Lincoln appeared to be flummoxed. He began to sputter, before going completely quiet. His ice blue eyes reflected surprise. He appeared to be deep in thought.
Barbara reached over and squeezed her husband’s hand. “It’s not right for us to judge Fancy. She’s a good woman. And like most human beings, she’s not perfect. She made a mistake.” Barbara turned toward Fancy and winked. “And like the rest of us, she’ll make more. If Case can forgive her and move on, who are we to stand between them?”
“Oh Barbara,” Lincoln said in a low voice. “You truly are my better half.”
“Amen,” Case quipped, earning himself a glare from his father.
Lincoln reached out and tweaked her chin. “Forgive me, Fancy. I hated seeing Case so broken-hearted and upset. No matter how old our children get, we still want to protect them against bumps and bruises and broken hearts.”
“I understand,” Fancy said with a smile. “Someday I hope to be as protective of my children as you are of Case and Charlotte.”
“I think it’s time to sit down for some dinner,” Barbara suggested, looping her arm through Fancy’s and leading her out of the drawing room.
Over filet mignon, au gratin potatoes and pear salad, Fancy got reacquainted with Case’s parents. By the end of dinner, it truly felt as if not a day had gone by since they’d all been together as a tight-knit group. If only Charlotte was here, Fancy thought. That would make this night sheer perfection.
After dinner, Case led Fancy to the library. She had the feeling he wanted to tell her something important. His features were creased with strain.
She reached up and smoothed her palm against his worry lines. “What’s wrong? You look so tense all of a sudden.”
“There’s something that needs to be addressed before we can truly move forward.” The serious tone of Case’s voice sounded alarming.
She raised a hand to her neck. “What is it? You’re scaring me.”
He reached for her hand. “Trust me, Fancy. It’s nothing to fear. It’s closure.”
Fancy turned her head toward the door as it creaked open. Charlotte walked inside the room, her movements hesitant. She also had a look of tension etched on her face.
“The two of you look like something terrible has happened. What’s going on?” Fancy asked, swinging her gaze between Charlotte and Case. Charlotte moved toward Fancy and reached for her hand.
“Charlotte, you’re trembling,” Fancy said, noting the tremors in Charlotte’s hand.
“Yes. It’s nerves, I guess. I’ve never really been good at dealing with things head-on.”
Fancy studied her friend’s expression. Charlotte’s cheeks were flushed and she kept breaking eye contact with her. All of a sudden, Fancy’s mouth felt as if it was filled with sawdust. Did Charlotte have an objection to her rekindled relationship with her brother? Hurt flared inside her at the possibility. Charlotte had always been so enthusiastic about them being together. Was she afraid of Case getting hurt again? Did she believe that they weren’t a good match for each other?
“I should have told you something a long time ago.” Tears slid down Charlotte’s face and her voice quivered.
“Hey, don’t cry. Whatever it is, I’m here for you. Are you sick? Or in some sort of trouble?” Fancy asked, gripping Charlotte’s hand even tighter.
Dear Lord, she prayed. Please don’t let Charlotte’s problem be one that takes her away from us. I need Charlotte and her sweet, gentle nature. Her unwavering support.
“No.” Case interrupted. “It’s nothing like that.” He nudged Charlotte. “Go on, Charlotte. You insisted on telling her. Go ahead.”
The siblings exchanged a loaded glance. Charlotte swung her gaze back to Fancy and bit her lip.
“I love you like a sister, Fancy. And I never ever wanted to hurt you. Please believe that.” Charlotte’s tone was pleading.
Confusion swirled around Fancy. What was Charlotte talking about? “And you never have.”
“It was me, Fancy,” Charlotte sobbed. “I was the one who betrayed you. I told Case about you and Marc.”
Fancy let out a shocked gasp. Charlotte! For over two years she had wondered about the identity of the person who had detonated a bomb in her world. It had been Charlotte the whole time!
