Romancing the Storm: Second Chances (9 page)

Blaine comes home for a visit around the holidays. He stops by and Judah and I are cooking supper, apparently living together, happily oblivious to anyone else. I invite Blaine in and he gives me a wistful smile as he looks around seeing Judah’s things strewed about the living room. I keep my distance as I continue cooking our meal.

“I wanted to be the first to tell you. I’m getting married next month to Neesha,” Blaine says and looks down sheepishly.

“Well, that’s good news, right Judah?” I say trying to sound chipper. I can tell Blaine has more to say the way he’s hem hawing about doing it.

“Are you happy?” I ask.

“Yes, I am. We are. There’s uh, something else. She’s, uh, expecting. Our baby is on the way,” Blaine says and his face blushes a deep red.

“Okay, well it’s good you plan to marry her then. Is she still in Africa then?” I ask.

“Yes, she’s traveled to Johannesburg where she’s staying with her father so she can be close to a hospital,” Blaine says swinging his eyes up to mine.

“Oh wow. Problem pregnancy this early?” I ask innocently.

“Well, she’s further along. She’s due April 10,” Blaine says. There it is, the confession.

I add in my head and realize he had been with her from the very beginning. He was with her while I was sitting at home crying over his absence. He probably screwed her many times over before he came back home. I pined away the entire summer staying away from the one man I do love to wait for a guy who cheated on me in Africa.

“You cheated on me?” I say without thinking.

Blaine shakes his head. “It wasn’t like that. It was one time only. A hot night, a little too much to drink. It just happened, just the once,” Blaine explains.

“What if I had gone with you? What then?” I am angry now. Hurt and angry. Judah walks up to me and puts his hand on my shoulder.

“Let it go,” Judah says.

My eyes flash from Blaine to Judah. “You’re right. It doesn’t matter now,” I say to Judah and smile. “But last summer while we were good at the island and I was saving myself for my then boyfriend, he was in Africa knocking up a girl. That could have mattered a lot had I gone to Africa with him.”

“Look, Gracie, it happened just the once. When I came home, I didn’t know. Honest. Had I known I would not have asked you to come back with me,” Blaine says.

“If I recall, it was me who begged to go.”

“And I was good with that. You had your bags ready to board the plane. You decided to go with Judah instead. I’m surprised really you hadn’t already been with him anyway,” Blaine says.

“Gracelyn and I did not get together until she sent you packing the second time to Africa. She never once cheated on you, man. I wanted her to, I admit that. I’ve been in love with her forever. But she held out hope all summer for you. I’m just thankful she chose me. You just go back to Africa and your knocked-up girlfriend and marry her as you want. Do the right thing, be a man. What a horrible situation you would have created if Grace had gone back with you,” Judah says.

I take a deep breath and look at Blaine. “It’s okay. You obviously care for her, love her perhaps. You weren’t too broken up when I didn’t board that plane,” I say.

“No, because he had a piece waiting for him there,” Judah says. I shoot him a look silently telling him to stop talking. He grins and looks down at the counter and continues working on our meal.

“I’m sorry Grace. I never meant to hurt you. I’ve told you the truth here. I am doing the right thing and marrying Neesha. I’m happy for you and Judah as well. It seems you’ve made yourself a beautiful home here with him,” Blaine says and turns to leave.

“I’m not living with her, you idiot. We’re just having supper. You see I plan to do the right thing before it’s a have to situation,” Judah says delivering the last punch with his words.

Blaine just nods and heads for the door. I feel badly for him suddenly and rush forward. I turn to Judah before exiting the house. “Closure, I need closure,” I say and proceed out the door after Blaine.

Blaine slows and turns to me. “He’s very protective of you. Always has been. Probably better than I could ever be. Gracie, I sincerely wish you the best. I’m sorry if I hurt you. I didn’t mean to. And honestly, if she hadn’t gotten pregnant, I don’t know if we’d be together right now or not. It happened and I’m going to do the responsible thing,” Blaine says.

I smile wistfully. At one time, I gave this man all of my heart. Now the man inside cooking my supper has it, but I still have vague feelings for Blaine as well. I playfully punch his arm. “I wish you and Neesha the best. I hope it works out. Good luck with your child, do you know what you’re having?”

“No, she’ll find out next month,” Blaine says as his face lights up talking about it.

“Then go, be with her. Be blessed in all you do. I hold no grudges against you. I’m quite happy and with the man I should have been with all along,” I say as I nod back towards the house.

