Blessed Vows (13 page)

“Of course they do. It's true love.”

Jake's chest clutched. It was just what he thought. This peaches-and-cream, pale-pink-rose-loving lady was a pure romantic at heart. In the harsh realities he often faced as a warrior, he valued that about her. That she was as sweet and as good as could be.

Rachel's touch to his arm drew his attention. She pointed, and whispered. “A moose.”

Sure enough like a ghost in the mist, a figure emerged, antlers held high. The animal's head was up
and studying them with great suspicion. The musical tap, tap of snow was the only noise.

“Bullwinkle?” he whispered.

“No, I don't think so. He's not getting ready to come boss me into giving him some grain.” She laughed, a quiet chime that sent the moose leaping into the underbrush. In the next instant the animal was gone, but it didn't feel as if they were alone.

Never more had Jake felt the steady calm of the Lord's presence, and he could feel the whisper in his heart. Ask her.

He'd planned on proposing after dinner on bended knee, with more roses he'd had delivered in collusion with Amy who'd agreed to have someone at the house to let in the florist. But with the fog of snow seeming to cocoon them from the strife and busyness of the world and the regal silence of the mountains surrounding them, he could think of no better place.

He dismounted and sank past his hiking boots into the snow. He ignored the sting of cold penetrating his jeans and wetting his socks.

“What are you doing? Don't tell me you're going to go find a glacier to climb.”

“No, I'm going to do something much riskier.”

“What on earth could that be?” Below the cuff of her knit cap, her jeweled eyes were sparkling as if he amused her greatly.

He held out his hand. “Come down and I'll show you.”

“Okay.” She easily swung down before him. “But you've gone completely pale. Are you all right?”

“No. Don't you know that a man always is pale when he's going down on one knee.” He watched her eyes widen as he sank into the freezing snow, but his discomfort didn't matter. The surprise spreading across her lovely face did.

“What are you doing? I—” Her eyes widened and then she smiled all the way as if to her soul.
“Oh.”

“I need to ask you something.”

Rachel shivered, but not from the cold. Could he tell she was trembling? That she was excited and scared all at once? The sight of the big man kneeling before her made her eyes blur. She couldn't believe it. And yet, when he took her hands in his, he was solid and real.

“Almost from the moment I saw you, I knew you were the one. The woman I would want to honor and cherish for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?”

Pure joy seeped into her soul, slow and steady, like a winter's sun rising.

“Marry you?” Her brain wasn't working, but her heart was. She tumbled to her knees and wrapped her arms around him, her cheek pressing against his wide chest. Snow flecked her face and caught on her lashes and she was laughing and crying all at once.

Jake was laughing, too. “Is that a yes? Or did I just make a huge fool of myself?”

“It's a yes. And you could never be a fool, not to me.”
She met his kiss with one of her own. Held him tenderly as the snow fell like grace over them. Her eyes drifted shut and he tucked her against him, where she rested, despite the cold and the rising wind. Happiness warmed her as she held on tightly to this man who was her love, her heart and all of her future.

She was getting married!

 

I know you know what you're doing, Lord, but this marriage stuff is hard on a man.
Behind the wheel of his rented SUV, Jake checked his watch, trying to act as if everything was fine. Beside him, Rachel was on her cell with Amy, asking how Sally was doing without her uncle.

“I've kept her so busy she's hardly noticed he's gone.” Jake could hear Amy's cheerful answer in the quiet of the vehicle's compartment, but after a few more words, Rachel ended the call.

“You didn't tell her your news?”

“I wanted it to be our secret for a little while longer although I think she suspects.” She blushed prettily. She was even more lovely when she was happy, for it radiated from her like light from the sun. As she slipped her hand on top of his, where it rested on the console, it struck him again how incredibly lucky he was.

His throat tightened. He'd been alone for so long, he'd never noticed how lonesome life was. In truth, maybe that's why he loved his work so much. It kept
him from noticing what was missing. But not anymore. For better or worse, he was marrying Rachel, the sweetest, loveliest woman ever. She steadied him, and he felt as if he were making the smartest move of his life.

The traffic inched forward and he had enough room to turn into a plowed parking lot. Ice shone as he eased to a stop. “Looks like we're here. Are you ready for this?”

She didn't answer. She was staring at the jewelry store's elegant lit sign. “I—uh.” She flushed again. “I didn't expect this.”

