by Liz Isaacson
Instead, he wore a soft look now. “I want to try it.”
“Try it?” she practically shrieked, dropping the paper. “Try what?”
Micah grabbed the marriage license, which was probably a good thing, because Simone had a mind to rip it to shreds. “Us, Simone,” he said louder now, the real Micah Walker coming out. “The marriage thing. Me and you. The state thinks we’re married. Pastor Daniels did say we were man and wife. I kissed you and there was cheering.”
Simone couldn’t believe what he was saying. She backed away from him one step at a time. “That’s insane.”
“All of my brothers have done it,” he said. “Every last one of them got married under false pretenses. You know it’s true. Look at Callie and Evelyn.”
Well, he had an argument there. She scrambled to seize onto a reason why they’d had to say their quick I-do’s.
“Evelyn needed help with her business,” Simone said weakly. “And Callie was going to lose the ranch. What’s our reason?”
Micah swallowed, that storm crossing his face, making him dangerous and beautiful. And what a gorgeous combination that was. Simone couldn’t believe she was actually considering “trying it” with him.
“My reason is that I’m in love with you,” he said. “And I don’t see the point of trying to get rid of this.” He held up the paper. “Only to do it again in front of my mother.”
“She should get to see at least one of her sons get married,” Simone said. “And you just assume I’d say yes. That I want to marry you.”
He took a step toward her. “Are you saying you don’t? You wouldn’t?”
Simone had no idea what she was saying. No idea.
He came all the way into her personal space, taking her easily into his arms. Simone stood stiffly, unsure how to yield on this. “Just think about it, sweetheart,” he said, his voice soft as silk and oh-so-sexy. She shivered as his breath touched her neck. “You could come live at my place. We can have a life together. A good life.”
Simone nodded, but it wasn’t because she was saying yes. “I’ll think about it,” she said almost breathlessly.
“Can’t ask for more than that.” He tucked the marriage certificate back in his pocket and started toward the door. “You’ll call me when you’re ready?” He turned back, one hand on the doorknob.
All she could do was nod.
He left, and Simone slid down the wall to the floor, shaking her head. “What in the world just happened?”
We can have a life together. A good life.
She allowed herself to start daydreaming about what that “good life” would look like, and Simone lost herself in her imagination once again.
Chapter Twelve
Micah stayed away from everyone for the rest of the day. He didn’t want his phone to ring and have Simone be on the other end. The conversations they needed to have required privacy, something he wouldn’t get with Skyler or Jeremiah or the ranch hands.
But Simone did not call that afternoon. Or that evening. In fact, Micah could absolutely consider it night time before his phone buzzed at all. Of course, he’d been inundated with texts from the family text, but he kept that string muted and he only checked it when he felt like it.
He’d just checked to make sure the doors were locked when his phone rang somewhere in the house behind him. His pulse catapulted to the back of his throat, and he jogged across the living room to grab his phone from the kitchen counter.
“Simone,” he said.
“I’m not saying yes,” she said. “Before we talk about a few things.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to.”
“By ‘try it,’ what are you talking about?”
“Being married.”
“Being married and living together? Being married and sleeping together? We can be married and do what we’re doing now, Micah.”
He closed his eyes and he could just see the look on her face. Displeasure. Challenge. Those eyes boring into his, refusing to look away though she was probably nervous inside.
He smiled and then cleared his throat. He’d beared his whole soul to the woman ten hours ago by saying I love you. I’m in love with you? He couldn’t actually remember what order he’d put the words in. He thought he may have even blacked out.
But he knew the L-word had come up and out of his mouth.
“I need further definition on ‘try it’ and ‘being married.’”
“All of it,” Micah said. “I want all of it, Simone.” He wanted to kiss her and wake up next to her, hold her close morning, noon, and night. “But if you’re not ready for all of it, I get that. It’s kind of…I don’t know. Things have definitely sped up, and hey, you were just complaining about how slow I was going.”
