“I don’t like to be bulldozed into a decision of that importance by someone else’s opinions, but I can see your point. Let me think about it and talk to Paula,” Trent replied.
* * * *
That night after Trent and Paula put the twins to bed, Trent broached the subject to Paula. He told her about Juan Garcia, alias Eduardo Perez’s background, the sister-in-law with the “miscarriage,” and Mr. Moya’s suggestion regarding the advisability of a quick marriage. Paula was stunned.
“I know that lots of single parents adopt here, but I don’t know if my single status would be a detriment in Ecuador,” Trent said tentatively. “I hate to put this pressure on you, especially given recent events. I wouldn’t want you to think the only reason I want to get married is to facilitate the adoption proceedings. Conversely, I didn’t want to ask you to marry me without disclosing all the facts. What do you think, Snoop? Do you want to be a part of this little family permanently? I love you, and I have been planning to ask you to marry me regardless of what happens with the banditos. I just wanted to do it in a romantic setting when things had calmed down. This has just pushed up the timetable,” he said nervously. Her answer meant everything to him, and his heart was in his throat. He didn’t know what he would do if she didn’t say yes.
“It’s not the most romantic proposal a girl has ever had,” she said. “But under the circumstances, I can overlook that. I really don’t want to be rushed into this either, but I do love you, and I love MC and MT. I’ll do whatever I can to make sure we can keep them.”
“In that case,” he said, as he reached into his pocket for the small, black box he had been carrying around for a week, “will you wear this?” He opened the box and took out the three-carat, heart-shaped solitaire diamond engagement ring that matched the stone in her collar. He put it on her finger. Paula gasped as she turned her hand and sparks of light danced off the stone.
* * * *
Paula threw her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, putting all the feelings in her heart into the kiss. It was obvious to her that he had indeed been planning to ask her to marry him and not just because of the adoption. Three-carat, heart-shaped diamonds did not fall off trees. He had put some thought into this. Paula had always admired Trent for his exceptional character. He was strong but gentle and had a solid moral compass that always pointed in the right direction. She did not doubt a word he had said.
“Let’s get the license tomorrow. Do you think you can put something together for this weekend? Maybe we can get some help from Anamaria Sanchez and Max,” Trent said hopefully.
“I’ll call Anamaria tomorrow and throw myself on her mercy,” Paula replied as she snuggled against his chest. God, there is so much to be done. I know this is going to be rushed, but it’s the only marriage I plan to have, and I want it to be special.
Paula called Anamaria, Calleigh, Kelly, Anne, and Robbie first thing in the morning, and all were given wedding assignments. Anamaria promised to call in all possible favors from her wedding vendors, and Kelly and Justin offered the use of the gazebo behind their house at the farm for the ceremony, which was to be small and very private, but hopefully beautiful nonetheless.
Chapter Nineteen
On Saturday morning, Paula and Calleigh were waiting for Anamaria’s signal to walk down the aisle to the flower-bedecked gazebo in the center of the pond behind Justin and Kelly’s house. A wedding breakfast was planned for after the ceremony, and Max and Anamaria had outdone themselves with the preparations at warp speed. Robbie and Kelly, with Christa’s help, had charge of the twins, who looked adorable in their little white dresses.
Paula wore a tea-length, white Chantilly lace dress with a pale-pink, satin sash and a wreath of pink and white baby roses nestled in her curls. Calleigh thought she looked beautiful. Paula glanced at Calleigh and, shaking her head in amazement, said, “I really can’t believe this is happening—and so quickly.”
“Just think of it as a ‘wartime’ wedding,” Calleigh advised. “Desperate times call for desperate measures!” Calleigh smiled at her best friend and squeezed her hand as the processional music began. She handed Paula the bouquet of pale-pink and white baby roses mixed with white calla lilies and baby’s breath, kissed her cheek, and preceded Paula and her father down the aisle. Calleigh thought Trent looked exceptionally handsome in a gray pin-stripe suite with matching vest and a pink boutonniere as well. He stood with Jason in the gazebo waiting for Paula, and Calleigh could see how nervous he was as she walked down the aisle. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. She just had to grin. She had been waiting for Trent to make his move on Paula for over a year.
* * * *
As Paula made her graceful way up the aisle, Jason clapped Trent on the back and, grinning from ear to ear, said, “Breathe. I wouldn’t want you to pass out before she gets all the way up the aisle.”
“You’re right! That really wouldn’t be good,” he said nervously, gulping in some air. “God, she looks beautiful! You don’t think she’ll change her mind before she gets here do you?”
“Well, if she has any sense...” Jason laughed. “But I don’t think she’s that sensible!”
Just then the twins spotted Paula and called out to her, “Tia, Tia, you look so bonita! Besitos!” She smiled serenely and blew them kisses. Robbie and Kelly each held one of the twins in their arms, hoping to immobilize them for the duration of the ceremony.
Trent thought the ceremony, though short, was poignant. He and Paula had each composed their own vows which were especially meaningful to them. Trent slipped the two-carat eternity wedding band made up of a slender row of small heart-shaped diamonds on Paula’s finger. When they had been pronounced husband and wife, Trent took Paula into his arms for a stunning kiss, dipping her low, to the delight of their assembled friends and family. Paula, her face pink, slowly came back to her senses, and laughing delightedly, she took Trent by his lapels and returned the favor. The twins happily chortled, “Besitos! Besitos!”
