Fair Chances (Fairshore Series Book 3)

by Christina Butrum

  “Good choice,” Amelia’s father said.

  “It definitely suits her,” Amelia’s cousin Darcy said.

  “We thought so, too,” Zach stated.

  “When will you get to bring her home?” One of the family members asked.

  “Actually, we get to leave today,” Amelia stated. “After the doctor checks on us to make sure we’re ready to go home.”

  Amelia cuddled Annabelle and rocked her gently in her arms. So far, being a mother wasn’t so bad. Amelia and Zach looked forward to going home. They had a list of things on their to-do list once they would get home.

  Amelia’s family approached the side of the bed one by one. Each member of her family insisted on giving double hugs and kisses and congratulations as they made their way out of her room. She told each of them she would keep in touch. She had told a select few they could come visit whenever they would like to. Zach caught on to it and laughed. She playfully nudged him and brought a finger to her lips to keep him quiet.

  Zach insisted on telling each family member about their upcoming wedding. “Be sure to keep an eye on your mailbox,” he told each of them. “You’ll be receiving an invitation soon.”

  Half of her family could not believe she had a baby, let alone believe she was getting married. She shooed them out of her room. She did not need that kind of negativity in her life. Her life would be filled with beautiful, perfect things if she had any kind of say about it.

  Once her family had left the room, Dr. Bohage walked in. “Everything looks wonderful.”

  Amelia nodded. “That’s great to hear.”

  “I know you’ll be busy with the wedding and the baby, but I’ll need you to come to my office for a checkup in a couple of weeks,” Dr. Bohage told her.

  Amelia glanced at Zach. She wondered how he had gotten by with telling everyone, including the doctor, about their wedding without her knowing.

  “Okay, I’ll see you in a couple of weeks,” Amelia stated. “Are we able to leave now?”

  Dr. Bohage smiled and nodded. “The nurse will be in with a few papers for the both of you to sign, but after that, you’re free to leave.”

  Amelia nodded and smiled. “Thank you, Doctor.”

  “My pleasure,” he said as he patted her on the back and shook Zach’s hand. “Call me if you have any questions.”

  “We will,” Amelia said as she watched the doctor leave the room.

  The door shut behind him and within a few minutes, a nurse walked into their room with a few papers in her hands. “I need you to sign each paper. Right there by the x,” she said as she pointed to each x.

  Amelia and Zach did as they were told. The nurse returned with a copy of the paperwork and handed it to Zach. Amelia held Annabelle and carefully placed her into the brand new car seat. “We get to go home now, Annabelle.”

  * * *

  Zach drove their car down their street. Before he pulled the car into their driveway, Amelia glanced over at the house across the street. Her parents’ car was in the driveway where Bailey had once parked her car. Amelia’s jaw dropped open. She sat speechless in the passenger seat while Zach parked the car. He looked over at her and nodded his head.

  “While you slept, I was busy moving them in across the street,” he admitted. “I had a lot of time on my hands.”

  Amelia placed a hand over her mouth and tears flooded her vision. She was positive now that she had found a one-of-a-kind man. There was no room left for doubt. She smiled and whispered, “Thank you so much.”

  He reached across the console and pulled her as close to him as he could. He held the back of her head and kissed her. “Like I have said before, your family is my family. There’s not a single thing I wouldn’t do for you or for them.”

  Amelia landed her lips on his and held onto him for a long moment. She sat back against her seat and smiled. “I have a lot to be thankful for.”

  She opened the passenger door while Zach grabbed Annabelle’s seat from the back of the car. He carried the car seat to the house while he walked next to Amelia.

  “Amelia Jean,” her mother called from across the street. “Do you need my help with anything?”

  Amelia turned and smiled with tears in her eyes. The memory of how she met Bailey rushed back. Now, instead of her best friend calling from across the street, it was her mother, her other best friend, who called her name out loud. Amelia smiled through the tears as she watched her mother hurry across the street.

