Wanted: One Groom

by Pat Ballard

  Hanna looked from her mother to Will, seeing how pathetic and sad they both were, and wondered why on earth she had ever allowed them to bully her. But they were family and she had never, until now, wanted to break up that family, no matter how miserable it had been.

  “Are you going to tell him, or am I?” Hanna continued, looking at her mother.

  “Tell him what?” Mary asked, now acting as if in a fog, as if she couldn’t quite comprehend all that was going on around her.

  Hanna reached into the envelope and pulled out the copy of Will’s birth certificate, with the blood test attached to it, and handed it to him.

  “So that’s it,” Will almost whispered as he looked at Henri, then back at the paper in his hand. “That’s why the old asshole treated me like he did.”

  “What?” Henri asked, reaching for the piece of paper in Will’s trembling hand.

  Henri read the birth certificate slowly, then glanced from Will to Mary as if he were in the twilight zone. “Why didn’t you tell me, Mary?” Hurt sounded in his softly spoken question.

  “I couldn’t, Henri. I just couldn’t.” By now, Mary was softly crying into her cupped hands.

  “Why? He’s my son, and I missed his entire childhood. And you’ve allowed Will to grow up thinking he was fatherless, when his real father was here all along. Oh, Mary, did the Rockwell name really mean that much to you? If it did, why don’t you just keep it, and not worry about openly becoming Mrs. Henri Dupri, like we talked about.”

  Horrified now that she would lose Henri and his inheritance, too, Mary slid her chair back and fell at Henri’s feet. “Henri, can’t you see? If old man Rockwell had thought for one moment that you knew about Will, he would have thrown us all out. You would have been without a job, and we would all have been homeless. I did it for us, Henri, please believe me.”

  Henri leaned down and gently raised Mary to her chair. Hanna was amazed at the love she saw in his eyes. “It really doesn’t matter anymore, Mary. It’s all behind us, and we can’t change the past. We must just move on to the future.”

  Hanna glanced at Will, who sat as if frozen in place. She had never seen him this subdued. His life as he knew it had been a lie, and that had to come as a shock. And his mother, who had always been a strong support for him, had just crumbled in front of his eyes. His confusion must be complete.

  Hanna almost decided against proceeding, but her mind was made up to clear all questions from the air tonight, so she spoke again.

  “Mother, Henri, there’s one other document that I want you to see and know that I’m aware of.” She handed them the document indicating they’d been questioned regarding her father’s death.

  After reading what she handed them, they looked at her as if awaiting their doom.

  “I’m not going to pursue reopening the case, and I truly don’t want to know the answer, but I want you all to be out of this house by tomorrow night.”

  “Baby—” Her mother realized she was looking at a different Hanna than the little girl she had always been able to keep beaten down and subdued.

  “Mother,” Hanna interrupted her. “Someday, I want us to get to know each other as mother and daughter. And someday, I hope I’m able to forgive you for all the hurt you’ve caused me. But that day isn’t here yet, so just go.”

  “But I have to tell you that Henri and I didn’t tamper with your dad’s car that night. I promise you I would never go that far. Your grandfather knew Henri and I had spent the afternoon together the night your dad had his wreck. He knew because he caught us together in the attic. He was so angry because your dad wouldn’t throw me out that he went down to the police station and said just enough to the police to make them suspicious.

  “They questioned Henri and me until we both thought we would scream, but they knew we didn’t do it, so they didn’t pursue the case. Please believe me, Hanna.”

  “That’s the truth, Hanna,” Henri spoke up. “Mr. Rockwell was justified in his anger, and I probably would have done the same thing he did, but we didn’t try to hurt your dad. Three different mechanics agreed the brakes probably froze up on your dad that night, but even if the brakes had worked, they wouldn’t have done any good on ice.”

