by Gina Wilkins
She nodded, blew her stepmother a kiss and turned away.
Andy, Hilda, Lynette and Alan were waiting outside by Cody’s Jeep. They showered the newlyweds with handfuls of ecologically correct bird seed, to Andy’s noisy delight.
While Cody chased Andy down and teasingly trickled bird seed down the back of the boy’s shirt, Dana took her leave of Lynette.
“We’ll be going back to New York first thing in the morning,” Lynette said. “We’ll try to get back in a few weeks. Or at least I will-I don’t know if Alan can get away again so soon. Of course, if. if anything happens, he and I will both be here immediately.”
“Of course. I’ll keep you informed.”
“Thank you. I’ll try to call Hilda every day. I really didn’t know Mother had gotten so bad, Dana.”
“I know you didn’t,” Dana answered gently. “It has happened so quickly. Even though you and I have talked, you really had to see her to understand.”
Lynette drew a deep breath. “She’s determined to stay out of the hospital for as long as possible. A part-time nurse will be helping Hilda, starting next week. I know Andy wants to stay here as long as he can, but…”
“Cody and I are prepared to take him as soon as it becomes necessary,” Dana cut in. “We’ll be checking out schools in Percy and talking to his teachers here about his academic standing.”
Watching her little brother tussling with Cody, Lynette nodded. “I know he’ll have a good home with you. He’ll be happy. after a while.”
“Yes,” Dana murmured sadly. “After a while.”
Both of them were silent for a moment. And then Dana forced a smile and held out her closed hand to Lynette. “I almost forgot. Here are your earrings. Thank you again for letting me borrow them for the wedding.”
“I want you to have them. A wedding gift, from me.”
Dana’s eyes widened. “Oh, but—”
“I bought those earrings myself, with one of my first paychecks from the ad agency. Now I want to give them to you. A memento of your wedding day. Please let me do this, Dana.”
Lynette looked so sincere that Dana found herself unable to refuse. Touched, she swallowed and nodded, her fingers closing protectively around the expensive pearls. “Thank you. I’ll treasure them.”
Characteristically, Lynette quickly brushed off Dana’s thanks.
After swapping hugs and kisses with Andy, it was time to go.
Dana looked over her shoulder as Cody drove away from the house. Andy and Lynette were standing side by side, Lynette’s hand resting a bit awkwardly on Andy’s shoulder. Alan stood behind them, looking distant and detached.
Her family, Dana thought with a sigh. What a complex word that was.
And speaking of family…
She looked at her husband.
Cody’s hair was tousled from his roughhousing with Andy. Dana smiled when she spotted a grain of seed among the heavy golden strands. She started to reach out to remove it, paused, then casually brushed at his hair. The grain fell away.
Cody glanced sideways at her.
“Bird seed in your hair,” she explained.
He smiled. “You’d better check your own.”
Self-consciously, she fluffed her hair. “Are we going straight to the club? It’ll be after five when we get there as it is.”
“I’ll call Jake, let him know we’re running late. We can stop by your place on the way so you can pick up a few things for tomorrow.”
She moistened her lips. “You, uh, want me to move into your house tonight?”
“You might as well, don’t you think? We’ve agreed we should make this marriage look as real as possible, for Andy’s sake. And, to be honest, for our own. I really don’t want to make complicated explanations about our personal business, do you?”
“No,” Dana agreed. “I don’t.”
It would be easier all around if she and Cody just let everyone believe they’d married for love-quietly, privately. Their acquaintances would be surprised, but accepting.
Dana admitted to herself that she would find it very embarrassing if everyone knew Cody had married her as a charitable gesture. Was he aware of that?
Was his insistence on making the marriage look real another favor he was doing for her?
“You’re sure you don’t want to tell your family the truth?” she asked, wondering if he’d be able to pull the charade off in front of those people who knew him so well.
“Not yet, anyway,” Cody said after a momentary pause.
