Moisture welled in her luminous brown eyes. “Really?”
“Really.” He brought one hand up to caress her cheek. “I love you very much. I have for quite some time now. Would you do me the great honor of becoming my wife and Sofia’s stepmother?”
Tears spilled down her cheeks as she held his gaze. “I love you too, Darius. You have no idea how much. And I promise to be the best wife and mother I can be.”
Relief flowed through him like quicksilver. How often had he dreamed of this moment, fearing it might never happen? Yet now by the grace of God, she was finally ready to accept his love. With one hand cupping her face, he lowered his head to kiss her. Her lips were soft and pliant under his. When she reached up to entwine her arms around his neck, heat spread through his system, and his heart seemed to explode in his chest. He wrapped his arms more firmly around her until he felt the answering beat of her heart against his.
Gratitude rose up within him on a prayer. Thank you, Lord. I promise to take care of her heart every day from now on, for as long as she’ll let me.
On a rush of joy, Olivia returned Darius’s embrace, relishing the feel of his solid frame against hers, breathing in the familiar scent of his aftershave. In his arms, she found a place of belonging that she’d never experienced before. She wanted nothing more than to stay there forever. When his lips left hers to trail down her jaw, electricity zinged through her system. She still couldn’t believe this wonderful man loved her—despite all her flaws, her tainted past, and her compromised reputation. What had she ever done to deserve someone so compassionate and kind? So loyal and protective?
With a contented sigh, she pulled back to look into his eyes. “You’re sure you don’t mind having a wife who works at a maternity home?”
His blue eyes darkened. “I know how important Bennington Place is to you. I’d never ask you to give that up. With my mother to help look after Sofia, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
At the mention of his mother, a niggle of fear surfaced as she recalled the other reason she hadn’t felt worthy to be Darius’s wife. “What about the fact that I may not be able to have more children?” She searched his eyes, dreading to see regret blooming there. What if he realized he’d made a mistake?
Darius held her face in his hands, his gaze steady. “Every couple that gets married has no idea whether they’ll be able to have children or not. But they marry in faith, trusting God’s plan for their life. And that’s what we will do. We’ll take whatever God gives us and be grateful for His gifts.”
Her heart expanded with even more love than she’d thought possible. All she could do was nod through her tears as he smiled down at her.
“I did have one possible idea on that subject,” he said. “I thought we could put in an application at the Children’s Aid Society. If no one has claimed Abigail yet, maybe we’ll get lucky enough to adopt her.”
More tears bloomed. Her throat constricted, making speech impossible, so she simply rose up and pressed her lips to his once more.
He caught her against him with a surprised laugh, then quickly claimed her mouth for a much more lingering kiss. She kissed him back greedily, as though a dam had broken inside her, and all the love she’d suppressed for so long now spilled out.
A few minutes later, he released her, his eyes brimming with happiness. “What do you say we go somewhere to celebrate this momentous occasion?”
She beamed up at him, her hands resting on his chest. “We could meet Ruth and the girls at Marty’s.”
“Hmm.” He wrinkled his nose. “Nothing against the ladies, but I was hoping to have you all to myself for a little longer. How about sharing a sundae at the ice cream parlor?”
“That sounds perfect.” She laughed, feeling so light and free that she just might float away on a wave of bliss. “And maybe while we’re there, we could discuss possible wedding dates. Because I don’t want to wait another minute to marry you, Darius Reed.”
He picked her up and twirled her around, his laughter blending with hers. “I like the way you think, Miss Rosetti.”
Epilogue
Eighteen months later
I’ll send him right in.” Despite the exhaustion hugging his face, Dr. Henshaw smiled as he rolled down his shirtsleeves.
“Please do,” Olivia said, “but let me break the news.”
“Of course.” The doctor slipped out of the bedroom door, leaving Olivia alone.
She bit her lip, barely able to contain the roller coaster of emotions racing through her system. She couldn’t wait to see her husband’s reaction.
Seconds later, the door opened, and Darius’s anxious face appeared. “Is it all right to come in?” His hair was standing on end, as though he’d been raking his fingers through it for the last several hours.
Sitting up against the pillows, Olivia couldn’t keep the tired smile from blooming. “By all means, my love. Come in . . . and meet your son.” She gazed down at the warm bundle in her arms, unable to contain the joy that bubbled up through her like a fountain.
“It’s a boy?” A look of awe spread over his features.
“A beautiful, healthy boy.” She cradled the little miracle against her chest, utterly humbled by God’s goodness.
Darius sank onto the chair beside her, not even bothering to wipe away his tears as he skimmed a finger over the baby’s cheek. “I have a son.” Wonder filled his words.
Olivia laughed, euphoria rushing through her. Never had she imagined she’d be able to give Darius such a gift, but God, in His perfect wisdom, had proved her wrong. She’d thought that becoming baby Abigail’s foster parents a month after they were married would be their happiest moment. Little did she know that God had even bigger blessings in store for them.
Darius leaned over and kissed her soundly. “I love you so much, Olivia. You’ve made me the happiest man in the world.”
“Nowhere near as happy as you’ve made me.”
The baby gave a squawk and squirmed within the blanket. Olivia laughed again. “It looks like this little one won’t be content to be overshadowed. He wants to be the center of attention.”
“I don’t blame him, since he has two older sisters to contend with.” Darius grinned at her.
“Well, Mr. Reed, what are we going to call this miracle boy of ours?”
“I did have a name in mind.” One brow quirked up. “I was thinking of Constantine. After my grandfather in Greece.”
