“Don’t worry about it,” Ginny said, forcing a smile. “But thanks for letting me know.”
* * * *
Carter and Lori Beth had decided to be married in a small chapel in Atlanta. It was a lovely place. The chapel was white, set in a lovely garden. The air was fragrant with the scent of flowers and trees and grass. Crepe myrtles in brilliant shades of red and purple, as well as pristine white, were interspersed with Japanese maples and bright yellow daylilies. Trees were scattered here and there – dogwoods and pines and cedars. Ginny thought it was a much nicer place to be married than the church where her parents had expected her and Carter to be wed. The chapel here was more intimate and personal and far less ostentatious.
Lori Beth made a lovely bride. Cheeks pink with excitement, green eyes sparkling, her hair falling over her shoulders like skeins of gold silk, she looked like she had just stepped out of the pages of a bridal magazine.
Someone knocked on the door, then called, “Five minutes”.
Lori Beth smiled at Ginny. “I’m so nervous. Last night I kept dreaming about the wedding, well, they were nightmares, actually. In one of them, my parents showed up and demanded that I marry Mike. In another one, I tripped on my dress and fell flat on my face on the way down the aisle.”
“You’ll be fine,” Ginny said reassuringly.
Ginny plucked Lori Beth’s bouquet out of a box and handed it to her, then picked up her own bouquet. “Here we go.”
Because Lori Beth’s parents had refused to attend the wedding, Carter’s older brother, Devon, had agreed to walk Lori Beth down the aisle.
Ginny gave Lori Beth a quick hug as the music started; then, taking a deep breath,
Ginny started down the aisle.
Although Carter and Lori Beth had agreed to invite only family and a few close friends, Carter’s family and Ginny’s filled almost every pew in the small chapel. Ginny kept her gaze straight ahead as she walked down the aisle. Even so, she caught a glimpse of Jake out of the corner of her eye. Blinking back a sudden rush of tears, she walked to the altar and turned to face the congregation.
Lori Beth’s face was radiant as she walked down the aisle toward Carter.
It was all Ginny could do to keep from crying as Lori Beth and Carter exchanged their vows.
After the ceremony, the bridal party went outside for pictures. Ginny couldn’t help looking around for Jake, feeling both relieved and disappointed when she didn’t see him.
Carter’s parents had decided to hold the reception at their home. Ginny would have gone straight to her house from the church but Lori Beth had asked her to stay until they cut the cake, since the photographer was also going to take pictures at the house.
Ginny stayed close to her sisters, Cathy and Lynda, while she waited for the photographer to set up. She felt uncomfortable in the Carter’s home, though she wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t as if she had jilted their son. She and Carter had parted amiably; still, it seemed odd to be here.
In spite of her best intentions, she found herself looking for Jake, felt her heart sink to her toes when she saw him laughing with a pretty redhead. Dressed in a black suit, white shirt, and black tie, he looked good enough to eat. Her hungry gaze devoured him from head to foot while her heart ached for the touch of his hand, the sound of his voice.
She turned away before he caught her watching.
Jake had been acutely aware of Ginny from the moment he first saw her walking down the aisle. While everyone else had watched the bride, Jake had eyes only for the maid of honor. Wearing a dark pink dress and carrying a bouquet of pink and white carnations, she looked lovelier than he had ever seen her. He wondered if anyone else had noticed the sadness beneath her smile, wondered if she looked unhappy because Carter was marrying someone else, or if he, himself, was responsible for her melancholy expression.
Feeling someone staring at him, Jake glanced at Ginny’s father, felt his anger rise at the smug expression on the man’s face. Muttering an oath, Jake looked away. Had the man been younger, had he not been Ginny’s father, Jake would have been sorely tempted to invite the man outside and wipe that self-satisfied smirk off the man’s face.
He looked up as the redhead asked him a question and realized he had no idea what she had said. What’s more, he wasn’t the least bit interested. Excusing himself, he grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and left the house.
It seemed like years had passed since he’d been with Ginny. He had thrown himself into his work in an effort to forget her but to no avail. Harrington had been amazed when Jake called to tell him his VW was ready to go. Jake had been a little surprised himself but then you could accomplish a lot when you were working fourteen hours a day.
Outside, he wandered down one of the brick paths, away from the house. The yard was more like a city park, what with its flowering shrubs, tree-lined paths, and wrought-iron benches. There was a small pond complete with a waterfall, and beyond that, a tennis court, and, in the distance, a gazebo.
Drink in hand, he made his way to the gazebo. He’d finish his drink, wish Carter and Lori Beth all the best, and then get the hell out of Dodge. In the meantime, he figured the gazebo was far enough away from the main house that it would be unoccupied.
He was wrong.
Climbing the stairs, he saw a dark shape sitting on one of the benches. Even in the dim light cast by the moon, he recognized her profile, knew his heart would have recognized her even if all his other senses failed him.
“Ginny.” Her name whispered past his lips.
She turned slowly to face him. “Hello, Jake.”
“What are you doing out here?”
A sad smile tugged at her mouth. “Probably the same thing you are.”