“My family will take you and Andy in without reservation, regardless of the circumstances, but I don’t want Andy to have any reason to feel he doesn’t fully belong. He won’t be an outsider…and I don’t want him to feel like one.”
Dana twisted her hands in her lap, thinking of Cody’s family. and the true outsider who would be among them. Her.
“I promise that Andy will never have to deal with the burden of knowing that you and I married just for his sake,” Cody added. “Whatever happens in the future, you have my word that I’ll be a good husband to you. I know it’s happened fast, and that circumstances moved beyond our control in some ways, but I went into this marriage willingly and with every intention of making it work. I, uh, I just thought you should know that.”
Dana was inexplicably touched by the note of sincerity in Cody’s voice. His expression was uncharacteristically serious, and she knew instinctively that he was being perfectly honest with her. She owed him honesty in return.
“I’ll be a good wife to you, Cody,” she repeated, feeling that the vows they were making now were even more binding than the ones they’d swapped in front of witnesses that afternoon. “It’s true that I married you for my little brother’s sake, and I can’t help feeling rather guilty about it. Even though I know it was your choice, I feel that I’ve taken terrible advantage of you, but I will never give you reason to feel used. I won’t ask anything more of you than to help me provide a good home for Andy, and if there comes a time when you need your freedom, I won’t cause you any problems. I’ll always be grateful to you for what you’ve done for me today.”
She’d thought to set Cody’s mind at ease, to let him know how much she truly appreciated what he’d sacrificed for her sake, and for Andy’s. She couldn’t imagine why he looked as though she’d just said something he found extremely distasteful. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles gleamed white. His brow was creased with a frown.
“I said I knew what I was doing,” he said rather curtly. “I don’t want either guilt or gratitude from you in return. Just let me help you take care of Andy.”
She wished she knew what she’d said to offend him. She wished she understood this man who was now her husband, who’d just promised so much to her.
She wished…
She shook off that line of thinking, knowing she was straying close to dangerous emotions she wasn’t prepared to examine too closely at the moment.
“Why don’t you turn on some music?” Cody said abruptly, bringing the conversation to an end. “There are CDs in the console, if you can’t find a radio station you like. Choose whatever you like.”
Watching him surreptitiously from beneath her lashes, Dana reached for the radio controls, wondering if she would ever fully understand Cody Carson.
Chapter Twelve
Dana gave Cody directions to her apartment. She hesitated before inviting him in, and once inside he saw why. The place was tiny, plain, almost Spartan. “I don’t spend a lot of time here,” she explained.
He nodded and offered to help her pack. Refusing his assistance, she waved him to the couch while she threw some things into a bag.
“We’ll come back for the rest tomorrow,” Cody said as they left. “Do you have a lease commitment?”
“Only until the end of the month, but—”
“Good. Then you can talk to your landlord tomorrow, find out what your responsibilities are.”
“You, uh, want me to give th
e apartment up completely?”
Cody lifted an eyebrow. “There’s no need to keep paying rent on a place you won’t be using, is there?”
“No,” she said slowly. “I suppose not.”
He doubted she could be emotionally attached to the apartment, austere as it was. He suspected that she was more attached to the idea of a place of her own, and reluctant to sacrifice her independence to move in with him. He could understand—but that was the choice she’d made when she’d said, “I do.”
It was almost seven by the time they reached Country Straight. The parking lot was moderately well filled, indicating business was about as usual for a Tuesday evening. Cody parked by Dana’s car, which, of course, was still sitting where they’d left it Saturday morning…back when he’d been a single man.
He sat for a moment looking at the front doors, steeling himself for what was to come. Dana didn’t seem to be in any greater hurry to go in.
After a moment, he chuckled wryly. “Might as well get it over with,” he said, turning to look at her.
She swallowed and nodded. “You’re right. They’ll be wondering where we are.”
Cody’s smile deepened. “Actually, this could be fun.”
Dana rolled her eyes. “You have a very bizarre sense of humor.”
