Matchmakers, no. 1

by Bernadette Marie

  “And that’s supposed to give me comfort?”

  She shrugged.

  David stood, his eyes still diverted out the window. The air in the room was thick with tension and silence that stretched out for minutes. She’d used Carissa for leverage to get what she wanted before. When it came to Carissa, he’d do anything. And he knew her well enough to know that if she knew she had a sister, she’d want to be part of her life at any cost.

  “And if I did this—” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “If…what channels would I have to go through?”

  “I have you named in my will.”

  He shook his head, realizing this must have always been her plan. “I’ll put you on the birth certificate as her father. Please, David, if you’re not part of this, she’ll fall into the wrong hands. I mean, you have to be part of this before she’s born. Because…” she said on a ragged breath and wiped at the tears that streamed from her eyes, “I’m going to be dead by the time she takes her first breath. David, I’m going to die.”

  It was more than he could take seeing her cry and her voice shudder. She was baring her soul to him. Her fear was evident in her words and in her eyes. No matter how brave she was trying to be, she was scared of dying. This woman who’d made his life a hell for so many years had also given him Carissa. He gathered her in his arms and pulled her to him.

  “David, please give it some thought.” She laughed, wiping her cheeks dry with her fingers. “Quickly.”

  David put his hands on her shoulders and took a long, deep, cleansing breath. “I have to discuss this with Carissa.” Though he didn’t know how he’d bring it up to her. Even after saying it, he still wasn’t sure he believed he was considering it.

  “Of course.”

  “And Sophia,” he added.

  “Sophia?” She straightened and pulled from his grip. “The woman downstairs thought I was your fiancée, but your fiancée is Sophia?”

  “I’ve asked her.”

  “I don’t want to know.” She stalked out of the room and started down the stairs.

  “Mandy!” David ran down the front steps as she opened the door to her car.

  “Forget I came. Forget I said anything. The state will get her. Maybe they’ll find a nice family for her.” Mandy was sobbing as she climbed into the car and sped away.

  Sophia’s fingers were numb. She’d played for four hours, but it was all she could do to keep her mind focused on what lay ahead for her. After all, she’d told Sally Foster on the phone that she wanted the house and made an offer.

  She’d done a lot of thinking as she’d practiced. She’d thought about David and his proposal. He’d asked her to wait to give him all of her answers. She’d wait, but she’d made up her mind. At least, she was sure she’d made up her mind. After too many years, she still wanted to be Mrs. David Kendal.

  The back door slammed and feet pounded up the stairs. David was home. Sophia wiped down her cello and slid it into its case.

  She looked at her watch. They still had hours until dinner at Mary Alice’s. No one else was around. Her pulse tripped. She wanted to be with David.

  Slowly, she walked up the stairs. His door was closed. She could see the light from beneath it and could hear his footsteps. She tapped on the door. He didn’t answer right away. Then the door flung open, and he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the room, shutting the door behind her.

  “David.” She couldn’t say anything else before his mouth covered hers, and he pushed her up against the door.

  His teeth nipped at the tender skin below her ear. He took her breasts in his hands, pressing her nipples roughly between his fingers, and blissful pain shot through her. She dragged her fingers through his hair as he pulled up the skirt of her dress and shoved down her panties.

  Somewhere outside, a car door slammed.

  “David!” He silenced her again with his mouth. As he caressed her bare skin, her knees went weak. “We...can’t...” but her mind was a fog. Her vision blurred. As though a floodgate had lifted, she let herself be immersed in the pleasure of the frantic tempo of his mouth, hands, and body. He pulled her tighter to him, lifted her legs to his waist, and carried her to the bed.

  In the time it took her racing heart to beat a handful of times, David had torn off his clothes and was pushing himself deep inside of her.

  The rapid pace created spirals of pleasure from her belly to her limbs. A moan vibrated in her throat. His mouth was hot and hungry on her skin. His arms held her so close she could hardly breathe. She felt him shudder as he released and fell still against her.

  He didn’t move. He didn’t speak. Sophia lay still beneath him, listening to him breathe in her ear and feeling the hammering of his heart against her.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered in her ear as he lifted his head to kiss her gently.

  “Well, we’ve come a long way in twenty-four hours.” She laughed it off as he rolled off her, and she pulled down the skirt of her dress.

  “I should have been gentle with you. More considerate. I’d promised you I would.”

  “David, I’m fine.” She sat up and looked down on him. There would be other times, after all. “What’s eating at you?”

  “Nothing.” He rose up on his elbows. “I love you, Sophia. I love you so much.” He touched her cheek.

  “David, I love you too.”

  “Let’s have a baby.”

  Sophia smoothed her skirt again. “That’s not funny.”

  “It’s not meant to be.” He sat up next to her and took her hand. “Marry me, and let’s have a baby.”

  “I can’t have a child of my own. You know that!” She broke free of his hand and stood. Tears were stinging her eyes, and she was forcing them back. How could he bring up something so painful?

  David reached for his robe, which lay across the foot of the bed, and slipped it on. He took her hands in his and looked her in the eye.

  “I do know that. But you’re only thirty-six years old. You should have a child like you’ve always wanted to.”

