He couldn’t help but compare their short time here to the seven-day honeymoon he’d taken with Audrey. Though she’d agreed to a courthouse wedding, she’d settled for nothing less than a luxurious honeymoon. They’d gone to Gulf Shores and stayed in an upscale condo he could scarcely afford at the time. She wanted to spend all day lying on the beach, and when he suggested anything else she pouted until he gave in.
He glanced at Hope, his mouth inching upward. She was so easy to please. So easy to be with.
“What?” she asked when she caught him staring too long.
“Nothing. I like you, that’s all.”
Her smile widened. “Aw. I like you too, Collins.”
A while later he heard the rush of water. It was only late morning, but the temperature was nearing ninety degrees. His T-shirt clung to his back, and his hairline was damp with sweat. He was glad for the shady trail, and the cool water was going to feel even better.
The path that led toward the swimming hole split off to the left, and he led her down the trail until it opened to the deserted water hole. Boulders, probably ten feet high, surrounded a small waterfall. The cascade fed a deep blue pool before meandering downstream into a rippling creek.
“Looks like we have the place to ourselves.” He set the backpack down on a large rock, kicked off his sandals, and tugged off his T-shirt.
Hope was already headed toward the rocky shoreline. She pulled off her T-shirt, revealing a red swimsuit, slender shoulders, and that tiny waist of hers. She dropped her shirt on a nearby rock and paused to shimmy from her shorts.
His mouth went dry as he looked his fill at his wife.
His wife.
Her square shoulders tapered down to a narrow waist that flared out to the subtle curve of her hips. Her long, shapely legs, smooth and tan, seemed to go on a mile. The temperature seemed to go up about twenty degrees, and that cool water was calling his name.
Hope slipped off her sandals and started for the water, not stopping to look back. “Are you checking me out, Collins?”
“You’re my wife—I can check you out all I want.”
She turned now, her mouth turned upward in a sassy smile. “Turnabout’s fair play, you know.”
“Have at it, woman.”
He hoped she was doing just that—and liking what she saw—as he climbed the boulders, making his way toward the highest one by the waterfall. He was suddenly very grateful for the hours he spent working out.
“Be careful!” she called as he reached the top. “You’re not going to—”
He leaped off the edge and heard Hope’s shriek just before he hit the water. He kicked to the surface, barely registering the cold water swirling around him.
“You’re a nut!” she said as he surfaced. “And you scared me half to death!”
He wiped the water from his eyes, kicking to stay afloat. “A million people have jumped from that boulder and survived.”
“And I wonder how many didn’t.” She was tiptoeing into the water, walking carefully across the rocky creek bed.
He treaded to where his feet reached bottom, his eyes falling over the front of her. Over the red swimsuit, the eye-pleasing curves, and lower still to those legs.
He raked back his wet hair. “So where is this physical flaw you spoke of?”
She gave him a rueful look, finally submerging her body into the deeper water. “Oh, it’s there, buddy. It’s there.”
“Remember what you said about my hands? Well, that goes double for your thighs.”
She gave him a patronizing smile. “You’re very sweet.”
“Well, say what you want. But I haven’t seen a single thing I don’t like.” His face went ten degrees warmer at the admission, but he forced himself to hold her gaze as she neared. His heart was beating like a jackhammer as her eyes pierced his.
She lost her footing and gasped as she sank.
“Careful.” He grabbed hold of her before she went completely under and pulled her up.
She latched onto his wrists, and water swirled around his legs as she kicked to stay afloat. “That’s a drop-off. I can’t reach here.”
He walked her backward until her feet touched bottom. But his hands felt quite at home there on the curve of her waist. They tightened reflexively.
She was still holding on to him too, and her gaze was like a caress. “Thanks,” she said softly.
She seemed closer than she had been just a few seconds ago. Had she moved, or had the water pushed them together?
