Taking the Fall (42 page)

Her eyes widened at his unusual clarification.

“Yet?” she whispered wanting to continue her disappointment with him but unable to when she saw the pure happiness on his face.

Her mind wandered to a promise he had made to her six months ago, a promise she accepted, here at this very spot.

I’m asking you to always look forward with me and accept that my job from this day forward is to make you and our three girls happy. Every day, every minute, with everything in my being, as long as there is breath in my chest.

She watched and felt as he enforced without words a reminder of that promise, when he placed her hand on his chest. She felt his chest move up and down.

She knew he could tell the moment her resolve for anger turned into acceptance because it was a moment before she knew it.

“May I have it?” she said, reaching up on tiptoes and placing her lips against his.

“Yes.”

It was a simple word, but one that brought both of them great happiness.

Hunter walked toward their bench and stopped several feet after it. Molly looked at him for understanding but just followed where his finger pointed. There, in the grass, unseen to the unknown eye, was a small granite plaque, a marker, on the ground.

In the same etched black font as the bench were three simple words—

Before Molly could turn to show him her appreciation, her eyes found the next one a yard further, this one had an artistic impression of a rose bud.

Soon her body was following the secret curved path into the tree line. Molly easily found the granite marker with Jessica’s name. With each new finding, Molly’s smile and heart grew. Leah’s maker was next and then Sammy’s, then she found one more. It only had a date inscribed on it, their wedding day.

Then she saw the hidden bench. It was built the same as the other, but this one seemed more special because it was meant just for her.

There was a large silver tube with a white bow sitting on the top of the bench. Molly reached for it and wondered why she doubted her surprise when she saw the bench too was engraved.

She read the lines of words three or four times, each time harder than the last because the new set of tears that filled her eyes.

Hunter once more wrapped his arms around her from behind and crooned sweet words of love into her ear. Then he read the words to her in the quietest of whispers.

Hearing Hunter speaking the words of his love, which he engraved for all time in stone, was Molly’s undoing.

She twirled in his arms, weaving her arms around his neck and bringing his wonderful mouth to hers.

His hands roamed and soon she couldn’t tell you if they were still there in the park or if she had been transported directly to heaven because, honestly, it wouldn’t matter if they were surrounded by flames and misery, as long as she was within Hunter’s arms, it couldn’t be anything but heaven.

With one, no he lied, two more sweet kisses to her lips, Hunter leaned back only slightly with his wide smile and his gorgeous dimple shining bright just for her.

“One more gift, and I promise, no more . . . today.”

Molly brought the tube she was holding around to his front so she could unscrew the cover in the space between them. With his helpful hands, she removed the rolled white paper that was its entire content as Hunter took the tube and placed it on the ground.

Molly looked at the beautiful drawing and knew her eyes may just never know dryness again.

It was a perfectly hand-drawn colorful picture of the restaurant but instead of the empty sidewalk space and paved alleyway, there was now a small black gate with numerous basket-weaved black wrought iron tables and chairs. Large green and white umbrellas filled the higher air all with an embossed
M.
The beautiful drawing showed hand laid granite paving stones in different hues of gray tying the whole outside renovation together.

She couldn’t seem to bring her eyes from the picture that was everything she’d dreamed of for an outdoor bistro.

Hunter placed his hand under her chin, demanding her water filled green eyes look directly into his.

“I knew when you reconstructed the restaurant after the fire and you kept it the same for your parents’ legacy, you weren’t exactly true to yourself. You love the outdoors, so why shouldn’t your restaurant have what you want.”

She only had ever mentioned her secret intentions but once with him, but as always, only once was all that Hunter found necessary.

“Nothing is set in stone, but I thought come spring, we could complete
Molly’s
to be everything you want it to be.”

Molly looked back down at the perfect picture once more and knew he had truly had given her everything.

When she was sure her corneas memorized the exact replica of what was in her mind all along, she rolled the drawing back up and leaned her forehead against his chest.

“Beautiful?”

With another confirmation of the beat of his heart, she looked into the blue eyes that forever will see directly through to her soul and said, “It is apparently set in stone.”

Hunter raised his hands, cupping her face, and said, “No, beautiful, it was just a thought . . .”

But she found great pleasure in his complete look of confusion when she smiled and giggled. “No, your promise and love for me is not only engraved right there in stone,” she indicated the benches but she also then pointed to her heart, “but they are also forever engraved right here.”

With another kiss that was deep and full of promise, Hunter and Molly both held on to each other, as they sat for a moment before starting the trek back to the Jeep so they could head to the airport, to their wedding, and to the first day of the rest of their lives.

And as Molly reached up on tiptoes one last time, leaving a kiss on Hunter’s lips before climbing into the Jeep to start their next great adventure, she realized through heartache and pain came an understanding of pure unadulterated love that she was sure could never have existed without the first.

She knew that the love she felt for Hunter was worth the freefall that was the first half of her life. And even though she would never wish that part of her life didn’t exist, she knew the rest of her life wouldn’t be about getting what she was owed but rather about taking the fall with open eyes, a full heart, and unrelenting trust to know as long as she had him and their girls then she had everything.

Hamden Series

Three of Hearts

Three of Spades

Three of Diamonds

Breaking Spades

Dennison Series

Afraid to Fall

Facebook:
 
https://www.facebook.com/BooksByWFerraro

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AuthorWFerraro

Pinterest:
http://www.pinterest.com/wferraro/

Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/W.-Ferraro/e/B00D0YJN6U/

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6566069.W_Ferraro

Excerpt: Love Deeply by Valentina Belle –
Coming Summer 2015

Chapter 1

~ SHANE ~

Of all the bars, she has to walk into mine. It is a slow day, which is typical, considering the vacation season doesn’t begin until next week. The only people you see around here now are the locals. She is the last person I ever expected to see when those doors opened. She left so abruptly four years ago, and I haven’t heard from her since. She never even reached out to ask why. I was sure I would never see her again; never mind coming back to Grace Beach. I did a fine job pretending to put her out of my mind since she left, but now that she is standing in front of me, more beautiful than I remember, I know I can’t let her walk out of my life again. She is petite but has legs that look as if they could go on for miles when she wears shorts or a skirt, like she is now. She is thin, but has curves in all the right places. Her dark brown hair is still long and flows softly down her back and frames her face, enhancing her caramel brown eyes. Her lips are lush and pink and ready to be kissed. She is laughing and smiling with her friend. Her smile was always illuminating, lighting up the darkest of places. “You see who walked in?” Erica asks. She is working behind the bar and hands me a shot of tequila. “Figured you might need this.” I nod, running my hand through my hair. “I see,” I say, never taking my eyes off of her. I take the shot of tequila, placing the empty glass on the bar. “Whatever she orders, it’s on me,” I instruct her and she nods her understanding. I watch as Isabelle and her friend, a blonde girl that I have never seen before, walk over to the bar. Not much has changed about her, she still lights up when she smiles. She looks happy and I wonder if that will all change when she sees me.