Love At Last (Lily's Story, Book 3) (32 page)

“How is the move going?” Trish asked me. “Have you gotten settled in?”

I turned to face her, straining to listen for any conversation between Marcus and Chelsea. “Pretty much. It’s feeling like home already.” I needed to have a conversation with her about me and Marcus, and soon. “In fact, why don’t you come over and see the place tomorrow? I can make us lunch.”

“Sure. That would be lovely.”

I heard Chelsea’s laughter from the adjoining room, and inwardly I cringed. Was Marcus flirting with her?

“Sounds like it’s going well in there,” Trish whispered.

I bristled at the implication.
That was my almost-fiancé in there
. Of course, Trish had no idea that Marcus had proposed to me, but
I
knew, and
he
knew. I hoped he wasn’t doing anything to lead Chelsea on, even unintentionally.

The two of them came back in the kitchen a moment later and Chelsea walked over to Trish and asked what she could do to help.
 

I looked at Marcus, and he was smiling, which made me frown. His gaze met mine, and when I narrowed my eyes, his lips quirked up into a knowing smile. I smiled back, knowing that even if he was friendly to Chelsea, in the end, he was mine. I vividly recalled the feel of his arms wrapped around me earlier that day and a shiver of longing raced through me.

“The meat’s ready,” Jeff said, poking his head into the kitchen.

“Thank you, honey,” Trish said. “I just need to put the rest of the food on the table.”

A moment later we all trooped into the dining room. The table was set for five, with two chairs on each end, two chairs on one side of the table, with one chair across from that.

“Chelsea and Marcus, why don’t you sit over here?” Trish asked, her hands on the backs of the two chairs that sat adjacent to each other. “And Lily can sit across from you.”

I felt like the third wheel in Trish’s little matchmaking attempt, but rather than protest that Marcus was with me, I gamely walked toward the side I’d been assigned.

“I think it would be better if I sat next to Lily,” Marcus said.
 

Everyone looked at him, and Trish’s expression of irritation was unmistakable.

“That way I can help with Natalie,” he said, smiling sweetly.

Everyone was silent for a minute, but how could Trish object to that? Chelsea nodded, but her smile dimmed noticeably.

“Lily?” Marcus said, holding out the chair he wanted me to sit in.

Holding back a triumphant smile, and with Natalie in my arms, I walked over to the chair. Marcus helped me get seated and I murmured my thanks. Then he sat next to me, leaving Chelsea stranded in the lone chair across from us.

Dinner was delicious and the conversation was pleasant, though knowing Trish’s plans, I thought she seemed subdued. When it was time to leave, I walked over to Trish and thanked her for dinner.

“You’re welcome,” she said, then she leaned toward me and whispered, “Next time we’ll have to have a better plan for you-know-what.”

I forced a smile on my face and thought,
Next time Chelsea won’t be here
. “So I’ll see you tomorrow?” I said.

“Yes.”

As Marcus drove us away from his parents’ house, he sighed, then said, “Well, that was interesting.”

I laughed. “Has that happened before?”

“Yeah. A couple of times. I shouldn’t have been surprised.” He glanced at me. “I guess I’d kind of forgotten about her over the last couple of days.”

I grinned, knowing I’d been the one to make him forget.

A short time later we pulled into my driveway and Marcus walked with me into the house, then helped me put Natalie to bed. After tucking a blanket around her, I gave her a kiss, then stepped back. To my pleasure, Marcus leaned down and gave her a kiss as well.
 

“Good night, sweet Natalie,” he whispered, then he took my hand and led me into the family room.

As we walked, my heart felt so full of love for him, I couldn’t imagine being any happier. “I want to get married right away,” I blurted out.

He stopped and spun towards me, his face lighting up. “Really?”

I nodded as tears pricked my eyes. “Yes.”

He pulled me close. “Oh, Lily. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too,” I said against his shoulder.

He pulled back and looked at me, his hands on my arms. “We need to tell my parents.” He laughed. “Then my mother will stop pushing Chelsea at me.”

My smile faded a bit. “I need to tell you something.”

Wariness replaced the look of joy on his face, and he released me. “What?”

