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I write sweet, clean Christian romance novels that demonstrate the power of love and grace… and won’t make your grandmother blush ;)
I write sweet, clean Christian romance novels that demonstrate the power of love and grace… and won’t make your grandmother blush ;)
Cassie stood in front of the full-length mirror on her closet door, admiring the cut and sway of her dress. It was a swirl of chiffon with a modest V at the neckline and a stunning lace overlay on both the bodice and the sleeves.
She’d ordered it online—it had cost less than two hundred dollars, shipping included!—and hoped for the best. It had exceeded all of her expectations, and she couldn’t wait to see Devin’s face when she walked down to meet him on the beach.
Her parents had left their cruise early so they could be here for the ceremony and help Aunt Mirriam watch the kids during Devin and Cassie’s short honeymoon in Niagara Falls.
She couldn’t believe how quickly this wedding had come together. It was late September now, just one month after she’d brought Tyler home for good. Pastor Nate from Wychmere Community Church was officiating their beachfront ceremony, and then everyone would come back to the dining hall for an Italian buffet with breadsticks, salad, five pasta entrees and cannoli and panna cotta for dessert. Later, after the speeches but before DJ Walt kicked off the dancing, she and Devin would cut their cake, which Aurora from Sandpiper Sweets had made custom for them: white cake with white chocolate ganache and a tower of vanilla bean and rose macarons on top.
Collin, Tyler’s biological father, was here for the weekend. He’d come to visit a couple of times before this, and he was a sweet kid. Since he had no family and nowhere to go during college breaks, Devin and Cassie had already invited him to join Camp Piper as a counselor next summer, and to spend Christmas with them this year.
Hailey knocked on the door. She was bouncing on her toes, her purple chiffon dress rippling as she moved. “Are you ready? Are you ready?”
Cassie swooped over and enveloped her in a hug. “Look at you! So pretty!”
“Daddy said I can call you my mom after the ceremony!”
“You can, honey. You absolutely can.”
Hailey squealed. Her hair was up in a French braid updo with a couple of sweet little flowers pinned behind her ears. “Then let’s go!”
Laughing, Cassie grabbed her hand and led her out into the living room, where her mother and Aunt Mirriam were waiting. Both their eyes welled with tears as she approached. “Oh,” Aunt Mirriam sighed. “Lovely. Just lovely.”
Cassie had had a big, expensive dress when she’d married Jared, a big bridal party and a big, expensive reception, but today—although some people might call their celebration bare bones—everything felt both cozier and more authentic.
And being here at Camp Piper, where their love story had begun, was way more meaningful than any fancy wedding destination in the world.
Outside, Jonah, Alex and Cassie’s dad were waiting. Jonah had Tyler in his arms; he was going to carry him down the aisle and hold him during the vows.
“You look beautiful, sweetheart,” her dad said, his eyes brimming with emotion. Then he held out his arm. “Shall we?”
Cassie slipped her arm into his. She’d hoped her parents would cut their cruise short for the wedding, but she hadn’t been sure. After all, this wasn’t her first time down the aisle.
Her mom, aunt, siblings and Hailey walked toward the beach in front of her and her dad. “I’m really glad you’re here, Dad.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Her dad looked tanned and happy from his time on vacation, and Cassie thought he’d probably lost a good ten pounds.
“I have to say, retirement certainly agrees with you.”
He chuckled. “That it does, my girl. That it does. Your mom and I are actually thinking…”
Cassie cocked her head to the side, waiting.
Her father waved his hand. “Well, it can wait until after your big day.”
“Don’t leave me hanging! Tell me now.”
“We’re thinking of buying a condo in Florida and becoming snow birds.”
Cassie’s eyes widened. “Wow.”
“Good wow?” he asked. “Bad wow?”
She wasn’t sure how she felt about it, but if her parents wanted to retire to Florida, who was she to stand in their way? They’d earned it. “Just wow. We’ll miss you.”
“We’ll still be here for six months out of the year. Which is good, because now that we have these adorable grandkids, we’re going to spoil them rotten!”
“Dad!” She laughed and swatted at his arm. “Don’t you dare!”
He smirked and shrugged. “Grandparents’ prerogative.”
She shook her head. “I guess.”
They could see the ocean now, the sparkling blue expanse spread out before them. Cassie could see their little group gathered on the beach, see the wedding arbor that had been fashioned out of driftwood and decorated with flowers and gauzy purple ribbons that were blowing in the breeze.
Devin was there in smart pressed khaki pants and a crisp white shirt. His tie was purple to match Hailey’s dress. Cassie’s heart lifted. Her groom. The father of her children. The love of her life.
“Are you going to give me the same speech you did when I married Jared?” she asked.
Her dad shook his head. “Don’t need to.”
“Really?” She lifted an eyebrow. “You were pretty intent on getting me to hear you out that day.”
“Yes, well. You’re older now. Wiser. And this time you’ve chosen a man who treasures you. So I can give you away happily and enthusiastically, knowing that he’ll be there for you always, come what may.”
“Dad.” Teary-eyed, she pressed a hand to her heart.
“Jared wasn’t all bad,” he said, “and sure, he made a lot of money. But he wasn’t good enough for you, sweetheart. I knew it then, and I knew it even more when you re-introduced your mother and me to Devin the other night. You did good this time, baby girl. You lived and learned and now you’ve found your perfect match. What more could a father ask for?”
And as Pachelbel’s Canon in D started and Devin turned to see her in her wedding dress for the first time, Cassie knew that her father was right. This right here? This was forever. This was for always.
This, she thought, amazed at God’s beautiful handiwork in her life, was real, enduring love.
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