Love Connection

by Crimson Romance

  “Hi, honey.” Her dad picked up after a couple of rings.

  “Hi, Dad. Is Mom home?” She leaned back against her pillows, twisting the end of her ponytail around her fingers.

  “Sure, is everything okay?” The concern in her father’s voice made her wish she didn’t have to break the news.

  “Yes, everything’s fine. I just need to talk to both of you.”

  The wait for her mother to pick up the phone was interminable. For everything that she’d been through, Lily felt foolish for being afraid to talk to her own parents, but there was almost no way they’d be pleased with what she was about to tell them.

  “Hi, Lil.” Her mother’s soft voice came on the line, and Lily took a deep breath.

  “I wanted to talk to you guys together because I have some exciting news.” She pressed her lips together, willing her voice to stop shaking. She was an adult making her own decision, and there was nothing to fear. Trying to inject as much confidence and enthusiasm as she could into her voice, she continued. “I’m getting married.”

  Silence filled the line, making it impossible for Lily to gauge her parents’ reaction. Finally, her mother spoke. “To whom?”

  They hadn’t met Ford, but they knew about him. “To Ford, of course. I haven’t been seeing anyone else.”

  “So, you’re engaged to a congressman?” Her father finally found his voice.

  “Yes, Dad. That’s the one.”

  “Oh, honey, that’s great.” The disappointment in his voice cut through his words.

  “We’ll have a long engagement, so you’ll get a chance to get to know him. I just wanted to let you know because we’re going public with the engagement soon, and, of course, I wanted you to hear it from me.” They weren’t thrilled, but maybe the call would be easier than she’d anticipated.

  After a pause, her father spoke again. “Is it that you’re worried you won’t find anyone else?”

  “What? No! Why would you say that?”

  “Sweetheart, it just seems to me that a Republican congressman is the last person you would choose to be your husband. Aren’t you worried about Soldier On?”

  “Of course I am, but Ford has nothing to do with that.”

  “Sweetheart, any husband can help or hurt your efforts, but I’m more worried when that husband is a conservative politician. I’m sure he won’t try to make things harder for us, but I can’t see him being much help towards reaching your goals. That’s all I’m saying.”

  “It feels like you’re saying that he’s not who you would choose. You don’t know anything about him.” Lily surprised herself with the protectiveness she felt toward Ford and their relationship.

  Her dad sighed. “I’m sorry I brought it up. I guess I just worry about you so much. It’s true that if I had my choice, it would be someone who is a little more used to caring about social issues and other people.”

  “Ted, we don’t know that he doesn’t care about people. That’s a pretty big assumption to make.” Her mother finally spoke.

  “I know Republicans, Jules. And they don’t exactly mix well with the kind of progressive social change we work toward. Honey, I hope he proves me wrong. I really do.”

  Ford had been nothing but supportive of her work with Soldier On, had even offered to help her get the word out. The only way she’d know if he was sincere would be to give it time, though. He’d have to come through with the interview or show her in other ways that he was interested in their success. She knew going into the engagement that they would have detractors, so facing her parents was likely the first of many times she’d have to defend their relationship.

  “Obviously, I hope you’ll support us, but if you don’t feel that you can, that’s your choice.”

  “Sweetheart, we do support you. We love you, and we’d love to meet Ford. Bring him by the house, okay?” Her mother jumped in, likely worried that her dad’s judgment would cause a rift.

  They had been summarily opposed to her first engagement, and it was ages before their relationship was repaired. She’d married Nathan despite their protests, and when he died, it was harder for them to come together in grief. They had argued that not only was she too young to get married, but that army life was tough, that her marriage would be more stressful for the deployments. They worried that his job was too dangerous, that he’d be sent into combat. They had no idea how right they were, and it lingered between them, an unspoken awkward reminder, when they came together as a family after his death.

  “Sure. I know he’d like to meet you, too.”

  She ended the call with her parents, sorry that tension was rising up again just when she and her father were getting along so well. Working together on Soldier On had brought them closer, had allowed them to get to know one another in a new light. She hated to threaten the easy rapport they’d developed, but she couldn’t keep her engagement a secret. She’d agreed, and the only thing left was to make it official.

  • • •

  What did one wear to a real proposal from a not-quite boyfriend for a political engagement that might not last past November? Lily stood in front of her closet that evening, scanning the selection and wishing she’d had more notice so she could shop for the perfect outfit. Though to be fair, she had more clothes than one person could ever wear, and nothing could quell her nerves as she waited for Ford. Except for maybe Ford himself. Once he arrived, and she could look into his eyes, she’d breathe again, confident she’d made the right decision and ready to move forward. She slipped on a simple red sheath that ended right above the knees, the color a nod to his political affiliation, and pushed her feet into the black Louboutin stilettos she’d worn to Carly’s wedding. Swiveling in front of her mirror, she admired the sassy bows on the backs of the shoes and remembered how Ford’s eyes had been drawn to her bare legs more than once the other night. Satisfied with her appearance, she tucked essentials into her clutch and went to the living room to wait.