  “Zach helped us move in while you were resting in the hospital,” her mother explained.

  “That’s what he told me,” Amelia told her mother. “Did Dad agree on this house?” Amelia asked as she pointed to Bailey’s old house.

  “He told me he liked this house better,” her mother explained. “I would have no idea why.”

  Amelia smiled. “So he could be closer to me?”

  Her mother nodded and smiled. “I imagine he wanted this house so we could all be closer to each other. Across town, out of town, either way it’s too far away from you for us to be happy.”

  Amelia wrapped her arm around her mother’s shoulders and walked up her front porch steps. Bailey waited on the porch and opened the door.

  “I’m sure there’s lots of things we need to get done in here,” Amelia said as she walked into her house.

  Bailey shook her head. “Nope, while Zach and Tony moved your parents in across the street, Courtney, your mom, and me put things where we thought you’d like them to be.”

  Amelia looked around the house. Her first stop was in the baby’s room. Shelves were neatly hung. Old balloons had been deflated and hung on the walls. Decorations were neatly planned out and strategically placed around Annabelle’s room.

  Tears stung Amelia’s eyes. Her vision blurred. She turned to Bailey and her mother and hugged them tight. “Thank you so much.”

  “That’s not it,” Bailey said. She walked to the downstairs closet and opened the door. Inside hung the most elegant, most beautiful white wedding dress Amelia had ever seen.

  “We figured you would need one of these in order to get married.”

  Amelia opened her mouth to argue the fact the dress may not fit, but her mother stopped her before she could say one word. “Before you say it might not fit, you have to understand the designer told us she can alter the dress to fit,” her mother explained.

  Amelia smiled. She had so much to be thankful for. She turned to her mother and Bailey and hugged them once again. “Thank you so much.”

  “Don’t thank us,” they said. “Thank Zach.”

  Amelia looked across the living room. Zach stood in the doorway by the baby’s room with Annabelle in his arms and a huge smile on his face.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  “Invitations have been sent,” Bailey said when Amelia answered the phone. “I sent them to everyone who was on your list to invite.”

  “Thank you, Bai,” Amelia said.

  “How’s Annabelle doing?” Bailey asked. “Do you think she misses Aunt Bailey?”

  “She’s doing amazing. And I’m pretty sure she misses you as much as I do,” Amelia confirmed.

  “That’s good to hear,” Bailey stated. “Are you prepared for your wedding?”

  Amelia glanced at the calendar. The wedding was planned for exactly one week from today. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

  “Do you have your vows planned?”

  “Vows? We have to plan those?” Amelia asked.

  “Yes, vows,” Bailey said. “You do plan to say them to each other, right?”

  Amelia’s heart skipped a beat. “I haven’t thought about that yet. Shoot.”

  “I’ll let you go so you can get to writing them,” Bailey said.

  Amelia ended the conversation and hung up the phone. She grabbed a pad of paper and sat down at the table. She started to scribble some words down when she was interrupted.

  “What are you doing?” Zach asked when he walked by her on his way to the kitchen.

/>   She flipped and tossed the pad of paper across the table. She stuttered, “Uh…nothing…nothing at all.”

  “Mmhmm. What were you writing?” Zach asked when he walked back into the dining room. He reached for the notepad.

  “Don’t,” Amelia said as she strained to reach it before he did.

  He flipped the notepad over and read it. “Vows?” he said aloud as he raised an eyebrow at her. “You’re going to write your own wedding vow?”

  Amelia grabbed the notepad out of his hands and sat down. She felt embarrassed. “Why? Aren’t you going to?”

  “That’s for me to know and for you to find out on our wedding day,” he said. He walked behind her and lightly pecked the top of her head with his lips.

  She blushed in embarrassment and watched him walk into the other room. She flipped the notepad open and continued to write her wedding vows.

  * * *

  Amelia squeezed into her newly-fitted dress. With her hair curled and her makeup on, she walked to the closet in the dressing room and slipped on her high heels. It had been a while since she had last worn her heels. Her ankles were no longer swollen and she had lost her baby weight.

