He pulled her into his chest again, holding her warmth against himself. It helped. He cleared his head, squared his shoulders, and together, he and Emma went to work.
* * *
By nightfall, with the help of all the volunteers, they’d covered the entire search zone. Still, no Stella. The Search and Rescue professionals consulted with Tom and Marianne about expanding the zone. Would they also discuss the possibility of stopping for the night, Jeremy wondered. It really didn’t matter to him if the professionals stopped or not. He wouldn’t. He’d search until he found her. Period.
Jeremy and Emma were about a mile and a half out from the Last Known Point – the cabin’s front yard. Sweeping back and forth over the terrain had proved monotonous and tiring but entirely necessary. Stella could be injured, unconscious, asleep, or hiding due to fear. She may not do what you’d expect her to do. They couldn’t rely on her finding them, they had to locate her.
“Are you hungry?” Jeremy called over to Emma, a few yards away.
“No, I’m …,” she took her eyes off the ground to look at him and stumbled. She fell, and he rushed to her side. He put his arms underneath her shoulders and lifted her up, her head falling back as he did. He gazed down into her face and couldn’t help his next action even if he’d wanted to.
Which he didn’t.
He covered her mouth with his own and ran his tongue over her lips, tasting the salty sweat and dirt from her hours of searching. She moaned and he pulled her closer, running his fingers through her long hair. His heart pounded and he ran his fingers over her neck. His Emma. Here with him during the worst time of his life. Supporting him.
He pulled back and looked deep into her eyes. “I missed you.”
Her face crumpled. “I’m sorry. I kind of freaked out when you rejected me.”
He interrupted, “It wasn’t a rejection. It was sort of, I don’t know, delayed gratification. I really wanted to wait until I deserved you. Till the time was right.”
She rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, “I’m sure you don’t think I’m much of a catch now, do you?”
He frowned, not catching her meaning. Then, “What, because of this? Because of your dad?”
She nodded, suddenly serious, moisture appearing in her eyes. “Yes. This never would’ve happened if I weren’t dating you. This is all my fault.”
“No,” he said firmly. “That’s not true. I mean, your dad’s whacked, sure. But it was me he wanted to sabotage. Because of my past. Because of what I did to him.”
She heaved a big sigh. She looked at her feet and then got distracted. She kneeled to the ground, down on her knees and reached for something. “Jeremy. Take a look at this.” She lifted a pink, fuzzy circle. “It’s a scrunchie!”
He gave her a confused look.
“A ponytail holder! Like little girls wear. It’s pink, to match the hat. It’s been sitting here in the woods and it’s not that dirty. Maybe it just recently fell here.”
She stood up and the excitement in her voice and her face made his adrenaline pump. “Stella!” he called. And so did Emma, “Stella! Are you here? It’s Uncle Jeremy! Stella!”
They bounded about the area with newfound enthusiasm, calling loudly. Then Emma did a “shhhh!” shushing sound and Jeremy shut up. “I think I hear something. Stella?”
Jeremy strained his ears. Then, he and Emma gasped and quieted, staring at each other as they dared to hope. Together, they heard it, a tiny voice saying, “Uncle Jeremy.”
They searched frantically. The woods and undergrowth were heavy and unchecked in this area. If she were lying down on the ground, she’d be completely covered. She could be hunched behind a log, under a bush, up in a tree.
“Stella! Sweetie! Lift your hand! Can you do that, lift your hand and wave for me. I’ll come get you.”
Jeremy and Emma stood with their backs to each other, each scanning half the perimeter of a circle. Then Jeremy caught a motion. He pointed, “There!”
They dashed over just as Stella was trying to sit. He pulled her up and into his arms, and with Emma wrapping her arms around both of them, they all embraced. Stella was crying, Emma was crying, and soon Jeremy let loose with tears of relief as well.
“Oh baby, what happened to you?” He held her so tight he had half a fear he was squeezing the breath out of her, but she needed to know she was safe, she was in his arms and he’d never let anything happen to her again.
“Grandpa Joe said he would take me for a ride. He said Mama was at the store and called and told him to bring me there. I couldn’t open the door. It wouldn’t open.” Her story took too much of a toll on her self-control and she sobbed wildly. Both Jeremy and Emma did their best to comfort her, rubbing her head, her back, covering her cheeks with kisses and telling her how much they loved her.
“When he got out of the car, I kept trying to open the door, but it wouldn’t open, so I climbed into the back seat and got it open. I was going to jump out, but Grandpa Joe started the car. So I had to roll out while the car was moving.” She sobbed again. “I hurt myself.” She lifted her ankle and pointed at it. Her left ankle was swollen and bruised.
He placed his lips against her forehead. “You are the bravest little girl I know. I’m so proud of you.” They stood there, the three of them, all connected, praying silent prayers of thanks.
“Uncle Jeremy?” Stella’s tiny voice whimpered.
“Yes?”
“I’m thirsty. And I want my mommy.”
