The Wedding Planner
Page 19
“Oh, but I am.”
ADAM PACED BACK AND FORTH in front of the blank television screen, agitated by Meredith’s decision and his own foolish agreement that she could show him another bridal candidate video.
He had absolutely no intention of marrying anyone other than Meredith and had finally gotten up his nerve to bare his soul and confess his feelings for her. Only now he had to postpone his declaration, and it was making him a nervous wreck.
Meredith’s voice was laced with impatience, when she said, “Adam, will you please sit down and watch this video with me? You promised you would, and after everything I’ve been through, the least you can do is humor me.”
“But we need to talk.” Didn’t she know how hard this was for him? Didn’t she know that he had practiced in front of the mirror at least a hundred times what he was going to say and how he was going to say it? It had to be perfect. Romantic. The most brilliant declaration of love and a wedding proposal that had ever been delivered. It had to be the stuff of poets and romance novels. Meredith would expect no less.
Noting his frustration, she could only imagine the turmoil going on inside him. Turmoil that was likely to be increased quite soon. She patted the space next to her. “We’ll talk for as long as you like, after you’ve watched this video. I promise.”
Casting her a look of unadulterated frustration, he plopped down on the couch next to her. “Did I tell you how lovely you look tonight?”
She kissed him quickly and carefully on the mouth, since his lips were still a bit swollen. “At least five times. Now be quiet and watch. And hand me some popcorn, will you?” This was a heck of a time for Adam to turn into a chatterbox, she thought, clicking on the VCR.
The videotape began. Sally’s voice could be heard in the background asking the first question, then the camera zoomed in on the applicant, who was seated demurely, hands folded in her lap. “Please state your name and occupation for the camera.”
“Meredith Baxter, owner of Best Laid Plans.”
“What?” Adam asked, clearly confused.
“What is your reason for wanting to marry Adam Morgan, Miss Baxter?”
Adam’s gasp was audible as he watched Meredith smile directly into the camera, his eyes glued to the screen.
“Well, other than the fact that he has the most adorable tush and is beyond heroic—” Sally giggled in the background “—I love him to distraction, and I want to spend the rest of my life with him, in and out of bed.”
Staring openmouthed at the television, then at Meredith, who was grinning at him from ear to ear, he asked, “You made a video? You want to marry me?”
“Yes, I want to marry you, Adam Morgan. I’m totally and shamelessly in love with you.”
A grin spreading over his face, he hugged her to his chest, kissing every inch of her face. “I love you, too. I…I was just too stupid to realize it.”
She caressed his cheek. “I know, Adam. And I forgive you for your denseness.”
“You do? And you’re going to marry me? Meredith, I love you so much it hurts.”
She wouldn’t speculate where he was hurting, but there was a definite bulge in his— “To show you how much I love you,” she said quickly, trying to refocus her attention on the matter at hand, “I’ve brought you a present.”
“But you shouldn’t have. I don’t have anything for you.” He didn’t know declarations were supposed to be accompanied by gifts. He must have skimmed over that scene.
“Oh, but, Adam, you’ve already given me the most precious gift a man can give a woman.”
“I have?” His smile became self-consciously sweet, and Meredith’s heart felt full to bursting. “Oh, you mean love.”
Reaching into her purse, she extracted a small, white plastic object, placing it in his hand. “Well, there is that, of course. But I was talking about this little pink plus sign—a sign of our enthusiastic and unprotected lovemaking sessions.”
He stared at the wand, at the radiant glow on her face, and then her words finally sank in. “You’re going to have a baby?”
Taking his hand, she placed it on her abdomen. “We’re going to have a baby, Adam. You and me. And it’ll probably be the first of many, if my mother has anything to say about it.” Which she would, Meredith was certain.
Adam couldn’t have looked more stunned if he’d been poleaxed, and Meredith knew a moment of concern, then he let loose with a very un-Adam like whoop of joy, kissed her until her toes curled heavenward, and said, almost as an afterthought, “But your mother hates me.”
“Yes, well, there is that. But she’ll come around. Especially when she learns you’re so fertile. Louise Baxter wants grandchildren. And she’ll accept even you as a son-in-law to get them.”
“That’s comforting,” he said with a grin, then kissed her again. “I think we should go upstairs and celebrate our engagement. I mean, it’s not every day a man learns he’s going to be married and have a child.”
She pretended to think about it. “Well, I guess we could go upstairs, uncork a bottle of club soda and make use of that big marble tub to see how long you can hold your breath under water.”
Scooping her up in his arms, he flashed her a wildly erotic grin. “I’ve got generations of coal miner’s genes flowing through me, love. I can stay submerged for a very long time.”
Meredith’s eyes widened. “Oh, my!”
“Exactly.”
ISBN: 978-1-4603-6757-5
THE WEDDING PLANNER
Copyright © 2000 by Millie Criswell.
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