“Having fun?” he asked, the ring still clenched in his fingers as he turned to drop a kiss on the top of her head. He slipped his right arm around her shoulders, squeezing briefly before releasing her, and she looked up, smiling.
“A ton,” Renee answered softly, her left hand slipping over to rest on his thigh.“I told you,I love weddings.”
Decided, Michael grasped the ring and pulled it from his pocket, his eyes still locked on hers as he turned her hand over and placed the ring in her palm. Under the shelter of the table, he pressed the little golden circlet into her skin so that she’d know what it was; above the table, he watched the shift of her eyes over his face as she realized what he was doing. She closed her hand over the ring, taking it into her own lap, and Michael took a deep breath, waiting.
Renee kept her eyes lowered for a long time, the quiet of their stolen moment covered by everyone else attending to the various– and progressively drunken– toasts still being made throughout the room. Finally, Michael’s eyes were drawn to his parents as his father stood, taking his glass in his hand, and began to speak. Adam spoke about the sanctity of marriage, the wonders of love, and the hope of a strong union that could stand the test of time.
“… And so,” he ended, raising his glass in salute to his daughter and his brand new son-in-law,“we wish you both the best, with many happy days… and many, manysleepless nights.”
The room erupted into laughter and as Michael watched Harmony cover her face in embarrassment, Renee’s hand slipped once again into his lap. She squeezed his thigh gently, and he felt the press of the ring.
On her finger.
A Letter From The Author
There is no force on earth as powerful as fear– except maybe for love, and the hope that love can bring into our lives. Sometimes it takes us a while though, to see what’s right in front of us. Sometimes we have to spend a while mired in the quicksand of our own personal drama before we can make our way out and learn what it’s like to live again.
For Michael Kingsley, divorce was a major personal tragedy that sent him into a tailspin of hurt and self-doubt. We come into Michael’s story after he’s spent a few years drinking too much, a few years having too much random and meaningless sex, and more time than he could care to admit feeling sorry for himself. It’s a little melodramatic, maybe, but it’s human– this is what we do. We wallow, and we sometimes fall into a rut we aren’t sure we can ever get out of.Sometimes we cope with too much sex, sometimes it’s drugs, sometimes it’s drink.
There are so many things in life that drag us down, that break our hearts and smother our spirits, and it’s easy to get pulled into depression we can’t get out of. It’s easy to let sadness turn us into something we’re not. But there is always hope, and there is almost always support from our friends. So remember today to support yourfriends… you never know when they might need it, and what magic might come from the most simple gesture.
As always, with much love and my heartfelt thanks for reading,
B.
Thanks For Reading!
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About The Author
Brandi Kennedy is an American writer who is finally living her childhood career dream as the author of the Kingsley Series, the Selkie Trilogy, and the Freedom Series.
As a child, books were her world– and through adulthood, that love of words has never changed. A woman of varied interests, Brandi loves photography, music of all kinds, knitting, crochet and of course, mothering her two young daughters. Currently, she finds her home in the heart of Knoxville, Tennessee, among the mountains and the members of her extended family, where she spends her days at the computer, bringing fresh and incredibly real characters to life.
Follow Brandi On The Web
To find notes, news, and a list of Brandi’s social media presences, please explore: http://authorbrandikennedy.blogspot.com/, where you can also sign up to receive updates by email.
Other Titles By Brandi Kennedy
The Kingsley Series
Fat Chance, Book One
Prescription For Love, Book Two
Wrestling Harmony, Book Three
More Than Friends, Book Four
The Selkie Trilogy
Selkie, Part One
Fighting For Freedom
Stand-Alone Titles
Courageous: A Short Story