The Reunion: Shelby's Chance Meeting (Starting Over Series) (6 page)

“
He
’
s great. I left the kids with Kenny so they could still get to spend some time with him
…”
she said looking around.
“
Shouldn
’
t we start the elevator again?
”

“
I just wanted a moment alone with you,
”
he said softly.

“
Really? Why?
”

“
Because I wanted to do this,
”
he said in soft tones as he stepped forward and pressed the most passionate kiss she
’
d ever felt to her lips. Pushed against the wall of the elevator, his hands framed her face. Her legs felt limp as his tongue darted into her mouth with a force that made her feel weak inside.

When he finally pulled back from her kiss-swollen lips, she stared up at him in astonishment.

“
Was that okay?
”
he asked looking worried.
“
I hope I didn
’
t overstep my bounds
…”

“
I was just shocked,
”
she said with a sly smile.
“
I haven
’
t kissed anyone other than Kenny since I was fifteen years old
…”

“
And?
”

“
Fabulous,
”
she said grinning as she reached up and pulled his lips back to hers. For once in her life, she felt like a bad girl kissing a guy in an elevator. When she finally came up for air, she looked at him.
“
I thought you were on a lunch date?
”

“
Date? No. It was my Aunt Katherine. Is that what Becky said?
”
he asked with a smirk.

“
Yes. I thought
…”

“
Shelby, you are the only woman who has interested me in a long time. I have been dying to see you again, but I knew I had to give you the space and time you needed to be a mom to Austin and Elena after his accident. When I saw you, I was so excited I couldn
’
t help but kiss you
…”

He pulled her hand and she fell into his embrace. Her face was pressed against his chest, and his cologne overwhelmed her senses.
“
Thank you,
”
was all she could say.

“
For what?
”

“
For wanting me,
”
she said looking up at him.
“
You know I have to take this slow, right?
”

“
Of course. You have kids, and that matters the most,
”
he said pressing a kiss to her head.
“
I guess I
’
d better start the elevator before they call the fire department,
”
he said laughing.

Shelby stepped back as he reached over to press the button.

“
So, where do we go from here?
”
she asked with a coy grin.

“
I would think we might want to go on an actual date,
”
he said laughing at the way they had reversed a typical relationship.

“
Brian, you aren
’
t doing it right!
”
Elena said giggling as Brian strung the Christmas lights around his head. Months had passed since Shelby had introduced him to her kids.

Thankfully, he gratefully took on the role of friend to the kids rather than trying to be a father figure. He knew the kids adored their father, and he had no ambitions to change that at all. The kids enjoyed spending time with him too. He was more fun loving than Shelby had imagined, and she enjoyed seeing them clown around with Brian.

Shelby was delighted when she found out that Kenny was also dating. He
’
d met a nice woman who owned a horse farm near his family
’
s farm, and they seemed perfect for each other. She really wanted the best for him, as he did for her. They had both learned they were great as a couple during the first half of their lives, but they were not meant for one another during the second half.

“
Kids, the cookies are ready!
”
Shelby yelled from the kitchen. The smell of gingerbread wafted through the house as the kids ran to the table to ice them. The sound of a big, happy family gave Shelby joy as she had missed hearing the laughter in her home.

Shelby walked around the corner while the kids were busy decorating the cookies and saw Brian sitting on the sofa staring at the half decorated Christmas tree.

“
Whatcha doin
’
?
”
she asked as she sat down across his lap.

“
Just thinking,
”
he said softly.

“
About what?
”

“
Where I was this time last year.
”

“
And where was that?
”
she asked as she nuzzled her head down to his chest.

“
I was alone in my big apartment looking across the city at the Christmas lights wondering where my perfect woman was. Little did I know she was about to be brought into my life by one of my own worker
’
s poor driving abilities,
”
he said with a chuckle.

“
I
’
m your perfect woman?
”
she asked sitting up and looking at him.

“
Seriously? You have to ask?
”

“
Brian, you could have had your pick of women all over the world
…”

“
And I picked you. I would always pick you, Shelby. And the fact that I get to hang out with your two wonderful kids is just an added bonus,
”
he said smiling.

“
They really do love you,
”
she said.

“
And I love them. And I love you.
”
It was the first time he
’
d said it to her and she stopped in her tracks.

“
You do?
”
she asked barely able to contain her big grin.

“
Of course I do. I thought you knew that already!
”
He poked her in the side where he knew she was ticklish.

“
I never assume anything,
”
she said softly.

“
Okay, then let me make it abundantly clear. I love you, Shelby Ashwood. You are beautiful, smart, sassy and kind. I adore your kids, and I think you are a wonderful mother and a good little cook,
”
he said laughing at the end.

“
And I love you too, Brian Chadwick. You are intelligent, sweet and you have a tight little butt. Plus, I love that you are so great with my kids,
”
she said grinning as she planted a big kiss on his lips.

“
Gross!
”
Austin said peeking around from the kitchen.
“
You guys are too old to be doing that stuff!
”
Elena giggled from the kitchen table. Austin went back to sit down and continued decorating cookies.

“
We need some alone time,
”
Brian whispered in her ear. She smiled a knowing smile. They hadn
’
t been intimate yet because Shelby wanted to wait to make sure it was a real relationship. She
’
d never been with another man, and though she was excited to be with Brian, she was terrified. Everything she knew about sex, she
’
d learned from Kenny. And, to be honest, he
’
d learned right along with her.

What if she wasn
’
t good? What if she didn
’
t compare to other women?

“
Can I ask you something?
”
she said.

“
Sure.
”

“
And be totally honest
…
Are you at all worried that I won
’
t live up to your standards? I mean, you have a lot more experience than I do
…”
she said looking down and blushing at the question.

“
Shelby, I am not worried at all. I want to be with you, and if you are even slightly as good at other stuff as you are at kissing, then I might have a hard time keeping up with you,
”
he whispered in her ear.

“
Cookies are decorated!
”
Elena yelled from the kitchen.
“
Can we eat them now?
”

Shelby hung her head in defeat as she chuckled at the kids
’
ability to interrupt romance.

“
Eat all you want!
”
Brian yelled while holding his hand over Shelby
’
s mouth.

Two years had finally passed since the four nursing school friends had gotten together for their fifteenth reunion. As Shelby made her way up the sidewalk in front of the hotel, she wondered what had become of her three friends. Did they find love?

As she entered the restaurant, she could already see Ashley, Claire and Emma sitting at a table waving her over. She smiled and waved at them as she approached the table. The first thing she noticed was Ashley
’
s very pregnant belly.

“
Oh, my God! You
’
re pregnant!
”
Shelby exclaimed as she touched Ashley
’
s swollen midsection before hugging her.
“
I guess we know your story has a happy ending!
”

As the women sat down and shared their personal stories, each one had a smile planted on her face the whole time. Shelby could not believe how lucky and blessed they had all been in their journeys over the last two years.

“
I missed talking to you ladies. I so wanted to call you all up and tell you about Parker,
”
Ashley said.
“
He is amazing. You all have to come up and stay with us sometime.
”

“
We would love to,
”
Shelby said.
“
Brian and the kids would love to do a little fishing in the mountains.
”

“
Claire, I am so glad your house is back to normal from the tornado. That must have been terrifying,
”
Emma said.

“
It was. But, you know I can
’
t be sorry it happened. That
’
s how I found my Jack,
”
she said swooning.