Practically Married

by Karin Beery

  “Remember that when you get my bill.”

  He started to ask about Pete’s family, but Ashley shifted and he recognized his faded blue hoodie. Liz hated that sweatshirt, called it old and ratty. On Ashley it looked amazing.

  The door closed, snapping him out of the daze. “You look okay,” he said, struggling to control his voice.

  “I told you I was fine.”

  Better than fine. Beautiful. Long wet hair framed her pink cheeks and sparkling eyes. She inspired thoughts that had nothing to do with convenience, and he couldn’t look away. The coffee maker beeped. She moved, but Russ held up a hand. “Let me get it for you.”

  “Thank you. With cream, please.”

  “I’m familiar.” He walked to the kitchen, the vision of her burned into his mind. Another night at home, engaged but strangers, and her wearing his clothes. That didn’t seem like something strangers would do, yet he didn’t mind. Should he? Don’t overthink it. Just pour the coffee and enjoy the night.

  When he returned to the living room, Ashley stood in front of the fireplace stoking the wood. The sweatshirt covered her to midthigh. She wore those black, skin-tight pants that Rachel liked and a pair of his wool socks. Maybe they were hers, but he liked thinking they were his. “Nice sweatshirt.”

  She turned and smiled at him. “I found it in the laundry room when I tossed my clothes in the dryer. I hope you don’t mind.” Her skin glowed in the orange firelight. Nothing about her said stranded city girl. Of course, he didn’t honestly know if she was a city girl.

  He set her mug on the end table and sank into the far end of the couch. “Where are you from, anyway?”

  “Caperton, Ohio. Population five thousand eighty-four.”

  “Exactly eighty-four?”

  “Close enough, but it sounds more official when I say it that way.” She returned to the couch, closer to him than to the other end.

  Russ cleared his throat. “You don’t have dirt roads and rain in Caperton?”

  “We do, but we give all the roads different names so it doesn’t confuse people.” She cradled her coffee in her hands. “This feels great, thank you. I hope I didn’t scare you this afternoon. Everything was okay, but I didn’t have your number, and then all I could think of was getting out of the rain.”

  “I’m glad you’re all right. You don’t need to keep explaining.”

  “But I do. I don’t want you to think I was looking for a way out. I sincerely thought I knew my way back into town.”

  “I’ll take you in tomorrow and let you drive so you get used to it.” And then he’d let her drive to the dealership so they could look for a reasonable vehicle. Just thinking about that death trap spiked his blood pressure, so Russ turned his attention back to the fireplace. Focus on the fire.

  He couldn’t look at Ashley. The emotions in her eyes tugged at and confused him. They were both grieving, both working through massive life changes. How could they flirt and enjoy themselves in the middle of so much turmoil?

  “Do you think this might be a sign?”

  “What?” He glanced at her, looking for a quiver of humor. She sipped her coffee, hiding her mouth behind the mug, but her eyes didn’t flinch. “Are you serious?”

  “Kind of, but I’m more curious about what you think. First your sisters freak out, then your ex-girlfriend shows up. Now this.” She lowered her cup revealing the tight line of her lips. “Maybe they’re signs that we shouldn’t do this.”

  “Or maybe they’re obstacles we need to overcome. The right way isn’t usually the easy way. Still, we aren’t married yet, so you can change your mind.”

  Even as he said those last words, Russ hated them, but they needed to be said. As Ashley processed them, her lips shifted back and forth. Her thinking face. One expression down, four million to figure out. And, despite what he’d said, he wanted the chance to do that.

  Her expression relaxed. “Do you think it’s a chance to persevere?”

  “It makes sense. I remember when my dad and uncle were considering these new apple varieties for the farm. They read the research, visited other farms, and talked with experts.”

  “What happened?”

  “They went for it. Then our equipment broke. The supplier nearly doubled the price of the trees. The township showed up to investigate some bogus allegations.”

  “That’s horrible.”

