The Manning Brides

by Debbie Macomber

  “Not me.” Jason spoke for the first time. “I knew about it from the beginning. In fact, I was Rich’s best man.”

  Everyone’s attention swung to Jason.

  “You knew?” their mother echoed, accusation in her voice.

  Jason nodded. “Trust me. I tried to talk him out of it, but you know how stubborn Rich can be. He refused to listen to the advice of his betters.”

  “You asked Jason to the ceremony and not your own mother?” Elizabeth Manning cried. She pulled a tissue from her pocket and dabbed at her eyes.

  “It was a civil ceremony at the King County courthouse,” Rich started to explain. He didn’t get very far. Once again he was interrupted by his mother.

  “You didn’t even marry Jamie in a church?” Elizabeth sounded as if this was the worst misdeed of all.

  “Don’t be upset, Mrs. Manning, I preferred it that way,” Jamie answered quietly.

  “But…why get married in a courthouse when you both belong to a church?”

  Jamie turned nervously to Rich. Now was the time to announce the reason for their impromptu wedding.

  Rich had it all worked out in his mind. The assurances, the brief but concise explanation of what had led to their unusual agreement. Yet when the moment arrived, Rich discovered he couldn’t make himself say it.

  “We did it that way for our own reasons,” was all the explanation he was willing to give. From the corner of his eye, Rich caught sight of Jason arching his brows.

  “According to Jamie’s mother, Jamie was already pregnant at the time of the wedding,” Eric bellowed. His hands clenched at his sides, he paced the length of the living room, then paused in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, his back to Rich and Jamie. “A couple doesn’t need any more reason to marry quickly than that.”

  “I hate to disillusion you,” Rich reported calmly, “but as a matter of fact, Jamie wasn’t pregnant when we got married.”

  Elizabeth glared at him, her expression implying it was all a lie. Rich had no intention of arguing with either of his parents; they could believe what they wished.

  “Then why did Doris make a point of telling us the two of you had married because of the baby?” his mother asked.

  Rich groaned inwardly. “Because we’d decided Jamie should get pregnant as soon as possible.”

  Jamie exchanged a look with Rich, and added, “We’re married because we both want to become parents.”

  “I tried to tell Rich a wedding wasn’t necessary,” Jason inserted, “but he wouldn’t listen to me. He felt that if they were going to have a baby, he should marry her first. Go figure.”

  His mother gave Jason a horrified look. “I should certainly hope so.”

  Eric turned around to face them, frowning. “Trust me, parenthood’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”

  “Come on, Dad,” Paul teased. “It hasn’t been so bad, now, has it?”

  “When it comes to weddings,” Eric argued, “it’s been a nightmare. It was bad enough that your sisters had to get married on the sly—but I never suspected one of you boys would pull that stunt. I want to know when there’s going to be a real wedding in this family.”

  “Diane and I had a real wedding,” Paul reminded his father.

  “But no one from the Manning family was there.” Eric’s voice boomed. “The boy goes into the army, ships out to Alaska and returns home a married man.”

  “It was just one of those things,” Paul said, grinning.

  “Getting back to Rich and Jamie,” their mother said pointedly.

  “By all means,” Jason agreed, gesturing toward the sofa. “Let’s get back to Rich and Jamie. Do you realize, Mom and Dad, that they’re married and aren’t even living together?”

  Rich sent his brother a look hot enough to sizzle bacon.

  “Rich?” His mother turned to him expectantly.

  “Not living together? Why not? You’re married, aren’t you?” His father fired rapid questions at them. “What about—”

  “We’re married,” Rich broke in.

  “But you’re not living together?”

  “Not…yet.” It was the best evasion Rich could come up with on such short notice. This was a subject he’d hoped to avoid, along with several others.

  “They plan to move in together soon, isn’t that right, Rich?” his mother asked.

  “Of course.” It was Jamie who responded, and Rich stared at her. He couldn’t help wondering if she was sincere or if her sudden reassurances were all part of an act to appease his parents. Not that Rich had any objection to moving in with Jamie.