Judah steps out having heard what I just said and I’m glad. He walks up to stand beside me. Blaine nods and leaves. While I feel a small twinge of sadness at a relationship entirely over I turn to the man who makes me happier than anyone else in the world. Together we climb the steps on my porch and finish our supper.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Our first Christmas as a couple comes with family home for the holidays. Judah steps in and joins our family without missing a beat, which I love. We part each sleeping in our own homes during this time, but the moment we’re awake, we’re together. I love the attention he lavishes on me and my parents love him as well. He seems to do it all right in their eyes. They felt Blaine too slick for me anyway.

We invite Judah and his father, James Pearce, for Christmas Eve supper. Judah shows up wearing a suit and tie, quite a shocking difference from what he usually wears. I smile as I walk to him. I’m wearing a black skirt with a red sweater and my black leather boots.

“Well, don’t you shine up nicely? Look at you. Why so formal?” I ask as I do a once over at Judah’s attire. I hug him close.

“It’s a special occasion,” Judah says as he beams a smile to my father. They shake hands and exchange a look.

I narrow my eyes. “What’s going on?” I ask not missing a beat.

“Going on? Sweetheart, it’s Christmas Eve. It’s a special day. We gather together and enjoy each other’s company. Come on, let’s prepare for supper,” my father says as we follow him into the tiny kitchen where my mother busily creates her turkey and stuffing masterpiece.

“Mrs. Gregg,” Judah says nodding.

“Now you call me Pamela,” she says with a large grin. Now I know I’ve lost it. First name basis and formal wear. It just doesn’t jive.

At the supper table, my father holds up his glass of wine. “To my family, may they have a blessed year,” he says.

We hold our glasses up and exclaim, “Here, here.”

Judah has a sheepish smile on his face and everyone keeps glancing sideways at me as if waiting to see how I’m going to react. I shake my head and we finish our meal and gather in the small living room to open gifts. Even James keeps looking from Judah to me with some secret anticipation.

“Okay, time for gifts, me first,” I say as I start to hand everyone a gift from me. We take turns one at a time opening gifts. I gave Judah a pair of warm gloves for all of his outings and a year’s membership with a streaming movie service. I smile as he looks at it and winks at me. We love watching movies together.

Last of all Judah hands his gifts to everyone but me. I sit patiently on the sofa as each person opens theirs, ooing and awing over what they received. Then as if on cue all eyes settle on me as Judah stands to smile at me. His hands are shaking and he’s trying to catch his breath. The silly grins on each person’s face perplexes me. I look up at Judah expectantly, waiting for my gift.

Judah stands in front of me, his hand fishing around his coat pocket. Beads of sweat break out on his forehead. I give him a questioning look and smile. He smiles as he pulls his hand from his pocket holding a tiny gift, a black box with a mini gold bow. He goes down on one knee and smiles bigger.

My hand reaches up and covers my mouth as tears sting my eyes. Judah swallows hard and nods to his hands. He gives the tiny box to me. I gingerly take it, my eyes glued to his. He nods again indicating for me to open it. I slowly lift the lid and see a pristine solitaire diamond ring sparkling from within. All eyes are on me.

Judah clears his throat. “Gracelyn Gregg, will you marry me and make me the happiest man on earth?”

I burst out into a huge grin amidst the tears that now freely fall from my eyes. “Yes,” I manage to say as he grabs the box and pulls the ring out. He slides it over my ring finger with shaky hands. I fling my arms around his neck and we both cry.

My mother has tears in her eyes and my father and Judah’s dad beams a bright knowing smile. “You all knew,” I say to the parents.

“Yes, Judah came over when we first arrived and asked for your hand,” my dad says.

“Of course we gave our blessing,” my mother says.

I smile at my handsome Judah and look at my ring, shining bright on my finger, a perfect fit. “This is the best Christmas ever,” I say and kiss him.

* * *

We marry in the following June in the park among family and friends. He leaves his little apartment on the edge of town and we set up housekeeping in my little home. I acquired a first grade teaching position at the school as a full time employee starting in September. We head south for our honeymoon, to Miami and to our little deserted island. The owner rebuilt the hut into a bunker. The generator hums outside as we enjoy our first nights as husband and wife. We make the trek to the little cave behind the water fall and spend a night there remembering last summer. I have the time of my life with the man I love, my best friend, my Judah.

Alana Hart

Alana Hart is an American romance writer who decided that writing with friends is better than writing alone.  Hartfelt Books brings together a huge group of sweet and steamy romance authors, collaborating on a new line of books that will have your heart pounding.

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Alana Claire

Alana Claire loves to write books. Sensual descriptions and romance are a favorite of hers. She loves to come up with stories that step outside the box. Steamy romances are one of her favorite genres.
 

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