“Jade, I don't have the rings we talked about. I hadn't ordered them yet.”
“Don’t worry, I took care of that.” She tipped her chin, and I followed her direction to see my brother Mike walking to us on the sand. Jade did this, she got him to be here, to be part of my life again.
“Baby, thank you.”
She nodded. She knew what this meant for me. She knew better than most.
“Did you think I’d let you get married without me, bro?” Michael’s hand clamped down on my shoulder, as I turned to hug him.
The music softened along with the sounds from our wedding guests. Jade and I said our vows. We pledged our love and lives to each other. We promised to care and to protect one another no matter what. We spoke of the importance of family and friends, and how happy we were and honored we could share this very important part of our life with them.
Then, when we were done, Mike handed me the box with our rings.
“I just don't know how you got these rings are such short notice?”
“I didn’t.”
“What?”
“Open the box, Tommy.” She smiled.
Inside the box were two circles made of sailor’s rope, one slighter larger than the other.
“You see, I had to get creative.”
I placed the small braided rope on Jade’s ring finger next to the engagement ring I gave her Thursday night. She then placed mine on my ring finger where the permanent ring would go once it arrived. I kissed my bride and she kissed me back before we walked to our awaiting crowd of family and friends.
Jade’s parents came forward with Viv, her mother hugging and kissing her. Her dad more stoic, yet pride emanating from his expression as he looked at his beautiful daughter’s happiness on display.
Viv was next to hug Jade and me.
“Just think, this was all my doing.” She proudly announced.
“Really? You are taking credit for me marrying Tommy?”
“Of course. If I hadn't sold him the house, we wouldn't be standing here right now like we are today.”
We all smiled and laughed, but Viv’s declaration wasn’t far from the truth.
Blaze, Reece, Kim, Daniel and Daniel’s parents took their turns to wish us well.
Mike, Rain, and Dominick came forward last, to congratulate us.
“Conte, Jade, I’m happy for you both. I truly hope what Rain and I found, you will have forever as well.” Kane shook my hand and hugged my bride before joining Daniel and the others for drinks near the dinner table.
The only people left to wish us well were the two people I needed to hear it from the most.
“Tommy, I love you and I’m so happy for both of you.” Rain’s eyes pooled with tears.
Hugging her, she whispered a small secret for only my ears to hear. “We’re both free now.”
“I know, baby. I know.”
Rain stood next to Jade, both looking on while Mike and I spoke.
“Mike, thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. Thank your beautiful wife. We had quite a talk the morning she came looking for you last week.”
I turned, stunned by my brother’s statement. Jade came looking for me?
She nodded slowly, knowing what I was thinking.
She came to find me. She didn't want to walk away, she didn't want us to end that night.
Our marriage and the people sharing it with us, was proof of that.
Once the evening began to wind down, and everyone left, Jade and I, along with Lucky went back to Jade’s house. Our living arrangements, and the beach house, we could make decisions on later.
Lying in bed with Lucky at our feet, we toasted, kissed, and cuddled.
“Happy?” I asked.
“That’s a silly question.”
“Why?”
“It’s evident. Did I or did I not say I’d make this day happen?”
“Yeah, Jade, you did, and it couldn't have been any more special.”
“True…except for one thing.”
“Jimmy.”
“Yeah, but I’m pretty sure he was there in spirit.”
“Here’s to Jimmy watching over us,” I lifted my glass and kissed Jade’s temple.
“Here’s to Jimmy, and here’s to all the ‘lasts’ we will never forget,” she added.
“I love you, baby.”
“I love you, Tommy.”
Tommy
WITHIN TWO WEEKS our rings finally arrived, replacing the worn-down rope stand-ins we exchanged on our wedding day. Jade and I unanimously agreed to wait to go on our honeymoon until the holidays. With Summertime Sweets doing tremendously well this fall season, and our decision to keep the beach house, expanding on its size by building an extension which would connect to Jade’s home, made it far too difficult to go on the honeymoon we wanted right then.
As for our friends and family, Jade and I were surprised by some of the plans and changes they had been making in their personal lives since they left Long Beach Island.
Rain, Dominick, and their twins headed back to Capri for the winter. Mainly for Dominick to continue his work at the law firm in Italy, but also for Rain to be closer to her twin, Raven, who was opening up a new office for the firm in France.
Blaze and Reece went back to Manhattan, and as Jade predicted, they broke off their relationship just weeks after Blaze moved into Reece’s beachfront property in The Hamptons.
Look out world, Blaze and Reece are available…again.
Daniel’s surprise blew us completely and excitedly out of the water. He and Kim seemed to be building quite a strong friendship…one he hoped would become more, and one which seemed to be going in that direction. He decided to follow suit and move here to LBI and not just to any available space, but to an old chapel that fell in disrepair, but one with a fully renovated cottage he could stay in until the chapel was complete. Daniel’s plans would not only include living in the space, but he intended on turning the grounds into an art and community center, similar to the one he lived and worked at near Philadelphia. He felt the move would be a positive one for him, and Jade and I were glad he would be nearby.
