Celia's Knight (California Love Trilogy Book 3)

by Samantha Lovern

  Mike turned to her with a sad smile. “I figure you take it one step at a time and try to count your blessings.”

  “That’s a good way to look at life.”

  They didn’t say anything while Mike parked the car and they went into the restaurant. Once they were seated and the waitress had brought their menus, Mike kept the conversation going.

  “Staying on track, if you said ‘no’ to kids, what would the reason be? Health reasons? You want your freedom? You don’t like kids?”

  Celia laughed, but gave it serious consideration. “It’s because they complicate everything. You have to be dedicated. It’s a lot of work, and I’ll be honest, I’m not sure I’m up for the stress of taking other people’s lives into my hands. I wouldn’t want to be a bad mother. People have kids and scar them for life when they don’t get it right.”

  “Good point. Look at us. Our parents didn’t abuse us, they fed us, took care of us, but we’re both . . .”

  “Messed up?” she asked, laughing.

  “I wasn’t going to say that, but my life doesn’t mirror their life so I feel I’m off the mark from what they wanted for me.”

  Celia nodded. “I think we put way to much stock into looking to the past to see what today is supposed to be like. My parents, as we’ve discussed, didn’t have the kind of love they wanted, but they did the best with what they had.”

  “Is that enough for you?”

  “No. I might not get it all, but I want to be happy.”

  “Are you happy now, with us?” Mike asked.

  That was a huge question and she wanted him to understand her reply. “I’m not answering this as quickly as it seems. I asked myself the same question. Yes, I’m happy. It’s one reason I was able to apologize to Martin, and why I was able to wish him well, and mean it.”

  Mike moved his hand across the table. “Then we’re on the same page and we can keep turning pages to see what happens next. The more talks like this we have the better we’ll understand each other.”

  Celia accepted his hand with a smile. “So you’re okay with kids, or no kids? You don’t have this dream where you have X, Y and Z planned, and if you don’t get this or that, you move on?”

  “No. I don’t dream that big or that far in advance. I want someone to spend my days and nights with. I’m tired of being alone.”

  “So you have no absolutes?”

  “Yes. I want a woman,” he said, and they both laughed. When the waitress started toward the table, Celia shook her head ‘no’ that they weren’t ready to order. She didn’t want to have to dig back into this conversation later. She wanted to get this out in the open - now.

  “Seriously,” she said, reaching her other hand to Mike and giving him a soft smile. “Where do you see yourself in five years? What do you want out of life?”

  Mike looked at their hands. “I want this. I want someone on the other side of the table. I want someone I can talk to. I’d like someone to go camping with now and then. I want to try new things. I want to share birthdays and anniversaries. I’d like someone to cook for me now and then, someone to tell me when I’ve had a bad day that tomorrow will be better.”

  “Camping sounds like the worst thing on that list. And I will warn you, I don’t love cooking.”

  “You didn’t mind fixing me breakfast the other day.”

  Celia smiled. “That was just a sandwich.”

  “It wasn’t what you fixed it was the fact that you thought about me. What about you? What do you want?”

  Celia gave this some thought and knew she might as well be as honest as possible. “I want to work or do something with my time that’s valuable. Animals belong on the outside, if they’re taller than this,” she said, measuring about six inches. “I want to travel. My family will be a part of my life, and this is going to sound strange, but I hate cleaning so I’m going to need a maid.”

  Mike laughed and brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of her hand gently. “I’m so glad that you can laugh at yourself.”

  Celia shrugged and nodded this time for the waitress to come to take their order. She looked at Mike and smiled, picking up her menu. “I might as well. Laughing is better than crying any day.”

  Chapter 72

  The Right Man

  The conversation was all over the place during dinner. Celia was opening up and Mike could see things progressing as he had hoped. They talked for a good ten minutes about Martin and Randi’s wedding. Celia told him that it seemed like years had passed where Randi was concerned. She had laughed about how strange it was to talk to Martin, and that for the first time, she hadn’t felt angry when she saw Randi.

  Mike was glad that this part of their life was going to be in the past. He supposed that people could manage to overcome anything. He knew his mother would say God was behind all good things that happened, and if so, that was fine with him.

  They ate dinner, laughed and talked, and then as he’d promised, he took her dancing. Celia had finally decided what her part of their agreement would be – dancing lessons. And, they were paying off. His story about Patricia Owens and the prom had planted the thought in her mind, and about ten weeks after the accident, she presented the idea to him. He did not object.

  Celia was light as a feather and it felt good to hold her in his arms. He hoped she felt as he did - that they were becoming a couple . . . with nothing but good days ahead of them.

  She was working three days a week and had sold one car. He could definitely see promise and knew that with more experience, she might just make a good salesperson. They were on their way back to her apartment when he brought up the topic of her brother.

  “I’ll admit that I hired Roger just to try to keep you here in California, but that young man is a worker. I can see that he is going to bring us a lot of new business with his Internet commercials and the websites.”

  Celia laughed. “Mom said that you did that to keep me here, but I didn’t know. I’m glad it paid off. You’ve really helped my family even if you did have an ulterior motive.”

