Chapter Twelve
“Are you excited about seeing your parents?” Spencer asked after loading their bags into the trunk of the car they’d rented at the airport.
Kristen grinned. “I am. They’re excited about meeting you, too. But don’t worry. They know you’re just my pretend-husband.” Oh, Lord, please keep my parents in check.
He opened the door for her before strolling around to the driver-side of the rental car. No need to hurry into the car, to keep their heads down and away from paparazzi’s cameras. This was why Kristen always loved visiting her parents.
“Kris, there’s something I haven’t told you about my mom,” Spencer said when he got into the car. He glanced over and continued when he met her gaze. “She wasn’t just an unwed mom. The man she had an affair with was the pastor of a church. When she found out she was pregnant, the man denied having an affair and forbade her from coming to church.”
Kristen’s jaw dropped. “What?”
“Your parents are Christians too, right? If you don’t want them to know, I can just make something up.”
“Spence, that man is a scumbag. I’m sorry, but he is. As for my parents, I’ll be really disappointed if they think any less of your mom just because of what she went through. My parents are not that kind of Christians. You have my word. They won’t judge your mom; they won’t think any less of her or you.”
He put the key into the ignition.
“Spence.” She reached over and touched his arm. “Don't judge us for being Christians, too.”
“I know you’re not like that.”
“Neither are my parents.” Her lips curled. “You’ll see. What about the rest of your family? Like aunts and cousins.”
“None of them wanted anything to do with us after what happened.”
“I’m sorry, Spence. My parents won’t do that to you, I promise.” She turned to look out of the window. “I’ve told them what you did with the caterer, and they thought it was so sweet of you.”
She pressed the button by the door, winding the window down. “I love being back here. It’s so much more laid back here, and there’s no need to worry about paparazzi following us.” She turned back to Spencer. “Do you want me to drive? It’s a long drive out, and it’s easy to miss the turn.”
He tapped on his phone. “Then I’ll just blame Google maps.”
“If I drive, you can sit back and enjoy the view.”
“I am enjoying the view.” He winked.
Kristen squinted. “Eyes on the road.” She propped her elbow on the window sill and closed her eyes.
“There’s something else I need to tell you.”
She looked at him and waited.
“I’m not sure if it was the paparazzi following us that day.”
Her brows puckered. “Then who—you think it was Melody’s father?”
“Maybe.”
“You think it’s someone else?”
“I don’t know. I’ve been having this feeling that someone’s been watching me.”
“Me, too. But I thought we agreed it was the after-effect of having cameras around us all the time.”
He shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know. I’ve had that feeling since I was in the Bahamas.”
Kristen frowned. Spencer hadn’t spoken much about Melody, but the few times they had, Kristen could tell Spencer was filled with guilt. She pursed her lips, wondering how she should respond.
“I just feel something’s wrong, and I want you to know so you’ll be careful.”
She nodded slowly. “You’ve got Kurt scheduling your time around mine. I’ll be fine.”
Kurt had been all-business since the first day they met. Once Spencer had introduced him, Kurt pulled out his phone from his dark brown leather suitcase and got to work with Ana.
Ana didn’t seem too pleased with Kurt, though. She’d answered all of Kurt’s questions, but Kristen had noticed Ana rolling her eyes a couple of times. Perhaps Ana just didn’t like how Kurt seemed to be taking over her job.
“Still …”
“I’ll be careful.”
Spencer looked out at the large white luxurious country farmhouse with dark gray shingles as he turned into the long driveway and drove past the well-mown lawn. “Did you buy this place for them?”
“Isn’t it beautiful? They’ve always wanted to live in a country farmhouse.” She frowned at the long line of cars parked at the house. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“I think they’re throwing a party.”
“I think she got my entire family here.” She turned to Spencer. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t think they would do that.”
Spencer shrugged. “Have you forgotten that I like parties?”
“I’ll remind you of that later. Looks like the production team is all set up.” She tipped her chin at the cameramen coming out of the house before stepping out of the car. “Leave the bags for now, so you’ll have an excuse to run out here if you feel the need to escape.”
“Kris!” her mother shouted and waved as she came out after the cameramen, her father right behind her.
Spencer laughed and grabbed the bags.
“Don't say I didn't give you a chance to run.”
He hooked his arm around her waist.
