The Night before Baby

by Smith, Karen Rose

  Checking her watch, Olivia closed the manila folder and stacked it with others on her desk. She’d asked Stanley if she could leave early today for the weekend. He’d had no objections. This morning she’d agreed to meet Lucas at his office at one o’clock. They were flying to Las Vegas this afternoon and getting married tomorrow afternoon.

  Her heart thumped just thinking about it, let alone doing it. Since Lucas had returned home from Grand Junction, they’d made plans. Her mother had taken the day off to fly to Vegas and insisted on making reservations for dinner as a precelebration. Olivia had bought a new dress for the occasion since she’d decided to wear her ivory suit for the wedding. After all, she’d only worn it once before, for the office Christmas party! She’d also bought a new nightgown and robe in an aqua silk....

  Lucas had kissed her Tuesday night—a kiss that could have taken them to bed. But then he’d backed off, and she guessed it was a strategy to increase their anticipation for their wedding night. She wished he’d tell her what he was feeling. Since last weekend at the ranch and learning about his experience with Celeste, she understood him much better. And she loved him, enough to marry him without knowing what he felt for her.

  “Olivia, I know you said you want to leave by one, but can I speak to you for a few minutes?” Stanley asked from his office doorway.

  June hadn’t returned from lunch, and Olivia knew Lucas was probably waiting to leave. But she wasn’t prepared to tell Stanley why she was ready to dash out the door. After all he’d done for her, she could certainly give him a few minutes. She and Lucas had time until their flight left.

  While she sat in the chair in front of his desk, her boss lodged a hip on a corner. “As you know, I have a daughter in college.”

  Stanley spoke of his offspring proudly. She’d been valedictorian of her high school graduating class. “How is she?”

  “Well, that’s the problem. She thinks she’s fine. I think she’s crazy!” Stanley looked worried and upset.

  “What happened?”

  “She called me this morning. She wants to quit college and get married! Her boyfriend’s in med school and she wants to go to work and help put him through. I couldn’t convince her she needs her degree as much as he does. You’re close to her age. I wondered if you could help me with some convincing arguments to change her mind.”

  Stanley’s words—you’re close to her age—brought home a truth Olivia should have realized before today. He thought of her in the same way he thought of his daughter—fondly, with a protective care she’d always wanted from her father. Only, he’d never been around to give it. When she’d come to work at Barrington under Stanley’s supervision, he’d filled that gap. There had never been anything more.

  She thought about her feelings for Lucas that had deepened over the past month. “I don’t know how I can help you, Stanley. Because if she really loves this man, you won’t be able to change her mind. It might be best if you talk to both of them about this. Find out exactly what they’re going to do. Get a sense of whether he’s taking advantage of her, or if this will be a joint effort and he’ll support her when she does want to go back to school.

  “So you think if I oppose this marriage, she’ll do what she wants anyway?”

  “Didn’t you tell me she has a mind of her own?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t want her to make a mistake she’ll regret.”

  “All you can do is talk to her and then be there for her if she needs you.”

  As Stanley studied Olivia, a slow smile curved his lips. “You didn’t give me what I wanted.”

  “What did you want?”

  “Ammunition to change her mind.”

  “I’ll bet she knows—just as well as you do—all the reasons she should get her degree.”

  After a pause, he stood and so did she. Then he laid his hand on her shoulder. “Thank you for giving me some perspective.”

  She smiled. “It’s much easier when it’s not my life.”

  Opening the door to Whitcomb’s office suite, Lucas saw that Olivia’s desk chair was vacant. But he heard voices and spotted her in Whitcomb’s office. Her boss had left the door open. His gut clenched when he realized they were engrossed in conversation, gazing into each other’s eyes. Frozen, he watched, only hearing the murmur of their words, not the content.

  When Stanley Whitcomb stood and Olivia did, too, he almost expected...

  Whitcomb’s hand on Olivia’s shoulder pushed Lucas to move forward and make his presence known before he saw his intended wife in Whitcomb’s arms...before...

