“YOU’RE ENGAGED?”
“I just said that, Dad,” Tate repeated patiently.
“Officially?”
“Would I say so otherwise?”
He was glad to see that his father looked pleased. “Bex is smart and successful. Congratulations.”
With a warm sense of humor. And kind. And beautiful and sexy, Tate thought. But all he said was, “Thanks.”
“When is the wedding?”
That was something they hadn’t decided on yet.
He and Randolph were walking over to the construction site, hands in pockets, collars flipped up against a stiff breeze that had decided to sweep down from the north. Snowlakes floated through the air. Tate shook his head. “I have no idea. Her call. Whenever she wants.”
“Your mother was hell-bent on June,” his father remarked. “The marriage season, she called it. She got her way, of course. I would’ve given her anything.”
It wasn’t a subtle hint, but then, his father wasn’t a subtle man.
Tate didn’t remember his mother very well. She died when he was about Adam’s age, of kidney failure caused by a rare infection, so he and his sons had that in common. His father didn’t talk about it, and maybe that was why he so rarely mentioned Sandra in front of Ben and Adam.
“I didn’t know that.”
Walking next to him, his father glanced over. “Didn’t know what? Our anniversary?”
“No. That you loved her so much.”
That was taking a chance. His father did not use the word love.
“Your mother? Of course I did.” It was said gruffly.
There was no of course about it. “Things between Sandra and me didn’t work out. Just because you decide to get married doesn’t mean it’s a match made in heaven—if you’ll forgive the cliché. Ask all the people who file for divorce. Tripp is about the nicest guy I know and he got divorced from his first wife. He and Hadleigh genuinely are a good match, though.”
“You and Bex. It’s different from before?”
At least he could answer honestly. “Yes. Definitely.”
“The first time you swing a bat doesn’t mean you’ll hit it out of the park.”
He could come up with a lot of responses to that tired cliché, but Tate didn’t bother. “I’m very happy about this.”
“Seems to me you should be.”
He might as well tell his father straight out. “I’m not asking for a prenup agreement. Just leave the money to the boys. That’s fine with me.”
Silence except for a raptor screaming in the distance, circling in the sky, the keening sound punctuating the moment. Their boots scraped the gravel as they continued down the drive. Grudgingly, his father said. “You’ve done okay on your own.”
“We’ve never gone hungry.”
“Don’t be a smart-ass, son.” Ex-military, his dad never skirted around expressing exactly what he thought.
So Tate modified his remarks. “All I’m saying is that Bex is more important to me than the trust fund. You worked hard for it and I admire you for that, but I’ll never ask her to sign a piece of paper that says I’m worried this marriage might fail. Maybe I’m being impractical. I don’t think so. I freely admit you were right about Sandra. So do whatever you want. There you have it.”
“Becca Stuart is nothing like your first wife.”
“No, she isn’t.”
“Glad we can agree on something.”
Tate nodded. It was an infrequent occurrence—infrequent enough to deserve comment. Obviously, Aunt Gina was a terrific mediator or the butting of heads through the years would’ve been that much worse.
“We altered the stable plans a bit,” his father said next.
Tate was pleased to see the sides framed in but even without the blueprints in his hands, it did seem to be bigger than he’d expected.
He stopped walking. “You what?”
His father shrugged. “If we gave the structure a second story, it would’ve blocked your view from some parts of the house, so we decided to extend it at the north end to include bigger living quarters for the hands, and a separate office with a reception area for your buyers.”
No wonder his contractor had moved the finish date. Being without all the hammering and the noise of saws and nail guns was going to be a gift on its own. The construction crews were great guys, but he’d be happy when the constant racket was over, and there weren’t vehicles coming and going at all hours.
It took him a moment to respond, because he was still in shock at his father’s audacity, but he finally said, “Is there some reason that I, the owner of this property, wasn’t consulted on this?”
“Yep. Early wedding present.”
Why was it that every conversation he had with Randolph felt surreal? “I only told you a few minutes ago that I’m getting married. And who is we?”
“Lettie told me it was a done deal, so we decided this made sense.” His father gestured at the stables.
That statement took surreal to bizarre. “Lettie, meaning Mrs. A.? You agreed on something?”
“We’re both reasonable people. She’s just overbearing at times. Always wants her way.”
It was all Tate could do not to drop to the ground laughing. “She’s overbearing? Dad, I love you, but reality check.”
His father gestured at the expanded structure again. “That isn’t a good present?” he asked defensively.
Tate wasn’t ungrateful, just bemused at their presumption. “Of course it is,” he replied. “And we appreciate it,” he added in a soothing voice. Not to mention that Nate Cameron would be hopping up and down with joy. “It’s generous and then some. How did Mrs. A. know it was a, uh, done deal?”
“She knows Bex and I know you. We talked it over and came to the conclusion that you’d get married, so we went forward.”
They’d talked? Never in his presence.
He asked wryly, “Have you named our first child yet?”
“I’m thinking Randolph for a boy, and she suggested Leticia for a girl.”
At least he and his dad were joking with each other. That didn’t happen often.
His father turned then and gazed up at the mountains. “I like it here. How would you feel if I moved closer?”
* * *
GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT.
Bex needed one. And after all, she had two designated drivers. The three of them agreed on appetizers and salads they could split, and she ordered a fruity rum drink with pineapple and cherries on a long toothpick before she broke the news.
“I believe the pact worked for all of us. Tate and I are engaged,” she announced.
Hadleigh and Melody looked at each other, and Hadleigh extended her hand across the table, palm up. “Pay up, Melody Hogan.”
“You got the date wrong,” Mel argued. “You said they’d make the big decision before Columbus Day.”
“I was off by a week. Sue me.”