  Mike pulled his car into the apartment complex, and for the first time, regretted taking a sports car off the lot. There would be no room for hugging and kissing but most evenings she would invite him in and they would sit on her couch and fool around. They had not moved to the bedroom, and though he had no idea what her plans were, whatever her choice was would be fine with him.

  She seemed to read his mind and touched the back of his hand. “Are you ready to head home?”

  “No. I have a gift but I’d rather we do that inside.”

  “Sure. Come around and hold the door, big boy, and help me out of this fancy car. This little gal is tired, and these doors are small.”

  “Sorry about that. Next time we’ll go bigger instead of sporty.” He got out of the car, walked around, opened the door and steadied her as she got out. While they were close, she put her hand on his shoulder and pulled him in for a kiss.

  “You men do love showing off your cars. When the weather gets a little warmer, how about we take a spin on the bike? I want to do some showing off myself.”

  “I’d love to, but what are you going to show off? Those pretty legs?”

  “No, this body,” she said, running her hand down his chest playfully. “You can wear one of those tight t-shirts you work in and all the girls in L.A. can sit back in envy.”

  “Great. Sounds like a plan. I didn’t know you wanted to ride or I would have asked,” he said, closing and locking the car.

  “I want to wait a little longer, but yeah, I’ve ridden in the past with guys. I know I didn’t ride with . . .”

  Mike cut her off with a deep kiss and instead of unlocking the door she wrapped her arms around him. He meant to just stop her from talking about Martin, but with what was on his mind for later, the kiss was more intense than he intended. He pulled back and rested his lips on her cheek.

  “Mike,” she sighed, “I told you I was ready to crash. I think you might have
to carry me in if you’re not careful.”

  His voice was husky when he spoke. “Sorry about that.” He swallowed, gathered his thoughts, took the keys and unlocked the door. As they walked in, she was teasing him by fanning herself.

  He laughed. “Okay. I know my kisses are lethal. Go to the couch and I’ll behave and get your gift.”

  “Oh, yes, you do that. I’ll just slip out of these heels for a bit. It sure is hot or maybe it was that kiss that heated me up.”

  Mike ignored her this time and put the chain on the door. He didn’t want Roger sneaking in. He had slipped her present into his pocket. After he took off his jacket and kicked out of his shoes, he sat the box on the table where she could see it.

  Instead of giving her the gift, he helped her out of her shoes, placed a pillow under her legs and pulled the coffee table closer. When he did this, he also pulled the gift closer. He sat where he could see her and smiled. “How’s that?”

  “Nice, and thanks for being so good to me. Next time you’re sick I’m going to wait on you hand and foot just like you’ve done for me these past few months.” She reached out, put her hand in his and gave him a wink.

  At times it was hard to put Celia in the right place in his mind. He’d heard Martin say things about her that just didn’t match with the way she was with him.

  He supposed his mother was right. She said people act differently when they are in love. She’d given him examples of times in the past when women seemed to only want his money. She told him that when he found the right girl, she would want him for him and not what he could buy her. Celia was turning into that kind of woman.

  Even now she wanted him close and was paying no attention to the gift. When she motioned for him to move closer and give her a kiss, he moved but picked up the gift and handed it to her. It was a long box and looked to be about the size for a bracelet.

  She smiled and took the box. “I guess you know I don’t expect gifts. I’m more than happy to get kisses. I’m not the girl I used to be.”

  “I know but this is special. I doubt if I’ll get you one like this again.”

  “Now you have me intrigued,” she said, and her eyes narrowed. “Is this another fancy flashlight? I’ve learned one never can tell with your gifts. Or, could it be worms? Would you put worms in a box this nice?”

  Mike laughed. “The only way you’re going to know is to open it. Just be careful when you do.”

  “Now you have me worried. If something jumps out I might ban you from our fishing trip.” She gave him a questioning look and began to take the lid off the box. When she opened it and found cotton she began to look through the box. “Are you sure there is anything in . . .?”

  Mike began to smile from ear to ear as he could see she had found the gift. She looked at him and shook her head ‘no’, but he nodded his head ‘yes’. Her eyes went back to the box. She slowly laid it on her lap and pulled the silver banded diamond ring out of the cotton.

  “Celia, I promised myself that I would do my best to put our pasts behind us, and I really hated to do this today, but I’m ready for this. I don’t want anything to stand in the way of our future. I want to marry you. I love you and I think we can build a great life together. I want to support you, make love to you, and be the one you come to when you need something. Celia, will you marry me?”

  He had no idea what she would say or do, and for a long moment she sat there looking at the ring. She took in a deep breath and held the ring out to him. She closed her eyes and he saw a tear roll down her cheek. For a long moment he just sat there looking at her as she tried to control her emotions.

  Slowly she opened her eyes and began to nod. This time he knew what she wanted when she put the ring in his hand. He didn’t speak as he slipped the ring onto her finger.

  “Yes, yes, yes!” she finally said, each yes getting louder and louder. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and he leaned in and kissed her. He pulled back for a second and laughed. “I could exchange this for some worms if you . . .”

