“So after I propose and after we make wedding plans and after Mom gets well and after we decide where to live then will you feel like we are on even ground?”
“Maybe”
“Cori, as soon as I knew I wanted to marry you and I found out about why you have Hannah’s House, I knew my days in Houston were numbered. I don’t care. Houston is just another place on a map. You are my life, I want to be where you are and it is too far to commute. I’m not giving up anything by moving to Catesville, I’m gaining my whole heart. I love you.” Cori didn’t speak, she couldn’t because of the lump in her throat. She took action and launched herself at Seth and he caught her up in his arms. “I love you, Cori Alyssa Lewis.”
“I love you, Seth Daniel Reynolds.”
“Are we okay now?”
“Yes, I’m better and I’m actually very happy that you want to move to Catesville. I just wanted it to be the best for you too.”
“It is. My mom lives there too, sugar, remember?”
“I know.”
“Honey, sit down for a minute.” Cori sat down on the bed. Seth knelt in front of her. “I want to marry you and I am going to propose soon. But until things are a little more settled over Mom’s illness we can’t make definite wedding plans.”
“I agree. Your mom comes first. Definitely.”
“Thank you. That means a great deal to me.” Seth stretched up and kissed Cori. “let’s go back downstairs and calm their nerves. We were all confused at your reaction.”
“I’m sorry, I was just so surprised.”
“The point was for it to be a happy surprise but it didn’t work that way.”
“It is now after some explanations.”
Seth and Cori returned to the living room and sat down on the sofa. Cori spoke “Sorry, that was overwhelming to me and I didn’t handle it well. I’m actually very happy now that I’ve had some explanations.” Everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
Later that night, Cori walked softly down the stairs to Seth’s basement. He had left the door open to his room almost as if he expected her to join him. As she entered she let her eyes adjust to the dark so she could see where he was in the bed. The left side of the bed was open and so she gently pulled back the covers and lay down next to him.
“If this is a little four year old girl I’m going to be less excited than I would be if it is an older gorgeous blonde who I love very much?” Seth spoke softly
“I’m older than four.” Cori answered.
“Thank God for that. What’s up, sweetheart? Couldn’t sleep?”
“I missed you. And I wanted to be held in your arms.”
“They were feeling a bit empty to me too.” He replied wrapping her up close. “My mom does believe in shotgun weddings though. Just for your information.”
“Sign me up.” Cori answered
“Are you serious?”
“I would elope with you whenever. I might not be loved by my mother again but you are worth the sacrifice.”
“We are going to have whatever kind of wedding that you dream of but our families are going to be there.”
“You are so sweet to me.”
“And you are a very nice bundle to hold. Now, kiss me good night again and go to sleep.” Cori raised her head from where she had snuggled against his chest and kissed him. “I love you.”
“I love you.” He murmured sleepily. “My Cori”
Chapter 16
Cori stood at the door of the hospital waiting room watching the man of her dreams sleep. He looked exhausted and he hadn’t shaved in days. She crept closer and sat down next to him and gently caressed his face and kissed him. “Sweetheart. Seth” she said quietly.
“What?” he jerked awake “What?”
“Easy Seth” she said calmly “it is just me.”
“You scared me. What are you doing here?”
“I didn’t mean to scare you. And I talked to Micah and he said both of you were exhausted so I came to relieve you. Go home and sleep.”
Seth scrubbed his hands over his face “I’m okay. I was just catching a quick nap while Mom is in her treatment.”
“Give me a kiss then go home. Millie will understand.”
“I’ll kiss you but I’m not leaving. I’m fine.” Seth argued. He leaned towards her and kissed her. “I am very glad to see you and you look spectacular.” Cori’s suit was a black pinstripe with a short waist length jacket. She had a white shirt under the jacket which showed a tantalizing amount of cleavage.
“I came straight from a photo shoot for my new brochure.”
“As what? Most gorgeous woman on the planet? If this wasn’t a public place I’d be ravishing you.”
Cori beamed at him “Yeah, yeah, promises, promises”
Seth abruptly stood and took her hand. He pulled her out of the waiting room to the stairwell a few feet away. The door closed behind her and he pulled her tightly into his arms and ravished her as promised a few seconds ago. Cori clung to him a willing participant in the ravishing. Seth pulled the shirt out of the waistband of her pants and touched her lower back. Cori arched into him even more. When Seth released her mouth he worked his way down her neck and Cori moved her head to the side to give him more room to kiss her.
“Seth” she moaned when he gently bit a spot on her shoulder. “We could pick a better place to do this.”
“It is your fault.” He said hiding his face in her shoulder. “You are so incredibly gorgeous.”
“Thank you for thinking that.” She squeezed him hard. “Now I’m pulling rank, go home and sleep. When Micah comes in a few hours, I’ll come there and the three of us will rotate shifts until she goes home.”
“You are making a big sacrifice being away from your companies.”
“You are stalling go home. Let’s go see your Mom and tell her you are going home and I’m staying.”
