Waking Up in Charleston (26 page)

Max saw the sense in what she was saying. If he had years left, an occasional visit would be a sensible start. But he wanted to store up a few last memories while he could.

“We’ll work it out,” he told her. He would convince Amanda, if not to forgive her mother, at least to give her a chance, same as she had him.

Margaret gave his hand a squeeze. “Good night, Max. I’ll let myself out.” She nodded at Caleb. “Good night.”

After she’d gone, Caleb turned to Max. “Are you okay?”

“Have to say my head’s spinning a bit,” he admitted. “How do you think Amanda will take all this?”

“If it’s what you want, she’ll go along with it for your
sake,” Caleb said. “But I’m a little surprised you’d agree to it so quickly.”

Max gave him a wry look. “Aren’t you the one who’s always preaching forgiveness?”

“I am, but you usually ignore me.”

“Then consider this one of those times when you managed to get through my thick skull,” Max told him. “Besides, even I recognize that I don’t have time to waste holding a grudge when that woman’s the only person in this world who ever meant a thing to me besides Amanda and those kids of hers. A few weeks ago, I’d have sent Margaret packing out of stupid pride. Now I don’t much see the point.”

“You’ve just proved one of those invaluable life lessons I like to preach about,” Caleb said. “Sometimes, if we’re lucky, with age comes a little wisdom.”

Max regarded him with uncertainty. “Then you don’t think I’m being a sentimental old fool?”

“No. I think you’ve recognized what’s important and you’re grabbing for it and holding on for dear life.”

“What about you? You going to grab Amanda and hold on for dear life?”

Caleb chuckled. “You never give up, do you?”

“Only once before—when I let that woman get away from me—and it was a mistake. Now, tell me. Are you going to fight for my girl?”

“If Amanda considers everything I’ve told her and still wants me in her life, then believe me, Max, I will never let her go. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Max regarded him with disgust. “Sometimes you’re too damned noble for your own good, Reverend.”

“Sometimes it’s the only choice a man has.”

“Well, it’s a big risk, leaving a thing like this up to a woman’s whim. I did that once and look what it got me. Years of being alone.”

“Marriage is more than some whim,” Caleb corrected. “I’m comfortable with letting Amanda think things through and make this decision.”

“Then why do you look like a groom who’s been left standing at the altar an hour too long?”

“Maybe because you won’t let the subject drop,” Caleb said. “You’re getting on my nerves, old man.”

“If I were you, I’d stop wasting time talking to me and go over to Amanda’s and see if she’s come to a decision.”

“I don’t want to pressure her.”

Max rolled his eyes. “Whatever happened to sweeping a woman off her feet? I’d have filled her house up with roses and champagne by now.”

“Your daughter doesn’t care about roses and champagne.”

“All women
say
they don’t care about roses and champagne till the flowers and expensive bottles of Dom Pérignon start turning up on the doorstep,” Max said. “I could make a couple of calls for you, get this thing started.”

“Stay out of it,” Caleb warned.

Max sighed and shrugged. “Up to you. I just know what
I’d
do.”

“As if your love life has much to recommend it,” Caleb retorted.

Max grinned. “Thirty years later my woman came back to me. I must have given her something good to think about all these years.”

“Roses and champagne?” Caleb asked skeptically.

“I had one or two other tricks up my sleeve back
then, but I’m not sharing all my trade secrets. Let’s see how you do with the simple things first. Now, get out of here. You’re wasting time.”

He watched Caleb leave, then sat back down and thought about the unexpected events of the evening. As gloomy as his outlook had been for weeks now, it was a revelation to discover that life still had a few surprises left in store for him.

Amanda took an entire week to consider Caleb’s announcement about his infertility, not because she needed to, but because he expected it. She used the time to make arrangements for the wedding she wanted to have in a month’s time.

When she invited him over for dinner, she was stunned when he showed up with two dozen white roses and a bottle of fine champagne.

“They’re beautiful,” she whispered, burying her face in the roses and breathing in the sweet scent. “What made you think of them?”

“I shouldn’t admit it, but Max seemed to think I was messing up the whole courting thing. I decided to give his way a try. Is it too much?”

“I wouldn’t want these every week, but it’s the perfect way to start this evening,” she told him. “Let me put the flowers in water and we’ll have dinner. We have a lot to talk about.”

