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  Olivia Kimbrell Press™

  Copyright Notice

  The Second Yes, Five Wedding Dress Christian Romances, Crossroads Collection 5, Copyright © 2019 by the authors. All rights reserved. This book is an anthology of collected works of fiction. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or recording—without express written permission by the authors and publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed or broadcasted articles and reviews.

  Season of Surprises by Alexa Verde, copyright © 2019

  Something Borrowed, Someone Blue by Chautona Havig, copyright © 2019

  Black Belt, White Dress by Hallee Bridgeman, copyright © 2019

  Sewn Together by Alana Terry, copyright © 2019

  The Second Yes by Amanda Tru, copyright © 2019

  Each book in this collection is the intellectual property and the copyrighted material of the respective author and/or publisher and is reprinted as a part of this collection (anthology) only once and only by permission of the owners. The publisher makes no claim on, or to, the property of the owners which exceeds that permission. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the authors’ imagination or intended to be used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, organizations, places, or persons living or dead is purely coincidental and beyond the intention of either the authors or the publisher.

  PUBLISHED BY: Olivia Kimbrell Press™*, P.O. Box 470, Fort Knox, KY 40121-0470. The Olivia Kimbrell Press™ colophon and open book logo are trademarks of Olivia Kimbrell Press™. *Olivia Kimbrell Press™ is a publisher offering true to life, meaningful fiction from a Christian worldview intended to uplift the heart and engage the mind.

  Scripture quotations from the Holy Bible are excerpts from many versions and are reproduced in strict accordance with the copyright of the owners.

  Fonts: Crimson Pro, Dark Courier, Eras, Austina, Garamond, Arial

  Edited by: Gregg Bridgeman

  Cover Design and Title Graphics by: Chautona Havig

  Library Cataloging Data

  Names: Alexa Verde, Chautona Havig, Hallee Bridgeman, Alana Terry, Amanda Tru (Verde, Alexa; Havig, Chautona; Bridgeman, Hallee; Terry, Alana; Tru, Amanda)

  Title: The Second Yes, Crossroads Collection 5

  p. 760 6 in. × 9 in. (15.24 cm × 22.86 cm)

  Description: digital eBook edition | Print on Demand edition | Trade paperback edition | Hardcover Case Laminate edition | Kentucky: Olivia Kimbrell Press™, 2019.

  Summary: Five of today's Best-selling Christian Authors weave five brand-new, unique, interconnected stories where the first yes is for the wedding and the second yes is for the dress.

  Identifiers: Library of Congress Control Number: 2019942863 | ISBN-13: 978-1-68190-156-5 (ebk.) | 978-1-68190-157-2 (Audio) | 978-1-68190-158-9 (trade) | 978-1-68190-159-6 (hardcover)

  1. clean romance love story 2. male female relationship 3. holy matrimony marriage 4. women’s inspirational 5. happily ever after ending 6. Christian fiction mystery 7. traditional wedding dress

  Welcome

  Season of Surprises by Alexa Verde

  Something Borrowed, Someone Blue by Chautona Havig

  Black Belt, White Dress by Hallee Bridgeman

  Sewn Together by Alana Terry

  The Second Yes by Amanda Tru

  Hopefully this isn’t your first “yes” to a “Crossroads Collection,” but if it is, let me welcome you and explain how things work around here. If you’ve been here before, stay tuned to find out the behind the scenes scoop on this set!

  This collection of books is different from others you may have read. First of all, each book is a brand-new, stand-alone novel that, while it may be connected to the author’s other series, is also a complete book. Many of the books do exist in the same worlds, and you may run into a few familiar character friends. For instance, it shouldn’t be surprising that my Crossroads Collection books are all set in the fictional town of… wait for it… Crossroads! However, while this is the fifth “Crossroads Collection” released, each set is stand-alone as well, and it doesn’t matter which one you start with or if you read them in order or not.

  While the collections themselves are complete, independent story-lines, the individual set is intended for you to read the five books in order. Though they are written by five different authors with unique settings and plots, one book in the series ties them together as a whole. Part of the fun and surprise is seeing how the seemingly unrelated stories are tied together and interconnected with the final story.

  One of the best parts of being a Crossroads author is the friendships you develop. While working, praying, and laughing together, real relationships form. A year ago, a few of the Crossroads authors were chatting in a group, and the idea came up to do a Crossroads set about weddings. Several fabulous ideas were tossed out but no decisions were made. Even though I didn’t really have a firm plot or even an idea in the back of my mind, I planned that “the wedding one” would release this summer. I even recruited other authors without giving them the exact details other than “we’re doing a wedding Crossroads set.” That’s some pretty amazing trust for them to jump all in, trusting that I would figure it out.

  And I did!

  I knew my main character before I knew the plot. I settled on the theme of wedding dresses and let the other authors tell me their ideas for their own books. Then I crafted my over-arching plot around theirs, making each of their stories an important element in my own plot. The result is better than I could have ever expected! I am very proud of each of the Crossroads collections for different reasons. For this one, I am extremely proud of the beautiful way the stories are woven together. Each one is important. While they tell their own stories, you won’t realize the full scope of their significance until you reach the end.