He knew he shouldn’t have made the joke the moment it came out of his mouth. But he didn’t apologize. Instead, he clenched his teeth together and mentally commanded himself to stop talking.
Simone let a healthy amount of silence bleed through the line. “Will you open your front door, please?” she asked, her voice quiet and seemingly far away.
He spun toward it, his heartbeat crashing against his lungs. “Yes.” He jogged back across the room and would’ve ripped the door from the hinges to get to Simone. He managed to get the lock undone and the door open, and she lowered her phone from her ear.
He did too, stepping back so she could come in. She did, and he closed the door behind her. “I must be crazy,” she said, continuing into his house. She wasn’t gazing around and exclaiming compliments now. She turned back to him, and he got that challenge and displeasure. But underneath, he saw the softer side of Simone Foster, and for the first time, Micah thought she might be in love with him too.
“You’re not ready,” he said, vocalizing the truth. “It’s fine. Honestly, Simone, it’s okay. We can, I don’t know, tell everyone we’re married at the birthday party on Saturday, and go from there.”
She folded her arms, the negative emotions sliding right off her face as if they were too heavy to hold for too long. “I’m not ready,” she admitted. “But you’re also right that it makes no sense to file for divorce—which has a waiting period. Did you know that?—only to maybe get married again after that.”
“I’ll take a maybe,” Micah said, grinning at her. He wanted to cross the distance between them and sweep her into his arms. Kiss her until he couldn’t breathe, and then take her into his bedroom.
But he knew he wouldn’t be doing that, at least the last bit.
A smile cracked her face too, and Micah went to her then, wrapping her up in an embrace. This time, she hugged him back, and when he kissed her, she didn’t protest.
“Okay,” he said, stepping back so she wouldn’t think he wasn’t going to listen to her. “So I have plenty of bedrooms here. You can pick one, and maybe take the next couple of days to pack what you think you need. I have pots and pans and all of that.”
He suddenly felt frantic and nervous, and it wasn’t until Simone slipped her hand into his that he calmed. They looked at one another, and Micah didn’t know what to say or do next.
“Move in on Sunday?” Simone asked, her voice barely audible.
Micah smiled again and nodded. “And I’ll make the announcement at the birthday party.”
“You better have a plan for dealing with your mother,” she said, a touch of a playful smile finally reaching her mouth and eyes.
Micah’s enthusiasm waned, but he covered it up quickly. “Yeah, I better.”
Simone tipped up onto her toes and kissed him, and Micah liked that better than when he initiated all the kissing. She didn’t stay long, and when Micah closed the door behind her, a sigh fell from his lips.
“Maybe we are crazy,” he murmured to himself. But if so, he decided he didn’t care. He just needed to talk to Momma and Daddy before Saturday. He lifted his phone, but it was too late to call now.
Tomorrow, he told himself as he floated around the corner and into his bedroom. He could deal wi
th the nerves and unknowns tomorrow. Tonight, he was going to ride the high of being married to Simone and the idea of having her move in with him on Sunday.
Micah sat on the front steps of Skyler’s house—Casa Skywalker—the next morning, having texted his brother earlier that day to ask what Momma’s routine was. Apparently, she got up and made the coffee, which Skyler didn’t drink before he went out to the ranch. Mal was working and gone to the bakery.
Momma would make breakfast for Daddy around eight or nine, and Skyler usually came back in for a little bit to eat with them. Micah had asked if he could stay out on the ranch, and Micah would eat breakfast with them, and Skyler had called.
“What is going on?” he asked.
“I just need to talk to them alone,” Micah said.
Skyler had paused. “Sounds fishy.”
“I’ll tell you as soon as I talk to them,” he said, though he wasn’t sure if that was true or not. What was the point of waiting until the birthday party to make the announcement if he was going to tell individuals? Heck, he could put the news on the family text and be done with it. Most of Simone’s family was on that string anyway.
One and done.
