Chapter Eleven

 

 

Katie couldn’t stop the trembling even as she attempted to pull off the greatest acting of her life while smiling and feeding a piece of cake to Ray—her husband—a man who, according to his mother, was too good for her. Clapping yanked her from her thoughts.

Ray kept a hand lightly on her back. “How long do we have to stick around for this?” He leaned close and spoke through the side of his mouth.

It sounded like he was as ready as she to escape the facade of a happily married couple. What had she been thinking?

Hailey walked up to Katie and hugged her. “Welcome to the family.”

Ray grinned. “Thanks for all your help, sis. We never would have pulled this off without you.”

Katie slipped a hand around Ray’s arm. “Your brother is in a hurry to get out of here. Is there any way we can leave sooner than later?”

Hailey shot her brother a knowing look. “I don’t see why not. I’ll make sure the gifts and cards get to the house, and my friends will help with clean up.” She rested a hand on Katie’s shoulder. “Before you go, be sure to toss the bouquet. I understand wanting to get out of here. This is the dullest wedding reception I’ve ever attended.” She smacked a hand over her mouth.

Ray chuckled. “It’s okay. I’m not offended since you’re the one who planned it.”

Hailey’s face blossomed pink. “Guilty. I’m so sorry, but the wedding was my thing. I delegated the reception to mom.”

That explained the lack of decorations and plain sheet cake that wasn’t gluten free so Katie couldn’t even taste it. She should never have expected a wedding cake, but somehow she’d thought…it didn’t matter.

“Excuse me.” Hailey waved a hand at the guests. “Ray and Katie are anxious to get their honeymoon started, so Katie is going to toss her bouquet, and then they’ll be off. All single ladies please line up over here.”

Ten minutes later, they’d said their good-byes and were on their way out when Ray’s mother stopped them.

“When you return home, I expect you to properly introduce me to your bride. You will come for Sunday lunch.”

Emily let go of her grandmother’s leg and wrapped her arms around Ray’s leg. “I love you, Uncle Ray. When will you get me from Grandma’s?”

He picked her up. “I’ll tell you what. Your Aunt Katie and I aren’t going on a honeymoon yet. How about you come home with us now?”

That had been the plan all along, and his mother knew it, so this conversation made no sense. What was she up to now?

Ray’s mother frowned, clearly disapproving of their plans. “It’s not fitting to have a child in the house on your honeymoon night. Miss Emily will be staying with me tonight. You may pick her up in the morning if you would like.”

Ray shot his mom a look of surprise then focused his attention on his niece. “What do you think, squirt?”

Emily nodded and planted a kiss on his cheek. “See you tomorrow. ’Bye, Aunt Katie.”

“Good-bye.” Even though they’d been talking about it all week, it felt odd to have Emily call her Aunt—another adjustment for them both, but her niece seemed to have no trouble with the change, so she’d try to adjust quickly.

Ray set Emily down then guided Katie out the door to his waiting car, which no one had thought to decorate. It was just as well. Ray opened the passenger door and waited for her to be situated before closing it. He slid in the driver’s side, and a moment later, they were off.

Katie had so many questions, but talking took too much energy. She couldn’t wait to get back to her apartment. Or would he expect her to move to the house tonight? They hadn’t talked about when she would move in. She’d finished painting, so there was nothing stopping her.

“You’re quiet.”

“I’m tired.” It was true. Today had been one of the longest days of her life. She was sure the moment her head hit the pillow she would have slept, were it not for her mother-in-law’s hurtful words shortly before the wedding. That woman had it in her head that Katie had seduced her son—as if!

“About my mom.”

“Can we talk tomorrow, Ray? All I want to do right now is bury my head in my pillow.” Plus, talking about that horrible woman on her wedding day would ruin any good memories she might have had.

“Okay. I arranged for you to have the rest of the week off at the community center. Had I known you were scheduled to work today, I’d have arranged today off for you as well.”

“Why?” She whipped her attention in his direction. “You had no right. I depend on that income.” They were barely married, and he was trying to run her life—it wasn’t even a real marriage! Well, that would stop right now.

“Whoa.” His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “Most people think we’re on our honeymoon. It will look a little strange if either of us show up at work tomorrow.”

“Oh, I see your point. But you told your mom we’re taking our honeymoon later.”

“Only because of Emily. Otherwise, I’d have let her believe we were honeymooning now, too.”

Katie blinked away tears of frustration. Why had she been so emotional lately?

“I thought we could use that time to ourselves. We’ll have Emily along, but that’ll be good. We need to bond as a family.”

Her stomach clenched. “Sure, you’re right.” Emily needed a stable home life. After all, that was why she was here. “But I didn’t expect you to alter my work schedule without my knowledge or permission.”

He stopped at a red light. “Sorry. I’m new at this marriage thing. Clearly, that was a rookie mistake. But you requested that I get to know you before we married. Since the wedding happened so fast, I didn’t get to hold up my end of the agreement. I’d like to fix that now.”

She clenched her hands in her lap. “What do you have in mind?”

