Love Everlasting (Isle of Hope series Book 2) (29 page)

“I already have,” he said with a weighty sigh, gingerly stepping into the bow of the boat. Easing down on the bench seat, he snatched one of the life jackets and put it on, his smile far drier than he obviously expected his clothes to be. “Into the sea of love, as evidenced by the fact that I’m willing to get into a boat not fit for a bathtub, on a body of water that’s churning my dinner.”

Shannon’s gaze softened, suddenly remembering Jack mentioning something about Sam’s aversion to large bodies of water. “Look, Sam, if you really don’t want to go—”

He gave her a shuttered look that wobbled her tummy more than the rolling dory, making her grateful he was at the other end of the boat. “Too late. I’ve already stripped down to near humiliation, Miss O’Bryen, so let’s get this moonlight sail underway. Besides,” he said, looking downright adorable with his life jacket tightly tied at his neck and palms knuckle-white on the bench, “your virtue has never been safer. Because as much as I want to kiss you right now?” His smile tipped starboard. “You have my word—it sure won’t be me rocking this boat.”

Chapter Forty

“By the power vested in me by the state of Georgia …”

Tess blinked hard to battle her tears, the sound of Pastor Chase Griffin’s voice flooding her heart—and her eyes—with so much happiness, she felt ready to bust right out of her snug floor-length sheath gown. Who would have guessed she’d one day marry the crotchety neighbor next door in an intimate ceremony beneath a twinkle-light tent in Dr. Doom’s own backyard? She breathed in the heady scent of her small gardenia bouquet while the pink shadows of dusk cast its ethereal glow, her pulse thrumming along with the music of tree frogs and crickets.

Dr. and Mrs. Ben and Tess Doom.
Her lips quivered into a wobbly smile as she stared at Ben Carmichael in his crisp, classic tux, so utterly handsome and soon—so utterly hers!

“… I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

The tiny gathering of family and friends erupted into applause at a smattering of candle-lit tables, spoons clinking against glass complemented by whoops from her daughters and whistles from Jack.

“You may now kiss the bride.”

And, oh—Lord have mercy—did he!
Tugging her flush, he dipped her back for a kiss straight out of the movies, the taste of Ben and monster cookies sweet in her mouth. “You’ve been into the cookies already,” she whispered, and his lips curved against her smile.

“Couldn’t wait,” he said softly, pulling her back up to caress her with his eyes, the promise of untold joys warm in his gaze. “Still can’t.”

“I now present to you Dr. and Mrs. Ben and Tess Carmichael.”

The guests lunged to their feet, clapping and cheering while Chase shook Ben’s hand and their children doled out misty hugs and tears to both Ben and her.

“Oh, Mom—you two are going to be so happy, I just know it!”  Shannon whispered. She hugged Tess tightly while Cat flirted with Chase. “And nobody deserves it more.”

“Oh, I don’t know …” Tess cradled Shannon’s face in her hands, a secret smile tipping her mouth. She glanced at Sam while he laughed with Ben and Jack a few feet away. “I know
somebody
who does if my prayers have any say. And from that look I’ve seen in Sam’s eyes lately whenever you’re around, I wouldn’t be all that surprised if it happens pretty fast.” She tucked a wisp of hair behind Shannon’s ear. “Jack says he’s head over heels.”

A pretty blush stole into Shannon’s cheeks, her lovesick smile in Sam’s direction confirming that her daughter felt the very same way. “Mom, it’s only been two weeks.”

“But you’ve been close friends for almost five months now, sweetheart, in an extremely honest friendship where you’ve shared and prayed about everything, yes?”

Shannon hesitated, her good mood dimming enough for Tess to notice. “Most things, yes ...” Her chin suddenly lifted with a bright smile, as if she were anxious to change the subject. “But now that we’re dating, definitely
all
things.” Her gaze flicked to Sam and back with a telltale shift of her throat. “And soon.”

“Good girl.” Tess gave her a hug.

Shannon kissed Tess’s cheek just as the musicians struck up the dinner music. “Now, go,” she said with a renewed twinkle in her eyes. “Ben’s headed this way, and he looks
pretttttty
hungry.”

Tess turned, and her stomach did a dizzy whirl, but not from hunger. She pressed a shaky hand to her abdomen, hardly able to believe she was actually Ben’s wife—poised on the threshold of sharing a future and a life with the man she adored.

