He laughed. “But, you answered me first. I’d say me asking you was a yes to your question. I wanted to make this moment special for you.”
I kissed him again. We were the perfect pair.
“Being back in your arms is all I need, Gael.”
Between more kisses, I asked, “Does that mean I get the recipes?”
He chuckled, his warm brown eyes dancing with happiness. “It does. But you can’t cook. What were you ever going to do with the recipes, now that I think about it?”
“I don’t know, honestly.” We both laughed and kissed. Idly I wondered if it was the presence of Sophia and Daniel pushing us together.
Gael slipped on a beautiful princess-cut diamond that sparkled in the setting sun, then he slipped on the titanium band I’d gotten him. Gael picked me up and cradled me in his arms like a bride. As he walked he held me and kissed me more, showering me with love. This was my happily ever after.
As he climbed the steps he paused. “Ashlin, I want to get married at Daniel and Sophia’s tree. Fate brought our predestined hearts together. Because of Daniel and Sophia’s sacrifice, we have love.”
A little over three years later—
A BABY CRIED. “Gotta go, Ashlin. We can’t wait to see you next week. Ashton is waking up.”
“Tell my sweet niece I love her and can’t wait to see her for her birthday. I can’t believe she’s going to be a year old. Gael and I are anxious to hold her again.” A door opened and I knew Amelia was in Ashton’s baby room.
“I’ll tell her. Take care of yourself. Talk to you soon. Love you.”
“Love you, too.” I hung up the phone and walked the kitchen to get a drink before I finished unpacking a trunk we’d found in our Savannah home, buried in the far corner of the attic. It was early spring. The windows were open and a gentle breeze blew through the house.
Amelia had been blessed with a beautiful baby girl, Ashton, almost twelve months ago. For nearly a year after her accident, Amelia had busted her ass to get back to her pre-accident state. The rehabilitation had been hard, but my strong friend had persevered. Then after another year of trying, Amelia had finally become pregnant. Ashton had been named after me. I cried when I found out. Amelia had dreamed I had saved her when she was pregnant and knew she needed to name the baby after me. Besides Gael, no one had ever known what Harris had put me through during those bleak days at the hospital. And they never would.
In the three years since the accident, I’d only seen Harris once about a year and a half ago. I hoped I never saw him again.
Gael and I were married. We were visiting Amelia and Steven for the baby shower in New York. We’d taken a long weekend and were staying at Waldorf Astoria. We’d spent all morning in bed, making love and now we were leaving one of my favorite little bistros in downtown Manhattan.
At a crosswalk, Gael came up behind me on the packed street. He’d turned me around and the world faded away as I stared up into his chocolate eyes. With all the sounds of the busy city, all the people pushing by, Gael took the time to still show me how much he loved me. Barely putting his tongue in, Gael teased my mouth and I smiled.
“Want to go back to the hotel room, sweetheart?”
I bit his lip. “I thought you’d never ask.”
We started for the crosswalk and froze as Harris stood on the other side, staring. He was as I remembered him, tailored suit and looking like he could conquer the world. People were walking around us as the light indicated we could go, but none of us moved. Moving his arm around my waist, Gael brought me to him in a protective stance. Harris watched the gesture and a regretful look passed over his face.
The crosswalk indicator beeped, signaling people to hurry across. We remained resolute. I wanted to think Harris was penitent for all he had done, but it was probably the fact that I was one of the few deals he’d lost. All the pain I’d felt during those days at the hospital had me melding myself to Gael, thinking of a life without him. Without warning, Harris turned and strode off in the opposite direction.
Sometimes, I saw magazines with Harris’ picture in the stores. He was voted most eligible bachelor for the last three years, but was never photographed with anyone. When I’d come home, after Amelia had been released from the hospital, I’d found the note Harris referenced in the hospital. It was in the briefcase bag from when my things had been sent from the hotel after Aunt Leelyn’s death. Without looking at it, I shredded it. There was nothing in there that would change what had happened or detour my love for Gael. Whether what Harris had said was true or not in the hospital about the note, he was a manipulator.
The back wall of the family room was filled with memories of Gael and me. Beautiful memories. With a glass of water in one hand, I touched our wedding picture. We’d been married out by Daniel and Sophia’s tree. It’d been a simple wedding, exactly what we’d wanted. Friends and family had surrounded us in elegant white chairs. The tree had twinkle lights all through it. I’d worn an elegant white silk dress that had organza on top that blew gently in the breeze. I’d left my hair down. A flower was tucked in above my ear. Gael had worn a dark suit. The wedding, like our journey, had been magical. As Gael slid on my ring, he’d stopped and showed me the inside of the band so I could read the inscription.
Predestined Hearts
As the preacher had pronounced us man and wife, we’d both looked at the tree with Daniel and Sophia’s initials carved into it. I kept walking toward the living room and stared down at my ring. After all the heartache I’d had, my happily ever after had happened.
The old, wooden trunk had worn leather straps that kept it fastened. It had been behind what I’d assumed was a row of empty bookshelves that had all been stacked in front of each other. In the last few weeks, I’d gotten this insane desire to clean everything all over again. Gael had been a good sport about it and I’d found some heirlooms that I hadn’t known about. Since Aunt Leelyn’s death, the attic had been one of those things on my list but never had enough time to go through.
Undoing the leather straps, I opened the trunk. There were several old quilts. Underneath that was a frame with a picture. I turned it over and gasped.
The same excitement returned that reminded me of the day I’d found Sophia’s journal and started the incredible journey. I could not wait to show Gael. It would be perfect to add to the shadow box of their journals that hung on our living-room wall.
Gael called from the doorway. “Hey, I thought you were going to wait until I got back? I didn’t want you lifting that heavy lid.”
I gave him an adoring smile. “Come here, you need to see this!”