by Jenny Lykins
"Jan, I know I've always marched to the beat of a different drummer. I've been accused of getting a wild hair and being eccentric. But, think about it. Have I ever done anything really stupid?"
A long stretch of silence followed the question. Elise watched Jan search her mind for an act that qualified as stupid.
"No, I guess not," she said slowly. "But there's always the first time."
Elise laughed and hugged her friend. "I know this sounds crazy, but trust me. I know all about Reed. He's not a criminal, or an illegal alien. I know why he doesn't have any I.D., and someday I'll explain it all to you. But right now I want to get married!" She wiggled her eyebrows at Jan in a conspiratorial way. "Are you in?"
Jan groaned, long and loud, but she finally dragged herself to her feet and headed for her office at the back of the house.
"This is what I get for telling you what a computer graphics artist can do. Little did I know you would engage me in illegal activity. Now give me your damn birth certificate."
Elise watched, fascinated, while Jan took the document and managed to create a duplicate with all of Reed's information on it. She did a quick calculation in her head when Jan asked for Reed's year of birth, but that was the worst of the procedure.
Actually, the worst part was waiting for Jan to get through. By the time Jan handed over the finished product, Elise held it to her breast like a precious artifact and forced Jan to dance around the room with her.
They both fell into a sprawl on the wicker sofa in the office. Jan arched a cynical brow at her.
"So when is this wedding going to take place?"
Elise flopped into the corner of the couch and slid the birth certificate between thumb and forefinger.
"As soon as we can get a marriage license and find someone to marry us. Hopefully this afternoon, ‘cause I gotta tell you, if it doesn't happen soon I'm going to explode. Can you imagine? Reed insists on having the wedding night after the wedding."
Jan's eyes widened, and a new look of respect for Reed lit them from within. Then she frowned.
"Well, what are you wearing to get married in? Not that I hope." She eyed the jeans and tee shirt Elise had thrown on as if she believed she might actually wear them. "Never mind." Jan cut Elise off before she had a chance to answer. "If you're going to do this, you're going to do it right. Have you changed your security code at the house?"
"No, but..."
"Good. Go get your marriage license, then be back at your house around, oh, noon."
"But what if..."
"Noon. If you can fly a plane, you can be at your house at noon. And, oh! You might want to pick up a ring."
*******
The paperwork involved in obtaining a marriage license was tedious. Reed let Elise take charge of all the forms, and she grumbled over some of the blanks which asked for numbers. Whatever a Social Security Number was, she'd decided to make one up.
After their trip to the courthouse, they stopped by a jeweler's to pick out a wedding ring. He agreed with Elise to have a special set of matching rings made. Nothing the jeweler had in stock did justice to their feelings for each other. The man promised the custom-made rings would be ready in four weeks. Elise said she could wear her mother's birthstone ring at the ceremony.
Now that those details were taken care of, all Reed wanted to do was find a Justice of the Peace and get himself married to this woman. His morals wouldn't allow him to sleep with her again before marriage. He'd slipped up once in the heat of the moment, and the experience made it nearly impossible to stick to his beliefs. It would have happened again last night if not for Jeffrey's questionably timed appearance. His resolve slipped more by the moment, and it was only a matter of time before Elise's appeal canceled all his best intentions. The fact that he loved her was the driving force behind his desire to get married, but he'd be lying if he said it was uppermost on his mind right now.
"I want to get married, too, darlin.'" Elise massaged his knee while she drove. Her hand worked its way up his thigh, and he slid a little lower on the seat to make his leg more accessible. "But Jan's taken charge here, and we've been given orders to be back at the house at noon. And if I know her," she said with a smile, "we'll be married just as quickly, but with a lot more style."
Her hand left his leg and returned to the wheel. Reed gave a sigh of relief. Even though he'd enjoyed the impromptu massage, his mouth had gone dry, and the car had become entirely too small to get comfortable in.
