Corrie’s attention returned to the ceremony as Sara and Nathan motioned to Kyle, who had been sitting with Ben on the other side of Sam, to join them at the altar. She’d never seen anything like that before, but as the minister blessed the three of them, announcing them a family, she felt tears burning in her eyes again. This time she managed to blink them away.
After Nathan hiked Kyle into his arms and folded his arm around Sara, as they walked down the aisle happier than Corrie had ever seen a family look, a far-off dream nudged her. But she pulled a screen over it, knowing happily ever after was just an illusion.
A short time later, Corrie was seated next to Sam at one of the long tables in the church’s social hall.
As Nathan guided Sara to an empty space in front of the food table for their wedding dance, Ben crossed to Sam and clapped his shoulder. “It all went off without a hitch. Now maybe we can get some sleep tonight.”
Sam laughed. “I slept last night.”
Ben shook his head. “Dad was roaming his place all hours, making a list of everything he had to do. And what’s up with him and Val? He told me they’re driving to the Wisconsin Dells together come spring.”
“Nathan didn’t tell you? They’re officially—” he made quote marks with his fingers “—‘seeing each other.’”
Ben looked astonished. “As in dating?”
“Yep. I think Sara had something to do with it. Before Christmas, she persuaded Val to get her hair cut, do some makeup, ask Dad to dinner. Dad seems happy.”
“Sara played matchmaker?” Ben asked.
“I think she’d be proud to admit it,” Sam said with a smile. Changing the subject, he asked his brother, “Are you still coming over tomorrow so we can make model airplanes with Kyle?”
“Yeah, sounds good. I have briefs to go over in the morning, but I’ll come over around noon. We can make hot dogs and then put the kits together.” Ben nodded toward Kyle who was sitting on his grandfather’s lap, his head against the older man’s shoulder. “He’s tuckered out.”
Sam glanced at his watch. “It’s past his bedtime. As soon as Nathan and Sara finish their dance, I’ll gather him up and take him home.”
Transferring his attention to Corrie, Ben smiled. “Sam tells me you’re as good with the animals at the clinic as he is. That’s high praise.”
Sam had introduced Corrie to his brother earlier in the evening when they’d arrived at the church. Whenever Ben flew into Rapid Creek, he only stayed a few days and she’d never met him before. “Sometimes I find animals a lot easier to deal with than people,” she admitted.
Ben laughed. “I know exactly what you mean.”
After a glance at the newlyweds, Sam gestured to them. “I guess that’s as good a way to end a dance as any.”
Sara and Nathan were kissing now and seemed oblivious to their guests. Although the music had ended, they were still in each other’s arms.
Corrie felt as if she were glimpsing a much-too-private moment and she turned again to Sam. “Kyle’s going home with you tonight?”
“Yep. Nathan asked him if he wanted to stay with me or if he wanted to stay with Ben and Dad.” He grinned like a kid. “It was a tough choice but he picked me. I think Patches was the determining factor, though. I’m really glad his asthma doesn’t kick up around dogs.”
Corrie’s purse began jiggling on the table.
Sam nodded to it. “Maybe your dad’s calling again.”
Opening her purse, she slid out her phone and opened it. “I’d better take this,” she murmured, getting to her feet.
“I’ll walk out to the lobby with you. I have to transfer Kyle’s car seat from Nathan’s SUV to my van.”
Once in the lobby, Corrie answered her phone, which was on its fourth ring. “Hi, Dad.”
She crossed to a corner of the lobby to have a conversation she didn’t want to have.
Sam reentered the lobby of the church’s social hall and stopped when he saw Corrie huddled in a quiet corner, her phone in her hand. A frozen expression on her face impacted Sam and he didn’t know why. For the past week the sight of her got under his skin. Was that caused simply by the idea that she wanted him to be the father of her child?
