by Quinn, Taryn
“It’s not church.” She scrunched up her shoulders and shot a look over at her father.
“It’s a courthouse. Show some respect.”
Rylee glanced up at Asher. “Did you feel disrespected?”
“We don’t generally like cuss words in court, Miss Ford.”
Rylee gave an exaggerated shiver, patted his arm, and murmured something under her breath.
I rolled my eyes. She was definitely not like her sister. Then again, Kel had said plenty of off-color things to me over the last few months.
And yet somehow they sounded sweeter and more growl-inducing. Hell, it was pretty much how I ended up in this predicament. I hadn’t been looking for laughter and sex and a future, but I had damn well found it.
I moved to the front of the room where the judge stood. August followed me and we both pulled at our collars.
Wes raced over to stand between us, the ring box clutched in his hand.
Now I just had to hold onto what I’d found.
Nineteen
I worried my grandmother’s locket between my fingers as I paced the small dressing room.
“Would you stop, you’re making me nauseous.” Sage sighed from the couch we’d set her up on.
“Is it time yet?”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to go out there and tell him you changed your mind?”
“No, Mom. I want to marry Dare.”
“Then why are you so anxious?”
“I just thought I’d have a little more time to get used to the idea, that’s all.”
I hadn’t even gotten to buy a wedding insert for my planner. The entire process had taken up one list page.
God, I was such a sap.
Then again, Principal Gentry had been practically delirious when I told her I couldn’t do the fall pageant this weekend because I was getting married. She tried not to ask questions about my pregnancy. Heck, no one would have known about it yet if Dare hadn’t blurted it out at Sage’s baby shower.
Then again, me screaming the baby might not be his didn’t help that one either.
All in all, the small town mentality had definitely been at work in moving the timeline for this marriage up from quick to warp speed. We’d picked out the rings at Kohl’s with Wes’s suit. So matter of fact and simple. Like we’d been picking out earrings, for God’s sake.
No jewelry store with gleaming glass cases full of sparkly jewels. Nope, just picking a band that came in both our sizes. Column C in the main case right under the religious crosses.
How was this my life?
“Honey, that school is good, but it is definitely behind the times. You could find another job.”
I stopped pacing. “I love my job.”
How could I tell my mom I wasn’t sure if my possible baby daddy was marrying me only for social propriety? As it was, there was a hint of disappointment living her eyes because I was pregnant. Oh, and the father might be one of two men.
I was officially a statistic.
I was supposed to be the good Ford sister. Considering my sister had skipped out of the room as if I’d given her a lottery ticket, I was pretty sure there had been a few conversations between my family I hadn’t been privy to.
So far, this was definitely not shaping up to be the wedding of my dreams.
But he is the man of your dreams.
That didn’t seem wholly logical either, but he was. I mean, he was a little—a lot—pushy and he was a bit of a steamroller personality-wise. I was learning more about that aspect of him since we’d agreed to do this crazy thing.
He and August had me packed up and moved into his house while I was working. I’d gone from independent for the first time in my life to a near wife and mother in under two months. Part of me wanted to push back and tell him to hold up, but a tiny piece of me was glad I had one less thing to stress about.
The fact that he’d replaced his own bed with the one he bought me was one of those little things that made up for the pushy barbarian he turned into. And why I was so conflicted.
Dare was all action and limited words.
All the things he had been doing were to make my life easier. So what if it wasn’t the most romantic thing in the world? A lot of women dealt with men who were far more careless and apt to trample on their feelings.
I listened to fellow teachers talk about their husbands every day.
I glanced over at Ally as she tucked a blanket around her little boy. Okay, so Ally and Sage weren’t the women I should be looking at for non-romantic men. Seth and Oliver were the kind of guys who believed in grand gestures. They were very much the “I love you so much, I’ll shout it from the rooftops” sort of men.
But they weren’t the norm.
