by Christa Wick
My mother opened the front door before Logan finished parking the car. Her entire face pinched in a frown, the expression deepening as Logan came around to my side and opened the door for me.
I mentally prepared myself for his hand to land somewhere on me, undoubtedly triggering a reaction in my mother, but he retained a gentlemanly distance as we approached the house together.
"Did your car break down?" she asked.
I shook my head, any other answer still locked within my chest.
"Is Joe home, Ellie?"
A wave of panic tried to surge up from my gut in technicolor splendor, but I swallowed it down.
Joe…
Ellie…
Logan was talking about the people I called "Dad" and "Mom," people whom Emy and my other peers called "Mr. and Mrs. Waters." He was on a first name basis with my parentals!
Logan's hand landed gently along the back of my neck, its thick thumb briefly stroking the flesh as Mom's eyes bugged out.
"Lillian…"
My heart started thumping in my chest. Her use of my full first name was a sign of impending doom, and I didn't want a scene in the front yard.
"Invite me in," Logan said, leaning behind her to open the screen door. "And call Joe from whatever room he's enjoying his Saturday in."
Following Mom into the house, the first face I saw was Jody's. My blood turned to mud. I felt it thickening in my legs, slowing my steps. Logan kept me moving forward with a discreetly placed hand against my back, his touch gentle. Drawing strength from the gesture, I walked past my sister without a word and sat down on the loveseat opposite the chairs my parents usually claimed.
Logan sat next to me.
"Dad!" Jody screamed. "Lily's pregnant!"
Leave it to Jody to chill my blood then make it burn. I lifted up, ready to slap a hand across her lying mouth.
Logan drew me down as feet raced from the back of the house. Rhea careened around the corner to stare at me in shock.
Seeing Logan, she offered a bashful smile and a small wave, her arm plastered against her side so that just the hand moved.
Clearly, if I was pregnant, she approved of my baby-daddy choice.
Mom woke from her stupor just long enough to order Rhea back to her bedroom. I nodded, coaxing her to obey before Jody had a chance to get really ugly.
"Is it true?" Mom asked as my father stepped into the room.
"No," Logan started then looked at me.
I shook my head so hard the joints in my neck protested in a string of pops.
"One day, I hope," he continued, his hand covering mine as a soft smile curled at the corners of his mouth.
Spotting the engagement ring, Jody whipped across the room and seized my arm. "Dumb bitch, the pumpkin doesn't get the prince!"
I jerked my arm back.
She recklessly turned her venom toward Logan.
"You're saying you didn't fuck Fatty Bo Batty before proposing? Or was it only ever in the ass?"
Dad stepped in front of Jody, blocking her twisted face.
With his body pressed lightly against mine, Logan relaxed the formidable muscles that had been ready to strike. His gaze settled warmly on my father.
"Joe, I'm asking for your and Ellie's blessing to marry Lily."
My father paused for a second then nodded his agreement.
Several painful seconds passed before Mom spoke, her gaze jumping between Logan and my father before she turned her attention to me. A half smile formed on her face, the same one she adopts when she's trying to think of the kindest way to tell someone they are stupid.
As if there was any kind way to say such a thing.
"Lillian, dear, I know—"
"You don't," my father interrupted. "You don't know what Lily is thinking or feeling. You sure as heck don't know how long she's thought it or felt it."
Yay, Dad!
"Joe, Major Jones is…"
"Va-va-va-voom," I said in a dull echo of her prior assessment. "And I'm—"
Logan wouldn't let me finish. With a caress of his thumb under my chin, he drew me into looking at him.
"Beautiful, Lily," he said before feathering a chaste kiss against the corner of my mouth. "Inside and out and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
He paused, before finishing me off with a wink. "And you're hella va-va-va-voom, too."
"Inexperienced," Mom butted in.
Her protest made me think about Whatshisname Number One, Jody's first fiancé. Only four years older than me, big sister had already driven off fiancé number three.
"This isn't some kind of fairytale," Mom continued. "The Major has a child…a mortgage…a retirement plan!"
Each word grew in volume. She might have continued on, but Dad put his hands on his hips. Even Jody knew to shut up when he did that.
Not that he ever became violent. My father was a good man. Logan reminded me of him in many ways, except that Daddy would endure a lot of pushing around before he stood his ground.
He wagged a finger at Mom then at Jody.
"If all you can say are cutting words, then zip it."
My mother teared up in a last ditch effort to get Dad on her side.
He turned his finger back to her and wagged it some more.
"Lily and Logan are getting married," he insisted. "I'm walking my beautiful daughter down the aisle with a smile. Why? Because I will be happy. She found an honorable man she loves who loves her back. That's a truth you can't argue with, Ellie."