He was beginning to think it was more than that. Something about Corrie herself, the fire of her red curls, her very blue eyes and small determined chin now revved him up. Although her navy dress with its short jacket was conservative, the outfit fitted her nicely. She wore flat shoes, though, and he smiled. It was like Corrie to think of comfort first.
But she wasn’t comfortable right now. He could tell that from her expression. Instead of rejoining the guests inside the social hall, he waited for her.
After she closed her phone and spotted him, she looked surprised that he hadn’t rejoined his family.
“Is your father okay?” he asked.
“He’s fine,” she replied, then added, “We’ve been playing phone tag.”
Something about the way Corrie said that gave Sam the feeling she might have been the reason for the phone tag, as if talking to her dad wasn’t on her priority list.
“Parents get a little crazy when they can’t get in contact with their kids. My dad made that clear when I was up at the cabin.”
“My father asked me to come to Minneapolis for Christmas and spend it with him,” she admitted. “But I didn’t. Doc wanted to go away over the holiday so I told Eric I’d help him with the animals in the kennel.”
Sam knew Corrie took her responsibilities at the clinic seriously. “Eric could have taken care of them himself.”
“He made plans to be away Christmas night, so I said I’d cover.”
“How often do you see your dad?” he asked.
“Not often. We don’t…we don’t really have anything to say to each other.”
“That’s a shame. With your mother gone…” Sam trailed off.
“My dad and I ought to be close?” She shook her head ruefully. “We haven’t been close since—”
“Since your parents’ divorce?” Sam’s mother had defected but if at any time she had held out a hand to her sons, if she had invited them into her life, Sam knew he would have accepted any olive branch. It sounded as if Corrie’s father was interested in her life, but she wasn’t interested in his.
“You don’t understand, Sam.”
Her eyes held sadness and he was suddenly curious about her life…her past. “What don’t I understand? I know how tough a divorce is, especially on the kids.”
“I caught him with another woman,” she blurted out. “I walked in on them and—”
The memory of it still bothered her, he could see. “How old were you?”
“I was twelve. My mom was out. I was supposed to have swim practice after school but it was canceled. They were naked on the sofa, their clothes on the floor. In our house.” She took a deep breath as she shrugged. “I’ve never been able to forgive him.”
Sam knew if he touched Corrie, he’d want to bring her into his arms. The last time he’d done that, he’d wished he hadn’t.
He could only imagine how what Corrie had seen had impacted her as a teenager. Was that why she wanted to have a baby on her own? To protect herself from getting hurt as her mother had? That would surely make sense.
“Sam!”
The sound of his name startled him. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Ben motioning him to come into the social hall again.
“Corrie, you, too,” Ben called. “Sara’s going to throw the bouquet and Nathan’s going to toss the garter.”
“Oh, I don’t want to…” Corrie began.
Sam snagged her hand. “Come on. It will be fun. We can’t break tradition.”
Corrie gave him a weak smile. “No, we wouldn’t want to do that.”
In the social hall, the single women were already lined up around Sara. Sam hung back as Corrie reluctantly walked forward to stand a good two feet behind the cluster of single women. The eager women were huddled and she obviously
wasn’t eager.
But none of them had counted on Sara’s great throwing arm. Even over her shoulder, she managed to toss the bouquet high and it practically fell into Corrie’s arms.
Corrie looked as surprised as everyone else.
A cheer went up and the guests clapped. She raised the bouquet high like the sport she was and wiggled it.
Sam had to smile.
There were fewer single men than single women—about seven in all. Ben stood to one side of the group, Sam to the other. Nathan grinned. He made a great show of turning around and shutting his eyes but the garter headed like an arrow straight for Sam. It dropped at his feet and he had no choice but to pick it up. No one else was even close.
A round of applause went up. Sam caught Corrie’s eye and slowly walked toward her. “What do you think?” he asked.
Taking a step closer to him and keeping her voice low, she murmured, “I think this proves we should have a baby together. We’re meant to be partners.”
