The Reluctant Groom

by Kimberly Rose Johnson

  “You’re asking me to keep my mouth shut.” He grinned, showing a full set of slightly crooked teeth. “You don’t need to worry about me, son. I’m no gossip.”

  “I think I knew that, but I needed you to know—this doesn’t leave your office.”

  Rusty’s face sobered.

  He shared his story with Rusty from start to finish, leaving out nothing.

  “That’s quite a situation you have yourself in, but what seems to be the trouble?”

  “The thing is, I’ve tried to show her that I care about her, even told her so, but it doesn’t seem to be enough.” Ray rubbed the back of his neck. “Did you ever tell your wife you loved her?”

  “Of course.” Rusty sounded indignant.

  “I didn’t mean to offend you. It’s just that I don’t ever remember hearing my parents tell one another they loved each other. My family isn’t very expressive about our feelings.”

  Rusty rubbed his chin. “No offense taken. But are you telling me you’ve never told Katie you love her?”

  He nodded and swallowed the lump in his throat.

  “You must tell your wife you love her. Daily.”

  Ray’s head dipped. Daily? He had a lot to learn about marriage. He stood. “Okay. This has been helpful. Thanks.” He pulled open the door and trudged from the room then up the stairs.

  He’d never said those words to a woman before. He’d dated casually, and there had been someone once, but she’d accused him of being emotionally unavailable. Had she really been asking for him to say he loved her? He would only say it if he meant it, and he hadn’t then. But Katie…

  “Boss, you have messages.” She handed him a stack of pink papers.

  “No one does voicemail anymore?” He shook his head and took the sticky notes she held out to him. “Thanks. I’ll be in my office.” Curiosity piqued, he jogged up the stairs. The messages were from his grandfather’s attorney, his mother, and Ian. His heart thumped hard. Ian was his best buddy, and he never called. His eyes roamed over the paper looking for a message. It only said to call.

  He punched in the number.

  “Thanks for calling so fast.”

  “No problem. What’s wrong?”

  “Why do you think something’s wrong?”

  “You never call.”

  “I couldn’t get you off my mind. Is everything okay there?”

  “Things are fine.”

  “You sure? It’s not like me to have such a strong feeling to call a person.”

  “Well actually, I’ve been struggling with something.” Ray glanced toward his office door to make sure it was closed. “I need to tell Katie I love her, and I’m not sure how to.”

  “Do you love her?”

  “It’s crazy, but yeah. I think I do. I’ve never felt this way before.” He hadn’t realized until now how much he’d miss not having Katie in his life, and it wasn’t only because she made his life easier by cooking his meals and taking care of Emily. She was sweet, funny, complex, filled with surprises, and so much more. He’d never imagined falling in love so fast or so completely, but he had. Joy leapt through him.

  “You there, Ray?”

  “Yeah. Did I miss something?”

  Ian chuckled. “Only a long speech on the benefits of romancing your wife and making sure you tell her you love her.”

  “But what if she doesn’t love me back?”

  “I shouldn’t tell you this, but Brandi told me she thinks Katie has had a crush on you for a long time. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s loved you for a while.”

  “She mentioned something about having a crush on me.”

  “Then what are you waiting for?”

  Ray’s face heated. “I hear you. Thanks for the call. Is everything all right on your end?”

  “Things here are great. We’re settling into life as a married couple and have even made some friends.”

  “I’m glad. Thanks for the advice. I’ll let you go.” A sudden idea struck him. He had a lot to do.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Katie sat across from Emily in her bedroom. A teapot rested in the center of the child-sized table, covered with the makings for a tea party. “Would you like one lump or two?” She held mini tongs in between her thumb and pointer finger over a tiny dish of sugar lumps.

  “Two please.” Emily sat prim and proper. “May I have a sandwich also please?”

  “Of course. Help yourself.”

  Emily reached for a crust-free wedge of peanut butter and jelly. Not high-tea fare, but for a four-year-old, it was perfect.

