Amaryllis shrugged. “Papa doesn’t hold grudges. He’s an old softie.”
“I really expected to have a rocky relationship with him for the rest of our lives.”
“Oh, not Papa. You’re probably his favorite son-in-law if you don’t count Shawn and Daniel.”
“I’m his only son-in-law other than Shawn and Daniel.”
“So you are.” She grinned at him in the dark. “You’re my favorite husband too.”
“And your least favorite husband?” he asked.
“Well, I wouldn’t have mentioned that.”
They were laughing as they walked into the apartment. Amaryllis took a good look around her. “I’m actually going to miss this little place. It was…cozy.”
He laughed. “Want me to show you how cozy?” He picked her up and tossed her onto the bed, following her down. “This is cozy too, right?”
She threw her arms around him laughing. “Let’s never forget that we enjoy being around each other. Sometimes when I’m angry at you, I forget, but then we have a moment like this, and I know I am supposed to be married to you.” In the back of her mind was the worry that he still hadn’t told her about killing his father, but she didn’t let herself dwell on that. Instead, she responded to his kisses with her own.
Chapter Ten
They were able to move that weekend, with her family and his parents helping them. Amaryllis spent every evening sewing curtains for the windows. They decided not to worry about buying any more furniture until they were actually in the house and knew what they’d need.
Alex had talked to each of his clients about moving his place of business. He could have kept the apartment, but it wouldn’t have made sense financially, and the new house was in a good area for the business anyway.
When they closed the door on their guests their first night in the new house, she breathed a sigh of relief. “That was just too many people in my little house,” she told him.
He laughed. “They were all people we love!”
“They were! But they were in my house! And there were too many of them!” She looked around the house happily. The green curtains she’d carefully sewn were hanging at the windows. There was a small sofa that her aunt had found in her attic and given to them in the parlor. Her mother had donated an old dining table. They wouldn’t need to buy much at all.
“Are you happy? Does it look how you pictured?”
She threw herself into his arms. “I’m ecstatic. I just love how everything looks.” She pulled back and looked up at him. “What about your office? Will it work?”
“The office is fine. Eventually I’ll rent one downtown again, but we’re close enough now that this will work well.” It was worth all the trouble just to see her smile. He looked at her closely. “Do you sometimes wish you’d married Lawrence?”
She laughed. “No, I do not sometimes wish I married Lawrence. We had only known each other a few weeks, and he was really good as a friend, but anything more would have just felt wrong with him. I kiss you, and it feels right. I kissed him once, and it felt like I was kissing my brother.”
“You wouldn’t be this happy about our new house if you were in love with Lawrence, would you?”
She stroked his cheek. “No, I wouldn’t. I’m happy about moving here, because I moved to my first house with the man I love. How could I not be happy about that?”
“You’re not just saying that?”
“Of course I’m not just saying that.” She sighed and put her hand to her back. “I’m sore! I didn’t do any of the heavy moving, but the things I did have left me exhausted.”
He smiled. “My mother left dinner for us in the oven, so I’m going to go serve that. Neither of us will have to cook, and we can enjoy our first evening in our new home.”
She sat at the table and watched him bring out fried chicken and potato salad. “I’m not sure I can stay awake long enough to eat.”
He laughed. “What do you think about not going to church in the morning and sleeping in instead? It’s late, and I don’t think either of us are going to feel up to it.”
“That sounds smart. I was okay until I stopped moving, but now I’m really sore.”
“Well, we’ll eat, wash the dishes, and then we’ll just go to bed and wake up whenever we feel like waking up.” He smiled and squeezed her hand. “I’m really glad we have the house you wanted.”
She nodded, her eyes practically closing as she ate her meal. When they finished eating, she hurried to the sink to wash the dishes, and he dried for her. As soon as they were done, he steered her to the bedroom, and they both quickly changed and fell into bed. She snuggled close to his side, kissing his shoulder. “I’m so tired!”
He held her close. “I love you.”
She mumbled, “Love you, too,” as her eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep.
*****
They stayed home the following day as planned. She fixed pancakes for breakfast, which they didn’t eat until after ten in the morning. Amaryllis didn’t remember ever sleeping so late and felt positively sluggish. She served them both and sat down across from him at the tiny table they’d brought from the apartment to use in the kitchen. They’d use the dining room when company was over.
