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The Hallmark Channel's 'Chesapeake Shores'
Mick and Megan O'Brien
By Annette Zoaps
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'Come Let Me Love You'
"You look beautiful," Mick says during a rare moment of calm one hour before Abby and Trace's wedding is set to start.
Megan smiles. "You look handsome yourself."
She gives him an encompassing look, taking in his perfectly tailored tuxedo and mirror-shined dress shoes. And his dazzling blue eyes. Always his eyes.
"Everything in order?" he asks, sucking in his stomach and puffing out his chest. "I confess, I should have lost a few more pounds before the big day."
"Me, too." She laughs. "I even started running on the beach last week."
"I saw you once or twice. I almost stopped and asked if I could join you."
"If you'd stopped, I would have begged you to drive me home. There were a few times I was way too ambitious and had to walk back. I even got a little sunburned yesterday, in spite of my ball cap." She wrinkles her nose.
"Your cheeks are pink." He notices.
She realizes it's because she's blushing and averts her eyes for a moment before changing the subject.
"I'm not sure about that boutonniere," she observes, focusing on his chest. "It looks like it's about to fall off."
Ready for every emergency, she pulls an extra florist's pin from a packet inside her handbag and secures the flower, taking a few seconds longer than necessary. Then she gives his dress shirt a little tug in front and smoothes his lapels. Twice.
"There. Perfect." She takes a deep breath.
"Just like old times." He smiles affectionately.
"Good times." She dares to glance at his eyes and nearly loses herself in them.
"The best," he agrees.
"Mom!" Bree calls from the doorway of the bride's dressing room. "Flower emergency!"
"Coming!" she replies, patting Mick's lapel one last time before rushing away.
. . .
The Trace Riley Band — minus Trace — provides background music for the couple's wedding reception at The Bridge. Their tunes are upbeat with a country flavor, and guests enjoy listening and visiting with one another as the dinner dishes are cleared away.
Nell is seated between Mick and Megan, who attend to her at a table that also includes Trace's parents.
"Stop fussing, you two!" she admonishes her son and former daughter-in-law.
"Not a chance, Ma," he says. "But Megan will have to do double duty while I help Trace with his number."
"Finally!" She laughs. "Be gone with ya!"
Mick and Megan share a smile as he stands and tucks in his chair. But there's something in his look that makes Megan wonder.
"Feeling all right, Nell?" she asks.
"Never better!" she answers, patting Megan's hand. "Now, this should be good." She gestures to the front of the stage, where Trace and Mick are setting up. "Mick's been practicing for days."
"What song did Abby and Trace finally decide on?"
"Abby doesn't know. It's Trace's song to her, and Mick made sure she was at work and the girls were in school while he was practicing his part."
"But you know," Megan presses. She remembers how Mick's singing always affected her, and she wants to prepare herself.
"That I do. But here now, they're about to start."
Megan takes Nell's hand, as much to steady herself as to show affection for her dear friend and mother figure.
Trace stands at a microphone empty-handed, while Mick holds his own guitar and sits on a stool off to the side, with the band on stage behind them.
At the opening notes of the dreamy, waltz-time tune, Megan is relieved that "Annie's Song" by John Denver never played a significant role in her and Mick's past. She relaxes and smiles when she recognizes that the opening lines are all about Abby and Trace.
"You fill up my senses, like a night in a forest," Trace sings, and Megan sees her daughter laugh sweetly as she remembers the overnight camping trip where she made precious memories with the man she loves. "Like a mountain in springtime, like a walk in the rain."
When Traces finishes the first verse, he joins his bride in the middle of the floor for their dance.
Megan watches the happy couple, and sways to the music.
When Mick launches into the second verse, something in his smooth, tenor voice makes her turn her attention to him. He's not looking at their daughter — his eyes are laser-focused on her.
"Come let me love you, let me give my life to you," he sings. "Let me drown in your laughter, let me die in your arms."
"Megan?" Nell whispers, startling her. "Is my son singing to you, darlin'?"
Her grip on Nell's hand tightens when she realizes it's not her imagination — Nell sees it, too. With her free hand, she discreetly uses a napkin to blot at her eyes that are about to overflow.
As final proof, Mick nods to her as he concludes the verse: "Let me lay down beside you,
let me always be with you. Come let me love you, come love me again."
The band takes over during the song's instrumental interlude, and Mick sets his guitar aside, still looking at Megan as he steps to the sidelines, where a number of guests are standing.
"Megan?" Nell says, noticing her stunned expression.
"I have to go to him," she says suddenly, slipping from her seat and making her way through the crowd.
As the music swells, she sees him emerge from a cluster of people and hurry toward her — and there's no mistaking what she sees in his eyes.