“Tomorrow is supposed to be a nice spring day. I thought we could do something outdoors. Play tourist, rent canoes, go for a sail, hike, whatever you’d like. We have all day.”

“Oh.” Her heart melted. Now she wished he hadn’t offered to pick up Emily in the morning. She’d love to spend a couple of days alone with Ray. “I’d like that. I’m sure Emily will as well.”

He chuckled. “I think we might wait to get her until a little later in the day. I never should have said we’d bring her along. I’ll call her when we get home.”

The light changed, and they pulled forward.

“That’s a nice idea.”

Ray might be new at this being married thing, as he put it, but he was already proving to be adept. “If you don’t mind though, I’ll let you pick her up. Your mother hates me.” She’d known from the start Ray’s mom wasn’t the nicest, but after tonight, she wanted to avoid her as much as possible. The uptight, mean woman who’d cornered her right before the wedding had sent her reeling.

“I’d argue, but I think you might be right. I know you can win her over in time.”

Fat chance. Had she known how awful Ray’s mom was before all of this, she might not have offered to marry him. It was too late now. Somehow, they all had to make it work and, hopefully, come out unscathed.

 

 

Ray pulled into his driveway and killed the engine. He didn’t want to leave Katie like this. She’d hinted at a problem with his mom. He needed to know what was said. He rested a hand on Katie’s arm to stop her from getting out. “Can we visit before you turn in? There’s something we should talk about.”

“Can it wait until morning? I really am tired.”

He motioned toward the house. “Why not move into the house tonight? I’d sleep better if we were both under the same roof.”

She opened her mouth, presumably to protest.

“I’ll help you pack what you need. You don’t have to bring everything over tonight.” Maybe she would talk about what was bothering her while they packed up her stuff.

“I guess. But I don’t need help. I’ll grab what I need and meet you over there.”

He sighed. So much for that idea.

Later that night, Ray lay in bed, his mind wandering. What had happened to cause Katie to shut down? She’d been fine earlier in the day when Brandi was with them. He’d left Katie with Brandi to get ready for the wedding and hadn’t seen her again until she walked down the aisle. Something had definitely changed.

The most troubling part—that kiss. Another thing ate at him—she hadn’t said what she thought of the ring he’d given her.

He’d ended up at the same pawnshop where she’d purchased his ring since she’d refused to wear anything too big or fancy. He’d found the simple filigree band in white gold—not the same quality she’d purchased for him, but the delicate design suited her. He’d been so pleased with the purchase and thought for sure she would love it, but instead he only got silence.

He punched down his pillow and shifted to his side. This day had not turned out at all like he’d expected. Unable to sleep, he kicked off the covers. As he exited his room, he noticed the light on under the closed door to Katie’s room. It looked like he wasn’t the only one who couldn’t sleep.

Downstairs, he eased into his favorite recliner and opened the book he’d been reading. The words all blurred together, and he slammed the cover shut. This was ridiculous. Clearly, they were both too keyed up to sleep. Katie might have declared she was tired, but he suspected they both needed time to decompress after the whirlwind of the past week.

He made two mugs of hot chocolate and headed back upstairs. He knocked softly.

“Ray?”

“Yes. May I come in?”

The door opened, and she poked her head around. Her face softened when her eyes landed on the mugs. “Come in.”

She wore spandex with a snug-fitting hot pink T-shirt over it and slippers that had the face of a pig on each foot. He grinned and pointed to her feet. “Nice look.”

“Thanks. What are you doing?”

He held out a mug. “I couldn’t sleep and saw your light on. I made us hot chocolate—gluten free.”

She looked down at the mug, and a smile tugged at her lips. “You added whipped cream.”

“Of course. May I sit?” He pointed to the chair in the corner.

“Sure. As tired as I am, I can’t sleep either. This mattress feels so different from mine.” She placed the mug onto the nightstand then propped a pile of pillows onto the bed and pulled the covers over herself. “Your sister did a nice job with the wedding.”

“Hailey’s a trooper. Although without Rusty, she never could have made the boxing ring into a stage. I wish my mom would’ve gone to a little effort with the reception. I feel badly about that.”

“You do?” Her gaze held his. Doubt filled her eyes.

His stomach knotted. “Of course.” Why would Katie question his desire to have a nice reception? Their marriage might be non-traditional, but he still wanted the best for his bride. He cared about Katie. Surely, she knew that.

She dropped her focus to the mug. “I know why I can’t sleep, but why can’t you?”

“I suspect for the same reason.”

“I doubt that.” She sipped the hot chocolate. “This is good.”

“Thanks. Today was quite a day. All things considered, it turned out well. Don’t you think?”

She nodded, keeping her focus on her drink. She still wasn’t acting like the Katie he’d come to know. “Something happened today that upset you. I’d like to help if I can.”

She tilted her face but not before he saw a tear stream down her cheek.

His heart broke. “Ah, Katie. Please talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong.” He moved to the bed and sat on the edge beside her.

She shook her head, still not looking at him.

“I care about you. I want to be there for you. Please let me.”

