When Stars Fall at Midnight, page 22
Anyway, I would have Percival and his family in my life. I’d have good work to do and a little girl to love, even if she wasn’t altogether mine. I could still be an influence in her life. An auntie who lived a few minutes away whom she could visit anytime. Maybe she could even stay over once a month. We could make cookies and read books together. I could have a full life. I’d been given this second chance, and I was not going to squander it. Self-pity served no one.
Penelope entered the room, cheeks flushed. “Miss Stella, are you sorry to see him go?”
I turned to look at her, standing under the archway between the sitting room and hallway, and made a decision. She would be the person I confided to. The one person I would be completely honest with. I could have a true friendship.
“I’m very sorry to see him go. I love him.” My voice caught. “But I must be grateful for what he’s done for me and not yearn for someone who was never meant to be mine.”
“Yes. All that. Yet the heart doesn’t always listen to reason.”
“No, it does not.”
A rustling at the front door drew our attention.
“That’ll be Mrs. Landry,” Penelope said. “Would you like to meet her?”
“I surely would. It’s Christmas after all. We should have champagne and a feast. All of us together. We’re going to do this my way, since I’m the mistress of the house.”
“I’m at your disposal.” Penelope grinned.
The two of us walked together toward the foyer to meet the woman who would hopefully become a new friend.
As we crossed the luxurious room I thought about my family. The pang that I felt so often stung less today. Was it because I could see a future for myself now? I had a beautiful place to live and meaningful work and deep friendships. I’d made a new life for myself despite all the setbacks. Despite being the thing thrown away. The one no one wanted.
I’d done what was right for the baby. As much as I loved her, she was never meant for me. Percival and I had accepted what we could have together and what we couldn’t.
Could it be that life came down to this? We must come to understand who is meant for us and who is not. Parting from someone we desperately love must be met with courage and acceptance.
Yes, this was it. Love was a verb. Letting go was an act of love. Sacrificing one’s own joy for the good of someone else was perhaps the deepest form of love.
For some, the only way to truly love someone was to let them go and wish them well.
If only my heart understood as well as my mind.
A note from Tess…I hope you enjoyed Part One of my Midnight Stars Saga. I’m sorry to leave you on a bit of cliffhanger. However, the good news is, you won’t have to wait long for Part Two. When Stars Rise at Midnight releases August 30, 2024. Will fate somehow bring Percival and Estelle together? Pre-order it HERE to find out what happens next.
MORE BOOKS BY TESS
* * *
Emerson Pass Historicals
The School Mistress
The Spinster
The Scholar
The Problem Child
The Seven Days of Christmas
The Musician
The Wordsmith
The Rebel
Emerson Pass Contemporaries
The Sugar Queen
The Patron
The Pet Doctor
The Correspondent
The Innkeeper
Cliffside Bay
Traded: Brody and Kara
Deleted: Jackson and Maggie
Jaded: Zane and Honor
Marred: Kyle and Violet
Tainted: Lance and Mary
The Season of Cats and Babies
Missed: Rafael and Lisa
Healed: Stone and Pepper
Christmas Wedding
Scarred: Trey and Autumn
Chateau Wedding
Jilted: Nico and Sophie
Kissed
Departed: David and Sara
* * *
THE MYSTERY MATCHMAKER OF ELLA POINTE
The Making of a Matchmaker
A Match for a Bookish Bride
A Match for a Reluctant Bride
A Match for a Willful Bride
A Match for a Disgraced Bride
A Match for a Bubbly Bride
A Match for a Matchmaker Bride
* * *
CRESCENT MOON RANCH
Mama Moon
Swoony Moon
Harvest Moon
Haven Moon
* * *
BLUE MOUNTAIN
Blue Midnight
Blue Moon
Blue Ink
Blue String
Blue Twilight
RIVER VALLEY
Riversong
Riverbend
Riverstar
Riversnow
Riverstorm
Tommy’s Wish
LEGLEY BAY
Caramel and Magnolias
Tea and Primroses
CASTAWAY CHRISTMAS
Come Tomorrow
Promise of Tomorrow
SOUL SISTERS
Christmas Rings
Christmas Star
STANDALONES
Duet For Three Hands
Miller’s Secret
The Santa Trial
ABOUT TESS
Hello!
I’m so happy you’ve found me! Here’s a little about me.
I’m a proud mother. A loving wife. A woman of faith. A daughter to aging parents. A best friend.
I write fiction about people like you and me. Characters who deserve second chances and love and redemption and have had heartbreak and joy and everything in between.
I worry about my aging parents and my kids and sometimes wonder if I’m doing a good job as a mother or a daughter.
I have two cats I adore and take too many photos of. Mittens is a tuxedo and sleeps on my desk. Midnight hardly leaves Cliff’s side, but I don’t hold it against her even though she was my cat first.
I hate cooking dinner. My cakes always fall apart, even when I use a mix. I’m a little messy, especially when I have a deadline. I’m forgetful, which I blame on the stories in my head that distract me from real life. I’m always trying to lose ten pounds. I love Zumba and strength training classes at my local YMCA even though my knees sometimes ache. I love nothing better than to read all day in bed. As I grow older, I find myself liking books about good people and happy endings than works of great literary merit that leave me feeling sad. Sorry, but that’s just the truth. If it were between French fries or a cookie, I would always go for the potatoes. I love sappy, sentimental movies and binge-watching series, especially Masterpiece Theatre, country music, wine, flowers, birds, the beach and snuggling on the couch.
I work hard because I love what I do and never want to squander the opportunities God has given me. There’s never a day I’m not thankful to my readers. Without them, I would not have my dream life, sitting at my desk and writing from my heart. I’m also blessed with a team behind the scenes who do all the things so I can write.
My best friend is Violet. She’s brilliant and kind and a second mother to my girls. She makes me laugh and warms my heart even during the hardest times. I can tell her everything and never feel judged. She’s just the best. You know what I mean because you probably have a Violet too.
My daughters, Emerson and Ella, are the pride of my life. They’re both smart, compassionate, hard workers, and the most amazing humans. Honestly, I thank God every day for giving me the chance to be their mom. Although they’re now young ladies, I still see the babies and little girls they once were. They’ll always be my babies no matter how old they are. Sniff.
My stepsons, who I refer to as my Bonus Sons, are now adults forging their own way in the world and making us proud with their independence. I didn’t have long with them, so I can’t really take much credit, but I love them and am humbled and honored to be part of their lives.
And then there’s Cliff. My soulmate. My partner in life. Cliff and I found each other when we were in our middle forties, after years of heartache for both of us. I was divorced with two little girls, and he was a widower raising two teenage boys on his own. We met through an online dating app! Tinder, of all places. I know, the odds of us finding each other were astronomical, especially on a dating app designed for young people. Honestly, it was nothing short of a miracle! We committed to going through the rest of our lives as a team and I can tell you without a doubt he was the best decision of my life. Cliff has supported my writing dreams, even during the years of struggle and disappointments. He always believed in my talent even when I wasn’t so sure. All the success I have now is because of him. He’s my WHY for all things. Recently, we moved into our dream house on a small lake. I’m still pinching myself.
That’s a bit about me. I’d love to hear from you. Send me your bullet list so I can get to know a few things about you. Until then, I send love to you and yours.
Tess Thompson, When Stars Fall at Midnight
