Love, Laughter & Happily Ever After: A sweet romantic comedy collection

by Ellie Hall

  Taking a chance, he gave her hand a squeeze. “I’m fine.”

  She looked down at their hands, then back up at him, her cheeks blushing. “You are fine.”

  Dang, he loved making her blush. “Don’t worry, Izzy, I just need some support. I’m not making a move on you.”

  She kept her hand inside of his. “I know.”

  For a long moment both of them only stared into each other’s eyes.

  She smiled at him and gave his hand a squeeze. “Talk to me, Goose.”

  He felt himself relax. “How many times did we watch that movie?”

  She laughed. “You loved the volleyball scene.”

  He laughed, loving the fact she was teasing him. “Hey, the volleyball scene is a scene of manly prowess.”

  She laughed. “Tess and I loved to tease you about it.”

  “Yes, you did.” He laughed, too. “I will help you finish the slideshow for the wedding, by the way.”

  “That’s a good reason for you to get out of this place quickly, because I pretty much stink at putting together slideshows, even in power point.”

  They smiled at each other and he realized it felt so good. It felt … like home. The thought struck the center of his chest.

  “What?”

  “Nothing.”

  “No, you were thinking something.”

  He couldn’t tell her the truth. “Um, I was thinking about … sailing.”

  “Were you?”

  He couldn’t tell her the truth, yet, but he wanted to tell her other things about his life. “You’ll have to come to my new home and sail with me. They have the perfect cove for it. In fact, the place is said to have Conquistador gold hidden somewhere.”

  “Really? Where is this place?”

  He liked the fact she sounded interested. “South Port, North Carolina. Have you ever heard of it?”

  “No. And you just moved there?”

  He nodded. “Yep. Bought a little place on the beach and I’m opening a new store downtown.”

  “Nice.”

  “So, you’ll come visit?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know if your secret date would want me to.”

  Maybe he was the one blushing now. “True.” He sighed. “That’s definitely true.”

  “I mean, I wouldn’t want to get in the way of some developing romance or something.”

  All he wanted to do was tell her that there was definitely a developing romance happening, but … she had ‘the jerk.’

  Again, their eyes held and he felt all kinds of attraction to this woman. This woman who was still the girl he’d always known. Vulnerability seeped into his thoughts, again. He had to think about something else. “So, I’m going to be okay, right?”

  She put her other hand over his. “Yes, you’re going to be fine.”

  “I know.” He closed his eyes for a second.

  She gently stroked her hand over his head in a soothing motion. “You’ll be just fine.”

  He relished her touch. “I bet those people at your job love you.”

  “I … just lost a patient.” Her tone was soft.

  He opened his eyes. “Michael,” he said, remembering the conversation he’d eavesdropped on. Compassion filled him. “You mentioned he was eight.” The truth was Oliver had wanted to ask about it, but … they hadn’t been on good terms.

  She blinked. “Right, you heard that.” She sighed. “Yes. He was the sweetest kid.”

  “You’re a good person, Izz.”

  “No, it’s my job.”

  He squeezed her hand, again. “No, it’s you. You’ve always been good.”

  “It’s been ten years, Oli, you don’t know me anymore.”

  “That’s not true.” Every part of him, the true parts of him, had so easily connected with the true part of her. “We’ve known each other our whole lives and you’ve always had this compassion for everyone around you. I saw it in the way you treated Tess and your brother and your mother. Not to mention, the way you treated me, even when I was pretty ridiculous.”

  She flashed a grin. “Can’t argue with that.”

  Warmth filled the center of his chest. Suddenly, he realized he wanted more with this woman. More than he’d allowed himself to want before. He shook his head. “Let’s not forget you did punch me.”

  She glared at him.

  He laughed. “But I guess I deserved it.”

  “Yes, you did.”

  He laughed, again. “I should probably apologize for provoking you earlier.”

  “I’ve already forgiven you.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Thank you.”

