Red Wine and Roses
Page 19
He smiled and took her hand as they went out to the car. She stared out the window as he drove them over to his parents’ house. “You know, this place is beautiful, too, isn’t it? I think I’ve been a bit of a brat. At first, I didn’t notice how lovely it is here just because it isn’t the lake.”
He smiled. “You’re spoiled. Most people fall in love with how beautiful Napa is.”
“Wow. You’re right. I guess I am.” She smiled. “I’m not used to being spoiled.”
He reached across and took hold of her hand. “I hope you’re going to enjoy getting used to it.”
She squeezed his hand. “I’m going to enjoy trying. Do me a favor, though. Give me a reminder every now then, if I start to take things for granted?”
“Okay, as long as you’ll do the same for me.”
When Cameron pulled up in front of the house, Piper stared up at it. “And you grew up here?” she asked. She was in awe of the place. It was like some stately home from a movie or something.
He nodded. “We had a great childhood here. It’s a big house, but it’s always been a house full of love.”
Piper nodded. She envied him that.
He came around the car when they got out and put his arm around her shoulders. “Remember, you belong here now. You’re a part of that love—this family.”
She looked up at the house again. “I feel like I belong with you, but I’m not sure I’ll ever feel I belong in a house like this.”
He led her up the steps and stopped at the front door. “Remind me to ask you if you still feel that way when we leave.”
She cocked her head at him, wondering what he meant by that, but he just smiled. “Trust me?”
She nodded.
Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton greeted them warmly in the hallway. It was enormous, but it felt homey. Piper understood what Cam had meant; this was a house full of love.
When they went through to the drawing room, she was surprised to see Smoke and Laura there. They were sitting chatting with Chelsea and Mary Ellen.
“There you are.” Laura got up and came to hug her. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you, too. I didn’t know you were coming.”
Mrs. Hamilton came and hugged her. “We invited them. You two girls make me so happy. We wanted the whole family here.”
Piper gave Laura a puzzled look, but she just grinned and shrugged.
Cameron came to stand beside her, and for some reason, his mom got all teary eyed. Piper put a hand on her arm. “Are you all right?”
“She’s fine.” Mr. Hamilton came and put his arm around his wife’s waist, drawing her away to the sofa where they both took a seat. Mrs. Hamilton kept tight hold of his hands and kept smiling and dabbing at her eyes.
Piper turned to Cameron. Something odd was going on here, and she was hoping he could tell her what.
He smiled and put his arm around her shoulders. “I was going to wait until after dinner, but I have a feeling this is all going to get too weird if I don’t do it right now.”
“Do what?” Piper had no idea what he was talking about.
Everyone was watching the two of them. They were all smiling expectantly.
“Cam? What?”
He dropped down on one knee before her and held up a ring. “This.”
Her hand flew up to cover her mouth.
“Piper. I know it’s too soon, but, to quote a friend of mine, falling in love isn’t a decision that you make with your head according to some predetermined timeline. It’s something that happens inside your heart that you can neither control nor deny. I’ve fallen in love with you. I couldn’t control it, and I don’t want to deny it. You know I love you. You know I want us to be forever. Will you marry me?”
She looked down into his eyes. They shone with love and with hope. She looked around at all the expectant faces. His mom was leaning forward in her seat urging her on. His dad smiled and nodded. Laura was grinning like an idiot and Smoke winked at her. Mary Ellen had her hands over her mouth as she waited, and Chelsea was smiling encouragingly. She looked back at Cameron whose smile was now frozen on his face. “Yes!” she cried. Not wanting to keep him waiting any longer. “Yes. It’s way too soon, but it’s right.”
Tears filled her eyes as he slipped the ring onto her finger. It was beautiful. She shot a glance at Laura. It was one of her designs. In fact, when she really looked at it through her tears, she realized it was the one she’d admired in Laura’s store a few weeks ago.
Cameron wrapped her in his arms and dropped his head to kiss her. Everything else faded away. When he kissed her, it felt like they were alone in the world, and they were all they needed.
When they finally surfaced, Chelsea laughed. “Welcome back to planet earth. Now, can you put her down for a minute, so we can all get a hug?”
She elbowed Cameron out of the way and hugged Piper. “Welcome to the family.”
Piper hugged her back. “Thank you.”
She couldn’t stop smiling the whole evening. She couldn’t believe that this was going to be her family. She loved them all.
Cameron squeezed her hand as they sat at the dinner table. “I said I’d ask you when we left, but I’ll do it now. Do you see yourself feeling like you belong in a house like this?”
She nodded happily. “I already do. I love your family.”
He nodded. “I do too, and even more so now that you’re going to be a part of it.”
Smoke smiled at them. “Are you going to have a problem working for your husband, Piper? Do we need to keep things the way they are?”
Piper nodded. “Yes, please.”
