by Karin Beery
“We need time to get comfortable.”
“How long does that take?”
“You tell me.”
Blood rushed through Ashley’s veins, pounding in her ears. “I have no idea.”
“Three weeks?”
Three? “You want to have … you want … three weeks before we …” Start a family? Russ’ kisses alone launched her heart into orbit, but the thought of more … when had it gotten so warm? “Three weeks?”
Russ’ lips twitched.
Ashley’s pulse relaxed. “You’re teasing me, aren’t you?”
“We don’t need to mark the calendar.”
She nodded. “We have plenty of time.” Like decades. Decades with Russ. It was definitely getting warmer.
“Good.” He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and brushing his lips across hers. “I hadn’t really thought about this on my way out here, but since you started the kissing, it would be a shame to stop.”
She liked kissing him too. Ashley smiled. “Okay.”
“And I don’t want to wait. If we’re getting married, I want to go to the church and do it right away. If we wait, then one of us needs to move out.”
“Why?”
“Call me old-fashioned, but I believe a man and woman need to be married before living together.”
“Even if they’re sleeping in separate bedrooms?”
Russ kissed her. Then again. And again. When he finally pulled back, Ashley clung to him. “I’m traditional, but I can only resist so much. I won’t put you in a compromising situation.”
Of course. “Tom and I talked about the same thing.”
Russ cleared his throat.
“I’m sorry. I know, this is about you and me, but I’m glad you and Tom have the same values.”
“We were raised in the same family.” He grabbed her hands, twining his fingers with hers. “But as strong as my convictions are, I also don’t want to wait because I don’t want to explain this to my sisters.”
“What would you have to explain?”
“If we tell my family, then try to plan a wedding, we’re going to face the inquisition until we’re actually married. When it comes to my sisters, it’s best to act first, then ask for forgiveness. What about your family?”
“I have my aunt and uncle.”
He cocked his head. “That’s it?”
“My dad was an only child. My mom was born ten years after her youngest sibling. All of them have passed away except my aunt Rose and uncle John. They weren’t comfortable with me moving up here to begin with, much less marrying someone I met online. You might be right about asking for forgiveness afterward.”
“I’m okay with this, but are you sure? That means no big wedding. No reception.”
“I’ve never been one of those girls who dreamed about her wedding. If I were, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“So it’s agreed. We’ll do this tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” Ashley stepped back.
“Why not? We said no waiting.”
“But it takes three days to get a marriage license in Michigan. I looked it up when … you know.”
“Maybe we can still make this work. What do we have to do?”
“Go to the courthouse with a photo ID and twenty bucks, then ask for a marriage license.”
Russ pulled her back to himself. “If I can convince the clerk to rush the license, will you marry me tomorrow?”
Everything about him tempted her, but common sense forced its way back into her head. “No. We can’t get married tomorrow.”
“We agreed—”
“To get married as quickly as possible, but Tom’s memorial was two days ago.”
“Maybe you’re right.” Russ rubbed his thumb across the top of her hand. Such an innocent action, but so comforting. Ashley closed her eyes and soaked in the tenderness of his touch. She hadn’t enjoyed someone’s company that completely in a long time. A kiss brushed her cheek and sent a tremble rippling through her.
“What’s wrong?” His whisper warmed her neck.
“Are we crazy?”
“Maybe. What are you thinking?” He kissed her jaw.
Ashley shuddered. “It’s hard to think when you kiss me.”
“What were you thinking before I started kissing you?”
Before his arms and lips and the tingling? “That this could work.”
His stubbly face pressed against hers. “And now?”
“That I’ve never felt like this before.”
He smiled against her cheek. “Sounds like a yes.” He shifted her in his embrace, his lips moving back toward hers. Her pulse throbbed, threatening to deafen her.
Ignore the high blood pressure. Think. John and Rose would freak out. Russ’ sisters might interrogate her. Kathleen would be oddly thrilled. And Russ. He held her, cradled her, cared for her.
Maybe she was crazy. What would her mother think? But it wasn’t insanity or the memory of her mom that touched her heart. “Peace.” Ashley inhaled. “I can’t explain it, but when I imagine living here with you, I simply have peace.”
“Perfect.” His lips captured hers, comforting yet exciting her, then pulled away. “The courthouse is open for two more hours. Plenty of time to convince the clerk.”
CHAPTER 17
Russ sat beside Ashley in the cab of his truck. She stared out her window with a Mona Lisa-type smile. Tomorrow they’d be married. After nearly four decades of bachelorhood, he’d have a partner. He’d let a pair of pretty eyes seduce him.
Well, maybe more than pretty eyes. Ashley understood him. She appreciated him. Not to mention her lips. One taste and he was hooked.
Nothing had prepared him for Ashley’s touch. Russ had tried to resist her, but she’d opened the door and invited him in. Only a fool would’ve said no. He could’ve pulled away, tried to be reasonable, but her tenderness was as addictive as potato chips. Truth be told, he wasn’t sure he wanted to resist.
“Are you sure?” Ashley’s gentle voice pulled him out of his reverie.