  Katie would stick with her bowl of fresh berries doused with whipped cream.

  “Mommy and me had tea parties, too. Only she made tea cakes.”

  Katie grinned. “You had a good mommy.” She brought a teacup to her lips.

  “I know. Is your mommy good, too?”

  Katie stopped with the cup poised mid-air. “She didn’t used to be, but she is trying to be now.” She’d given her mother a lot of thought over the past several days and had come to the conclusion that she’d been wrong when she said they couldn’t have a fresh start.

  There was nothing stopping them from moving forward as mother and daughter from where they were now so long as she could accept Ray as Katie’s husband and stop trying to find fault with him. Being here with Emily like this made her realize even more what she’d missed by not having her mother in her life. She didn’t want to lose out any longer. Granted, her mom would never have put on a tea party, but it wasn’t too late to try. She wanted a relationship with her mom, but could she trust her?

  “Trying is the first step in doing,” Emily said.

  Katie grinned. “Yes. It is, isn’t it?”

  Where had Emily heard that? She was too young to come up with it on her own. Then again, she could very well be wise beyond her years. Especially considering the huge amount of time she spent around adults.

  Katie placed the teacup onto its matching saucer. Trying is the first step. Although she would never forget her past and the hurt and pain her mom caused, that wasn’t a bad thing. Those memories helped form her into the woman she was now and gave her enough caution to use good sense where relationships were concerned.

  “I wish I could have a tea party with my mommy. You’re so lucky to have a mommy again. And I have you now.”

  A lump formed in Katie’s throat. Emily didn’t have a choice whether to see her mom again or not, but Katie did. She didn’t want to have any regrets. But she would proceed with caution. “You are a very wise little girl.”

  “I am?” Emily’s face brightened. “Thanks.”

  Katie tapped her niece’s nose. “Eat up.”

  Emily giggled. “You’re wise, too, Aunt Katie.” She took a big bite of her sandwich and chewed. A smile lit her big brown eyes.

  The little girl cemented a place in Katie’s heart right alongside her uncle. She knew exactly what she needed to do.

  Later that same evening, Katie sat with her computer on her lap and pecked out her first letter to her mother. She needed to know that Ray was innocent of what she’d accused him.

  Dear Mom, let’s plan to meet once a month in Seattle. We can go sightseeing and get to know one another as adults. Believe it or not, it took a four-year-old to help me realize that I want to get to know you.

  In case you’re wondering, Ray is not the man you believe him to be. The woman in the picture is our wedding photographer. She had a special photo printed as a gift for us, and Ray gave her a hug to thank her. I hope this will satisfy your issue with my husband, and you will not interfere again. He is a good man, and he would like to get to know you.

  Katie

  “It’s up to you now, Mom,” she whispered and prayed she wouldn’t be disappointed.

  Ray rang the doorbell at his mother’s house.

  The door swung open, and she stood there with a raised brow. “This is a surprise. Come in.”

  “Thanks. We need to talk.”

  She frowned
and led the way to the living room. Mom perched on the edge of her favorite chair and raised her chin.

  He sat on the sofa. “I love Katie, and you need to accept that. I’m sorry you met her under bad circumstances, but to be completely honest, our relationship sneaked up on me, or I would have introduced you sooner. We’ve known each other for a long time but only recently decided to marry.”

  “Why the rush?”

  “Grandfather’s will. I had to marry before my twenty-eighth birthday.”

  She sighed. “I forgot about that silly clause. So is this only a marriage of convenience?”

  He shook his head. “No. I’ll admit it was at first, but I love her, and so does Emily. I want you to give Katie a chance. I believe if you would, you’d see the qualities in her that I see, and you would grow to love her as I have.”

  Mom looked down at her folded hands. “Okay. It’s difficult to fault the girl, considering she had your best interest at heart.”