“Kris!” Her mom came over and gave Kristen a tight hug. “I’m so glad to see you home.” She tucked her straight dark brown hair—recently dyed and trimmed—behind her ear and turned to Spencer, her bright smile deepening the lines around her eyes. “And Spence, it’s nice to finally meet you.”
Her mother’s mint-colored button-down shirt matched the color of her eyes that appeared brighter, probably from the excitement of seeing her pretend-husband.
“This is my mom, Hannah. And Dad!” She gave her father, who was in his usual T-shirt and jeans ensemble, a hug and pulled him over to Spencer. “Spence, my father, Dave.”
Her father’s mixture of gray and white hair were now brown, which was most probably her mother’s doing.
“Hi, Dave.” Spencer extended his hand.
Kristen watched as Dave’s tanned wrinkled hand took Spencer’s equally large hand. She shifted her focus onto her father’s face, studying his expression.
While people usually based first impressions on visual cues, her father based his on handshakes. Kristen had completely forgotten to warn Spencer.
Then again, she’d warned Alvin, but still he had failed her father’s handshake test.
“Come on in.” Her father’s lips curled, and he cocked his head to the side.
Kristen grinned as Hannah gave her a sidelong glance. It seemed Spencer passed the handshake test.
“Your pretend mother-in-law invited the entire clan.”
Hannah shot Dave a glare. “Aren't your cousins here, too?”
“Seriously, guys.” Kristen cast an apologetic glance at Spencer, and he shrugged again.
“I love parties.”
“Good.” Her father gave Spencer a squeeze on the shoulder. “I’ll show you to your room, then you can come meet everyone.”
“I can do that.” Kristen hooked her hand on Spencer’s arm. “We’ll go in the back way, or we’ll never make it to our rooms.”
She led him down a small path that led to the back door of the house. She turned the knob and the door opened.
“Don't your parents lock the door?”
“Not when there are so many people in the house.”
“Maybe we should have had the security detail come with us.”
Spencer had wanted the security detail to come along, but Kristen didn’t want her parents to worry. She hadn’t told them what had happened with Melody’s father, and she would rather they never found out.
So they’d left the security detail and even their assistants behind.
Ana had wanted to come along, just in case Kristen needed anything, but Kristen assured her that it was all right.
Kristen beamed up at him. “We’ll be fine. We’re safe here.” She took his hand and headed up the stairs with walnut hardwood panels and matte black metal rails.
“That’s my parents’ room.” She pointed to the dark brown door at the end of the hallway. Family photos in black frames were dotted across the white walls of the hallway.
Spencer slowed his pace to check out the photos, and he laughed at a photo of a young Kristen in a frilly pink dress, holding a plastic microphone. “Looks like your love for singing started young.”
She put her hand over the photo, and he pulled it away.
“I think you look cute in these photos.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She dragged him ahead and stopped at the second-to-last room. “And this is mine. Just put my bag anywhere.”
He put her bag down by the door and scanned her room. “Very sweet.”
The light gray walls of her room were matched with white furniture. On the wall behind her simple white bed frame was a motif of fluttering white, pale pink, and gray butterflies stretching from her nightstand across the width of her bed frame.
“This has been my room since I was fifteen.” She sat on the bed with plain white sheets and two light pink pillows.
“You bought your parents this place when you were fifteen?”
“I starred in my own Disney show when I was twelve.”
His brows rose. “I didn’t know that.”
“I still think the room is pretty.”
“It’s a girl’s room.”
“And I’m a girl.”
He laughed softly. “That you are.”
He pulled out the white wooden chair from her desk and looked around. “What does your current room look like? I mean back at your own place, not the loft.”
“Similar. Sans butterflies and” —she picked up a pillow from behind her— “pink pillows. It’s posh and sophisticated.”
“Is it now?”
“Of course. And yours?”
“Minimalistic—if you ignore all my toys.”
“So an amusement park.”
“More like an arcade.”
She chuckled and cocked her head to the side. “Let me show you to your room.” She walked down the hallway to the next room. “My parents say you can have this room.”
“Is this where Alvin stayed while he was here?”
“No. He slept in the guest house in the other wing.” She grinned. “I told you my parents like you.”
Spencer dropped his bag and wrapped his arm around her waist. “What did you tell them about us?”
“That you’re my pretend husband for the next six months.”
“That’s all?”
Kristen pursed her lips.
“Is there more?”