For so long she had been certain it had been one of her dearest friends. That sense of betrayal, along with her broken engagement, had driven her away from Savannah for almost two years. Her friendships had shattered under the weight of her suspicion. She hadn’t known who to trust. And so she had trusted no one! All because of Charlotte!
Although she felt an immediate sense of vindication, she also felt gutted by this revelation. Why hadn’t Charlotte told her a long time ago and spared her all this angst?
“You.” Fancy choked out the word. “It was you?”
“I never meant to hurt you or Case. I told him because I knew things might be misconstrued if anybody found out, which is exactly what happened in the end. I hoped that Case would realize things weren’t right between the two of you and that it would be a wake-up call. I was trying to save your relationship, not sabotage it.”
Fancy released Charlotte’s hand and took a step backward. “That makes no sense.”
Case stepped up so that he stood beside them. Charlotte was now openly weeping. It hurt Fancy’s heart to see her friend so torn up inside. But at the same time she wanted to lash out at her.
“Charlotte came to me as a sister. And as your friend. She wanted everything on the table so our relationship didn’t buckle under the weight of everything,” Case explained. “She thought our relationship was falling apart, so she stepped up to try and help us save it.”
Fancy met Case’s gaze. “But it did buckle, didn’t it? And then it snapped in two.”
Never in her wildest dreams had she thought it would be Charlotte. Gentle, sweet, loving Charlotte. She’d never hurt anybody in her life. But she had destroyed Fancy’s future with Case.
“Please forgive me,” Charlotte begged, her pretty face smeared with makeup and tears.
Case locked gazes with her. His eyes were doing a fine job of pleading as well. He was silently asking her to grant his sister forgiveness.
She closed her eyes and centered herself. The anger inside her made everything feel so complicated. She began to pray.
Dear Lord. Show me the way to forgiveness. I love Charlotte like a sister, but I’m so furious at her withholding the truth from me all this time. Grant me the serenity to place all my burdens aside and embrace my new future and a true spirit of forgiveness.
Suddenly, it dawned on her that earlier this evening she had extended her enemy grace. If she could do that for Meryl, there was no question in her heart and mind that she could forgive Charlotte. Charlotte was her dear friend, a woman who had always sought to lift her up. And how could she blame Charlotte for things she herself had chosen to do?
Fancy opened her eyes and let out a cry as she pulled Charlotte into her arms and began to whisper, “I forgive you, my friend. Of course I forgive you. I love you, Charlotte.”
Charlotte hugged her tightly and began to thank Fancy profusely for her grace. “Thank you, Fancy. You can’t imagine what a huge weight you’ve just lifted off me.”
“You lifted it off of yourself,” Fancy said in a low voice. “You were open and honest with me, when in reality you could have sat on this for the rest of our lives. You gave me closure. Now I can truly move forward.”
“And I’m so thrilled that the two of you are moving forward together,” Charlotte gushed as she wiped tears from her cheeks.
Case stood by and watched, his eyes misty as the spirit of forgiveness floated in the air.
“I’m going to give the two of you some privacy,” Charlotte said, sniffling as she left the room.
Once Charlotte had left the room, Case quickly came to Fancy’s side.
“I knew you were a wonderful woman, but I’m a little stunned at how quickly you forgave Charlotte
.”
“How could I not forgive her when the relationship we’re building is based on forgiveness?” Fancy asked. “You’ve taught me more about grace and forgiveness than anyone else in my life.”
“I think we’ve both shown each other that, in the end, love is the answer,” Case said, his voice raspy with emotion.
“I agree. If you follow God’s command and lead with love, you’ll never be disappointed in your choices.”
“That’s what I intend to do,” he said, placing a tender kiss on her lips. “Lead with love. Especially when it comes to my amazing girlfriend.”
Fancy let out a squeal. “Girlfriend. Oh, I just love being your girlfriend, Case Duvall.”
He leaned down and placed his forehead against hers, then gazed deeply into her eyes. “At this rate, you won’t be my girlfriend for long. I’m planning on making you something infinitely more permanent.”
