Now it was her turn. She looked at her father and grinned before they set off.
A lump grew in Jonathon’s throat as Molly walked towards him sprinkling pale pink rose petals from her little basket. She looked so sweet and happy it made his heart sing. He smiled at her and she smiled back, her two missing front teeth making her look even cuter, if that were possible.
And then there was Bethany, his beautiful teenage daughter who looked so grown up and so much like Larissa it hurt. But he was okay with that. Larissa would always have a place in his heart, but his future lay with Ruth. He smiled proudly at Bethany, but then his gaze fixed on his bride, who stole his breath away. She was exquisite, beautiful like a princess.
She approached slowly on her father’s arm, and when they reached the front, Jonathon smiled and offered his. Her father kissed her and then handed her to Jonathon. He covered her hand with his own, squeezing it, conveying his love.
They faced the front and the service began. They’d chosen a traditional service, and as the minister began with “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…” Jonathon couldn’t be more grateful that God had been gracious to him and given him a second chance at love.
Finally, when it came time to exchange rings, he turned to Stuart and winked. His son had been so anxious he’d lose the rings, or worse, drop them in front of everybody, but he handled them perfectly and even wore a grin on his face as he passed the first ring to Jonathon.
Jonathon took Ruth’s hand and looked deep into her eyes as he spoke the words he’d memorised. “Ruth, I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honour you. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. With this ring, I thee wed.” He slipped it onto her finger and smiled.
She did the same and slid the band onto his finger, and when the minister pronounced them man and wife and told him he could kiss his bride, he was the happiest man alive.
Jonathon’s kiss left her mouth burning with fire. Over the months they’d been courting, she’d discovered her Prince Charming was a passionate man, but she’d asked him, pleaded with him, not to kiss her like that in front of everyone, and especially the children. He hadn’t listened, but now, she didn’t care what everyone thought. They loved each other, and if the entire world knew, she was fine. When he released her, everyone clapped and cheered. She laughed at his grin, the largest she’d ever seen, and then hugged him again before they headed down the aisle to greet their family and friends.
Mrs. Cleary was amongst them, and after spending time with their families, they paused to speak with the elderly woman who had been partly responsible for their union. She patted Jonathon’s hand after he hugged her and told him how grateful she was to be part of their journey. “God has good things in store for both of you, I just know it,” she said.
Ruth looked up at her husband and they shared a smile. Their future was just beginning, and she couldn’t wait to see what God had in mind for them.
Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned. Song of Solomon 8:7
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
Thanks for reading the Billionaires with Heart Series Boxset. I hope you enjoyed each book.
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While you’re waiting for my next book, enjoy a chapter from “Because We Loved” I think you’ll enjoy it!
Blessings,
Juliette
Prologue
Lt Cl Westaway scanned the horizon, crouching low behind the scrubby hill. Creeping forward, he motioned with his hand for his men to follow. They needed the element of surprise. They’d spent days tracking this band of mujahideen, aiming to intercept them before they carried out their plans to cause more carnage in Kabul. These were dangerous and desperate men.
Callum blinked as a bead of sweat rolled down his forehead and onto his eyelashes. It was so hot, and the air, thick with dust, was almost tangible. A few metres away, flies buzzed nosily as they fed off a long dead goat.
He hated this place. Still, a few more days and it would be over. This was his last mission before a well-deserved leave. So far, things had gone according to plan, and none of his men had been lost, though one had been flown home wounded. Enough to put him out of active service for a while, but nothing fatal.
In fact, Callum had been thinking all morning that things had gone almost too well. He’d learned to take nothing for granted.
He breathed in slowly, a sudden sense of foreboding coming over him. Years in the field had honed his instincts, and he turned his head sharply to the right before he saw the figure running towards his men from seemingly nowhere, shouting a language he didn’t speak, but whose words he recognised in their intent. The man’s gun was raised in a fluid movement as he shouted commands to his men who followed.
It was too late. Callum’s body lifted off the ground as a deafening explosion rang in his ears. As he dropped and rolled, his last image before he lost consciousness was Lt Jeff Gibbons a few yards away, staring at him with eyes that would never see again...
Callum woke with a gasp, his heart pounding inside his chest, his eyes wide in the darkened room.
It was a dream. Just a dream. I’m not there anymore.
Panting, he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, deliberately slowing and lengthening his breath. There was no need to panic. He was safe.
As he thought it, his insides twisted with shame. Since when did Lt Cl Westaway worry about being safe? While far from reckless—recklessness had no place in the field—he had a reputation for both bravery and stoicism in the face of conflict. Never in all his years of active duty had he felt the need to reassure himself he was ‘safe’.
He hadn’t had these dreams until recently, since returning to his base at Salford after an active tour in the Middle East. After years in the field and a distinguished and decorated career, he’d succumbed to the lure of the desk job.