They spun around, and Kristen stepped back at the sight of a stranger in her parents’ house. But the sweet smile that the woman in a white three-quarter sleeved shirt and beige capri pants gave Kristen stopped her from screaming.
Spencer’s eyes widened. “Mom? What are you doing here?”
Kristen turned to Spencer, then back to the woman with wavy shoulder length hair. “Mom? I mean she’s your mom?”
“Esther.” His mother extended her hand. “I’m so glad to meet my pretend daughter-in-law.”
Like her mother, Esther was slim. And Kristen could now see where Spencer got his blond hair and blue eyes from.
Kristen took Esther’s hand with a frown. “I’m so sorry. Did my parents do this? I—”
“One of your producers called and asked if I’d do this. I thought it would be nice to see Spencer and my pretend daughter-in-law.” A few fine lines appeared as Esther smiled. She appeared younger than her mother. She must have been young when she had Spencer. Young and alone—abandoned by the man she loved and the family who was supposed to be there for her no matter what.
“Mom, are you sure?” Spencer moved over and hugged his mother. “You’ve always said you’d prefer to stay out of the spotlight.”
Kristen took a deep breath to get rid of the tension in her chest.
Esther waved it off. “Dave and Hannah are throwing such a huge party. No one will notice I’m here.”
“When did you get here?”
“Last night.”
Kristen put her hands on her hips. “Why didn’t my parents tell me you were here?”
“It’s supposed to be a surprise.”
“Did they ask about my father?” Spencer asked.
“They did, but I changed the subject. I wasn’t sure what you told them.”
“Do you mind if I tell them the truth?” Kristen asked.
Esther pursed her lips. “Will that get you into trouble?”
Kristen moved over and hugged Esther. “I have the best family in the world. They’ll treat you like one of us. Please enjoy them.” She stepped back and grinned. “And forgive us when we get a little crazy. Where are you staying?”
Esther laughed softly and jerked her thumb to the side. “Next to Spencer.”
“Great.” She cocked her head to the side. “Let’s go meet everyone.” She turned to Spencer. “If you can remember all the names after the first round of introductions, I’ll buy you another toy—whatever you want.”
“Deal.”
“There’s a lot of them, Spence,” his mother said.
“I have a good memory,” Spencer said and flashed a grin at her.
“Let’s see.” Kristen hopped down the stairs.
“Kris!”
She flew down the stairs into the arms of her cousin and laughed when Matt, the fittest EMT in town, lifted her off the stairs effortlessly. “Matt!” She pointed to Spencer who was right behind her.
Matt immediately set her aside. “Hey, Spencer!”
Kristen narrowed her eyes at Matt. “Did you just brush me off to greet him?” She almost winced when Matt’s muscular hand gripped Esther’s in a handshake.
“I’m still pissed at you,” Matt said after turning back to her. “For doing that movie. Emma’s still singing the theme song every day.”
“Spencer!”
Another of her cousins walked over, but instead of hugging her, Ben swerved and pulled Spencer into a hug. “And you must be his mother.”
“What?” Kristen threw her hands in the air. “Am I invisible?”
“I’m Ben, Matt’s brother,” Ben said to Spencer and Esther.
“Esther.”
“Welcome! We didn’t get to see you last night since you got in late.”
Kristen rolled her eyes and decided to ignore Ben since he was determined to ignore her. When she saw Tania, a cousin on her father’s side, she waved. But Tania didn’t even see her; her eyes were only on Spencer.
“Aunt Kristen!”
“Oh, sweetie!” She opened her arms for her five-year-old cousin, Emma, who ran straight into her arms and gave her a tight hug. “Thanks for seeing me.”
Emma’s natural honey brown curls bounced as she tipped her head back to beam up Kristen.
“Oh, come on.” Ben laughed and hugged her from behind. “It’s not every day a superstar is in the house.”
Kristen’s jaw slackened. She elbowed Ben and squirmed out of his hug. Though Ben wasn’t as bulky as Matt, he was still one of the fittest EMTs in town. His black hair and mocha brown eyes added a sense of mystery to his chiseled features.
If Ben ever needed a career change, Kristen was sure he would do great on the runway.
“Emma,” Kristen said. “Your daddy was so mean to me.”
Emma crossed her arms and her brows drew together on her petite heart-shaped face. “Daddy! Apologize to Aunt Kristen now.”
Kristen stuck her tongue out at Matt.
“I’m sorry, my dearest most annoying cousin.”
