“I’ve got all the single women lined up below the deck. All you have to do is toss it into the crowd.”
“Crowd?” Tory spied the three women by the deck. One was eighteen, another in her thirties and the last in her seventies.
“I can’t help it that you know mostly married women. I thought about having Mindy and Ashley join the group, but I don’t think either Slade nor I want to deal with two young girls dreaming of getting married just yet.”
“You’ve got that right,” Slade said with a chuckle.
“So it’s our cousin and two ladies from your church.” Judy pushed the bouquet of white roses into Tory’s hand.
Tory felt all eyes on her as she strode to the steps that led to the back deck. Perspiration popped out on her forehead. She didn’t like being the center of attention, but the day of the wedding the bride always was. She should have eloped. Of course, then her family would never have forgiven her and she suspected Mindy wouldn’t have been happy, either. The little girl had been all smiles as she walked down the aisle to the altar earlier that day.
With her back to her guests, Tory tossed the bouquet over her head, then spun about to see Mrs. Seitz nearly shove her eighteen-year-old cousin out of the way to grab the flowers. The seventy-year-old proudly waved the bouquet in the air, catching sight of Mr. Weaver by the punch bowl. He colored a deep red.
After that the guests started to leave, surrounding Tory and Slade to say their goodbyes. Slade by her side felt right. Maybe this could work. Please, Lord, give me the strength to do what I need to be a good wife and mother.
* * *
The bellow of a bullfrog and the occasional neigh from a horse in the paddock vied with the chorus of insects. The nearly full moon lit the darkness, creating shadows that danced in the warm breeze. Tory, dressed now in shorts and a T-shirt, sat on the porch swing with her legs drawn up and her arms clasping them to her chest. Resting her head on her knees, she listened to the night sounds and thought back over her wedding day.
She was no longer Tory Alexander, but Tory Donaldson. That realization produced a constriction in her chest. She was responsible for more than herself now. Her arms around her legs tightened. Everyone was gone, even her family who were staying at a motel in town and Slade’s brother. It was just Mindy, Slade and her. She no longer heard nature’s background noise. The lack of voices isolated her, sharpening her senses.
She knew Slade was there before she saw him standing by the steps. She’d heard the soft shuffle of his feet moving across the yard; she’d thought she’d smelled his lime-scented aftershave wafting to her. Lifting her head, she asked, “Did you find it?”
Slade produced the stuffed pony. “By the swing set.”
“Good. I know how important favorite toys are.”
“I’ll be right back.” Slade mounted the steps and went into the house.
Minutes later he returned and folded his long length into the chair next to the swing. “She was still awake, waiting for me to bring Belle. After the excitement of today, I’d have thought she would have been asleep the second her head hit the pillow.”
“Belle is special to Mindy.”
“The stuffed one as well as the real one.” He stretched his legs out in front and crossed them at the ankles. “I don’t know about you, but when my head hits the pillow, I’ll be asleep.”
Sleep? She didn’t know if she could right now with Slade only a wall away from her. When she had accepted his proposal, she hadn’t really thought about the sleeping arrangement. Even though he didn’t share her bedroom, they shared a small house. She’d avoided any kind of level of intimacy for so long she wasn’t sure how to share one bathroom, the same living quarters, even the kitchen first thing in the morning.
“It has been a long day,” she finally said, his silence indicating he expected her to say something. She unfolded her legs and swung them to the floor. Standing, she rolled her shoulders and worked out the kinks.
When he rose, too, the small porch suddenly became smaller. She could definitely smell his aftershave as the scent surrounded her. The distance between them was less than an arm’s length. If she wanted, she could reach out and touch him easily. In the dim light from inside the house she could see his handsome features, marked with uncertainty and tenderness.
He quirked a smile. “I realize this is a bit awkward.”
“A little.” When his smile grew, she said, “Okay, a lot.”
He shifted closer, linking his hand with hers. “We’ll make this work.”
