Marriage Matters

Forty-eight

Kristine planned to wait until Kevin was home before getting into a serious conversation about the fact that June wanted to pay for the wedding. It wasn’t a topic to discuss over the phone, that was for sure. Even though June’s intentions were good, Kristine knew that he wouldn’t see it that way.

Kevin had always had a strong sense of responsibility for providing for their family. Instead of seeing June’s gesture as what it was—a way for her to control the wedding—he would see it as a slight. He would take it as proof that June didn’t have faith in his ability to give Chloe the wedding she deserved. It was ridiculous, but that’s just how he was.

This worried her, especially since things had gotten so much better between them. Even though Kevin was still on the road all the time, he’d promised to talk to his boss about working from the satellite office or traveling only half of the time. Things were definitely looking up, and Kristine did not want anything to threaten that careful balance they’d found with each other. So, when he got back into town on Friday, she gave herself permission to enjoy one night with him without bringing it up.

Instead of talking about the wedding, they took a long walk around the neighborhood, cooked dinner together and, as they had practically every day since Italy, had amazing sex. As they lay in bed, Kevin held her until they both drifted off to sleep. It had been such a perfect, promising evening, but when she woke up on Saturday, she knew there was no more time to avoid the issue. That afternoon, while getting ready for the engagement photos, Kristine steeled herself for the conversation.

As Kevin walked out of the bathroom in a cloud of steam, straightening his tie, she said, “Hello, handsome.” He was wearing a simple navy suit that fit him perfectly and smelled like lemongrass and musk. “You look nice.”

“Yeah?” Kevin grinned. “Hot and sexy?”

Kristine wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders. “Very.” She stood up on her tiptoes to kiss his ear. Seeing their reflection in the mirror, she made a face. “Do I look like a bridesmaid?”

Kristine was wearing a fitted navy dress with a cowl neck, courtesy of June. The dress alone was a perfect lead-in for the conversation.

“You look gorgeous,” he said. Looking down at the tie, he shook his head. “But I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I will be dressed exactly like two other grown men.”

“That’s June,” Kristine said. “There’s nothing she likes more than controlling a wedding.”

On Friday morning, both the navy dress and the navy-and-silver-striped tie had been delivered in a neatly wrapped package from Ferragamo. The note inside the box explained that June had been hit with inspiration and that they should all plan to dress alike for the photograph. Since we’re not having bridesmaids, the note said, this will be the big “dress-alike” moment in our wedding. LOL!

“Oh, she means well.” He smiled. “Isn’t that what you always say to me?”

“Yes, but . . .” Kristine applied some coral lipstick, then set it down on the dresser with a clunk. “Kevin, I’m worried. She’s running the show, just like she did back with our wedding. Chloe doesn’t seem to mind, but . . .” Kristine smoothed down a damp strand of her husband’s hair, hating that the next words out of her mouth might hurt him. She hesitated. “There’s something I haven’t told you. Something big.”

Kevin cocked an eyebrow. “June wants me to ride down the aisle on a pony?”

“She wants to pay for the whole wedding,” Kristine told him. “Her part, our vow renewal and Chloe. She wants to pay for Chloe.”

Kevin’s blue eyes widened and his cheeks flushed. It was the same look he used to get before running down the field and tackling someone. Great. This was just the response she’d expected.

Quickly, she said, “Look, it’s only because she wants to make the wedding some big extravaganza. I told her that you would say absolutely not, that we’ll pay for our daughter, but she’s insisting. I really don’t know what to do. She’s not taking no for an answer.”

Kevin swallowed hard, the muscle in his jaw pulsing. “I—”

“Honey, I know.” Gently, she touched his cheek. “You’ve worked so hard to be able to do things like this. June’s not trying to take it away from you. But she has the money, she wants to be in charge and with everything happening at the last minute, it’s going to be incredibly expen—”

“Kristine, it’s okay.” He shook his head. “It’s fine. Let’s just let her do it.”

Kristine dropped her hand in surprise. “Really?”

“Why not?” He let out a sharp puff of air. Reaching for her hand, he said, “If it will make her happy, then let her go right ahead. We can use Chloe’s wedding money for something else. Something special for us.”

Kristine didn’t know what to say. To be honest, she was shocked. Where was the bulging vein in his forehead? The angry proclamation that he was the provider for his family, no matter what? She waited for some type of tell. A rude remark, a frown, something. But the only thing he did was reach down and smooth his tie.

Huh. Maybe he didn’t want to ruin the careful balance they’d recaptured, either.