Kristen turned to Emma. “Forget him. Let me see you in that dress.” She held Emma’s hand, and Emma did a twirl. “That dress looks so pretty on you. You make the prettiest princess.” She scooped Emma into her arms and jerked her chin forward. “Let’s see what grandpa is grilling.”
She turned to Spencer who was chatting with Matt and Ben. “Are you all right with them?”
He nodded.
“Esther!” Her mother came over from the kitchen. “I know you’re a guest, but do you want to help me with the dessert? Kristen does nothing but damage in the kitchen.”
Kristen sniffed and leaned over to speak to Emma. “Nobody wants me.”
“I want you! Will you sing with me?”
“Of course. I’ll sing a thousand songs with you.” She peered out the window into the back yard, where her father was standing by the grill. “But let’s snitch something to eat first.”
“I want a cookie,” Emma whispered into her ear, and Kristen narrowed her eyes.
“Shall we go snitch one then?”
Emma nodded enthusiastically, and they headed into the kitchen.
Spencer laughed at a joke Ben had just told, then glanced over at Kristen with her young cousin. He loved the big smile Kristen had on her face, and she was right. Her family was so welcoming. Ben and Matt chatted with him as if they had been friends their whole lives.
A minute later, Kristen dashed out of the kitchen with Emma giggling in her arms.
“You’ll ruin her appetite!” Hannah shouted from the kitchen.
Kristen headed straight out the door and over to her father before putting Emma down.
Spencer grinned and shook his head just as Kristen looked over at him with one of her brilliant smiles. He was glad he’d decided to do this.
While Kristen’s rarely revealed sexy side drove him crazy and the light in her eyes was alluring, this was the first time he’d seen her this relaxed.
He’d been wrong. She had fun even in her wholesome Disney persona. And though everything about her now screamed ‘sweet’ and ‘lovely,’ Spencer couldn’t take his eyes off her.
All three sides of Kristen were what made her so special and amazing.
“She’s Emma’s idol,” Matt said, looking at Kristen. “Last year when we went Christmas shopping, Emma chose the most expensive present for Kristen. We would probably be jealous if she didn’t make Emma so happy. She’s always sending Emma presents—dresses, toys.”
“She’s very generous with all of us,” Ben said, then hooked his arm around Spencer’s shoulder. “So you’d better treat her right. Or you’ll have to deal with all of us.” He walked out of the house, toward Dave. “I’ll get you a beer,” he said with a glance over his shoulder.
But instead of heading straight to the cooler next to the wooden picnic table and benches, he went over and pulled Kristen into his arms.
Kristen pushed Ben away, and for a moment, Spencer thought Kristen was actually upset with Ben. But they suddenly laughed, and Ben grabbed Emma and threw her over his shoulder before dashing back toward the house.
Ben headed right into the kitchen. “Hannah! I caught your cookie thief!”
Spencer walked out to Kristen, who was watching her father grill steaks.
“I’ll let your mom know,” Dave said.
“Thanks, Dad.” Kristen rested her head on her father’s shoulder. “How about the corn?” she asked, and her father smacked her hand away. “You’ll burn your fingers, and they aren’t ready.”
Dave looked over at him when he got nearer. “Spence, is the room okay?”
“Yeah,” Spencer said. “Are you that hungry?” he asked Kristen. “I thought you already had a cookie. Your accomplice is getting charged in the kitchen.”
“Her favorite hobby is stealing food.” Her father wiped the sweat off his face with the tail of his shirt. “There are drinks in the cooler. Grab whatever you want.”
“Since I’m no help here, let me show you and Esther around.”
“Your mom already gave Esther a tour,” Dave said. “You two can go ahead.”
“Let me introduce you to those ogling women over there first.” Kristen pointed to a group of women sitting on a large red and white checkered picnic mat.
Spencer snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “Jealous?”
She pinched her lips together. “No.” She gazed up at him and smiled. “I’m glad they’re being so nice to you. You and your mom deserve it.”
He stopped and brushed his thumb against her cheek before leaning forward to kiss her. Keep it chaste. He gave her another kiss on the forehead before stepped away.
The women, who had clearly been staring, started to lean closer and talk among themselves.
“I told my dad about your mom.”
He arched his brow.
“I want you to know that they won’t see you any differently even if they know. You’ll see.”
He sighed softly and kissed her hair. “You’re amazing. Do you know that?”
