Love Inspired December 2014 - Box Set 1 of 2: A Rancher for Christmas\Her Montana Christmas\An Amish Christmas Journey\Yuletide Baby (72 page)

“Okay, I'm obviously slow, so you're going to have to lead me to water by the nose. I asked you to marry me. So how is it that you don't think I'm in love with you, exactly?”

She laughed through her teeth, a dry hiss. “You didn't say so when you proposed, for starters.”

“What do you mean I didn't—” He stopped dead in the middle of the sentence as the realization hit him like a bullet in the chest. “I didn't.” He rubbed his hands down his face and groaned. “I didn't, did I?”

Heather drew back.

He slid off the sofa and crouched in front of her, framing her face in his hands. “Honey, I'm an idiot. Forgive me.”

Her hazel eyes clouded with tears and Shawn felt like the biggest dolt in the world. He'd clumsily trampled over her feelings and now was at a loss as to how to undo his mistakes. He'd already caused her enough pain as it was.

“I'm so, so sorry. I was busy trying to prove to you that I could keep you guys safe, and then I go and neglect to mention the most important thing of all—that I love you.”

Hope flared in her irises, burnt orange turning gold, the color of sunrise.

“In my defense, it wasn't that I forgot to mention it, exactly. I am so crazy in love with you that it was a given in my mind and I thought it was written all over my face. For some reason I believed it was coming out of my mouth, when clearly it wasn't. My heart was doing backflips when I asked you to be my wife.”

She rubbed her lips together as if they'd suddenly become dry. She ran her hand over his eyes, down his nose, over his jaw, as if she were trying to memorize his face.

“I blew it before, but hear me now. There is nothing in this world I want more than to put a ring on your finger. Not because I have to, but because I want to. I offer my protection, yes, and my provision. But most of all I offer you my heart. You and the children. You're already my life. I hope I can be yours.”

She stared at him but didn't speak.

He couldn't swallow around his emotions. Love. Hope. Fear of rejection.

“You don't have to answer if you're not ready. And I know I pushed you too hard earlier today about setting a date. I was thinking about Adrian's threat to you, but he won't be bothering you any longer. We can take our time. Just—just please don't say no without thinking about it.”

She smiled then, and to Shawn it felt like the swelling of a symphony. “You silly man. You think I'm going to turn you down?”

“Well, you did say—”

“That was only because I thought you were asking out of a cockeyed sense of obligation to me.”

“Oh, I'm obligated, honey. Obligated to kiss your pretty lips. Often and thoroughly. I'm obligated to say ‘I love you' instead of rattling off my to-do lists. Obligated to give you my heart and my life.” He lowered his head to hers, hovering just above her lips. “But there is one thing I need from you in return.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. He'd never felt anything quite as perfect.

“Name it,” she whispered. “It's yours.
I'm
yours.”

“Yeah, that's the thing,” he said back, kissing her, and then kissing her again. “You never really answered me.”

Their foreheads met and she smiled into his lips.

“Then I'm answering now.
Yes.
”

Epilogue

R
ap. Rap. Rap.

Heather's pulse jumped, but it wasn't because someone was knocking on the door, or even because of who was on the other side.

Today was the day.

“Heather? You about ready?”

When Heather turned in her bustle to move to the door, Alexis gave a little squeal of distress and launched herself for the train of the white gown. Heather had thought a different color might be more appropriate, but Shawn had talked her into white. She had asked her new friends from church—Samantha Davenport, Mary Bishop and Alexis Haddon to stand up with her today.

“Sorry,” Heather said as she giggled, swinging the door open. They were tucked into one of the Sunday school rooms for final preparations.

Shawn's father beamed back at her. Six months sober and counting. He was still in rehab but had come out for the wedding today. To their delight, Kenneth had come clean after Shawn had called to tell him of the engagement. He'd said he wanted to be there for all of his grandkids, and so far, it appeared he was serious about the endeavor.

“Shawn sent me to tell you that curtain call's in fifteen minutes.” He wagged his eyebrows. “You're certain you're ready to get hitched to my son?”

“More than you could ever imagine,” she assured her soon-to-be father-in-law. “Is everything good to go on the other end?”

“I don't know about that,” Kenneth said with a laugh. “Shawn's practically jumping out of his skin, he's so anxious to tie the knot with you. I'm afraid he's going to pass out from too much adrenaline. You don't happen to have a paper bag on you, do you?”

“Sorry, no.”

“Just teasing, love. I'll get him to the altar, don't you worry none about that.”

“I appreciate it.” She smiled. She hadn't really been worried. “Tell Shawn I'll see him soon.”

Meeting Shawn at the altar couldn't come soon enough for her. She'd been dreaming about this day for months now. Shawn had insisted she plan every little thing. She would have been happy with just the two of them standing up in front of one of his pastor friends, but he'd insisted she have a “real” wedding, whatever that was. He wanted everything to be perfect for her on her special day. Before she knew it she was caught up in colors and caterers and floral bouquets.

All she cared about was having a real
marriage
, and she knew she was going to get that with Shawn. She was glad, though, that they'd waited, if only because the extra time meant she'd had the opportunity to start attending church, reacquainting herself with old friends and neighbors and meeting new ones.

They were all out there now, waiting to see their beloved pastor marry the love of his life. She supposed it was about time she made that happen.

It was only when she stood in the vestibule just outside the sanctuary that her nerves kicked in. She was more than a little anxious about stepping on her dress and falling on her face in front of everyone, but not a bit worried about joining her life to Shawn's.

There was no fear in love.

Samantha and Mary helped Henry, in a little white tux with his blond hair carefully slicked back, start up the aisle bearing the pillow on which their rings were bound. Next went Missy in her precious red flower-girl dress and carrying a basket of rose petals. Shawn had insisted on roses—it was the only real opinion he had on the wedding details other than the color of her dress.

