by Ellie Hall
Rissa simply stared at him, trying to comprehend what he was saying. He loved her. He and Summer had planned and schemed to reunite them. But the huge whammy... “You haven’t dated any other women? Sorry to call you a liar, but I’ve seen the pictures on social media.”
“In the past seven months, you’ve seen pictures of me with other women?”
She thought about it. No, she hadn’t. Maybe it wasn’t that her friends or the media had suddenly gotten bored reporting on the handsome charmer. “No dating for seven months?”
“Two-hundred and seventy-one days.”
“Glad it wasn’t two-hundred and seventy-two, or we would’ve been sunk.” She couldn’t hold in the half-laugh. “How did you survive?”
He chuckled. “It wasn’t easy at first. Flirting and wooing had become second nature to me, but I controlled myself, and thought of you. I had no reassurance that you’d give me a chance, but I’d do anything to prove how much I love you.”
Her heart seemed to melt. She was such a sap for him. Could she truly trust he would never stray? She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed hard for heavenly help. If ever there was a time she needed her dad, it was right now.
“Summer was a great support,” Breck continued. Her eyes flew open and she studied him. “She took some pretty incredible pictures of you for me. Those helped a lot. I’d look at them and read your latest text, or listen to a voicemail from you, and it became easy to not even look twice at another woman.”
Rissa saw him, truly saw him for the first time in three years. He had committed to her, for the past seven months, and she hadn’t even known it. That’s why she hadn’t seen pictures of him on Charlotte socialite pages or heard from her friends who he was dating.
She prayed as hard as she’d ever prayed, Please help me know what to do. Long seconds ticked past. Then suddenly she heard a soft impression in her mind, “Don’t run, girl. Don’t run.”
She gasped. There it was. She was done running from Breck and it was a brilliant feeling. Breck loved her like she wanted to be loved, and her dad approved. She pushed from her seat and knelt in front of him, grabbing his hands in hers.
Breck’s eyebrows leapt up. “Riss?”
“Swear to me it’s blinding true. You adore me, and only me. You gave up snogging other women for seven months to prove it. You’ll never look twice at any woman but me.”
“It’s true.” His gaze travelled over her, and she could see the sincerity in it. “I swear it on Mumford’s Sons and KJ’s Fun Zone.”
She smiled. His company and her job were the constants they both knew and trusted.
“I’ve got to tell you something,” she said softly.
“Anything.”
She swallowed hard and admitted, “I ran three years ago and earlier today because of the other women, but also because of a voice I’ve heard in my head over the years, my dad telling me to ‘Run, my girl, run.’”
Breck’s dark eyes reflected the seriousness of this moment. “Your dad wanted you to run from me?”
“I believe at that point he did.” It was confusing to her too. Why would her dad want her to run on misinformation three years ago? Why would he want her to be lonely and hurting? Yet she knew her Father above and her dad saw more than she did. Maybe she and Breck had needed this time to be fully committed to each other and to know how awful it was to be apart.
Breck frowned but nodded. “I hate to admit this, but I had lessons to learn and your dad probably saw that. I thought I was devoted to you three years ago, but after what we’ve been through… You are my everything, Riss, and I’m committed to you a hundred percent.”
She smiled shakily, feeling emotion well inside of her. “We both needed to be humbled and know how hard it could be to go it alone so we could never take for granted the joy of being together.”
“I think your dad knew exactly what we needed.”
“Thank you for understanding.” She brushed away a tear.
He tugged her up and before she knew it, she was sitting on his lap, secure and happy in his arms. He kissed her, softly at first, but then neither of them could hold back and the passion and love he felt for her encompassed her as surely as his arms. He released her mouth and trailed kisses along her jaw and down her neck.
Rissa moaned and clung to him. His lips slowly, achingly returned to hers. He deepened the kiss and she was lost, snogging him for a brilliantly long time. When they both drew back, pulling in ragged breaths, she didn’t know how much more she could handle.