  Watching Henri’s and Mary’s faces, Hanna believed they were telling the truth. She knew Grandfather was capable of causing anyone who crossed him a lot of problems, so it was easy to believe he might have deliberately led the authorities astray enough to put some scare into Mary and Henri. She breathed a deep sigh of relief that this much, at least, had been settled, but that didn’t change the rest of the hurt they had caused.

  “I hope that’s the truth,” Hanna said, suddenly weary from the mental turmoil of the night. Standing up, she shook Houston Couch’s hand. “Houston, thank you for being here for me, as usual. I hate to be rude, but I think I’m going up to my room.”

  Matt had stood when she did, and now he walked beside her as she mounted the stairs.

  “You were fantastic,” he said in the low, assuring voice Hanna had grown to love.

  “I was scared as hell,” she admitted. “That is, until I realized for the first time how really cowardly and sad my mother is. Then I started to feel sorry for her. Matt, do you think I’ll ever know how to love my mother?”

  “Maybe in time you’ll be able to have some kind of relationship with her. Maybe even become close to her. But do you really want to think about that right now?” He stopped her at the door to his room. “Or would you rather come on in here and let me relieve all that tension you have stored up inside?”

  “Matt, would you just hold me for awhile? When I was a little girl, and I was hurt, Grandfather would hold me tight and I could feel the hurt go away. But it’s been so long since I’ve had anyone to hold me.”

  Matt led Hanna to the bed, where he slowly undressed both of them and lowered them into the bed. He drew Hanna to him and held her while she let the tears flow quietly until a restful calm replaced the storm that had been brewing in her soul all night. He held her as she drifted into a peaceful sleep. And he continued to hold her throughout the night, knowing soon he must confess his love to her.

  Yes, he must confess his love, but there were several other things he had to confess, as well.

  Chapter 11

  Matt’s arm across her shoulders gave Hanna comfort as she watched her mother, Will, and Henri going down the driveway of Rockwell Place for the last time. Their good-byes had been strained and awkward, and Hanna felt a little sorry for them, knowing they were aware this would be the last time they would ever be in the home they had all grown so used to. She, too, would soon have to leave for the last time, and the thought brought fresh tears to her eyes.

  Matt glanced at his watch. “Would you like to go with me to the Wildhorse Saloon in a couple of hours?” he asked. “I’m supposed to meet some friends down there at three o’clock.”

  “Sure,” Hanna agreed, suddenly not wanting to be alone. “If you don’t think your friends will mind if I tag along,” she added as an afterthought.

  “You’re my wife, Hanna. If you aren’t welcome with my friends, then they aren’t my friends.”

  Acting on impulse, Hanna leaned into Matt and kissed the nape of his neck.

  “What was that for?” he asked, taking her wrist and pulling her closer.

  “For everything,” Hanna answered, too overcome with emotion to go into detail.

  She tried to pull away from him, but he held her wrist more tightly, and, lifting her hand to his lips, kissed her palm, sending a shockwave through her, melting her as it went. Then he moved his lips to the inside of her wrist and felt her throbbing pulse with his tongue before moving his mouth up to the bend of her arm, where he gently moved his tongue back and forth against the tender flesh.

  Hanna could see her breasts rising and falling as her breathing became harder.

  “You owe me for last night,” he whispered, moving his mouth ever closer to her parted lips. “I was a good boy, and
held you all night long, and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, to not make love to you.”

  He continued to whisper with his lips barely touching hers, driving her crazy with desire. “You are the most desirable woman I’ve ever met. No matter how hard I try, I can’t keep my hands off you.”

  Now he was nibbling on her ear lobe as he talked. Each time Hanna turned her head to try to consummate the kiss he would elude her lips for some other part of her face, making her lips swell with wanting.

  “Please, Matt,” she begged, trying to capture his lips with hers.

  “Is this what you want?” he taunted, snaking his tongue barely between her parted lips, only to take it back and kiss her closed eyes. “Or is this what you want?” he asked, kissing each side of her mouth before tracing her bottom lip with his tongue.