“Oh, Case. Right here, right now I’m already happier than any girl has a right to be. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” he whispered.
Fancy caressed his cheek, then planted a scorching kiss on him that celebrated how far they had come in such a short time. The past had taught them that love was stronger than any other force known to man. With God on their side and love deeply embedded in their hearts, they knew that the future was destined to be filled with an abundance of joy.
“When you love someone with all your heart, all you want to do is make them your forever.” Hattie Alexander
Epilogue
Fancy navigated her car along the winding road leading to Savannah House. Her headlights illuminated the pink and cream sign announcing the resort. Fancy had commissioned a new sign for the inn. This one fit perfectly with the vibe of the new and improved inn. Savannah House was one week away from opening up its doors. There was still so very much to do in order to get things ready for their launch. And now a crisis had brought her to Savannah House out of the clear blue sky. She prayed it wasn’t anything major that would disrupt their plans.
The house was in complete darkness, with the exception of a light softly glowing in the library window. What in the world? Were the ladies trying to save on energy costs?Had the power gone out?
Fancy let herself into the house. The heavenly aroma of food wafted in the air. Candles sat on the hall table. Perhaps her hunch about the power had been right.
“Hey! Is anybody here? Olivia. Charlotte. Morgan,” she called out.
The sound of footsteps on the hardwood floors alerted her to someone’s presence. A tall figure walked toward her down the hall. Her heart pounded with slight fear. It was a masculine stride. As soon as he came closer, she realized it was Case. Although he wasn’t wearing a business suit, he looked gorgeous in a tan pair of slacks and a button down shirt. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and his hair appeared to be a bit disheveled. Not that it made him look any less handsome, Fancy thought with a sigh. He always made her heart skip a beat.
“Case! What’s going on? What are you doing here?” she asked. “Where are the girls?”
“They’re gone,” he said, flashing her a devilish grin.
“Gone? But I was supposed to be meeting up with them to deal with something. They said there was an emergency here.”
“Sorry. It’s my fault. There’s been a slight change of plans,” he said, wrinkling his nose. At the moment he looked no older than ten. His face was lit up with mischief. “Suffice it to say, there’s no emergency. Sorry about that.”
“What are you up to?” Fancy asked, her heart skittering in expectation. “You look like the cat that swallowed the cream.”
“I planned a special evening for the two of us, right here at Savannah House,” Case explained. “The candles are supposed to be romantic. That was Olivia’s idea. I hope the darkness didn’t frighten you when you drove up.”
“Not at all,” Fancy said. “I thought there was a power outage. I figured that might be the emergency.”
“Let me take off your coat,” he said, helping her slip off her light jacket. He placed it in the hall closet, then ushered her toward the kitchen. “There are appetizers and drinks in the kitchen.”
“You cooked? For real? No ordering from a restaurant? Wow. This really is a special night.” Fancy felt like Case was wooing her the way he’d done when they had first been on the brink of falling in love. She loved the way it made her feel. Valued. Appreciated. And adored. Case loved her. She couldn’t get over how they had managed to move toward forgiveness and reconciliation. It truly had shown her the power of the human heart.
“Morgan helped,” he said sheepishly. “A lot. I owe her big-time. She’s really going to be an amazing chef for Savannah House.”
Once she crossed the threshold into the kitchen, Fancy let out a gasp. There were several bouquets of stunning flowers situated around the kitchen. Roses. Lilies. Tulips. Carnations.
“I’m making up for lost time. I feel like I need to shower you with everything I couldn’t give you over the past two years.” Case’s voice came from behind her.
She turned to face him. “I don’t need all that, Case. I may be wearing my heart on my sleeve, but all I want or need is you.”
“Dance with me,” Case said, reaching his hand out for hers. The lovely sounds of light music began streaming from the direction of the counter. Fancy spotted a small pair of speakers perched there. Case took her hands and began to glide her around.
“Hey. What’s with the tears?” he asked, peering intently into her eyes. “Did I do something wrong?”
