by Glynna Kaye
Chapter Nineteen
Hope exploding, he stared at her. “Are you sure? I don’t want—”
“One hundred percent.”
But even with Tori—his now-fiancée—at his side, it was still a long shot. She’d said she loved him. Her actions declared she trusted him. That she’d willingly marry him in spite of his faults and shortcomings and blundering ways. That’s how God accepted His children, not because they were perfect—in fact, far from it—but because He loved them.
“Thank you, Tori.” And thank You, God. He leaned in to kiss her on the cheek, then took a steadying breath and knocked at the door.
When they entered the library hand in hand, Ray and Therese exchanged a look he wasn’t sure how to interpret. Surprise, maybe, but something else, as well.
“Please sit down.” Ray motioned to the sofa across from where Therese was seated, but he remained standing by the fireplace.
Sawyer and Tori sat down and although an army of butterflies hammered his insides, he gathered courage from the warmth of her hand in his. Courage from the knowledge that no matter what happened in the coming minutes, Tori would be by his side for a lifetime.
He cleared his throat. “We—Tori and I—are here to make a request regarding the future of my brothers.”
Ray raised a brow. “Both of you?”
Sawyer’s eyes smiled briefly into Tori’s, then he gave Ray a confident nod. “We’re engaged to be married.”
Therese gasped. “I was afraid that—Ray and I both thought—I mean, we—” She stopped, looking embarrassed.
“What she means—” Ray smiled at his wife “—is we’ve suspected there was something special growing between you two, but—”
Sawyer gave them both a reassuring look. “But you love Tori and thought I wouldn’t make a commitment.”
Nodding, Therese exchanged a look with her husband. Undoubtedly they’d been afraid that, as with his brothers, he’d get close to Tori and walk away. Break her heart.
“I offer my congratulations.” Ray stepped forward to kiss Tori on the cheek, then he pinned a sharp gaze on Sawyer as he turned to shake hands. “In a very short time, we’ve come to love Tori like another daughter. So remember, we’re the equivalent of in-laws you’ll have to deal with if you—”
“Don’t worry, Ray. I’m in it for the long haul.”
“You better be.” But the older man’s eyes were smiling as he again moved back to the fireplace. “So you’re here to talk about the twins?”
Sawyer glanced at Tori and she nodded. “Tori’s shared with me that you may be moving to California and taking the boys with you.”
“That’s not yet been decided,” Therese hurried to make clear. It sounded as if she wasn’t yet ready to throw in the towel to the demands of her offspring.
Ray gave her a fleeting frown. “But it’s likely.”
Tori squeezed Sawyer’s hand, her encouraging gaze urging him on.
“With that possibility in mind, we’d like to make a proposal and ask that you give it serious consideration.”
“Go on.”
“Dad was big on wanting Cubby and Landon to grow up in a small town. He wished he could have grown up outside of a big metropolitan area himself. Wished that he and my mother could have raised my other two brothers and me in a place like Hunter Ridge.” He looked from Ray to Therese, praying their hearts would be open to what he had to say. “I—Tori and I—would like, with your blessing, to open our home to my little brothers and raise them in Hunter Ridge. Like Vanessa and Dad wanted.”
Tears pricked Therese’s eyes as her gaze sought that of her husband.
“We don’t expect an immediate answer,” Tori quickly inserted. “Please take your time to think about it. Pray about it. We know how much you love the twins. How much you want the best for them.”
“We love them, too,” Sawyer added, “and promise to take good care of them. Be there for them. To raise them in a godly home.”
He waited with bated breath as, for what seemed an eternity, neither responded. Too shocked at the out-of-the-blue request, or adamantly against it and wanting to word a rejection diplomatically?
“Ray?” Therese whispered, her eyes questioning.
“What Therese would like me to share with you is that, as Tori’s aware, having the boys in our lives this past year has been both a challenge and a blessing.”
Therese nodded.
“Admittedly there have been adjustments, having been retired for a good ten years and empty nesters for longer than that. We’ve made mistakes.” He leveled a look at Sawyer. “Both in our dealings with the boys—and with you.”
“We’ve come to recognize, Sawyer,” Therese said, “that the loss of your father hit you hard. That you were witness to the tragic events that night. That the sense of helplessness and anger must still be overpowering. How difficult it must be to be around the boys at times, a reminder of that day and your shared loss. Ray and I—we apologize for not understanding. For not being a better support to you. We were caught up—so overwhelmed with our own loss—with the arrival of the boys—that—”
“There’s no need to apologize, Therese.” Sawyer didn’t want them bearing a burden of guilt such as the one he’d too long carried. “I take responsibility for not being there for you when you took the boys in. I could have made the adjustment easier for you. But I dropped the ball.”
Ray leveled a reassuring look at him. “I think we’ve all dropped our fair share of balls in the past year or so, Sawyer. We all had needs and expectations of each other that none of us adequately communicated. But the boys needed us, and Vanessa and Anderson made us their legal guardians should anything happen to them. None of us, of course, ever thinking at the time we agreed to it that the responsibility printed on paper would too soon become a reality.”
