by Tina Leonard
In the end, that’s what she did.
And when he wrapped his arms around her, heedless of the roses, April realized this big, strong man had given her a gift she’d wanted all her life, too.
Babies of her very own.
Even if it was only temporary.
Chapter Six
“I suppose I shouldn’t have done that,” April said, pulling away, immediately aware of strange longings rushing through her, longings that had nothing to do with wanting to stop at a friendly kiss. The moment their lips touched and he wrapped his arms around her to enclose her against his chest, her brain had instantly responded Oh, yes, oh my stars, yes.
What her mind and body were saying yes to was so much different than what she’d expected to want from Caleb. It was best if she remembered that this was pretend. Their relationship had a goal: the well-being of four children.
“It was fine by me,” Caleb said, his hands in his jeans pockets, looking incredibly handsome for a man she didn’t want to recognize in this sexy manner. His gaze was level, open and intense. Very aware of her as a woman.
Shivers claimed her skin; her nipples tightened, and the most feminine area of her body went warm with desire.
I’m in way over my head with this man.
She calmed herself with rationale. There really wasn’t any rhyme or reason for her to get side tracked by Caleb’s enormous capacity for making her feel like a treasured doll. She knew all about collecting and caretaking of wonderful things. Yet she also knew from painful experience that her heartstrings snapped long before any man managed to get her down the aisle in a real wedding. The only way she’d manage to get through this wedding was because it was fake. A faux fiancé. She couldn’t bend enough to allow a man to take care of her, as if she were a collectible doll. Being forced to learn to rely solely upon herself was a blessing in many ways; yet it had also left her with the inability to structure a lasting relationship.
This one wouldn’t be any different—unless it remained a masquerade for Social Services.
So why had her heart jumped like a heartbeat on a monitor when he’d kissed her? She’d nearly melted into a feminine puddle of desire—and she had a funny feeling he was completely aware that he’d had her guard down for a split second.
Like the time she’d caught him staring at her posterior. It was a crack in his armor, and she’d kind of liked seeing him check her out.
By the fiery burn in his gaze, she was pretty certain he was enjoying this crack in her armor.
“I have to go,” she murmured swiftly, holding the roses in front of her like a shield. “Thank you, Caleb. For everything.”
She made her escape as quickly as she could, to tally aware that she was running like a scared rabbit that flees, uncertain as to what it’s fleeing from, but the scent of danger hurrying it ever faster.
April couldn’t get to the shelter of her home fast enough.
THERE WERE A FEW THINGS Caleb knew for certain after April’s impulsive kiss. She’d been touched by the ring, if only for the sake of the ruse they were perpetrating. She wasn’t immune to him. Her lips felt like a dream under his, soft and supple and clinging, the way he liked a woman’s lips to be.
And she was scared to death of liking him. This marriage was all about the babies, and there was no subtle trap waiting to spring its jaws on him. She wasn’t marrying him with the notion that she needed a husband, or that the situation was a good way to rope him blindly into something long-term. Oh, no. She’d innocently kissed him, and been very startled by the blaze that had very nearly erupted. He’d felt her tremble in his arms.
That tremble had told him everything a man needed to know about a woman. She was attracted to him—and she was going to fight her feelings every step of the way.
He’d just have to help her make up her mind to allow him to kiss her again and this time not cut it so dramatically short. The next time I kiss her, she won’t go running from my arms. She’ll stay—because she wants to.
Chapter Seven
There wasn’t a moment to waste. As soon as the mandatory blood tests had been reviewed and the marriage license waiting period ended, Caleb McCallum married April Sullivan in a quiet courthouse ceremony performed in a justice of the peace’s chambers.
All the while, April’s heart was in her throat. Caleb held her hand despite the delicate bouquet of white roses she clutched. She could feel a tiny pulse in his thumb.
The moment felt all too real to her for something that was supposed to be simulated. She was certain her skin could not have felt more moist, her pulse more erratic, if this was a wedding for keeps.
Jackson looked so proud of his son. Though it was a daytime ceremony during courthouse hours—noon, before the courthouse closed for New Year’s—he wore an elegantly formal charcoal-gray suit, with a black-and-white striped tie so satiny it could have complemented a tux. Caleb wore a suit strikingly similar, which made his short dark hair and hazel eyes stand out richly.
He’s so incredibly handsome, April thought. And so giving.
Between Caleb and Jackson, she felt as if she would be well protected. It was clear they were determined to take care of her, a thought that both comforted and worried her.
Bri looked fetching in a short pink dress, suitable for tonight’s New Year’s Eve dinner at the McCallum mansion. Jackson had insisted the whole family get together for dinner to celebrate both the wedding and the new year. A wedding and a new year—we’ll ring them in together, he’d said.
April felt a tiny chip of reluctance drop from her heart as Adam gave Caleb a brotherly pound of congratulations on the shoulder when the ceremony ended.
And then Bri kissed her cheek, murmuring, “I never thought I’d see this day, and I couldn’t be any happier, even if that was the shortest dating period in history. One night. Wow.”
April embraced her new sister-in-law, remembering all the times she had thought Bri was the closest thing to a sister she’d ever have. And now she was—for a while.
