Dream Wedding

by Susan Mallery

  As if sensing his exhaustion, Nada kept the welcoming ceremonies brief. As she escorted him to his hut, she didn’t even make the courtesy offer of one of the young women in her court. He was grateful not to have to politely turn down the gift. He had a bad feeling that tonight he couldn’t have thought of anything pleasant to say.

  As he stretched out on his cot, he willed himself to sleep. But instead of oblivion, he saw Chloe. Forty-eight hours and half a world later, he realized he should have stayed. Even for a few days. They still had so much to say to each other. There were many things he didn’t understand. If only he’d told her…

  Told her what, he asked himself? What was the mysterious message? That he would miss her? That he cared about her? But caring wasn’t love and Chloe deserved more than he had to offer.

  He fell asleep still wrestling with the problem and awoke at the first light of dawn, still exhausted and restless. As he rolled over on the cot, he saw Nada sitting in the only chair in the room. For all he knew, she’d been there all night.

  “Good morning,” she said.

  “If you’ve come to take advantage of me, I’m going to be a disappointment,” he teased.

  “I am not your destiny, Arizona Smith.”

  There was something strange about her voice. Not just the accent, but also the tone and power. For once he had the feeling he wasn’t speaking to Nada, his friend, but instead Nada, high priestess and ruler of this land. Someone privy to mysteries and secrets he would never know.

  He pushed himself into a sitting position. “I’m listening,” he said quietly.

  “I dreamed about you, Arizona,” she said. “I dreamed when you would arrive and when you would leave. I dreamed that this trip was wrong, that you were leaving behind something very precious.”

  Could everyone see the truth but him? he wondered. “A woman,” he admitted. “Her name is Chloe.”

  “And?”

  “And nothing. We were together for a while.” He ran his hands through his hair. “It’s so damn complicated. I love my life. I travel the world, I do what I want. No responsibilities, no ties. But she lives in this small town. Her family has owned her house for a hundred years. She belongs there.”

  “Where do you belong?”

  A simple question. The answer came instantly and with it a painful insight into the blackness of his heart. “Nowhere,” he said softly. He had never belonged. His father had abandoned him, his grandfather had dragged him from place to place, at times even forgetting about him. He didn’t dare risk caring about people or places because he knew he would soon be ripped away from them. All he knew was being left, so he’d learned early on to do the leaving first.

  “Yes,” Nada told him. “But you are not that little boy anymore. You’re a strong and powerful man. You can choose to stay with her. You can choose to accept your destiny.”

  She leaned forward and held out her hand, palm down. Without being told, he held out his hand, palm up. She placed something warm there. He tightened his fingers around the object without looking at it.

  “See with me,” she whispered.

  He closed his eyes and then he knew. Images flashed through his mind. Chloe, always Chloe. He saw them laughing together, talking. He saw himself teaching. He saw their three children playing together.

  How could he have walked away without telling her how he felt about her? He loved her. He’d never loved anyone before, but she was everything he’d ever wanted. With her, he could risk putting down roots. She would never abandon him. Look at how she’d always cared for the people in her life. She was his perfect other half.

  He rose to his feet. “I have to get back to her.”

  “I know.” Nada stood. “The boat will be here shortly.” She gave a self-satisfied smile. “I arranged it last night.”

  He kissed her smooth cheek. “When will we be back?” he asked.

  “In two summers. But your father will have visited me before then. In fact, he might decide to stay here.”

  Arizona laughed. “Great. Just be gentle with him. It’s been a long time.”

  Nada’s smile faded. “I will not be taking your mother’s place.”

  Arizona wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close. “I know. But thank you for worrying about that.”

  She patted his face, then swept out of the hut. Then she glanced back over her shoulder. The Cheshire-cat smile had returned. “Congratulations.”

  He waved, thinking she meant on his upcoming marriage. Good news. At least with her blessing, he was reasonably confident Chloe would say yes. Maybe he hadn’t blown it completely.

  But that wasn’t what she’d meant at all. When Arizona turned to pack the few things he’d taken out of his suitcase the previous night, he remembered the small object Nada had pressed in his hand. He uncurled his fingers. Instantly his throat tightened as wonder filled him.

  The small stone statue was old, weather-worn and had probably been carved a thousand years before the birth of Christ. But he could still recognize the crude rendering of a woman. He rubbed his thumb over the round mound that was her belly and knew what else Nada had seen in her vision.

  Her congratulations hadn’t been about his upcoming marriage, they had been because Chloe was pregnant.

  * * *

  THE OPERATOR WAS very apologetic, but she couldn’t seem to make the connection. Arizona thanked her, then slammed down the pay phone. He didn’t know what was going on. He’d never had trouble making a call from Guam to the States before. He had the oddest feeling that fate was conspiring against him speaking to Chloe before he could actually see her in person.