“I wanted you to pick out the ring you want. Any one you want.” He turned off the engine and pulled the emergency brake. “Are you ready?”

She sparkled with a quiet joy and made him feel ten feet tall. He wanted nothing more than to make her happy as much as he could. Any way he could. When he helped her from the vehicle, he'd never felt so important. The way she looked at him with such pure affection weakened the titanium shield he'd secured around his heart.

“Hello Mr. Hathaway?” A pleasant woman in a business suit met them at the door. “I'm Carol. We spoke on the phone. And you must be Rachel. Congratulations on your engagement. Please, come with me. I have a room all ready for you, along with quite a selection of our loveliest diamonds.”

Even hours later, after an incredible dinner at the
area's finest restaurant, he could not forget how great it felt to know he was giving Rachel her dream. He'd sat at her side and offered his opinion on the array of fine rings he'd asked the store to set out for her. His bride-to-be was far more elegant and classy than any of the exquisite stones. When he slipped the diamond she finally chose on her finger, he could not hold back the adoration for her beating in his heart.

W
hat a beautiful night. It seemed to be a promise from above, Rachel thought, as the last snowflakes danced lazily against the windshield. The defroster was on high to drive away the gathering chill of the night that penetrated the passenger compartment. It looked like it was going to be an early and long Montana winter. But would she be here to see it?

She gazed down at her left hand and the marquis-cut diamond set between two smaller stones gleamed in the glow from the dash lights. The ring, as beautiful as it was, felt foreign on her finger.

She still couldn't believe it. She was getting married to Jake. As he shifted into four-wheel drive for the last stretch of driveway, she realized this was where they'd first met. She tried to imagine what he'd thought of a woman racing down the road waving a broom and wearing her big fluffy slippers.

Who would have thought that evening, when she'd been so exhausted and not expecting her one perfect man, that her life would change the very moment they met?

Jake pulled into the carport, where drifted snow pulled at the tires and they skidded to a slow sideways stop. “How's that ring feel?”

“Perfect because it's from you.”

“It's your hand that looks so beautiful.” He leaned across the gearshift to kiss her, this woman who tied him up in so many confusing knots. When her lips met his, those knots pulled a little tighter. What he felt for her was a powerful thing. How was he going to keep it under control? When he pulled away, he didn't miss the dreamy cast to her face. Moonlight filtered through the icy window to burnish her with a rare, platinum light. He felt too much.

He welcomed the bite of the frigid temperatures that assaulted him the instant he stepped foot into the night. He helped Rachel from the vehicle with care. She might be a capable woman, but she was also going to be his wife. He remembered the way his dad had always held the doors for Mom. They had been happy together. His father's words of advice back then meant little, but came back as great wisdom now.
Treat her right, son. You aren't here for yourself, but for her.

Good advice. Because of Rachel, he'd be able to get back to work. Sally would have a kind woman to raise her. And in return, he was giving her what mattered most. A marriage. A family. His respect and his honor.
That was a good marriage in his book. And he thanked the Lord for this fine woman. Maybe he wasn't thankful for the knots in his guts, but he could survive the discomfort. For Rachel, he felt ready to do anything.

“I need to talk to Paige first thing in the morning.” She leaned into him.

He put his arm around her and drew her close, protecting her from the wind and making sure she didn't slip on the ice. It was his job now to care for her, and it meant a lot to him. Filled him with a purpose he'd never known. “Is there anything I can do to help you?”

“No, thank you.” She snuggled against him a little closer. “This is something between Paige and me. All I can do is explain what's happened and see what comes from it. Thank you, though. It's nice to know that you're here for me.”

“Baby, that's something I plan on being as much as I can. We're a team now. I care about what matters to you.”

“No wonder I love you so much.” On the top step, she went up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek, the sweetest gesture.

His chest filled with a welcome sense of wonder. It was going to be really nice to belong with her.

She unlocked the front door and disappeared into the unlit foyer. He stomped the snow from his boots before following her, and he sensed something was wrong. Someone was in the house. He could smell a faint per
fume, and there was that awareness that made his neck prickle. Someone was watching him in the dark—

“Surprise!” The lights flashed on at the same moment he saw shadows move in the darkened archway.

