“That’s bound to happen anyway, the wooden spoon chasing, but it might not be my grandmother doing the chasing.”
“What? No way!”
“We’ll see,” Cliff said, going back to the messy task at hand. “We better hope that she doesn’t find out she was hoodwinked.”
Sage giggled at what was an obvious joke but she had to wonder what would happen if his grandmother found out.
* * *
Sage felt awkward as she moved towards the top of the stairs. She was well aware that Cliff and his grandparents were waiting by the door and it felt a little too much like a walk down the aisle. “Ready finally,” she said awkwardly.
“You look beautiful,” Grandma said.
“You sure do,” Cliff said, his mouth almost hitting the floor as he stared at his bride-to-be with awe.
“It takes me back.” Grandpa squeezed his bride’s hand.
“You never even saw me in that dress, you old fool.”
“Well, it’s taking me back to a place where I wish I’d taken you instead of Mary Ellen Rogers to the Junior dance.”
“You weren’t even at my junior dance. You’re three years older than me.”
“Well, then how did I know that it was your dress from the junior prom?”
“Because I told you it was.” Grandma was astounded at this silly argument.
“That’s enough now, these kids want to get to their wedding before the office closes.”
“You do look lovely.” Cliff was now beside her at the top of the stairs.
“Are they okay?”
“You mean the bickering? Grandpa is just distracting Grandma so we can have a minute.”
“Oh, a minute to do what?”
“I don’t know, be together without that adorable little woman orchestrating every minute.”
“It’s just, I don’t know what to call it but this isn’t real, remember.”
“Yes, but Grandpa doesn’t know that now does he? He thinks he’s helping. He feels like they barrelled in on our romantic elopement.”
“Oh geez.”
“I know, but we may as well make sure his efforts weren't completely wasted.”
“I guess.” Before she could process what he meant, Cliff had claimed her lips in the most gentle of kisses.
“I can’t wait to make you my bride,” he said with a grin and a wink.
“That’s enough, you wait until she has a ring on her finger young man.”
“Yes, Gran,” Cliff said with a cheeky smile. He looked desperately at Sage for a second, touching his finger. “We forgot the rings,” he whispered.
Sage held up her hand, pointing to the third finger on the opposite hand indicating her mother’s rings. “We can use this one,” she whispered back.
Grandpa opened the door and hustled his wife outside. “Let’s warm up the car.” His hand ever so softly landed on his wife’s bottom.
“Did I just see what I thought I just saw?” Sage asked, her brow crinkled into a confused expression.
“Yep, must run in the family. Do you mind using that ring, I’m assuming it was your mom’s?”
“It was and I want to use it, it’ll kind of make it like she’s here.”
“Good, and I’m sorry that I forgot about rings, I will get you one.”
“I’ll hold you to that.” Sage giggled but jumped as a hand popped playfully off her own rear end.
* * *
“Congratulations,” Grandma said. “Although, it was a little rushed and clinical. Is there any reason, honey, that you were so opposed to a church?”
Sage luckily was thinking on her feet. “It didn’t seem right, you know so soon after…”
“Oh, of course.” The small woman wrapped Sage in a warm hug. “I’m sorry for being so insensitive.”
“That’s okay, really.” Now Sage was the one to feel bad, she’d made the poor woman feel guilty for being nice and there was no need. There was nothing to feel guilty for. She was obviously still upset over losing her parents and she missed them but she wasn’t happy that they had left her with such a complete mess. None of this was insensitive; she was just doing what she had to do to survive. Neither she nor Grandma had anything to feel sorry for.
“I told you,” Grandpa whispered as they walked back to the car.
“Well, it’s too late now to do anything about it.”
“Coming back to our place for lunch?” Grandma asked. “You can’t ignore the occasion completely.”
Cliff looked at Sage who nodded. “Just lunch,” he said.