“About what?”
“Getting married.”
He rolled his eyes. “If you ask me that one more time, I’m going to think you’ve changed your mind.”
“I don’t want to force you into anything.”
Russ laughed. “Ashley, I can tell you’re a tough, independent woman, but not even you could force me into something I don’t want to do. Especially getting married.”
“Good.” She exhaled, leaning back into the seat. “I appreciate your honesty.”
“You should expect it. Contrary to popular television, not all men lie.”
“That’s refreshing.”
He hoped the same was true for Ashley. Not all women could be trusted, but he’d give her the benefit of the doubt. Tom had.
“Why did you say yes? Honestly.”
“You’re kind of cute.”
“You said you’d be honest.”
Russ shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“You can turn around now.”
“What?” Something clawed at his throat. Panic? “Why do you want to go back?”
“You’re holding out. If you can’t tell me why you agreed to marry me, then we need to seriously reconsider what we’re about to do.”
Reconsider and hope another intelligent, considerate, beautiful woman moved to town wanting to get married without dating? It would never happen. Russ could barely believe it was happening now. He wasn’t the smartest kid in the family, but he wasn’t an idiot either. He wouldn’t let her get away. “I don’t believe in dating.” There. Honesty.
“Why?” Ashley twisted toward him in the seat.
“Did Tom tell you about his sister?”
“Yes. She’s divorced, like one of your sisters.”
“Carrie. My grandparents met in high school, had a small family wedding, and were married for over sixty years. Carrie and my cousin are smart, amazing women who wanted the same thing, but they got cau
ght up in the romance and wedding, then couldn’t figure out how to make a marriage work. Whatever my grandparents did worked, but today’s relationships don’t last. I want a partnership that will last.”
“Lots of people are realizing that, but why do you want to do this?”
Maybe she had more in common with his sisters than he thought. “I’ve had some bad experiences. The last one was a doozy.”
“Everyone has bad experiences. I went on a blind date with a guy who referred to himself in the third person all night. That doesn’t mean you should give up, though.”
“I could handle third person. This was worse.” He glanced at her. “The last girl I dated wanted more than I did. She sort of …” How could he say it without sounding judgmental?
“What, she stalked you?”
That would do. “Basically.”
Ashley slid closer. “Really? I was kidding.”
“Well, I’m not. She moved north a year ago, and I decided I was done dating.”
“How can you be sure I’m not a stalker?”
“You’ve been vetted.”
She relaxed into the passenger seat. “By Tom. I feel the same way about you.”
The closer they got to town, the darker the clouds. Russ flipped on his headlights and turned up the heat. “Have you ever been in northern Michigan in the winter?”
“We visited in the summer, and I was too young to remember.”
“Where did you grow up?”
“Near Cincinnati.”
“Isn’t that in the southern part of the state?”
“Closer to Kentucky than to Michigan.”
And a completely different climate. She’d get used to the weather eventually. Until then, “Do you have winter tires for your car?”
“I don’t have a car, remember? I’m still driving a rental.”
“That’s right.”
“I haven’t exactly had time to go car shopping. And I don’t care to drive, so when my car died, Tom suggested I wait until he could help me find a good one. Will I need winter tires? What’s the difference?”
“They keep you on the road and out of the ditch.”
Ashley chuckled. “Don’t all tires do that?”
“Yes, but winter tires are designed for snow and ice. I never drive without them.”
“I suppose I’ll consider it.”
He’d heard similar things from his sisters, but he’d convinced them. Convincing Ashley would be tougher. Maybe he needed a different approach. “Then it’s settled. We’ll get you a car and winter tires.”
“You can’t make decisions for me. It’s my car. I can handle—”
“A car in Cincinnati. If you buy anything like that little clown car you rented, it isn’t going to get you thirty feet down the driveway unless you put some extra traction on it.”
“I don’t—”
Russ pressed a hand over her mouth. “Not an option. I’m the winter-driving expert. Trust me.”
Ashley’s lips tensed. He preferred when they were softer, when they were next to his lips instead of his hand, but he wasn’t about to compromise on his soon-to-be-wife’s safety. He pulled his hand away. “Are we agreed?”
“Fine. I’ll buy new tires.”
“It’s not always going to be this easy, is it?”
“What?”
“Our fights.”
Light laughter floated through the cab. “Our first fight.”
“At least we got that out of the way.”
Russ glanced over and caught her smiling at him. Her eyes twinkled. Those soft lips parted. He couldn’t wait to touch her again, and she didn’t seem like she would protest.
The truck vibrated. Snapping out of his thoughts, he pulled back into his lane. Not even the best winter tires could keep a truck on the road if he couldn’t.
Twenty minutes later, he stood in front of the courthouse staring through the glass double doors. Somewhere in that building was a marriage license that would soon have his name on it. And Ashley’s.
Her hand slid around his bicep. “Ready?”
He took a deep breath and opened the door for her. Musty, hot air blasted his face as they entered. A brown, plastic sign hung on a brick wall pointing the way to several offices. The only one he cared about was in the back. They followed the arrows, linoleum, and fluorescent lights around a corner and to the office of Willa Jones, County Clerk.