  Olivia turned and her gaze lifted to his face.

  “Are you ready?” he asked, his voice curt.

  Dropping his hand to his side, Stanley answered, “We’re just finishing up. Olivia didn’t mention she was meeting you.”

  Olivia blushed, and he wanted to shout that they were flying off to get married. But Lucas held back, suddenly wondering if she’d changed her mind. “We have plans for the weekend,” he answered, not caring if Olivia objected.

  Stanley’s brows arched. “Well...then I’ll see you Monday morning, Olivia. Enjoy your weekend.”

  After she said goodbye to Stanley, her glare at Lucas was self-explanatory and her silence on the way to the parking lot told him she was either upset or angry.

  Once they were seated in his Jeep, he asked, “Are we still getting married?”

  “Why are you asking?”

  He hated when she answered his question with a question. But it was a tactic he knew well. “I want you to be sure.”

  “I am sure, Lucas. But if you have doubts...”

  He had doubts, all right. Not about marrying her, but about leftover feelings she might harbor for Whitcomb. Switching on the ignition, he said, “I’m ready to do this. We forgot to buy wedding rings. Maybe we’ll have time to get them before we meet your mother.”

  Olivia didn’t respond, but fastened her seat belt.

  He had the feeling this was going to be a very long night.

  When the bellboy opened the hotel room door, Olivia crossed the threshold first and took a breath at what she saw. Two steps down from the entranceway would take her to the sitting area with its fireplace, sofa, chair and entertainment center. The mint-green carpet coordinated with the mauve and green fabrics covering the furniture. Her gaze passed from the sofa, up three steps to the white wrought-iron railing and the immense round bed beyond. A mirror on the light oak dresser reflected the draperies closed over an expansive picture window.

  Lucas had tipped the bellboy and closed the door when Olivia turned toward him. He’d tugged off his tie and rolled up his white shirtsleeves at the airport before they’d taken off. His mood had been remote since he’d found her talking to Stanley, and she wasn’t sure if he was angry because she’d been late or because he was jealous. And if he was jealous, nothing she could say would help. Even if she told him she loved him...

  She suspected Lucas didn’t put much store in the words or maybe even the feeling. When he’d first asked her to marry him, he’d said, An alliance with that fire behind it has a better chance than any romantic illusion you might favor.

  By romantic illusion, he’d meant love. No words could convince him to believe in love. But she was hoping her actions could.

  “What do you think?” he asked.

  “It’s...sumptuous.”

  He shrugged. “I wanted us to be comfortable. Your mother, too. Her room isn’t as large, but I’m hoping it’s just as nice. Are you going to call her?”

  When they’d checked in, Olivia had asked about her mother and found she’d arrived earlier. Olivia was eager for Lucas and her mom to meet. “She said she was going to scout around for a restaurant when she arrived. I’ll find out if she made reservations for dinner.”

  Before she went to the sitting area’s phone, her gaze again went to the large round bed. She didn’t know what Lucas was expecting. If they’d start their honeymoon tonight...

  As if he wa
s reading her thoughts, he said, “I can sleep on the couch tonight if you’d like. But come tomorrow, I expect to be sharing that bed. I’m not just marrying you because you’re carrying my child. I expect to be a husband in every sense of the word.” Turning toward the door, he opened it. “I’m going for a walk. I won’t be gone long.”

  And before she had a chance to blink, let alone respond, the door closed behind him.

  Surprise gave way to pique as Olivia crossed to the phone. Apparently Lucas wanted a baby...and sex. He couldn’t have been any clearer. Well, she wanted to make love with him, too, but she wanted a heck of a lot more. If he thought he could simply make a demand and have her meet it, he was dead wrong. Tomorrow was her wedding day and she wanted vows and dreams, a little romance and definitely a husband who wanted to share forever!

  As tears pricked in her eyes, she picked up the phone. Lucas had a few things to learn about being a fiancé and especially about being a husband. She was suddenly very glad she’d splurged on the fuchsia dress she’d bought for tonight because that dress was going to give her the confidence she needed to make Lucas Hunter see her not as the mother of his child and not as a convenient release for his needs. He’d see her as a woman in her own right with desires and needs that might coincide with his.

