Tempting Fate (48 page)

Well, money or jealousy and past mistakes aside, he was getting married to Maggie today.  He'd woken up with only one panic attack, which quickly faded as soon as Maggie and her mother, Rhonda, arrived at City Hall.

He'd had Michael pick them up in the limo, remembering what Maggie had said about limousines only driving down her street for weddings.  She wasn't going to have a traditional fanfare for this wedding.  It was the least he could do to make this day memorable in her mind. 

Introductions of his new mother-in-law to be moved from awkwardness to strained silence as they waited in the lobby for their turn with the justice of the peace.

“Is it going to happen here?  Right here in the lobby?” Rhonda asked, glancing around the bland surroundings.

“In the office,” Maggie said, staring down at the bouquet of white tea roses Jonah had just given her.  She looked like an angel, delicately touching the soft petals of a rose.  She wore a simple cream dress that hung almost to her ankles.  It was fitting in the bodice, accentuating her full breasts, but not revealing any cleavage, and fanned out, flowing over her hips.  She wore her hair pinned back in a twist of some sort, anchored with a large comb decorated with tiny pink and yellow flowers.  She was quite a contrast from the woman wearing a dried food stained waitress uniform the day they'd met.  He thought she was beautiful then, but it didn't compare to now.

And she was as nervous as he felt.  That much was evident by the way she tapped her cream pumps in a staccato rhythm on the beige tiled floor and kept glancing at the large numbered clock on the far wall.

Rhonda leaned close to Maggie and said in a whisper that was clearly meant for everyone to hear, “It's not right.  You should have married in the church.”

“Ssh.  Mom, we've been through this.”

Rhonda lifted her eyes to Jonah.  He would have taken venom from a rattle snake to the stare she'd cast him. 

“It's just not right.  A girl dreams of a real wedding.  You know, flowers and bridesmaids and...dried baked stuffed chicken at the reception that nobody wanted but her mother.”  Rhonda rose up high in her chair.  “You're marrying my daughter with no church wedding?  No honeymoon?  Is that how you plan to treat--”  

Maggie grabbed Rhonda's arm and stood just as the door to the Justice of the Peace's office opened.  “Mom, it's time.”

She turned to Jonah, peering up at him with her blue eyes wild with sudden excitement and a smile so sparkling it stole his breath away.  He had to tell himself to breathe.  It was easy to forget that this was just a marriage for show, that he and Maggie weren't really in love. 

And yet, her excitement was so contagious, he found himself getting dizzy himself.  Hooking his arm around hers, Jonah led her into the Justice of the Peace's office.

There was no aisle to walk down, no father of the bride to give her away and that made Maggie's reasons for marrying him abundantly clear.  The enormity of what they were embarking on crashed down around him.  Was this really worth it?  Marrying a stranger just to fulfill the insane wishes of an old man?

They recited their vows in utilitarian fashion, sitting down in front of the desk while the Justice presided.  When it came time to kiss his bride, Jonah was struck with a sense of guilt.  Everything about what they were doing seemed so sterile. 

Maggie hadn't asked for anything.  Although marriage had never played a part in his life plan, he knew that weddings and such were something women dreamed of.  Somehow it didn't seem right that he hadn't given her at least something more of a wedding for her to remember.

“Well?  What are you waiting for?” the Justice said.

Jonah looked at the Justice, then at Maggie.  

Standing on the opposite side of Maggie, Rhonda propped her fists on her hips.  “It's not legal in my book if you don't kiss the bride.”

Jonah couldn't help himself.  A quick kiss would have sufficed under the circumstances.  But Jonah couldn't help but let his mouth linger on Maggie's full, sweet lips.  She tasted of mint and smelled of lilac.  But not heavy like perfume, more clean, like the fragrance of soap.  No other part of them touched.  When he pulled away, he saw that her face was flush as he felt, and he wondered if the temperature gauge in the room had suddenly been turned up to 100 degrees.

“Welcome to the family, Jonah,” Rhonda said, her eyes heavy with unshed tears.  She lifted her finger and pointed to him, her venom stare slicing through him.  “You take good care of my daughter or I'll shoot you.”