Jeremy and Emma smiled at each other. Jeremy pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and called his sister. She answered on the first ring. He didn’t even say hello. “We’ve got her.” His sister’s shouts were so loud he pulled the phone away from his ear and held it out for Emma and Stella to hear. Bringing it close to his mouth again, he interrupted her, “Here she is,” and handed the phone to Stella to chat with her mama as they started the long hike back.
Chapter Fifteen
Jeremy arrived at the furniture store at the crack of dawn, and still, it was obvious that Emma had beaten him to it. Or, maybe she’d stayed late last night when he’d wimped out and went home. Either way, the huge “GRAND OPENING” banner draped across the show window was a dead giveaway, as was the “SALE!! IN CELEBRATION OF HARRISON DESIGNS GRAND OPENING” posters she’d hung in the windows of every last business in the strip mall.
The girl was a marketing genius. It was her brainstorm to get all his new neighbors to offer special sales today to entice traffic, and also the 20% off coupons for his custom designs that she placed in stacks at each neighboring business’s check out area. “Neighbors help each other,” she said. And she was right about that.
However, he really wasn’t up to a big hullaballoo. He just figured he’d quietly open his doors, advertise occasionally and see if he could make this work.
Huh uh.
He unlocked the front door and let himself in. He’d produced enough inventory over the last three months to cover every foot of floor space with custom-made, hand-crafted fine wood furniture. Emma was organizing displays of cut fruit, vegetables, cookies, little cakes and sandwiches on the linen tablecloths hanging over three of his dining room tables.
Yeah, he wouldn’t have thought of that either.
“I figure if they shop till they drop, they’ll be hungry,” she said with a grin, met him halfway as he walked to her and pulled him into her arms. He breathed in her scent, wrapped his arms around her and squeezed tight. Their kiss was soft, warm and heart-stopping. It also threw his attention way off his store’s grand opening, onto the enticement of another activity all together.
Over those same three months, much had changed in the Slotky family. Emma’s father was arrested for multiple counts of vandalism, arson, kidnapping and driving under the influence. He was held at the county jail, eligible for release on bail, but Emma talked her mother out of bailing him out. He needed to cool his heels in there and learn a lesson. Besides, a jail sentence pretty much forced him
to quit drinking for good. His trial was still three months away, so he’d have time to make some positive changes in his life if he chose to.
Jeremy pulled back from Emma to look around the showroom, attempting to regulate his heart rate as he did. “Looks pretty good around here.”
Emma laughed. “King of the understatement. You’ve really kicked butt and made some gorgeous furniture. This grand opening is going to attract a lot of people. You’ll sell a lot of floor models, but you’ll also get tons of custom orders. I predict, you’re going to have to hire support staff soon.”
“One day at a time. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
“Good thing I believe in you. Enough for the both of us.” She went back to organizing sales tickets behind the counter. Next, she swept the floor before going out to the parking lot to make sure all looked welcoming from the outside. Jeremy watched her, and said his millionth prayer of thanks to God for putting her in his life.
She came back in and called to him, “Did I tell you I have the TV station coming with cameras at one o’clock? They agreed to do a feature for the 5:00 news.”
He shook his head, speechless. He glanced at the clock on the wall and saw he had forty minutes till opening time. He’d better get busy, and right now. “Emma, could you come over here, please?”
She looked up from whatever it was she was looking at, and walked over. He stood facing her, took both her hands in his and drew a deep breath. She quieted and studied his face, curious.
“We’ve been through a lot together, especially in the last three, four months.”
She chuckled and rolled her eyes comically at him. Another understatement.
He bolstered his courage and went on. “You are the finest woman to ever come into my life. I thank God every day for you. I want you to know…” he cleared his throat, which suddenly had cramped up, his voice giving out on him. “I love you very much, Emma.”
He had planned to say more. In fact, he’d practiced it several times over the last week while the little velvet box occupied his pocket. But he didn’t have a chance.
“I love you too! I’ve known it for a while, but I haven’t said it.”
Jeremy felt the stupidest, happiest grin cover his face. “You have? You do? You love me too?”
Emma’s smile beamed. “I do, I do, I do.”
Their lips met and his heart was beating so fast, he could barely breathe. He concentrated all his energy on where their lips connected, and how much love he felt for this woman. When they parted, he pulled the box out of his pocket, squeezing it in his hand. “Emma, I have a present for you. It’s not the present. It’s a preliminary present. Someday, it’ll be bigger and better, but for now, I just wanted you to know how I feel about you. It’s a symbol of my love …”
She'd had enough of his explanation. She reached out and grabbed his hand, prying it open. When she saw the little black box, she squealed. “Remember, it’s just …,” he stammered.
“Beautiful,” she gasped. She was staring at the red ruby ring on the gold band as if it were the big solitaire diamond that he’d wanted to give her … that he would give her eventually. But, first things first. He had to profess his love to her, and he had to hear if she felt the same way. He had to know if they had a future.
And it sure sounded like they did.