With final giggles and well wishes, Samantha, Mary and Alexis drag-stepped down the aisle. Heather strained to see if she could catch a glimpse of Shawn, but he was standing off center and she couldn't see him. She knew once she looked into his eyes all would be well in her world.

She carefully released a breath and smiled at Jacob, who was pacing the vestibule and looking uncomfortable in his classic black tuxedo. Like Henry, he'd slicked his dark hair back, but a stubborn lock fell over his forehead. Jacob, like his future father, preferred life in jeans and boots to dressing up, but he was trying to be a good sport about it. Just for today.

“Ready to do this?” she asked him.

The boy's eyes gleamed. He stood tall and offered his arm to Heather.

“You look beautiful,” he murmured with an awkward grin.

“And you, sir, are unbelievably handsome. I'm so proud to have my son walking me down the aisle today.” The three children's adoptions were set to be finalized just after the first of the year, but in Heather's heart it was already a done deal.

The bridal march started and the congregation rose. Heather scanned the room, seeing a tidal wave of the joy-filled faces of her friends packing the entire sanctuary. The place was full to overflowing. Standing-room only.

Nerve-racking.

Thank You, Lord, for seeing me to this day, but please don't let me trip over my dress. Or my feet. Or my tongue.

She stepped into the aisle, straining to see Shawn. Where was he?

Fresh Christmas trees with twinkling lights from Emerson's Hardware lined the outside walls and poinsettias graced the altar, creating an intoxicating mixture of scents. The Christmas season would always carry a special place in their hearts, even without their anniversary falling deep in December.

Shawn stepped forward, into the middle of the aisle, and reached out his free hand to her. In the other he held Noelle, who'd grown considerably over the past few months. She was saying simple words and was near to taking her first step. Her little red dress matched Missy's, and she had roses threaded through her black curls.

Shawn's gaze met hers and she forgot to breathe. He was handsome in his work clothes—khakis and dress shirts—and even more so in jeans and boots and sporting that straw cowboy hat of his. But today, in a classic black tux and bolo tie, his black boots polished and shining, he was magnificent.

She reached his side and he wrapped his large, warm hand over hers. Kenneth took Noelle and deposited her into her birth mother's arms. Kristen had made a full and complete recovery, a blessing the doctors could not explain. She was now enrolled at a community college and had a job and an apartment, all of which Shawn and Heather had helped her acquire. It was wonderful and satisfying to see the teenager get on her feet. She'd asked—begged—for them to adopt Noelle, and so they'd met with a lawyer to see about an open adoption. Kristen visited them on weekends to get to know her daughter, and they were happy to have her.

After all the years of not wanting to wake up in the morning, Heather now couldn't wait for each day to begin. Holding the hand of the man she loved, surrounded by her family and friends, every day was an adventure, every second filled with love and joy.

The ceremony was kind of a blur to her. She couldn't think. She could only feel—overpowering love and emotion for the man standing at her side. She didn't hear a word anyone said until it was time for her to turn to Shawn so they could speak their vows to each other. He recited his vows to love and cherish her in the stout, persuasive voice of a natural-born orator, but she didn't need his words to be convinced.

He proclaimed his love for her with every smile, every gesture, every expression. And when she looked into his eyes, she could see forever.

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt from HER HOLIDAY FAMILY by Ruth Logan Herne.

Dear Reader,

What do you get when you combine rugged cowboys with
adorable babies? Why, my new series, of course! I'm so excited to present Cowboy
Country, where we'll adventure together back to Serendipity, Texas. If you've
read any of my previous Serendipity novels, you may catch a glimpse of some
familiar characters.

In
Yuletide Baby
, Heather and Shawn were both
survivors of wretched pasts and victims of others' bad choices. When their pasts
come back to disrupt their lives, they are only able to overcome and triumph
with God's help and by turning to each other.

Most of us battle some memories we'd rather forget. If you're
struggling to reconcile your past with your present circumstances, I hope you'll
be encouraged by Shawn and Heather's story and, with God's help, look to your
future with renewed hope. God's mercy is new every morning.

I hope you enjoyed
Yuletide Baby
. I love to connect
with you, my readers, in a personal way. You can look me up at
www.debkastnerbooks.com
. Come join me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/debkastnerbooks
, or you can catch me on Twitter,
@debkastner
.

Please know that you are daily in my prayers.

Love courageously,

Questions for Discussion

1. Why do you think Shawn believed he was unqualified to care for Noelle? What changed his mind?
   
2. Why do you think Noelle's mother left her at the church? Was it an act of love or selfishness?
   
3. In what ways, practical and spiritual, did the community step up to support Shawn, Heather and the foster children? What are some ways you can offer your support to someone in need?
   
4. How did Heather's abusive past affect her self-image? Has your self-image been impacted by any event or person? Was it positive or negative?
   
5. Why do you think Shawn continued to own his ranch even after he became the pastor of a church?
   
6. Why do you think Heather felt guilty about Adrian's driving accident?
   
7. Did you relate more to Shawn or Heather? Why?
   
8. How did David's accident affect Shawn as an adult?
   
9. Do you think Heather will ever be completely free of the trauma Adrian caused her?
   
10. In what ways was Noelle a blessing to Shawn?
    
11. Why do you think Missy's accident shook Shawn's faith in himself as a foster parent?
    
12. Why do you think Heather hesitated when Shawn proposed to her?
    
13. What are some of the challenges Shawn and Heather had as single parents? How will this change when they become a blended family?
    
14. What made you pick up this book? Title? Author? Cover?
    
15. Does this novel have a takeaway value? Can you define it? Does it apply to your life?