A Chance for Us (Willow Creek Valley Book 4) Page 25
I park the car, and she smirks.
“What?”
“I know where we are.”
“And you couldn’t let me think I surprised you?”
She bites her lower lip. “I could, but then that wouldn’t be fun.”
“You may know one thing, but I promise, you have no idea about the rest.”
At least, I hope she doesn’t.
Her arms cross, and she harrumphs, which is confirmation that she doesn’t.
I help her out of the car and lead her up to the porch. “It smells like the farm.”
“Nothing says romance like manure.”
She laughs. “I love it here.”
“And I love you.”
“I love you, babe.”
“Good. That makes this so much easier.”
I remove her blindfold, and she looks out. Everyone we love is here. Her aunts and uncles, my brothers and sisters, even Alex who flew in from Egypt when I told him I could’ve died and he wasn’t here. I’m not above using guilt to get what I want. They are all here to witness what should’ve been our beginning.
“What is . . . Aunt Eileen? Uncle John? Devney? I don’t understand . . .”
Her eyes meet mine, swimming with a million questions. “Today is our anniversary.”
She shakes her head. “I know that, but what is our entire family doing here?”
I take her hands and sink down to one knee, pulling out the ring I should have bought for her a year ago. “Maren Parkerson, the last year has been a rocky road. We didn’t start out like most couples. You came into my life, turned it upside down and made me a husband when we weren’t even dating. Then I fell for you. I fell harder than I knew I was capable of. Now, I would give up my own life before letting you go. I love you more than any man has loved a woman. More than my heart can even contain.” Her tears are streaming, and I can hear others catching their breaths. “I married you one year ago without really knowing that I wanted to spend the rest of my life beside you. So, I’m asking you today, as the woman I love with everything that I am, will you marry me?”
She falls to her knees, taking my face in her hands. “You beautiful, wonderful man, I would marry you every day of my life.”
I lean in, kissing her softly, and we both smile, breaking away. I slip the ring onto her finger. “Was this a good surprise?”
“The best.”
“It’s not over,” I tell her.
“There’s more?”
I glance at Stella and Devney, who come rushing up. They give us each a hug and then pull Maren toward the house. “Come on, today is your wedding day, too.”
I wink and watch the woman I love walk away to get ready for what is our true wedding.
“I can’t believe you did all this,” Maren says as I close the door to the master bedroom.
Today has been a really long day, but seeing her in her wedding dress brought me back to our first wedding. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
“Yes, but . . . it was so sweet, Ollie. I’m so happy, and now we’re married without any lies.”
I pull her into my arms. “No lies.”
Three months after I found out I had cancer, we came clean to all of Maren’s family. We felt it was the right thing to do. At first, they were really upset at the level of deceit, but as we kept explaining, they settled on a lot of laughing.
That day, I promised myself that I would make sure her family knew the truth about how I felt about her.
“I wish . . . I wish my father could’ve seen this one,” Maren says hesitantly.
“I do too, but I like to think he was here.”
She plays with my collar, which she loves to do when she’s deep in thought. “This house was his and my mother’s, and when we’re here, I like to think they’re smiling down on us. Did you invite Linda?” she asks before meeting my eyes.
“I did, but I knew she wouldn’t respond.”
“Yeah, I don’t know why I asked.”
I tilt my head, forcing her to look up. “Because you still care.”
Linda shut out the entire McVee family from her life as though they never existed. No one other than Maren seems to care, and she still reaches out to the woman once a month, hoping that she’ll have a chance to ask for a few of her father’s belongings. Linda has ignored every phone call.
“I’m dumb for that.”
“No, you’re kind, which is never dumb.”
“It was great meeting Alex.” Maren changes the subject, and since it’s our wedding night and I’d rather not talk about Linda, I don’t push.
“I’m glad you got the chance. He leaves tomorrow so, who knows when we’ll get to see him again.”
“Oliver,” Maren says, and I wait, knowing she isn’t done talking and needs a second to get her words together. “Today was perfect.”
“It was.”
“You gave us the wedding we deserved, and I love you so much.”
I kiss her, and I keep kissing her until we’re both breathless. Then I lift her into my arms and carry her to the bed.
Our families have all headed home or to the hotel down the road, which is more like a roadside motel, but not my problem. So, we are in our home, the place where I hope we can raise our kids together, alone.
I lay her on the bed, smiling down and marveling at her beauty. She takes my breath away.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Because I can’t believe that you’re mine.”
“I have been yours since the minute I asked you to marry me.”
I laugh. “I think I became yours then too.”
She leans up and grips my tie, pulling me to her. “And now we belong to each other.”