“Constantine. That’s a noble-sounding name.” She smiled. “I’m proud of you for embracing your heritage.”
He shrugged. “He’ll likely get a Canadian nickname, which is fine by me.”
“Me too.” She brushed a kiss over the wisps of her son’s downy hair.
“I have another suggestion for a middle name, if you agree.” A hint of a smile played through his tender expression.
“Really? What’s that?”
“I was thinking of Matteo. After his older brother.”
Instant tears flooded her eyes, blurring her vision.
“Since I couldn’t get your son back for you,” he said huskily, “I figured this was the best way to keep him as part of our family.”
“Oh, Darius.” She pressed a hand to her mouth. “That’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever said. How did I ever deserve a husband like you?”
He smiled down at her with such love that it stole her breath.
“I’m the lucky one,” he said. “The day God led me to you was the day of my salvation. You woke me from the stupor I’d been living in and challenged me to become a better man. A better person.” His gaze moved to the baby. “And together we’re going to raise our children to live with the same type of integrity.”
A loud knock sounded on the door. Sofia poked her head inside. “Grandma Ruth says to tell you that Abigail is napping now.” She pushed the door open and stared. “I want to see the baby. So does Yiayiá.”
Darius laughed. “Come in, Mouse. Come and meet your new brother.”
Her eyes went wide as she skipped across the room. “I have a brother?”
“You do,” Olivia said. “How do you feel about that?”
Sofia hopped up on Darius’s knee, peered down at the tiny face, and pursed her lips. “A brother is good. We already have lots of girls. Daddy needs another boy.”
Olivia laughed. “You’re right. He’s very outnumbered at the moment.”
“Speaking of numbers, I have a surprise for both of you.” Darius’s blue eyes danced.
“Is it a puppy?” Sofia demanded.
Olivia almost groaned. She’d been after them for a puppy for a while now, but at least she was no longer asking for an elephant.
“No, Mouse. Remember I told you a puppy would be too much work with two babies to look after?”
“Oh. I forgot.” Her face fell. “But Abigail won’t be a baby for long. Can we get one then?”
Darius shook his head, barely suppressing a grin. “We’ll discuss that when she’s older. My surprise is that I’ve found us a new house. It’s big enough for all of us and close to Bennington Place as well.” He looked at Olivia. “If you like it, I’ll put in a bid.”
They’d been living in rather cramped quarters with Darius’s parents, and although Olivia tried to be patient, Darius knew how much she wanted her own house. A home near Bennington Place sounded perfect. Close to Ruth, yet near enough to Darius’s parents that they could visit anytime they wished. And maybe one day, if her own family came around, a place where they could all gather for the holidays.
“I’m sure it’s wonderful. As soon as I’m up and about, I’ll be eager to see it.”
“Me too.” Sofia bounced on her father’s lap, her eyes bright.
Unable to stem the happy tears that welled again, Olivia reached out to touch the girl’s soft curls, basking in the glow of Darius’s warm regard. In the time of her darkest despair, she could never have imagined feeling so loved and protected, the way she felt every time her husband took her in his arms. With Darius, she’d found not only the security and the respectability she craved, but a true haven for her heart. She had no doubt he would cherish it always and do everything in his power to keep it safe.
She smiled into her husband’s eyes. “I never believed I could be this happy. Only God could have dreamed up such blessings for me.”
Darius gazed down at her. “For all of us.”
Then he bent and kissed her again, proving once more that with God’s help and a little courage, love would always be worth the risk.
Acknowledgments
This story was both heartbreaking and inspiring to write, and yet Olivia and Darius have become two of my favorite characters (with Sofia totally capturing my heart as well!).
As usual, many people helped bring this story to life:
Thank you to David Long and Jen Veilleux, my editors at Bethany House. Jen, your thoroughness continues to amaze me! You catch so many details, big and small, that I often overlook. And thank you to the entire team at Bethany House who work so hard to make our books shine. I especially love this cover with Olivia at the gate of the maternity home!
I’d also like to thank my agent, Natasha Kern, for all her hard work and dedication.
My sincerest gratitude goes to my amazing critique partner, Sally Bayless, who gives me such great advice and treats my stories with as much care as her own work.
And, as always, thank you to my family for their love and encouragement. Thanks to my husband, Bud, who went with me on two different research trips to Toronto for this story in order to get the feel of Greektown and Little Italy. It was fun exploring with you!
Thank you to my wonderful readers and influencers. I appreciate you all so much, especially those who take the time to let me know how my stories have impacted them. After all, that’s the reason we write!
Blessings until the next time,
Susan
To learn more about my books, please check out my website at www.susanannemason.net.
Susan Anne Mason describes her writing style as “romance sprinkled with faith.” She loves incorporating inspirational messages of God’s unconditional love and forgiveness into her stories. Irish Meadows, her first historical romance, won the Fiction from the Heartland contest sponsored by the Mid-American Romance Authors chapter of RWA. Susan lives outside Toronto, Ontario, with her husband and two adult children. She loves red wine and chocolate, and is not partial to snow even though she’s Canadian. Learn more about Susan and her books at www.susanannemason.net.
Instagram: Bethany House Fiction
Resources: bethanyhouse.com/AnOpenBook
Newsletter: www.bethanyhouse.com/newsletter
Facebook: Bethany House
Table of Contents
Cover
Half Title Page
Books by Susan Anne Mason
Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
Dedication
A Note from the Author
Prologue
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Back Ads
Back Cover
List of Pages
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
10
3
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241