Dare to Dream (Carolina Beach #1)

by C. A. Harms

  Her lip trembled and she tried to hold back her tears, but it was impossible.

  “Angel,” I whispered, taking her hand. “Will you marry me?”

  “Yes,” she cried as she leaned down and wrapped her arms around my neck. I stood, lifting her body with mine, and for a moment I just held her. Her body shook against mine and I continued embrace her, allowing the emotions to roll through her.

  “I love you so much,” she said. It was muffled, but I heard it.

  “I love you too,” I replied just as the girls wrapped their arms around our legs and squealed.

  I don’t know if they knew exactly what they were happy about, but they were happy all the same.

  Bonus Chapter

  Six months later

  When I was a girl, I dreamed of having a wedding fit for a beautiful princess, one with gorgeous, flowing dresses and so many flowers that the aromas would fill the air around us, drowning out any other scent. The men in their perfectly fitted tuxes would lead the women around, whose long, beautiful gowns would trail out behind them. I’d wear my mother’s veil as I’d spin in circles, my eyes closed and my head tilted toward the sky.

  It was a dreamland I created in my mind because one day I hoped to have all those things.

  And now here I was. No, the men weren’t wearing white as my childlike mind once imagined, but their black tuxes were just as impressive. The women didn’t wear pale pink, but the champagne color of their dresses beautifully contrasted with the beach behind them.

  But the flowers, oh, the flowers were the same. They were in every corner and on every available space. Petals lay at our feet, and bouquets stood tall in waist-high vases that were perched on the ends of every row of seating. A light breeze came in from the ocean and made the sweet scent flow over the area we occupied.

  It was like a dream, like my dream.

  I stood back watching as some of the guests closed their eyes and took a moment to breathe in the same aroma that filled my nose.

  It was the perfect setting, and in just a few short minutes, I would be led to the altar were the man I adored awaited me.

  Darren had done this. He took my childhood dreams and made them a reality by making sure the images in my mind were reflected on this special day.

  I still found myself wondering how I got so lucky. Darren and the girls were a dream come true.

  And after today we would truly be a family. A family with two of the sweetest girls and a man that would do whatever it took to keep us safe.

  That was the best kind of happy a girl could ask for.

  ***

  Darren held me close, his palm pressed against the small of my back. The tingling sensation I felt from the gentle flutter of his fingers made my pulse race.

  I looked up at the man that had given more than I ever dreamed of, and for a moment I got lost in his gorgeous eyes—eyes that made me believe in forever.

  “I wished for this,” I told him as I ran my hand up through the hair at the back of his neck. His eyes closed for a moment as my touch made him feel completely at peace. “I wished for us my whole life, though I didn’t know you then. But I feel now like I was always meant to find you.”

  He opened his eyes and remained silent, but I could see the effect my words had on him.

  We were married now, bonded for life. Promised to one another for eternity. Nothing could break us.

  “I feel like all those dreams I had as a little girl have finally come true and for once I’m being granted the happy ending I’ve always only dreamed of. You gave me that.”

  He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine as we swayed together.

  Everyone around us watched as we shared our first dance as husband and wife, but I felt as if we were all alone, just the two of us.

  “And the two princesses who I’ve fallen head over heels for are the most precious gift of all. I’m so happy you’ve chosen me to be a part of their lives, a part of yours.” I kissed him once more. “I will treasure that gift always.”

  Once our song was complete, I stepped back and watched as Darren took his girls in his arms and shared a dance with them too. They each held on to their daddy, looking at him as if he hung the moon. And I knew in their minds he had. Because I had once felt that way about my own father. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room as we all watched Darren share that special moment with Violet and Vivian.

  I never met Lynn, but in a way I feel like I knew her. It’s in the way Vivian watches over her little sister and the way she carefully hovers, making sure Violet is safe at all times. It’s in her eyes, because they’re the mirror image of all the photos I’ve seen of her mother.

  Darren says Violet’s laugh reminds him of Lynn’s.

  It doesn’t bother me in any way that he still reminisces about his times with Lynn. He does it so carefully that I know he worries it will offend me. He’s amazing like that. But I want him to remember her. I want him to share those memories with their daughters because they deserve to hear how much he and Lynn loved each other. They should feel safe to talk about the woman that helped give them life.

  They will always only have one mother, but given the chance, I will always be there for them. And I will always be grateful that I’ve been gifted the chance to be a part their lives. Vivian and Violet have become my gems too.

  I took a chance by daring to dream that somewhere was a man who would be my hero, that one person I could share my days and nights with, who would love me and protect me. It was a leap of faith that I would do all over again if I had to. The only thing I would change is that I would jump sooner.

  Because there is nothing I regret about the love I share with Darren.

  And later when we were alone, after the guests were gone, and it was just him and me, I’d share with him my secret. I’d show him the test I took only hours before I became his wife, and together we would celebrate the fact that this time next year we’d have one more sweet child to love.

  Acknowledgements

  The Charmed Girls, you are all amazing. The continued support you show me is something I will never be able to express just how much it means to me. Thank you all for sharing my work and for just being you. You are all the greatest bunch of ladies. https://www.facebook.com/groups/702393513116443/

  Thank you, Lydia, Fred, my Cheryl. You are the cheese to my macaroni, the salsa to my chips. I fricking love you to pieces. And before this goes into awkward territory let me just say you are true friends and motivators. Always making me laugh and smile. We are an amazing team, and your friendship means the world to me. Thank you for being some of my biggest cheerleaders.

  To my husband and children. Thank you for being the best part of my days. For tolerating me when I get lost in the world of fiction and understanding that sometimes dinner may be a little late. Jayden and Tayler, no matter how many books I write, you two will always be my best creations.

  My readers, I am always so humbled by your support. I will never be able to express my gratitude for you. You just cannot put something like that into words, believe me I have tried, and each time I feel it is not enough. Those random messages I received after you read my books, whether it be something big or small, I truly love them. Hearing what you think, in my eyes, is one of the greatest things about releasing a new book. I am never too busy for you.

  Golden Czermak, the genius behind that lens of Furious Fotog. You are the bomb. A true artist. And the images you capture are so breathtaking. I don’t think I have ever seen a picture you’ve taken that I didn’t love.

  RJ Ritchie, once again it has been a pleasure working with you. Humble, kind, and easy on the eyes, it’s hard to find the combination of all those, but you got ’em all. I appreciate your support and look forward to many more covers in the future. Oh, and again, great job when suggesting that I choose the pink for the cover. I love it! It looks amazing.

  About the Author

  A little about me, let’s see where to start.

  I love HEA
stories, as long as they come packing a little heat. I need some excitement, some angst, and moments that make me fan my face, those are always good too. I am an Illinois girl, born and raised. Simple and true, it honestly doesn’t take much to make me happy. I love the little things, they truly mean the most. I may have a slight addiction to my new Keurig, oh my, that thing is a godsend. And so fast too. I have two children who truly are my very best friends. Their faces never fail to put a smile on my face. I have been married to my husband for sixteen years, and even though at times I want to beat him with a stick, I would never change the years we have had. We have learned and fallen, only to pick each other up, dust off the ache, and help each other make it right.

  I am one of those authors that adore my fans. I love to hear from you. After all, it is because of each one of you that I continue to write. I look forward to you feedback.

  Be sure to follow me to stay up-to-date on all my upcoming releases.

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