Violet.
She’d come.
He took a breath. “Most of you know that my life hasn’t always been perfect. I’ve done and said things I wish I could take back. So many of you have stood by me and encouraged me—even when it wasn’t pretty. For that I’m grateful. I truly believe it’s by the grace of God that I’m here today, and I’m thankful for the people He’s put in my life at just the right moments.” He smiled and watched as Violet walked to the front and sat down next to Lauren. “If I can leave you with one final thought, it’s this—seize the day. Tell people how you feel about them. Don’t leave things left unsaid. If I’d learned those lessons long ago, my life would’ve gone much more smoothly.” He grinned. “Thanks again for this wonderful honor, and I look forward to many more years of celebrating the good works done at Brookwood Christian.”
He stepped away from the podium as the crowd clapped. His eyes drifted again to Violet. She must’ve felt like she had to come tonight to fulfill the contract. For some reason, that made him sad instead of happy. Because the only reason he wanted her here now had nothing to do with a contract.
Jeff took the podium and smiled at the crowd. “Thanks, Jackson, for those nice words. I think we can all learn a lot from this man.” He motioned at Jackson again. “And for one more treat, we have a second speaker to tell us a little more about Jackson and why he’s so deserving of being named our Alumnus of the Year.”
Jackson furrowed his brow. They hadn’t told him about this. What if it turned into more of a roast than a toast? He scanned the crowd to see who might be coming to speak and was stunned when Violet stood up from her seat and made her way to the podium. Her mouth twitched into a smile as she passed him.
He couldn’t believe it. Violet hated crowds. She hated spotlights. And she was terrified of public speaking.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thanks for giving me a moment of your attention,” she said, her voice a little shaky. “This was unplanned, and Jackson had no idea I was going to be here, so I’m sure he’s a bit surprised right now.”
He nodded his head vigorously, and the crowd laughed.
“I have something to say about him though and decided this might be the best place to do it.”
Jackson cringed. After everything that had happened between them, from his behavior in college to the rehearsal dinner debacle, she could very well tell the world that he’d been awful to her.
“Jackson and I haven’t always gotten along. We met fifteen years ago, and it seemed that we were always at odds about something. When we reconnected last fall, we did so with a preconceived notion that we’d never actually be friends.” She glanced over at him and smiled. “But we were wrong. We slowly built a friendship, and I found myself surprised again and again at Jackson’s integrity, humor, and positive attitude. I was in the process of opening my own business, and I can honestly say that I don’t know if I could’ve done it without him. He cheered for me and gave me advice and painted walls—and did everything he could to help me see that the only thing missing in my business plan was confidence in myself.”
He couldn’t hide his smile. It was a shock to hear her publicly say such nice things about him.
“In closing, I must speak directly to Jackson.” She turned toward him. “I’m choosing a public forum because you know how difficult that is for me. We could just walk away from each other after tonight. I know I said some things to you I wish I could take back. So I’m here to make it right. I love you. I’ve loved you for some time now. I was just too scared to admit it. But I admit it now.”
He held his arms wide, and Violet threw herself into them as the crowd cheered. “I love you, too,” he whispered.
She pulled back and grinned. “I think there’s still one kiss left on that contract, right?”
He kissed her gently on the lips. “Check,” he said, laughing.
Violet took his hand and led him to the table where his family waited.
“So now what?” Jackson asked once they were alone in his car.
Violet laughed. “You’re sure you aren’t mad at me for just showing up like that?” She’d never done anything so impulsive in her life.
“Not at all. It might be the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. I can’t imagine how much courage it took for you to step into the spotlight like that, knowing how you fear it.”
“I feared losing you more.” She looked down at their intertwined hands.
Jackson leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “You don’t have to worry about that anymore. I’m here for good.”
She grinned. “Even when things are messy?” That’s what she worried about the most. “Because you’ve been around enough to know that my life isn’t perfect. I’ll always have a dog tracking mud and grass in my house. I’ll probably always have a pile of recipes I’ve cut out and meant to file and a stack of newspapers I mean to read. I’ll lose track of time when I’m baking or at a thrift store, and I’ll never want everything in my house to match.”
Jackson nodded. “I’ll love you even when things are messy. Life’s messy. I don’t know why I try and pretend it isn’t. I’ve spent enough time with my niece and nephews to know that sometimes the best moments are the ones that include a little dirt or a little Popsicle juice or some mad finger-painting skills.”
“I think you should know something.”
He furrowed his brow. “Something bad?”
She shook her head. “No. But that night you heard me say that stuff to Reagan about you—I was just in denial. I was totally scared. That night I realized how much you meant to me. I was completely afraid of admitting it to anyone because I was afraid you really were just acting because of the contract.”
“If I were that good of an actor, I should be getting my Oscar any day.”
“If you’d stuck around a little bit longer, you would’ve heard me finally confess to Reagan that I had feelings for you.”
“So in other words, the next time I should just keep eavesdropping a little longer? I guess I can handle that.” He chuckled.
She laughed. “No. There won’t be a next time. Because you and I are done with secrets. We kept the contract a secret from our closest friends and family. We kept our feelings about each other a secret, and it was almost too late once we admitted them. I’ve seen Reagan’s marriage almost blow up this year because she and Chad were keeping secrets from one another—under the guise of ‘it’s in the other person’s best interest’ even though that wasn’t the case.” She gripped his hand. “So no secrets.”
