Leah adjusted the hood of Denver’s windbreaker. “That must make for some interesting conversations. It looks like the line is beginning to move. What are we waiting to see?”
A mouthful of chocolate didn’t stop Denver from answering. “A mother triceratops and her baby. They let you get on it.”
“How exciting! I’ve only ridden a horse, and that was a long time ago. I’m sure this is much better.”
Denver looked up at Stratton. “Can Miss Leah ride with me?”
“I don’t see why not. The two of you shouldn’t exceed the weight limit.”
This remark earned him a sharp jab in the ribs from Leah. He leaned down close to her ear and was immediately enveloped in the enticing scent of her hair. This was followed by a sudden (and totally inappropriate) urge to bury his face in the silky strands. How could he be thinking about such things at a time like this? Before he could move away, she turned her head, and he found himself inches from her face. This was ten times worse given his proximity to her lips. Embarrassed, he straightened quickly. “What was wrong with that?”
Leah hunched her shoulder. “If you need it explained, there’s no point in me saying anything.”
Her tone of disgust induced a short laugh from him. “I’m a man. I need most things explained.”
“And you’re not too proud to admit it. That takes all the fun out of teasing you about it.”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure they’ll be others.”
“I’m counting on it.”
Taken in its most literal sense, her words could mean that she planned to be around him long enough to find things to tease him about. The other more likely possibility was that he was reading too much into a casual remark. The touch of her hand on his arm drew his gaze back to her.
“I’m giving my two-week notice on Monday.”
It took several seconds for the meaning of those words to sink in. A profound sense of relief and gratitude tied up Stratton’s tongue.
“That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?” she asked when he didn’t immediately respond.
“Yes…yes, it is.” He reached for her hand. “Thank you, Leah.” The words sounded wildly insufficient to his ears, but they were the best he could do at the moment. In spite of Jade’s unflagging optimism, Stratton had prepared himself for disappointment. “You’ve got a heart of gold.”
“In that respect, we make a good match.”
She turned back to Denver, not giving him a chance to reply. It was probably just as well because Stratton’s mind was sprinting in a hundred different directions. He’d done what he set out to do, but Denver would have a mother only because Leah was willing to put her life on hold for two people she barely knew. The same feelings of guilt that had plagued him for months returned in full force. It should never have come to this. He’d been selfish, and his selfishness hadn’t just hurt himself. It had hurt the one person he loved most in the world.
* * * * *
Leah hadn’t planned to tell Stratton her decision in a noisy mall surrounded by strangers, but the sight of his face, drawn and pale with worry, had been too much for her. She wanted to ease his suffering, not add to it. He’d been clear about what her role in his life would be, but along with being a mother to Denver, she hoped to be of some help to Stratton as well.
The large turnout of people meant long wait times at each of the different stations. In spite of this, Denver’s enthusiasm never flagged. He happily sat on Stratton’s shoulders, reciting an impressive amount of facts about dinosaurs. From the outside they looked like a typical family enjoying an outing together, but Leah couldn’t forget - and she doubted Stratton could either - the storm looming on the horizon, the effects of which they couldn’t outrun.
The last thing they did before leaving was the much-anticipated digging for fossils. Leah and Denver emerged from the experience with a souvenir bone and a liberal coating of sand. Stratton eyed their appearance with amusement.
“We better get our pizza to-go. I don’t think Jerry at Mama Mia’s would appreciate having sand tracked all over his floors.”
Leah looked up from helping Denver get the sand out of his pockets. “You’re just jealous because you don’t have a fossil to take home.”
He laughed. “Could be. Are you free to eat with us? Jade and Joel should be back from shopping for furniture around four, and I’d like you to meet them.”
She wasn’t going to meet Stratton’s sister looking like this. “Can I run home first?”
“Sure. Denver and I will pick up the pizza and meet you at my house.”
“I shouldn’t be more than a half hour.”
“There’s no hurry. It’ll take us at least that long. The address is 5551 Pineapple Lake Drive.”
Leah wouldn’t need her GPS to find it. She and Lydia had spent many Sunday afternoons driving through the subdivisions located along Pineapple Lake. Situated between a country club bearing the same name and the ocean, it was prime real estate. Most of the homes in that area were valued in the millions. She never thought there would come a day when she’d be invited into one, let alone actually live there.
The text she received from Summer on the way home was a reminder of something she’d conveniently shoved to the back of her mind. How was she going to explain to her family this sudden decision to marry someone she hadn’t mentioned in a single conversation? Whatever story she and Stratton decided to tell the interested parties, it couldn’t be the real one.
After checking on Aristotle, she took a quick shower and reapplied her makeup. She was trying to decide what to wear when her phone rang.
“Hey, Mom,” she said, sinking down on the bed.
“You’re not just getting home from the shelter, are you?”
Here was the lead-in she needed. “No. I…had a date.”
“It’s about time. I was beginning to think you’d sworn off men forever. Who’s the lucky man?”
“His name is Stratton. He’s one of the doctors at the clinic.”
“The middle of the day is an unusual time for a first date.”