He laughed heartily. Any other woman would expect a date out of the occasion serendipity had handed her. Corrie, however, always practical, had found a way to turn something romantic into a bona fide affirmation that they should go ahead with their plans.
He liked Corrie Edwards. In fact, he was beginning to think he liked her a little too much.
“Corrie! Sam!” Ben called from the podium where he was using the microphone. “Sara informed me there is a tradition we have to uphold.”
Nathan had already picked up a chair from one of the tables and positioned it in the empty floor space where the single men and women had gathered.
“Oh, no,” Corrie protested. “We aren’t really going to—”
“Yes, we are,” Sam grinned as he urged her toward the chair. “Remember? We can’t ignore tradition.”
The expression on Corrie’s face was priceless. She definitely did not like being the center of attention and Sam found that refreshing. Alicia had always wanted everyone’s eyes on her.
Why was he making comparisons?
Sara took Corrie’s bouquet, her eyes twinkling. “I’ll hold this for you.”
“You’re enjoying this a little too much,” Sam said in a low voice only his sister-in-law could hear.
She tapped the garter in his hand. “And you’re not?”
The truth was he was enjoying himself…with Corrie.
From the mike, Ben said, “We should have a drumroll. But since no one brought a drum…”
The crowd began clapping rhythmically.
Corrie had seated herself in the chair and looked as if she wanted to disappear.
Leaning close to her, Sam assured her, “I’ll make this quick. We’ll be back at the table eating wedding cake before you know it.”
Sport that she was, she gave him a wobbly smile.
Going down on one knee before her, Sam slipped off her shoe. Suddenly the crowd receded and when he gazed into Corrie’s blue eyes, the world as he knew it shifted. As he took her foot in his hand, he saw how small it was, how feminine. He wished it wasn’t encased in nylon. He wished he could trace his fingers up her bare shin.
Arousal hit him hard. Sucking in a lungful of air, he slipped the garter over her foot.
“All the way!” one of the guys shouted.
“Above the knee,” someone else called.
As Sam moved the garter upward, he was aware of the curve of Corrie’s calf, the tautness of her muscles. She was tense. Because of embarrassment? Or because he was touching her?
He shot her a quick glance. Their eyes locked, and he wished he could read her mind.
Although he’d told her this would be over with quickly, the garter caught below her knee. His fingertips lingered longer than necessary as she lifted the hem of her skirt and he pushed the blue lacy band to her thigh.
Finally the applause and cheers penetrated, and he hurriedly released the garter and rose to his feet.
When he offered Corrie his hand, she took it. With a nonchalance he didn’t feel, he asked, “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
Corrie’s cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright. “I’m just glad you’re the one who caught the garter.”
Because she felt comfortable with him? Because they knew each other?
To his dismay Sam realized he wanted Corrie to like him touching her. He wanted her desire to flare as his did.
Then he pushed that longing aside. Being a monk kept him out of trouble.
Wasn’t life easier if it was trouble-free?
Maybe. But did he really just want “easy?”
He’d answer that question when Corrie wasn’t around…when he didn’t wonder if undressing her could turn him on as thoroughly as slipping a garter up her leg.
Chapter Five
Sam understood exactly the responsibility he’d taken on as first Nathan and then Sara leaned inside his van and kissed Kyle good-night in the car seat. “I have his inhaler, his medication, his favorite book and a kitchen stocked with all his favorite foods. Enjoy your honeymoon and don’t worry. We’ll be fine.”
Corrie came running out of the social hall, carrying the bouquet she’d caught but also a small paper bag. Smiling at them all, she handed the bag to Sam. “These are the cars Kyle brought with him. They were on the table where he was sitting.”
“Thanks, Corrie. Sam would have been back here at midnight looking for them,” Sara joked.
Nathan added, “Although he seems sleepy now, I’ve got to warn you—until you get him to your place and dress him for bed, he might be wide-awake. Sara’s been sitting with him until he falls asleep. We’re not sure that’s a good idea—”
“Nathan’s indulging both of us,” Sara added with a smile.