  “Are there problems with your lease?” his mother asked next.

  “Uh, I’m working on it,” Rich muttered noncommittally.

  “I hope you’ll move in with her soon,” Eric asserted, burying his hands in his pants pockets. “A pregnant woman needs her husband.”

  “You’re absolutely positive you’re pregnant, Jamie, dear?” Elizabeth Manning’s voice was filled with gentle concern.

  “Absolutely positive,” Jamie said with a firm nod. “The kit I bought at the drugstore is very reliable, but I was at the doctor’s this afternoon and he confirmed it.”

  “You went to the doctor?” Rich asked before he could stop himself. They’d spent half an hour at his office discussing this meeting and she hadn’t said a word about seeing Dr. Fullerton!

  “It was a short visit.”

  “Did he give you a due date?”

  Jamie smiled shyly and nodded.

  “When?” Rich was calculating dates. His best guess placed her delivery date sometime close to Christmas. A child would be the best gift of his life.

  “The last week of December,” Jamie announced.

  “I always did love the winter months,” Rich said, having difficulty keeping the pride and elation from his voice. Then, damning caution, he brought her knuckles to his mouth and brushed his lips over her hand.

  Elizabeth sighed softly. “Are you experiencing morning sickness, my dear?”

  “Some.”

  “A husband should be with his wife,” Eric reminded Rich for the second time.

  “We’ve been talking about Rich moving in with me,” Jamie said. This was news to Rich, who couldn’t recall a single word of such a conversation. After Doris Warren had unexpectedly dropped by Jamie’s apartment, they’d barely been able to resume their conversation.

  “I’ve got a truck,” Jason said, again motioning toward them with his pop can. “Anytime you need anything hauled, little brother, just say the word.”

  “I will,” Rich muttered. He didn’t know what Jamie was up to, but he wasn’t complaining. If she wanted his family to assume this was a love match, he’d play along. From his perspective it was, so this was an unexpected turn for the better.

  “It’s settled, then,” Eric said forcefully. “Rich is moving in with Jamie.”

  “Shouldn’t we hold a reception in their honor?” Rich’s mother asked his father. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement. Rich remembered how his mother had thrown all her efforts into the engagement party for Christy and what a disaster that had been.

  “We should leave that up to these young folks, don’t you think?”

  Rich wasn’t keen on a reception, especially in light of the fact that Jamie planned to divorce him as soon as their baby was born. Thank heaven no one had inquired too closely.

  Rich made a point of glancing at his watch. “If you’ll both excuse us, Jamie told her mother we’d be stopping by her house, as well.” She’d delivered that tidbit of information when she’d arrived at his office earlier.

  The prospect of facing Doris Warren twice in as many days didn’t thrill Rich. One set of parents at a time was about all he could handle.

  Jamie didn’t know why she’d lied to Rich’s family. Normally she stuck to the truth, believing with all her being that a lie was always wrong. Yet when Rich’s father had started questioning them about their living arrangements, Jamie found herself uttering
a falsehood.

  Rich had looked flabbergasted when she’d said they were moving in together. Stunned. To his credit, he recovered quickly and went along with her as though they’d actually reached that decision.

  Although they hadn’t discussed the prospect even once, Jamie had hoped Rich would suggest moving in with her once he learned she was pregnant. He hadn’t.

  She regretted their argument of the day before. Over and over during the long sleepless night, she’d relived their angry exchange and felt worse each time.

  She’d overreacted. Rich was only being Rich. She’d lashed out at him because he’d responded to a tense situation with humor.

  His parting shot about her not wanting him now that she was pregnant troubled her the most. He couldn’t honestly believe that, could he? Jamie was crazy about Rich. She’d been in love with him for years, but she’d been too blind to recognize it.

  After her appointment with Dr. Fullerton, she’d gone to Rich’s office at the Boeing Renton complex. She’d hoped they’d have a few minutes alone to clear the air. But when she arrived, Rich was stone-cold and about as friendly.

