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  From This Moment

  Charles Town Brides Book One

  ID Johnson

  Copyright © 2020 by ID Johnson

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover by Sparrow Book Covers

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  The Charles Town Brides Couples

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  A Note From the Author

  Also by ID Johnson

  For Elliott

  The Charles Town Brides Couples

  Melody and Reid

  Delaney and Josh

  Olivia and Memphis

  Valerie and Alec

  Erin and Luke

  Sophie and Zach

  Macey and Sam

  Lexi and Max

  Isabelle and Casey

  Kate and Paul

  Chapter 1

  Delaney

  White wasn’t usually her color. Though Delaney Young wore it occasionally as an accent color, or even with a bold, bright red or blue to make the more vibrant shade stand out, it wasn’t usually her first choice. However, staring at herself in the mirror wearing only white, she couldn’t help but smile, despite the thought lurking in the back of her head that her alabaster skin looked whitewashed with only her dark hair to contrast the stark, clean snow white of the gown. Knowing a professional makeup artist could combat the fact that her tan had gone south for the winter, Delaney grinned at her own reflection. She looked good in white after all.

  “You look… just lovely,” her mother, Maggie, said as she took a deep breath and dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “Oh, Josh is going to just fall in love all over again.”

  Delaney smiled at her mother in the mirror as tears started to fill her own eyes. She’d been looking for the perfect dress for months, and now, in the twentieth-some-odd dress shop, she’d finally found the perfect one. With just six weeks to spare before the wedding.

  She had thought she’d known exactly what she was looking for in a gown, so much so that she had refused to try on anything like this one before. This particular gown was a mermaid cut, and before she’d let the associate convince her to try it on, she’d thought she’d find the cut of the skirt to be too restricting. It wasn’t, however. She hadn’t even had any trouble stepping up onto the pedestal in front of the mirror by herself, despite the floor length skirt. Most of the gown was made of a soft tulle with lace covering the sleeves and the top of the skirt, and the sweep train wasn’t too long to make her nervous walking outside. Delaney ran her hand down the sleeves, knowing they wouldn’t do much to keep out the winter air, but it would be better than the short-sleeved or sleeveless gowns she’d tried on before. Hopefully, they’d have an early spring, so when she and Josh stood across from each other amid the evergreens on his family’s Christmas tree farm, she wouldn’t be shaking from anything but nerves.

  “I wish your nana could’ve come with us to see it,” Maggie noted, her voice breaking a little with emotion. Delaney stretched out her arm in her mom’s direction, and Maggie took a step closer, clasping her hand. Nana Nora Jean had been one of Delaney’s closest friends her entire life, and Delaney had moved into her home to help her several years ago. Recently, however, her mobility had deteriorated, and Nora Jean had decided not to make the trip to Baltimore to help find the perfect dress. The family had found a lovely caretaker to stay with Nana when Delaney was at work, and Trisha was with her now, while Delaney was away for the weekend. Trisha would also be able to move in with Nana after her lease was up at the end of February--which was perfect timing since Delaney would be moving to Shepherdstown to be with her new husband as soon as they returned from their honeymoon.

  One of Delaney’s closest friends, Melody Perry, who had gotten married just over a year ago last December also had a glisten of tears in her eyes as she looked at Delaney. “You look just beautiful,” she said, her voice soft.

  “Yes, you do. Like an angel,” Olivia Kennsington, another friend from high school agreed. “It really is the perfect cut for your figure. You look great.”

  “And the sleeves will be better if it’s cold,” Erin O’Connell, the last of Delaney’s bridesmaids added. She lived in Baltimore, so it was very convenient for her to meet the rest of the bridal party at the dress shop. The other girls were all staying in a nearby hotel and would be returning to Charles Town tomorrow afternoon, after they attended church with Erin. She brushed her red hair back over her shoulder, and Delaney smiled at her, wondering how much longer it would be until she was back to being a bridesmaid--or bridesmatron, if that was a thing--while either Erin or Olivia took their turn on the podium.

  “Well, I agree with your friends and mother,” the sales associate, Cheryl, a tall, thin woman with just a touch of gray in her hair said with a grin. “Shall we try a veil?”

  “Oh, yes!” Maggie exclaimed before Delaney had a chance to answer.

  The bride-to-be giggled at her mother’s enthusiasm. “I haven’t decided on what length veil I’d like either,” she admitted to Cheryl.

  The expert studied her for a moment, one finger pressed to her cheek as she contemplated Delaney’s face. She’d done the same thing when looking for a dress, though she’d been inspecting Delaney’s shape then, which had made her a little self-conscious, yet thankful she’d cut out her chocolate muffin-a-day habit, which wasn’t easy since she owned a bakery. Cheryl gave a quick nod, snapped her fingers and shot off a little quicker than Delaney would’ve given a woman her age in two-inch heels credit for.

