“I’m sorry your parents and your sister didn’t get to come to the wedding,” Jodie said as they settled into Travis’s SUV for the drive to the cabin. He’d explained that on such short notice, and due to her public persona, he’d arranged for Grayson Phillips’s cabin on Lake Buchanan, which was northwest of Austin.
They’d stopped by his house to change from his suit and tie and her dress into casual clothes. They’d also grabbed the suitcases they’d packed earlier, plus a cooler of food. Now they were heading north out of town on the state highway.
“That’s okay. It wasn’t a surprise that my parents were unavailable. I would have enjoyed my sister saying ‘I told you so’ from the front row, though.”
“Still, I’m sure you would have rather your parents came to your wedding.”
Travis shrugged. “Actually, it would have been very awkward if both of them came. They despise each other. Plus, my mother can’t stand my father’s wife, who is the age my mother wants everyone to believe she is.”
“I’m sorry they can’t get along. I grew up without a father, and my mother, my sister and I are very close. I’m so glad they were there for me.”
Travis drove for a while, then turned to look at her. “Did you tell them about the baby?”
“Yes, earlier today. I thought I could keep it from them, but…well, I just couldn’t.”
“Why didn’t you want them to know?”
“I guess I have a little of my rebellious sister in me. I didn’t want my mother to think poorly of me, as though I’d made a stupid mistake.”
“We made a mistake by not using protection, but our baby isn’t a mistake.”
“No, of course not! That’s not what I meant. But in my family, Chelsea is the one most likely to forget birth control. I’m the responsible one.”
“Nobody’s perfect.”
“Obviously. If I were perfect, I’d be a size eight and would always think before I acted.”
“What makes you think a size eight is perfect? I think you’re absolutely perfect for your body type. You’re a tall woman. I hope this doesn’t sound offensive, but I believe you’re what is called ‘big boned.’ You’d be nothing but bones if you were a size eight.”
“You’re right that I couldn’t get down that small without seriously damaging my health, but this,” she said, sweeping her hand from head to foot, “is more than bones.”
“Yes, and you look and feel very good that way.”
“Why, thank you. I wasn’t sure you remembered.”
“Did you interpret my restraint for inattention?”
“With everyone in the house, I don’t suppose I could blame you. Er, not that I’ve been expecting you to take any action. We had three good chaperones for the last couple of days.”
“I know. I was beginning to feel completely overwhelmed by females of every age, type and shape. And then I thought about your publicist—whom you have to admit isn’t the most manly man in the world—staying in the cowboy room at the bed-and-breakfast and I got even more amused. All I can say is that I hope we have a boy. I’m going to need someone to help even the balance of your mother and sister, and my sister.”
“I didn’t know you had so many women troubles.”
“A man needs someone to watch football with, throw a baseball, teach to ride and rope.”
“As if you couldn’t do that with a girl!”
Travis shook his head. “Wouldn’t be the same.”
“I didn’t know I’d married such a male chauvinist pig!”
“I’m just kidding. Of course I’d treat a girl the same. Or nearly the same. I probably won’t teach her to spit, and she won’t be able to pee standing up.”
“Travis!”
“It’s the truth, sweetheart. You’re in Texas now. You have to learn to live and talk like a Texan.”
“I’m a California girl. I don’t think I can turn into a Texan overnight by signing my name on a piece of paper.”
“I’m not asking for overnight. I’m just asking for a chance.”
She smiled in reply, but inside she knew she wouldn’t be turning into anything but what she was—an average girl-next-door who had been successful due to her talents and God-given attributes. With a little help from highlights, cosmetics and Sara Lee cheesecake.
Travis drove well on the curving roads of the Hill Country. The hills weren’t nearly as steep or high as those that separated the flat beach area around Los Angeles from the inland deserts. There were more trees and water here. Even though spring hadn’t come yet to Texas, many of the trees stayed green year ’round, giving the landscape a texture and color that Jodie appreciated.
Still, before long her eyes grew heavy and she rested back against the seat. The SUV interior felt warm and cozy. She couldn’t fight the urge to nap, which had grown stronger in the past week. At this rate, she was going to sleep right through her pregnancy!
She jerked awake sometime later, her heart racing. She’d had a disturbing dream where she was lost inside Travis’s house, where mirrored hallways went on forever and she couldn’t find the doors. When she looked at herself in the mirrors, she didn’t recognize her image. She heard Travis calling her from somewhere in the house, but she couldn’t find him and ran and ran until she was exhausted.
