Magical Weddings (44 page)

When the gentle breeze turned chilly and he felt her shiver, he kissed her one more time, then said, “Why don’t we get in the car?”

Her eyes were shining. “Good idea. I’m a little cold.”

When they were both settled back inside, he turned to her. “I know after the other night, we both agreed not to…”

She put her hand on his arm. “That kiss was wonderful. I don’t regret it for a minute.”

He smiled at her. “Me either. You’ve become very special to me.”

“I’m glad. It’s bad enough I’ve lost Lucky. I couldn’t stand to lose you too.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. I promise.”

She looked away awkwardly. “What are we doing? I’m engaged, and you’re not ready for a relationship. You’re still in love with Char.”

He tilted her chin up so she met his gaze. “I don’t know. But I do know I have feelings for you I haven’t had in a very long time, and I want to see where those feelings lead.” He kissed the tip of her nose, then her lips softly.

“I do too, but that doesn’t make me any less confused.” She looked out over the bluff to where the sun was setting and shooting streaks of orange and pink across the sky. “Thank you for this. It’s beautiful and peaceful and has helped take my mind off Lucky.”

“Will you be all right going home? You’re more than welcome to spend the night in my guest room, if you don’t want to be alone.”

She smiled. “As tempting as that sounds, I need to go home.”

“I know.” He started the engine, then turned the car around. On the drive back, he kept the conversation light, mostly talking about his students. When he pulled in the driveway, Daisy was looking out the living room picture window.

Kya must have seen her too, because she let out a deep breath.

“If you need to talk tonight, call me. Anytime, okay?”

“Thanks, but I’ll be all right.” She kissed him good night, then got out of his car and into her own.

He waited for her to drive away before going inside. Daisy was waiting for him at the door. She jumped up, placing her front paws on his chest. Usually, he didn’t encourage that behavior, but tonight he didn’t mind. He rubbed her fur, glad she was there for him. His heart broke for Kya. He knew she’d be in for a rough night.

He let Daisy out to do her business, then headed down the hallway. The first thing he noticed upon entering the bedroom was Char’s picture on his nightstand. He went over to it and picked it up, running his finger over her lips. “I never thought I’d meet anyone who could make me feel even close to what you did, but Kya is starting to bring me back to life. You’d like her too. She’s a special person.” He set the picture down and sat on the bed to take off his shoes. He didn’t know where he was going with Kya, but he knew he’d been lonely for way too long.

Kya stuck her key in the lock, and when she opened her front door, nothing but the dark greeted her. She quickly flipped on the lights, then tossed her keys on the hall table. She’d finally gotten over not having Max there to greet her, when Lucky came into her life. Now she’d have to deal with the loneliness all over again.

She skulked into the bedroom, tossed her handbag on the overstuffed chair next to the bed, then wandered into the bathroom to get ready for bed, but before brushing her teeth, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. What she saw was exactly what she’d expected—eyes still a little puffy and red. What she didn’t see was a confident woman who knew what she wanted. The more time she spent with Devon, the more confused she became. Although tonight he’d helped her deal with losing Lucky, his kisses had left her wondering what to do about her upcoming wedding. With a sigh, she realized she wasn’t going to make any earth-shattering decisions tonight, so she squirted some toothpaste on her toothbrush and began her nightly bedtime routine.

When she finished, she padded down the hall, half expecting to hear Lucky’s nails clicking along the floor beside her, and that brought fresh tears to her eyes. She climbed into bed and pulled the covers up over her head, as if that would shut out her unhappiness. Of course, that didn’t work, so she rolled onto her side and tried to think of something that would help her fall asleep, but all she kept thinking about was Lucky and Devon. When her stomach let out a loud growl, reminding her she hadn’t eaten dinner, she decided to put off sleep for a while.

Just as she started toward the kitchen, her cell phone rang. She grabbed it out of her purse and saw Mark’s name across the screen. “Hi, honey.”

“Hey, babe. I got your message. This is the first chance I’ve had to be anywhere with decent reception.”

“It’s nice to hear your voice,” she said softly.

“Yours too. It’s been crazy here. I can’t wait to be back in the States.”

