Real Love

by Tracy Reed

  Jordan walked next to him with his chest inflated and excited to be witnessing his little brother’s transition to the next phase of his life. They stood next to Mike and turned to face the guests.

  Sean’s smile got wider as he watched Michelle walking Simon and Winnie down the aisle. Kyla had insisted they be dressed up for the occasion. Simon wore a black bow tie, and Winnie had a wide, red ribbon around her neck. Michelle stood on the bride’s side and gently commanded the dogs to sit.

  Zoë glided down the aisle to the surprise of the groom and the best man, fighting tears every step to the front. Once in place, she dabbed the corner of her eye and smiled even wider.

  The sound of the door to the suite opening, startled Kyla. She turned around and Corianne came barreling toward her.

  “We’re here,” Corianne hugged Kyla. “We’ll just sit in the back.”

  “No,” Kyla grabbed her wrist. Dexter went outside and sat down. Kyla looked around the suite. “Daddy, please get Camille.” Percy stepped out onto the terrace to get Camille.

  “Look at my big sister, you look beautiful.”

  “Thank you. I’m so glad you made it,” Kyla smiled.

  “Is there a problem?” Camille asked.

  “Camille, this is my sister. I need a bouquet.”

  “Ky, I don’t have to be up there, I’m just glad I made it.”

  “And, you wore the dress.” Corianne stepped back and turned around showing off the beautiful red gown Kyla had given her for Christmas. “You look beautiful.” Kyla brushed her little sister’s bangs to the side, like she did when they were young girls.

  “Thank you. I should have known something was up when you insisted I wear it tonight.”

  “Call it my one bridezilla moment.” They laughed.

  Camille walked over and handed Corianne a small bouquet of white roses. “Here you go.”

  “Thank you. We’d better get going before Sean thinks you’ve changed your mind.”

  Kyla leaned in and whispered, “We’re already married… shhh.” Corianne’s face lit up.

  “What?” She hugged her big sister.

  “Girls,” Percy called.

  “Yes, Daddy,” they said in unison, and Percy grabbed his chest. The sweet response took him back to when they were little girls.

  “Let’s go.”

  Corianne kissed Kyla on the cheek. “Take your time Sis, you deserve it.” She followed Camille out to the terrace and down the aisle, smiling at her brother-in-law.

  Camille signaled to Ryder, and he immediately began playing the song from Sean and Kyla’s rooftop date. Kyla and her dad stepped out onto the terrace and stood at the back of the aisle. She looked up at Sean, smiling wide.

  Kyla slowly walked down the aisle, savoring every moment as Corianne had instructed her. When she and her dad reached the front of the aisle, they stood still, waiting on their directions. She looked over at Sean and he winked at her. She felt the same warm sensation she felt on the night of their first wedding. Her dad patted her hand, waiting patiently for his cue to hand her over to Sean.

  “Everyone be seated. Who gives this woman to be wed to this man?” Mike asked.

  Percy cleared his throat and announced, “Her mother and I do.” He shook Sean’s hand and looked at Kyla. She smiled and it was like her entire childhood passed before his eyes. Fighting the tears sitting on his lower eyelids, he kissed her hand and placed it into Sean’s and took his seat.

  “Sean and Kyla, I’m going to do something a little different.” Mike walked around Sean and stood behind he and Kyla. “Now, turn around and face your family.” Mike stood to the side so everyone could see the bride and groom. “This isn’t how we rehearsed it. Aren’t they a beautiful couple?” He smiled as he looked at Sean and Kyla. “Shortly after Christmas, my beautiful wife DeeDee and I had dinner with some friends. After dinner we usually play cards, or Scrabble, or talk. But this time it was a little different. Instead of the usual, our friends had something else in mind…they wanted to get married.”

  “I knew it,” Zoë blurted out.

  “Me too,” Antonio jumped up and echoed.

  The guests attention was split between the two hecklers.