“June’s got money.” Flipping over the tie, he indicated the designer label. “Let her use it.”

Kristine felt slightly suspicious. The easygoing response wasn’t like him. “What are you not telling me?”

Kevin seemed to jump. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know.” She studied his blue eyes. They seemed guarded. “I feel like you’re taking this too calmly. Did you already put the deposit down on the church or something? You beat June to it?”

“Kris, no.” Glancing at his watch, he said, “You about ready? There might be traffic.” She was still eyeing him and he said, “Look, it’s not a big deal. We’re a family. If it’s important to you and it’s important to her . . . I really don’t mind.”

“Thank you,” Kristine emphasized. “I really appreciate that.”

“What am I supposed to say to you?” Kevin reached out and stroked her face. “I’m kind of defenseless, considering the fact that you’re an absolute knockout.” Leaning forward, he kissed her on the mouth and ran a hand up her leg. Suddenly, his hand stopped and a funny look crossed his face. “What the hell are these?” he said, tugging at her pantyhose.

“Wait. Kevin, those are—”

Too late. Kevin had already grabbed the thin material between his thumb and forefinger and stretched it out from her leg. With a little pop, the pantyhose snagged.

“Whoops.” His face split into a grin. “You didn’t really want to wear those anyway, did you?”

“Shit!” Kristine examined the tear. “Yes, actually. I did.”

They were taking pictures down by Lake Michigan and even though it was only November, the breeze would be icy cold. Clear nail polish might stop the snag, but she had no idea where her nail kit was.

“Great. Now I’m going to freeze. Stop,” she said when he tried to run his hand up her leg once again. “Seriously. It’s going to be . . .”

Kevin reached for her hands and held them. Using the strength of his legs, he guided her toward the bed and gently pushed her down. Leaning in close, he examined the tear. She could feel the warmth of his breath as he studied it, then the heat of his mouth as he pressed his lips over the exposed skin of her thigh.

“Stop,” she said, batting at him. It was futile. Like trying to fight off a bear on a hunt for honey. “Kevin, we have to go . . .”

Slowly, he traced the outline of the tear with his tongue. She felt a slight tingling in her stomach at his touch and a sharp tug as Kevin took the sheer material in between his teeth. Slowly, he ripped them all the way up her inner thigh.

“Kevin, stop,” she groaned, but her commitment to be on time was definitely starting to waver.

It wavered even further as Kevin slipped a thumb under the thin material of her white cotton underwear, found her center and pressed down. She tried to wriggle out of his grasp but every time she moved, it just increased the sensation between her legs. Slowly, he lowered his mouth back down to her thigh and lightly bit into her skin.

“This reminds me of the last time we did engagement photos.” He chuckled, reaching for her.

Back when Kristine and Kevin got married, June not only took charge of the invitations, the guest list and the location of their wedding, she also orchestrated the engagement photos. The instructions were precise: The photos would take place at the country club. Kristine was to wear light blue and Kevin was to wear a khaki suit with a light blue tie. Kristine was to look slightly weepy, while Kevin was to stare at her in adoration. Kristine was to lean against him and Kevin was to place a hand on hers. The list went on and on.

The only way Kristine and Kevin got through it was sneaking off to the bathroom and having sex in a linen closet. Kristine had walked out with her hair all askew and June had shrieked in horror.

Kristine smiled at the memory. Stretching out a languid arm, she ran it over Kevin’s back. The material of his suit jacket felt as smooth as water against her fingers. “Maybe this time,” she said, “we should just skip the photos altogether.”

Kevin buried his face in her neck. “If it wasn’t for the fact that our daughter will be there with her fiancé, that is exactly what we’d do.” Sitting up on one elbow, he gave her a wicked look. “I would keep you here and f*ck you senseless for the rest of the night.”

“Oh, honey.” Kristine kissed the tip of his nose. “How did you ever get to be such a sensitive guy?”

* * *

Chloe stepped out of the cab, her dress flapping in the wind. June had decided that the engagement photos should be shot on the beach, just off Lakeshore Drive. The skyline loomed in the background, the sun bouncing dramatically off the buildings.

From where she stood, Chloe could see that her parents, her grandmother and Charley were already there. Geoff was nowhere in sight. She was surprised. He had promised to get Mary Beth a sitter and be there on time, since the odds were good that Chloe would be running late. Luckily, she wasn’t. After racing home from a midterm to change into the navy silk dress June had sent, she’d paid the cabbie extra to put the pedal to the metal and get her there on time.