The drive took a good half an hour and Sage didn’t suspect anything for most of that time, but as they got closer to their turnoff, things became clear. More than a few vehicles were turning towards the house. She looked at Cliff but he was obviously already aware.
“Gran, what have you done?”
“Nothing really, just a little pot luck lunch to welcome the newest Mr. and Mrs. Welsh.”
Sage pinched Cliff’s leg hard. This reception meant that they would have to hug and kiss all through the afternoon, looking like the loved up couple that they weren’t, well, weren’t supposed to be at least. Eventually they would get back to her place and their new reality; that of a couple who had entered into a marriage of convenience. It didn’t matter that they were as hot as hell for each other, they could do nothing about it for now.
“You don't mind, dear, do you? I even have a special surprise for you.”
“No, I don’t mind.” Lies, of course she minded. This had all gone completely wrong. Then she realised what the surprise was; there in the makeshift parking lot in front of the house was her Aunt Jen’s car. “Oh shoot,” she said, successfully stopping herself from using the swear word that was on the tip of her tongue.
“Aunt Jen!” she whispered angrily into Cliff’s ear.
“Sorry,” he mouthed back, shrugging. “We’ll have to play it by ear.”
“The kids will be here.” She dropped her head into her hands. “They’ll already know.” What a mess!
Cliff wrapped his arm around her and pressed a kiss on her temple. “We’ll talk our way out of this,” he said softly into her ear.
Tingles shot through Sage as Cliff’s murmuring hot breath filled her inner ear. She sighed. Her world was falling apart and yet all she could think about in that moment was the fact that her body was filling with uncontrollable urges. Urges that would be denied because, like the genius she was, that was part of the plan. “I don’t see how.”
* * *
By the time the car stopped, Aunt Jen had walked over to meet them and was waiting, looking anything but excited and happy, as a relative usually would on such an occasion. Sage winced at the hurt look on her Aunt’s face. “Sorry,” she mouthed through closed window.
“Congratulations,” Jen said in a slightly clipped tone when Sage stepped out of the car. “I just need to talk to my niece for a second.” Aunt Jen took Sage’s arm and walked her away from Cliff and his grandparents.
“It isn’t what it looks like,” Sage started.
“I know exactly what this is, Sage, and I hope you’re not making a horrible mistake. You’ve married Cliff so you can keep the children.”
“Okay, I was wrong; it is sort of like that.”
“Really, Sage? How much like that?”
“Well, mostly, actually, all of it.” And more, Jen added without actually saying the words.
“I thought so.” Jen swung around when a deep voice behind her spoke.
“Look, I’m sorry we didn’t invite you. It was all my fault,” Cliff said. “We just wanted an understated wedding, and then my grandparents found out and they kind of invited themselves. I promise you though, I will look after Sage, Bailey and Netty and I’ll do anything in my power to make them all happy.”
“You can stop with the fake promises now, Cliff, she knows,” Sage said.
“About the wedding?” Cliff asked carefully.
“Being in name only.” Sage shrugge
d, sure that the last of her chances just slipped away.
Jen frowned. “I didn’t know about that. You said you got married, you didn’t say it wasn’t a proper marriage, anyone can see there’s fireworks between you two, every time you talk, I just assumed-”
“I know what I’m doing, really I do,” Sage said.
“I hope you do, honey.” Jen didn’t look at all convinced.
“Are the kids here?” Cliff asked. “Sage didn’t want to tell them yet.”
“I think that’s been taken out of your hands. They’re inside helping with the decorations.” Jen sighed. “I know that you think you’re doing the right thing, Sage, but I don’t think this is what your parents had in mind when they said you should be married. I’m sure that they wanted you to have a life partner, someone who would share all your burdens and trials.”
“That’s a sweet idea when most of the burdens and trials I have to deal with were dumped on me by them!”
