“It’s going to be okay, baby.”
His repeated words soothed her, whether they were true or not. He probably thought she’d lost her mind. With everything else that was happening, she hadn’t been able to share all that was going on in her heart. Yes, part of the emotional response was because of him, but after the conversations she’d had with her parents it had gone much deeper.
They had been tears of hurt, anger and regret…but now she was at peace. Nothing had changed in her circumstances, but talking with her parents had showed her that facing difficulties didn’t mean one had been abandoned by God. That was how she’d felt from the time they’d been ripped away from Africa. She hadn’t understood as a child how God could have let that happen. The faith she’d been taught from so young, the commitment she’d made to Him at the tender age of five, hadn’t been able to withstand the onslaught of fear, confusion and anger that had come from those events that had taken place on the other side of the world. And that had set the stage for everything that followed in her life.
Brooke took a deep breath and blew it out, relaxing her grip on Lucas’s neck.
Lucas shifted her slightly but kept his arms around her. “Hey, sweetheart? You okay?”
Another deep breath. “Getting there.”
“I’m sorry for what happened earlier.”
“It’s okay. I know you only spoke what was on your mind. And you’re right, it is complicated.”
“I may have spoken what was on my mind but not what was in my heart.”
Brooke pulled back a bit so she could look into his face. In the light of the full moon, she was able to see his familiar features but not the emotion in his eyes. “What do you mean?”
“I wanted everything sorted out with Lincoln. I wanted to know what role everyone was going to play in this tangled mess before I said anything. If I said anything, depending on how things played out.”
“And now?”
“Now…” Lucas looked down at her. Keeping one arm around her waist, he lifted his hand to touch her cheek. “Now I want to stand beside you as we sort this out. I want you to stand beside me. I want the two of us to decide what’s best for Danny.” He paused, and Brooke felt him take a deep breath. “The thing is, I don’t just love Danny. I know it’s too soon. I mean, we’ve…uh...not known each other very long, but I..uh…kinda feel that way about you, too.”
Brooke smiled as he stumbled over the sentence. Clearly, this wasn’t the type of sentiment he was used to expressing. Which was fine by her. She just needed to hear him say the actual words once.
She looped her arms loosely around his shoulders again. “Are you saying you love me, Lucas Hamilton?”
A slow smile chased away the seriousness of his expression. “I just might be.”
“Well, I might just be kinda feeling the same way.”
She felt as much as heard his chuckle. “You’re gonna make me say it, right?”
“But, of course.” She fished her phone out of her pocket and held it up to him. “Although if this is gonna be a rare occurrence, I’d better record it.”
Lucas snatched the phone from her hand and set it down on the dock. “No. Just for you, I will learn to say it more often.”
Brooke moved closer so their faces were just inches apart. “Well, we can just start with one time here.”
He leaned his forehead against hers much like he had earlier, but this time around he had a different message for her. “Don’t ask me how, because I sure don’t know, but you make me feel things no one else ever has. Suddenly I’m thinking about a home—not just a condo or a mansion—but a home like you have with Danny. And I’m thinking kids. Lots of them. Maybe even adopting a couple from someplace like say…Africa. But most of all I’m thinking about love, and how very much I love you, Brooke. And I don’t want that home with anyone but you. And those children? I want them to have the best mom in the world and that’s you.”
“Oh, Lucas.” Tears flooded Brooke’s eyes once again, but for a very different reason this time. “I love you, too. I never thought I’d find a man who I felt safe with. Who I could trust with not just myself, but with Danny, too. And then there was you. Trying to control everything but only with the best of intentions. And the first time I saw you hug Danny…you breached the walls I’d kept in place for so long. Then somewhere along the line, my heart began to soften toward others, too, not just you.”
Lucas drew in a quick breath. “Your dad, sweetheart?”