  Russ nodded. “It was rough. One night I overheard my parents talking, and my mom sounded like you, asking if it might be a sign. I’ll never forget my dad’s answer. He said the circumstances of our lives shouldn’t dictate what we do. Right is right and wrong is wrong. Circumstances don’t change that. My dad and uncle believed they were doing the right thing, and they weren’t going to let anything get in their way. They fought through a lot of stuff, but they added the new apples.”

  “Was it worth the hassle?”

  “Everything’s worth the hassle if you’re doing the right thing.” Russ smiled. “But it did feel good when those trees flourished. They became some of our most productive varieties.” Wanting to reassure her, he looked Ashley in the eye. “I still think getting married is the right decision.”

  The warm glow of the fire softened her features, but softness could be deceiving. He liked that she hadn’t tried to hide anything, and he liked having her around, even looked forward to seeing her. Look how crazy he’d been, needing to see her after the accident. Was that what he wanted? Irrationality and nerves? Absolutely not. But for Ashley …

  “I’m not just marrying you because I told you I would,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

  “You are?” Her eyes widened. She didn’t say another word, but her face communicated everything. Uncertainty, doubt, hope, tenderness.

  He set down his coffee. “When do you want to try this again?”

  “I suppose now that your sisters know, they’ll want to be at the wedding.”

  “They wouldn’t forgive us if they weren’t. How about this weekend?”

  “That’s three days away. A lot can happen in three days.”

  “At this rate, one of us might lose a limb before Saturday. I don’t need my little toe, though, so I’ll risk it.”

  “Speak for yourself. I’m rather fond of my extremities.”

  “It’s almost winter, so the farm is slowing down. I could keep an eye on you and your extremities until then.” Russ winked. “Make sure nothing bad happens. You might have to go to the office with me, though.”

  “Won’t I get in the way?”

  “Nah. Things calm down for me when the ground starts to freeze. Besides, Chad told me to take the rest of the week off.”

  Ashley took another sip of coffee as she turned her attention to the fire.

  Russ waited for her to say something, but she kept staring at the flames. Her cheeks glowed even more. Was she blushing?

  She raised her mug, paused, lowered the mug. Up, down. Up, down. It didn’t take a man with three sisters to realize Ashley had something on her mind. He should ask her about it, but he didn’t want to spoil the moment.

  Instead, he turned to watch the fire with her. A gust of wind whistled around the corner of the house, a whisper of it sneaking down the chimney. The flames shivered. A puff of sharp, hearty wood scent flowed through the room.

  “What are we going to do until Saturday?” Ashley asked.

  “Huh?” He started to turn, but she’d moved to the middle of the couch—less than half a cushion away. Close enough to touch. “Uh, hi. What were you asking?”

  “What are we going to do about our living situation until Saturday?”

  What indeed. “I could stay with my mom for a couple nights.”

  “Is that necessary? We’re both adults.”

  But their age wasn’t the issue. They couldn’t even get a marriage license without the town gossiping. How long would it take for everyone to find out they were living together? He couldn’t compromise his convictions, and he wouldn’t sacrifice Ashley’s r
eputation.

  Besides, when Ashley sat that close, with her lips smiling and inviting, common sense washed away with the cold rain. He had to get out of the house to protect them. Three nights alone were too tempting. It hadn’t been an hour, and he couldn’t resist moving the damp hair from her face. Or letting his finger trace the warm curve of her jaw. Leaning in close enough to smell the spice and orange and rain in her hair. Their breath mingled. “This is why I should stay with my mom.”

  “You don’t want to be this close to me?”

  “Completely the opposite.”

  She pressed her cheek against his palm. Her long lashes lowered, touching her cheeks as she sighed. Russ slid his hand into the hair at the base of her neck. Her head tilted. He surrendered. He remembered those lips, and he wanted to taste them again.

  “I’m home!”

  *******

  Ashley jumped. Russ’ hand tangled in her hair as the blood raged through her veins. Temptation avoided.

