My Sweetest Sasha: Cole's Story (Meadows Shore Book 2) (22 page)

“Which one should I open first?”

“This one,” Juliana said handing her a gift wrapped in what appeared to be hand-stenciled paper with pressed flowers. She knew it was her mother’s work.

“Something Old,” Alexa read the words off the ribbon on the package. She carefully unwrapped the paper and opened the box. Her eyes filled with tears as they latched on to her mother, sharing a private moment in the room full of women. It was a lace handkerchief that had belonged to her
marmor,
her mother’s mother.

“She used it on her wedding day, and I carried it on mine.”

Alexa ran her hand over the lace, and reached over Meghan to hug her mother. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice quivering.

“This one won’t make you cry,” said Meghan handing her the package that read “Something New.”

“It might add to the
crying out his name
part of the wedding night, though,” teased Juliana.

Talia elbowed her youngest sister. “Ouch! I think Mrs. Petersen knows what the bride and groom do on their wedding night.”

The box was from La Perla, and the lingerie inside was exquisite.

“I think Cole might be the one crying when he sees her in those pretty things,” sighed Jane. “Tears of joy.”

“Mom!” Alexa cried, shocked that her mother had said something so forward, shocked that she even thought it.

The “Something Borrowed,” was the set of diamond art deco hairpins Sophie wore to secure her veil on her wedding day, and the fourth box contained a sixpence for her shoe.

“What happened to “Something Blue?” asked Ella.

“Oh, yeah. I’ll get it,” said Helena, who returned a few minutes later with Cole.

And the Clayton sisters, who rarely managed to do anything quietly, especially when they were together, slipped out of the room without a sound, followed closely by Meghan and Jane.

Cole sat beside her and pressed a small box into her hands. She could feel the emotion radiating from him, and from the look on his face, she knew there was something important in the box. Something very important. She ran her fingertips lovingly along the velvet nap, allowing the luxurious fabric to caress her skin.

“Open it.” he urged.

She lifted the hinged lid to discover a pair of vintage sapphire and diamond drop earrings resting on a satin cushion.

Cole cradled her hands in his. “My dad gave them to my mom on the day I was born. Sapphire is my birthstone, and I remember her wearing them every year on my birthday. When I was a little kid, I called them the birthday earrings.”

By this point, she was completely overwhelmed by the events of the day, and her hands shook too much to hook the beautiful gems to her ears.

Cole took them from her and carefully clasped each one in place. “Sapphires symbolize faithfulness, and diamonds, eternal love. They match your eyes, brilliant blue and sparkly, and my promise to love you, only you, forever.”

The wedding was a small affair, mostly family and close friends. Plus a few special people who joined them from Boston—Tom Hagel, Sue Miller, and Marcia from Risk Management. They’d tucked a plane ticket into Marcia’s invitation, hoping to persuade her to make the trip.

Deidre Harrington Hall and her family were also there. Cole had decided it was time to end the rift. His paternal grandmother was dead, and his grandfather had late stage Alzheimer’s. So with Alexa by his side, and with the feeling of his dad’s hand on his shoulder, he wrote Deidre a letter explaining how sad his father had been to have lost her. She called him within days, and they met for coffee and lamented the years that had passed.

Alexa insisted on inviting her to the wedding. “I want to do this for your dad, because he raised a wonderful man for me.”

The wedding day held a few more surprises, too.

* * *

“Cassie Anteros!” Cole boomed, giving her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. Cassie and Drew had met at Brown and bonded over shell-shaped cookies and Proust. They’d dated for a long time, but like everything else, their relationship had gone to the dogs after his parents died.

“You’re more beautiful than I remember. And you seem well,” he added softly.

“Beautiful, hardly, but I am well.”

He nodded. “Cassie, this really is a wonderful surprise. The best. My idiot brother never mentioned you were coming.”

“Cole Harrington getting married? I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. I hear women all over Boston have shrouded themselves in black bombazine, and the flag at Boston General is flying at half-staff,” she teased. “Drew asked Alexa to keep the secret. We don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves, or give anyone the wrong impression.”

“Of course not,” said Cole, struggling to contain a grin while his eyes twinkled madly. “Or give us false hope.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re getting to be almost as big a meddler as your cousins.”

Drew jumped in to rescue Cassie. “Hey! You’re a married man now—leave her alone. And don’t trip over your leash on the way to the bar,” he added, whisking Cassie away before Cole could ask any more questions.

