AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I made my way into the park and over to Bethesda Fountain and started looking for Carter amongst the groups of people that were there. When I didn’t see him, I took a seat on a park bench and listened to the sounds of the people surrounding me. I heard my cell phone ping. A message from Carter populated on my screen, letting me know he should be here shortly; he was stuck in traffic.
I smiled and quickly texted a response, letting him know where I was sitting.
While waiting, I watched some performers around the fountain entertaining some people. I took in the pretty colors of fall that were surrounding me. The fact that this little piece of heaven could exist in such a busy city always amazed me. I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see these three musicians standing behind me holding their instruments. “May we play for you, miss?”
I wasn’t sure what to say. I thought it was a little strange that out of all the people here, they chose me. I looked around the park for Carter. When I didn’t see him, I smiled and nodded. “Sure.”
“Do you have any requests, miss?”
“No. Play whatever you would like.” I smiled.
As they started to play, I realized the song sounded very familiar to me, but I couldn’t remember where I had heard it. I sat and listened, letting the music flow through me just like I used to do. I felt a strong hand grip my shoulder. It was a touch that I would know anywhere, and I looked up only to see his handsome, chiseled face looking down on me.
“Good evening, princess.” He leaned in and brushed his lips over mine. “Not sure if you remember this song or not. I watched you sway to this song that night in Joe’s, the night you came back to me for good.”
I listened harder and realized it was that Nick Santino song. I hadn’t heard it in years.
“You don’t know this, but this song holds a very special place in my heart, Hope, because the words are exactly how I felt for those dreaded three years that you weren’t with me.” He kneeled onto one knee in front of me and pulled my hands into his. “I never want to feel that way ever again.”
“Me neither.”
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a little black box, popping it open. Inside, nestled between two little black velvet cushions, sat a beautiful princess-cut diamond solitaire.
“I couldn’t afford this when we got engaged the first time, but thirteen years later I can, so I was hoping you would do me the honor of renewing our vows.”
I felt the tears slip from my eyes and trail down my cheeks. He reached up and ran the pad of his thumb over my cheek as the music continued to play in the background. “No more tears.”
“Yes,” I cried, wrapping my arms around him. He stood up, pulling me with him, holding me against him. In front of all the people in the park, we started dancing together to the same song we danced to that night years ago.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Hope
We had been back fromNew York for a month, and things between Carter and I couldn’t have been better. Having decided to wait to tell Carter the news until I had received confirmation, I visited my doctor’s office.
I checked the clock—it was almost eight. Carter was working late and had called earlier to let me know he would be home around nine.
“Come on, girls. It’s time for bed,” I said, shutting off the TV.
“Ah, Mom, we want to wait up for Daddy.”
“Not tonight, girls. You both have school in the morning. Now let’s go upstairs and brush our teeth.”
I walked behind them both as they slowly made the climb to the second floor and went to the bathroom. It took ten minutes before they were both ready to climb into bed. I sat down on Mackenzie’s bed, pulling the covers up and over her and kissing her good night on the cheek. Then I made my way to Kendall’s bed. Picking up and placing her favorite teddy bear in her arms, I kissed her good night.
I walked over to the door, shut the light off, and stood and watched them. They were both almost asleep by the time I left. I had just shut the door to their room when I heard the door open and close downstairs.
I ran into our bathroom and ran a brush through my hair before making my way downstairs. “Welcome home,” I said as I stepped off the last step. “You hungry?”
“Starving. I’ll be right there, just going to drop this stuff in my office.”
I nodded and made my way to the kitchen to heat up his dinner. My stomach rolled with nerves as I waited for him, the smell of roast beef upsetting my stomach as I set the hot plate on the table.
“Smells great.” He walked into the kitchen and sat down. I watched as he removed his tie and set it on the table beside his plate. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Yeah, why?” I set the glass I had been sipping water from on the counter and turned to look at him.
“Last time you had that look on your face around roast beef you were pregnant with Mackenzie and Kendall,” he chuckled to himself and stabbed into the meal that sat before him.
