Two Become One: A Destinee Romance series Book 2

By Lisa Marbly-Warir

**Heat level-3 out of 5 flames-sex between married couple**

Is all that glitters really gold?

When Destinee arrived in Langston as a quiet, shy college graduate, she was on the outside looking in on the charmed lives of the women of Langston. And snagging a husband was the last thing on her mind, especially a rich one. She is now a Langstonite through marriage, enjoying married life to a wonderful man with typical ups and downs of marriage but when a woman from his past comes back to town Destinee’s former insecurities are put to the test. Her husband’s world as he knows it is further tested by a stranger with a shocking secret.

Is Destinee living the charmed life she always imagined?

Does Destinee and her husband have what it takes to make their marriage work as unexpected events unfold in their lives?

This book (part 2) and parts 1 and 3 are available as 1 book in A Johnson Family Saga—Love that Transcends All

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lisa Marbly-Warir
• Release date: Jul 14, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310857102

Lisa Marbly-Warir

Lisa Marbly-Warir is an avid reader and has been writing for years. She started out writing fan fiction of celebrities and TV/movie characters. Michael Jackson was her favorite to write about and it garnered her a small following. She published her first book Destinee romance novella (year of completion 2001) in January 2015. Painting and drawing is also a favorite pastime though she doesn’t do it as often as she used to. Next to reading, writing and drawing, Lisa also loves to travel. She has been to Europe, the Caribbean and North Africa as well as travels throughout the United States. You will see she incorporates some of her travel journeys into her stories. One of her quotes “Writing is an escape, and I love living through my characters and bringing them to life” Check out her other storiesTwo Become one-A Destinee romance book 2Jewel—A Chance at LoveBorn Out of Lust (novella) book 3Sista’s can we talk?Under the Irish MoonThe Millionaire—Diamonds Are ForeverA Kiss at ChristmasHis Soul, Her Heartwww.shimmergirlbooks.comwww.lisamarbly-warirauthorpage.weebly.comTwitter @LwarirFacebook Destinee romance Novellawww.Goodreads.com

Book preview

Two Become One

A Destinee Romance Series

Book 2

By

Lisa Marbly-Warir

Published July 2015

Book cover by Crystal Clear Images

Copyright 2015 by Lisa Marbly-Warir

All rights reserved

The characters, names and places mentioned in this novella are purely fictional. Any similarities between the characters of this book and real people are coincidental.

Dedicated to my late grandparents Bennie and Marshall

Special thanks to my Aunt Patrice Trisa for her input and suggestions for the book.

Acknowledgements to

Karen Garrette my Editor

Table of Contents

Chapter One – Destinee and Edward Becomes One

Chapter Two - First year of marriage

Chapter Three - In New York

Chapter Four - Back home in Langston

Chapter Five - The Inevitable

Chapter Six - Making Up

Chapter Seven - Like Old Times

Chapter Eight - Questions

Chapter Nine - The Secret is out

Chapter Ten - Anthony

Chapter One

Destinee and Edward Becomes One

Planning for my wedding was one of the highlights of my life-especially since I was unsure if that day would ever come. Like most young women; I dreamed of my wedding day long before I knew who I was as a woman. I dreamed of my wedding dress and the handsome man that would sweep me off of my feet. When my dream became a reality-suddenly the thought of planning and money being spent didn’t appeal to me. My plan was to do simple yet classy on a budget and invite my closest friends and relatives only. My mother and mother-in-law didn’t take no for an answer when I protested that I didn’t need any help and that I wanted to keep it small and intimate; we ended up with over three hundred and fifty guests. Edward and I were their only children and they wanted a memorable day not only for us, but for them as well.

A longtime friend of my mother’s, Pastor Wilson agreed to walk me down the aisle and give me away. He and his wife had known me since I was a child and he was honored to be asked. Before the big day came, Pastor Wilson felt it was best to sit down with Edward and me-to make sure we knew what we were getting into. We had arrived at his office about ten that morning.

Please sit, Pastor Wilson motioned to us.

Do you mind if my wife sits with us? he asked.

Of course not, we said.

Miss Destinee Jones, I can’t believe this day is finally upon us. I remember when you were just a little girl running about the church, Pastor Wilson said. He made more small talk before he got to the point of why Edward and I were in his office.

