The Wedding

by Lorhainne Eckhart

  ****

  Neil couldn’t help but be concerned about Candy. She was behaving rather oddly. He could feel her tension and knew she became quiet when she was uncomfortable. She’d been sleeping off and on, but she hadn’t said more than a few words. Neil had occupied himself with his laptop, catching up on work and sifting through the dozen emails he’d received, particularly the one from redheaded Stella, his banker and friend, about her interest in Candy’s property—the property he still hadn’t told Candy he’d bought from the bank, paying off her debt so that the developer who’d tried to pick it up couldn’t build all those condos up and down the white, sandy beach.

  Yes, Neil still had his plans for that all-inclusive resort, but he also knew Candy would never forgive him if he went ahead and built it on her land; the land she believed she’d already lost to the bank. He glanced over at his dark-haired beauty. Her eyes were closed, her long hair draped over the curve of her breast. He noticed the goose bumps on her bare arms, then the short sleeves of her orange cotton T-shirt and her thin white skirt, and he frowned. She was going to be cold; fall in the Pacific Northwest wasn’t warm. He wondered if she’d ever been to that part of the country. He’d never talked to her much about her childhood, and he realized there was a fair bit about Candy McCrae that he still had to learn.

  He put a blanket across her and she stirred, opening her tired brown eyes and blinking up at him. “Sorry, honey, didn’t mean to wake you. Go back to sleep.”

  She took a deep breath, but then she sat up and wiped at her eyes, the blanket slipping down. “How long did I sleep?”

  “A few hours.” He closed his laptop and tucked it in its case beside him on the floor. The leather seat rustled when Candy stretched. “Why don’t you go back to sleep?” He slid his hand behind her neck and rubbed at the tightness, and she leaned into his touch.

  “No, I’m only resting as it is. When do we land? Oh, that feels good.”

  “Soon. It’s going to be a lot colder than you’re used to.”

  She looked up at him with the oddest expression on her face. “I won’t break, Neil. It may have been years, but I lived in Chicago before Dad bought that property on the ocean and moved us to Mexico. I’ll be fine,” she said, and he noticed the way her voice hitched when she mentioned her property. He needed to tell her, and he had meant to tell her long before now, except the time never seemed right.

  “Candy…”

  The captain came over the speaker and interrupted before he could finish, letting them know they were beginning their descent into Seattle and to fasten their seat belts.

  “What is it, Neil?” Candy asked.

  But something had him shaking his head and saying, “Nothing. Just can’t wait for you to meet Brad and Emily and to show you where I grew up.” He squeezed her hand, and this time she smiled back at him, some of her hesitation gone. Neil realized he’d once again missed his chance to tell her.

  Chapter 8

  They landed a few hours later at the small airport terminal in Grays Harbour, Neil sitting beside the pilot in the small commuter plane they had transferred to from Seattle. The ride had been bumpy, and Candy was chilled even though her gray, cloak sweater had been overly warm in Mexico, but then, she did have bare legs under her thin skirt and bare feet in her sandals. She chewed on the inside of her cheek as she tried to think of what she might have packed that was warmer. Of all the new clothes Neil had bought her, there wasn’t a single pair of jeans in the bundle. For some reason, he was obsessed with the idea of her wearing skirts. Maybe that was because they spent more time in bed than out, and he preferred the convenience of it. The fact was that Candy couldn’t complain, because sex with Neil, on a scale of one to ten, was an eleven. Not that she had another man to compare it with, but she couldn’t imagine that it could be better with anyone else, with the heights he took her to and the feelings he invoked in her, which drove her half wild. In fact, just thinking about another man touching her had a chill climbing her spine.

  “Are you okay?” Neil asked, sliding his arm around her and pulling her close. He made it so easy to lean on him, and for some reason she couldn’t put her finger on, she felt some part of herself slipping away. But that was silly, so she forced a smile to her lips.

  “Yeah, just cold. Should have worn jeans, but wait—I don’t have any.”

  Neil didn’t say a word, but the mischievous spark in his eyes said it all. “I’ll get you a pair here. Suppose you’ll need them.”

