laugh. “I’m a very experienced model and I have a wide range. I’m sort of a chameleon. I can change my look on a dime depending on the job.”

  “It’s not going to work.” He stood up from his chair. “Thanks for coming out today, but there’s no way I can give you the job.”

  Daniel felt a bit bad about the look on Miss James’s face but it was better to be open and honest than drag the interview out. She slowly stood up from her chair. He held out his hand but she simply looked at it, then shook her head.

  She frowned at him. “Are you Micah’s brother?”

  Daniel stood up straighter. “Yes. He’s my younger brother.”

  Lorelei hoisted her purse over her shoulder. “Good. Because I can’t wait to tell him how much of a jerk you are!”

  She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room without uttering another word.

  Daniel scratched his head. What in the world had just happened?

  Author Bio:

  Belle Calhoune grew up in a small town in Massachusetts, one of five children. One of the best things about her childhood was growing up across the street from a public library and having a summer house in Cape Cod. Although her mother was a Psychiatrist and her father a Biologist, Belle gravitated towards literature and writing. Married to her college sweetheart, she is raising two lovely daughters in Connecticut. A dog lover, she has one toy poodle named Copper and a black Labrador retriever named Beau. Writing is a dream come true. Working at home in her pajamas is one of the best perks of the job. A French enthusiast, she dreams often of her next Parisian escape. Belle also enjoys summers in Cape Cod, traveling and reading.