  He glanced at his watch and swore. His plane would be boarding in less than fifteen minutes. He didn’t have time to keep trying a call that was obviously not going to go through. He closed his eyes and tried to think. Then it came to him. He sprinted across the terminal and raced up to a window.

  “I need to send a telegram,” he said, and began frantically writing the message.

  Thirty minutes later he was in his seat on the plane, refusing the offer of something to drink before they took off. From Guam he would fly to Hawaii with a five-hour layover, then on to San Francisco. This wasn’t the most direct way back, but it had been the best he could do on such short notice. At least Nada had arranged for the boat to return for him. Otherwise, he would have been stuck on the island an extra week.

  Thinking of Nada made him think of Chloe, but everything did these days. He pulled out the small statue and closed his fingers around the worn stone. He doubted she knew about the tiny life growing inside of her. He hadn’t decided if he should tell her or let her figure it out herself. Maybe he should just propose and then wait for her to tell him about the baby. He didn’t want her thinking he was only interested in her because of the child. Even if he and Chloe could never have children, he would still want to be with her. She was the very best part of him. He ached for her the way a swimmer staying underwater too long ached for air.

  He tucked the statue back in his pocket, then opened his briefcase. He might as well try to work on the long flight. He doubted he would be able to sleep.

  He pulled out a folder and saw a thick stack of papers underneath. Chloe’s article. He’d been too caught up in missing her when he’d been flying to the island to read what she’d written. Now he wanted to see what she had to say. Maybe reading her words would make him feel connected to her.

  The article opened with a quote from him. “I’m no one’s idea of a superhero. People who are heroes change the world for the better. Gandhi, Joseph Campbell, Mother Teresa…these people are heroes. I’m just a stubborn man who does his research and occasionally gets the opportunity to find something fantastic.”

  Chloe went on to say that there were those who would disagree with the idea that he wasn’t a hero. She hadn’t mad
e up her mind, but from all that she’d seen, he was, at the very least, a good man, and how often could that be said about someone these days?

  She wrote about his background, mixing humor with the sad image of a little boy often left alone in strange places. She explained how those experiences had molded him into a unique person. She detailed the myth behind the man.

  Arizona didn’t know whether to be thrilled or embarrassed. She made him sound like a really great guy. He liked that, but he was also aware of his limitations. Then he turned the page and froze.

  “The first time I saw Arizona Smith was in a dream.” She went on to tell about the family legend, the magic nightgown, and how on the night of her twenty-fifth birthday, she’d worn the nightgown and he’d appeared before her. She talked about meeting him the next day, of how he was exactly as she’d dreamed…right down to the scar on his arm.

  Arizona didn’t know how long he sat there, dumbfounded by the revelation. Everything fell into place. No wonder she’d acted so odd when they’d first met. She must have been terrified and confused. After all, Chloe didn’t believe in magic. He closed his eyes and tried to remember all he could from the family legend. A smile curved his mouth. The fact that she’d dreamed about him meant they were—if he recalled correctly—destined for each other. It confirmed what Nada had said…and what his own heart had finally told him. They belonged together. For always.

  He read through the rest of the article. Chloe’s style was clear and concise. He could see her visual images clearly. As he turned to the last page he wondered if she would consider collaborating on a writing project with him. Something about his travels. Then he noticed a handwritten note at the bottom of the page.

  “I couldn’t let you go without telling you the truth. I love you. You don’t have to do anything with that information. I don’t expect you to say anything back. I know that we have very different lives and goals. At first I told myself it was enough that I’d known you and we’d had a short time together. But now I want more. I want to know if there is a way to find a compromise between our worlds. Please use your time on the island to think about this. At the end of summer, if you find you want me, I’ll be waiting.”

  It had been there all along. Her confession. If only he’d read it that morning, or on the plane. He closed his eyes and shook his head. Or maybe it was supposed to have been this way. Maybe he had to leave to know what he’d lost.

  He pulled his telegram out of his pocket and read the first two lines.

  I COULDN’T LET YOU GO WITHOUT TELLING YOU THE TRUTH. STOP. I LOVE YOU. STOP.

  They’d used exactly the same words.

  He leaned forward anxiously, then realized that he couldn’t make the plane go faster, no matter how much he willed it. So he forced himself to relax and to wait. He would call her from Hawaii. This time he would get through. He had to. He loved her.

  * * *

  ARIZONA PRESSED THE receiver harder against his ear. The noise in the terminal was deafening. “Chloe, is that you?”

  “Yes.” Her voice sounded strange.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. I sound funny because I’m crying.”

  His chest tightened. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing, silly. I’m crying because I’m happy. I got your telegram. I’m sorry you had to cut your trip short, but I’m glad you’re coming home. I love you, Arizona.”

  “I love you, too.” He practically had to shout, but it was worth it. They were actually talking to each other. “I missed you.”

