Embraced in Love's Melody, page 28
Maggie stared at her. “Wait a second. I wasn’t meaning that it was all sadness and recriminations exactly. I mean, life is wonderful now that we’re close…”
“But you never got a wedding full of love, like I did,” Anna finished for her. “You have no idea how it felt to come down that aisle and see him waiting for me with that look in his eyes. I couldn’t walk fast enough to join him. And when he took my hand and spoke those words…”
Maggie bit her lip. “No. We didn’t exactly get that, did we?” she murmured softly.
Anna gasped and bent to give her sister a swift hug. “I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad. I only wanted you to see an idea I had. What if you have another wedding? A renewal of vows. Start over the way you want to.”
The idea was at once awesome and terrifying. Maggie was on her feet in an instant, staring at her sister in delight. “Anna, sometimes you truly do astonish me.”
“Well, isn’t that what sisters are for.” Anna said, reaching for her hat. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go ask him!”
Maggie looked from her to her mother, suddenly unsure. Hadn’t they only just got there. Her mother decided it for her. “Shoo! Get out of my kitchen already. Don’t you know I have a wedding to bake for?”
Chapter 45
Somehow they’d come full circle.
When Maggie had come to him with the idea of renewing their vows he’d been a little hesitant. Doing so felt a little like admitting to the entire community that things hadn’t been going well. Then he thought about it, and wondered what the harm was in being honest. They hadn’t been going well. And right now he wanted more than anything to make things right.
In fact, ever since the shootout he’d been looking for way to start over with Maggie. This ceremony was the perfect solution.
For the last week they’d prepared for this day. The house had never been cleaner. Cliff had moved out to the barn until after the ceremony, wanting to give Maggie her space and as a way of letting her know things were going to be different after the ceremony. The way they should have been. She’d blushed when he spoke of it and agreed, with a quick pressure of her hand upon his. They’d stared at one another, breathless, considering what was to come.
Now as he paced at the back of the church, waiting to be directed to his place, he wondered at how he’d had more courage facing down three gunmen than he did now in this moment. His knees felt as weak as they had when he’d been shot and bleeding out all over the mountainside.
“Cliff?”
The minister was motioning to him. It was time.
Somehow before he knew it, Cliff was standing at the front of the church. They’d kept the ceremony small. Or had tried to. Somehow word had gotten out. He saw the doctor who had saved his life in the second row. Beyond him was the sheriff and his wife, along with the deputy and his. In fact, it seemed the entire town had turned out, every face smiling. He’d been worried about judgment. He saw only joy.
Then he saw Maggie.
She was a vision. Wearing a new dress, one she must have sewed in the last week with help from her sister. She came down the aisle with her father holding her elbow, a small bouquet of late flowers in her hands. They must have come out of someone’s prized garden as it still hadn’t rained though again today the sky was gray and dismal outside.
People traveled to the reservoir daily now, taking what they needed for water. The city fathers had decided to mete it out this way, rather than to blow the dam as had been originally suggested. Until it rained, at least this way everyone had what they needed.
Though this wasn’t the time to be worrying about water or even flowers.
What interested him was the smile blossoming on Maggie’s face as she walked down the aisle toward him. Walked? It seemed as though she were almost running in her eagerness to join him. He stepped forward a half step, his hand already out to take her from her father’s arm.
He blinked back tears when he felt her hand in his.
What words the preacher said didn’t matter. Not when his girl was on his arm. He’d spoken these vows before and meant this. Now he spoke them as a man in love would, making the words sacred. Not just a duty, but a pleasure. He would love Maggie until the end of time, and his actions today and every day hereafter would show that.
When she spoke her vows to him, her voice didn’t shake the way they had the first time. Her words rang out loud and clear. Her eyes met his, in a mutual understanding that she felt the same.
Was it bells ringing at the end of ceremony when they were again declared man and wife, or was that the wild beating of his heart in his chest when he looked at his precious wife for the first time in the way of a man who knows he had been given everything and didn’t want to mess this up. As he bent his head to kiss her, he realized it was neither of those things.
What he was hearing was rain upon the roof. The drought was over.
They kissed then, breathless and laughing, joyous in their love and relieved that the long dry spell was finally over. Her lips beneath his were warm, pliant. She tasted of every good thing he’d ever experienced in his life, and smelled like rain.
Her arms wrapped around his neck. His hands spanned her waist. One kiss wasn’t enough for either of them. They needed another. And a hundred more after that.