“This wasn’t our first date.” Technically, they weren’t dating at all. This seemed oddly incompatible with the fact that they were getting married.
Her mother laughed. “Which means you must like him. Not many of your dates get a second or third chance.”
“You make me sound like a prima donna.”
“I didn’t mean that. You’ve got this idea in your head about the kind of man you want. Just remember, falling in love can’t be reduced to checking off items on a mental list.”
She couldn’t argue with that. She just hadn’t expected to meet someone who made her forget all about the list. “There’s something else you need to know about Stratton. He has a six-year-old son.”
“Well, dear, that’s not a problem as long as you understand that you won’t have his undivided attention.”
Leah couldn’t help smiling at this. Denver was the only reason she had Stratton’s attention at all. “I don’t mind. Denver is as lovable as his father.”
“Does he live with Stratton?”
“Yes.” Her glance strayed to the bedside clock. Her half-hour window was closing quickly. “I hate to cut you off, but I’m supposed to be at Stratton’s house in eight minutes, and I’m not even dressed yet. He wants me to meet his sister and brother-in-law.”
“You’re already meeting his family? This sounds serious.”
“It is serious, Mom. I…I’m in love with him.” The words were out before she fully realized what she said. It was the perfect response when one was trying to lay the groundwork for a whirlwind romance. There was just one problem: her words weren’t part of an act to set the stage for what was to come. She meant them.
“After only a few weeks?” she heard her mother ask. “Are you sure, Leah?”
Surprisingly enough, she was. There was no rational explanation for this, but love wasn’t supposed to be rational. It operated in a completely different sphere. “
It’s been more than a few weeks,” she admitted, her muddled thoughts piecing together the sequence of events that led her to this place. “This started back in the fall. I just didn’t realize it.”
“So you’ve known him a while. That makes me feel better. I’ll let you go so you can get ready. Call me tomorrow. I want to hear more about Stratton and Denver.”
“I will. Bye, Mom.”
After she ended the call, Leah didn’t make any move to get dressed. Instead, she lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. All those months ago when she sat in that auditorium listening to Stratton, she had no idea he would be the man to touch her heart. Her surprise and bewilderment over this development fell short of blinding her to reality. The easy part was over; the rest of this journey was brimming with challenges to overcome. Falling for a man with such negative views about love went right along with her habit of biting off more than she could chew. Listening to her heart instead of her head had led her into trouble before. Would this time be different?
Chapter Nine
Because it was a Saturday, the wait at Mama Mia’s was unusually long. Stratton and Denver had only been home a few minutes when Leah arrived. After sending Denver upstairs to change clothes and wash his hands, Stratton drew Leah into the kitchen.
“I want to make sure there’s no misunderstanding. You did agree to marry me, right?”
“Yes. Are you getting cold feet already?”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “To be honest, I’m still in a state of disbelief. What you’re doing is…well, it’s the most wonderful thing anyone has ever done for me. I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate it.”
Her eyes never wavered from his. “I’m happy to do it. And anyway, isn’t this what friends are for?”
He fingered one of the loose waves of blonde hair hanging over her shoulder. “This is a tall order even for a friend. If it’s okay with you, we’ll tell Denver after we eat.”
“You don’t want to talk to him about it first? Without me around?”
“I think it would be better if he heard it from you.” He paused as his ears caught the sound of rapid footsteps in the hall. “Here he comes. We’ll talk more later.”
The three of them demolished the pizza in record time. Once the meal was over, they moved to the family room. If Stratton had any lingering concerns about what he was doing, they were completely banished when he witnessed Denver’s reaction to being told Leah was going to be his mother. The little boy looked as if he’d been handed the keys to heaven.
“You’ll be staying here with us? All the time?” he asked her excitedly.
Leah put her arm around him. “That’s the plan. Is it okay with you?”
Denver nodded, his thin face breaking into an ecstatic smile. “Is Aristotle coming, too?”
“Of course. He and I are a package deal.”
“We could put his cage in here. That way he can watch TV.”
“That’s a great idea.”
“I hope he likes our house.”
Leah laughed. “No worries there. He’ll be thrilled to have so many people to talk to.”
“He might even learn some Spanish along the way,” Stratton said.
“I’ll have to brush up on mine. I took it in high school, but that was a long time ago.”
“I know some Spanish, Miss Leah. Maria taught me. ¿Qué pasa, calabaza? means ‘What's up, buttercup’?”
“Then you’re the perfect person to teach me.”
“It’s not hard. You just have to use your brain,” he said, tapping his index finger against his temple.
She chuckled. “My brain is a lot older than yours. It doesn’t work as fast.”
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-nine.”
He patted her arm. “Don’t worry about it. Daddy’s a lot older than that.”
Leah darted a lightning glance in Stratton’s direction. “So I’ve been told.”
The slight quiver of her lips, as if she was trying hard not to laugh, drew his eyes to her mouth. If things were different, he’d already know how it felt to kiss them. He’d be able to sample the delights they promised anytime he wanted. But things weren’t different. Leah was only there for one reason.