“So I’ve been told. Let’s go, Mrs. Carson.”
Dana groaned, hid her face in her hands for a moment, then bravely opened her door.
Cody almost groaned himself when the first people he saw inside the club were his sister Rachel and her husband, Seth, sitting at a table close to the bar, plates of barbecue in front of them. Jake stood beside the table, chatting with Seth as the rest of the staff bustled around waiting on other customers.
Tonight, of all nights, his sister and brother-in-law had to choose to dine at his place, Cody thought in resignation.
The way his luck had been running for the past few days, he should have expected this.
Dana clutched Cody’s arm. “It’s Rachel,” she whispered urgently, as though Cody hadn’t already seen them for himself. “What are you going to tell her?”
Cody shook off her hand, then wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Come say hi to your new sister-in-law, darlin’.”
“Cody, please don’t—”
But Cody was already propelling her forward. “Rachel! Seth! How’s it going? Where are the kids?”
Rachel looked at him in surprise, her dark eyes lingering on the arm he had around Dana’s shoulders. Cody knew she hadn’t missed the fiery blush on Dana’s cheeks. Seth, too, looked surprised and curious.
Jake was grinning. Cody suspected Jake thought they were setting up the practical joke he’d suggested.
Little did his partner know how the joke had turned.
Rachel spoke first. “The children are at the skating rink for a birthday party. Seth and I are taking advantage of a free couple of hours to eat out.”
Cody had always admired his older sister’s tact. She was obviously curious about where he’d been, why he and Dana had come in together, why Dana looked so flustered, why Cody had his arm around her…but Rachel would never be so indelicate as to pry.
Seth had no such reservations. His sandy hair tumbling onto his forehead, green eyes alight with curiosity, he tilted his head and asked, “Where’ve you been the past few days, Cody?”
Rachel sighed faintly.
Cody smiled. “Dana and I spent the long weekend with her family in Memphis.”
“Did you?” Seth was almost vibrating now with questions. Jake grinned and winked at Cody.
Dana cleared her throat. “I’d better get to work,” she murmured. “Everyone looks busy.”
“Wait a minute, darlin’. Don’t you want to tell them our news first?” Cody asked in a lazy drawl.
Dana gave him a look that warned him of dire retribution.
“News?” Seth asked eagerly. “What news?”
In answer, Cody held up his left hand and wiggled the ring finger, on which glinted the gold band Dana had placed there only hours earlier.
Jake’s grin faded. “Is that…?”
“Show them your rings, Dana,” Cody urged.
Her silent warnings grew more lethal, but she managed a creditable smile as she held out her left hand.
Cody noticed the unsteadiness in her fingers, and knew the others would, too. He hoped they would mark her nervousness down to shyness.
“Those are.wedding rings,” Rachel said after a stunned moment of silence.
“We were married at one o’clock this afternoon,” Cody proclaimed, thoroughly enjoying the moment now that it was upon him. “Congratulate me, Seth. I’ve joined the ranks of shackled men.”
He couldn’t have asked for a more dramatic response to his announcement.
Rachel sat frozen, her lovely oval face expressionless, only her widened eyes reflecting her shock. Seth was openmouthed in astonishment. Jake looked as though he’d been poleaxed.
Rachel recovered first. She rose to her feet. “This is such a surprise,” she said, moving to Cody’s side. “I didn’t even know you and Dana were. But where are my manners? Let me be the first to welcome you to our family, Dana.”
Dana smiled tremulously. “Thank you, Rachel. I hope you aren’t hurt that we sprang this on you this way. It all happened rather quickly.”
“We seem to have a family record of swift courtships,” Rachel replied. “Celia only knew Reed for two weeks before they were married. The rest of us didn’t have a chance to meet him until they were already married. At least you and Cody have known each other awhile.”