  Only when they were at his parents’ home did he lower his guard. He’d taken her hand in his and smiled down on her as though they’d never exchanged a cross word. Of course, it could all be for show, but Jamie prayed that wasn’t the case.

  “Your mother seems to be in better spirits this evening,” Rich said conversationally. He drove at a relaxed pace, weaving through the narrow neighborhood streets.

  “She’s had time to adjust to our news.” Their visit had been short and sweet. Just long enough to offer the reassurances Doris seemed to need. Jamie hadn’t found that difficult, because she was perfectly comfortable in the role of happy mother-to-be.

  “Have you adjusted to the news?” Rich asked.

  “Yes. What about you?”

  Rich nodded. “I suppose I should be surprised, but frankly, I’m not. By the way, are you hungry?”

  “A little.” Jamie was famished. She’d woken with a queasy stomach that morning and skipped breakfast. Then at noon, she’d eaten a small carton of blueberry yogurt but nothing since.

  “Do you want to go to a restaurant and get something to eat?”

  “No,” she said, thinking quickly. “We could order pizza and have it delivered to my place.”

  He glanced at her, as if the suggestion had astonished him. “Sounds good to me.”

  It was nearly eight by the time they got to Jamie’s condominium. While Rich ordered the pizza, Jamie went into her bedroom and changed out of her business suit. She chose jeans and a pale blue sweater.

  When she returned to the living room, Rich had loosened his tie and was leafing through the evening paper. He looked up when she entered the room and slowly set the newspaper aside.

  “I hope you realize both sets of parents expect me to move in with you now.” The thought apparently weighed heavy on his mind.

  “I know.” She sat across from him, leaning forward, and clasped her hands. “Personally I…don’t think it’s such a bad idea.”

  “You don’t?” He didn’t seem to believe her.

  “I mean…this will probably be the only pregnancy for either of us, and since you’ve been reading so much about it, and seem so interested…it’s only fair that you share as much of the experience as possible.” Jamie hesitated a moment. “Unless, of course, you’d rather not live with me.”

  He gave a noncommittal shrug. “I don’t mind.” His gaze moved past her to the hallway that led to the two bedrooms. “Naturally I’ll be sleeping in the spare room.”

  “Naturally,” Jamie concurred. But not for long, if everything went as she hoped. She loved Rich. Truly loved him. So far, she’d bungled their relationship and their marriage at every turn. If he were to share these short precious months with her before the birth of their child, there was a chance he might grow to love her.

  It was worth the risk.

  Worth the potential heartache.

  Worth gambling her pride and even her future for this one opportunity.

  The pizza arrived soon after, and they sat at the kitchen table, the cardboard box propped open in front of them. They both drank tall glasses of cold milk.

  “So you’ve been feeling queasy in the mornings?” Rich posed the question after several minutes of comfortable silence. He too seemed to be working to maintain this fragile peace.

  “Only a little. Dr. Fullerton said it would pass soon enough. I haven’t gotten really sick.”

  “Good.”

  “Dr. Fullerton suggested I nibble on a couple of soda crackers when I wake up.”

  “I can bring them to you, if you like.”

  Jamie nodded. She would like that, but she was afraid to let Rich know how much it would mean to her. Even now, weeks later, she continued to miss their early-morning phone conversations. They’d shared a special closeness then, one that had gone from her life.

  “Would you like a cup of coffee?” Jamie asked when they’d finished.

  “Yes, please.

  “Go ahead and read the paper and I’ll get it for you.”

  “That’s a nice, wifely thing to do.”

  “Yes, it is, isn’t it?” Jamie responded with a saucy smile. She took her time making the coffee. While she waited for it to brew, she cleaned the kitchen, wiped the counters and placed their few dishes in the dishwasher.

  Carrying a steaming cup of coffee into the living room, she hesitated when she saw that Rich’s eyes were closed, although the paper was still clutched in his hands.