She rubbed her temples with trembling fingers. “How long was I asleep?”
“About thirty minutes. We’re skirting the western side of Austin right now. Are you okay? Do you need to stop?”
“No, I just had a bad dream. A silly dream. I’m fine.” Slowly, her heart rate returned to normal, but she couldn’t help wondering why she’d had such a disturbing dream now, when the stress of the last few days should be going away. She didn’t feel threatened by Travis. Yes, he could be intimidating, but surely now that the marriage issue was settled, he’d calm down.
She fell silent until he asked more about her childhood, and then they talked off and on until he pulled off the four-lane highway onto a smaller road. Slowly the dream faded in the comfort of the SUV and the unfamiliar landscape. This area was a little more flat, but still held her interest as they drove by pastures and houses and an occasional mobile home sitting alone in a field. Cattle and horses grazed on the mostly brown winter grass, but they saw few people.
That was fine with Jodie. She’d been around his friends, her family and business associates far too much lately. She was looking forward to some peace and quiet on their honeymoon.
She assumed they’d have some peaceful time. They hadn’t actually talked about plans. They hadn’t even really talked about their sleeping arrangements, although Travis had said he didn’t want a marriage in name only. Since then they’d had no time to get reacquainted. Six weeks ago they’d met and made love, even conceived a baby together, but at the moment she felt awkward and even a little bit tense being alone with Travis. Would they suddenly start sharing a bedroom?
“I think it’s just around the lake, maybe a quarter of a mile more,” Travis said, cutting into her thoughts of their time alone. Their long winter nights.
“Good. I’m ready to get out of the car and get some exercise. How about a run before dark?” Maybe some physical exertion would alleviate the tension.
“Don’t you want to get settled in first?”
“We can do that later. I feel restless.”
“Did the doctor say it was okay for you to run?”
“Yes. Did you think I’d do something that was dangerous to the baby?”
“No, of course not. I didn’t mean it that way. I’m not familiar with pregnancy, except what my sister told me before I insisted I didn’t want to hear about it. Mostly I remember tales of swollen ankles, sore backs and sleepless nights, but that was later, maybe around seven or eight months.”
“Ugh! That doesn’t sound like something to look forward to. I hope this pregnancy is different.”
“I would think you won’t have problems if you’re cautious and don’t overexert yourself.”
“I’m going to do my best to stay healthy, which means I need to keep exercising. And a mother’s health is very important to the baby.” She wanted her child to have every advantage, especially a good start in life. “So, how about that run?”
“If you’re sure,” he answered, his tone revealing some skepticism.
Well, she’d just have to show him that she wasn’t going to suffer any consequences from moderate exercise and a normal schedule. “I’m sure. Don’t worry.”
“I’ll need to get our suitcases into the house so we can change.”
“I’ll get the food inside, then we can hurry. It gets dark so early this time of year.” She might not worry about a short jog, but she sure didn’t want to run over unfamiliar ground in the dark.
“Look, there’s the cabin.”
The house was rustic and simple in design, set on a slope just above the lake with a great view. Gray Phillips had said it was his late uncle’s weekend house. He and “Dr. Amy,” as everyone called her, had ended their very first date here and used the cabin some weekends to get away. Jodie had been told it was private, clean and stocked with basic necessities—the perfect honeymoon cottage on short notice.
“Last one outside for jogging has to clean up the dishes,” Jodie announced as she swung the cooler of food out of the SUV.
“Don’t lift too much!”
She laughed off Travis’s unfounded concern and entered the cabin. The cooler probably didn’t weigh fifteen pounds. She lifted far more than that at the gym. She wasn’t going to spend her pregnancy sleeping and getting flabby. She might need more naps, but she could still work out, run, bicycle and maybe even surf. She’d ask a doctor once she found a good obstetrics physician, because she didn’t want to do any of her regular activities that might be harmful to the baby. Despite the way she’d laughed off Travis’s concerns, she took her pregnancy seriously.
“Where do you want your suitcase?” Travis asked.
She stood in the kitchen after setting the cooler on the counter, staring at her new husband. The enormity of their situation hit her then, as though she’d jogged into a glass wall.
Where did she want to put her suitcase? And where did Travis want her suitcase? They were married. Why did he even have to ask, unless he felt as conflicted as she did about their relationship?
