Mary scowled at the pair of them. “Well, I simply don’t know what else to do,” she said in that haughty tone Kelly knew she could come to hate. She gestured around her. “This house is simply not big enough or equipped for a wedding. White Pines has all of the latest, industrial-size appliances and the staff is used to dealing with caterers and a large number of guests. This is the most important day of your life, after all. It should be something to remember.”
“It’s the most important day of our lives,” Kelly said, her voice tight.
Jordan clearly heard the stress in her tone, because he hurried his mother out of the kitchen. “Mother, let me discuss this with Kelly and we’ll get back to you.”
Kelly could hear his mother protesting even as she was hustled away.
“Jordan, the wedding is in three days,” Mary complained. “You can’t possibly wait another moment before deciding.”
“We’re waiting, Mother. I’ll be in touch.”
Kelly thought the screen door slammed rather emphatically behind her. She was resting her head on top of her folded arms when Jordan returned to the kitchen and pressed a kiss to the back of her neck.
“Don’t get fainthearted now,” he murmured.
She looked up at him and tried to blink back tears. The most incredible day of her life was going to turn into a nightmare. It was on a fast track to calamity and she could see no way to stop it.
“Jordan, I do not want to get married at White Pines,” she said emphatically. “I do not want to wear a dress your mother has picked out. I do not want a swarm of caterers and strangers around us.”
He sat down opposite her and took her hand in his. “What do you want? Just tell me and I’ll take care of it.”
Something in his voice told her she could trust him to do exactly that. “I want a small wedding. Just family. I want to wear my mother’s wedding gown.”
At his startled look, she added, “I didn’t wear it when I married Paul. I saved it all these years so I could wear it if you and I ever got married.” She sniffed and wiped at the tears tracking down her cheeks.
“Consider it done,” he promised.
“Just like that?”
“Just like that.”
Suddenly she was uncertain. “Is that selfish? Is your mother right about this being important to you for business reasons?”
He laughed. “Sweetheart, my mother thinks every occasion is an opportunity to solidify business relationships. Don’t give that a second thought.”
“But she’s already invited the governor.”
“And I’m equally certain the governor has enough events to attend that he won’t mind if I call up and tell him we’ve decided to elope.”
“Elope? I didn’t say...”
“In a manner of speaking,” he added hastily. “I think perhaps we should plan the ceremony for Friday, tell the family they’re simply coming here for a rehearsal dinner and let ’em know after it’s over that it was the real thing.”
Kelly chuckled as she considered how that news would go over with Mary Adams. “Your mother will kill us.”
“The most important thing is you and me getting married, right?”
No doubt about that, Kelly thought. She’d been waiting a lifetime for it to happen. “Right.”
He stood and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Then leave the rest to me. Six o’clock, Friday evening, you and I are getting married.”
Kelly flew off of her chair and wrapped her arms around him. “Jordan, I do love you.”
As soon as the impulsive words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. She hadn’t intended to let him see so soon that her heart was on the line. It would have been far better to let him go on thinking that he was making a business acquisition of sorts.
He folded her into his arms and rested his chin on her head. She thought his heart was beating a little faster than usual, thought she detected a faint shudder sweeping through his body. Small signs, but they gave her hope. In time, surely Jordan would be able to say those words. In time...
10
The wedding was going to be as unconventional as the reasons behind it. An hour before the scheduled ceremony Jordan glanced around Kelly’s living room and surveyed the hastily accomplished preparations with a sense of amazement. Admittedly he was no judge of such things, but it looked perfect. Informal, romantic and unique, just like the woman he was marrying.
Dear heaven, he was getting married tonight! He had actually won the battle to claim Kelly’s heart. He was marrying a woman who’d been a part of his life for so long that he couldn’t remember a time when she hadn’t been important to him.
His proposal might have been impulsive, but he sensed without a doubt that he’d made the right decision. He and Kelly were a good match. Marriage wasn’t nearly so intimidating or confusing when it was approached in a logical manner. Obviously she’d seen that, as well.
“Nervous?” Luke asked, amusement in his dark eyes as he watched Jordan pace amid the bouquets of wildflowers set on every available surface.
“About marrying Kelly? Not in the least,” he said candidly. “About Mother’s reaction when she finds out this is the real thing, you bet. She’s going to pitch a fit. But if this will make Kelly happy, it will all be worth it. Frankly, I’m glad to be getting it over with. I keep thinking Kelly’s going to change her mind.”
Luke patted him consolingly on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about Kelly. She’s been in love with you ever since I can remember. As for Mother, she won’t stay mad, not for long, anyway. Daddy will be so pleased by all of this, he’ll see to it she handles this with her usual aplomb. And as long as he’s happy, she won’t bat an eye.”
Jordan had his doubts, not about his father’s powers of persuasion, but about his mother’s flexibility. “I hope you’re right. I don’t want her and Kelly
