Another Man's Wife

by Rebecca Winters

  “When we were first stationed in Okinawa, my sister asked me if we’d decided to start a family yet. I told her we’d been trying since our honeymoon without success. She wanted to know about the friends I’d made. To my embarrassment I couldn’t name any one woman.

  “When I got off the phone with her, I realized that all I ever did was complain to her about my life. It was humiliating to admit how self-absorbed I was. At that point, I came to the realization that I didn’t like myself, so I’d better do something about it.

  “Over the next week, I investigated the possibility of attending a beginning class in Japanese. When I registered, I found out there was another woman from the base, Carol Lowe, also taking the class. We became good friends and ended up adding a flower-arranging class to our schedule.”

  Laurel smiled. “We rented bicycles and rode everywhere. One day, she told me about this island she wanted to visit by boat. Supposedly it was covered with hundreds of glass balls used as floats for Japanese fishing nets during World War II. She wanted to collect some for souvenirs.

  “So we packed our camping gear and took off for three days. We beat the bushes till our hands were raw and bleeding to look for those balls.”

  “Did you find some?” Nate had been listening in rapt fascination. The picture of the life she’d recounted so far was vastly different from what he’d imagined.

  “Dozens and dozens. Our boat almost capsized bringing them home. I bought a whole bunch of little Japanese baskets with lids and put a ball in each one as a gift for all the members of my family and Scott’s.

  “They were a big hit with my father who devoted an article in the paper to them and their history. Anyway, when I returned from that trip, Scott was waiting for me. I was surprised, because he wasn’t supposed to get home until that weekend.

  “He was livid. I couldn’t understand why. I’d left him a letter explaining everything I’d been doing, where I’d gone, when I’d be back. It didn’t matter. We had a terrible fight.

  “I finally got to the bottom of the problem, I realized he was just mad because I hadn’t been there waiting for him when he walked through the door.

  “I was mad, too. Still, I wouldn’t have gone anywhere if I’d known he was going to be home. I tried to humor him, but he told me I’d better curtail my activities with Carol from now on. He wasn’t kidding.

  “For once the shoe was on the other foot. He’d found out what it was like to come home and be alone. Ever since I’d been a sophomore in high school, I’d made him the center of my world. Now I had other interests and demands on my time. He didn’t like it.

  “Julie called it growing pains on his part. She said I was maturing into an interesting woman, which would make for a better marriage in the long run.”

  Interesting didn’t begin to describe the woman in his arms.

  “When we moved to Spain, I took classes in Spanish and lessons in flamenco guitar. My teacher told me I did very well for a beginner and should keep it up.”

  “Do you still have a guitar?” Nate asked.

  “Yes. It’s stored with all my things.”

  “We’ll send for them as soon as we find the right house.”

  She brushed her lips against his. “You won’t believe the stuff I’ve picked up over the years.”

  “I’m looking forward to helping you unpack.”

  She stared into his eyes. “I can’t wait to live with you day and night. I guess that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. I had a wonderful marriage, but it was far from perfect.

  “The truth is, I was married to a boy who stayed a boy. That was part of Scott’s great charm. It was also his downfall. Instead of coming home to me as soon as he could, he did what the brass wanted him to do first, Scott said it wasn’t an order, but…I know he couldn’t resist showing off. He climbed in that cockpit to buzz the airfield and give everyone a thrill. You know what happened after that.”

  She stroked Nate’s arms. “Now that I’ve grown up, I need you. I need your sweetness, your integrity, your manliness. With you I feel cherished and above all, loved.

  “Kiss me,” she begged. “I’m afraid I’m going to be asking you that for the rest of our lives.”

  “The way I feel about you, I’ll be the one doing the asking. Hold me tight, Laurel. Never let me go.”

  EPILOGUE

  “IF THE CONGREGATION WILL please rise and wait until Major and Mrs. Hawkins exit the church to the garden first.”

