The Unexpected Wedding(66)
“You’re a dope sometimes, you know that, sis?”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s obvious that you’re in love with the man.”
“I am not.” Becky Lee sat back. “Am I?”
Her sister laughed. “Does your heart flutter when you see him? Do you miss sharing all the little details of your day? Heck, do you miss his kisses?”
“Yes.” Becky Lee sighed. “Yes to all of the above.”
Theresa Jean’s eyes saddened. “Well, there is one thing I’ve learned. Life is short. You need to take every opportunity for happiness. You never know when someone you love might be taken away from you.”
Becky Lee gave her sister a hug. “I’m sorry. I know you miss Gordon.”
“I do. So much that sometimes I feel like I can’t breathe.” Theresa Jean looked directly into Becky Lee’s eyes. “So, I guess I don’t understand why you won’t take a chance, risk telling Cal you love him. You might never get another opportunity and you’ll wonder all your life ‘what if’.”
Becky Lee looked at Theresa Jean, a woman wise beyond her years. The thing was, Becky Lee didn’t know which she was more scared of—telling Cal she loved him or risking him leaving her for good.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Cal stood in the corner of Greta’s yard. Greta had thrown a big barbecue to welcome her friend Ellie back home. She’d invited what looked to be at least half the town. Becky Lee and her friends, Jenny and Bella, and their husbands. TJ and Scotty. Gil Amaud and his girlfriend. He couldn’t remember her name, he’d have to ask Becky Lee.
He could use that as an excuse to talk to her. Becky Lee was surrounded by her friends and family. It was easy to see she belonged here. He felt more and more like the outsider.
“Uncle Cal.” Scotty and Penny came loping up to him. “You should come over here and see this.” Scotty grabbed his hand and tugged on him.
“Okay, okay, I’m coming.”
“Let me get Mom and Aunt Becky.” Scotty raced over and pulled the two women over to where Cal stood under the tree.
“Hey TJ, Becky Lee.” He shifted uncomfortably, then leaned against the tree. He wasn’t quite certain, but he thought TJ rolled her eyes.
“Watch this.” Scotty’s face turned all serious. “Penny, sit.”
The dog sat.
“Penny, shake.”
The dog raised a paw for Scotty to shake.
“Penny, high five.”
Cal laughed when Penny put both her paws in Scotty’s hand.
“Now watch this.” Scotty took a step back. “Penny, say yes.”
The dog bobbed her head up and down.
“That’s great, kiddo. You’ve really been working with him.” Cal smiled at Scotty.
“You know what? I think that deserves an ice cream cone. Why don’t you come with me and we’ll find one.” TJ took the boy’s hand, started walking away and turned back for a moment. She shrugged her shoulders, and this time he was sure she rolled her eyes at him.
Cal screwed up his courage and took Becky Lee’s hand in his. His heart pounded and he swallowed. Then swallowed again. “I need to talk to you.”
“Okay.” She looked up at him with her fathomless blue eyes.
“I know we got married because of Scotty.” He closed his eyes for a second, then opened them. “But somewhere along the line, I fell in love with you. Totally and completely. I can’t imagine my life without you in it. I don’t know that I can live up to your expectations of what a husband should be. I know this isn’t what you agreed to, what you planned on when you said you’d marry me—”
Becky Lee held up a finger to his lips, stopping him. “I love you, too.”
Cal’s whole world just dropped into place like the last piece on one of Scotty’s jigsaw puzzles. “You love me?”
“I do.”
He leaned down and kissed her gently, his finger threading through her hair. “I’ve been wanting to do that for weeks.”
“I’ve been wanting you to do that for weeks.” Becky Lee grinned back at him.
Cal took a step back and dropped to one knee. “Becky Lee, will you stay married to me? I love you and want to spend the rest of our lives together.”
Tears filled Becky Lee’s eyes. “I’d like nothing more than to stay married to you.”
Cal got back up to his feet and wrapped his arms around her. “You know what else?”
“What?”
“I think we should have a proper wedding night.” He winked at her.
Becky Lee broke into one of her captivating smiles—the ones that made his heart flip in his chest—and reached up to touch his face. “I think it’s about time you move back in… and this time, none of that sunroom nonsense. You should move right into my bedroom.”