  “I’m sorry Mike, continue,” Zoë urged.

  Mike looked at Sean and Kyla, and they both smirked at him. Then they looked at their family and all the surprised looks staring back at them. Kyla squeezed Sean’s hand harder.

  “I’m not going to look at them while I share the rest of the story. I’m counting on you all to keep me safe.” He smiled. “I was helping DeeDee with dessert when Sean and Kyla came in and announced they wanted to get married. I wasn’t shocked, because they had already told us about the surprise we are experiencing right now. But what I didn’t realize until my wife nudged me really hard, was they meant right then.” He looked over his shoulder smiling at DeeDee. “My immediate response was no, but my wife convinced me it was the right thing to do. I know you are all probably feeling a mix of things…excitement, relief, joy, delight… at the same time, you’re a little upset because they kept it a secret. If I were sitting in your shoes, I’d be feeling the same emotions. “Who here isn’t shocked to know they’re married?”

  “Me,” Antonio blurted out. “My bad, sorry Rev, continue.”

  Mike looked around at all the raised hands. “Now, who here, when you heard they were dating were shocked because you thought they’d been dating a lot longer than they said?”

  The same hands were still up. He turned to face Sean and Kyla and back to the guests. “When DeeDee and I first met with them, we just knew they were a couple. It wasn’t until several months later that we found out they were just friends.”

  He looked around at all the smiles on the faces staring back at him. “Sean and Kyla managed to do something that takes most married couples years to do, they became friends. In fact, they’re each other’s best friend. Watching them has made me step up my game with my wife.”

  “Amen,” DeeDee echoed.

  “Thank you, Baby. Yes, Sean and Kyla eloped and went on their honeymoon. And yes, they could have sent an email or video message to everyone and said,“We did it,” and all of you would have been upset. Open your heart and look at it this way, they loved each of you so much, they wanted you to witness them pledging their love to each other, and that’s why we’re here tonight…to witness the next chapter in a beautiful love story.” He turned to face Sean and Kyla.

  Kyla mouthed the words, “Thank you.”

  “Okay, let’s get the show on the road. Sean and Kyla, turn and face each other. Sean.”

  “How do I follow that speech?” He stared at his wife searching for the right words. “The first time we did this, the words came easy. Now, I don’t know what to…” Kyla gently brushed the side of his face. He closed his eyes and leaned into her hand.

  “Just take your time, Baby.”

  He kissed the inside of her hand. “I love you. When I look at you, I understand the love King Solomon had for his beloved. Although it was her beauty that attracted him, it was her friendship that drew him to her heart. I was hesitant to take our relationship from friends to something more, because I was scared I’d lose my best friend if it didn’t work. You know things about me that only God knows. And it’s because I trust His plans for us, that I stand here today declaring I will always be your covering, your protector, your confidant, your friend, your partner and your lover. You are my beloved and I am yours.”

  “Wow,” Mike turned to Kyla. “Kyla.”

  “I asked God a simple question, why me? And He gave me a simple answer, because I said so. I thought there had to be some profound reason why He allowed this to happen. Then it came to me, it wasn’t that He allowed it to happen, it’s what He ordained to happen. We met a while ago, but it wasn’t until last year that our season had come. I admire your talent. I respect you as a man. I share your faith. I trust you to keep your word. I love your spirit. But most importantly, I submit my life to
you as ordered by God.”

  “That was beautiful.” Mike reached into his pocket for his handkerchief. “Forgive me. They kind of caught me off guard, again.” He paused. “Sean, take Kyla’s right hand. Sean, do you take this woman, whose right hand you now hold, to be your wedded wife, and do you promise before God and these witnesses, that you will be to her a true and devoted husband, true to her in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in prosperity and in adversity, and that forsaking all others you will keep yourself to her, and her only, until separated by death?”

  “I do.”

