Their charade had gone way further than a pretense. At least it had for him. In the short time he’d known Mandy, he’d come to really care for her.
His heart shattered after their argument. He should have learned from the past – you can’t fix a problem without offering a solution.
He knew exactly what the solution was, but whether Mandy would agree was another thing entirely.
“Noah.” Helena’s voice was abrupt but also worried.
“She’s having an x-ray,” he said, knowing exactly why he was getting the reception he was.
“What the hell happened?” Joseph demanded. “Why didn’t you protect her?”
Noah knew Joseph was right – he should have been there when Harry left, to ensure Mandy was safe. Stupidly, or perhaps naively, he hadn’t thought Harry would go that far.
Not to harm someone he supposedly loved. Or at least lusted after.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s all my fault.” He put his head in his hands again, not wanting Mandy’s parents to see his distress.
“Noah,” Helena said, more gently this time. “I know you love our daughter, and she loves you.” She walked over and touched him gently on the back. “What are you going to do about it?”
“She, she loves me?” He looked up to the older woman, his heart breaking over what had occurred.
“She certainly does. And it’s as plain as the nose on your face that you love her.”
He frowned. “I,”
Helena stood straight. “For goodness sake, Noah! I’ve seen the way you look at her, and how tender you are with her.” Her glare burned him. “That’s not just friendship, it’s far more than that.”
Noah was on his feet as Mandy was wheeled back in. “What did they say? Is it broken?”
She shook her head. “I won’t know until the doctor comes around.” He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead.
“Mandy, I’m sorry. This is all my fault.” He reached for her other hand and squeezed it.
“Thanks for coming,” she said to her parents. Helena stepped forward and hugged Mandy gently.
“It was a shock, that’s for sure.”
A nurse rushed into the room and took her blood pressure and temperature. “The doctor will be here shortly,” she said, then disappeared once more.
She’d only been gone a few minutes when an older man entered. “I’m Doctor Halloway,” he said. “Orthopedic surgeon. I’m afraid the break is bad and requires surgery.”
“Oh no!” Helena was distraught.
“Someone will come and prepare you for surgery shortly.” And then he was gone.
Mandy took it in her stride. “It is what it is, Mother. Don’t distress yourself. What’s important is the people I love are all here to support me.”
Noah stared into her eyes. He wanted Joseph and Helena to leave so he could talk to Mandy alone. But he knew that wouldn’t happen and felt bad for being so selfish in Mandy’s moments of need.
Instead he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. “I love you too,” he whispered, hoping the others couldn’t eavesdrop on their private conversation.
Mandy glanced up at him with her beautiful blue puppy dog eyes. “You do? Why the heck didn’t you tell me before?”
“Because I’m a damned fool. A stubborn idiot.” He put his arms around her, careful not to bump her broken wrist.
“What is wrong with you two?” Joseph interjected roughly. “It’s plain as day you two love each other. Now move aside, son, I want to hug my little girl.”
CHAPTER SIX
With her arm in plaster, Mandy was allowed to leave hospital the next day.
Noah took her to straight her parent’s home. He wanted to protect her, but it wouldn’t be right moving into her cottage, or her moving into his. Not in a small town like this.
The compromise was she would stay with her parents, and he would sleep there too, in the spare room.
Harry Simpson had been charged but released on bail. There was no way Noah was trusting him to stay away – not after what he did to Mandy.
He stood at the bay window, staring out across the large expanse of land the Scott’s owned. The beauty before him was far beyond anything he’d seen before.
“We should cancel this year’s party,” Joseph said. “Given the circumstances.”
Noah turned around at his words, but as an interloper, decided it was not his place to comment.
“Don’t you dare, Daddy!” Mandy had just come downstairs and heard the conversation. “My broken wrist is no reason to cancel out. Tell him Noah.”
He walked over to her and placed a light kiss on her forehead. “It’s not my place.” He put his arm around her shoulder and led her to a chair. “Cup of coffee?”
Joseph looked long and hard at Noah. “Young man,” he said affectionately. “You are part of this family now. I respect your opinion.”
Noah nodded, despite being taken back at the show of affection. “I say don’t cancel. It’s not for another week or so, and Mandy will be less fragile by then…”
“I am not fragile!”
He already knew what her response would be, but said it anyway. “Like I was saying, Mandy will be in less pain by then.”
She nodded her agreement.
“Besides, I’d love to meet the rest of the family.”
“It’s your life, son. Don’t blame me for the consequences.” Joseph smiled and walked away shaking his head.