The ends of her hair hung ropelike over her bare shoulders, and that feminine scent of hers swirled around him, making him crazy. His eyes trailed up her graceful neck, past that tempting spot in the cradle of her shoulder, past those supple lips and straight to her eyes.
Her lashes were dark and spiky, a luscious frame for her mossy-green eyes. The amber flecks sparkled, an invitation swirling in those green depths.
He followed a water droplet down the curve of her cheek to the corner of her lips. He was unable to deny himself a taste any longer. He leaned down and brushed her mouth with his.
She tasted faintly of coffee and fruit. He nudged her lips open for more and thrilled to her response, a gentle tangling, a sensuous dance that quickened his breath.
Her hands slid up his arms, around his neck, and his skin tingled with want. He forced his hands to stay put, though he wanted to pull her flush against him.
Take it easy, buddy. She was only a friend just two months ago.
But she’s your wife now.
Patience. They had all the time in the world. He wasn’t going to rush her, even if it killed him. And it just might.
Hope threaded her fingers through Brady’s wet hair, loving the warm, wet, slippery feel of him. His scent wrapped around her like a hug, making her want to press closer. She’d loved his wedding kiss. Had relived it a time or two or hundred. But this. He was even better without an audience. So. Much. Better.
Her heart was pounding so hard she was pretty sure a tsunami was in the works. Thank heavens for the water’s stabilizing force around her wobbly legs. It had been a long time since she’d been kissed like this.
Had she ever been kissed like this?
She felt him withdrawing a few seconds before he actually pulled away. His blue eyes were hooded, dark, and smoldering. His breaths came in short puffs. Okay, maybe that was her.
“I didn’t beg,” she said in a breathy whisper. “Just saying.”
“I believe your eyes did the begging, young lady.” Had he always had that low, lazy drawl?
“True enough, I suppose. I’ll give you the point, but it’s hardly my fault.”
His gaze drifted over her face, and she felt the look like a touch. Speaking of touch. His thumbs, moving at her sides, were making her insides hum.
“Aren’t you going to ask me why it wasn’t my fault?” Her fingers moved lazily over his neck. “The wedding kiss was nice, Collins, but this . . .”
His lips curled. “Good to know.”
“I see why you had all the girls swooning in high school. Clearly you’ve had a lot of practice.”
“Hope . . . ?”
“Yeah?”
He leaned closer, his lips a breath away. “You talk too much.”
And then he found a most effective way to silence her.
chapter sixteen
Brady eased up on the accelerator as he passed the Welcome to Dalton sign. In his peripheral vision he caught sight of the vase of flowers Hope had buckled into the back seat and smiled.
Well, they’re too pretty to leave behind. She was a trip. The very best kind.
He’d done a lot of smiling this weekend. They’d done a lot of talking, a lot of laughing, and yeah, a little more kissing since this morning. It had been kind of sad, packing up their things and closing up their cozy little cabin. He could’ve easily stayed another week, getting to know her quirks, her history, her heart. But it was time to return to real life, and that meant picking up his son.
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Their son.
He spared her a glance, realizing anew that Hope was now his son’s new mommy. Not that he wouldn’t keep Audrey’s memory alive for Sam. It was important to him that Sam know who she was, just as Brady had always known who his biological mother was. Reality wasn’t always pretty, but it was the truth, and that mattered.
Hope squeezed his hand, and he felt her gaze on him. When he turned to look at her, she was smiling.
“Thanks for the amazing weekend. I had a really good time. I know it wasn’t a real honeymoon but . . .” Her voice trailed off almost apologetically.
He squeezed her hand. “I had a good time too. And for the record, it beat my first honeymoon by a long country mile.”
Her brows hitched upward. “No kidding?”
“No kidding.” He turned onto Heather’s road, coasting to a crawl as her driveway neared. “But that’s for another time. We’re here now.”
He pulled into Heather’s driveway. She and her husband lived in a modest ranch in a nice neighborhood. The homes were well-maintained, shaded by a variety of mature trees, and the smell of freshly cut grass hung in the air.
