by Leah Atwood
Her eyes glimmered with happiness. “Is that a promise?”
Palpitations made his heart beat at an uneven rate. He hadn’t planned to do this until later, but the moment had presented itself.
He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small box. “Yes, it is.”
Phoebe gasped and blinked. Opened her mouth to speak, then closed it.
“Our relationship is new, but we’ve been working toward this all our lives. You know me better than anyone in this world and still love me as I am. I know without any doubt that you are the woman God gifted to me to be my mate to share this crazy life with. Phoebe, will you marry me?”
Her voice shook, and her eyes filled with tears. “Yes, Mac. Absolutely yes.”
He removed the ring from the box and slipped it on her finger. The small diamond was all that could detract from this perfect moment. “I’m sorry it’s not fancier. One day I’ll replace it with the diamond you deserve.”
She pressed a palm against his heart. “This one is perfect. I’ll wear it proudly to symbolize my love and dedication to you.”
He kissed her forehead. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She looked out the window. “And I love this moment, but we should leave unless we want to be stranded in the church parking lot all night.”
He watched the snow fall harder than it had all day. “Considering our history with snowstorms, you’re right.”
“Can we tell our families right away?” She held her hand out and admired the ring. “I don’t want to hide our engagement and have to take off the ring.”
“Yes, we’ll tell them when we first get there.” Any insecurities he’d had about the ring disappeared. He should have had more faith in Phoebe, known she wouldn’t care. “I can’t believe both of our families are together. Even Faith is home this Christmas.”
“I can’t help but think God orchestrated it this way, so they could share this moment with us.”
“Me too.” His smile never left as he navigated the snowy roads. “Maybe next Christmas, we can host the family dinner in our home.”
“I’d love that.” She paused and pursed her lips before giggling. “I don’t even know why I’m laughing, other than I’m so happy.”
“Nothing wrong with that.” He’d hold one of her hands if he didn’t need them both on the steering wheel.
“I can’t believe I get to live in the house I’ve always admired driving back and forth to Farthington,” she said. “The stone will make the perfect backdrop for fresh evergreen wreaths.”
He listened to her talk, letting her excitement fill his heart with pure contentment. “The house is more evidence of God working in our relationship. I had no idea you even knew which house it was, let alone that you’d thought of buying it as well.”
“I love my cabin, but I want the freedom to do what I want, like get a cat.” She smirked. “Can I adopt a kitten?”
“You can even get two.” He cast a wink. “If I can get a dog.”
“It’s a deal.”
When he reached his parent’s driveway, his chest constricted. He knew the exact moment Phoebe saw what he did.
She let out a low whooshing sound. “I told you she might come back.”
“Maybe there’s another reason for a limo to be sitting in my parents’ driveway.”
“Sure, and Santa’s stuck in the chimney.”
He erupted into laughter. “We’ll just send her on her way and continue on with our celebration. She can’t ruin anything unless we give her the power.”
Parking to the side of the driveway, he took a deep breath. He’d witnessed Deena’s vitriol firsthand when she’d experienced his rejection. Would she act out again tonight? “Can we pray before we go in?”
Phoebe nodded.
Closing his hands over hers, Mac prayed for Deena to be reasonable, to find the Truth, and for blessings on his and Phoebe’s engagement and marriage. Peace settled in his soul, and he and Phoebe walked inside to face Deena.
His mom greeted him at the door with an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. I tried to send her away, but she broke down in tears and insisted on waiting for you.”
“It’s okay, Mom. We’ll take care of it.”
“I started to worry when you took so long getting—” His mom stopped mid-sentence and covered her mouth while staring at Phoebe’s hand. “Now I see why. Congratulations.” She pulled Phoebe into a hug. “I always knew I’d have you as a daughter and couldn’t have picked a better choice for my son.”
“Thank you.” Phoebe returned her hug.
“Don’t say anything yet, Mom. We want to announce to everyone at the same time, but we have to take care of Deena first.”
“What are you going to do?” Unease creased the corners of Mom’s eyes.
“Tell her the truth.” Calmness that could only come from above filled him. He wove his fingers with Phoebe’s and marched to the family room.
Deena jumped from the sofa with Lynz at her side. “Can we talk privately, please?”
He shook his head. “Anything you have to say can be said in front of everyone here.”
She faltered. “I wanted to apologize for how I treated you and ask for a second chance.”
“Apology accepted, but there’s no second chance.” He squeezed Phoebe’s hand. “We’re not compatible, Deena, and I love Phoebe.”
Deena looked down her nose. “She’s a rebound.”
He bit his cheek to prevent words from slipping out that he’d need to apologize for. “I’ve loved Phoebe for most of my life, and she’s agreed to marry me. I’m sorry you’ve wasted your time on Christmas to come here, but I’ll have to ask you to leave.”
Gasps circled the room. Eyes darted from him, to Deena, to Phoebe’s hand.