“First things first, she looks sick now. Very sick. The treatments are awful and she is very weak. She needs to rest as much as she can so make her sleep. You’ll have to be in a gown and mask.”
“I can handle all of that. Let’s go.”
“You are so sweet to do this for her.”
“She’s my friend and will someday be my family.” Cori stated. Seth nodded and took her to the nurse’s station to explain who she was. The nurse explained the gown and mask procedures and helped her to get “suited” up. Seth and Cori entered Millie’s room and she was awake.
“Cori” she said weakly “What are you doing here?”
“I came to stay with my friend. Seth’s going to go home and sleep for a while.”
“Thank you for coming.” Millie said to Cori trying to smile but it was weak.
Seth spoke to his mother “I’m going home but Micah will be here in a few hours to relieve Cori.”
“I’ll be okay until tomorrow Seth; tell Micah to rest.”
“You rest and we will take care of everything else.”
“Thank you”
“You are my mother and I love you there is no need to thank me. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Millie nodded and closed her eyes. Cori squeezed his gloved hand and Seth left the room.
Cori sat down in the chair next to the bed and took hold of Millie’s hand. In just a few days it had changed and seemed so frail. “Thank you Cori”
“Shhh, just rest.” Cori soothed. As Cori caressed the hand of her friend she hummed a soft song. It seemed to relax Millie and she went to sleep. After a few minutes, Cori sat back in the chair and pulled out her sketch pad and began to draw more on the story she was writing for the kids books that Warm Comforts sold with the animals.
Cori signed her name in the last spot on the last document and looked to Seth who was doing the same on his stack of documents. When he was finished he looked to her then they leaned towards one another and shared a quick kiss.
“This is business, you two.” teased Isaac
“Mind your own business” stated Seth before kissing Cori again. Cori laughed and stood to hug her brother and Isaac.
“Thank you both, very much.”
“You are welcome, Miss Lewis” her brother spoke formally. Cori and Beaches Toy Company had just formed a partnership for a new line of stuffed animals and kids books. It had been six weeks since Seth’s mother’s intense chemotherapy treatment and she had done well. There were signs in her blood work that she was almost out of the woods. The registry had located a donor and the transplant had taken place a week ago. She was still sick but expected to gain strength daily.
Seth and Cori along with the lawyers had worked on the specifics of the partnership and now the documents had been signed. The construction of the factory would begin within a few weeks. The office building was almost set to begin. Isaac and Faith had begun construction on their house near Catesville.
Seth’s assistant Abigail handed out sparking apple cider to the occupants of the conference room. Isaac held his drink high. “To Cori, Seth and the new Rainbow Toys, may everyone prosper and find their own pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.”
“Hear, Hear” echo John. Cori and Seth told their thanks to the people in the room who had helped them with all of the negotiations then toasted them before sneaking another kiss with each other.
“We are out of here, my dear.” Seth said to Cori. “We have a plane to catch to Dallas. We will see you people when we see you or Tuesday. It has been loads of fun but I’m for four days of rest.” Cori nodded and they left the conference room at Beaches. She and Seth had said goodbye to Millie, Mindy, Micah and Tish that morning. Tish had arrived home earlier in the week and now her military career was almost over. Micah’s also was almost over, his mother’s illness had kept him from needing to return to his overseas deployment and now both were just waiting on their final paperwork to be completed and they would be civilians again. Mindy was thrilled to have her parents with her again. Millie was still at Seth’s house but had encouraged Seth and Cori to take the weekend and begin to make some plans for their future.
“Alone at last” Seth said a few hours later when they were settled in their suite at a luxury Dallas hotel. “I have you all too myself for the next few days.”
“Well mostly, my love. I did schedule a massage for tomorrow.”
“Good, I’m glad you decided to do that. You’ll enjoy it.”
“I will. For tonight however, I’m going to just lay right here and count my blessings.”
“Whenever I think of you, I am counting my blessings.”
“I love you.”
“Cori Alyssa Lewis, I love you” Seth began reaching into his pocket “will you marry me?” he asked holding a diamond engagement ring in his hand.
A beautiful smile came across Cori’s face and the tears formed in her eyes and ran down her cheeks. “Yes, I’d be honored to marry you.” Seth placed the ring that they had chosen together on her finger and kiss it then her.
“Now when?” he asked
“Well, I have cheated a little….” She said
“How?” he questioned confused
“I snuck into Houston a few times and I already have my gown.”
“Hallelujah”
“You aren’t mad?”
“Darling, I’m thrilled. That shortens the time doesn’t it?”
“Yes, it does.”
“I also took the liberty of getting Faith, Pearl and Tish, she was sworn to secrecy, to pick a pattern for their bridesmaid’s dresses.”
“Cut to the chase, Cori”
“Isaac and Faith are getting married in eight weeks, we can be married in twelve.”
“Yes, Yes, Yes!” he said happily. Cori burst out laughing before Seth cut her off with a long hot hard kiss. “You are the best thing ever.”
