Mitch walked from the warmth of the home C&M was renovating into the cold December morning. Without fail, the change of temperature always brought to mind Ryan. He’d wonder if his brother was cold or warm. Did he feel the change of temperature? It was the same with eating. When Mitch ate anything, he would wonder if Ryan had food and clean water. When he’d go to bed at night, he’d wonder if Ryan had a decent place to sleep. Thoughts of his brother plagued him throughout each and every day.
It had been three months since they’d received the news about the disappearance of Ryan and his team. Most the team had since been released, but Ryan and one other man were still missing. Some days the agony of not knowing his whereabouts was almost overwhelming. But they pressed on.
After the family had spent three days together at the house, each of them had agreed that they had to get back to their normal routines. Ryan wouldn’t have wanted them to put their lives on hold. So, they’d gone back to work and moved forward, praying each day that they would hear good news about Ryan. But days had turned into weeks and weeks to months. With news of the release of each of the other team members, hope would soar, only to be dashed when there was no news about Ryan.
Mitch shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket while he waited for the truck to warm up. When his phone rang, he pulled it out of his pocket, smiling when he saw Princess on the screen, overlaying his favorite picture of Belle.
“Hello, love,” he said as he answered it. “How’s your day?”
“Better now that I’m talking to you,” Belle said. “Actually, it hasn’t been that bad. Just working on a wedding plan with Kelly. It’s one of the more challenging events, but it will be fine.”
“Did you want to meet for lunch? Or dinner?” Mitch paused. “Or both?”
“Both would be lovely, but I may only be able to swing dinner,” Belle said with a sigh.
As much as the past three months had been difficult for Mitch because of Ryan’s disappearance, they had been made bearable because of Belle’s presence in his life. They’d spent a lot of time together. He’d been by her side at the grand opening of the new site, and it seemed that changing location hadn’t negatively affected the business at all. If anything, Belles & Beaus was busier than ever.
During that time, he’d watched as Belle had begun to make changes to her life. She still had busy weekends, but slowly but surely, she was passing over many responsibilities to her new assistant, Kelly. That, plus the fact that the busy wedding and construction season was over, meant they’d both had more free time. And they’d made good use of that time, spending much of it with each other. Sometimes going out to the movies together or to hockey games with the family. Maya’s dad had a permanent box for home games which made those evenings with the family, fun. Especially when Kenton’s team came to town to play the Jets.
His favorite times with Belle, though, were when they’d go out for dinner and talk, usually staying right until the restaurant’s closing time. One thing became more certain to Mitch after each and every one of those evenings. He wanted a future together with Belle, and he wanted it to start sooner rather than later.
Though Maya and Gabe hadn’t said anything to him, Belle had let it slip that Maya had asked her to put a hold on their wedding plans. Mitch knew that Ryan wouldn’t have liked that, so he’d gone to them to ask what their plans were. That conversation had started a ball rolling, but in order for it to really pick up steam, he needed to do his part. Which was what he hoped to do that evening if Belle agreed to meet him.
“Dinner at six then?” Mitch asked.
“Sounds good. Where are we going?”
“Would you like to choose? What are you in the mood for?”
“Not sure at the moment. Can I decide later? Once I’ve finished my day? What I want may have changed by that point.”
Mitch laughed. “As long as you promise to pick the place where you really want to eat, it’s all good with me.”
“I love that you’re so easy to please, babe. Makes my life a whole lot simpler.”
“You’re pretty easy to please, too,” Mitch replied with a grin. “For a princess.”
“Hey, now.” Her protest was only half-hearted since they both knew that there were times when she wasn’t so easy to please.
There were still times when something would trigger her anxiety, which in turn brought her stubbornness, and sometimes anger, to the forefront. But Mitch was learning what to do for Belle at those times. How to be there for her in the best way. Sometimes it was taking her out and offering her a distraction. Sometimes it was just listening while she vented.
Whatever it was, Mitch was happy to do what he could for her. It was good to feel needed, especially by someone as confident and self-assured as Belle. That she allowed herself to be vulnerable to him was a true gift. One he never took advantage of, and one he planned never to abuse.
“Give me a call when you decide where you want to go, and I’ll be around to pick you up.”
“Okay. Love you.”
