Joseph yelled at the TV set, urging his boys to run faster down the field. Chief Bright sat next to him on the leather couch, the vessels in his neck threatening to pop as he pumped his fist in the air. They both cheered for their football team, oblivious to the family gathering going on around them until an arm slid across Joseph’s shoulder.
“Hey there, handsome.” Michelle sat on his lap and planted a warm kiss on his cheek, sending delicious heat cascading down his skin. “You about ready to eat? Mom says Thanksgiving dinner is on the table.”
“Just about.” He wrapped his arms snuggly around her waist and pulled her in closer, burying his face in her coconut scented hair. He loved the feeling of her soft curves in his arms. He could never get enough of her.
“Our team’s about to score,” Chief Bright exclaimed, his eyes glued solidly to the TV. Joseph wasn’t sure if that was because he was truly distracted by the game or if he didn’t want to see his employee getting cozy with his daughter. Either way, he’d been begrudgingly kind about the whole thing.
After Joseph provided him with his social security number and a thorough background check, of course.
But that had been an entire year ago. A year in which Michelle had graduated with honors and Joseph had graduated the training academy. He was solidly on the Blessings police force now and she had accepted a job teaching eighth grade in Kansas City. In all, it had been a beautiful year and the brand new square-cut diamond ring on Michelle’s left hand proved it.
“Better start thinking about the thing you were grateful for this year,” Michelle said to her dad as she unconsciously trailed her fingers up Joseph’s arm in a tantalizingly slow pattern that made the fire flare in his gut. The light from the window hit her ring just right and caused it to sparkle. “You know Mom won’t let us eat until everyone at the table has said theirs. And it can’t be that you’re grateful you won’t have to come up with another line for a whole year. You tried that last year. Mom won’t accept that answer.”
Chief Bright waved his hand dismissively at her. “I’ll be grateful if my team can just keep their hand on the ball this year and no fumbles. Last year was a disgrace.”
Joseph laughed and ran his hands through Michelle’s hair, pulling it back from her face. She turned to look at him, her eyes shining with adoration. He knew exactly what he was most grateful for this year.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered. “And I love you.”
Her cheeks turned the prettiest shade of pink and she grinned. “I don’t know that I’ll ever get tired of hearing you say that.”
“Good, because I’m never going to stop.” He reached for her hand, interlacing his fingers with hers.
She smiled happily and snuggled down into his chest to reexamine her engagement ring. He wrapped his arms around her and inhaled deeply, not taking one ounce of that moment for granted. It wasn’t long ago he didn’t believe he’d ever get his happy ending.
Who would’ve thought that he’d find it in Blessings, Kansas?
Thank you for reading!
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Love,
Lacy Andersen
Check out these other books in the Blessings of Love Series and keep reading for an exc
erpt from the next book.
Brushstrokes and Blessings by Danielle Thorne
Blessed by the Fake Boyfriend by Lacy Andersen
Bless His Heart by Jessica L. Elliott
Abundantly Blessed by Rachael Eliker
Twice Blessed by J. J. DiBenedetto
Backward Blessings by Rachel A. Andersen
Excerpt from Book Three in the Blessings of Love Series
Bless His Heart
Greyson parked his car in front of the old Victorian home which had been his grandmother’s home since her birth. The weathered boards and gingerbread trim could use a fresh paint job and some repairs. Nothing major, but still, the expenses would add up. A cracked window in the upper level of the house drew a frown from him. How long had that been cracked? Gram hadn’t mentioned any broken windows during his weekly phone calls. Granted, it may have occurred during the three weeks she was in the hospital following her stroke. His heart twisted at how close he’d come to losing her, but he pushed those feelings aside. Now was not the time to be sentimental. For now, he needed to do some quick calculations. His gaze roved down the house and to the lawn. Weeds choked the normally well-kept gardens and his grandmother’s beloved rose bushes looked scraggly. They needed pruned, desperately, and probably a good dose of fertilizer wouldn’t be remiss. He turned to his grandmother, the formidable Georgianna “Georgie” Montgomery Able. “When was the last time you had the yard mowed?” he asked, taking note of the tall grass and profusion of weeds.
“Oh, it’s been some time, I suppose. I’m not exactly a spring chicken, you know. Besides, I haven’t even been home to look after the yard because someone wouldn’t spring me from that prison.” She shot him a dirty look.