Years of training had already kicked in and he was standing in front of Rachel, between her and the danger which was her family rushing toward her with arms outstretched.

“Did he propose?” one of her cousins asked.

“Let's see the ring!” Amy demanded.

As the women gathered close around Rachel to ooh and aah, Jake wished he could shrug off the charge of adrenaline pumping through him as easily as he slipped out of his coat. He caught Paige's hard, measuring gaze and didn't fault her for it. She'd been in charge of the family and watching over Rachel for a long while.

He had the gist of what that would be like, because the thought of watching over Rachel battered at his defensive shields. He couldn't deny she made him feel a mess of weak and vulnerable things that couldn't be good for a man—things that were never wise for a soldier. He'd seen too much war, too many wounded, too much heartbreak, and the only way he could deal was to keep those shields up. It was all he knew to do.

“Uncle Jake?” Sally wandered down the hallway, scrubbing her eyes. She was still dressed, but she'd obviously fallen asleep in one of the bedrooms. Maybe
Amy had carried her back there. Unmistakable relief flashed across her pixie face and she flung her arms wide.

He went down on both knees to draw this dear child against him where he hoped she felt secure as her arms wrapped right around his neck. “I didn't mean to be gone so long, cutie pie. Rachel and I just went out to a nice dinner, but we're back now.”

Instead of comforting her, his words seemed to make everything worse. Her little body drew as tight as a tensed bowstring and her arms squeezed him until she cut off his air supply. So he rose, cradling her weight against him, murmuring low as he carried her back down the hall.

A faint golden glow led him through the shadows where it became a night-light in the shape of a crescent moon and five-pointed star next to a canopy bed. Gauzy pink drifted from the frame overhead, matching the flowers on the bedspread. Rachel's room, of course. A knit blanket was rumpled, as if tossed aside.

He sat on the edge of the comfortable mattress, holding his niece in his arms. He might be helpless to stop the pain that had a hold on her heart, but the solution to her problem was in sight. It was only a matter of a wedding. “I've left you longer than this before. Why the tears, sweet girl?”

She sniffled against his shirt. “Cuz I don't wanna go back.”

“Go back where?”

“To Mrs. Thompson's. Sh-she was n-nice, but I wanna stay w-with you.” She sobbed and burrowed into his shoulder.

“Who said anything about you going back into foster care? I told you, we're together now. I promised you, didn't I? No one's going to take you away from me. You come live with me. It's a done deal. You can't change your mind now.”

“I c-can c-come with you and R-Rachel?” A sob shook her little body.

So that was it. The lightbulb went on in his head. Of course, why hadn't he realized she would have worries of being left alone at this important change in his life? He pressed a fatherly kiss to her brow, because that's what he was, not just an uncle, but her father figure too. “That's why I'm marrying her. For you, princess.”

“Oh.” She gave a last sniff and smiled through her tears. “Okay.”

At that moment, Rachel padded through the door, her face shrouded in the room's shadows. With the light to his back, he couldn't see the expression on her face, but she froze, her slender form tensed.

Then he realized what he'd said. And how that might have sounded, as if the only reason he'd proposed was for Sally. While that was true, it wasn't the whole truth. Not judging by the sinking feeling in his chest and the gathering fear like clouds before an impending tornado. Had she overheard him? Did she think he didn't want
her? He'd give his life before he'd want to hurt her in any way. It was as if his blood stalled in his veins and his lungs had forgotten how to draw in air while he waited for her reaction. While he dreaded her reaction.

“Oh, Jake.” Her voice sounded hollow.

He braced himself for the worst. Groped for the right words to try to fix this.
Please, Lord, let me be able to make this right.

Then she kept talking. “I never thought this might be too much for Sally. Sweetie, do you want me to make you some cocoa?”

He couldn't believe it. Relief left him dazed.
Thank you, Lord.
How could he not adore this woman who tried to make every hurt better with hot chocolate? Sally nodded against his chest, but she still didn't look at Rachel. He held her tight. He had to wrestle down the weak emotions threatening to overtake him.

“I'm so sorry, Jake. I guess my sister figured out what we were up to.” Rachel's ring shimmered in the shadows as her hands flew to cover her heart. “I didn't want Sally to find out this way. My sisters meant well with this little get-together.”

“I know.” He studied the ring on her finger. His ring. “I want to marry you now. I don't want to leave for Florida without you.”