  “David, don’t you think we should talk about things first? I mean, I’ve just gotten back. You and I have been in each other’s presence exactly four days. And in those four days, we’ve already said I love you to each other, and you’ve asked me to move back here and marry you. Now you’re throwing babies into the equation? What next?”

  “Are you saying you don’t want children anymore?”

  “I’m saying that I gave up on that dream.” She looked him over. His hair was damp from the fury he had taken her in, and his dark eyes were sad. “I gave up on a lot of things, David. You were one of them. But here you are.”

  “Here I am.”

  “And if I marry you, I’ll have a daughter. And I actually think she’d accept me.”

  “I know she’d accept you. What I’m asking is for you to marry me and raise a child with me. One that we name and we stay up all night with. Throw birthday parties for and hold when she’s sick. One who we watch take her first steps as we hold out our arms to her. One whose first words are mama and dada.”

  “David, you just don’t get married and adopt a baby. There are steps. It takes time.”

  “I know.” He blew out a breath. “I’m just saying you deserve that. I deserve that.” He gathered her closer. “Think about it. I never got that with Carissa. I want that part too, and I want it with you.” He kissed her forehead and rested his cheek against hers. “I know I told you I don’t want any answers yet. But let’s just say that if you do agree to move back, perhaps you’ll even consider marrying me. By the way, I’d like that to be quick.” He smiled at her and continued, “And let’s just say, a child were to bless us. If one landed on our doorstep, would you have a baby with me?”

  She studied him closely. There was desperation brewing in his dark eyes. “David, I love you. Why don’t we just sit down and talk this entire thing out.”

  “I want to be very sure you know you’ll make me either the happiest man
in the world or the saddest.”

  He pressed a kiss against her lips.

  “C’mon. We need a shower.”

  “David! We can’t take a shower in your room. It opens to Carissa’s.”

  “Then we’ll take it in yours.” He raised his eyebrows playfully. “I’ll wash your back.”

  “God, if my grandmother knew...”

  “Oh, Sophie,” he said, nipping her lips with a kiss. “I think she knows.”

  “Gross, David. That’s just gross.” She turned to let herself out and he pulled her back, holding her tight to him.

  “I love you.” He smiled at her, his forehead pressed against hers. “Oh! Wait!” He stepped back from her and headed to his dresser. He opened the top drawer and began pushing things from side to side.

  “What are you doing?” She laughed as he tore through the drawer.

  “Found it.” He pulled a box from the drawer and held it toward her.

  Sophia’s eyes widened.

  When David opened the small, black felt box, her lip began to quiver.

  “David, that’s my ring.”

  “Yes, it is. And I want you to have it again.” He pulled out the princess-cut solitaire and held it in his fingers.

  “Oh, I don’t know.” She shook her head.

  “Put it on, Sophie. It’s your ring.” He reached for her hand and slid the sparkling diamond onto her finger. “Now that looks better.”

  “David, I can’t.”

  “Just wear it. If you turn me down, we’ll discuss who keeps it.”

  Katie and Millie and David waited for Sophia in the kitchen. She twirled her sundress as she entered the room.

  “Do you like it? I got it in Greece.”

  “You have the most beautiful wardrobe in those two little suitcases,” Katie told her.

  David moved to her and kissed her right on the mouth in front of Katie and his aunt. It was about time.

  Sophia’s eyes opened wide, and he smiled. “Just for the record, these two, young ladies think you should move back to K.C. and marry me.”

  “David,” she whispered.

  “Oh, Sophia, stop being such an old fuddy-duddy.” Katie shook her head as she took flowers from the pile that Millie had cut and then arranged them into the vase before her. “He loves you. You love him.” She held up her hand to her granddaughter to stop her argument. “Don’t try to deny it. Marry him, and let’s forget about the past ten years and move on.”

  “Grandma.” She kissed her on the cheek. “You amaze me.”

  “I am an amazing woman.”

  “Yes, you are.”

  “Well, look at that,” Millie added. “You are wearing a very pretty ring.”

  Katie took Sophia’s hand and examined the ring.

  “Does this mean you two are completely back together? We can plan a wedding now?”

  “It means I’ve asked, and she’ll think about it,” David answered, touching Sophia’s cheek with his fingertips.

  Katie smiled. “Well, that’s a start.”

  “Are you ready?” Sophia asked, shaking her head with a smile.

  “Yes. Carissa took the car, and since it’s nice out, we might as well walk.”

  “Sounds lovely.” She slipped her hand into his and waved at the women they left behind.

  “Well, my dearest friend, I think we accomplished what we set out to do,” Katie said as she watched them leave. “I actually think she’ll marry him this time.”

  “I sure hope so.” Millie handed Katie another flower. “I’d like to know he was settled down before I die.”

  “Don’t say things like that.” Katie took her friend’s hand in her own. She noticed how frail Millie looked. She wasn’t going to let her start talking about leaving her now.

  Hand in hand, their arms swinging between them, David and Sophia walked to Mary Alice and Jeremy Krantz’s house.

