Love at the Lake
Demi
They say you can see God’s face in Earth’s beauty—see his shadowed countenance on a clear, starry night. But I’m convinced you don’t have to look further than the person who loves you most. For me that person is Gavin. I see God pouring his glory through that achingly kind, gorgeous man. The divine way he moves, the generous way he serves me breakfast each morning—eggs sunny side up with toast, jelly, and a smile. Gavin bled eternal salvation when he rescued me from the most dangerous person of all, myself. It’s true, Gavin testifies to God’s glory by simply being himself. In the end all of my prayers were answered in the most heart-wrenching, spectacular way.
The sun is high this late October morning. Gavin and I rushed around all month getting our paperwork done, blood drawn, and today is the day we’re exchanging I do’s down at the lake. Kennedy insisted on taking care of a few details. I offered to compensate her fully, but she’s insistent that I donate to my favorite charity instead—and I will. Gavin and I created a charity that aids physically and emotionally abused runaways who have nowhere to go. We’ve decided to call it Tuesday’s Child.
I glance out at the paper-white sky. The trees stab into the stratosphere like dark swords still safe in their sheaths. A group of sparrows dart across the way, singing their homage to the maker himself. It’s beautiful. I’m so glad we’ve made Loveless our home.
Caleb is helping Gavin and I convert Winter Haven into a retreat for families with young children, there’s even interest from a local church that would like to use it as a winter camp. We’ve installed an ice skating rink out back and are in the process of building an indoor swimming pool with a full-fledged gym for the guests. That part was Gavin’s idea. An involuntary smile comes to my lips. But the best part of the renovation is what we’ve decided to do with the attic. Gone are the pink padded walls, the bars—the lockdown unit as a whole has been forever dismantled. In its place is a recreation room with pinball machines and a pool table. We’ve outfitted it with three flat screen TVs and rows of theater seating. There’s an empty space just over the fireplace that we’re saving for our wedding picture because true love won out in the end.
We’ve removed those depressing dusty windows and added on an expansive deck. From there you can see all of Hayworth, and at night downtown Brody glitters like stardust. If you look to the left you can see the mountains, and somewhere up at the top of the highest peak sits Lake Loveless. But if you look dead ahead you can see the steel mill. My father’s pride and joy gleams at sunset like a supernova, a star expending all its glory in that one singular place. Standing there, I can almost feel my father bless me with a kiss from heaven. I fought for him and for my mother, for Gavin’s parents, too. All of the sins of the past are washed anew. Winter Haven, the mill, they finally get their happy endings.
In the afternoon, Reese and Kennedy come over and help me with my wedding dress—my mothers. I dug it out of an old storage trunk that was buried deep in the bowels of Winter Haven. It was dusty and musty, but Kennedy helped me get it to a seamstress in town and transformed it into a modern work of art—strapless with a sweetheart neckline, Italian lace that’s been bleached white as snow.
“Wow.” Kennedy shoves her fists onto her hips as she examines me up and down. “Damn, you look hot.”
I give a little twirl in the mirror with my fingers clasped over my mother’s pearl necklace. It oversaw my birth. It’s only fair it should see my wedding. Reese pinned my hair up and secured a long flowing veil over the top. It’s hard not to cry seeing myself looking like a storybook princess especially when my mother and father, Gavin’s mother and father won’t be here to see it.
“Hey?” Reese wraps her arms around me. “Everything is going to be just fine. I promise. That boy loves you like nobody’s business.”
“I know.” Gavin’s love is the fuel that gets me through each and every day.
“It’s time!” Zoey bursts through the door in a tight black dress that screams nightclub more than it does wedding, but I appreciate her effort. I pick up my phone and give a wistful smile. I’ve been texting Eva nonstop since last weekend. A tiny part of me won’t feel settled unless she’s here.
We head out, and I can hear the music coming from the Westfield estate. Kennedy and Reese insisted on hosting the event at their parents’ home. Kennedy starts up the golf cart, and we all hop in with Zoey holding my dress. They offered that I get dressed at their place, but I wanted some of the memories to be from the cabin.
As soon as we pull up to the back of the venue my body electrifies as the music shifts gears to a cheery rhythm—the traditional bridal march. This is happening. Somehow, someway, my life is back on track.
“Hey”—Zoey pulls me in, looking into my eyes with a sincerity I’ve yet to see in her—“Gavin has a little surprise. Try not to lose your shit.” She pretends to dust my shoulder. “It’s your wedding day. Things are supposed to feel magical.” Her lips twist. “Unexpected even.” She takes off down the aisle.
