Not Until This Moment: Novella (Hope Springs Book 2)

by Valerie M. Bodden

  “So what’s up with the humming?” Leah shoved the rest of the heart into her mouth.

  Peyton shrugged. “Just happy, I guess.”

  She shouldn’t be, really. Every time she thought of Jared, she still felt a lingering ache. But she was content with her decision to wait on the Lord’s plan. She trusted that one way or another, he’d lead her to it—whatever it might be. She only hoped she’d recognize it when he did.

  “There.” She placed the last heart. “You want to help me get this to the cake table?” She checked the time. She was cutting this one closer to the start of the reception than she liked, but she’d wanted to get everything perfect for this couple’s Valentine’s Day wedding.

  “I’m happy for you.” Leah held the kitchen door open so Peyton could push the cart with the cake through.

  Fortunately, the swelling in her foot had gone down almost completely, and she could walk without limping at all.

  “Thanks. I am, too.” Peyton couldn’t help smiling as she gazed around the elegant ballroom. Thin copper hearts wrapped with white lights hung from the ceiling, and delicate red glass tea lights decorated each table. The whole room said love.

  Instead of the usual pang of jealousy, Peyton felt only a faint wistfulness. Maybe she’d have her own wedding like this someday. But until then, she’d be content with this moment in her life.

  She wheeled the cart to the round table that had been set aside, waiting for Leah to take a position on the other end of the tray so they could transfer the six-layer cake. She took a deep breath. This was always the most nerve-wracking part of any wedding. One wobble and all her hard work would be destroyed—not to mention a wedding ruined.

  But they managed to transfer the cake without incident. After a few touch-ups with her scraper, Peyton was satisfied with her masterpiece.

  She gave Leah a quick hug. “I’ll get out of your hair now so you can finish up with the dinner prep.”

  Her friend studied her. “What are you doing tonight? You want me to come over when I’m done here? We can have an anti-Valentine’s Day or something.”

  But before Peyton could answer, Leah’s phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and rolled her eyes. “Hold that thought.”

  Peyton wandered among the tables as she waited for Leah to get off the phone.

  She couldn’t help smiling as she hummed another verse of her favorite Christian song. She appreciated Leah’s offer to keep her distracted tonight. But she didn’t need an anti-Valentine’s Day party.

  A year ago, she’d been sure she’d never be happy again. But surrendering herself to God’s will had filled her with a kind of joy she’d never known before.

  Not that it was easy or that it meant it didn’t hurt to let go of her own dreams.

  But it took away the constant pressure of trying to make things happen in her own time. The constant despair when things didn’t work out according to her plans.

  Leah bustled up behind her. “That was one of my waiters. Who was supposed to be here an hour ago. Calling to say he quit.” Leah hesitated. “I hate to ask—"

  But Peyton was already rolling up her sleeves. “Where do you need me?”

  Peyton stacked her tray with the last plates of cake. Her ankle had started to pulse from rushing around the reception hall all night delivering food and coffee and cake, but it had actually been kind of fun. Usually she was gone long before the cake was served, so she never got to see people’s reactions as they ate it. Plenty of people had told her after the fact how much they loved it, of course. But watching them actually savor it brought a whole new level of satisfaction.

  She lifted the tray to her shoulder. Miraculously, she’d made it through the night without dropping anything. Maybe some of her mother’s grace was finally manifesting in her.

  As she started across the ballroom toward the farthest table, she let herself observe the bride and groom at the front of the room. The groom was leaning toward his new wife, a huge smile lighting his face. After a second, she smiled, too, then burst into laughter.

  Peyton felt her own lips ease into a grin. She only knew the couple from the meetings they’d had to discuss their cake order, but they seemed sweet. She was glad everything had gone so perfectly for their special day.

  “Peyton!” The shout from behind her sounded strangely like Jared.

  She jumped and whirled toward it. The quick movement made the tray teeter on her arm. She threw up her other hand to steady it.

  But it was too late.

  One of the plates slid off. Peyton watched, helpless, as it hit the floor with a crash.

  She closed her eyes as every head in the room swiveled toward her.

  This was not happening.

  She had not just ruined this sweet couple’s wedding day.

  When she opened her eyes, they landed on Jared, who was barreling across the room, weaving between chairs as he made his way toward her. His face was set into an expression she didn’t recognize.

  But she didn’t have time for this right now. She had to get this mess cleaned up.

  “I’m sorry,” she mumbled to no one in particular as she stepped around the splattered cake and broken china. She needed a broom or a mop or something. Plus, she still had to deliver the rest of the cake slices on her tray.

  But Jared had shoved his way between the tables and blocked her path.

  “Peyton, wait.”

  “I have to clean this up, Jared.” She tried to keep her voice low so they wouldn’t create any more of a disturbance. “What are you even doing here?” As far as she knew, he didn’t know the bride and groom. And he wasn’t exactly dressed for a wedding in his jeans and polo shirt.

  “I went to your house, but you weren’t there, and I remembered you had a wedding, so I called around and . . .” He gestured to the room, his eyes widening as if he’d just noticed they had an audience. “I need to talk to you.”

