Chapter Fourteen

Setting up for the dance was a lot of fun, and a lot of work. Even with the volunteers, who had turned out in force, Valerie wasn’t sure they were going to get everything in place before their guests started arriving at 7:00. Sophie was there, along with Frank and his wife, and they were still struggling. However, some last minute reinforcements from Mrs. Gregory’s church showed up, and by the time Valerie snuck off to change into her dress, the place was stunning.

The grandfather clocks were set up around the room, draped in real rose garlands Macey had provided. There was a photo op area near the entrance with one of the clocks and a backdrop Mrs. Carpenter had gotten from a local photographer showing a field of red roses. Macey and Valerie had added a banner that read “Timeless Memories” over the top and some other various props, including different wigs, boas, funny glasses, and moustaches the dancers could put on before posing. One of the volunteers from the Methodist Church said he’d man the camera. Valerie knew there’d be a lot of memories made there tonight.

On the tables, red and white table clothes were adorned with the clocks Melody’s mother had let them borrow. They were surrounded by a mixture of real and silk flowers, some petals, and battery-operated tea light candles.

The lighting Mr. Nelson had rigged up was really spectacular. What appeared to be thousands of twinkling lights glowed above their heads, expertly draped across and around the dance floor so that not a corner of the room wasn’t elegantly lit. Mr. Nelson appeared to be having the time of his life working out exactly where to put them and how to make sure they all had power.

Alec had spent the majority of his afternoon being the legs for Mr. Nelson, climbing up and down the ladder at the older man’s suggestion. While Valerie wished she’d had more of a chance to talk to him, it was just as well. She felt a little awkward, even though she knew she shouldn’t. He smiled at her several times, though, and each time her heart flittered in her chest. Her imagination was running wild with possibilities of what might happen later on that night, but something told her it would be a perfect evening, something beyond her wildest dreams.

Once everything was in place, Mrs. Gregory sent her off to change. She looked around the room one last time, not only looking to make sure everything was all set, but also hoping to catch another glimpse of Alec. She didn’t see him anywhere, though, so she assumed he may have also gone off to change clothes as well. He’d been wearing jeans and a button down shirt, which he looked amazing in, but she was sure he’d want to wear something a little dressier for this occasion.

Her gown was in one of the back rooms, along with everything else she’d need to fix herself up. Mrs. Carpenter assured her it would be a good place to get changed because there was a full-length mirror in the corner, and Valerie had agreed. She threw the lock on the door and rushed to get into the gown.

Once she was fully dressed, she took a look at herself in the mirror and couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The gown fit perfectly, and the shoes made her look elegant. The jewelry was perfect as well. Frank and his wife had done an excellent job of selecting items that made her feel like a fairy princess.

Valerie put her hair up in a chignon and kept it in place with a dozen bobby pins. She touched up her makeup and made her eyes look a little smokier. The final touch was a fresh spritz of her cupcake hair perfume, which she knew Alec liked so well.

She hurriedly stuffed all of her items into a duffel bag she’d brought along and slipped her phone into the sparkly pink clutch. With one more glance in the mirror, she said, “Father, thank you for Frank and all of the people who have done their best to make this holiday special for me. Don’t let them be disappointed either! Please, let this be a night I’ll never forget!”

The music was already playing when she stepped into the room. Alec was saying something to the dancers who were spinning around the dance floor, more guests coming in the door each moment, but when he looked up and caught sight of her, he stopped. His eyes were wide, and his mouth hung open for a moment. She wasn’t sure, but she thought he muttered, “Holy moly,” into the microphone before catching himself and finishing his statement, welcoming everyone to the dance and encouraging them to have fun.

He had changed clothes as well, and she couldn’t believe how handsome he looked in a black suit with a red tie, contrasted against his white shirt as it was set off by the twinkling lights. His green eyes shimmered, and as she crossed the dance floor, she was hopeful that the dancers would avoid her as she had eyes for no one else.

She stopped at the edge of his DJ table, and even though he was working, he slid his headphones off and approached her. “Valerie,” he said standing before her, “you look absolutely stunning.”