Caleb, Jackson and April had agreed not to tell anyone that the marriage was short-term, a means to an end, in case Social Services might get wind of the posthaste wedding and decide to question the circumstances.
“Thank you, Bri,” April said, hugging her tightly as she told the tears at the corners of her eyes to stay in place.
“You’ve made my father so happy,” Bri said. “He thought Caleb would turn to stone before he allowed anyone to get close to him.”
April separated herself from her best friend and now sister. Caleb put his arm around her. “Mrs. McCallum,” he said, his voice unsteady, “you look wonderful.”
She felt a blush tint her cheeks as she looked up at him. Not for anything would she admit that when she’d tried on this short wedding dress in a vintage clothing store, she’d been struck by its simplicity and charm. It had a short fingertip veil as well, but she’d left that at home, content to make do with the fifties-style wedding gown. The style wasn’t incongruous in a courthouse, yet she felt very fairy-tale princess. The dress had been a bit pricey for her budget, but she’d bought it anyway, something in her heart wanting very much for Caleb not to be disappointed in his bride.
“I’m glad you think so,” she said nervously, wondering if she could be any more unsettled if this moment were the real thing. “You’re very handsome, too.”
Caleb winked at her. “Did you expect anything else?”
Bri popped him lightly on the shoulder. “Behave, or April might change her mind.”
“She can’t. She’s mine, fair and square.”
Ringing began in April’s ears, running through her brain. Her hands began to tremble, and her stomach pitched. “I think I’ll get a drink of water,” she said breathlessly, heading toward the courtroom exit.
The rows of the courthouse were full of strangers, but April paid them no attention as she hurried past. She had to get out of there fast, before she began to get lost somewhere between the reason and the reality
of her new situation.
“Slow down, April,” Caleb said, catching up to her and taking her hand in his.
They were outside the main courtroom now, and she could take in more than a stifled breath of air.
“Was it getting to you?” Caleb asked.
“A little,” April admitted. “I didn’t expect it to feel so real! All your family, I mean, I didn’t even think to ask my mom and dad because this is just pretend. I wasn’t even planning to tell them, and now I feel horrible, like I’ve left them out of something really important.”
“Focus, April,” he whispered against her hair. “Day after tomorrow, we file an emergency application with Social Services. That starts the interviewing process, I’m certain. Meanwhile, I’ll be hunting Jenny for all I’m worth. You’ll be back at work keeping an eye on the little muffins, and all will be good.”
An unbridelike sniffle escaped her. “You’re right, of course.”
“Of course I am.” Patting her back as he held her close to him, he said, “Pull yourself together and act like a happy bride or Bri is going to yell at me. All right?” he asked gently, wiping the tears from the sides of her eyes.
“You’re an annoyingly confident male, do you know that?” she asked, pushing his hands away so she could wipe her own face, but smiling at him just the same.
“I expect to hear you say that many times in the course of our short marriage. And if you’re worried about your folks, why don’t you and I go by and get them and have them to Dad’s house for dinner?”
“Would he mind?” April asked.
“He’d be delighted. He asked me if your parents were coming today, and I told him we hadn’t discussed it. I didn’t know how you’d want to handle it.”
“Well, I just can’t all of a sudden be up and living with you, I guess,” April said. “They’d wonder when I’d met you.”
“They’re going to wonder anyway, since we’re married. We’ll have to tell them we eloped to save on money.”
April laughed. “You think of everything, don’t you?”
“Every angle, lady, and any angle can be promising. Now come back with me before Jackson thinks I’ve got a runaway bride on my hands.”
She smiled, feeling better now that her head had cleared. “I’m better now.”
“I hope so,” Caleb said, taking her hand in his. “Because if you freaked out thinking the wedding was real, us living under the same roof may be shaky.”
“As little shaking as possible,” she reminded him.
“That’s right. I just wanted to see if you remembered.”
She remembered, all right. It almost dimmed the beauty of the marital vows they’d just spoken.
THE ENORMITY OF WHAT he and April had done came rolling in on Caleb as they drove up in the driveway of the Sullivans’ small home. He’d married her—and never given a thought to asking her father for her hand.
Of course, that’s because their marriage agreement had been fast, and tied to four young babies. But if he’d been marrying her for real, he would have asked her father’s permission first.
Walking in to a stranger’s house and announcing he was now family was going to be fairly wild for a man who didn’t like change.
“Why am I suddenly feeling apprehensive?” he asked out loud.
“Same reason I felt apprehensive after your family began congratulating me?” April guessed. “It feels like we’re lying.”
“We are posturing, but in the most honorable sense.”
“I guess there’s such a thing. I’m telling myself this is okay. But I think my parents are going to be so…well, so surprised.”
“Unpleasantly so.”
“Maybe. They couldn’t have children, and so they adopted me, and they’ve kind of lived vicariously through me. And they’re older, quite a bit older than your father.”
“Well,” he said, sighing, “we’ll sound cracked if we tell them we did this in the hopes that we can foster four children until I can find the birth mother.”
