Chapter Eighteen – Adam

“It’s a beautiful day.” Frankie and Adam stood in the doorway of The Catherine Hotel, looking out over the gardens below, which had been transformed for the dog show. Although Adam was more interested in what happened after the dog show.

“Aren’t you nervous?” Frankie asked him as she nursed her steaming mug of coffee in her hands. They had stayed at the hotel overnight, as they had for the last couple of nights while making the final preparations for the show and the wedding.

Adam took in a deep breath of early morning air and then let it go. “No, I’m not. This is what I want.” The wedding could not come soon enough for Adam.

“You mean judging best-dressed dog has always been your ambition in life?” Frankie laughed at the look he cast her way.

“Come on.” He took her hand and led her down the sloping lawn toward the pond and the Gothic folly that stood next to it.

“Isn’t it bad luck to visit the site of your wedding the day of the ceremony?” she asked as they approached the stone building that had stood here for a hundred years or more. Its stone gargoyles were weather-worn, rounded at the edges, but still fierce as they looked down on whoever might pass under the archway and enter the large domed room within.

“I think you have that mixed up with not seeing your intended in her wedding dress on the day of the wedding.” Adam paused under the archway. “I always dreamed of kissing you, right here.”

“I can make that dream come true.” She tilted her head back and he inched closer, his lips pressing against hers. Frankie sighed, and their kiss deepened, as the gargoyles looked on. Once, he’d wished his heart could be made of stone so he would not experience the terrible loss of his mate. Now he rejoiced in the exquisite love for his mate that made his heart swell and his arousal bloom, like tendrils of desire curling around his insides...

You’re doing it again, his bear cut in.

Adam pulled back and chuckled. “My bear does not approve of the feelings you evoke in me, or should I say, the words your lips conjure up in my head.”

Frankie cocked her head to one side, her fingers touching his hard toned chest. “You know, when we came back from meeting Elise, I thought you had changed, that the ghost of Terence, or whatever part of him was inside you had gone.” She arched an eyebrow. “I was wrong.”

“It’s gotten worse as the wedding has drawn closer.” He frowned. “It’s as if they are watching.”

“Excitedly.” Frankie placed her left hand, which wore Elise’s engagement ring, over her heart. “I think it’s because they never married.”

“They are marrying vicariously through us.” Adam thought that over. “I hope they get their happy ending, wherever they are.”

“I’m sure they will. Together forever.” Frankie turned to look inside the folly. “What’s this?”

“Breakfast.” Adam took her hand and they went inside, where candles flickered in the light breeze that skimmed the pond. “I wanted to share some time with you alone before the day’s madness starts.”

“I can’t wait for it to start. Because that means we’re a step closer to being married.” Frankie set her coffee down on a small table the hotel staff had brought over, along with soft cushions and a tablecloth which they had spread over the stone floor. On it stood fruit and pancakes, eggs and bacon, and toast. “It’s wonderful. They think a lot of their hotel manager.”

“They’re grateful I’ve found my mate, apparently I’ve become a soft touch.” He pressed his lips together and kept his mouth straight.

“You have it wrong. I was talking to Hank, and he said that they all know you are the man they can rely on. Always there in times of trouble, with your old-fashioned wit and calm demeanor.”

“Are you making fun of me?” Adam asked.

“Maybe just a little.” She clapped her hands together lightly. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.”

“No more nerves?” Adam asked.

“I’m ignoring them.” She picked up a plate and spooned on some egg and added a piece of toast. “But if you want to marry me today, you need to keep your hands off those pancakes.”

“I thought marriage was all about sharing?” Adam asked playfully.

“We are not married yet, bucko!”

“Did I ever tell you how much I love you?” he leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

“I love you, too, but those pancakes are still mine.”

“Anything for you, Frankie.” He gave her a seductive smile, and she shook her head.

“Not fair.” She leaned forward and cupped his face. “You know I’d share the world and everything in it with you.”

