Man of the Month (Willowdale Romance Novel) (22 page)

He looked down at the baby, and smoothed his dark hair back. “Daniel.”

“After your father?”

Brad nodded. “I forgive him now. I have to put the hate to rest. I want to remember the good things about my dad, before things went bad.” He kissed the baby. “Danny here will help me do that.”

JEANNE WAS willing to tie the knot down at the Justice of Peace. She didn’t need a fancy wedding, she just wanted to get married. They talked about having a ceremony on Valentine’s Day, but folks were clamoring for another anti-Valentine’s Day party. Brad had called off the sale of the business to Events Extraordinaire, and they were trying to build up some momentum again.

“I slacked off on looking for work for us when I thought we were going to sell the company,” Brad said. “We really need the money and the publicity. We’re going to have to put off the wedding and throw the party instead.”

Danny napped in a playpen set up at Elegant Eats, while Jeanne and Brad got their lunch orders ready.

“I guess you’re right.” Jeanne tried to forget he hadn’t actually officially proposed. There’d been no ring, no dropping to the knee.
That’s just romantic nonsense,
she chided herself. “You’re right. We need to have that party. That way we can save up some money for the wedding, and maybe I can lose some of this baby weight.”

Brad wrapped his arms around her hips from behind and kissed her neck. “You look great. Plus, we need time to plan a wedding properly.”

She sighed. “We don’t need a big wedding. I’ve got everything I ever wanted. You. The baby. I’ve got a family.”

But a thread of worry would be niggling at her heart until they said, “I do.”

BECCA AND JEANNE were flipping through wedding magazines at Becca’s place.

“I don’t understand why you haven’t at least set a date. Did he even get you an engagement ring yet?” Becca asked.

Jeanne tossed her magazine onto the coffee table. “He doesn’t have the money. It’s fine. I don’t need a big ring.”

“Right, but you do need some kind of ring. Are you sure he’s going to go through this after fighting it for so long?” Becca asked quietly.

Jeanne’s heart pounded. “Yes. Of course.”

Becca shrugged. “I’m just not sure I trust him yet.”

Tired of the conversation, Jeanne popped up from the couch and picked up the car seat where her baby sat snoozing. “I’ve gotta get going.”

She kissed Becca goodbye and bundled Danny into the car. Becca’s suspicions spun ’round in Jeanne’s mind, building and building like cotton candy on a stick. But there was nothing sweet about it. Before pulling out of Becca’s driveway, she called Kate. “Emergency meeting at Tonya’s salon. I’ll bring the baby.”

“Be right there, girl, and I’ll bring Lizzy,” Kate said.

They met at the salon in fifteen minutes. Tonya saw the two babies and arched an eyebrow. “Don’t you two dare start thinking I’m going to get a baby just to keep up with you. If we were talking new matching handbags, sure. But something that drools and cries? I’m out.”

“We’re not here to sell you on motherhood,” Kate said. “Jeanne needs some advice.”

Faye Jenkins was just leaving, though she took her time gathering up her purse and coffee mug, like she knew gossip was about to be spilled. “What’s going on, ladies?”

Jeanne just shrugged and said, “Playdate.”

Faye frowned, quickly found her sunglasses, and left.

Tonya flipped her sign to
Closed
, and Jeanne cut right to the chase. “You don’t think Brad’s stringing me along, do you?”

Tonya scrunched her eyebrows together. “He just asked you to marry him a month ago. Not many people could arrange a wedding that fast.”

“And it takes time to save up for a ring,” Kate offered with a nod.

“True. I just thought we could maybe set a date at least.” Jeanne sniffed. “And of course, we haven’t had sex with the six-week wait I knew nothing about.” Her sniffing turned into a cry. “What if Brad doesn’t really want me? What if he’s just doing the right thing?”

Kate rubbed her back. “Just relax. You’ve got a lot on your plate, and post-pregnancy hormones don’t help. You know what might be fun? Going into Whitesville so you can try on some wedding dresses. Because the two of you will be getting married. I’m sure of it.”