  Maggie continued to ooh and aah over the dress, and Delaney could see color coming into her cheeks. It was pink--not tan--but at least she wasn’t washed out anymore. “Mom, it really is okay,” she reminded Maggie.

  “I know, dear. It’s just… I knew you’d be a beautiful bride. I just had no idea how beautiful. And I’m just so proud of the young woman you’ve become, and the wonderful young man you’ve found….”

  Maggie was weeping again, and Erin put her arm around her shoulders to comfort her. Delaney hadn’t seen her mother this emotional since they’d buried Delaney’s grandfather a few years back. It was sweet to see her so happy she was overcome with joy, but Delaney was starting to worry a little bit about her as well. It couldn’t be good to cry so much six weeks before the wedding.

  “Here we are!” Cheryl said, bringing in a long, tulle veil with lace edges and rhinestones around the pleated curves. “I think this will look just lovely on you.”

  Delaney raised an eyebrow. She’d never tried a veil like this
one before. In all of the other boutiques she’d gone to, they’d suggested something much shorter, simpler. But Cheryl had been right about the gown, so perhaps she’d be right about this, too. Delaney wasn’t opposed to trying it out.

  Cheryl climbed up on a step-stool behind the pedestal, careful not to step on Delaney’s train, and set the veil in place, blooming out her long brown hair around her shoulders. With a satisfied smile, she watched Delaney in the mirror, certain her work here was done.

  Delaney had to agree. She looked absolutely stunning with the veil on. It framed her face so beautifully, and the little touches, like the rhinestones along the edges, gave a sense of elegance she hadn’t even realized she was looking for.

  The ladies behind her gasped, and Maggie’s tears increased. Without even checking the price tag, Delaney said, “I’ll take it.”

  Olivia

  Sitting outside the changing room in the wedding salon next to Erin and Melody, Olivia tried not to think too much about when might be the next time she found herself in a business like this. She’d gone with Delaney on so many other expeditions to look for the perfect dress, she couldn’t even count, but since her friend had failed in her mission each time, Olivia hadn’t stopped to ask herself such questions. She’d just assumed she’d be back in a dress shop with Delaney sooner or later. Now that Delaney had her gown, questions popped into her head, and she couldn’t help but wonder what Memphis’s intentions might be.

  Their second anniversary as a couple had just passed not long ago. He’d taken her out for a romantic dinner and even arranged for a carriage ride around their quaint historic town. She’d thought, maybe, he was going to propose that night. But he hadn’t, and when they’d parted that evening, she’d gone inside her house with tears in her eyes thinking maybe he never wanted to. While he’d already given up so much for her--moving to West Virginia from Texas, starting a new job, leaving friends and family behind, the longer he waited to ask her to marry him, the more Olivia thought it would never happen. After all, if this was one of her romance novels, she would’ve had the couple get married a long time ago.

  “Such a beautiful gown,” Erin muttered on Melody’s other side, and Olivia wondered if she and Luke Farrell were discussing tying the knot. If she remembered right, Erin and Luke had met on Erin’s trip to Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day, which meant their anniversary would be coming up soon, too. Now didn’t seem like the time to ask such a question, so she kept her mouth closed, but she noted Erin didn’t look at all concerned about it, like maybe it hadn’t even crossed her mind, whereas Olivia felt almost consumed by the idea that she and Memphis Nix were growing apart.

  It turned out she didn’t have to broach the topic. Spinning her wedding band on her finger, Melody muttered, “I wonder who will be next.”

  “I don’t know,” Erin chimed in, her voice more enthusiastic than Olivia’s would’ve been if she had been the one to answer. “I was just thinking about that.”

  “Has Luke given you any indication…?” Olivia stopped, not sure she even wanted to hear the answer.

  Nodding, Erin said, “We’ve talked about it. His mom is just so sick, he’s afraid to commit to anything until… things settle down.”

  Olivia nodded, knowing what Erin was implying. Luke’s mother had cancer, and the doctors hadn’t thought she’d make it this long. She’d proven them all wrong, but it seemed like she was just hanging on by a thread, and since she still lived in Ireland, Luke and Erin both spent a lot of time traveling back and forth to visit.

  Melody gave Erin a sympathetic smile and squeezed Erin’s hand before she turned to Olivia. Her tone was light, just curious, as she asked, “What about you and Memph, Liv? Have you talked about it?”

  Olivia’s mouth dropped open, but she closed it and shook her head before she finally said, “No, not really.” The closest they’d ever gotten was back when Delany had started looking for her dress, Memphis had made the comment he doubted they’d get married in a barn, which is what most of his friends and family had done.