“Stop,” Rissa stuttered out.
Breck straightened in surprise. “Wh-what? Riss? Please don’t make me stop. Not after all we’ve been through.”
Rissa ran her hands through his hair and grinned at him, loving how much he loved her. “You’d better stop kissing me so passionately. My dad might approve of you, but he’ll be frowning from heaven if we don’t slow this down, and my mum is going to have to force you to marry me.”
Breck chuckled, kissed her soundly, and whispered against her mouth, “No one is going to have to force me to marry you. I’ve waited three long years for you, love. Elope with me tonight and I’ll take you anywhere in the world you want on a honeymoon.”
She laughed so loud she snorted, completely unlike her usual reserved self. She had Breck back, her dad approved, and her life wasn’t going to be settled, orderly, or functional. It was going to be happy. “You don’t want to wait for Summer and Chance to get off their honeymoon? For your parents and my mum to be there?”
“That’s the definition of eloping, love. I get you all to myself.”
She looked over his handsome face. “You’ve waited three years. Can you wait until tomorrow so we can find me a dress, you a suit that isn’t ripped, and fly my mum in? She’d rip me if I got married without her. Your parents are already here, and I bet we can talk Chance and Summer into stopping in for a quick wedding before they fly to Costa Rica.”
He pursed his lips, then smiled. “You know I’ll do whatever you want, Riss. If you want, I’ll wait another three years.”
“I would never do that to you.” She kissed him soundly and he moaned.
“Good,” he said, “because your dad might have to send lightning bolts from heaven and if your mum has a shotgun, she might need to use it on me.”
Rissa threw back her head and laughed, imagining her dad striking him down and her proper English mum holding a shotgun. Breck took advantage of the moment to kiss her neck again. Her laughter ceased and she met his lips. Her future husband’s kissing abilities were unsurpassed. Everything was right in her world.
Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.
Epilogue
Breck waited in the same spot Chance was married yesterday. When he and Rissa stopped kissing long enough to call and tell Chance and Summer the great news, Summer had been ecstatic. She’d insisted they would wait to leave on their honeymoon and asked her wedding planner to do a repeat. Breck and Rissa had to drive to Denver to find a dress and a new suit since he’d ruined his.
He’d sent his jet immediately for her mum. It was mid-afternoon and she’d just arrived, threatening him with her adorable English accent to “lose the plot” on him if he “acted like a wanky American.” He promised to act like a proper Englishman.
The crowd was smaller as he and Rissa had only wanted their immediate family. In a few minutes, he’d be happily married to the woman of his dreams. Finally.
“Dude, calm down,” Chance teased. “You’re more nervous than I was.”
Breck laughed. “I think I am. You knew Summer was going to say, ‘I do.’”
“You have doubts?’
Breck thought about it. Three years of yearning for Rissa and not knowing why she’d ditched him. If Chance had asked him yesterday, his doubts would’ve been running rampant, but today he knew Rissa loved him and he finally knew she believed how sincerely in love he was with her. She’d felt her dad’s approval and she was done running. There would never be any
other woman for him but her.
Summer danced down the aisle, kissing the best man for an embarrassingly long time. Breck was happy for his brother’s happiness, but he could hardly stand the anticipation any longer.
The wedding march started and out of a tent came the most beautiful woman in his world. Rissa was wearing the perfect dress for her, and she looked incredible. It was a fitted, white lace, knee-length dress that contrasted her long, dark hair and looked as impeccable and professional and British as she was.
She met his eyes and lit up. Her smile made his heart thump so quick he couldn’t catch a full breath.
“Calm down, dude,” Chance counseled him. “She’ll say yes.”
Breck couldn’t answer him. All he could do was stare as she got closer and closer. Everything seemed to be coming from a mist or out of a tunnel. He heard the preacher ask who gave her away and he hadn’t even noticed Rissa’s mum until she said, “Her dad watching from heaven and I do.”