Laura and Chelsea exchanged a look. “Wise move,” said Chelsea. “Never surrender your independence for a man. Even if he’s your husband.”
“Especially if he’s your husband,” added Laura. “No offense, Cam.”
“None taken.”
“Maybe not by him.” Smoke scowled at Laura, but she just laughed.
“How long do you think you’d survive if I were to work for you?”
He smirked. “Yeah. Good point.” He smiled at Piper. “Let’s keep things going as they are, huh?”
She nodded.
Cameron slid his arm around her shoulders and planted a kiss in her hair.
“So, will you move here?” asked Mary Ellen. “I hope so.”
Piper looked at Cam. She didn’t know what he was thinking, and it didn’t seem right to voice her sadness at leaving Sumer Lake completely.
He smiled at her. “I think my future wife has grown quite attached to a certain small town by a lake.”
She smiled back. He did understand, then.
“But if you’re both going to be working here …” began Chelsea.
Cameron smiled. “I was thinking we might need a vacation house. So Piper can get back to her lake, and so we can visit Cole and Laura whenever we like.” He tightened his arm around her shoulders. “What do you think? There’s a house I know you love that’s going to be up for sale.”
She stared at him. Did he really mean it?
He raised his eyebrows. “We could buy it. Call it a wedding gift to ourselves. What do you say?”
She nodded eagerly and reached up to plant a kiss on his lips. “I say you really are too good to be true.” ;
A Note from SJ
I hope you enjoyed getting to know the Hamiltons. Please let your friends know about the books if you feel they would enjoy them as well. It would be wonderful if you would leave me a review, I'd very much appreciate it.
There are so many more stories still to tell. The next book I’m working on is Chelsea and Grant’s story. It’s called Champagne and Daisies and will be out in January 2018. If he gets his way, Oscar will be getting his own book after that, and his brothers don’t want to be left out either. Plus, there are more stories set at the Lake, the pilots want a Summer Lake Flyers series. And there is a bunch of cowboys who are all getting impatient for me to return to Montana.
In
the meantime, be sure to check out my Remington Ranch series, if you haven’t already. You can get started with book one, Mason, which you can download for FREE here.
If you’d like to keep in touch, there are a few options to keep up with me and my imaginary friends:
The best way is to Sign up for my Newsletter. Don't worry I won't bombard you! I'll let you know about upcoming releases, share a sneak peek or two and keep you in the loop for a couple of fun giveaways I have coming up :0)
You can join my readers group to chat about the books on Facebook or just browse and like my Facebook Page
I occasionally attempt to say something in 140 characters or less(!) on Twitter
And I’m always in the process of updating my website at www.SJMcCoy.com with new book updates and even some videos. Plus, you’ll find the latest news on new releases and giveaways in my blog.
I love to hear from readers, so feel free to email me at AuthorSJMcCoy@gmail.com. I’m better at that! :0)
I hope our paths will cross again soon. Until then, take care, and thanks for your support—you are the reason I write!
Love
SJ
PS – Project Semicolon
You may have noticed that the final sentence of the story closed with a semicolon. It isn’t a typo. Project Semicolon is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and love to those who are struggling with depression, suicide, addiction, and self-injury. Project Semicolon exists to encourage, love, and inspire. It’s a movement I support with all my heart.
"A semicolon represents a sentence the author could have ended, but chose not to. The sentence is your life and the author is you." - Project Semicolon
This author started writing after her son was killed in a car crash. At the time, I wanted my own story to be over. Instead I chose to honour a promise to my son to write my ‘silly stories’ someday. I chose to escape into my fictional world. I know for many who struggle with depression, suicide can appear to be the only escape. The semicolon has become a symbol of support, and hopefully a reminder – Your story isn’t over yet
;
Also by SJ McCoy
Summer Lake Series
Emma and Jack in Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt FREE!
Holly and Pete in Work Like You Don't Need the Money
Missy and Dan in Dance Like Nobody's Watching
Smoke and Laura in Fly Like You've Never Been Grounded
Michael and Megan in Laugh Like You’ve Never Cried
Kenzie and Chase in Sing Like Nobody’s Listening
Gabe and Renée in Smile Like You Mean It
Missy and Dan’s wedding in The Wedding Dance
Ben and Charlotte’s backstory in Chasing Tomorrow
April and Eddie in Dream Like Nothing’s Impossible
Nate and Lily in Ride Like You’ve Never Fallen
Ben’s story Live Like There’s No Tomorrow
Smoke and Laura’s wedding in The Wedding Flight
Remington Ranch Series
Mason FREE!
Shane
Carter
Beau
Four Weddings and a Vendetta
Chance
Chance is a guy with a whole lot of story to tell. He’s part of the fabric of both Summer Lake and Remington Ranch. He needed three whole books to tell his own story.
Book 1: Chance Encounter
Book 2: Finding Hope
Book 3: Give Hope a Chance
Check out his page here to learn more.