The echo of the front door closing put a timely end to that disturbing line of thought. Jade and Joel had returned.
“How did the furniture shopping go?” he asked when the pair walked into the room.
Jade made a face as she tossed her jacket and purse on one of the chairs. “Not very well. Everything I wanted was either out of stock or the wrong color.”
“You’ve still got time to find something you like.” Stratton reached for Leah’s hand and felt her fingers close around his. His heart shuddered as if her touch had penetrated all the way into his chest. “I’d like you both to meet Leah. She’s made me and Denver very happy by agreeing to be my wife.”
Jade shot him a triumphant glance before hurrying over to sit down next to Leah. “Welcome to the madhouse. I’m Jade. The giant behind me trying to figure out what’s going on is my husband Joel.”
“It’s so nice to meet both of you.”
“The pleasure is ours,” Joel said, moving forward to shake Leah’s hand.
Jade turned her attention to Denver. “I bet you’re excited, munchkin. You’re getting a mommy.”
Denver crept closer to Leah, putting his hand on her leg. “Miss Leah and Aristotle will be coming to live with us.”
“It’s going to be nonstop action around this place.” Jade turned to look at Stratton. “Have you told Maria?”
“Not yet. She’s visiting her daughter today.”
Jade slapped her forehead. “How could I forget that? She told me what she was doing before we left this morning.”
Stratton hid a smile. Jade’s habit of selective hearing was well documented. “I guess you’re still adjusting to the news of my upcoming marriage.”
“With good reason. This is the best news I’ve had in a long time. It’ll be nice to have another female in the house. Maria and I have been outnumbered for too long.”
“It never felt that way, did it, Stratton?” Joel asked, trying to maintain a straight face and failing miserably.
“I probably shouldn’t answer that.”
Leah grinned widely. “Why not? I’d be very interested to hear what you have to say.”
“A wise man knows when to change the subject,” he responded, bringing her hand up to his lips and kissing her knuckles playfully. He knew by the slight wavering of her smile that he’d surprised her. Hopefully, she understood that it would be necessary to engage in small displays of affection in front of Denver. “Anyone interested in a game of Scrabble?”
* * * * *
An hour later when they wrapped up the Scrabble session, Leah could still feel the touch of Stratton’s lips on her skin. How was that possible? Wouldn’t that be going against several laws of science? Such was her state of distraction that she hardly heard the conversation going on around her. She looked up from putting away game pieces to see Jade, Joel and Denver disappearing into the hallway.
“Where are they going?”
Stratton handed her the box lid. “They’re making a run to Dairy Queen. Dilly bars are half price on Saturday.”
“Dilly bars,” she repeated softly. “That brings back some memories. I used to love watching the workers make them by hand.”
“Jade found a Dairy Queen in Crescent Beach that still does it that way. When she goes, she takes a cooler and brings a dozen or so back. If you want to relive your childhood, you’ll be able to do so in about an hour.”
“That’s a tempting offer.”
He cocked up one eyebrow. “More tempting than the other one I made you?”
“Not even close. What’s our plan for making this happen?”
“The easiest and quickest way is to go to the courthouse. We can apply for a license during your lunch hour on Monday. Unless they’ve drastically impro
ved their service, it’ll take about a week to get it. Once we have the license, it’s just a matter of deciding what day we want to get married. I suggest the Saturday after you leave the clinic.
“Since Jade, Joel and Maria live here, they’ll have to know the real reason we’re getting married. Otherwise they won’t understand why I’m sleeping in the guestroom instead of with my new wife. It’s probably best that everyone else assumes we’re marrying for the normal reasons. It’ll require us to pretend to feelings we don’t have, but shouldn’t tax our acting abilities too far.”
Leah knew it was unreasonable to be hurt by his last remark. Stratton was approaching the situation from a practical viewpoint, something she would do well to emulate. “I’d like to tell my parents in person. Would you mind making a trip to Columbus next weekend? That way they can meet you and Denver.”
“I’m fine with that. Since my parents are across the Atlantic Ocean, they’ll have to settle for a phone call. They usually come to visit in the summer. You can meet them then.”
“This is going to send shockwaves through the clinic.”
“Given our previous encounters, I would expect so. Most of that will fall on you unfortunately.”
“Yeah, I know. No one would dare ask you any questions.”
He laughed. “I can think of one person. She doesn’t back down from anyone or anything.”
Leah felt the color rise in her cheeks. “I only do that when it’s necessary.”
Stratton reached for her hand, placing it gently between his. “All joking aside, you’ve made a little boy very happy.”
She wanted to make his father happy, too. “I hope so. I don’t want to let him or you down. Otherwise, you’ll have done this for nothing.”
“I don’t suppose you’ve ever let anyone down. Denver will expect to find you in my room. I hope that’s not a problem. There’s an adjoining dressing room big enough to hold several people’s wardrobes. My clothes barely make a dent in it.”
“I won’t need to bring everything I own. It’s not like my apartment is going anywhere. That brings me to a delicate subject you probably won’t like.”
His half smile was amused. “I’m listening.”
The Gift of Love (Finding Love Book 9) Page 7