  “Kyla, do you take this man, whose right hand you now hold, to be your wedded husband, and do you promise before God and these witnesses that you will be to him a true and devoted wife, true to him in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in prosperity and in adversity, and that forsaking all others you will keep yourself to him, and him only, until separated by death?”

  “I do.”

  “Rings, please.” Cori and Jordan handed Mike the rings. “Sean, place the ring on Kyla’s left ring finger and repeat, with this ring, I thee wed.”

  He slid the ring onto her finger and repeated the vow. “Kyla, with this ring, I thee wed, again,” followed by a kiss on the inside of her hand.

  “Kyla, place the ring on Sean’s left ring finger and repeat, with this ring, I thee wed.”

  She slid the ring onto his finger and repeated the vow. “Sean, with this ring, I thee wed, again.” She lifted her head and smiled.

  “Let us all bow our heads. Father God, we come before You thanking You for this couple and their commitment to each other. We stand in agreement with them for a blessed and prosperous marriage. We bind and rebuke anything the devil may try to destroy this union You have commissioned. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. Sean and Kyla, in so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in holy matrimony, have promised your love for each other by these vows, I now declare you to be husband and wife, again. Congratulations, you may kiss your bride.”

  Sean lifted her veil, cupped her face in his hands and gently pressed his lips against hers, letting them linger. The sound of Winnie and Simon barking, startled them.

  “Thank you Simon and Winnie,” Mike smiled.

  Kyla reached up to wipe her lipstick from Sean’s lips and he stopped her and took her hand in his and kissed it.

  “Are you two ready?” Mike teased. They nodded smiling. “I have the honor of finally presenting Mr. and Mrs. Sean Prescott.”

  * * *

  The End

  About the Author

  A California native, novelist Tracy Reed pushes the boundaries of her Christian foundation with her sometimes racy and often fiery tales.

  After years of living in the Big Apple, this self proclaimed New Yorker draws from the city's imagination, intrigue, and inspiration to cultivate characters and plot lines who breathe life to the words on every page.

  Tracy's passion for beautiful fashion and beautiful men direct her vivid creative power towards not only novels, but short stories, poetry, and podcasts. With something for every attention span.

  Tracy Reed’s ability to capture an audience is unmatched. Her body of work has been described as a host of stimulating adventures and invigoration expression.

  For more information

  www.readtracyreed.com

  tracyreedwriter@me.com

  Also by Tracy Reed

  Generational Curse

  Intentional Curse

  The Alex Chronicles: Girlfriends & Secrets

  The Alex Chronicles: What My Friends Don’t Know

  The Alex Chronicles: What My Friends Need To Know

  The Good Girl Part One

  The Good Girl Part Deux

  Love Notes…Words For Lovers

  The Fix Up

  The Fling

  Tease

  Miss Match

  The Night I Fell In Love

  A Southern Gentleman

  First Encounters of Love

  God’s Bombshell

  Unexpected Love

  For a complete listing of Tracy Reed books, visit

  www.readtracyreed.com

  Thank You

  Thank you for reading REAL LOVE! I hope you enjoyed spending a little time with Kyla and the men in her life.

  Still jonesing for romance, check out DESPERATE DESIRE for a peek into Kyla’s sister Corianne’s world.

  Cori is the epitome of a desperate housewife. Everyday she asks her self the same question, How desperate do you have to be, to break your marriage vows?

  Corianne Abernathy never envied her older sister Kyla until she got married. Prior to her marriage, Corianne secretly referred to her sister as the family tramp. Now they were equals. Both married to successful men. Only difference, Kyla knew where her husband spent his nights and Corianne didn’t.

  After two years of being a desperate, lonely housewife, Corianne is about to take matters into her own hands courtesy of a distraction from her husband.

  Read DESPERATE DESIRE now!

  SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER to find out when new books release!

  www.readtracyreed.com

  Join my Facebook group, Tracy’s Reeders for exclusive giveaways and sneak peeks of future books. And you can read the beginning of Desperate Desire next…

  Corianne drew a large red “X” on yesterday. Making it twenty-two months, two weeks, six days and twelve hours since she and Dexter last had sex. She watched Kyla and Sean a few months ago at their reception, and for the first time she envied her older sister.