“Ray and I’ve come to realize that despite best intentions, at this time in our lives we’re better at grandparenting than we are parenting.” Therese clasped her hands tightly. “And with the size of this house becoming a millstone around our necks and the uncertainties of the MS...”
Ray cleared his throat. “After that diagnosis a number of years ago, we’d intended to downsize here in Hunter Ridge. But with the boys joining us, well, that didn’t seem like an option. And our kids are right. That’s not a long-term solution for the boys.”
Tori again squeezed Sawyer’s hand. He knew she was praying as hard as he was.
“Which is why I’m—if not yet Therese—giving serious consideration to a California move. As much as we love Hunter Ridge and could probably continue for some time to make it on our own here as a couple, we have the boys’ welfare to consider, too.”
Please, God, give me the strength to accept whatever decision Ray is leading up to. It’s not looking good. But I don’t know if I have the heart to take them to court. To try to wrestle my little brothers away from them.
Tori’s hand tightened once more on his.
“Our children are willing to take us in,” Ray continued, his expression solemn. “To take the boys, too. They’ve been good parents to their own children. Raised them in happy, supportive homes. That considered...”
Please, God.
* * *
“That considered,” Ray reiterated, “we’d still prefer to raise our grandsons in Hunter Ridge. Which is why—”
Tori held her breath. Please. Please.
“It’s why we’ve been praying that God would help us find a way to do that,” Therese concluded, her eyes bright with tears. “And it appears the two of you may be the answer to those prayers.”
Sawyer glanced at Tori uncertainly. No doubt wondering, like her, if he’d heard right. “You’re saying...?”
Ray stepped away from the fireplace. “We’re saying that if you are willing to t
ake the boys into your home, we’ll plan to stay in Hunter Ridge.”
Therese was openly crying now, and Ray moved to clasp a hand to her shoulder.
Sawyer’s stunned gaze met Tori’s. “We’re more than willing.”
Tori’s mouth suddenly went dry. They were getting married. Taking in Cubby and Landon. A disorienting, momentary regret washed through her, but she pushed it away. She’d made a commitment to the man she loved, even if he wasn’t marrying her for the same reason. As far as it depended on her, she’d make their relationship work. God would help her, wouldn’t he?
Ray gave a relieved laugh. “I doubt there will be much convincing of the twins to do since you offer a country place, dogs and room for a pony.”
“I honestly don’t know what to say—” Sawyer smiled tentatively, still trying to take it all in “—except thank you.”
Therese wiped away tears as she stood to give them both a hug. “No, thank you both. You’re enabling us to remain in Hunter Ridge. This is our home. This is where we want to live out our remaining days. Now we can do it and still be a part of our grandsons’ lives.”
“You can count on it.” The joy in Sawyer’s voice confirmed Tori’s decision. “They need their grandparents. Tori and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Everything would be okay. She had to believe that.
Ray clapped him on the back. “So, when’s the wedding?”
Sawyer’s face reddened. No wonder. They’d only been engaged thirty seconds before they’d walked into the library together.
“We want to talk to Pastor McCrae before we set a date,” she ad-libbed, amused at the relief her response brought to Sawyer’s eyes. “Sometime this summer, we expect.”
“We need to pick out a ring, too,” he added, sounding apologetic for that omission.
Ray laughed. “Got ahead of yourself, did you, Banks?”
“Always.”
A smiling Therese took her husband’s hand. “If you two will excuse us, I think Ray and I need to call a family meeting. Let the kids know there’s been a change in plans.”
Ray pretended to cringe. “They aren’t going to like the fact that we’re not moving to LA, but with the responsibility for the boys being shifted—the four of us can meet with our lawyers next week—we’re in a good position to stand our ground and make a case for remaining in Hunter Ridge.”
When the Selbys left the room, Sawyer closed the doors behind them, set the lock, then turned to her, uncertainty in his eyes.
“Here we are,” she said brightly, unsure of what else there was to say as she attempted to push aside a persistent ache in her heart. They’d gone straight from a heated disagreement to engagement and pending guardianship of two little boys. Before they stepped in to meet with Ray and Therese, she’d told him she loved him.
He’d merely said thank you.
He slowly approached her. “I’m sorry, Tori.”
It was a little late for apologies, wasn’t it? There was no going back now. They had two little boys to think of.
“I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
“Sawyer—” They had a lot to discuss. Eventually. But right now wasn’t the time. She was tired. She wanted him to go home and for the day to end.
“Listen. Please? I apologize for accusing you of not telling me about the Selbys’ kids wanting them to move to California.”
He wasn’t apologizing for marrying her to keep the boys?
“You are a person of integrity,” he continued, “and you honored the privacy of your employers. You’ve done everything possible not to compromise that yet keep the best interests of the boys in mind. It was a no-win situation. And I was wrong. Forgive me?”
How could she not? She nodded, then drew a shaky breath “Now what?”
He ducked his head and looked up at her, a playful twinkle in his eye. “Pick out a ring?”