“That might be so, but I still have the final say on what’s best.” Jen sighed, “I hate to be that mean person who puts a spoke in the works, but your mom was my sister and her last wish was for me to make decisions that were in the best interest of all her children. You’re going to have to convince me that you two are a happily married and settled couple before I just leave the children and move. If I think these kids will be better off, I will go to the attorney and expose this marriage a scam, and I’ll take the kids with me. You’re an adult and I can’t make you come with me, but I want you to know, there will always be a place for you in my home.”
Before Sage could come up with an answer, the kids came running out of the house and towards them. Netty jumped up on her, wrapping her small arms around her neck in a tight squeeze. Sage happily hugged her back. “Oh, Netty I missed you so much, and you, Bailey, but when she looked around, Bailey was already wrapped in a hug of his own, with Cliff. When she looked to her Aunt Jen, she found her watching with interest.
The older woman raised her eyebrows. “We’ll just see how this goes,” she said.
Chapter Four
“Are you really married to my sister?” Bailey asked Cliff.
Cliff looked questioningly at Sage.
Sage shrugged. At this point it would only destroy her sibling’s trust in her, in them, if they lied. Besides, it was pretty obvious that they already knew the answer. “Yes he is,” she said.
“Is he going to live with us?” Netty asked.
Sage wished there was some way she could communicate with Cliff without words. She had no idea how all this was going to impact their arrangement. They could, of course, ignore every part of the agreement except the fact they were married. She and Cliff could sleep in the same bed; they could be a real married couple in every way as often as they liked. The thing was though, the problems that had lead them, well her really, to making that decision to keep their relationship platonic, were still there. No matter what they did now, they would be leading these kids into a false sense of security. The only thing they could do to make a break up a little easier on the kids would be to stick to that original deal, because a divorce would take more of a toll than a normal break up. She still wanted the opportunity to get their marriage annulled if it wasn’t right and she couldn’t do that once they’d consummated their union. Okay, well technically that was a bit dramatic, they’d already slept together but that was before they were married and it was a mistake. It didn’t count like it would now if they made love again. Made love? What was she thinking? They had sex, nothing more. A physical act, it just happened, no big deal. As things stood now, they could divorce, but that would be hard on everyone, not to mention expensive. If she were honest though, it wasn’t money she was worried about with this. It was about people being hurt and one of those people was her. It was better this way; they were both free to walk away at any time. While her thoughts had been rambling around her head the kids were standing there, waiting for answers.
“Well is he?” Bailey asked, breaking into her thoughts by tugging insistently on her dress. “Is he going to move in with us?”
“Of course I am silly,” Cliff said ruffling the child’s hair. “You don’t mind having another man around the house, do you?”
“No, sir!” Bailey said, obviously extremely happy with the outcome of today’s little surprise. “I like it when you come over and you cook great!”
“Hey, Bails, I cook!”
“Yeah, but Cliff cooks great.” Bailey grinned widely.
“Looks like these people have made us a party,” Sage said, wanting to do something that wiped that worrying grin from her brother’s face. It wasn’t that she didn’t want him to be happy. It was just that it would break her heart if he got attached and then hurt because she’d made an unwise decision.
“They did!” Netty said with a grin that rivalled her brother’s. “They have subs and chicken…”
“Mac and cheese,” Bailey said, finishing his sister’s sentence.
“And they have cake and ice cream!”
Their enthusiasm was infectious and Sage couldn’t help but be a little excited at the prospect of a proper wedding party. “What flavour?”
“Three kinds!” Netty babbled happily.
“Chocolate, vanilla,” Bailey said.
“And strawberry, my favourite.” Netty giggled.
“You just like strawberry because it’s pink,” Bailey said.
“Of course I do.”
Sage giggled at her sister’s matter of fact tone. Oh, if only her pleasures revolved around the colour of her ice cream. At that moment as they walked towards the house to face their impromptu guests, her pleasure was coming from heat generated from the large hand which was on her bottom, just resting there, guiding her as she walked. She should tell Cliff to move it, that it was unsettling her and making her question her plan—the damn plan that seemed to be disappearing into oblivion.