“Always.”
She smiles. “Always. Also,” Maren says, her voice changing before she tilts her head with a grin, “I have a surprise for you.”
“You do?”
“I do. See, I thought we were going to spend our anniversary at the resort, so I had a cake and all kinds of things made.”
“I think my surprise is better,” I say before trying to kiss her, but she shifts back a little.
“Maybe, but that wasn’t all of it. Are you ready?”
“I’m really hoping you’re going to tear that dress off and be completely naked because I’m really ready to see if we can make the house shake tonight.”
Maren giggles. “I think you’re going to like it.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I’m pregnant.”
Epilogue
MAREN
~Six Years Later~
“I’m not ready for this,” Oliver says as he grabs Brynn’s backpack.
“We may not be, but she is.”
“She’s not ready to go to school.”
“The state says otherwise.”
He rolls his eyes. “Like I trust any of them.”
I smile and pat his cheek. “She will be fine and so will you.”
Brynn comes running down the stairs, blonde hair flying behind her like a cape. She takes the last four as a jump, causing my heart to falter until she stands with her arms in the air. “I did it.”
“Can we not do that again?” I make my way to her.
Brynn has her father’s personality with my features. It’s a lot of fun for both of us. I look at her, and see myself, but when she talks, all I hear is him. She is funny, smart, and sarcastic at the age of five. All we hear is that it’s only going to get worse.
“I wish I could make that promise, Mama, but you said I can’t lie. It’s a sin.”
Oh for heaven’s sake.
“Nice try.”
Oliver comes over. “How about this, if you do that again, you won’t have the television for a week.”
Her green eyes widen before she clutches her hand to her chest. “You wouldn’t do that to me, would you, Daddy? Not for practicing my gymnastics.”
“I would.”
She looks to me. “I was told that I don’t try hard enou
gh, and that’s what I’m doing. I’m practicing.”
“Your teacher did not tell you to leap off the stairs as practice. But I appreciate your effort in trying to sell it.” I boop her on the nose. “Now, go eat your breakfast before the bus comes.”
Brynn rushes off, and Oliver flops onto the couch. “That child is a menace.”
“That child is you.”
He smirks. “Menace.”
“Who you love.”
“With every fiber of my being.”
Brynn is everything to us. She’s truly a miracle. We conceived her naturally, but since then, we haven’t been able to get pregnant. After countless visits to fertility clinics over the years, we finally decided to stop trying. The emotional toll it was taking on us was too great, and we are eternally grateful for the child we do have. Still, I struggle.
Ashton Miller is one of the top infertility specialists in the country and a good friend of mine. She explained it wasn’t anything either of us was doing wrong or even the chemo treatments Oliver had a few years back. It just wasn’t working, even after IVF.
There are days when I swear I can imagine the tiny baby in my arms. I can feel his weight and see his blue eyes that are just like his father’s.
“Hey,” Oliver says, opening his arms, “come here.”
I settle onto his lap, allowing him to once again be my safe harbor, and rest my head on his chest. “How did you know I needed this?”
“Because I know you.”
“I’m a lucky girl.”
“You sure are.”
I snort. “If you do say so yourself?”
“I think both of us are lucky, so there’s that. You know that I love you more every single day, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“And I am completely content with our life. We have everything, Maren. Everything.”
He’s right. I know he is. We have a beautiful home on Melia Lake that we built when we found out we were pregnant. It’s tucked back so the guests can’t see it, but we still have a great view of the water.
Every month, we take a trip out to the farm, check on the horses we bought, and visit with my family. A wonderful couple lives there full time to care for the land and the animals. Thanks to Brynn, what started out as a few chickens and horses have grown into a damn zoo.
Really, it’s Oliver’s fault since he can’t say no to her.
“I know we do. I just can’t seem to stop from wanting more.”
“If it happens, then it’ll be because it was right.”
“You always know what to say.”
He laughs. “I wish I did. It would make arguing with you so much more fun for me. Instead, I usually end up going in circles.”
“Because you’re usually wrong in those instances.”
He raises a brow. “Shut up and kiss me.”
I give him a kiss right as Brynn enters.
“Eww! Kissing boys is gross.”
Oliver pops his head up. “It is. You should never do it. Ever. Boys are stupid.”
“You just kissed Mama.”
“Because I’m stupid!” He pushes me up off his lap. “See? I am going to put myself in timeout.”
“Don’t do that, Daddy! I’ll protect you!” Brynn giggles and rushes over to him, throwing herself into his arms.
Oliver catches her and spins her around and around. “Thank goodness!”