Grunting a soft assent, he sat down on the bench across from her, felt his body respond at her nearness. He searched his mind for something to say, something to erase the sadness from her eyes and make her smile.
Minutes passed.
“It was a lovely wedding,” she said, not meeting his gaze.
“Yeah.”
“They…they look very happy.”
He didn’t miss the little catch in her voice, or the single tear that slipped down her cheek. Finishing his drink, he put the glass aside. He should have turned and left the minute he saw her, he thought glumly, because in spite of everything, he still wanted her. Still loved her. He clenched his hands into tight fists to keep from reaching for her.
She shifted on the bench, then, with a sigh, she stood. “I’d better get back.”
Rising, he blocked her escape. “Ginny, dammit…”
“Jake, please don’t make this any harder than it already is.”
“Honey, you ain’t seen nothing yet,” he muttered, and drew her into his arms before his mind overruled his heart.
“Jake…”
“Kiss me, pretty lady,” he said, his voice thick. “Just one kiss.”
“It won’t solve anything.”
“Maybe not, but I can’t live without it.” And so saying, he covered her mouth with his.
There was no use fighting it, Ginny thought, though resisting had never really been an option. She leaned into him, her body yearning toward his, her eyelids fluttering down as he deepened the kiss. How had she ever thought she could live without this man when it felt so right to be in his arms?
She felt bereft when he took his lips from hers.
He looked down at her for a long moment; then, without a word, he turned and walked away.
Ginny stared after him. She couldn’t let him go, not again, not like this. She was a grown woman. She no longer needed her mother’s approbation or her father’s approval. What she needed, what she wanted, was Jake. In time, her parents might change their mind about him. If not…she would learn to live with it.
“Jake! Jake, wait!” She hurried down the stairs after him. “Jake, please!”
He took another step and then turned to face her.
“Jake, I…”
“What?”
“I was just wondering…how long are you going to be in town?”
“I’m leaving first thing in the morning.”
“So soon?”
He shrugged. “What difference does it make?”
“I thought…” She bit down on her lower lip. Why did he have to make this so difficult?
“Go on.”
“I thought maybe we could…” She looked up at him, silently pleading with him to meet her halfway.
“Could what?” He folded his arms over his chest.
“Spend some time together.”
He snorted. “I’m sure your old man would love that.”
“I don’t care what he thinks.”
“Is that right? You could have fooled me.”
“You’re not going to make this easy, are you?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“I hurt you and I’m sorry. I was wrong, Jake, wrong to care what anyone else thought. I love you.” She blinked back her tears. She would not cry. She. Would. Not.
“Now the only question is, do you love me?”
“Didn’t that kiss tell you anything?”
She stared up at him, her heart pounding, and then, crying, “Oh, Jake!” she threw herself into his arms and kissed him.
Jake drew her up against him, holding her as if he would never let her go.
And that suited her just fine, because if she had anything to say about it, he was never going to leave her again.
“I’ve missed you,” she murmured. “Every minute of every day since you’ve been gone.”
“I know.” He kissed her again, and then put her away from him. “But this doesn’t change anything. I’m still a half-breed mechanic and your father…”
Reaching forward, she pressed her fingertips over his mouth. “I know I said once before that it didn’t matter what my father thought. But this time I mean it, Jake,” she said fervently. “I don’t want to spend the rest of my life without you. I can get along without my father’s blessing. It doesn’t matter what my mother or my sisters or anyone else thinks. All that matters is you and me.”
His gaze pierced hers. “Are you sure, pretty lady?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
“Then I’m asking you again, Ginny Whelan. Will you marry me?”
“Yes! Oh, yes!”
Feeling as though a dark cloud had been lifted from his heart and soul, Jake drew her back into his arms and kissed her tenderly.
“I will love you as long as I live,” she said quietly.
“I’ll hold you to that,” Jake said, and even though he was smiling, she knew he meant every word.
They decided there was no time like the present for Ginny to tell her parents her decision. This time, Jake would be at her side.
They found her parents chatting with some old friends. After introducing Jake, Ginny asked Mr. and Mrs. Norbert to please excuse her parents for a few minutes.
They found an empty room in the back of the house. Mr. Whelan closed the door, then turned to face his daughter. “What’s this all about?” he asked, his voice brittle.
Ginny took Jake’s hand in hers. “Jake’s asked me to marry him,” she replied, her chin high. “And I’ve accepted.”
Mr. Whelan sent a withering glance at Jake before looking back at his daughter. “We’ve already discussed this once. Frances, why don’t you and Ginny go get a drink. I’d like to talk to Mr. Running Horse.”
Ginny shook her head. “Whatever you have to say to Jake, you can say in front of me.”
Anger flared in Mr. Whelan’s eyes and Jake was certain it was only his wife’s hand on his arm that kept Whelan from taking a swing at him.
“I’m sorry you don’t approve, sir,” Jake said. “I love your daughter and she loves me. I may not be in your social class. I’ll never be as wealthy as you are, but I can assure you that your daughter will never want for anything that’s in my power to give. She’ll always be rich in love, if nothing else.” He took a deep breath. “And I want you both to know you’ll always be welcome in our home.” He looked down at Ginny and smiled when she squeezed his hand. And then he looked at her father again. “That’s all I’ve got to say.”