  He expected to share that bed tomorrow?

  Well, she expected more than just having sex.

  Their honeymoon was going to be a journey into love and commitment and a marriage that would last.

  Soft yellow lights and sultry saxophone music spilled from the elegant rooftop dining room into the foyer area as Olivia and her mother exited one of the hotel’s restaurants, Lucas behind them. “I’m so glad you could come, Mom. And dinner was wonderful. Thank you.”

  As Lucas came up beside them, his gaze passed over her with the same intensity with which he’d watched her all evening. It had to be the dress. The beaded halter top hugged her fuller breasts as if it had been designed to flatter her, and the full taffeta skirt brushed high above her knees. In the past week the waistband on some of her skirts had felt tight, and in a few weeks this dress might not fit again until after she had her baby. But for tonight the silver desire in Lucas’s eyes filled her with the determination to make their marriage more than a practical arrangement.

  Shifting his attention from Olivia, Lucas addressed her mother. “Let me add my thanks to Olivia’s, Mrs. McGovern.”

  “It’s Rosemary, Lucas. You’re going to be my sonin-law tomorrow. And since you’re so generously paying for everything else, dinner was the least I could do. I don’t know how you managed to get a ticket for me to see Barry Manilow tomorrow night, but I’m truly looking forward to it. I just hope—” She stopped abruptly as if she’d thought better about continuing.

  “Feel free to say what’s on your mind...Rosemary.”

  “I just hope you’re not going to regret getting married so quickly. Olivia’s always dreamed of a satinand-lace gown, a wedding cake and reception....”

  Lucas shot a glance at Olivia and frowned.

  Her dreams had changed abruptly since she’d made love with Lucas and since she’d found herself pregnant. “This seemed to be the best, Mom. Because of the baby, we didn’t want to wait. Would you like to come back to our room for a bit?”

  Her mother accepted the change in subject with an understanding smile and hooked her arm through Olivia’s. “I’m going back to my room. Traveling wears me out and we have a big day tomorrow.”

  As they rode to her mother’s floor, Lucas was silent. But when Rosemary exited the elevator, he held the door. “I ordered a limo to pick us up at twelve-thirty and take us to the chapel.”

  Her mother smiled at him. “You do think of everything. I’ll meet you in the lobby. Get a good night’s sleep.”

  Silence echoed in the elevator as Lucas and Olivia rode to their floor, and she could feel the tension in him as they walked to their room. When he opened the door, Olivia stepped inside, remembering his return from his walk earlier. She’d already dressed; he’d stared at her as if he was seeing her for the first time. As soon as he’d showered and changed, they’d gone to the jewelry store he’d found in the gallery of shops at the hotel, and they’d bought plain gold wedding rings before meeting her mother. Tomorrow morning they would go to the courthouse and take care of the license.

  Following her inside now, Lucas removed his suit coat and laid it over the chair. “Did you want to come to Las Vegas to get married?”

  Going to him, she stood close enough to breathe in his aftershave, close enough to see the tiny nick on his chin where he’d cut himself shaving. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to come.”

  His gaze searched hers, then reaching out, he clasped her elbows to draw her closer. “You look beautiful tonight. That dress—” he took a breath “—is really something.”

  The desire in his eyes almost melted her, but she was determined to make their wedding night more meaningful than what had happened on his couch on Christmas Eve. “I’m glad you like it,” she murmured as the touch of his hands and fingers urged her to forget about tomorrow and settle for now.

  “Oh, I like it,” he assured her, his voice husky.

  She knew if she didn’t say something soon, he’d kiss her and she’d forget about waiting a moment, let alone a night. “I think you’re right about tonight,” she blurted out.

  He tilted his head. “Right?”

  “Mmm-hmm. If we wait until tomorrow to... well. you know, really sleep together, it will make the beginning of our marriage more special. Don’t you think?”