The Sevier's car sat at the end of the avenue of oaks. Elise parked beside it and leaned across the console to plant a long, promise-filled kiss on Reed's lips. When she drew away she gave him a look so provocative it had every nerve in his body standing at attention. Then she bounced back into her seat and threw open the door.
"So! Let's go get married!"
A groan rumbled in his throat at this unpredictable woman. One thing was certain. He would never worry about boredom.
Elise grabbed his hand after he'd unfurled himself from the interior of the car. She slid her arm around his waist, and he draped one arm across her shoulders on the walk to the house.
The front door swung inward before they ever reached it. Jan stood there, beaming.
"It's about time."
Jan's digital watch beeped the noon hour as she spoke.
When they stepped through the door Elise inhaled a deep, appreciative breath at the sight before them.
Ropes of fragrant, green wisteria vines spiraled up the banister of the cantilevered staircase and decorated the archways above the doors leading off the foyer. Purple blossoms dripped from the vines, and white roses with delicate, lacy bows dotted the greenery. Milky tapers stood clustered together in every available candle holder, ready to be lighted. The windows flanking the front door had been opened, and the white sheers rippled inward on a gentle breeze.
Elise spun in a circle, murmuring a soft "Ohhhhhhh." Her gaze took in every detail. She cried out with delight at the sight of the dining room. Reed tagged along behind her when she ran in to get a better look.
The table was draped with an antique, battenburg lace tablecloth. Two bottles of Dom Perignon nestled amid a mountain of ice cubes in sterling silver buckets, and several pieces of Baccarat crystal waited to be filled. In the very center, surrounded by a ring of waxy magnolia blossoms, stood a three-tiered wedding cake.
“How did you...where did you ever...?”
Jan smiled and shrugged. “Let’s just say I owe Fouchard’s Bakery a big favor.”
Elise hurled herself into Jan's arms and hugged her friend. She thanked her in a voice thick with tears. Reed was surprised to find a lump forming in his own throat. He knew this gesture of friendship would forever leave a warm spot in his heart for the Seviers.
Jan allowed herself to be hugged only a few seconds before she pulled Elise toward the stairway and looked pointedly at Don.
"Take Reed up and get him into your mess dress, honey. Just leave off the shoulder boards and fruit salad, and he'll look fine. And you," she turned to Elise, "we have a wedding gown to get you into."
Don looked at Reed and mumbled, "Bossy, isn't she?" but the two men nevertheless set off to do as they were told.
Reed freshened up and donned the black, formal military uniform that would be his wedding garb. The short-waisted jacket and satin-striped trousers fit him as though tailor made. Even the shoes were close enough in size to make do.
Without the shoulder ranks on the epaulettes and the clusters of medals and ribbons on the chest, fondly known as "fruit salad," the uniform looked very civilian.
Reed was surprised to discover a vain streak in his nature. As he studied his trim, powerful reflection in the mirror, he acknowledged the term "mess dress" was a misnomer. Indeed, upon looking at his reflection, he concluded he'd never felt less of a mess in his life.
"I always hated that uniform," Don said. He sat back in the antique saber chair and crossed an ankle over a knee. "I always felt like I should drape a tow
el over my arm and go take somebody's dinner order. But women love the thing." He cast a rakish leer in Reed's direction and laughed the universal male laugh. "If you know what I mean."
Reed nodded with a chuckle and adjusted his cuffs. It wouldn't do to dwell on Don's meaning until after the ceremony. It could prove embarrassing otherwise.
"How did the two of you manage all this in such a short time?" He deemed it best to change the subject.
Don snorted and scrunched lower in the two-sided seat. He had already changed into a black, double-breasted suit.
"Never underestimate the powers of Jan Sevier. The woman dragged me out of bed around four-thirty this morning with a list of honey-do's a mile long. When she gets an idea, I've learned to obey orders and go with the flow."
The sound of the front door knocker echoed through the house. Don was already on his feet when Jan's disembodied voice asked him to get the door.
"Probably the minister. No J.P. for you guys."
