Season's Greetings : Christmas Box Set

“James, I am so sorry.”

He rests a finger over my lips. “You were doing what you felt you had to for Flora. But what I need you to know is that I love you, Faye. I can’t say what the future will hold dealing with Preston, but we’ll face it together.”

“I love you, too, James. I really do, even if it terrifies me.”

“If you trust me with your heat, I will never make sure you regret it. Things can’t always be perfect, but I know we can make this work.”

“I do, too.”

He places a chaste kiss on my lips. I pout.

“I don’t want your parents to catch us necking like a pair of horny teenagers.”

“It’s okay, James, you’re not the one who knocked up their little girl out of wedlock,” I tease.

“Girls with naughty mouths get spanked.”

“Please do.”

He throws his head back and laughs, and I know things are going to be okay. I place his hand over my belly, and he grins. “She’s moving around.”

“Both your girls missed you, James.”

“They won’t have to again.”

It’s a promise I trust in.

“Should we tell them it's okay to come back in?” he whispers.

“No. Let’s enjoy the silence before they put you through the paces.”

He laughs. “You know I’ve already been over here and met them before, right?”

“What?” I snuggle up to him. “Tell me everything.” My love grows as he recalls the way he stood up for me and won over my parents, bringing them in on the overthrow of the tyrant I’d almost been oppressed by. I didn’t lie when I said I wouldn’t keep Flora from him, but he will see her on my terms and with supervision. My life is my own again, and I’m choosing to spend it with the man willing to fight for me.

Epilogue

James

I lift my little girl into my arms and toss her high in the air and catch her. She giggles, and I pull her in for a hug.

“She’s getting too big for that,” Faye calls in a sing-song voice as she steps out of the passenger seat.

“What’s Mama talking about? Say that’s not true,”

“Na true, Mama.”

“No, you’re True.” Faye sweeps over and playfully tweaks her nose as she giggles. Flora True Ferguson came into the world fifteen months ago with me by her mother’s side and Preston in California, where he remained a majority of the time. While he had no problem sending money, his presence tended to be sporadic. I can’t say either of us minds.

At three months, she and her mom moved in with me, and now we’re meeting the rest of the family to celebrate our engagement. My family has flown in, eager to meet the tot that’s captured their hearts over the computer.

We’d opted for a long engagement to make up for the whirlwind romance. Faye tilts her head up for a kiss, and I do the same.

“Spoiled fiancée.” She kisses my lips, and I smile.

“Lucky fiancée,” I counter.

“Ditto.”