“Yes. My dad. Lincoln. And God. My mom told me I needed to forgive in order to free up my heart to love as fully as I could. And she was right. Ever since meeting you, that anger has begun to ebb away. And now…well, I think it’s pretty much gone.” Brooke took a deep breath and let it out. “I want to love you and Danny with my whole heart. Not just the parts that weren’t full of anger and resentment.”
“I am so happy to hear that. I understood why you felt how you did, but I’m glad you’ve found freedom from that anger.” He paused. “You still realize it’s not necessarily going to be smooth sailing from here on out, right?”
“I know, but as long as we’re in the same boat, I’ll be able to deal with it. I want to face the challenges head on and move forward with our lives.”
She rested her head on his shoulder, and they sat in silence for a few minutes. The only sound was the lapping of the water against the shoreline.
Then Lucas touched her chin, lifting her face up to his. “And let’s do this properly this time.”
Brooke smiled as their lips met. It was gentle and tender, filling her heart to its very edges. She laced her fingers behind his head as he deepened the kiss, drawing her closer into his embrace.
Warmth spread through her body as their love washed over her. When they parted, Brooke tried to catch her breath. She felt Lucas reach into his pocket for something then heard a thud on the dock, but before she could ask what he was doing, they were falling.
She was still in his arms when they hit the water. Thankfully, it wasn’t super cold but it still took her breath away as they sank into it. She didn’t know how deep it was, but apparently Lucas did because his feet touched bottom and they didn’t completely submerge.
“Thought we could maybe use a cool down.” Humor laced Lucas’s words.
“No doubt about that,” Brooke agreed just before she pressed her lips to his again. She felt his smile against her lips which made her smile, too. Love grew and expanded in ways she’d never imagined possible.
Under the moonlight of that warm summer night, she whispered, “I love you, Lucas.”
“I love you, too, baby. Forever.”
Lucas carried her to the water’s edge and helped her over the rocks to the dock. When he bent to pick up her phone, she realized the thud she’d heard earlier was him making sure his own phone didn’t get ruined in the water.
She took her phone from him but couldn’t slide it into the pocket of her soaking wet jean capris. “My parents are going to think I’m crazy when I walk in the door soaking wet.”
“I think they’re just going to be happy for you.” Lucas slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close as they walked toward the cabin. “I want to stay longer, but I still need to deal with a few things before I call it a day.” As they reached the foot of the stairs, he turned her toward him. “You understand, right? I don’t want you to feel I’m abandoning you.”
Brooke reached up to cup his cheek, enjoying the feeling of his stubble under her palm. “I understand. More than you know, I understand. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He bent his head, and they kissed again. A soft, lingering goodnight kiss.
As he walked away from her, Brooke stood watching until he disappeared from sight. She wanted to run after him for just one more hug. Just one more kiss. But there was always tomorrow.
Shivering in the cool night air, she climbed the steps to the cabin, prepared to share all that had transpired with her parents.
“Why would
you do that?” Though his mother’s words were softly spoken, Lucas heard the accusation in them. Of all people, he hadn’t expected this reaction from her, especially after what Lindsay had said earlier.
“Yeah. Why? You brought me back here to connect with my son and his mother.” Lincoln stood beside their mother’s chair, his hands clenched into fists. “Now you’re telling me that you’ve got something going on with Brooke, which could end up being serious enough that you’ll be taking the role of father in my son’s life.”
Lucas hated confrontations with those he loved, but this time around it was different. “You had your chance with her, Lincoln. And I have a letter that proves that you had a chance to be a father to Danny. You walked away from both responsibilities ten years ago. You don’t get to object to what’s going on between Brooke and me.”
“And if I want to be a father to Danny now? To make amends for the past? You’re not even giving me a chance. As soon as he finds out how you feel about his mother, he’s never gonna give up the bond he feels with you.”
“Please give him a chance, Lucas,” his mother said, a pleading look on her face.
“A chance for what, Mom? To win Brooke’s heart? To convince Danny he’s the father he’s always wanted?”