Laughter and cheers met the happy couple when they raised their heads, dazed. Outside thunder rumbled, the storm in full force, a fierce accompaniment to the greatest moment of Cliff’s life.
He truly was the luckiest man in the world.
Epilogue
Maggie couldn’t move more than a foot it seemed before someone else was right there, wanting to look. Not that it upset her, not unduly, at any rate. It wasn’t as if someone didn’t love being the center of attraction.
Baby Caroline cooed at the attention, small arms waving as strangers bent over her to look at and exclaim over the baby. Maggie finally had to shoo them all away just so she could focus her attention on what her mother was saying.
“What was that?” she asked, adjusting the baby’s tiny bonnet.
“Honestly, Maggie, I can’t even see why you’re out and about so soon after the baby’s birth. You should be enjoying your time with this tiny mite at home. She’s only a few weeks old!”
“Nearly a month!” Maggie reminded her mother with a laugh. “Honestly, I had to get away. Cliff fusses so. I can hardly do a thing for myself, especially with Nettie taking care of the meals and most of the household chores. I don’t know what possessed him to hire the girl, but I have to say she does make life easier.”
“He did it to help you. A rancher’s wife has a great deal to do I expect,” her mother said, running over Maggie’s list with a practice eye. “Merciful heavens, how many jars of preserves do you need?” She lifted her head from the paper and her expression was enough to make Maggie grin. Precious little Caroline grinned and blew a bubble at her mother’s smile.
“That’s for Anna. The closer she gets to her own lying in the more she craves sweets,” Maggie said with a laugh. “My goodness, can you imagine this little one with a cousin just her age to play with?” Maggie kissed one waving fist. “Though I expect they’ll get in no end of trouble as they grow.”
“Much as you and Anna did, I’m sure.” Mrs. Kelly shook her head, clucking contentedly. “You’ll have to come back in an hour if you want all of this. With the store doing so well, we’re going to have to hire some more help. Between the new seamstress who’s taken over the sewing room, and all the business in feed since Alfred left, we hardly know what to do with ourselves.”
“You love it, and you know it!” In truth, Mrs. Kelly seemed almost radiant. While her fingers had never regained the use of the needle, you almost couldn’t tell she’d ever had a stroke now that so much time had gone by. Having plenty to eat had made a positive difference in Mrs. Kelly’s life, as had the ability to have help about the place.
The store now boasted three employees, with one young man who handled the feed side of the operation almost entirely. Even better was the new doctor who’d recently come to town who had encouraged Mrs. Kelly in several exercises which had seemed to benefit her greatly.
“Things have certainly changed,” Maggie mused, as she adjusted the blanket around the baby. “Cliff and I will be going to the hotel for lunch. Is that enough time?”
“Plenty!”
Maggie hugged her mother and left the store, heading to the building next door where the feed and farm implements were kept. The new man, Devon, directed her to where her father and her husband were talking.
Cliff’s eyes lit up when he saw her. He broke off his conversation to sweep her into his arms for a kiss before taking the baby from her completely, holding the infant in his enormous hands with the ease of one well-practiced in the maneuver.
“Hey! I’d like a turn with my grandchild when you have a moment,” her father complained good-naturedly.
Maggie laughed. “You’ll have another soon enough,” she said, giving her father a quick kiss on the cheek.
“So, I will.” Mr. Kelly said in satisfaction. “You’ll think on that proposition?” he asked as Cliff handed the baby off to him.
“Assuredly.”
“What are you two up to now?” Maggie asked, looking suspiciously from one to the other.
It was her husband who answered first. “Railroads, maybe. They’re building a line, hoping to connect up with the Transcontinental Railroad. Nott is looking for investors. Once he has them, he’ll be moving to Portland to work on that end to make this happen.”
Maggie blinked. “You mean if we invest in the railroad, Laura Nott would be moving away? For good?”
Cliff’s eyes twinkled. “That’s the gist of it.”
“Well for heaven’s sake, how much do they need? I’ll donate to the cause right now.” Maggie grabbed at her reticule.
Cliff caught her hand. “Easy there. Don’t you know we have nothing to fear from the Lauras of this world?”
Of course, she did, but it was nice to hear him say it. Maggie stared up into her husband’s eyes and felt herself soften. Truly she was the luckiest woman in the world.
All the same…
“But we’re still investing, right?”