They are a mess.
“Daddy, why did you marry Mama?”
“Because she made me.”
I snort. “Yes, the hardship.”
“It really is hard being married to her. Did you know that she tricked me?”
“She did?”
Oliver nods. “She did. One day, she showed up at my job and said: ‘Oliver, I need you to marry me, but it won’t really be a marriage.’” He leans in and whispers. “But the joke was on her because we’re married still . . .”
“That can be rectified,” I warn.
“And you said yes?” Brynn asks with wide eyes, ignoring me completely.
“She’s a babe. Of course I said yes.”
I sigh. “Don’t let him fool you, Brynnikins. He didn’t say yes at first.”
Now her eyes narrow as she turns back to him. “You said no?”
“Well, a man has to have some pride.”
Brynn purses her lips, probably not understanding. “But you love Mama.”
“With my whole heart.”
I walk over to them and wrap my arm around Oliver’s waist. “And we love you.”
“I’m glad you married Mama.”
“Why is that?” Oliver asks with a chuckle.
“Because she’s the best.”
Who knew? She compliments me. Miracles never cease. “Thank you.”
She turns to me. “Because Daddy is the best, and he would only pick the best.”
I sigh. “Of course.” The man walks on water. “How about you go finish getting ready for school.”
She wiggles her way down and rushes off.
Oliver grins. “I love that girl.”
“Because she thinks you’re the best?”
“Partially.”
“Well, what about me?”
He turns, pulling me into his arms. Instinctively, I rest my arms on his broad shoulders, as his hands press against my spine. “I think you’re the best too.”
I smile. “So, do I get all your heart?”
“Sweetheart, you have had my heart since the day you stepped out of that car. I fell in love with you before you ever said a single word.”
Silver-tongued as ever. “And why is that?”
He leans in, his lips grazing mine. “Because when you got out of the car, it was as if the whole world stopped and all I could see was you. I knew it then, and I know it now. You are everything I want in life, and as soon as our daughter is on that bus, I plan to prove it to you. I’m going to enjoy not needing to be quiet.”
I grin. “I look forward to it.”
“You should.”
And I know I will because life with Oliver is one word: perfect.
Thank you for reading Oliver and Maren’s story. I truly hope you enjoyed it as much as I loved writing it. It’s always bittersweet saying goodbye to a series. My heart is torn between being overjoyed that the family I loved is settled where they should be, and also beyond sad that I must leave them. However, I don’t know I really ever do that, as you see in this novel, my characters tend to show up in other books years down the road.
I know many have asked about Alex, and I hope you understand that at this time, I just don’t have it in me to write his story. I can’t explain it fully, other than, he’s not strong enough in my heart or head to write. I never say never, but I know it’s not meant to be right now.
After typing The End on this book, I wasn’t ready to let go! Swipe to the next page for access to an exclusive Bonus Scene!
Bonus Scene
Dear Reader,
Thank you again for reading A Chance for Us! Oliver and Maren were a story I was beyond excited about. I love them so much and this entire family. I wanted to write a scene that would give me the closure I needed and I hope this does that for you as well! I have an EXCLUSIVE bonus scene as a thank you! All you have to do is click the link below, sign up for my newsletter, and you’ll get and email giving you access!
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Books by Corinne Michaels
The Salvation Series
Beloved
Beholden
Consolation
Conviction
Defenseless
Evermore: A 1001 Dark Night Novella
Indefinite
Infinite
The Hennington Brothers
Say You’ll Stay
Say You Want Me
Say I’m Yours
Say You Won’t Let Go: A Return to Me/Masters and Mercenaries Novella
Second Time Around Series
We Own Tonight
One Last Time
Not Until You
If I Only Knew
The Arrowood Brothers
Come Back for Me
Fight for Me
The One for Me
Stay for Me
Willow Creek Valley Series
Return to Us
Could Have Been Us
A Moment for Us
A Chance for Us
Rose Canyon Series
Help Me Remember (Coming 2022)
Give Me Love (Coming 2022)
Keep This Promise (Coming 2022)
Co-Written with Melanie Harlow
Hold You Close
Imperfect Match
Standalone Novels
All I Ask
You Loved Me Once
Acknowledgments
To my husband and children. You sacrifice so much for me to continue to live out my dream. Days and nights of me being absent even when I’m here. I’m working on it. I promise. I love you more than my own life.
My readers. There’s no way I can thank you enough. It still blows me away that you read my words. You guys have become a part of my heart and soul.
Bloggers: I don’t think you guys understand what you do for the book world. It’s not a job you get paid for. It’s something you love and you do because of that. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.