Free Love in a Fix by Leah Atwood

realize we were wrong all these years. Please forgive us.”
    Life was too short to hold grudges. Both she and Shep had learned that too soon. “You’re forgiven.”
    “After all we’ve said, we’ve no right to ask, but I have to.” Portia ran a slim hand over her skirt before making eye contact again. “Please don’t take Josh out of our lives. He brings sunshine to us and gets me through the darkest days of grief.”
    The request startled Lyndsey. In that instant, she bonded with her mother-in-law. As much as losing Mark hurt, she couldn’t imagine outliving her son. She slipped out from Shep’s protective hold and walked the several feet to Portia, knelt and covered her in-laws’ hands with hers. “You are Josh’s grandparents, and I’ve never dreamed of cutting you off from him. Regardless of the disagreements between us, Josh adores you, and my marriage to Shep won’t change your relationship with your grandson.”
    “Thank you.” Relief and humility filled Portia’s croaky whisper.
    Gary turned his attention to Shep. “Mark spoke often of you and respected you greatly.” His words were thick with emotion. “Josh is lucky to have you fill in where Mark couldn’t be.”
    “It’s my honor.” Shep caught Lyndsey’s eye and smiled.
    “It’s easy to see how much you love him and Lyndsey. Take good care of them.”
    Lyndsey coughed.
    Shep kept better control, but his eyes widened.
    They hadn’t disclosed their real reason for marriage.
    “I will, sir.” Taking the lead, Shep stood, and both men shook hands.
    The mantel clock displayed the time as ten o’clock. Three hours to go until she married Shep. Memories of Saturday’s kiss chose an inconvenient time to surface, and heat covered her cheeks. One kiss that hadn’t been repeated, but what an impression it had left. It brought her alive, awakened a part of her she’d thought had died, and sealed the conviction in her decision to marry him.
    At the same time, it also left her emotions in a whirl of confusion. Shep hadn’t attempted any more kisses. Hadn’t he enjoyed it? Had it not rocked his world off-kilter? The perceived imbalance of response left her vulnerable.
    She needed to leave the room, move her thoughts elsewhere. “Would you like to stay for a little while and visit with Josh?”
    “Yes,” Portia and Gary answered at the same time.
    Their eagerness to spend time with Josh, in addition to their apology, helped heal the wounds they’d inflicted on her. Some would take more time, but she’d offered forgiveness and would try her best to let go of resentments toward her in-laws. As Josh got older, he’d be able to sense a strain between them, and Lyndsey didn’t want that—she wanted him to see examples of healthy relationships. She only had eight years with her own parents, but they’d set a high bar which impressed her into adulthood, even after the horrible homes she’d lived in after. She wanted to give Josh that same foundation.
    “He’s playing in his room. I’ll call him down.” She made a quick exit.
    The bedroom door was open, and Josh played at his kiddie easel, using blue chalk to draw fish and whales. He turned around when she walked into the room. “Hi, Mommy. Like my picture?”
    “It’s beautiful.” She tousled his hair. “Grandma and Grandpa are here. You can go downstairs and see them.”
    “Did they come to see you marry Mr. Shep?”
    “No, sweetheart. They’ll be leaving before then.”
    “Oh.” A crestfallen frown covered his face. “Will there be anyone there?”
    “You, me and Mr. Shep.”
    “I thought weddings had lots of people?” Josh’s small brows furrowed in thought.
    He looked so serious, she had to suppress a laugh. “What do you know about weddings, young man?”
    “Not much.” He shrugged.
    Not for the first time, Lyndsey reevaluated their decision to not tell many people beforehand. Because theirs was a whirlwind engagement and unconventional, they wanted little