  “I think I do need them.”

  He leaned in to kiss her, and she felt so safe and protected in his arms, about to become lost in everything that was Neil. He had a way of possessing her, making her feel as if she were living and breathing.

  “Hey, there you are!” a man with a deep voice called out. He was tall, wearing a brown cowboy hat, and he resembled Neil, although his face was a little rounder, his hair graying at the sides, and he wore faded jeans and a tan coat.

  “Hey, big brother. Good timing—we just landed,” Neil said with joy in his voice.

  Candy watched as Brad gripped Neil’s shoulder and slid his gaze down to Candy. He had the kindest eyes she’d ever seen, the same shade of whiskey-colored amber as Neil’s, but they were softer, as if they’d seen more of life’s hard side. She wondered what his story was.

  Neil tightened his grip on her shoulder. “This is Candy.”

  Brad touched the brim of his hat. “It’s a pleasure, Candy.” He slapped Neil’s shoulder. “So you’re the woman who’s had my dear brother here all tied up in knots, wondering if he was coming or going… for how many years, Neil?” Brad glanced at Neil with a familiar mischievous smirk.

  “Hey!” Neil said, shoving at Brad.

  Candy watched the playfulness between the brothers and sensed a bond that she wasn’t familiar with. She realized she’d been longing for something like that, a family of her own. Neil was so rich in many ways, and she wondered if he knew how fortunate he was.

  Candy found she was uncomfortable under Brad’s scrutiny not just because he too was extremely handsome but because she hated being the focus of attention. She wondered about the other brother, Jed, and whether he, too, resembled these studs. What must Brad’s wife be like? Was she stylish, wealthy, stuck up? Would she look down on Candy? She wasn’t thinking—she was reacting. She knew her nerves were rather prickly right now, mostly from sitting on an airplane for hours, doing nothing. She never just sat around, ever, and her lower back was aching. Lately, though, Neil had done his best to keep her from doing anything too physical except when he had her in bed, which was maybe why she had been feeling a little bloated lately. She worried about whether she’d fit into her regular size five when she got a new pair of jeans.

  “So when are Mom and Dad coming?” Brad asked as they followed him outside the small building to a shiny black pickup parked in the lot out front.

  “Friday,” Neil answered. “Mom said she didn’t want to crowd Emily with the whole family showing up at once.” He put his hand on Candy’s hip and opened the back door of the truck, helping her in.

  She was relieved, really, to be in the back, and maybe that was why she let out a sigh of relief.

  Neil touched her hand. “Are you okay?” he asked, studying her with such concern that she knew she’d never want for anything. Neil was so attentive, and he read her so well, but when he started to reach around her to buckle her seatbelt, she put her hand on his shoulder to stop him.

  “Neil, I can fasten my own seatbelt. I’m not a child,” she said.

  He hovered for a second as his gaze slowly connected with hers. He frowned, and she felt him pull back a bit as if she had slapped him. Then she felt bad.

  “Neil, I’m sorry. I’m just tired, I guess…” she began before stopping herself. What was she doing? This wasn’t her fault, so why was she the one feeling bad?

  “Candy, I know you can do your own seatbelt. I just want to take care of you, baby.”

  She held his ga
ze for a minute before dropping hers, and he pulled away. She reached for her seatbelt and fastened it.

  “Hey, Neil, is this it for luggage?” Brad called out, appearing behind Neil just as he shut her door. Candy shivered from the cool air, letting out another sigh.

  The drive back to the family ranch—or rather, Brad’s ranch—didn’t take long. The men chatted, and Candy was thankful to have time to think and listen. She learned that Brad had three children—one of whom, his son, had autism—and that Emily was his second wife. He also said she was excited to meet Candy. Candy already knew Neil wanted children, as he’d told her over and over that he wanted a large family. Candy never said anything. She wasn’t sure, now, as she thought about it, what she wanted. Being with Neil, everything had happened at warp speed. She could already be pregnant, she thought. She’d always been irregular, and just last week she’d had some light spotting. Maybe she should take one of those home pregnancy tests. She could get one here, maybe, but then she’d have to tell Neil, and that she didn’t want to do.