Mitch knew he’d never tire of hearing those words from her, just like he’d never tire of saying them to her. “I love you, too, sweetheart.”
At one time in his life, Mitch would have said that when he proposed, it would involve a super romantic restaurant, flowers, and a well-rehearsed speech. But since he knew that none of those things impressed Belle, he’d decided to propose in a much simpler way. One that he knew would please her.
Not that he’d totally forgo romance, of course, but instead of a full court press, it would be just a touch. Although he really did hope that she didn’t choose fast food for their dinner. He could cut down on the romantic gestures, but a proposal under the golden arches or at some other fast food restaurant might be a bit too skimpy on romance, even for Belle.
Belle said goodnight to the staff who were still in the shop before heading out to her car, grateful she’d used command start so that it had a chance to warm up. Even though it was just after five o’clock, it was already dark, and had been for almost half an hour. The huge windows on the wall of her office gave her a front row seat to day slipping into night, especially during these short winter days. And they would get shorter still until closer to Christmas.
Thankfully, it didn’t take too long to get home, so she had time to change into a pair of fitted dark jeans and a lavender colored turtleneck. It wasn’t super fancy, but it was comfortable after a long day in her suit. And she hoped that Mitch didn’t mind that they were once again going to Mongo’s. It had been where they’d gone for their first date—and it had been a date, she knew that now—and where they’d returned several times over the past few months.
When the buzzer to the building went a short time later, Belle was just tugging her knee-high boots into place. She pressed the button to let Mitch in, then pulled on her jacket. When he knocked on the door, she opened it with a smile on her face. Just thinking about him did that to her.
“Hey, Princess,” Mitch said as he took her in his arms and pressed a kiss to her lips. “You ready to go?”
Belle squeezed him tight then moved out of his embrace to grab her purse. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Mitch took her hand as they walked down the hallway to the elevator, sharing a bit about his day as they went. It was something she enjoyed, the sharing about their days. Neither understood everything about each other’s work, but Belle had no problem listening to Mitch recount how good or bad his day had been and why. He was also way more patient listening to her tell him about her job than Andre had ever been even though they’d actually been in the same business.
“So you’re hungry for stir-fry?” Mitch said as he opened the door to the truck.
Belle grasped the handle and pulled herself up onto the seat. “I am. It’s been a busy week. Spending time with you while eating food I didn’t cook is the best thing I could ask for.” She leaned forward to rest her hand against his cheek. “Feed me, Prince Charming.”
Friday night traffic made for a slow trip to the restaurant, but Belle didn’t mind. The Christmas lights were up on the light posts along the main streets now, and there were plenty of lights on houses along the way. Christmas trees lit up many windows, much like the ones that lit up the windows of Belles & Beaus. Though she could take no credit for those. Jasmine and the other staff had set them up and then decorated them with silver and blue decorations.
However, she had helped set up two Christmas trees so far that season. The one at her apartment with Mitch and Jasmine’s help, and then she’d been with Mitch at the Callaghan home to set up theirs. That had been a difficult evening. Everyone had tried to enter into the Christmas spirit, but even though she had never been part of the tradition, Belle knew that there had been a damper on the occasion. And she hadn’t missed the tears that had glistened in more than one person’s eyes that night.
Every day she prayed that news would come for the Callaghan family. Good news. Having spent time with them over the past several months, she was aware of the adversities they’d already faced as a family. She had a hard time believing that God would allow one more thing to befall their family. What would it do to them if Ryan didn’t come home safely?
Once at the restaurant, they were shown to a table similar to the one they’d sat at their first time at the restaurant. Since they’d been there before, it wasn’t long before they had filled their bowls and were back at the table with their freshly cooked food. There was a steady hum of conversation from the tables around them, but they were still able to talk and be heard without having to raise their voices.
When they were done, Belle thought they’d settle in with dessert and coffee and chat for a bit, so she was surprised when Mitch said, “Are you interested in going to see the light display out on Portage? Maybe we could grab some coffee on the way. Some donuts?”
Belle considered it for a minute, her mind changing gears, then nodded. “Sure. That sounds like fun. It’s been a couple of years since I last went.”
“I know that we usually hang out here until closing, but while coming to pick you up I heard a commercial for the light display and thought this might be a fun change.”
