“Everything’s perfect,” she said in an excited voice. “Just wanted to tell you she has no idea we’re coming.”
She’d told me weeks ago that she was afraid she’d let it slip that she and Ivy’s dad would be out for a visit. I’d told her not to worry if she did, but said I hoped she kept the secret for as long as possible. I wanted to see the expression on Ivy’s face when she saw her parents. “She’ll be so happy when she sees the both of you.”
“Her dad and I are really excited. This is a big deal.”
“Yes, it is.” I smiled. “Tell Mr. Wolfe I’m looking forward to seeing him. Maybe we can go fishing again.”
This wouldn’t be my first time meeting Ivy’s parents. Ivy and I flew out to California for her Spring Break. It had been nice getting to know her parents better, and Mr. Wolfe and I had gone fishing.
When Ivy and I first got together, her Mom had concerns initially. Once she saw I’d made changes in my life, and she had the opportunity to meet in person, she accepted me wholeheartedly. Both parents were as genuine and down to earth as Ivy, making me feel like a real part of the family.
Over the summer, I’d flown them, along with Ivy and Sammie, to Paris. I’d joined the party, and had to admit, seeing Paris for the first time was spectacular, especially since I saw it with Ivy. All those years I missed out because I refused to be seen in public. It was amazing what God had done in my life.
“He’d love to go fishing again,” Mrs. Wolfe said. “Give Ivy a big hug for us.”
“Absolutely. Nothing I’d like better.”
Ivy
Sammie and I pulled into the horseshoe driveway of Sawyer’s home. It was my birthday, and Sawyer asked us to arrive a little before six o’clock so he could give me a present. He’d said it was a surprise, and that I needed to be at his house in order to receive it. Even though I’d never made a big deal about my birthday, I was intrigued and excited.
The plan was that the three of us would go out to dinner from there, and Sky would meet us at the restaurant. I still had no clue where we were going, but Sawyer promised to text Sky the details.
As we stepped up to the front entrance, I smoothed my black, A-line dress with one hand and raised the other to knock. The door swung open before my hand even touched the wood, and Sawyer stood in the archway, dressed in a tailor-made gray suit. He’d never looked more handsome than he did at that moment.
But then again, happiness had a way of making people shine.
“You’re beautiful,” he said, his lips tipping up at the corners.
“Thank you.” I flushed at the admiration in his eyes. Butterflies still danced in my stomach every time he looked at me like that. I’d learned to accept myself and recognize that women came in all shapes and sizes. Beauty couldn’t be boxed up in a one-size-fits-all container.
Sawyer opened the door wider and ushered Sammie and me inside. “Your present is upstairs. Follow me.”
I glanced at Sammie, and she had a secret smile on her face. “Do you know what the surprise is?” I asked.
“Yes. But you’ll have to find out what it is for yourself,” she said, with a touch of mischief in her tone. It had taken her some time to fully accept Sawyer, but after a few weeks, he’d won her over and now she was his biggest advocate.
We ascended the stairs and walked down the hallway to the parlor. Sawyer let me go in first, and as I opened the door a chorus of “Surprise!” rang throughout the room. For a moment, I was stunned, and it took a minute to register that he’d thrown a surprise party. Everyone began singing Happy Birthday all at once, and the mishmash of voices—some high, some low, some obviously tone-deaf—was music to my ears.
I threw my hands to my hot cheeks and laughed. “Wow, I don’t know what to say. I had no idea.” I glanced back at Sawyer and Sammie. Sawyer was beaming and Sammie gave me a thumbs-up. Even though I wasn’t the type to hog the spotlight, I had to admit it felt good to have a celebration like this. My smile grew until it stretched across my face and couldn’t go any further. “This is so awesome. Thank you all for coming!”
My gaze swept the room. There had to be over fifty people staring back at me. Sky was there, along with many of the newer friends Sawyer and I made at our church Bible study. Several friends from school were there as well, and I guessed that Sammie had a part in that. Pastor Wright was even there. Hayden and Sarah waved from across the room, and I waved back, giggling.
When I glanced to the other side of the room, my eyes widened and my mouth dropped open in a gasp as the crowd parted and Mom and Dad appeared before me.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” I screamed. I threw myself into their arms in a three-way hug. “You didn’t tell me you were coming.” Tears rushed to my eyes at the sight of them. A flood of emotion filled my chest. Seeing their faces made me realize how much I’d missed them.
“Sawyer made us promise to keep it a secret,” Dad said with a grin.
I glanced at Sawyer. “This is the birthday surprise? Well done. Best birthday present ever.”
He smiled. “I love making you happy.”
Taking Sawyer’s hand, I held back tears. “This means so much, you doing this for me. My parents, the party . . .”
He pulled me into a hug and kissed my forehead. “It’s not over yet. There’s still more to come.”
