The Wedding Wager (24 page)

But he was fast. He blocked it with his boot.

“Megan, please let me in.”

“Your father made everything extremely clear,” she said. “I know I signed on to be your temporary bride, and it’s not your fault I let myself fall for you. But I thought you fell for me, too! I thought you really cared about me. Now I know the truth. You were just proving to your father that you can be as mean and thoughtless as he is!”

“No, no! That’s not the truth, I swear.” Kevin stepped inside and pushed the cabin door shut behind him. “So, we guessed right. When Karla told us how upset you were, mother immediately thought my father had cornered you and said something to upset you.” He stepped toward her, but she backed away.

“You told me up front that this was a job, a business deal,” she said. “You would pay my medical bills, and in return I would help you fulfill the obligations of the family trust. I was an idiot to pretend it was more than that.”

“No, Megan, I’m the idiot. I fell for you hard. I couldn’t even sleep with you in Reno after we got married because I cared so much about you that I wanted you to love me before we actually touched each other. I wanted to make love to you, not have sex with you.”

His words stopped her cold. “Do you mean that?” she whispered.

“Yes,” he whispered back. He took another step forward. She was pressed against the wall of the cabin now and could retreat no further.

“What did he say to you?”

“He told me you were more like him than he ever suspected. He said you fooled me, just like he fooled your mother.”

“That bastard!”

“And he, he, he,” she stuttered, not sure about whether to share the rest.

“Go on,” said Kevin gently.

“He said he has proof you’re not fulfilling the requirements of the trust and he can prevent you from inheriting. He’s reported my medical bills to a collection agency! And if you’re as broke as I am, and I stay, then you’ll be burdened with those bills, too! So I was thinking the best thing I could do for you is leave. Get an annulment.”

“No!”

Kevin opened his arms, and Megan stepped into them.

“You can’t leave me. And I won’t let you have an annulment. I love you, Megan. My father was lying. He was playing on your worst fears. Patrick Wong has been spying for him, and he told him about the prenup. You’ve never been in debt, so you don’t know how these things work. He was saying whatever it took to get you to run. I know enough about his business to know he can’t just make a phone call and put you on a collection agency list. Only the hospital could do that. And thanks to you, come Monday, I will be a very wealthy man. Even if his lawyers take our lawyers to court, he doesn’t have a leg to stand on. We were married in Reno!”

Megan leaned back to look in his eyes. “I don’t think he knows that. His spy only caught up to us in Tahoe. He didn’t know about our stop at the courthouse.”

“Well, that’s even better. He’ll show up tomorrow at the wedding expecting to gloat and hold it over my mother.”

“Does she know about Reno?”

“I’ve been trying to tell her. Even during our meeting with her legal team, those guys just keep talking. I still haven’t had a chance to let her know.”

He took gentle hold of Megan’s arms. “Even if the worst happens, we stand a good chance in court. But it doesn’t matter. Rich or poor, I have to have you in my life. Please say you’ll stay.”

“Oh, Kevin! I almost made a huge mistake!”

He kissed her forehead, then her cheeks, then her chin. “No, I’m the one who made the mistake. Megan, my old man can have it all. I don’t care. I just want you.”

“Oh, me, too!” She kissed him back, planting her lips across the bridge of his nose. Her breath was coming in quick little gasps, but she couldn’t stop talking. “I want you, too! I don’t care about the money. I’m a good waitress. I’ll get a job and start paying my medical bills, a little every month. They’ll just have to settle for that.”

“I’ll help you. I promised I’d pay them, and we’re married. I’m your husband, and I’ll find a way. You won’t have to worry alone.”

At last their lips found each other and speech was impossible. Megan surrendered to Kevin’s arms. With one hand, Kevin reached out and closed the curtains over the cabin’s single window.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

Friday, June 29

MEGAN LAY BACK
on the sheets
and sighed with pleasure.

“You all right?” Kevin lay beside her and traced one finger along her collar bone.

“I am so relaxed, I can hardly talk.”

“What’s that? You’re mumbling,” teased Kevin.

Megan grinned. “Call me Mrs. Wake.”

“Yep, we’re finally man and wife for real.”

Megan thumped him gently with her hand. “I mean, literally. Say it out loud for me.”

“Oh.” Kevin tried to wipe the afterglow off long enough say formally, “Mrs. Wake.”

“Now say, Announcing Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Fineman Wake.”

He brushed his lips against her bare shoulder and murmured, “Announcing Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Fineman Wake.”

Megan giggled.

“Now say, You’re so hot I could die.”

Kevin laughed.

“Hey, that’s not funny,” said Megan, forcing a pout. “Don’t you think I’m hot?”

“Of course I do. I just think it’s funny that your first official act as my wedded and bedded wife is to put words in my mouth like a ventriloquist.”

“Not like a ventriloquist,” objected Megan. “My lips are moving.” She pushed her lips toward him and move them from side to side.

Kevin rolled onto his back and laughed again.

Megan smiled. “Laughing is good. Not very romantic, but good.”

“Don’t worry,” said Kevin. “It will get romantic again very soon.” This time when he laughed, it was a deep sexy rumble.

Megan giggled. “I’m just so relaxed. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this mellow in my life.” She sighed and threw one arm over her head. The sheets on the bed were very expensive, and that meant high thread count, and that meant slippery. Megan had no idea she was so close to the edge of the bed. The momentum of her arm started a slide that neither of them realized would take her off the edge until she landed, thump! on the cabin floor.

Kevin rushed to her aid. “Are you okay?”

Megan came up stark naked and laughing.

When it was clear she was okay, Kevin began laughing, too.

At last, Megan crawled back up on the bed. “What time is it? Heck, what
day
is it?”

They looked at each other and gasped.