Not to mention
a bed …
  Battling a gulp, she gave him a shy smile as he approached, food suddenly the last thing on her mind.

“It’s time to eat, Mrs. Carmichael.” He took her in his arms, punctuating his statement with a slow and luxurious kiss. “Because I guarantee you, we’re going to need our strength,” he whispered, his husky tease fluttering her stomach when he ushered her to their table.

The evening was a beautiful blur—a hazy kaleidoscope of faces and memories in the making and some from the past. Tess released a wispy sigh against Ben’s shoulders as he held her close in one of the last dances of the night. A hint of melancholy stole in when she glanced at his slate patio with its stone fire pit, where Adam and she and Ben and Karen spent many a summer night. Now Chase and Cat sat there in the same British green Adirondack chairs along with Lacey and Jack and Sam and Shannon, the latter two couples sharing two of the four chairs.

A bit of moisture sparked in Tess’s eyes when Jack nuzzled Lacey’s neck while the couples talked, so grown up and ready to start a family of their own. And,
oh
, how she prayed for a bounty of children to fill their house with the same love and joy that they’d given her.

She watched as Sam pressed a kiss to Shannon’s cheek, bundling her close, and Tess smiled, hoping he was the answer to a mother’s prayer. Getting to know him better over the last so many months had deepened her affection for the man Shannon loved, even if Shannon’s trust level still suffered the effects of a painful past.

Her gaze trailed to Cat, who was laughing at something Chase said, and Tess’s heart cramped in her chest. If only her daughter’s flirty smile meant that they were a couple too. But, unfortunately, Cat harbored other ideas about what she wanted in a man. Ideas that caused Tess no little worry over her daughter’s future, which appeared as tenuous as her faith. Expelling a heavy sigh, never was Tess more grateful she could turn her children over to a God Who loved them far more than she.

“That was an awfully big sigh, Mrs. Carmichael,” Ben whispered against her hair, the vibration of his husky tease skimming her skin with a delicious heat. “Either one of supreme contentment
or
wedding remorse.”

She smiled up at him, falling in love all over again at the look of tenderness in his eyes. “Definitely the first, Dr. Carmichael, although there may be the tiniest tinge of the second.” She stood on tiptoe to slowly fondle his lips with her own. “But
only
that we didn’t do this sooner.”

His groan melted into her mouth when he wrenched her close to finish the job with a kiss that weakened her at the back of her knees. Her body was limp when he finally pulled away to touch his forehead to hers. “We need to go,” he rasped, his breathing as ragged as the air pumping in her own chest.

Tess blinked, realizing the evening had come to an end, but her life with Ben Carmichael was about to begin. And it would start at The Bohemian Hotel on Savannah’s Riverfront.

In a corner riverview suite.

Tess gulped, suddenly shyer than she ever expected to be.

Followed by a week in Hawaii in a house on a
very
lonely beach.

She peeked up with a nervous chew of her lip. “Now? Before the reception is done?”

“
Now
,” he repeated, emphasizing his intent with a heated gaze before he playfully tugged on her ear with his teeth. “Before my will power is
done
.” As if he could sense her jitters, he gently tunneled his hands through her hair, bracing the back of her head with a quiet intensity she’d come to know and love. “I’ve waited all of my life for you, Teresa Carmichael. You’re the woman God created for
me
—to love, honor, and protect—and I’m ready to start right now.” He leaned in to nuzzle her mouth with an almost reverent kiss that totally disarmed her before his mouth curved into a slow smile against hers. “Preferably in that order.” Cupping her face with gentle hands, he caressed her jaw with the pads of his thumbs, those hazel eyes potent with love. “You are the perfect woman for me, Tess, and far more than I ever dreamed I could have.” His Adam’s apple ducked several times as his gaze flitted to her mouth and back. “And God help me, woman—I want to be alone with my wife.”

His wife.
Saltwater immediately welled in her eyes.

And
her
husband, gifted by God.

“Okay,” she whispered, her throat doing a little ducking of its own, “but I’m going to warn you right now, Dr. Carmichael—it’s been almost ten years since this so-called ‘perfect woman’ has” —her cheeks flamed hot as she worried her lip, suddenly feeling like an awkward teenager all over again— “well, you know, so not only am I probably rusty, but I’m a
whole
lot older too.”

