Always Devoted (14 page)

Standing in the first pew, Paige took Becky's hand and smiled at her sister with the hope that she could put things right.  As Emma glanced around at Jake, his wife Sara, their son Christopher, at Gillian and Nathan and their little boy Matthew, at Maris and Olivia and Earl, she felt the full promise of the life she was going to share with Linc.

Linc took her hand as she stepped up to the altar to stand with him before the minister.  Linc leaned close and whispered, "I love you."

Happy tears filled her eyes as she whispered back, "I love you, too."

After the minister spoke a few words of welcome, he said, "I understand you've written vows for each other."

Linc and Emma faced each other, their hands joined.

At the minister's nod, Emma went first.  "I, Emma Henderson, take you, Lincoln Granger, to be my husband, best friend, and life partner.  I promise to honor, love and respect you.  I will try to fill each of your days with happiness, unwavering loyalty, and my desire to be the best wife to you I can possibly be.  Becky already loves you.  I vow to always consider your wishes when raising her, to let you be the dad you want to be.  I love you, Linc, and I will love you and be devoted to you beyond my last breath."

She could see her promises had touched him.  He gave her a crooked smile and cleared his throat.  Then in a husky voice, he began, "Emma Henderson, you've changed my world.  I'd always dreamed of having a family, but felt that dream was just out of my reach.  Until I met you.  You put the sparkle in my day and..."  He leaned close to her and murmured in her ear, "The passion in my nights."  Then he straightened again and squeezed her hand.  "You and Becky are the gifts I never expected to receive.  And this Christmas will be the most joyous one I've ever experienced.  I promise you that you will never doubt how devoted I am to you...how much I love you.  I vow to honor, respect and cherish you every single day.  Always."

Emma's throat tightened again, hearing the word that was so important to her...and so important to Linc.  They'd had it engraved in their wedding bands—
Always
.

Moments later, he slipped her wedding band on her finger and she slid an identical band on his.  They had no doubts about the strength and power of their love.

After the minister gave his final blessing, he smiled at them broadly.  "You may kiss and seal your vows."

They did.

Always
wouldn't last nearly long enough.

From the Author:

ALWAYS DEVOTED is Book 3 in my Search For Love series.  It is a never-before-published novella, only available in an e-book.  In the first book of the series, Nathan's Vow, I introduce Linc Granger as Nathan's best friend.  He was definitely hero material and I had to write a story just for him!  Though my forte is usually romance, I decided to go a little more mainstream with this one and add some mystery for a change of pace.  I think you'll fall in love with Linc and feel deeply for Emma and her daughter.  But I also believe you'll want to find the answer to—What happened to Emma's sister?

Throughout all my books (over 75 now), I attempt to keep the emotion of my characters as the focus. My intention is always to touch my readers' hearts and urge them to believe in happily-ever-after.  Living in Pennsylvania with my college sweetheart and two cats, I spend most days writing, editing, cooking and gardening. I draw inspiration from music, the farm in my back yard, and my hummingbird garden. Relationships have always fascinated me and I look forward to writing about them for a long time to come. For more about me and my latest releases, including excerpts, photos and short stories, please visit my website at www.karenrosesmith.com.  To keep in touch day to day, follow me at Facebook, on Twitter and on my blog—Cats, Roses...and Books! listed on my Amazon Author Central page. Look for more of my books on Amazon Kindle.

Thanks to Judy Bullard for my wonderfully beautiful cover.

My website: 
http://www.karenrosesmith.com

Blog: 
http://karenrosesmith.blogspot.com

Twitter: 
http://www.twitter.com/karenrosesmith

Facebook: 
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1707769293

OTHER KAREN ROSE SMITH BOOKS AVAILABLE ON KINDLE:

A Man Worth Loving

Because of Francie

Everyday Cinderellas

Everyday Prince Charming

Forever After

Garden of Fantasy

Jake's Bride

Love in Bloom

Nathan's Vow

Kit and Kisses

Mom Meets Dad

Ribbons and Rainbows

Toys and Wishes

Wish on the Moon

Excerpt from NATHAN'S VOW:

Prologue

Don't answer it.

Don't answer it.

Do
not
answer it.

Gillian Moore convinced herself to ignore the intrusive sound of the ringing telephone as the golden L.A. sun swept through her open living room window, along with the balmy June breeze.

Her phone rang a second time.

Plucking the leatherbound volumes from her bookshelf one by one, she dusted them with a soft cloth.  She always cleaned and straightened her surroundings when her heart or mind was in turmoil.  With a quick glance at the phone on her end table, she knew her mother wouldn't be calling on a Monday evening.  Madge Moore called her daughter from Deep River, Indiana every Sunday at exactly seven p.m.

Gillian's phone rang a third time.

She swiped the cloth across the shelf, back and forth.  In the three months since she'd relocated to L.A., she hadn't confided in anyone or encouraged close friendships.  She needed this respite.  She needed to find out whether her "gift" would continue to be the major force in her life or whether she had a right to keep it in the background, maybe even completely under wraps.

Her phone rang a fourth time.

It could only be
him
--the man who had called the past two nights, the man with the compelling voice, tinged with authority, commanding in its intensity as it directed her to return his call.  She didn't know what he wanted, but she could guess.  Heaven knew how he'd gotten her number because no one in L.A. had it, not even the manager where she worked.