BY THE TIME THEY RAN along the road circling the lake and returned to the cabin, darkness had fallen. Luckily, he’d remembered to turn on the outside lights. Travis was pleasantly tired from the exercise and ravenous for food—as well as hungry for Jodie. She was more of a mystery to him now than when they’d first met. He found that exciting, but also daunting. He knew the intense passion they were capable of generating, but he didn’t know how to set the mood. Not surprisingly, a sunny outdoor café and an idyllic suite in a Monte Carlo hotel was more romantic than a borrowed cabin in Texas, even on Valentine’s Day. Even if it was their honeymoon.
With a sigh, he stepped into the shower. Jodie had told him to go first because he was going to prepare dinner. She was in charge of setting the table, she said. She wasn’t much of a cook, having lived with her mother for so long. She’d traveled so much, she’d told him, that having an apartment didn’t make much sense when her mother had a perfectly fine house.
When she was younger and working in New York, she’d stayed with her booking agent, Felicia Sparr, who was kind of like an older sister or an aunt. Jodie had only gotten her own place after her modeling career had taken off, she’d told him.
He took a quick shower, trying not to think about Jodie getting naked. Trying not to think about the fact they were married and on their honeymoon. Trying not to think about where she’d put her suitcase, since he’d left it in the hallway when she’d said she’d get it later.
All that “not thinking” wasn’t doing his libido any good. Maybe he should have taken a quick cold shower.
He dressed in sweats and pulled on socks, but no shoes. He hoped Jodie wasn’t expecting a more formal wedding dinner, because he’d planned cheeseburgers, chips and fruit.
She was in the kitchen when he finished dressing, unpacking the groceries they’d brought with them for a couple of days. “The run made me feel so much better,” she said. “Maybe I haven’t been getting enough exercise. Since I got back to the States, I’ve been in meetings and negotiations far too much.”
“Maybe. I’m glad you enjoyed it, and I’m glad you didn’t have any problems as a consequence. I’m not an avid runner, but I do it when I don’t get enough exercise the old-fashioned way—through actual work.”
“Is that one of the reasons you bought the ranch?” she asked as she placed a box of cereal on the shelf.
“Indirectly. I really wanted a place to put down some roots, have a place I designed with a studio and room for guests. And like I mentioned before, I was tired of cities.”
“If I get tired of one city, I just go to another one,” Jodie joked.
Travis laughed, then the smile faded as he realized she wasn’t really exaggerating. She did fly around a lot. Of course, that would change now.
“Are cheeseburgers okay for dinner? We had such a good meal earlier that I thought something simple might be best.”
“Fine with me. I’m not a picky eater.” She dusted off her hands and smiled at him, her cheeks still pink from the cool temperatures and their brisk jog.
“Why don’t you go take your shower and I’ll get started? Will about thirty minutes give you enough time?”
“Absolutely.” She straightened a chair on her way across the small kitchen.
“Jodie?”
“Yes?”
“The wedding was really nice and I just wanted you to know that everything’s going to be fine.”
“I hope so, Travis. I know you didn’t want to get married again.”
“I didn’t think I wanted to,” he clarified as he stepped closer. “The reality is beginning to sink in and I’m looking forward to everything a marriage entails. And I really mean that, Jodie.”
She smiled shyly as he took her hands then placed them on his shoulders. She felt warm and smelled like the outdoors. “Everything, hmm?”
He kissed her then, her lips soft and full beneath his, her body warm and real as she leaned against him. The passion they’d avoided for days sprang to life as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed closer. His arousal was swift and hard against her belly.
“I’d better take my shower,” she said breathlessly as she pulled away moments later.
“Good idea. Otherwise we won’t get any dinner.”
While the burgers cooked, he cut up apples and washed grapes, arranging the fruit on a plate. He felt very domestic as he prepared the meal for Jodie. In a way, he was also nourishing his child. He wondered if he should pour her a glass of milk, but Jodie usually drank tea or water with her meals. He didn’t want to demand she take special care of herself—just give some reminders since pregnancy was new to both of them.
They would have to find ways to compromise. Even more important, they needed to learn about each other—the everyday things that married couples or even those who lived together took for granted.
He put slices of cheese on the burgers and warmed the buns, all the while wondering what condiments Jodie liked. What was her favorite color? Her favorite flower? There was so much he didn’t know about her.
Just then she walked into the kitchen, all pink and adorable from her shower. She wore no makeup and looked younger than her twenty-nine years. Her shoulder-length hair was piled on top of her head, held by one of those big clips, and she’d dressed like him in worn yellow sweats and white socks.
She tilted her head and smiled. “Thanks. I didn’t know the sloppy-out-of-the-shower look appealed to you.”