“Our wedding day!” they chorused.

Kevin put a hand on her arm to keep her from bolting out of bed. “It’s only a ceremony.”

“I know, but your mother! Your little brother! He’s wearing a suit for us, Kevin. That is huge.”

Kevin looked miserable. “I was thinking more along the lines of my father.”

Megan made a face. “I’m sure he’ll think of some way to ruin the day.”

“Well, he won’t have that chance if we don’t show up, and think how pissed he’ll be about that.” Mischief gleamed in Kevin’s eyes.

“No way, Mister Wake. Missus Wake,” she pointed at herself, “wants this wedding. I know it’s your mother’s party, and I didn’t care one way or another when we first met. But now, there’s Zach and Keegan and Karla, not to mention Cookie’s buffet! I’m hungry.”

“Okay, okay, I guess we’re going to our wedding.” Kevin sounded resigned.

Megan picked up a pillow and bopped him with it.

They were laughing again, but Megan cut the pillow fight off. “There will be time for that tonight. We have to go! Your mother will be frantic.”

“And imagine the look on good old dad’s face when we actually show up together.” The anticipation goaded him into action. “Okay, let’s go. Shower, clothes, and coffee. Then we’ll head back. Hey, let me check the car. Maybe Jeff left some food in it.” He grabbed his keys, pulled his boots on and scampered naked to the Ford.

Alone for a moment, Megan sighed and clasped a pillow to her bare bosom. She buried her face in it. It smelled like Kevin. It smelled like love.

A small twinge of regret threatened to mar the day. As a girl she daydreamed about sharing her wedding day with her mother. Six days ago she wasn’t even sure she wanted to tell her mother what she was doing. Now she wished she’d wired that first thousand dollars to Guatemala with instructions and a map of Colorado. Of course, she’d had no idea then that Kevin would turn out to be the man of her dreams. The course of their romance was anything but ordinary. Even so, it hurt to know her mom wouldn’t be there. But she would make it up to her somehow. And if her father even cared, she’d make it up to him, too.

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

AFTER A QUICK SHOWER
, they dressed in a hurry, then took a decadent half hour to sip their coffee on the porch swing, watching the morning come alive. By eight o’clock they were on their way.

In half an hour, they were within sight of the house. Kevin spotted Zach emerging from the stable and gave a whistle.

Zach turned. When he spotted them, even from that distance they could see his smile. Zach lifted an arm in greeting, then headed back into the stable.

A few moments later, Keegan emerged, spotted them, and began to run toward them. On his heels were Chunky and Creamy, barking and frolicking.

“They’re here! They’re here!”

Megan slid out of the Ford and ran to greet Keegan and the pups. She hugged Keegan tight.

“I missed you, Megan” he said. “I was so afraid you were never coming back.” His eyes teared up.

“Hey, hey, no tears today! It’s my wedding day. We’re going to have fun, okay?”

“Okay.” He wiped his eyes and grinned. “Did you have breakfast?”

“No, and I’m starving!”

“Pancakes with peanut butter!”

Megan let him go and he ran for the big house.

Kevin slipped an arm around her. “You have the magic touch with Keegan.” He kissed her temple. “I love that about you.”

“I’d better go let your mother know I’m still here.”

“Go on in. I’ll join you soon. I’m starving.”

Zach was leaning against the side of the stable. “You two look good together.” He pulled his hat down a half inch in front, a cowboy’s salute.

Megan rushed back for a moment, long enough to plant a kiss on Zach’s cheek. “Remember our plan,” she whispered.

Zach said, “Yes, ma’am.”

She trotted off toward the house.

“What plan?” asked Kevin. “Are you keeping secrets with my wife?”

Zach winked at him. “I’m giving her away.”

“Thanks, Zach.” Kevin paused and stared down at his feet. “For everything.”

“I’ll see you up at the house. If you want breakfast, you’d better get a move on. It’s going on nine o’clock.”

Cookie was pouring batter on a big griddle. “Pancakes coming up. What about you, Kevin? You want pancakes? You’re going to need your strength.” Her rosy cheeks crinkled in a smile and she winked at him.

“Everyone seems to have something in their eyes today,” said Kevin. He joined Keegan at the table where the boy was pushing toy cars along the red-checked tablecloth. The Labs were tussling in the corner. “Where’s Megan?”

Keegan bounced back and forth in his chair. “She went to tell Krystal she’s come back to walk down the plank.”

“Down the aisle,” Cookie corrected. “Walk down the aisle, Keegan.”

Keegan shrugged.

Kevin said, “What do you think, Cookie? Should I go look for her?”

“I told her we’d give her ten minutes before we call the search and rescue team.”

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

MEGAN KNOCKED SOFTLY
on Krystal Wake’s door. This wing of the house filled her with nostalgia for a past that was never hers. It was so lovely here, with old wooden floors and thick woven rugs, and white lace curtains blowing softly in the morning breeze from the window at the end of the hall. The walls were decorated with family photos and faded tintypes, stern faces in costumes from another century, but the long narrow table beneath the photos was festooned with fresh cut flowers from Cookie’s garden. The effect was one of continuation and the passing on of a legacy. She didn’t hear the door open. Krystal’s soft voice startled her.

“You’ve come back.”

“Oh! Yes, I wanted to let you know everything is fine. Kevin and I are going to have breakfast and then dress for the ceremony.”

“Come in.” Krystal stepped aside to let Megan enter.

The bedroom was bright and airy. The bed had already been made, and it was covered with a faded quilt. An overstuffed chair in the corner looked even more inviting with a book open face down on the arm. The window was flanked by book cases, and a window seat spanned the space between them. A large pine armoire stood against the opposite wall with a tidy row of suitcases stored beside it.