  As punctual as he was handsome, Ford arrived at her apartment at six o’clock sharp. At the sound of his knock, her heart raced, pounding in her chest. With a shaking hand, she grabbed her clutch and somehow managed to propel herself across the apartment to let him in. He stood in the doorway, almost shockingly handsome in a charcoal tailored suit and looking as nervous as she felt.

  “Hi.” She whispered the word, knowing she sounded ridiculous but unable to pull herself together.

  “Hi.” The tension broke with his smile, and she breathed him in. That sophisticated bergamot scent that both enticed and relaxed her, the perfectly Ford combination of elements. “It looks like you’re ready to go.”

  “Yep. I was nervous when I was waiting for you. This is a big deal, you know, but I’m ready now.” Nervous didn’t begin to describe it, but every second she stood beside him, the anxiety subsided.

  His eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. “I’m glad you didn’t change your mind.”

  “Of course not. I wouldn’t want you to have to resort to the file folder women.” She shuddered dramatically and was rewarded with Ford’s rich laughter. Making the joke lightened the situation, reminded her that this was going to be fun.

  “You saved me from a hideous fate,” he said with a grin. “Shall we?” He stepped toward the door, clearly looking forward to the evening.

  Lily had worried that he might want to know more about her first marriage now that they were getting engaged, that there would at least be questions. He knew all the basics, but she hadn’t elaborated more than absolutely necessary in their past conversations. Nathan occupied so much of her heart, but she wanted to keep as much of their life together as possible to herself. The more she talked about him, the more real his death seemed. Ford didn’t seem to have any concerns or questions, though, which was a relief. Lily didn’t like talking about Nathan with people who didn’t know him. It was too painful, so Ford’s lack of curiosity was refreshing. And why should he be bothered? They were about to embark on an engagement brought on by n
ecessity, not a real commitment blossoming from their deep and abiding love for one another. There was no reason for him to complicate matters with a lot of unnecessary discussion about past romances or comparisons. She certainly didn’t know much about his romantic history. It was best this way, less likely that they’d get hurt. Their relationship was surface-level and their engagement was a practicality, and she should keep that in mind. Her first marriage was real, so real she sometimes didn’t recognize that it was truly over. Keeping the two separate was a lot easier than figuring out how to open her heart to someone new.

  She locked up behind her and took his offered hand as they walked out of her building. Warmth traveled up her arm as he entwined his fingers with hers, sending a bloom of excitement through her. Staged engagement or not, it was going to be a fun and romantic evening. A perfect gentleman, Ford let her into the passenger seat of his car before getting in himself. As he navigated out of the parking lot, she adjusted the air conditioning vents to face her.

  “By the way, I told my parents that you proposed, so they won’t be surprised when the engagement becomes public. I have good news and bad news.” She checked her makeup in the visor mirror.

  He glanced at her before turning his attention back to the early evening traffic. “Give me the good news.”

  “They think I’m crazy to do this, but they promise to be supportive and keep their opinions to themselves.”

  “About me?”

  “About everything. Me getting married again, especially to someone they’ve never met. It’s a bit much for them to take in, but they’ve promised to be supportive.” She wasn’t sure how supportive they would be, but she felt confident that they would at least give him a chance.

  He turned onto the highway and shot her a quick grin. “That sounds great so far; I mean, we couldn’t really ask for more. What’s the bad news?”

  “They want to meet you, and they don’t exactly vote Republican.” That was an understatement, but he’d find that out soon enough.

  “That doesn’t sound so bad. Sounds completely reasonable, actually, and I’m great with parents. Don’t worry about it. I won’t hold their politics against them.” She had to laugh at his easy confidence; he had no idea who he was dealing with. It would be interesting to watch, at least.

  “I’m more worried about their opinion about your politics, actually. They are firm in their beliefs, and it won’t be easy.” She shrugged. “Meeting the parents, all the nerves, it’s completely normal, but given the circumstances…”

  “Yet another reason it’s good that we are the only two who know that there are, in fact, circumstances. Can you imagine trying to explain to your parents that I needed a fiancée and you agreed to take the job?”

  The laugh that escaped was so abrupt it was almost a snort. “Ha! I can’t even tell you how crazy that would be.” Their disdain of politicians, especially conservatives, combined with this scheme? Their heads might explode. “It would confirm everything they think they know about politicians.”

  “Will your father be insulted that I didn’t ask his permission?”

  Not likely, since the last time she got engaged, she’d ignored their pleas to reconsider and plowed ahead with her plans. They thought she was too young for marriage, that starting her married life off with her husband leaving on a long deployment was foolish, that she should wait until he returned home. She hadn’t listened, and they didn’t attend the City Hall nuptials, creating a huge rift between them that only widened as she adjusted to her life as a newlywed with a husband at war. After their conversation that morning, if they ever tried to stop her from getting married again, Lily would be surprised.

