AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That’s what I told him,” Candace said. “I told him he didn’t have to worry. That you would love it.”
“I really do.” Kayleigh gave Hudson another hug because she just couldn’t not hug him whenever possible.
They spent the next little while chatting with her siblings and showing off her beautiful ring. And then it was on to the lovely barbecue her parents had prepared for everyone.
“Alexander wanted to put on a huge fireworks display,” Hudson said as they sat close together at one of the picnic tables once they were done eating. The heaters on the patio were keeping them warm, and strings of lights illuminated the space. “But apparently, the type he wanted to have is illegal around here.”
“Oh, that would have been lovely,” Kayleigh said as she leaned against him, watching as Xander, Sabrina, and Jayden roasted marshmallows at the firepit with Layla and Peyton. “But honestly, all of this is just amazing. Thank you for agreeing to have it.”
“Thank you for saying yes, so this didn’t turn into just a joint family barbecue.”
She angled herself to look at him. “Did you really think I might say no?”
“Well, we hadn’t talked a lot about marriage,” he said, his gaze shifting to where Alexander and Candace were sitting and talking with her parents. “So it was possible that you might have wanted to wait a bit longer before committing to an engagement.”
“I’m glad you went ahead, anyway. I’ve been praying about our future, so I feel very much at peace about this.”
“Me too,” Hudson murmured. “Now we need to pick a wedding date.”
“We can do that tomorrow.” Kayleigh settled back against his side, her gaze once again drifting over their families. “Tonight, I just want to enjoy being with you and our family.”
Hudson kept his arm around her throughout the evening. Though normally Kayleigh would have preferred to have Hudson to herself after him being away for so long, she didn’t mind sharing him with those they loved that night.
Layla and Sabrina took charge of roasting marshmallows, then fashioning them into s’mores for Kayleigh and Hudson. They laughed their way through eating them, getting marshmallow stuck on their fingers, then sharing a sticky, chocolatey kiss.
It was a wonderful time, and Kayleigh couldn’t wait to see how their families continued to interact in the years to come. They seemed to get along really well, and that made her very happy.
But what made her happiest of all was the man at her side. She hadn’t felt discontent before meeting him. But now that their lives had intertwined so closely, she couldn’t imagine living without him, and she hoped she’d never have to experience that.
And however hard it was, she was going to try her best not to worry that something might rob them of their future together. Like Hudson, she believed God had brought them together, so she would trust that He would continue to guide them as they sought His will for their lives.
The best part was knowing that she wouldn’t be alone in desiring God’s will for their relationship, like she would have been had she compromised her beliefs. And she’d be forever grateful that God had given her the strength to stand strong, even as He’d led Hudson through his anger and grief back to Him and then back to her.
Their faith in God and love for each other were both stronger for having undergone those trials, and they would be a firm foundation for the years to come. Years they’d spend together.
~*~ The End ~*~
