by Fran Shaff
“Mother, you are absolutely impossible.” Matthew turned to Melinda. “As soon as the road is clear, you can get out of this madhouse and on to your sister’s wedding. I’ll find out the legalities of our situation and arrange to dissolve this relationship if indeed it is legal in the first place. You have my word on that, Melinda.”
Her heart broke a little when he spoke of the permanent separation which would come to them all too soon.
Sheila pushed herself away from the table. “I can’t stand this another minute,” she said as she stood. She walked to the desk and retrieved two pieces of paper. She held them close to her as she spoke. “Matthew, I really did fax the license to the courthouse just as I said I did, but it was never filed.”
“How do you know the paper wasn’t filed?” Melinda asked.
“I know because I have the fax right here along with the original license.” She laid both papers she was holding on the table. “I felt quite foolish the morning after you arrived, Melinda, when we discussed what I’d done the night before. I’m ashamed I went as far as I did, but I was so sure I was right about the two of you being soul mates. I’ve always had a sixth sense about people, and I was absolutely certain the two of you were star crossed.” She sat down and sighed. “Maybe I was wrong.”
No, you weren’t! Melinda mentally shouted.
“Maybe you were,” Matthew said.
“How did you get the fax back if you’d really sent it?” Melinda asked.
Sheila nodded toward her son. “As you know, Matthew, the sheriff is a good friend of mine.” She looked at Melinda. “I had him pick up the fax and bring it to me when he made his rounds on his snowmobile early this morning.”
“Well, I guess there is nothing further for us to take care of then,” Matthew said flatly.
“Not at the moment,” Sheila said as she stood. She went to the coffee pot and filled her cup. She walked toward the hallway and paused as she was about to leave the kitchen. “But, Matthew, I will be wanting those grandchildren, and it is high time you take a wife.”
“Mother, I assure you, I can manage my own life.”
“Yes, son, I know you’re a very capable man, but that won’t stop me from dreaming. Sometimes our dreams are all we have to get us through our days.” She turned and walked down the hall.
***
The snowplow cleared the road at three in the afternoon. Melinda quickly packed her bag and prepared to leave. Once she’d told Derrik and Sheila goodbye, she left with Matthew to go to her car.
When Matthew freed the car from the snowdrift, he helped Melinda into the driver’s seat. He went around the car and sat in the passenger’s seat.
“Despite everything that happened in the last couple of days, Melinda, I am very glad the snowstorm brought you to us,” he said, smiling at her.
She returned his smile. “So am I. I’ll never forget any of you.”
“Really?”
“Really.” She shifted in her seat, turning herself sideways so she could face him better. “When I’m back in Kansas City with my head stuck under the hood of a car, I’ll remember the wrench Sheila threw into our lives.”
Matthew chuckled at her joke then sobered quickly. “Did you say Kansas City?”
“Yes.”
“You live in Kansas City?”
“Yes.”
Matthew sat back and gave her an odd look. “I don’t believe this,” he said, his eyes wide and bright.
“What are we, seven, eight hundred miles from Kansas City?”
“Something like that. I know it seemed like it took me forever to get this far.”
“This is impossible.”
“What is impossible?”
“This is absolutely impossible! You realize that, don’t you?”
“Perhaps I’d be able to agree with what you think is impossible if you told me what you were talking about,” she said, puzzled by his unusual behavior.
“I live in St. Joe. We’re practically neighbors, and we meet hundreds of miles from where we live? In the middle of Nowhere, North Dakota? Don’t you think this is impossible?”
“It certainly is,” she said, stunned by his explanation of the strange coincidence.
“Wow,” he said, his voice trailing the word.
“Wow, indeed,” she said in the same manner. She took a few minutes to let the fact that he lived near her sink in.
“Why did you move so far away from home? People need body repairmen everywhere. Surely you could have opened a business in Fargo, Grand Forks or maybe over the border in Minnesota.”
“I could ask you the same thing. In fact, I think I will.” He gave her a smug look. “Why did you move so far from your family in Moorhead?”
She smiled at him when the irony of the answer she was about to give him struck her. “I wanted to get out of the snow and cold.”
He immediately began to chuckle. “Me too.”
They laughed together.
“It is a lot warmer and less snowy in St. Joe, but right now I wouldn’t trade a Northern Plains snowstorm for a warm Florida beach.”
“You wouldn’t?” Her heart began to beat faster as she took in the implications of his declaration. “Matthew,” she said hesitantly as she struggled to quell the rapid rhythm of her heart, “why are you here now? The holidays are long over. It isn’t your mother’s birthday. Why would you travel here in winter to visit your family?” She’d wondered all along why he’d come home, but she hadn’t asked him. She hadn’t wanted to pry.