June rushed forward to greet her. “Chloe, you look darling,” she crooned, kissing her hard on each cheek. “Weren’t these dresses a great idea?”

“You’re wearing it best,” she said, admiring her grandmother. “People are going to look at your picture and be like, ‘It’s a shame that one’s off the market.’”

June did look awesome. Whether it was due to face creams, those crazy hats she wore or just good genes (Chloe crossed her fingers on that one), her skin was luminescent. Her hair was perfect, her eye makeup perfectly applied (certainly no makeup chart required) and large diamonds sparkled from her ears.

“Seriously, Grandma,” Chloe said, nodding. “You’re a hottie.”

“Charley’s the hottie.” June gave a coquettish smile. “Just look at him.”

Charley was standing down by the water, chatting with the photographer. He wore the navy suit, a light blue button-up and the silver-and-blue-striped tie. His silver hair glinted like something out of a yacht ad. Spotting Chloe, he gave a friendly wave.

Chloe laughed. “Leave it to you to find him.”

June beamed. “Oh, I know quality when I see it.”

“Hi, honey,” Kristine called. She was walking toward them in her bare feet, her shoes dangling from her hand. Pulling Chloe into a tight hug, she gave her a loud smack on the cheek. “I can’t believe we’re taking your engagement photo!” Beckoning to Kevin, she said, “Can you believe this? Our baby’s old enough for an engagement photo.”

Chloe blushed, giving a furtive look around. She might be old enough for an engagement photo, but apparently, she wasn’t smart enough to have a groom that could get there on time. Where the hell was Geoff?

“You look good, kid.” Her father walked up and ruffled her hair. Looking from Chloe to Kristine to June, his face split into a grin. “I hit the jackpot. I’m surrounded by beautiful women.”

“Alright, we should get started.” June pointed at the sun, which was starting to dip in the sky. As though Geoff’s absence had just struck her, she said, “Chloe, where on earth is your fiancé?”

“Um . . .” Chloe scanned the beach, as though she’d just noticed that he was missing, too. Fumbling for her phone, she said, “Give me just one second.”

June bit her lip, her brown eyes watching her closely. “He is coming, isn’t he?”

“Yes, of course,” Chloe said. “Don’t be silly.” But inside, she was starting to panic. He should have been here by now. Hopefully, he hadn’t forgotten. “Let me just see where he is.”

Adjusting her dress, June straightened her shoulders and headed over to the photographer. “Tell him to hurry up,” she called over her shoulder. “I want that sunset!”

Geoff answered on the first ring. “We’re on our way.”

Taking a few steps away from her parents, Chloe said, “Wait. You’re bringing Mary Beth?”

The beach was practically deserted, if you didn’t count old seaweed and the occasional water bottle. She didn’t see a nanny service hanging around, just waiting to keep an eye on a four-year-old. Not to mention a four-year-old who had the capacity to ruin an entire photo session.

“Geoff, who’s going to watch her?” Chloe asked, as Mary Beth screamed something in the background. “We’re all going to be in the picture.”

“It was short notice,” Geoff said. “The babysitter couldn’t—”

A solution popped into her head. “Take her to Tiny Tumblers,” she instructed. “Tell them it’s an emergency.”

“I can’t . . . You,” Geoff’s voice crackled over the line. “Sor . . . See . . . A minute.”

Chloe hung up the phone. Sand whipped around her, stinging her skin. Letting out a deep breath, she turned to her parents. “He couldn’t get a sitter,” she called. “It looks like Mary Beth is coming.”

“Oh, good!” Stepping forward, Kristine smoothed back a strand of Chloe’s wild hair. “That’s great news. We’ve all been dying to meet her.”

“Don’t get too excited,” Chloe warned, trying to not look as worried as she felt. “It sounds like she’s in one of her moods.”

* * *

“I want to be in the picture,” Mary Beth cried, stomping her feet.

June was horrified. Sand flew up around Geoff’s child like some sort of natural disaster. The girl sniffled and heaved, staring at them with clenched fists, as an unsightly strand of snot ran down the front of her face.

Typically, June made it a rule to avoid children but for her future grandchild, she thought she could make an exception. Heavens, she’d thought wrong. Mary Beth had done nothing but cry and carry on since she’d arrived. Chloe had wasted several precious minutes of their photography session trying to calm down the girl, while the sun continued to dip lower and lower in the sky.

“We need to keep shooting,” June called, running her tongue over her front teeth. “Chloe, please come stand here with us.”