“That’s all we’ve got to say,” Ginny said.
She stared at her mother and father, hoping, praying, that they would relent, that her father would give them his blessing, that her mother would say she understood how Ginny felt.
Instead, they turned and left the room.
“Well,” Ginny said, fighting the urge to cry, “that’s that.”
Jake drew her into his arms. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know I said I’d hold you to your decision, but…hell, are you sure this is what you want?”
Blinking back her tears, she looked up at him and smiled. “I’m sure. Come on, let’s go to my place.”
Chapter 20
Ginny snuggled closer to Jake. They sat side by side on her sofa, his arm around her shoulders.
“How long will it take you to settle your affairs here?” Jake asked.
“I’m not sure. A week or two, I guess.”
“Why don’t you come home with me tomorrow?”
“I couldn’t possibly…I have to pack and decide what to do with my furniture, and Anita and I still have to work out the details on the sale of the store. We haven’t discussed a price or anything. I don’t even know if she can get a loan.”
“I don’t want to leave without you.”
“I don’t want you to go.”
Jake’s fingertips slid up and down her arm. “Come home with me tomorrow,” he said, his breath fanning her cheek. “You can come back here and take care of all that stuff after we’re married.”
She wanted to, more than anything, but she shook her head. “I can’t, Jake. It will look like I’m running away, like I’m afraid to stand up for myself. You understand, don’t you?”
“I guess so.” He only hoped her love for him was strong enough to withstand her parents’ censure in his absence.
* * * *
Ginny skipped church on Sunday and went to see her Aunt Gen instead.
“Well, what a surprise,” Genevieve exclaimed when she answered the door. “Come in, come in.”
Ginny followed her aunt into the living room, shooed three of the cats off the sofa so she could sit down. She had no sooner done so than another cat jumped onto her lap.
Ginny stroked the cat’s fur and it soon curled up in her lap and went to sleep.
“So,” Aunt Gen said, sitting in her favorite rocker, “to what do I owe this unexpected visit?”
As succinctly as possible, Ginny told her aunt all that had happened in the last week. “And so, as soon as I get things wrapped up here, I’m flying to California to get married. I’d love for you to be there.”
“Well, of course I’ll be there,” Aunt Gen said, smiling. “I couldn’t let my favorite niece get married without me. Now, what would you like as a wedding gift?”
“Anything you chose will be fine, you know that.”
“I suppose you’ll be living in California?”
Ginny nodded.
“Well, I’ll think of something. Come on, let’s go make some cookies. You can send some to that man of yours so he’ll know you were thinking of him.”
* * * *
On Monday, Ginny and Anita met at the bank to arrange for the sale of the shop. Mr. Blumberg assured Ginny he would get the paperwork done by the end of the week.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, after work, Anita and Mary Ethelyn came over to help her pack.
Thursday night, her girlfriends surprised her with a wedding shower. Her sisters were there, and Aunt Gen. Even Lori Beth, who had just returned from a short honeymoon with Carter, was there. Ginny’s mother was conspicuously absent.
Ginny refused to let it bother her or detract from the fun of the evening as she opened her presents. Because she was moving, her friends had decided
that, instead of a regular shower, they would give her a lingerie shower, since lingerie was lighter and easier to pack. A few of the items she received made her blush when she imagined wearing them in front of Jake.
On Friday, she signed the final papers transferring the shop to Anita. She had expected to feel sad, and she did, a little. But mainly, she felt free. There was nothing to hold her here now.
On Saturday, she packed the last of her things.
Saturday night, Jake called, as he had called her every night since he left Georgia.
“So,” he said, “how’s it going? Got all the loose ends tied up?”
“Yep. I’ll be there tomorrow night at six-thirty. Will you pick me up at the airport?”
“I’ll be there.”
“I can’t wait to see you.”
“Me, too, pretty lady. Have you talked to your folks?”
“No. I thought I’d stop by tomorrow before I leave for the airport and tell them goodbye.”
“Well, I don’t envy you that,” Jake muttered.
“Me, either. Wish you here to hold my hand.”
“I would be if I could, you know that.”
“I know. I love you, Jake.”
“Love you, too, sweetheart. See you tomorrow.”
* * * *
Feeling like a little girl who had been naughty, Ginny sat at the dining room table with her parents, trying not to wilt under the glare of their disapproval and disappointment, while her lunch sat untouched in front of her.
“Well,” her father said after lecturing her for twenty minutes, “I’ve said all I’ve got to say. If you won’t be reasonable, there’s nothing your mother and I can do about it.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way, daddy.” Placing her carefully folded napkin on the table, she stood. “I should be going. I don’t want to miss my flight.” She still had plenty of time, but there was no use lingering. No matter what she said, her parents weren’t going to change their minds.
Rounding the table, Ginny hugged her mother and kissed her father’s cool cheek.
“Goodbye.”
Refusing to give way to tears, she left the house. She had expected to feel terrible but, getting into her car, she felt only a sense of relief, as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She had tried her best to make amends with her folks. The ball was in their court now.
Loving Jake Page 16
