by Celya Bowers
“Why wouldn’t I? You refuted any doubts I had. But you know there is still that Harry riddle that needs to be figured out.” She rested her head on his chest. She felt so safe and secure in his arms. She had her own cocoon of safety. “I had no idea you were thinking of something this long term.”
“I didn’t, either, until the idea came to me. I can’t imagine being in this house without you. It wouldn’t be the same. You brought something to my house that I didn’t know I was missing.”
She had no idea what he was talking about. “What?”
“You made it a home. I’ve been here for almost five years, but it seems like a home now.”
He eased her down on the bed and kissed her mouth, her cheeks, and her throat. “When would you like to get married?”
She tried to think, but it was hard when Finn was heating up her body faster than a hot day in Texas in the summer. “H-how about you pick the date?”
He continued caressing her body with hot kisses. “As soon as possible.”
She had to focus on the ceiling just to keep her mind on their conversation. “You mean like this summer sometime, say August?”
He stopped and sat up. “No, I mean like tomorrow.”
She frowned at the idea. “Not that I don’t think the courthouse isn’t romantic, but I kind of had something else in mind.”
“This is a woman thing, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
He kissed her again. “Okay, tell me what you want. I’m sure there’s a compromise in there somewhere.”
“How about at a wedding chapel? Although it’s summer, they might not be already booked up.”
“Whatever you want, but make it soon. Plus, if we’re going to Ireland in September, you’re going to need your passport in your married name.”
He said it like he was talking about the weather. “Y-you want to take me to Ireland to meet your grandparents?”
“Of course. You’ll love Ireland. And you’re part of the Callahan family now.”
* * *
It took Kayleigh a few days for the whole engagement thing to hit home. She had actually agreed to marry Finn. What was she thinking?
Harley was excited. Too excited. When Kayleigh told her that Finn wanted to get married right away, Harley found a chapel in Arlington that had the first Saturday in July available. It fit her timetable and his wishes for a quick wedding. Harley made an appointment to check out the building that Saturday.
Kayleigh and Harley arrived at the Tranquil Wedding Chapel. She hadn’t known what exactly to expect. The young woman met them as they entered. “Hello, I’m Michelle Allen, I’m the manager.” She offered her manicured hand to Kayleigh.
“I’m Kayleigh Hardy, and this is my friend Harley Harris.” She shook her hand.
“Please call me Michelle.” She glanced at Kayleigh’s engagement ring. “Nice. He’s a very generous man.”
Kayleigh looked down at the three-carat princess-cut diamond. Finn let her pick out the ring. “Yes, he is. He’s a real sweetie.”
Michelle presented Kayleigh with several plans for a wedding. “What’s your budget?”
Kayleigh looked at Harley for guidance. “I don’t know. I don’t want anything big. No more than fifty people.”
Michelle ran the numbers and asked pertinent questions. “We also have several dinner plans available. Meals run from about $35 to $50 a plate.”
“I’d better talk to Finn first. I can let you know tomorrow.”
Michelle smiled. “Okay. But I do need a $500 deposit to hold the July date.”
Kayleigh nodded and handed Michelle her credit card. Michelle smiled. “I’ll be right back.”
While she was gone, Kayleigh and Harley glanced at the price list. Kayleigh gasped. “Oh, my God, you know this thing could easily run a ten or twenty grand and this is a small wedding.”
Harley nodded. “Is Finn going to invite his clients?”
“I don’t know. I would think so. After Harry was killed, a lot of his clients showed up at his office to make sure he was okay. I just don’t know how many guests he’d want to invite.”
“I think your guest list is going to be closer to a hundred. I’m sure each client has a spouse.”
“You’re right. And I’m sure he’s going to invite some of his family.”
Harley shook her head. “I can’t believe you’re getting married. Just think, a few months ago you hadn’t been on a date in two years. Now look, you’re getting hitched in a month’s time.”
“Don’t remind me. I still have to find a dress.”
“We have plenty of time. Since I don’t officially take over as supervisor for two months, I can take some time off and that way you won’t get stressed out.”
Harley was making a big sacrifice. “Are you sure? Maybe you and Ben should go on a vacation.”
“Don’t worry about Ben and me. This time is about you. I’m so happy for you.”
“Thank you, Harley. You know you’re my matron of honor, don’t you?”
“Really? I’ve never been in a wedding before. You know Ben and I got married at the courthouse. It’ll be nice to be in an actual ceremony.”