* * *

“Come dance with me,” Cole whispered in Alexa’s ear. “My hands are itching to slide over your gorgeous body.”

“Mmmm,” she said, dissolving into his arms. “This has been an amazing weekend. Thank you for making it so special for me.”

“It’s been pretty special for me, too.”

“It’s the last Petersen wedding that will happen here—maybe the last family occasion,” she sighed.

“Are you sad about that?”

“It’s bittersweet. I still can’t believe the punitive damages Max was able to negotiate for my parents.”

“And your neighbors. That company’s behavior was reprehensible.”

“Not anymore,” she smiled. “My parents made the right decision to sell the farm. There’s no shame in it, not like losing it. They can start over closer to the Cities, where my dad can find an artisan community and finally do what he’s wanted to all his life. And Owen can get the education he needs, which makes me so happy.”

“What about your mom?”

“She’s excited. It’s lonely out here for her, so many of her friends have moved away. It will be a huge change for both of them, and an emotional risk, one I’m honestly surprised they’re willing to take. But they’ve been mulling it over for several months, since Max told them that there would likely be a payoff from the company. I can’t remember ever seeing them this excited about anything.”

He kissed the top of her head. “Speaking of seeing. Have you seen my cousins with Deidre? By the end of the night they’ll know everything there is to know about her.” He shook his head.

“You make fun about them meddling all the time, but you and your brothers are just as bad, maybe worse.”

“The best defense is a good offense,” he said, giving her that beautiful, cocky smile that made her heart flutter every time.

“I’m glad Deidre came,” she said.

“Me too,” he said glancing up over her shoulder. His eyebrows shot up. “You’re never going to believe this. Tom and Sue are dancing, and she has her head on his shoulder.” He chuckled, swinging Alexa around so she could see for herself. “Do you think there’s something going on between them?”

“Mm-hm. I’ve thought so for a while.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “I have a feeling it’s been going on for some time.”

“Nah. How could they possibly have kept a secret like that in the hospital?”

“Probably stayed out of broom closets,” she told her new husband with a cheeky look.

“You’re getting too big for your britches, pretty lady. And I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about Cassie and Drew.”

“I thought you’d enjoy the surprise, and I gave Drew my word.”

“I know. But what am I, chopped liver? I’m your husband, Drew’s not.”

“I hope you’re not pouting, because I’ll have to send you to bed without dessert. And trust me, you won’t like it.”

“I might, it depends. Are you coming to bed with me, or are you dessert?”

She pressed her lips to his. “Vovó told me that after we were married I was responsible not only for you, but for all your brothers, too.”

“She said that? You poor woman. I can’t believe you were still willing to marry me after that.”

“It’s a burden of love,” she said snuggling deeper into her husband’s embrace.

* * *

When the band began their last set of the evening, the lead vocalist told the guests about a special request.

“I got a call from this guy about a month ago, who told me he’d be here tonight. He asked me about a song, said it encapsulated the love he felt for a special woman. When I told him it wasn’t part of our repertoire, he asked if we’d learn it. We had a lot going on and I almost told him no, but he sounded so earnest, like it was real important to him. In the end, I couldn’t say no. So Cole, here it is. I hope it meets your expectations. Alexa, from the way he’s been looking at you all night, I’m thinking you’re the special woman he told me about.”

The band began to play
Have I Told You Lately,
and Cole, who’d long ago discarded his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, pulled his wife into his arms right then and there, not even bothering to find the dance floor. He held her close, and from the grimace on Henry Petersen’s face, some might say he held her too close. But he didn’t care. He danced with his new bride, softly singing the beautiful lyrics to her in a barn full of guests, some of whom would never let him forget he’d done it. But he didn’t care about that, either.

“Looks like the man code’s just taken a big hit,” said Luke shaking his head.

“Eviscerated,” groaned Jake.

But despite the grousing, all five of Cole’s brothers were grinning from ear to ear. The photographer captured their light and playful moment, and the picture would sit on Cole’s desk long after he was old and gray. Alexa eased the worry from their brother’s face and the weight from his shoulders. He laughed more, and was all around less of a pain in the ass once she’d agreed to spend forever with him. Besides, they’d gained a sister, and who couldn’t do with another loving woman in their lives? Especially when it didn’t involve a ring choking their finger.