  Again, a quiet calm between them. He wanted to hold her hand, again. He wanted … so many things. “Tess told me about your brother’s wife, Ruby Red was her name, right?” He’d loved that name when Tess told him about Noah and Ruby. “How you helped her and became best friends with her, then set she and your brother up.”

  Her face softened. “Yes, Ruby was one of my patients. She actually was a miracle. And, that wasn’t me. That was … God.” She laughed. “Not just her healing, but even she and Noah working out.”

  He smiled at her. Chills washed over him, and he knew what she said was true. “That’s so cool.”

  She nodded.

  “I can tell you love your job.”

  “I do.” She sat on the chair next to him. He saw exhaustion in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. “I mean, I do for the most part. I’m not going to lie, when I lost Michael, I just…” she swallowed and blinked. Tears fell down her cheeks. “It just reminded me of how hard the job really is.”

  “I’m so sorry.” He hated being flat on his back. “Hold up.” He reached for the bed remote, lifting himself to a sitting position. He turned to face her. “Tell me more.”

  Izzy gave him a soft smile and shook her head. “There’s not really more, I mean … I feel kind of stupid, really. Every time I lose someone I kind of fall apart.” She wiped at her face. “I should get used to it, but I … don’t.”

  Again, all kinds of feels washed through him. She was the kind of person who made him think that if there ever were a war, he would sign up and fight, just to protect her. Protect good people like her. He reached out and held his hand in the air.

  She looked at his hand.

  “Just take it.”

  She scooted her chair closer and took his hand.

  Once again, there was this energy that passed between them that made him feel like it was the truest thing in the world. “What else?”

  She shrugged. “I love the people, it’s just hard sometimes.”

  He nodded. “Tell me more about Michael.”

  For the next hour, she told him about Michael. About how he’d battled leukemia for over a year and how the doctors thought the new treatment would be a cure, but they’d lost him. He found himself crying with her.

  She brushed a tear off of his cheek. “You were always a softie, weren’t you, Oli?”

  “Only with you, Izz.”

  It was a magic moment.

  He looked at her lips. Dang, he wanted to kiss her. He wanted to tell her everything he was feeling, but everything felt so convoluted inside him. “We were always the ones crying when Goose died on Top Gun, too.”

  She laughed and leaned in, pressing her forehead to his. “Yes, we were both softies.”

  He could kiss her. One quick adjustment of his head and he could kiss her. Using all his restraint, he leaned back against the bed, forcing himself to calm down. “All I can say is I’m glad you’ve forgiven me.”

  “I punched you out, so I guess you’ve had your penance.”

  He grinned at her. “It was worth it.”

  Another magic moment as they both grinned at each other.

  Suddenly, she pulled back. “Well.” She sucked in a breath.

  He could tell she was feeling awkward.

  He let go of her hand. “I have to ask you something.”

  She frowned. “Okay.”

&
nbsp; “Can I be in charge of the baby name game for you?”

  Izzy looked skeptical. “Are you serious?”

  “Yep.”

  She frowned. “You're really volunteering to do a game for the whole wedding party that will determine the names of Tess and Chad's children?”

  “Hey, don't act like I can't pull my weight in this wedding thing. I can do it.” If he was honest, though, he had no idea what game to do. “Even from this hospital bed.”

  She put up her hands. “Okay, I’ll let you. Thank you. But you’re not going to be stuck in this bed.”

  The look on her face told him that she would single-handedly make sure he got out of here. That was comforting. “No, I won’t.”

  Again, they fell into silence.

  He closed his eyes and imagined that he was out on his sailboat and the sunshine was on his face.

  “If I ask you a question, will you tell me the truth?” Izzy asked.

  Oliver opened his eyes. “Of course.”

  “Do you really have a date for the wedding?”

