by Judith Keim
“You choose,” she said, suddenly shy.
He grinned. “Okay, us now. Beach later.”
Kenton kissed her again—kisses that sent a pulsing need through her. His hands palmed her back in comforting circles and then moved to her breasts. She moaned softly at his touch.
Wordlessly, Kenton took her hand and led her back into the bedroom. With one sweep of his arm, he yanked the bedspread down.
They lay together atop the bed, facing one another.
Kenton cupped her cheek and studied her with an intensity that added a brightness to his blue eyes. “Lettie, do you have any idea how I’ve fallen for you? Seeing you sitting on the steps of that condo building in San Francisco, I wanted to pick you up and wrap you in my arms. Figured I’d better start with a sandwich.”
Tears stung Lettie’s eyes. After being the “unwanted one,” even as recently as the incident with Rafe, Kenton’s words, spoken with emotion, caressed her like silk on her skin.
She reached for him.
###
Later, she rested beside Kenton, who was lying on his back and snoring softly. Lettie studied him. He was such a kind, generous man. His lovemaking didn’t have all of Rafe’s wild intensity, but Kenton had made sure she was satisfied before he allowed himself that same pleasure.
He sensed her looking at him, opened his eyes, and turned to her. “I love you, Lettie. I think I have since that day I met you.”
At his words, her heart filled with joy. She reached over and caressed his cheek, needing that touch to know she hadn’t dreamed that moment. In all her life, she’d never been told she was loved.
She met his lips, eager to show him just what he meant to her. Not only was he sexy and handsome, Kenton was the sweetest guy she’d ever met.
###
Outside on the sandy beach, Lettie lifted her arms to the sky. Even at this holiday time of year, the sun gave a welcome warmth to the salty air that wrapped around Lettie like a soft woolen shawl.
She and Kenton walked briskly next to the water’s frothy edge and then jumped out of the way when a wave rolled in with unexpected energy.
He laughed when she almost fell, caught her hand, and swept her up into his arms. “There! I’ve got you now.”
“Don’t let go,” she said.
With love shining in his eyes, he tightened his embrace. “I have no intention of ever letting go. You’ll always be safe with me.”
Knowing he meant what he said, she laid her head against his chest, hearing his heartbeat, wondering how she could be so lucky. The emotional moment was shattered when a seagull squawked loudly and dipped down toward them.
Kenton waved his arm and shouted, “Go away!”
The seagull gave him a beady-eyed stare and flapped its wings with as much dignity as it could. As they walked down the beach, the seagull landed on the sand behind them and followed from a distance.
“What’s with this bird?” Kenton complained.
“I think it’s hungry. I have a piece of cookie in my pocket. Should I give it to him?” Lettie asked, coming to a stop.
“Okay but be prepared to run. All hell will break loose when they notice one of their own getting food.”
Lettie pulled the cookie out of her shorts pocket and threw it as hard as she could toward the gull. “Here you go!”
A whole flock of birds descended, crying for their share.
Lettie grabbed hold of Kenton’s hand and, squealing, ran down the beach with him. After leaving the birds behind, they slowed their steps and walked as far as the pier, where they found seats on a bench and spent time watching surfers riding the waves.
When the sun showed signs of beginning its nightly descent, Kenton said, “We’d better get back to the house. Besides, I’m hungry. Aren’t you?”
She grinned. “Yes. I’m ready for dinner anytime.”
He laughed. “I’m so glad you’re not one of those girls who wants to look like Twiggy. They might think guys like that, but we don’t.”
Lettie placed her hands on her hips in mock horror. “Are you calling me fat?”
Kenton shook his head. “Absolutely not. You’ve got the perfect body. Can’t wait to see it in a bikini.”
Her cheeks turned warm. “Oh, right. You’re taking me shopping tomorrow.”
“Yeah. Even though I like you best with no clothes on, I know you need some new ones.”