  “Are you almost ready?” Bailey whispered through the door. “He’s waiting at the altar for you.”

  Amelia’s mother hugged her and said, “I’ll be out there waiting to see you walk down the aisle with your father.”

  Amelia smiled as her mother kissed her cheek. “Thank you, Mom.”

  Within five minutes, Amelia met her father and allowed him to walk her down the aisle. She held back tears as they walked to the altar.

  “Glad you’re here, Dad,” Amelia said as she walked arm in arm with her father.

  “It was a damn close call, but I’m glad I’m here, too.” Her father grinned.

  With one arm, he brought her closer to him. He whispered into her ear, “I wouldn’t have missed this for anything.”

  He kissed her cheek and wiped the stray tears away from her face.

  “Thank you, Dad,” she whispered with a smile.

  Amelia focused her attention to the altar where her best friend and maid of honor, Bailey, stood on the left side. She looked amazing in the dress they had picked out. She had a huge smile on her face as she watched Amelia walk to the altar. Amelia looked to the right side of Zach. Zach’s best man, Benny, stood tall and proud in the tuxedo she and Bailey had picked out for him. He nodded with a smile at Amelia.

  Amelia smiled with tear-stained cheeks. She walked slowly to the music with her father at her side.

  Zach waited patiently at the altar with a smile on his face. If Amelia wasn’t mistaken, she could have sworn he had fresh tears in his eyes as he watched her walk towards him. Her father kissed her cheek and turned her over to Zach.

  She walked up two steps and turned to face Zach. The preacher smiled and held a Bible. She reached her arms out in front of her and held onto Zach’s hands like they had practiced at the wedding rehearsal. Cameras clicked and flashed all around them.

  “We are gathered here today, on this happy and joyous occasion, to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony,” the preacher announced. “Marriage is a solemn institution to be held in honor by all, it is the cornerstone of the family and of the community. It requires of those who undertake it a complete and unreserved giving of one’s self. It’s not to be entered into lightly, as marriage is a sincere and mutual commitment to love one another. This commitment symbolizes the intimate sharing of two lives and still enhances the individuality of each of you.”

  The preacher turned to Zach and asked, “Do you have your vows?”

  “Yes, I do,” Zach said as he reached a shaky hand into his right pocket. He pulled out a folded and crumpled piece of paper.

  Zach cleared his throat and said, “Amelia, I love you. You’re my best friend. Today I give myself to you in marriage. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you, and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle.”

  Amelia wiped a few escaped tears from her cheeks. Cameras continued to flash from all around them.

  “I promise to love you in good times and in bad. When life seems easy and when it seems hard. When our love is simple, and when it is an effort. I promise to cherish you, and to always hold you in highest regard. These things I give to you today, and all the days of our life.”

  Zach folded the paper and shoved it back into his pocket. He smiled as he watched Amelia tremble as she opened her vows to read them. Tears streamed down her cheeks and stained the paper as she read, “Zach, I promise to be your lover, companion, and friend. Your partner in parenthood. Your ally in conflict. Your greatest fan and your toughest adversary. Your comrade in adventure. Your consolation in disappointment. Your accomplice in mischief.” Amelia heard laughter and continued on, “This is my sacred vow to you, my equal in all things. All things.”

  The preacher smiled and nodded as Amelia folded her paper and put it away. He turned to Zach and said, “Groom, do you take this woman to be your wedded wife? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, remaining faithful to her as long as you both shall live?”

  “I do,” Zach said with his eyes focused on Amelia. Zach fumbled the wedding ring from the ring bearer’s pillow and placed it on Amelia’s finger. She wiped tears that fell as she watched him.

  “Bride, do you take this man to be your wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health, remaining faithful to him as long as you both shall live?”

