by Susan Meier
She shook her head, thinking it amazing, but said, “All right. Yes. I think we have a better foundation than most people.”
“Especially since we’re committed to raising a child.”
“Exactly.”
“Exactly.”
The room became quiet. Weird.
He smiled at her and she smiled at him. We’re getting married.
He kissed her then. Slowly, deeply, differently than he’d ever kissed her before. And she gave herself over to the kiss, telling herself that just because they were getting married, nothing would be different.
But everything was different. She was pregnant. They were getting married.
Married.
She’d tried this twice before and hadn’t been able to go through with it either time.
Of course, she hadn’t had the chemistry she had with Cade. Hadn’t loved her other grooms the way she loved Cade.
They kissed their way to the couch, not stopping for air, but giving themselves enough room to unbutton buttons and remove shirts. When Cade undid her jeans and pushed them down to her knees, she stopped.
“They’re skinny jeans. You’re not going to get me out of them. I have to step out.”
“Good. Then I’ll get rid of these.” He had his jeans and boxers off before she’d fully stepped out of her jeans and though there was some serious stuff going on between them, she laughed. “Are you as nervous as I am?”
“Maybe more.”
“It’s kinda crazy.”
“I know.” He looped his big hand around her small waist and hauled her to him. “So let’s just pretend we’re back to doing this just for lust.”
“Sounds good.”
Kissing her fiercely, he eased her down to the sofa, parting her thighs with his knee as she went.
They touched and caressed, bit and savored, until they just sort of came together…as if they’d been doing this a lifetime. It didn’t diminish the intensity, the fervor and sharpness of the need that whipped through her, but when they were done, they cuddled.
And her heart sang. He might not be able to say he loved her, but he did.
“You know, of course, that I’ll soon have a ranch in Montana.”
Oh, Lord. His family had money! She thanked God she’d gotten pregnant before she’d learned that. But she leaned up a bit so she could see his face as they had this discussion.
“Are you saying you’re going to want to move?”
He shrugged. “Maybe. But the present owner, Tim Tucker, ran the ranch long distance.” He smiled. “Of course, he had me.”
She forced a smile. Love him or not, having him talk about this part of his life suddenly made her feel like she’d just agreed to marry a stranger.
“So we’ll have to find somebody to run the ranch?”
“Yes. I’m not going to desert Devon with running the whole estate. As much as I’d like to go back to Montana and just run my ranch like I’d always planned, I finally figured out there’s a lot of money to be managed. Investments to be investigated. I won’t force the whole job on Devon.” He paused, peeked down at her. “But that doesn’t mean I want to live in Harmony Hills.”
She did. But she wasn’t alone in the decision-making. They were about to be married. She’d be half of a couple. She couldn’t have everything her way.
The shock of it rippled through her, but she said, “Okay.”
“Look, we don’t have to decide everything tonight. Tomorrow we can go to the courthouse and do whatever needs to be done to get married on Saturday.”
Her eyes widened. “Saturday?”
“What’s wrong with Saturday?”
“Are you talking about eloping?”
“Don’t you have to leave town to elope?”
She edged her way out from under him and off the couch. First they were getting married, then he talked about moving away, now the wedding was on Saturday? “Geez, I don’t know. But I do know that I don’t want a cheap little wedding that makes it look like we’re hiding.” She paced away, then spun to face him. “We’re going to stir up so many hornet’s nests that the smartest thing to do would be do it in style.”
His eyes narrowed. “You want a big wedding?”
“The biggest.”
As if finally catching on to her logic, he laughed. “Bunny Farmer’s going to go hoarse from the gossip.”
Chapter Eighteen
That night Cade stayed over. When Piper’s alarm sounded for her to get up for work, he rolled to his side and mumbled, “Have a good morning.”
She slapped his butt. “Very funny.”
“I’m a funny, funny guy.”
He was a funny, funny guy. And he was worth his weight in gold in bed. And she was going to marry him.
Her world went wonky for a few seconds as the thrill of it made her dizzy. Then reality returned. They were talking about moving away. Plus, they still had to run O’Riley’s. Otherwise, the store her mother loved would become a parking lot. And she couldn’t let that happen, either.
She slid out of bed, showered, and dressed to go to O’Riley’s and do her job.
She drove to her mother’s house to pick her up for work, and met her first wedding hurdle. She had to tell her mom she was getting married before the news got out.
She considered telling her on the way to O’Riley’s, but pictured the scene her mother would make and held off.
All day, she nervously watched her mom interacting with customers, praying nobody already knew. She and Cade hadn’t discussed telling their families, and she prayed he hadn’t yet made any big announcements.
When he arrived at two, she followed him into the office.
“Have you told your family yet?”
He winced. “Actually, I told them before I asked you.”
She wasn’t sure if that was sweet or odd.
“I wasn’t exactly getting anyone’s permission, but I didn’t want them to be shocked.”
“Well, that’s where I am with my mother right now. I need to drive her home so I can tell her.”
“So what you’re really saying, darlin’, is that you’re reneging on our overlap hour?”
She winced. “Sorry.”