The group had its back to the water, while small waves crashed gently against the shore. Every now and again, a tiny spray of icy water slapped June on the legs but it was worth it. The pictures would be gorgeous, if they actually had enough time to take them.

As soon as Chloe rushed back to the group, June said, “Okay. Now, everyone smile.”

Mary Beth wailed, kicking sand in their general direction. Some of it landed on June’s shoes.

Geoff must have heard her huff, because he turned those pretty green eyes on her. “I’m sorry, June,” he said. “I am so sorry about all this.”

June sniffed. If Geoff were truly sorry, he would have called an emergency nanny half an hour ago. At this point, sorry wouldn’t cut it. She wasn’t trying to be selfish, but this engagement photo meant the world to her. Not only was it with her entire family, but it was June’s first engagement photo ever.

It was hard to believe that she and Eugene had skipped this important step but back then, it had seemed like the right thing to do. There simply wasn’t time for such a thing. With him slated to ship out, they were lucky to get the wedding preparations completed. In the interest of both time and money, they decided to skip it.

June had regretted that decision for years. There were moments where she would have given anything to look through a photo album and revisit that magical period, just before she and Eugene had become husband and wife. The fact that this time she had the opportunity to share the experience of marriage with her entire family . . . Well, that was a blessing too precious for words. June was determined to take full advantage of each and every detail and, finally, have the wedding of her dreams.

However, this bothersome child was quickly turning her dream into a nightmare.

As though on cue, Mary Beth screamed, “Wahhh!” from her place in the sand.

“Mary Beth, honey,” Chloe called, her voice strained. “Look at your daddy smile for the camera.”

June let out a hearty sigh. Fluffing her hair, she breathed in the soothing scent of the tea rose perfume she had worn for the occasion and pasted a beatific smile on her face. She hoped that, when the pictures were printed, her eyes would not betray the fact that she found the situation ridiculous.

Feeling a tap on her shoulder, June turned to see a pleading look in her granddaughter’s gray eyes. “Why don’t we just let her be in one picture?” Mary Beth’s cries had become borderline hysterical. “Seriously. It won’t hurt anything.”

Hearing this suggestion, Mary Beth stopped crying. Instantly.

What a little fraud.

“Absolutely not,” June said, forcing her voice to remain cheerful. “Mary Beth, when you get married, you’ll have your very own engagement photos. And . . . everyone smile!”

“I want to get mawwwwwwied,” Mary Beth bellowed. “Ahhhhhhhhhh.”

The pitch was at a frequency that made even the photographer cringe. June put a finger to her ear and was grateful that Charley didn’t wear a hearing aid. The sound might have brought him to his knees. As it was, the top window of one of the nearby skyscrapers undoubtedly had a hairline crack.

“Geoff, we need to—”

“Chloe, just smile for the—”

“June, why can’t we just—”

“That’s it.” Charley’s voice boomed across the beach like dynamite. “That’s enough!”

Everyone, including Mary Beth, fell silent.

“Mary Beth, get over here,” Charley ordered. “Right now.”

June preened. Finally. A man who could take charge of the situation.

Mary Beth stuck her thumb in her mouth and stomped through the sand toward Charley. She stood in front of him, her eyes bright and teary. He bent down to one knee without any trouble, which is something June loved about him. The man was fit. No doubt about that.

“Do you want to be in the picture?” Charley demanded.

Mary Beth nodded.

“Well, come on then.” Charley lifted her up and put her on his shoulders.

June’s mouth dropped open. “But . . . But Charley,” she sputtered. “This is not what I planned for. This is—”

“This is life, June. Sometimes, you’ve just got to work with what you got,” he said. “Now, everyone smile! We want that sunset.”

As the photographer snapped away, June was devastated. Had she not made it clear that Mary Beth was not to be in the picture? Yes, the girl had finally stopped crying but her shoes were swinging back and forth, practically kicking sand into June’s face. Oh, everything was ruined. Ruined! Didn’t Charley understand?

Just as she was ready to call off the whole thing, Charley leaned forward and brushed his lips against her ear. “It’ll be okay, June,” he said, his voice gentle. “Trust me. You just have to be patient.”

Well, if it didn’t just turn out that the man was right. Just as the sun started to set, Mary Beth got bored with it all and decided she would rather play in the sand. The little girl skipped away from the group and started to build a sand castle. The photographer burst into action.

“Quickly. Quickly, please,” he shouted, directing the group to line up along the shore.

Charley pulled her close. “You see?” he said, giving her that perfect smile. “Sometimes old Charley knows exactly what to do.”

Spontaneously, June turned to kiss him as the photographer fired away.