by Leah Atwood
Later, when she lay in bed, she’d overanalyze and debate if the non-kiss was a good thing. For the moment, she’d put it aside, enjoy the rest of the evening and whatever else Sean had planned. Theirs wouldn’t be a traditional wedding night, but he’d put effort into making it memorable.
If for nothing more than the ride into the sunset, she’d remember this day for the rest of her life. To know someone cared enough about her to make her feel special filled her with satisfaction. They’d had a whirlwind two weeks of becoming acquainted, and though many people would try to call him a stranger, she considered Sean a friend.
On a level new to her, she understood him, and he, her. They made a good pair, and over the last few days, she’d come to be grateful for Aunt Mitzy’s crazy marriage requirement. Even more grateful she hadn’t fulfilled the condition by marrying Kristopher.
“All the décor you see are items my grandparents collected on their travels.” Sean’s speech interrupted her musings. “When my grandfather retired, he and Granny bought an RV and traveled across the U.S. and Canada.”
“That explains the eclectic groupings.” At the slight downturn of Sean’s lip, she realized her statement could have sounded derogatory, which hadn’t been her intention at all. “I love it. Going through the house is like touring America state by state.”
“I’ve asked my parents multiple times to pack them up, on account that a wide number of the family uses the cabin and they don’t always take care of it. When I finally arrived a few weeks ago, the place had been trashed.” Sean scowled. “I had to take one of the Navajo rugs to a specialty cleaner to remove who knows what from it. I should have kept a better eye on the place, instead of avoiding it since Granny’s death years ago.”
“You would think family, if anyone, would respect and appreciate the place.”
“Sadly, it doesn’t always happen that way. Most of them do, but there are a few bad eggs.” He picked up a miniature lighthouse statue—a replica of the Hatteras lighthouse if she was correct.
“What did they say when you asked?”
He rolled his eyes. “I love my parents dearly, but Mom’s in denial about my grandfather’s health. She still believes he’ll leave the nursing home one day and come back here, so she won’t remove or change anything.”
“I can understand that. I couldn’t give up hope on my mom, even when the doctors said she had less than a year.”
“Hope is a funny emotion. It carries us through difficult times, but crushed hopes can wipe the ground out from under out feet.” His gaze took on a distant expression.
“There’s a verse in the Bible about suffering—how it leads to perseverance, perseverance to character, and character to hope.” Her gaze focused on a painting of the Grand Canyon. “When I read that, it reminds me that our hope is in Him.”
“I remember that verse. It kept jumping out at me every time I did a Bible study after the fight with Madison.” Sean clipped his sentence short and grimaced.
“You never did tell me what happened with her, only she was already married.”
“This is our wedding day. Do you really want to talk about her?”
Sunny brushed a hair from her face, the cascading curls otherwise still in place. “Yes, I do. She played an important role in your life, and I’d like to know.”
He pinched his eyes, reluctant to share. “Let’s eat first, and then I’ll tell you if you still want to know.”
“I can fix us a meal, if you don’t mind me poking around to see what you have.”
“There’s no need. I’ve already made arrangements for dinner.” He gestured toward the kitchen and winked. “Your meal awaits, my lady.”
The pitter-patters of her heart had to stop. She’d be a fool to read more into his actions than he meant. Sean was a considerate man who’d probably put the same level of thought into this for anyone.
In the kitchen, a table overlooking the backyard was set with fine china and a crisp linen tablecloth. Two silver platters with dome coverings sat at each of the two chairs. A lit candle flickered in the middle. An ice bucket with a bottle of sparkling cider sat near the edge.
Hand propped on her elbow, Sean escorted her to her seat. He pulled out her chair and scooted it in for her after she sat. Finally, he removed the dome from her tray. “Stuffed chicken marsala, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and grilled asparagus with hollandaise sauce. Raina said it was your favorite meal.”
Nodding, she swallowed her awe. “It’s perfect. How did you manage to arrange all this?”