Mom numbly lifted her chin in acquiescence. Jody just huffed and flounced down the hall.
"Now," Dad said, both hands back on his hips. "What's for lunch?"
Logan chuckled then nodded at the door.
"I read a review for a new Thai place the makes great crab curry."
Epilogue
The wedding came and went.
It was a small event. Mom didn't break out her family address book and I'm a diehard introvert, so more seats were filled on Logan's side. I didn't mind. There were only two people in the whole world I absolutely needed to be there—my husband and son.
Since there were other people there, I paid attention to them. Rhea spent an hour before and after the ceremony trying to convince Stevie she could order him around because she was his aunt. Emy fluttered about like a butterfly skimming the surface of a cloud until it was time for me to throw the bouquet and she became dead serious.
When she caught that bridal lucky charm, Emy nearly fainted. She certainly started to go down. A burly sergeant from Logan's unit rescued Emy before she could hit the dance floor. Then she disappeared for half an hour.
So did the sergeant.
Dad mingled. He smiled, made jokes, shook hands. Mom stayed mostly alone, her back straight and the muscles of her face sculpted into a dignified mask.
It's a work in progress—my mother and me. We'll get there or we won't. I'll keep plugging away, but I won't be the fat girl trying to be thin or the one who grovels to be deemed as worthy as someone thinner.
Do I love myself more because of Logan? Yes, that's undeniable. Knowing he has my back has put more steel in my spine. That steel won't disappear even if he does.
But he won't disappear. The pumpkin may not get the prince in fairytales, but she can in real life. She can because pumpkins are awesome. They are full of good on the inside. And they are no more or less beautiful than the strawberries one field over.
That's what Logan's love taught me.
Thank You For Reading & Reviewing!!!
Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed the story and will consider taking a quick minute to drop off a review at the eretailer where you purchased this book. Every single review means so much to me, and helps us authors so much in terms of book visibility. Reviews not only affect online presence on eretailer search engines, but also marketing/promotion opportunities as well. And most of all, it helps readers like yourselves find books and authors. It’s one of the best ways you can support us indi
e authors and help our books find their way into more readers’ hands. Review or not, I appreciate all of you readers for continuing to hang out with the characters in my head and letting me continue to do what I love.
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Also by Christa Wick
the Far Too Tempting collection
[available now]
Tempted Beyond Reason (Wake & Lacey)
Tempted Beyond Relief (Wylie & Rhea)
Tempted Beyond Return (Logan & Lily)
Tempted By Trouble (Austin & Gina)
[an extra steamy Far Too Tempting standalone]
the Untouchable Curves collection
[re-launching 7/15/19]
Curvy Attraction (Owen & Gemma)
Curvy Seduction (Aiden & Cecelia)
Curvy Perfection (Cayce & Ashley)
His Curvy Temptation (Declan & Melanie)
[an extra curvy Untouchable Curves standalone]
the Irresistible Curves collection
[re-launching 7/22/19]
Chasing Her Curves (Hawk & Ginny)
Charming Her Curves (Shane & Velda)
Claiming Her Curves (Blake & Pippa)
Owning Her Curves (Ian & Juno)
[an extra alpha Irresistible Curves standalone]
the Unapologetically Alpha (alpha military) series
[re-launching 7/29/19]
1) Fearless (Corwin)
2) Defenseless (Lucas)
3) Relentless (Teague)
the Promise Me (alpha cowboy) series
[re-launching 7/29/19]
Book 1: Every Last Secret (Adler)
Book 2: Every Last Doubt (Walker)
Book 3: Every Last Risk (Barrett)
Book 4: Every Last Touch (Sutton)
Book 5: Every Last Reason (Emerson)
And there are even more books coming in August & September (29 more re-launches to be exact).
Stay tuned!
About the Author
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Christa Wick is a bonafide wallflower (a dandelion, if she can choose the flower) who has been accused of hiding her light under a bushel in the past. Truth be told, attempting to write this bio took more drafts than her books take. Here is what she came up with:
Christa Wick has been hybrid publishing since 2012 (yep, she’s one of the O.G. indie authors). She’s written 50+ romances starring curvalicious heroines and alphalicious heroes whose stories span the spectrum of: steamy & sweet, steamy & emotional, steamy & suspenseful, steamy & paranormal, steamy & dark, and…well, you get the idea. She also writes sci-fi thrillers and suspense novels under other pen names.
Website: http://christawick.com/
Enewsletter: http://christawick.com/alerts/
Places to find Christa hiding (other than her bushel):
