When Mom Meets Dad (19 page)

When they had decided to write their own vows, they'd also decided not to share them until their wedding day.  Amanda's eyes filled with tears at Alex's words, and she knew he meant every one of them.  She could hardly speak as she saw the world of love he wanted to give her in his eyes.

But somehow she managed to remember the words she'd written down and memorized in the past few days.  "I, Amanda, take you, Alex, to be my husband and life partner.  I promise to love you and honor you and respect you for all of our days.  I promise to laugh with you and play with you and love you, telling you my feelings so you don't have to guess and helping you talk about yours.  I will spend each day thinking about your happiness as well as mine and will do everything in my power to meet your needs.  As we grow old together, I will not let the sun set on hurt or anger and will keep my heart open to everything you have to say.  I vow to love you through light and dark and to be the best wife I know how to be."

Alex's eyes filled with emotion at her words and he squeezed her hand.  When he slid the wedding band onto Amanda's finger, a tear escaped down her cheek.  With a tender smile, he wiped it away with his thumb.

After she slid a band of gold onto his finger, he whispered, "I love you."

Then secure in each others' hearts, they added something special to the ceremony.  Alex took Heather's hand, and Amanda took Kristy's.  Then the four of them made a circle.

The minister beamed down at them, blessed them and said, "I now pronounce Alex and Amanda man and wife, and I pronounce Alex, Amanda, Heather and Kristy a family."

The four of them hugged, and then Kristy, Heather and all the guests watched as Alex and Amanda sealed the ceremony and their lives together with a kiss.

Epilogue

Twenty-one months later

Alex took the statement that had come in ee-mail up to the bedroom.  Amanda had gotten home later than he had tonight, after a faculty meeting at school.  She'd given him a terrific hello kiss that was still thrumming through him and told him she was going to get a shower.  It wasn't until he'd opened his e-mail and saw the investment fund statement that he'd decided he'd take it upstairs for Amanda to see.  On the way up, he remembered the girls would be at softball practice for another hour yet.  He and Amanda could enjoy a pleasurable two-for-one shower and have some fun at the same time.  They'd be married two years come August and they'd been the happiest, most fulfilling two years of his entire life.

When he entered the bedroom, Amanda was coming out of the bathroom.  She hadn't gotten her shower yet--she was still wearing the pretty blue linen dress she'd worn to school that day.  She smiled at him and there was something so tender in her smile.

Crossing to her, he handed her the statement he'd brought upstairs.  "Heather's college fund is growing in leaps and bounds.  You made a wise decision accepting Jeff's offer."

"We made the right decision in accepting Jeff's offer."

Since they'd married, they made all their decisions together for both the girls.  When Amanda had let Jeff know she and Alex would agree to the college fund, her ex-husband had asked if he could write to Heather.  Knowing it would mean a lot to him, realizing he was trying to change his life on many levels, Amanda had discussed that with Alex, too.  They'd agreed that it was a good idea for Heather to stay in contact with her father.  It was important for her.  Jeff didn't write often, but when he did, Heather was glad to get his letters, and she eagerly wrote back.  But she had started calling Alex "Dad" soon after the wedding, and he was the one who cheered her on at softball games, taught her how to play tennis, and hugged her whenever she needed it.  Kristy had begun calling Amanda "Mom" at the same time, and Alex suspected that the girls had arranged that as well.

Taking Amanda in his arms, Alex kissed her temple and murmured, "I'll have to add to Kristy's account so she can keep up."

Amanda pulled away slightly and looked up at him.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

Her eyes were very bright, and he could see uncertainty in them and wondered why.

"No.  Nothing's wrong.  It's just--"  She stopped for a moment, then went on.  "We need to open another account...another college account."

Why would they need to open another college account?  Unless--

Her smile was radiant as she lifted up a stick she held in her hand. "I got a plus sign.  That means we're going to have a baby."

They'd decided to let nature take it's course and just enjoy the family they had while they hoped for a child together.  Now their hopes had been realized.

 Wrapping his arms around Amanda's waist, he swung her up and twirled them in a circle.  "Pregnant!  We're pregnant!"

Laughing, she rested her hands on his shoulders and looked down at him with love.  "I guess you're happy about this?"

"Ecstatic.  How about you?"

"Ecstatic."

Then he lowered her slowly until he captured her lips and kissed her with all the passion and promise he'd offered her on their wedding day.  He was so grateful to her for giving him the chance to love so wondrously, so completely.

Amanda's response told him she was not only grateful, too, but supremely happy.

And as they undressed each other and made love slowly with renewed commitment, their hearts rejoiced that they'd found each other, and their souls joined in a union as precious as the new life Amanda carried.  They were partners for a lifetime.

Partners in love.

Partners forever.

A perfect match.

From the Author:

When Mom Meets Dad, first published with Kensington Precious Gems, was a fun romance to write—a modern day version of the classic parent trap. Throughout all my books, 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. Since this book, I've gone on to write many more novels, making both the USA Today List and the Borders Group Bestseller List. 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 the frilly irises in my 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 listed below.  To keep in touch day to day, follow me at Facebook and on Twitter. Look for more of my books on Kindle.

Thanks to Judy Bullard for my terrific new cover.

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

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

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

OTHER KAREN ROSE SMITH BOOKS AVAILABLE IN E-BOOK FORMAT:

A Man Worth Loving

Everyday Cinderellas

Everyday Prince Charming

Falling For Her Boss

Forever After

Garden of Fantasy

Kit and Kisses

Love in Bloom

Ribbons and Rainbows

Toys and Baby Wishes

When Mom Meets Dad

Wish on the Moon

SEARCH FOR LOVE SERIES:

Nathan's Vow, Book 1

Jake's Bride, Book 2

Always Devoted, Book 3

Always Her Cowboy, Book 4

Heartfire, Book 5

Cassidy's Cowboy, Book 6

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.