“A bit of logistical maneuvering. Do you like it?”
“I love it, it’s wonderful.” She breathed in, inhaling the savory aroma of her food. “If you keep this up, I’ll become spoiled and lazy.”
Sean chuckled and sat down. “Those are two attributes I don’t believe I’ll ever see in you.”
“Like I said, keep treating me like this and you’ll see.”
“Maybe I will, just to prove you wrong.” He glanced down at his plate once he’d removed his lid. “Shall I say a blessing?”
“Please.” She bowed her head and closed her eyes. Focused on Sean’s prayer, but also said one of her own.
When Sean said amen, she grabbed her knife and fork, and cut off a piece of chicken. Delicious. “Did you get the same thing?”
“Yes.” He lifted a basket and offered it to her. “Garlic bread?”
“Thank you.” She took the top piece. Good thing Sean apparently had no plans to kiss her tonight.
She really had to stop thinking about kisses from Sean. Her mind went there at every opportunity and it was out of hand, even if he was her husband. She put a hand to her cheek, verifying that her face, indeed, had warmed at her thoughts.
“Are you okay?” Sean looked at her, concern etched in his features.
“I’m fine, just a tad warm.” Not exactly a lie, but she wasn’t about to tell him the true reason.
“I’ll turn the heat down.” He rose to his feet. “I adjusted it this morning, not realizing how hot today would be. The house needs time to cool down before the heat runs again.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“It’s no problem.” He left the table and returned a minute later.
Great, now she’d have to explain why she was shivering later. Maybe he’ll give you his jacket again. That was a pleasant thought. She’d enjoyed breathing in the spicy scent of his cologne as they road to the cabin, and hadn’t shed it until they’d come inside.
She tried a bite of asparagus—crisp how she liked it, not mushy. “Who made this? The food is delicious.”
“Geraldine at Café Villa.” Sean grinned. “I had to work my charm because Saturdays are her busiest days, but I finally got her to agree.”
“I haven’t been there yet. Usually I eat whatever my chef at Crosswinds makes for breakfast and dinner and grab a light lunch.”
“You have a chef?”
Her laugh came out a snigger. “If I want to keep my guests happy and have them return, I need Lisa, my chef. Aunt Mitzy did much of it on her own, but my culinary skills are… lacking.”
“That soup you heated the first day was good. Did you make that?”
She shook her head. “I gave Lisa the month off, since I’d closed Crosswinds for guests until April first. Being the person she is, she left me with a freezer and fridge full of meals.”
“Sounds like a kind person.”
“She is, as long as you stay out of her way in the kitchen.”
“Don’t I know.” Sean set his fork on his plate to take a drink. “Two years ago I worked with a five-star restaurant to reinvent themselves. I had to spend lots of time with their chef, and he did not like people in his kitchen while he cooked.”
She finished her meal with no intentions of eating another bite, but Sean brought out a raspberry cheesecake from the refrigerator. When he handed her a slice, her mouth said yes, even when her stomach said no.
Halfway through her piece, she h
ad to call it quits. She doubted she even had room to finish her sparkling cider.
“Are you done?” Sean reached for her plate to gather all the dirty dishes.
“Yes, but I’ll clean up. You did all the prep work to have this dinner.”
“Nonsense. Tonight is about spoiling you, remember?” There went his irresistible smile.
“I’m not used to all of this.” She stood and collected the remaining plates. “How about we work together on the cleaning?”
“Fair enough.”
Sean rinsed and washed the plates, and she dried them. There weren’t enough to warrant running the dishwasher, and she doubted a few of the items were dishwasher safe.
When they finished in under ten minutes, she swatted him playfully with the dishrag. “See, it’s all about teamwork.”
“I never said it wasn’t.” He gave her a once-over. “Did you want to change? I should have asked before dinner.”
Reality struck her. This had all been romantic, but she wasn’t prepared for a night away. “I, um, don’t have any other clothes.”