Valentine’s Day finally arrived. Alexa had been antsy all week, counting the hours until she could give Cole his surprises. One of which she was sure he’d love, the other, she hoped he was ready for.

She read through the Valentine’s Day letters Cole’s parents had written to each other every year one last time before tying the satin ribbon around the bundle and placing it on Cole’s pillow. She’d come up with the idea shortly after Angelina gave her the letters, and thanks to Ella’s connections, the reproductions turned out beautifully. It was nearly impossible to tell the copies from the originals, unless they were side by side. The artisans duplicated the stationary and yellowed the pages, giving the copies an aged patina. She’d had a copy made for Cole, and one for each of his brothers. Then she had them bound in heavy, aged parchment embossed with bits of dried roses.

She had decided the letters were too beautiful, too full of love, to be kept hidden away. She chose today, because she knew that every year on Valentine’s Day their mother, Maggie, had written each of her sons a love letter.
She began the tradition the year Cole was born. But Alexa wasn’t sure if the guys knew anything about the Valentine’s letters their parents had written to each other. She’d never heard them mention it, or the pet names their parents had for each other,
Daisy
and
Harry
.

Each letter from their father began in the same way,
My Dearest Daisy,
and ended with the promise,
I pledge you my love through eternity.
The letters from their mother all began
My Darling Harry
,
My Love, My Life
, and ended with,
Eu Te Amo,
I love you. And what they said in between brought tears to her eyes every time she read them. There was nothing vulgar, nothing untoward, just the raw emotion, the love they shared as friends and lovers, evident on every page.

She hoped enough time had passed that their sons were indeed ready to be reminded of their parents’ love story for the ages. A love that, she was sure, had followed them into eternity.

* * *

Cole spent most of the day at the hospital. As soon as he opened the apartment door, the smell of roses hit him. There were five carefully arranged bouquets spaced between the foyer and the kitchen. He’d sent only one. Reading the small cards on his way through the apartment, he learned they were from his brothers. By the time he picked up the fourth card he was scowling,
get your own women
.

“Nice flowers,” he said when he found Alexa.

“They’re all beautiful, but my favorite is this one.” She pointed to the bouquet from him.

Alexa wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you,” she said, on tiptoes.

“I’m going to take a shower, want to join me?”

“Mmmm. I hope this is just the beginning of your good ideas for tonight. You go. I’ll be in shortly.”

“Don’t be long. I’ve been thinking about you all day.” He reluctantly let her go and went into the bedroom to undress. A package tied with a shiny red ribbon reclined against his pillow. He sat on the bed, carefully untying the ribbon and opening the parchment cover.

* * *

Alexa hadn’t heard a sound from the bedroom in quite a while, and began to worry.
Maybe he went straight to the shower and didn’t see it
. She was wringing her hands, hoping she hadn’t overstepped her new role.

She didn’t hear the water running when she walked toward their room. And she held her breath while she stood in the doorway, watching him on edge of the bed with the letters in his lap.

“Where did these come from?” he asked in a low voice laden with emotion.

“Your grandmother gave them to me right before we were married. She said she’d been holding onto them, waiting until you were ready. Until you understood about the love between a man and a woman. She told me to give them to you when I thought it was the right time.”

He nodded.

“I had the originals duplicated. That’s a copy you have. I thought we could leave the originals at Meadows Shore, where all Nick and Maggie’s children and their grandchildren can read them, and know the kind of love they came from. I picked today to give them to you, because I remembered how your mom always left her boys letters on Valentine’s Day.”

He pulled her down onto the bed and kissed her for a long time, sweet, tender kisses that came straight from his heart.

“Does this mean you like them?”

“I love them, but not as much as I love you. Did you do this for my brothers too?”

She nodded. “That’s why all the flowers.”

“And it explains the texts,” he said pulling out his phone.

WH:
When she smartens up and divorces you, I’m testifying on her behalf, and then I’m going to marry her.

DH:
How did a huge jerk like you get her to marry you?

JH:
She’s way too good for you. Way too good.

LH:
You’re a lucky bastard, and so are we
.

“I haven’t heard from Mark.”

“I haven’t either. Next to yours, I was most worried about Mark’s reaction. I hope I did the right thing.”

“It’s perfect, for all of us, just like you,” he kissed her again not quite as gently this time. “Now about that shower … ”

* * *

Cole handed Alexa a glass of champagne, and noticed she’d barely wet her lips. “Too dry?”