He studied her intently. “We do? Where are the kids?”

“They’re spending the night at Willow Bend,” she said. “Jessie’s helping my father look after them.”

“I see.”

“Do you really?” she asked, amused by the confu
sion in his eyes. It was good to know she could throw him off balance once in a while.

“What is it you want to talk about, Amanda?” he asked at last.

“These for a start,” she said. She handed him a draft of her proposed wedding invitation, a list of potential caterers and a confirmation from his church that the date was available.

He looked everything over, then met her gaze. His eyes were filled with such relief that she knew she’d done exactly the right thing to prove to him that she wanted this marriage as much as he did.

“You didn’t leave much to chance, did you?” he asked, his lips curving into a slow smile.

Amanda shrugged. “I thought if I started spending money after a couple of years of being so frugal, you’d take me seriously.”

The smile spread across his face. “Then I guess we’re getting married.”

She studied his face. “You okay with that?”

“If you’re sure, then you’ve made me the happiest man alive. Your father will probably be the second happiest.”

“I know. He called me and told me he thought it was time for me to stop waffling around and give you an answer. He’s still trying to control my life, but somehow it doesn’t seem to matter so much.”

“Because this time you’re on the same page?” Caleb asked.

“Because I can finally accept that he’s doing it out of love.”

Caleb looked satisfied, but then his expression changed.

“What?” she asked.

“I have one more thing to tell you, one last thing I’ve kept to myself.”

Her stomach sank. “Oh?”

“It’s about your father.”

Amanda simply waited while he tried to find the words. She used the time to pray that whatever this revelation was, it wouldn’t change anything.

“He bought this land, Amanda.” He met her gaze, his expression earnest. “It was the only way he could bring himself to reach out to you.”

She stared at Caleb, stunned. “When?”

“Before he came to me about building the house. He was behind all of this. He wanted you and the kids to have a new home and a fresh start. He was afraid if you knew that, you’d turn it down.”

Amanda sat back, trying to take in the news. “If he was willing to do this, why couldn’t he just let me back into his life?”

Caleb smiled. “Because this is Max. He’s only now beginning to grasp that pride is a sorry replacement for love.” He touched her cheek. “I’m sorry I kept it from you.”

“I’m glad you did. He was right. I probably would have refused.”

“Then it won’t stand between us?”

“No, Caleb. I still want to marry you. I think we’ve both learned our lessons about pride and secrets.”

He nodded, then regarded her curiously. “Did Max tell you the latest?”

“About my mother coming back to spend some time with him?”

Caleb nodded. “How do you feel about that?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure. I thought I’d have him to my
self for whatever good days he has left, but if this is what he wants, I’m hardly in a position to deny it to him.”

“Will you be able to deal with her and give her a chance?”

Amanda didn’t answer at once. It was a question she’d been struggling with ever since she’d found out her mother was alive. “I’ll try to keep an open mind,” she said at last.

“No one could expect more than that.”

She looked into Caleb’s eyes and saw everything she’d ever need in life. “Love’s a funny thing, isn’t it?”

“How so?”

“It’s unexpected and unpredictable, but once the real thing comes along, it really is strong enough and powerful enough to last forever.”

“Ours will,” he said. “I believe that with all my heart. And oddly enough, I think maybe your parents’ love has, too.”

Amanda felt at peace, even knowing how many struggles lay ahead. With Caleb by her side, she would get through them all.

“I love you,” she told him. “You have no idea how much.”

“Given how much you’re overlooking to marry me, I think I do,” he said. “All I can tell you is that I’m grateful and I will spend every day of my life making sure you don’t regret it.”

“No regrets,” she assured him. “Not ever.”

After all, he was the man who’d made her believe in herself again and made her believe in love.

T
he baptism of Daniel Marshall Jr. and Mariah Dorothy Beaufort was a bittersweet moment for Caleb. Mary Louise had insisted on waiting to hold the service for her son until after Dinah’s baby was born.

“Besides, it’s bad enough that everyone in the congregation knows that Danny and I barely got married before the baby was born without having them back for the baptism a couple of months later. I don’t think our son’s soul will be in jeopardy if we wait till Dinah has her baby,” she’d told Caleb with that stubborn jut of her chin that he’d come to respect.

