A Christmas Family Wish (8 page)

Authors: Helen Scott Taylor

Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Romance, #Anthologies, #Contemporary, #Collections & Anthologies, #Holidays, #Inspirational

BOOK: A Christmas Family Wish

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Epilogue

Rachel stood beside the bubbling fountain in the courtyard
at her parents' Spanish villa, the warm sun beating down on her, a delightful
change after the cold British winter.

Lush green and crimson bougainvillea covered the white
stucco walls, and the smell of spicy, sun-warmed earth and fragrant flowers
filled the air.

This was the ideal place to get married while the weather
was still cold at home. Ian had suggested they come here for the wedding so
Rachel's father didn't have to travel—another of his wonderful ideas. In a few
minutes she would walk down the aisle and pledge to love him for the rest of
her life. She couldn't wait to make that promise.

A blue butterfly landed on one of the lilies in her wedding
bouquet. "Look at this." She lowered the flowers so Ella could see,
smiling at the look of wonder on the adorable little girl's face. In the last
few months, Ian's daughter had crept into her heart and become as dear to her
as her own son.

Jane and Eric were busy with their new baby and didn't seem
interested in having Ella back. That was a good thing as Ian had sworn he would
never let her go. She was part of
their
family now.

Greg seemed to have fallen off the face of the Earth, or
Rachel hoped he had. He'd stopped texting or calling and that suited her fine.
Toby had Ian now, a reliable father who loved him.

"Are you ready, sweetie?" Rachel tucked a stray
dark curl back under the circlet of flowers adorning Ella's hair.

The little girl's hand crept into her own. She leaned
against Rachel's side as Irene Carne bustled out of the house with Toby
trotting at her side to keep up. "Potty break successful," Rachel's
mother said in her efficient voice.

Toby looked so grown-up in his gray pageboy suit, and Ella
was pretty in her powder-pink flower girl's dress with a little basket of cream
and pink carnations. "You both look lovely." Rachel kissed each child
as her mother arranged her dress.

"Face the front, love," her mother said,
straightening her veil and moving the children into position behind her.

Toby and Ella held hands and stood where they were told,
while Irene Carne squinted at the villa under her wide-brimmed hat.

"Where is that man? He's keeping everyone
waiting." She marched back towards the house while Rachel shared a giggle
with the children.

"Poor Granddad's in trouble again."

A few minutes later, her parents hurried out. Her father
rolled his eyes as he stepped up to her side. "Ready, love." Her
father smiled at her. It was good to see him on his feet, his complexion
glowing with health from the warm Spanish weather.

"Ready and eager to be wed." She gripped his arm
and leaned close to kiss him. "Thank you so much for sending Ian to help
me the day the tree came down on my house."

"My pleasure. I'm very happy to see the two of your
together. You won't find a better man than Ian Harper."

Her dad's enthusiastic seal of approval was the icing on the
cake. She knew he'd worried about her when she was younger; now he would never
have to worry about her again.

The musicians struck up with Elgar's wonderful love song, "Salut
d'amour." Jeff Carne led Rachel through the old Moorish archway covered
with tiny blue mosaic tiles and down the grassy aisle between the rows of
ribbon-bedecked chairs. Ian waited for her in a gazebo covered in flowers,
perched on a rocky outcrop with the azure blue Mediterranean in the background.

She smiled at the friends and family gathered to see her
marriage, but most of her attention focused on her fiancé, soon-to-be husband,
so handsome in his gray suit.

Her father passed her hand to Ian and stepped aside, guiding
Toby to his seat with Ella in the front row.

The priest performed the marriage service, and Rachel spoke
the words that would join her to Ian for the rest of their lives. She smiled up
into his warm brown eyes, so full of love and kindness, her thoughts absorbed
by this man who had changed the course of her life.

He'd given her everything she'd ever dreamed of: a beautiful
home, a loving family. He'd persuaded her to go back to art college to make the
most of her creative talent, and he loved Toby as if he were his own son.

"You may kiss the bride," the priest said.

Rachel melted into Ian's arms, feeling the smile on his lips
as they met hers. After a long, sweet kiss, he moved his mouth to her ear and
whispered, "I love you, my darling wife."