  She tried to get past him, but there wasn’t enough room to step around him without smacking a guest in the head with her cake tray.

  “Jared, whatever it is, it’s going to have to wait.”

  “This has waited too long, Peyton. It can’t wait any longer.” He took the tray from her and gave it to a guest at the nearest table.

  “What are you—” But before she could comprehend what he was doing, he’d grabbed her hands and dropped to one knee in front of her.

  “Jared, what’s going on?” But then it dawned on her.

  Her bottom lip started to tremble. There was no way he was really going to do this.

  But he reached into his pocket and withdrew a white gold ring with a marquis cut diamond. The exact ring she’d looked at a thousand times in the jewelry store but had never mentioned to him.

  She was suddenly aware of the silence that had fallen in the room. A quick glance showed that everyone had turned toward them. She tried to tug her hand back. She was supposed to be working right now.

  But Jared squeezed her hand and slid closer. “Peyton, I didn’t think I’d ever ask any woman this question. I thought my past meant I was destined to live my life alone. But you showed me what love is. You showed me who I really am.”

  Somewhere in the back of her mind, Peyton was aware of all the eyes on them. But she couldn’t have walked away now if the building had been on fire. She had to know what he was going to say next.

  “I’ve been searching and searching for some grand plan. For some sign. But it turns out it was right in front of me all along. Because God’s plan is for me to honor and serve my wife.”

  She closed her eyes. She’d never thought she’d hear that word from his mouth.

  When she opened them again, his eyes were shimmering.

  He lifted her hand to his lips and dropped the lightest kiss there. “Peyton, will you let me honor and serve and love you all my days? Will you be my wife?”

  Peyton pressed her lips tight to hold back the flood of emotion. These were the words she’d prayed so long and so hard to
hear.

  But Jared had been set against marriage his entire life. He might think he was ready to commit to it, but how could she know for certain?

  Which was why she had to give him an answer that ripped at her own heart.

  “I don’t know.”

  Chapter 18

  The whole room seemed to spin, and Jared felt as if he’d floated up out of his body and was looking down on this wedding where some fool was pouring his heart out in front of a room full of strangers who were shifting uncomfortably in their seats.

  “You don’t know?” he managed to croak. How could this be happening? The one thing he’d been certain of was that Peyton wanted to marry. Now he was offering that, and she was saying no?

  Peyton pulled her hand back from his, and this time he let her.

  “I’m sorry, Jared,” she whispered, then spun toward the kitchen.

  He dropped his chin to his chest. He’d been so sure of this.

  Was still so sure.

  So why was he just sitting here?

  He pushed to his feet and ran after her. He was not going to lose her this time.

  Just as she was about to push the kitchen door open, he overtook her.

  “Peyton.”

  “Just go, Jared.” The tears on her cheeks almost broke him. He could see it in her eyes. She wanted to say yes, but she was afraid.

  “Please, Peyton. You have to understand something. The idea of marrying terrifies me.”

  She closed her eyes, and he rushed on before she could shut him out. “But you want to know what terrifies me more?”

  He waited for her to open her eyes again. To look into his. “The thought of not marrying you, of not spending my life as your husband—that terrifies me more than anything. Because I belong to you—heart, body, soul. I’ve prayed about this, Peyton. I’ve prayed for your future and for mine. For our future.”

  Her tears fell faster, and he moved closer, grasping her hands in his. “What is it?” he whispered, these words meant only for her.

  “What if you change your mind?”

  He lifted a hand to wipe at her tears, giving her a gentle smile. Didn’t she see? She had his heart. “The thing that scared me about marriage was making a promise I couldn’t keep. A promise to love you and protect you forever. But now I know that I couldn’t stop doing those things—ever. And I’m promising you, right here and right now―” He glanced over his shoulder to see that all eyes were still on them, then turned back to her, raising his voice so that everyone in the room would hear. “With all these people as my witnesses, I promise you that I will marry you one year from today. On your favorite day of the year.” He swallowed. “If you’ll have me.”

  The smile spread across her lips so slowly, he wasn’t sure if it was there at all at first.

  But then she laughed, a light laugh full of hope and joy. “Yes, Jared, I’ll marry you.”

  “You will?” He couldn’t move at first. He was sure he’d heard wrong. But she was still laughing and crying, and she held out her hand for the ring he still gripped in his.

  He stared at her hand, suddenly awestruck that this woman would have him. “Are you sure?”

  Behind them, a few people chuckled.

  “I’m positive.”

  He was sure everyone must be able to see the outline of his heart under his shirt because there was no way his chest could contain such joy. He slid the ring onto her finger. She looked at it for a second, then sprang forward and threw her arms around him.

  He wrapped his arms around her and leaned to whisper in her ear. “I love you.”

  She nodded against him. “I love you, too.”

  Behind them, the wedding guests burst into applause.

  “Congratulations,” someone said into the microphone. Jared assumed it was the groom, but he didn’t look.

  He couldn’t take his eyes off his future bride.

  He lowered his head and brought his lips to hers. The smile on her face when he pulled back strengthened something inside him. He would work every day for the rest of his life to keep that smile there.

  Starting with today.

