The Doctor's Choice (31 page)

Cora Lee Ferguson, the organist, played Bach until such time she could rev up the theme of the day,
the Wedding March.

Cami tried to shake
off the all-pervasive sadness that gripped her.

She felt alone.

Not a single surviving member of her family was here to see her become Breck’s bride. Her throat ached with unshed tears. Her parents, Aunt Silky, all dead and gone. She gnawed the inside of her lip.

She imagined that half the church would be empty as the bride was a veritable stranger and everyone in the surrounding area knew and loved her tall, handsome soon-to-
be husband and would be crowding into the “groom’s” side of the structure.

She expelled a breath, urged herself to stop moping and get it over with. She would have been perfectly
satisfied to go to the Justice of the Peace and get married, but Breck was having none of that.

He had gazed at her, his head to one side, examining her thoughtfully. “You know, Cami, that just doesn’t feel like married. I want you to know that this deal is forever. It requires more than a handshake.”

She had acquiesced gracefully, but was having regrets.

“You look so
pretty,” Milita enthused.

“So do you.”

Milita wore a pale blue satin dress, with lines that complimented the antique gown Cami wore but didn’t overshadow it.

She
smiled at her in the mirror. “You did a great job. The dresses are gorgeous.”

Milita giggled, tucking fragrant stephanotis sprigs in Cami’s carefully arranged hair. Breck is going to fall over when he sees you.”

She forced a laugh. “Well, I hope not.”

There was a knock at t
he door. “Are you about ready?”

Breck’s deep voice sounded on the other side of the door. “The crowd is getting restless.”
She leaned her forehead against the cool mahogany panel. “Yes. Yes, I’m ready.”

“Cami, I love you,” he said. “
Don’t get cold feet. I’ll see you at the other end of the aisle.”

“Yes, see you there.
” She took a deep breath and turned to smile at Milita.

“Are you ready?”
Milita asked. At her nod, she opened the door and made sure that Breck was nowhere in sight. She picked up her bouquet and handed Cami her spray of calla lilies.

Cami squared her shoulders and followed Milita, her lone attendant
, out to the lobby area of the church.

A man sat waiting for her in a wheelchair.

Cami leaned down and kissed his forehead.

Doc grasped both armr
ests and struggled to his feet.

“Are you sure you’re up to this?” she asked. “You can stay in the chair, if you want.”

Doc gave her a glare. “I am for danged sure not going to escort my beloved Silky’s only great-niece down the aisle like a feeble old man.” He drew himself us to his full height and reached for his newly acquired cane.

Cami nodded at him. “Thank you, Doc, for everything.”

His face creased into a wide grin. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.” He offered his arm at the same time that Cora Lee hit a major chord and pulled out all the stops.

Milita stood in the
archway with Cami and Doc taking their places behind her.

As the first strains of the Wedding March sounded, the entire assemblage rose to their feet.
Milita stepped forward, leading the procession down the aisle.

Cami
got her first glimpse of the sea of friendly, encouraging faces, all smiling at her. Reba and Loretta sat together on the front row where her family would have been seated, alongside Frank and T-Bone. They were her family now.

Cami raised her eyes to the man who waited at the other end of the aisle. The tall, loving man who waited to become her
husband. Her family.

The warmth
of his gaze enveloped her; gave her a sense of being embraced.

As
she reached the altar and Doc handed her off to Breck, a sense of joy filled her heart, replacing the loneliness that had been there for so long.

A bubble of happiness floated in her chest. She smiled at Breck as he took her hand.

Oh, yes, I do. I absolutely do.

~*~     ~*~     ~*~

About the author:

J.D. Faver lives near Houston, Texas with three spoiled, rotten cats and a rescue dog, affectionately called Heart of Darkness, Horrible/Adorable, or Minx for short. She writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense, both seasoned with plenty of steamy passion. Even the darkest murder/suspense is riddled with numerous snarky sentiments. She is actively involved in several writer’s organizations, including National RWA and two of its local chapters, West Houston RWA, and Northwest Houston RWA. She loves to spend time with family and friends. She writes daily but has time for other interests including painting, cooking and gardening.

She loves to hear from readers. Contact her through her website~
http://www.jdfaver.com

Twitter~
http://twitter.com/#!/JDFaverauthor

FaceBook~
https://www.facebook.com/pages/JD-Faver-Author/

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You might also enjoy Book Two in the BADLANDS series:

The Reluctant Rancher~BADLANDS: Book Two

E.J. Kincaid has one thing on his mind. He wants to get the hell out of Dodge, or in this case, Langston, Texas. He sees nothing but miles and miles of Texas panhandle, even though his daddy does seem to own most of it.
He wouldn’t be here at all, except that his father committed a heinous crime, for which he is serving a life sentence in a maximum security prison. E.J. feels obligated to stay and try to hang onto the land and cattle empire his father built for him. He has also infuriated the local veterinarian, Jenna Lewis, who thinks he’s a complete jackass.

In spite of their thorny relationship, a prank of E.J.’s turns the tables on the lovely red-head who proves to be both a worthy adversary as well as a fiercely loyal lover.
As his world starts to fall apart, it’s always Jenna who stands by his side. With murder, cattle rustling and kidnapping occur right in his big back yard, E.J. turns to one of the local ranchers who hates everything about him, especially his name. Will E.J. be able to rescue the woman he loves, or will his efforts result in forfeiture of his life as well?