  Now it is your turn to visit Crossroads once again. Our authors include one new to Crossroads, one who is returning after a break, and two other veterans I wouldn’t want to do a Crossroads collection without! Alexa Verde is our Crossroads rookie, and was a joy to work with. Her book, Season of Surprises involves a road trip adventure that lands Sierra and Edgar in Crossroads searching for a missing wedding dress. Having another author’s characters actually come to visit Crossroads was a first, and in this set, we actually manage to do it twice!

  In Chautona Havig’s Something Borrowed, Someone Blue we find more back and forth interaction with Crossroads and a not-so-accidental wedding dress mix-up where the preacher is left holding the pieces.

  We are thrilled to have Hallee Bridgeman return to the Crossroads Collections in Black Belt, White Dress. In it, a young woman tries to balance honoring her mother while following her own wedding dress dreams.

  Alana Terry adds a unique spin with her book, Sewn Together, where we get a completely different perspective on what a wedding dress can mean.

  Finally, The Second Yes brings everything together with a wedding dress designer wanting to right the wrongs of a villain you’re not sure whether to love or hate!

  I wish you happy reading in the pages that follow. My sincere hope is that you love this collection and that it provides you with laughter, maybe a few tears, and a deeper meaning that remains after the last page is finished. While you’ll find a great variety of styles and stories, the thread that ties them together is meant to illustrate the interconnectedness of our own lives. You and your actions matter in important ways you may never know.

  May you escape into five wonderful worlds, and may God somehow speak to you amidst the fun. When you return to the real world, may you be thankful you said yes!

  Sincerely,

  Author of The
Second Yes

  Hello Crossroads Reader, and welcome!

  In this collection, you will find five stories unique in scene, setting, and characters that all have something to do with a wedding dress. My story, The Second Yes, is the last story in this collection and it is my privilege to introduce you to the first story in the collection, Season of Surprises by the superlatively skillful author, Alexa Verde.

  I actually don’t recall how Alexa and I first “met,” but I think it may have been when working on a boxed set collection that flopped! The set was ready to go our distributor changed their policies, and the collection was immediately pulled from publication. At the time, I’d worked extremely hard on the project and was very upset at its demise. However, now I realize that God had other plans. That failed project brought with it different kinds of success—and one of those was an acquaintance and eventual friendship with Alexa.

  Alexa has an impressive resume, and I’m awed by the fact that she speaks five languages! However, before I even knew any of her accolades, I was always struck by her sweet spirit, which is very apparent in any interaction I have observed or experienced with her. I also know that she’s a very respected, well-loved author, and for a while now, she’s been on my list of authors I wanted to rope into doing a Crossroads Collection!

  This time… she said yes!

  Since then I’ve had the opportunity to work and pray with her, and we’ve gotten to know each other on a more personal level. Brainstorming ideas with her was amazing, and one of my favorite things about this collection is how we managed to connect our stories together!

  In Season of Surprises, maid-of-honor Sierra Knightley and best-man Edgar Delaney embark on a journey to recover an heirloom wedding dress that someone sold by mistake. The problem is that Sierra and Edgar share a tumultuous past that each will have to reconcile. Along the way, the former high school sweethearts unexpectedly encounter danger and surprises. God gives them a fantastic opportunity—again—but to accept it, they need to do more than track down the wedding dress. They have to embrace true love. For God. For themselves. For each other.

  Please enjoy this story of forgiveness, love, hope, and second chances.

  Author of The Second Yes

  By

  Alexa Verde

  Copyright Notice

  Season of Surprises Copyright © 2019 by Olga Grun writing as Alexa Verde

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, posted on any website, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without written permission from the publisher, except for brief quotations in reviews and articles.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyediting by Deirdre Lockhart.

  Each book in this collection is the intellectual property and the copyrighted material of the respective author and/or publisher and is reprinted as a part of this collection (anthology) only once and only by permission of the owners. The publisher makes no claim on, or to, the property of the owners which exceeds that permission. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the authors’ imagination or intended to be used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, organizations, places, or persons living or dead is purely coincidental and beyond the intention of either the authors or the publisher. The characters are products of the authors’ imaginations and used fictitiously.

  Sierra Knightley would rather chew her brand-new shoes than be a maid of honor again. Well, considering those black pumps gave her blisters today…

  After signing out of her computer, she glanced at her torturous footwear. As soon as she finished closing the office for her boss and got home, she’d bury her shoes in the farthest corner of her yard where even her curious bunch of pets wouldn’t be able to dig them out.

  She dropped folders in the drawer and locked it. Argh. When her kind—and a bit on the needy side—aunt Willow decided to get married, the entire family knew Sierra would be the best candidate for the role. She had soooo much experience. Her relatives even hinted there was hope for Sierra, too. She was only twenty-eight, half her aunt’s age.

