“You can sleep on the plane all you want tomorrow.” Jake’s voice sounded like a pleading.
“Will you allow me to sleep on the plane tomorrow, or will you be making out with me again in front of ten strangers? I tell you what. I’ll give you a choice. You can have your way with me tonight in private with my full participation, or you can try to have your way with me tomorrow on the plane, with me fighting you the whole way. Your choice.” I knew the obvious answer but I thought I’d put it out there and hear his response.
“I pick tonight! So answer me, which negligee? Is it that red one that I picked out in London? It’s not that boring white one Gram picked out, is it?”
Jake kept bobbing his head from me to the road often enough to make me nervous so I gave in.
“I’ll give you two clues. Tonight’s outfit was not purchased in London, but you’ve seen it before.”
It took him all of two seconds to figure it out.
With way too much enthusiasm he shouted, “You kept that one from Paris? The one that was supposed to go to Sarah?” His grin was from ear to ear.
“Possibly,” was my only answer.
I looked out the window reveling in our conversation and thinking how just a few weeks ago, I was alone in Japan. Funny how life had a way of untangling itself for the best.
Jake reached over to hold my hand and asked what I was thinking.
“Are you OK? Am I making you nervous about tonight?” He, himself, sounded nervous.
“I’m fine—a bit scared, but happy to be here with you.” I leaned over to kiss his cheek. I knew that this was where I belonged, as Mrs. Jake Reid.
“Sweetheart, you have nothing to be afraid of. Although it was frustrating at times, I’m thrilled you have been with no one else. I consider it a real honor to be your first and only man.” He held my hand till we got to the hotel.
With some difficulty getting out of the car in a wedding dress, I surfaced to a throng of cheers from hotel guests. Jake checked us into the honeymoon suite and we walked hand in hand up to our room. When we arrived, Jake stopped me right outside the door as he opened it with his keycard. He grabbed the Do Not Disturb sign and hung it on the doorknob with a heavenly grin. He lifted me up and carried me over the threshold. We gazed into each other’s eyes knowing this was just the beginning of our happily ever after.
Thank you for reading Indelible Love—Emily’s Story. This is my first self-published novel and I had so much fun dreaming up the Reid family. If you enjoyed this love story, I would be most grateful if you could write a kind review on the e-bookstore from which you purchased this story, or Goodreads. Word of mouth, and a good review for self-published authors like me, help tremendously. If you’d like to write to me personally, here are all the ways to contact me.
I’d love to hear from you and I’ll try my best to answer all your questions.
The following is a taste of Indelible Love—Jake’s Story. Hear his version, starting from the moment they meet to the family they create after the wedding. The first chapter is included. Also included are Entwined, a stand-alone novel, and Indelible Lovin’—Max & Jane’s Story, the continuation of the Reid family story.
Chapter 1 Chance Encounter
Exhausted! That was the only word that came to my mind after working an eighteen-hour shift. I was sure it was illegal for anyone to work so much, but in these life-and-death situations, I suppose I had no choice. This was the life I had chosen as a heart surgeon. Though, I probably would have been better off working at a different hospital. The chief purposely worked me harder to prove to others that he was not showing any favoritism to his nephew.
Hungry. That was another word that never left my mind when working so much. My stomach grumbled from a lack of food, as I’ve had one meal all day and it was almost midnight. What were my options? Drive home and stop by a fast-food joint on the way? If I hit the freeway now, I should be able to reach my house in the Valley in twenty minutes. Or, go to Mom’s down the street and hope that she had food in the fridge? I decided to forgo both options and stop by the market to pick up a protein shake before heading home.
Walking into the store, the most beautiful woman walked by and I couldn’t help but follow her from afar. She turned into one of the aisles and started looking for cereal. I paused to stare. She was gazing intently at the boxes in a peculiar way. It was comical how serious this decision was for her. Her long brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail and her porcelain skin would put dermatologists all out of business.