“Looking like this? And with the baby?” Jeanne asked.

“You look great. Finally got those C cups. Brad sure appreciates them. Danny, too,” Tonya said.

Kate pulled Jeanne up out of her chair. “Come on. We’ll grab dinner while we’re there.”

JEANNE TRIED on six different dresses and fell in love with number seven, a beautiful strapless gown with mounds of tulle. The seamstress tucked and pinned it to give her the full effect. Jeanne twirled around in front of the mirror.

“This is it, girls, if he ever sets a date.” In all her dreams about getting married and having a family, she never imagined just trying on a few frilly white dresses could feel so magical. With a sigh, she slumped onto a chair, the skirt of the dress billowing around her like a cloud.

“Are you going to buy it?” Kate asked as she browsed through a rack of evening gowns.

“Would that jinx things?”

“Don’t ask me. I go through a pound of salt a month throwing it over my shoulder,” Tonya said, rocking Danny in her arms. “And don’t ask about the amount of holy water I buy off the Internet.” Tonya made the sign of the cross.

“That’s the last one in stock,” the saleswoman said.

Jeanne nibbled her lip. “I’m going to have to take my chances and leave it here. If it’s meant to be, it’ll still be here.”

Jeanne changed out of the gown and waited for Kate to pay for a dress she’d picked out. Being the wife of a movie star meant lots of fancy parties for a girl more comfortable at a picnic in cutoffs than hobnobbing with A-listers in a Vera Wang.

WHEN JEANNE got home, Brad was cooking dinner, and the delicious smells improved her mood. She set Danny in his swing, and he dozed off almost instantly. Seemed like the only time the child slept was in his swing. A three-hour stretch of sleep for anyone was impressive around these parts.

Brad was living with her again, while his house sat empty. But he hadn’t moved everything out.

“Are you thinking about selling your house?” Jeanne asked him.

Brad rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m not sure what to do about the house yet.”

Jeanne nodded. “I tried on wedding dresses with the girls today.”

“Find anything nice?”

“The dress of my dreams.”

“Did you get it?”

Jeanne frowned. “Didn’t make sense to get it now. For all I know, we won’t be getting married until next year. Might as well save the money until then.”

Brad just nodded.

“What do you think about setting a date?” she asked, nibbling on her lip.

“Let’s wait until after the anti-Valentine’s party and see how our finances look. I don’t even have a ring for you yet.”

Jeanne looked up at the ceiling and blinked back a few tears, telling herself she was silly getting upset over this. Lots of couples took their time setting the date. Hell, Tara O’Hara had been engaged nearly a year with no date in sight.

“Yeah,” she said. “You’re right. We need to just focus on the party.”

NOT WANTING to argue with success, Brad and Jeanne planned to make the same fun desserts for their anti-Valentine’s party as they had for the first and set up the same games. But this year they also added baby cupid cupcakes in honor of Danny, and a fortuneteller for those folks wondering if they’d ever find love.

Brad insisted on doing most of the prep work.

“Get some rest,” he’d say every time he went in to work. “I can handle it. Just take care of our little guy.”

So, Jeanne stayed home Saturday and Sunday while he worked on the cookies and cakes that most of Willowdale had come to love. She double-checked with Tonya to be sure Lily wasn’t coming to the party.

“No, ma’am. She’s been dating Buddy Baker, and tries not to pout whenever I mention you and Brad.”

ON VALENTINE’S Day, Tonya and Kate came over to Jeanne’s place to get ready.

“You’re bringing the baby, right?”

Jeanne tickled Danny’s foot as he sat in his bouncy seat. “Of course. I got him a cute little cupid costume. Hopefully he’ll be happy in his stroller watching Mommy and Daddy run around.

Kate scooped up the baby and bounced him in her arms. “I’m sure he’ll be getting more attention than the McClacken twins.”