  “You’re driving me crazy,” she moaned, just before Matt claimed her lips in a hungry kiss that threatened to devour her.

  Later in the car, headed for the Wildhorse Saloon, Matt glanced over at Hanna.

  “You look perfect.You have that glow of someone who’s just made love, and that light blue blouse makes your skin look like peaches and cream. You’ll be perfect for tonight.”

  “What does that mean?” Hanna asked. “Perfect for tonight?”

  “You’ll see when we get there. These friends are special, and they’re going to love you.”

  “Matt, you’re making me nervous,” Hanna scolded. “You’ve been acting strange all afternoon. What’s going on?”

  “Are you saying my lovemaking was strange?” he asked, trying to look hurt.

  “No,” Hanna chuckled, “that wasn’t strange at all. In fact, it was quite wonderful,” she admitted, before she realized what she was saying.

  Matt leaned his head back and roared with laughter. “That’s what I love about you. You forget not to be honest.”

  Hanna’s heart lurched at his use of the word “love.” She wished he wouldn’t use the word so liberally if he didn’t mean it. And she was sure he didn’t mean it.

  “Wait here and let me find my friends,” Matt instructed Hanna, seating her at a table in the center of the room right in front of the nightclub’s dance floor.

  Stagehands were busy setting up equipment for some entertainer who apparently was going to perform a live show. Hanna hadn’t been to the Wildhorse Saloon many times, but on a few occasions when she had been there, someone would perform live while people danced.

  She looked around. She loved the life-sized sculptured horses placed about the room, especially the ones up in the balcony rearing up on their hind legs. People were gathered around some of the horses, getting their pictures made. Probably tourists, she mused.

  A commotion to the side caught Hanna’s attention. People were rolling in cameras as if they were going to tape the show for television or some other event. It must be a fairly big star if they were going to tape a TV special. Hanna’s interest picked up. Who was it going to be? Probably a country music singer, but she couldn’t imagine whom.

  “Are you Hanna?” The voice came from a tall blonde who had walked up to the table.

  “Yes.”

  “Matt asked me to keep you company,” the blonde said, pulling out a chair. “I’m Molly.”

  So this was the woman who’d called and insisted on speaking with Matt. A long-legged, slim blonde. Hanna felt jealousy rear its ugly head.

  “I’m Dave’s assistant. I spoke with you once on the phone,” she continued, as if sensing Hanna’s discomfort.

  “Yes, I remember.” Hanna tried to act nonchalant. “Matt said you had children.” She wasn’t trying to be devious; she just needed a little assurance.

  “Yes, Mike is five, and Della is two. They’re wonderful kids, but such pains in the ass sometimes.” Molly wrinkled her nose to make her point more believable.

  Hanna laughed out loud, suddenly feeling all was right with the world. Molly didn’t seem at all like the kind of woman who would fool around with a married man, no matter what his circumstances were.

  “Well, it looks like you two have hit it off.” Matt’s voice was close as he leaned over and pulled a chair beside Hanna’s. “Hanna, this is Dave.” He introduced a short, stocky man with a receding hairline who had the most alive, twinkling blue eyes Hanna had ever seen. She immediately liked him.

  “Hello, Hanna,” Dave said, taking her hand and kissing it. “Matt’s been telling me what a wonderful woman he married. But I think, as a friend, I should have gotten to meet you a long time ago.” He sounded wounded.

  “I totally agree,” Hanna said, enjoying the friendly banter.

  Just then an emcee went to the microphone and started testing for volume and clarity.

  “Hanna, I have to go, now,” Matt said, kissing her quickly on the cheek and winking at Dave and Molly, who stayed seated. He was gone before Hanna could question where he was off to.

  A large crowd had gathered in the saloon, and there was beginning to be standing room only, which added to Hanna’s suspicions that a big star was going to be there tonight. She felt a ripple of excitement run through her. She had always loved live performances.

