Authors: Kathleen Brooks
The Perfect Gift (9 page)
Four months later. . .
Nabi took Grace’s hands in his. He looked into her eyes and smiled. Today was the happiest day of his life. “I do,” he said proudly before kissing his bride.
Their friends and family clapped as husband and wife turned to walk up the aisle. Katelyn had gone dress shopping with Grace. The beautiful gown reminded him of the ball gown she had worn the night he surprised them both by proposing. He hadn’t planned it, but he had been bursting with love, and it only seemed natural.
Grace squeezed his hand, and they shared a smile as Ariana and Cassidy threw rose petals into the air. Today his birthday wish had come true. He’d found a woman he loved with the same wild abandon that his friends loved their wives. And if he had anything to say about it, he would be a father in nine months. In fact, he’d even placed a bet at the café on it. It was going to be a great honeymoon.
“I love you, Nabi,” Grace said before he leaned down to kiss her outside the reception tent. He couldn’t seem to stop doing that today. There would always need to be one more kiss.
“I love you, too,” Nabi whispered between kisses.
The sound of a throat clearing made him look up. “Father!”
His dad stood with a small scrawny young man and his mother. His father leaned forward to kiss Grace on both cheeks. “I am so fortunate to have gained such a caring, beautiful daughter.”
“Thank you.” Grace smiled before being enveloped in her new mother-in-law’s hug.
“Nabi, I want you to meet Nash Dagher.” Nabi’s father introduced the young man at his side. Nabi shook Nash’s hand and looked back to his father for further introduction. “Nash has been assigned to learn under you so one day he can take your place, just like you did with Ahmed. That is, if he proves himself.”
“It is such an honor to meet you and to train under the great Nabi Ulmalhamash Mosteghanemi. It is my life’s dream come true. I just graduated from the military academy with honors. I did my final presentation on you and your use of technology mixed with old-fashioned interrogation techniques to get the most information out of prisoners and informants. The way you uncovered the terrorist plot on the royal family is truly the best intelligence-gathering known to man.”
Nabi looked at Nash closer this time. He was maybe five-foot-eight and one hundred thirty pounds, but his bones were large and strong. A smile crept across his face. “Nash, I have just the thing for you to start on while I am on my honeymoon.”
“Yes, sir. Anything, sir,” the young man sputtered.
“First, help move everything out of my house and to our new home. My bride and I are moving to the former Cross property, now called N & G Farm. Renovations were just completed yesterday. Then move your things into my former house. Second, tell Ahmed I asked him to give you The Workout while I am away. After he has given you instruction, I then want you to go into town and find the Blossom Café. I want you to go into the kitchen and tell the Rose sisters you need to gain weight. By the time I get home, I expect to see you ten pounds heavier and lifting fifteen percent more during your workouts.”
“Yes, sir!”
“And when we get back, I expect you to have dinner at our house once a week,” Grace said as she slipped her hand around Nabi’s arm.
“Yes, ma’am. Anything for Nabi Ulma . . .”
“Just Nabi is fine,” he laughed. “Welcome to Keeneston, Nash. And good luck; the military hasn’t trained you for anything like this. But now I want to dance with my bride.”
Abby watched as Nabi lead Grace to the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife. She held out her hand, and the group all gave each other high-fives. They had done it.
“Who’s the new guy?” Wyatt asked as they turned their attention to Nabi’s parents.
“He’s from Rahmi. He’s here to train under Nabi,” Zain told them.
“No way. He’s too small to be a soldier. Cassidy is bigger than he is,” Piper laughed.
“He has a nice smile, though,” Sophie said as she watched him.
“Well, now that our job here is done, who’s next on the list?” Gabe asked Abby as the next dance started.
Abby shrugged as she looked away from her friends and to the dance floor. She watched Sienna, Ryan, and Sydney dance by with their dates followed by the Rose sisters. “You never know who’s next.”
THE END
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Other Books by Kathleen Brooks
The return to Keeneston is almost complete! The Rose Sisters will be getting a book in August/September of 2015. And then the Bluegrass Legacy series will begin very soon after the Rose Sisters' book. If you haven't signed up for new release notification, then now is the time to do it. More detail on upcoming books will be included as the email goes out for new releases.
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If you are new to the writings of Kathleen Brooks, then you will want to try her Bluegrass Series set in the wonderful fictitious town of Keeneston, KY. Here is a list of links to the Bluegrass and Bluegrass Brothers books in order, as well as the separate New York Times Bestselling Women of Power series:
Bluegrass Series
Bluegrass Brothers Series
Secret Santa, A Bluegrass Novella
Bluegrass Singles
**Rose Sister Collection - coming in August/September 2015**
**Bluegrass Legacy Series**
Coming Soon!
Women of Power Series
Kathleen Brooks is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author. Kathleen’s stories are romantic suspense featuring strong female heroines, humor, and happily-ever-afters. Her Bluegrass Series and follow-up Bluegrass Brothers Series feature small town charm with quirky characters that have captured the hearts of readers around the world.
Kathleen is an animal lover who supports rescue organizations and other non-profit organizations such as Friends and Vets Helping Pets whose goals are to protect and save our four-legged family members.
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