And she loved him too, more than anything else in the world.

If you enjoyed reading
A
Christmas Family Wish
, you might also enjoy these other books by Helen
Scott Taylor

The Army Doctor's Christmas Collection

The
first three stories in the Army Doctor's Series.

Three heartwarming stories of love
and family that all end happily at Christmas—A Christmas proposal, a Christmas
wedding, and a Christmas birth!

Praise
for The Army Doctor's Series

"
Grab
a kleenex because you are going to need it! This is one no romance lover should
miss!
" Teresa Hughes

"This is a sweet romance with a
wonderful happily ever after. Highly recommend this read!" Luvbooks.

"The story was captivating from
beginning to end." Sue E Pennington

Read a sample or buy
The Army
Doctor's Christmas Collection
on Amazon
HERE

A Family for Christmas

A
heartwarming tale for Christmas.

A lonely career woman stranded in a
blizzard, a disillusioned man who has cut himself off from women. When he
rescues her from the snow and takes her into his home, the spirit of Christmas
and his little girl's love work their magic.

Praise
for A Family for Christmas

"What a delightful novella with appealing
characters, lovely descriptions, and a sprinkle of suspense." Reader
Forever

"A Family For Christmas is a
top-notch holiday read." Heather Hiestand

"If you want to enjoy a heartwarming
Christmas story, you'll love this book." OnTheMark

Read a sample or buy A Family for
Christmas
HERE
.

The Army Doctor's Christmas Baby (Army Doctor's Baby
#3)

After he loses his wife, army
surgeon Colonel Sean Fabian protects his damaged heart by cutting women out of
his life. He dedicates himself to his career and being a great dad to his twin babies.
When he asks army nurse Kelly Grace to play nanny to his children over
Christmas, he realizes how much he misses having a beautiful woman in his life
and in his arms. Caring for Sean's adorable twin babies is Kelly's dream come
true. She falls in love with the sweet little girls and their daddy, but she's
hiding a devastating event from the past. If she can't trust Sean with her
secret, how can she ever expect him to trust her with his bruised heart?

Praise
for The Army Doctor's Series

"This enjoyable story has lots
of twists to keep you going. Highly recommended." Nancy Radke

"Helen Scott-Taylor pens a
delightful romance with so much conflict and emotion one has to read it in one
sitting." Reader Forever

Read a sample or buy
The Army
Doctor's Christmas Baby
HERE

Love is All Around: Box
Set of Three Contemporary Romances

Three highly rated contemporary
romances in one box set—excellent value!

Praise
for Helen's Books

"This is the type of book to
snuggle up on the couch with on a slow Saturday afternoon to lose yourself in
heartbreak, romance, and happily ever after." Sandy M, The Good, The Bad
& The Unread.

"It was incredibly romantic and
sweet, and I couldn't wait to find out how it turned out." Abbey, Wendy's
Minding Spot

"You'll adore this romance with
a charming hero who has such generosity of spirit and so much love to give the
right woman. You'll cheer Maria on and hope she realizes that sometimes you
just have to take a risk and follow your heart." Joan Reeves, Slingwords

Read a sample or buy
Love is All
Around
on Amazon
HERE

About the Author

Helen Scott
Taylor won the American Title IV contest in 2008. Her winning book, The Magic
Knot, was published in 2009 to critical acclaim, received a starred review from
Booklist
, and was a
Booklist
top ten romance for 2009. Since
then, she has published other novels, novellas, and short stories in both the
UK and USA.

Helen lives in
South West England near Plymouth in Devon between the windswept expanse of
Dartmoor and the rocky Atlantic coast. As well as her wonderful long-suffering
husband, she shares her home with a Westie, a Shih Tzu and an aristocratic
chocolate-shaded-silver-burmilla cat who rules the household with a velvet paw.
She believes that deep within everyone, there’s a little magic.

Find Helen at:

http://www.HelenScottTaylor.com

http://twitter.com/helenscotttaylo

http://facebook.com/helenscotttaylor

http://
www.facebook.com/HelenScottTaylorAuthor

***

Book List

Paranormal/Fantasy
Romance

The Magic Knot

The Phoenix Charm

The Ruby Kiss

The Feast of
Beauty