Holiday Magic (Second Chance)
Page 10
Mark put his arms around her again and pulled her close.
“When she told me she thought she was pregnant, she also said she wanted us to make a go of things, but I turned her down. I said I’d stand by the child if it was mine, but I wanted nothing to do with her. Two weeks later, she said she’d miscalculated, and then she married Anton. She was jealous of you, of us and our happiness, and she took it away from us, but we have a second chance now. Let’s not let anything spoil it this time.”
He put his finger under her chin and raised her head, so that he could see her beautiful face. He bent his head and kissed her tenderly.
Georgia felt all the pain she had carried with her so long slip away, and the love she had held in her heart flooded through her and into the kiss. It was going to work out. He did not blame her for what had happened, and she could no longer blame him for any of the pain she had suffered.
He pulled back slowly. “I love you,” he said. “I have always loved you and only you. Give me a chance to make you happy again.”
Her eyes sparkled with tears, but they were tears of happiness. “I love you too,” she said. “I never stopped loving you. Mark, make love to me.”
He needed no further urging. He picked her up and carried her up to their room. He laid her on the sleeping bags. “I’ve wanted to do this ever since I set eyes on you again. I haven’t been alive without you. Let me show you how much you mean to me.”
She smiled coyly. “Well, if you think you’re up to it.”
***
The sun was shining when they finally left the loft. The chalet was toasty, and Georgia was starving. She had a feeling that she might have to work to keep her svelte figure, if her appetite was going to keep her eating the way she was. Deep down she hoped that they had created the child she so desperately wanted. She would have no problem giving up her skinny clothes for that.
She made banana pancakes, Mark’s favorite, while he showered. She remembered all of his favorite dishes and looked forward to cooking each and every one of them, and she would start as soon as they could return to the city. After three years apart, neither one of them wanted to be separated again. Georgia would move into the loft as soon as she could get packed. He would arrange to have the crate containing her design studio materials brought over to the apartment. They would put up a Christmas tree with all of the ornaments she had in the storage locker, and a few they would purchase in Palmerton as permanent souvenirs of this place. He would have today’s date put on that “Our First Christmas” ornament, even if he had to do it himself in permanent marker. She smiled. She rather liked that idea.
Early that afternoon, they dressed and went outside to inspect the damage. The space surrounding the chalet was littered with smaller branches, and as Mark shoveled a path to the garage for them, she admired the beauty of the area. Perhaps they could buy their own chalet. It would be a wonderful way to maintain the closeness they had recaptured here. She had several ideas for jewelry designs, and planned a new Blue Mountain collection around them.
When they approached the birch tree, Georgia paled when she saw the size of the branch and realized how far it had been from the house. How had she managed to pull him through the snow the way she had? He had to weigh at least eighty pounds more than she did.
Together, they moved the branch further off the path, surprised to see that the smaller branches had protected the indentation where his body had been. Blood, frozen in the snow, showed where his head had been, and the deeper scar from the tree was beside it. Another few inches to the left, and the main branch would have struck him. She shivered. If the full force of the tree had hit him, he would probably have died.
“I guess, I really did get lucky,” he said, staring at the blood and realizing what a close call it had been.
Georgia put her arms around him and raised her lips to his. “We got lucky,” she whispered.
***
The rest of the month passed in a haze of happiness for Georgia. Tonight, Christmas Eve, she stood by the grandstand in the ballroom waiting for Mark to claim her for their last dance of the evening. She watched him cross the floor as the orchestra began to play ‘Unchained Melody’. He looked so young and handsome in his costume – Prince Adam, the Beast’s real name – and reached for her, his love there for all to see on his face. Dressed as Belle, she went willingly into the arms of her prince, the man she loved beyond all others. Beside them, Eleni dressed as Snow White and Joe as her prince danced, lost in the music and in one another. As soon as the song ended, the four of them made their way to the exit. They had another event to attend tonight.
Georgia stood next to Mark in front of the minister in City Church. After the regular Christmas Eve service, Sam and Meg had decorated the church thematically, and now sat with the other employees from Holiday Magic in the pews, together with Gwen and her fiancé Tom, smiling at the radiant couple. He still wore his Prince Adam costume, and she had donned the newly fitted Belle wedding gown that she had designed three years ago. Eleni stood next to her, her green eyes sparkling with tears of joy. Joe acted as best man, and since Georgia had wanted the ceremony small and private, Mark had agreed. In fact, he would have agreed to anything to make this wedding a reality.
He held her hand in his, and slowly removed the resized engagement ring he had given her as soon as they had returned to the city. The three days they had spent in the chalet had been magical, and thanks to his incredibly generous offer, he had persuaded the Ingram’s to sell it to him. It was his wedding present to her. She didn’t know it yet, but they would be spending their month-long honeymoon cocooned in the Blue Mountains.
“The bride and groom have written their vows, and they’d like to speak them now. Mark, you may go first,” said Reverend James.
Mark kissed Georgia’s hand.
“Georgia, when you aren’t around, my world is empty. I want you with me always. I can’t make up for the tears you’ve shed, or the pain you’ve felt, but know that I will never let anything or anyone hurt you again. You’re the sun, the moon, and the stars of my universe. I love you above all others, and I’ll love you long after we’ve gone from this place. I will honor you in all things and place you above all others in my life. With this ring,” he slipped a beautiful gold band that matched her engagement ring onto her finger, “a symbol of my enduring love, I give you all that I am, and all that I shall ever be.”
Tears of happiness filled Georgia’s eyes.
“Georgia, I believe you have something to say to Mark,” said Reverend James, smiling at her encouragingly. She reached for the ring Eleni handed her.
She smiled, and stepped closer to the man she loved.
“Mark, you are my world, the other half of my soul, and I know that without you, I’m just a shadow of myself. I want to have your children, watch them grow, and grow old with you. I want to spend my days and my nights completing your world. I loved you then, now, and always.” She reached for his left hand. “Take this ring, one I have designed for you and you alone, and know that it is my commitment to you today and always.” She slipped the ring, a wide gold band etched with raised tree branches, on his finger.
“By the power vested in me by the state of Pennsylvania, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Mark bent his head and his lips met Georgia’s in a sweet kiss full of love and promise.
When it was time to sign the book and the license, Georgia and Eleni signed first, and then Mark signed followed by Joe who put his finger to his lip before signing his name. Mark raised his eyebrows. The name he had signed was Garth Simmons. Mark laughed, patted the man on the back, and shook his head. He had forgotten all about investigating this man in his rush to court his bride.
Georgia looked over at the man she loved. “What’s so funny?” she asked.
He kissed her and whispered, “I’ll tell you when we get home.”
The church bells started to ring.
“Merry Christmas, Mrs
. Anderson, I love you.”
“Merry Christmas, Mr. Anderson, I love you too. Let’s go home. We have a whole new life ahead of us.”
THE END