“For Mindy.”
“For us, Tory.”
His voice, pitched low, flowed over her. She shivered in the warm, June night. His hand slid up her arm, sending a cascade of chills down it. He moved even closer until there was only a breath between them. Cupping her face with his other hand, he stared into her eyes as though trying to read what was in her soul.
Exhausted from the long day and the emotional treadmill she’d been on, Tory melted against him, her legs giving out. He tilted her chin up, pausing for a few seconds before bringing his mouth down on hers. The mating of their lips wasn’t like the quick peck at the end of the wedding ceremony; it was a blending of breaths and parrying of tongues. Weak with sensations foreign to her, Tory welcomed the taste of him—until he wound his arms about her, pressing her closer.
Suddenly she couldn’t breathe. Panic eroded her composure, prodding her heart to crash against her rib cage. She shoved him away, gasping for air. His startled expression rendered her speechless. She pushed past him, taking the steps two at a time.
The pounding of her bare feet on the cool grass matched the pounding of her pulse. She saw the one light on in the barn and headed for it. Inside she stopped, bending over and drawing gulps of air into her burning lungs.
How in the world had she thought she was ready for this?
What must Slade think? Her husband had kissed her and she had fallen apart. She wrapped her arms around herself and walked toward the back of the barn. Opening the door, she stood staring at the pasture beyond, the moonlight streaming down in a crystal clear sky. The scent of hay and horses saturated the air, a familiar scent that usually comforted her. Except that her heart beat rapidly and she couldn’t get a decent breath.
“Tory, what just happened back there?”
CHAPTER SEVEN
She tensed, her back to Slade.
“Tory?”
She bit the inside of her mouth, wishing she had an easy answer to his question. Staring at the ribbon of moonlight pooling in the meadow, she whispered, “I’m not ready to take our relationship to the next level.”
“Is that what you thought that kiss was? The beginning of a seduction?”
She shrugged, nothing casual about the gesture. “It is our wedding night. I thought—”
“We’re friends. I wouldn’t rush you like that.”
He was only a few feet behind her now. She sensed his puzzled gaze drilling into her back, trying to discern what had panicked her. This would be a perfect time to tell him as her sister had encouraged her. Then she remembered some of the whispers said behind her back— Maybe she had asked for it. Maybe she’d led him on. They had been dating. She knew in her heart she hadn’t asked to be raped, but the shame of the act clung to her as though it were a second skin. Could she have done something differently to prevent it? Why couldn’t she have seen it coming? She had dated the man for several weeks, known him much longer, or so she’d thought.
“Tory, we talked about our marriage one day—being real in every sense. Have you changed your mind?”
Yes. No! How could she answer him when she was so torn up inside? She didn’t know what she wanted. What a mess!
“Have you, Tory?”
She wheeled around and faced him, praying her expression was neutral, that none of the anguish twisting her stomach was visible. She never wanted to hurt this special man, but she was afraid she would. “No—one day.” She looked toward Mirabelle’s stall, then back into his eyes. “Pl
ease be patient. We haven’t known each other long. Give me time.”
One corner of his mouth lifted in a grin. “I had intended to do that very thing. A kiss isn’t making love, Tory.”
She sucked in a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before releasing it. “I know. It’s just that I haven’t dated much. I’ve been so busy and…” She let her words trail off into the silence, hoping he drew the conclusion she’d led a sheltered life, which was true for the past four years, and even before that.
“I understand.”
You do? She almost said the words out loud but stopped herself before she revealed her doubts. Instead she said, “I think these past few weeks are finally catching up with me. I’m overreacting. I’m sorry, Slade.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. It will take a while for us to adjust to living under the same roof. And I agree. It has been a long few weeks. I think I’m gonna turn in now.”
“I’ll be up to the house soon.”
She watched him stride toward the entrance, his bearing suggesting the same weariness she felt. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, there had been a hurt expression in his eyes she’d glimpsed for a brief moment before he had managed to mask it. He didn’t really understand. How could he when there were times she didn’t?