  Candy was amazed by the bare trees and heavy clouds, the grayness that turned this place and part of the world into something dark and depressing. Candy was used to sunshine and blue skies and warmth. Even the damp air, and, from the looks of it, the mud everywhere seemed so unlike Neil. Candy didn’t mind, wondering if she’d be able to snag some boots and jeans from Emily and wander around the ranch.

  Brad parked in front of a lovely two-story white home. It was older but appeared well cared for. A wheelbarrow was set beside the front steps. A petite woman with round cheeks and brown hair tied back in a ponytail smiled brightly when Neil climbed out, and he hugged her. She pulled back, and Brad slipped his arm around her, letting her snuggle against him. The top of her head reached his shoulder, and she was wearing faded blue jeans and a blue fleece jacket.

  The woman looked around Neil to Candy’s door, so she slid off her seatbelt and opened it, stepping out to meet another Friessen woman.

  Chapter 9

  Neil didn’t know what to make of Candy. He was still bothered that she had pushed him away when he tried to help her with her seat belt. What was going on with her? He could feel her pulling away and couldn’t quite put his finger on why, but he also sensed that she was way out of her element here, and the only thing he wanted to do was make it easier for her. Of course he knew she could put her seatbelt on. He sighed. Maybe he needed to give her a little more space. It was just pre-wedding jitters, was all. Didn’t all brides get a little off before the wedding?

  “Neil, I’d like to meet Candy,” Emily said, starting around him just as the back door popped open and Candy stepped out. She appeared pale, and he wanted to get her settled, maybe rest for a bit.

  “Candy,” Neil said, stepping toward her with his arm out. He recognized the tight smile she gave him as she stepped closer and allowed him to slip his arm around her. She fit so nicely against him, and he didn’t want to let her go. “This is Emily, my sister-in-law, Brad’s wife.”

  Emily reached forward to hug Candy, but at the last moment she held out her hand instead. It was awkward, but Candy accepted the handshake. “Pleasure to meet you, Candy. You must be tired and hungry from that long flight. Come on in, and let Neil and my husband bring in all the luggage,” Emily said.

  “Sure,” Candy replied, glancing up at Neil and then pulling away, walking with Emily into the house. She didn’t glance back at him, but he thought it was strange, the way she seemed to be isolating herself.

  “Is everything all right, Neil?” Brad asked as he reached for the suitcases and lifted them from the back of the truck.

  “Yeah, just a long flight. This is all new to Candy, being out here in this climate,” Neil said as he grabbed a suitcase Brad had set down and reached for his computer bag in the front.

  “I meant with you,” Brad said.

  Neil shut the door and studied his brother, who was watching him without his usual smile. “I’m fine. This is me we’re talking about. When am I not fine?”

  “Yeah, I know you. This is the woman who’s had you twisted up for a long time, and now you’ve got her. All this seems a little rushed, you know?” Brad stepped closer.

  Neil went to say something, but for a moment he was speechless. Didn’t Brad get it, how long he’d wanted Candy? Brad would have done the same thing.

  “Don’t get mad,” Brad said. “I can see you’re jumping the gun, here. I just want to make sure you know what you’re doing. I noticed some tension between you two. If you’ve forgotten, you two rode out a hurricane together, though I still can’t believe you went in there to save her. Just make sure you know, when things settle after the adrenaline rush, surviving what you two did, that you’re not making a mistake, rushing the wedding.” Brad raised his hand to stop Neil from interrupting. “Just saying you should think about it. Sometimes it’s best to take a few days to let things rest, think about whether you both want the same things. You run in some high-class circles, brother dear. Is she okay with that, supporting all them big projects you have on the go, schmoozing all those politicians you have on your side?”

  “She’ll do fine,” Neil bit out. He wasn’t about to admit that Candy wasn’t comfortable in large groups, period. She preferred her donkey and horse to a group of snooty, high-society people. “Just drop it, would you? Candy and I are getting married on Saturday. We’re starting a family. It’s all good.” Neil reached for one of the large suitcases. “So, which room are we staying in?”

