Her heart was remarkably light as she boarded the plane two hours later. She was going home, home to Jake.
* * * *
He was waiting for her at the airport. He handed her a big bouquet of yellow and white daisies, then drew her into his arms and kissed her.
“Come on,” he said, taking her by the hand. “Let’s get out of here.”
She felt a delicious sense of homecoming when they drove over the bridge on Archibald. She glanced at the river, remembering the day Belle had stepped into the quicksand and how Jake had rescued her.
He looked over at her and smiled. “Do you want to stay at my place, or should we see about a hotel?”
“Your place is fine, if you promise not to ravish me until we get married.”
He clucked softly. “I don’t know. That might be a hard promise to keep.”
“I have faith in you,” she said, smiling.
“Just don’t make me wait too long.”
“We can get married right away,” she said. “There’s no point in waiting.”
“I take it your folks are still against us?”
“You take it right, but it doesn’t matter. I have a dress and a groom. All we need is a license.”
Jake nodded, but he couldn’t forget how she’d once said she’d always dreamed of a big wedding. And he intended to see she got it. “Just leave everything to me.”
* * * *
It was usually the bride who made the arrangements for the wedding, but Jake had said he would take care of it, and Ginny didn’t question him. While Jake took care of the wedding plans, Ginny kept busy by redecorating the house. Jake had told her to change whatever she wished, to buy whatever she wanted, within reason.
Each night when he came home from work, he was met with a surprise of one kind or another. New paint in the living room and the kitchen, new curtains and bedding in the bedroom, new towels and rugs in the bathroom, a new lamp in the den. His house sparkled like never before. Fresh flowers graced the kitchen table. Potted plants brought a touch of the outside indoors. She washed the windows and waxed the floors, polished the furniture, rearranged the closets and the kitchen cupboards, until he sometimes felt like he was living in a different house.
Ginny loved redecorating Jake’s house. He was pleased with the changes she made and said so often. But, as much as she enjoyed redecorating, it was the nights she looked forward to, nights spent with Jake. Sometimes they went out for dinner, sometimes they ate in, then curled up together on the sofa to watch TV or just to talk.
Time passed quickly and soon the day of their wedding was upon them. Jake had refused to tell her anything other than the date and the time and the fact that he had hired a limo to take her to the church because she had mentioned it was bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her dress before the wedding.
She was too excited to eat anything for breakfast other than coffee and a bagel. Jake, on the other hand, didn’t seem nervous at all. He ate a big bowl of cereal, three pieces of toast, and two cups of coffee. When the limo arrived, he walked her outside and gave her a big kiss.
“See you at the church in forty minutes,” he said with a wink, and closed the door behind her.
Taking a deep breath, her gown in a plastic bag across her lap, Ginny sat back in the seat and closed her eyes. She was sorry her parents and her sisters wouldn’t be at the wedding, but that had been their choice. Maybe someday they would forgive her. And maybe not.
A short time later, the limo pulled up in front of the church and the driver opened her door for her. Carrying her dress and a small case that held her make-up, Ginny walked up the steps to the side entrance of the church and went inside.
A woman met her and led her to the bride’s dressing room. Murmuring her thanks, Ginny opened the door, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw two women in the room.
“Excuse me,” she said, “I must be in the wrong place.”
“Ginny?” the older of the two women said.
“Yes.”
“I’m Jake’s mother, Jocelyn, and this is Jake’s cousin, Summer. We’re here to help you get ready.” The woman smiled at Ginny. “I take it Jake didn’t tell you we were coming?”
“No, but it’s a wonderful surprise.” The woman was lovely, with thick dark hair and dark eyes. Looking closer, Ginny could see a resemblance between Jake and his mother. The other woman was in her early twenties and equally lovely with luminous dark eyes and waist-length brown hair.
“You’re not upset about the wedding?” Ginny asked. “About Jake marrying… well, marrying a white girl?”
“Of course not,” Jocelyn replied. “I’m just glad he’s finally settling down. Maybe now I’ll get some grandchildren. Hurry now, we don’t have much time.”
It was amazing, Ginny thought, how quickly she and Jocelyn grew acquainted with each other. Ginny soon felt at ease with the two women. In no time at all, they were laughing and talking as if they had known each other for years. Jocelyn regaled Ginny with stories of Jake’s childhood and the mischief he had gotten into, like the time he cut the tail off his grandfather’s favorite horse, and the time he pulled all the flowers in his grandmother’s garden because he liked the weeds better.
Ginny looked at herself in the mirror as Jocelyn set her veil in place.
“You look beautiful, Ginny,” Summer murmured shyly.
“Yes, indeed,” Jocelyn agreed. She glanced at her watch. “And we’re going to be ready, right on time.”
Ginny smiled at Jocelyn and Summer. “Thank you both for coming and for your help. You have no idea how much it means to me.”
“Now, I couldn’t very well let my son get married without me, could I?” Jocelyn said, then covered her mouth with her hand. “Ginny, forgive me. That was a thoughtless thing to say.”
“It’s all right, really.”
There was a knock at the door and the lady who had shown Ginny to the dressing room called “We’re ready”.