“Yes. Give them a chance to see if they can be a family.”
Pain pierced Lucas’s heart. How could she ask him to step aside and let Lincoln try to woo the woman he loved? How could she? His own mother? Hurt clouded his mind and he had no words to express what he felt at that moment.
“This. Is. Bull.” For the first time, Lindsay spoke up. “Mom, I love you, but you are so very wrong. How could you ask Lucas to give up the woman he loves for Lincoln? Lucas has done so much for all of us. He stepped up when Dad was a philandering schmuck to protect you. He’s worked hard to keep the company going while Lincoln was off living his carefree lifestyle. So no. I won’t let this happen.” Lindsay turned to Lucas. “You are going to stay with Brooke and love her like you do and let her love you back. And Danny is going to see who the real man is here.” Spinning around, she pinned Lincoln with an angry glare. “Because it certainly isn’t you. Ten years ago and every year since you’ve had the opportunity to step up and be the father Danny needed, but not only did you not do that, you kept him from us. We had the right to know we had a nephew. A grandson. You’ve robbed us of ten years with that precious boy all because you didn’t want to give up your lifestyle. So no. You don’t get a chance with Brooke. And no, you don’t get to try and replace Lucas in Danny’s life. All our actions have consequences and these are yours, whether you remember them or not.”
“Lindsay, please.” His mom held out her hand to her daughter, tears on her cheeks.
Lindsay’s hands were fists at her side. Lucas had seen his sister angry on many occasions, but he had to say he’d never seen her quite this angry.
“No, Mom. If you can’t see how wrong what you’re asking Lucas to do is, then I’m done with this.” Lindsay’s hand slashed through the air. “And I will make my displeasure abundantly clear to everyone here if Lucas gives in to your wishes.”
Lucas felt compelled to try and rein her in. “Lindsay.”
She spun to face him. “Do not give in to this. Do not. If you do, I will never respect you again.” Tears sparkled in her eyes now, too.
Lucas went to her and gathered her rigid body into his arms. “I’m not going to, Linds. I’m not going to.”
She looked up at him. “You’re not?”
He shook his head and shrugged. Giving her a half smile, he said, “I can’t. The woman’s got my heart and she’s not going to give it back. And that’s exactly how I want it.”
A smile eased the anger from Lindsay’s face. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m so proud of you.”
When she stepped back, Lucas turned to face his mother and brother. “The thing is, even if I was willing to step aside—and I'm most definitely not—Brooke wouldn’t allow it.” He looked at Lincoln, the brother he no longer knew and said, “I’m not going to stand in the way of a relationship between you and Danny—if that’s what he wants. You made your choice regarding a relationship with him ten years ago. He gets to make his now. Yes, I do hope to call him son someday, but he will always know that you are his father.”
Even though she’d hurt him more than she ever had before, Lucas went and knelt in front of his mom. He took her hands in his. “I know you love us both, Mom, and that you want to make things right for Lincoln, but right now my heart is telling me to do what is right for Danny and Brooke. I love them. I’m not going to deny it anymore. There’s lots of stuff that still needs to be worked through, but my relationship with Brooke and with Danny is no longer part of that. It’s been settled. I hope in time you can understand and accept why that is.”
Tears continued to spill from her eyes as she cupped his face in her hands. “I’m sorry, Lucas. I should never have asked that of you. Forgive me.”
Lucas smiled and leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead. “All is forgiven, Mama.”
The next morning, Lucas was downstairs bright and early with Stella in the kitchen. He couldn’t sleep anyway, so he’d decided to see if he could give her a hand.
“You know you don’t need to help me,” Stella said as she handed him a carton of eggs.
“Well, I have it on good authority that women like a man who can cook. So I figured I’d better learn.”
Stella laughed. “I’m more than happy to help you. And in future years I expect to hear from Brooke that you’ve cooked her dinner or served her breakfast in bed.”