So what if Dare was quieter about it? Actions were the important part. The way he stepped up to help without asking questions. The way he held me like I was the most precious thing in the world at night. And no, he didn’t flip me over and fuck the crap out of me like he couldn’t stand not to be inside me anymore.
It wasn’t the end of the world.
He was a caretaker. A gruff one, but a caretaker nonetheless.
I smoothed my hand down the skirt of my white dress. Kinleigh’s Attic had been a treasure trove of amazing clothes. And I’d found my makeshift wedding dress in the back of the store with the help of her, Ally, and Sage. Kinleigh had even altered it for me on the spot.
The silk and lace was perfect. The one bit of romance I’d allowed myself in this whole shindig. I might’ve been walking down an aisle in a courthouse, but I was going to look spectacular, dammit.
And maybe, just maybe, I’d catch a glimpse of that fiery Dare one more time.
My mother handed me the small bouquet I’d ordered. The happy faces of the sunflowers and scattered baby roses made everything feel just a little bit more real.
“Are you sure, baby?” My mother’s eyes matched mine. There were a few more tears in hers. I didn’t even feel the prick of tears in mine. As if this was happening to someone else and I was just a stand-in. Bride on page thirty-seven of a play. “If this isn’t what you want, we’ll move you home and help you take care of the baby. I don’t want you to feel like you’re trapped.”
Sage got herself up off the couch. “Girl, you gotta stop being so morose about this. You have a super hot guy who wants to play house with you. And he wants to put a ring on it. And the way he looks at you? It’s not just because he is feeling altruistic. All right?” She blew out a breath and rubbed the side of her belly. “Man, this little girl is trying out for soccer practice for sure.”
Ally hopped up. “You should be sitting down.”
“I’m tired of sitting. I’m also tired of everyone making excuses for Kelsey to leave.”
“Easy for you to say. Oliver made sure you had a crazy amazing wedding. He even flew everyone to Vegas.” I was a jerk for even saying it, but it was true.
“Yes, but he was an idiot before then. Oliver wouldn’t have known a romantic gesture if you whacked him upside the head with it, until I let him know he needed to step up. And Ally? Seth sat on the fact he was in love with her for years. Men are dumb, okay? You know what’s not dumb? This great guy rushing you to get married.”
“But why is he rushing?”
“So you don’t get away, you idiot. Guys who don’t want to get married will make any excuse to avoid it. Dare? Nope, he wants you forever. So stop looking at the bad side of this, okay?” Sage held up a finger. “Okay, maybe I need to sit down now.”
Ally flew forward, holding one of the chairs that had lined the wall. My mom ran for a cup of water and rushed back to Sage’s side.
For the first time, tears actually filled my eyes. “You think so?”
“I know so.” Sage took a swig from the water. “I also know so because I saw him freaking out in the hallway. The boy is toast. Put him out of his misery, woman. Time to put a ring on it.”
I tipped my head back so the tears wouldn’t fall and ruin my makeup. “I did
n’t think of it that way.”
“Of course you didn’t. Because you’re our sweet Kelsey with a big romantic heart.” She made gimme hands at me and I went over to crouch in front of her. “You just have to alter your thinking about romance a little. Dare’s a little rougher around the edges. He’s more likely to do maintenance on your car and take it to get vacuumed as a sweet gesture. He’ll learn how to be a bit more romantic with some subtle training.”
“You’re good,” Ally said with a laugh. “And she’s right. Seth is a big smushball now, but he sure wasn’t when we were first together. I have the contract to prove it.”
I frowned. “What?”
Ally waved her fingers. “Never mind. Just know that the boy definitely took a lot of wrong turns before he got it right.” She held her hand out to me to help me up. “Now, we have a wedding to go to, right?”
I nodded and straightened my dress. “We do.” I hugged Ally, then Sage. “I’m so ready to do this.”
“Good, now help me up,” Sage said with a laugh. “Getting out of chairs is the suck.”