She laughed and took a moment to study the setting sun. The yellow orb was beginning to sink below the horizon sending shards of gold, orange, and red into the sky like pieces broken off a rainbow. The waves rolling into shore were tipped with the colors making her feel as if she were standing at the edge of a painting. She breathed in the salty air and sighed. It was so lovely.
They strolled side by side down the beach to the house where they were staying. Lettie’s gaze kept returning to the setting sun to the west and the way the orange and red glow in the sky was reflected on the water, making each wave shimmer with color.
“Nice, isn’t it?” Kenton said, breaking into their silence.
“Oh yes,” she murmured. “I’ve never experienced anything like this. The beach is beautiful. The people here are too.”
“Malibu Barbies,” said Kenton, casting an admiring glance at a tall, leggy blonde striding from the water wearing a black bikini.
Lettie had already noticed girls in mini-skirts and maxi-skirts and had decided she’d get one of each. Excited now at having the chance to get some new clothes, she squeezed Kenton’s hand.
“Having fun?” he asked.
“Yes, but tomorrow is going to be fun too.”
###
Lettie awoke and stretched in bed. Thinking of the day ahead, she felt as if Christmas was coming early. Today, she and Kenton would go shopping, and then maybe she’d look like she belonged with all the beautiful people.
Quietly, so as not to disturb Kenton, she climbed out of bed, put on a robe she’d found in a closet, slipped out of the room, and stepped onto the deck that overlooked the beach. The air was chilly against her skin, but she didn’t mind. Wrapping the robe tighter around her, she sat in one of the deck chairs and gazed out over the water. She loved the sight almost as much as she loved the rolling hills of the Willamette Valley, where she felt entirely at home. Here, she was merely a visitor.
She heard the glass door slide open behind her and smiled up at Kenton. “It’s going to be a wonderful day.”
He bent down and kissed her on the cheek. “Any day with you is wonderful. Come back to bed.”
At the sexy look he gave her, she eagerly followed him into the warm room, dropped her robe and slid beneath the covers. Home, she thought happily. Kenton had led her to the inn where she’d found a new home, and now, she’d found a spiritual, loving home with him.
###
Several hours later, inside one of the trendy stores, Lettie whirled around in front of Kenton. He sat in a chair outside the dressing rooms. “What do you think?”
“You look great,” he said. “Does that about do it?”
She laughed. “Yes, I can tell you’re ready to leave, and I am too. I’m going to go ahead and wear these bell bottoms, along with the T-shirt and sweater, so you’ll have to wait while I cut off the tags.”
“Okay,” he said, standing. “Man, you look good.”
Lettie flung her arms around him, surprising both Kenton and her. She was so used to being self-contained that, for a moment, it seemed strange for her to do this, but then she settled into Kenton’s embrace and knew it was where she should be.
The sales clerk helped Lettie cut the tags off what Lettie was wearing. “Want me to take them off all the clothes you’re buying?”
“Yes, that would be nice,” Lettie said, pleased.
When they were through, the sales clerk smiled pleasantly. “You’ve got some really great things here, and for a bargain, too.” She stood back and studied her. “Have you ever thought of modeling? You’d be good at it.”
Lettie frowned at her. “Me? With my hair all pinky and curly? I don’t think so. My foster parents never liked what they called my wild looks.”
The store clerk shook her head. “Crazy, their saying that. You’re lovely.”
“Thanks,” said Lettie, not yet able to accept kind words like that.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The next ten days rolled out as sweet and wonderful as any piece of chocolate Lettie had ever tasted. Their days were filled with outside activities, sightseeing, walking the beach, swimming, and playing volleyball with a friendly group of kids. And nights? They were filled with even more satisfying activity. The best part of sharing so much time with Kenton, she decided, was the ability to relax and be herself, which she recognized would be unexciting to some. She and Kenton were content to read and talk and walk together like old married folks.
Kenton was full of surprises. His voice rang out from the shower each morning with a new song as good as the singers Lettie had heard on the radio. And to her chagrin, she discovered Kenton was a better cook than she was. When he offered to cook all their meals, she realized that cooking for a large foster family was a lot different from cooking the small, elegant meals Kenton liked.
