Cupid's Bow: The First Generation Boxed Set

by Storm, Melissa

  “I tried to find you, to tell you I was okay. But by the time I made it back round to town, they’d said you’d moved to Alaska. I tried to write, but my letters always ended up returned to sender.”

  “It doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re here now, that you’re okay.”

  “I’m more than okay, Deborah.” He held her eyes with his, earnestness in his gaze. Could she see how much she’d done for him simply by being here now?

  A few wordless moments passed between them before Deborah pushed herself out from the booth and reached for James’ hand once more. “Come with me. I have something beautiful to show you.”

  And they were off again, weaving past the shops and condos, making their way deeper into the village.

  “This is my favorite spot in the entire neighborhood,” she said, directing him to a majestic white fountain tucked away in the middle of the community, far away from the main hustle and bustle. “I come here to think. Sometimes to write. To wish.” She turned her face away from his and looked up at the sun. “I’ve often wished that you…” She stopped, smiled.

  “I know.” And he did know, because he’d often thought of her as well, hoping that life had turned out well for her, wondering if their paths might ever cross again. And now here they were.

  He reached a shaking hand into his pocket and groped about until he found two spare coins, bright copper pennies, shiny as the day they were made. He handed one to Deborah. “Will you make a wish with me now?”

  She nodded, as if she’d known the request was coming. “Of course.”

  They stood silent before the fountain side by side as they each held their lucky charms securely within a fist, then entrusted them to the water. He knew better than to ask what she had wished for, so instead he bent forward and began to remove his loafers.

  “What are you doing?”

  The grin hadn’t left her face since that special moment at Gonzo’s.

  “I’m going wading. And so are you. C’mon.”

  He helped her off with her shoes and stockings and then escorted her into the shallow pool of water.

  “You are positively…well, you’re something else all right.” She giggled and splashed some water his way.

  He splashed back, joining in her laughter. And before they knew it a full-on water fight had ensued. James hadn’t laughed so hard in a long time, but it was easy with Deborah—everything was easy with Deborah.

  “Okay, okay, truce.” He lifted his hands in surrender, and his wet shirt clung to his chest.

  “You’re just saying that because I’m winning.” She chuckled as she sent another plume of water his way.

  But he didn’t let that stop him. He closed the distance between them. “You win,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. “But so do I.”

  She leaned forward and placed a sweet kiss on his lips, pulled away, then returned, deepening the kiss.

  If he closed his eyes, James could swear he’d returned to that very night fifty years ago under the stars.

  * * *

  The night air began to grow chilly, more so because of their wet clothes and skin.

  “Care to join me for some evening tea?” Deborah asked as they were stuffing their feet back into their shoes and socks. “Mind you, it’s iced tea. But I do have a batch without sugar.”

  Back at her condo, she poured James a tall glass of tea and added a lemon wedge and mint for garnish. “Still a mite chilly, isn’t it?” She turned to fetch her favorite quilt from the armchair in the other room.

  “Did you make that?” James asked, his eyes wide with admiration as she sat down close to him and draped the blanket across their laps.

  “I did. With my granddaughters Charlie and Mandy. It was our special project a few summers back.” She didn’t mention how she had raised her granddaughters clear up from childhood after their parents had died. That would come later. She had no doubt about that. But now was a time for sharing feelings, dreams—just as it had been on their first date so many years back. They could catch up on the fine details another time.

  “So you write, you quilt, you splash around in fountains… What don’t you do?” James laughed softly and rubbed her knee to help warm it up.

  “It’s true, I’ve done quite a lot in my day. But there’s still so much more I’d like to cross off the ol’ bucket list before I go.” Funny how easy it was to reference her own death these days and to do so without feeling the slightest bit awkward or sad. Death was just a fact, an eventuality. Neither good nor bad—not anymore.

  “Oh, a bucket list, eh? What do you have left to do?”