She spun about to stare out the back door, looking toward the heavens. Dear God, I hurt Slade tonight. Please help me to make this marriage work. I’m in over my head. I don’t want to fail.
* * *
Bright light pricked her eyelids. Tory slowly opened her eyes to find not only sunlight flooding her bedroom but Mindy sitting on her bed with a huge grin on her face.
“What time is it?” Tory raised herself up on her elbows, the fog of sleep clouding her mind.
“Se-ven.”
“Seven!” Tory bolted straight up and peered at the clock on her beside table. “I overslept.”
Mindy surveyed the room. “Where’s—Dad-dy?”
“Uh—”
“Right here, hon.” Slade lounged against the doorjamb, cradling a mug in his hand.
The scent of coffee teased Tory, steam wafting to the ceiling. She could use a big cup— Oh, my gosh! One hand went to smooth her hair while the other pulled the sheet up nearly to her chin. Her face felt as hot as the steaming cup of coffee.
Mindy eased herself down off the bed and trudged toward her father. “Go-ing—to see—Belle.”
“Hold it, young lady,” Slade said as his daughter squeezed past him. “We’re going to breakfast in town in—” he checked his watch “—forty-five minutes. You need to be back here and cleaned up.”
“I—wi-ll.” Mindy disappeared from sight.
Tory clutched the sheet to her chest, wishing she had on her flannel nightgown she wore in the winter. Instead, she was dressed in a flimsy pair of short pajamas whose top had thin straps. She would have to remember in the future that she now shared a house with a man.
“Why didn’t you get me up earlier?” she asked, the hard edge to her voice she attributed to her nerves. It wasn’t every day she had a handsome man standing in her bedroom doorway, looking very appealing in a pair of tan slacks and navy blue Polo shirt that brought out the blue of his eyes. His conservatively cut hair was still damp from a shower, taken she realized in her bathroom. The thought again emphasized the awkward situation she found herself in.
“Because you didn’t come back to the house until after one. I thought you could use the sleep. You’ve been working nonstop for the past few weeks.”
Tory scanned the room for her robe. Where was it? When she spied it, it lay on a chair by the window. Too far for her to leap to and slip on without him noticing a few bare spots of skin. She had lived alone too long. She gestured toward the sky-blue cotton robe. “Would you get that for me, please?” The last word came out on a husky whisper, barely audible across the room.
One brow rose, his eyes locked with hers. Then he shrugged away from the door, strode to the chair and snatched up the short robe. When he brought her the garment, a smile was deep in his expression.
She grabbed the robe and slipped it on. When she stood on trembling legs to belt it, she noticed that the blue material didn’t cover nearly enough of her legs. But it would have to do until she could get rid of her… husband. The word swirled in her mind.
When she faced Slade, she felt better prepared to carry on a conversation. He moved back to the doorway, his left shoulder cushioned again against the wooden frame. Slowly he lifted the mug to his lips and sipped, his gaze never leaving hers.
She swallowed several times, sure that if she spoke, her voice would come out a squeak. “I hope you made a large pot of that,” she finally said, and was pleased to note the strength in her words.
“Yes. I can get you some.”
“No, I’ll get dressed and be in the kitchen in a few minutes.”
When he left, he pulled the door closed and Tory hurried to throw on her new black jeans and a white blouse. After stuffing her feet into her tennis shoes, she headed for the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. She entered the kitchen ten minutes later.
Slade had a cup of coffee poured for her and sitting on the table next to him. He tossed aside the newspaper and watched her cross the kitchen and sit in the chair opposite him. She slid the mug toward her, cupping her hands around it and bringing it to her lips. The strong brew slipped down her throat, giving her system a jolt of needed caffeine.
When she felt fortified with coffee, she rested her elbows on the table and said, “We need to discuss what we’re going to say to Mindy about our situation. I gather by her question this morning you haven’t said anything to her about why we got married.”
