Harvest Moon (Brook Haven Romance Book 1) (12 page)

Sophie woke up on
Friday morning with butterflies the size of dragons in her belly. Her dream was
finally becoming a reality. She stood in front of the mirror on her vanity and
looked at herself. She didn’t look happy. She didn’t look like a woman about to
realize her dream. The truth was she didn’t feel it either. All she felt was
nerves … and not the good kind.

The night before, she’d
finally admitted to her mother that the joy she thought she would feel when
this day happened was just not there. When Brenda asked her what it would take
for her to feel that joy, she didn’t hesitate. “Drake,” she said, and then, “Oh,
Mom, I want to be with Drake. I want to give everyone their deposits back, tell
them how sorry I am, lock the doors, and go be with Drake. He needs me, Mom. He
needs me there.”

“Then go,” Brenda had
said simply, as if it were as easy as that.

“What about the people
already on their way here? Everything in town is booked—”

“I’ll open the inn for
you.”

Sophie laughed. “I love
you, Mom. You have three cracked ribs and you’re still limping around on that
ankle … so, no. But it was so sweet of you to offer.”

She’d finally left
Brenda’s room and gone upstairs after midnight. It was two or three a.m. before
she fell asleep and six when she woke up. She showered and was dressed by
eight. She’d pictured this day a million times in her head, but never like
this. She didn’t even want to be here. All she wanted was Drake.

“Sophie?” She heard her
mother’s voice on the intercom she’d asked Sam to install in the downstairs
room Brenda was staying in while she healed.

“Yeah, Mom, are you
okay?”

“I’m good, honey. I was
wondering if you could come downstairs for a minute though … after you’re
dressed?”

“I’m dressed. I’ll be
right there.”

Sophie took one last
long look at herself and wondered if it was a reflection she should be proud
of. Every time she asked herself where Drake would be if the shoe were on the
other foot, the answer was clear. He would be wherever she was, and she knew
it.

She made her way
downstairs and when she got to the last step, she heard voices in the dining
room. She followed them and was shocked when she walked in on her mother, Mrs.
Larson, Brooke, Brooke’s nurse, and three of the ladies from Brenda’s quilting
group sitting at the big dining room table. “Hi everyone. What’s going on?”

Brenda looked up and
smiled. Before she could say anything, Sam hurried in. “Sorry I’m late. The
Lindons’ cow had a baby last night.”

Sophie smiled. “Late
for what?”

“We have a grand
opening to get ready for,” Brenda told her. “I called on a couple of friends,
and I told them your heart was with Drake and Mac and you wanted the rest of
you to be as well. These fine ladies …”—she looked at Sam—“and gentleman rushed
right over to help. Go be with Drake and Mac, and we will take care of
everything while you’re gone.”

Sophie couldn’t believe
it. She barely knew these women. They were all people who owned their own
businesses and had families. They were all people who had so many things they
could be and maybe should be doing, and yet they were willing to drop it all
and help her. Tears were streaming down her face as she went around the table
and hugged each and every one of them. She was so choked up and so overwhelmed
that she had no idea what to say. She finally just pressed her hand to her
heart and thanked them all. Then she kissed her mother and grabbed her keys.
She was going to be where she belonged underneath the Harvest Moon … at the
side of the man she loved.

****

“So … I know it’s
a downer that Beth is gone, but it’s fall and apple harvesting time and it’s
also Marmee’s sixtieth birthday.” Mac groaned. Drake went on explaining why he
thought
Little Women
’s ending wasn’t
as sad as some people often said it was. It had been the only book the nurse
could find for him in the ICU when he asked for one to read to his uncle. In
spite of himself, he’d loved it. Not that he’d ever admit that to Mac if he was
awake.

“So they have this big harvest
party and birthday party at Jo’s place. Jo has three daughters now …” Mac
groaned again. That time it hit Drake. “Uncle Mac?” He saw Mac’s eyelids
flutter. His eyes stayed closed, but they were definitely moving underneath
there. “Oh my God! Uncle Mac, are you waking up?” Another loud groan, and then Mac’s
hand moved. He was trying to lift it up. Drake’s face broke out in a wide
smile. “Stay right here, I’ll get the nurse.” He ran out to the nurse’s station
and found Marla. She had been Mac’s day nurse all week. “He’s groaning and
moving his eyes and he’s trying to lift his hand …”

Marla was on her feet
at once. Drake liked that she didn’t ask him to repeat all of that. She simply
followed him to the room and set about taking vital signs and talking to Mac.
“Hey, Mr. Tanner, are you waking up? Come on and open those eyes. I’d like to
see what they look like. Come on, Mr. Tanner, I’ve been here all week. I’m off
this weekend. Wake up for me today or my co-workers will take all the credit.”

Mac groaned, and
suddenly it looked like he was trying to lift his head. His arms were shaking
convulsively, but it didn’t look like he was having a seizure—it looked like he
was trying with all of his might to move them. “I’m going to get the doctor,
Mr. Tanner. Don’t go anywhere.”