Cowboys, murder and romance. Oh, my!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0
0
5341WX2

Other books by J.D. Faver

The Edge of Texas Series:

~BAD MEDICINE~

“You’re too stupid to live, Rafael Solis!” Chloe Palmer’s words still echoed in Rafael’s memory. The last words she said before she shot him and left town…
 

Unable to escape her past, Chloe returns to the Texas coast for her murdered father’s funeral and to face Rafael, the man she left behind. Rafael never gave up her.
Rafael’s passion breaks down her emotional barriers, but her impetuous nature draws her into a cruel vortex where she runs afoul of old and new enemies.
Previous rivalries emerge, pitting Rafael against the heir-apparent to a crime dynasty. With the body count rising, Rafael and Chloe battle an infatuated but vicious drug lord, kidnappers, and a twisted curandero (Mexican healer). Will they survive the violence and be able to forge a life together?
5***** Review~ “The suspense story line was perfectly done. I never knew from one moment to another how the story was going to turn. It kept me guessing and COMPLETELY involved with the story. It was ALL so good...both the romance and the suspense. It was just a superbly written book. I stayed on the edge of my seat and with my nose buried in the book until I got it finished...and then I was sad that it was over.”

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H5IUQ2

~BAD KARMA~

Next time, he’d be more careful. Next time, he’d make sure he killed the right woman...Next time...BAD KARMA ~ 93k word mystery/suspense/steamy romance.

5***** Review ~ “Not one but TWO romances in ONE story, sexy men, sexy women, love, lust.. then add a bad guy trying to kill the heroine, nearly killing others in the midst of his anger and you have one helluva storyline!! Great suspense and a story that was truly believable.”
With a vengeful stalker on her trail and a hurricane in the Gulf, Skyler Danforth relocates to South Padre Island only to find a new danger when her neighbor, Zach Bailey takes her heart by storm. Sky tries to fit in and be patient when she realizes that she is falling fast for Zach, but he's on the rebound and cautious. Sky is a nurse and after two attempts on her life, moves to South Padre to live with her baby sister in hopes of eluding her stalker.
Cassie, a brilliant prodigy, is in over her brainy head when a local heart-breaker and fire fighter, Javier Rios pursues her. He is attracted to her natural innocence and beauty, but thinks she is only a restaurant delivery girl. He falls hard for the geeky, Master’s degree wielding Marine Biologist.
When the storm comes ashore and the island is evacuated, Sky and Cassie are trapped in the fortress-like hospital with a woman in labor, a heart attack victim and the stalker. Locked out, Zach and Javi use their own unique talents to breach the impenetrable medical facility, each sacrificing something of great personal value in the process. The easy going Zach is forced to step way outside his comfort zone and fight to protect the woman he loves.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0081SGPZW

~BAD VIBES~

5 ***** Review~ “J.D. creates two characters in Mike and Darla that you'll be rooting for while simultaneously ratcheting up the suspense to the breaking point. The Texas Coast will *never* be the same by the time these two get done…”
 

Darla came on deck clad in black body armor, her copper top hidden under a black Sheriff’s Department cap with the bill turned backwards. She had her M-14 slung over her shoulder and a pack of extra magazines.
Damn! She looks so hot! Like Badass Barbie…
When government agent Mike “The Iceman” Burke invades her South Padre Island turf, Deputy Darla Calhoun is assigned as liaison officer to his team. Her skills as a sniper come in handy when a gang of human traffickers strikes close to home, kidnapping local women including her best friend.
Darla is recovering from her husband’s suicide and trying to be a good parent to her twin sons. The ICE assignment takes her out of her misery and plunges her into a dangerous mission and a steamy affair.
Mike and Darla tear up and down the Intracoastal Waterway in search of the kidnappers and the captive women while Rafael and Javier conduct their own investigation. Will they rescue the captive women or will the kidnappers slaughter them as they have done in the past? Two teams race to find the answers before it's too late.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009LYM3ZQ

~*~   ~*~   ~*~

~ON ICE~

5***** review “This was a brilliant story and I got so involved in the characters, I couldn't put it down. Loved the rich descriptions and the story telling was excellent.”
A terrified woman erases her past to escape her abusive husband. Taking her children, she disappears from Texas only to reinvent herself as a teacher in a remote Alaskan village. She fights to survive the harsh environment, while ever mindful of the danger stalking her.
A complication emerges in the form of her new boss who is unaware of her entanglement and pursues her with a passion. Hungry for a father figure, her young children immediately take to him, but she is haunted by the cruel man who battered her. Can a good man heal her scars and gain her trust?
As she evolves in her new role, she becomes stronger as a person. Back in Texas, her sister draws the abuser's fury and becomes his new victim. When her past catches up with her, she is not the same woman who ran away. She puts her life on the line to protect her children, but will she survive the wrath of a sociopath bent on revenge?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00758KQ22

~BAD HABIT~

RT Book Reviews: May, 2012 edition: A fake nun who used to be a model, the complicated dynamics of a big, warm family---plus a hot, protective cop. An author on the rise, Faver's Texas-set books reflect her pride in her home state and her love of both pulse-pounding action and a hot romance.
In an effort to evade the men who killed her boyfriend, former model, Teri Slaughter, flees New York City and takes refuge in a San Antonio convent, masquerading as her own sister. But when hot and hunky homicide detective, Angel Garcia tries to protect her from the killers, he proves to be a threat to her heart. He takes her to the only “safe house” available: the one where he was raised. His parents and siblings take her in and teach her the real meaning of family and home. To protect the nuns, Teri uses herself as bait, leading the killers on a chase through Brackenridge Park on foot, miniature train and golf cart. In the end, the only one to catch her is Angel.