* * *

“Wow,” was all Maggie could think of saying as she stepped out of the cool limousine into the steam bath afternoon when they arrived at Jonah's house.  His house.  Yeah, right, it looked more like a hotel, for cripes sakes.  The English Tudor style home was three stories high and ran the length of what looked the equivalent of city block. 

When they'd driven down the tree-lined driveway, she'd seen that there was a tiny courtyard in the back of the house leading into a garden filled with flowers in shades of rose, periwinkle, and bright yellow.

“It'll be much cooler inside the house.  The back verandah has a nice breeze, too.” 

She stared up at the mansion in front of her, then back at Jonah.  He thought she was talking about the heat.  

Jonah hooked his arm through hers and led her down the brick path leading to the front entryway.  She quickly glanced up at him, searching for...what?  She'd just married the man and what did she really know about him?  How could she expect him to reassure her that she hadn't just eaten some funky mushroom and was now plunging into Alice's Wonderland? 

As Jonah had promised, cool air hit her face immediately as she stepped through the foyer, which was like that of an atrium with a ceiling at least three stories high.  The wide stairway wound itself up on the both sides of the foyer.  Maggie marveled at the awesome dimension of the space.  You could practically fit her whole tenement in the foyer alone.

Panic froze her right to the marble floor.  She didn't belong here.  In a million years she'd never expected Jonah was this...rich.  Yeah, she knew he had money.  She knew he probably lived in a huge house and had his own driver to take him anywhere he wanted to go.  But she never expected…this.

Her attention was brought back to earth by introductions. 

“Mary runs the house.  She's also makes the best chocolate chip cookies in the world,” Jonah said with genuine affection.

Mary took the compliment with a smile and shrug.  “Congratulations, my dear,” Mary said.  Maggie bent over slightly to allow the shorter woman to give her a gentle squeeze.  It wasn't just the older woman's age, or the silver in her hair, but something about Mary reminded her of her grandmother.  Maggie closed her eyes as her heart squeezed with emotion.

“Please call me Maggie.”

Mary tugged at Maggie's chin with her fingers.  “If you need anything at all, you just see me.  I'm so happy to have you with us.”

The rest of the introductions to the staff were made quickly.  Maybe she was reading too much into it, but by Mary's lingering gaze and the quick glances of affection that past between her and Jonah it was clear that theirs was a long standing relationship.  Maybe living in this big house wouldn't be so lonely after all.  

The subtle scent of Jonah's aftershave filled her as he leaned closer.  “You look tired,” he said.  She looked up at him and suddenly felt wide awake.

“I am a little.  And I'm dying to get out of these shoes.”  She slipped out of one white pump and bathed her foot on the cool tile floor, suddenly relieved.

“Why don't you take a nap before dinner?  We normally eat around seven is that's okay with you.”

She nodded as Jonah draped his arms casually around her shoulder and led her to the stairway. 

Something was wrong, Maggie thought.  She was going up stairs to a strange bedroom with a man she hardly knew to take a nap. 

At the first step she stopped and spun around on her toes to face him.

“This is all wrong.  We rushed into this much too quickly.”

Jonah genuinely looked shocked.  Or maybe just a bit disappointed.  “You're having second thoughts about marrying me already?”

“No, we just should have discussed certain things in more detail.”

His look of bewilderment challenged her.  “For instance?”

Taking a deep breath, she tried to focus on the issue and not the sudden heat of Jonah and the alluring way his lingering aftershave stirred her, drawing her to him, and betraying what she was about to say.

“We never discussed sleeping arrangements.”

# # #

Chapter Six

Jonah stared eye to eye with Maggie as she stood on the bottom step.  She tilted her chin slightly, her body completely stiff.  She felt as if she were ready to slip on a pair of boxing gloves and have it out in the ring.  But she didn't care.  Some things just weren't for sale.  And they may as well get that settled right now.

Jonah's lips tipped up to an adorable grin that made her resolve waiver a tiny bit.  

“Maggie, when I asked you to share my name, that didn't include sharing my bed,” he said resolutely.  “I meant what I said about this marriage being in name only.”

“Oh,” she said on a sigh of relief. 

The heat in his eyes was unmistakable.  “Does that disappoint you?”