  Laurel was a vision in chiffon the color of her eyes. Nate had already kissed her at the altar, but he found himself doing it again, much to the delight of their families and friends.

  “Only a few more hours until we’re alone,” he murmured against her lips.

  “I can make it if you don’t leave my side. Did you see that gleam in Rick’s eye after we exchanged vows? I have this funny feeling your brother and Brent have something awful planned.”

  “You can count on it.”

  “Oh, Nate!”

  “Don’t worry. I’m ready for anything they try to pull. Come on. I want to show you off.”

  He slid his arm around her shoulders. Together they started their walk down the aisle as husband and wife.

  The first thing he noticed was his father’s half smile. He sat in the front pew next to Pam. His moist gray eyes told Nate he believed Anja knew what was happening and approved of their son’s choice of bride. Nate nodded in acknowledgment. It was the proudest moment of his life.

  For the rest of their walk to the garden, Nate wasn’t conscious of anyone but Laurel. She was his wife now. Becky, who’d been a good little girl for her aunt Julie during the ceremony, was now his daughter. He trembled at the thrill of it.

  “Nate.” She tugged on his arm. “Look who’s over there under the trees. They came!”

  His first thought was that Reba and Wendell looked lonely standing apart from everyone else.

  “Never underestimate the strength of a grandparent’s love. That’s major progress, darling. Let’s make them feel welcome.”

  She squeezed his hand. “Thank you, Nate. I love you.”

  When they reached the Pierces, Nate felt an overwhelming wave of pity for them. They’d lost their Scotty, the son who’d once claimed Laurel for his bride. This had to be a difficult moment for them.

  “I’m so glad you came!” Laurel darted ahead of Nate to give them each a huge hug. That broke the ice. Soon all three of them were crying. “Julie’s somewhere with the baby. I’ll go find her and tell her you’re anxious to have Becky for a while.”

  Her eyes sent Nate a private message before she left him alone with Spade’s parents. They looked at him with such pained expressions, he said, “Why don’t we forget the past and start over.”

  “Can you do that after the way we talked to you the other night?”

  “Of course, Reba.”

  “We know you’re a good man,” Wendell murmured. “Otherwise Scotty wouldn’t have loved you. His death has been so hard on us.”

  “Of course it has. There was nobody in this world like Spade. He had more energy, more zest for life than anyone I ever knew. It was a privilege to be his friend. He thought the world of you two.”

  “He did?” they said in unison.

  “Your pictures were plastered all over the wall of the barracks, along with Laurel’s. After being in your house, I can see where he got the idea.”

  For the first time since he’d known them, their faces were wreathed in smiles.

  “Here we are. Here’s your Grandma and Grampa.”

  Nate wheeled around to see his wife and child descending on them in a hurry. Pam wasn’t far behind Laurel, carrying a baby bottle. After she’d handed it to Reba, Nate put an arm around her shoulder.

  Her big brown eyes looked up at him in surprise. Before today, he hadn’t been able to view her objectively. Hurt and anger had blinded him, but now he could see her clearly.

  In her own way, Pam was very lovely. She had a gentle, soft
-spoken quality that had obviously appealed to his father.

  “I want to thank you for being so good about letting Dad come and go,” he told her.

  “I’m glad he could help you. He loves you more than anything in the world.”

  “I know. I also know he’s crazy about you. You’ve turned his world around. I love you for that.”

  Her eyes filled. “Thank you, Nate. You don’t know what that means to me.”

  He gave her a hug and she hugged him back warmly.

  “How’s your cousin?” he asked.

  “Much better. She’s home from the hospital and doing remarkably well on her crutches.”

  “You’ll have to bring her to Copper Mountain so we can all meet her.”

  “She’d love it.”

  “Nate?”

  “Excuse me, Pam.” He turned to Laurel, who rushed to join him.

  “Have you seen Brent or Rick while we’ve been out here?”

  “No.”