They were eating grilled steak in the kitchen one night when Kenton said, “Lettie? Let’s get married! We can do it right here in California, or we can fly to Las Vegas.”
“Really? That’s what you want?” Lettie laid her fork down.
“Sorry. Let me do this the right way.” Kenton knelt in front of her. “Lettie Hawkins, will you marry me?”
The idea both excited and scared her.
“Well?” said Kenton, giving her a pleading look.
A bubble of laugher burst out of her. “Yes! I’ll marry you!” Everything was happening quickly, but she knew it was a good decision. Their love came from their hearts.
Kenton let out a whoop of joy. He rose, swept her into his arms, and twirled her around. “I’ll make arrangements. We’ll fly to Vegas. That’ll be the fastest way. I can show you the glitter of the town. A ring ... I’ve got to get you a ring.”
“I’ve never flown before,” she said, worried about the idea.
He gave her a look of consternation. “Then how did you get to San Francisco?”
Embarrassed, she gazed at the floor and then lifted her head. “I hitchhiked.”
“No troubles along the way?” he said, his voice ringing with concern.
“I met only one creep, and I got out of that truck so fast it was still moving. The other drivers were nice.”
“You do have a driver’s license, don’t you?”
“Yes, of course. Even though I never owned a car, I got my Ohio license as soon as I could, and I got an Oregon license about three weeks ago.”
“Good. We’ll fly from LAX right to Vegas. Okay?”
Another bubble of laughter burst out of her. “Okay? It’s wonderful! I can’t wait to be your wife!” She meant it too. He was the home she’d been looking for all along.
While Kenton made the phone call, Lettie went into their bedroom and over to the closet that now contained her new clothes. Kenton had insisted on buying her a dress. She took out the mint-green dress in a Diane von Furstenberg-style wrap and held it up to her before a mirror. Though it wasn’t white, it would do quite nicely. She would, however, need new shoes. She certainly wasn’t about to wear her new, sturdy, black tie shoes to her own wedding.
Kenton walked into the room. “Are you okay with this? We can celebrate with a fancy wedding later, maybe something for our first anniversary.”
“I don’t need a fancy wedding, Kenton. I just want you to be happy.” She held up the dress. “This will be perfect for the wedding. ‘Very classy’ as you kept telling me.” She looked down at her bare feet. “But I will need a new pair of shoes.”
“Anything you want, my love,” he said beaming at her. He tugged her into his embrace. “You’ll never know how happy you’ve made me. Now, when I’m in ’Nam, I’ll have someone to fight for, someone to come home to.”
Lettie stepped away from him and stared up at him, horrified. “It’s been such a wonderful holiday that I’ve pushed that terrible thought away.”
Kenton gave her a sorrowful look. “There’s nothing I can do about it. I have to go. But knowing you’re my wife and waiting for me will get me through some bad times.”
A shiver of fear crawled through Lettie and wrapped around her like a python ready to swallow them both.
“You okay?” Kenton said, caressing her cheek.
She nodded, but she knew she’d suffer every kind of worry when he was gone.
###
When they landed in Las Vegas at the McCarran International Airport, Lettie looked out the window at the desert scene with interest, glad to be back on solid ground. Flying had been anything but fun for her. Kenton had held her hand during the short flight, but she still hadn’t liked the idea of being trapped in the air far above the ground. She’d worked hard not to act as frightened as she was. There were moments when the plane had dipped, that she’d clamped her lips tight to hold back her scream.
She caught a glimpse of palm trees outside. They disrupted the view of the flat, brown area. She tried to see the city in the distance, but the plane was positioned in such a way that made it impossible.
“C’mon, let’s go,” said Kenton, lifting down her new, small, brown-leather suitcase from the overhead bin. “We’ve got a lot to do.”
She eagerly followed him out of the plane and hurried with him through the terminal to the outside.
A taxi pulled up to the curb. “Need a ride?” the cheerful cab driver asked.