Venetia and I have been married for twenty nine years and we’ve seen it all and been through it all, We like to offer insight to couples just starting out from a male and female perspective. Pastor Wilson told us.

We sat about an hour with them. At our age, there wasn’t really anything they could tell us except Put God first and keep people out of your business. Marriage is about give and take but sometimes you have to compromise even when you don’t want to, he told us.

He who finds a wife, finds a good thing and I know you are getting a good woman here, he told Edward.

Edward smiled and nodded in agreement. And most importantly, young man, Pastor Wilson said looking at Edward. Happy wife makes for a happy life, you remember that. he winked and we all had a good laugh about it.

After all was said and done-Venetia said some things she felt were pertinent about our union and then we left.

That was enlightening, Edward said as we walked hand-in-hand to the car.

I looked up at him; I didn’t know if he was being serious or facetious. He had a church upbringing, but wasn’t going as regularly as he should and he acknowledged that at times. I also knew he went to the meeting for my benefit. He was a man who was used to being the boss and pulling all the strings, so I knew he felt some kind of way sitting in front of Pastor Wilson, but he smiled and humored me. Our wedding was three weeks away. Are you nervous? he asked me. No, I told him. And surprisingly, I wasn’t. It still felt like a dream that I was scared to wake up from.

Once my mother and mother-in-law took the reins regarding my wedding, I practically had no say-so, but I drew the line when it came to my color scheme. I chose silver blue for my bridesmaid dresses and black for the groomsmen along with matching silver blue cummerbunds. Had I given my mother carte blanche, my bridesmaid’s would have been in pink frou-frou dresses with big bows. My dress was a pearl-beaded, formfitting mermaid dress with a sweetheart neckline. My hair was upswept with pearls woven through. I remember the day of the wedding; I got ready nervously with my mother and my best friends Sheri and Diane. My mother chose that time to embarrass me with the wedding night talk. I remember Sheri and Diane looking at one another and snickering. I gave my mother a ‘don’t do it’ look and she dropped the subject for the time being.

At thirty one, I didn’t need the talk and although I hadn’t done it yet, I knew what the mechanics involved and I’d read enough spicy romance novels to get an idea of what to expect. Looking back, I wondered what possessed me to read those books only to go to an empty bed.

I should have had that talk with you a long time ago, baby, my mother said, making the awkward moment worse.

Sometimes mothers see their children as little ones forever, you’ll see what I mean when you become a parent, my mother said wistfully.

I didn’t want to have this discussion in front of my friends; they knew how I was raised, but they didn’t need to hear this personal banter between my mother and me.

There, my mother said fastening my necklace. You look so beautiful. she said and started to tear up.

Please don’t do that Mom, I told her. You’re going to make me cry and we’ll have to do my makeup all over again, I said and hugged her. We’ll get through this.

***

The day of the wedding

Pastor Wilson patted my hand in a fatherly way, before putting my hand in the crook of his arm as we waited for our cue to walk in. He had daughters of his own and when I was younger I used to wish I was his daughter. I was pleased when he said yes to march me down the aisle, but I could never impose any more on him than that. He was like a surrogate father to me, unknown to him of course. He never knew I looked up to him in that way and I was thankful for him. By all intents and purposes he was the one man who showed me what a real man was supposed to be, even if I didn’t realize it as I was growing up.

Edward reminded me of Pastor Wilson in many ways and as I got to know him I noticed that he had an older man’s reserve and maturity. Edward was usually calm and collected unless he was riled up over something.

When I walked down the aisle, I remembered utter silence. I didn’t hear the wedding march and I couldn’t see anyone else but the man standing at the front of the church. Edward looked exceptionally handsome-more handsome than usual, I thought, as I marched up to him. He’d finally shaved off the goatee that Stephanie insisted on a few years back; he was the fresh-faced handsome man I first fell in love with. I could tell he was a little nervous and I was pleased. I would have something to tease him about later. I stood with my hands in Edwards-looking up at him and repeated after the minister my vows to the man I loved. I closed out the world around us and lost myself in his soft brown eyes.

"Since, then, you have pledged your mutual vows,