by Dyanne Davis
“Tell me again, Tesa. This time look at me. I love you and I want to know, do you love me enough to spend the rest of your life with me, fighting, making up and making babies?”
She was blushing. “We’re in church, Jared. Stop looking at me like that.”
“Why?”
“Because I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, fighting, making up and having babies. And right now I want you so much that if you don’t stop looking at me like that, I’ll be forced to give you the most passionate kiss the Lord has ever witnessed.”
“Perfect,” he answered her. “Who better to witness our commitments.”
She was suddenly in his arms and he was kissing her. Her feet were dangling in the air. It felt right, this acknowledgment she’d spent her entire life trying to run away from.
It was only right that she stop running from love and accept it here in this church. It felt right that this was done in front of God.
“I love you, Jared,” she murmured as he slid her downward. Her mother was there waiting with capable hands to help her into her own wedding gown. She’d not known she’d returned. Toreas had not checked her watch when she left but she knew her mother had not been gone nearly long enough to have gone home, found the gown, and made it back to the church.
Toreas looked at the cleaner bag the dress was in. The thing looked like as if it had just come from the cleaners. This was all too suspicions. “Mom, where was your dress?” Toreas asked.
“Tesa, honey we don’t have time for questions. Let’s get you into this thing. We need to see how much we have to take it in.”
Before Toreas could protest her mother had shoved her into the minister’s study and a group of women had jostled her into the dress and were making on the spot alterations, all which seemed to be minimal. The dress fit her much better than she would have thought, much better than it should have.
“Mom, your dress, it’s beautiful and it almost fits. How can that be possible?”
“Tesa, honey, thank God for that. Now come on, let’s get started.”
In what seemed to her only a matter of minutes she was standing before the minister telling Jared once again that she loved him, hearing him tell her, her parents, God, the congregation and the hallelujah choir that he loved her as well.
In a whir of activity they accepted the kisses from the congregation and followed the ministers and the others out of the sanctuary, down the stairs and to the huge community room where the breakfast had been laid out. Toreas gasped in amazement at the lavish decorations and tables laden with food and flowers. How the heck had they done all of this in such a short time? she wondered.
“Anything wrong, Toreas?” Jared asked.
“I can’t believe everyone did all of this for us.”
“They did it for you. They all apparently love you,” Jared whispered and kissed her lightly on the lips. “Just as I do.”
As they ate their wedding breakfast, Toreas continued to marvel at the array of food the women had whipped up in so short a time. These nosy people who butted into everybody’s business. God bless them.
It appeared she’d also forgotten the generosity of her town, the love and caring they had for each other and the skills. Three of the women, along with her mother, had altered the gown to fit her body in record time. They’d prepared a feast and all because they loved her. She was one of them. She wondered how all of this had escaped her notice. Why had she not seen it all?
“You were too busy running away. Now enjoy their love.”
It was her internal critic. She intended to do just that.
When a wedding cake was wheeled out and stacks of wedding presents uncovered on a nearby table, Toreas knew she’d been had. She got up and walked toward the cake, smiling. Okay, so she’d been wrong about her family and her town but come on, did they all think she was stupid? This was not some last minute planning that had been put together in an hour. This was planned ahead of time. She tilted her head and glanced across the room at Jared standing with her family. They all lifted their champagne glasses up at her and laughed.
“How did you do this, how did you know?” she asked, walking toward them.
“How do you think,” Jared teased, sliding his arm around her waist.
“You?”
“Of course.”
“But how, Jared? I didn’t even ask you until the last second and when would you have had time? You almost didn’t come.”
“Now there you’re wrong. Did you think I was going to leave you to that Brian Johnson? No way. I got your parents’ number from information and I called and asked your father for permission to marry you. I did it the old fashioned Southern way, the way you kept pretending you hated. I didn’t believe you.”
“But this weekend, why so soon?”
She could feel his hand pressing gently on her back, caressing her. She didn’t dare look up.
“Because it was perfect. Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks. It’s a time for family and friends and those we love. I thought it was a good time for us to begin a new life as husband and wife.
“But what if I had said no?”
“You didn’t.”
“But what if I had?”
“In that case I would have had to convince you that we belonged together.” He stared at her for a moment before kissing her until her knees turned weak.
When she could breathe again, Toreas looked at each member of her family in turn. “I can’t believe you all went along with this scheme.”
“He loved you and we could tell something was up with you in the past months. We just didn’t know it was love. That’s why I drilled you and that’s why I cancelled Brian.” Her mother looked up at Jared. “Your husband told me in no uncertain terms that he didn’t want you anywhere near Brian Johnson or any other man. Once he asked your father for your hand, things just kind of snowballed. You were the only fly in the ointment.
“But, Mom, you did all of this not knowing what I would do.”
“Believe me, there were a dozen urgent calls between us and Jared. Why do you think I was suddenly calling you every fifteen minutes. That morning when you were all packed and ready to leave I almost had a heart attack. Jared never called to say that you’d agreed, just that he was coming.”
