Jane Doe's Return (31 page)

“Hi, Travis.” She made eye contact.

“I love you,” he blurted out like a moron.

“Say what?” She stared him like he was a total idiot.

“I mean…umm…oh, Christ, what the hell. I love you, Shauna Morgan, and I want to be your partner forever.” He pulled the box from his pocket and with trembling hands, he took out his grandmother’s engagement ring. “Marry me?”

He took her hand, kissed it, and looked at her. “God, would you say something? Anything?”

She opened her mouth, but only gasped as he slid the ring on her finger.

“Was that a yes?”

She nodded and threw her arms around his shoulders. “Yes.” She kissed him.

But he wasn’t prepared for the onslaught and he tumbled backward.

Splash!

“Shauna.” He came up from the chilly waters, searching, but she was…

Splat.

She popped up, squirting water in his face.

“You little brat. Get over here.” He found her arm and yanked her to him. “Tell me.” He kissed her lips once.

“What?” She smiled, her eyes sparking in the sunlight.

He tugged her toward the dock and helped her up. “Tell me.” He pushed down on her back, putting his full weight on her.

“Do I have to?” She smiled, devilishly.

“If you don’t, I’ll have to take the ring back.” He lifted her hand, admiring the sparkling diamond that was almost as bright as her smile.

“When did you get this?”

“It was my grandmother’s. She used to tell me that everything happened for a reason. I never believed her, until now. My mother just gave it to me right before you showed up. Why are you here, anyway?” He pulled his head back and stared at her.

“Your grandmother’s?” she whispered. She threaded her fingers through his hair. “I love you.” She looked beyond his eyes to his soul and touched the deepest part of him. “I love you,” she whispered through her tears.

“Don’t cry, sweetheart.” The water dripping from her eyes tugged at his heartstrings.

“I can’t help it. Your grandmother’s ring? I don’t think I’m good enough.”

He brushed his thumb across the purple mark below her eye. “I promise to love you every day I breathe.” He kissed her, barely touching his lips against hers. Then, abruptly he pulled back. “Why did you come here today?” he questioned. His curiosity was going to get him in trouble.

Her face brightened in the morning sun. “Mostly, because I love you.” She cupped his face.

“I love you back.” He lowered his lips to hers in what he intended to be a promissory kiss, but it quickly got out of hand. Her lips were soft and sweet under his. Her tongue rushed forward, eagerly searching for the warmth of his and sent his reasoning tumbling into the water.

“Now that’s what I call sucking face,” Adam yelled from the porch. “Ouch, Grandma!” Adam yelped.

“Get your butt back in this house right now, young man,” Bill barked. “Give them some privacy.”

Travis, as gracefully as he could muster, lifted Shauna to her feet. “I think we need to go face the firing squad.”

She chuckled. “Ya think we might have surprised them just a little.”

“Nope.” He took her by the hand and led her toward the house. His family seemed to expect them to end up together the moment she walked into his life.

When they entered the kitchen, his entire family stood there, with smiles and just waited.

“Well?” Rita questioned.

“She said yes.” Travis felt his heart flutter with the purest sense of joy he’d ever known.

“Well, I’ll be damned.” Bill laughed.

His mother placed her hands on Shauna’s shoulder. “You bring a part of her back to me. I thank you for that, but mostly, I thank you for letting this family love you, for you.”

“I’m sorry—”

“Hush, child.” His mother’s finger pressed against her lips. “You have nothing to apologize for. Just make sure my son makes you happy.” She took her in her arms.

Travis rubbed his eyes, hoping no one noticed his tears. The last thing he needed was to be teased, once again. He waited as each member of his family hugged his fiancée. He smiled at the thought, and then frowned. This could be interesting. His mother would actually be able to plan this wedding, and she knew it.

“Let’s get these two lovebirds into some dry

clothes and start planning this wedding. I have so many ideas. How about December? That should give us enough time. You’ll make a beautiful winter bride…”

****

Shauna, swallowed hard, and tried to listen to Rita’s babbling, but a December wedding? It was July. She would be fat by then. That was the last thing she wanted for her wedding.
Oh, my God!
Was she totally out of her mind. She said yes, when she promised herself she wouldn’t cave to him, but noble he wasn’t. Not this time. He loved her. She felt it right through to her core. But she still had one more secret to tell him, but this time she knew she’d make him happy.

“Shauna?” A warm tingle shot up her spin.

She smiled. “Hmm?” She looked at Travis.

“December? Any objections?” he whispered in her ear as they made their way into the kitchen from the front porch.

“I don’t want a December wedding,” she said a little too loudly, because the whole room quieted and stared at her.

“Goodness, I’m sorry. I got so carried away. What do you want, dear?” Rita put down her pen and gave her the mother look, the one she seemed to use to get her way.

Shauna cleared her throat. “I didn’t mean to insult anyone. It’s just that I…well, I really didn’t want to wait. I mean I don’t have any family to speak of and a big church wedding, well the church would be pretty lopsided.”

“You ain’t kidding,” Kim said.

“When and where do you want to get married?” Travis asked as he circled his wet arms around her chilled body, but she’d never felt so warm in her life.

She took a deep breath and looked around

the room. “Within the next month and out there.”

She pointed toward the lake.

“On the lake?” Rita questioned.