  One glance at David and she knew his mind was working overtime. She wished she could just tell him of her plans. The truth was, though, she wasn’t sure what they were exactly. She’d made an offer on the house. She’d called Pablo. She was only waiting for answers from both of them before she made up her mind. Now David had thrown in the possibility of marriage and having a family. She realized her head was working overtime as well.

  “What movie do you think about when you hear the word red?”

  “What?” His gaze settled on her.

  “Just answer the question.”

  He thought for a moment. “Hunt for Red October, I guess.”

  “Not very girly, is it?”

  “I thought all women loved Sean Connery.”

  “True enough.” She gave it some consideration.

  “Why?”

  “Carissa and I have plans Friday night to paint our toenails An Affair In Red Square and watch a movie with a red theme.”

  “Oh.” He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. “I don’t understand what you just said, but can I come to your party?”

  “Absolutely not!” She shook her head. “You’d look ridiculous with red toenails.”

  “You’re probably right.” He laughed as they started down the street where their friends lived. “But, assuming you’ll only be down the hall, you wouldn’t mind if I shared your popcorn with you.”

  “Oh, Mr. Kendal, you’re pushing it now.”

  David stopped. He pulled her toward him.

  “I want my answer now.”

  “What?”

  “I can’t wait a second longer. Sophia Burkhalter, will you marry me?”

  “David, don’t you think we should discuss this with Carissa?”

  “Sophia, will you marry me?” he repeated.

  “What about my career? What about yours?”

  “Will you marry me?” His voice became strained.

  “David…”

  She saw Mary Alice standing only a few feet away, waving as she ran toward them. “Did y’all forget which house?”

  A plume of black smoke hung over their yard.

  “I sense that Jeremy is grilling.” David turned from Sophia and smiled at their friend as she neared them.

  “Yeah, he’s on the second set of steaks. We’ve been married long enough I know to buy extras. He’ll always burn the first set.” She blew a stray hair from her eyes. “I don’t know why he insists on grilling them if he’s just going to ruin them.”

  “Maybe I’d better go supervise.” David let go of Sophia’s hand and headed toward the Krantzes’ backyard without another glance in her direction.

  “Is everything okay? He seems tense.” Mary Alice laced her arm with Sophia’s as they walked toward the house.

  “He’s asked me to marry him.” She held out her hand and showed her the ring.

  “Sophie!” Mary Alice stopped mid-step and hugged her friend. “You’re getting married?”

  “I haven’t said yes yet.”

  “But you’re going to, right?”

  Sophia just smiled at her dearest friend. “Yes, I think I’m going to marry him.”

  “I’m so excited for you.”

  “But don’t say anything. I haven’t given him an answer yet.”

  “Why?”

  “I want to talk to Carissa. This isn’t just between us. This is much bigger than just David and me now. And I need to talk to Pablo, too.”

  “Why Pablo?”

  Sophia shrugged. “I owe him that. He’s been the one taking care of me for the past ten years.”

  “Or keeping you away.” She pursed her lips and shook her head. “Well, I get to throw the bridal shower.”

  “He wants a baby, too.” That stopped Mary Alice. “Adopt a baby,” Sophia amended.

  “And what about you? How do you feel about that?”

  “If we got married, I think we could talk about it. But to throw that out there now, I just don’t think it was necessary. He raised a daughter. Why would he want to start over now? Just for me?”

  “Is that what he told y
ou?”

  “Well, no,” she confessed as they started up the steps to the house. “I think he feels like he missed out on the early joys of parenting. He started parenting a seven-year-old. He didn’t get to hold her or change her diapers or pick her name. She didn’t say daddy as her first word—at least, not to him.”

  “She wasn’t just a sweet little girl either,” Mary Alice recalled.

  “What do you mean?”

  “She was angry. She hated him, even though she was trying hard to love him. She hated Mandy and still does. That first year, he was at the school almost every day because she was picking fights and not turning in assignments.” She shook her head. “God, look at her now. She’s an honor student, student council officer, volunteer, and as talented as you are on that cello. He’s done a great job.”

  “See, he just had to do all the work, and he didn’t get to enjoy her.”

  “He enjoys her now. The rest is the past.”

  “But how do I really know that’s what he wants?” Sophia turned to her friend.

  “He asked you for it. If he didn’t want it, he wouldn’t have asked.”

  “You’re right. I know, you’re right.” She hugged Mary Alice.

  “It’ll all work out.” She opened the front door. “C’mon, I have a great bottle of wine I’ve been saving just for tonight, and I think you could use a glass.”

  David grabbed a beer from the cooler on the porch as he walked around the side of the house to where Jeremy stood among the billowing smoke from the grill.

  “Damn, I thought you’d have learned how to grill by now.” He twisted off the top of the bottle and took a long, needed drink.

  “Sooner or later,” Jeremy answered as flames kicked up after he flipped a steak. “It’s amazing she still lets me try.”

  “Well, maybe I’ll grill the next dinner in my own yard.”

  “Oh, yeah. Your house will be ready soon.”

  “I’m putting it up for sale.”

  “What?”

  “I met with a real estate agent today, and she’s going to list the house. It’s just too far away. Carissa needs to be closer to school and her friends for her senior year.”