“Tsk, tsk. My wife has no faith in her husband.” His lips twitched, trying to hold in a smile, but he lost the battle. “I’ll show you upstairs to your room for the night. You’ll find a bag packed by your sister. It should have everything you need, including clothes and toiletries.”
They climbed the stairs and made a right. Sean took her to the second bedroom on the left. “This is your room. It has its own bathroom on the opposite side of the closet.”
“It’s beautiful.” Well aware she sounded like a broken record, she couldn’t stop her wonder.
Sean continually surprised her with the amount of thought and time he’d put into tonight.
“I’ll leave you alone to change. If you need anything, just call out.” His eyes locked with hers, a flicker of an unintelligible emotion passing over him. “Whenever you’re ready, meet me downstairs in the family room.”
He closed the door behind him, affording her privacy she hadn’t realized she’d needed. Although she could be outgoing and social when needed, she was an introvert who refreshed her mind and emotions by spending time alone. After the day’s events, she desperately needed a few minutes of solitude.
She sprawled over the log cabin quilt, surprised how comfortable the mattress was. Since the cabin wasn’t often used, she hadn’t expected such a nice mattress. Stretching her arms over her head, she decided she could stay there the rest of the night and be content, but then she’d miss out on time with Sean.
Indulging for a few more minutes, she stretched her arms until they hit the black wrought iron headboard. After being tense all day, the relief to her aching muscles was sheer delight. She sat up, stretching her back in the same fashion, feeling the limberness return to her body.
Standing up, she scanned the room in search of the packed bag. She spotted it on an armchair in the corner. It was her personal overnight bag, the one kept in her closet. Now she knew why Raina insisted she shower and start her hair from scratch and redo her makeup. Her sneaky sister needed an excuse to prepare a bag.
She sorted through what Raina had packed. Two comfortable jeans and sweater outfits, and sensible pajamas with slippers.
Reaching behind to her back, she fumbled to unfasten her dress. It was much easier to button earlier with Raina’s help. Once she managed to undo enough to slip out of the gown, she laid it carefully over the footboard and dressed in the jeans and sweater. She didn’t want to invade anyone’s privacy, but she didn’t want to leave her dress laid out on the bed, so she opened the closet, found an empty hanger, and hurried to shut the door. After the dress was secured on the hanger, she hung it from the trim above the closet.
Out of her dress, the fuzz of romanticism faded away. It was easier to pretend while dressed for the part, but now she had to go downstairs and figure out how to act around Sean. The task would be much simpler if they were married and in love. Was there a certain protocol on how to act with a man she’d married to save her inheritance?
How did couples do it in the olden days when marriages of convenience were normal? Or had they been so busy with chores, they didn’t have time to think how they should act. She drew a long breath, bringing her arms up to mimic the motion. I can do this. I’ve spent the whole day with him with very little awkwardness. There’s no reason to freak out now.
Sean knocked on the door. At least she hoped it was Sean or she’d have a completely new reason to worry. “Are you okay in there?”
She opened the door for him. “I’m fine, just had a bit of trouble getting out of my dress.”
“I didn’t want to rush you, but I thought about that once I was already downstairs.” He rubbed his neck, appearing nervous. When he looked at her again, his expression turned to relief. “When you didn’t come down for a while, I thought I should come up and offer help, but I see you got it taken care of.”
Because that wouldn’t have been awkward at all. No wonder he’d appeared anxious then relieved when he saw her in casual clothes. “Thanks for the thought. I took a hanger from the closet for my dress. I’ll make sure to put it back tomorrow.”
“You can take the hanger. It’s not a big deal.”
“Okay.” She shoved her hands in her pockets and rocked on her feet. “What now?”
“Want to watch a movie? I have the new Vinnie Frances comedy?”
Her discomfort eased a bit. Vinnie Frances was one of her favorite actors. “That would be great. Have you seen it yet?”