At that moment I decided I needed to be honest with him. He was going to be my husband. It wasn’t right for me to keep anything from him. “I invited your mom over for lunch tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

“Marcus, a week ago your mother had me over for lunch, and she told me not to tell you that I wasn’t seeing Cameron anymore.”

His head jerked back. “What? Why would she do that?”

“She told me you were dating Chelsea and that I should discourage you from spending time with me because the time you spent with me was becoming an issue in your relationship with Chelsea.” It felt great to get that out into the open. I didn’t want to keep any secrets from him.

He looked from side to side, obviously upset by the lies his mother had told me, then he looked at me. “I’m going to go over there right now and set her straight.”

I grabbed his arm. “No, Marcus. This is why I didn’t tell you before. I don’t want you to be angry with your mother.”

“Lily, how can you be so forgiving?” His eyes softened, and he reached out and stroked my face. “That’s one thing I love about you. One of many.”

I pressed my cheek against his hand, loving his touch.

“You shouldn’t have to deal with this,” he said, moving his hand to my arm and rubbing it with his thumb. “This is between my mother and me.”

“I know, but please try to understand. I don’t have a mother, and I like your mother.” My eyes filled with tears as I spoke. “I want her to be like a mother to me.” I took a deep breath, getting myself under control. “Let me talk to her tomorrow first.”

He gazed at me. “Okay. But don’t let her push you around. She doesn’t like it when things don’t go her way.” He paused. “Are you going to tell her we’re getting married?”

I shook my head. “I’ll just tell her we’re dating. If I tell her we’re getting married, I think that might be too much, don’t you?”

He laughed. “We’ll have to tell her sooner or later.”

“I know.” I smiled. “Baby steps.”

He drew me into his arms, and as I tilted my face to his, his lips sank toward mine. Our kiss became more passionate and I felt myself getting lost in the sensations swirling through my body. Gently, I pushed away from him, and gazed into his eyes.

“I think we need to get married soon,” he said, his voice husky.

It was the same thing Trevor had told me, but this time I nodded, wanting nothing more than to make him my husband.

“I think I’d better go now,” he said. “I’ll come over after work tomorrow and you can give me a full report on your meeting with my mother.”

“Yes.” I smiled. “And then we can grout the backsplash.”

He laughed. “Yes, that too.”

I walked him to the door, and after he gave me a quick kiss on the lips, he left.

The next day I worked all morning to make a lunch that rivaled the meals Trish had served, and when she arrived, I felt a mixture of pride in the lunch I’d prepared, and nervousness about the conversation I was about to have with her.

“Hello, Trish,” I said, inviting her in.

 
“Your house looks great, Lily.”

“Thanks. Come see the tile that Marcus and I put in.”

She followed me into the kitchen. “It looks wonderful.”

“We put the backsplash in yesterday, and this evening we’ll grout it.”

“I like the colors you picked.”

“Thanks.”

“Is Natalie sleeping?”

“Yes.” I paused. “Do you want to sit down?”

“Sure.”

We sat on the couch in the family room. “Dinner was delicious last night,” I said. “You’re a really good cook.”

She smiled under the compliment. “Thank you.”

We sat down to lunch and we talked about random things, but in the back of my mind, I wondered how to bring up the real reason for inviting her over. The opportunity presented itself at the end of the meal when Trish said, “I hope it wasn’t awkward for you when Marcus insisted on sitting next to you at dinner last night. I know you want to help him get to know Chelsea.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

I chewed the inside of my lip, and my heart raced.
This is it
. “That’s actually one reason I invited you over. To talk about Chelsea.”

Her eyebrows rose in question.

“You see,” I began, “Marcus told me he isn’t interested in Chelsea.”

“He just needs to get to know her better,” she said, interrupting me.

I shook my head. “It’s more than that. He’s seeing someone else.”

Her forehead creased. “No. I don’t think that’s true. Did he tell you that?”

I couldn’t hold back a smile. “He didn’t have to.”

“Then you’re imagining things, Lily.” She picked a piece of lint off of her slacks, then looked at me. “I hope you’re not pining after something that’s out of your reach.”

My mouth fell open at the bold insult.

“I’m sorry to be so blunt,” she said. “But you need to know the truth. I know you’ve had a hard time of it, but I don’t think you’re the best fit for Marcus. He has a great future ahead of him, and you, well, you’re a single mother and you’re only, what, twenty-one? You’ve already been married, for heaven’s sake.”