Her lips curled, and she did the lower-lip chewing thing that he’d grown to love and hate.
“Don’t do that if you don’t want me to kiss you as if the rest of the world doesn’t exist.”
She rolled her eyes and dragged him over to the women. “Tania, Jocelyn, Jen, Karla, and Pat, this is Spencer.”
“Hi!” they echoed and pulled out their phones.
“Can we take selfies with you?” Tania asked and raked her fingers through her long fiery red curly hair.
“Sure.” Spencer flashed a grin. “But I do have one request. Can you ladies promise not to post them on any social media until the week is over? I don’t want anyone to know we’re here. I’m sure Kristen would prefer to spend a week here without the paparazzi.”
And the last thing he wanted was for Melody’s father to show up.
“We promise,” the ladies chorused.
Spencer took as many photos as the ladies wanted. Though they were all excited to have him there, none of them was overtly flirty or touchy. They clearly saw him as Kristen’s, and Spencer really liked that.
“All right,” Kristen said after a while. “We have to move on. I’m sure everyone’s waiting to see Spence.” She hooked her hand around his arm. “Next stop.” She pointed to the group of guys playing basketball. “Do you play?”
He nodded. “It’s been a while.”
“They’ll probably drag you in for a round. You can say no if you don’t want to join them.” She rubbed her hands together. “You can watch me.”
“You play?”
“And I’m good.” She wriggled her brows.
“Seriously?”
Her brows drew together. “Watch me.” She waved, and the guys stopped playing.
“Hey! And there’s the new husband. Join us.”
The guy holding the basketball threw the ball to Kristen, and she caught it.
“That’s Neil.” She threw the ball back to the guy who’d given it to her.
“Is he in the army?” Spencer asked Kristen as he took in Neil’s short crew cut and bulky built.
Kristen nodded.
“Arnold is getting too old to play a full round,” Neil said and rubbed his sweat off on the light blue T-shirt that was tight against his biceps. “Why don’t you take over?”
It seemed all the guys in Kristen’s family worked out.
None of the guys on the court was as big as Matt or Neil, but they all packed muscles on their arms and legs. Except Arnold, who had pulled off his glasses and was pressing his forehead against the sleeve of his T-shirt as he walked away.
“That’s my Uncle Arnold.”
Arnold waved. Though he didn’t seem as fit as the rest of the guys, he had the same broad shoulders as Dave.
Another guy waved his hand. “Spencer can take my place. I need to make a call.”
“If you want to play, you’re taking over Gerald’s place.” Kristen continued to introduce the rest of her cousins and uncles. “Did you catch all the names?”
“Hover board,” he said to her.
“Aren’t those exploding?”
“Then find one that doesn’t explode.” He winked at her and jogged over to take over Gerald’s spot. He scanned the guys and ran through their names in his head again.
“We’re on opposite teams,” Kristen said to him.
“May the best team win.”
Spencer laughed as they played. Kristen was good, but the guys were also especially nice to her when she got the ball. They weren’t half as rough as they were with the rest of the guys, and they always allowed her to cheat.
Just then, she got the ball under the hoop, and Neil lifted her up so she could throw the ball into the basket.
She laughed and waved it off. “All right. I shall stop disrupting the game.” She walked over to Spencer. “Do you want to stay and play?”
“Sure.”
“I’ll go check on Esther and make sure my mom hasn’t made a slave out of her.” She leaned over and gave him a peck on the lips. “Have fun.” She turned and said to everyone else, “Don’t end up in a fight.” She waved and headed off.
“So how long will you guys be married?” Neil asked while bouncing the ball.
“Six months.”
“Huh.” Arnold put his hands on his hips. “So are you guys dating? Or is it all for TV?”
The mention of TV made Spencer notice the cameras around them. The crew hadn’t given them any scripts, and he’d been so used to having so many people around them that he had forgotten.
“So?” Neil asked, and Gerald stole the ball from Neil. But no one else made another move. Everyone—even Gerald—seemed to be waiting for an answer from him.
And he didn’t have one to give them. Kristen seemed to have told her parents that they were in a pretend marriage and that was all. What were they, actually?
They were more than friends, but were they dating?
“I don’t know.”
“If you mess her up like Alvin,” Gerald said and threw the ball to him with more force than required.
“I’m not Alvin.”
“Good,” Arnold said. “Because we’re organizing a mob to burn down his place.”
