Invitation to Love

by Lee, Groovy

  She eyed the black and silver phone on the wall as she passed it for the utility room to put a load of clothes in the washer; She couldn’t take her eyes off it as she stood across the kitchen floor scrubbing down the table. She was searching around the dishwasher, trying to find a spot to place a breakfast plate when it rang. The plate slipped from her hand and landed with a clang atop the others. She rushed over and grabbed up the receiver.

  “Hello?”

  “Taryn, it’s me.”

  Michael’s voice generated a wealth of calm. “Hi.”

  “We need to talk. Is it all right if I come over now?”

  “Sure. Come on over.”

  She carefully placed the phone in its base all the while hoping—no—praying he had good news for her. The tone in his voice gave nothing away. Having decided it best not to dwell on fruitless speculation, she went to change into a pair of blue pants and top, and brushed her hair back to a tidy ponytail. Remi and Rachel were still playing on their swing-set when she peered out the back window. She was about to pour herself a needed cup of coffee when the doorbell hailed his arrival.

  “Please, let this be good news,” she whispered as she rushed to the door. “Michael, come on in,” she held the screen door open, all the while scrutinizing the set of his face.

  “Hi,” a warm smile was all he offered for the moment. “You look nice.”

  “Thanks.” Her eyes trailed over his smart casual wear. “So do you. Have a seat.”

  “I think I should stand for what I have to say.”

  Her smile slowly ebbed away as she stood gaping back at him; Her mental faculties braced for his next words. “What’s wrong?”

  “Relax. Nothing’s wrong. It’s just that what I’m about to propose is something I know you’ve never considered, and will take a lot of forethought on your part.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, there’s a better way to fight your in-laws; A way where you wouldn’t have to see the inside of a courtroom.”

  She put her hand to her head and channeled her relief through a brief chuckle. “You scared me for a moment, there. What is it? Did your lawyer come up with a legal maneuver we use?”

  “Here me out, first,” he cautioned. “Like I said, you’re going to have to think long and hard about this.”

  “If it means keeping Remi and Rachel, I’m all for it. Please, tell me.”

  She wondered why he stood regarding her with that profound expression on his face; As if he didn’t know how or where to start. Surely, what he has to say can’t be that difficult of a matter to…

  “Marry me.”

  The one-two punch of those words had her head spinning with disbelief. She stared wide-eyed for a long moment. Then her mouth began to form a smile as she waited for him to laugh out any second now and tell her he was kidding—That he was just trying to lighten the mood. But, that look in his eyes said it all: This is no joke.

  “You’re serious. You just asked me to marry you.”

  “I did.”

  “But—”

  “Look, you have two choices. We can go to court and fight this. It’ll be messy, but you have a good chance of keeping the girls; Or you can bypass the toll it’s going to take on all of you by marrying me. I have a successful business. Remi and Rachel will be well taken of. So, not only will you be able to show the courts that you can provide for them financially, the judge will be convinced that they’ll be in a secure family environment. Under those circumstances, your in-laws can’t make a case against you, even with what little power they possess.”

  She turned and stepped away to ponder his offer. The pros and cons began forming from a puzzled mess, to a neat finished picture. Pro: Remi and Rachel wouldn’t have to go through the devastation of sitting before a judge, terrified that one wrong answer would get their mother in trouble. Con: Even if she did win, she can’t be positive they would come away unscathed. Pro: Marrying Michael will ensure that. But, she skyrocketed the thought of ever marrying again into deep space years ago. One trip down that path is enough for one lifetime: Big con. Can she do it? It’s nothing against Michael. Good looks aside, there’s no questioning his benevolence and genuine goodness: Pro. But, marriage will ruin their friendship; It almost always does: Con.

  She darted a quizzical glance at him for a second. There’s an attraction—of course. But, it goes no further, and that’s already a mark against them. It wouldn’t be long before resentment, impatience, and loathing crept in, and before you know it, you’re checking that box that reads ‘irreconcilable differences’ on those divorce papers. Has he even thought of that? She swerved around and eyed the figure waiting for her to say something.