Russ walked up to the counter. A salt-and-pepper-haired woman sat at the nearest desk typing intently, barely visible behind a computer monitor and vertical file holder. Behind her sat another desk, cleaner and tidier than anything at the farm office, but the dents and scratches suggested it might be as old. Vases of flowers on the far table and the counter added some much-needed color to the industrial cream-and-brown interior. Clearing his throat, he smiled at the woman. “Is Mrs. Jones here?”
She finished typing, then stood and smiled. “She’s in the back. Can I help you with anything?”
“I need a marriage license, but I’d like to talk to Mrs. Jones, please.”
“I’ll get her for you.”
After she disappeared into an office in the back, Ashley leaned close. “She probably could’ve helped us.”
“Probably, but Willa and I have history.”
“Are you planning on charming her into speeding up our license?”
“I won’t have to charm her. Watch.”
Salt and Pepper returned with a petite peroxide blonde wearing cherry-red lipstick and a giant, beaded necklace. “Edgar, how are you, honey?”
Ashley squeezed his arm and chuckled. “Edgar.”
He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “I’m fine, Mrs. Jones, how are you?”
“Your mother beat me at gin again last week, but I’m due for a win. And it’s Willa, please. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to the service this weekend. How was it?”
“Not how I wanted to spend the day, but the memorial was good. Tom would have been happy with it.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Now, what can I do for you?”
Russ braced his feet, taking a deep breath. “I’d like to get a marriage license, please.”
Willa’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re getting married? Your mom never said a word! I didn’t think she could keep a secret, especially one this big. Congratulations, honey.”
“Thank you. This is my fiancée, Ashley.”
Ashley offered Willa a hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“A pleasure. When’s the big day?”
He cleared his throat. “That’s why I wanted to talk with you. We’d like to get married tomorrow.”
Salt and Pepper’s jaw dropped. Willa’s eyes widened, but she cleared her throat, and her clerk face reappeared. “There’s a three-day waiting period on marriage licenses. I can put through the application today, but you’ll have to wait until Thursday before you can get married.”
“I understand that’s the standard, but don’t you have the ability to speed up the process? Something about …” He glanced at Ashley.
“Good and sufficient cause,” she said.
Willa clasped her hands in front of her. “That’s true, but what’s your cause?”
“Tom’s memorial made me realize that we never know what tomorrow’s going to bring.” Russ slipped an arm around Ashley and pulled her close, surprised at how much her nearness comforted him. “He would have been the best man at my wedding. Without him here …” Emotions burned behind Russ’ eyes as the words clogged his throat.
Ashley rubbed circles across his back. “We don’t want to risk anything keeping us apart.”
Like a horde of angry sisters.
“Oh, honey, I understand that, but there’s nothing I can do.”
Ashley leaned over the counter. “Sure there is. You can agree that we have a good and sufficient cause. There’s no set definition online, so it’s completely up to your discretion.” She sandwiched Russ’ hand between hers. “Every year on our anniversary, we can rem
ember Tom and how important he was to all of us.”
He should have let her do all the talking. If Russ was the clerk, he would have given Ashley the license already. One look at Willa’s twisted lips, however, told him she wasn’t buying it.
“What will convince you that we’re worth the loophole?” he asked.
“I’m not sure this is one of those situations. The only time I’ve ever sped up the process was when the groom forgot to apply for the license.”
His chance had arrived. “Isn’t that technically what I’ve done? I would have been here earlier, but we’ve been busy with the funeral arrangements. Isn’t this another case of a forgetful groom?”
Willa’s lips twitched. “I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you. Your mom said Rita’s still numb from the shock of it all.”
Time to pull that last heartstring. “First my dad, now Tom …”
The clerk laid a hand over her heart. “It certainly has been a rough few years for you, hasn’t it?” She reached across the counter and covered his and Ashley’s hands. “Give me a sec.” She winked before heading back into her office.
Ashley bumped her shoulder against his. “You really know how to work the ladies, don’t you?”
“Only when they’re my mom’s friends. You’re not so bad yourself.”
“Excuse me.” Salt and Pepper approached them. “You’re Edgar Russell, Tom Russell’s cousin, right?”
“That’s right.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your loss.”
“Thank you.” The woman smiled pleasantly enough, but the hair on his arms stood up. “You are?”
“Sue Whitley. I’ve talked with your mom when she’s called for Willa.”
As if on cue, Willa burst from the office and walked right between Sue and the counter. “I wanted to double-check a few things before I made a decision. I’ll let you pick up your license tomorrow.” She slapped a piece of paper on the counter. “You know I love you, but I still need to see a photo ID. Fill out this information, and it’ll be twenty dollars.”
Ashley hugged his arm, leaning fully against him. The smile she flashed him lit up her face and pulled him in. He hadn’t seen that smile before. If he had, he might have said yes to her proposal sooner.
“Edgar.” Willa cleared her throat. “If you want to get married, you need to fill out this paperwork.”