  Right or wrong, an excited buzz started in the lower part of his gut. “Izzy, I wouldn't lie about an important thing like a secret wedding date.” He kept his face serious. He had already started to form exactly who he wanted as his date. “What about … your boyfriend? Has he decided to come or not?”

  Izzy hesitated, then turned away from him. “Brian says he’ll be here for the actual wedding.”

  He wished she would have said they ended it. “That’s good, I guess.”

  She nodded.

  There were so many things he wanted to say.

  “Can I give you one suggestion?” she asked.

  He nodded. “Sure.”

  “Maybe you and your father could end up getting along after all.”

  He hadn't anticipated the conversation going there. “I don't want to talk about my dad.”

  She exhaled loudly. “Listen, I know it's not my place and you don't have to listen to anything I say, but I just keep thinking that maybe you could do for your dad what you asked me to do today.”

  He had no idea what she was talking about. “What do you mean?”

  “Forgive him.”

  That idea hit him hard in the center of his chest. He stared into her eyes and couldn’t help but smile at the smug look on her face. “Like you just forgave me?”

  She shrugged. “Do it for yourself.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Forgiveness actually frees you.”

  “Hmm.” Warm chills washed over him.

  “Think about it.”

  His heart raced. “I will.”

  Just then, the doctor walked into the room. “Tests are normal,” he said. “You can go.”

  6

  Izzy hadn't anticipated everything that had happened after she had walked into the Browne family exercise room that morning. She definitely hadn't anticipated boxing with Oliver. Or breaking his nose. Or forgiving him so easily in the hospital room.

  Had she really never wanted to forgive him? What made her most uncomfortable was the way he had looked at her when he said he definitely had a secret wedding date and then asked if Brian was coming.

  Dang it!

  Later that day, the wedding party finished the horseback ride and headed to the picnic. Which really wasn't a picnic anymore, because of their hospital visit, Tess had pushed all the events back by three hours. Their lunch picnic had turned into an early dinner.

  Izzy spoke with the other members of the wedding party as they made their way through the house and out to the dock.

  Oliver and Tessa's mother had contracted with a catering company to bring in sandwiches, chips, homemade cookies, and drinks. Their mother had the staff set up tables and tiki torches to make everything look perfect for the evening.

  Izzy followed everyone to the tables. Oliver appeared at her side, pulling back a chair for her. “Here you go.”

  She hesitated but took the seat. “Thank you.”

  “The least I could do for my Florence Nightingale.”

  She grinned at him. “You weren’t a soldier, though.”

  He sat next to her and waved a dismissal hand through the air. “Details.”

  She laughed. It was indescribable how everything Oliver said seemed funny.

  Tess sat on the other side of her.

  Chad sat next to Tess. “I don't know if I would sit next to Izzy if I were you.” He laughed. “You might say the wrong thing and she’ll just belt you one.”

  Oliver laughed, too. “You’re safe unless you double dog dare her to punch you.”

  Chase Moon winked at Izzy as he took his seat. “The double dog dare.” He tsked his tongue. “I remember Oli used to get you with that all the time.”

  She laughed. “I do feel bad.”

  Oliver winked at her. “I can tell.”

  More nervous butterflies filled her and she laughed.

  Chase laughed, too. “I’m sure Oliver deserved it.”

  Autumn grinned and jerked a thumb at Chase. “I want to punch this guy all the time.”

  Oliver put a hand to his chest dramatically. “I do consider myself a brave man. Every time I'm around Izzy, I'm taking my life into my own hands. She proved that this morning.”

  Everyone laughed, again.

  There was more ribbing about her giving Oliver a black eye until Izzy threw her hands up. “If the rest of you men don't stop, no one's going to have to dare me to give you black eyes.”

  This made the men snort with laughter.

  Tess lightly patted her shoulder. “I've been waiting to give him a black eye and a broken nose for as long as I can remember. You just beat me to it.” She grinned at Oliver. “I do know that you deserved it.”

  Oliver surrendered. “I never said I didn't.”