* * *
“Stop smiling,” Sage whispered to Cliff, when they finally got a minute alone.
“Why?” he asked, the smile not slipping for a second. “I’m happy. Don’t you want me to be happy?”
“Of course I do, but nothing has really changed, you know? We still have a plan.”
“What we have are shreds of a plan that I’m not sure was the greatest bunch of ideas in the first place.” He sidled closer and ran his fingers gently down the side of her face. “People are watching; we should look the part.”
Cliff kissed the corner of her mouth that she was trying very hard to set into a stern line. She took hold of the hand that was now resting on her cheek with a feather touch. Sage tried to move it but he held it steady, his smile not having slipped from his face. “Stop it,” she said.
“Stop what? Loving up my new bride? You don’t need to be shy, people would be suspicious if we didn’t act like besotted newlyweds.”
“I’m not shy,” she said through gritted teeth as she faked a generous smile. “I’m being sensible here. We need to keep on track, Cliff, keep the goal in sight.”
“I am. I know I said that I would sleep in a separate room, that I wanted to court you, to win you over but—” He didn’t get to finish his sentence.
“Exactly, I know we may have to adjust the plan a little bit; things have changed. For a start, we can’t sleep in separate rooms with the kids there. They think we’re married.” Sage narrowed her eyes suspiciously. This wasn’t the first time she’d thought about what the children knowing about them being married meant to their plan but this time it must have really sunk in because it suddenly dawned on her what must have happened here. Maybe the whole grandparents surprise thing wasn’t a surprise after all. Maybe Cliff had manipulated this surprise so that he could wiggle his way into her bed. Maybe all that talk about courting her was a ruse. “Wait, you planned all this didn’t you? How convenient, I bet you told your grandparents, they didn’t just find out by accident. You’re just trying to have your wicked way with me!” Everything she said was
hissed through a fake smile. She was finding that the bride and groom of even a small wedding party like this were the entertainment and all the eyes of the room seemed to be on them.
“Is there a problem?” Cliff’s grandma had come from nowhere and she looked worried. Had she overheard?
“No, Gran, everything’s lovely. We’re just tired, that’s all.” Cliff said.
The older woman grinned. “Of course, you want to be alone, I mean we took over your romantic day and everything.”
“I really am tired,” Jen tried to say, her face flushing with embarrassment at the fact Grandma was imagining things that she didn’t want her to imagine. She wanted to smack her husband’s face and run far away. That though wasn’t going to happen, not now anyway. “We won’t exactly be alone. There’s Netty and Bailey.”
“You can’t enjoy a honeymoon with two kids in the house,” Aunt Jen said, coming into the conversation to complicate matters further. “You two need time to bond and get to know each other as man and wife.” She raised her eyebrows and Jen blushed.
“Aunt Jen,” she said, feeling less like bonding with Cliff at that moment than flying over the moon. “The kids will be fine with me; I mean with us.”
“Trust me,” Jen said. “This is for the greater good. The kids will stay with us for a week or so more while you two enjoy some alone time. Sage, I don’t want to pull the card that says I get the final say, but I do. I want you two to make a go of this marriage and I don’t think the best way to start is with the children there.”
“I think your Aunt Jen is a very smart woman,” Grandma said. “Where are you going to stay, your house or Sage’s house?”
“We’re going to go to Sage’s house.” Cliff took his wife’s hand. “In fact, I think it might be about time we took our leave. We’ll go and talk to Netty and Bailey before we leave.”
Sage tried to pull her hand from Cliff’s firm grip but he wasn’t letting go. That was a fight that would have to wait until later. She was more worried about her brother and sister’s reaction when they found out that they weren’t coming home yet, than making a scene with Cliff. “They’re going to feel pushed out.”
An Unexpected Wife Page 6