  The emcee started talking again. “Ladies and gentlemen, and all you rednecks—” this brought a huge roar of applause from the audience—“I am elated to be the one to announce our performer tonight. In fact, we’re taping the vocal part of his new video, which will be out soon, to debut the new single off of his latest—well actually, his first—country album. But this guy isn’t new to some of us. Some of us knew and loved him back when he was one of them outlaw rock stars. Y’all put your hands together for Matt Corbett, singing, Lady, Love of My Life!”

  The crowd broke into a roar of applause, and the ones sitting rose to a standing ovation as Matt bounded onto the stage. After he had left Hanna he’d slipped into his trademark black leather jacket.

  Hanna was too stunned to stand. Suddenly she was a teenager again, watching Matt on stage in the same black jeans and leather jacket. Her heart pounded as he started singing a steamy love song she had never heard before.

  As he sang, he made his way toward her. She wasn’t aware of the cameras and lights that followed him, or even of the bright spotlight that settled on her. She wasn’t aware of the love light that shined in her eyes as she watched him approach her. She was only aware that Matt Corbett was kneeling in front of her and singing into her eyes. She was living her wildest teenage fantasy.

  The song’s lyrics were about a man who was so in love with a woman that every thought he had was centered around her.

  The pounding of Hanna’s heart in her ears almost drowned out the music, and she wondered if she was going to faint. But she heard the words of the song and almost felt as if Matt were really singing them to her, personally. If only that were the case, she thought wistfully, as she reached up on impulse and laid her palm gently against his cheek.

  As if on cue, the song ended, and Matt took her hand and pressed his lips into her palm before standing.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen,” he announced into the mike, “this is my beautiful wife, for whom I wrote this song.”

  As Hanna sat in mesmerized silence watching Matt perform several more newly written songs that were to be on his new album, she realized he had his career back on track. Or, more appropriately, he was about to launch a new career. From the way the audience was reacting to his songs, he would be a great success in the country music field. It was obvious they loved him.

  What now? Hanna was sure Matt would go on tour to promote his new career and album. Where would that leave her?

  Totally alone. He wouldn’t need her anymore. The thought came quietly, unbidden, unwanted, into her mind. As complete loneliness settled over her, Hanna became aware that the crowd was yelling at Matt to do some of his older rock songs.

  “Okay, okay,” Matt’s deep voice spoke into the microphone, captivating his audience. “I found out after I got married that my wife was a devoted fan of my past ca
reer, so I’m dedicating this song to her.” And he proceeded to sing Hanna’s favorite song.

  Hanna watched in rapt attention, never taking her eyes off of his, as he sang. She wasn’t aware of how many times the camera lingered on her face, capturing her look of love and enchantment. She was only aware of Matt Corbett, her teenage idol, singing to her from on stage.

  When the show was over, Matt informed the audience that he would hang around for a while to sign autographs and make pictures with anyone who was interested, and to Hanna’s amazement almost every person in the place lined up to talk with him, get his autograph, and have their picture made with him.

  Expecting the night to go on forever, Hanna resigned herself to sit and wait for the fans to clear out. So she was surprised to look around and find Matt standing beside her.

  “Were you impressed?” he asked, almost like a little boy waiting for approval for a job well done.

  “Oh, Matt.” Words failed Hanna. “You were—you are—I’m so proud of you!” She ended her stuttering by throwing her arms around his neck.

  “Now, that’s the kind of reaction I was hoping for!” Matt laughed, holding Hanna tightly before pulling away from her and saying, “Listen, why don’t you take the car and go on home? Dave can bring me when this is all over. He’ll have to stay here with me anyway. You’ll be bored to tears if you hang around.”

  Not relishing the thought of watching the fans swoon over Matt, especially the female ones, Hanna agreed that it would be best for her to go home. She and Molly walked together to the parking garage to find their cars.

  “Hanna,” Molly hesitantly opened the conversation. “Are you going with him when he leaves on the tour next week?”

  “Next week?” Hanna was devastated to find out Matt would be leaving so soon.