cost an arm and a leg. And after everything we’d gone through, that was important to both of us.
I stood under a white tent covering and waited as Maya walked down the aisle made of ivory cloth and peach rose petals. She wore a simple beach wedding dress with a scoop neckline and a lace bodice. The rest of the tulle dress was floor length, with an ivory lining underneath. Instead of a veil, she’d decided to wear a crown of flowers, and she was beautiful. So beautiful that my throat thickened, and I fought tears.
This was really happening. If someone had told me years ago that my life would take this direction, I would have laughed in his face. I didn’t think I was capable of making a commitment, yet, here I was, doing exactly that. And I had no regrets.
The music ended, and Maya stood at my side, her countenance beaming and full of joy. We linked arms, and Pastor Steve gave a message about love and marriage from the Word. He exhorted me to love my bride like Christ loves the church, and though I would never be perfect, I was excited to try. Maya was a precious gift from God, and I would never stop loving her. As he continued his sermon, I was so overwhelmed—in a good way—that I had a hard time paying attention. After that, we made our vows and exchanged rings.
When he said, “You may now kiss the bride,” I blinked, because it had gone by faster than I imagined. I faced Maya and my eyes fell to her lips. They were cherry red today, and more inviting than they’d ever been before. I kissed her tenderly and then he declared us Mr. and Mrs. Radcliffe.
The reception took place at a hotel on the beach, but before we got started, I pulled Maya aside. “I have a present for you.” We were standing on the sand and Charlotte stood behind Maya, an excited grin on her face.
Maya’s eyebrows flew up. “You do?”
I nodded and motioned for Charlotte to come over. She walked over carrying a toy poodle with a teddy bear cut—the kind Maya had always admired about Charlotte’s dog. She held out the puppy to Maya, and Maya squealed.
“Oh, my goodness! A puppy! I love him so much.” She nuzzled the pup’s face with her own and stroked his soft fur. She turned to me. “But how did you know?” She didn’t wait for an answer because it suddenly occurred to her that Charlotte must have said something, and she was right. “You told him, didn’t you?”
Charlotte nodded. “You’ve been waiting a long time for a dog of your own.”
“Thank you so much, you guys. He’s perfect.”
“I’ll take care of him while you’re on your honeymoon,” Charlotte said, “so don’t worry about that.”
We took the puppy to the reception and had a great time, and afterward, I scooped Maya up in my arms and carried her out to the beach. “Are you sure you still want to do this?” I asked.
She hung on to my neck like her life depended on it, but her eyes flickered with excitement at what we were about to do. “Yep. I think it’s a wonderful way to end the day.”
That was all I needed to hear. I ran to the ocean and jumped in the water, drenching us both. We danced around in the water and I kissed her like a madman. The photographer caught the whole thing on camera, but it wasn’t about the pictures. It was about enjoying every moment and living life to the fullest.
Cupping her face, I looked into her eyes and thanked the good Lord above that He had given her to me. “I love you, Maya.”
“I love you, too, Easton.”
“I’m ready to take you home,” I said. “Can you handle a lifetime with me?”
She laughed. “Not only can I handle it, I’m looking forward to it.”
And that was how a stone-cold man who didn’t understand commitment, changed into someone willing to sacrifice for the woman of his dreams. It was a transformation only God could accomplish.
***
Thank you so much for taking the time to read, Blind Date with my Billionaire Boss. Evangeline appreciates your support more than you know. If you enjoyed this book, she would like to ask you a favor. Would you be kind enough to leave an honest review? It would be greatly appreciated! Feel free to get in touch if you have questions or comments at [email protected]
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Are you looking for another book to read by Evangeline? Check out the first book in the Blind Date Disaster Series! Blind Date with a Blue-Collar Billionaire
Description of Blind Date with a Blue-Collar Billionaire
Can her blue-collar man prove he’s different from all the rest?
Lindsey Clarke was doomed. Every serious boyfriend she had fell for her more beautiful cousin, Destiny. When it happened yet again on the eve of her thirtieth birthday, she was devastated and wondered if she would always be delegated to second best.
A friend suggested a blind date, and Lindsey went along with it in order to get her mind off her wounded heart. Once she met Grayson Hall, she was star struck. Not only was he good-looking, but he was kind and sweet as well.
Grayson Hall owned the largest general construction company in Los Angeles. He had everything he could possibly want except love from a good woman. After being burned by a girlfriend who was only with him because of his money, he was determined to keep his financial status a secret from Lindsey. Following a disastrous first date, Grayson determined to make it up to Lindsey. Soon, he was falling hard and could easily see a future with her.
But when a terrible lie threatened their relationship, Grayson had to prove he was the kind of man she could count on.
And Lindsey had to make a decision. Was Grayson the man he said he was? Or was he no different than the men who dumped her for her cousin?
This is an inspirational Christian romance about the power of forgiveness and how one woman learns to trust God during difficult times.
Check out Blind Date with a Blue-Collar Billionaire!
Other Books by Evangeline Kelly
Blind Date Disasters Series
Blind Date with a Blue-Collar Billionaire
Blind Date with a Billionaire Professor
Blind Date with a Billionaire Biker
Blind Date with a Billionaire Single Dad
California Elite Series
Collision of Wills
The Ruthless Billionaire
The Lawkeepers
Lawfully Blessed
Lawfully Protected
Stand-alone Books
The Unwanted Assistant
Love’s Sacrifice
Road Trip
Santa Clarita Love Stories
Shaken
Matchmaker
The Blushing Brides
The Prince’s Bewildered Bride
Georgia Patriots
The Playboy Patriot
An Alaska Romance Series
Married to an Alaskan Man
Best Friends with an Alaskan Man
Christmas with an Alaskan Man
Bad Boy Bodyguards
Protected by the Bad Boy
About the Author
Evangeline Kelly writes Christian romance with characters that grow and change through the difficulties of life. As a child, she enjoyed writing stories for her grandma but didn’t pursue that passion until much later in life. She worked for twenty years as a social worker with foster children and tries to incorporate what she learned about human behavior into her books. Evangeline lives north of Los Angeles and loves spending time with her husband, who she likes to refer to as her bad boy hero. Yes, she did catch the bad boy, but then again, he wanted to be caught.