  “Do you know what you’re asking?” she walked back to him. “Surely, you’d rather share your life with someone you love, and want to express that from your heart. We barely know one another. Words of love don’t even enter our conversations. I’m a widow with two children. A ready-made family is not an easy life for a bachelor. You don’t deserve that; You deserve to start fresh with children of your own. I can’t take that away from you.”

  If she meant to deter him, it failed. He simply smiled—a slight wounded one—and then spoke.

  “A long time ago, I was engaged to someone I thought was the woman of my dreams. But, my chances of this perfect life you just painted, walked out years ago, and I’ve moved on. I care very much for you and the twins. It the two of us try hard enough, we can make this work. If not for our sakes, then for Remi and Rachel’s. If it doesn’t work out, well, that freedom will be there for you to take.” The hush between them lasted as long as the sigh that expired from him. “Whatever you decide, I’m here for you.”

  “A…and if I agreed to this? Where do we go from here?”

  “You’ll live with me in California; And you’ll never want for anything, I promise. I’ll arrange to have this house put on the market, or you can rent it out. That way, when you decide we’ve been married long enough, you’ll have a place to come back to.”

  She couldn’t help but feel sorry for the man standing there so self-assured as he rolled out the mental blue-prints of his well-structured plans. Yesterday, his life was uncomplicated and carefree.

  Today, he’s offering to push aside his status as a successful bachelor, and the choice of any woman, to become an instant family man with all the responsibilities that come shackled to it.

  “I’m not going to lie to you, Taryn,” his voice cut into her thoughts and garnered her full attention. “I’ll be able to benefit from this, also.”

  “How?”

  “I don’t know if you’re aware that I’m being hounded by the media from all sides. There’s been rumors in the tabloids about me. It seems that since I’m not a night-club addict with a different woman on my arm every week—even one—then I must be hiding my true sexuality. We may live in the twenty-first century, but the majority of my clients are old-fashioned. And they prefer those who do business with them to be settled down in a stable family environment. Three of my biggest clients are based in Japan. If they questioned my ethics for one moment, they’d take their business and drop it on the desk of my nearest competitor. Marriage will put those rumors to rest. Not only will they breathe a lot easier, but the tabloids will lose interest in me.”

  “I see.” Now she was feeling that maybe her sympathies were lost on him after all. (He’s sharp) A main quality one needs to be successful. What other cunning abilities lie beneath those good looks?

  “Do you need some time to think about it? You have four days until your deadline.”

  Now that someone else would benefit from this, she had to be careful about her answer. It’s not just about her keeping the girls anymore. Michael’s career is at stake. True, saying yes would mean her old struggles being supplanted by newer ones—that of a rush to marry, for one. But if she said no, then his chance to negate the reports about him will slip away. Either way, she gets to keep her girls. This man is willing to take on
the entire judicial system for her. Now, it’s her turn to be the friend he needs.

  She inhaled a deep, determined breath, then, “I’ll marry you, Michael.”

  His eyes closed, and there was a hint of a smile. He made a move toward her, but promptly quelled his action. “Thanks. I can take care of everything if it’s okay with you. We can be married by Thursday, unless you have something else in mind; Something more formal.”

  “No. The quicker, the better.”

  “I can have a realtor drop by this evening to put the house on the market. That leaves you three days to pack all your belongings. Think you’ll be ready by then?”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  “I have to leave for L.A. in a couple of hours to take care of things from my end. I’ll be back Thursday morning.”

  She was amazed at how he seems to know exactly where to start and in what direction to go, while she’s still standing in the middle of her maze—Which is fine. She can’t even begin to think of how to take care of all that needs to be done by the end of the week. Of course, there’s one thing she’s sure he hasn’t thought of. And, it’s best to get it out in the open, now.