“I do.” He kissed her lips. His need for her was so intense he could barely control it, but sex in the Gothic folly when anyone might walk in was not the best way to start the day. “We should eat and then get ready. It’s going to be a long day.

They sat side by side eating and drinking coffee, while the sun rose in the sky, casting its rays across the gardens. It was perfect, just the two of them.

Until a couple of happy doggy faces appeared around the corner.

“Aunty Frankie,” Jenny’s voice called as she appeared at the other end of Stanley’s leash.

“We’re in here.” Frankie got up and went to meet them, while Adam began clearing their breakfast picnic away.

“There’s leftovers in here if you want them,” Adam said as he picked up the remainder of the food and set it on the small table. “I don’t think Stanley and Norman should eat any of it, though. We don’t want upset doggy stomachs on show day.”

“No,” Jason agreed. “Not when we’re both in the agility class. They need to run and jump.”

“And listen to their owners,” Michael said as he came to join them. “Morning, you two.” He kissed Frankie on both cheeks. “Ruth has taken her dress inside. She’s nervous.”

“About the dogs or about the wedding?” Frankie asked.

“Both.” Michael took hold of her hand. “She wants the best for you. And today is no exception.”

“Are the others here yet?” Frankie asked, looking outside.

“Not yet, your brothers and sisters are arriving later. I think she’s nervous about that, too.” Michael helped himself to a piece of bacon. “Ruth is more nervous about your wedding than she was about ours.”

“That’s because Frankie is the youngest,” Ruth replied, coming to join them, breathless from rushing across the garden to join them.

“Everything I am, I owe to Ruth.” Frankie hugged her sister. “But enough of that.” She wiped a tear from her eye. “This is show day!”

“What do you need us to do?” Michael asked.

They left the folly, carrying everything from the picnic up to the hotel. Then, they were all given instructions as to what jobs needed doing, and the day began for real. “I will see you later.” Adam kissed Frankie and then let her go, knowing that this evening, their own special time would begin.

“How are you feeling?” Julius asked as he met Adam in the reception area.

“Like I must be crazy to get married on the same day as the dog show.” Adam grinned.

“It’s good to be crazy. You lived long enough in a rut.”

“A rut.”

“We were both in a rut. Now we’re bumping along a road into the unknown. I like it.” Julius handed Adam an envelope. “This is for you.”

“What is it?” Adam asked.

“I asked around and it seems you didn’t organize a honeymoon.” Julius raised his eyebrows at Adam. “It’s all arranged. You and Frankie go and enjoy the sun.”

Adam opened the envelope, and read the tickets. “Julius, this is very generous.”

“You only get married once, even if you have kind of been mated twice.” He slapped Adam’s back. “Now, go and do what you do best.”

Adam tucked the envelope into his pocket and left Julius in the lobby. He was going to leave the honeymoon as a surprise for Frankie. She had enough to think about without adding the stress of packing for a vacation in the sun.

The show started, and soon the gardens were filled with the sounds of dogs barking and people cheering. Julius took on the role of announcing the different competitions over the PA system, and the whole thing went like clockwork. Jenny was the surprise winner of the best-dressed dog competition, not with Stanley, who was never going to keep a costume on his excited, wriggling body. Instead, she and Ruth had spent hours working on a costume for one of the dogs from the shelter, a British Bulldog who needed a home.

Dressed as Winston Churchill, complete with fake cigar, which he kept in his mouth for the whole competition, he wore a pinstripe, three-piece suit, a spotted bow tie, and ‘Homburg’ hat. And looked every inch the part of a British wartime Prime Minister.

“You don’t think I was biased?” Adam asked Frankie when they met up later that day to watch the agility trials.

“No, I was in the crowd and everyone thought he was the best. Who could resist his serious face, with that cigar?”

Frankie looked around at the people enjoying the dog show. It had been a huge success, Ronni told her that many of the animals had families interested in adopting them, with home checks arranged for the next couple of weeks. Second Chance Animal Shelter had also raised a lot of money through donations and people willing to sponsor a dog, even if they couldn’t offer them a home.