The things she said about me were true—except about not being a good fit for Marcus. Or was she right about that too? Flustered now, I said the only thing that came to mind. “We’re getting married.” My hand flew to my mouth as I realized what I’d said, and I wished I could suck the words back in.

She recoiled. “What?” After only a second, her expression smoothed out, and her smile held pity. “I know he’s a wonderful man, but you need to accept that he is just not the man for you.” She frowned, but the look held compassion. “I know it’s hard to be alone, but that’s just the way things are for you. It’s not fair to Marcus to drag him into your drama.” Her voice softened. “Let your fantasy go, Lily. You’ll be happier in the end if you just accept reality.”

I shook my head. The conversation wasn’t going the way I’d planned at all. “Trish, it’s you who doesn’t understand. Marcus
proposed
to me.” I smiled. “And I accepted.”

She shook her head, obviously in complete denial. “I don’t believe it. He would have talked to Jeff and me about it first.” She laughed, but it sounded forced. “I mean, he’s never even told us that he’s interested in you.”

“Well, we love each other. And we’re going to be married.”

“I don’t believe this,” she murmured, almost to herself.
 

I frowned as I watched her.

She looked at me, plainly upset. “Thank you for lunch, Lily.” Then she stood, grabbed her purse from the couch, and rushed out the front door.

“Great,” I said out loud. I called Marcus’s cell phone, but got his voice mail. “Your mother just left,” I said. “I’m sorry, but I let it slip that we’re getting married.” I paused. “She didn’t take it well. Call me when you can.”

I put the phone in my back pocket and began cleaning up the kitchen, wondering what Trish was going to do now.

I didn’t hear back from Marcus until late that afternoon, and when he called, it was obvious that he was feeling stressed.

“I hate to say it, but I wish you hadn’t told my mother that we’re getting married.”

“I’m really sorry, Marcus, but it just slipped out.” I didn’t want to tell him the rude things his mother had said to me, so I left it at that.

He sighed. “She came to see me here at the office, and she was all worked up. Went on and on about me not rushing into anything. I finally got her to calm down, and I had to call my dad to have him come and get her.” He paused. “It’s kind of a mess right now.”

Alarm bells rang in my mind. “What do you mean?”

“I just got off the phone with my dad. After he brought her home he went back to work, and apparently he came home to check on her, and when she saw him she started getting worked up again. Then she fainted and hit her head and he brought her to the hospital to have her head looked at. I’m on my way over there now.” He laughed. “I guess we won’t be grouting tonight.”

“Oh, Marcus. I’m so sorry. If I’d had any idea she would react like this, I never would have told her.”

“It’s not your fault. My mother can be a little . . . high strung.” He paused. “I’m just pulling into the parking lot now. I’ll call you later.”

“Okay.”

I set the phone on the counter, then sat on the floor in front of Natalie. She was playing with some toys I’d set out, and I looked at her sadly. “No Marcus tonight, baby girl.”

She smiled up at me, her blue eyes shining.

I spent the rest of the evening going back and forth between playing with Natalie and worrying about Trish. After I put Natalie to bed, I sat on the couch and thought about Trish and her reaction. Did she really think I was so beneath him that the news of us marrying would make her faint? Was she right? Did all the mistakes I’d made and the things I’d been through make me a poor choice of wife for Marcus?
 

Was I not good enough for him?
My heart sank at the thought. I loved him so much, how could I even consider pushing him away? But if I truly loved him, shouldn’t I do what was best for him, regardless of what I wanted, and make sure he was with a woman who was worthy of him?

The thought of letting him go made me breathless, and as I imagined telling him good-bye for the last time, a wave of dizziness swept over me and I had to lie down. Greta pressed her nose against my hand, urging me to come and play, but I pushed her away. Insistently, she licked my hand, then moved up to my face.

“Stop it,” I said listlessly, my heart already breaking as I contemplated what it would be like if Marcus was no longer in my life. I contrasted the way I felt then with the way I’d felt only the day before. Then, life had held so much promise—Marcus and I wanted to get married as soon as we could. Now, it all seemed in jeopardy. Not because of Trish, exactly, but because of the doubts she now placed in my mind.