  “I do,” Amelia said. She looked up and locked eyes with Zach. With tear-filled eyes, they focused on each other and smiled. She steadied her shaky hand and reached for his wedding band and placed it on his finger.

  “Then by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

  Zach stepped two feet closer to Amelia and lifted her veil from her face. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him. He tilted his head and leaned down. She stood up on tiptoes and locked lips with him. The crowd cheered and hollered while throwing confetti and glitter in the air. Amelia and Zach smiled as they kissed.

  “I love you, Amelia Jean Gallagher,” Zach said as he kissed her on the lips.

  “And I love you, Zachary Michael Gallagher.”

  Chapter Thirty

  The wedding reception had been planned by Bailey and Amelia’s mother. Amelia and Zach entered the room they had reserved for the reception. Amelia squinted to see through the dark room. With a click, the lights came on and everyone in the room shouted, “Congratulations!”

  Amelia held onto Zach’s hand as they walked further into the room. They smiled and waved at everyone. Tables were set up around the perimeter of the ballroom floor.

  The sound of a spoon on the side of a champagne glass caught everyone’s attention. Everyone looked toward the front of the room where Bailey stood. “I’d like to make a toast to my best friend and her newly wedded husband.”

  Amelia smiled. Zach squeezed her hand. He wrapped his other arm around Amelia’s waist while they waited patiently for Bailey to make her toast.

  “Amelia, you’re my best friend, my human diary, and my other half – aside from Benny. You mean the world to me and I love you like a sister. I am thankful you have found a lifelong companion to share many memories with. I’m also thankful that both of you have brought a little ray of sunshine into this world,” Bailey said as she pointed to Annabelle, who was curled up in her grandmother’s arms. “Zach, I’ve known you forever. I’m happy you have found eternal love with my best friend. I wish nothing but the best for the both of you in your marriage and your life.”

  The music blared from the speakers. Amelia walked to the center of the room with Zach and shared their first dance. Hoots and hollers followed by clapping surrounded them. Once their dance ended, Amelia walked toward Bailey and her daughter. Bailey swayed back and forth with Annabelle and smil
ed as Amelia walked toward them.

  “I’d say she loves her Aunt Bailey.”

  “I wouldn’t argue with that,” Amelia stated. She held out her arms and Bailey handed Annabelle to her. Her two month old daughter cooed and smiled graciously at her.

  “Isn’t that right, Annabelle?” Amelia asked her. “You love Aunt Bai, don’t you.”

  Annabelle cooed and squealed noisily, followed by gurgles.

  Amelia turned when she felt a tap on her shoulder. “Are you going to toss your bouquet to us girls?” her cousin Darcy asked.

  Amelia smiled and said, “Yes, of course!”

  Amelia walked to her father and handed Annabelle to him. “Would you like to hold her for a few minutes? I have to toss my flowers to the girls before the night is over.”

  “Of course, I’d like to hold her,” her father stated. “And you better hurry, it’s almost time for you two to get on with your honeymoon.”

  She smiled when her father winked at her. He shooed her away and she made her way to the front of the room with her bouquet.

  Zach stopped her and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her fiercely and said, “I can’t wait for this night to end and begin our honeymoon. I have it in my mind that you’re going to love it.”

  “I’ll love it anywhere I go as long as I’m with you,” Amelia said. “Where are you taking me?”

  Zach hugged her one last time and kissed the side of her face. He whispered, “You’ll find out soon enough.”

  Amelia smiled and shook her head. Of course he wouldn’t tell her where they were going. Everything had been planned by him and the planner he had hired. She could only imagine where they would be headed to within the next two hours. For now, she could only think about it, because she had a group of women to entertain.

  With her bouquet in her hands, she centered herself in the front of the room. She looked back at the group of women who giggled and waited impatiently for her to toss her flowers. “As they say, the woman who catches a bouquet of flowers at a wedding will be the next to get married!” Amelia announced to the group of twenty or more women behind her. Shrieks and hollers echoed behind her as she faced forward and tossed the bouquet over her head.