Read Online A Glimmer of Hope: A Novella Prequel to Isle of Hope by Julie Lessman - Free Book Online
Authors: Julie Lessman
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“Well, my dessert’s good, I’ll grant you,” she said in a rush, stifling a silent groan that Jack hadn’t waited until Ben was at least sated with pie. She quickly doled out plates around the table. “But I’m not sure it’s worth ditching a movie, so dig in, everybody—ice cream’s a-meltin’.” She took her seat and picked up her fork, fingers quivering as she encouraged Jack and Lacey with a blazing smile. “You were saying, Jack?”
Casting a grateful look in Tess’s direction, Jack squared his shoulders, chest expanding and contracting with a deep breath while he scanned the table. “Mom, Dad, Dr. Carmichael, Mrs. Carmichael—I want you to be the first to know I gave Lacey a promise ring last night because I love her and want to marry her someday.”
Tess launched up again, desperate to spin the announcement in a positive direction. “Oh, Lacey,” she squealed, darting around the table to dispense a giddy hug, “I’ve always hoped and prayed you and Jack would end up together. You’re perfect for each other, don’t you think, Karen?”
Lacey’s mother rose with a sheen of tears, her smile wobbly as she embraced her daughter. “Absolutely,” she said with a shaky caress of Lacey’s hair before lifting her hand to admire the ring. “Oh, honey, it’s beautiful, and what a lovely way to promise someone your heart, Jack.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Carmichael.” Jack drew Lacey close, the pride in his eyes glowing brighter than the pillar candles in the center of the table. “Lacey’s the one for me, and I don’t want to take any chances.”
“Smart move, Son.” Adam gave Lacey a hug and then shook Jack’s hand. “This girl’s too special not to stake your claim. Right, Ben?”
All eyes converged on Lacey’s father whose silence was deafening as he appeared welded to the chair. Arms barricaded across his chest, he simply stared at Jack, gaze as hard and steely as the wrought-iron table. His smile could have cracked when he drilled Jack with a chilly look. “Eighteen’s a little young to be engaged, don’t you think?”
“I was eighteen when we got engaged, Ben,” Karen said with a tremulous smile, “and married not long after.”
Ben frosted her with an icy stare. “My point exactly. It wasn’t easy for either of us and you know it, with both of us still in school like we were.”
“It’s not an engagement ring, Dr. Carmichael,” Jack was quick to point out, “it’s a promise ring that simply states our intentions while we’re both in school.”
“A promise ring,” Ben said carefully, his formidable chin appearing to rise for battle. “And what exactly are your ‘intentions’ with my daughter, Jack?”
A rare blush crawled up Jack’s neck. “Purely honorable, sir, I assure you. We both have a lot of schooling ahead, so I just want Lacey to know that I love her and I’m committed to her until we’re both in a position to get married.”
“Really.” Ben’s tone was as flat as his smile. He leaned forearms on the table, the planes of his chiseled face appearing to be carved in rock. “And when might that be, Jack?”
Jack stood his ground, gaze never wavering. “At least four years, sir, for me to graduate from seminary and Lacey from college, with our official engagement somewhere in between.”
Adam gripped Jack’s shoulder in a show of support. “Ben …” he said, returning to his seat, “Jack discussed his intentions with Tess and me prior to asking Lacey, and although we weren’t in love with the idea at first given Lacey’s age, we felt Jack’s reasons were sound.”
Tess’s ribcage contracted with a slow exhale of relief at Adam’s words, hoping his calm and confident demeanor would help diffuse any volatility.
Her husband continued, his steady gaze locked on Ben’s. “We trust our son, Ben, and he convinced us that all he wants right now is some way to officially commit to Lacey, hoping to provide a comfort level for her, if you will,
Casting a grateful look in Tess’s direction, Jack squared his shoulders, chest expanding and contracting with a deep breath while he scanned the table. “Mom, Dad, Dr. Carmichael, Mrs. Carmichael—I want you to be the first to know I gave Lacey a promise ring last night because I love her and want to marry her someday.”
Tess launched up again, desperate to spin the announcement in a positive direction. “Oh, Lacey,” she squealed, darting around the table to dispense a giddy hug, “I’ve always hoped and prayed you and Jack would end up together. You’re perfect for each other, don’t you think, Karen?”
Lacey’s mother rose with a sheen of tears, her smile wobbly as she embraced her daughter. “Absolutely,” she said with a shaky caress of Lacey’s hair before lifting her hand to admire the ring. “Oh, honey, it’s beautiful, and what a lovely way to promise someone your heart, Jack.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Carmichael.” Jack drew Lacey close, the pride in his eyes glowing brighter than the pillar candles in the center of the table. “Lacey’s the one for me, and I don’t want to take any chances.”
“Smart move, Son.” Adam gave Lacey a hug and then shook Jack’s hand. “This girl’s too special not to stake your claim. Right, Ben?”
All eyes converged on Lacey’s father whose silence was deafening as he appeared welded to the chair. Arms barricaded across his chest, he simply stared at Jack, gaze as hard and steely as the wrought-iron table. His smile could have cracked when he drilled Jack with a chilly look. “Eighteen’s a little young to be engaged, don’t you think?”
“I was eighteen when we got engaged, Ben,” Karen said with a tremulous smile, “and married not long after.”
Ben frosted her with an icy stare. “My point exactly. It wasn’t easy for either of us and you know it, with both of us still in school like we were.”
“It’s not an engagement ring, Dr. Carmichael,” Jack was quick to point out, “it’s a promise ring that simply states our intentions while we’re both in school.”
“A promise ring,” Ben said carefully, his formidable chin appearing to rise for battle. “And what exactly are your ‘intentions’ with my daughter, Jack?”
A rare blush crawled up Jack’s neck. “Purely honorable, sir, I assure you. We both have a lot of schooling ahead, so I just want Lacey to know that I love her and I’m committed to her until we’re both in a position to get married.”
“Really.” Ben’s tone was as flat as his smile. He leaned forearms on the table, the planes of his chiseled face appearing to be carved in rock. “And when might that be, Jack?”
Jack stood his ground, gaze never wavering. “At least four years, sir, for me to graduate from seminary and Lacey from college, with our official engagement somewhere in between.”
Adam gripped Jack’s shoulder in a show of support. “Ben …” he said, returning to his seat, “Jack discussed his intentions with Tess and me prior to asking Lacey, and although we weren’t in love with the idea at first given Lacey’s age, we felt Jack’s reasons were sound.”
Tess’s ribcage contracted with a slow exhale of relief at Adam’s words, hoping his calm and confident demeanor would help diffuse any volatility.
Her husband continued, his steady gaze locked on Ben’s. “We trust our son, Ben, and he convinced us that all he wants right now is some way to officially commit to Lacey, hoping to provide a comfort level for her, if you will,
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