The heaviness in her heart increased. “Sawyer, you don’t have to pretend. I understand.”
His forehead wrinkled. “Pretend what?”
“Pretend that this marriage is for real.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m not backing out of this. But you don’t need to pretend you’re crazy in love with me just because I’m madly in love with you.”
“Who’s pretending?” He took her hand and tugged her closer. “Tori Janner, I am completely and utterly besotted with you.”
“But I thought—”
“Don’t tell me you still have it in your head that I want to marry you in hopes of gaining custody of the boys?” His forehead furrowed. “What’s a man have to do to—”
Before she could stop him, he leaned in for a long, lingering kiss.
When he finally drew away, he gazed down at her knowingly. “Didn’t I tell you earlier that I hoped that says it all? I love you, Tori. I’ll always love you. The kind of love that leads to wedding bells and baby diapers and golden anniversaries.”
He loved her. He meant it.
“I want all that, too, Sawyer.” Her eyes smiled into his. “And more.”
He chuckled as she pulled him closer to renew the kiss, and for the longest time ever her heart danced as she relished the tender warmth of his lips. The strength of his arms. The distinct awareness of God smiling down on them.
At the sound of children’s voices in the hallway, he reluctantly drew back, his voice husky as he gazed into her eyes. “Get the picture now, Tori?”
“I—” Her words came breathlessly. “I...think so.”
“Good. But if you need any more convincing, I’m more than happy to oblige.”
The door knob rattled. “Tori? Are you in there? Our toys are put away now.”
She smiled. “Landon.”
“Can we come in?”
“And the Cubster,” Sawyer echoed with a grin. “You know, don’t you, that this is probably a taste of what life’s going to be like from here on out?”
“We’ll have to get extremely clever at grabbing stolen moments.”
“And invest in good locks.”
“Sawyer? Tori?” Little fists pounded the doors. “We hear you. We know you’re in there.”
Sawyer raised a brow. “Should we let them in?”
“I don’t think we have much choice.”
He pressed a kiss to her hand. “I love you.”
“And I love you.”
Together they walked to the double doors, where Sawyer flipped the lock and flung them wide.
Momentarily startled, the twins stared up at them. Then breaking into laughter, they launched themselves into welcoming arms.
Epilogue
“Sawyer’s my big brother, but he’s gonna kinda be my new dad, too.” Landon, a bow tie coordinating with his dress shirt and pants, lifted his chin as if challenging his Sunday school buddies to call him a liar.
“Yeah,” Cubby, similarly dressed, piped up proudly before the friends crowding around them at Pastor McCrae’s wedding reception could dispute his twin. “We’ll have two dads. Kind of. One in Heaven and a pretend one down here. Right, Tori? And you’ll be our second mom.”
The twins looked to her for confirmation and Tori’s heart melted at the trust in their eyes. How dearly God had blessed her in recent months, with Sawyer and his young siblings topping the list.
“Yes, I’ll be your second mom. I can hardly wait.” She didn’t know if the boys would ever choose to call her Mom, but she was okay with it if they didn’t. She didn’t need to share the title with the boys’ much-loved deceased parent. But it was evident that they saw her and their half brother in parental roles and accepted it. Were excited about it.
“Tori’s marrying our brother,” Landon clarified for his little friends. “And then we�
�re going to live together in Sawyer’s cabin. He has two dogs.”
The others immediately bombarded the twins with questions about their new pets, the prospect of a wedding immediately dismissed for the more important aspects of the anticipated union. Canine pals.
Smiling, she left them to their excited explanations and joined the growing circle of guests at the cake table, where Jodi and Garrett were posing for pictures. Childhood pals, now husband and wife.
A tingle of anticipation skimmed through Tori as she watched the newlyweds laugh and joke with the photographer and their friends. Two more months and she and Sawyer would be cutting their own cake. Eight weeks, which was more than enough time to finish her wedding dress and Sunshine’s bridesmaid one. Plenty of time to ready the cabin for her and, eventually, the boys’ arrival when the legalities were finalized. This coming week, too, she’d submit the best of her quilting samples to the Hunter Ridge Artists’ Co-op for evaluation, so prayers were focused on that venture for a good outcome.
She was already planning a celebration in their new home with Therese and Ray as their honored guests. The couple hoped before summer’s end to move out of their too-big house, and in the coming years, Tori would make sure the boys’ grandparents were included in every family event they wanted to be.
“Hey, pretty lady,” a familiar male voice whispered in her ear. A strong arm slipped around her waist and pulled her close. “Thanks for agreeing not to stuff me into one of those penguin suits.”
Smiling, she turned to Sawyer, so handsome with his blond hair tumbling over his forehead. The twinkle in his eyes sent her heart twirling as she reached out to straighten his bolo tie. “I wouldn’t think of it. Not your style.”
His free hand captured hers, and he gave it a quick kiss.
“Hey, knock it off, you two.” Ray, who’d moved in quietly next to them, nodded toward the cake table. “This show is supposed to be focused on the two up there, remember?”
“Spoilsport,” Sawyer mumbled under his breath.