Forever Valentine

"So, I'm guessing you're going back home."

"I think I am home."

I loved the smile that transformed her face, when she realized that I'd be staying.

"I had this plan mapped out for years, I was going to go off and explore. Then you came along, and everything changed. I know I might be a little old for you, but I want to be with you, Olivia, anyway you'll have me."

I stood and pulled her into my arms, and she threw her arms around me, flashed me a gorgeous smile and kissed me. Just exchanging a kiss was all it took. Things got hot pretty fast. I was squeezing her ass, and she was moaning into the kiss, when we heard the bell ring over the door.

I turned and saw Mika walking in, his expression murderous. "What the hell..." he muttered staring at us, with his fists clenched.

"Hey, you're just on time to congratulate us, Mika. I think Olivia's just agreed to marry me."

She smiled into his eyes and nodded. "Yes."

Mika shook his head. "Now I know why you always wanted to pick up lunch, because you were more interested in picking her up than getting us something to eat."

I just chuckled. But he was right, she was like my daily dose of sunshine, and just seeing each other every day was how we'd connected.

"I guess I should thank you for recommending her cafe, or I never would have come here."

He pulled an 'Olivia's Café 'business card out of his wallet and showed it to us. "I never even knew this place existed, until I noticed this tucked into one of the kitchen cupboards, before we tore them down. And I wasn't just this one, I found them all over the house. He showed us that someone had written on it, "Lovely girl and wonderful food. You should try it!"

I chuckled smiling at Olivia, knowing it had to be my grandmother that left it for me to see. I had a feeling, that she'd set us up, hoping we'd meet and hit it off.

Not that I was complaining, now that I'd found my soulmate.

We were at the house having dinner, when someone rang the doorbell. When I answered, I was shocked to see Ed Marshall staring back at me.

Olivia came up behind me, and said, "Would you like to come in, Mr. Marshall?"

He looked a little uncomfortable as he stepped inside, until we invited him in to sit down.

Olivia got us some drinks, and took the seat beside me in the living room, as he seemed to be struggling to think of what to say.

Finally, he cleared his throat. "First of all, I would like to apologize for my son Edward. And I think we both know that your mother and I were very involved with each other when she was working with me. Which I think means that we're father and son."

I just nodded, but didn't say anything.

"And I think you'll be happy to know that Edward's not your brother. We were married for a few years, when my wife had a fling with the gardener. Of course, I fired him. But when we discovered she was pregnant, I offered to raise him as my own.

"From the time he was born, his mother spoiled him rotten, and he's never really changed. But he's been granted bail, with the condition that he stays away from both of you.

"He told me he tried to buy this house, mostly because he knew how much work you'd put into it, and he wanted to tear it down to spite you."

I looked over at Olivia and shook my head. "I think knowing what he wanted to do, made me decide that I didn't want to sell it. So, he might have done us a favor, because we're hoping to raise our family here." I told him, as I reached over and squeezed Livy's hand.

"Is your mother still alive."

"No, I'm sorry, but she passed away a few years ago with cancer."

"I wish I had a chance to see, even one more time. She was the only woman I ever loved. My father was a bit tyrant, and he wouldn't let me divorce my wife and marry her. And of course, I wished I knew about you being born, because I would have been part of your life and got a chance to see you growing up. Because, you're my only child."

I felt sorry for him, and for my mother now that I knew the truth.

After our talk, we ended the night as friends, and maybe as we got to know each other, I knew we might be even more one day.

Olivia invited him to our wedding, and I was actually glad to have him there. Especially since he left his idiot son at home.

OLIVIA

As I walked up the aisle of the little church on Main Street on my uncle's arm, I couldn't stop smiling when I looked up and saw my groom looking almost too dashing for words in a McRae tartan kilt, and a perfectly fitted, short black velvet jacket. Now I could hard wait to marry my man, and start our life together.

He had that naughty glint in his eye as we said our vows, so I already knew our wedding night would be something I'd never forget.

Luckily, Martha was happy to take over the café so we could enjoy a glorious two-week honeymoon in Aruba, where I took too many pictures to count of the local wild life and sunsets on the white sand beaches. While Tanner manned the sailboat that we'd rented to explore the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean.

**

We been married for a few years, and as I stood rubbing my baby bump, I got a little teary eyed, seeing my hubby with our little two-year daughter Annie sitting on his knee, teaching her to play the piano. Just like his mother had done with him.

When he looked up and noticed me, he flashed me a naughty grin, and told our little girl that it was time for her nap.

He picked her up and took me by the hand and led us upstairs.

I'd been a little self-conscience about being pregnant again, worried I was getting kind of curvy. But after he put our girl down for her nap, when he took me over to our bed, crawled in with me and kissed me, he whispered, "You know you've never looked sexier. I just love how you look, pregnant with our child."

As he peeled off my pretty pink dress he asked, "Is that another maternity dress my grandmother bought for you?"

"Well, I'm not sure she bought it for me. But it's funny that she even bought maternity clothes and stashed them away in her closet. Because I doubt at her age, that she was planning on having any more children."

"I think my grandmother was pretty crafty, and I owe her a lot. She not only left me this beautiful house for us to fill with our children, but she found me the perfect mate, and my very own forever Valentine."

As I looked up at the heart over our heads, I knew he was right, and we really had found our soulmates.