  “No, he and my mom are very comfortable with my independence. They just want to get to know you, which I now realize will be strange if they start to think of you as part of the family and we don’t end up getting married after the election. I didn’t think of it until just now, but people will expect us to set a date and start planning the wedding. I haven’t thought further than the engagement! I don’t know how long I can put my mom and Carly off before I have to start looking at venues and wedding dresses.” She gripped the door handle, thinking for the first time that this fake engagement might backfire on her. The idea that she could walk away if she wanted when November rolled around was her security blanket and had apparently blinded her to the details. Was she going to find herself trapped in a fake marriage? “Crap. What am I going to do?”

  Ford put his hand on her thigh and rubbed gently, the warmth and weight of it melting her stress again. Had he always had this calming influence on her? Maybe that’s why she gravitated toward him. “Let’s take it one step at a time. We can tell people that we want a long engagement and we’re going to put off even thinking about wedding planning until after the election. I’m sure it will make perfect sense to everyone. Then the holidays will be a distraction, and before you know it, six months will have gone by and then we can worry about it again. If you’re still willing.”

  She relaxed against the buttery soft leather of the seat and let the relief sink in. “You’re absolutely right. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that.”

  “It’s good that you brought it up. Better to anticipate any possible complications than to be surprised and blow our cover. Tonight, try to relax and have fun. My assistant arranged for a photographer to catch the moment I propose, so don’t let that surprise you. Tomorrow morning, my team will send out a press release, and then the real work will begin.”

  “It sounds so romantic,” she joked. “A press release and me trying my best to look surprised when you propose.”

  “Hey, just because you know it’s coming tonight doesn’t mean you know when. I’ll keep some of the details to myself so you won’t have to act shocked.”

  “Sounds like you’ve thought of everything.” She settled back in her seat and tried to relax.

  Ford exited the freeway and negotiated traffic through the one-way streets of downtown Dallas. Lily watched the city roll by in a wave of lights and movement as they made their way to the Dallas Museum of Art. They’d stroll through the space, take in the current exhibitions and the permanent collections, make small talk, and then her life would change. Lily’s knee bounced up and down as he found a spot in the parking garage, until Ford’s hand stilled her.

  “Try to relax.” His easy smile sent warmth through her that calmed her nerves. “The hard part was making the decision, so let me handle everything tonight. This is going to be fun.”

  He was right. They were embarking on an exciting adventure together, one she’d readily agreed to, and she should enjoy it. They’d spend a nice evening together, share a moment, and get on with it. They always had fun together, never had even the smallest disagreement. Sure, that was probably due to the fact that everything between them was strictly casual up until now, but this engagement wouldn’t likely change much between them. They’d see each other more often, and they’d share a giant secret, but their relationship wouldn’t change. With a shared goal of presenting a united front, all Lily had to do was relax and enjoy the public affection of a sexy man who made her laugh and kept things interesting.

  The museum was typically closed at five, but members were invited to the opening of a special Manet and Cezanne exhibit that evening, and excitement was in the air. Patrons wandered through the space, murmuring and pausing in front of priceless pieces of art. Lily’s shoes clicked on the polished floor, and she tucked her hand into the crook of Ford’s arm, leaning close as they stopped in front of Monet’s Water Lilies, a painting she’d seen a dozen times before but always loved. The soothing scene of soft lilies floating in blue and green waters brought her to a simpler, calmer time. She dropped her head onto his shoulder, loving that he was tall enough for her to do so.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” His baritone rumbled through her.

  “Mmm hmm. I’ve always loved this piece.” The painting had been part of the museum’s permanent collecti
on since she could remember, and ever since her first visit during a high school field trip, she’d been drawn to it. The lazy, filtered picture was so relaxing and soothing.

  “I never get tired of being able to walk in here and see an actual Monet, but I still enjoy the Kandinskys a little more.”

  “Really?” She couldn’t believe anyone would prefer the hard lines and bright colors of Kandinsky over the dreamy, muted tones of Monet.

  “I think it reminds me of when I was a kid and thought the more modern paintings were so cool. My parents dragged me and my brothers to museums constantly, and I didn’t exactly appreciate it then. When we were boys, we just tried to find something that looked interesting so we wouldn’t die of boredom. We weren’t exactly allowed to complain.”

  The thought of little Rutherford Richardson and his brothers forced to quietly wander through art museums, hands shoved in their pockets or tucked behind their backs, was precious. Lily pictured a smaller version of him, the same amazing blue eyes, lit up with mischief, under a mop of brown hair. He probably wore little suits, too. Adorable. Did Ford want kids of his own? Did she? Whoa, Lily. One thing at a time. Let’s get engaged first. They wandered further into the gallery until Ford stopped in front of a Georgia O’Keeffe painting and examined it, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

  She slapped his arm playfully. “Stop it. You cannot propose to me in front of this painting.”

  “Hey, this is a painting of a flower. I don’t know what you see in it, but maybe you need to get your mind out of the gutter.” He took her hand and continued through the museum, cracking up at his own joke about the artist’s suggestive imagery.