I’ve asked Zoey to stand up for me, and Ace, of course, is Gavin’s best man. Sweet and simple—that’s how we want it.
I peer down as far as my eye can see, and I’m stunned by the bushels of flowers lining the aisle. There’s a behemoth arch comprised of white roses. It looks anything but sweet and simple. It looks like Reese and Kennedy pulled out all the stops, and I’m glad. A storybook love deserves a storybook ending.
Kennedy leads me to the mouth of the petal-laden walkway that trails all the way to the lake.
“Are you ready to do this?” She adjusts my veil one last time.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” I smooth my hands over my mother’s dress, and I feel her. She’s wrapped around me in a haze of love, her lavender scent permeating from out of nowhere. Tears come, and I blink them away.
“Whoa.” A deep voice rumbles from behind and we turn to find Caleb looking fresh from the shower, his signature power suit ready to impress. “Stunning, Ms. Brookhurst.” Caleb smells good, clean. He feels safe and solid as he gives a quick embrace. I steal the moment and pretend it’s my father.
“Thank you,” I whisper. “And you’re the very last person who will ever call me that. Thank you for that, too.”
“No problem. You’re a beautiful bride. Gavin is one lucky groom. Don’t worry. You’ll do great.” He holds his arm out to Kennedy. “You mind?”
She eyes it a moment as if it were a cobra. “Why not?” She turns and blows me a kiss.
The music starts in on a loop, and I walk that aisle on my own. I imagine my mother on one side, my father on the other—their ghostly impressions comfort me, warm me from head to toe as I inch my way toward the makeshift stage set up at the base of the lake. All eyes are on me, so many unfamiliar faces. It looks as if the entire mountain came out to see us. The crowd presses in on me, rousing my anxiety until I’m a bundle of raw nerves. I’m that same frightened child who lost her father. My knees quiver, turn to water, and I’m half afraid I’ll land on my face. I’ll crawl my way to the altar if I have to. Then I see him—Gavin. Those blue eyes have the power to make both the lake and sky envious of their beauty. His rugged frame is all decked out in a gorgeous, black suit. Gavin has cleverly disguised himself as a wedding topper. He’s the traditional groom today with his caramel hair combed back, his face clean-shaven just for the occasion. His shoulders are wide, his chest is expansive, and, suddenly, I’m wishing we took a cue from Ace and Reese and eloped because do I ever want to be alone with this man right now.
A peace that surpasses all understanding floods me as I make my way toward the man of my dreams. His love for me draws me in like a magnet. Our future ripples before us slowly at first, making itself scarcely visible like a reflection over the lake.
In the end, it didn’t matter how we got here. We were simply here. Life gives the strangest gifts, so does death. And, in this case, they teamed up to piece Gavin and I together—two halves of the same broken heart. We fit, and together we’re finally whole.
“Hey, handsome,” I whisper through my panting. My chest pounds so hard I can hear my heartbeat echo in my throat and ears.
“God, you’re beautiful.” Gavin wipes the tears from his eyes. “My princess.” He reaches over and caresses my cheek with the back of his hand. “I have a little surprise for you. Hope you won’t mind.” He nods over to an inflated screen, the size of a house, that’s set up on the lawn behind me.
The surprises in my life haven’t always been so kind, but I trust Gavin, especially on this day.
The screen blinks to life with what looks like an old movie. A sleepy love song plays hypnotic in the background. Then I see him.
“Oh, my God.” My knees buckle as Gavin latches onto my waist from behind. It’s my father. He waves at the camera with his dark hair slicked back, a full grin that takes up his entire face. The camera pans back. He’s wearing a tuxedo, standing in a church, and then it hits me as a beautiful women in white, in this exact same dress, walks down the aisle on the arm of my grandfather—it’s their wedding day.
“Mom,” I whisper. I have never called her that. I never had the privilege to say that word until this very moment. Gavin has given me that gift, and I’ll never forget it, never forget any of this.
Tears pour like rain as we watch a brief montage of my parents’ wedding, their first kiss as Mr. and Mrs. Brookhurst, the cutting of the cake, and them playfully smashing it into one another’s face. My father scoops up his bride, and they wave to the camera, the music cuts out as static fills the air. “It’s time to start my happily ever after,” my father’s voice comes in clear and crisp as if he were standing right here, and I drink it down, let it swill in my mind—my body—like fine wine. I haven’t heard him in so long, and I rearrange the words and sounds until he’s whispering I love you right in my ear. My body lights up with a wave of shock and elation. “I’m off to love my bride.” He kisses my mother as they take off in the night.