When she placed Rissa’s hand in Breck’s, the heavens parted and bright sunshine beamed down on Rissa. Rissa and her mum both had tears streaming down their faces and the entire scene stilled. Breck felt that confirmation from heaven deeply. Her earthly father and Heavenly Father approved. Breck’s nerves settled and peace fell over the setting.
He felt love, peace, and joy all culminating in the beautiful presence of Rissa next to him. She was the most substantial person in the world to him.
He heard her say, “I do.” And everything became crystal clear and brighter than even the heavenly light of a moment ago.
“You do?” he asked incredulously.
She smiled and he heard someone laugh. “Yes, Breck, I do. I love you, you blinding, brilliant, beautiful American. And I am choosing to marry you.”
Breck let out a very uncharacteristic whoop, swooped her off her feet and into his arms, kissed her soundly, and then started hurrying up the aisle with his bride in his arms.
“Wait!” The preacher called to them from behind. “You have to say it too and I have to pronounce you man and wife.”
Breck stared down at his almost-wife. “Shoot. I thought we were in the clear.” He glanced over and his future mum-in-law didn’t seem too pleased with him for forgetting to be a proper Englishman, but everyone else was smiling and laughing.
Rissa wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and kissed him. “I’d like to hear you say it too.”
He hurried back up the aisle and let her feet slide to the ground but didn’t release his hold on her. He nodded to the preacher. “Okay.”
The man smiled, seeming good-natured about everything. “Breck Judd, do you take Rissa Gentry to be your legal and lawful wife, to have and to hold, to nurture and cherish, in health and in sickness, in wealth and in poverty, as long as you both shall live.”
“I do,” he said much too loudly, causing more laughter. Nobody would believe the ever-calm Breck Judd would be so exuberant.
“By the power vested in me by the state of Colorado, I now pronounce you man and wife. Now you may kiss the bride.”
“Finally!”
Breck lowered his head and Rissa met him with a fervor that had the world becoming fuzzy and yet so full of light it was blinding him.
It was official. Rissa Gentry was his wife. Happiness like this could only exist with her in his arms. This moment and the future that was spread brilliantly before them was worth all the waiting and the pain. He was fully committed to her for life and beyond. He knew she’d never run away from him again. Now he wanted to pick her up and run away with her.
One peek at his mum-in-law told him he should stay around for the wedding dinner.
He smiled and kissed his wife again. The running could wait.
Connect with Cami Checketts
Cami Checketts is married and the proud mother of four future WWF champions. Sometimes between being a human horse, cleaning up magic potions, and driving boys to lacrosse practice, she gets the chance to write fiction.
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Once Upon A Midnight Swim
Sarah Gay
She’s there for the silent meditation retreat. He’s there for the gold. When Noah pulls Kora, his beautiful meditation partner from the sea, he’s forced to rethink his definition of treasure…until he realizes she’s after his treasure. If he’s rude enough, will she stay away from him and his secret?
1
The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm is terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for staying ashore.
~Vincent Van Gogh
Through the thick morning fog, the California shoreline was barely visible from the sailboat. Ocean mist spritzed Charlotte Terrence’s face, causing large droplets to settle on her eyelashes.
By the rhythmic sway of the boat, she could feel their presence. She closed her eyes and held her breath to quiet her other senses. For a fifty-something-year-old woman, her hearing wasn’t what it had once been.
A succession of clicks broke her quiet meditation. The vibrations grew in intensity until the familiar melody of smooth, rolling whistles played in her ears. She angled her face toward the music and slowly opened her eyes. Two whales glided twenty feet off starboard. Their smooth, dark gray bodies gracefully cut through the water.
“Man overboard!” Her husband’s baritone voice split the dense spring fog.
Her heart pounded. “Where?”
“Port side,” Brady said with urgency.
Thin arms and legs churned through green seafoam, then disappeared beneath the surface of the azure water. “Girl?” Charlotte’s breath caught in her chest. To the naked eye, the sea appeared calm, but the current off California’s northern coast proved unpredictable and deceptive. “Do you think she was caught in a rip current and pulled out to sea?”