“No. It’s perfect.”

They’d decided to stay in and make dinner together to avoid the crowds that flocked to restaurants on Valentine’s Day. He’d stopped at Modern Bakery to pick up dessert on his way home.

“You sure you’re okay? It’s your favorite champagne. You haven’t taken one sip.”

“I’m fine. I just want to be sure I’m awake for another couple of rounds of Valentine sex with my husband.”

“I have something for you, too.” He came back with a crimson bag adorned with glittery hearts that made her own heart smile.

She pulled a large manila envelope from the bag and gave him a questioning look.

“I’m not telling. You’ll have to open it to find out what’s inside.”

She undid the clasp and pulled out some papers. It was the deed to her family’s property—the house where she’d grown up. “I don’t understand.”

“I bought the property from your parents. I was going to give it to you on our first anniversary, but I didn’t want to wait. Besta’s rocking chair comes with the house.”

“I still don’t understand. I thought an anonymous buyer purchased the house through a real estate trust? That’s what Max told us.”

“It’s the truth, and a long story. Even Max didn’t know I was the buyer. I wanted that house for you, but I wanted to buy it fair and square. Your parents wouldn’t have been willing to sell it to me for the asking price. It’s a great story, especially the part where I got to put one over on Max, who believes he did such a great job negotiating the terms of the sale.” Cole grinned and shook his head.

“It’s yours baby, all yours. No strangers are dancing in our barn.”

She burst into tears, and he cocooned her in his lap. “I couldn’t let it fall into someone else’s hands. What if Owen decides he wants to grow corn, or one of our kids? And I need to take my bride to that barn every year and sing to her, hold her in my arms, so she’ll remember how much I loved her on the day we were married, how much I’ve loved her every day since. Because I know I’ll forget to tell her some days.”

He pulled her closer, “I want our kids to run in those fields, Alexa, like you did—to know where they came from.”

Tears ran freely down her face. “Aside from you, this is the best gift anyone’s ever given me. This present is so you, so completely over the top. And right from here,” she said touching his heart.

She sniffled. “I love the idea of our kids running in the fields, too. I’m thinking it’ll be about two and a half years or so before this little one can run.” And she took his hand and placed it on her belly.

His eyes widened, searching hers. “A baby? Really? We’re having a baby?”

She nodded.

He lifted her up and swung her around like they were ten years old. Then he laid her on the sofa in front of the fire and kissed her for a good long time. Just as they were getting to the best part, the doorbell rang. “Dammit!” he groaned.

“It’s late, who can that be?”

“Ignore it. They’ll go away.” He continued to stroke her. “Fuck,” he said pulling away from his wife when the bell rang again.

“It’s Mark,” he said, opening the door for his brother.

“Hey. Sorry to drop in so late, am I interrupting anything?”

“It’s Valentine’s Day, what do you think?”

“Mark, we’re so happy you stopped by. Come in,” Alexa said from behind Cole.

“These are for you,” he said, holding out a large rectangular box to her. “I got home late, and your gift was at my door. I picked up these flowers … they’re from the corner market,” he said sheepishly, “not much else was open.”

Cole took the box from him. “How many bouquets you got in here?”

“One didn’t seem like enough. It was the end of the day, and they were kind of skimpy.” He shrugged. “So I got a bunch, one from each of my brothers,” he said to her.

Cole began pulling the flowers from the box. “There are seven bouquets here. Did you forget how to count or did you find a long lost brother on your way to the store?”

“I threw one in from my dad. He would’ve loved you, too.”

She pulled him in, and he held her against his chest until Cole cleared his throat. “I’m sorry you don’t have a date tonight, but I’m not sharing mine.”

She shook her head and gave her husband a mock scowl. “Mark, do you want something to eat?”

“No, he doesn’t. He’s leaving, because it’s Valentine’s Day and he didn’t mean to intrude on our time together.”

“You know you’re a real ass. I have no idea why she married you. None.”

“Join the club, buddy. Join the club,” he said wrapping his younger brother in a bear hug.

The last thing she remembered from that night was lying in Cole’s arms feeling like the most cherished woman on earth. Just before she fell asleep against his beating heart, he nuzzled her hair and murmured, “Happy Valentine’s Day, my sweetest Sasha, I love you.”

The End

Drew’s story coming in Fall 2016!