“Okay,” Skyler had said. “But if you don’t call me, I’m going to call you.”
Micah had said he’d call just to get Skyler off the phone. It was almost nine, and he stood up and knocked on the door at the same time he opened it. “Just me, Momma,” he called.
“Micah,” she said from somewhere in the house. “Come in. We’re just sitting down to breakfast.”
Micah went through the foyer and around the corner to the kitchen. He did love this house, and Skyler and Mal obviously took care of it. Momma and Daddy sat at the table in the built-in nook, and Micah smiled at them though every cell in his body told him to flee, and flee fast.
“Mornin’, Micah,” Daddy said, getting up. “I’ll get you a plate.”
“I can get it, Dad,” Micah said, but his father was already limping into the kitchen.
“He’s doing great,” Momma said, watching Daddy. “He should still be using the crutch though.” She frowned slightly, and Micah thought he wouldn’t want to use the crutch either. His father had been using it for at least four months, and his arm probably hurt.
He returned pretty quickly with a plate, and Micah started loading it with eggs and toast.
“What brings you by?” Momma asked, watching him.
Micah didn’t want to lie to her. He didn’t want to hurt her either. He looked right at her and employed every ounce of bravery he had. “I have to tell you guys something.” He cut a glance at Daddy, who looked at him and then scooped up another bite of eggs.
“Okay,” Momma said slowly. She’d stopped eating and wore that maternal worry in her eyes.
“It’s nothing to worry about,” Micah said. “Honest, Momma.” He tried to smile, but found he was just too nervous. “Remember how I once said that I’d never been married to anyone, real or fake?”
Daddy coughed, and Micah hadn’t even dropped the bomb yet.
“Micah,” his mother said, her voice only air.
He watched his father as he reached for his glass of juice and then wiped his mouth. He wore an intense look in his eyes now too.
“Simone and I—”
“Dear Lord,” Momma said. “Do not tell me this is happening again.” She looked up at the ceiling. “Didn’t I ask You to please not let this happen again? Gideon and I would like to see one son get married! Just one.”
Micah sat at the table during her rant with the Lord, and when she looked at him, he just smiled. “It was an accident.”
“You married a woman on accident?” Daddy asked. “Wow, Penny, I didn’t know that could happen.”
“For the record,” Micah said, who’d never had a problem standing up for himself. With six older brothers, being loud and thinking he was right all the time came with the territory. “You saw Wyatt and Marcy get married.” He looked at Daddy. “And it was an accident. Simone and I auditioned for a play together, and the ending scene was the marriage ceremony. Scott Daniels was auditioning too, and he took our paper—which was supposed to be a prop—and filed it with some others he had that were real.”
Micah took out the marriage certificate. “I didn’t even know until Jeremiah brought me this a couple of days ago.” He laid the paper on the table. “I went to talk to the pastor, and it’s real. I’ve been married to Simone for about three weeks now.”
Momma sucked in a breath and picked up the marriage certificate. “I can’t believe this.”
“I know exactly how you feel,” Micah said. “So then I went and talked to Simone, and we like each other, Momma. I love her.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t think she loves me—yet—but we decided we’re going to try this. She’s moving in with me on Sunday.”
Momma lowered the certificate, her eyes wide.
“What part did you get?” Daddy asked.
Confused, Micah turned toward him. “What?”
“You said you were auditioning for a play. Did you get the part?”
Micah shook his head. “No, I got a different one. Simone too.”
Daddy’s dark eyes glinted like moonlight over still water. “Huh. So you guys didn’t really sell the marriage ceremony.”
Micah burst out laughing, beyond relieved when Daddy did too.
“I can’t believe you two,” Momma said, waving the marriage certificate at Daddy. “They’re married, Gideon.”
Daddy sobered and looked at her, taking another bite of his toast. “And they’ll figure it out,” he said. “Just like the other six have.”
Micah’s stomach roared, and he picked up his fork, bolstered by his dad’s vote of confidence. He and Simone would figure out how to be married. They would.