  “Michael, since you have everything so well laid out. What about us?”

  He tilted his head to one side, his brows drawn reflective. “Us?”

  Taryn swallowed her cowardice back down. “What I mean is, will you expect us to be—you know—husband and wife all the way?”

  His soft laughter made her feel somewhat regretful at having asked that. She looked away from the merriment now lighting his face. (Did she even consider that such an idea would be laughable to him? That she fits nowhere near the high-class, sexually appealing women in his social circle?)

  “As far as I’m concerned, this marriage is for good, Taryn. Surely, you can’t expect me to live with you that long and not want to touch you.” His eyes addressed every curve of her body before he spoke his next words. “You’re a very desirable woman. And, I’m a man in every sense of the word. But, I’m also a patient man. When you decide to share my bed, I’ll be waiting—eagerly. And, you won’t have to worry about any extra-marital affairs on my part, either. For as long as we’re married, I’ll remain faithful; You have my word.”

  Her heart pounded all the way to the center of her ears. (Did he say he finds her desirable? And the way he formed that word ‘eagerly’)

  “Should we tell the girls, now?”

  “Huh? Oh, yeah.” The girls. This is for them, right? “I’ll go get them.”

  “I’m glad you’re marrying Momma,” Remi left her seat beside her mother on the couch, slid onto Michael’s lap, and wrapped an arm around his neck. “I like you.”

  “Me, too,” Rachel sat plastered next to him.

  Taryn chuckled privately. Poor Michael. He’s already drowning in females. What was that joke he made in Florida? He’s so single, he doesn’t even have a shadow. Now, he’s surrounded by two. And once they get a really good firm hold on him, he’ll forget that he even has a shadow.

  “Can we go tell Nicole, Momma? She’s outside waiting for us.”

  “Well,” Michael said after they ran out. “I have a plane to catch.”

  She stood and followed him to the door. “You’re sure about this, Michael.” She felt she had to offer him yet another chance to back out before he finds himself sitting on the plane later, and one of Victoria’s Secret Angels walks pass him; Too late for second thoughts, then.

  He turned to face her once they reached the door. “Are you having second thoughts, Taryn?”

  “No. Of course, not.”

  “Neither, am I. Bye. I’ll call you.”

  “Have a safe trip,” she extended her hand as was their custom whenever they parted.

  One brow lifted as he just looked at it, his mouth crooked to a grin. “I don’t think handshakes are appropriate, anymore. Do you?”

  “What do you mean?” she dropped it back to her side.

  “Well, now that we’re to be wedded soon, I don’t think it would be too forward of me to kiss you when the need arises. That’s going to be necessary for appearances sake.”

  “Oh.”

  “Is it okay if I kissed you—Taryn?”

  The question knocked her senseless, suffocating her ability to answer. He took it as a yes, reached out and gently drew her against him. He leaned forward, causing her eyes to close in heady expectation. The warmth of his mouth lingered on hers before skillfully coaxing them to yield. His tongue touched and caressed the tip of hers only for a few seconds. But, it was enough to send a volt of ecstasy to every hungry part within. Her fingers strangled the sleeves of his shirt to keep them from inching up his strong arms, and clasping him tighter to her. After all, this is part of their deal; An act to fool the world, namely, his clients, her in-laws, and anyone else they needed to convince. An act that has awakened an appetite she’s been ignoring since the day they met. One last caress to her lips, then he released her and stepped back.

  “Good-bye, Taryn,” his tone was soft—entrancing.

  She kept her head lowered, not daring to look up. A shy, mumbled good-bye was all she could offer. She heard a soft chuckle, then the screen door creaking shut.

  Only then, could she look up and watch as he walked down the porch steps to his car. The force of that kiss was still thumping through her, having long melted her iceberg vow of celibacy. Michael just took her beyond anything she’s ever imagined—and with a kiss. Think of what it’ll be like when—.