“Still...”
“Let’s face it. I won.”
“Not until we have the wedding date and the color of our dresses.”
Bex said, “Hello! Sitting right here. Have you two been betting on my personal life?”
“Duh.” Hadleigh didn’t look repentant, and neither did Mel. “You’re our only current link to the not-pregnant world. Just please, please, don’t pick purple for the dresses.”
Mel interjected, “That’s cheating. You can’t influence her.”
“I was unaware that there were rules, and I hate purple.”
“I’ll admit it doesn’t flatter you, but that’s her choice, now, isn’t it?”
“Well, then I hope she picks brown. Just sayin’. That doesn’t flatter you.”
A low blow, since Melody was wearing a rich brown sweater. In Bex’s opinion, it looked very nice on her, and Hadleigh no doubt thought the same. They were both laughing. Bex put a stop to it. “Hey, congratulations might be in order.”
Hadleigh did a graceful swirl of dismissal with her hand. “You already know that’s how we feel, Bex. Come on.”
She did know.
There were some things in this world you could count on and in her world, that was one of them. She turned to Mel, “Can you make me an engagement ring?”
“Of course. Diamonds? Ruby? What?”
“It’s for him. Something simple. Just a band.”
Hadleigh rubbed her temple. “You’re going to make the man wear an engagement ring?”
“I asked him. So it follows, right?”
If anyone understood, it was Hadleigh. They both had loved Will so much, and Hadleigh would know that doing things the wrong way around—at least, according to most people—was a gesture of defiance. And, equally, one of confidence. “I suppose I can follow that convoluted logic,” she murmured.
Mel interjected softly, “I’ll design one. Of course. Don’t make me cry. Anything sets me off these days—a sappy commercial, a cute cat video, this...”
Naturally, the rest of dinner involved wedding plans. They both voted that both the ceremony and the reception be held at the new house. They decided she should go with a strapless gown, maybe mermaid-style—they were divided on that—and Bex was fairly sure they’d chosen her lingerie but was afraid to ask.
“I want one of those invitations you make, too. With the ribbons and sculpted edges. I’ll look online to find an Old Maid card.”
For about the fourth time, Mel and Hadleigh looked at each other in question.
“Inside joke.”
Driving home, Bex had to smile.
Tate was on the big couch when she arrived. He switched off the television. “How was dinner?”
“We had healthy salads, along with mozzarella sticks and artichoke dip. So it was a balanced meal—in some ways. And how was yours?”
“The boys wanted pizza. I made pork chops and corn on the cob instead. Maybe I didn’t win the Dad of the Year award, but they cannot exist on pizza alone. How are Hadleigh and Melody? Oh, by the way, I think my dad has a thing for Mrs. A.”
Bex accidentally dropped her purse on the floor at that casual addition to his question. “What?”
Tate had a noncommittal expression on his face. “I’m not pretending to be a great romantic, but I’d make book on it.”
“I’ve had enough of betting on the love lives of other people.”
He seemed mystified.
“Never mind. Back to this interesting theory about your dad. You do remember how they can’t even exchange a civil word, right?”
“Let’s call it an educated guess. They already gave us a wedding present, by the way.”
She shed her coat. “If it is three giraffes, I won’t be able to feed them, since I don’t know what they eat.”
“Even if it was, we’d have space for them now. Dad and Mrs. A. made an executive decision. They went over my head and redesigned the stables. I’m torn between irritation that people are making high-handed decisions for me, and gratitude. It is going to be exactly what Nate Cameron and I wanted. My dad’s presumptuous, but he knows what he’s doing.”
Bex went over and dropped down next to him—which was possible on the giant couch. “Yeah, well, I feel your pain. I get the impression that I’m not going to be picking out my own wedding dress. Hadleigh and Mel have definite ideas. I’m hoping for the shoes.” She sighed dramatically. “Should we just elope?”
“No can do. I’m informed June is what my mother would’ve wanted.” His arms went around her.
Bex laid her head on his chest. “I’m fine with June. It’s a long way off, but...” Those extra months together would simply prove they’d made the right decision, she thought.
“Maybe we can plan the honeymoon, but I’m an optimist. Mrs. A. may have other ideas.”
“I know what I want.”
“You do? What? How about St. Kitts? I’ve flown in there many times.”
“No.”
“What about Italy?”
“Not this trip.”
“You’re hard to please. No to the Caribbean and Italy? What do you have in mind?”
“What about the cabin where I fell in love with you when we were crammed into that tiny bunk? You know, the one with an outhouse and an outdoor shower?”
“The outhouse cabin? That’s where you want to go?”
It was.
“Please, Tate, think about it. That lake is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been, and it’s completely private. We can take the boys fishing. Oh, and we can buy a mouse-free mattress for our room.”
“I believe you just took private out of the equation. You want the kids to go with us?”
“I do. They had a lot of fun.”
“I want a lot of fun.” Tate laughed and kissed her temple. “I think that’s great. Where else could we leave them? My father’s good in some ways, but he always looks at the kids like he never knows what to do with them. Reminds me of growing up. We could leave them with Hadleigh and Mel, but they’ll have their hands full. I vote for your idea. Let’s take them—and Josh, depending on circumstances. June is perfect. No ice out on the lake, so we can put in the boat and you can lure in the fish. They’ll love it.”
“Sounds like we’ve settled on a place.”
“And a time. The marriage season. My dad and I never talk about stuff like this, but I think that’s going to make him happy.”
“Does it make you happy?”
“It does.”
“This way, Mel and Hadleigh will have time to arrange everything the way they want for our wedding.”
He pulled her on top of him. “The details can wait. Kiss me now.”
She did—and then kissed him again.