Minutes later, Mr. Jeffries led everyone to the backyard where a white tent stood, fashionable and elegant underneath a dark sky full of bright stars. Inside, red-rose centerpieces sat in the middle of cream-colored tablecloths. White lights glimmered on strings overhead, illuminating the inside of the tent, and heat lamps were arranged in strategic places next to each table.
For a second, it brought back memories of another birthday surprise Sawyer put together for me a year ago, except this tent was a lot bigger. My heart stopped for just a moment as I calmly reminded myself that things were much different now. We’d come a long way.
I’d learned to put aside my insecurities, and Sawyer had grown in so many ways. Gone were the days when he refused to leave the house. Surprisingly, he was quite social. I hadn’t seen that side of him when we’d first met, but I still remembered Mr. Jeffries telling me that Sawyer had been popular once. Since he’d dealt with his past, that part of his personality returned.
Sawyer led me to a table and pulled out a chair for me. Mom and Dad sat to my right and Sawyer to my left. Across the table, Mr. and Mrs. Jeffries sat with Sky to their left. Sammie and William found seats on the other side of my parents. To my delight, they’d been dating the last couple of weeks. William had been interested in Sammie for a while, but it had taken time for her to return the feelings. Now that she did, she talked about him non-stop.
The wait staff brought plates of prime rib-eye steak, mashed potatoes, and mixed green vegetables. When the aroma reached my nose, my stomach instantly growled with hunger.
While we ate, Sawyer kept me smiling. He was continually whispering funny remarks in my ear, and I had to cover my mouth so I wouldn’t spit out my food from laughing so hard.
I committed everything to memory: The clink of silverware against plates, the buzz of voices and laughter, the love in Sawyer’s eyes every time he glanced my way.
When dinner concluded, the wait staff circled the tables, filling up flute glasses with sparkling apple cider. Sawyer stood to his feet. “Can I get everyone’s attention please?” His voice boomed throughout the tent.
My heart pounded in my chest. What was he going to say? In the past nine months, we’d grown even closer, and it had become more than clear that he was the only man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. A glimmer of hope enveloped me like the sunny California sun. Maybe this would be it. The proposal. I breathed in, and then out.
Live in the moment, Ivy. Enjoy this birthday surprise for what it is, without expectations.
Even though my heart leaped at the idea, I knew we wouldn’t be getting engaged. Sawyer had wanted more time to acclimate to his position as
CEO before we got married.
The hum of voices grew quiet as all eyes locked on Sawyer.
“I’d like to say a few words. First off, thank you all for coming this evening to celebrate Ivy’s birthday. It means a lot that you’re all here and that no one slipped up and shared the surprise.” A few people snickered. Sawyer turned to my parents. “I’d like to thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe for bringing this beautiful woman into the world twenty-two years ago. You should be proud. Ivy’s the kind of woman she is today because of your influence and the values you instilled in her.”
Dad’s face lit up, and Mom wiped a tear from one eye. Dad reached over and squeezed my hand. “Love you, dear.”
My smile wobbled as I blinked back tears. “Love you too, Daddy.”
Sawyer smiled at me. “Growing closer to you this past year has been the greatest adventure, the sweetest joy, and the best gift a man could ask for.” He picked up his glass full of sparkling cider and lifted it in the air. “Here’s to the kindness that won me over. May every birthday be as sweet as this one. Happy Birthday, Shortcake.”
Shouts of “Hear! Hear!” sounded throughout the tent, and then everyone clinked glasses and sipped on their cider. Just as I put my glass down, I glanced up to find Sawyer kneeling by my chair, holding a ring box. A few onlookers gasped and my hand flew to my mouth.
His expression was earnest. “For a long time, I thought life was about endurance. Just get through. Survive. That is until I met you, Ivy. The first day you came to my home, I knew you’d be my undoing. I felt it in my gut, something was about to happen. I was scared—terrified even. Hayden insisted I hire an assistant, and I didn’t understand why, but now I see God had plans beyond my comprehension at the time.” His eyes lit with emotion. “I’m so thankful he forced me out of my comfort zone, because if he hadn’t . . . I would have missed out on you. You’ve touched my heart like no one else ever will.” He took my trembling hands in his own. “I love you with all my heart. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
He opened the black box and a beautiful ring glimmered in the light, brilliant and shining. The design was stunning, with a princess-cut diamond in the center and two smaller diamonds on each side.
Pure joy washed over me, flooding my body with so much happiness I thought I might burst. I tried to say something, but the lump in my throat prevented me from speaking. We’d been through so much together, and to finally see it all played out in front of me—I had no words to describe my emotions.
Tears of happiness pricked my eyelids, and I took a moment to cherish everything God had given me: a man who loved me and would do anything for me, friends and family who stood by me, and most of all, a relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ. He’d brought me to this point—the path I’d taken had been His plan all along.