  She marched over to the couch and sat with her head in her hands. He expects them to be man and wife all the way. Is that wise after what she just experienced? She shook her head with a resounding NO. Her sanity is at stake. Moments of touching and kissing will have to be few and far between.

  That night she sat on her bed, explaining over the phone to Nora what had happened. To say that she was flabbergasted is an understatement. After she recovered from the shock, questions upon questions flowed from the other end. Without revealing the hard core of the truth, Taryn simply mentioned that Michael had flown into town to see them. And, it was then they realized their feelings for one another. There was no sense in telling her the real reason for her sudden engagement, she would only fall apart. (She still hasn’t been the same since the death of their parents)

  In the middle of the night, she lied in bed, eyes staring through darkness. When she finally managed to force the kiss from her mind, she reflected on all she had to accomplish in just a few days. And, when she drifted off to sleep near dawn, it was at a tail-end vision of being in his arms.

  vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

  “I still can’t believe it,” Nora tuned from taking the glasses out of the cabinet early the next morning to gawk directly at her sister. “I mean, this is not like you, Taryn.”

  Taryn stood by the kitchen table, carefully placing a stack of plates into a moving box. “What’s not like me?” she paused to look at Nora.

  “After your miserable life with Collen, you vowed never to get involved with another man, again. You said Michael was just—a friend,” she added with finger quotes. “But, he makes a surprise trip here to see you and, boom, the next thing I know, you’re getting married. This puts a whole new meaning on whirlwind romance.”

  She burst out laughing at her sister’s wide-eyed amazement. “What can I say? Love is powerful.”

  “Well, if it makes you happy, then I’m all for it. I just wish you weren’t moving so far away.”

  She laid the crisp sheet of moving paper back on its stack, shuffled over to Nora, took her by the shoulders, and turned her around from the glass she was pretending to fold away. Traces of moisture lined her lids. “Me, too. But, he makes his living there. And besides, we’ll be calling and visiting back and forth. You won’t even know we’re gone.”

  “I guess it would be nice to spend a few weeks in sunny California now and then. Taryn?” she cradled her face in her hands and stared deep into her eyes. “I hope t
his man loves and cherishes you the way you deserve. But, promise me, if he even begins to treat you the way Collen did, you’ll come back to us. You’ll always have a home with me and Jerry. Promise.”

  She blinked back her own need to cry and kissed her cheek hard. “I promise.”

  “Now,” Nora took a deep breath and resumed packing the glassware. “What about your furniture and stuff? Will you be taking all that with you?”

  “No, I have no need for them anymore. Michael’s house is already furnished. I talked to him this morning, and he’s arranged for all of our trunks of clothes and personal things to be shipped to his place. The furniture is going into storage.”

  “Well, talk about your strong type.”

  “Yeah. I don’t have to worry about a thing. He’s taken care of it all. The realtor’s coming by today to put the house up for sale.”

  “You’re not going to rent it out?”

  “No,” she glanced around the homely kitchen with its fading wallpaper, and the back door worn from Remi and Rachel’s overuse of it. “I’m saying good-bye to the past and starting my life over. It’s time to move forward.”

  “I’m all for that.”

  “Hey, Taryn,” Jerry came from down the hall and perched himself in the doorway, his tattered jeans hung loose around his toned build, his white shirt dusty from the busy morning. “I’ve taken all the sheets and towels from the closet and packed them. I need another box for the books.”

  “There’s some in the utility room. It was sweet of him to take off from work today and help,” she said as he headed to the back. “Poor thing’s been working non-stop.”

  “Don’t worry about him,” Nora laughed. “He’s happiest when he’s busiest.”

  After all the packing and stacking were over and the movers hauled it away, Taryn and Nora left to go shopping for outfits for the big day tomorrow. Afterwards, they stopped by to give the house one last inspection. It stood so empty and bleak; All that had given her life was gone. Now, she awaits a new family to revive her, and fill her with memories. Taryn felt the corner of a wall one last time before closing the front door for good.