“I don’t know if Jake told you,” Jocelyn said, “but if you don’t mind, his Uncle Ash would be honored to walk you down the aisle.”
“Thank you, I’d like that.”
“Well, then, shall we go?”
Ginny followed Jocelyn and Summer to the vestibule. The doors between the vestibule and the chapel were closed, but Ginny could hear soft organ music coming from inside. She wondered if the minister would think it odd to have such a small wedding inside such a large church, but then there was no more time for random thoughts.
Jocelyn introduced Ginny to Jake’s uncle. He was a tall, austere looking man with long gray braids and skin as brown and wrinkled as saddle leather. His eyes lit up when he saw her.
“Hau, cunksi,” he said.
Ginny looked at Jocelyn askance.
“It means, hello, my daughter,” Jocelyn said, translating for her.
Ginny smiled up at Jake’s uncle, wondering if he spoke English.
“My nephew is a lucky man,” Ash said, answering her unspoken question.
“Thank you,” Ginny said.
She put her hand on Ash’s forearm. The doors opened. And Ginny gasped. The chapel was filled with people.
She stared at them, wondering if Jake had rented them from Congregations Are Us, as she walked down the aisle on his uncle’s arm. She smiled when she saw her Aunt Gen sitting in the first pew, along with Mary Ethelyn and Anita and several of her girlfriends from back home, felt her eyes fill with tears when she saw that all of her sisters had decided to attend. Carter and Lori Beth smiled at her as she moved down the aisle.
Only Ginny’s mother and father were absent.
But then she saw Jake and it no longer mattered if there were a hundred people in the chapel or none at all, as long as he was there. Handsome, so handsome, in a black tux and crisp white shirt, his long hair brushing his shoulders, his dark eyes glowing with love.
She moved through the ceremony in a haze, aware of nothing but the man at her side and the love shining in his
eyes. His kiss was filled with love and desire and hope and she knew, in that instant, that she had made the right choice, the only choice.
“Who are all these people?” she whispered as they walked down the aisle.
“My family,” Jake said.
“All of them?”
He looked at her and smiled. “Indian families are more than just mothers and fathers and kids. Half the reservation claims kinship in one form or another.”
Outside, they were surrounded by Jake’s friends and family, all of them wishing them well. Her sisters came next, hugging her one by one. And then the limo whisked the two of them off to the reception for a sit-down champagne brunch.
It was everything Ginny had ever dreamed of and more. The tables were covered in white linen. Pink roses in delicate crystal vases adorned each table. Matching crystal candy dishes held mints and nuts. A deejay provided background music. Lacy ferns and potted plants were scattered around the room. In one corner, a round table covered by a white lace cloth held an enormous wedding cake.
“Who paid for all this?” she asked when they were seated.
“My mother and your aunt Gen.” Jake winked at her. “By the way, my mother’s crazy about you,” he said. “And so am I.”
“Oh, Jake…”
“Is it everything you dreamed of?”
She nodded, knowing she would burst into tears if she tried to speak.
“I love you, pretty lady.”
“And I love you,” she said, blinking rapidly, afraid people might mistake her tears of joy for regret.
“Eat quickly,” he said, brushing a kiss across her cheek.
“What’s the hurry? Is the hotel on fire?”
“No,” he said with a roguish grin, “but I am. And there’s a room upstairs just waiting for the two of us.” He chuckled softly when her cheeks turned bright pink. “I don’t think I can wait much longer.”
Chapter 21
After brunch, Jake introduced Ginny to the members of his family. Ginny smiled and nodded and exchanged hugs with his aunts and uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins until her head was spinning.
“I’ll never remember all of their names,” she told him in a quiet aside.
“That’s all right,” he assured her. “We’ll probably never see most of them again.”
Knowing that made their presence all the more precious. They had come to see Jake get married and to welcome her into the family. She suspected some of them had come just so the church wouldn’t look empty.
A short time later, Aunt Genevieve took Ginny aside and handed her an envelope. “Every bride needs a little money of her own,” Aunt Gen said, smiling.
“I can’t take this,” Ginny said. “You’ve already done too much.”
“Pshaw. I’ve got more money than I need. Certainly more than I’ll ever spend. You take this and make an old woman happy.”
“Thank you, Auntie. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’ll do fine,” Aunt Genevieve said. “You take good care of that young man.”
Ginny glanced over at Jake, who was talking to his mother and his uncle. “Oh, don’t worry,” she said, “I will.”
“Be happy, Ginny. And don’t worry about your folks. They’ll come around, sooner or later. Run along now,” Aunt Gen said, kissing Ginny on the cheek. “Your groom looks lonely without you. And don’t forget to call me once in a while and let me know how you’re doing.”
Later, Jake and Ginny cut the cake. They posed for photographs. One of Jake’s cousins caught her garter, Anita caught the bouquet.
Just when Ginny thought she and Jake would never manage to sneak away, Jake took her by the hand and they left the reception and headed upstairs to the bridal suite.
Jake carried her over the threshold, then shut and locked the door. “Alone at last,” he murmured.
“Don’t you want to put me down?”