  Kathleen stood in the foyer smiling, a suitcase by her feet. “Ashley, I’m so glad you’re okay.” She tracked water into the living room as she walked to the couch, arms open. “We were so worried.”

  Ashley pushed herself up to wrap her arms around the woman. “I’m sorry about that.”

  “I’m wet, so I’ll make this quick.” She pounded twice on Ashley’s back, then held her at arm’s length. “Don’t beat yourself up about it. There’s not a person in this family who hasn’t gotten their car stuck at one point in time. Of course, you’re the first to do it on your wedding day. It doesn’t smell like you’ve cooked dinner yet. Why don’t I get that started?”

  Russ stood, pulling his mother in for a quick hug. “I’m not going to say no to one of your dinners, but what are you doing here?”

  “Call me old-fashioned, but I’m chaperoning.”

  A smile split Russ’ face. “Old-fashioned and God-fearing. I’m okay with that.”

  “Just until the wedding. It wouldn’t be right to leave you two here unsupervised. Imagine what your father would say. You obviously can’t be left alone. Who knows what would have happened if I hadn’t walked in just now?” She winked at Ashley.

  “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me. Russ, will you take my bag upstairs when you have a second? No need to rush.” She whistled as she tromped through the house.

  Russ chuckled.

  Heat consumed Ashley’s face, and it had nothing to do with the fire. “I guess you don’t need to move out now.”

  “Guess not.”

  “Properly chaperoned.”

  “Yep.”

  Wonderful.

  “I should see if my mom needs anything.” He walked away, taking his lips with him.

  Where had those urges come from? She’d dated a couple of guys, had one serious boyfriend. While the cuddling and kisses were nice, she’d never craved them as she did with Russ, with the intensity of a starving child craving food. Maybe that was a bit much, but she’d never experienced such chemistry or anticipation. Somehow those crazy urges surprised yet calmed her.

  Her fiancé and soon-to-be mother-in-law chatted in the kitchen while Ashley’s mind calculated. Kathleen’s arrival gave her two whole days to get to know her intended. He could show her around. They could talk, date, do whatever would be appropriate—and normal—to do with your mother in the house.

  Russ rounded the corner, a dishtowel in his hands. “Hey, Ash, do you care if we have broccoli or green beans?”

  The thought of a real date night produced a smile. With the other guys, it had been stressful and awkward, putting on a good show while trying to figure out if he was the one, but with Russ she knew. She could relax. “I want to go out on a date.”

  Every inch of him froze. Not even the towel moved as it dangled from his fingers.

  “Not tonight, since your mom’s here, but maybe tomorrow? We can go out and get to know each other better?” His silence wrapped around her. “What is it?”

  He shook his head. “I hadn’t thought about dating.”

  “We have two nights before the wedding. It would be fun to try something a little more traditional.”

  “Traditional?” He tossed the towel over his shoulder and crossed his arms. “Are you sure you want to do that?”

  A rotten ball of reality rolled around in her stomach. “Yes, because someday it’s also going to be a regular marriage, I hope. Why not start with a date?”

  Russ scrubbed a hand over his face, smoothing out subtle lines that sank back into his face the second he pulled his hand away.

  She was losing him. Ashley’s feet hit the floor, target in her sights. She stepped once, twice—right into his personal space—wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

  This time he didn’t hesitate to pull her close and kiss her dizzy. His lips ministered his strength and passion and kindness. Every second deepened her need for more. Ashley held on, wooing him with her kisses. How had she lived so long without them?

  Russ tore his lips away and pressed his fuzzy cheek against her temple, his raspy breaths moving her hair. He chuckled. “I’m still trying to decide what to think about you.”

  “Think good things.”

  “I suppose this means I need to take you on a date.”

  Ashley shook her head, enjoying the light scratch of his whiskers on her skin. “No, I wanted to kiss you, not manipulate you.”

  “Then you wouldn’t care if I said no to tomorrow?”

  That nasty ball in her stomach soured. “I would care, but I’ll respect your decision.”