April bit her lip. He wanted to lay a finger against her soft skin to stop her, but if he did, he’d probably start kissing her, and then they’d never get inside the house. “I didn’t kiss you after we got married,” he said suddenly.
“No, you didn’t. I assumed it was because we were in the justice’s chambers.”
Caleb shook his head. “No, I think I was worried about you because I could feel you trembling.”
“I could feel the pulse in your thumb,” she said, giving him a cautious look. “I think you were nervous.”
“If you felt my thumb right now, you’d know I’m nervous.” An elderly gentleman came out onto the porch to stare at their car. Caleb took a deep breath as the man waved to them, and without further hesitation, he got out of the Acura.
“You coming in or not?” April’s adoptive father shouted.
Hard-of-hearing, Caleb guessed. “Yes, sir,” he called back loudly. “Let me get April.”
Opening April’s car door, he helped her out. “Did I tell you you’re stunningly beautiful?” he whispered urgently.
“No, you didn’t, but thanks.” She hurried up the slate steps to kiss her father. “Hi, Daddy.”
“April, love. You should have let us know you were bringing a gentleman by. We would have had some supper for him.”
Her mother came out on the porch as well, looking with pride at April’s beautiful dress. “My, don’t you look lovely, April. And your gentleman friend is so handsome.”
“Thanks, Mom, Dad.” April glanced at Caleb, and he shrugged at her. The twitch in his thumb had moved to his eye, and he was pretty certain that, if they didn’t get on with the big announcement and whatever reaction was due him, he was going to have a tic for life.
“Well, bring him in,” her mother told her. “Please do come in, Mr.—”
“Mom, this is Caleb McCallum,” April said quickly. “Caleb, this is my mother, Donna, and my father, Webb.”
“Well, bring him in, April. We don’t want him to think we’re rude the first time your friend meets us.”
Caleb held the door open for the two fragile people. April lingered to whisper, “This is not going to be easy.”
“I wasn’t signed on for easy, remember. I’m okay with it,” he said, not one hundred percent truthful but telling himself a brave front could make up for the percentage he was fibbing. “When this is all over, I’ll let you kiss me.”
April ignored that.
Donna perched on a green velvet antique sofa, and Webb gestured to a rocking chair for Caleb. That left no place for April and him to sit together, which might have been her father’s intention. He wasn’t certain. April went to sit by her mother, who clasped her hand.
“You see, Mom, Dad,” she said, swallowing. Caleb could tell she was nervous. “Caleb and I got married today.”
Both the Sullivans stared at Caleb.
The room went deathly quiet.
“Why?” Donna asked.
Caleb stared at their hopeful faces, realizing that they wanted a reassuring explanation. Hopes and dreams lay in their curious eyes as both parents waited patiently. April was the child they’d adopted late in her childhood, late in their life. They wanted to know that he loved their only child.
He thought about the way he’d wanted to find Bri’s boyfriend and make him marry his sister when he’d learned she was pregnant.
Caleb wanted to know that Bri would be loved. Bri wouldn’t tell anyone the name of the father of her babies. Hunter Callaghan had come to the wing to become its administrator and reunited with Bri. He thought about the immature writing of Jenny’s note, as she left her children to the one person she knew would love them.
What the Sullivans wanted badly to hear was so understandable, so normal, that it had him sweating in his suit. His shirt collar felt stiff as he swallowed.
“Because I love her,” he said.
APRIL GASPED at Caleb’s unexpected pronouncement. Her mother clasped her hands
together with delight. “Oh, I couldn’t be happier,” she said with sparkly tears in her eyes. “I can’t tell you how we’ve waited, hoping that a young gentleman would see all the gifts April has to offer a man. Webb and I were so afraid we’d pass on before the right man discovered our special girl.” Donna got up to cross to the rocker, taking Caleb’s hands in hers. “Welcome to the family,” she said to Caleb, kissing his cheek.
Webb gruffly cleared his throat. “Yes. Welcome to the family.”
“Wait. I’ve got something for you, April.” Donna rushed from the room, returning a second later with a cameo. “It was my mother’s on her wedding day, and mine when I married Webb, and now it’s yours.” Gently, she clasped the antique necklace around April’s neck. “And doesn’t that go just beautifully with her hair?” she proudly asked Caleb.
April flushed, still overcome by his declaration. He didn’t mean it, did he? Love was not in their agreement. Of course he didn’t love her. He was merely trying to make her elderly parents happy.
“Just think, Webb,” Donna said happily. “We could even be grandparents before we pass on. Wouldn’t that be a miracle?”
April leaned back against the high-backed sofa as she caught Caleb’s eye. She was expecting a wink of job-well-done or something of the sort, but his expression was so solemn that it made her uncomfortable.
“And you love him, too, April?” Webb asked. “This marriage is what you wanted?”
How could she lie to her parents? They both stared at her so hopefully, waiting for her to say that this was the man she had waited for all her life, this was the man who made her dreams come true. After all their love and care in raising her, she’d found the man who could give her what they wanted her to have.
Caleb watched her, and if she didn’t know better, she’d think he was holding his breath. His tie looked tight on his neck.
“Yes,” she said, her whole being miserable.
Chapter Eight