Well, sort of. He was due to start his new job the following day, training new recruits at Salford Barracks, and while he was satisfied that he’d made the right decision, he was conflicted about it. An old adage of his father’s ‘those who can, do; those who can’t, teach’ kept coming back to him. It was nonsense, of course. Callum had proved himself in the field enough times. At thirty-eight, it was time to take a step back, and Salford was delighted to have him as a Senior Trainer, believing he would be an ideal model for eager new recruits. He just hoped he could live up to their expectations. He’d had little teaching experience and if he was honest with himself, he was anxious about the day ahead, probably the reason for having the dreams. Nerves.
He padded across the room in his bare feet and downstairs to the kitchen. The three-bedroom town house he lived in, courtesy of the Defence Force, was lovely but often felt too big for him alone. He had plans to turn the spare bedrooms into a study and a gym but hadn’t made a start on them yet. Maybe he wasn’t ready to resign himself to a life alone, although he couldn’t fathom anything else.
He’d been single since he and Danielle had divorced years earlier. Childhood sweethearts, it had never occurred to him they wouldn’t have children and stay together forever. But after only three years of marriage, she’d announced she was leaving, that being an army wife wasn’t for her, part
icularly after her friend’s husband had been killed in active duty. He’d been in shock for weeks, not believing it was true, expecting her to change her mind. He waited for the reconciliation letter that never came and resigned himself to the situation by the time the divorce papers arrived. It had been an amicable enough end, and he tried not to begrudge the fact that the last he’d heard of her, she was happily married with a baby on the way. Danielle deserved to be happy. He’d settled for busy and successful.
Any dream of a family to return to after a gruelling tour was put away in a box to gather dust. Only recently, since retiring from active duty, had he understood how lonely he really was. He’d lost too many good friends in the field to be keen to make new ones, and his parents lived miles away in Frankston. His father, a retired Colonel, had frowned on his decision to take the post at Salford.
Pushing thoughts of his overbearing father from his mind, he turned the kettle on. It was never too early in the morning for coffee. He set his focus on the day ahead, hoping it wouldn’t bring with it too many surprises.
Maybe tomorrow night, he could sleep uninterrupted.
Chapter 1
Salford Army Base, Victoria, Australia
Callum stood at ease, listening to Colonel Jarrop run through his first day and what to expect. He tried to hide the fact that he was so tired. The man’s monotonous voice was making him feel like going back to bed to catch up on missed sleep. After the nightmare, he’d stayed awake, and sitting on his balcony, had watched the sun come up. He’d seen the sun rise in many places during his army career, but had never paused long enough to take it in. Appreciate it. That morning, he’d witnessed the beauty of a summer sunrise in a clear sky and felt lucky to be alive.
So many weren’t.
The pang of survivor’s guilt had followed immediately after, spoiling his reverie. Often, his recent nightmares replayed scenes of friends and fellow soldiers dying in the field. Last night it had been Jeff Gibbons, a man who’d served under him in Afghanistan three years earlier. A pleasant guy, he was devoted to his wife and kids and talked about them constantly. Callum had still been a little raw over Danielle at that point and had tried not to feel envious of Jeff’s fortune.
He’d thought of the family Gibbons had left behind a few times over the years and wondered how they were doing. He’d met his wife—Fleur, he thought her name was, it sounded like a flower—at the funeral. Even with her face twisted in grief, Callum had noticed her gentle but overwhelming beauty. He’d given her his condolences, but she’d looked through him, staring into a past she’d lost. Or perhaps a future she no longer recognised.
Seeing the Colonel staring at him quizzically, Callum pushed away his morbid thoughts. What is wrong with me lately? “Sorry sir, I didn’t catch that.”
The Colonel smiled genially. “I was just pointing out, Westaway, after all of your experience in the field, dealing with a few new recruits should be child’s play.”
“I hope so, sir.”
The Colonel rubbed his neck. “There’s one recruit you may need to watch out for. Billy Cassidy. He’s nineteen, I believe. He was on a fast track to prison until he decided to join the army and ‘turn his life around.’ A noble sentiment, but looking at his record, the boy’s trouble.”
Callum raised a brow. “But we’ve given him a chance?”
The Colonel nodded. “He shows promise. Passed all the entry tests with flying colours. Sometimes these boys are the ones who surpass all expectations and fly up the ranks. I guess because we give them a home and a purpose.”
Callum smiled wryly. He could understand that. Despite his recent struggles, the army had been his home and purpose his entire adult life. “I’ll keep an eye out for him. A few weeks of basic training will soon show what he’s made of.”
The Colonel looked pleased. “We’re glad to have you, Westaway. Good luck.”
