The Color of Love (The Color of Heaven Series) by Julianne MacLean

Marie went on and on about him, gushing non-stop, saying things like ‘I can’t believe he’s still single when he’s so good looking, and he’s such a great guy. Just wait until you get to know him better. All he ever wanted was to get married and have a house full of kids. It boggles my mind that it hasn’t happened by now.’
    “Why hasn’t it?” I asked, glancing back at him in the entrance to the church where we was greeting guests. I wondered what the problem was.
    “Because he got burned by a horrid monster of a woman who cheated on him with his best friend. It completely destroyed him. You’re the first girl he’s shown an interest in…” She nudged Kevin. “How long has it been since the Brooke disaster?”
    “Almost two years,” Kevin replied.
    My head drew back. “Two years. Really. That long?”
    Marie nodded and grinned. “Yes, so you can imagine how happy we are to meet you .”
    Clearly there were some lofty expectations here tonight. What had Josh told them about me?
    “The truth is, we only just met,” I mentioned. “It was a couple of weeks ago when I stupidly drove through a red light.”
    “He told us everything,” Marie replied, leaning in to touch my knee. “And no pressure,” she whispered. “I’m just glad he’s finally getting out there, you know?”
    “Hey, I know what it’s like,” I said. “I’ve been burned a few times myself. It’s not always easy to get back on a bucking horse that’s already kicked you in the face a few times.”
    The organist began to play the wedding march, and we all stood up to watch Josh walk his mother down the aisle.

Chapter Thirty-three

    “ Carla ,” Josh’s mother said with warm affection as I moved through the reception line. She pulled me into her arms and hugged me. “I’m so glad you could come.”
    “Congratulations,” I replied. “It’s nice to meet you. The ceremony was beautiful.”
    “Thank you. You are an angel to say so.”
    I moved along the line to shake hands with her new husband—a tall slender man with thinning hair and glasses.
    “You’re a good sport,” Josh said with a laugh when I reached him in the receiving line.
    We stood for a long moment, smiling at each other, shaking hands, not letting go.
    “Your family is very hospitable,” I mentioned. “I’m having a good time so far.”
    “I’m glad,” he replied. “Save me a dance later?”
    “A dance? My word. I didn’t know there would be dancing .”
    Slowly and smoothly, I pulled my hand from his.
    “We Wallaces know how to throw a party,” he told me. “I hope you like champagne.”
    “Doesn’t everyone?”
    His brown eyes glimmered in the setting sun. “I’ll see you in a few minutes. The reception’s not far from here. We’ll drive over together.”
    “Okay.” I strolled casually across the church parking lot toward his car and tried to remember the last time I’d felt butterflies like these.
    Good golly, it might have been high school.
    o0o
    There’s no point dragging this out or playing coy. By the time Josh met me at his car—after approaching with a masculine swagger that made my knees go weak—I was smitten.
    The fact that he was tall, dark, muscular and handsome played a big role in my precipitous infatuation. Let’s be honest. He was drop-dead gorgeous in a suit, not to mention his police officer’s uniform. But there was so much more to it than that.
    I was surprised by how moved I was by his amiable family, how devoted he was to them, and how I could relate to the fact that he was gun-shy in the romance department—because if anyone had a leg up on that, it was me.
    I’d been through the wringer with Seth, not just during our confusing relationship when he could never truly commit to staying with Kaleigh and me. I’d also been crushed by the sudden loss of him. Though we had our problems, I did love him, and it hadn’t been easy to attend his memorial service and say good-bye. He was Kaleigh’s father