Her face turned red and cheeks puffed out. Lynz gripped Deena’s arm and whispered in her ear. After several tense seconds, they stomped from the room, and then the house.
Phoebe looked at him, and they both exhaled in relief. The quiet was short-lived as their family surrounded them within seconds to embrace them with well-wishes and congratulations. Mac managed to pull back from the hugs and backslaps to watch his fiancée interact with their families.
Love, joy, and peace pushed any and all negativity from his emotions. He felt sorry for Deena, but he couldn’t do anything for her but pray. Their brief relationship had changed his life in unexpected ways. He hadn’t found material riches, but he’d discovered his true love. To the world, he’d be relegated to a tabloid page as the man America’s Sweetheart briefly dated, but in his world, he’d be a devoted husband to Phoebe, and, Lord-willing, one day a father to their children.
Epilogue
Phoebe sat in her reclining chair of the new movie theater. She handed the half-empty tub of popcorn to Mac. “Should we take the rest home?”
“Nah, it never tastes as good later.” He pointed to their pop. “Want a refill on that to take home?”
“I’m good.” In no hurry to leave, she watched people stream out of the theater while the credits rolled. “What do you think?”
He wagged his brows and smiled. “That I’m married to the prettiest woman in the world.”
Eighteen months into their marriage, his compliments still made her blush. “About the movie.”
“Oh.” His eyes twinkled, and he’d clearly understood her original intent. “It was okay. I’m bummed they took out all the references to God and creation from the works they used of Theodore Magnus.”
“Me too. I’d read about that in an early review but I’d hoped to catch some glimpse of it in there.” She nudged his elbow. “What did you think of Deena’s performance?”
“Not her best. I get the sense she was distracted while filming.”
She erupted into a fit of giggles. “At least we can joke about it now.”
“That time of our lives seems so long ago.” He helped her up. “I like where we’re at now in our lives.
“Me too.” Bracing
her back and holding his hand, Phoebe succeeded in standing upright and patted her stomach. “I’ll admit, I’ll like it even more once this little guy makes his appearance.”
“Soon.” Mac splayed his fingers across her abdomen. “I saw him kicking during the movie.”
“He wasn’t a fan of the nachos.”
Mac picked up their trash. “He’s our child… he’ll grow into the taste.”
She caught a glimpse of the dark circles under his eyes. He’d pulled double duty teaching at the high school and then a class at the community college today. “I know how tired you were tonight. Thank you for bringing me, anyway.”
“Are you kidding? I’ll never be too tired to spend time with you.” He dumped their trash then took her hand. “Promise me we’ll always date, even after the baby comes.”
“Promise.” She leaned into him and welcomed his support.
If the baby didn’t come soon, she’d lose her ability to walk. Waddling was hard enough. All the discomfort would be worth it. Any day now, she’d hold her son in her arms, a living being born from their love. Tears welled in her eyes, an occurrence that had happened often in her pregnancy. Her family teased her, saying it was her runaway hormones, but she knew the truth.
She was simply overcome by the many blessings in her life.
What Matters Most
Jasper Lake Four
Coming Winter 2019
Dear Reader,
These last several months have ushered in a difficult season for my family. Starting when our NC house flooded in Hurricane Florence, my family has been bombarded with one major issue after another. There are days I want to throw in the towel and scream in frustration. I’ve prayed, and cried, and prayed some more.
Yet, in the midst of these difficult trials, I have witnessed God’s faithfulness and provision in such a beautiful way that it brings me to tears in complete awe and reverence. His still, small voice has comforted me and assured me that He is with me always. He has answered my prayers with friends who’ve prayed with me and encouraged me, a church family who has stood with me and my family and wrapped their arms around us.
I don’t know what trial you might be facing, but I know what it’s like to be in a valley, and this what I’ve learned—God’s grace is sufficient, and in my weakest moments, His power has been marvelously displayed. Whether in a valley or on a mountaintop, lean on Him, rest in Him, trust in Him, and you’ll find peace that only He can give.
Until next time,
Leah
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About the Author:
USA Today Bestselling Author Leah Atwood is a small-town girl at heart and currently lives in a rural town in the deep South, though Maryland will always be home. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in International Business but gave up a career in sales and marketing to follow love, a decision she's never regretted.
From the old west to Cajun country, Leah infuses true-to-life characters with small-town charm to invite her readers into a world where faith and love will always prevail. In both her historical and contemporary works, she believes in delivering inspirational stories that will leave her readers with a smile.
When not writing, she's busy raising two kids and corralling three dogs (a three-legged, cancer surviving eighty-four-pound shepherd/lab mix, and a sweet pit mix who doesn’t know a stranger that she found left for dead on the road, and a lab/hound mix she adopted from the shelter when his golden eyes wouldn’t stop watching her), or participating in a myriad of community and church events.
