All Who Dream (Letting Go) (39 page)

Planting
my lips on his once more, I showed him my approval.

 
“And you’re going to write again?” I asked
eagerly.

He cupped
my face, kissing my nose, my cheek, my chin. “Yes, I’m going to write again.”

 
“And you promise to write happy endings?”

 
“I promise,” he said in between kisses.
“Happy…endings.”

I pulled
back slightly, teasing him. “So you’ve changed your stance, then?”

His eyes
crinkled with delight. “What stance is that?”

 
“That true love is just a dream.”

Drawing
me close again, his breath tickled my ear as he whispered, “If it is, then let
me never wake up.”

The End

Almost four years had passed since the first time I
visited the Lake House in Connecticut with Cody and Jackson. I’d lost count of
how many times we’d been back since, but each time had felt as significant as
the first: Jackson and I were engaged there three years ago,
Pippy
and Caleb were married there two summers ago, and
Jacob took his final breaths there this past September.

Which was exactly how he’d wanted it.

Before he passed, Jacob was able to read his brother’s
most recent work of fiction—a highly acclaimed mystery series based on an
expedition near the Nile River. Jackson dedicated the series to Jacob, knowing
full well that without him, it would never have been written. And much to
Jacob’s delight, Jackson also dropped his pen name.

As I packed, Jackson’s arms encircled my waist from
behind. He planted a kiss at the base of my neck, sending a tingle of pleasure
dancing down my spine.

“You about ready, gorgeous?
Briggs is here to take us to the airport. Cody’s outside loading the suitcases
now.”

Biting my bottom lip, I checked the contents of the bag
one last time.
Did I remember everything?
It’d been so long since—

Jackson spun me around. “Everything will be fine. It’s
only a three-hour flight.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “And I promise to be
the one to do a midnight store-run on the off-chance you actually forgot to
pack something.”

His eyes sparkled when he spoke, and I knew he was just as
excited as I was.

Glancing at the bag, he asked, “Can I take this to the van
for you?”

He reached for the strap.

“Wait,” I said, pulling him back. “I’m not finished yet.”

Jackson arched an eyebrow as my lips found his. I’d never
grow tired of kissing this man.

“
Now
you can
take it.”

Chuckling, Jackson hoisted the mini-goliath onto his
shoulder and left our bedroom. My stomach fluttered as I walked across the hall
and cracked open the nursery door. Waiting for me inside was a sight I once believed
I’d never see again, not in my home anyway.

A sleeping baby.
My baby.

The adoption was finalized just last week, and Lucy, the
beautifully spunky nine-month old, was ours.
Officially.
Tears pricked my eyes as I leaned over her crib. Running my hand over her dark
hair and onto her bag, I lifted up a quiet prayer, the same prayer I’d prayed
over Cody.

A prayer of protection, one God had answered many times
over.

Lucy grunted and stretched as I brought her to my chest.
Cradling her sleepy head into my neck, I swayed in the dimly-lit room.

“Are you ready for this, Lucy?” I whispered. “There are
some very special people waiting to meet you…your aunt
Pippy
has been begging to kiss your sweet cheeks.” I kiss the top of her head.
“There’s no place like the lake house. You will love it there. I promise.”

I changed her diaper then headed toward the front door,
Lucy rubbing her tired brown eyes as we walked into the sunshine.

“There she is! I need to kiss my niece before you whisk
her away. I don’t want her getting any ideas about the East Coast. She loves
Texas—don’t you, Lucy?” Briggs took Lucy from my arms as Cody kissed her temple.

“She may not be able to say it yet, but she knows I’m the
cool
Uncle,” Briggs said.

I rolled my eyes. “Well, how could she not? You remind her—and
us—
every
time you hold her.”

Cody laughed. “You are cool, Uncle B.”

Briggs slung an arm around Cody’s shoulder. “See?”

Lucy giggled as she touched Briggs’ animated face. My
heart swooned.

“Can I buckle her in the car seat, mom?” Cody asked. He
was as smitten with her as I was.

“Sure, Code.”

Cody took Lucy from Briggs and walked around the van, talking
to her expressively.

“You ready to go?” Briggs asked Jackson and
I
.

“Yeah, thanks again for taking us Briggs,” Jackson said,
slapping him on the back.

“No problem. Charlie wanted to come, but the twins aren’t
feeling well. She didn’t want to risk getting Lucy sick before her first big
flight.”

Getting in the van, I glanced back at our farmhouse. Just
north of Dallas, we’d purchased enough land to be considered “country folk”.
And where Cody finally got his dog, a dog that was currently
staying with Auntie Rosie.

Though we thought long and hard about where we would call
home, we realized once again that home was comprised of so much more than the
property we chose, but of the family we cherished—a family that had grown by
one more in the recent months. We decided to stay in Texas—much to my brother’s
delight—after agreeing to make several trips a year to visit the East Coast.