After the ceremony, the party enjoyed a fabulous wedding breakfast with many toasts. Under the uncertain circumstances, Paula and Trent had decided to postpone a honeymoon until the adoption matters had been settled. Calleigh had invited Christa and the twins to spend the weekend at their farm to provide Trent and Paula with a short respite and some privacy over the weekend.
* * * *
Once back at the house, Trent carried Paula over the threshold and directly up the stairs to the master suite. I can’t believe I’m finally Mrs. Trent Redding. He pushed the double doors open with his foot and carried her to the seating area where Calleigh had left a silver tray with a cooler holding a chilled bottle of champagne, a pitcher of iced orange juice, and a tray of snacks.
“Mimosa, Mrs. Redding?” he asked, smiling at his beautiful bride.
“Oh, that would be wonderful, Trent,” she said as she kicked off the Chantilly-lace-covered shoes that matched her dress perfectly but pinched dreadfully. She sighed as the blood returned to her toes. She watched him pour the champagne and mix the orange juice. His hands were so beautiful. She never got tired of looking at them or at him.
He brought her the tall-stemmed crystal glass and handed it to her. He sat on the sofa next to her and casually ran his hand up her silk-stocking-covered leg past the one remaining blue lace garter, its mate having been tossed directly at Jamie Devereau’s unsuspecting head. “Can I help you out of these?” he inquired in a low suggestive voice.
“You absolutely can.” She laughed, giddy with happiness, as she began unbuttoning his jacket and vest. They were out of their wedding clothes in a jiffy, and Trent had her naked on the bed in moments. He stretched out next to her after he quickly disposed of the remainder of his suit. She giggled, a little tipsy from all the toasts at the breakfast and now a mimosa. “I like to make love in the afternoon, baby. Then I can see your beautiful body, and it’s all mine.”
“It’s been all yours for quite some time,” he replied, “even if you w
ere ready to toss me back.”
“I didn’t want to.... It nearly ripped my heart out....but that’s all behind us now,” she said. “Let’s never think about it again.”
* * * *
What a beautiful little pixie. So small…but not really delicate…a handful is more like it. He grinned to himself. He knew he was in for a lifetime of challenge and was ready to revel in it. There will be fights, there will be problems, there will be life, and we’ll battle through it together. After what they were currently going through, he didn’t think much could daunt them. “Okay. We’ll never mention it again,” he responded sincerely with his heart full of love. He ran his hands down her torso, stopping to lovingly tease her erect, dusty-pink nipples. He licked and nipped at them as she moaned. He could see the emotions swirling in her eyes as the mimosa apparently still swirled in her head. She sighed as she spread her thighs in invitation. Trent kissed his way down to her waiting pussy, and he felt the lightning rocket though her as he nibbled at the center of her desire, lightly flicking her pulsing clit with his tongue. He was going to make this memorable. He stroked her slick folds, and spread her lips wide. He plunged his tongue into her hot channel again and again. Moans of ecstasy poured from her throat, and moisture flooded her pussy. He wanted to make this last, but his arousal was spinning out of control. He mounted her and plunged his solid erection into her waiting pussy while he gazed into her fathomless hazel eyes. He stroked his hard, thick cock into her warm flesh, making her his. She begged him for more—harder, faster.
* * * *
Paula wrapped her legs around his waist as he pounded himself into her, and her body soared. She flew over the edge, taking him with her. A stream of molten semen shot into her, and her inner muscles convulsed around his pulsing shaft. The exquisite pleasure rolled through her, and she slowly floated back down. She watched the play of emotions over his expressive face as their breathing returned to normal, his semi-erect cock cradled in her tight passage. He hardened again, and slowly and with infinite patience, he began to stroke her to a second stunning orgasm, and joining her, he rocked her world again.
“Happy wedding day, baby,” he said, rolling his considerable weight to one side. He pulled her into a tight embrace and nuzzled her neck as she settled comfortably against his chest.
Chapter Twenty
On Monday Trent received a call from the DNA lab. The results of the comparison of the twins’ DNA with that of Eduardo Perez was in. While there was a familial connection, he was not their father. Trent breathed a sigh of relief. Apparently Perez was only after a financial windfall. That pointed to Perez’s brother and sister-in-law as the possible parents.
His first call was to Paula at the magazine. “Babe, the results are in. Perez is a relative of the twins but not their father. I’m going to call Jason, and I’ll let you know what he has to say later.”
* * * *
Trent’s next call was to Jason, and he in turn contacted Victor Moya in Manta with the news.
“Trent and Paula took your suggestion and were married over the weekend.”
“I’ll amend our adoption request and appeal to the court to dismiss Perez’s emergency petition on the grounds that he has no standing. I would suggest that we quietly approach the biological parents and negotiate with them for their consent to the adoption. The fact that they left the children in a church shows some regard for their well-being. Maybe we can work this out amicably. I’ll stress that they are in no financial position to take care of children with potential special needs.”