“It’s not as bad as that,” Mandy said, laughing. “It’s like it was at the weekend, only three times as many people.”
Noah groaned. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.” She leaned into his shoulder. “Everyone is going to love you.”
Noah put his head to the side, leaning it against Mandy’s. He was exactly where he wanted to be.
“I could do with a hand in here,” Helena called from the kitchen.
He looked at Mandy. “Go,” she said. “I’ll be fine. Mother will be grateful for your help.”
“Pancakes! I haven’t had pancakes for breakfast for years.” Noah was near drooling with anticipation.
Helena laughed. “You have to earn your food around here. Can you set the table please, then we can all eat.”
Noah stopped in his tracks. He hadn’t been asked to do that in years. It was echoes of his mother.
The last time was a few days before his parents died in that horrific accident.
No! He wasn’t going to think about that now. But he knew his parents would be looking down at him now. And he was certain they would approve of Mandy and her entire family.
Good choice, his mother would be saying as she nodded at him. He wished they were here to meet Mandy. They would love her for sure, and she would have loved them.
“Are you alright, Noah?” Helena’s voice pushed through his thoughts.
“Yeah sure.” But he wasn’t. Not really. “Just thinking about my mom. She would love you all,” he said, his voice breaking.
Helena walked over and hugged him, just like his mother would have done.
He loved this family. And he sure as heck loved Mandy.
Now he had to do something about it.
* * *
“Do me a favor, son?”
Joseph handed him a set of Christmas lights. “Climb up that ladder and secure these lights. I’m getting far too old for these shenanigans.”
Noah started up the steps. “Besides, you’re much taller than I am. You’ll be able to reach from the middle of the steps.” Joseph laughed as though it was a huge joke.
But it was true. He was always the tall and lanky one. At least now it was helping someone.
With the party just hours away, they were putting the finishing touches to the double garage. Most of the party would be out there, although Mandy had said it often spilled into the house. Especially with the elderly aunts.
He was nervous, to say the least. This was going to be a big affair, bigger than he’d ever att
ended. Except for the office Christmas parties they’d held back home.
But this one was far more important.
He wanted to meet the rest of Mandy’s family, but was terrified they wouldn’t like him. He’d returned to work a few days ago, after the police had deemed Harry Simpson too big a risk to Mandy and put him in jail.
As much as he wanted to spend more time with her, there were pressing things at the office he needed to attend to. Otherwise he’d be working from the homestead, which would mean the same result.
Less time spent with Mandy.
The surgeon said her arm was healing well, and despite the late blooming bruises she’d endured, she was in very little pain now.
He climbed back down the steps. “That looks perfect,” he said. “Anything else?”
Noah looked at the box Joseph pointed to. “Helena has high expectations for this party. Every year we go through this rigmarole.” He laughed, then added, “Get used to it, son. It’s your job from now on.”
“I hope so,” Noah whispered, not wanting anyone else to hear. “I sure hope so.”
* * *
The moment arrived and all the aunts and uncles, cousins, brothers and sisters, and a few strays rolled in to the homestead.
They all had their offering for the evening, whether that be an appetizer, main course or dessert. Some brought rolls, dips, or crisps.
No matter which way you looked at it, this family liked its food. With her arm still in plaster, Mandy hadn’t baked for tonight, but looking around him, Noah was certain it wouldn’t matter.
His stomach started to rumble.
“You can’t possibly be hungry,” Mandy scolded him. “You’ve done nothing but eat since you arrived here.”
“And I’ve got the body to prove it!” He laughed and pulled Mandy closer. “You know I’m not going to remember all these people, right?”
“You will over time. Everyone here tonight is special to our family.” She squeezed his hand. “That includes you,” she whispered. She got up on her toes and kissed him gently on the lips.
“Whoo hoo!” One of her teenage cousins clapped and whispered.
Another, much younger one had a completely different idea. “Yuk. Really?”
“Go away, Mason,” Mandy told him. “Noah, this is Mason. The family brat.” She chuckled, but Mason didn’t appreciate it and ran inside. “Don’t mind him. One day he’ll want to kiss a girl and it will be a different story,” she said.
Noah leaned in and brushed her lips with his. “I can vouch for that,” he said. “I remember being like Mason once. A very long time ago.”
“You did a fabulous job of the decorations,” Aunty Mary told him. “Joseph told me it was your handy work,” she said, seeing his surprise. “Nice catch, Mandy.”
He felt the heat creep up his face. “He is,” Mandy said. “Oh, you’re blushing,” she said surprised.
“No, I’m not.”
“Are too.”
