by Marji Spicer
Mark gave him an incredulous look. “You’re going to refuse to take responsibility for your kid? I thought I knew you better than that.”
“My kid?”
“Yes, you dumbass, Joy’s carrying your baby.”
“But Susan said…”
“I know she told you Joy went to a sperm bank. Just like she told Joy, you know it’s your baby, and you want nothing to do with it. Your actions haven’t exactly helped any by cozying up to Susan.”
“I wasn’t getting cozy with her. She wouldn’t leave. I promised John I’d look out for her.”
“Joy’s been trying to tell you, but Susan’s been lying to both of you.”
“Why would she do that?”
“Susan has dollar signs in her eyes, and you were her target. That’s why she kept you and Joy apart and fed you both a bunch of bullshit. She wants you for herself.”
“Damn, I had no idea,” he said. “How did you find this all out?”
“How do you think?” Mark laughed. “Pearl overheard Susan discussing her plan with her mom on the phone.”
Denver finished his beer and stood up.
“Where are you going?”
“To Joy’s house. I’ll knock the damn door down if she doesn’t open it.”
“Joy won’t answer. She’s not even in town. I don’t think she plans on coming back until her house sells.”
“Shit! I’m going to head home. I need to think. If I call her phone, she won’t answer. I know she hates me right now.”
“No, she’s hurt. Joy told Krista she’s still in love with you.”
“I have to figure out a way to see her. I need to talk to her and get this mess straightened out.”
Mark smiled. “Well, there is some real estate for sale.”
“Great idea. Thanks, man.”
Susan walked into the bar about ten minutes after Denver left. She smiled. He’d be coming back into town tonight, and chances were good he’d stop in for a beer first. She saw Mark at the bar and went to join him.
“How are you doing tonight?”
“Great,” he said.
“Has Denver been in yet?”
“Yeah, he just left.”
“Darn, I was hoping to run into him. I guess I’ll go to his place,” Susan said. “He is on his way home, isn’t he?”
“I think he’s on his way to Joy’s house.”
“What?” Susan asked.
Mark almost smiled when he saw the startled look on her face.
“Denver loves Joy. You never had a chance with him. He now knows that Joy’s having his baby and the part you played in all of this. If I were you, I’d leave town before he catches up with you. He can’t stand manipulative, lying women. I’d cut my losses and get out of town fast.”
Susan thought about it for a moment. The look on Mark’s face told her that he was telling the truth.
“I know it won’t change anything, but will you tell him I’m sorry.”
“Sure, I’ll let him know.”
Susan stood up and quickly exited the bar.
Good riddance, bitch. It was like dealing with Naomi all over again. He probably shouldn’t have warned Susan. Mark knew how much of a bastard Denver would have been. He’d had a weak moment and felt sorry for Susan. Krista was making him soft.
Chapter Fifty Eight
Damn it! Susan thought as she walked out of the bar. She was back to square one. Once she was in her car, she pulled her address book out of her purse. There had to be someone else who could save them. She didn’t look forward to facing her mother’s wrath when she got home. If only she didn’t like spending money so much, they wouldn’t be in this dire situation. She’d get them out of it. She flipped the page to E. There was always Eric. Maybe he was single now. He wasn’t as good-looking as Denver, but maybe he had money. If not, there was always Frank. Damn, why couldn’t she have snagged Denver? She started her car and pulled out of the parking lot. It was time to go home. But first, she remembered passing a mall on her way to Bliss. She’d do a bit of retail therapy before facing the dragon. Susan was thankful that Mark had warned her about Denver. The thought of dealing with him now that he knew everything made her shudder.
Joy’s cell phone rang.
“I think I found a buyer for your house,” the realtor said.
“Already?”
“Yes, he’s a young man who said his wife is in love with the house. They have a baby on the way. It would be the perfect place for them.”
“That’s great,” she said.
“Are you sure about this? You sound a little upset.”
“Yeah, I’m sure. It is a little sad to leave, but I’ll get over it.”