  Izzy wasn't sure she liked that she and Oliver seemed to be getting along. When he was next to her, just his presence brought back all kinds of feelings.

  Tess’s mom stood at the end of the table. “We are just so glad that Oliver is okay. I never thought my son would pass out from getting hit by a girl.”

  The whole table roared with laughter.

  Oliver's father joined her at the head of the table. He was smiling from ear to ear. “All kidding aside, we want you all to know how happy we are to be on the precipice of this wedding day. The day started off rough for us, but it didn't interrupt the bride's plans.” He gave Tess a pointed look.

  Tess nodded back at her parents. “It's been a great day.”

  Chad put his hand over hers on the table. He was always so good to Tess, and Tess was good to him.

  Izzy loved the way he treated Tess.

  Tess’s father bowed his head. “Let's say a quick prayer over the food, then let's eat.”

  After the prayer, everyone got up and took their plates to the food tables.

  Izzy lightly tapped Oliver on the shoulder.

  Oliver gave her a quick duck. “Easy now, Rocky.”

  She rolled her eyes, tired of all the jokes. “So, you have the game about the names, right?”

  Oliver nodded as they walked to the sandwich table. “No worries. When you went to the bathroom at the hospital, one of the nurses came in and we talked about it. She totally hooked me up with the best game ever.”

  When they had left the hospital, Oliver had been carrying a bag and he wouldn't tell Izzy what was in it. That nurse had looked at Oliver like she wanted to eat him. She had slipped him a phone number along with the bag as they left the room.

  “Okay.” Izzy put it out of her mind and loaded up her plate. She hadn't eaten much today and she was starving.

  Everyone got their food and settled back at the table.

  Thankfully, the conversation shifted to Tess and Chad; their new house, where they were going on the honeymoon, and their plans for the future.

  As things died down, Oliver stood and moved to the table with the sandwiches. He pushed back a tablecloth and extracted the bag she had se
en him carrying out of the hospital.

  When he got back to the table, he picked up his glass and dramatically tapped his fork against it. “It is time for all of you to play the baby game.” He grinned broadly and looked around. “I have to tell you, the best part of going to the hospital today was that I had expert advice on how to formulate names for the twelve kids that Tess and Chad are apparently going to have.”

  Everyone made noises of surprise.

  “Twelve?” Chase asked.

  “Twelve?” Charlotte echoed.

  Tess stuck her chin out. “Yeah, twelve.”

  Everyone laughed.

  Oliver picked up the bag and then started handing what look like rolled up little diapers to each person around the table. “Please do not unroll the diaper until I tell you. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed by what you find.” He met Izzy’s gaze and winked. “My assistant, Miss Snow, will you please grab the little notepads and the bag from under the food table and hand them out for me.”

  She stood and did what he asked.

  After everyone had received their notepads, pens, and their diaper, Oliver said, “Open the diaper and then quickly write down ten names that you are inspired to write down.”

  The whole thing felt rigged, and by the mischievous look in Oliver's eye, Izzy knew it was.

  Oliver had rapt attention on her as she unwrapped the diaper and peered at what looked like to be poop. She looked up at him, feeling disgusted. “What is this?”

  The whole table was commenting ‘ew’ and ‘disgusting’ and ‘Oliver, I can't believe you did this.’

  Oliver put his hands up, laughing. “It's not poop. It's not. It is a candy bar. If you want to win a prize, you need to guess what kind of candy bar it is before you write down your ten names.”

  Even though she was horrified, Izzy couldn't help but laugh. She leaned in and sniffed the mess. She instantly knew it was a crushed up and melted KitKat. She laughed again and met Oliver's eyes. “This is crazy.”

  Oliver shrugged. “When I asked my nurse for advice, she told me she would work it out for me and rushed off. She and the rest of the nursing staff put all this together.”

  Izzy looked at the diaper and then spontaneously reached out and swiped a finger through it, then put it in her mouth.