“Go. I’m just kidding around. I know she’s got to be told before the word gets out.”
He gave her a quick kiss and she left the office.
Walking toward the checkout counters, she said, “Hey, Mom, I’m leaving now, too. Why don’t you let me drive you home?”
Obviously tired from a full day’s work, her mom sighed happily. “Sounds great. My knees are killing me.”
They climbed into her little car and neither said anything as they drove to the Cape Cod with the blue window boxes. Piper stopped the car, turned off the ignition, and followed her mother to the back door.
Her mom frowned. “What’s up?”
“I just have something I want to tell you.”
Karen unlocked the kitchen door. “Should I make us a snack?”
“No. This isn’t exactly snack news.”
“Now you’re scaring me.”
“There’s nothing to be afraid of, Mom, because I’m very, very happy, and I want you to be happy for me.”
She sighed. “Oh, God. You’re going to tell me you’re dating him, aren’t you?”
“Nope. I’m going to tell you we’re getting married.”
Piper’s mom’s face fell. Her mouth opened and shut comically. Finally she said, “You’re marrying him?”
“He’s a good guy.”
“And we’ve been through this two times already. Piper, you’re not the kind of girl to settle down. You like your freedom. I can’t go through planning another wedding only to watch you bolt at the last second!”
“Yeah, well, I’m pregnant.”
Her mom nearly collapsed. Blindly feeling behind herself, she found a chair and plopped into it. “You’re pregnant by a Hyatt?”
“Donovan.”
“He’s a Hyatt.”
“Yeah, well, the feud is over.”
“You were supposed to be nudging him out!”
“I couldn’t punish him for Richard Hyatt’s sins.” She waited a beat then said, “No comment about Lonnie?”
Karen raised her hands in the air with a hoot. “Lonnie? Ha! Now that the dust is settling I can see why Cade ran.”
“Good, because I love him. And we want this baby and we intend to be happy.”
Her mother dropped her head to her hands. “Dear God.”
Piper walked over and kneeled in front of her. “Don’t be mad.”
“Piper, I never get mad at you. I could shake you silly. But you’re twenty-eight. You have the right to do what you want. And even though I’m not thrilled at the prospect of another wedding, I’ll do whatever you need me to do and then I’ll pick up the pieces when you leave him at the altar, too.”
Piper gaped at her mom. “You think I’m going to leave him too?”
“You don’t?”
“No!” The thought had entered her mind, but she felt differently about Cade. “Why would you think that?”
“Because it’s what you do.”
She gasped. “You think I’m crazy!”
“No. I think your dad soured you on commitments.”
“That’s funny, because that’s what Cade says his dad did to him.”
Her mother only shook her head. “Oh Lord, Piper, this is a mess, but you know I’ll support you whatever you decide.”
…
When Cade opened the door of his grandfather’s house to Piper that night, she stepped inside, grabbed the collar of his T-shirt, yanked him to her, and kissed him the way he’d kissed her the night before.
“How’d it go?”
“She thinks I’m nuts.”
“So she’s on board.”
She laughed. Only someone who truly understood her mother could say that. “Yes. Ready to pick up the pieces when we fail.”
“We’re not going to fail.”
“No, but we’re going to have a bumpy two weeks or so while we quickly plan a wedding.” She caught his gaze. “Are you ready?”
“I’m ready.”
They started the next morning with a visit to the church. To his credit, Father Macnamara only said, “Oh, that’s nice,” when they came into the office and announced they wanted to get married—quickly because they were expecting. He had them fill out forms, told them he’d have to get a special dispensation from the bishop, and wrote their date—two weeks from Saturday—on his calendar.
They stopped at Sandy Wojak’s next. Her husband Arthur let them in and led them back to the dark room Sandy used as an office for the Dinner Belles. When they told Sandy, she burst out laughing. “And you’re getting married?”
“We’d like the Dinner Belles to cook the meal.”
“Oh, sweetie, we wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
By the time they got to Buds and Bouquets, the news had traveled to Isabelle, and she greeted them with a grin she couldn’t hide.
“Last time Cade was in, he said he was buying flowers for his mom, but I sort of suspected they were for you.” She winked at Piper. “He said you liked pink.”
“We’re having a fall wedding, so let’s stick with autumn colors.”
“I love autumn colors,” Isabelle said, directing Piper to look at sample bouquets in the big fat flower binder, and Cade glanced around.
He knew he and Piper were the hot topic of conversation, but for some reason or another, it was fine. The news about the marriage was out. News about the pregnancy was out. Bridesmaids had been chosen, Ellie and Ashley. His brothers were going to stand up for him. A few well-wishers had sent her mother sympathy cards. Bunny Farmer was so excited at work, she virtually vibrated.
His mother went shopping with Ellie for a new dress. “Blue, but not like the blue I wore for Finn’s wedding,” she explained when she called him after she and Ellie returned home from shopping. “It’s a fall blue.”
He’d said, “Sounds great.”
But that night as he and Piper pulled down the blankets on her bed, he said, “Who knew there were seasonal colors?”
“Every woman on the planet.”
He peered across the bed at her. “Really?”