  “I think I have a new favorite holiday.” He laced his fingers in hers.

  “Oh, yeah?” She tugged him into the kitchen and spun in his arms, tilting her face up toward his. “And what holiday would that be?” She was close enough that her breath skated lightly across his lips.

  He grinned and kissed her again. “Every day with you.”

  The End

  Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed Not Until This Moment, would you please let other readers know by posting a short review? Your review is a blessing to me as it helps other readers find new books. And it lets me know what you love and want to see more of. Thanks so much!

  And if you’re not ready to leave Hope Springs yet, I have good news: you don’t have to! You can read more sweet, emotional stories of faith and second chances in the other Hope Springs books. Get them in print or ebook on Amazon, or read free in Kindle Unlimited today! And if you haven’t yet gotten your free copy of Not Until Christmas, be sure to join my reader group to get your free book now. Click here to join.

  A sneak peek of Not Until You (Hope Springs Book 3)

  Nate squinted into the blinding expanse of the parking lot. Had the world always been this bright, or did it only seem that way after seeing it through bars and walls for the past seven years?

  His gaze roved the cars scattered throughout the lot. He’d written home to let his parents know today was his release date, but they’d never written back. Not that he’d expected a reply. After seven years without contact, a person kind of gave up.

  Still, he’d half hoped, half dreaded that at least one of them would be here to meet him. He had a grand total of ten dollars to his name. Which left him with the options of sleeping on a park bench tonight or hitchhiking the fifty miles back to his hometown.

  “Nathan.” There was no mistaking his father’s stern voice.

  Nate turned to find his dad standing several rows away. He probably couldn’t bring himself to come any closer to the building that proved his son was the worst kind of screw up. Dad looked older than the last time Nate had seen him, his once salt and pepper hair now all salt, his suit fitting him more loosely than it used to. He stood as stoic and unsmiling as ever, though.

  Nate forced himself to breathe as he approached his father. Forced himself to keep his shoulders straight and his chin up, the way Dad had drilled into him.

  Two feet in front of Dad, he stopped and held out his right hand. Dad looked at it a moment, then slapped a piece of paper into it.

  Nate flipped it over. A slow churn started in his gut.

  “A bus ticket?” He swallowed the bile rising at the back of his throat. The only thing that had gotten him through the past seven years was the promise of going home. Of making things right. Of making up for what he’d done.

  He’d work the rest of his life to do it if that’s what it took.

  “Get in the car. Your bus leaves in twenty minutes.” Dad disappeared into the driver’s door without another glance at Nate.

  Nate stood frozen a moment, then moved toward the passenger door. What had he expected? That Dad would welcome him home with open arms like some sort of long-lost son?

  The moment Nate closed his door, Dad backed out of the parking spot.

  “Can’t I at least see Mom first?” He pressed his lips together, trying to push down the emotion building in his chest. “And Kayla?”

  “The bus will take you to Hope Springs.”

  “Where?” Nate had never heard of the place. “Why?”

  But before Dad even threw him the dark look, Nate knew. He was being banished.

  “We just bought out a property management firm there.” Dad’s voice, the voice Nate had remembered for its resonance, was flatter than the cornfields that stretched in every direction around them. “It’s in pretty bad shape. You’re going to make it profitable. I expect weekly progress re
ports.”

  “Dad, I don’t want―”

  “Card’s in the suitcase.” Dad plowed on as if Nate hadn’t spoken. “There’s a law office next door. They have the key. At least one of our buildings has an empty apartment. You can live there.”

  “Dad―”

  “There’s a bag in the back.”

  Nate swiveled to look over his shoulder. A small suitcase rested on the backseat, as if Nate were going on some sort of vacation.

  “There are clothes in it. Some money.” Dad’s head didn’t move so much as a centimeter.

  “I don’t want money. I want―”

  “Frankly, Nathan, I don’t care what you want. This is what you get. You made your choices. Now you have to deal with the consequences.”

  Nate stared at Dad. Didn’t he think Nate knew that? That he’d spend the rest of his life living with the consequences of his actions?

  He wanted to argue. To plead. But he’d learned early on that once Dad’s mind was made up, nothing was going to change it.

  A sharp silence sliced the air between them. It took Nate two tries before he could open his mouth to tell Dad what he’d needed to say for seven years. “Dad, I know it’s not enough, but I want to say I’m sorry. I don’t expect you to forgive me. But you have to know, if I could trade places with Kayla, I would. I―”

  “But you can’t. And all the sorries in the world aren’t going to change that.” Still that flat voice. Anger would be better. Or sadness. Anything but this stony, emotionless man.

  “I know they’re not.” Nate said it so quietly he wasn’t sure Dad heard him. He made himself speak up. “Can you at least tell me how Kayla is?” Seven years with no word on his sister’s condition had been the worst part of his punishment.

  Dad’s jaw tightened. “You ruined her life, Nathan. And mine. Your mother’s. You expect me to sit here and chat with you like we’re old buddies?”

  “No, but―”

  “You know, Nathan, when I think about how excited we were when we learned your mother was expecting you― We thought you would be such a blessing.” He let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Some blessing. We’d have been better off if you’d never been born.”