  Smiling to herself, Jamie sat on the nerby ottoman. She took a sip of the coffee as she carefully studied the man she’d married. His features were more relaxed now, his head cocked slightly to one side.

  How handsome he was. His good looks were even more appealing in slumber. Not sure what dictated her actions, Jamie set the coffee aside and slipped the newspaper from his unsuspecting grasp. Rich stirred briefly, then nestled more securely in the chair.

  Jamie reached for the lamp, dimming it. Then, calling herself a romantic idiot, she slipped into Rich’s lap and pressed her head against his shoulder.

  “Jamie?” He sounded unsure.

  “Were you hoping to find someone else in your arms?” she asked in a small whisper.

  “No.” A smile faintly curved his mouth.

  His grin disappeared as his hand framed her face, and his blue eyes held her captive. Jamie could feel her heart pound frantically. Then his thumb caressed the line of her jaw.

  “I never realized how beautiful you are,” he whispered. “All these years…”

  Jamie dropped her gaze, afraid to meet his eyes. She wasn’t anywhere close to being beautiful, and it hurt, a good kind of hurt, that he should think otherwise.

  His mouth sought out hers. The kiss started slowly, gently, so gently that Jamie could feel herself begin to melt. A feeling of sublime languor filled her. It was completely unfair—downright decadent, in fact—that he could make her feel such things with a simple kiss.

  Simple. Rich didn’t know the meaning of the word. Certainly not when it came to kissing.

  Jamie heard the whimpering sound before she was aware that it came from her.

  Rich ended the kiss as leisurely as he’d begun it. Jamie’s eyes remained closed, and her breathing came in staggered gasps. For long, contented moments, he held her. His fingers were at the back of her head, stroking her hair. In those moments, Jamie felt the air vibrate with sweet, unspoken promises.

  He wanted to make love to her.

  Jamie wanted it, too.

  “I should be heading home?” Rich’s voice rose softly at the end of his statement, turning it into a question.

  “No,” she whispered, catching his lower lip between her teeth.

  “No?”

  “You’re moving in with me, remember?”

  “Starting tonight?”

  “Starting right this minute.”

  “You’re su
re?

  Jamie smiled and pressed her lips to his. “You want to argue with me?” she murmured.

  “No…it’s just…”

  She didn’t allow him to finish, kissing him again, cramming her heart, her soul, her love, into a single kiss.

  She’d surprised him; his gasp confirmed as much. He groaned anew, then deepened the kiss.

  They were both trembling when it ended.

  Getting off his lap, Jamie stood and held out her hand to Rich. His smoky, passion-hazed eyes met hers, his gaze questioning.

  “You’re sure?” he asked her again, his words hoarse with need, his eyes hot with passion and some other emotion she couldn’t quite read. Restraint? Doubt? Jamie didn’t know which.

  “I’m sure.”

  “You’re already pregnant.”

  Why he felt he had to remind her of that was beyond her. “Yes, I know.” As she was speaking, her hands were unfastening the buttons on his shirt. Rich helped her by pulling his tie loose and dropping it to the carpet. Jamie slid the shirt from his shoulders, then ran her hands down the full length of his arms.

  His chest captured her attention next. His warm, muscular, chest. She ran her flattened hands over it, marveling at the strength she sensed in him. She closed her eyes, wanting him so badly she felt weak with the need.

  “You make me crazy,” he whispered.

  “I do?” It made no sense to Jamie.

  “Yes. I want you so much you make me ache.”

  “I know…. Me, too.”

  Rich groaned and took her, in his arms, lifting her against him until she became profoundly aware of his arousal.

  For one wild second it was as though the world stood still for them. Rich’s blue eyes appeared aquamarine in the dim light. Bright, intense, filled with promises.

  Jamie felt completely vulnerable to him. Vulnerable and desirable, more desirable than she’d ever felt in her life. She smiled and moved away from him.

  Rich looked confused, but he released her.

  Jamie turned and had gone two steps before she turned around again. A smile quivered at the edges of her mouth. “You coming with me?”