Cliff laughed. “Absolutely,” he assured her and kissed her until she couldn’t even remember what they’d been talking about.
THE END
Can't get enough of Maggie and Cliff? Then make sure to check out the Extended Epilogue to find out…
In which way will Cliff decide to honor the soldiers that never managed to return to their homes?
What will be the special birthday gift that Cliff will give to his daughter and what will be her reaction?
How will Cliff and Maggie’s family celebrate birthdays from now on? What kind of tradition will they establish?
Click the link or enter it into your browser
http://carolcolyer.com/maggie
(After reading the Extended Epilogue, turn the page to read the first chapters from “When Love Shows the Way”, my Amazon Best-Selling novel!)
When Love Shows the Way
Introduction
At the age of seventeen, Lizzy Cassidy’s parents forcibly marry her off to a wealthy, yet despicable man, to improve their family’s status. Fate has another trial in store for her, though, when her infuriated husband violently separates her from her daughter, who she is determined to track down no matter the consequences. As she follows her trail, she ends up in Clinton, where she meets Jake, who proves to be a valuable companion on her quest. She knows that from the first time she looked into his eyes, her heart skipped a beat and her traumas started healing, but will she manage to turn a new page in her life or will she have to sacrifice a piece of herself to move on?
Jake Oakley, son of the mayor of Clinton, seems to have a perfect life, until he messes it all up by stumbling on a terrible family secret. When he thoughtlessly exposes it to the wrong people, there are unforeseen consequences that force him to leave town in order to fix his mistakes. However, an alarming letter about his mother’s health postpones his plans, leading him disappointed back to Clinton. Upon his arrival, a beautiful young lady shows up as a gift from heaven, as she finds a unique way to drive his guilt away and clear his mind. After all this time, his lonely heart will be warmed once again and his future won’t feel so lonely anymore. Could she be the salvation he has been looking for all along?
Jake and Lizzy unite with a common goal, when their seemingly unrelated paths suddenly cross and change their lives forever. Lizzy has a hard time trusting people and Jake is determined to make things right. Just when things start looking up for them, an old threat will swoop in and risk ripping them apart. Will the powerful light of their romance dissipate the dangers that lurk in the shadows?
Chapter 1
Jake pushed through the huge door of the house he shared with his parents and his twin sister. He had asked his father what the point was of such a huge house, but like most times, his father refused to answer.
His father was Mr. Oakley, mayor of the town and owner of several banks. Of course, he couldn’t live in a normal-sized house like everyone else.
Jake gave a wry smile. He often called his father Mr. Oakley because that was something that drove him crazy.
He paused in the parlor to find it empty. His parents seemed to be gone more often than not these days.
He turned and walked down the long hall, through the dining room and nearly ran into June coming out of the kitchen.
“Jake! You’re home.” Her face lit up.
“Yes. I got home a little early. Where are Ma and Pa?”
“Mother and father are still out,” June said. She rolled her eyes in a playful way and emphasized the way she called their parents.
“You know you don’t have to call them that when father isn’t around,” Jake said, wrinkling his nose in distaste. Jake took the fresh apple that June held out to him and sat down in one of the chairs by the dining room table.
June walked over across from him and slid into one of the chairs.
“I wonder if they were always like they are now,” she said with a wistful look in her eye.
“There’s nothing really wrong with Ma, you know,” Jake shrugged. For some reason, June didn’t get along as well with their mother as he did. “She tries.”
“Yes. I know she tries, but she could stand up to Pa once in a while.” June looked annoyed.
Jake understood why. They were nineteen now and his father already had various opinions on who June should marry. Thankfully, she was fairly adamant that she would be making her own match when it came to romance.
“Has Pa been giving you a hard time about marrying Leonard’s son again?” Leonard was one of his father’s partners and easily as rich as he was, but he was ten years older than his sister.
“Yes. Yesterday he cornered me in the parlor. Said that I needed to think about my future before I became an old maid. I am only nineteen and he is way too old for my taste. I still have time to fall in love.” June shook her head, her blue eyes troubled.
“Hey, don’t listen to him. You definitely have time to fall in love and you shouldn’t marry for any other reason.”
“That’s easy for you to say. Pa isn’t trying to get you to marry the first rich girl that he comes across.”
“Maybe not, but he is trying to get me to become just like him.”
June took a bite out of her own apple. “You could never be like Pa, even if you wanted to.”