Her answering machine kicked on with her brief direction for the caller to leave a message.  Her usually lilting tone was serious and cool.  She ran her hand through her long, light brown hair.  Maybe she should get it cut short…make yet another change in her life.  She'd made so many in moving here--she actually had time to herself...to be out in the sun, ride a bike, take long walks.  She'd found peace along with the bright California sun and she wasn't ready to let go of either.

"Ms. Moore.  This is Nathan Bradley.  Again," he added in a deep, almost censuring baritone.  "In case you haven't received my earlier messages, I need to speak with you immediately about a matter of great urgency."  He paused.  "Ms. Moore, I
must
speak with you.  Please return my call."  He gave his number slowly, hesitated a moment, then clicked off.

Gillian stopped dusting.  He hadn't said "please" in his other messages.  This time there was a quiet desperation in his tone.  She recognized the emotion because the people she'd helped in the past had all been desperate.  Nathan Bradley didn't sound like a man who was accustomed to using the word "please," and the huskiness edging the word made her feel vulnerable and guilty, two of the burdens from which she'd tried to escape.

Now this man had brought them to the surface once more.  She
wouldn't
return his call.  She deserved unpressured time to think about the direction of her life, to have fun working at something she'd never imagined she'd enjoy.  Nathan Bradley could find someone else to solve his problem, someone else with a "gift" that had begun to feel more like a curse.

Chapter One

Nathan didn't want to be caught dead, let alone alive, inside a beauty salon.  As he pulled open the glass door and stepped inside, feminine chatter, strange smells, and the glimpse of a woman with her hair rolled in blue and purple curlers was enough to make him decide he'd rather face ten irate CEO's whose firewalls had been breached in one day than to plow into this women's domain.  But he'd do anything to find his daughters. 

Anything.

Nathan's determination had pulled him out of the poverty of his childhood, earned him a scholarship to college, and pushed him to start his own company specializing in computer security after only a year with another firm.  He'd wanted to be his own boss, bill his own hours, set his own standards. His determination couldn't save his marriage, but by God, it would lead him to his daughters.  After six months of dead ends, he'd decided money and rational strategies weren't enough.  That's why he was here.  That's why he had to speak to Gillian Moore.

At his private investigator's insistence, Nathan had agreed to go this route--the only route left as far as Nathan was concerned or he wouldn't pursue it.  He wouldn't debate about methods, not even weird ones at this point.  He'd used every skill he'd possessed to find his daughters.  So had his P.I.  Now he had to put his logic and wariness aside if he hoped to find his children before he lost more time with them.

The woman at the desk inside the door smiled as her gaze traveled from his dark brown hair, down his charcoal pinstripe suit and striped silk tie, to his black winged-tip shoes.  She tilted her head and her lips curved up a bit more.  "Can I help you?"

Suddenly Nathan felt as if he were the center of attention.  Two customers on chairs in the room beyond had craned their necks to avidly assess him along with the receptionist.  His shirt collar felt tighter, and he resisted the urge to tug down his tie.  "I'm looking for Gillian Moore."

"You want a manicure?" the redheaded, perfectly coiffed and made-up receptionist asked with a mischievous smile.

"No.  My name is Nathan Bradley.  I need to speak with her as soon as possible," he said in his best authoritarian tone.  "Is she here?"

"Hold on a sec," the redhead answered, her smile flagging.  Disappearing into the room beyond, she reappeared a few moments later.  "She's with a client.  She says she'll talk to you in five minutes."

Five minutes.  What the heck was he supposed to do for five minutes?  He spied several magazines in a basket in the corner beside two director's chairs.  "Fine.  I'll wait."

Waiting wasn't something Nathan did well.  He hadn't become a successful CEO with company locations across the country by waiting.  As he flipped one glossy page after the other, he was vaguely aware this publication didn't advertise fast cars or designer clothes.  Tuning in to the sound of feminine voices in the next room, he tried to pick out the one belonging to a woman who had helped police departments solve missing person cases.  As he had many times in the past few days, he imagined what she might look like.  Probably fuzzy, wild hair with a red scarf tied around her head.

He could feel the receptionist watching him as she pretended to study the schedule book.  Finally, a customer with bright crimson nails emerged from the room beyond and gingerly opened her purse at the desk.

"Gillian can see you now," the desk-keeper informed him.

Gillian Moore's lack of response to his phone calls had irritated and frustrated Nathan.  He was accustomed to being in charge.  But his reason for being here brushed all that aside.

Striding into the busy room, he took it in with one glance--the chairs, mirrors, blow dryers, three hairdressers chatting to their customers.  But then his gaze fell on the small white wrought-iron desk in the far corner and the woman sitting behind it.  Her face turned away from him, she slid a pack of acrylic nails to the side of the glass top and straightened her manicure paraphernalia.  At his approach, her gaze met his, and he almost stopped short.

She didn't look like a psychic.

Her long, light brown hair was laced with sunny blond highlights.  A few tendrils wisped along her cheek. Her bangs wafted across her honey brows.  But it was her huge brown eyes that almost immobilized him.  They didn't appraise him physically…they looked into his soul.  He didn't like the invasion.

Gillian had wished her client a good day and unnecessarily  organized her work table, hoping Nathan Bradley had decided not to wait.  When she turned her head and saw a tall man with resolve shouting from his furrowed dark brows, the set of his mouth, and his slightly squared jaw, she realized it would take more than a few unanswered phone messages to deter this man.

Taking a slow breath and maintaining eye contact, she slid her hands into the pockets of her white apron.  Nathan Bradley wanted something from her, all right, and she couldn't give it.  Not right now.

"Ms. Moore."

It was more statement than question.  She nodded.