“It’s just beautiful.” She tugged it out of its slot and handed it to him, outstretching her left hand, palm down.
He took the ring, then with a grin, got down on one knee. She gulped but stayed quiet, wiping a tear from her eye. “Emma, I love you. Will you stay with me, help me and hold me and promise yourself to me forever?”
“I will.”
He slid the ring on her finger, a perfect fit. She admired it, letting the showroom lights catch it and it sparkled. He started to stand up, but she put her hands on his shoulders and held him down. “Hold on a minute. Jeremy, I love you, too. Will you stay with me, work with me, build our lives together, so that when the time’s right for both of us, we honor our union before God?”
He was so happy he thought he’d explode. “I will.”
He came to his feet and lifted her off of hers, twirling her around in a circle as he kissed her. So much to celebrate, so much to be thankful for. God had blessed him with abundance beyond his imagination and he’d live the rest of his life trying to be worthy of it.
“Oh my gosh, look!” she said.
He turned to the door and at least a dozen people lined up, wanting to come in. He gave her a squeeze and said, “I guess we’ve got some furniture to sell.”
T H E E N D
Journey to Fulfillment
Pawleys Island Paradise, Book 3
By Laurie Larsen,
EPIC Award-winning author of Preacher Man
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Journey to Fulfillment
COPYRIGHT © 2015 by Laurie Larsen
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
All Content by author Laurie Larsen
Cover Art by Steven Novak
Published by Random Moon Books
Published in the United States of America
License Statement
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
A traumatic family event. Distinctly opposite ways of dealing with it between husband and wife. Instead of joyfully celebrating the safe return of their kidnapped daughter, Tom and Marianne are struggling to understand why they’ve landed on polar opposites of this parenting issue.
Accepting her husband’s approach would require Marianne to disown a beloved family member. That can’t be God’s will.
Accepting his wife’s approach would require Tom to relive past mistakes made by his own father — ones he swore he’d never repeat.
Marriage. Free will. God’s will. A journey of to achieve fulfillment. Let no man put asunder.
Random Moon Books
A Phase for Every Fancy
Previously on Pawleys Island Paradise ….
Jeremy and Emma were about a mile and a half out from the Last Known Position – the cabin’s front yard. Sweeping back and forth over the terrain had proved monotonous and tiring but entirely necessary. Stella could be injured, unconscious, asleep, or hiding due to fear. She may not do what you’d expect her to do. They couldn’t rely on her finding them, they had to locate her.
Emma heaved a big sigh. She looked at her feet and then got distracted. She kneeled to the ground, down on her knees and reached for something. “Jeremy. Take a look at this.” She lifted a pink, fuzzy circle. “It’s a scrunchie!”
He gave her a confused look.
“A ponytail holder! Like little girls wear. It’s pink, to match the hat. It’s been sitting here in the woods and it’s not that dirty. Maybe it just recently fell here.”
She stood up and the excitement in her voice and her face made his adrenaline pump. “Stella!” he called. And so did Emma, “Stella! Are you here? It’s Uncle Jeremy! Stella!”
They bounded about the area with newfound enthusiasm, calling loudly. Then Emma did a “shhhh!” shushing sound and Jeremy shut up. “I think I hear something. Stella?”
Jeremy strained his ears. Then, he and Emma gasped and
quieted, staring at each other as they dared to hope. Together, they heard it, a tiny voice saying, “Uncle Jeremy.”
They searched frantically. The woods and undergrowth were heavy and unchecked in this area. If she were lying down on the ground, she’d be completely covered. She could be hunched behind a log, under a bush, up in a tree.
“Stella! Sweetie! Lift your hand! Can you do that, lift your hand and wave for me. I’ll come get you.”
Jeremy and Emma stood with their backs to each other, each scanning half the perimeter of a circle. Then Jeremy caught a motion. He pointed, “There!”
They dashed over just as Stella was trying to sit. He pulled her up and into his arms, and with Emma wrapping her arms around both of them, they all embraced. Stella was crying, Emma was crying, and soon Jeremy let loose with tears of relief as well.
“Oh baby, what happened to you?” He held her so tight he had half a fear he was squeezing the breath out of her, but she needed to know she was safe, she was in his arms and he’d never let anything happen to her again.
“Grandpa Joe said he would take me for a ride. He said Mama was at the store and called and told him to bring me there. I couldn’t open the door. It wouldn’t open.” Her story took too much of a toll on her self-control and she sobbed wildly. Both Jeremy and Emma did their best to comfort her, rubbing her head, her back, covering her cheeks with kisses and telling her how much they loved her.
“When he got out of the car, I kept trying to open the door, but it wouldn’t open, so I climbed into the back seat and got it open. I was going to jump out, but Grandpa Joe started the car. So I had to roll out while the car was moving.” She sobbed again. “I hurt myself.” She lifted her left ankle and pointed at it. It was swollen and bruised.
Pawleys Island Paradise boxset, Books 1 - 3 Page 47