For a lingering minute, she just stared at him, her heart pounding.  Then she chuckled.  “Not at all.  Phew!”  Fanning herself, she added, “Now that that is taken care of, where do I go?” 

She spun around and started up the stairs again with Jonah following behind. 

Of course, Jonah hadn't expected her to climb into his bed.  What was she thinking?  He must think she's an idiot for even wondering.  Besides, in her condition, how could he possibly be thinking of…

  “Mary has taken the liberty of preparing a suite for you.”

He'd been talking to her and she didn't even realize it.  She quickly recovered and tossed him a crooked grin. 

“Only a whole suite?  I'm not sure that will be room enough for the massive wardrobe I plan on acquiring.”

Jonah's laugh was rich, the laugh lines around his eyes growing deep and transforming his whole face.

“You think I'm kidding?  Give me another month and you'll be seeing a whole new set of clothes on me with little tags that say Mother's Works or Great Expectations.  Real figure flatterers.”

As they reached the second floor landing, Maggie stepped aside and allowed Jonah to take the lead. 

“There is certainly ample room for as much clothing and anything else you care to store in the wardrobe.  The suite is a mirror image of my own, which is just across the hall.  It has a private sitting room and bath.  Come, I'll show you.”

The wide hallway was covered with plush carpet, she noticed as they passed various doorways leading to hidden rooms.  They stopped halfway down the hall in front of two wide paneled doors.  One of them was hers, and across from hers was Jonah's. 

It was like being dropped into a completely different world.  One thing Maggie already knew for sure, whatever lay on the other side of that door would be a far cry from the squeaky brass bed and threadbare quilt she had in her room back home.

Home.  She'd have to start thinking of this mansion, Jonah's house, as her home now, too.  At least for the next twelve months.  After that, she'd probably be returning to the top floor tenement where she'd been raised.  It would be a little like returning to Kansas from the Land of Oz.  But home was home, and even Dorothy knew she didn't really belong in Oz.  No matter how wonderful.

“Here we are,” Jonah said, pushing the dark stained oak door open. 

Maggie stepped in the room and Mary whisked passed her, immediately opening the drapes.

“I took the liberty of decorating the main bedroom,” Mary was saying.  “The sitting room is empty right now, but I'm sure you're going to want to decorate it for the baby.  I thought perhaps you'd want to have the baby close by in the beginning.  We can always move the wee-one to another room later.  Oh, and if you need any help at all shopping for nursery items, you just let me know, love.”

Jonah chuckled softly.  “Mary's been waiting to buy baby booties for as long as I've known her.  She's been positively beaming since I first mentioned you were pregnant.  I'm afraid your baby has another grandmother whether you like it or not.”

Maggie's hand instinctively went to her stomach and she felt the prickle of tears behind her eyelids.  If her grandmother were here...  “A child can never have too much love.”

“I agree.”

Mary's smile was radiant, as if the simple act of accepting her help with baby arrangements had made her entire day.  She glanced at Jonah, and again Maggie was caught by the look of affection they shared. 

“The sun rises on this side of the house.  I usually keep the drapes in my room drawn to keep the room cool.  I'll be getting dinner soon.  Shall I get you something to fill you in the meantime?”

Maggie shook her head.  Lately her appetite had doubled, but right now, she doubted she had the energy to even eat.

Maggie waited for Mary to leave before she spoke.  “Mary seems very nice.”

Jonah's smile was warm and telling.  “None better.”

“Did she work for you in England?”

He nodded.  “When I moved to America, I brought her here.  She's taken over some of the cooking, which she didn't do back in England, except for the occasional batch of cookies when I begged her.” 

His chuckle was soft and made Maggie wonder more about their relationship.  He'd probably been raised by a team of staff when he was a boy.  In many ways it was probably like the neighborhood she'd grown up in where everyone looked out for everyone's children.  

“Mary enjoys being domestic and working in the garden.  Her room is just down the hall, next to yours and shares the same view of her garden out back.  Make no mind about it, Mary runs the show around here.”

“I'll keep that in mind.” 

Maggie already decided she was going to like Mary.  In some small way, Mary reminded Maggie of her grandmother.  That made coming to live in Jonah's house feel a little bit like home.