He grinned and deposited a kiss to her nose. “When it comes to the woman for me, you’re sheer perfection, Tess, just the way you are.” He laced his fingers through hers with a firm confidence that helped to settle her nerves. “And when it comes to the other, Mrs. Carmichael?” Tugging her toward the house, he kindled her with a smoky look that whirled her stomach before slipping her a wink. “Just follow my lead.”

Chapter Forty-One

“Okay, boys—you sure I can’t get you anything else?” The pretty halter-clad waitress at Rocks on the Roof smiled, her gaze sliding from Sam to Jack to Chase with a flirtatious air while she waved the dinner check in the air.

Sam plucked it from her hand before Jack could, his smile subdued considerably given the spark of interest in the girl’s eyes. “No thanks, Emily, and the bill is all mine.”

“Oh, no you don’t,” Jack and Chase said in unison, both reaching into their pockets.

Sam tucked a credit card into the leather bill holder and handed it to Emily before Jack or Chase could even retrieve their wallets “Go, Emily, please, before they make a scene.”

“What are you doing, Ham?” Jack said, credit card finally in hand. He nodded toward the bill. “Between this and that fancy blazer you’re wearing, dude, I’m starting to worry Augustine hiked your salary when you got back with Jazz.”

A grin eased across Sam’s face as he brushed a piece of lint from the new Ralph Lauren sport coat he bought for his next date with Shan. “Nope. This is just my way of saying thanks for saving my life.” He nodded toward Jack. “First you in hounding me to death to go to church and
then
introducing me to Shannon.” His gaze flicked to Chase with a sheepish smile. “Then
you
in putting the hammer down to help me see the light.” His expression sobered as he thought about the gift these two men were, opening his eyes to a faith that not only saved his life, but his soul as well. He swallowed the lump of emotion clogging his throat. “I’ve never had friendships like this before,” he said quietly, “and I can’t thank you two enough for putting up with me.”

Jack pocketed his credit card away while Chase did the same. “Don’t thank me, bro, thank my sister. As far as I’m concerned, Shannon saved your butt, not us. Although I suppose we
did
earn that dinner, eh, Rev?”

“I know I sure did,” Chase said with a mock scowl, upending the rest of his water. “This is the second time I’ve had the girl of my dreams stolen away by some fast-talking joker. Truth be told, I’m glad both of you are off the market, although without Lacey or Shannon, there’s not too much catching my eye at the moment.”

Grinning, Jack slapped Chase on the back. “Cheer up, Chase, there’s always Cat,” he quipped, although Sam knew Jack would like nothing better than seeing his wayward sister corralled by the no-nonsense preacher.

“Yeah, sorry about that, Rev,” Sam said with a rueful grin, “but Jack’s right. Cat needs you way more than Shannon does, so the way I figure it, it all worked out the way it should.” He drew in a deep breath as he scratched the back of his head. “Or at least I hope it does …”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jack said, eyes in a squint.

“It means, O’Bryen, that like it or not …” Sam took his time answering while Emily delivered the ticket with a sultry smile, her close proximity making him uncomfortable with a woman for the first time in his life. He signed and handed it back with a polite smile, along with his usual healthy tip. When she left, he reached into his pocket to produce a velvet box, chuckling at Chase’s low whistle and the wide span of Jack’s eyes when Sam revealed a diamond ring. “I hope to become your brother-in-law in the not-too-distant future.”

“No kidding?” Jack jumped up to pump Sam’s hand, a contest as to whose grin was wider. “Does Shannon know?”

“Not a clue,” Sam said with a smug smile. A mix of pride and love swelled in his chest over the way he’d kept his relationship with Shannon aboveboard
and
kept her off the scent of a proposal despite seeing her every day for a month.

“I want to take my time to really get to know you, Shan,” he’d told her that night in the dory, even though he already suspected she was the one. And when they’d danced every single dance at Tess and Ben’s intimate garden wedding just last week, he’d known for a certainty he couldn’t wait much longer to make her his wife.

“So, when are you going to pop the question?” Chase wanted to know.