“No, I was out of the country while it was in theatres.”
“Me either, because I was busy learning the ropes at Crosswinds.”
A smile graced his face again. “I’ll get it set up. Want a drink or anything?”
“I’m fine.”
“Meet me downstairs when you’re ready.” He pivoted and started to walk away.
“I’m ready now,” she called out.
He stopped until she took the few steps to catch up with him.
His eyes met hers and offered reassurance.
Peace settled in her, and she gave him a lazy smile. There were worse ways to spend a Friday evening. Much worse ways.
Chapter Eight
His eyes fluttered, struggling to stay open. He’d been dreaming of a buffet he’d frequented while working in Tennessee for a contract, and the restaurant had everything great about a country breakfast. The vivid smells from his dream remained with him as he came to consciousness. Buttermilk biscuits, gravy, eggs, maple sausage. Best of all—bacon, the real breakfast of champions. Or heart attacks. But oh, that breakfast had been worth it, even if it meant finding the local chapter of his gym that night and spending three hours there.
He stretched his arms, then covered his eyes from the blinding light of sun pouring through the window. One day he’d get the blinds put up again, but there wasn’t any hurry since he’d be living at Crosswinds.
Sunny. Shooting upright, he remembered he was a married man, and he wasn’t alone in the cabin. Which meant the continuing smells weren’t an extension of his dream, but a reality. He jumped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom. Made himself presentable and brushed away the morning breath from his mouth.
Downstairs, he found Sunny in the kitchen behind the stove. For someone who claimed she couldn’t cook, she sure had a spread of food laid out on the counter. She whisked something in a pot.
He leaned against the doorframe, watching her for a few minutes. The curls were gone from her hair which was pulled into a high ponytail. She wore a pair of skinny jeans, a pale pink sweater that complemented her skin tone, and no shoes or socks.
She hummed as she worked, her features serene and calm. She looked at home.
Still resting a shoulder against the frame, he made his presence known. “Good morning.”
“Good morning.” She tossed the whisk in the sink. “How’d you sleep?”
“Great.” He walked to her, using small strides. “You?”
; “Fantastic.” She waved a hand over the food. “I woke up early and decided to repay the thoughtfulness you showed me yesterday.”
“Can I help with anything?”
“No, I’m almost done.” She turned to the stove and emptied creamy gravy into a bowl. “This was the last to finish.”
“Do you want to eat outside?”
“Sure. Fix our plates and carry them out?”
“Sounds good.” He walked to the coffee pot and poured a cup. “You didn’t have to do all this.”
She shrugged. “I wanted to.”
“I appreciate it.” Lifting the cup, he drank a sip and set it back down. He handed a plate to Sunny. “You cooked, you go first.”
Dipping a large spoon into a bowl of eggs, she asked, “Do you like your eggs scrambled? If not, I can fry some. I wasn’t sure how you liked them best.”
“Scrambled is fine.” Even if they weren’t his preferred style, he wouldn’t have said anything. Sunny appeared eager to please him, and he wouldn’t give her any reason to think she hadn’t.
If she only knew how much he wanted to please her as well.
While Sunny finished fixing her plate, Sean unlocked the door leading to the rear porch. He stepped outside, filling his lungs with the crisp morning air, and went to check the patio table. A layer of dust had settled over it, and a stray bug. He went back inside, grabbed a rag, and wetted it with warm water and soap.
Once the table was clean, he returned inside and fixed his plate, taking a little of everything. It might be another three-hour gym day, except he didn’t know of one nearby, and wouldn’t leave Sunny alone for that long. Oh well. One hearty, delicious, cholesterol-laden meal wouldn’t hurt as long as he didn’t make a habit of it. For today, he’d enjoy it. With that thought, he added another strip of thick sliced bacon to his plate.
Sunny balanced her plate, utensils and cup in her hands, along with salt and pepper shakers.
“Let me help.” He took her cup and utensils from her, along with the shakers.