“Let’s get your hair all done up nice,” Tonya said. “This is your first public outing with the baby and your fiancé.”

“Does he count as a fiancé if I don’t have a ring?” Jeanne asked, gripping the finger where that ring should be.

“He popped the question, didn’t he?” Kate said. “It counts.”

“I guess,” Jeanne sighed.

Tonya coaxed Jeanne into a kitchen chair and began brushing and teasing and curling.

“This is all going to fall down within ten minutes, you know,” Jeanne said.

“At least you’ll make a grand entrance.”

Tonya gave Kate a look that Jeanne couldn’t put her finger on. Or maybe it was just her imagination. She just hadn’t felt like herself since she’d gotten pregnant the year before.

She looked in the mirror and sighed. Was it possible Brad wasn’t attracted to her any more? Her eyes brimmed with tears, and she wondered how much longer she could blame her perpetual weepiness on post-pregnancy hormones. Maybe if their wedding plans were more concrete, she wouldn’t be feeling like this. Truth was, she really was nervous Brad was going to back out.

Jeanne slipped into a stretchy black dress she’d bought just for the occasion since none of her old clothes fit her yet.

“You ready?” Kate asked.

“Just about. You two sure you want to come tonight?”

Tonya and Kate grinned at each other. “Of course. Should be fun.”

JEANNE PACKED up Danny and the loads of gear required whenever they had to take the child anywhere. It was like they were going to the Outer Banks for a week. As they pulled up to Elegant Eats, she was surprised how packed the place was. Hopefully, Brad was holding down the fort. He’d hired Dina and his brother Mitch to help out, but she felt guilty that she hadn’t helped with any of the prepping. She headed for the back door that led to the kitchen.

“Why don’t we go in front, so we can get Danny set up in there?” Tonya suggested.

Jeanne headed for the front, grateful she had a few fairy godmothers who’d help with the baby. When she pushed opened the front door, she did a double take. The place wasn’t decorated with black balloons and broken hearts—white twinkling lights and tulle netting were draped from the ceiling.

The folks gathered stopped talking and watched her walk in, taking it all in. Then they started applauding, hooting and hollering. She looked behind her at Kate and Tonya, and the two them quickly looked away, revealing nothing.

When she turned back, Brad was walking toward her, dressed in a tux and grinning. She looked at him and turned up her hands as if to say, “What gives?”

Kate scooted forward to take the baby from her, and then Brad dropped to one knee. Her own knees felt like they might give out. He pulled a ring out of his pocket and held it up to her. It twinkled like one of the lights overhead.

“What’s going on?” Like she had to ask. Her trembling heart told her this was real.

“Jeanne, you became part of my life a long time ago under the saddest of circumstances. I felt guilty. I felt mad. But mostly, I wanted to know you. I just didn’t think I deserved your friendship. Then I was lucky enough to become your friend. I never thought I’d be lucky enough to become the father of your child. And if you’ll have me, after all the mistakes I’ve made, I hope to God I’m lucky enough to be your husband. Will you marry me?”

Jeanne couldn’t find the words to say yes, so she just nodded.

The crowd cheered, and he jumped up and hugged her, and slid the ring on her finger. He stepped back, beaming. “How about right now?”

It took a moment before she could get the words out. “Here? Right now?”

He folded his arms and nodded.

She looked down at her black dress. “I’m not exactly ready for it. I don’t have a dress.”

Becca suddenly appeared holding an enormous garment bag. “Yes, you do.”

Kate looked at her and shrugged. “Surprise! When I was buying my dress, I bought yours, too, and told them to keep all those pins in and make the alterations. As one of your best friends, I couldn’t let that dress get away.”

“And why do you think we did your hair?” Tonya asked.

“So what do you say?” Brad spread his arms wide. “All our friends and family are here. And I promise, the food is delicious.” He winked at her. “Plus, it’s rather unexpected, just the way you like.”

Laughing, she threw up her arms. “Why not? Let’s do it.”