Love Resisted (The Real Love Series) by Melanie Codina Read Free Book Online Page A

as he said, “And I remembered that you like the pink ones, too.”
    Allie watched as Gillian leaned over and kissed him on the cheek saying, “Thank you so much. I know just where I want this to go.” Then there was a long pause and Ryan just stood there with his hands behind his back. Allie could tell he was nervous about something. Gillian gave him a questioning look before asking, “What’s wrong Ryan? Is there something else?”
    The young man was silent, but nodded slightly as he pulled a handmade card from behind his back, and thrust it in Gillian’s direction. She glanced down at the card then back up at Ryan’s face as she took it from him. “Thank you sweetie. I love when you boys make me stuff.”
    Ryan just stood there and watched Gillian as she looked back down at the card. It was very obvious that there was something the boy was worried about, and for the life of her, Allie couldn’t figure out what it was. She had never witnessed the young man look so nervous. She inwardly laughed as she thought that maybe his nervousness was due to the fact that Dylan wasn’t there to speak on his behalf. Smiling at that thought, she watched as Gillian opened the card. There was a few seconds of pause before Gillian gasped, and her hand flew to her mouth in surprise. Tears instantly filled her eyes and poured out the sides as she looked over at a still-nervous Ryan.
    When Gillian moved her hand from her mouth, she smiled at him and said, “It would be a great honor for me if you did.” Allie watched as Ryan’s eyes filled with tears, too, and he flung himself around Gillian’s neck and held on tightly.
    Gillian sat there holding him as Allie said, “I'm about to cry over here people, and I have no idea why!”
    Gillian lifted the card in her hand and held it up and open so that they could all see what was inside. It took Allie a moment to focus past the sheen of tears that formed just from watching the exchange. When she heard the intake of breath next to her confirming what she was reading, the tears filled to abundance and poured out. Simultaneously, all the women dissolved in silent tears as they read the handmade card … from an eight year old boy … to a woman … asking her, “Can I please call you Mommy?”
    Allie blinked rapidly and fanned her eyes in an attempt to stop the moisture from falling out and ruining her make-up. Just thinking about that scene was like having a Lifetime movie on repeat in her head—got you choked up every damn time. Even if they were happy tears, she was ready to move onto the celebration at hand today. “All right, tell me where you want these so we can get this party underway. I do believe we have an eighteen year old boy to pay a ton of attention to. So much that he is going to regret deciding to move away for college.”
    Gillian gave a sad face and another supply of tears welled up at the mention of her son going away to college. Damn, screwed up on that one! “I’m sorry, sweetie, I didn’t mean to bring that up, too. It’s going to be a long day for you, isn’t it?”
    “I’m okay, just hormones. I can do this,” Gillian said in a clear attempt to convince herself.
    Being one of her usual cheerleaders, Allie chimed in, “Hell yeah you can! Now get yourself in gear and boss these people around so you don’t overdo it. Where’s Jake? He should be fanning you and feeding you grapes or something. Jake!” At the mention of his name, Gillian giggled and snapped out of her hormone-induced tear fest. She smiled even bigger when Jake came trotting into the room.
    “What’s the matter? Were you crying? Are you in pain?” Now was Allie’s turn to giggle because there just wasn’t anything funnier than watching Jake Michaels turn into a panicky lovesick puppy dog whenever Gillian was concerned.
    “She’s fine Jake, just hormones.”
    Allie watched him visibly relax as he rubbed Gillian’s upper back with one hand and her baby-bump with the other before