Before she could respond, she heard some voices in the background, and Mark said, “Hang on, babe.” A moment later, he was back on the line. “Sorry, I hate to cut this so short, but I’ll be home in two days.”

“Already?”

“Yeah, we’ll be able to wrap a lot sooner than we thought. I’ve got to go. Love you.”

She stood there for a few minutes holding the phone in her hand before dropping it on the bed, then she walked toward the kitchen feeling like she was in a trance.

Somehow, in a short period of time, the world that she worked so hard to control had been turned upside down, and she didn’t know how to make it right again.

****

Kya was glad her mother had chosen The Waterfront for them to have lunch. The outdoor deck was right on the beach, so it wouldn’t seem weird for her to keep her sunglasses on. She was in no mood to answer what would be her mom’s prying questions about why she looked so tired. The last thing she wanted to talk about was Lucky.

As soon as she walked up the deck stairs, she spotted her mother at one of the umbrella tables. “Hi, Mom.” She sat across from her, setting her purse on the chair beside her.

“Hello, darling.” Her gaze scanned Kya from head to toe, just as she’d expected. “You look cute. Yellow’s a hard color to wear, but it’s always becoming on you.”

Kya glanced down at her blouse, then back at her mom. “Thanks.”

“Would you like something to drink?” Barbara stirred her martini, then took a sip.

“I’ll just have an iced tea. I have to go back to work after this.”

“Of course, dear.” Barbara held up her hand, and a moment later a waitress was at her side. “My daughter will have an iced tea with lemon, no sugar.” She looked at Kya. “That’s still how you like it, isn’t it?”

“I do.”

After the waitress walked away, Barbara said, “Speaking of I do’s, I’ve arranged for a block of rooms at the Marquise Inn for our out of town guests. Since it’s just steps away from the Chateau, I thought it would be perfect. I hope that’s all right with you.”

“That’s fine.”

“And if you haven’t already purchased your attendants gifts, I saw some lovely pearl necklaces at Simon’s Jewelers that would look lovely with their gowns.”

“Sounds perfect.”

“Oh, and I’ve booked Candace to do our hair and makeup. She’ll be at the Chateau by seven a.m. That should give us plenty of time, don’t you think?”

“I’m sure we’ll be fine with that.”

Barbara slid her oversized designer sunglasses down to the tip of her nose and studied Kya. “What’s wrong with you? You seem very disinterested in your own wedding.”

Kya stared back at her. “Do I? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I just have a lot on my mind.”

“What could be more important than your wedding day?”

Thankfully the waitress set Kya’s iced tea in front of her and handed them both menus. She flipped hers open, but her mother wasn’t about to let her go without answering.

“Kya, I asked you a question that I get the feeling you’d like to avoid. Why is that?”

Kya snapped her menu shut and said to the waitress before she walked away, “I’m going to have the ahi tuna.”

“It’s always very good here. I’ll have the same.” Barbara handed the menus to the waitress, then turned her attention back to Kya. “Now stop avoiding the topic. What’s going on?”

“Mark’s coming home tomorrow.”

“And that’s a problem? I would think you’d be ecstatic seeing as your wedding is almost here.”

“I am. It’s just—”

“Pre-wedding jitters,” her mother said, cutting her off. “That’s nothing to worry about. Everyone gets them. I remember when I was about to marry your father, I broke out in hives.”

“But did you think you might be marrying the wrong man?”

Barbara took a long drink of her martini and leaned back in her chair. “No, I can’t say that I did. Are you trying to tell me you’re having second thoughts?”

Kya shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

“That’s a little vague. There’s something going on that you’re not telling me.”

Kya took a deep breath and stirred her tea. “It’s a long story, and I’m not going to bore you with the details now, but I met someone I really like… I didn’t plan for any of this to happen. It just kind of did, and now, well, I don’t know what to do.”

Her mother visibly stiffened. “You mean as in whether to get married?”

“Pretty much.”

She drank the rest of her martini in one big gulp. “You’re my only child, and I love you dearly, but for heaven’s sake, Kya, your wedding is right around the corner. You know I’ve never been a fan of Mark’s, and I tried to talk you out of marrying him in the first place, but you wouldn’t listen. And now look what’s happened.” She shook her head in disbelief.