  Relief surged though him, and he shot to his feet. He gave her a hug. “Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

  She chuckled and patted his back. “I think I have an inkling. But how does Katie feel about me? I was…harsh with her.”

  “I think if you would apologize, that would help.”

  She nodded. “If I promise to be on my best behavior, will you come for dinner on your birthday?”

  He stepped back. “I’ll need to check with Katie. I don’t know if she has anything planned yet.” He hadn’t given his birthday much thought. But if Katie didn’t want to come, he wouldn’t push it. Mom would probably never be her favorite person, but if they could at least get along, he’d be happy.

  “Fair enough.”

  This went so much better than he’d expected. With his plan fully set in motion, he headed to his car where he had a big surprise stashed.

  The house looked dark from the outside. Katie held tightly to Emily’s hand as they walked along the driveway. Where was Ray? They normally rode home together in the evenings, but when she’d shown up at The Ring, he’d been gone. Concern edged out her irritation that he hadn’t at least called to let her know they’d need to ride the bus.

  She unlocked the door and pushed into the kitchen. “Hello? Ray, are you here?” Soft music played upstairs. What was going on?

  “I’m hungry,” Emily said.

  Katie’s stomach rumbled. “Me, too. How about you go play in your room while I make dinner?”

  “Okay.” She paused beside the counter. “Can I have a cookie?” She wrapped her arms around her belly. “I’m super hungry.”

  Katie grinned and went to the fridge. “Wash your hands. Then have a seat at the table. I’ll cut up a few apple slices for you. You may have a cookie after dinner.” She washed the organic apple, sliced it, then handed it to Emily who frowned.

  “I want a cookie.”

  “I heard. You may have one after dinner.”

  “I want it now!” She crossed her arms and stomped her foot.

  “What’s this?” Ray strolled into the room and scooped Emily into his arms. He wore a suit and tie.

  “I’m hungry, and Aunt Katie won’t let me have a cookie.”

  “You know what. I have dinner ready for us upstairs.”

  Katie raised a brow. “You do? What’s the occasion?”

  He only grinned. “After dinner, Emily is going to spend the night with Grandma and Aunt Hailey.”

  Katie’s gaze shot to his face. “Why?”

  He only grinned.

  Something was definitely up. Ray looked ready to burst. They’d never eaten upstairs before except for when he brought breakfast or hot chocolate to her room. She followed Ray and Emily as they climbed the stairs.

  Ray led them to their niece’s bedroom where he had three place settings at the child-sized table. A tray sat on the floor beside it. “Tonight’s special is macaroni and cheese. And for the mademoiselle gluten free mac and cheese.”

  Katie chuckled. “You made two types?”

  He nodded and placed the bowls on the table. He pulled out a chair and motioned for Emily to sit, and then he did the same for Katie. He dropped a cloth napkin onto each of their laps.

  Emily giggled as only a little girl can. “You’re so funny.”

  Ray waggled his brows, sat, and then offered a blessing for the food. “Eat up.”

  “You forgot to tell me I needed to catch the bus. We missed the bus and had to wait for the next.”

  “I’m sorry.” His brow furrowed, and the joy faded from his face. “I guess I was a little pre-occupied with planning this evening. I’ll do my best not to let that happen again.”

  She couldn’t stay angry. His puppy dog eyes were too adorable. “I forgive you.”

  “Good. Eat up. I know it’s not an amazing meal like you make, but it’s the best I could do today.”

  She took a bite. “It’s still hot. How’d you do that?”

  “I had it in the warming oven, and I was watching for you. When I saw you coming, I ran it up here. The bowls are hot, so be careful.”

  “It’s yummy!” Emily spooned a bite into her mouth. “Mac and cheese is my favorite.” She chewed fast and shoveled bite after bite into her mouth.

  Stupefied, Katie didn’t know what to do other than eat. Ray’s behavior was way past normal.

  The doorbell pealed. Emily sprang from her seat. “I’ll get it.” She charged from the room before either of them could stop her.