We both grabbed an arm and they lined up to go out ahead of me. I squeezed my mom’s hand. “He’s a really good man.”
“I know it. But if he wasn’t right, I’d take you home right now.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I brushed a kiss over her cheek. The familiar scent of White Diamonds settled my nerves.
On the other side of the doorway was my dad. My eyes overflowed again. Evidently, the tears had just been trapped and now I couldn’t control them.
He held out his arm for me to take and my mother flanked me on the other side. We all walked down the hallway with the late day sun streaking over the worn vanilla-colored tiles. As we reached the room, I saw more sunflowers tied to the benches and two more swags of them on the bench behind the town judge.
We’d gotten our wedding license on our lunch break the day before. Again, so clinical and quick. Thirty minutes out of our day to sign for permission to do this. The paperwork had been rushed through thanks to our friendship with the Hamiltons, who might as well have owned Crescent Cove.
Sage and Ally were blocking my line of sight as they walked down to stand on my side of the aisle. Then it was just me and my parents on the threshold of the room. Dare was there with Wes holding onto his pinkie, our ring box clutched in his little hand.
The strings version of one of my favorite songs filled the room. The words weren’t right yet. And Dare might not know how fast I’d fallen for him. I didn’t even know how to put the feelings into words. But they were bursting inside me and suddenly, I knew that this was right for us.
For our little family.
It didn’t matter that we were doing it in a courthouse. We were doing this because we believed that being a family meant more than a ceremony. It was the safety of his arms and his home that we’d make ours. And this little life growing inside me who I loved already. He or she wasn’t a mistake, just a new start.
Exactly what I’d been looking for.
Dare cleared his throat as my dad kissed my cheek and took my hand and put it in Dare’s. My mom moved up to cover both our hands and then pulled Dare down for a quick kiss on his cheek before she did the same to me. While I sniffled, they walked to the bench behind us to join my sister Rylee.
Dare wasn’t sure what to do with Wes, so I just held my other hand out to him until we made a little triangle in front of Judge Hamilton. Dare gave me that fierce look again and I didn’t care if the tears flowed. This rough, intense, frustrating man was going to marry me today.
Both of these Kramer men were going to be part of my family from today on out.
Dare stepped closer to me. His hand never left his son’s, but he was definitely intent on saying something. He dipped his hand in his pocket for a moment, fisting his hand before withdrawing it and taking mine once more.
“All that matters to me is that you want this.”
I smiled at him. “I want this.” I swung my hand with Wes’s and tightened mine around Dare’s. “I want all of this.”
“That’s all that matters to me. I hope you know that.”
I swallowed down the stupid tears that wanted to flow. “I do.”
“Good. Get used to saying those words. You have to say them again in a few minutes.”
I laughed. “You too, pal.”
“I’m ready.” Dare stepped back a little and nodded to Judge Hamilton. “We’re ready.”
The judge read off the vows, and I echoed them to Dare and to Wes. It was a simple ceremony with no fanfare. Even the American flag floated gently behind the judge’s bench thanks to the fan slowly circulating the air in the stuffy room.
None of that seemed to matter when it came right down to it. Wes handed me Dare’s ring, his face beaming with pride. We exchanged “I dos” as his son practically vibrated between us.
This man and this little boy were now mine.
“You may now kiss the bride.”
Dare leaned in and the kiss was sweet and almost chaste.
“Gross!” Wes made a gagging sound and I laughed against Dare’s mouth.
We turned toward our clapping friends and family. As I scanned the faces of the people I loved, my laughter stopped. “Sage?”
“Oh, crap.” She put her hands on her hips. “My kid is not keeping to the schedule.”
Oliver practically jumped over the bench between him and Sage. “Did your—”
“Water break? Sure did.” She scrunched up her nose. “I was really looking forward to that steak at The Cove, dammit.”
I glanced at Dare. “Happy wedding day to us,” I mouthed.