Before Kya could respond, the waitress came by with their food.

“I’d like another drink, please,” Barbara said. “So tell me about this new man.”

“He’s not like anyone I’ve ever dated before.”

“That must mean he’s not a model or an actor or a cameraman, and you must be prettier than he is.”

Kya smirked. “Very funny, Mom. But you’re right. He’s not self-centered. He’s a caring, good man who happens to also be very attractive. And he loves dogs.”

Barbara took a bite of her tuna, then set her fork down. “Your eyes light up when you talk about him.”

“They do?”

“Yes, so I can see you have quite a dilemma. Do you call off a wedding we’ve spent six months planning for a man you hardly know but may be in love with?”

Kya chewed her bottom lip. “I know. And there’s another problem. He’s still mourning a wife he lost a year ago.”

Her mother groaned. “Oh, Kya. That makes it worse. How do you know if he feels the same way about you or if he’s simply filling a void in his life?”

“I know. I know. I’ve been wondering that too.”

“Well, you better think hard and fast, my dear, because you’re running out of time. You’d better think about everything you’d be giving up for an unknown future. And I hate to say this, but you’re not getting any younger. Your biological clock is ticking rapidly.”

“Thanks, Mom. You’ve been a big help.”

Barbara pushed her plate away and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m sorry to come across as cold, but maybe that’s what you needed to hear. Sometimes it’s better to listen to your head than your heart.”

“Hmmm. Maybe.” Kya moved her food around her plate.

The waitress was at the table next to them taking an order, and she glanced over. A minute later, she stood before them. “Are you all set with that?”

“Yes. Thank you. I guess I wasn’t that hungry after all,” Kya said sadly.

“Would you like it wrapped?”

“Sure.”

“You can wrap mine too,” Barbara said. “And we’re ready to pay the bill.” She took a credit card out of her wallet and handed it to the waitress.

She stuck it in her apron pocket, then picked up their plates. “I’ll be right back.”

Kya forced a smile. “Thanks.”

When she walked away, Barbara said, “You know I’ll support you in whatever you do, and if you decide to call off the wedding, do it because you’re sure Mark is wrong for you, and don’t worry about the money part of it. I could care less about that. All I want is your happiness.”

Kya reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “I know that.”

****

For the rest of the day, Kya couldn’t get her mother’s words out of her head.
How do you know if he feels the same way about you or if he’s simply filling a void in his life?
There was no doubt she needed to know that answer. Kya looked at her watch—four p.m. If she left the shelter now, she should be able to catch Devon at home before he took Daisy to the park.

She grabbed her purse off the back of her chair and hurried to the reception area. Lyn was talking to a woman who was interested in adopting a cat. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Okay.” Lyn waved as she walked out the door.

On the drive over to Devon’s, she tried to think of what she was going to say but couldn’t seem to find the right words. Hopefully, they’d come to her when she was face-to-face with him. The last thing she wanted was to look like a fool. But she needed to make her decision today. Mark would be back tomorrow, and if she was going to cancel the wedding, it was only fair to let him know right away.

She rang the doorbell and shifted from foot to foot nervously. A moment later, Devon was staring at her.

“I hope I’m not interrupting your dinner or anything.”

Devon smiled. “Don’t be ridiculous. It’s great to see you. I’ve been wondering all day how you’ve been holding up without Lucky.”

She shrugged. “My heart’s broken, but I’m trying not to dwell on it.”

He waved his arm. “Well, come on in.”

“Thanks.” She stepped around him and walked into the foyer.

“Actually, your timing is perfect. I just made some coffee. Would you like a cup?”

“That sounds great. I’d love some.”

She followed him into the living room, where Daisy was sprawled out on the sofa. Devon gathered up the school papers he had spread out over the coffee table.

“Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right back.”

Kya sat next to the dog and took in her surroundings. Yesterday when she’d been there, she’d been so upset about Lucky that she hadn’t really paid any attention to Devon’s house. Now as she scanned the room, the many feminine touches were evident, like the pair of porcelain vases on the fireplace mantel, and the lovely silk flower arrangement on the chest under the picture window. They’d no doubt been put there by Char. Devon probably hadn’t changed a thing since her death. A deep sadness came over her as she sympathized with his loss.