Toreas couldn’t help laughing. “So that’s why you asked me if I was sure my gas was off or if I was sure I didn’t want to bring a friend.” Toreas laughed harder. “I was wondering if you were beginning to lose your memory. You’d already asked me that a dozen times.” She looked at Jared. “I should have known.”
“You should have known I loved you and I had no plans on your moving anywhere without me by your side.”
Someone had put on music and was yelling for the bride and groom to dance. When they were cheek to cheek, Toreas looked around the gaily decorated church community room and whispered to Jared. “You know you’ve outsmarted yourself, don’t you? There is no way we’re doing what’s on your mind in my parents’ basement.”
“How about upstairs in your bedroom?”
“Ha ha, don’t think so, buddy.”
“But we’re married now.”
“I don’t care,” Toreas answered. “If you’re planning on making my eyes roll back in my head, I think we need to be alone.”
“Then I guess when we get back to your parents’ home you’d better help your mom make dinner so the preparations can go quicker.”
“I can’t believe you’re not rushing me out of here.”
“Why not? I have you and we have a lifetime together.” He pulled her hard against him.
“I don’t believe you.”
“You shouldn’t.” Jared laughed. “We have a honeymoon suite here in town, I made reservations. As soon as we have Thanksgiving dinner with your family we’re off.” He leered at her.
He could see the wheels turning and shook his head. “No, Tesa, I didn’t sleep with anyone when I was so angry with you. How could I when all I could thi
nk about was you and the fact that if I had you’d probably tack on another year and make me retake the test and fill out another questionnaire.”
“Jared?”
“Okay, baby, I didn’t want anyone else but you. I love you.”
“Say it again,” Toreas purred, looking up at him with adoring eyes.
“I love you, Toreas Rose Stone. There is something I’ve been meaning to ask you about that first time when you were glaring at me as though you hated me. It was so personal. Why?
“You don’t know?” Toreas teased.
“No.”
“I’d had a little crush on you for months and then you opened your mouth and spoiled it.”
“Now?”
“Well, now is now.”
“How about telling me how much you love me and that you wouldn’t think of living without me.”
At that moment the music ended and Toreas smiled at Jared and walked toward her father.
“Toreas,” Jared called, and she ignored him, taking her father’s hand and leading him to the dance floor. Of course she loved him but she couldn’t let him get a big head, now could she? “I love you, Jared, and I can’t think of living my life without you,” she yelled at him from the dance floor. She looked at her father and grinned, surprised not to feel the heat from embarrassment that she normally would have felt.
“I like him, Tesa.”
“So do I, Daddy,” Toreas said as she leaned against her father’s chest. “So do I.”
After the dancing they sat and ate and talked with old friends until everyone began cleaning. It was time for them to go home to prepare their own Thanksgiving dinner.
Several people walked up and kissed her goodbye, pressing envelopes that she knew contained money into her hands. Some of them gave her rolls of film and three different people gave her video cassettes of the wedding.
She returned to her parents’ home a married woman. Through it all she was in a daze, helping her mother with the meal while listening to her husband. Her husband. She loved the way it sounded in her head.
Her husband was now a part of her family and it also felt right. She couldn’t wait until she told Liz and Kelle. They would never believe it.
No matter how talented, she didn’t believe any writer could have come up with such a wonderful beginning for her new life.
Hours later when they were climbing into the car she held each of her brothers tightly to her. She would never forget again how much she loved them or how much they loved her. She would remember always.
“Tesa, thank God you went shopping with Mom. Your outfit looks beautiful.”
Toreas hit at Billy but he grabbed her and gave her a hug. She twirled around for them in her new outfit the same as she’d done in her thrift store clothes. She had to admit the purple silk dress melded to her curves like a glove. Her mother had even insisted on buying her a stylish new black coat. It all made sense now why her mother had taken her from store to store on a manic shopping frenzy, telling her to hush up every time she’d attempted to pay.
Her father reached out a hand and touched her hair. “I thought I would have a stroke when your mom called to warn me that you’d cut off your beautiful, long hair. But you look just as beautiful in an afro.”
Throwing her arms around her father Toreas hugged him as hard as she could. “Thank you, Daddy, for everything,” she said and kissed his cheek.
“Tesa, I’ll still pay for that year for you to find your dream.” Michael hugged his sister close.
“So will I,” Billy chimed in.
Jared grinned at them both. “Sorry, guys, she’s my wife and I’ll take care of her.”
Toreas shook her head at the men in her life. “You’re all the greatest but I’ve decided to go back to work.” She took in their looks. “Don’t worry, I have no plans on giving up but I also have no plans on not doing some of the real struggling to get there. I truly thank all of you but I need to go about this in a different way. I have the inspiration I need and I have the passion.” Toreas grinned. “I don’t think it will be nearly as hard to write now.”
Her father was the last one to kiss her goodbye. “You no longer have a debt to me,” he whispered into her ear. “It’s paid in full.”