“Do you want me to write that up in a contract?”
She playfully slapped his arm. “Very funny.”
“No secrets,” he said. “I like it. We’ll share everything. The good, the bad, and the ugly.”
Violet smiled. “No holding back.”
“No holding back.” Jackson winked. “How about we seal this one with a kiss instead of a contract?”
She met his gaze. The love in his blue eyes was evident. “Sounds perfect.”
He cupped her face with his hand and gently pressed his lips to hers.
Violet kissed him back and let herself get lost in the moment.
Epilogue
Five months later
The ceremony is about to start. Are you ready?” Jackson asked.
Violet nodded. “I sure am.” She grinned. “Have I mentioned how handsome you look? I know it isn’t easy to wear a tie in June in Arkansas.”
He laughed. “The only thing getting me through is knowing that when we’re finished here, we’ll spend the rest of the day at the lake house.” He took her hand and twirled her around. “You look beautiful, too.”
She curtseyed. “This old thing?” She laughed. “The operative word there is old because this is vintage 1950s.”
Jackson kissed her on the forehead. “It suits you.”
“There’s Shadow,” she said, motioning toward a small group of people standing underneath a willow tree. “She said she has a
special date for the wedding.”
He grinned. “As do I.”
She laughed and grabbed his hand. They walked over to where Shadow stood, talking to a handsome guy.
“Love that dress,” Violet said. She’d helped Shadow pick out the blue maxi dress last week. It was the same shade as her eyes.
Shadow beamed. Her light brown hair had a few golden highlights in front from the time she’d spent at the lake. “Thanks.” She linked arms with a tall guy. “And this is Neil.” She quickly made the introductions.
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Violet said. “You met in art class, right?”
Neil laughed. “And she agreed to go out with me despite my lack of talent.” He pulled Shadow to him. “She’s the artist.”
“He’s planning to go to film school in the fall,” Shadow explained. “He thought taking art would be an easy A for his final semester.”
Neil nodded. “And I wouldn’t have gotten out with even a B without her help.”
Violet grinned at Shadow. “Enjoy the weekend. I’ll see you bright and early Tuesday at work.”
“Can’t wait,” Shadow said.
“She’s certainly blossomed during the past months,” Jackson observed as they walked toward the wooden seats that faced an arch. “Is she staying with the Kemps until she finishes high school?”
Violet nodded. “She’ll be a senior in the fall, and I think she and her dad agree that this is the best place for her. Her grades have risen, and she’s really a joy to be around.” She took a seat on the second row.
“I suspect part of that is because she has you as a role model.” He sat down next to her.
She smiled. “I hope so. And she’s been good for me, too. Someday if I turn out to be okay at being a mom, I think it might trace back to my relationship with her.”
“Looks like they’re about to get started.” Jackson put an arm around her.
A man in a dark suit stood beneath the flower-trimmed arch. “Welcome to the vow renewal ceremony of Reagan and Chad McClure,” he said.
Jackson reached over and took Violet’s hand.
Louis Armstrong’s version of “What a Wonderful World” began to play as Izzy and Ava Grace walked down the aisle, each holding the hand of a wobbly twin. The three girls were decked out in matching white dresses with yellow bows, and Simon wore a pale yellow seersucker shorts set.
“They’re all barefoot,” Violet whispered. “Isn’t that adorable?”
“Seems appropriate for a lakefront wedding.” Jackson grinned. “I’ve always thought this place would be nice for an event.”
Reagan and Chad’s mothers helped the kids into their seats, each taking a twin for their lap.
“As Time Goes By” began to play as Reagan and Chad walked down the aisle and took their place at the altar.
Tears filled Violet’s eyes as Reagan and Chad made new vows to one another. They promised to put God first. They promised that their marriage had to come before everything else—even their children. They vowed to set aside certain nights for just the two of them and to never keep secrets.
When they kissed, everyone cheered except for Izzy who loudly proclaimed it to be gross.
“That was perfect,” Violet whispered after the minister had said a prayer.
Jackson put an arm around her. “Can I steal you away before the reception?”
“Of course.”
He led her down a path that led to the water. “I know it’s only June, but there’s something I want you to consider,” he said.
“What’s that?”
His blue eyes sparkled. “I have an event in December, and I’d like to go ahead and lock you in now to be my date.”
She burst out laughing. “Oh yeah?”
Jackson grinned and pulled a folded paper from his pocket and handed it to her.
“Please tell me this isn’t a contract.” She unfolded it and froze as she read the words at the top of the paper. “Is this for real?”
He dropped to one knee. “Nothing has ever been more real. Violet, I love you. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You’re wonderfully unique. You make me strive to be a better man.” He pulled a ring box out of his pocket and flipped it open. “Will you marry me, Violet Matthews?”
Violet smiled through her tears. “Yes,” she whispered.
Jackson slipped the ring on her finger then pulled her into an embrace.
Violet hadn’t expected to find love, especially with Jackson. But now that she had, she couldn’t imagine her life without him. Thank You, Lord, for your perfect timing.
Annalisa Daughety, a graduate of Freed-Hardeman University, writes contemporary fiction set in historic locations. Annalisa lives in Arkansas with two spoiled dogs and is hard at work on her next book. She loves to connect with her readers through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. More information about Annalisa can be found at her website, www.annalisadaughety.com.
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