A flicker of doubt crossed Sawyer’s features at my hesitation, and the fear that I might cause him any pain, that he might wonder if I felt the same, allowed me to push past my inability to speak.
I gazed deep into his eyes as if no one else was around, and it was just the two of us. “You’re the love of my life and there’s only one response I could possibly have. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! I can’t wait to be your wife.”
Sawyer slipped the ring on my finger, and everyone broke out in cheers as he stood and pulled me to my feet. He placed his hands on both sides of my face and kissed me slowly, tenderly, as if savoring every second.
And then congratulations were offered by all around. Dad slapped him on the back and Mom pulled me into an embrace. Sammie was next in line to hug me, and then Sky. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed wait staff bringing bowls to all the tables.
Sawyer pulled me to his side, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “One last thing. You know how when I call you Shortcake, you always say ‘the least I could do is give you some?’”
I turned and peered up at his smiling face. “Yeah.”
“Well, here you go.”
Right in front of me on the table was a bowl of strawberry shortcake, complete with a large spray of whip cream.
I dipped my finger into the cream and brought it to my mouth. “Life can’t get any sweeter than this.”
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Chapter 1
Alexa
My friends said I was the queen of indifference.
What they didn’t know was that I longed for something to stir my soul, anything to move me out of the apathy that settled around my existence like a heavy cloud.
Life was easy . . . but it was so incredibly boring.
Inviting my friends Calista and Lynette to join me at the Coastal Heritage Museum was a feeble attempt to force us out of our rut. We’d only been there twenty minutes, but I already regretted bringing the girls. They started complaining the minute we got there, and my head was beginning to hurt.
“Alexa, I still don’t understand why you dragged us here,” Calista whined, tossing her light brown hair over a slender shoulder as we perused a collection of paintings. She was the queen bee of the group—had been since our high school days at Malibu Oak Preparatory School. We were all older now, but nothing much had changed regarding our social dynamics.
“Because I’m tired of shopping and hanging out at the spa every day,” I said. “A little culture now and then won’t kill us.” We stopped in front of a painting titled, The Metamorphosis, and I took a moment to take in the lines and colors and texture. It showed the process of a larva becoming a butterfly, and I wondered if it felt pain as it transformed into something completely new. I glanced at my friends. “We don’t have to stay long. I’m just sick of doing the same old thing.”
My day-to-day routine was one big snooze fest most of the time. The irony was that while I had the money to do whatever I wanted, few things left me with a sense of purpose.
Then again, if I hadn’t dropped out of college, I wouldn’t have so much time on my hands. But that was another story.
“I’ll never get tired of being pampered at the spa,” Lynette said, examining her perfect French-tipped fingernails. Her dark brown hair brushed the tops of her shoulders as we strolled across the room.
Calista pushed lightly on my arm. “What got into you today? You normally refuse to get out of bed this early.”
I shrugged. “Don’t you ever feel like there’s more to life than shopping and parties and spa treatments? Like we’re missing out on something?”
Her eyebrows lifted and confusion clouded her delicate features. “Missing out? I don’t miss out on anything. What are you even talking about?”
“Forget it. It’s too hard to explain.”
She glanced around the room with a grimace on her face, not bothering to ask what I’d meant. “Let’s just get this over with so we can hit the beach.”
“Hey, at least you’ll score points with your dad,” Lynette said.
Calista’s father was one of the board members who governed the museum, which is why we’d gotten in for free, not that it mattered. We all had our parents’ credit cards and plenty of cash to spend.
“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” I said, giving her the benefit of the doubt.
“You’re lucky I showed up today,” she said. “Sometimes you and Lynette are so boring.”
There were a few things I wanted to say to that, but my relationship with Calista was already on rocky ground. Even though we’d been friends since elementary school, she occasionally bordered on frenemy territory. At times, I wondered why our friendship had lasted this long.
Maybe I didn’t like rocking the boat.
Her criticisms weren’t personal though. At least I didn’t think they were. She complained to everyone and managed to get her way most of the time. Case and point: Lynette. Lynette had stellar grades in high school and got a scholarship to Stanford, but Calista somehow convinced her to attend a local University instead. She insisted Lynette would miss out on all the best parties, and Lynette always did whatever Calista told her to. The stark reality was that Calista couldn’t handle any of her friends having a better opportunity than she had.
We rounded a corner and walked into a spacious room with elevated ceilings. Lights were pointed at large paintings hung on the wall. Lynette pushed away a lock of hair and nudged me. “Hey, isn’t that Dylan West?”
“Who’s that?” I asked.
She gave me a strange look. “He went to high school with us.”
I followed her line of vision to an older scholarly-looking man wearing khaki pants and a plaid blazer, speaking in hushed tones to a group of what appeared to be college students. Some took notes while others pressed in to get a better look at a painting. “Which guy are you talking about?” I asked.
The Unwanted Assistant Page 30