Though it was a cold night, the truck warmed up quickly, and stopping to get a couple of large coffees and a box of Timbits made it even better. There weren’t too many vehicles lined up, so it wasn’t long before Mitch was slowly guiding the truck along the route of the light display. With Christmas music coming through the speakers, Belle found that it put her even more in the festive spirit.
At one point in the drive, there was a place where cars could pull off, allowing others to continue through the display. Belle glanced over at Mitch when he pulled in behind a minivan that was parked in the pull-off area.
When he didn’t look at her, Belle said, “Mitch? Are you okay?”
“More than okay.” He looked at her then and smiled. “I’m just thinking back over the past few months. They’ve been difficult, but you’ve made them bearable for me.”
Belle reached over and laid her hand on his arm. “I know it’s been hard for you and your family. If I’ve helped at all with that, I’m thankful. You mean the world to me, Mitch. More than I ever thought someone who wasn’t related to me, could.”
“I feel the same way. I’d been waiting a long time for you, Belle. It felt like forever, in fact. From the moment I first saw you, I knew you were different from other women I knew.”
“You’re not the first to tell me that,” Belle said with a laugh.
Mitch smiled at her. “But for me, you were different in the most perfect way. My heart knew it had found its match when I met you.”
He turned his hand over, palm up on the console, and Belle slid her fingers between his. “I’m sorry it took me awhile to come around. It wasn’t that I didn’t feel the same way. I was just too scared to trust my heart again.”
“I knew that, and I understood why,” Mitch said as he gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. “I’m just glad it all worked out in the end because I’d really like to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Belle stared at him, her heartbeat picking up its pace. It was how she felt too, but she wasn’t sure if Mitch was just saying that in passing, or if… No. She was pretty sure that if Mitch were going to propose, it would involve a romantic dinner, flowers and maybe even a serenade of some sort. Mitch’s idea of a romantic proposal wouldn’t be sitting beside the road at a light show, though that would be perfectly fine with her.
“I realize we haven’t known each other long, and we’ve been together even less time, but already I can’t imagine my life without you.” Illuminated by the lights on the displays around them, Belle saw Mitch’s gaze drop to where their hands rested entwined on the console between their seats. “I’m hoping you feel the same way about me because I’d really love it if you’d agree to be my wife.”
Mitch lifted their hands and pressed a kiss to the back of hers.
“Are you seriously proposing? Or is this a precursor to a proposal?”
His brows rose at her question. “Why would you ask that?”
“Because I would have thought that if you proposed, it would be with all the bells and whistles.”
This time Mitch frowned. “Is that what you want?”
“Not at all, but then I’m not the one in charge of the proposal, am I?”
“No. No, you’re not,” Mitch said with a grin. “Well, at least not the asking part, but you are still in charge of the answering part.”
Belle loved Mitch all the more in that moment, realizing that he’d given up his own dream of a romantic proposal to give her what he knew she would prefer. An intimate setting, without an audience. Something that was just between the two of them.
“I’d better get on with that part then, I suppose, eh?” Belle leaned forward, grateful when Mitch met her halfway. Just before she pressed her lips to his, she whispered, “Yes.”
The kiss they shared filled Belle with warmth. The love she felt for him swelled even more, filling every corner of her being. It was more than she had ever imagined being able to love another person.
When the kiss ended, and they moved back a bit from each other, Belle gave him a grin. “You know, I didn’t expect that you’d give up on all the traditions of a proposal.”
“What do you mean? I popped the question. You said yes. I gave you…” Mitch shoved his hand into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small box. “The ring!”
He released her hand to open the box and remove the ring. When he held it up, the diamond glinted softly in the lights around them. Mitch took her hand and slid the ring onto her finger.
“There. Now I’ve got it all covered,” Mitch said as he lifted her hand and kissed it.
“You certainly have.” Belle looked at the ring, wishing there was no console between them so she could hug him. “It’s so beautiful, babe.”
“Just like you, sweetheart. Just like you.” Mitch leaned close, sliding his hands up to cup her face and then kissed her again. Softly and gently, he pressed his lips to hers. Belle grasped his wrists as she returned the kiss, poring all her emotions into the act, joyful with the anticipation of what was to come for them.
