Page 11 of Miracles and Marriage (Making a Family #5)

Zoe took a deep breath. What if she did fall in love with Cal? He had all the attributes she wanted in a father. In a husband as well? She shouldn’t burden her sister with all the pesky details behind the bargain. Would Chloe try to talk her out of the plan?

“I’m getting married and going to have a baby as soon as we can get me pregnant,” she said in a rush.

The silence on the other end lasted several seconds.

“Married? Who’s the lucky man?” she asked.

“Cal,” Zoe said, then held her breath.

She hears a whoosh of breath across the line.

“I always thought there was something between the two of you. Congratulations. What was it? He got jealous of you seeing all these men and you realized they were dweebs and he was the only man for you?”

Zoe laughed, feeling so comfortable with her sister. Maybe that would be a spin they could give it.

“Something like that. And—he wants a baby as much as I do.”

“Well, that’s a good thing. Have you told Mom yet? She’s going to be thrilled to death.”

“No. And don’t you tell her, either.”

“I won’t spoil your surprise. But I’d love to be there when you spring it on her.”

“It won’t be for a while.”

“What won’t?” Chloe asked.

“Telling her. Or anyone else for that matter. We want to keep this on the quiet for now.”

“Why?”

Good question. It was do or die time. Did she give her sister the real story, or gloss it over? No question, she trusted Chloe.

“It’s complicated, but if I don’t get pregnant, we’ll split.”

There was a pause on the other end.

“The jerk. How dare he put such a limitation on your marriage.”

“He didn’t, I did.”

“Are you nuts?”

“Listen, Chloe, I may not be able to get pregnant. You know the doctor said there was a risk I’d never conceive. I don’t want to hold a man who wants children to a childless marriage. Would you?”

When she’d mentioned that to Cal, he refused to believe she wouldn’t get pregnant. For him it was a non-issue.

“If I loved him to bits and he loved me, children would be a bonus, not the main focus of the relationship,” Chloe said slowly.

“Still, it is my decision and I don’t want others knowing yet.”

“What does Cal say about that?” Chloe asked.

“He thinks we will get pregnant.”

“Good for him—he’s an optimist. I like the way he thinks. So are you moving into his place or he into yours? When are you getting married? What are you going to tell Mom and Dad when you do get pregnant? Oops, guess we forgot to tell you about our wedding?”

“That’s something we’ll have to deal with when and if the time comes. Maybe we could have a ceremony for the family then.”

“I’m coming over. I want to see you face-to-face to make sure about this,” Chloe said.

Zoe sighed. She loved her sister, but sometimes she was too astute.

“I’ll be home all day. Come when you can.”

Might as well give in to the inevitable. Chloe was a force to be reckoned with.

Cal called Zoe after nine that evening. She’d showered and prepared for bed, curled up in a favorite chair in her pajamas reading a good book when the phone rang.

“I made arrangements for next Tuesday. I had Emily check your schedule for that day. No appointments noted on your calendar. Does that work for you?”

“Tuesday it is.”

She felt a zing of anticipation. After the wedding, would he want to sweep her away somewhere and get started on that baby? Or would he honor their agreement and wait for her to tell him when she was most fertile?

She wished she had her calendar handy—maybe the two dates collided. Or maybe she should forget that restriction. Being more proactive could be a good thing.

“We’ll go to the courthouse in Arlington. No waiting for a license in Virginia. A local judge will marry us.”

“Fine.” It was a good thing she never pined for a white dress and a dozen bridesmaids. It was never going to happen.

“Did you want a honeymoon?” he asked.

Zoe was startled by that thought.

“I didn’t expect one. But we can drive over to the beach, if you like, spend the night at the cottage.”

It’d be something out of the ordinary for a wedding night, even if not super special.

“What did you do today after you got home?” Cal asked.

“I told my sister about us. Chloe came right over and gave me the third degree. But she’s cool with keeping it quiet. She’s not quite as optimistic as you that I’ll conceive.”

Zoe wasn’t going to tell him how Chloe was convinced that Cal would never want a divorce no matter the outcome with a baby. But then, her twin still thought there was a closer tie to this relationship than there was.

Zoe couldn’t tell her it was totally a business arrangement—not in light of her sister’s happy marriage.

“How were things in the office?”