  His expression was a combination of perplexed and guarded. “Special?”

  “I told you I had decided when I was a teenager to wait until I was married to make love. I’d still like to... even though I did slip once. So I really appreciate you remembering that. But since I’m a lot shorter, I’ll take the sofa.”

  “Not a chance,” he muttered with a scowl.

  “Lucas...”

  “No way, Olivia. You take the bed. I’ll be fine on the couch. I sleep in my office all the time.”

  “If you’re sure...”

  Releasing her, he stepped back. “I’m sure.”

  Anticipation was sweet, and just to raise the stakes a little, she rose on tiptoe, placed her hands on his shoulders and placed a lingeringly soft kiss on his cheek. “Thank you.” Quickly retreating before she got caught in a web of her own making, she smiled. “Go ahead and change in the bathroom if you want. I’ll wait.”

  His glare could have burned right through her. “Fine. I’ll go first” With a yank on his tie, he headed for the dresser and his sleeping shorts. She just had to remember not to look at him when he came out of the bathroom or they’d have their honeymoon before their wedding.

  The wedding chapel’s steeple rose white against a turquoise sky. Lucas held the door as Olivia and her mother entered the vestibule. This was the first chapel he’d found that actually made appointments for weddings rather than having a waiting line. They’d had enough of a wait at the courthouse this morning.

  Lucas rubbed his neck. That sofa had been damn hard. Staying away from Olivia last night had been the ultimate test of his self-control. When he’d seen her in that dress... Damn his short temper and his jealousy of her boss. If he hadn’t offered to spend the night on the couch, he might have found satisfaction for the yearning ache that had plagued him since Christmas Eve. But he’d chosen to be a gentleman and suffered for it.

  And just looking at her now...

  He remembered the ivory suit. She’d been stunning in it on Christmas Eve and she was just as stunning today. The hotel florist had delivered a bouquet this morning. He’d forgotten about flowers but obviously she hadn’t. Not only had she ordered a bouquet and the headpiece she wore now, but a boutonniere for him. She was a traditional woman at heart, and suddenly the gold-trimmed doors before them, the papiermâché wedding bells hanging above, the whole neon atmosphere of Las Vegas seemed wr
ong. Olivia deserved a real church wedding with a gown and cake—

  The doors before them opened and a woman said, “He’s ready for you now.”

  Lucas spotted a couple leaving by the side door. The nature of weddings here didn’t lend to permanence, and he was suddenly filled with doubts. What if Olivia couldn’t forget her feelings for Whitcomb? What if a child or even their desire wasn’t enough of a bond to keep them together?

  But then his gaze met hers. Her smile was uncertain, and he realized he had to convince her that she belonged with him and no one else, that a child and desire were the best foundation for marriage. He curved his arm around her waist. “Ready?”

  She nodded and there was determination in her eyes.

  The minister was pleasant and tried to put them at ease. After he took care of the paperwork, he asked them to join him at the altar where he would begin the ceremony. Olivia handed her bouquet to her mother who was their witness. It seemed like it was only moments until the minister asked Lucas to repeat after him. As Lucas studied his bride, the tiny white lilies and wispy little flowers contrasting with her beautiful auburn hair, the deep enchanting green of her eyes, the almost unnoticeable dimple at the left corner of her mouth when she tremulously smiled, he repeated words that took on a new meaning. Honor. Cherish. Till death do us part.

  When Olivia said the same words, she did so without hesitation and with a clarity that made him realize how much he respected and admired her as well as desired her. The vows and exchange of rings passed in the blink of an eye, until the minister smiled and said, “You may now kiss your bride.”

  As Olivia gazed up at him, he was filled with the wonder that they were married, and that she finally belonged to him. When he took her in his arms, his kiss expressed the reverence of the moment and too many hopes to count.

  Finally he drew away, wanting her as a husband wanted a wife. When he gazed down at her, he thought he saw the same desire he felt, the same hopes driving his need for marriage. But he couldn’t be sure.