Three Reasons to Wed

by Helen Lacey

  She spotted Colleen beside a picnic table and another woman whom she recognized as Brooke, Grady’s cousin. Brooke held Tina while Colleen fussed with the food containers on the table. Brant was standing nearby, his left arm still supported by a sling. He was deep in conversation with a couple she recognized as Tanner and Cassie McCord, Grady’s neighbors and friends. They had a child with them who looked about a year old and Marissa was sure she spotted a slight baby bump on the other woman. Rex was there, too, standing by the big oak tree, talking with two of the young ranch hands.

  Colleen looked up as they approached and smiled. “That was quite a welcome you got.”

  Marissa smiled back. The girls each held one of her hands and led her around to the side of the table near their grandmother. They made her stand by the table and chatted to her endlessly about their week at school and the impending fireworks. Tina began to cry and she watched as Grady placed the basket on the table and then took the toddler in his arms and gently cajoled her into a delightful giggle. He mopped up the baby’s tears when she was done crying and kissed her on the head. And it took two seconds for Marissa’s womb to start doing backflips.

  Fool.

  She pushed the thought aside and concentrated on the girls beside her. After a few minutes they raced around the table to see their father and sister. Colleen poured her a glass of iced tea and patted the seat beside her.

  “It’s such a shame your aunt couldn’t come today,” Colleen said quietly and began pulling dishes from the baskets on the table. “She’s always been a strong advocate for this merger.”

  “Are you?” Marissa asked and drank some tea.

  Colleen nodded. “I think it will be good for the town...towns,” she said with emphasis. “When they were both settled in the 1800s, it was the river that kept them apart. Well, there’s been a bridge over the river for over one hundred years... It’s about time that meant something.”

  “It means land rezoning,” Brooke said and sat opposite.

  Colleen nodded. “Yes, there will be changes for some. But I think once—”

  “No politics today,” Grady said and shifted Tina into his other arm. “Okay, Mom? Brooke? Let’s just enjoy the band and the fireworks.”

  “Easy for some to say,” the tall blonde replied, smiling but looking slightly miffed. “You’re not losing forty acres of your best grazing land.”

  Grady shrugged agreeably. “I told you that you can run your herd down the bottom of Flat Rock,” he said of the land that ran along the back perimeter of his ranch.

  Brooke grinned but still looked defiant. “My land. My herd. My problem.”

  Grady laughed and ruffled his cousin’s hair, and Marissa was warmed by the sense of familial closeness around her. And as Colleen chatted to her and Grady bantered with his cousin while his daughters played nearby, and Brant talked with the McCords, Marissa experienced something she hadn’t felt for a long time—inclusion. The Parkers were kind, caring people and they welcomed her wholeheartedly.

  “My granddaughters are very fond of you,” Colleen said softly and continued to pull containers from the baskets on the table.

  “I’m very fond of them, too,” Marissa said, getting to her feet to help with the task.

  “I’m glad. The more people they have who love them, the better.”

  Marissa glanced toward the girls, saw how they were hanging off their father as he suspended them in the air in turn. “Oh, I think they have plenty of that.”

  Colleen nodded. “Yes, he’s a good father. Better than his own, in fact,” Colleen said and then smiled. “Oh, my husband was a lovely man, but he spent too much time working and not enough time with his sons. Grady seems to manage it better, even as a single dad.”

  Marissa’s heart constricted. “Having a father is important.”

  Colleen’s expression softened and she patted her hand. “That was insensitive of me. I’m so sorry. It must have been hard for you to grow up not knowing your father.”

  She shrugged. “It’s gotten easier over time. And I had my mom and Aunt Violet. So I had more than some people ever have.”

  Colleen smiled. “Janie Ellis was a good person. A little wild at times,” she said and winked. “But she used to talk to me when I would go into the salon.”

  “Did she ever say anything about my dad?”

  The other woman nodded slightly. “She never said who he was and I never asked. But once, when she was talking about you, she gave a little sigh and said that despite not knowing him very well, she’d cared for your father. And she loved you more than anything. It was tragic the way she died so young.”

  Marissa’s throat closed over. “Yes. But she knew I’d be safe and well cared for with Aunt Violet. Like you’ve been there for Grady and the girls since Liz passed away.”

  “Of course,” she replied. “He’s my child and I will do whatever I can to see that he’s happy.” Colleen’s eyes sparkled. “Which includes finding him a wife.”

  Marissa couldn’t stop a smile from curving her mouth. “Good luck with that.”

  Colleen chuckled. “Yes...he’s certainly been resistant to the idea so far.”

  “Maybe not so much,” she said and sorted through cutlery. “He told me today he might get married again.”

  “Really?” Colleen’s brows shot up. “He told you that?”

  She nodded. “He did.”

  “And would he be married to anyone in particular?” the older woman asked.

  Marissa saw her chance to defuse Colleen’s matchmaking efforts. “No one in particular.”