He hoped they would.
Saturday afternoon found Micah walking down the lane toward the Shining Star Ranch, his stomach full of stinging ants. He really needed some closure in his life. Just one thing, he thought, begging the Lord.
Bear Glover had called just after breakfast yesterday to postpone their meeting. Simone had not moved in yet, and they’d only spoken through text yesterday. Micah felt like he had a million doors open, and some of them needed to close before he drove himself crazy.
Simone’s SUV rumbled past him as he walked along the side of the road, and he watched her pull into the driveway at the homestead and then get out to help her grandmother and father get into the house for the party.
She came back outside as Micah turned to go down the driveway. “Hey,” she said, smiling as if they hadn’t agreed to move in together in less than twenty-four hours.
You’re not moving in together, he told himself. She’s your wife.
“Hi.” He put a smile on his face, but he had no idea how to make this announcement. “Any chance you’re feeling like spilling the beans?”
“Not even a little,” she said. “Your parents really took it okay?”
He’d told her all about the breakfast conversation yesterday. “Yeah,” he said. “Daddy more than Momma, and he’ll keep her calm about it.”
Simone ran her hands up and down her arms. “I don’t feel very calm about it.”
Micah’s concern spiked. “We don’t have to do this,” he said. “I don’t want you to be nervous around me. It’s not worth that.” In fact, she should be his only solace. His safe place. A sanctuary from the world. And he wanted to be that for her too. “In fact, Simone, I should be the opposite of that for you.”
She stilled and looked at him. “You are.”
“Am I? You just said you weren’t feeling good about our plan.”
“No, I meant I’m worried how everyone will take the announcement.” She sucked her bottom lip. “Maybe I should’ve prepped them, like you did your parents.” She looked at him for reassurance, and Micah leaned down and kissed her.
“It’s going to be fine,” he said. He wasn’t sure if he was reassuring her or him
self. “Let’s go.”
Inside the homestead, almost everyone had arrived, and with all the nieces and nephews, all the Walkers, and a couple of dogs, pure madness reigned. Micah didn’t hate it, and he smiled as he picked up Conrad and said, “What have you got there?” The boy would be three soon, and Micah had the sudden thought that he should offer to take Conrad when Evelyn had the triplets. Momma would want him too, but she was right across the street, and they could share the cute little boy.
“Train,” Conrad said, holding up the toy.
“What color is it?” Micah asked, tapping the engine. He actually had no idea if Conrad knew any colors. By the boy’s silence and the way he stared at the train as he tried to figure out what Micah had asked him, Micah didn’t think so.
“It’s red, bud,” he said. “A red train.”
Conrad grinned at him and hugged him, and a powerful love moved through Micah. “Is there cake here?”
“Yep, cake,” Conrad said, and he pointed to the kitchen.
“Should we go see if we can sneak some?”
“Giving my son some bad habits?” Rhett asked, grinning as he took the last step toward Micah. He chuckled as he hugged Simone and then reached for Conrad. “Come on, bud. Momma says you have to put on a bib if you want cake.”
Conrad fussed and said, “No bib,” but Rhett took him from Micah anyway. Micah watched them go, then reached for Simone’s hand.
“See? They made it work.”
“Yeah, and they got divorced first,” Simone said.
“I wasn’t around for that,” Micah said, taking one slow step toward the chaos. “I mean, I heard about it, but I don’t really know what happened.”
“My sister is a bit stubborn,” Simone said. “That’s what happened.”
“Oh, so you mean you’re not the only one?” Micah flashed her a teasing smile. She squeezed his hand quite hard, and Micah chuckled. “Okay, I take that back. You know, being stubborn can actually be a good quality.”
“Good save,” she said out of the corner of her mouth as they arrived in the kitchen. Callie had a gigantic birthday cake on the counter, and Mal was moving around it, adding little flourishes with a piping bag full of white icing.