“Never. Did I tell you how beautiful you look?”
“Once or twice.”
“Good. Remind me to tell you at least once a day.”
Ginny clasped her hands behind his neck. “I’m so happy, Jake. Thank you for today. It was everything I ever dreamed of and more.”
“Thank you.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“You said yes.”
Ginny laughed softly. “You’re awfully easy to please.”
“You think so?” He lowered her feet slowly to the ground, her body brushing intimately against his. “You ready to get out of that dress?”
The heat in his eyes penetrated her gown and warmed her skin. “Do you want to help me?”
“It would be my pleasure.”
Ginny turned her back to him, then lifted her hair so he could unfasten her gown.
She shivered with anticipation as his fingers brushed her skin.
“Beautiful,” he murmured.
Ginny stepped out of her dress. Clad in her bra, panties, slip, high heels, and her veil, she turned to face him.
Jake whistled softly.
“You like?” she asked, striking a pose.
“Oh, yeah.” She looked like she had just stepped out of one of his more erotic dreams.
Ginny ran her hands over his chest, then slid his coat off his shoulders and tossed it over a chair. His shirt followed, then his shoes and socks, his belt and his trousers, until he wore nothing but a pair of black bikini briefs.
Her gaze moved over him, admiring the spread of his shoulders, his washboard stomach, his muscled arms and long legs. Just looking at him made it hard to breathe. He was beautiful, she thought, every sculpted inch of him, from the top of his head to the soles of his feet. And from this day forward, he was hers. All hers.
“Very nice,” she said. “Very nice indeed.”
“You ain’t seen nothing yet,” he said, his voice husky.
He removed her veil. She stepped out of her heels, peeled off her nylons, held her breath as he unfastened her bra and tossed it aside. He slid her panties down her legs, pausing to drop a kiss on each knee. Rising, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed. Drawing back the covers, he lowered her to the mattress, then stretched out beside her.
The sheets were cool beneath her but Ginny was sure that the heat radiating off Jake’s body could warm a small country. And then she was in his arms, his hard-muscled body lying over hers, his hands caressing her, stroking places no man had ever touched before, invoking feelings that were new and wondrous.
It had been worth all the yearning, all the longing, she thought as he rose over her, his hands and his lips fanning the embers of her desire. It had been worth all the waiting for this moment, when she surrendered her virginity to the man she loved, the man she wanted to spend her life with, grow old with.
She wrapped her arms around him and held on tight as his body merged with hers. Never again would their love-making be quite like this, she thought, and knew she would always cherish this special time, the first time.
And then there was no more time for thought, there was only the pleasure of his body moving deep within hers, the sheer wonder and joy that came from loving Jake.
Epilogue
Norco, CA
Two years later
Ginny sat in the rocking chair in her bedroom, her infant daughter cradled to her breast, while Frances walked the floor with her grandson. There was nothing like grandchildren to melt a grandmother’s heart, Ginny thought. As soon as Carter’s parents had seen their granddaughter, everything had been forgiven. Win and Suzanne had showered the baby with gifts, opened a college fund, and bought Carter and Lori Beth a new house.
Ginny’s mother had reacted much the same way. One look at the picture Ginny had sent to her parents immediately after the twins were born had done the trick. Francis had boarded the first available flight to Norco. Frances had begged Ginny to forgive her for missing the wedding and had showered her and Jake with gifts ever since she arrived - a new umbrella table and chairs for the patio, a
pair of cribs for the nursery, a new washer, dryer, and dishwasher because Ginny was “washing clothes and dishes for four now”.
The twins, Blake and Barbara, were nine days old and getting cuter by the minute with their dark blue eyes and curly black hair.
Ginny and her sister, Deb, had grown even closer in the last two years. Deb was expecting a baby any day now and Ginny was looking forward to the good times they would have as they watched their children grow up together.
Jake’s business had grown so much in the last three years that he’d had to hire a young man to help out at the garage.
Ginny looked up and smiled as he entered the room. Impossible as it seemed, she loved him even more now than she had the day they were married. Jake had proved to be the most wonderful, caring husband a woman could ask for. True, they’d had their share of disagreements, although they had been few and far between, but they had vowed never to let the sun set on their anger.
For their first anniversary, Jake had bought her a horse of her own and they had bred her mare to his stud. The breeding had produced a high-spirited chestnut filly. Once the twins were born, Jake had decided they needed to breed the mare again so that their children would both have horses when they were old enough to ride.
“How are my little cowpokes?” he asked, brushing a kiss across Ginny’s cheek, then dropping a kiss on his daughter’s forehead.
“They’re angels,” Frances said, smiling at her son-in-law. “Perfect little angels.”
Jake grinned at his mother-in-law. It had only taken two years and two kids to win the woman to their side.
Aunt Genevieve breezed into the room. “Lunch is ready,” she announced. “Y’all go eat while I look after the babes.”
Ginny grinned as she rose carefully to her feet and placed Barbara in her aunt’s arms. It was, she mused, a good thing she’d had twins so her mother and her aunt didn’t have to fight over who got to hold the baby.
Loving Jake Page 17