“I’ll be right back,” he said as he cut the engine.
The front door opened as he approached the stoop, and his heart bottomed out at the sight of Patricia Parker. She wasn’t supposed to be here. That was the whole point of using Heather as a go-between. His mood sank like a lead brick.
Tension lined Patricia’s attractive features and stiffened the slender set of her shoulders. Her ash-blonde hair was shoulder length, but today it was clipped at the back of her neck. She was tall like Audrey had been, and though Brady dwarfed her, the woman’s regal bearing felt imposing nonetheless.
He nodded as she stepped down from the stoop. “Patricia. I trust you had a nice weekend.”
The corner of her lips curled. “Not as nice as yours, apparently.”
He gave her a benign smile. “Is Sam ready to go?”
“Is that her?” Patricia was glaring at his car.
“That’s my new wife, yes. Maybe we should just take Sam and go.” He edged around her, took the one step, and knocked on the door.
“I have a right to meet the woman who’s taking care of my grandchild.”
When he turned, he saw Hope had already gotten out of the car. She walked up the sidewalk, seemingly impervious to Patricia’s scowl.
“Hi.” She extended her hand toward the woman. “I’m Hope.”
Brady sighed. “Hope, this is Patricia Parker, Sam’s grandma.”
The woman crossed her arms over her chest, pointedly ignoring Hope’s extended hand.
Hope let her hand fall to her side.
“Mom!” Heather scolded as she stepped outside. Sam was perched on her hip, and the diaper bag hung from her shoulder. “I told you to stay in the house.”
Sammy was fussing, and the baby reached for Brady, who took him into his arms. Sam squirmed, rubbing his eyes.
“He’s cutting a tooth,” Heather said to Brady. “I gave him Tylenol an hour ago.”
“Do you actually expect me to believe this farce of a marriage is real?” Patricia said. “I know just what you’re up to, Brady Collins.”
“I think we’d best go.” Brady turned to leave.
“You won’t get away with this!”
“Want me to take him?” Hope asked as she took the diaper bag from Heather.
“I’ve got him.” He ushered Hope off the stoop.
Patricia stood in their way. “What do you even know about her? How dare you bring another woman into our grandson’s life so soon after his mother passed!”
Brady reached deep for patience, reminding himself that Patricia was still grieving her daughter. “Hope’s a good woman, and she’ll be a good mother to Sam.”
“And our Audrey wasn’t, is that what you’re trying to say?” Her voice wobbled with emotion.
“All I’m trying to do is pick up my son, Patricia.”
“You never gave her the benefit of the doubt! You always thought the worst of her.”
“She tricked him into marrying her,” Hope said. “And she lied about Sam.”
Brady squeezed Hope’s arm. “Please move out of our way, Patricia.”
Patricia nailed Hope with a glare. “You have no say in this! I know all about you—looking to make your way up in the world by marrying a desperate man.”
“That’s enough,” Brady said.
“Mom, come on.” Heather took the woman’s elbow and pulled her aside. “This isn’t productive. Let’s keep it civil.”
When the older woman was out of the way, he and Hope continued toward the car. Brady put a fussy Sam into the car seat, and Hope got into the back seat with him, ready to entertain him with toys.
Brady got into the driver’s seat and started the car. He couldn’t get away fast enough.
Hope’s hand trembled as she retrieved Sam’s pacifier from the diaper bag. Brady pulled from the driveway and accelerated down the street.
The confrontation had left her shaken. She put the pacifier in Sam’s mouth. It took a little persistence, but finally he took it, and his eyes began to flutter shut.
She caressed his baby-soft cheek. “Thatta boy. Is your tooth hurting you, honey? My poor little punkin.”
Brady said nothing as he headed toward Copper Creek, but agitation rolled off him in waves.
She forced herself to give him a few minutes to calm down. It couldn’t have been easy hearing all that. It hadn’t been easy even for her, and Patricia was a stranger. Though clearly the woman knew something about her.