My brother Mike and I were spending more time together. Thanks to my beautiful wife, he was going to make a major change in his life, as well. He would keep the brownstone but took a sabbatical from the law firm Rain’s family owned to help me with the expansion of the beach house.
Mike had always been a true craftsman at heart when he was younger. He made many of the furniture pieces displayed in his home. He said he needed a break from corporate law and, being he had the financial means to do something he loved, he would split his time between working down the shore with me and working on a new business making custom furniture and surfboards with materials found around the world. Law—he could always go back to, but for Mike, this was a once in a lifetime chance. I understood completely. It was not unlike the chance I took moving here in the spring.
It was getting dark. I wondered where Jade was. Walking out on the deck, I spied her running with Lucky in the cool surf opposite our home. Her body bundled up in sweats and an oversized hoodie. Her long dark hair escaping its confines of the heavy cotton material as she chased our dog through the brisk salty air and low tide.
A low chuckle hit my throat. Watching them—my life before me, made me realize how far my life had come in such a short time. My life and my heart couldn’t be fuller.
A year ago, loneliness crushed my very existence. I had friends and family, sure, but a crowded room for me no longer held comfort; it held emptiness…a disconnect that drove me to find something better, something for me…someone for me.
Yet, if anyone had told me I would have met Jade and married her over this past summer— me the man with the plan, I would have told them they were crazy. Yet, I did meet her, and I did marry her, and I did get everything I wanted, everything I was searching for…now no longer struggling to find that which was missing. I found my life. I found my girl—the one I dreamed of b
ut could’ve lost forever.
I found a home. A beach house with a tragic story— a life which scarred my beautiful wife’s past, scars which still linger today, and reappeared now and then. Scars I intended to erase so Jade could heal for her future…for our future.
None of this happened in a day, it didn't happen in a week.
But, it did happen…
Within six months
First and foremost, I want to thank my readers. Several events in my life pushed the completion of this book back far longer than I would have liked. I appreciate the support you have given me from the beginning, and the love you have for this character from the original series, Miss Taken Identity. I hope you love Tommy and Jade’s story, even more.
To Mac Bros Book Stuff, for taking on the edits for this book. Thank you for working with me, and helping me to see things differently. I learned so much, including there is no such thing as London Broil in the United Kingdom.
To Stephanie Hobbs, I love what you did with the cover for Within Six Months. The colors, the fonts, the attention to detail…you nailed it, as always. Thank you!
To Michael Reh, I can’t thank you enough for working with me and allowing me to have your beautiful photograph of Micah Truitt, my muse for the character Tommy. It means more than you’ll ever know. It truly completes the story. Thank you so, so much!
To JM Walker, I can’t thank you enough for taking on this project to format, and for making the words on the pages… beautiful.
To Samantha Talarico and Misty Goulet Yancey, my beta-readers, I appreciate the time you took out of your own busy lives to read and re-read this story. Thank you for coming in and doing second edits…I love your suggestions and talking points…thank you for being a very important part in the making of this book.
To my family, you’re always there for me, no matter what, even when I’m a little bit nuts. Get used to it, that won’t change. I love you more than you’ll ever know.
I’d like to give a special thank you to my husband Sal, and my sister-in-law Michele, for our conversation about… ‘the last time.’ That night I went home and penned the letter that Jade’s brother wrote for her in the book. It was eye-opening and heart-wrenching, to think about it though, it’s true. Do we really remember ‘the last time?’ The last time we picked up our child because now they’re grown. Do we remember that day? Do we remember the last cookie we ate that our mom made from scratch? Do we even realize many small and precious moments we all take for granted, will be one day ‘the last time’?
Perhaps not, but…
Thank you for that time, I won’t forget it.
Cleo Scornavacca is an author of Adult Romance, a wife, a mom & a true "Jersey Girl.” She was born and raised in NJ and still resides in the Garden State.
In 2012, Cleo began writing Miss Taken, her debut novel and book one of the Miss Taken Identity Series. Identity, book two, was published in 2014 and The Ties That Bind followed in 2016, which completed the series.
In addition, Cleo is currently working on several other titles which include four standalones in her new Wild Roses Series that will feature the secondary characters from Miss Taken Identity. Within Six Months is the first book in this series.
Cleo was honored to be a part of This Beautiful Escape, Volume One. An anthology that contains her personal short story called Small Gestures. All of the proceeds to This Beautiful Escape go to the fund for Ataxia Awareness.
Cleo is a proud member of Romance Writers of America (RWA) and the New Jersey Romance Writers (NJRW) organizations. When she isn’t writing, she’s spending time with her family, friends, and her Dobie, Brayden. Cleo enjoys reading all types of romance, books on Italy, listening to 80's metal bands, watching shows on house and garden design, movies from Hollywood's Golden Age and of course, squishing her feet in the sand down at the Jersey Shore every chance she gets.