While they ate, he brought up the issues with trust they’d had earlier in their marriage. “I realized last night that I trust you implicitly.”
She smiled. “I’m really happy to hear that.”
“You trust me now that you know the truth about Sarah, right?” He had expected her to just readily agree that she trusted him as well.
“Mostly.”
He blinked in surprise. “Mostly?” What else could be bothering her? “Why don’t you trust me completely?”
She sighed. “Your mother and I had a long talk the day after we married. I knew I wouldn’t trust you completely until you told me everything she did.”
He looked wary, but asked, “What did she tell you?”
Her eyes met his. “She told me how your father died.”
“And you weren’t going to trust me until I talked to you about that? Are you joking with me?”
She nodded. “It’s something that I needed to know, and you were hiding it from me.”
“Why did you need to know that I killed my own father? I wish I didn’t even know that.” He stood up and paced the kitchen. “What all did she tell you about it?”
Amaryllis watched him walk back and forth, wishing she could take back her words, and stop the conversation entirely. “She told me that he hit her and you were defending her and accidentally killed him.”
He sighed. “That’s what she’d say. Do you want the whole story? Because I’ll tell you if you want to hear it. It’s not pretty, though.”
“I’m sure it’s not, but I do want to hear the whole truth about what happened.” She watched him as he sat down across from her again.
“Some of my first memories were of my father hitting my mother. He didn’t usually hit me, unless I tried to get between them. Sometimes he hit her because he was drunk. Sometimes he hit her when he was sober, but it always happened. I begged her to move somewhere away from him. I told her that I didn’t want him to hurt her anymore.” He rubbed his neck in frustration. “I think the first time I told her that I was about ten.
“By the time I was thirteen, I would have recurring fantasies about killing him. I imagined wrapping my fingers around his throat and killing him. I wanted nothing more than to kill my father. He hurt my mother. I couldn’t let him keep doing that.” He sighed and stood up, resuming his pacing. “I came out of my room on the night he died. There was so much noise going on that I knew what was happening. Mama still had bruises from her last beating. I saw him standing over her punching her over and over. I jumped in between them. My father was a big man, but by the time, I was fifteen I was bigger. A lot bigger. I screamed at him to stop, but he didn’t. Instead he backhanded me and knocked me to the floor.” He pointed to a scar on his head.
“You wanted to hear it, so you’ll hear the whole thing.” He sat back down. “I got back up and went after him with my fists. I’d always been so angry. I hated him with everything inside me. I wanted to punch him over and over. I hit him just once, and he went flying. I heard his head crack as he fell. He didn’t move. I stood there for a minute, wondering what to do. I checked on Mama to make sure she was all right, but I didn’t care what happened to him. I wanted him to be dead.” He shook his head. “It was a real accident, but I’d wanted to kill him so many times, that it still feels like murder.” He looked down at his huge hands, which were fisted. “These hands killed someone. I’ve never hit anyone again.”
Amaryllis got up from her chair and walked around to kneel beside Alex. She put her hand on his knee. “I’m so sorry. I never should have asked you to talk about it.”
His hand reached down to stroke her hair. “Do you want to know the real reason I didn’t want to talk to you about it?”
She nodded slowly, half afraid of what his answer would be. “I do.”
“I was worried you’d be afraid I would hit you like my father hit my mother. I didn’t want you to not marry me, so I didn’t tell you when we first started seeing each other.” He sighed. “After we were married, it didn’t seem as important. I just made sure that I never hurt you, and if you didn’t know, then you wouldn’t have to be afraid of me.”
“I always knew he hit your mother. I’m not sure who told me, but I feel like I’ve known since I was a little girl.” She stood up and moved onto his lap instead, turning his face to hers. “I could never be afraid of you. You would tear any man who tried to hurt me apart. I know you’re on my side, not against me.”
He buried his face against her neck, breathing deeply of her scent. “I hate even talking about my father. He was such a bad man. I don’t think he ever once in my life told me that he loved me, or did anything like take me fishing or hunting. I was my mother’s job and his occasional punching bag when I interfered.”
“I don’t think less of you for killing him, Alex. I think more of you.”
He sighed, his eyes moving to hers. “I’m really glad. I was so afraid. I thought I could hide it from you forever, but I knew it wasn’t the right thing to do. I was torn.” He stroked her cheek. “I’ll be a good father, Rilly. I only lived with John for three years, but he was a good father to me, and he taught me how things are supposed to be.”