Looking to make your way up in the world . . .
It was hardly the first time she’d been looked down upon, but the words had hit fresh today. She’d tried hard to put her past behind her, and sometimes she managed to forget where she’d come from. Having Brady witness the insult was especially hurtful. She didn’t want him to view her that way, and she surely didn’t want his pity.
But far worse than the personal insult had been Patricia’s implied threat. Clearly the woman was suspicious of their sudden vows.
Ten minutes was all the silence she could handle. “Brady . . . can we talk about what happened back there?”
He rubbed his jaw. “I don’t know what she was doing there. Having Heather in the middle was supposed to prevent that kind of thing. I’m sorry you had to hear that.”
“That’s the least of my concerns. Brady, she’s obviously suspicious of our relationship. What if—”
“She can speculate all she wants, but she can’t prove a thing. Anyway, our marriage is perfectly real in the eyes of God and the law. We may have gone about it in an unconventional way, but that doesn’t change anything. We’re committed to each other and committed to Sam. That’s all that matters.”
She hoped he was right. She thought of the movies she’d seen where couples had married to secure citizenship. About the interrogations they’d gone through to prove their love was real and not just convenient. But she and Brady hadn’t broken any laws.
Hope picked up the shoe Sam had kicked off and tucked it into the diaper bag. “The judge might not be too happy if he found out we only married because of Sam.”
“We married for other reasons too. Besides, that’s none of anyone’s business.”
She hoped the judge would see it that way, if it came to that. “I’m sorry I got a little huffy back there. I wasn’t exactly helpful.”
He spared her a smile. “Your heart was in the right place. I appreciate your support. But there’s no reasoning with Patricia when it comes to Audrey. I learned that a long time ago.”
“I suppose parents tend to be blind to their children’s faults.”
“And it sure doesn’t get better when the child passes away, believe me. I’ll have a talk with Heather about avoiding scenes like that in the future. But sometimes the Parkers have minds of their own.”
“I don’t envy Heather being in the middle of this.”
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br /> “Neither do I.” Brady accelerated as he came to a long, straight part of the road. “And I’m sorry about what Patricia said to you. She was out of line.”
Hope gave a careless laugh, though just the memory of her words made a vise tighten around her heart. “No worries. It was a long time ago.”
But the prickle of pain felt fresh enough. It was stunning how quickly the words had awakened the insecure girl she’d been. The girl who’d reached outside her comfort zone once upon a time only to find her heart shattered in two.
chapter seventeen
NINE YEARS AGO
Aaron Bailey was new to Copper Creek High School. Maybe that’s why he’d taken a shine to Hope so quickly.
She spotted him across the lunchroom in early December of her sophomore year. Even though he was sitting, she could tell he had a tall, lanky build. His longish brown hair flopped over his forehead in an adorable manner, and when he smiled his whole face came alive.
“Hey,” Hope said to Zoe between bites of pizza. “Who’s the new guy at the jock table?”
Zoe tucked her auburn hair behind her ear. “Aaron Bailey. He’s a sophomore transfer from Pickens. He made the varsity basketball team, which you’d know if you actually went to the games with me.”
Hope didn’t think about Aaron again until later that week. She was putting books in her locker, in a rush between classes, when she felt a hard shove. Her shoulder hit the locker with a thunk, and her books clattered to the floor.
Hope turned to see Monica and Allison scowling at her. Mostly Hope attempted to blend into the crowd in the high school halls, but these two always singled her out. Monica had been her best friend in elementary school, back when it didn’t matter if you lived in the crummiest part of town.
“Nice shirt,” Monica said. “Goodwill special?”
“What color is that, 11B?” Allison said. “Puke beige?”
That was her address in Orchard Estates: 11B. It stung to know that Monica had shared this with her new friend. She hadn’t seemed to mind the shabby apartment when they’d played Barbies on her living room floor.
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