Lucas grinned at the thought. “I could probably do the breakfast in bed. Not sure about the dinner though.”
“Aim high, dearie. Aim high.”
Danny and Jeff walked into the kitchen then, and Danny’s eyebrows rose when he saw Lucas attempting to crack eggs.
“You need some help?” he asked as he came to stand next to him. “I know how to do that. Mom taught me.”
“Yes, I think I do need some help. I need to crack them all and I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to avoid getting eggshells in the mix.”
Danny laughed. “Yeah. Here, let me show how I do it.”
Lucas watched as the boy expertly cracked an egg into the bowl. He had a feeling that egg cracking was going to be the first of many things this young man taught him. Already Danny was teaching him how it was to love a child of his heart if not his blood.
Danny was surprisingly at ease in the kitchen while his buddy Jeff hung out on a stool at the counter. Stella gave Danny instructions and the boy jumped right to it.
People began to straggle in slowly. First were Eric, Staci, and Sarah. Then Than and Lincoln and his mom made an appearance. Brooke’s folks showed up with Alicia and Victoria.
“Brooke just got up,” her mom told him. “She’ll be along shortly. She said to go ahead if breakfast was ready before she got here.”
Brooke couldn’t believe she’d slept in, but honestly, it had been the best sleep she’d had in ages. She hurried along the path toward the main cabin, hoping she wasn’t too late for breakfast.
When she walked in, she could hear voices coming from the dining room and headed in that direction. People were standing in a circle around the table but the food on it was still untouched. As she stepped into the room, Lucas looked toward her and when their gazes met, she couldn’t help but smile. She just couldn’t contain the love she felt him any longer.
He held out his arm and without hesitation, Brooke moved to stand beside him. As he slid his arm around her, she put hers around his waist. He bent and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “Good morning, babe.”
She hadn’t expected him to put their relationship out there quite like that, but she was glad. “Good morning, sweetheart.”
Eric cleared his throat. “Well, I’ve clearly missed out on a few things. Why don’t you say grace, Lucas, so I can get caught up?”
As Brooke looked aro
und the room, she saw mainly smiles as people looked at her and Lucas, and the biggest one belonged to Danny. When her gaze met his, she couldn’t contain her own smile as the love she felt for her son joined the love she felt for Lucas. They filled her heart so completely.
There might still be rough patches ahead, things that had to be worked out, but Brooke had no doubt they would be able to weather them. This was the beginning of their forever, and she couldn’t wait for what was to come.
The End
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When There Is Love
Born with a form of dwarfism, Victoria McKinley has spent her whole life proving she can do anything an average size person can. But she's not sure that includes dating her brother's best friend. For the past few months, Victoria has managed to brush aside Trent Hause's not-so-subtle attempts to flirt with her. Unfortunately, her last two experiences with dating average size men have not gone well, and she's not sure if the third time's a charm or if it will be a strike-out.
Trent Hause's feelings for his best friend's sister have grown quite unexpectedly from friendship to something much more. But after several months of her rebuffing his lighthearted attempts to get her to go out with him, he realizes that perhaps a different approach is in order. When the opportunity presents itself for Trent to help Victoria out, he jumps at the chance to show her that underneath his carefree exterior is a man of depth who loves her.
Even as she's drawn to Trent, Victoria realizes she has to face the fears and insecurities she's long denied or risk losing her chance at happiness. Will she come to embrace God's will for her life and find love with Trent? Or will fear bind her to the safe life she's been living for far too long?
Chapter One
VICTORIA McKinley slumped back against her chair and scowled at the error screen on her monitor. “No. Please…”
She squeezed her eyes shut and said a quick prayer before opening them again, hoping against hope that the error message would have magically disappeared. But no such luck. It had been happening more and more frequently, and once again, all the data she’d entered—and not saved—was gone.
Forever My Love: A Christian Romance (The McKinleys Book 2) Page 21