The guys laughed and continued with the game.
When Spencer scanned the area again, he immediately spotted Kristen. Their eyes locked, and she smiled at him. A small, soft curve of her lips before she turned back to his mother.
Kristen brought his mom over to her female cousins on the mat. Once they sat, the ladies pushed a wine glass into his mom’s hands, and they sat and chatted for the rest of his game.
By the time he made his way back to Kristen, another long table was set up next to the wooden table and there were plates of food on it.
“Esther, sit with me.” Hannah waved Esther over and handed her a plate.
“Did you win?” Kristen asked Spencer.
“Yes, but not because I was great.” He grinned at her. “Because your cousins were all so busy interrogating me.”
Her brows puckered. “I’m so sorry.”
He shrugged.
“I want to sit with Aunt Kristen!” Emma squeezed between them, and Kristen laughed.
“You can sit on my lap.”
“Hello,” Emma said to Spencer. “You’re Aunt Kristen’s new husband?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“Daddy says he’ll knock your teeth out if you make Aunt Kristen cry.”
Spencer laughed. “Then I’d better not make her cry.”
Emma shrugged. “But happy tears are okay.”
“Is that so?”
She nodded.
“Isn’t she precious?” Kristen kissed Emma on the hair. “I love you so much.”
Emma mouth opened in a large O. “I made something for you! It’s in my room. I’ll go get it.”
Kristen put Emma down, and Emma dashed off.
“Is she all right on her own?”
Matt waved it off. “She’ll be fine.”
Emma returned a minute later and gave Kristen a bracelet with bright pink, blue, and purple beads. “Do you like it?”
“It’s so beautiful.” Kristen held her hand out for Emma to roll the elastic bracelet onto it. “Thanks, sweetie.” Kristen helped Emma onto her lap.
Spencer sat next to her as everyone began to settle down for dinner. He was about to start eating when Dave suddenly said, “Let’s pray.”
Everyone closed their eyes, so Spencer followed.
“Lord, we thank you for the meal and the presence of two new members of our family. May we enjoy great fellowship over our meal. We declare the food is sanctified. Amen.”
Everyone echoed ‘amen’ before digging in.
Kristen piled whatever food Emma pointed at onto her own plate. She took some for Spencer too. Since Kristen had one hand around Emma, she was left with a fork in the other.
Spencer took the steak Kristen had put on her plate. He cut it up into smaller pieces before putting the cut-up pieces back onto Kristen’s plate. Emma started talking to him after that. And instead of telling Kristen what she wanted to eat, she would tug on Spencer’s sleeve and point to the food.
“Emma, do you know who you’re asking to peel your shrimp?” Jocelyn asked.
“Aunt Kristen’s husband.”
Spencer grinned. “That I am.”
“So you should call him Uncle Spencer,” Hannah added.
“Okay.” Emma licked her lips after popping the shrimp into her mouth.
After dinner, everyone helped with the cleaning up, before heading back to their rooms. Spencer walked into the kitchen and stood behind Kristen, who was washing dishes at the sink. “So you’re on washing duty even back at home.”
“Always have been. It’s the only thing my parents trust me to do in the kitchen.”
He rested his chin in her shoulder. “Need help?”
She shook her head. “Why don’t you head up and rest? I’m sure you’re tired.”
“Let me help.”
She jerked her chin toward a towel. “Dry the dishes, then.”
He started to dry the dishes and put them on the counter.
Hannah came in a moment later and started putting the dishes back into the cabinets. “Thanks for the help, Kris.” Her mother kissed Kristen on the hair. “And Spence, thank you.” She came over and gave him a hug. “I hope you enjoyed yourself today.”
“I did.”
“I’m sorry about your family. I want you to know that you and your mom are very welcome in our crazy family. If you can stand us, that is.”
Spencer’s lips curled. “Thank you. Everyone’s been really nice.”
“Good. Good. Go rest.” She shooed Kristen and him out of the kitchen. “I need to get some things ready for breakfast tomorrow.”
“Goodnight, mom.”
“Goodnight, Hannah.” Spencer took Kristen’s hand and headed up the stairs. He hadn’t held her hand all day, and he missed it. He lifted her fingers to his lips and planted a soft kiss on them. “Are you tired?”
“I’m okay.”
“You still owe me a tour of the place.”
“And you want to do it now?”