“They’re wondering how soon you could move if they bought it?”
“It’s all so sudden.”
“Why don’t you come and meet the guy. You can talk it over with him. He’s very anxious. It’s his wife’s dream house.”
Yeah, it was mine too. “Ok, I’ll leave in the morning.”
Joy cried on the way home. Things were such a mess. Her dream had only been an illusion.
Joy walked up to her porch and saw Denver sitting on the porch swing. “What are you doing here?” she asked. “Is this a joke?”
“It’s the only way I could get you here to talk to me.”
“I’m supposed to meet a married guy with a baby on the way who wants to buy my house.”
“That’s me.”
“Oh my God, you’re married?”
“No, but I do want this house, and I have a baby on the way. I also have a wife lined up if she’ll have me.”
“So, you’re finally going to admit it’s your baby.”
“No—I mean yes. Damn it; I just found out the truth. It seems we were both lied to.”
“Come here,” he said. He patted the seat next to him. “Please sit down.” Joy sat next to him on the swing. “Remember sitting here with me one night?”
“Yeah, I do. It was nice.”
“I had to leave fast. Do you know why that was?”
“You were afraid you’d fall back to sleep?”
“No, I was very much awake. I didn’t want to leave. I felt something I’d never felt before. I felt like this was exactly where I belonged. I wanted to stay there with you like that forever. It scared me. I was afraid I might say something really stupid.”
“Oh yeah, and what would that have been?”
Denver cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. “I might have said something like I was already falling in love with you and that we should get married. Maybe I would have said I wanted to grow old with you here. I might have asked you to have my babies.”
Her eyes started to water. Don’t cry, you, idiot.
“I’ve realized a few things since then,” he said.
“What’s that?” she sniffed.
“I realized that I am madly in love with you. I want to marry you. I want nothing more than to grow old with you here. And I’m so happy that you’re carrying my baby right now. Will you marry me, babe?”
Joy started to cry then. “Yes, I will. I love you so much.” He smiled. “You’re going to live in a purple house with me?” she asked.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but yes, it looks like I’m going to be living in a purple house. I would only do it for you, baby. No one else could make it happen.”
“Let’s get married next week,” she said.
“Are you serious?” he asked. “Don’t you want a wedding with flowers, a cake, and everything?”
“I don’t care about all of that. I just want you. I love you. The fact that I’ll be your wife is all that’s important to me,” she said. “Sure, the other things would be nice, but I don’t care about them. We can have a reception later at the VFW.”
“Are you sure, babe? I know this wedding stuff is a big deal for women. I don’t want you to regret this later.”
“I promise I won’t. Wouldn�
�t it be nice to do it and pull one over on Pearl and Eunice?”
“As long as you’re sure that’s what you want. We’ll go to the courthouse in the morning.”
Joy was so happy. She had Denver back. They were in love, and next week they would-be husband and wife.
Chapter Fifty Nine
It was a Tuesday morning. They arrived at the courthouse at 10:00 a.m. Joy couldn’t believe today she would become Denver’s wife.
“That’s weird that there’s a school bus here,” she said.
“Maybe there’s a field trip going on,” Denver joked.
They entered the building and got directions to the courtroom where they would be married.
“I can’t wait to see the look on Pearl’s face when she finds out we’re married,” she laughed.
“It’ll be great,” he said. Denver opened the door and stopped suddenly. Joy wasn’t watching and ran into the back of him. “What in the hell?”
Pearl grabbed Denver and pulled him into the room. “It’s about time you got here.”
The courtroom was packed.
Eunice began to lecture them. “I can’t believe you two were going to try and tie the knot without us.”
Joy was floored. How had they found out? They had been so careful; they hadn’t even told Mark or Krista. Bliss did not have a courthouse. They were getting married in Kingston.
“How did you find out about this?” Denver asked.
“Well, honey, the county clerk is my third cousin. We had a nice chat the other day. She told me a couple from Bliss was going to tie the knot here,” she said. “Sweetie, this is big news. I don’t think there’s been a wedding here in the last five years. She said the bride was expecting. It didn’t take long for me to figure out what you were both up to,” Pearl finished.