  Colleen’s expression feigned innocence for a moment and then the sparkle in her eyes returned. “Well, I shall have to double my efforts.”

  “Or let him figure it out for himself?” Marissa suggested.

  Colleen squeezed her arm. “And let him miss an opportunity? Not a chance.”

  Marissa had the sinking feeling she was the opportunity the other woman was speaking about. “Colleen...this idea you have about Grady and me...it’s way off the mark.”

  She shrugged. “I know what I see. And I know you’re probably thinking about Liz and what she would say. But I think she would say it’s quite okay.”

  Marissa wasn’t so sure. Liz had kept quiet about Grady wanting to take her to prom in senior year...and even though it happened a long time ago, it was still a cautionary tale. The whole idea was messy and complicated. And after Simon and her bitter divorce, she didn’t want complicated. She wanted easy. She’d earned it.

  If only she could get Grady out of her head.

  Before he gets into my heart.

  Too late...

  She was shocked by the thought. And distressed. And suddenly terrified. She didn’t want to have feelings for Grady. Finding him attractive was hard enough. Anything else was...well...impossible.

  “Colleen, I just think it’s—”

  “My granddaughters need a mom,” Colleen said quietly, more seriously. “They need to know what a mother’s love means. And with you, they would know that. They love you.” She squeezed her hand. “Now all you have to do is get my son to fall in love with you, too.”

  Marissa gasped. “Oh, that’s not—”

  “And from the way he’s looking at you right this minute,” Colleen said, cutting her off, “I don’t think that’s going to be too hard at all.”

  Chapter Seven

  Grady just knew his mother was up to something. Marissa looked as if she needed rescuing, so he quickly disentangled himself from Breanna and Milly and passed Tina to Brooke. But he was too late—by the time he was around the other side of the table Marissa’s face was as red as a beet.

  “Feel like checking out the horses before we eat?” he asked and held out his hand.

  She looked up, nodded and stood. Hi
s mother was grinning, as if she’d gotten exactly what she wanted. Damn. He should have known better than to play right into her hands. He loved his mom, but sometimes she drove him to distraction.

  Marissa grabbed his hand and he felt her touch right through to his bones. Her hand was small and soft and fit neatly inside his, just as it had over a week ago. There was something so naturally feminine about her, and as she stood and he led her from the table, Grady realized it had a power that threatened to undo him.

  Stay away from her.

  Ignore her.

  Yeah, right. He had more chance of going to the moon than doing that.

  “Something you want to tell me?” he asked once they were out of earshot.

  She shook her head and pulled her hand from his. “You don’t want to know.”

  He sighed. “I take it my mother was matchmaking again?”

  Marissa laughed and the lovely sound carried across the breeze. “Oh, Colleen was doing more than that,” she said and kept walking. “She just gave me the green light.”

  Grady stopped midstride.

  The green light?

  By the time he started walking again she was ten feet in front of him. He caught up quickly and grabbed her hand. “What does that mean?”

  She didn’t try to pull away. “The green light...the go-ahead...the stamp of approval.”

  “I’m sorry, Marissa,” he said wearily. “I’ll talk to my mom and get her to stop meddling.”

  Grady met her gaze. Her eyes were bright, as if she was fighting back emotion, and it cut through him with diamond-like precision. He didn’t want to see her upset. He had a sudden inexplicable urge to comfort her, and it shocked him to the core. Every past feeling he’d had toward her was shifting, turning, morphing into something else. Something more.

  She pulled her hand from his and kept walking. The barrel racing was in full swing, so dust was flying and the sounds of hooves pounding and the audience cheering filled the air. She stood by the bleachers for a moment, arms crossed, eyes cast directly ahead. But he wasn’t fooled. She was no more interested in the horses in that moment than he was.

  When he reached her, she took off again, past the bleachers and holding yards and toward the long row of stables. He followed her once more, feeling tension and irritation seep into his blood with every stride.

  By the time she stopped she’d walked fifty yards. She pulled up outside an empty stable. Grady reached her and came to a halt. She turned, arms still crossed, eyes still bright.

  “Marissa...”

  She took a breath and spoke. “Liz never mentioned it.”

  Grady frowned. “Never mentioned what?”

  “About prom,” she admitted. “That you wanted to take me.”

  An uneasy feeling seeped into his gut. The memories were vague but still there. “She told me you weren’t interested.”

  “She lied,” Marissa admitted, as if it was the hardest thing she’d ever said.

  Grady frowned. “Why would Liz do that?”

  “Because she loved you.”

  It sounded so simple. So innocent. And he had to believe that it was. He’d loved Liz with all his heart. Nothing would change that. But he had to know more. He had to know everything. “And were you?” he asked quietly, moving a little closer. “Interested?”

  She stepped back until she was pressed against the stall door. “Sometimes...sometimes for a smart man...you can be a real idiot.”

  It wasn’t an answer. “Yes or no?”

  “What does it matter?” she whispered.

  “I don’t know why it matters,” he replied, moving closer. “It just does.”