Mary Louise might be barely nineteen, but she was a woman to be reckoned with. Danny was going to have his hands full, but judging from the contented expression on his face as he held his son, he was ready for whatever came their way.

Caleb turned his attention to Cord, who looked as if he were terrified that the tiny girl in his arms might break. Dinah was regarding her husband with amusement. She glanced at Caleb and winked.

“You’d think a big strong man like my husband wouldn’t be scared to death of a tiny little baby,” she said.

Cord scowled at her. “You can take over anytime.”

Dinah laughed at that. “Since when? Ever since we brought Mariah home from the hospital, the only time she’s in my arms is when I’m breast-feeding.”

“Are you sure we ought to be discussing this in church?” Cord asked.

“Nothing more natural,” Caleb assured him. “But maybe we ought to leave the topic till after the service.”

He glanced over the congregation to see that everyone was settled, then paused when his gaze met Amanda’s. He saw the wistful expression on her face and regretted for an instant that there would be no baby for them. Then he looked at the troubled ten-year-old foster child they’d taken in the week before and knew that their lives would be fulfilled in other ways. The world was full of children who needed protecting and loving, even for a short time. He and Amanda had decided their home would be a safe haven, a stop-over for these kids.

“Everybody ready?” he asked as the designated godparents stepped forward. Maggie and Josh were there for Mariah. And Dinah and Willie Ron would be promising to keep young Daniel on the right path in life. Willie Ron nervously ran a finger around the collar of his shirt, but his awed gaze never left the little boy Danny carefully handed to him.

“Let’s get started before these two forget about being on good behavior and decide it’s time for lunch,” Caleb said, and began the service.

As he made the sign of the cross on their foreheads, Daniel smiled as if he knew just what it meant to be so blessed. Mariah, in the fine tradition of her rebellious
mama, screamed her head off until she was safely back in the arms of her doting daddy.

“No question she’s her daddy’s little girl,” Dinah commented.

Cord laughed. “And I was just thinking she’s an awful lot like her mama, carrying on till she gets her way.”

Dinah tucked an arm through his. “Either way, you’re the center of both our universes.”

Caleb’s gaze went back to Amanda, who was the center of his. He knew it might not be entirely appropriate, but he winked at her just the same. And, as always, a blush stained her cheeks.

Beside her, their temporary foster daughter smiled, something she’d done far too rarely since coming into their lives. Caleb winked at her, too.

He knew he would remember that wide smile long after she’d moved on to a permanent home and the next child had come into their lives. Sometimes the best parts of life were made up of small moments, of precious memories like the baptism of these two new lives today.

If he had any regret at all, it was that as he was accumulating a lifetime of these moments, Max was losing touch with the memories that he’d once held precious. The man was slowly slipping away from them, still strong in body, but losing ground daily in mind. And it was breaking Amanda’s heart.

“Who’s this?” Max asked Amanda later that afternoon, pointing to a picture with a shaky finger.

“The caterer, Daddy. You didn’t know her.”

Relief flickered in her father’s eyes. “Didn’t think so,” he said, a triumphant note in his voice.

It had been only a few months since Amanda’s wedding to Caleb, and each day of it brought a new torment in the progress of Max’s disease. He seldom left the house anymore. At Max’s insistence, she and Caleb had moved in with the kids, forcing an awkward truce with her mother, who was there on a regular basis. The time she spent with her father was precious to her, because she knew it was finite.

Her father plucked another picture from the pile, and a smile spread across his face. “I know this one,” he said, beaming. “No one’s ever been prettier than your mama.”

“No one,” Amanda agreed, battling tears as she stared into her own face in the photograph.

She gave her father a fierce hug, then gathered up the remaining pictures and put them back in the box. Looking through the pictures had become her father’s favorite pastime lately.

When he nodded off, still clutching the last snapshot in his hand, she took it from him and put it in the box on top, then touched a finger to the image as her tears fell unchecked. It saddened her now that she hadn’t forgiven her mother and asked her to attend her wedding. She recognized that it had been petty revenge for a lifetime of neglect. And she knew she needed to put the resentment behind her if she was ever to find peace.

“I wish you had been there that day, Mama,” she whispered with one last glance at the picture. “I really did look as beautiful as you.”