  After long weeks of work preparing for her upcoming vacation, Sierra’s strength drained out until simply getting up seemed like an insurmountable task. Not to mention, walking in those shoes.

  She pursed her lips and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. This year should be her year.

  Yes!

  Sometimes she felt her boss thought she was akin to a human version of a computer. She’d worked for him for years and had barely ever seen a smile or heard a kind word from him. Gray walls matched her mood today, and even the pictures of her cats, dog, and a frog and a stuffed puppy didn’t cheer her up. The secretary position wasn’t her dream job.

  Enough whining. Sierra started writing fast.

  First, travel overseas. As much as she loved her hometown, it was time she saw something besides Rios Azules in south Texas.

  She tensed at the sound outside. Was it a car driving up? No, nobody should be here at this hour.

  Second…

  Oh, she should pray on this first. She lifted her eyes to the white ceiling with modern metal light fixtures.

  Lord, please let me know what You want me to do.

  Now, she needed to figure out which thoughts were God’s will and which were her own intentions.

  The image of a bright office with pink walls and people holding pets appeared.

  Second, I need to do something about becoming a veterinarian beyond dreaming about it. Eventually. Um, what about Aunt Willow, her parents, and the rest of her relatives who always called her for help? Her heart squeezed into a heavy lump. Besides, her parents were reluctant for her to leave, though it’d been years since her sister’s death when she’d gone to study in Houston.

  Third… Finding a soul mate wouldn’t hurt, but she learned some men’s promises couldn’t be trusted.

  She nibbled on her lower lip. She should tell her former high school sweetheart, Edgar Delaney, everything she thought about him. He’d left her for a big career in Houston and never looked back. A familiar dull ache made her wince.

  A squeak near the front door caused her to prick her ears. Chills ran down her spine. Probably just hearing things.

  She shoved the list in the pocket of her black pantsuit, slipped her feet into her torturous shoes, winced as blisters and shoes met each other again, and rose carefully so as not to pop the blisters. Time to go home, attend to her pets, and start on the mile-long list Aunt Willow wanted her to do for her wedding preparations. As Sierra had explained to her none-too-pleased boss, one needed a weeklong vacation to make a dent in those.

  For now, Sierra showed up first and left last. Not because she didn’t have a personal life, but because she was responsible and hardworking. She sighed as she started turning off the lights. Okay, that, too.

  Footfalls in the distance froze her movements. Nobody should be in the building at this time. A burglar? She should’ve locked the door. Ice tingled through her veins.

  What should she do?

  Lord, please help me.

  She needed to defend herself. With what?

  Her mind whirled. Fire extinguisher! No, she’d have to cross the entire room to get it, and the sounds of the footfalls grew terrifyingly nearer the office. She scanned her desk. A stapler wouldn’t scare an intruder much.

  A paperweight?

  Yes!

  Aunt Willow had given it to her years ago. Shaped like a puppy and heavy, it had served its purpose well. She grabbed the smooth glass surface, then grimaced as she ran in the horrible shoes and hid behind the door leading to the office.

  She lifted the paperweight above her head and held her breath. Her heartbeat thrummed in her ears.
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  Sure enough, her nose chose to start itching. Uh-oh. The last thing she needed was to sneeze and give herself away.

  Footfalls sounded nearer… Nearer…

  The intruder should be here any moment.

  A shadow appeared somewhere to the side of her. Now!

  She struck with everything in her and… missed!

  The paperweight grazed his shoulder.

  Her heart thundering in her chest, she jumped back. What if he was armed?

  Wait a moment. Black leather shoes, nice dressy black slacks, and a white shirt far too expensive for a local store… Huh.

  Her eyebrows shot up. Diamonds in cufflinks? He even smelled expensive, the kind of cologne she’d smelled on her wealthiest relative.

  Then she gasped.

  It couldn’t be.

  Blue eyes she knew so well studied at her.

  A well-defined mouth from which kisses had made her melt once upon a time moved. “I knew I wasn’t going to receive a warm welcome. But that’s a bit of an overkill, don’t you think?”

  Edgar Delaney.

  The man who’d broken her heart.

  The paperweight slipped from her hand and landed on the floor with a loud thump. She released a pent-up breath and nearly slumped to the floor herself as her ankles threatened to give out.

  Lord, when I said I wanted to tell Edgar everything I thought about him, I didn’t quite mean it this way.

  Edgar peered at the woman who’d once occupied his thoughts and his dreams.

  Throughout the years he’d spent away from Sierra in Houston, first getting a degree, then working a busy job in finance, he’d often imagined their reunion. It usually included a romantic candle-lit dinner, roses, and kisses, then her leaving Rios Azules and going with him to Houston like they’d always dreamed. However, she couldn’t leave her helpless and sick aunt or her parents who’d been scared they could lose another daughter to an accident in Houston. He’d had to leave on his own and make a life for himself on his own, as well.