“I told her we wanted to create a home for her, which is the truth.”
“Yes, but she thinks we share a bedroom.” Tory took another sip of her coffee. “She wasn’t here when you moved in your things.”
“I suppose you’re right.” His brow furrowed. “I hadn’t thought to say anything to her. I don’t want her to worry about us being a family.”
“Still we need to say something to her about why we aren’t sleeping in the same bedroom.”
“I could always say I snore.”
“Do you?”
He lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “I don’t know. Carol never said anything about it.”
“After our breakfast with my family, maybe we’ll be able to talk with Mindy, together.”
“Okay, together.”
The smile he sent her doubled her heartbeat. He made the word together sound like a promise of things to come. She downed the rest of the coffee. “I’d better check on the horses before we leave.”
“I was down there a while ago. Gus has everything under control. He came early so you wouldn’t have to do anything today.”
“But—”
“Tory, he wanted to do something special for you since you got married yesterday, so he’s putting in some extra time.”
She couldn’t remember when she hadn’t needed to go to the barn and take care of the horses. She wasn’t sure she knew what to do with the leisure time.
“Relax. We’ll be leaving for town in a few minutes anyway. Why don’t you read the paper?” Slade slid a section toward her.
“When did I start getting the newspaper? I never have time to read it.”
“I started its delivery today.”
“Oh” was all she could manage to say. She wondered what else in her life would change because of this man.
* * *
“Gus—spect-ing—me.” Mindy stuffed the rest of her turkey sandwich into her mouth, her cheeks ballooning.
“You aren’t going anywhere, young lady, until we’re finished with lunch.” Slade downed the last of his iced tea.
Putting her hand to her mouth, Mindy mumbled something and pointed to the sack with Tory’s lunch inside.
“Tory can wait a few minutes while you chew your food properly.”
His da
ughter picked up her glass of milk and took several gulps. “I—told—Tor-ee—I’d—bring—uh—lunch.”
“And you will, after you and I have a little talk.”
“But—Dad-dy—” A pout formed on her mouth.
“What?”
“Can’t—we—la-ter?”
“When? I can’t seem to get you to sit long enough even to eat.”
Mindy pushed away her empty plate and leaned one elbow on the table, resting her chin in her palm. Her pout grew.
He really was tickled his daughter had a renewed interest in life, but she hardly stopped long enough to say hi to him. He’d been trying for the past few days to have a heart-to-heart with her about his marriage to Tory ever since he and Tory had discussed it on Saturday. He’d come home today from work just so he could before the afternoon riding lessons began. And now he felt as though he needed to hog-tie his daughter to get her to listen. Maybe he and Tory could make sure they rose before Mindy and went to bed after her. Usually that wouldn’t be a problem, but every once in a while his daughter got up in the middle of the night.
“I wanted to explain why Tory and I aren’t slee—” Hold it! That isn’t the way I want to tell Mindy. Heat suffused his face as he thought of all the potential questions he could get from Mindy if he had continued. He wasn’t ready for a discussion with his daughter of how babies were made. Truth be told, he never would be. Isn’t that what mommies do? Sweat beaded his brow. “I mean why we aren’t sharing a bedroom.”
“That’s—kay.”
He sagged against the back of the chair. “It is?”
“Tor-ee—plain.”
“She did?” Couldn’t he come up with more than two-word questions?
Mindy grinned. “She—hogs—the bed.”
He almost said, “She does?” but thankfully stopped himself before the first word came out. Sweat rolled down his face. He brushed away the salty trail. This father-daughter talk wasn’t going the way he’d planned. But then he’d really not had this planned out. He’d come into this discussion with one thing on his mind: to get it over with as quickly as possible. He didn’t want his daughter to know the real reasons Tory and he had married. It would worry and upset Mindy, which were two things he was determined not to do.
A Family for Tory Page 9