A March Bride (10 page)

“
You
’
re right. I went to Bible college, then seminary. Waited until I was married to Bren to have sex. Never dabbled in pornography. But oh, I was jealous and envious of my fellow scholars, a gossip, judgmental. Selfish.
”

“
All right, I get it.
”
She held up her hand.
“
None of us are righteous.
”

“
No, not one.
”
He fell silent for a long moment and his confession echoed across her mind. Then,
“
Susanna, I implore you to keep your ear near His heart. He
’
ll speak to you. I understand your reserve about giving up your American citizenship. It
’
s kind of the last thing that is solely yours as you go into this marriage. But may I remind you, you are first the Bride of Christ. You
’
ve already given up everything of who you are to be married to Him. You are more than an American. You are a citizen in the kingdom of God. A princess in His household. So don
’
t put limits on yourself based on a natural citizenship when, technically, you
’
ve already given it up to be a member of a higher world—one that is and is to come. What if you
’
re called to be a part of ushering in some aspect of God
’
s kingdom here on earth by being a Brighton royal?
”

Her heart burned with each of his challenges.

“
You still think of yourself as the scared little girl hiding from her parents while they brought the house down on each other.
”

She nodded, her tears unstoppable. Reverend Smith was hitting on all cylinders today.

“
But God sees a redeemed woman bought by His blood. One with a renewed heart and mind. Susanna, it
’
s extraordinary. He
’
s entrusting you to be a Christian example to people around the world. For such a time as this. Are you sure you want to give it all up to remain that scared little girl? Because I see a woman who broke out of her past, reached for the brass ring, got it, and is now letting fear rob her of her destiny.
”

“
I thought I was over all of that.
”
Susanna fell against him, her head resting on his shoulder, sobbing.

“
Sometimes pressure brings up the last of the yucky old residue.
”
He slipped his hand into hers, a soft prayer humming from his chest.

She wept for all the hours she
’
d hidden in her closet, pretending it was her magic garden while Mama and Daddy screamed obscenities at one another.

She wept for all the years she waited for Adam Peters, only to find out he wasn
’
t her one true love.

She wept for her soul, her heart, her country, and all she was surrendering for the sake of love.

“
You
’
re saying good-bye to a life you
’
ve known up till now.
”
The reverend shoved a worn, soft handkerchief into her hand.
“
Press on to what lies ahead, to the upward call of Christ, the apostle Paul told us. And forget what lies behind. Something better awaits you.
”

The reverend
’
s final words cut through every cloud of confusion and a blip of joy smacked her heart.

Susanna sat up, mopping her face with his white hankie.
“
I asked the Lord for an answer and He sent me you.
”
She smiled, peering at him.
“
Thank you, Reverend, thank you.
”

“
Did I help?
”

“
Very much.
”
Weird, now that the tears had dried up and the confusion had lifted, she felt so much lighter. Free.

Standing, she dusted the grass and leaves from her jeans.
“
I know what I need to do. I only hope it
’
s not too late.
”

N
athaniel tossed his suitcase in the master suite of the St. Simons Island cottage. This had been the royal family
’
s American getaway since 1902.

“
Liam,
”
he said, jogging down the stairs.
“
Let
’
s head to the Rib Shack, see if we can locate Susanna.
”
His chief security officer fell in step off of his right shoulder.

They
’
d arrived on the island an hour ago, set up the chief and staffers he
’
d brought along at the Prince and King Hotel before heading for the family cottage.

Listening to their syncopated footfalls scuff over the gravel drive as they made their way toward the SUV, Nathaniel second-guessed his decision to not ring up Susanna with his plans.

He thought to surprise her, but now he wished he
’
d told her he was coming.

Oh, how he missed her, ached to hear her voice, to see her face. Back in Brighton, he had often met her for luncheons and they dined every evening together, spending
weekends touring Brighton
’
s glorious mountain retreats or walking the winter shores.

He was addicted to her being in his life. Living without her would be unbearable. Susanna brought him gifts he hadn
’
t realized he was lacking: ease, courage, and the joy of feeling comfortable in his own skin.

Liam headed down Frederica toward the Rib Shack as Nathaniel stared out his window, Wednesday
’
s soft evening light flickering past.

Being back on the island made him all the more homesick for Susanna.

He prayed that three days had been enough time for her to think. To perhaps miss him. To decide he was worth her everything.

Nathaniel
’
s thoughts came round as Liam turned into the Rib Shack
’
s sand-and-seashell car park.

As he stepped out into the evening shade of the guarding oaks, he scented the heady fragrance of grilling meat and sweet barbecue.

The sight of the Shack, the fragrant aromas, put him in mind of the summer he came here on holiday, met Susanna, and signed on to work for her mama as she enlisted the aid of anyone and everyone to share her daddy
’
s workload after his heart attack.

