13

Adam sucked in a deep breath, not sure why he was so nervous. He and Sam had talked about this on the drive back from Wolf Point, but now they were actually here, he wasn’t sure he was ready. But they needed this, needed to do this before they dived back into the world that awaited them. The police and press interviews were ahead of them, and they would have to deal with the mess that Peter and his cohorts had created.

Sam slid a hand into his. “Ready?” Her quiet voice grounded him. He wasn’t alone.

He nodded. “Yeah…kind of.”

They walked across the car park and along the tree-lined path that wound through the cemetery.

“Have you been back since she died?” he asked.

Sam shook her head. “No. I…I know I should have, and it isn’t that I didn’t have time, but I was so angry.”

“I come every year,” he said quietly. “On her birthday.” He took a deep breath. “It wasn’t your fault, I know that. I’ve always known that. But lashing out at you and God…” He paused as they reached the small grave. “Maybe if we’d both been Christians things would have been different.”

Sam looked at him. “We wouldn’t have been alone in handling this.”

He held her gaze, her hand warm in his. “No. Despite my faith, I’m still mad at God for taking her.”

“Me too,” she whispered. “And I know that’s wrong, but I can’t help it.”

Adam bent down, laying the bunch of sweet peas and the teddy bear on the grave. As he straightened, soft footfalls came across the path behind them.

“Sorry I’m late.” Pastor Jack pushed his hair from his eyes as a gentle wind blew around them.

“We’ve not long been here,” Sam replied. “Thank you for doing this.”

Pastor Jack smiled. “It’s an important step you’re taking here. You’re handing Imogen into God’s hands and saying goodbye properly. And two o’clock tomorrow afternoon is fine, by the way. Carson has cleared his diary so he’s available to sit in as well.”

Adam nodded. “Thanks.” He wasn’t looking forward to the combined grief and marriage counseling, but that, like this, was something he and Sam both needed if they were going to have any kind of a future together.

“Shall we?” Pastor Jack opened his Bible and began reading.

****

Sam sat in church, a bouquet of sweet peas in her hand, aware of Adam behind her. Tears filled her eyes as Dad and LaVera exchanged vows. She wiped a hand over her eyes, not wanting to get tear stains on her new dress. Made of pale lemon satin, it hugged every curve and had cost Adam a small fortune. He’d insisted on paying and shopping until they found a dress she liked and would wear again.

It had been a strange week, full of hospital tests, and then countless interviews with the fraud squad, police, lawyers and a dozen other people. She had resigned her position as CEO of Wyatt Finance, but she didn’t care. It had brought her nothing but heartache since she’d been working there, and whoever took over and shook things up was welcome to it.

She wanted to work for the charity again, but that depended on how long it took to clear her name.

Adam’s hand rested on her shoulder from where he sat in the pew behind her and she smiled. She’d moved into his place, hers still being a crime scene, but was sleeping in the spare room, by mutual consent. They’d decided to take things slowly…at least for now.

Yes, they were married, but too much had happened over the last two weeks, never mind the last ten years, for her to take it all in.

She had to admit, she’d loved the dating the past few days. The walks in the park, dinners, lunches, watching TV in the evenings, sitting on the sofa with her feet lying across his lap and nicking his raisins when he wasn’t looking. They had fallen in love with each other afresh. The blistering kisses and burning touches reignited the love they once shared. The fire they both longed for would come.

The best part was the time spent in prayer together each night. Sharing the Bible, sharing something they hadn’t had before cemented their relationship in a way neither had imagined.

As her father and step-mother went to sign the register at the front of the church, Adam slid into the seat beside her. “I have something to ask you, Sam.”

“What’s that?”

He took her hand and she held his gaze. The scar on his cheek was still held together with butterfly closures, and faint bruising marked his face. Despite this, he’d never been more handsome than he was now. “How would you feel about renewing our wedding vows?”

She caught her breath. “Really?”

“Yes.” He raised her fingers to his lips, kissing them. “Having you around this week, almost losing you forever, made me realize what an idiot I was to have let you go. If you can forgive me for walking out, for blaming you when it was no one’s fault Immy died, then…”

“There’s been no one else since you” she said, just wanting to make doubly sure he knew every part of her was still his.

“Nor with me,” he held up his left hand. “That part of my heart has been, and always shall be, yours. It has Sam engraved on it, just as much as the inside of this ring does.”

Sam leaned forward and kissed him. “I love you. I’ll renew my vows with you anywhere you want.”

Adam kissed her back. “Then let’s do it.” He nodded to someone behind him.

Sam glanced up to see Pastor Jack stand and go over to Pastor Kenny, who had just married her father. “Adam?”

“I kind of prearranged it,” he said, a twinkle in his eye. “Pastor Jack said he’d do it and Pastor Kenny had no objection. So long as it’s what we both want.”

“It is.” She kissed him. “Does this mean I get to see the inside of your room tonight?”

Adam nodded. “Yes…but I’ll have to change the sheets on the bed.”

“That’s fine. You can warm my cold feet.”

He winked. “No, I’m planning on warming mine on you.”

The music finished and Dad and LaVera finished signing the register and posing for photos.

Pastor Kenny led them back to their seats and then looked out over the congregation. “Before Vincent and LaVera leave and you all go outside for photographs, we have another reason to celebrate. Sam, Vincent’s daughter, and her husband Adam are going to renew their vows. So if they would like to come forward, please?”

Sam gripped the bouquet of sweet peas in one hand and Adam’s hand in the other. He stood and walked with her to the front of the church. His smile filled her with hope for the future, and she knew that with God’s help, this time, they’d make the marriage work. They had their love and God. What more did they need?