“No, Daddy, I’ll keep my word on that.”
“Consider it a wedding gift. After all, I didn’t have the expense of giving you a wedding. This is a fair trade.” He hugged her, hard. And she felt his body shake.
“Be happy,” he said to her, then pushed her toward Jared. A few more waves and they were off.
“Now, Toreas Tesa Rose Stone, let’s see what I can do about making your eyes roll to the back of your head,” Jared whispered as they got in the car.
“In the car, Jared.”
“Baby, before we’re done we’re going to make love in places you’ve never before imagined.” He glanced at her and saw her grin. “What?” he asked.
“I’m a writer, Jared, I have a very vivid imagination.” She fished in the dash box for a piece of paper and a pencil, then started writing, listing some places worth considering.
“What are you doing?” Jared asked.
“Oh, just starting a list. You’ll be lucky if you manage to do even half of the things on my list.”
When he laughed out loud she laughed with him and continued writing.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Sitting next to Jared as he drove, Toreas wondered a few minutes later if she was dreaming it all. She was married to Jared and her family had been in on it. It was too unbelievable. She chuckled softly and pinched herself.
“What now?” Jared asked, grinning.
“Just pinching myself to see if this is real.”
“It’s real, baby. You can’t run from me any longer.”
“I have no plans to run, Jared.”
“How do you feel, Mrs. Stone?”
“Wonderful. How about you?”
“I feel lucky.”
“Does any of this strike you as hokey?”
“Yeah, but who the hell cares? I have you in my life and nothing else matters. I knew from the moment I began falling for you that I would have to work my ass off to get you.”
“You haven’t worked it off yet, Jared,” Toreas joked.
She couldn’t believe she’d laughed with her mother only a couple of days before about the denseness of men. This was without a doubt the most romantic thing Jared could have done.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
“How much I love you and how much like a dream this all seems. I found my family, the church, God and a husband all in one neat bundle.”
“You didn’t find us. We were never lost. We were just waiting for you to want us.” He smiled. “I’m speaking for myself. As soon as we get home I’m going to prove that to you.”
She leaned into his body, as close to him as she could possibly get. When we get home, she thought. Okay, Toreas, she coached herself. It’s up to you to change your husband’s mind about waiting till you reach Chicago. Just once more. Just a little wifely manipulation.
“I can hardly wait until we get home.” She tried to sound innocent as her hand began roaming up his thigh. “I wish we didn’t have to wait so long. I thought you had the honeymoon suite here in town.”
She felt Jared looking at her and she looked up into his eyes. They were finally on the same page.
“I wasn’t talking about waiting to make love to you. I was talking about proving we belong together. But you’re right, and I think I can prove that to you in just a few minutes.”
His voice was husky with desire. Toreas smiled. She was aware of what he was thinking. She could feel it. Her hand was directly covering a huge bulge. “Now that’s more like it, Mr. Stone.”
Jared was grinning. “By the way, there is something I want to tell you.”
“What’s that?” Toreas asked coyly, waiting to hear him tell her he loved her.
“I want you to keep a few of those bulky sweaters. I
want to bury my head under them and taste my own private buried treasure.”
His hand touched her face and she burned. When he tried to use his right hand to burrow through her coat he gave up after a few seconds and grinned at her. “I can’t caress you and drive, at least not while you have on that darn coat. Please tell me what you’re dressed for. It’s not that cold.”
“Cold enough for a coat,” Toreas replied, smiling at Jared.
“But I don’t have on a coat.”
“That’s your body, I get cold easily.”
“Do you heat easily?”
“I think you know the answer to that.”
“I’m not sure, not really. You could have been lying to me. After all, you always managed to say no. Are you planning on saying no to me today?”
“Would it do any good if I were?” Toreas laid her head on his shoulder, her hand feeling once again for the evidence of his arousal, finding it and feeling emboldened. She stroked him, laughing as his body shuddered and his foot pressed harder on the gas pedal.
“You like teasing me, don’t you?” Jared placed his hand over Toreas’s. “We’re going to see how well you like it in about thirty seconds.”
He pulled off the highway and turned into the parking lot of a hotel that looked liked heaven to Toreas.
“Now I’m going on a treasure hunt,” Jared informed her, “and I get to keep the prize.”
Before Toreas could count to ten, they were out of the car, in the lobby and being led to the honeymoon suite. When the door closed behind them, Toreas turned and saw the way her husband was looking at her.
“Jared,” she whispered. Before another word could leave her mouth he was beside her. The moan died in her throat. Jared was kissing her, and her body surrendered to his touch. This time when the feeling of floating overcame her she opened her eyes and grinned. “I love you, Jared,” Toreas said softly as she gazed into her husband’s eyes.
“No more interruptions,” Jared rasped hoarsely.
Both their eyes fell on the phone. Toreas laughed and took it off the hook. “Is that better?”
“Much.”
“Jared, this is all so crazy. Liz is going to think I’m nuts.”
“Do you care?”