She laughed. “Yes. My goodness, Cade. The light is different every season. Colors look different. Plus what looks good in a hot sun doesn’t work when it’s chilly.”
He laughed, and a strange feeling filled him. Happiness so profound it made him pause. And when he paused, the feeling was eclipsed by a feeling he was more familiar with…the sense that this was too good to be true.
That another shoe would drop.
That the rug would be pulled out from under him.
Because he was happy. But it wasn’t the controlled kind of happy he was accustomed to. It was sharp and stupid at the same time. It was fun and scary.
And it was iffy. He had a bad past. His family had just inherited a boatload of money. His father was an ass. Her mother hated him. Technically, he and Piper didn’t really know each other.
How the hell did he think this was going to work?
…
They kissed good-bye in the morning, parting because she had to go to O’Riley’s and he intended to spend time with Devon, looking at their assets. At two, they kissed again, switching places. He took a seat at the computer to order produce and she headed out to finalize the menu with the Dinner Belles.
It all seemed ordinary, routine, but that was just it. It might be ordinary. But it wasn’t his routine. He was a rancher. How could he be so happy when his life plan to run a ranch had gone out the window? Not only was he agreeing to stay and help Devon manage the estate, but now he was getting married. Most likely going to remodel his grandfather’s house.
None of that had been in his life plan.
He almost didn’t drive to her apartment that night, if only because he didn’t want her to see his misgivings. No matter what he felt, he had a child to raise.
He pulled into the space he now considered his in front of Buzz Hanwell’s house, and walked up the steps to her apartment door. He didn’t knock. They were no longer lovers. They were a couple. Couples didn’t knock.
The scent of cinnamon and sugar hit him immediately and his mouth watered. If that was a new bubble bath she was using, he intended to lick the scent off her. He loved cinnamon.
Before he could head back to the kitchen, she walked toward him holding a plate of cookies.
“What’s this?”
She grinned. “Snickerdoodles. Your mom told me today they were your favorites.”
His mouth well and truly watered as he reached for a warm, soft cookie. “You called my mom?”
“There were some planning things we needed to coordinate.”
He bit into the cookie and his breath paused, then sped up. He had a flash of memory of his mom baking cookies and his dad coming home and calling her worthless as he threw them in the trash.
He cleared his throat. “How did it go?”
“I love your mom.”
When he didn’t say anything, she smiled. And that was when it hit him just how nice, just how wonderful, Piper was.
And it scared the hell out of him.
Before he could process that, his cell phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket and saw Devon’s number on the screen. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Dad’s coming over here.”
“Here?”
“Finn and Ellie’s. Mom doesn’t know, and we sent Ellie out to get coffee with Barbara Beth.”
“It’s after nine.”
“And we have a chance to finish this with Dad. I think it’s something we all need to handle. Get your ass over here.”
He disconnected the call and glanced at pretty Piper in her jeans and T-shirt, wearing an apron, holding cookies she’d made for him. The sweetness of the gesture collided with the happy routine of it and the absolute certainty in his gut that he didn’t deserve
her, and he was suddenly relieved for an opportunity to leave. “I gotta go. Dad’s on his way to Finn’s. Devon thinks we can end this.”
She smiled and nodded. “Go.”
As he drove to Finn and Ellie’s, he wouldn’t let himself think about the memories that had flooded him at the sight of those cookies. He raced to Finn’s house, jumped out of his car, and walked up to the front door.
He could hear his dad’s voice coming from inside the house and let himself in. From the foyer, he could see his dad sitting on one of the two parallel sofas in front of the fireplace. Finn stood by the big window. Devon sat across from their dad, leaning in, clearly intending to end this standoff once and for all.
“The thing of it is, we aren’t divorced yet.”
“But you’re in process. You’ve been separated for more than a year,” Devon said, cool, calm, collected in a way that astounded Cade. “And Mom’s inheritance from Pap isn’t included in the marital assets.”
His dad made a face. “My lawyer says it can be argued that from the time I married your mom, I’d been anticipating an inheritance, part of her family money.”
“No one really knew Pap had money.”
He waved a hand. “Are you kidding? At the very least I knew we’d get the value of the grocery store.” He smiled without a trace of humor. “But I also run the bank. I knew the kind of money your grandfather was putting into stocks. I knew—I always knew—he was worth a bundle.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that you were separated for a year before Pap died.”
He shrugged. “As I said, my lawyer believes differently.”
“Then we’ll see you in court.”
Finn’s reasonable voice led to an uncomfortable silence. At least uncomfortable for Cade.
Finn turned from the window, as calm and cool as his voice had been. Devon casually made notes on a legal pad. But there wasn’t a calm cell in Cade’s body. Fury coiled through his gut and washed out to his limbs like the raging tide of a flood. He’d never felt like this before. Even in Afghanistan, his emotions remained under wraps as he worked to do what needed to be done. On the ranch, he was known for his cool efficiency. Yet, something about his dad brought out an evil beast, dangerously thirsty for blood.
Devon rose, tossed his yellow legal pad into his briefcase, and snapped it closed. “As Finn said, we’ll see you in court.”
