“Lauren.” Jesse’s face had become the epitome of seriousness. “I can’t survive losing you again.”
She touched her forefinger to his lips. The lips she longed to have pressed to hers. “Wait. I’m taking you someplace where we can talk and stuff.”
He squeezed her knee. “Stuff. I like the sounds of stuff.”
She playfully swatted him way. “Behave, or there’ll be no stuff.” She drove past the city limits to a secluded bluff overlooking the ocean sunset.
“Am I allowed to talk now?” he asked as soon as she’d shut off the car. “You planned this just like you planned the trap for Bill at the board meeting.”
She laughed. Jesse could always make her laugh. “Yes. Let me get the blanket I put in the back, and we can sit on the bluff and watch the sunset.
Jesse sat close to Lauren on the blanket and gazed out over the ocean. “It’s beautiful. The ocean, the colors in the sky. But not as beautiful as you are. Inside and out.” He turned in the seat to face her full on. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too, Jesse, with my whole heart.”
He engulfed her hand in his, his work-callused fingers a contrast to her more pampered one. “I don’t know what I did to deserve that love, but I’m taking it and never letting go again.”
“You’d better not.” Her heart tripped, just looking at his profile. Lauren slid her hand around the back of Jesse’s neck and pulled him toward her. She pressed her lips to his and closed her eyes to a kaleidoscope of colors as vivid as the sunset. Too soon for her, Jesse pulled back.
“I have a ring.” Jesse looked as dazed as she felt. “Will you wear it? I bought it before my accident, when you were in college. We can exchange it if you don’t like it.”
The joy inside her bubbled out as a laugh. “Are you asking me to marry you?” She didn’t wait for his answer. “If so, the answer is yes.”
“Whoo-hoo!” Jesse pulled her into his arms, and brushed Lauren’s hair back from her face. “That’s my girl,” he whispered before treating her to a deal-sealing kiss so full of the promise of love that it suspended all time.
E P I L O G U E
Jesse stood at the back of the Beachside Chapel, his soon-to-be-stepmother Sonja’s arm linked through his as three-and-a-half-year-old Shelley began her stroll down the aisle, tossing rose petals right and left. His gaze caught Lauren’s. She was already standing at the altar, waiting for her mother. She smiled and inclined her head toward his dad. He appeared to be in a daze, fixated on his wife-to-be, unconsciously shifting his weight from foot to foot. Jesse shot back to last fall, when that was him standing up front, waiting for his bride. He nearly stumbled with the love that overwhelmed him for Lauren, Shelley, his dad and Sonja.
“Hey,” Sonja said. “I’m the one who’s supposed to have jitters.”
“But you don’t.”
“Not at all, but I can’t say the same for Jeff.”
“He’ll be fine.”
“I know.”
The flash of a cell phone brought Jesse’s attention to the people, their friends, gathered in the pews to celebrate Sonja and his father’s special day: Lauren’s law partners Ray and Gerry and their wives, the guys from his and Dad’s bike shop, Shelley’s preschool teacher and her husband, Caroline, Dallas, Jace, Ben and Eva, Lucille—who no doubt had Princess in her large bag—and countless others filling the pews. Everyone who’d helped them become part of the Indigo Bay community.
Jesse gave Sonja’s hand to his father and took his place next to Lauren, resting his arm around her waist and smiling at the way her hand rested on her barely showing baby bump.
“Friends and family, we are gathered together today to …” the minister began the ceremony. “And I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
“Daddy, Mommy!” Shelley pulled on his coattail. “You said it was over when Pa kisses Grammy. Do I get cake now?”
A chuckle ran through the chapel.
But Jesse stood stock still for a moment before looking at Lauren. “She called me Daddy, not Jesse-Daddy,” he whispered.
“And she called me Mommy, not Ren.” Lauren looked as gut-struck as he felt.
“Yes.” Jesse gazed at his wife and daughter. “We can go have cake now.”
He squeezed Lauren tight to one side and Shelley to the other. Not that he needed cake. His life was pretty darn sweet already.
W H A T C O M E S N E X T ?
If you’re ready to spend more time in Indigo Bay, we have stories for you to read! Here’s a list of all the stories in the series. All of the stories are standalone and can be read in any order.