  “I’ve missed you, too.” She cleared her throat. “Are you sure you want to do this? I mean with your work and everything, are you sure you want to give up the travel?”

  He understood that she was asking for him—wanting him to make sure that he wasn’t going to regret his decision later. “I have two things to say about that,” he told her. “First, I’m going to take the job at Bradley University. Their offer gave me plenty of time to travel in the summer, along with scheduled sabbaticals. I sort of thought you’d go with me.”

  “Of course. I’d like that. First class all the way, right?”

  “Sure. I’ll get you the best camels and carts around.”

  She laughed. “I do love you. What else?”

  “I sent the telegram before I read the article, Chloe. I sent it before I knew what you’d written on the last page.”

  He heard her breath catch. She was crying again.

  “Chloe, don’t.”

  “I can’t help it. I’m so happy.”

  He looked at the crowds in the terminal. The public-address system announced the first boarding call for his flight. This was not how he’d wanted to do it, but he didn’t have a choice.

  “I have to go,” he said. “But first I want to ask you something.”

  She sniffed. “What?”

  “Will you marry me?”

  “What?”

  The terminal suddenly got very quiet. Arizona looked up and saw several dozen people staring at him. He waved, then turned his back on them. “Will you marry me? I love you and I want us to be together for the rest of our lives. We’ll make it work. I know we can do that.”

  “I know we can, too. Yes, I’ll marry you, Arizona. I’ll also be waiting at the gate in San Francisco. I’ll rent a room down by the waterfront and we can spend the night drinking champagne and making love.”

  He thought about the little statue in his pocket and knew they would have to pass on the champagne. But the rest of it sounded perfect.

  “I’ll see you in about five hours,” he said. “I love you. I can’t wait to see you.”

  “Fly safe. ’Bye.”

  He hung up the phone and picked up his carry-on bag. The crowd around him burst into applause. He was still grinning when he took his seat.

  * * *

  “SPARKLING CIDER?” Chloe asked, as she handed him his glass.

  Arizona raised himself up on one elbow to take the fruit drink and smiled. “I wasn’t in the mood for alcohol. Thanks for indulging me.”

  She slipped into bed and snuggled close. “Right now I would do anything for you.”

  She would, too. It felt so right to be back together with him. Letting him go had been difficult, but in her heart Chloe knew she’d made the right decision. Maybe Arizona had needed to go away to figure out where he really wanted to be. She didn’t know if it was fate, the nightgown, the stars or just luck, but they were together and they were going to stay together. She couldn’t ask for anything more.

  Arizona leaned over, put down his glass and grabbed a pad of paper from the nightstand.

  “What’s that for?” she asked.

  “A list. Eventually we’re going to leave this bed and head back to Bradley.”

  “Probably,” she teased.

  He kissed her, then returned his attention to the paper. “This is everything we have to do in the next few days. First, I have to call and accept the job offer at the university.”

  “I made an appointment for you with Dr. Grantham. It’s on Friday at ten.” She winked. “I know your style. You would want to see him as soon as possible.”

  He grinned. “We’re going to be great together. Okay, that’s done. Second, I have to call my father. Nada, the woman I was telling you about, wants him to come visit her.”

  “I’m sure he’ll enjoy his time there.” Chloe glanced at the fat little statue he’d brought her. It sat on the dresser, its unblinking eyes seeming to see everything. “There’s something strange about the shape of that thing,” she said. “I just can’t put my finger on it.”

  “We need to set a date for the wedding.”

  She considered that. “I don’t need anything fancy, so we can have it quickly, if you would like to.”

  He kissed her again.
“I would like to very much.”

  “Good, I—”

  But instead of pulling back, he deepened the kiss. Chloe leaned close to him. “What about your list?” she asked.

  He tossed the paper and pen onto the floor. “It can wait. I think we have a little more catching up to do.”

  He lowered her onto her back and slid his hand over her body. Chloe arched into his touch. His warm fingers lingered on her belly, stroking the smooth skin there. Without meaning to, she opened her eyes and saw the little stone statue. How odd, she thought. If she didn’t know better, she would swear its little face was smiling. Then Arizona’s fingers slipped lower and she couldn’t think about anything except how wonderful it was to be back where she belonged…where they both belonged.

  She closed her eyes as he entered her and for that brief second, she thought she felt straw under her back, as if they were in the cave again. Just like in the dream. As passion carried her higher and higher, she realized that nothing about life with Arizona was ever going to be completely normal, but it was always going to be wonderful and exciting. They could give each other everything and accept everything in return. They were bound by forces they couldn’t see or understand, caught up in the tide of love. After all, they were each other’s destiny.

  * * * * *

  DREAM GROOM

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Epilogue

  CHAPTER ONE

  “HE HUNGRY,” said twenty-six-month-old Sasha solemnly, her large blue eyes darkening with the first hint of worry. “He want peanny butter.”