Kayleigh sighed. The small wedding ceremony she had originally envisioned was slowly fading away. Between the wedding party and Finn’s family, her dream for an intimate ceremony had left the building. Of course, Uncle Teddy would give her away. She couldn’t think of any other person she’d want escorting her down the aisle.
“It’s going to be okay,” Harley said. “You’ll see, it all fall into place.”
Michelle returned with her credit card. “Thank you, Ms. Hardy. Take some brochures so you and your fiancé can discuss it. Since your date is a month away, we’re going to have to act fast.”
“Tell me about it.”
As Harley drove back to Finn’s, she told her the real reason for her giddiness. “I found some papers that don’t make any sense. You think Finn could look at them?”
“After all the help you’re giving me, I know he would do anything to help clear up the mystery about our former boss.”
“Maybe he can tell me why I found an online finance degree in the name of Louis Carter in the desk.”
* * *
Finn had never felt better. He was getting married in two days. He hadn’t remembered being this calm when he got married the first time. Things fell into place quickly and, surprisingly, with few arguments between him and Kayleigh. The biggest one was over her health.
Even the mystery of Kayleigh’s boss had been solved through sheer dumb luck. Harley found papers that connected the dots between Ahmed Dahlar and Louis Carter. Dahlar had obtained an online degree in finance in the name of Louis Carter. Dahlar then began trying to undercut all the other brokers by guaranteeing outrageous returns. Since he did his business online, he figured he was safe until Harry discovered his true identity and killed him.
If Finn and Kayleigh wanted to go to Ireland in September, they would have to forego a honeymoon. He agreed with the doctor, but Kayleigh thought she could do both. Finn used all his debating skills from law school to convince her otherwise.
“Baby, I’d rather you be able to go to Ireland. As long as we’re together it’s a honeymoon wherever we are,” he told her that night as they got into bed.
She sighed. It had been a hectic couple of days and it was showing on her pretty face. “So you’re taking off from work after the wedding?” She hovered over him, before leaning down and kissing him.
She was doing this on purpose. His family was so excited about the wedding they had arrived a few days before. “Honey, you’re going to wake up Mom and Dad.” His parents were in the room next to theirs.
“Sounds like you’re chicken.” She straddled his body and threw off her night shirt. “I’m sure your parents have heard stranger things coming from your bedroom.”
“Kayleigh, you need your rest. I don’t want you to get sick right before the wedding. We have almost two hundred peop
le coming to our ‘intimate’ wedding on Saturday.”
She leaned down and kissed him again. “It’s not my fault you have so many clients that want to attend our wedding. Then there’s your family, their kids. I love your Aunt Amelia, she’s the bomb.”
He laughed, and finally gave in to her and took off his pajama top. He struggled out of his pajama bottoms. “Yes, she liked you, too. I can’t remember the last time I had so many people here at once. Feels good.”
She smiled down at him. “Okay, we don’t have to go on a honeymoon. We can just spend time with your family and each other. What do you think?”
He nodded. “I think it’s a great idea. I’m so glad you thought of it.”
She laughed. “Finally, you’re catching on.” She settled on his erection. “You know there’s no other place I’d rather be than here with you.”
* * *
“Honey, that was the best. It must be because the wedding is so close,” Finn said, caressing her naked body an hour later. “Each time we’re together it’s better than the last.”
Kayleigh smiled at him. “I think it’s something else.”
“Like what?” Would he ever get tired of moments like these?
“Well, earlier today I had a call from the doctor and was saving the news for later, but I think I should tell you now.”
Concern clouded every other emotion at the moment. He pulled Kayleigh in his arms. “Kayleigh, no matter what it is I know we’ll work through it.”
She had tears in her eyes. “Are you sure?”
He wiped her tears with shaky hands. “Please tell me what it could be. We can spend every penny I have searching for a cure.”
“There isn’t a cure for this.”
Had everything he’d hoped for really gone down the toilet that fast? “What is it?” He had tears in his eyes, too.
She ran her hand through his hair. “Remember all those times we talked about not using birth control and that I probably couldn’t get pregnant anyway?”
She couldn’t be? Could she? She had been looking tired lately, but Finn had attributed that to the wedding plans. “Yeah, I’m with you.”
“Dr. Preston called me today. Apparently I’m about three weeks pregnant. He told me to stop my medication immediately. Please tell me you’re happy about this! Of course this would mean that school would have to be put on hold until the baby’s born.”
Finn couldn’t speak. Was he actually going to have everything he wanted?
“Oh, Finn, say something!”
Finally his voice was audible. “Kayleigh, I’m happy. This is the best wedding present you could have given me.” He kissed her and rubbed her flat stomach. “I love you so much.”