“Let me talk to Trent and some of our friends here. I think it would be beneficial for Trent and Paula to be in Manta for the hearing. Normally, I would advise that they distance themselves from the actual negotiations, but in this case, I think it might be a good idea for them to be present to show they care enough to make the effort.”
Arrangements were made for Justin to fly Trent, Paula, Jason, Calleigh, and Kelly to Manta for the adoption hearing. It was an impressive entourage. The twins were left with Christa in Ocala. Trent and Paula had no intention of returning them to Ecuador before the adoption was final.
They met Mr. Moya at his office. “I spoke with Mr. and Mrs. Perez. They were totally unaware of Eduardo’s attempt to benefit financially from the twins’ adoption. They were shocked. They are simple people and were overwhelmed and horrified by the twin’s physical problems when they were born. They have several other children and did not know how to handle it. They decided to turn the problem over to the church. They were unaware of the adoption proceedings and Eduardo’s scheme. They were very grateful that the twins had the benefit of medical treatment and would be able to live normal lives,” Mr. Moya said. “I stressed that the twins would need extensive medical care in the coming years.” In the end he had been able to obtain their consent to the adoption, and an emergency final hearing was set for the following day.
Jason stood with Trent and Paula as they nervously waited in the corridor outside the courtroom.
“What will we do if the adoption petition is denied?” Paula asked.
Jason could see the uncertainty clouding her eyes, and his heart ached for both of his friends. “We’ll cross that bridge...”
The bailiff called their hearing, and they all trooped into the courtroom, Paula and Trent holding hands tightly. The court hearing was short and successful. The petition of Eduardo Perez was dismissed by the court after testimony regarding his criminal record and character were presented. The judge accepted the consent to the adoption by the twins’ birth parents, and Trent and Paula left the court house with the final adoption papers in their hands. The party headed directly to the airport. They determined that the best victory celebration would be held at home with “their kids.”
“Well, Mrs. Redding, are you ready to go home and see your kids?” Trent asked his new wife.
“You bet, Dr. Redding. I can’t wait to tell them to call me ‘Mommy’ instead of Tia Paula!” she replied, with a huge smile on her face and tears in her eyes.
Epilogue
Emily Rose Steele turned one year old the following May. Calleigh and Jason had a huge birthday party at their farm. All the usual suspects were there, it seemed, including half of Ocala. There were pony rides for the children, a bounce house, as well as a clown and magician. They didn’t miss a birthday trick.
Jason walked up behind Calleigh’s chair and nibbled her neck. He whispered, “I think it’s time for the clown and magic show. Maybe you should hold Emmie in case she gets scared.”
“Emmie? Scared? Ha! She’ll take over the show if they aren’t careful!” she grinned. Her daughter was turning out to be a handful. She was bright, fearless and entirely too mobile. She had been an early walker and talker. Jason smiled proudly. Little acorns…
“I can’t believe Emmie is a whole year old,” Paula said in wonder. “So much has happened. Trent and I married with two kids, Justin and Kelly are married a whole year, Jamie and Anne are living together at the farm. It’s amazing!”
“Don’t forget Max and Anamaria moved into his cottage as well. I just knew something good was going to happen there. And some more good news for Anne. My old friend from high school, Madison Snow, has finally sold her house in New Jersey and moved back to Ocala with her son, and she’s going to be taking over my old job at the club.” Kelly, looking shy but glowing like a rose said, “And one more piece of good news, Justin and I are expecting!” The girls all gave squeals of joy. It was going to be a pleasure to have such good friends to raise their babies with—for laughter, friendship, and support in good times and bad.
“I still want to design a kitchen just like Max and Anamaria’s for our house, but who has time. There’s always another project getting in ahead of my personal stuff,” Calleigh replied with a sigh.
Paula piped up, “And don’t forget, you promised me a new kitchen for our house. And I’m a client, so I come first,” she said, without a drop of remorse. Calleigh just laughed at her.
>
Paula sighed in contentment. I couldn’t be more lucky, especially when I think of what could have happened. We could have lost the kids, but I have my little family, my wonderful husband, my career, and life couldn’t be better!
* * * *
Trent grinned. He knew his wife was not going to be satisfied until she had that new kitchen. Calleigh didn’t stand a chance. Paula was as stubborn and determined as ever, and he loved every minute of it. Marriage to Paula had turned out exactly as he had hoped it would be—a real challenge and an adventure every day. The twins were growing like weeds, and they were well adjusted and healthy. They spoke both English and Spanish and were starting to learn to read. He knew he was the luckiest man alive. Life was good.
THE END
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I was born in New Jersey and grew up an only child on a small farm in the “Garden State.” My father grew acres and acres of flowers for commercial florists and various produce such as tomatoes. My high school years were spent at Wayne Hills High School, where I was not one of the popular preppy kids, or one of the hoods—which kind of left me in limbo as I wasn’t one of the brainiacs either. Weekends were spent going into “the City” and Greenwich Village with my friends and doing a lot of things I probably shouldn’t have—don’t tell my grandkids!
Paula's Commitment [Le Club 4] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 10
