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Chloe and I faced each other. Then she started to laugh. “Oh my God! Rip, we just got married!”
“We did.”
“Kiss me!” she demanded.
Framing her delicate face in my hands, I did exactly that. We were soon lost in the kiss, and I barely heard the judge speak.
“I’ll need both witnesses to sign the marriage license, please.”
When our lips parted, I looked into her eyes. “Hello, Mrs. Myers.”
Her eyes were so blue they reminded me of what the sky looks like after a spring rain shower.
“Hey there, Mr. Myers.”
“I cannot believe y’all got married the day you got engaged!” Alyssa said, hugging us both.
“Hell, I can. It’s about damn time!” Mike said, bear hugging the three of us.
Chloe
A WEEK HAD passed since Rip and I had secretly gotten married. We’d gone back to the farmhouse after we both took the afternoon off, consummated our marriage, then went out to Cord’s Place and celebrated with our two best friends. I skipped on any alcohol, stating I was the designated driver. Rip nursed two beers all night.
I couldn’t count how many times I glanced down at the twist of paper that was tied around my ring finger and tucked nicely against the antique oval diamond ring. It was our last-minute wedding band.
As far as my stomach flu, I still had it. And the smell of chocolate-anything still seemed to be the worst trigger. That and the smell of sweet tea. Sweet tea of all things. Every day Grammy brought me a large mug of it and set it on my desk. I somehow managed to keep the green from my face, and the moment she left, I dumped it out the window.
Rip had been bugging me to buy a pregnancy test, but I needed the blood test. I needed to be sure.
Today we would find out once and for all. I had stopped taking my birth control pills, just in case. Usually if I had even skipped a pill I would start my period, but that hadn’t happened yet. I had a doctor’s appointment in Uvalde with my gynecologist. Rip and I would get the answer to the question neither of us talked about, but both kept thinking about. Several times I had caught Rip standing in that middle bedroom, the one he had said would make a great nursery. I couldn’t help but feel my heart nearly explode in my chest.
The knock on my office door pulled me from my deep thoughts. Glancing up, I saw those blue eyes that mirrored mine looking at me.
“Granddaddy! To what do I owe this honor?”
I stepped around the desk, giving him a hug.
“I have a special delivery of sweet tea for you.”
My smile faltered slightly, but I was positive he didn’t catch it. “Oh, great. I’m going to have to talk to Grammy about all the sweet tea she’s giving me. I feel like I’ve gained ten pounds this week from drinking so much of it.”
He nodded. “Yeah. That bush outside your window had been getting a hefty dose, as well.”
My brows pulled in tight as my mouth gaped open. “How did you know?”
Laughing, he replied, “Your grandmother is like Old Faithful. She brews that tea the same time I go out for my morning walk. Each morning I’ve seen you open that window yonder and dump out the very full cup of tea. Then you cover your mouth and try not to gag.”
A nervous laugh slipped from my lips. “Oh, I’m not gagging. It’s, ah, the smell from the…mulch. Smells bad.”
He nodded, clearly not believing the lie that didn’t come out as smoothly as I thought it would. “You always were a bad liar, Chloe Cat. If you don’t like your grandmother’s tea, tell her.”
My entire body sighed in relief.
Rip appeared at the door and tingles raced across my skin.
“Hi, John. How are you doing, sir?” Rip asked, shaking Granddaddy’s hand.
“I’m well. You working here today?”
“Yes, sir. Helping Steed out with a new software program designed to help track the vaccinations.”
“Fascinating,” Granddaddy mused, clearly not the least bit interested. “I’m glad I retired when I did.”
Rip and I both chuckled.
When Rip’s gaze caught mine, I felt my cheeks warm. He always had a way of looking at me like he wanted to make love to me right there on the spot. “Hey, you ready to go?”
“Um, yeah, let me grab my purse.”
As I made my way around the desk, Granddaddy asked, “Where you kids going?”
“Wedding shopping.”
“Shopping for furniture.”
Rip and I looked at each other.
“Well, a little bit of both,” I quickly added.
My grandfather looked between the two of us, one brow raised.
Me.
Rip.
Me again.
Then back to Rip.
He pulled in a deep breath, smiled, and headed to the door. “No need to sneak. Let me know what the doctor says. I still feel too young to be a great-granddaddy, but I’m ready.”