“Of course not,” she said with a fierce nod of her head. “I-I just never thought we’d be here like this. Enjoying each other’s company. Dancing. And this song…our song. I’ve never been able to hear it without thinking of you. And I’ve heard it a hundred times or more over the last few years. It always sounded so bittersweet to my ears.”
Case held her tighter and whirled her around the room to the soft, romantic tempo of her favorite love song. She wrapped her arms around Case and placed her head against his chest. If this moment lasted forever she wouldn’t have a single complaint.
“You are my everything. Past. Present. Future. Without you, I’ll never be the man God intended me to be.”
“You’re a wonderful man, Case. And in case I haven’t told you, I feel very blessed that you gave us a second chance.” She reached up on her tippy toes and placed a tender kiss on his lips. Case moved his lips over hers, making her feel as if he was sweeping her away to another dimension. She felt almost dizzy with the raw emotion of this moment.
As the kiss ended, Case began to speak. “I’ve been blind, Fancy. And prideful. I was so blinded by my pain that I didn’t see what was standing right in front of me. I wasn’t able to see your regret and the pain and loneliness that led you to make poor choices. Two years ago, I let you go, Fancy. It was the single worst mistake of my life. I thought I’d be fine without you.” He choked on raw emotion. There was mist gathering in his eyes.
“I was lost, in every way imaginable. As a result, I’ve had to do a lot of soul searching. So many people have shown me that I was wrong. You’ve shined a light for me, with your quiet joy and resilience. And I admire the way you haven’t let bitterness about the past change you. Or shape you. The way you chose to instantly grant forgiveness to Charlotte inspires me to be a better man.”
“I learned that from you, Case. You’ve worked so hard to reach a state of grace where you could put the past behind us. That means the world to me.”
“Forgiveness is a living, breathing thing. It’s not just a word to throw out there to make ourselves look good. I wasn’t ready to forgive you two years ago. I’ve learned a lot about unconditional love. We have to live it. I vow to live it with you every day of our lives. If you’ll let me. Fancy Tolliver, you’re still the woman who owns me, body and soul.”
He reached out and smoothed his palm across her cheek. She turned her head and placed a kiss on his hand. “I’m you
rs, Case. I always have been. Always will be.”
Case grinned at her. “I was hoping you would say that.”
Without waiting a moment longer, Case got down on bended knee. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a square-shaped sapphire colored box. He flipped the lid open to reveal a pear-shaped, diamond ring with ruby stones on the band. Fancy let out a gasp. She covered her mouth with her hands. Her expressive blue eyes radiated shock. And an abundance of joy.
“Francine Tolliver. Will you do me the honor of becoming my bride? Will you allow me to love you for the rest of our days?” He looked up at her, hoping and praying that she would say yes to a lifetime lived in love.
“Case!” Fancy called out his name, her voice full of jubilation. Before he knew it, she was kneeling down in front of him so that they were at eye level. She wrapped her arms around his neck and began placing kisses all over his face. “Yes, I’ll marry you. There’s nothing I want more than to spend the rest of my life with you, Case Duvall.”
“I’m going to need your hand,” he teased as he reached for it. “This ring belonged to my grandmother, Amelia. Last go-round I wasn’t sure about giving it to you. I thought you’d want something brand new.” He made a face. “This time I think I’m going to stick to tradition. Grandma Amelia would be over the moon to know that the woman I adore will be wearing her beloved ring.” He slid the ring on Fancy’s finger. Her eyes widened.
“Oh, it’s stunning. I can’t imagine a more beautiful engagement ring.” She wiggled her ring finger. The gems winked and sparkled. It looked perfect on her!
“I can’t imagine a woman worthier of wearing this ring,” Case said, standing up and raising Fancy to her feet along with him.
“I can’t wait to become your wife,” Fancy said, her eyes shining with the promise of their brilliant future.
“Wait? Oh baby, we’re not going to wait,” he said with a shake of his head.“You’re going to become Mrs. Case Duvall in record time.”
The Last Kiss (Secrets of Savannah Book 3) Page 15