Eunice took over talking. “We couldn’t leave the town out. This is big news. Just think two weddings in one year,” she beamed.
Pearl interrupted, “I was right, Denver. I knew it wouldn’t take you long to take what you wanted. You are a fast worker.”
Denver shook his head. He should have known that they wouldn’t be able to pull the wool over these women’s eyes.
“Well, let’s get to it,” Eunice said.
Krista and Melanie waved to Joy from the front row.
“Honey, you look so pretty in that sundress. What a beautiful bride you are,” Pearl smiled.
“We have everything set up at the VFW for brunch,” Eunice said.
Joy and Denver said their vows in front of the crowd. So much for privacy. The word obey was not mentioned. Denver had made sure that the judge knew not to utter that word. The judge pronounced them husband and wife. He gave Joy quite the kiss. The crowd’s roar showed their approval.
“Alright, everybody back on the bus,” Pearl ordered. “Here, honey,” she said. She handed Joy a small bag. “I gotta go organize our ride back. Everybody single file,” she yelled.
Joy looked at the bag in her hand. It was a bag of white rice.
That figures they rode here on the school bus, Denver thought.
Joy and Denver stood on the courthouse steps and watched the school bus pull away. They looked at each other and grinned. Well, they tried to outsmart the snoop sisters, but it hadn’t worked. In a way, it was nice that everyone had shown up. It made Joy feel like she belonged.
Denver had lived in Bliss his whole life. So far, nothing got past those two. He was shocked that Gladys never showed up. Of course, a courthouse wedding probably wasn’t a true wedding in her eyes. At least she could get off his case now. He wouldn’t be living in sin anymore.
“Well, Mrs. Lorde, are you ready to go have brunch?”
“I sure am Mr. Lorde. I guess this saves a lot of planning. No reception to worry about now.”
Denver picked her up and carried her down the courthouse steps. She smiled. She’d never been so happy. She was going to grow old in her purple house with the man of her dreams. In five more months, she would be a mother. Life had never seemed better. There certainly was something said about following your Bliss.
Chapter Sixty
Five months later, on a Wednesday afternoon, Joy went into labor. She called Denver at work. While she waited for him to get her, she called Krista.
“I think it’s time,” she said.
“Oh, my God! Are you serious? Did you call Denver? How stupid, of course, you called him.”
“He’s here now. I have to go.”
“Ok, I’ll call everyone else.”
Krista hung up. She called Pearl, who then called Melanie. Pearl and Eunice picked up Melanie. Then they drove to Krista’s house. She was outside when Pearl came whipping into her driveway in her red Cadillac. Krista got into the backseat with Melanie. Pearl sped to the hospital. They walked into the hospital room.
Joy was lying in bed with her baby girl. They named her Kiara Leigh. She was a beautiful baby with dark hair and eyes as blue as the ocean.
Denver grinned from ear to ear. Krista had never seen him happier.
“My land,” Pearl said. “Those two are fast workers. They don’t wait for anyone.”
Eunice gave Joy a big hug. “You two made a very beautiful baby.”
“They certainly did,” Pearl agreed.
“Can I hold her?” Krista asked. It had been so long since she’d held a baby. She was ready to have another one. Maybe she could sweet-talk Mark into it tonight. Or talk dirty to him. That would be more his style.
Pearl and Eunice smiled at each other. Once more, things had worked out in Bliss. Now, who was next? They looked at Melanie and grinned.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to my family for being who you are and encouraging me to follow my dream to write.
Once again, thank you Pablo Pereira for your help with the cover and techie side of things. I couldn’t have done any of this without your help!
Thank you, Sarah Shetler, for your help with editing. Love you girl!
A big thank you to those of you who took a chance on a new indie author. I hope you enjoyed the second book in my Bliss Series.
Look For Book 3 in the Bliss Series, Reunited In Bliss, Melanie’s story.