“You're leaving tomorrow.”

He swallowed. “I know. I have to report Monday morning, but after that I'll know my schedule. I'll be
training some of the new students while I'm stateside. I'm putting in a request to stay at least through the end of the year. If we get married right away, we'll have most of December together before I go away for, well, probably six to nine.”

Six to nine months. So much for the dream of marriage. She was jumping into the reality with both feet. “I won't have time to plan much of a wedding. I'd always wanted—” She stopped the image forming in her mind, the one she'd envisioned more times than it was possible to count. The picture of the town church, where her parents were married and she was baptized, soft with candlelight and scented with roses.

Her sisters and cousins would be draped in pale-pink bridesmaid's dresses and lined up at her side, and her family and friends would be gathered as witnesses. Pastor Bill would be standing before her, and she would be wearing her mother's wedding dress.

But everything she'd ever wanted for her wedding was not as important as the man who would be at her side. It wasn't the wedding but the vows, not the setting but the marriage that mattered.

“What's best for you?” she asked. Those dreams of a wedding began to float away, but she didn't mind, for the greatest dream of all was right in front of her. “Would it be better for you if I came down to Florida to get married? Don't get me wrong, I would love to have you come here, but we could have more time together.”

“You choose. You tell me when and I'll show up to marry you.”

“That's a promise?”

Was that a note of worry he heard? Jake wondered. Somehow it made it easier to open up a little. To see that they both had so much riding on this. So much to lose. He fought down the wave of emotion trying to hook him like a riptide. “Not only is it a promise, but I'll give you my credit card. Plan a wedding for here, or fly down there and we'll have a quick ceremony. You decide. I just want you to be happy. From here on out, that's what I live to do.”

“That's what I plan to do, too. To make you and Sally so happy. I—” She swiped at her eyes before her emotions gave her away. She was so in love with this man. More than she'd ever thought anyone could be. The thought of spending the rest of her days with him filled her with such gratitude. How could she ever ask for more?

“Come here, gorgeous.” Jake held out his hand and pulled her close. Sally yawned against his chest, her eyes barely open.

Everything seemed to click into place. Tomorrow, she would have to say goodbye to these two people who were now the most important people in her life. She would start packing up her life, talk Amy into taking this house, and book a ticket to Florida. She was ready for this beautiful new start the Lord had given her.

As if Jake felt the same way, he leaned to press a kiss to her cheek. Sweet as could be, infinitely tender, there was no mistaking the love between them. And a great love it would be, she vowed. She couldn't wait to stand before God and say the blessed vows that would make her Jake's wife.

It was decided. “Then we're going to have a Florida wedding. Sally, are you going to be my maid of honor?”

“With flowers 'n stuff?” The little girl perked up, rubbing her still-wet eyes.

“Any kind of flowers you want. Is that a deal?”

Sally nodded, her curls bobbing.

I want to hug you, little girl, until all your hurt is gone. Rachel knew it wasn't her right yet, but she laid a hand on the child's tiny shoulder, so fragile to the touch, and willed all the comfort she could from her heart to Sally's.

“Thanks, Rachel.” Jake's baritone warmed when he said her name. As if he loved her as greatly as she loved him.

The Lord had given her a great blessing, two for the price of one. A sacred gift she would cherish for all the days of her life. She would never be able to thank God enough for these two people or this beautiful day. A bright, loving future stretched out before her, one spent taking care of them, and maybe a baby or two to come. Joy bloomed through her as she promised to be back with two cups of cocoa. She couldn't help glancing
back as Jake settled onto the bed and reached for a child's book left on the nightstand.

Now, to face Paige. This wasn't the way she wanted Paige to find out about this either. She owed her older sister so much. If Paige wasn't happy, then Rachel didn't know what she would do. How could she turn her back on her sister? How could she give up this bright new future?

Paige was in the kitchen at the stove, stirring the contents of a saucepan. So tall and lovely and looking so like their mother, Rachel did a double-take. The past felt close enough to touch on this night when she could see her future so clearly.
Help me to say the right things, Lord. Never would I want to hurt my sister.

But Paige was as happy-looking as she'd been earlier when Rachel had walked through the door with Jake. “I should leave, so you and Jake can have some time alone, but I have something to say to you. I don't think it can wait.”