With precision and focus, Brady pointed to the girl overboard. Sailor’s survival code. If they lost sight of her, she would be lost forever. “Tommy, take the helm like I taught you,” Brady instructed one of their young, eleven-year-old sailing companions while her husband kept his attention glued on the moving shadow in the water.
Tommy’s twin brother, Johnny maneuvered around the sail, stepping to Charlotte’s side. “Where is she?” he asked, kicking off his flip flops.
“Don’t get any ideas,” Charlotte said sternly to the ever-inquisitive boy. She heaved the lifesaving rope up to her chest. “Your mother would kill me.” Regret settled deep in her stomach as she watched Johnny’s face harden with determination. His head swept from side to side, scouring the sea through narrowed eyes. She shouldn’t have brought her best friend’s twin boys out sailing today. With her own kids grown but unmarried, her craving for grandbabies remained unquenched. She’d been forced to find surrogates to appease her maternal needs; she couldn’t help but steal the boys for a day. They had hearts of heroic legends and craved adrenaline. Their personalities proved delightful—but a dangerous mix during an emergency. She knew if she gave them the opportunity the boys would either save the girl or die trying.
She couldn’t risk it.
Johnny’s upper lip twitched. “Kai let me jump off the boat yesterday.” He whined before his face lifted into a full, confident smile. “I almost touched a whale.”
Charlotte clenched her jaw. “Sounds like I need to have a talk with my son.”
Sea foam bubbled seconds before a head of black hair bobbed above the surface for a few seconds before dipping back under water.
“There!” Brady shouted, pointing to the girl submerged underwater. “The rope.” He instructed Charlotte with a wave of his hand.
Focusing on her target, Charlotte cocked her arm back. Aim and precision were vital for success. She had one chance to get it right. Feverish anxiety caused her legs to quiver and her back to erupt in a cold sweat.
“I got this.” Johnny shook out his arms. “My mom named me after the fisher of men.�
� He rubbed his palms together. “Time to go fishing.”
“Sit down!” Charlotte commanded as she pitched the rope in the air, jettisoning the floating ring toward her target. The rope whirred through the fog.
A streak of red blurred Charlotte’s peripheral vision. With a thunk, Johnny’s red life vest came to rest at her feet.
“No one can stop the thunder in me!” Johnny yelled, diving off the boat in the direction of the traveling rope.
Charlotte gulped in salty sea air, filling her lungs for her dive into the ocean after Johnny.
“Wait,” her husband said, touching her arm. “It doesn’t look like the girl is in distress. Give Johnny a chance. If he doesn’t have the line to her in five seconds, I’ll jump in.”
Five, four, Charlotte counted down in her head. Johnny, along with the end of the life rope, disappeared behind a veil of eerie mist. Cold fog pressed down into her shoulders, causing her to drop to her knees. “One!” she shouted. Either her husband would be jumping in, or she would.
“Got her!” Johnny’s unmistakably rapturous, pre-teen voice rang out.
With shaky adrenaline legs, Charlotte stood. She held firm to the sticky, wet rope and pulled with renewed energy. Johnny’s wide grin came into view first, his face beaming with pride. Warm, tingling relief washed through her.
Delicate, sun kissed arms draped across Johnny’s shoulders. The girl’s hands clasped at the nape of his neck, but her face remained hidden behind his head. When Johnny and the girl reached the back of the boat, Brady leaned over and grabbed hold of the girl’s arm to help her climb aboard.
The petite girl appeared to be close to the twins’ age. Her long black hair stuck to the sides of her face and shoulders, stretching half-way down her back. She blinked, causing her thick, dark eyelashes to accentuate her huge green eyes. Her countenance was alert and lively, not at all what Charlotte would have expected from a girl who’d been on the verge of drowning. She looked at them with eyes of curiosity, while ocean water dripped from her red polka dot, one-piece bathing suit onto the deck.