It Had To Be You (35 page)

“Among other things,” I teased.

His cheeks turned pink. “Well, that too.” A mischievous smile lit his face.

The line inched forward, and we finally arrived at the ticket counter to drop off our luggage. Half an hour later, we were standing in line to board the plane. Once again, the languages of those nearby overlapped. English and Italian were predominant, but there were a few other unrecognizable ones as well. And talk about a crowd. Looked like everybody and their brother wanted to go to Italy!

Our turn finally arrived. We made our way down the ramp toward the plane. The flight attendant nodded and greeted us with a smile, which I returned. Then D.J. and I located our seats—the second row in the business section. D.J. put my carry-on in the overhead compartment, and we settled into our seats. I leaned over and gave my husband a kiss, then whispered, “I’m married to a cowboy.”

“Yep.” He extended his arm, and I cuddled up next to him. “You are married to a cowboy from Splendora.”

“Who would have dreamed?” I giggled.

“Me,” he said, suddenly looking quite serious. “You really are like a dream come true, Bella.”

“In spite of my quirky family?”

“Not in spite of,” he said. “They’re part of you, Bella. They make you … you. Things just wouldn’t be the same if I’d met you in Splendora. God took me out of my comfort zone, not just by moving me to Galveston, but by bringing me someone so different from myself. You balance me out, Bella. You’re exotic and fun-loving and—”

“Wait. Exotic?” I had to laugh at that one. I’d pictured myself a great many things, but never exotic.

“Well, sure,” he responded. “You’re Italian. You’ve got the most wonderful voice in the world. I love listening to you talk.”

“Wow.” I paused to think about that. “That’s so ironic, D.J., because your voice was the first thing that drew me to you. I fell in love with your voice over the telephone before I ever met you in person. That deep Texas drawl just did me in.”

“Then I’ll go on using it for the rest of my life.”

“I’m counting on it.” I gave him a little kiss on the end of his nose and giggled.

The flight attendant greeted us, offering smiles and all sorts of instructions on how to handle a plane crash, should we have to do that. I prayed we would not. If given the option, I’d rather fly all the way to Rome without seeing the Atlantic firsthand. Minutes later, the flight took off and I settled back, happy to see the movie playing overhead.

“Look, D.J. How ironic is that?” I pointed to the screen as
The Wedding Planner
came on.

“Totally bizarre.” He laughed and reached for my hand. “I’d have to say that God has a sense of humor.”

“No doubt about that.” As Jennifer Lopez’s larger-than-life persona filled the screen, I fumbled to get my earplugs fastened to the seat. Just about the time I started to slip them on, I heard a voice coming from first class, one that sounded all too familiar. “What in the world … ?” I looked at D.J., but it appeared he’d dozed off.

I strained to hear the woman’s voice once more. If I didn’t know any better, I’d have to say that sounded like …

No way. It couldn’t be.

Though the “fasten seat belt” sign hadn’t yet gone off, I unsnapped my belt and rose.

“What are you doing, Bella?” D.J. looked up, his brow wrinkled in concern.

“I’ll be right back. I just have to …” I took a few steps forward, peering through the opening between business and first class. I almost tripped over my own feet as I saw my parents seated just a few rows up.

“Mama?”

My mother turned to me, her mouth opening wide as she took me in. “Bella? What in the world? I thought you and D.J. were going to Cancun!”

“I did too. It was a surprise.”

“No way!” Mama laughed. “Well, speaking of surprises … you know how Pop and I have always said we were going to go on another European vacation?”

“Of course! You’ve been planning for it for years.”

“Now that the wedding facility is in such good hands, I finally decided the time was right,” my father said, giving me a wink. “Planned this trip as a surprise for your mother. Been working on it for weeks.”

“Yes, but who’s home manning the facility now?” I asked. “What if someone calls? And what about Sophia and Tony’s big day? And Norah and Joey’s? And Lilly and Gordy’s? And Jenna and Bubba’s? Who’s—” I didn’t get to say another word because D.J. cut me off.

“Bella?”

I looked back at him, seeing a stunned look on his face as he noticed my parents.