  Ray chuckled and stood. “I have her bag packed. You want to grab her favorite blanket and pillow?”

  “Sure.” Curiosity ate at her. Whatever he had planned must be big since he wanted Emily out of the house for the night. Oh! Her eyes widened, and her stomach knotted.

  Ray headed for the door and looked over his shoulder. He stopped. “What’s wrong? Did the food not settle? You look like you might be sick.” He paced toward her and felt her forehead.

  “I’m fine. Just very curious about what you’re up to.”

  He ran his hand up and down her arm. “Stop worrying. It’s all good. We’d better get downstairs in case that wasn’t Hailey at the door.”

  “Good point.” She jetted past him and hustled down the stairs somewhat relieved by his words.

  Hailey held Emily. “Hey there.” She smiled and put her niece down. “Did she finish eating dinner?”

  “I’m done.” Emily looked to Katie. “Can we take cookies with us?”

  “Sure, if Aunt Hailey says it’s okay.”

  “Of course. I’ve heard good things about your cookies. In fact, Emily tells me they don’t taste funny at all.” She wrinkled her nose and made a silly face at her niece.

  “That’s because they’re gluten free.”

  Hailey nodded. “Let’s get going.”

  Katie handed Hailey Emily’s stuff. “Have fun.” She crouched low and opened her arms.

  Emily flung herself against Katie and squeezed hard. “I love you, Aunt Katie.”

  “Love you, too. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Okay.” Emily hugged Ray then grasped Hailey’s hand.

  Ray locked up after them then turned to face Katie. “I have a surprise for you.”

  “I figured. Am I dressed okay?” She took in his suit and worried her bottom lip.

  “There’s no dress code, but you could change if you’d like.”

  Well, there was no way she was going to wear the jeans and t-shirt she had on when he wore a suit. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” She raced up to her bedroom then yanked open the closet door. She wasn’t a clotheshorse, so her options were limited. She wanted to wear a dress, but her only options were the dress she wore to their wedding, or a dainty black sundress. It was a little cool for a sundress, but she could put a shawl over it. She quickly changed, touched up her makeup, then slipped into a pair of kitten heels.

  A light knock sounded on her door. “Are you decent?”

  “Yes. I’m coming.” She opened the door and gasp
ed. “You got me a corsage?” Delicate red and white mini rose buds were nestled in a bed of greenery and baby’s breath.

  “You look beautiful.” He slipped the floral creation onto her wrist then offered his arm. “I hope you’ll enjoy this evening.”

  “Well, you’ve certainly gotten it off to a great start.” She couldn’t imagine what he had planned. Especially considering they’d already eaten.

  Ray’s heart pounded. This was it. His big chance to let Katie know his heart. He led them downstairs, through the kitchen and out the back door.

  “Where are we going?”

  “To the garage apartment.”

  She tilted her head to the side. “Okay?”

  He grinned at the question in her voice. “Trust me.”

  “I do.”

  He saw the truth to her words in her eyes and grinned. “I’m glad.” Trust was a big step for her, and he counted himself blessed. He wouldn’t break that trust either. He pushed the door open then scooped Katie into his arms.

  She squealed. “What are you doing?”

  “Carrying you over the threshold. We skipped this the night we were married.” He knew she was petite, but having her in his arms like this confirmed it. He placed her beside the door then flicked on the light. Soft music filled the apartment.

  Katie gasped. “What did you do?”

  He looked around the room and grinned. “It’s a proper wedding reception. I know ours was a disappointment so I tried to create one that you would like, only without the guests. He looked around the space and took in the twinkle lights hanging from the ceiling. Hailey had been a huge help this afternoon when he’d called and explained what he wanted to do.

  “You got us a real wedding cake.” She waltzed over to the table which held a round, two-tier white wedding cake decorated with edible pearls. “It’s so elegant. I love it.” She whirled around to face him. Her face glowed in the soft lighting.