  “Well, I’d like to see Paris. Somehow I never made it over there. And I really must learn to make a spinach quiche I can be proud of. Oh, and I definitely want to learn how to bind my own books. That way when I’m finished with my memoir, I can make myself a copy.” She stopped and looked over toward James. “But that’s just me. I always have something else I’m meaning to get to. How about you? What’s on your list?”

  He twisted his mouth into a fine line as he thought. “It’s funny. I’ve never actually stopped to think about it. But now that you ask, it’s easy to think of things I’d like to do if there’s time. Like ride a horse again. Climb to the top of the Rockies, if my body will let me. Maybe take an RV cross-country and see the sights.”

  “See the big sights or the little ones?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Like would you choose to visit the Grand Canyon or the world’s largest ball of twine?”

  James laughed from his belly. “Now that you mention it, I’ve seen the Grand Canyon, but I’ve never seen that ball of twine. I pick the latter.”

  “Me too.” Deborah rested her head on James’ chest and tucked her feet up under her on the sofa. Even with their frail, inflexible bodies, they still fit together quite rightly. Perhaps it would be okay if she allowed herself to fall in love with James again, because, after all, she’d never really stopped loving him in the first place. Rip could rest easy knowing she had someone to share her adventures with, someone to keep her company as she waded through this life and prepared to meet up with him again in the next.

  James bent down and placed a kiss on the top of her head. “This has been the best day,” he whispered.

  She smiled, delighting in the spicy, woodsy scent of him. “The best part is knowing we don’t have to say goodbye ever again, not if we don’t want to.”

  “I don’t want to.”

  Deborah didn’t want to either. She’d been lonely long enough. “Stay with me?” she whispered.

  James wrapped his arms tighter around her. “Always.”

  * * *

  More to Come

  James and Deborah’s story is far from over. Share in their love stories both apart and together in the ongoing Cupid’s Bow series, a tapestry of love stories each as unique as the characters they feature, with books set in the 1950’s, 1980’s, and today.

  Be sure to continue on to the next page of this eBook to learn more about the other titles in both this series and my Pearl Makers series, as well as my stand-alone books.

  Also by Melissa Storm

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  The Cupid’s Bow Series

  When I Fall in Love

  My Heart Belongs Only to You

  I’ll Never Stop Loving You

  You Make Me Feel So Young

  Total Eclipse of the Heart

  Tainted Love

  I Want to Dance with Somebody

  You Belong with Me

  She Will Be Loved

  Somebody Like You

  All I Want for Christmas is You

  * * *

  The Book Cellar Mysteries

  Walker Texas Wife

  Texas & Tiaras

  Remember the Stilettos

  Jesse, We Have a Problem

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  The Pearl Makers

  Angels in Our Lives

  Diving for Pearls

  Love Forever, Th
eo

  Shackle My Soul

  Angel of Mine

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  Stand-Alone Novels & Novellas

  A Texas Kind of Love

  A Cowboy Kind of Love

  A Wedding Miracle

  Finding Mr. Happily Ever After

  A Colorful Life

  My Love Will Find You

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  Melissa also writes Children’s Books and Nonfiction as Emlyn Chand. Learn more about those works at www.EmlynChand.com.

  About the Author

  Melissa Storm is a mother first, and everything else second. She used to write under a pseudonym, but finally had the confidence to come out as herself to the world. Her fiction is highly personal and often based on true stories. Writing is Melissa's way of showing her daughter just how beautiful life can be, when you pay attention to the everyday wonders that surround us.

  Melissa loves books so much, she married fellow author Falcon Storm. Between the two of them, there are always plenty of imaginative, awe-inspiring stories to share. Melissa and Falcon also run the business Novel Publicity together, where she works as publisher, marketer, editor, and all-around business mogul. When she's not reading, writing, or child-rearing, Melissa spends time relaxing at home in the company of her three dogs and five parrots. She never misses an episode of The Bachelor or her nightly lavender-infused soak in the tub. Ahh, the simple luxuries that make life worth living.

  * * *

  Melissa loves hearing from readers.

  Please feel free to reach out!

  @melstormauthor

  MeetTheStorms

  www.MelStorm.com

  author@melstorm.com