The Love of Her Life: A Christian Romance (The Callaghans & McFaddens Book 3)
Page 27
During their time together that day when Maya had come to see him for the first time after his accident, she had revealed that she’d never told her mom about him, but that she planned to rectify that when she got home later. And she had. When she’d called him that night, it had been with the news that she’d talked with her mom and when Gabe felt ready, Yuka Zevardi wanted to meet him.
Since he’d already wanted to meet Maya’s dad to thank him for all his help following the accident, it ended up being a dinner at the Zevardi home which had also included his parents. After that first meal together, the two families had shared many more times together in the months since. Whether it was a birthday barbecue at his folks’ house or Christmas dinner at Maya’s, their families had gotten along amazingly well.
While his dad and Max Zevardi had bonded over their roles as businessmen—even though his dad had retired—his mom and Yuka had bonded over their children. And while from appearances it seemed that his mom and Yuka would have little in common, somehow, they’d found things—even beyond their children—that drew them together.
Both he and Maya had been thrilled to see how their parents’ friendship had blossomed. He and his siblings—especially the younger ones—had enjoyed spending time at the Zevardis’ spacious home. They’d watched movies together, bowled numerous times and enjoyed swimming in the outdoor pool during the summer and then the indoor one as temperatures had plunged.
In the months following the accident, he’d come to realize how fortunate and blessed he was to have Maya in his life. His feelings had nothing to do with her money, but rather in her, he had found the strength to get through the rough days. She’d been his encourager when he’d wanted to just give up and walk with crutches for the rest of his life. When he’d lashed out in pain and frustration, she’d been there to soothe him and remind him of what he was fighting for.
She thought he was fighting to once again be able to walk so that he could travel, but Gabe fought every day to be the man who was worthy of the love Maya showered on him. There were days that he wondered if he’d ever be that, but he was too selfish to set her free so that she could find such a man. She was his world, and he would do everything he could to prove how much she meant to him.
He hadn’t missed the dangerous side of his adventures at all, but he was glad that Maya had been willing to come on this trip with him. Although they both had responsibilities at home, they had agreed to fit in a few trips each year to places that Maya wanted to see. Gabe had a few ideas as well of destinations he’d been to that he thought she’d enjoy. But first up was this one. During his previous trip, he’d thought a lot about how he wished he could share the experience with Maya, and now he was doing just that.
“Are you ready to head out?” Gabe asked as Maya joined him on the small wicker couch.
She smiled at him, her dark eyes alight with excitement. “I can’t wait. I cheated a bit and watched the video of your previous trip here again.”
“The video was good, but it really didn’t do it justice.” Gabe slipped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her temple. “I can’t wait to experience it all again with you.”
Just then, Damon let out a whistle to get everyone’s attention. “We’re ready to go, so grab your bags and head downstairs. We’ve got a small bus that will take us to the departure spot.”
Gabe waited until everyone else had started down the stairs before he did. Carrying both his and Maya’s bags, he moved more cautiously than he might once have. He was experiencing some stiffness in his leg that was most likely due to the inactivity during the long flight from Chicago to Bangkok. Max had tried to get them to take the jet, but both Gabe and Maya had agreed that for the time being, no one needed to be aware of her family’s wealth.
Once on the bus, he settled into the seat beside Maya, their bags stowed at the back for the trip to the boat. She turned to look out the window as the bus jerked into motion, and for the duration of their ride, she chatted excitedly about what she was witnessing. Gabe felt a sense of satisfaction, knowing that the joy and excitement Maya was experiencing was more than enough for him. He didn’t need the adrenalin rush any longer, and even though he could have done some of the dangerous things he’d done in the past now that his leg was more mobile, the desire was gone. His only desire now was to live his life with Maya and do whatever he could to keep a smile on her face.
On the second day of their trip, they gathered on the escort boat for their dinner which was no doubt going to be another delicious spread of Thai food. It didn’t seem that being on a boat had hampered the ability of the cooks to provide scrumptious fare, in any way.
Their first night on the boat, the sky had been cloudy, blocking their view of the sunset. But as they finished up their meal on the second night, the nearly clear sky gave them a front row seat to the sun sinking slowly toward the horizon. Shades of orange and yellow filled the sky, and Gabe knew that now was his moment.
Maya was in conversation with Sue to her right, so Gabe turned to Mitch. “It’s time.”
Mitch looked at him then smiled, knowing the role he had to play in this. With the sunset window closing quickly, Mitch got up and went to his bag. He pulled out the phone that Max had sent along with them. When Gabe had met with Max to ask for his permission to marry Maya, the older man had insisted they bring one of his company’s prototype phones on their trip so that they could witness the proposal even if they weren’t there. So now, using the satellite data the man had also paid for, Mitch got to work.
Gabe slipped his arm around the back of Maya’s chair and leaned close. “Excuse me, love. Can I steal you away?”
She glanced at him then smiled. “Of course.”
“The sunset is so beautiful tonight, I want to watch it with you.”
Maya excused herself to Sue, then got to her feet. She took his offered hand and followed him toward the railing of the boat that faced to the west. Gabe put his arm around her shoulders as she leaned against him, her arm around his waist.
“It’s gorgeous. All of this is. I can see now why you like to travel to places like this. Swimming in that cove today was one of my favorite experiences so far.”
“Well, I hope to offer you the opportunity to have a new favorite experience.”
At his words, Maya turned to look at him, her face awash in the colors of the sunset. “What are you talking about?”
With a glance over at Mitch, Gabe moved his arm in order to take her hands in his. “Maya, I never knew that the excitement I chased was an attempt to fill a void that I didn’t even know was there. It was only after I had a taste of your presence in my life that I came to understand that you brought me more than any of those adventures ever could. I think my folks were praying hard for God to change my heart about the way I was living my life, but I’ll bet they never imagined that it would happen this way. I always thought that the woman I fell in love with would join me as I chased the adrenalin highs, but once I met you, I knew that wasn’t going to be the case. My heart was no longer chasing an elusive thrill, it had found its home with you.”
Maya’s fingers tightened on his, and her mouth dropped open slightly as he got slowly lowered himself to one knee. As he gazed up at her, he saw a tear escape and run down her cheek, dropping onto their joined hands.
“I love you with all my heart, beautiful, and want to spend the rest of my life at your side. If you’ll have me.” Gabe took a deep breath as he released her hand to pull the ring from his pocket where he’d placed it right before dinner. “Maya, will you marry me?”
“Yes.” Her answer came without hesitation. “Always and forever…yes.”
Gabe quickly slid the ring onto her finger so that he could stand and take her into his arms. “Thank you, love. You have made me the happiest man on earth. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“I love you, Gabe,” Maya said as she reached up to link her fingers behind his neck. “I thank God ev
ery day for bringing you into my life, and I ask Him every day to give us many, many years together. But just in case He doesn’t, I plan to live each day to the fullest with you. Nothing would make me happier than to do that as your wife.”
She went up onto her tiptoes, drawing him down so their lips could touch. They had kissed many times over the past few months, but this kiss, on the boat, in front of the setting sun with their friends and family watching—courtesy of a Skype call for the ones not in Thailand—felt like their very first one.
And while he had, at one time, loved the adrenalin rush that came with risking his life, he now loved Maya’s life and the prospect of their life together too much to do the risky things he once had. With her acceptance of his proposal, Gabe now knew without a doubt that while he had been in search of something to give him excitement and a thrill, God had had something far better planned for him.
Coming late 2017
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