Seth wasn’t as quick to accept the news. Standing, he planted his fists on his hips and looked suspiciously at his longtime friend. “All right, Cody, give it to us straight. Is this another one of your jokes? Because if it is…”
“It’s no joke,” Cody cut in good-naturedly. “Would you like to see our marriage license? I have it out in the Jeep. All legally signed and everything.”
“You’ve really gotten married?”
“Seth,” Rachel murmured, nodding toward Dana. “Wouldn’t you like to give your best wishes to the bride?”
Seth had the grace to look abashed. “Uh, yeah, sorry, Dana.” With natural charm, he leaned over to kiss Dana’s pale cheek. “It isn’t that we disapprove of Cody’s choice,” he assured her. “Just the opposite, in fact. To be honest, we’re wondering what you see in the big lug.”
Dana smiled. “He has his odd charms,” she murmured.
Seth laughed. “Yeah. I guess that’s close enough.”
Jake had moved close to Cody’s side. He nudged him with his elbow. “Uh, Cody.”
Cody gave his partner a warning glance. “Aren’t you going to congratulate me, Jake?”
“You bet,” Jake replied with admirable aplomb, though Cody knew he was in for an intensive grilling later. “Congratulations, Cody. You’ve got yourself a beautiful bride.”
Following Seth’s example, he kissed Dana’s cheek. “Didn’t I tell you this would be a great match?” he asked her with an impish grin.
Dana’s color heightened, but she responded easily enough. “Yes, you did, Jake. You could almost say you’re the one who brought us together. And now I’d better get my apron…”
Jake looked scandalized. “You’ll do no such thing. Don’t even think about working tonight. This calls for a celebration. Hey, Angela!” he yelled, turning toward the waitress who was watching them with open curiosity from across the half-filled room. “Break out the champagne we keep for special occasions. We have a wedding to toast. Dana and Cody were married today!”
Cody made a solemn vow right then that someday, somewhere, somehow, he would find a way to utterly mortify Jake Dennehy in front of as many people as possible.
Most of the diners in the restaurant that evening knew Cody, and were familiar with Dana through her job there. A wave of excitement surged through the room, and before long Cody and Dana found themselves surrounded by wellwish
ers. Bottles of champagne were opened, poured and served.
Jake pressed a glass of mineral water into Cody’s hand. “A toast!” he shouted. “To Cody and Dana Carson. May their marriage be long, happy. and fruitful!”
Cody choked on his water. Dana groaned heartily, looking as though she would love to crawl into the nearest hole.
Jake looked smugly satisfied with himself as he drained his champagne, then grinned at Cody.
Rachel managed to catch Cody alone in his office for a few moments before she and Seth left. “I have to admit I’m staggered,” she said honestly. “I had no idea you were thinking of marriage.”
It had been fun watching the various reactions of shock and disbelief; now Cody felt the familiar nibblings of guilt at the deception he was pulling. He’d known his family would be the real test for him, especially Rachel. As for Granny Fran…he couldn’t even think about talking to her yet.
“We hadn’t actually planned to be married this weekend,” he confessed, choosing his words carefully. “Dana’s stepmother is very ill…terminally ill…and she wanted us to be married while she was well enough to be a witness. Since we’d already announced our engagement to her family, there didn’t seem to be any reason to wait. I knew my family would understand.”
Rachel immediately looked sympathetic. “Of course. Is Dana close to her stepmother?”
“Very close. It meant a great deal to her to have her stepmother there with us.”
“I’m sure it did. I’m so sorry for her. Is there anything I can do?”
Cody shook his head. “Not now. Dana and I will be spending most of our spare time in Memphis for the next few months. if her stepmother lasts that long. There’s a lot of family business to take care of, and Dana has a tenyear-old half brother who needs her right now.”
“It sounds as though you’ve taken on a lot of responsibility with this marriage,” his sister commented, watching him closely.
Cody swallowed, wondering if Rachel was asking herself if her formerly reckless, notoriously incorrigible little brother could handle the challenge. “I know what I’ve done,” he said evenly. “Dana and I both know what’s ahead for us.”