“Thank you,” she replied, smiling up at him as she carefully placed the clutch on the edge of the table. “Frank sure knows how to pick out a dress.”

“Frank?” Alec asked, clearly confused.

“Yes. It was him all along. Frank was my secret Cupid.”

Alec looked almost as shocked as she had been to find out the truth. “Really?” he asked, a smile slowly spreading across his handsome face.

“Yes. He reminded me that a Cupid helps other people find love. And that’s what he was hoping to do by giving me a little boost in my confidence.”

Alec nodded. “Well, that Frank sure is some guy.”

“Yes, he is.”

“And he definitely has great taste in evening gowns.”

“I think Mrs. Bishop might’ve been a little help with that, actually.”

Alec laughed. “That’s probably true.” The song was beginning to fade. “Can you give me just one second?” he asked.

“I’ll wait right here.”

His grin widened as he recognized the very same phrase he’d used just a few days ago in the diner when she’d come around the counter to hug him.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we’re so happy you’re joining us tonight for a very special Valentine’s Dance. If you came here with a date or a special someone, now is the time to grab their hand and make your way onto the dance floor. This next song is dedicated to the only girl I want to dance with tonight.” The beginnings of “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” began to play as he added, “Valerie, this one’s for you.”

Usually, his demeanor was different when he wasn’t talking into the microphone, but as Alec set his headphones aside and returned to face her, that confidence he’d always seemed to lack before was certainly present. “Valerie, may I have this dance?” he asked, offering her his hand.

She slid her hand into his and replied, “I thought you’d never ask.”

With a laugh, he led her onto the dance floor. Without the restriction of the headphones, he could twirl her around uninhibited, and Valerie felt like she was floating on air. As Elvis began his second verse, Alec pulled her close. “Valerie, you should know, Frank might’ve been your Cupid, but I’ve been your secret admirer for longer than I can remember. I don’t know why I’ve never been able to find the words to tell you before, but I’m ready to tell you now. I love you, Valerie. And I want you to be my Valentine—not just today, but every day. Forever. I hope that doesn’t come as too much of a shock….”

She couldn’t let him finish, let him slip back into that mode of self-doubt. “I love you, too, Alec,” she interrupted. “I don’t know why I never noticed before how amazing you are, but as soon as I heard you volunteer to help with this dance, something happened, and I began to realize, what I’ve been searching for my whole life was standing right in front of me. I will definitely be your Valentine for as many years as you will be mine.”

Alec’s handsome face broke into a smile. “I can’t tell you how long I’ve been waiting to hear that.”

Valerie slid even further into his arms, tightening her grip on his shoulders as she did so.

As Elvis broke into his last refrain, Alec said, “Now there’s just one more thing I’ve been waiting forever to do.”

“What’s that?” Valerie asked, looking into his emerald green eyes.

Without a reply, Alec leaned down and gently placed his lips on hers. Valerie slid her hand up to the back of his head and pulled him in closer, the feel of his soft lips on hers sending sparks down her spine. Even though she could hear the crowd around them erupting into applause, she didn’t want to let go as Alec pulled away. They both blushed, but Valerie couldn’t help but giggle with glee.

“I love you, Valerie, my Valentine,” Alec whispered into her ear.

“I love you, too.”

Alec pulled her close again and found her lips one more time, ignoring the cheers of the crowd. Not only would tonight be full of timeless memories, it would be the beginning of a love that would last a lifetime, of that, Valerie was certain. From now on, Valentine’s Day would be the best day of the year.

The End.

A Note From the Author:

Thank you so much for reading Waiting On Love! I hope that you found Valerie and Alec’s story to be heartwarming. Please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers to know whether or not this book is right for them. They also let me know what you like about the series. There are seven more books to come, so I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can leave your review here:

The next book in the series follows Alec’s sister Erin O’Connell as she travels to Ireland to visit her grandparents over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday. Will she be lucky in love or return to Charles Town heartbroken?

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This book is dedicated to my friend Amanda who is awesome in every way!

Special thanks to my amazing editor Lauren Yearsley Morgan and my family!

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