As Cody sang his sister a song in the backseat and Briggs
and Jackson laughed in the front, a thankful tear escaped as I reflected on a poem
I’d written nearly a decade ago.

There’s a time and place for dreaming

A melody within life’s meaning

You search and seek and pray and pine

Yet in the end its hope you’ll find

Some days are bleak while others
bare

Some feel rooted in deep despair

But don’t lose faith and don’t lose sight

For dreams will come to those who fight

If chance is slim and risk is great

Remember the reward at stake

The test is found in how you fail

For joy
itself
cannot turn stale

This truth and hope act as a team

They light a path for all who dream

“May the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow
with hope…
”

Romans 15:13

Author’s Note:

As I reflect on the
Letting
Go
series as a whole, my heart is filled with so many emotions. I have
loved these characters like friends, laughing with them, crying with them, and
at times even learning from them. Though it’s difficult to say goodbye, I am
overwhelmed with gratefulness for you, my readers.

I am not the same woman I was in January of 2013 when I
self-published my debut novel,
All for
Anna
. My dream was to write a love story that was dipped in the raw truths
of recovery; the ups and downs, the hurts and heartaches, and the hope that
comes when we look beyond ourselves. Never in my wildest imagination did I
envision how
All
for Anna
would so radically change my
life.

Writing is my passion, but the beauty of love’s
transforming power is what stirs my soul.

Thank you
for
taking a chance on me.
Thank
you
for sharing this series with your friends, and
thank you
for your emails, messages, and posts of support and
encouragement.
Without the inspiration of my faithful readers, my
stories would have never come to life.

So, from the deepest corners of my heart,
thank you.

All For Anna –
Letting Go – Book One:

 
http://www.amazon.com/All-For-Anna-ebook/dp/B00B4XI0SG

All She Wanted –
Letting Go – Book Two:

http://www.amazon.com/All-She-Wanted-Letting-ebook/dp/B00D2IBTCK

Website:

http://www.nicoledeese.com

Facebook:

 
https://www.facebook.com/nicoledeeseauthor

This author is represented
by Jessica Kirkland of the Blythe Daniel Agency.

All media requests should be directed to:
http://www.theblythedanielagency.com

These are the major ingredients that make up the recipe of
an author. Each of you
are
vital to my writing, to my
voice, and to my passion. Thank you is simply not enough.

God
, you are my
hope
.

Husband
, Tim
Deese
, you are my
heart
.

Family
, you are
my
anchor
.

Friends
, you
are my
sanity
.

Agent
, Jessica
Kirkland, you are my
encouragement
.

Beta
readers
, you are my
support
.

Editors
, Julie
Gwinn and Jill Elizabeth Nelson, you are my
rescue
.

Cover artist
,
Sarah Hansen @ Okay Creations, you are my
vision
.

Readers
, you
are my
inspiration
.

Jessica Kirkland,
Literary Agent at the Blythe Daniel Agency:
I could write a book on the
phraseology of Jessica Kirkland.
Between your southern “might
cans, might
shoulds
, might
coulds
”
and lovely encouragements to “beef-up the romance, Nicole!”
—not to
mention your flowery revision comments (ahem...cough, cough)—
your
 
knowledge
of what makes fiction
great,
is truly exceptional.
It’s
borderline superhuman, actually. You are so much more
than my agent, Jess. I count you as one of my greatest blessings. I’m so
grateful for our divine appointment last fall, and for the friendship we have
since established. Thank you for taking a chance on me, and thank you for
believing in my voice. I love you.

Julie Gwinn, Editor:
Thank you for your thoughtful insights, critiques, and suggestions. I value
every comment and track change, and I feel so blessed to have worked with you
on this manuscript. I hope we can have a cup of coffee together at next year’s
conference (and maybe a plate full of chocolate, too) so we can discuss our
love of romance and literature. <3 I heart you, Julie! <3

Jill Elizabeth
Nelson, Editor:
When I entered the silent auction last fall, I never could
have guessed that the editorial package I won would include an author, mentor,
editor and
friend
. Your skillful eye
for detail has made me a better writer. You have taught me SO MUCH! (And yes,
those caps are just for you!
Hahaha
!)
Truly, I am so blessed to know you, Jill. Thank you the
hours you poured into me, and into this novel.

Beta Readers:
Amy
Matayo
, Aimee Thomas, Ashley Thomas, Kim
Southwick, Renee
Deese
, Nicki Davis,
Kacy
Koffa
, Rebekah
Zollman
, Bethany
Deese
,
Britni
Nash, Jenny Knudsen, Kim Crank, Jessica Kirkland,
Desi
Brown, Lara Brahms, Kristin Avila. Thank your for your
hours of devotion and loyalty to these characters. I love each of you!

Nicole
Deese
is a lover of fiction. When she’s not writing (or listening to the voices in
her head), she can be found curled up on the sofa, reading. She often
fantasizes about
reading escapes
,
which look a lot like kid-free, laundry-free, and cooking-free vacations. A
girl can dream, right?