Drake smiled. He was
glad to know he wasn’t the only one who said silly things like that to a man in
a coma.

“Hey Uncle Mac, I’m
here. Wake up, okay? I really want to take you home. Please wake up. If you
wake up, I won’t read any more
Little
Women
to you.” Drake wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but it actually
looked like Mac tried to smile. Then he started choking and the entire team ran
in. He was pushed out into the hallway, and for a few minutes he just stood
there helplessly. He’d been thinking something good was happening … but what if
it were the opposite? What if those noises were him getting ready to die? What
would he do without him?

“Drake?” He thought he
imagined the sound of Sophie’s voice, so he didn’t even turn around. God, he
missed her. “Drake!” That time it was even louder and clearer. He turned toward
the sound of it and saw her beautiful face. She had the hallway door open a
crack and she was looking in at him.

“Sophie … what are you
doing here?”

She waved him over.
When he got to the door, she pulled him through it and said, “First of all,
don’t even try to send me away because I’m not going. I need to be here with
you. I want to be here with you. I am going to be here with you and no one is
going to stop me … and you want to know why?”

She was so passionate
and so damned cute. He was holding back a smile as he said, “Why?”

“Because I am in love
with you, Drake Tanner. You are my happily ever after. I look at you and see
forever. Not that house … you. If I don’t have you, then none of the rest of it
will matter.” She had tears streaming down her pretty face. He pulled her into
his chest and held her while the tears welled up in his eyes as well.
She loves me!
He held her back and
looked at her face.

“I’m not sending you
back,” he said with a grin. “Not ever. I love you so much.”

“I love you so much.
Kiss me, Drake.”

He didn’t hesitate. He
pulled her up so that she was almost all the way off her feet and he covered
her warm, soft mouth with his. She parted her sweet lips, and he let his tongue
taste them first before delving into her mouth. Her tongue came up and met his
as the passionate kiss went on and on. The only reason they broke was for air,
and given half the chance, both of them would have passed on that. Breathless
and struggling to get his voice back, Drake smiled and said, “I think Mac is
waking up.”

One
Year Later

The afternoon air was
cold, but there was no wind or rain. It was a perfect fall day, and the trees
that surrounded the bright-green meadow were on fire. The gold and scarlet and
burnt-orange leaves licked at the sky overhead as they swayed in the gentle
breeze. They were nature’s decoration for the celebration that was happening
tonight. An entire community had come together to celebrate the union of two
souls underneath the Harvest Moon.

As the wedding march
began to play, Sophie stood at the back and looked up at the altar. Brooke was
there, her maid of honor. She’d become good friends with the other woman over
the past year. They had bonded over their love for Drake but found they had
much more than that in common day by day.

Sam was there, standing
alongside Drake. Her beautiful fiancé was wearing a light-brown suit that
contrasted beautifully with his dark eyes. He was fidgeting with his tie and
looking nervous. Sophie smiled, and she felt her heart speed up. They’d both
made the inn their home over the past year, and Drake had become an intricate
part of the day-to-day affairs of it. Their first winter open had been a
roaring success as the tourists had descended like crazy for the snow-covered
mountains, the fresh air of the country, and the hospitality of an inn that was
rapidly gaining a countrywide reputation for being the best.

“Are you ready, pretty
girl?”

Sophie looked down at
Mac. He was dressed in the same color suit as his nephew, and he looked so
handsome. Drake had wanted him to be his best man, but Sophie had stolen him to
walk her down the aisle. He’d fought through his recovery like a champ and
after he’d gotten stronger, Drake had taken him up to see the kits, who were
nearly grown but still acted like they knew him. When he got home, Brenda had
presented him with a puppy that she told him they could share custody of. The
two of them had become really close friends, and every time Sophie saw them
together, she knew she had one more thing to be grateful for.

She glanced up and saw
her beautiful mother in the front, standing and looking in her direction. This
was a day that Sophie hadn’t been sure would ever come, but Brenda had always
known. Sophie only hoped that one day she could be half the mother that hers
had been.

She took Mac’s hand and
said, “I am so ready. Let’s get this happily ever after started.” He smiled at
her and pushed the button on his new electric chair. He and Brenda had begun
taking walks every day, spending time at the library, and picking apples
together. He needed something a little faster to keep up with her, and his
nephew had been more than happy to provide him with it.

As Sophie walked toward
her future, she looked at her fiancé’s gorgeous face, and she knew for sure
that everything she would ever need lived right there in his smile.

~ The End ~

Want
to read more about the people of Brook Haven? Please give book two a try,
October Kiss
.

Charlene Bright is the author of
several contemporary western romance novels. She’s a lifelong resident of the
American South and currently residents in southern Oklahoma on a family-owned
cattle ranch. She greets each morning with a hot cup of coffee and an
optimistic smile. Traveling to America’s national parks is her favorite
pastime. You can find out more about Charlene and her books at
Charlene Bright
.