A gentle laugh rolls through the crowd, and I give a soft giggle through tears. I had seen old home movies of my mother, but I had never seen her beaming the way she did on her wedding day. I know how she felt, marrying the man of her dreams. Here I am marrying mine.
“That was beautiful.” I sneak a kiss to Gavin’s lips and a small applause breaks out.
“There’s one more.”
I turn back to the screen where the love song bleats through the speakers once again, and this time it’s a different bride and groom exchanging vows. My heart stops. The entire lake hushes to a whisper. That groom bears a striking resemblance to the man I’m about to marry. These are Gavin’s parents.
I want to bury my face in his neck. It’s almost too painful to watch.
He gives a firm squeeze, and we look together as his beautiful mother, in her high collar dress, her pearl dotted sleeves, pledges her undying affection to the man of her dreams. The camera focuses in tight on Gavin’s father, and I gasp at how eerily similar they are. I know those eyes, those lips, that face.
Dear God, I have never seen two people look so much alike.
“Gavin.” His name lingers on my lips with a hint of tragedy in its inflection.
The montage continues with a quick tour of their reception, then the music cuts out as they’re about to pile into his truck.
“So where you headed?” The person manning the video camera asks.
“To heaven.” Gavin’s father gives his bride a quick kiss, and my heart breaks on so many levels.
The videographer chuckles. “How about you, Lena. Anything you’d like to say?”
She blows a kiss. “To future generations of Jacksons! Love with all your heart!” She swoons into her new husband. “Don’t ever let a day go by without saying I love you.” They give a brief wave to the camera before landing one last sweet kiss. The screen cuts out, and everybody in a one-mile radius is soaked with tears.
I spin into Gavin and grip him with an unearthly strength. Our eyes meet, and we hold a solemn gaze, taking in the gravity of who we are, how far we’ve come. Those people, our parents, all of their lives collided in the very worst way, well, maybe with the exception of my mother, but, nevertheless, for me it was the long, thorny road to Gavin’s arms. I’m not sure how horrified I should be, but I’d like to believe that fate would have woven our lives together regardless.
“Thank you,” I mouth.
He gives a gentle nod. His eyes are smiling again. It’s that neat trick I pray he never forgets because it makes me feel special and wanted and loved beyond measure. His hands never leave my waist. Gavin holds me as we exchange vows. The moment he slips that ring on my finger, the sun sets just over the lake, and the water explodes in a flash of golden light. God is blessing us. Heaven has opened up, and our parents are blessing us, too.
We kiss right then with a tangerine halo swallowing us in its glory.
His lips linger over mine, and my mouth falls open. Gavin falls into my world, my life, my soul.
The wind gives an audible roar. It says, welcome to your greatest moment.
Welcome to the rest of your lives.
This is meant to be.
The Westfield’s expansive front lawn has been transformed into a magical wonderland of flowers, twinkle lights, and enough candles to burn down the mountain with one wayward spark.
Dinner is a feast, but I’m too hopped up on my new social upgrade to Mrs. Gavin Jackson to eat a single bite. In fact, I’m far more interested in dessert. This is the happiest day of my life, and I’ve got honeymoon on the brain. Gavin and I are staying right here in Loveless, at the cabin—alone.
I spot Zoey at the end of the buffet hitting on Caleb. Zoey promised no interruptions and vowed to stay put at the boathouse. I think that was her way of letting Gavin know there wouldn’t be any extra curricular sleepovers at Warren’s.
A pair of cool hands slip over my eyes from behind, and a familiar voice hums the word boo right into my ear.
“Eva!” I spin into her. I’d know that raspy, gravely, smoked-a-thousand-cigarettes growl anywhere.
“I missed the wedding. Sorry!” Her tiny lips invert.
“I’m just glad you’re here.” I pull her into a nice, strong hug. Her perfume is harsh and overbearing much like her personality, and I love every lungful of it. “God, I’ve missed you.” Eva is the only family I had for so long. She’ll always be my family, my sister, right along with Zoey now.
She takes a step back with her hair curled tight and sprayed, strong as a helmet, her fuchsia lips cause a riot all on their own.
“Whew!” She shakes her hands as if I were too hot to handle. “You, my friend, make a beautiful bride.”
“Thank you.” I pull Gavin in close. “And he makes a gorgeous groom.”