Reed followed Don down the hallway. He was in the process of running a nervous finger around the collar of his shirt when Jan's head popped out of Elise's doorway.
"If that's Reverend Mitchell, tell him we'll be..." she stopped in mid-sentence and blocked his view of the room with her body. "Hey," she drew the word out in flattering appreciation, "you clean up pretty well."
Reed grinned. It was obvious why she and Elise got along so well.
"Anyway, if that's the minister, we should only be another fifteen minutes or so." The door shut in his face.
Don made the introductions between Reed and the man who would perform the ceremony. The minister exuded a warmth and fatherly aura. Reed took a liking to him right away.
"I have to tell you, Reed, you're getting a wonderful, unique woman. She's been coming to our little church for years, and I've been tempted to play matchmaker for her several times, but my wife wouldn't allow it." His laughter boomed against the ceiling. "That's a switch, isn't it?
"Don, I assume you and your lovely wife will be the official witnesses."
Don nodded. "In fact, we'll probably be the only witnesses. We didn't catch anyone home when we started calling friends. We left messages on machines, but I'll be surprised if anyone shows up in time for the ceremony."
Jan appeared for a moment at the top of the stairs, cleared her throat dramatically, then was gone again.
"Oh, that's my cue."
Don lit the many candles, then disappeared into the ballroom. Seconds later the soft strains of the Wedding March filtered into the foyer.
This is it! All the blood drained from Reed's extremities and left his hands icy cold and his knees trembling. He was only vaguely aware of Don guiding him into position at the bottom of the staircase.
He watched Jan appear again and begin to slowly descend the stairs. She wore an orchid suit which accented her tan and made her look more feminine than ever. She carried a single white rose atop a Bible that Reed recognized as Elise's.
Then all coherent thought stopped.
His bride gazed down at him from the top of the stairs. He hadn't thought she could be more beautiful, but she surpassed anything he could ever dream.
The gown was the color of rich, heavy cream and embroidered heavily with seed pearls. The skirts hugged her tiny waist, only to flare out gently, and the pearl encrusted hem dusted the floor when she moved. Long sleeves fell from just off her shoulders and encased her arms all the way into points on the back of her hands.
The point was repeated in the center of her forehead, where a diadem of pearls and baby's breath encircled her head. The frothy, diaphanous veil haloed the curls in her hair, then fell to mingle with the embroidery at her feet.
Reed forgot to breathe. Blood roared in his ears and his heart pounded, but it wasn't until Elise took her first step toward him that he inhaled. He drew a shaky breath of the wisteria-scented air and fought to slow his heartbeat.
He unconsciously swiped the palms of his hands against his trousers before reaching out to take Elise's fingers. At his icy touch, she glanced up and smiled empathetically. Her own hands were none too warm. She pulled his fingers up and warmed them against her cheek before they turned to face the minister.
Reed was only vaguely aware of Jan and Don stepping to each side of them. He heard Reverend Mitchell's voice, and responded when he should, but he couldn't take his eyes from Elise's face.
She glowed with love. It was a tangible thing. He absorbed it into his soul, and it filled the empty space that had plagued him his entire life. Suddenly warmth flooded back into his fingers, his knees stopped trembling, and he felt as though he now basked in the rays of a summer sun.
"The ring, please."
Jan snapped to attention and handed a ring to Don, who handed it to Reverend Mitchell. The older man spoke about the symbol of eternity, and before Reed knew it, he was slipping the birthstone ring onto Elise's left hand and murmuring, "With this ring, I thee wed."
The ceremony was over in the blink of an eye. He leaned down to kiss Elise Gerard Blackwell, and the innocent nibble he'd intended turned into a full body press. The kiss dissolved into laughter, though, when Jan mentioned something about the ice buckets in the dining room.
He smiled down at Elise and just studied her face.
"What are you thinking?" she asked in a voice no more than a whisper.
"I'm thinking, little one, that I don't feel any different. What does ‘married' feel like?"