“They’re making up for lost time.” His brother’s voice was a little husky.
Sam looked from his brother to his sister-in-law. “Go on your honeymoon.”
“You have our cell phone numbers?” Sara asked.
“I do,” Sam replied patiently. “Go. And be careful driving.”
After hugs all around that included Corrie, too, Nathan wrapped his arm around his new wife and guided her to his SUV where someone had attached a Just Married sign to the rear window.
Peering into the back of his van, Sam saw that Kyle was dozing. He took the bag of cars from Corrie and noticed the long camel coat she wore over her dress. She was sleek and pretty…. He had to admit he’d enjoyed her company tonight, more than he’d enjoyed anyone’s company in a long while.
She looked hesitant for a moment before asking, “Do you want me to drive over to your place with you and help you put Kyle to bed?”
They’d decided to drive to the church separately since Sam would be taking Kyle home with him.
“Do you want to practice?” he teased.
She seemed embarrassed that he’d guessed her reasoning. “Why not?” she asked with a sheepish smile. “I haven’t had a lot of experience with kids and any would help.”
More seriously, he considered her suggestion. “If he’s missing Sara, having you there could ease him into his stay with me.”
“All right. I’ll follow you.”
By the time Sam had carried Kyle up the stairs to his apartment, his nephew was more awake. “Do I have to go to bed now or will you tell me an animal story?”
Patches greeted them and Kyle leaned over Sam’s arm to pet him.
“No stories tonight. It’s way past your bedtime. We’ll save them for tomorrow.”
Corrie had carried in Kyle’s small duffel.
“Can you find his pj’s in there?” Sam asked her.
She went still and her gaze came up to his; her eyes seemed to mist over.
This time, Sam could read her mind. They could be having this conversation about their child someday—someday soon if all went well.
Corrie broke eye contact first and unzipped the duffel while Sam carried Kyle down the hall. Ten minutes later, he was fetching a requested glass of water. Crossing the threshold into
his spare bedroom, he stopped. Corrie was kneeling before Kyle, nimbly fastening the buttons of his pajama top. Sam could so easily see her as a mother. She might not have had much experience with children, but she was a natural.
After Kyle scrambled up onto the bed, he sat cross-legged. “Can Patches sleep with me, Uncle Sam?”
“I don’t think that bed’s big enough for you and Patches.”
“Maybe Uncle Sam will let you bring Patches’s bed in here so he can sleep beside your bed.”
“Can I? Can I do that?”
“I suppose you can. But I should take Patches outside one last time first.”
“Corrie can stay with me. Maybe she knows a story.”
“You have to go to sleep,” Sam protested.
“I won’t fall asleep until Patches is sleeping, too.”
Sam knew that was probably true. “I’ll be back in five minutes so the story has to be a short one.”
“I’ll tell him all about Mrs. Timberlake’s cat and how she climbs up the curtains,” Corrie offered.
Kyle looked entranced by that idea.
Sam had just reached the doorway when Kyle asked him, “Is Corrie your girlfriend?”
Glancing at Corrie’s expression, Sam could see Kyle’s question had made her as uncomfortable as Sam felt. “No, she’s not my girlfriend. We’re just…friends.”
Kyle looked perplexed. “But Corrie’s a girl and she’s your friend, so she’s a girlfriend.”
“He’s got you there.” Corrie’s eyes twinkled as she sat down on the bed beside Kyle. Then she explained to the five-year-old, “For some reason, if you say I’m Sam’s girlfriend, that would mean we have special feelings for each other, like your mom and dad have. If you say I’m just Sam’s friend, then that means we get along and like some of the same things. It’s weird, but that’s the way it is.”
“You both like animals,” Kyle concluded as if he’d just figured out why they were friends.
“Exactly.” Sam finally felt as if he was off the hook.
As he stepped into the hall, Kyle called after him, “My mom and dad were friends before they got married.”
The Daddy Plan Page 6