  “No,” she said quickly, shaking her head. And then softer, raspier, “Yes.”

  The churning in his stomach increased tenfold. He didn’t want to think about what it meant, but his mind wandered... If he had taken Marissa to prom, maybe his life would have played out differently...no Liz, no babies he loved more than life itself. It was impossible to comprehend. Liz did him a favor. Liz always knew what he needed. Liz had been his rock after his father died and when he’d taken over the ranch.

  But Liz was gone...

  And Marissa was...here. Real. Beautiful. Tempting...

  Grady stepped toward her and she raised a hand. At first he thought she was pushing him away, but she wasn’t. She reached out and rested her palm against his chest, directly over the spot where he knew his heart was beating wildly. And she sighed. A low, heady and wistful sound that reached him deep down, in that place he’d closed off, shut out, ignored for way too long.

  And in that moment he couldn’t have walked away for anything in the world.

  He moved closer, feeling the warmth coming off her skin as he covered her hand with his and held it against his chest. She stared up at him, all shimmering eyes and soft, pink lips. Grady looked at her mouth and saw her bottom lip tremble. He reached for her nape with his other hand and held her steady, stroking the smooth skin at the back of her neck.

  And then he kissed her. Softly at first. Almost tentatively. Caution kept him under control. He wanted her permission. He wanted her to tell him it was okay. He wanted her to agree to what was happening between them. And then she did. Her lips parted and she let him inside her sweet, seductive mouth. His tongue found hers and the sensation spiked his libido with such intense force he groaned low in his throat. She felt so good. Tasted so good. And Grady quickly realized something—it didn’t feel strange. It didn’t feel awkward. Kissing Marissa felt like the most natural and deliciously sensual thing in the world.

  He continued to kiss her and kept their mouths connected in the most intimate way, taking and giving, enjoying the soft slide of her tongue against his own, holding her nape gently. The blood in his veins surged, and need overcame everything else. Her hands looped around his neck and he felt her compliance, groaned when her tongue sought his as she pressed closer. He could feel her breasts, her hips, her thighs against him, could feel the heat of her body connecting with his in a way that affected him on some primal level. He wanted her. If he dared to move, he would have walked the three steps into the stall, closed the door and made love to her on the thick bed of hay. But he knew he couldn’t. He knew it was going to be only a kiss. And for the moment there was no rush. No reason to stop. Nothing but the two of them, together and wholly connected. When sanity prevailed, he’d release her and pull away. But in those few, intoxicating seconds, Grady was unable to do anything else except keep the connection.

  Until he heard Rex’s voice behind them.

  The guy certainly had a way of showing up at the worst possible time.

  “Mrs. Parker is looking for you both.”

  Grady lifted his head, released Marissa and stepped back. By the time he turned around, Rex was walking away from them. But the older man’s tight-shouldered gait spoke louder than words. He didn’t approve, not one bit. Perhaps it was some leftover loyalty toward Liz that made Grady feel as if Rex was watching his every move when it came to Marissa. Or maybe he genuinely liked Marissa and was simply looking out for her welfare. Whatever the reason, Grady knew he had to sort it out once and for all.

  After he’d figured out what he was going to do about the burning desire he had for the woman in front of him. She was breathing hard and watching him. Glaring, more to the point.

  “We should get back,” she said flatly. “This is a day for family and celebrations. Not...not...this...not...kissing and craziness...” Her words trailed off and she took a deep breath. “Don’t do it again.”

  “You kissed me back,” he said quietly.

  She nodded. “So I’m just as guilty. Just as foolish. And right now I’m confused about how I should feel about you. I’ve programmed myself to think a certain way, feel a certain way...and I didn’t come back to Cedar River to get caught
up in some kind of complicated thing with you.”

  There was pain in her voice—pain and passion and regret. And he was responsible.

  She didn’t give him a chance to respond and didn’t say anything more.

  By the time Grady had gotten his thoughts together, she was ahead of him, walking in that straight-backed way that seemed uniquely hers. He caught up as they reached the picnic table where his family were and he knew she was fuming.

  He shouldn’t have kissed her. Especially out in public where anyone could see. What if one of his daughters had been with Rex? How could he explain it to them? He couldn’t. The girls adored Marissa and it would only confuse them. As Marissa was confused. As he was confused.

  They ate beneath the shade of the big oak while the band played and the music filtered across the parklands. It seemed as if the whole town had turned out for the celebration. Liz had been opposed to the idea of the unification—it was one of the few things they hadn’t agreed on. But since the rest of the O’Sullivans were all for the plan, he often wondered if her resistance was simply a knee-jerk reaction to ensure she was at odds with her family. Still, she would have enjoyed seeing the girls so cheerful.

  Of course, Grady knew the reason his daughters were happy was because of Marissa. She had their undivided attention. They sat around her at the table, chatting tirelessly, and he admired Marissa’s ability to get them to finish their meal without any complaint. She certainly had a way with his children and he knew she’d make a great mom one day.