Part 47 (1/2)
”I want you and no one else.” Kate knew she sounded like a petulant child and didn't care. She hated the idea of even one night without him.
”You have me, and this is the last night you'll spend alone. I promise.”
A short time later, the driver pulled up to the house, which was dark except for a single light still s.h.i.+ning in the living room. Reid walked her inside and waited until she was ready for bed.
True to his word, he tucked her in and then sat on the edge of the bed to look down at her.
”I don't want you to go,” Kate said.
”I'm not going far.”
”Where will you be?”
”In town at the Hermitage. That's where we're going tomorrow night, too.”
”We're not staying here?”
”No, we're not spending our wedding night with your entire family.”
Kate smiled at the forceful way he said that.
”Your mom wants to come back in the summer after the baby is born, and I told her we'd love that,” Reid said.
”I would love that. I'll need her here to tell me what to do.”
He leaned over to kiss her. ”Close your eyes and go to sleep. Dream about tomorrow and all the other tomorrows we'll have together. When you wake up, it'll be our big day.”
”I love you,” she said.
”I love you, too. Now close those magnificent blue eyes.”
Kate kept her eyes closed when he kissed her once more and got up to go. She opened them to watch him leave the room. Staring into the darkness, she heard his car start and the crunch of snow under his tires.
He was only gone a minute when she reached for her phone.
”You're supposed to be sleeping, darlin',” he said with a chuckle.
”I can't sleep without you.”
”Yes, you can.”
How fitting, she thought, to spend the last night before their wedding the way they'd spent so many nights in the past. ”Can I keep you company while you drive into town?”
”Only if you promise to sleep the minute I'm there.”
”I promise. Do you want me to sing for you?”
”I'd love that.”
So she did.
Jill and Maggie woke Kate at ten the next morning, thirty minutes before the hair-and-makeup people she used on tour were due to arrive. For this special occasion, she'd agreed to let the professionals have their way with her.
”I can't believe I slept so late!”
”You needed it,” Maggie said as she handed her sister a mug of coffee. ”Here is your one serving of caffeine for the day.”
As much as she wanted and needed the coffee, Kate's stomach turned at the smell. ”Can't do it, Mags.” She handed the mug back to her sister. ”Sorry.”
”That's okay. How about some tea and toast?”
”That'd be great, thanks.”
”Coming right up.”
”Are you okay?” Jill asked when she and Kate were alone.
”I'm fine, just the usual nausea. How about you? Any news to report?”
Jill blushed and smiled as she held out her left hand to show Kate the ring.
”It's gorgeous. Congratulations!” She hugged Jill. ”Do you love it?”
”I do. He did great.”
”How was the proposal?”
”Lovely and perfect. Thank you for what you said about sharing the stage. I would've turned him down if he hadn't told me that.”
”You would've broken his heart if you turned him down.”
”I'm glad I didn't have to.”
”When's the wedding?”
Jill rolled her eyes. ”Can we please get through yours before we talk about mine?”
”I suppose so.”
”Reid gave me this yesterday and asked me to give it to you this morning.” Jill handed her a small box, wrapped in silver paper with a card attached.
”This isn't fair! We agreed to skip Christmas presents for each other with everything else going on.”
”I don't think it's a Christmas present.”
”Oh.” Kate opened the envelope first. On an embossed cream-colored card bearing his initials, he'd written, ”Something new for the big day. I can't wait for today, tomorrow, the next day and all the days after. With all my love, Reid.” She tore the paper to find a black velvet box. Inside were teardrop diamond earrings.
”They're gorgeous,” Jill said.