“I was never worried about that. I know you’ll be a good father. You’re already a good husband.”
“Do you want children?” he asked, broaching the subject for the first time.
She shrugged. “I don’t have an overwhelming need to have babies yesterday like some women do, but I do think I would like to have one eventually.”
He smiled. “I was afraid you’d heard my father beat my mother, and you didn’t want to have children with me.”
“No! I’m just not sure I’m ready for one yet. I mean, Rose and Lily do well with theirs. Lily does really well considering she has twins. I just would rather work for another year or two before I stay home and have babies.”
He kissed her cheek. “I’m not sure how to prevent them from happening…”
“Well, we could always abstain…”
He growled at her. “That’s not happening!”
She giggled wildly. “I didn’t think it would. I wouldn’t want it to.” She smiled, taking his hand and pulling him out of his chair.
“What are you doing?”
“I thought I’d give you a demonstration of how much I don’t want you to abstain.”
He laughed. “I’d be pleased to see that demonstration.”
As she pulled him off into the bedroom, she realized that with the air cleared between them, she felt content for the first time since she’d heard Sarah’s name. She was truly happy to be with Alex and knew deep in her heart there was no one she would ever care about the way she did him.
Epilogue
Daisy sighed. She didn’t want to have this discussion. Her mother stood in front of her with her hands on her hips, making it clear the discussion was happening whether she wanted it or not.
“You will never find a husband if you don’t go out and do things where you will meet someone.”
“I have to get married next week?” she asked. It would be her eighteenth birthday in just a week, and her mother had been pressuring her to go talk to her aunt about her prospects for the past month.
“You don’t have to get married next week, but you have to at least be thinking about it! Your sisters all knew who they’d marry by your age!”
“But Amaryllis didn’t get married until six months ago. She waited until she was nineteen!”
Mary shook her head. “But she was already in love with Alex and we knew that.”
“Fine. I’ll go tell Aunt Harriett to find me a husband.”
“You don’t have anyone at all in mind?”
“No, I really don’t.” Daisy stood up and pulled her bonnet on.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to talk to Aunt Harriett.” She rushed from the house before her mother could say another word. It was the perfect solution. She walked through the quiet streets thinking about just how she’d present her idea to her aunt. By the time she got there, the idea was fully formed, and she was ready to tell her exactly what she wanted.
She knocked on the door and was led back to her aunt’s parlor. Harriett was sitting with little Flo. “Where are the others?” Daisy asked.
“They’re out back with their nurse.” Harriett had once said she’d never hire someone to take care of her children, but having four babies in six years had a way of changing her plans. “I’ve been expecting you to come talk to me.”
Daisy sat down on the chair across from the sofa where her aunt sat with the baby. “I have no marriage prospects. I want you to find me a husband.” She leaned forward earnestly, hoping her aunt would take her seriously.
Harriett gaped at her for a moment. “With all the men in Seattle, you have no one you prefer? No one you’re even a little bit interested in?”
Daisy shook her head. “No one. You’re the matchmaker. Make me a match.”
“What are you looking for in a husband?”
Daisy shrugged. “I like men who love kids. I want a man who will treat me as an equal, not as someone inferior to him. Find him for me, please.”
Harriett thought about the men she knew. “I’ll need some time to think about it. Come back here in a week, and I’ll have three men for you to meet and get to know.”
Daisy smiled. “Really? You’ll do it?”
“I will. I’ll find you the man you’re looking for.”
Daisy leaned back in her chair and smiled. “Have I ever mentioned that you’re the best aunt ever?”
Harriett laughed. “Not often enough!”
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Other books by Kirsten Osbourne
Brides of Beckham Series
Mail Order Mayhem
Mail Order Mama
Mail Order Madness
Mail Order Mix Up
Mail Order Mistake
Mail Order Maternity
Mail Order Match Maker
Dallas Billionaires Series
Steven
Justin
Cody
Stand Alone Books
Dream Lover
Making Me Believe
All For Emma
Making Deals
Lies
Loving Lily
Suitors of Seattle
Rose
Lily
Osbourne, Kirsten, Amaryllis (Suitors of Seattle)
Amaryllis (Suitors of Seattle) Page 13