“Oh, honey”—Eva’s mouth drops open—“he’ll make a hell of a ride.”
“Eva!” I laugh, swatting her. “You’re one hundred percent right.”
“Glad you could make it. It means everything to Demi and me.”
Gavin goes to shake her hand, but in true Eva fashion, she pulls him in hard and fast. Eva has never been shy to reel in a handsome man.
“Oh, hon—if you’re marrying my best friend, you’d better give me a hug because you’re as close to a brother-in-law as I’ll ever get.” She pulls back, inspecting him. Tears refract in her eyes, and a softball stops up my throat at the sight. Eva is tough as iron. It would figure that Gavin has the capability to melt her corroded heart—he did mine.
“And you’re as close to a sister-in-law as I’ll get.” He pats her back. “It’s always nice to meet family.”
Family. My entire body warms at the idea. Gavin and I are building the perfect family with those we care about most. I love that he’s accepting of just about everyone. That’s what I love most about him. He has a genuine heart for people.
Eva plucks at one of her frozen curls, stiff as a pipe cleaner. “It’s sort of my last night on the job.” She holds up her phone. “Got a call right here at the lake tonight.”
“Loveless?” My curiosity is piqued. “Do tell.”
“It’s one of Reeva’s regulars. He wants me to meet him at some boathouse in an hour.”
Gavin and I exchange looks.
“Don’t go.” I take up both her hands. “Where are you staying?”
“I’m in a motel in Brody not far from the old hoe-house.” She makes a face when she says it.
“I got the mill back.”
“You did?” She jumps up onto me, and I carefully pry her off in the event I have a daughter who might want to wear this dress in a few decades. I shoot a sly smile to my groom. I want Gavin’s babies inside me ASAP. “I knew it!” Eva squeals. “I knew you could do it.”
“I’ll get you a position at the plant. Secretarial, shipping and receiving—you name it, it’s yours.” There’s no way I’m letting Eva go back to that lifestyle. Now that fate is dolling out happily ever afters, it’s high time Eva gets hers.
“Really?” Her mouth falls open.
“Really. You can even stay at Winter Haven if you like.”
“The hall of horrors?” She dips her knees with excitement. “You’re the best, Demi!” She wraps her arms around me again, and it’s as if the final piece to the puzzle has fallen into place. Eva will be safe, provided for, loved like a sister—by me.
“Under one condition”—I pull her hand to my chest—“you don’t go to that boathouse. I’ll ask my friend, Kennedy, if she can find you a bed for the night. Stay, enjoy the party.”
Eva’s eyes fill with tears, and she blinks them away. “You know how to make all a girl’s wishes come true.”
“I learned from the best.” I glance to Gavin with a look that says I plan on thanking you properly later. Oh, the sexual places we’ll go. A lewd smile floats up my cheeks at the Suess-esque reference.
“Speaking of you two hooking up.” Eva fumbles around in her purse and pulls out an overstuffed envelope. “It’s all there. I counted twice.” She covers her mouth. “I made it rain, if you know what I mean. Woo!” She throws her hands in the air, and her hips sway to the music. Eva freezes for a second, and her features morph into grief. “You didn’t hear, did you?”
“Hear what?” The girls from Reeva’s pleasure palace run through my mind. I wouldn’t want a thing to happen to any one of them.
“Reeva passed away.”
“What?” My heart sinks.
“I’m sorry, hon! I should never have told you tonight. I didn’t mean to bum you out. She had a stroke, and it was downhill from there.” She shrugs. “She mentioned you the day before it happened. It was the last thing she said to me.”
“What was that?” I lean into Gavin for support.
“She said Demi got it right.” She looks from me to Gavin. “She said true love always wins.”
Eva gives us both a quick hug before heading to the buffet.
Her words resonate like a chorus—true love always wins. Reeva wanted that her whole life and didn’t get it. And on her last day she spoke of me finding it. I turn to Gavin and pick up his hands. We do have it. We have what the entire world is aching for. The stars should be jealous of the way he loves me because the sky doesn’t care for them as much.
I pinch the envelope in my hand. “You mind if we donate this?”
“MS research?” Gavin knows me so well.
I give a weak nod. “I owed her a bit more, so I’ll probably pad it.” Two hundred thousand dollars more to be exact. But I don’t mind. Reeva was always padding things for me. “I think we should get out of here.” I wrap my arms around his neck, and take in how alarmingly sexy this man looks under the silver moonlight.
His lids hood low. “What’s your hurry?” His cheek twitches, and my insides cinch.
