Part 49 (1/2)
”We'll look forward to that. Plan to stay here until the house is ready for occupants.”
”This was the best Christmas ever,” Maggie said. ”For once, no one was missing. Thank you for that.”
”My pleasure, honey.” She hugged her younger sister for a long time. ”Hurry back.”
”I will.”
”Ready, darlin'?” Reid asked.
”I need to get my bag.”
”Jill already put it in the car.”
”Of course she did,” Kate said with a smile for her endlessly efficient sister who draped a fur-lined cape around Kate's shoulders. Kate turned to face the family that had gathered to see them off. ”Thanks for being here, everyone. You'll never know how very much it meant to me.”
”Wait,” Maggie said. ”Let us go first.”
The entire family trooped onto the front porch ahead of Reid and Kate.
”Okay,” Maggie called to them. ”We're ready!”
As Reid and Kate walked onto the porch, they were showered with fragrant rose petals.
”Don't tell me you guys tied cans to my car, too,” Reid said as he brushed a petal off Kate's forehead.
”He wanted to,” Ashton said, pointing a thumb at Buddy, ”but I intervened.”
”Thank you, son,” Reid said, hugging him. He reached for Kate's hand. ”Shall we?”
Kate nodded and took his hand to go down the stairs. He tucked her into the sleek silver Mercedes sedan he'd bought a couple of weeks ago. In the biting cold, Kate was immediately grateful for the heated seats.
”G.o.dd.a.m.ned Buddy,” Reid muttered.
”What?”
He glanced up at the rearview mirror. ”Look.”
Kate spun around and laughed when she saw the words ”Just Married” written on the back window in white foam.
”He better not have gotten any on the paint, or I'll have to kill him.”
”I won't let you kill him. But you have to laugh-one of the biggest names in country music writing on a car with shaving cream.”
”Ha. Ha.”
”Come on, it's funny.”
”If you say so.”
Kate took a last look back at the family that was waving them off. ”I can't believe it's over. I already miss them.”
”Don't forget you're married to a pilot now, darlin'. You can see them any time you want to.”
”Thanks for the reminder. That makes me feel better.” She looked over at him as he drove down the long lane from her house to the main road. ”Can I ask you something?”
”Sure, you can.”
”How are we going to get into the hotel without attracting a mob?” They were still dressed in wedding attire that would surely create a stir in the hotel.
”Have you no faith whatsoever in your new husband?”
”I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to insult you.”
He took her hand and brought it to his lips. ”I'll forgive you if you put your head back, close your eyes and relax.”
”I can do that.” Her eyelids felt like they weighed a hundred pounds. The next time she opened her eyes, Reid was lowering her onto a bed in a room that glowed with candlelight. ”How did we get here?”
”It was magic.”
”Mmm. It's been magic from the very start.” The combination of the silk dress and the soft brush of the fur lining in the cape made her skin tingle. She held out a hand to him.
”Be right there. Let me get rid of my coat.” He discarded the coat and kicked off his shoes before joining her on the bed.
”I can't believe we're really married.”
He reached for her hand and kissed the rings on her finger. ”Believe it.”
”I keep waiting to wake up to find out it was all a dream. It wasn't a dream, was it?”
”It was a dream come true, baby.” His phone chimed with a text, but he didn't move. Rather, he ran his fingers over her arm, raising a trail of goose b.u.mps.
”Aren't you going to check that?”
”Wasn't planning to.”
”What if it's Ashton and he needs you?”
”He doesn't need me tonight.”
”Just check it, will you?”
”I will if it'll make you feel better.” He rolled onto his back and pulled the phone from his pocket.
”Who's it from?”