“Yes! To the Flamingo Hotel,” Kenton said, turning to her with a roguish grin.
After their luggage was stowed and they were settled in the backseat of the car, the driver studied the two of them with a knowing smile. “In a hurry?”
Kenton’s face lit with an excitement that touched her heart. “Yes, sir. We’re going to get married. I heard the Chapel of the Bells is a nice place.”
“Yeah, a lot of people get married there,” said the driver. “I guess you two don’t care where it is as long as it happens, huh?”
Lettie and Kenton exchanged amused glances.
“Guess not,” the driver said, chuckling.
In the distance, a tall, pink sign designed to look like the flared tail feathers of the flamingo for which it was named rose above the street like the long-legged, pink bird itself. The name Flamingo in white spread across the sign, inviting them in. Across the street, the sign for Caesar’s Palace was every bit as impressive.
Wide-eyed, Lettie gazed at the front of the hotel as the driver pulled up to it. A wall of stacked stone offset a glass entryway. Glamorous people were entering and leaving the clean-lined building.
The driver stopped the car and said, “I’ll get your bags.”
“Hold on,” Kenton said. “I’ve made an appointment at Gabriel Jewelers. Will you take us there?”
The driver shrugged. “Sure. I’m at your disposal. All day, if you want.”
“Great,” said Kenton and turned to her. “Lettie, I want you to have a diamond ring.”
“I don’t need anything fancy, Kenton,” she said gently, touched by how well he’d planned this unexpected trip.
“Trust me. I want it to be nice,” said Kenton. “The best.”
His excitement was contagious. “Okay. Whatever you want.” She didn’t have his sophistication and knew it.
“Ready?” said the driver. “The store is on 4th street. I’ll get you there and back again as fast as I can.”
###
Lettie was in a daze as they left Gabriel’s. Kenton had insisted on buying her a large solitaire diamond in a yellow-gold setting. The simple design enhanced the size and quality of the diamond that now sparkled on her left hand. The wedding rings they’d chosen for the ceremony were simple gold bands that would match the ring perfectly.
“I wish we c
ould get married right now,” said Lettie, as she got settled in the cab again. She knew she wouldn’t relax until the ceremony was over and she could simply enjoy being with Kenton.
The driver heard her and glanced at her through the rear-view mirror. “Do you want to head right over to the Chapel of the Bells? They’re used to small, quickie ceremonies.”
Kenton gave her a questioning look.
Still feeling a little overwhelmed by all that was happening so quickly, Lettie paused and then grinned. “We’ve got our suitcases with us. We can change there.”
“Great. Then we can enjoy Las Vegas and ...” he wiggled his eyebrows playfully “... and each other.”
Lettie laughed. Perfect!
When the driver, a man they now knew as Vinnie Borelli, pulled up to the chapel, she saw it was as garish, as eye-popping as she’d imagined. In front of the entrance to a blazing white, stucco-faced building, stood a tall white sign. Three bells were painted a sunny yellow and outlined with lights at the top of the sign’s arch. Beneath the bells in an arc of blue, words in white announced “World-Famous Chapel of the Bells.” Below that was the word “Weddings” in white against a background of the same blue as above. All the letters were strung with lights. Lettie couldn’t help wondering what the sign would look like all lit up.
Vinnie carried their bags to the front door. “I’ll wait for you outside. Take your time.”
The first thing Lettie noticed when she stepped inside the chapel was the white grand piano. As flashy as the exterior was, the interior was tastefully done in neutral colors. She smiled at Kenton. This was more like it.
A gentleman greeted them. “Here for a wedding?”
“Yes. We want something quick and simple. Is there a place for us to change?”
The gentleman gave her a warm smile. “Yes, of course. Let’s take care of paperwork, and then we can arrange a ceremony for you. The minister is non-denominational and is able to perform the ceremony you specify. We can also provide music, if you choose. And, if she wishes, we have flowers available for the bride.”
Kenton turned to her. “Music? Flowers?”
The thought pleased her. “Yes, but please select both for me. For the flowers, anything but violets.”
