Page 95 of Love Only Once

The simple service lasted only twenty minutes.Then the priest announced that Jonathan could kiss the bride.

Looking down at the woman whose hand he held, he realized that Elizabeth was finally his.He smiled like a lovesick young lad.She had taken him on a wild chase, but that was behind them.His lips pressed against hers, then gently covered her mouth.He was shocked at her eager response to the touch of his lips, and he pressed closer until Adam and the priest finally cleared their throats to indicate that it was time to stop.Reluctantly, they pulled away from each other.

As they walked down the aisle, Elizabeth winked at Jean and Pierre; then she smiled at all her friends who had come and given her a second chance.

Outside the church, they shook hands with everyone as their guests left the church.Dawson kept pulling on Elizabeth’s dress.Finally, when the guests had left, she bent down to her son.“What’s wrong?”

“Foot hurts.”Dawson pointed at his shoe.

Elizabeth sat him down and took off his right shoe and sock.There was a tiny stone that had somehow slipped into the shoe.She shook out his sock and was preparing to put the shoe back on when Jonathan stopped her.

“Wait a minute,” Jonathan said.He bent down and examined Dawson’s ankle.“Look at this.”

Elizabeth stared at the brown spot on the child’s ankle.“It’s his birthmark.It looks like the shape of a heart to me.He’s always had it.”

Jonathan immediately sat down next to Dawson.

“What are you doing?”Elizabeth glanced around and found Jean, Adam, and Jewel watching them.

“You’ll see,” Jonathan said as he removed his right shoe and sock, putting his foot next to Dawson’s.He pulled up the leg of his breeches.And there, on Jonathan’s ankle, was the identical birthmark.“It’s the Hird birthmark.My father has one, too.”

“Dawson is yours!”Elizabeth cried as she knelt down beside both of them.“I always wondered, but never had any proof.Oh, Jonathan, I’m so happy.No, wait.I feel bad.”She frowned.“I’m sorry I put you through so much when there was really no need.If only I had known....”

“I love Dawson whether he is mine or not,” Jonathan said as he hugged the child.“Now, it’s even more special between us.”

“This is wonderful,” Jewel said.

“I have some news that is just as good,” Elizabeth said, looking at her new husband.

“I can’t think of any better news,” Jonathan admitted.“I have you.I have a son.What else could there be?”

“How about another son or perhaps a daughter?”

Jonathan’s mouth fell open.“You don’t mean—”

Elizabeth nodded.

“Does this mean that you once again have compromised my sister?”Adam said from behind Jonathan.

“So it would seem.”Jonathan laughed.“Where your sister is concerned, I just can’t seem to help myself.”

Adam chuckled and Jean said, “I do recall Jonathan saying that he never wanted to see a woman again.”

“I remember that,” Adam joined in the fun.

“I didn’t want to see just any woman,” Jonathan said as he reached out for Elizabeth.“When you love only once there is only one woman.”He crushed Elizabeth to him and finally found the happiness he’d thought he’d lost.