“Hectic as usual. But I cleared my calendar for Tuesday and can rearrange a couple of appointments Wednesday morning.”

He began to talk about an upcoming visit of an important businessman from Brazil, and Zoe shifted gears into business mode. Chloe would be horrified to find a newly engaged couple preferred to talk business than about themselves, but Zoe felt closer to Cal discussing business than their marriage.

Once the conversation ended, Zoe called her mother to make sure no one had plans for the sea cottage.

October was not a month most of the family liked to visit the beach.

She loved walking along the windy coast and watching the breakers.

But next week she didn’t want anyone to arrive unexpectedly.

No one planned to use it that her mother knew about.

“You’re taking some time off, honey?” her mom asked.

“Might go there for a couple of days. I love it in the fall.”

“I prefer it warm and sunny.”

“It’ll probably be sunny,” Zoe said, knowing her mother loved sitting on the warm sand beneath a wide umbrella and reading.

She rarely went into the water or into the sun, but enjoyed being lazy and watching others take advantage of the water.

“But not warm. Bundle up well.”

Zoe agreed, smiling. No matter how old she was, her mother was still Mom.

Despite the fact it wasn’t a love match, or even an auspicious night as her calendar reminded her when she checked, Zoe wanted something nice to be married in and something sexy to wear that first night.

She was having second thoughts, and third and fourths as well.

During the day, she tried to ignore the upcoming nuptials and treat Cal like she’d always done.

But during one staff meeting, her mind wandered to what it would be like to be married to him.

He was a dynamo around the office, expecting the most from those who worked for him.

He knew his business and made sure everyone was on the same wavelength for various projects.

He was tough but fair. And unswerving in his goals.

Of course he was also the best looking male in the office, in her opinion. Could she really be married to him?

At night she dreamed of a future with a small baby crying for cuddling, Cal hanging over her shoulder as she nursed their child. It was the getting-to-that-point that she glossed over. But anticipation built, alternating with delight and dread. One night before too long she and Cal would make love.

That thought scared her to death.

Late Tuesday afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Jedidiah Callahan headed east to the beach.

The ceremony had been brief, and rather perfunctory, Zoe mused as Cal’s car sped along.

The judge who married them had read the words from a book and seemed bored by the process.

The witnesses were his secretary and law clerk.

No one from Zoe’s family was there. Cal had no one to attend.

Zoe glanced at her left hand. The plain gold band Cal had placed there gleamed in the sunshine.

Because the marriage was to be secret she hadn’t thought about rings.

She wouldn’t wear it after today. Not in the office, not at home.

She clenched her hand into a fist as if to hold on tight.

For today, however, anyone they met could know they were married.

Her heart warmed slightly at the sight of the gold band.

“Do we need to stop for groceries?” he asked after a long silent spell.

“Unless you want to eat out every meal. There are only canned and packaged goods at the cottage. We never know if the power has gone out, so don’t keep perishables unless someone’s in residence.

I cleared out the fridge when I left last time,” Zoe said.

“Practically speaking, it’d be better to eat in.

Going to the local restaurants could give rise to gossip that would get back to my family. ”

“Tell me the best place to stop,” he replied with a quick, enigmatic look at her.

“Steubensville would be a good place. It’s not too far from Seagrass Point that cold foods would get warm, but not so close we’d likely run into anyone who knows me. My family has been staying off and on at Seagrass Point since my grandfather was a kid.”

Being in a clandestine marriage would take some getting used to.

Zoe wasn’t used to subterfuge. Every time she had an attack of conscience, she remembered the possibility of not being able to have a baby.

She wasn’t sure she could stand the well-meaning sympathy of others if that turned out to be the situation.

Better to protect herself from future pity.

The cottage was cold when they entered. Zoe quickly fired up the wall heater while Cal brought in their bags and the sacks of groceries.

“It’s only four o’clock. Too early to start dinner. Why don’t we change and take a walk along the beach,” she suggested.

Even though the house was huge by most standards, she felt it shrink with Cal in the room. She’d pointed out one of her brothers’ rooms as a place Cal could use for the night.

“Good idea. You can tell me all about growing up spending summers here,” he said.

The beach had held Zoe’s heart since she’d been a little girl. She’d always loved the timelessness of the breakers, the soothing calmness being here brought.