“Are you okay?” Adam asked as Jason entered the ring for his turn with Norman.

“I thought my family would be here by now.” She leaned against his arm. “It’s a pity your mom can’t be here. We could have postponed the wedding.”

“It’s her busiest time. Conservation doesn’t stop because people get married. Or something like that. She’s asked us to go out to visit her when the weather warms up.” He looked up at the sky, at the sun shining down on them. “It’s hard to believe it’s minus 10 degrees where she is.”

Frankie shivered. “I don’t think I could live in that kind of cold all the time.”

“My mom’s okay, I think she’s found love with a polar bear shifter. She’s happy, that’s all that matters.”

“Your mom isn’t a shifter?” Frankie asked

“No, and I think she’s accepted the guy she’s dating isn’t her mate. She’s old enough and wise enough to take care of herself.” Adam tapped her arm. “Jason is about to start.”

The whistle blew and Jason, with Norman at his heel, ran forward, encouraging the dog to jump the first jump, and then turn and go through a tunnel. Norman behaved impeccably, and he was fast, concentrating on each obstacle. The only time he slowed down was when he was on the see-saw; he hesitated, unsure as the wooden plank tipped down. However, Norman soon recovered and listened to Jason, who told Norman to stay on the see-saw until his foot had passed the red line.

Then they were off, through the slalom and over the last three jumps.

“That was fast. He’s in the lead!” Frankie clapped and cheered along with everyone else. “Jenny is up next.”

Jenny entered looking nervous, and Stanley picked up on her nerves and gave his owner a lick on the hand as if to say, it’s all right, we can do this. Jenny stroked Stanley’s head and spoke to him quietly. Looking composed and self-assured, they waited for the whistle to blow and then set off at a fast pace, following the same course as Jason and Norman. Stanley listened to Jenny who guided him over and through all the obstacles, they raced for the finish line, side by side, with Stanley jumping up and down in excitement.

The time was slower than Jason’s by twenty seconds, but Jenny and Stanley didn’t seem to care. “That was so much fun!” Jenny said as Adam and Frankie joined Ruth and Michael to congratulate the brother and sister and their dogs.

“It looked fun,” Michael said. “You both did so well.”

“I hope you win, Jason,” Jenny told her brother. “It would be so cool if we both won a ribbon.”

“There’s only one more competitor to go,” Ruth said. “I don’t want to wish for him to lose, but I sure hope he doesn’t beat you, Jason.”

“That’s a mom for you,” Frankie said with a wink.

“Are you saying you want someone to beat Jason?” Ruth turned her laser eyes on Frankie, who laughed.

“No, I don’t.” Frankie and the others collapsed into laughter. “I thought schoolteachers were supposed to teach their students it was the taking part that’s important, not the winning.”

“Their students, yes. Their own kids, hell no!” Ruth hissed loudly.

They watched as tension mounted, the last competitor, a man in his twenties with a border collie, attacked the obstacle course and was on track for victory, but the collie misstepped on the see-saw and jumped off before he passed the red mark. When his penalty points were added to his time, the result was a slower time than Jason, but faster than Jenny.

“You won!” Jenny flung her arms around her brother. “You and Norman are the best.”

“You know,” Ruth said, “when you said you were organizing this dog show, I wasn’t sure it was a good idea. Especially when the children wanted to take part in the agility test. But it’s taught them so much. Patience and perseverance.”

“And winning a ribbon is something they will never forget,” Michael added. “It’s been a good day.”

“And soon it will be a perfect evening,” Adam said, wrapping his arm around Frankie’s waist. “The dog show is nearly over. Then it’ll be our time.”

Frankie kissed him, and then looked over his shoulder, her eyes skimming the crowd. “I just hope the others make it.”

“They will,” Ruth assured her. “They will.”

Ruth winked at Adam, he wasn’t sure that keeping things from Frankie was a good idea. But with the tickets for their honeymoon burning a hole in his jacket pocket, he wasn’t going to criticize and it would be worth it, he was sure.