She sniffled and wiped her face with the back of her hand. “Thank you. But I don’t think your mother would approve. In fact, I think it would upset her.”

He set his mug on her nightstand. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Silence met him.

“Katie, in order for this to work, I need you to talk to me.” He touched a finger to her chin and gently tipped her face so he could see it.

She set the mug aside, pulled her knees to her chest, and rested her cheek on them. “I’ll be fine, Ray.”

Her eyes shone, but he saw something there he hadn’t noticed before—determination. “I have no doubt. You’re tougher than I realized. But I want to know what happened with my mom. I know something did. She was in rare form before our wedding. And based on your comment, I’m guessing she cornered you like she did me.”

“She harassed you, too?” Surprise lit her eyes.

He nodded. Anger surged through him. It was one thing for his mom to question him, but she’d crossed the line if she went after Katie. He desperately wanted to hold his wife but it was too soon. She was like a frightened kitten tonight, and he needed to tread carefully. “What did my mom say to you?”

“It’s nothing you need to worry about. Believe me. I’ve heard worse, but it hurt coming from her. Even though we’ve gotten off to a rough start, I’d hoped for a good relationship with her, but after tonight, I realize your mom and I will never be friends.”

Based on what he knew of Katie’s past, he had no doubt, but she shouldn’t have to take garbage from his mother. “How about you let me decide what to worry about?” He kept his voice gentle even though he was frustrated. “Will you please tell me what she said?”

“I can’t.” Her voice caught.

“I know it’s difficult, but it’s important. Please.”

She gnawed on her bottom lip. “She said that I’m a tramp and not worthy of you.”

He clamped his teeth together. He’d deal with his mother later, but right now, Katie needed him. He blew out a slow breath and nudged her over. “Mind if I share the pillows?”

She hesitated then scooted over to the middle of the bed. He leaned against the pile of fluffy pillows propped against the headboard and stretched out his legs atop the covers. “Thanks. This is much more comfortable. My mom was way out of line, and I’ll make sure she understands that talking to you like that is not okay, nor will it be tolerated in the future.”

Katie gasped. “Seriously? You’ll stand up to her for me?”

“Absolutely.” He shifted to face her and took her hand, cradling it between his. “You are my wife. Maybe we aren’t starting in the same place as most couples, but as my wife, I expect you to be treated with kindness and respect by my family. Especially my mother.” He ducked his head to meet her gaze. “I’ll take care of this.”

“Thanks.”

He chuckled. “Why do you look baffled?”

“I’m not used to people sticking up for me like that.”

His heart broke. “I wish that wasn’t the case, but I promise from this moment forward, it won’t be. I’m here for you.”

She nodded and a lone tear slid down her cheek. She palmed it away. “You’re a good man, Ray. I’m glad I married you. I only wish your mom felt toward me a smidgen of what I feel for you.”

He gave her hand a squeeze before lacing his fingers through it and resting it between them. He needed to lighten things up a little. “You’re close to Brandi’s family. I was surprised her parents weren’t at the wedding.”

“Yeah. They’re out of town on business and don’t get back until tomorrow. I guess they couldn’t change their plans.”

“They’re cutting it close to make it to Ian and Brandi’s wedding.”

“That’s the way they are. Very busy people, but you can count on them to be there for their only daughter.”

But not for their daughter’s best friend who considered them more family than her own. He heard the unspoken words loud and clear. One thing was certain. He needed to show Katie how much he valued and cared about her. “There’s one thing I’m still trying to understand. Why didn’t you have a single friend other than Brandi at our wedding?”

“What’s with all the questions?”

He shrugged. “Call me curious.”

She closed her eyes for a moment then opened them and turned to face him. Clear blues eyes stared back at him. “If you must know, no one I invited from my art classes showed, and I don’t have any close friends besides Brandi—at least no one that I would invite to my wedding. Happy?”

“No.” Not even close. “But I think it’s time I let you get some sleep. You’re kind of cranky.” He got off her bed.

A tiny smile touched her lips. “I’m entitled. It’s been quite a day, and it’s my birthday.” She climbed from beneath the sheets and walked him to her door—she probably wanted to lock it.

“Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday?”

She shrugged.

He stopped at the threshold. His eyes roamed her body, taking in the curves she usually kept hidden. He touched a hand to her cheek. His wife was beautiful, but something told him no one had ever told her that before. His pastor’s words hit him right then—court your wife, until you both fall in love. “You are so beautiful,” he leaned close and whispered in her ear before pulling away.

Her eyes widened. “Thank you.” She wrapped her arms around her middle.

Maybe his pastor had been right, because at this moment, he did not want to spend his honeymoon night alone. He definitely needed to follow his pastor’s advice.

Katie cleared her throat, pulling him from his thoughts. “I thought you were leaving?”

“I am.” He nodded. “Happy birthday.” He placed a soft kiss on her cheek. “Sweet dreams, Katie.” He slipped out the door before she could respond. He had a lot of work to do to court his wife and get past the wall that seemed to be holding her hostage.