  “I’m getting nervous. There’s Joey. Let’s pay him to spy for us.”

  Nate chuckled. “I like the way your mind works, Mrs. Hawkins.” He called Brent’s son over and whispered in his ear.

  Joey’s eyes rounded. “I’ll be right back.”

  For the next little while, Nate kept his arm around Laurel while they mingled with her family and good friends Carma and Carol, who’d come for the wedding. As he and Laurel moved from one guest to another, they selected delicious nibbles from the buffet table.

  Suddenly Joey reappeared. “They aren’t anywhere and Dad’s car is gone.”

  “Thanks, buddy.” Nate handed him a five-dollar bill.

  “What do you think?” Laurel asked anxiously.

  He kissed her quiet. “I think we’ll find out when we get to the house. Since we’ve already spoken to everyone here, we could leave now. Who knows? We might even surprise those two.”

  “Let’s go,” Laurel whispered against his lips.

  They ducked out of the garden along a pathway that led to the parking lot. Within minutes, they were on their way to the house where they were going to spend their honeymoon.

  Rick had been invited to stay with Brent and Julie for a few days. There was no sign of his car or the Blazer when they pulled into the driveway. Everything seemed to be in order.

  Nate got out and walked around the other side to open the door for Laurel. As soon as she alighted, he scooped her up in his arms.

  “This is the part I’ve been waiting for.”

  “Oh, Nate…”

  Her mouth sought his before he’d even started for the front porch. He couldn’t get her over the threshold and up the stairs to his bedroom fast enough.

  That was when he knew something had been done to the house. His door was shut and there was a note fastened to it. Still carrying her in his arms, he walked over to it.

  “You read it for us,” he murmured. Right now he couldn’t concentrate on anything but his bride.

  Laurel reached for the paper.

  Since you couldn’t go to the beach, we’ve brought it to you. Enjoy.

  The Beach Boys

  Nate laughed out loud. “Trust my brother to come up with this one. Open the door, Laurel.”

  She gasped in delight when they reached his room. Rick and Brent had transformed it. She hardly knew where to look first. There were real palm trees on both sides of the bed, and the potted red and pink azaleas were probably a touch provided by Julie.

  Mike and Joey’s large plastic wading pool from former days rested on the floor at its foot. Filled with water, no less!

  Next to it was an air mattress with two wildly colored beach towels. Two beach robes lay across the end of the bed. They said His and Hers.

  There were two pairs of outrageous sunglasses and a tube of suntan cream on one end table. A magnum of champagne on ice and two champagne glasses sat on the other.

  She saw all their favorite snacks set out on the dresser, plus magazines, a crossword puzzle and Mike’s tape player.

  Nate carried her over and put her down so she could turn it on. Immediately the room was filled with the familiar melodic sounds of the Beach Boys.

  “Our families are so wonderful.” But all her sentimental thoughts vanished when she turned to Nate. He’d already begun undressing and was looking at her with a devilish glint in his eyes.

  His hands went to the back of her dress. He began undoing the buttons, kissing her neck each time.

  “I think a swim in the ocean first to start things off.”

  “No!” she giggled. “You wouldn’t—”

  “The ocean’s always a shock to the system when you first plunge in,” he said with mock seriousness. “But don’t worry. I’ll keep you warm because I’m on fire for you. Stop wriggling, Mrs. Hawkins.”

  “No, Nate!” She shrieked with laughter. “Please—somebody help me!”

  OUTSIDE, IN THE DRIVEWAY of the house, sat two suspicious-looking men in a Blazer.

  “Did you hear anything?”

  “Yup. Someone’s calling for help.”

  “That’s what I thought I heard and it wasn’t my brother.”

  “Nope.”

  They grinned at each other.

  “Mission accomplished. Let’s get back to the church.”

  ISBN: 9781408945001

  Another Man’s Wife

  © Rebecca Winters 2003

  First Published in Great Britain in 2003

  Harlequin (UK) Limited

  Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

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