Twenty
I scooped up Wes and handed him to my mom. “Things just got crazy, I think.”
She sighed. “Kelsey has been worried about Sage since this afternoon. Probably best to go with them. We’ll take care of Wes.”
Wes’s face scrunched up and I knew waterworks were imminent. “Hey, buddy. Our friend is going to have a baby. That lady right there?” I pointed to a now seated Sage. Oliver and Seth had disappeared to get the car, if I had to guess.
Wes sniffed. “Yeah.”
“Kelsey’s really good friends with her.”
“Do you have to go too?”
I hated when he gave me that look. I was gone a lot with working so much, but I was hoping with Kelsey in our lives now, maybe we could alleviate some of that. That one of us would be home with him. “I don’t think I should leave her alone, do you?”
“No.” His voice was tentative.
“We’ll be back home as soon as we can. And tomorrow, we’ll do breakfast, okay?” I’d planned on taking Kel to the Sherman Inn as a surprise for an overnight. We didn’t have a honeymoon planned. Life, kids, money—it wasn’t something we could pull off right now. Especially since she had school too.
Obviously, all the festivities were over for the evening.
When Kelsey gave me a helpless look, I quickly dug my beard into Wes’s neck until he giggled. “I’ll check in with you later, Ma.”
“We’ll be fine. How about we head over to Sugar Rush for some ice cream?”
“Yes!”
I gave my mom a quick kiss on the cheek. They’d be fine. It was Kelsey I needed to worry about now. This was a close-knit group I’d married into. There was no way she was going to let them go off without being a part of it.
I strode over to her. She and Ally were flanking Sage, who was taking long, slow breaths.
“I just thought it was my usual back pain.” Sage’s voice was close to a whine. “I didn’t mean to ruin the wedding.” Her eyes welled.
Oh, hell. Didn’t need that. “Nah, you waited until we kissed and everything. After that, it’s all fluff, right?” I winked at Kelsey.
She blinked at me with her big, gorgeous golden eyes. Would our baby have those eyes, or my blue? Or a third option? I shook that thought away.
“Right. Everything was perfect and now I might share a perfect date with your
baby. How cool would that be?”
Sage gave her a watery laugh. “Wouldn’t forget your anniversary that way.”
“Definitely not.”
“Oh, shit.” Sage’s breath whooshed out. “Guess those contractions are real now. No more Braxton Hicks for this girl. Where’s Oliver?”
“I’ll go check.” I stood up and went into the hall. Oliver came running back, his eyes darting everywhere. I met him near the door. “Hold up.”
He tried to go around me. “I have to get back in there.”
“She’s scared. She’s trying really hard not to be, but she is. So take a breath.”
Oliver fisted his hands, but followed my directions.
“She’s doing great. Way better than my first wife. She’d already thrown a toaster and phone at me by the first contraction.”
Oliver’s eyebrows shot up. “Wow.”
“Yeah. You’re in the winner’s circle. At least until you get in the labor room.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Just keepin’ it real.”
Oliver slugged me in the arm. “You’re all heart.”
“I do what I can. Now, let’s go get your girl.” I let him go ahead of me. He rushed to Sage’s side.
Kelsey stood back to give him room. Oliver was murmuring to Sage and through her tears, there were a few giggles. Just what she needed. I took Kelsey’s hand and pulled her back to me.
“I want to go with them. Is that okay?”
I nodded. “I figured as much. My mom is going to handle all the dinner stuff and Wes.”
“I’m sorry.” Her voice was little more than a whisper.
“For what? She’s your friend. We’ll go be with her.”
She watched Oliver slowly lead Sage out of the room and into the hallway. Ally had the baby in his carrier. Kelsey looked a little lost as to what to do. To follow or to get out of the way.
I pressed my hand along Kelsey’s lower back as her parents and Rylee came forward.
“Is there anything we can do?”
“I’m so sorry, Mom. I feel like I should be with her. I know you guys came out and are all dressed up.”