“I also found us a house to rent until we can build a new one.”
“Fabulous! What else?”
“I’ve designed a couple of invitations for you to choose from. I picked out a couple of sets of flowers and I’ve chosen Warm Comforts to cater the reception with one exception.”
“DJ is coming from New York to cook.”
“Yes, he is.”
“Alright, but it better be a very quick welcome and goodbye hug from him to you or I’m not going to be pleased.” Cori gave Seth a very quick kiss to soothe his mock ferocious temper.
“I love you not him.” Cori soothed “My mom and your mom need dresses but we will wait until closer to the wedding to pick those.”
“Yeah, mom’s not quite allowed out in public yet.”
“But she’s going to be soon. I’m so happy she is on the mend.”
“We are too. She’s ready to go home to Catesville.”
“I’m ready to come home to you every night. I’m ready to sleep next to you always and make love with you and give you a baby or two.”
“And our honeymoon will be paid for by Isaac Walters” Seth admitted
“What? Why?”
“He and I bet over the company picnic baseball game. If his team won, I paid for their honeymoon and if my team won, then he paid for our honeymoon. And my team won.”
“So our trip to Hawaii is costing Isaac and Faith.”
“Oh, yeah.”
“You are so good, darling. Very good!” Seth laughed and Cori hugged him hard.
Twelve weeks later
“Are you ready my beautiful daughter?” Frances asked to Cori who was finally dressed in her luxurious gown.
“I am. And I’m not even nervous, yet”
“I wasn’t nervous when I married your father either. I knew he was who I was to love for as long as possible.”
“I wish he was here, Mom. He could see that this marriage is going to be so much better than that first one.”
“He wanted that for you, honey. Now, as much as you can, put that marriage in your past and love Seth with your whole life.”
“I do, Mom. I do.”
“I know you do. Are you ready to go become Mrs. Seth Reynolds?”
“Without a doubt.”
Frances opened the door where Cori had gotten ready. Outside stood the bridesmaids and the groomsmen. Micah, Seth’s brother stepped up to Cori. “You look amazing my soon to be sister-in-law. I just have one thing to say Never say Never.” Cori smiled and hugged him.
“Did you tattoo that on Seth’s tie?”
“Actually I stuck in on the tape on the bottom of his shoes so when you kneel to pray the whole congregation can read it.”
“You are crazy.”
The music started in the auditorium before Micah could respond. Cori stepped back out of the way as the Micah and Tish, then Pearl and John, then Faith and Isaac proceeded down the aisle. Cori was breaking with tradition and her mother was walking her down the aisle.
As the traditional wedding march began, Cori took a deep breath and then clasped hands with her mother and they stepped to the entrance of the sanctuary and began their walk.
“She’s incredible” Seth whispered.
“She is at that.” Micah returned. “Remember what I told you those many years ago?”
Seth grimaced “I remember. Never say Never. I’ve never been so glad to be wrong.”
Four years later
“Here, this one is yours. He won’t sleep and he keeps waking up his brothers.” Cori said handing one of her triplets off to her husband. Cori had needed a specific medical treatment and fertility pills in order to become pregnant and then had ended up with triplet boys. They were now thirteen months old and quite a handful. “You take him for a walk or something while Trevor and Tyler finish their naps.”
Seth smiled and accepted her hand off of Trey. “Come on big guy, let’s let Mama get her nap in too. She’s grumpy.”
“I’m not grumpy” Cori laughed “I’m exhausted.”
Beaches and Rainbow Toys were keeping Seth extremely busy whil
e Hannah’s House remained full most of the time and Warm Comforts had more business each day.
“And that my lovely wife is why we are going on our vacation for a month starting tomorrow. I’ve chartered the plane. Our mothers are packed and ready for grandma duties while you and I have some time alone on the beach in Hawaii.”
“I can hardly wait. Not that I won’t miss my boys but I want some time with you.”
“And I’m ready for another baby.”
“No way, darling. I said two.”
“Well, darling, you should have told yourself that because your doctor called and you are already pregnant.”
“I am!” she asked. “I didn’t try this time.”
“Oh, but I did.” Seth said wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Cori had to fight not to smile “Seth Reynolds, I said two babies”
“And I said two dozen.”
“No way, never going to happen.”
“Didn’t we already learn to Never say Never?” Seth said pulling Cori into a hug while he held Trey. Cori smiled, nodded and gave him a long loving kiss.
###
Thank you for reading this book. I began writing about five years ago in my mid-forties to capture the stories in my head on paper and thereby removing them from the continuous loop replay in my dreams. I have read romance novels for nearly thirty years and my writing space in my home contains hundreds of books in boxes and bookshelves and stacks on top of boxes and bookshelves. I always have one or two books going at one time. I started writing to please myself and my husband kept up the pressure until I found a way to publish what I had written.
Please send your comments to me at mailto:
[email protected] or on Facebook under Annie Pelle or follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/@annie_pelle
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