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"I love it!" she exclaimed, flustered by the sudden turn of events.
"Good. Here." He took out the engagement ring, pocketed the box and slid it gently onto her ring
finger. “Now it's official. We're engaged. Remember what you just promised," he added with a wicked
grin. "The minute your father leaves, I'll let you ravish me on the carpet!"
Eleven
"But, Rey, Daddy won't leave," she whispered. "There's a turkey in the kitchen!"
"He can take it with him," he said generously.
She laughed and hugged him very hard. "I can't believe this."
"Neither can I," he said, nuzzling his cheek against hers. His arms tightened. “Even when I was
suspicious of you, I couldn't bear you out of my sight. I still can't. This past week has been endless. I
thought we could cool it for a few weeks, while I got things into perspective. But the only thing I got
into perspective was how lonely I was without you." He lifted his head and looked down into her wide,
rapt eyes. "I love my freedom. But not as much as I love you."
"And I love you, Rey," she said huskily. "I was lonely, too. I feel as if I've known you for centuries."
"Same here," he replied. "We're going to make a good marriage."
"A very good marriage," she agreed, and lifted her face so that he could kiss her again.
He did, at length and very nicely, until her father came out of the kitchen with a turkey leg in one hand
and asked if there were plans to take the dressing out of the oven before it got any blacker.
Rey told him their news while Meredith took off at a dead run to rescue dinner.
Meredith worked out a two-week notice and gave up her job, to the dismay and regret of her boss,
who hadn't wanted to lose her. He did see that she couldn't have a husband in Jacobsville and a job in
Houston, however, and he made them a wedding present of a beautiful faceted crystal bowl.
Micah Steele offered her a job at his office, which she accepted with pleasure, on the understanding
that she could work three days a week instead of six. Micah understood being a newlywed, since he
and his Callie were still newlyweds as well, even with a baby on the way.
The only hitch was that all Rey's brothers got together and took over the wedding plans, to his dismay
and Meredith's horror.
"It's going to be a humdinger of a wedding," Leo promised with relish, rubbing his hands together.
"Cag had this great idea for entertainment."
"I don't want to hear it," Rey said firmly.
"You'll love this," Leo continued, unabashed. "He's got this great hard-rock band from Montana
coming down to play their new hit record. They just had a hit single about getting married," he added
with a rakish grin. "And they're having a caterer from San Antonio bring down the buffet lunch. The
wedding gown is coming from one of the couture houses in Paris..."
"But you don't even know my size!" Meredith protested breathlessly.
"We looked in your dresses," he said imperturbably.
"Got your shoe size, too, and we also looked in your drawers and got the, ahem, other sizes." He
grinned sheepishly. "Everything is couture, and silk. Only the best for our new sister-in-law," he
added sweepingly.
Meredith didn't know whether to laugh or scream.
"We booked you a room at a five-star hotel for your honeymoon," he continued, glancing at Rey.
"You still speak French, don't you?"
"French?" Meredith gasped.
"Well, your rooms are in Nice," he said. "The French Riviera. You've got a suite, overlooking the
beach. Monaco is just on down the beach from there."
Rey whistled. "Not bad, for a rush job."
"We try to be efficient," Leo said, and his eyes twinkled. "We even ordered her a trousseau with
formal gowns and casual clothes. Lots of pinks and blues and soft beige colors.
We thought pastels would suit her."
Her mouth was open. She was trying to take it all in without fainting. She was only beginning to
realize that the horror stories she'd heard from Tess about weddings and the brothers were true.
"You did kidnap Dorie and tie her in a sack with ribbon and carry her home to Corrigan!"
she gasped.
"He didn't have a Christmas present," Leo explained patiently. "We gave him one. Look how well it
worked out!"
"You hooligans!"
"Our hearts are all in the right place," Leo protested. "Besides, Dorie could bake. Which brings us to
Tess, who could also bake..."
"You blackmailed Callaghan into marrying her, I heard!" Meredith was getting her second wind now.
"He's very happy. So is Tess."
"And poor Tira," she continued, unabashed. "You arranged her wedding and she didn't even get to
choose her own gown, either!"
"She was pregnant. We had to hurry, there was no time," Leo explained matter-of-factly.
"I am not pregnant!" she exclaimed, red-faced.
Leo gave Rey a quick, speculative glance. "Yet," he replied. He grinned.
"If you would just give me a little time to organize my own wedding," she began, exasperated, and
thought, I'm being nibbled to death by ducks...!
Leo checked his watch. "Sorry, I'm running late. The printer is waiting for me to check the proofs."
"Of what?" she burst out.
"Oh, just the wedding invitations. We're overnighting them to the people we invited. The governor's
coming, so is the lieutenant governor. The vice president wanted to come, but he has to be in
Singapore..." He frowned and checked his back pocket. "There they are! I almost forgot the interview
questions. Here." He handed Rey two folded sheets of paper. “You'll have time to look them over
before the camera crews move in."
Meredith and Rey exchanged wide glances. "What camera crews?" she asked.
"Just a few reporters," Leo waved them
international press...got to run!"
"International press!" Meredith choked.
away with a lean hand. "You know, CNN, Fox, the
"We've just signed an important export deal with Japan, didn't I mention it?" Leo called back. "They
love organic beef, and we've got some. I mentioned it to our public relations people and they called
the news people for us. Your father's writing the statement we're giving them.
He's sure got a way with words, hasn't he?"
He waved again, climbed into his truck, and sped off.
"Invitations," Meredith said haltingly. "Clothes.Honeymoons.Reporters."
"Now, now," he said, pulling her into his arms. "Just think of all the work they've saved you. You'll
have nothing to do but dress and say yes, and fly off to the Riviera with your brand-new husband!"
"But, but," she blurted. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]