I N D I GO B A Y
S E C O N D C H A N C E R O M A N C E S
S P R I N G 2 0 1 9
Sweet Troublemaker by Jean Oram
Sweet Do-Over by Melissa McClone
Sweet Horizons by Jean C. Gordon
Sweet Whispers by Jeanette Lewis
Sweet Complications by Stacy Claflin
Sweet Adventure by Tamie Dearen
I N D I GO B A Y S W E E T R O M A N C E S E R I E S
S P R I N G 2 0 1 8
Sweet Saturday by Pamela Kelley
Sweet Beginnings by Melissa McClone
Sweet Starlight by Kay Correll
Sweet Forgiveness by Jean Oram
Sweet Reunion by Stacy Claflin
Sweet Entanglement by Jean C. Gordon
D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7
Sweet Holiday Surprise by Jean Oram
Sweet Holiday Memories by Kay Correll
Sweet Holiday Wishes by Melissa McClone
Sweet Holiday Traditions by Danielle Stewart
S P R I N G 2 0 1 7
Sweet Dreams by Stacy Claflin
Sweet Matchmaker by Jean Oram
Sweet Sunrise by Kay Correll
Sweet Illusions by Jeanette Lewis
Sweet Regrets by Jennifer Peel
Sweet Rendezvous by Danelle Stewart
Find them all at http://sweetreadbooks.com/indigo-bay/.
A B O U T T H E A U T H O R
For award-winning sweet and inspirational romance author Jean C. Gordon, writing is a natural extension of her love of reading. From that day in first grade when she realized t-h-e was the word the, she’s been reading everything she can put her hands on. Jean and her college-sweetheart husband share a 175-year-old farmhouse in Upstate New York with their daughter and her family. Their son lives nearby. Connect with Jean on Facebook, as @JeanCGordon on Twitter, or on JeanCGordon.com.
A L S O B Y J E A N C. G O R D O N
Thank you for reading my story. I hope you enjoyed it and all the other Indigo Bay stories you’ve read. Don’t miss out on any of my new releases. Sign up for my READERS GROUP NEWSLETTER to receive news about me, promotions, and giveaways. And I always appreciate when my readers take the time to leave an honest review of my books.
M O R E I N D I G O B A Y
Read Sonja and Jeff’s story in Sweet Horizons, releasing as part of the Indigo Bay Second Chance Romances on May 23, 2019
T H E N O B R I D E S C L U B
Six friends make a pact not to let love get in the way of their careers, and the No Brides Club is born. But could meeting the right man at the wrong time cause them to break their vows to each other?
No Time for Love by Raine English
No Time for Lullabies by Sydney Logan
No Time for Promises by Lindsay Detwiler
No Time for Temptation by Monique McDonell
No Time for Apologies by Jean C. Gordon
No time for Surprises by Karen McCullough
T E A M M A C A C H E K
Fall in love with the strong women and fearless men of the motocross circuit
Mending the Motocross Champion
(Meet teenage Jesse and Lauren)
Holiday Escape
A Team Macachek Christmas
in the Sweet Christmas Kisses 4 Bundle
(Prequel to Sweet Entanglement)
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Christmas Pizza to the Rescue
in the Sweet Christmas Kisses 5 Bundle
A Team Macachek Christmas Anthology
(All three holiday novellas: Holiday Escape, A Team Macachek Christmas and Christmas Pizza to the Rescue)
U P S T A T E N Y . . . W H E R E L O V E I S A L I T T L E S W E E T E R
Bachelor Father
Love Undercover
Mandy and the Mayor
Candy Kisses
Mara’s Move
L O V E I N S P I R E D
B R I D G E S
Reuniting His Family
A Mom for His Daughter
T H E D O N N E L L Y B R OT H E R S
Hometown boys make good…and find love
Winning the Teacher's Heart
Holiday Homecoming
The Bachelor’s Sweetheart
S M A L L - T O W N
Small-Town Sweethearts
Small-Town Mom
Small-Town Dad
Small-Town Midwife
A N T H O L O G Y
T H E M A T C H M A K E R S
A Match Made in Williamstown
Sweet Entanglement Page 14