Mitch stared in the mirror of the bathroom as he pulled his suit jacket onto his shoulders and then did the buttons up. He smoothed his hands down over the suit and noticed that Gabe was doing the same thing. In a room not far from the bathroom they were sharing, their family, along with Maya’s and Belle’s, had gathered to ring in the new year.
When Maya had told her dad that she wanted to have a New Year’s Eve party, he’d set them up in a private room in one of the restaurants he owned. It was an expensive place on the top floor of a hotel—which he also owned—that provided a stunning view of the city. The room itself was as intimate as a place big enough to hold sixty to seventy people could be. There were windows along one wall that looked out toward The Forks. The wall next to it held a large stone fireplace with a huge wooden mantel above it.
The restaurant was catering the party which had started at nine. Because of the situation with Ryan, none of them had wanted to spend New Year’s Eve with anyone but family and close friends. So Maya had decided to keep their party low-key, even if it was held at a posh location.
The party was just part of the reason they’d gotten together. The other part was why he and Gabe were together in a bathroom, changing into suits. And somewhere in a room a floor or two below, Belle and Maya were also changing. Hopefully, no one had noticed that the four of them had disappeared from the party.
“Ready to go?” Gabe asked, smacking Mitch on the shoulder. “I just got a text from Maya that they’re ready. We’ve got to get this show on the road.”
Mitch gave himself a final look in the mirror before turning to follow Gabe from the bathroom. When he’d come up with the plan, he’d been a bit apprehensive about broaching it with Belle and then with Gabe and Maya. As it turned out, they’d all been completely on board, agreeing that while Ryan wouldn’t have wanted them to put their lives on hold, none of them felt right about having a lavish affair to celebrate their nuptials.
Between Maya’s dad’s money and connections and Belle’s wedding planning expertise, they’d managed to plan a wedding in less than a month. It wasn’t conventional, but given the circumstances, that wasn’t what any of them wanted. Though Mitch understood the necessity of the ceremony, he’d been willing to forgo all the trappings of the wedding if it meant getting married sooner. He wanted to be married to Belle—however that came to be.
And finally, it was going to happen.
Thankfully, their pastor was considered a close friend, so no one questioned his presence there. Right then he was waiting for his cue, so when he spotted Mitch and Gabe in the entryway, he made his way to the mic which was by the fireplace.
Mitch and Gabe stood shoulder to shoulder, not looking behind them even when they heard the ladies approach, though Mitch did smile when he felt fingers find the ticklish spot just above his waist. He slid his hand over to interlace his fingers with hers and gently squeezed them. Mitch could hardly believe that this day had finally come.
“Dearly beloved,” the pastor said at the opposite end of the room from where the couples waited.
Mitch chuckled when nearly everybody present froze, then almost as one, turned in the direction of the pastor. That was the cue for him and Gabe to move to the front to join the man. They were there not just as grooms, but also as best men for each other.
They flanked the pastor who went on to say, “We are gathered here today in the sight of God to join Maya and Gabriel and Belle and Mitchell in holy matrimony.”
The string quartet that Belle had hired to play music for the evening began The Wedding March. Maya stepped into the room first and took a few steps before she stopped and looked for her dad. After kissing his wife on the cheek, Max Zavardi made his way to where Maya waited and held out his arm to her. She smiled at him as they began to make their way to where the pastor and Gabe waited. When they reached them, the strains of the music faded away.
“Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” the pastor asked as he gestured toward Gabe.
Max smiled first at Maya then at Gabe. “Her mother and I do.”
With that, Gabe approached the two and shook hands with Max before taking Maya’s hand in his. They then moved to one side as they turned to face the pastor.
When the string quartet began to play again, Belle appeared in the doorway and like Maya, she waited for her dad to come to her side. Mitch was thankful that they’d spent time with her dad’s family over the past few months, so it hadn’t seemed out of the ordinary to invite them to the New Year’s Eve get-together.
Where Maya’s dress was more elaborate, Belle’s was simple. It was made of satin that was fitted down to her hips where it flared out. He wasn’t sure if it was strapless or not because her shoulders were covered by a short jacket that was trimmed in white fur around the edges as well as around the cuffs that ended just below her elbows. Her hair was down in soft curls, and around her neck, she wore the diamond necklace he’d given her at Christmas.