“I need to take a shower. After that?” He wasn’t quite ready for the night to end, and he had a present for Kristen.
She nodded. “Okay.”
He walked her to her bedroom.
“Knock when you’re done.”
He refused to release her hand when she walked into her room.
“What are you doing?”
“Lingering.”
She laughed softly. “Take a shower, and we’ll head out for a walk. The night sky is gorgeous here.” She gave him a peck on the cheek and pulled her hand from his. “I need a shower, too.”
Spencer shook his head and headed back to his room after Kristen closed the door. He stopped by his mother’s room and knocked on the door. “I just wanted to make sure everything’s okay.”
“It is.” His mother cracked a smile. “Hannah told me just now that Kristen told her about us. She said she was sorry for what we went through and assured me that it doesn’t make any difference to them.”
“Kristen knew they would say that.”
“I thought you were insane when you told me about the show. But I think it may have been the best thing ever to happen to you.” His mother gave him a hug. “She’s a wonderful girl.”
“We’re just going to be married for six months.”
“Who says you have to end it there? The show may end in six months, but your lives will go on.” His mother stretched her neck. “Hannah says the boys have a long day of games planned for tomorrow and everyone has to take part. I think I’d better get some rest.”
“Goodnight, mom.” He returned to his room, showered and changed, and was knocking on Kristen’s door soon after that.
She opened the door with her phone to her ear. “I have to go, Alvin.”
He frowned. Why was she talking to Alvin?
“Yeah. Bye, Alvin.” She ended the call and shrugged. “He saw the first two episodes of We Got Hitched and called to say he was happy for me.”
“Really?”
She put the phone down on her desk. “Does it matter?” She took his hand and led him downstairs. The house was quiet now. Everyone seemed to have gone back to their rooms.
Kristen grabbed the colorful patchwork quilt off the dark blue couch and headed out. She wrapped the quilt around herself before returning to hold his hand. Their fingers intertwined, and they strolled along the wide expanse of grass.
“This is supposed to be a farm, right? I don’t see any animals.”
“My parents loved this place because there’s so much space for us to have fun when the entire clan is here. So I guess we’re the animals.”
She stopped and looked up at the sky. “Here will do.” She flung the quilt on the ground and lay back on it. “Isn’t this beautiful?” she said when he lay down next to her.
He nodded.
“Did you have fun today? Was my family too much?”
“I had fun.”
“Even when you were peeling shrimp for Emma?”
He laughed. He never thought he would ever have to peel shrimp for anyone, but Emma had just expected him to do so. Still, he’d enjoyed every moment, especially since Kristen had been smiling so brightly the whole time. “She’s a bossy little thing, isn’t she?”
“But she always looks at me with those big brown Bambi eyes.” Kristen’s grinned. “I can’t say no to her.”
“I have something for you,” he suddenly said and pushed himself up on his elbow.
“Oh? Is it the list of names of my cousins?”
He rattled off the names and said, “Hover board.”
She laughed and turned to him. “I’ll find one that doesn’t explode.”
“Good. I do love my legs.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black box. “And now, your present.”
“What did you buy me this time?”
“This time?”
She wriggled her fingers, and his lips curled at the sight of the rings. She opened the box and gasped. “What’s this?”
“A ring.”
She pursed her lips.
“An engagement ring.” He hadn’t wanted to get her another diamond ring since that was what Alvin had given her. Spencer wanted to get something special for Kristen, so he’d chosen an oval sapphire set on a white gold band. “Everyone else has an engagement ring. I don’t see why you shouldn’t have one.”
“Spence.” She ran her finger along the edge of the gem. “This is too much.”
“No, it isn’t.” He took the ring out of the box and took her other, ringless hand. “You can wear it here.” He slipped it onto her ring finger. “It looks good on your hand.”
“Spence.”
“Don’t say you can’t accept it. It’s yours.” He gazed down at her. “If you really want to thank me, make sure you get me a really good hover board.”
She laughed softly and tore her gaze from the ring. “Thank you.”
“Do you like it?”
“Yes. It’s beautiful.” She held out her hands side by side. “It goes well with the wedding rings. And sapphire is your birthstone, so I’ll think about you whenever I look at it.”
“Good,” he said. “Now, have you had enough of the stars?”
“Why?”
“Because I’d rather be kissing you instead.” He ran his finger down her cheek.
“The stars are so overrated.”
He laughed and kissed her.