“Well,” he said, looking around at the fallout from the storm, “I sure wish I didn’t have a need to come home in winter beyond spending the holidays with my family, but Dad couldn’t choose the time he died. He died on a cold winter night six years ago. I came home because this week was the anniversary of my father’s death.
“I see.”
Pain filled his eyes. It’s still pretty hard on Mom. It seems to help her get through the hurtful memories if I come home to spend a week with her and Derrik when the anniversary of Dad’s death comes round.”
She couldn’t help but reach out to him. “Oh, Matthew, you’re so kind and thoughtful,” she said, squeezing his shoulder.
He stared at her a long moment before he took her hand from his shoulder and wrapped it inside his warm fingers.
“I don’t want to talk about my father or my mother now, Melinda. I want to talk about us.”
“Us?” Her pulse began to throb again.
He moved closer to her. “I thought after today we’d never see each other again. Frankly, that bothered the hell out of me. I’d like very much to see you again.” He moved closer still.
Her heart beat faster. “You would?”
“Yes.” He slid even closer.
She smiled at him, and he closed the remaining space between them.
“Would you like to have dinner with me and maybe go to a movie a week from Saturday? I’ll take you anywhere in Kansas City you’d like to go if you’ll be back from your sister’s wedding by then.”
Gorgeous brown eyes were seducing her again. “I’ll be back by then, and I’d love to go out with you.”
He gazed into her eyes until she thought her insides would melt. “I don’t think I can wait ten days to find out what I’ve needed to know since the first time I saw you.”
She gave him a coquettish grin. “And what is that?”
He smiled at her, leaned closer to her. “I’ve just got to know if your lips are as sweet as I’ve imagined.”
She blinked her eyes and hoped he couldn’t hear the thunderous sound of her heart pounding against her ribs. “There is only one way to find out, Matthew.”
He spent the next several seconds gazing into her eyes, touching her hair.
When at last he kissed her, Melinda realized every daydream she’d had about him was wrong.
The reality of him--his tenderness, his sweetness, his self confidence and masculinity--far surpassed the fantasy man she’d imagined he was.
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And, strangely enough, as Matthew spent the next few minutes tantalizing her in a most profound way, Melinda could almost hear Sheila’s voice saying, “Matthew, you may kiss your bride.”
THE END
More Romantic Comedy from Award-Winning Author Fran Shaff
CROSSED WIRES, Short Story: Hank Garcia, thinking he’s been summoned to Melanie Baker’s house to fix an electrical problem, gets the shock of his life. Available now at e-book stores for 99 cents.
MALE FRAUD, Novella Coming in 2011. A woman pretends to be a man in order to get a trainer job with a pro football team and ends up falling for the coach.
About the Author
Fran Shaff is the author of contemporary and historical sweet romance, young peoples’ novels and short stories. Her books are available in hardcover, paperback and e-book formats. Her short stories have appeared in such places as Woman’s World magazine and at prominent places on the Internet.
Fran is a native of South Dakota. She has also lived in Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. Fran’s books are found in libraries and bookstores throughout the country and on the Internet.
Awards and Honors
Fran Shaff has won the following awards and honors: Write Touch Readers’ Award, More than Magic Award, Herbert W. Blakely Award, Golden Rose Award, EPPIE nomination for children’s literature, two Recommended Read Awards from Fallen Angel Reviews, Top Pick Award from Romance Reader at Heart, E-book of the Month Award from MyShelf.com, and two CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Awards, one nomination.
Books by Fran Shaff which are currently available or coming soon in hardcover, paperback and electronic formats include: “The Trading Game,” “Change of Heart,” “Montana Match,” “The Love Trap,” “Ever so Humble,” “A Partner’s Promise,” The Heart Junction Series consisting of “Laura’s Lost Love,” “Stephanie’s Surprise and “Mari’s Miracle,” “Montana Magic,” “Stolen Son,” “Kelly and the Candidate,” “For Love of Maggie,” “Male Fraud” and more. Short stories include “Crossed Wires” and “Married While Intoxicated.”
For more information on all of Fran Shaff’s currently-available books visit her website at http://sites.google.com/site/fshaff her MySpace page at: www.myspace.com/franshaff her Twitter page at: www.twitter.com/franshaff You’ll also find her at Facebook, Jacket Flap, Good Reads, Manic Readers, Library Thing and Linked In.
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Table of Contents
Married While Intoxicated
