Page 56 of Through the Dark Night
She knew what she was going to say before he even pulled the little box out and opened it to show a glittering ring.
It wasn’t anything too fancy, but it was perfect for her, and she was amazed at what a perfect ring he had picked out for her.
“It’s been a long time. I’ve loved you forever. Will you spend the rest of your life with me?” he asked, his words being swept away by the wind but carried to her on the wings of love.
“Yes. Absolutely yes. I couldn’t think of anything I’d like to do more,” she said as he straightened, and that’s when he kissed her.
They stood there for a while, lost in their embrace, before he pulled back and said, “I’d really like to have a wedding that’s not too far in the future.”
“Before winter?” she asked, grinning when his brows lifted like he hadn’t been expecting her to want it that fast.
“I don’t want you to rush it. You should have everything you want.”
“I had everything the first time. All the bells and the whistles and the dress and the cake and everything. And it didn’t make our marriage last any longer than if we had just stood in front of the preacher with nothing. I’d rather… I’d rather just have the town here and be married in the church. Maybe a Christmas wedding. Christmas decorations would be beautiful.”
“Then you should have it,” Lance said. “And Christmas is perfect. I think I can wait six weeks.”
“All right then. Six weeks—you and me, meet at the church.”
They laughed together. And she could hardly believe that this man that she’d loved so many years ago was finally going to marry her.
The news of their engagement spread like wildfire, especially the weekend when Pastor Garrett announced it from the pulpit during the Sunday service.
The reaction from the community was everything Shannon would have expected. The congregation broke out into spontaneous applause as Pastor Garrett announced it, and after church, she was inundated with offers of help. She accepted them all. Lauren wanted to bake the cake, Marina insisted she get to cater the wedding, and Grace actually offered to make a wedding dress.
“Better than that, I wanted to wear my mom’s wedding dress for my first wedding, but my mother-in-law said it wasn’t fancy enough, so it’s remained boxed and in storage all these years. I’d like to get it out and do whatever altering it needs in order to fit.” She certainly wasn’t the slender, whipcord-thin girl she had been when she’d been married the first time. “It might be a little bit complicated, because I’m not the size I was back then, and I’m sure my mother was thin as well.”
She definitely had the middle-age spread going, but she didn’t need to admit that out loud today.
“Whatever it needs, I can figure it out,” Grace said withconfidence.
“It seems like everybody’s going to have a hand in this wedding,” Lance said as Becky and Rodney came up, offering a carriage ride to the bride and groom from the church to the inn where they assumed the reception was going to be held.
“So fancy,” Shannon said as they walked away, feeling like her whole face was glowing. Along with her heart.
“You would do the same for everyone else, and don’t think for one second that that isn’t benefiting everyone. I heard Josiah saying that his business has been thriving, as well as Claire’s husband’s. Apparently the guests have taken our suggestions to heart and have given their business to people in town. I actually heard that Dominic might be building a house for the first couple who booked at your inn, up in Blackberry Bay. It’s not a small thing,” Lance said with his brows raised.
“You’re going to be my sister,” Katie said, putting her arm through Shannon’s and smiling hugely.
“I am, and I can’t wait,” Shannon said, pulling Katie close into a hug. Katie had been such an encourager when Shannon had needed to apologize to Lance. She probably would have done it without Katie’s encouragement, but Katie broke the ice and made it easy.
“We don’t want to do a double wedding, but I did want to let you know that Mateo asked me last night to marry him, and I said yes,” Marina said as she leaned down and spoke softly in Shannon’s ear. “We’re going to keep it to ourselves until next week and let you have today all to yourself. But I just wanted you to know, because I’m overwhelmed with excitement. I was married to a terrible person for such a long time that I really don’t know how to act around a man who respects me and gives me the love and kindness that I deserve.”
Shannon smiled at Marina’s happiness and pulled her into a huge hug. “Congratulations. You couldn’t have found a better man.”
And she meant that. Mateo was awesome, and he was absolutely perfect for Marina. “I know he’s going to treat you the way you should be treated.”
They pulled back, looking into each other’s eyes, and Shannon felt blessed to have such a good friend, who worked alongside her.
“We’re going to have to talk about your salary, too,” she said.Knowing that with all of the guests who were pouring into the inn, she was going to be able to afford it.
“We can if you want to. But I’m not worried about it. I have a lawyer, and he felt like I would be getting a pretty big settlement from my divorce from Vincent. That’s if Vincent doesn’t want me to go public with all of the accusations that I have, which I’m sure he won’t.” Marina looked smug, and Shannon shook her head with a smile on her face. After everything that Marina had suffered, she hoped she got millions from the settlement.
She deserved it.
“I think I’d like to have you alone for a little while, if you think you might be able to spare some time for me this afternoon,” Lance said as he slipped an arm around her, and they walked out of the church together.
“You have my entire day. It’s at your disposal,” Shannon said, leaning into him. She couldn’t think of anything she’d rather do than spend the rest of her life with this man, and if it started today, that was just fine with her.