“On the sundeck and at dusk, just all of you. I’d like Jessica to be my maid of honor.” Shauna looked around the room at all the smiling faces realizing she’d just found home. The arms around her tightened and warm soft lips pressed against her neck.

“Me! Really! Oh, that would be so cool.” Jessica jumped up from her seat and practically threw herself at Shauna.

“Well now, we’ve got our work cut out for us, don’t we? First, though, you must go get your future bride some dry clothes.” Rita dictated and the room followed.

Shauna was given some shorts and a T-shirt to change into. Standing alone in Travis’s old room, she glanced at the bed. They had made love for the first time in that bed. She held her stomach. They might have even created their baby in that bed. She caught herself smiling. She held up her hand and gazed at her ring. “How the hell did this happen?”

Someone knocked at the door.

“Come in,” Shauna called, feeling a little nervous all of a sudden.

“If I get out of control with this wedding, let me know. I just want you both to be happy.” Rita came in with a very large box, placing it on the bed.

“Oh, I’m happy all right, but I’m sorry if I insulted you.” Shauna looked into Rita’s knowing eyes.

“I like to take care of my family.” Rita gave Shauna a hug. “I’ve felt some kind of connection to you from the moment I laid eyes on you. I’d like to help with all the arrangements.”

“Would you take me shopping for dresses?”

“I’d like nothing more, but only if you don’t want to wear this.” Rita tapped her finger on the box. “This was my wedding dress.”

Shauna covered her mouth as Rita pulled the gown from the box. “Oh…this is perfect. You wouldn’t mind?” She held the dress up to herself. It was simple, but elegant, halter style with pearls lining the trim. It was exactly what she would have picked for herself.

“I’d be honored.” Rita sniffed.

Shauna looked into the mirror. “God, it’s beautiful. I would love to wear it.” She tried to hide her tears, but it was impossible.

Rita stood behind Shauna, smiling. “You are going to make a beautiful bride…and a wonderful mother.”

Shauna’s eyes widened.

“It was just a guess.” Rita leaned over her shoulder and kissed her cheek. “I take it he doesn’t know yet.”

Unable to form words, Shauna shook her head.

Rita took Shauna by the shoulders and turned her, cupping her face. “I hurt when I think about what happened to you, to my Marie, but I thank God for bringing you here to us.”

Another knock came at the door.

“Shauna?” Travis’s voice vibrated through the wood door.

Shauna jumped. “Oh, my God! He can’t see this! It would be bad luck!” Frantically, she helped Rita put it in the box and shove it in the closet.

“Sentiment? From you?”

“Well. With some things,” Shauna said.

“We’ll pretend to go shopping, that way he won’t know you’re wearing my dress and we can

spend some time alone together.” Rita opened the door and slipped out, but not before she tugged playfully at Travis’s ear.

Travis smiled, closing the door behind him. “Whenever she does that, I’ve done something that’s deserving of a lecture.”

“You have.” Shauna giggled. “God, I love you.” She wrapped her arms around his strong, lean body. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she’d feel like she belonged somewhere.

“I love you, too.” He clutched her hips and pushed back. “What’s going on?” He shot her a pointed look. “I know you, and you’re omitting something. I want to know what it is.” He pulled her a little closer.

His hands applied warm pressure on her back; she arched into him.

“Ask me why I came here today.”

“Why’d you come here today?” He tilted his head.

“I told myself that even when you offered marriage I’d say no.”

He scowled, pushing her back. “I don’t follow.”

“I know.” She laughed, taking his hand and placing it on her stomach, under her T-shirt.

“If you love me, why wouldn’t you want to marry me?” His brow lifted and he searched her face for meaning.

“Because I thought you would want to marry me out of a sense of duty or something.”

“What made you think I would propose in the first place?” His blue sparking eyes twinkled as the light bulb slowly flicked on in his brain. “Are you…pregnant?” He dropped his chin, his jaw gaping open.

“I am.” She pressed her hand against his and smiled like she never smiled before.

“I think I need to sit down.” He sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his ear.

“Are you all right?”

He looked up at her with admiration in his eyes. “I’m a little stunned. A baby? Are you sure?”

She nodded.

He narrowed his eyes. “You told my mother.”

“She tricked me.” Shauna wiggled as Travis ran his fingers across her stomach. “Are you happy about the baby?”

He dropped his head to her stomach. “Happy doesn’t do my feelings justice. This morning I was contemplating begging you just to go out on a date with me. Now, we’re getting married in a month and having a baby plus I’m going to start a new job.”

“You’re really going start your own PI business with Jake?”

“Yeah. Are you okay with that?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I don’t know. It’s long, hard hours and dangerous.”

“And your job now is any different, how?”

“Good point,” he said. “What about your transfer?”

“Haven’t asked for it, yet.”

“It’s up to you, but I kind of like living here.”

“I can work with that,” she said.

“My whole adult life I’ve been looking for you.” He chuckled. “Ironic, isn’t it?”

She nodded.

“I only wish I could take all the pain and suffering of what happened to you away, but I’m so damned grateful you came back.” His long fingers ran through her damp hair and his eyes looked over her face with a loving humbleness only he could show.

“You returned for me.”

THE END

ANOTHER GREAT READ BY JEN TALTY