“Saturday night when we celebrate our official one-month anniversary. I know how much she loves to cook, so I thought I’d pull the stops out and take her to the 700 Kitchen Cooking School at Mansion on Forsyth Park.” He gave them a wink. “Already arranged with the chef for a surprise in her dinner roll, so I can’t wait to see her face.” He pocketed the ring and grinned like a fool. “And I can tell you right now, this will
not
be a long engagement if I have any say.”

Chase cuffed Sam’s shoulder. “I’m happy for you, man, and I sure hope I have the honor of officially ending your illustrious career as Dr. Love.”

Sam chuckled as he put his credit card back in his wallet, shooting Chase a wicked grin. “Oh, I’ll still be Dr. Love, Rev, but I’ll only be making house calls for one woman.”

“Good to know, Ham.” Jack rose to his feet, one side of his mouth inching up in a wry smile. “Because I’d really hate to mess up the pretty face of one of my best buds and brother-in-law.” He pushed in his chair. “And speaking of house calls,” he said with a glance at his watch, “I’m late for mine right now.”

Following suit, Chase stood as well. “I’m afraid I need to head out, too, Sam—early meeting with the board.” He eased his chair in with a crooked smile. “I don’t have the practice of burning the candles at both ends like you, Doc.”

Sam laughed while he checked his phone. “Yeah, well the fires on both ends have been effectively doused, I assure you, by both you and Shan.” His smile skewed as he returned a text. “And I’d be leaving, too, if I hadn’t promised two college buddies I’d meet them for a drink, trust me.”

“Don’t forget Augustine’s in early tomorrow, bro, so not too late if you value your job.” Jack pinched Sam’s shoulder on his way out. “Thanks for dinner, Sam, and I couldn’t be happier with the news.”

“Me too, Doc.” Chase offered a quick handshake. “Appreciate the dinner—the best I’ve had in months. But then a pastor can’t afford what you high-rollers can.”

“Can I get you anything else, Dr. Cunningham?”

Sam glanced up in surprise, wondering how Emily knew he was a physician.

She gave a slight shrug, her megawatt smile putting him on-guard. “Your friends kept calling you ‘Doc,’ so I just assumed.”

Sam quickly rose. “Actually, I’d love a cappuccino, Em, out on the terrace if that’s okay. I’m meeting more friends in a few minutes.”

“Absolutely, Doc.” Her head tipped in question. “And … anything for your ‘friends’?” The question seemed to beg an answer as to whether his friends were male or female.

Sam paused, wondering if Reece still put away the Wild Turkey like he used to. No doubt, Zach was still hooked on Bud Light. “Yeah, Em, thanks for asking—bring me a Wild Turkey on the rocks and a Bud Light too, if you will.”

“Sure thing, Sam,” she said softly, way too much familiarity in her tone. Her over-the-shoulder smile lingered as she headed for the bar, and he instantly made a beeline for the terrace, completely ruined for other women by the one girl he hoped to make his wife. Shannon was truly one of a kind, and gratitude instantly flooded his soul while moisture flooded his eyes. “Thank you, God,” he whispered as he made his way to the far end of the terrace.

Sinking into the plush cushions of a rattan sofa seating, he fixed his gaze on the Savannah Bridge at night. The cable-stayed bridge was all lit up like a grand lady adorned in glittering diamonds, and he couldn’t count the times he’d sat up here with various women. But not once had he truly appreciated the beauty of Savannah’s historic riverfront. With a tangerine moon drizzling over an indigo river, the distant call of foghorns merged with the pungent smell of the salt marshes that so reminded him of the ocean mere miles away. But tonight, he saw and heard it all as if for the very first time, suddenly painfully aware how empty his life had been.

Before Shannon.

“Here you go, Sam, one cappuccino, a Wild Turkey on the rocks, and a Bud Light.” Emily bent over to set the drinks down, providing an ample view of her V-neck halter and a killer smile. “How about something sweet to go with that coffee, Doc?” she asked, her voice suddenly husky and low.

Patting the washboard stomach he worked so hard to maintain, he tempered his smile to cordial. “No, thanks, Emily, couldn’t eat another thing.”

“I wasn’t talking about food, Doc,” she whispered, slipping a piece of paper with what looked like a phone number on it under the Wild Turkey. “I get off at eleven if you change your mind.” Tossing him a secret smile that carried all the way to the door, she disappeared back inside, and Sam shook his head, amazed he’d ever been attracted to women who came on to him like that.