  As Russ leaned away, the wall pressed against her back. How had she gotten there?

  He looked at her as she tried to slow her breathing. No need to lose her head over something as ridiculous as a make-out session with her fiancé.

  “Every now and then you get this look on your face that I can’t figure out.” He traced a rough finger along her cheekbone. Down her nose. Along her upper lip. “I want to know what this means. I guess I’ll need to spend some more time with you to figure it out.”

  Her heart fluttered. “O-okay.”

  “You decide what you want to do tomorrow, and we’ll do it.”

  She smiled.

  “That look I recognize.” He let her go and stepped back, grabbing the towel from her shoulder and tossing it over his. “Give it a few minutes before you come into the kitchen. Not that it will matter. There’s no way my mom will believe it took this long to discuss vegetables.”

  CHAPTER 23

  Russ groaned. How had Tom known where to find anything?

  The emptiness of the office closed in around him. Tom would have known what to do if Russ died, but Russ needed his cousin to walk him through the books. He didn’t want to imagine running the farm without Tom. They had picked up the slack from their fathers, but could Russ do the work of four people?

  Chad burst through the front door. “I knew you couldn’t stay away. Thanks for showing up today. I win the family pool.”

  “How much?”

  “Hundred bucks.”

  “That’s it?”

  “Hey, the economy’s tight.” Chad stripped off his winter layers and dumped them on a chair near the door. “As happy as I am to see you, what are you doing here?”

  “Still looking for paperwork.”

  “While you’re at it, see if you can find your sanity. Rachel said you and Ashley are getting married. What are you thinking?”

  Russ leaned back, teetered, then braced himself as the wheeled chair slid beneath him. “I’m thinking this paperwork doesn’t exist. If it doesn’t, marrying Ashley will solve a lot of problems.”

  “Yeah, that’s a great reason to get married.” Chad wandered over to the coffeepot and poured a cup. “You know that’s crazy, right? You don’t marry a complete stranger to get her house. This isn’t the Dark Ages.”

  “I don’t need a lecture. Besides, we won’t be complete strangers when we get married. The wedding didn’t happen, so we have a
couple more days to spend with each other.”

  “Rachel mentioned that. What’s the plan?”

  “To get married Saturday, but if our luck keeps up, there’s a good chance the church will burn down before we get there.”

  “Maybe God’s trying to tell you something.”

  “And maybe it’s bad luck.”

  “Well, I don’t want to add to your troubles, but sometime soon we need to figure out what to do about the farm.”

  How was that not adding to his troubles? Russ smothered a growl. “Look, whether I find the paperwork or get married, the farm is secure.”

  “That’s great, but that’s not what I mean. The township called again. They’re still interested in using the farm for that preservation thing. There’s an envelope on your desk from the extension office. I think they want you to teach.”

  Teach? As in children? Exactly what he didn’t need—more chaos. “That can wait.”

  “It can’t.” Chad took a deep breath and adjusted the cap on his head. “We need to decide what we’re going to do with this farm because it’s only us now, and …”

  And Russ had always known this day would come. “You want out.”

  “I might. I think we need to seriously consider our options. I love working with you, it’s been a blessing to be part of this family and part of your history, but I never wanted to run a farm. I just couldn’t seem to get away from it.”

  This was the time to get away? Where would that leave Russ? “You think we should sell the farm?”

  “I’m not saying that.” His linebacker of a brother-in-law practically folded up on himself as he sat down. “I am saying we should consider our options. Maybe partnering with the college will lessen our burden.”

  Russ’ spine tightened. What could he say? “Let’s talk about this later.”

  “We need to act later. We need to talk about this now.”

  “No.” Russ jumped out of his seat, knocking the chair to the ground. He needed to think, away from the clutter of death and abandonment.

  Chad stood, towering over him. “You can’t avoid this forever.”

  “I won’t, but I’m not doing this now. This isn’t the right time to talk about selling the farm.”