  Kyla was defiant and marched to her own beat. Although Corianne constantly teased her about settling down, she secretly wanted what Kyla had. Kyla had a lover and no one to come home to or share her life with, but she was having incredible sex. While Corianne had a husband, a home and some day a baby. She was happy, at least that’s what she told herself.

  To everyone who knew her, Corianne was living a fairytale life. But the reality was she was living a nightmare. She longed for someone to call her beautiful, wrap her in his arms and sweep her off her feet, just like she read in all the romance novels stacked in her closet. She wanted someone to kiss her the way Sean kissed Kyla. It was clear to everyone at their wedding and reception how much they loved each other.

  When Corianne looked at Kyla, she was jealous. Now Kyla had the perfect life complete with the wonderful, adoring husband, who made her a priority. And from the looks of the way they moved on the dance floor and the way he kissed her, he was doing a good job at keeping her satisfied in the bedroom. Corianne looked at the calendar and sighed, twenty-two months. How much longer could she hold out?

  Every morning she prayed God would heal her marriage. Every night, she showered and got all dolled up after dinner, hoping tonight would be the end of the sex drought. And every night, the same thing. Dexter would review files for the next day, reply to some emails, shower, peck her on the forehead and less than ten minutes later, he was snoring.

  She wasn’t sure how this happened, but she knew the date because that was the anniversary of their first date. She told herself, not every man remembers the small things so she cut him a little slack. That was until Sean said he remembered the day he met Kyla and described everything she was wearing. At the end of his toast, Corianne felt even sadder. She knew if she went missing and the police asked Dexter to describe what she was wearing, he’d probably say something like, “I think it was purple or maybe it was green. I’m pretty sure it was a dress, I think.” But here’s her sister, the family tramp, with a handsome, caring, loving, reformed alcoholic Christian husband, who remembers what she was wearing over six years ago.

  Today was just like every other day. Cori made breakfast and they sat in quiet. Once Dexter finished, he kissed her on the forehead and left. She loaded the dishes into the dishwasher and sat on the terrace staring. If she was frustrated, Dexter had to be bouncing off the walls, or he was getting his needs met elsewhere.

  “Maybe Dexter has
a lover or maybe he’s banging his office manager, Melissa. No, she’s not his type. I bet it’s that young blond intern he was mentoring. Or maybe it’s the redhead neurologist he introduced me to at last year’s hospital Christmas party.“ She sipped some coffee. “Typical successful black man. They always do that. Once they become successful, they always trade chocolate for vanilla.”

  That’s what she was, last year’s flavor. Cori realized no matter how hard she tried seducing Dexter, it wouldn’t help, because he no longer liked chocolate, but vanilla, or some other flavor. Not only was her husband ignoring her, it felt as if God was also ignoring her. She resolved herself to take matters into her own hands.

  She picked up her phone and pressed Dexter’s number and waited for the voice mail to kick in.

  “Hello.”In spite of how angry she was with him, she still loved the sound of his voice. It had just the right amount of calm in the tone and delivery of every word.

  “Oh, I was expecting your voicemail.”

  “Nope, you got me. I’m glad you called,” Dexter announced.

  “You are?” Corianne’s tone instantly changed. She was excited to know he was thinking about her.

  “Yes. Do you have plans this afternoon?”

  “No.” She was very hopeful. Maybe the drought was over. She started fantasizing about how she and Dexter would celebrate the end of the drought.

  “Good. Remember the landscaper I told you about?”

  “Yes.”

  “I asked him to come by this afternoon.”

  “Oh.” The elation in her voice quickly disappeared.

  “I wanted to make sure you’d be there.”

  “Oh.”

  “I need you to show him the grounds. I really want to get the yard ready in time for the hospital staff party.”