Smiling as she walked toward Mitch, she looked positively radiant. The pastor asked the same question of Belle’s dad as he had asked of Maya’s, and then it was Mitch’s turn to take his bride’s hand and face the pastor.
They’d decided in the meetings they’d had with the pastor beforehand that instead of having two completely different ceremonies—which is what Bennett and Grace and Sammi and Levi had done earlier in the year—they would share the ceremony. By this point, the photographer and videographer that Belle had hired had taken their place in the room.
Mitch looked down at Belle, and when she glanced up at him, he whispered, “I love you.”
“I love you too,” she said back to him, squeezing Mitch’s arm.
The pastor led Gabe and Maya through their personalized vows, and then it was time for Mitch and Belle to say theirs.
“Mitch, this time last year, if someone had told me I would be getting married, I would have laughed in their face. But that was because I could never have imagined meeting a man like you. Thank you for being patient with me. For believing that I was worth loving. Thank you for being a man of God, and for showing His love to me through all your actions. You are my First Corinthians thirteen love, and I’m grateful to God for that. I love you with all my heart, and I look forward to the future God has planned for us together.”
“Mitch?” the pastor said to prompt Mitch to start his.
He swallowed hard, emotion having clogged his throat while listening to Belle pledge her love to him.
“Princess, I have waited for you for what feels like my whole life. I kept wondering why everyone was finding love but me. Now I know. It’s because God wanted me to wait for you. You fill my heart with joy, and I’m so thankful that you’ve chosen to trust me when I know how difficult that was for you. Each day I want to be a better man for you. I want to love you more, though honestly, that doesn’t even seem possible. You are my heart. I can’t wait to spend every day for the rest of my life with you.”
Tears slipped from Belle’s beautiful eyes as she smiled up at him. To see her genuinely happy now, after having seen her doubts and fears for so long, meant the world to Mitch, and he planned to never take that for granted. She’d made herself vulnerable when she placed her trust in him, and he would make sure that she never regretted that decision.
Once the ceremony was over, and they’d been officially pronounced husband and wife, their friends and family surrounded them, offering hugs and congratulations.
When Annalisse approached Mitch, a fierce look on her face, he winced. There was no doubt she wasn’t happy that her daughter had essentially eloped—even if their family was all present. But they’d definitely robbed her of the opportunity to be the mother of the bride.
But instead of reprimanding Mitch, she grabbed him into a tight hug, pulling his head down to hers. “I should be furious about what you two have done here, but I can’t be because my little Belle is happy. I never thought I’d see her love someone after what happened with Andre. I know she’s happy now because she loves you, and you love her. Her happiness makes me happy.” Her arms tightened briefly then she let go of him, only to grab his face in her hands. “Welcome to the family, Mitch.”
Belle came to his side and slid her arm through Mitch’s. “Are you going to forgive us, Mama?”
“Nothing to forgive, sweetheart,” her mom said as she hugged Belle. “It’s a joy to see you happy. It’s all I’ve ever wanted for you. I love you.”
“I love you too, Mama.”
As the clock inched toward midnight, they posed for pictures, ate the food that had been ordered and celebrated being married. Just before midnight, fireworks began to fill the night sky over the river, coming to a crescendo as the new year arrived.
Mitch pulled Belle into his arms and pressed his lips to hers. Like Belle, he could never have imagined a year ago that in a year’s time he would finally be celebrating his marriage to a wonderful woman.
“Happy New Year, Princess. Mrs. Callaghan.”
Belle smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling. “Happy New Year, babe. Did the evening meet your need for romance?”
“Just being with you is romance enough,” Mitch said, knowing that while he’d always try to sneak a touch of romance into their relationship, he was happy to show Belle in other ways how much he loved her. And always would.
Coming Summer 2018
for Kindle
A Little Ray of Sunshine
Ryan McFadden had warned them of the danger.
But it had been brushed aside. Dismissed.
Until it was too late.
Now he’s trapped in the darkness.
With only the voice of a woman to keep him company.
Their dark circumstances drew them together.
But in the light of day, will their closeness remain?
Available now for pre-order.
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