You can follow Cleo and get updates on her books through several social media sites, including:
www.cleoscornavacca.com
www.facebook.com/cleoscornavaccabooks
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cleo-scornavacca
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7242174.Cleo_Scornavacca
https://www.instagram.com/cleoscornavacca/
https://booksprout.co/author/482/cleo-scornavacca
An Excerpt from Miss Taken
For many readers, this may be the first time you’re reading about the character Tommy Conte. But this is not the first time I've written him. Tommy was one of the original characters from my debut series, Miss Taken Identity.
Here's chapter one, from Miss Taken…
Chapter One
Capri…or so I thought
I looked at the clock…only 4:30 am. New York was barely stirring. Soon the city would be jammed with the rush of commuters ready to begin their workday. Except for Theresa, my dad’s housekeeper, I might be the only one up this early in the morning. The evidence of Theresa being awake came from the aroma of fresh coffee and homemade pastries that drifted through the house and settled in my bedroom. I knew it wouldn’t be long before everyone was out of bed killing the stillness I’d been enjoying at that very moment.
At the request of my (I won’t take no for an answer, Rain) dad; I was sleeping over so he could drive me to Newark Airport later that morning. My father, Victor Medici, was a man people rarely said no to. I was headed to Capri, Italy. My home away from home. The one place in my life that made me feel free; where I was able to breathe.
I’d made the trip numerous times over the years. I didn’t understand why my dad still felt the need to be so overprotective of me. Well, I understood why, but I after all of these years, I wished his view about my safety had changed.
Clearly, it hadn’t.
I considered confronting him on it, but then I thought better of it. No need to leave with upset between us.
My only regret about leaving today was that Tommy, my best friend, wouldn't be going with me. Tommy Conte was a very successful, highly sought-after photographer and my business partner. His sexy charm and bad-boy looks didn’t hurt his image either. Tommy’s frame was 6’2 built, but not bulky, with black hair, brown eyes, and numerous tattoos.
He had a very important holiday shoot for an Italian wine distributor this week. It was August and the holidays were not far off, so it was crunch time for Tommy. He was going to meet me in Capri next week, which I was grateful for.
Tommy had always been a stable presence in my life. We grew up together, went to college together and now we lived together. There had never been a sexual relationship between us, but the emotional bond we shared went much deeper than mere childhood friends.
Tommy was my protector. He’d been there through everything. During the confinement, my parents imposed upon me due to the obsession my mother had. She constantly felt the need to keep me safe and retain control over ‘my fragile life.’
My mother’s words, not mine.
Tommy was there to pick up the pieces or be the buffer when life got to be too much.
I was brought out of my reverie by a sudden and sharp knocking on the door. “Rain, you up, sweetie?”
Raven, my twin sister, always knew how to silence the silence, so to speak. Raven lived next door to our dad with her fiancé Michael. He happened to be Tommy’s older brother. She must have been up early for her daily run. Raven and Michael were lawyers with my dad’s firm Kane and Medici.
Raven and I looked exactly alike. We both had long black hair, blue eyes and we were tall and lean. She was slightly thinner than me; I had bangs, but she didn’t.
Our physical features were where our likeness ended. Raven was very strict when it came to her career and her personal life. Everything always had a schedule. I often wondered if she penciled in sex with Michael. The thought made me laugh.
I, on the other hand, didn’t like to be scheduled. I was a freelance photographer, like Tommy, but I specialized in the sand, sun, and surf. I loved traveling and truly en
joyed every bit of my life…now.
“No regrets”…my words to live by.
“Rain, you up?” She sounded slightly annoyed at this point.
“Come in. I’m up,” I said just loud enough to be heard through the thick door, yet trying not to wake my dad, whose room was just down the hall.
Stepping into my room, Raven notice I was still in bed. With a puzzled look on her face, she questioned me, “Don’t you have to get ready for your flight?”
“It’s not for several hours, but I’m getting up now,” I stretched and crawled out of bed to start my day.
I had noticed she was wearing a black running suit and had her hair tied back in a severe ponytail. I was right, she was going for her run. Her routine was so predictable. I loved her with all my heart, but I could never be her. She craved the power of the courtroom, while I preferred to experience life in a different way. There were no mergers and acquisitions for me, just spectacular shorelines and faraway destinations. Give me a beach anywhere in the world and I’d be there photographing it, along with the people that made it come to life. I loved to live life in that way, even when it scared me. Some of that fright was left over from my so-called childhood.
No matter, the past was in the past and I had finally moved on.
Raven walked to the table by the window and thumbed through my portfolio. She partially whipped around to address me.
“These are fantastic. Are they for the show?”
“Maybe.”
“Why maybe?” She asked, with a hint of annoyance.
“I have some revisions to make first. Plus I’m hoping to use some of the shots I’ll be getting from this trip.”
“How long will you be gone this time?”
“I’ll be home for Christmas dinner,” I said, grinning at her.
“CHRISTMAS! What about Thanksgiving? You’re not coming home for Thanksgiving?”
Within Six Months (A Wild Roses Novel Book 1) Page 33