“The hot girls are still hitting on you, I see,” a familiar voice said with a chuckle that harbored a trace of envy. “Bet you have to carry a stick now that you have your MD.”

Sam glanced up to see two of his fraternity brothers approach with lurid grins, taking him back to college days when he took full advantage of women who hit on him back then. He hadn’t been a player until Amber betrayed him, having an affair with her professor while she wore Sam’s two-bit diamond ring. From that point on, he took whatever women were willing to give, and the lewd looks on Zach’s and Reece’s faces reminded him it had been plenty. The thought made him feel both nauseous and dirty at the same time, and never had he craved a hot shower more.

“Naw,” Sam said as he stood to shake their hands, “she’s just hoping to boost her tip.”

Zach elbowed Reece with a snicker. “Yeah, I’ll bet she is—delivered personally to her apartment.”

“You guys haven’t changed a bit, you know that?” Sam sat back down and lifted his cup in a toast. “But it’s still good to see you. What are you two clowns doing in Savannah anyway?”

That’s all it took to unleash ten years of crazy catch-up, nearly bringing Sam to tears with laughter, reminding him just why he’d been friends with two of the fraternity’s funniest guys. They’d made him laugh and forget while he made them popular with the ladies, a trade-off that had served them all well.

He learned they were married to sisters and each had two kids, although it sure didn’t show in their actions when Emily delivered more drinks and another cappuccino. They practically drooled, as if one out-of-town trip had dropkicked them right back into college.

“So, enough about us mortals,” Reece finally said, giving Emily a wink when she delivered his third Wild Turkey, “I want to hear how the Greek gods live, Ham, so fill us in.”

Taking a careful sip of his third cappuccino, Sam paused, well aware there was a time when he would have dazzled them with his conquests of women, but just the thought of that now left a bad taste in his mouth. So he told them how much he loved practicing medicine instead, and the satisfaction of giving back to society with the volunteer work that he did.

Reece guzzled half of his drink while he slid Sam a knowing look. “Sounds good, man, but that’s not the kind of ‘satisfaction’ we want to hear about, Ham, and you know it. Have a heart, man—Zach and I have a ball and chain now, so we want to see how the other half lives.”

“Yeah, dude,” Zach said with a lift of his beer, “I’ll bet your bedroom has a revolving door, so fill us in.”

Rarely did Sam ever blush, but he could feel the heat crawling up his neck right now, singeing his skin with both shame and disgust. He set his cup down and sat back with a stiff fold of arms, as if he could ward off the regret that kept slamming his conscience. “Actually, I’m about to get engaged, I hope, so my days as a player have officially come to an end.”

“Seriously?” Reece stared in disbelief, half-empty glass mid-air.

“Seriously.” Sam draped an arm over the back of the rattan sofa, striving for a calm and casual air that didn’t come easy with three cappuccinos jacking him up. “I met the woman of my dreams, so I’m done with the whole singles façade, and happily so.”

“No kidding,” Zach said with a grin. “Well, what do you know—life
is
fair! Congratulations, Sam. She must be some girl.”

“Oh, she is, trust me.” He could no more stop the goofy grin from his face than he could stop the flow of the river below. “She’s one of a kind—sweet, smart—”

“And hot?” Reece upended his drink with a sly smile.

Sam laughed. “What do you think, Reece?”

“I’m guessing she’s the hottest thing in Savannah, knowing you, Ham.”

Jasmine’s image suddenly popped in his mind, and Sam reached for his coffee, shocked that the notion of a well-stacked knockout no longer appealed. “She is,” he said quietly, “a true beauty on the inside and out, and I’m a very lucky man.” Thinking of Shannon, he smiled, rib cage expanding with pride that she belonged to him. “And you know the best part?” He glanced up with a sincerity he had never shared with the two men before. “She’s the purest woman I have ever met, body and soul.”

Reece almost spit out his drink. “Pure? Dating you? I don’t believe it.”

“Wait …” Zach stared, eyes gaping. “You mean you two don’t—?”

“Nope,” Sam said, quickly cutting him off. “She’s a woman of faith, man, and she’s opened my eyes to it too.” He lifted his cup in a toast. “And to be honest? I’ve never been happier.”

“Wow, man, that’s great.” Reece waved Emily down, wagging his empty glass in the air. “So, what’s this angel’s name? Mother Teresa?”