Nathaniel warmed with the memories of his days at the Shack. He
’
d spent several
happy
evenings scrubbing grease vats and Cloroxing toilets as an ad hoc employee. No one knew he was a prince.

He
’
d do it again to be near Susanna. To be a normal bloke.

Cutting around to the back of the restaurant, Nathaniel
took the deck steps two at a time, the warm sea breeze shoving against his back, and drew open the kitchen
’
s screen door.

“
Glo?
”
he called, scanning the kitchen for his future mother-in-law. The place was hopping, with two chefs on the grill and two at the prep table.

Bristol, a lean, ponytailed Shack employee, stood at the service window calling out orders.
“
Keri, pick up, table ten.
”

When she turned to garnish a plate of ribs, she caught sight of him standing in the doorway.

“
Well, I
’
ll be.
”
She curtsied, smiling.
“
Welcome, Your Majesty.
”

“
Bristol, it
’
s a pleasure to see you.
”
He nodded, returning her smile. He checked the urge to tell her that since she was American, protocol dictated that she didn
’
t need to curtsy. But she looked rather practiced and polished. He
’
d not deny her the effort.
“
Tell me, is Glo about?
”

“
In the office.
”
Bristol tipped her head to the kitchen
’
s back corner.
“
Y
’
all hungry? I
’
ll pull you a plate if you
’
d like. Liam, you cotton to baby back ribs if I recall.
”

“
You remembered.
”
Liam checked with Nathaniel before passing through to the dining room.

The big chap was all but licking his chops at the mention of baby backs.

Nathaniel rapped lightly against the office door frame.
“
Permission to enter?
”

“
You made it.
”
Glo popped up from her chair, reaching for him, wrapping him up in a hug.
“
How
’
s my favorite son-in-law?
”
Stepping back, she held him at arm
’
s length, her warmth and down-home goodness embracing the weariest places of his being.

“
Better now that I
’
ve seen you.
”
He eased down to the chair adjacent to her desk. A bit younger than his own mum, Glo was a beauty with a bit of brawn in her soul. He could see Susanna in her features, in her actions. And he admired her.

“
Ha! You didn
’
t fly four thousand miles to see
me
.
”

“
Well, not expressly, no.
”
He leaned forward.
“
Have you seen Susanna? I thought to surprise her, but now I wish I
’
d rung her.
”

“
She headed out on her bicycle this morning, just as your assistant called saying you were on your way. I
’
ve not seen her since.
”

“
She doesn
’
t know, though, about the plan?
”
The plan he prayed worked. That he
’
d not set himself up, once again, to be rejected by the woman he loved. Though his
“
love
”
for Adel was nothing more than youthful infatuation and lust.

“
She does not. I only told the
necessary
folks, just like you asked.
”
Glo shot him a sneaky smirk as she reached down, tugging open a bottom desk drawer.
“
Got the specifications from your assistant—
”

“
Jonathan, my aide.
”
Of course she
knew
Jonathan, but he was nervous, filling the void with words.

Glo passed him the printed checklist.
“
As you can see, I conquered half of them today. The food has been ordered. Still waiting on some of the bigger ticket items.
”

Nathaniel scanned the checked items, excitement blooming in his chest, clouded only by the realization he had yet to speak to his beloved. He passed the list back to Glo.
“
Thank you for your help. I know I imposed upon you.
”

“
Pshaw, boy, it
’
s for my Suz. We
’
ve not been able to do much for the Brighton wedding. It
’
s my honor to help with this.
”

“
Spare no expense. I
’
ll pay whatever to have the turnaround we need.
”

“
Dollars and cents? Now you
’
re speaking southern Georgian. But Gib and I got most of this. A few folks got so excited about your plan, they offered their services for free.
”

“
No, no, Glo, I insist on paying. Otherwise it is meaningless if it cost me nothing.
”

“
I could say the same thing.
”
She slapped her palm against the desk, then slipped the paper back into the bottom drawer.
“
We should be good to go by Friday evening. We got tonight and all day tomorrow to tidy up this list.
”

“
Whatever remains unaccomplished, remains. It is only important that Susanna is there. Speaking of my true love, where should I look for her? Your home? Might she be at the hospital? How is your mum?
”

“
Mum
is doing just fine. She went home this morning. She
’
s sitting up, taking food on her own. She
’
ll live to be a hundred, God willing.
”
Glo reached for the desk phone.
“
Let me see if I can
’
t track her down.
”

While Glo made a few calls, Nathaniel paced the small office stuffed with supplies and old lamps.

On a whim, he
’
d put forth this idea, his only idea, to woo back Susanna.

He could not abdicate his throne over the citizenship debacle, but he could meet Susanna on her side of the world and do his level best to prove he loved her and wanted to marry her no matter what her citizenship.