He sweeps her into a firm embrace, and she tightens her arms around his neck.
"I've never been more surprised than I am right now," she says breathlessly. "What made you decide to do this?"
"I love you," he whispers, his breath teasing her ear. "I've been trying to show you for weeks."
"Nothing like telling the whole room at the same time you tell me." She laughs softly.
"They're still clueless." He smiles. "Everyone was looking at the kids while I was singing. They still are," he says pointedly.
The house lights are dimmed, with a spotlight shining only on the bride and groom. All Megan can see are the backs of the many guests standing on the darkened sidelines.
"So no one will notice us way back here in the corner?" she asks.
"Not a soul."
"I don't know," she says doubtfully. "You may have to prove it."
Warm and ready, his lips lightly caress hers before pulling away, leaving her longing for more.
Megan sighs against his cheek and takes the opportunity to tentatively peek over his shoulder and finds that he's telling the truth — not a single soul gives a hoot about the couple in the background.
"I never could resist you in a tux," she says, focusing her attention on him again.
"In that case, I'll find a reason to wear one every day."
"And that aftershave you wear on special occasions." She nuzzles his neck, feeling weak in his arms as she inhales deeply.
"I'll buy it by the gallon." He finds her mouth, warm and insistent. "Anything to get you to come back to me."
"Anything?"
"Tux. Aftershave. Anything you want." His breath tantalizes her neck, sending her nerves afire. "What do you want?" he whispers.
"Sing to me. Not here and now, but soon."
"Ah, yes. I remember each and every one of your favorites."
"Add this one to the list. Somehow I feel like it was written for us."
"Best song ever," he agrees, humming it softly even though the band has launched into another of the newlyweds' favorites.
Mick takes Megan in his arms and begins moving to their new favorite tune, slow-dancing in their quiet corner.
"What?" she asks.
"I didn't say anything. Just humming our song."
"Mmm. Don't stop." She snuggles deeper into his warmth of his arms.
"Mom! Dad!"
"That's Abby," Mick and Megan say in unison, quickly stepping out of their embrace and staring into the curious eyes of the hundred or so guests who are now looking at them instead of the dance floor.
"It's your turn to join us," Abby reminds them, a knowing smile playing over her lips.
"I forgot that we were supposed to dance, too," Mick whispers, running a nervous hand through his hair.
"Completely slipped my mind," Megan says under her breath, blushing madly. "So much for 'not a soul' noticing us. I feel like a wild animal on exhibit. Got a song for that?"
"Sure. My new, new favorite song." He slips his arm around her waist and guides her confidently through the parted crowd.
"I'm afraid to ask."
He leans close so only she can hear. "'Wild thing, you make my heart sing.' Hmm, I should make a request to the band."
"You do, and it'll be your last request," she jokes in return, finally feeling calmer in the middle of the floor, with Abby, Trace and Trace's parents also dancing.
"You know a better song?" he taunts.
"How about 'Runaway?'"
"I'll just run away with you." His eyes are serious. "Here's a thought. What about 'Through The Years?'"
"By Kenny Rogers?"
"One and the same."
Her expression is sad, longing. "I wish we'd been together instead of missing out on all those years. I'm so sorry I left."
"That's why it's the perfect song — for all the years still ahead. You remember how it goes?"
"It — it's been a while."
"I heard it not long ago, and I thought the words fit us. Some of them, anyway." He speaks the lyrics so only she can hear: "'Through the years, I never had a doubt, we'd always work things out. I've learned what life's about, by loving you, through the years.'"
She smiles. "It's starting to come back to me. I remember this line: 'The sweetest days I've found, I've found with you.' Mick, that's true. It's always been true."
He sighs, pressing his forehead to hers. "Looks like I'm going to have to start rehearsing."
She looks at him questioningly.
"Because I suddenly have a lot of singing to get ready for."
"And I'll be by your side, enjoying it all through the years to come," she says, smiling.
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The End
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This story is complete! If you love Mick and Megan as much as I do, be sure to check out my other stories:
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If you love Mick and Megan as much as I do, be sure to check out my other stories:
NEW! Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, The Whiskers of Machu Picchu, 2 chapters
Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Come Let Me Love You
Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Fear of Flying, 3 chapters
Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, The One That I Want
Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Where the Wind Blows
Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Once a Promise
Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Mother of the Bride, 2 chapters
Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Love Song
Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, First Kiss
The Hallmark Channel's 'Chesapeake Shores' — Mick & Megan O'Brien, 9 chapters
Chesapeake Shores — Megan at the Met — Mick and Megan O'Brien, 6 chapters
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I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has been reading and making positive comments about my stories!
I appreciate it more than you know!
Annette Zoaps
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