“I have very fond memories of you and the shower.”
Jodie laughed as she grabbed a slice of apple and a few grapes from the table. “Can I help? I can fill the glasses with ice.”
“Sounds good. I didn’t know what you wanted to drink.”
“Just water is fine with me. I drink a lot of water.”
Within minutes they were digging in to their dinner. “This is great, Travis. The burgers are perfect.”
“I’m glad you like my cooking. Helen prepares meals for me about once a week. I keep a few main dishes in the freezer, also, so in case you need anything when I’m gone, just look there.”
“I’m glad you have someone to take care of your house.”
“I travel, and even when I’m home, I don’t want to spend time cleaning.”
“I’m exactly the same way,” Jodie said.
They finished off the burgers, then Travis took her hand. “When you have your things sent to the house from California, Helen can help you unpack. If you want to store any furniture, I have some empty rooms above the garage.”
She looked away, picking up the last grape and popping it in her mouth.
“Does that sound okay?”
“Mmm,” she said around the grape.
He supposed she didn’t want to talk about moving. After all, that involved a lot of work, and she’d had so much on her mind lately.
They cleaned up the kitchen together, then Jodie wandered onto the porch to see the lake by moonlight. Travis followed her. A quarter crescent moon hung over one end, reflecting in the water like a postcard for central Texas. He hoped Jodie found it restful and pleasant here.
He stood behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. She felt so nice and substantial—he could even lean on Jodie if he needed to. She was a strong woman in more ways than one.
“We could stay a few extra days if you’d like. It might be nice to relax, get to know each other better,” he said softly, unwilling to interrupt the mood.
Jodie turned her head, but continued to stand facing the lake. “I’d love to, Travis, but I have to be in California on Tuesday. I have a meeting scheduled in L.A. with the creative team for the cosmetics company.”
“You’re flying back there on Tuesday?” He dropped his hands from her shoulders.
“Actually, I need to go back Monday night.”
“And when were you going to tell me this?” He heard the hard edge to his voice and didn’t even try to hide his feelings.
“We’ve hardly had time to talk. I meant to tell you in the morning.”
“After our honeymoon? Our one-night honeymoon?”
“I was planning on you taking me to the airport on your way back to Ranger Springs.”
“Well, that’s certainly convenient.”
“I thought so.”
“No thanks.”
“Why are you angry? If you had bigger plans, you should have told me. I had no idea you were thinking of staying here beyond the weekend. After all, you called this a weekend getaway cabin.”
“That’s what it is for Gray and Amy!”
“How was I supposed to know that?”
“I don’t know, Jodie! How in the hell was I supposed to know you’d run back to California as soon as we said our vows?”
“I’m not running back! I’m doing my job. You do remember why we got married, right? Because of my career!”
“No, Jodie, that’s not what I remember at all.” He felt defeated and angry, as though all his arguments for making this marriage work had been for nothing. “I remember that you came to me because you wanted to salvage your career with a temporary marriage, but I also remember we talked about making it permanent. About working at our relationship.”
“And I will work at it, as soon as I get back from California.”
“Don’t bother on my account,” he said bitterly. He turned and walked back into the house, letting the screen door slam shut.
JODIE HUGGED HER ARMS around herself, feeling the chill of the night air as well as the coldness of Travis’s harsh words. He’d overreacted to the simple announcement that she had to travel on business. This was a short trip that was absolutely necessary. She shouldn’t feel guilty about going back to California for a few days, but she did…just a little, because she’d upset her new husband.
She’d discussed this trip with Felicia and Neil, and she thought she’d mentioned it to Travis, but perhaps not. There had been so much going on in the past four days, she might have forgotten. That was no reason to overreact as Travis had. He should have been more understanding.
He’d run off before they could discuss the problem. Apparently he didn’t want to reconcile their differences. He obviously thought she should think and act exactly like him. Well, that was ridiculous, since most of the time she had no idea what he’d think or how he’d react!
Cold gave way to heat as she became angry. Travis was being dictatorial and unreasonable. She’d agreed to this marriage because she thought they had a basis to build upon, but maybe they didn’t. Maybe he wanted a wife who would stay at home and bake cookies! Well, he shouldn’t have proposed a permanent marriage to a career woman, one who was willing to enter into a temporary marriage to save her career.
She felt like storming into the cabin and slamming the door, but that would be as juvenile and overly dramatic as his departure from the porch. She’d do the opposite and calmly find her suitcase, then locate an empty bed.
There would certainly be no wedding night in this frosty cabin!