She wrapped her arms around him and tried to devour him with her mouth. When they came up for air, she said, “Thank you for coming into my life.”
Finn topped that by announcing to the entire household, “I’m going to be a father!”
EPILOGUE
Two years later
“Mommy has been practicing really hard,” Kayleigh told her daughter, Fianna. “I’m sure Daddy will be very surprised that I’m cooking breakfast. What do you think?” Kayleigh looked at her daughter. Her heart filled with joy. Fianna, who was named for a great Irish warrior princess, watched her mother with curiosity.
After the birth of their daughter, and Kayleigh’s illness went into remission, she had resumed her education. She wanted to surprise Finn with her cooking so she didn’t tell him that she’d been taking cooking lessons.
Today was a day of firsts. Not only was she making Finn a frittata, French toast, and lots of bacon, she was also graduating from college later that afternoon.
“Am I dreaming?” Finn asked, walking into the kitchen. “Is my gorgeous wife making me breakfast on her graduation day?” He kissed her on the mouth. “You’re making a frittata?”
“Yes, I wanted to surprise you.” Kayleigh poured the mixture in the pan. “You’ve been so patient while I pursued my degree. I wanted to show you how much you mean to me.”
He walked over to Fianna and picked her up from her high chair and hugged her. He kissed Fianna on the cheek and her little green eyes lit up with joy.
“Daddy,” Fianna said.
Finn took Fianna with him to the breakfast table. “Mommy is making something good today,” he told his daughter as they he sat down with her in his lap. “She thinks I don’t know she’s been going to cooking lessons with Harley.”
Kayleigh took her eyes off the frittata for just a minute. “How did you know?” She thought she’d covered her trail pretty good by claiming she and Harley were shopping. She thought that Finn had no idea. But as usual she could never fool her husband.
“Manny told me. You know he can’t hold water. He told me one night he came over to play with Fianna when you were shopping with Harley. Honey, I know you, you don’t shop that much.”
“Sometimes, I really hate your brain.” She went back to her cooking. “Uncle Teddy is coming over later so he can ride with us to the ceremony. What time is your family getting here? I wanted to make more, but I don’t know how many are coming.”
He cleared his throat. “About that. There’s been a little change of plans.”
“Like what?” Kayleigh flipped the frittata. “I hope they don’t miss the ceremony.”
“Oh, they won’t. They’re at Beth’s right now and will be here this afternoon. The change in plan refers to us.”
Kayleigh slid the frittata into the oven to finish cooking. “Okay, obviously you haven’t told me the whole story, so start talking.” She walked to the table and sat down. Fianna reached out her tiny arms for her mother.
Kayleigh took Fianna in her arms. Nothing could compare to the feel of her baby hugging her back.
“All right. Mom and Dad are going to stay over for two weeks.” Finn’s parents, along with his other siblings, were in town to witness Kayleigh’s graduation.
“Why are they staying over?”
“Because I want to give you your surprise graduation present.”
“You haven’t given me a present.” She looked at him. “Unless you count last night and this morning.”
He smiled back at her. “That wasn’t my surprise. My surprise is a trip to Italy for a week, then to Ireland to visit the grandparents.”
She stopped everything she was doing and stared at her husband. “Finn, are you nuts?”
“No. When we got married, we couldn’t take a real honeymoon, then we had Fianna, then you were sick, and now everything is good, it’s a good time.”
She knew that look on his face. He saw a problem. He had a solution. Plus, she could never say no to him anyway. That was what she loved about him. “Okay, Mr. Callahan. We’re off to Europe.”
About the Author
Celya Bowers was born and raised in Marlin, Texas, a small town of 8,000 people. With not much to do, she turned to reading to expand her horizons and became an avid reader at an early age. Soon she wanted the characters in the books she read to be more like her and became a closet writer.
After attending Sam Houston State University, she relocated to Arlington, Texas. She is currently attending college to complete her bachelor’s degree. When she is not studying, writing and attending meetings, she likes hanging out with her great-niece, Kennedy, who just turned three.
She joined Romance Writers of America in 2001 and also the local chapter of Dallas Romance Authors where she learned more about the business of writing. She’s now on the executive board as Published Author Network liaison for the second year. Celya is also a member of Kiss of Death and The Sizzling Sisterhood Critique group.
When she’s between deadlines and final exams, Celya likes to keep up with friends and fans, surf the net and daydream about finally getting to Ireland for her dream vacation.
Please visit her website at www.celyabowers.net.
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