Other Available Titles
Contemporary Romances
Come to Me Series
Come to Me Alive
Come to Me Free
Come to Me Again
Come to Me Joyful (Bonus Novella)
Modern Conveniences Series
Love In a Fix
Calling Love
Lost in Love
Waiting on Love (Bonus Novella)
Always Faithful Series
That Was Then
This Is Now
When It’s Forever
Jasper Lake Series
Not This Time
Born to Love
A Love This True
All That Glitters
What Matters Most (Winter 2019)
Treasure Harbor
Road to Love
Standalones
Table For One (Novella)
All By Myself (Novella)
A Summer Homecoming (Novella)
An Autumn Stroll (Novella)
Candy Cane Wishes (Novella)
Catching Christmas (December 2019)
Historical Romances
Brides of Weatherton Novellas
After the Rain
Fire and Ice
Winds of Change
Dancing on Dew
Texas Wildflowers Novelette Series
Free to Love
Free to Heal
Free to Protect
Free to Serve
Free to Roam
Free to Forgive
Mail-Order Short Stories and Novelettes
The Ultimatum Bride
A Man to Be Proud Of
Their First Noelle
The Not Quite Mail-Order Bride
The Mail-Order Bride’s Quilt
Riches of the Heart
The Most Wonderful Bride of the Year
Please enjoy this sample chapter from That Was Then, Always Faithful One
Taps played outside Wyatt Deluca’s barracks as the late afternoon sun crept through the blinds of the room’s window. A familiar sound, heard every evening as Old Glory was lowered and removed until the following morning.
Only, this time was different for Wyatt. Peering out the window, he watched in resolute attention then gave the flag a final salute. Tonight, he’d be gone, on a road to nowhere in particular—figuratively speaking.
He returned to packing. How did one decide what to keep of the last five years? He pulled out a photo from the nightstand drawer. Tattered edges wavered under his touch. He retrieved his Bible from his laptop bag and slid the picture between its worn pages. The haunting image inflicted more grief than he could bear right now.
Upheaval already marked his life. Despite the twenty-some positions he’d applied for, he’d yet to receive an interview request, much less a job offer. He never liked being in limbo, but that’s exactly where he found himself. He couldn’t even rent a place to live off base since he didn’t know where he’d be a month from now. Fortunately, his friend, Jared Scott, offered him a place to crash for a few weeks until he hopefully had a job.
Someone knocked on the door, followed by a “Hey, Deluca. You in there?”
“Come in.”
Jared walked through the door, still in uniform. His eyes jumped from pile to pile of belongings scattered through the room. “What happened in here?”
“I’ve accumulated more than I realized.” Wyatt shrugged and dropped the Bible on top of the laptop case.
“We’re supposed to meet everyone for dinner in less than an hour, bro, and I still have to go home to shower and change.”
“Chill. I’ve got it under control.”
“Yeah. Okay.” Skeptical brows rose high on Jared’s forehead.
“I’ll finish up and meet you guys over there.” He swept a hand over the room. “All I have to do is throw all this in my bags and trunks.”
“Didn’t you need me to take some in my truck?”
Wyatt muttered under his breath. “I forgot about that.”
Jared pulled out his phone. “I’ll shoot Evan a text and let him know we’ll be late. He can tell everyone else.”
“Might as well make yourself useful.” He shot Jared a playful grin and threw a duffel bag his way. “Can you shove that pile of dirty laundry in there for me?”
“Y
eah—no, not touching those.” Despite the words, Jared caught the bag and started loading it.
After what they’d been through, there wasn’t much they wouldn’t do for each other. Blood brothers, in the worst sense of the term. What was touching someone’s dirty laundry when they’d fought together for survival, bled against each other’s wounds?
Wyatt swallowed. Don’t go down that road. He lifted the plaque his squadron made him as a going away gift. “S. Sgt. Deluca” was engraved in the center, with his stripes below. Above, were replicas of all his awards and ribbons. In the top right corner, the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor. On the left, his squadron’s insignia.
“I didn’t think it’d be finished in time.” Jared carried the full bag to the bed and nodded at the plaque. “Gunny Brown said he’d have it finished last week and walked in today at zero nine hundred with it.”
“That explains all the whispering before sending me out to find a non-existent lost bolt.”
“We had to kill some time.” Jared smirked. “You know you wanted a few more minutes with the Hueys.”
“If I never work on those aircraft again, it will be too soon.” A sharp edge he hadn’t meant tinged his voice.
“I know what you mean.” Frowning, Jared tossed the duffel against the bed, hitting the edge of the laptop case.
The Bible flew to the floor, and the picture fell out, skipping several inches across the tile floor.
Jared’s eyes cast downward. “I forgot about that one.”
“It was a long time ago.”
Crouching down, Jared picked up the photo. “We were so young.”
“Our first mandatory fun day.” Wyatt laughed. “If not for Mike’s antics, it would have been the most boring fun of my life.”
“Remember that time he convinced the CO’s wife to get in on a practical joke?” A wide smile erupted on Jared’s mouth. “I’ll never forget Major Lucerne’s face when he showed up for uniform inspection with trousers three inches too short.”