  Now, Melody was giving her the same look she’d given Erin about her mother-in-law being so very sick and near her deathbed, and her other hand was on Olivia’s. “We all move at our own pace, and God has a plan for each of us.”

  “Very true,” Olivia agreed, though she wasn’t sure she truly felt that way. Some days, she wondered if maybe God didn’t really pay all that much attention to individuals, unless they were in desperate need or constantly begging Him for intervention. Olivia’s life was good for the most part, so maybe God had just forgotten her for a while….

  Delaney and her mother stepped out of the dressing room, followed by Cheryl, who was carrying a large bag with Delaney’s dress in it. “It’s very rare that we find a dress that fits so perfectly no alterations are needed.”

  Olivia smiled at Delaney’s good fortune--or good genes, whichever it was that had her blessed in that regard--and followed the others to the front of the store. The three friends stood to the side browsing bridesmaid dresses while Delaney and her mother took care of the bill. She knew Delaney and Josh were paying for almost everything and that her friend had been saving every penny she could since the engagement so they could go on the honeymoon of their dreams, and she could get the exact dress she wanted. A pang of jealousy hit Olivia in the side. She had plenty of money to spend on a wedding--just… no one seemed to be asking her to marry him.

  Chapter 2

  Melody

  “Mommy!” Michael Perry shrieked as Melody opened their front door. His little arms wrapped around her waist, his head buried in her stomach. “I missed you so much!”

  Laughing, Melody dropped her bags and squeezed him tight. “I missed you, too, Michael. So much.” She didn’t bother to remind him she’d only been gone for one night or that it was only the second time she’d left him for any length of time at all since the honeymoon--over a year ago. She understood how hard it was on him to see his new mom leave, since his first mom had left one day and never came back. So she hugged him tightly and let him know he had nothing to worry about.

  When Michael was reassured, he looked up expectantly. “Did you bring me somethin’ from the big city?”

  “Well, you sure switched gears awfully quickly,” Reid, Michael’s dad and Melody’s husband said, coming to the door behind him, draping a dish towel over his shoulder. Melody giggled, not at all surprised that Michael was looking for a toy. “Can’t you even let Mom get in the house before you start bombarding her for requests for toys?”

  “I’m sorry,” Michael mumbled, eyeing the shopping bag Melody had discarded on her way in the door so that she could hug him.

  “It’s yours,” she confirmed, and he scooped it up off the porch, running between his dad’s leg and the door, plastic flying before he even reached the living room.

  “Hi,” Reid said, ignoring the cries of glee from the other room for a second as Melody debated about whether or not to kiss him or pick up her bag. It didn’t take her long to make up her mind, and she found her husband’s waiting lips, glad to be back home, before Michael’s footsteps jarred them apart, and Reid stooped to pick up Melody’s overnight bag and purse.

  “Wow, Mommy! This is the Nerf gun I wanted for Christmas--the one Santa couldn’t find!”

  “I know!” she said, smiling, as she walked into the entryway, taking a deep breath and letting the smell of her favorite place invade her lungs. “Luckily, the toy store in Baltimore had just gotten a new shipment--now that the holidays are over.”

  “I can’t wait to show Holly! She got one, too, but hers is smaller. I bet I can shoot her before she can shoot me!” He ran off into the other room, and Reid called after him that maybe we shouldn’t be shooting our friends.

  “Sorry,” Melody mumbled. “He just… really wanted it. And--anything can be a gun. Even fingers.”

  “No, I know,” Reid agreed, setting her bags down by the door. “I just… doubt Holly really wants to play guns with him. Cooper
maybe--but all he talks about is Holly these days, like Cooper doesn’t even exist.”

  “Well, maybe we should call Paul and have a playdate for just the boys. I’m sure Kate would understand. Maybe she and I could take Holly to get our nails done or something.”

  Reid shrugged, still staring after his son. “He’s too young to have a crush on a girl already, isn’t he? I mean… he’s only in second grade.”

  Melody stifled a laugh. “I wouldn’t worry about it. Besides, he could do a lot worse than Holly.” With one eyebrow arched, Reid turned and looked at her, and Melody let the laugh out. “Were you doing the dishes?” She eyed the dish towel still tossed over his shoulder.

  “Oh, yeah. Man, that kid can get syrup on everything.”

  Melody took his hand and walked with him into the kitchen, hoping it wasn’t a disaster. She was glad to see it was relatively straight and reminded herself Reid had been a single parent for five years before they met. Still, recently, she’d been doing her best to keep the house clean and orderly. She felt like that was one way to honor her husband, and even though Reid did all of the outside work and helped around the house as much as he could, Melody liked being a homemaker. She wondered if, someday, she might quit working in advertising and make taking care of her family her full-time job…. If there was another, smaller addition to the family….