Gavin Jackson is a firebrand I’m anxious to sear over my body.
“For one, I have a shiny new husband to make love to.” I graze my nails over the back of his neck. “But, if you want, we can sneak away and have a little fun of our own. He’ll never have to find out.”
Gavin knocks his head back with a lewd grin expanding on his lips. “Caught red-handed, Mrs. Jackson. I’m afraid all the fun you’ll be having from now on will be with me.”
“Sounds like a dream come true.”
“It will be.”
I wrap my hand around his tie and glide my fingers down the length of it. It’s cool, and slick, and deliciously phallic. Everything about Gavin is arousing me on an unnatural level.
“Are you licensed to carry this weapon?” I give his tie a quick yank.
“I have a far more powerful weapon I’m going to pull on you.” He nips a kiss at my ear. “Put in you.” He kisses my lips through his signature grin. “But if you don’t keep still, I’m not above tying you to the bedpost.” He drops a kiss to my collarbone. “I have a belt I can use if you like.”
“Oh, I plan on being very, very restless—and very, very naughty.” I bite my lower lip so hard, my teeth almost puncture through. Gavin has me worked up, ready to consummate our union in the nearest bush. “Hey, how did you get that footage of my parents’ wedding?” I trace his jaw with my finger as we walk into the night.
“While we were rummaging for the dress, I stumbled upon an old VHS tape. The idea hit me right then. I shoved it in my jacket, and the rest is history.”
“Our history.” I jump up and kiss his cheek. “It was the best present ever.” I dip my gaze below his hips a moment. “You think you can top that?”
“If not I’ll spend the rest of my life trying.” He grazes his teeth over my neck. “I sort of like you on top anyway.”
“As you wish.” My hand glides down his back, and I hook my fingers in the seam of his pants. “I sort of have a present for you, too.” I wince because I’m not exactly sure how he’ll react. “I bought Jackson’s Lumber back for you.”
His brows rise. He looks amused more than anything else, since we’ve already made Warren four ridiculous offers.
“What did it finally take?” He rubs his eyes trying to hide his frustration with Warren McCarthy.
“Twenty thousand.”
“That was our first offer.” He looks skeptical, and he should.
“He said he’d take it if I made him my new accountant. And, since I don’t want anything to do with any of Nora’s hired hands—I agreed. Do you think he’ll steal?”
“No. But we’d better watch him anyway.” Gavin dips his lips to the hollow of my neck. “Thank you.”
“I just wanted to make sure everything got to where it was supposed to be.”
“I think we’re supposed to be somewhere.” His gaze drills into mine. His eyes are flirting, amused, smiling, and it sets off a firestorm in my stomach.
We head toward the cabin and walk straight into Ace, Reese, and Kennedy down near the shore.
“You did it!” Reese gives us both a hug. “Welcome to the club.”
“Way to make me feel left out.” Kennedy lifts her face to the moon as if she were taking in the rays.
“It’s not all about you, Ken.” Reese gives her a light knock with her arm. “It’s about me.” She winks.
I fill Kennedy in on needing a place for Eva and point her out as she quickly becomes a one-woman show on the dance floor.
“No problem.” Kennedy turns a shoulder up at Reese. “See? I won’t be alone tonight after all.”
Caleb comes by and joins our circle. “I’m taking off. Good job, you two. Have fun tonight. Keep it G.” He socks Gavin in the arm. “Kidding.”
“Thank you for everything. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.” It’s true. Gavin and I owe just about everything to Caleb.
“Just name your firstborn after me, and we’ll call it even.” He nods at the others before taking off.
Reese leans into her stepsister. “And there he goes.”
I gasp at the thought. “Do you have a thing for Caleb?” Holy crap, Kennedy so has a thing for Caleb. I can see her eyes getting all swirly and little pink hearts shooting out of them like a cartoon. Caleb and Kennedy would be perfect.
“I don’t have a thing for Caleb McCarthy.” She shakes her head a little too aggressively. “For one, he’s a McCarthy. And two, he’s”—she racks her brain for something to add to the list—“he’s an ass. Really, I can’t stand him. He’s twice as self-absorbed as his stupid twat of a cousin. In fact, I think I’d rather date Warren.”
“Me thinks you protest too much.” I glance over at Gavin. “Sort of the way I did in the beginning.”
And with that, we say goodnight and start in on the walk home under a starry, starry night.
No need for wishes.
I’m Mrs. Gavin Jackson.
All of my wishes have already come true.