“Now children, stop arguing,” Helena told them jokingly, bringing the chips and appetizers in to place on the large table Noah and Joseph had placed in the middle of the room.
The party was noisy but friendly, and Noah began chatting with various family members. He even remembered some of their names.
They’d just finished dessert when Joseph banged a large spoon on a pie tin. “Righto. Righto. Everyone be quiet. Just a few words if you don’t mind.” After a few seconds, quiet overtook the room.
“As you may have discovered by now, we have a newcomer this year. Come forward, son.” He indicated Noah to move closer to where he was standing. “This is Noah Gleeson. Get used to seeing him at these parties, because he’s dating my daughter!”
The room erupted into clapping and whistling. Then Joseph hushed the room again. “I believe Noah has a few words to say.”
All eyes turned to him, including Mandy’s. “I would like to say thank you for making me feel welcome. Mandy has a wonderful family, as I’ve discovered. Everyone has been so kind to me. I only have one more thing to say.”
He walked over to Mandy, then dropped to his knees. He fumbled in his pocket, then pulled out a little black box. “Mandy,” he said. “I love you more than words could ever express. Will you marry me?”
Everyone was shouting and clapping and whistling so much he didn’t hear her answer. “Shush down everyone,” Joseph said. “I didn’t hear what my little girl said.”
“I said yes,” Mandy said between tears. “A hundred times yes!”
Noah’s heart rate quickened, and his hands felt clammy. She said yes!
He slid the ring on her finger. Now all they had to do was set a date, not too far in the future, he hoped.
EPILOGUE
Mandy stood looking at herself in the full-length mirror.
She wore the same wedding dress her own mother had worn at her wedding, and her sisters had too.
It was a family tradition that she hoped to pass down to her children one day.
Helena was fussing with her veil. “It’s fine, Mother. Really.”
She circled her daughter doing a last-minute inspection. She nodded. “Yes, you’re right,” Helena said.
“Stop being so nervous,” Mandy told her mother. “Everything is fine.” Her plaster had only recently been removed, and her break was perfectly fused, the surgeon had told her.
Harry Simpson was tucked up in jail where he belonged, after a trial that found him guilty. How could they not with so many witnesses?
But she wasn’t going to think about that today.
Her devastatingly handsome fiancée was standing in the little chapel, waiting for her to appear. No doubt as nervous as her parents.
“Last minute lipstick,” Helena said. “What about the rest of you girls? Lipstick?” She waved it in the air, and Mandy’s sisters laughed.
“No Mother, we’re all fine,” Jenny told her. She opened the door a crack. “The music has begun! It’s time to go, sis.”
Mandy straightened her back, and Helena pulled her veil forward. “Love you, Mandy,” she said, running out the door to take her place in the chapel.
Joseph came in and hooked his arm through hers. “Ready?” he asked, looking his little girl in the eyes.
“As I’ll ever be,” she said. “I really love him, daddy,” she said quietly.
Joseph squeezed her hand. “I know, honey. We all do.”
They made their way to the front of the chapel, where he handed his daughter over to the newest member of the family.
“We are gathered here today…”
She listened as Noah said his vows with tears in his eyes. He held both her hands and squeezed them gently.
When it was her turn, Mandy said her vows, then said, “I do. I most certainly do.”
“Then you may kiss your bride, Noah!”
Noah push her veil back and looked into her eyes. “I love you so much,” he said quietly so only Mandy could hear, before he kissed her.
He took her hand and they practically ran outside. They were surrounded by their family and friends in no time.
Mandy felt confetti and rice slide their way down her back. “I’ll get it out for you later,” he promised.
“I’m sure you will,” she whispered in his ear.
Noah leaned in and kissed her gently.
Joseph strolled up to them. “Welcome to the family, son,” he said.
Helena wasn’t far behind him. “They’re looking down, watching you, Noah” she said softly. “They’d be very proud.”
She leaned into him and hugged him tight. “We’ll never replace your parents,” she whispered. “But we’ll always be here to support you.”
Someone threw a whole box of confetti over them and broke the spell. “Off to the reception now, you two,” Helena said.
Mandy couldn’t wait to see what life with Noah would be like.
THE END
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About the Author
Multi-published, award-winning author, Cheryl Wright, former secretary, debt collector, account manager, writing coach, and shopping tour hostess, loves reading.
She writes both contemporary and historical western romance, as well as romantic suspense.
She lives in Melbourne, Australia, and is married with two adult children and has six grandchildren. When she’s not writing, she can be found in her craft room making greeting cards.
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