Callum stood to attention, saluted and left the room. It was time to meet the recruits. His first class with them was Military History. He had them for Parade Training as well. At least he wasn’t teaching PT. That would have annoyed his father.
The Military History class rapidly turned into what felt like his own biography as the recruits peppered him with questions after the lecture. Rather than asking him to tell them more about the history of the conflicts in the Middle East or the early days of the army, all they wanted to know about was Lt Cl Westaway.
“How many medals have you got?”
“How many tours have you been on?”
Callum laughed and answered their questions good-naturedly. While he knew it was important he retain his authority, he also knew their time at camp would be better supported by officers who seemed human, not just unapproachable seniors.
He was surprised by how much he was actually enjoying himself so far. Teaching seemed to suit him.
Billy Cassidy raised his hand. “I’ve got a question, sir.” Callum nodded at him to continue. Contrary to the Colonel’s warnings, Billy had been no trouble whatsoever. In fact, he seemed happy to be there and eager to learn. Apparently he’d excelled in PT. Looking at his lean but wiry frame, Callum wasn’t surprised.
“Have you seen a lot of death?” the youth asked.
Callum blinked. Was this lad somehow reading his mind? Were his night terrors on show for all to see? Clearing his throat, he answered more brusquely than he’d intended, “Of course, Cassidy. In war, people die.”
There were a few nervous titters, but most of the recruits went quiet and looked at him intently. How many of them grasped the realities of what could lie before them? It was one thing to know something was going to happen and quite another to be in the middle of it. Remembering his own basic training, Callum reflected that none of the training officers had ever openly spoken about the inevitable dangers they faced, not in any concrete way. His first active tour in East Timor had been a baptism by fire. He swore to himself he’d do his best to equip these recruits with the resilience they would need.
Billy just looked thoughtful at Callum’s reply. He opened his mouth to say something else, but hesitated. Callum sighed, suddenly feeling a wave of exhaustion again. “Spit it out, Cassidy.”
“I just wondered, sir...maybe it’s a silly question...but is it worth it? Being in the army? Is it worth all the death?”
Callum stared at him. The boy’s words were like a punch to the gut. It was a question he had no answer for. He looked around the room, his gaze settling briefly on every recruit before he spoke again. “That’s something you’ll have to answer for yourselves. I’ll ask you in a few years.” If you’re alive, he thought before dismissing them.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Parade Training was frustrating, and he tried to recall how it had been when he was a fresh recruit, green around the ears and knowing far less than he thought he did. Surely, though, he’d been able to march in a straight line.
After his duties finished, Callum went home to change into gym clothes. He’d pushed through his earlier tiredness with the help of a few too many coffees and now felt unpleasantly restless and jittery. If he tried to sleep while feeling like this, he was sure to have another nightmare. A good workout and hot shower would hopefully balance out both body and brain.
It had been a good first day, he reflected as he drove to the gym. Far from feeling like he had ‘downgraded’, he felt privileged to teach the latest cohort and pleased to discover he had an aptitude for something other than being a soldier. Even Parade Training had given him a sense of fulfilment when after two hours of drill, a basic formation—with everyone facing in the same direction—had been managed. Apart from Billy Cassidy’s question, he’d remained in the moment all day, thoughts of his recent past behind him. Maybe this was what he needed.
He parked outside the gym in downtown Salford and got out of his car. A woman had left the building and was walking in his direction. Slim and toned, with honey blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, something about her was familiar.
&n
bsp; She frowned as she approached, as if she also sensed familiarity. When he saw her soft, blue eyes that were as clear as the sky above, and her cute, upturned nose, he felt a jolt of recognition. Fleur Gibbons. Jeff’s widow.
He hesitated. Should he say hello, or would she find it intrusive? He needn’t have worried. She gave him a shy smile. “Lieutenant...Westaway?”
“Lieutenant Colonel,” he said with a smile, “or just Callum is fine. You’re Fleur?”
“Yes.” A shadow crossed her face. “I met you at Jeff’s funeral. I remember your name—he always spoke highly of you when he was home on leave.”
Callum wasn’t sure whether he felt pleased or sad. Jeff had only been with his squadron a few months; they hadn’t been close. Still, he’d liked the man and often thought in different circumstances they might have met for a drink. “Jeff was a good man.”
Fleur bit her lip, looking away. “Yes,” she said quietly. “He was.”
There was a pause before Callum cleared his throat, feeling awkward at not knowing what to say in this situation. “So...how have you been?”
She met his gaze again. Her eyes were clear and he immediately felt she was someone to be trusted. Even at the funeral he’d noticed she had a certain poise about her. She gave another small smile. “Good. It’s taken a while to get to this point, but we did.” She fingered a small silver cross around her neck as she spoke.
Billionaires with Heart Boxset: Christian Romance Series Page 48