She narrowed her eyes and flashed him a wicked grin. The warmth of her hand branded through his clothing in a most disconcerting area.
"It feels...like this."
The weakness came back to his knees. His eyebrows shot to his hairline, and he glanced around to see who had witnessed this little interchange. To his relief, the others were entering the dining room, so he took the opportunity to enjoy feeling "married," and made Elise feel a little "married" herself.
"Oh, geez, get a room." Don's face, etched with feigned disgust, hovered at the dining room door. Once he got their attention, he waved a bottle of champagne in their direction, as if to lure them to him.
Reed spent several seconds fluffing and readjusting Elise's veil while he waited for his body to return to a state fit for mixed company. Just when he'd completely recovered, he had to catch his wife's errant hand in an ironclad grip.
"Little one!" Her grin made her eyes sparkle even more. He let out a long, happy sigh. "Don't ever change."
Jan snapped pictures as the handsome couple fed cake to each other, and Don videoed the proceedings. Toasts ranged from the sincere to the outrageous among the small group.
More pictures were taken by the staircase. For the benefit of the camera, Reed swept Elise into his arms halfway up the steps, as if on their way to their rooms. The whole party even trooped outside and posed under a moss-hung live oak.
Finally, Jan came over and gave Elise a sisterly hug.
"Don't worry about getting my gown and the suit back. I'll pick them up next time..." Her eyes fell on the gold, filigree locket that hung from a choker around Elise's neck. "That's beautiful. Is it new?"
Elise's hand came up and toyed with the locket, then she reached around and removed it for closer inspection.
"No, actually it's an antique. It's my ‘something old.' I found it ages ago, pinned on one of the old dresses in the trunks in the attic. See? It doubles as a brooch."
Jan admired the piece of jewelry a moment longer, then fastened it back around Elise's throat.
"It really sets the dress off. The perfect touch. Well," she waggled her eyebrows, "I guess we won't be seeing you two at the anniversary party tonight."
Elise gasped, then slammed the palm of her hand to her forehead.
"Oh, Jan, I completely forgot. And...oh no! This is Reed's birthday. I didn't even get him a gift!" She turned to her new husband and looked so unhappy he wanted to kiss her.
Reed gave her a crestfallen look, then leaned close to her ear and whispered dramatically, "
We'll make it to the party. But as for my gift, well, I guess you'll have to find some way to make it up to me."
*******
"Here's to a most extraordinary life with a most extraordinary woman." Reed chinked his champagne glass against hers, and they entwined their arms in a lovers' toast.
Elise stared into Reed's penetrating eyes, and her stomach did flip-flops even after she looked away.
They lay nestled in the bed in her room. They'd dived into it the minute the guests were gone and their wedding attire was off. But once there, things slowed down to an agonizing pace.
Now here he was, making romantic toasts to her, with most of his body either draped, entwined, or pressed against hers.
The scorch of her gaze reflected what her body was feeling.
Okay, darlin'. Two can play at this game. Why don't I start making up that birthday present right now?
A glistening drop of champagne slid from the gold-rimmed edge of Reed's goblet where his lips had been only moments before. She watched it cut a lazy path through the condensation and allowed it to slide down the stem of the crystal before she reached out and stopped its progress with her index finger.
She retraced the path, upward this time. Her finger slid in torturous languor up the stem and over the cut-glass bowl. When she reached the gold rim, she raised her eyes and, with one look, promised him every fantasy he could ever conceive.
He swallowed, hard, and her finger continued on to circle the rim once. She held his gaze as she brought her champagne-moist finger seductively to her mouth. Her lips closed over her finger as her eyes fluttered closed.
The sound of the growl deep in his throat was her last coherent thought for hours.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The air was balmy with a tropical breeze as the silver Jag shot down the avenue of oaks. Stars glittered like diamonds in a cloudless sky.
Elise glittered, too, as beautiful as the stars, in the tiny, black beaded cocktail dress she'd bought for the occasion. She leaned her head back against the leather seat and let the wind whip through her hair.