  She laughed, kissing him. “You will do no such thing.”

  “Do you like it?”

  “I love it. It’s perfect. You’re perfect.” When she pulled him in for a kiss, it was fine with him but it didn’t last long. He laughed as she pulled back and looked at the ring. “When did you have in mind?”

  “That’s up to you. I’m ready anytime you are.”

  “I’ve never planned a wedding. I have no idea. I just know I want to be Mrs. Mike Jackson like, yesterday. I’m so ready to wake up to this body every day for the rest of my life.”

  Mike smiled and pulled her close, kissing her on the neck. “I understand completely. I know we’ve not talked about waiting until our wedding night, but we have been waiting.”

  “Yes, and since we’re so close, I think we’ll wait.”

  “I guessed you’d say that,” he said, with a fake sigh. “But in reality, that’s fine with me . . . unless I can change your mind.” He put his hands on her waist and started to kiss her neck.

  “Slow down, young man. Save some of that for later.”

  “I’m just kidding, not that I’m not looking forward to a night with you, but I’m a gentleman and I can wait.”

  “I know you are and that’s so sweet.”

  Mike did have one serious thing he needed to get out of the way before she started sending out invitations. “All kidding aside, I do have to tell you something.” He pushed her back so he could look her in the eye. “I can’t afford the mansion. I wanted you to know I’m not as rich as you might think. I did check into it, but it wasn’t going to work out.”

  “That’s so sweet of you, but I don’t need that house,” she said, resting her arms on his shoulders. “I like your house. I could make some changes to make it more like a home instead of a bachelor pad.”

  “Really? Great. That is such a relief. You can start on that anytime. You can paint, give it a facelift, new furniture. Just let me know.”

  “I will, and don’t worry. I’d be crazy to move you away from Ol’ Henry. As much as you like to fish, I could never do that to you.”

  “Great, and you can come out and watch anytime you want. I need you by my side to brag on me when I pull in the fish and to keep my hands occupied for the times the fish are not biting.”

  “Wow! Really?” she asked, pulling him closer. “You should have told me that a long time ago. I may not be that crazy about fishing, but I love being in your arms.”

  “Then you’re in luck because I love to fish and fishing is very slow paced so there will be plenty of time for this,” he said, slowly placing his hands on her waist.

  “This is nice. You might get preoccupied and forget about the fish.”

  “You’re right there but we’ll be an old married couple then, and we can do what we want, whenever we want.”

  “You got that right, and as often as we want.”

  “I like the way you talk and I like these new changes. You’re going fishing with me and camping and riding on my bike with me. I love all of this!”

  “I’ve changed but not like you mean.”

  “No?” he asked, leaning back to look her in the eye. She shook her head and with his help rested her legs across his so she could move closer into his arms. From the soft expression on her face, she was ready to stop talking and start showing him how she felt. She teased him with a soft kiss then spoke, pulling him close so he didn’t miss a word.

  “The changes came because of love not because I need to prove something. The truth is, my heart is open to you and your needs.” With this comment, she kissed him pausing long enough to finish her thought. “I want to do things for you, not because of how it makes you feel, but because of how it makes me feel. I’ve got what I always wanted and dreamed about. I’m truly in love, but this time I’m in love with the right man.”

  Chapter 73

  Secrets

  “Where are you off to?” Addison asked, helping Randi out of her wedding dre
ss. “Mom says it’s a secret and that Martin doesn’t even know.”

  Randi used the mirror to look at Addison and smiled. “I did it with the help of Martin’s manager. I made a bargain with him that if he would help me keep our honeymoon off the grid, I’d do any photo shoot he wanted. I had no idea where to go or what hotel would keep everything under wraps.”

  “Smart girl. He’s been Martin’s manager forever, you can trust him.”

  “Good, but now I’m a little rushed. The pictures took longer than I thought - the cake, the family pictures - but we’re done now and I’m on my way up to the hotel suite. I want to be there when Martin walks in. If you see him, slow him down.”

  “I can do that. I’ll keep him busy for a bit.”

  “Thanks. Our bags are already there. I just need to make sure everything is in place.” Randi slipped into jeans and a T-shirt being careful not to mess up her hair. “I’ve got a fancy evening dress and a night of dancing planned so I’ve got to go change. I hope he’s doesn’t mind we’re not flying to Paris.”

  “He won’t mind as long as he’s with you. Go. I’ll detain him. Enjoy yourself. Don’t answer the phone. I’ll text you in a few days.”

  It was just after five when Randi was ushered to her suite. Martin would be receiving the envelope with directions any minute. The hotel was everything the leaflet had said it was and the penthouse suite was stunning. The clientele were screened and Bill had assured her they wouldn’t be disturbed. She hoped he was right because she wasn’t sharing Martin with anyone for the next few days.

  The first thing she did was to retrieve her cosmetic case and personal toiletries, makeup and perfume, everything she would need to look and feel her best. After a quick freshening up, she checked the mirror. Her hair, which was up in a stylish do, was still perfectly in place. All she needed now was to add a touch of lip-gloss and she would be ready to slip into the evening gown she’d picked out.