  “Emily has the guest room at the top of the stairs all ready for you,” Brad said. He gave Neil another look and then started toward the house, carrying the other large suitcase. “Your old room.”

  Chapter 10

  Candy looked around the large country kitchen. It was green and white, large, square, practical, and nice. She loved the floor, worn, old hardwood, nothing fancy. It had been lived in, enjoyed. The living room they’d passed through was inviting and comfortable, with blankets over the back of the sofa, all in browns and golds, with western paintings on the wall and cream-colored curtains. There also weren’t any useless knickknacks anywhere, and she appreciated that.

  “Sit down. Can I get you some coffee?” Emily said. Candy had been thrown when Emily tried to hug her. She knew Emily was being nice, and she also knew she was being so prickly that she’d made Emily feel awkward. Candy hadn’t expected to meet a casually dressed woman with dirt under her fingernails and mud on her boots. She had not a stitch of makeup on, and she looked great.

  “Yes, I would love some,” she replied. Her stomach growled, and she fought the urge to look away, embarrassed, because she was hungry as well. It was awkward, being here with Neil’s family, people she didn’t know. They were strangers.

  Emily offered her a polite smile and poured her a cup of coffee. Then she turned to the fridge and took out a plate of sandwiches covered with plastic wrap, setting it on the table beside Candy before grabbing herself a mug. “Do you take anything in your coffee, Candy?” she asked hesitantly, and Candy felt bad. She was putting the woman on edge.

  “No, black is fine. Thank you, Emily.” She wrapped her hands around the hot mug and relaxed a little more when she noticed the chip in the side. The mismatched mugs were older, nothing fancy. She took a sip as Emily sat in a chair beside her.

  Emily removed the plastic wrap from the plate. “I made these for lunch. Ham, and there’s egg salad, too, if you don’t like meat, that is.”

  Candy’s mouth was watering. She loved a simple sandwich and couldn’t remember the last time she’d had one. She picked up the egg salad with a bit of lettuce sticking out and took a bite. “Mm, this is good. Thank you.”

  Emily also took a sandwich half. The door banged shut, and the men’s voices and footsteps stirred up a ruckus. Emily glanced at the doorway, but Candy didn’t turn around, listening as they climbed the stairs until she couldn’t hear them anymore.

  “I hope they don’t wake little Becky,” Emily said, putti
ng her elbow on the table and shoving a corner of the ham sandwich in her mouth.

  For a minute, Candy blanked and wondered who little Becky was. Maybe her confusion showed on her face, as Emily gestured to the door. “My daughter. She’s in preschool. Just turned four, but she was so tired, and I know that when she sees her uncle Neil she’ll be over the moon and want to play with him.” Just then, a little girl squawked upstairs. “Ah, there we go.”

  Emily didn’t get up, and they listened to footsteps upstairs and Neil’s laughter as the little girl squealed. Emily laughed and put her palm on the table. “Neil loves kids,” she said, watching Candy closely. “You two planning on having any?”

  “Neil wants a big family, lots of kids, he said. I’ve just never seen him around them,” Candy replied, feeling anxiety build up inside her as she finished off her sandwich, looking down at the table and away from Emily’s shrewd gaze.

  “Are you all right?” Emily asked, reaching over to touch Candy’s hand.

  “Emily, I don’t really know you, but could you help me get one of those home pregnancy tests?” Candy asked, instantly regretting her question because of the grin on Emily’s face.

  “Are you pregnant?” she whispered just as the men clambered down the stairs.

  She glanced over her shoulder, worried that Neil might have heard. It would be even worse if Emily blurted it out, but when she looked back, she knew by the smile Emily had fixed on her face and the reassuring pat on her hand that she was keeping the secret.

  “I’ll get one for you,” Emily whispered. She glanced up when Neil raced in with a brown-haired, little girl, squealing, tossed over his shoulder.

  Chapter 11

  “You didn’t eat much at dinner,” Neil said as he helped Candy unpack their suitcases, putting clothes in the drawers and hanging the rest in the small closet Emily had cleared out for them.