“Surprise!” Mama jumped up and threw her arms around D.J., who looked more than a little shell-shocked. To his credit, he gave her a warm hug and a convincing smile.

“Don’t worry, Son,” my father said with a nod. “We didn’t plan this on purpose. And I promise you won’t even see us or hear from us once this plane lands in Rome.”

D.J. flashed a crooked grin. “I’m counting on that, sir.”

Pop laughed so loud that it drew the attention of the flight attendant. She came our way with a look of warning on her face.

“I need you to take your seats, please.”

“We’re going.” I waved good-bye to my parents—both physically and symbolically—then turned back toward my seat. As I did, I happened to glance down, noticing the boots on Mama’s feet. Suddenly, I felt like laughing.

My, how far we had come. And we had a certain Splendora cowboy to thank for it all. Well, one cowboy and the Lord, who had clearly arranged all of this from the get-go. Why had he brought our two families together, merging D.J. and me into the first Tex-Italian duo in our family’s history? Only one reason I could think of—to add a little spice to our lives.

But oh, mama mia! What a lovely spice!

1. Make sure you’re prayed up before choosing a partner. You never know what God might do!

2. Sign up for swing classes. They will keep you in shape and give you plenty of new friends.

3. Keep your dancing shoes nearby at all times. You never know when the music is going to begin.

4. Make sure your dancing shoes are comfortable but stylish. No point in cramping your toes … or your style.

5. Dancing is great exercise, so be prepared to drop a few pounds as you swing. You can always spend a little extra time at the buffet table to make up for it.

6. Memorizing the right steps isn’t as important as having fun. Swing’s the thing! It’s meant to be enjoyed!

7. Keep swing CDs in your car. (Warning: It’s difficult to dance while driving!)

8. God is the ultimate band director. Pay close attention, because you don’t want to get ahead of him. Stick with him in perfect time, and he will make a beautiful melody out of your life.

9. When you’re facing a battle, remember Jehoshaphat and those Levites. Praise your way through it! (And don’t be ashamed to tap your toes!)

10. Struggling to fill your dance card? Remember, the Lord wants to be your ultimate partner. He’s the one who knows you best, after all.

To my agent, Chip MacGregor: This quirky series would never have found its home if not for you. Thanks for not thinking I was crazy.

To my editor, Jennifer Leep: You have made me feel both welcomed and loved at Revell. How can I ever begin to thank you for falling in love with Bella and her family? I’m so thrilled that Rosa and Laz get to have their happily ever after!

To my copyeditor, Jessica Miles: Girl, you put a Texas spit shine on all three manuscripts, catching my errors and encouraging me every step of the way. I could never have done this without you.

To Michele Misiak: We’re email buddies and so much more. You have been a constant source of encouragement and have worked so hard to get the word out. How can I ever thank you?

To the whole Revell team: You have blessed me beyond belief. I’m tickled you’ve taken this Texas gal under your wings.

To my critique partners: Bada-bing, bada-boom! Man, you’re fast! You buzzed through this series, adding your sparkle and shine. I’m so grateful.

To my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ: You are not just
at
the heart of every story I write, you
are
the heart of every story I write. This one is no exception.

Janice Thompson
is a Christian freelance author and a native Texan. She has four grown daughters, three beautiful granddaughters, a brand-new grandson, and two more grandbabies on the way. Bada-bing, bada-boom! She resides in the greater Houston area, where the heat and humidity tend to reign.

Janice started penning books at a young age and was blessed to have a screenplay produced in the early eighties. From there she went on to write several large-scale musical comedies for a Houston school of the arts. Currently, she has published over fifty novels and nonfiction books for the Christian market, most of them lighthearted and/or wedding themed.

Working with quirky characters and story ideas suits this fun-loving author. She particularly enjoys contemporary, first-person romantic comedies. Wedding-themed books come naturally to Janice, since she’s coordinated nearly a dozen weddings, including recent ceremonies and receptions for her four daughters. She currently serves as the wedding coordinator for her church as well. Most of all, she loves sharing her faith with readers and hopes they will catch a glimpse of the real happily ever after as they laugh their way through her lighthearted, romantic tales.