Have Husband, Need Honeymoon

Although he’d intended to go home, he found himself driving out to the lake, sitting by the edge, looking at the chapel across the water. As he threw rocks into the lake and watched them sink to the bottom, he contemplated the downward spiral his life had taken.

And he remembered the last time he and Alison had been here together. The night they’d made love.

He shouldn’t have kissed her back at her shop, but the kiss had been so natural, so damn full of uninhibited passion that he’d forgotten the reason he’d returned to town. The reasons he’d broken things off with her.

He’d nearly forgotten he couldn’t be with her again.

Although it was seven o’clock, the hot July sun was still beating down fiercely on his neck, and he swiped at the perspiration on his brow. A headache pulsed behind his eyes, due to the strain and the aftereffects of the head injury he’d suffered in the accident, so he lay back on the grassy hill and closed his eyes. Memories of his high school days, of football games and dances and Alison, floated in and out of his consciousness, and he finally drifted into a deep sleep. But in his sleep, he was suddenly thrust back into that last training maneuver, the simulated combat mission in the Arizona mountains, the horrible accident….

The sound of Josh’s panicked voice rang in his ears. “Caught his jet wash!”

The third jet turned and flew left.

Brady gritted his teeth. Josh was the best pilot he knew. He could handle it. “Hang in there, Shooter.”

“No, not good,” Josh mumbled.

“The bogey’s right on me,” Brady called. “Got to drop altitude.” He dropped and exhaled as the bogey zoomed ahead.

Josh cursed. “Damn. My engines are down!”

Brady glanced sideways and saw Josh’s fighter jet fly into a spin.

Brady hung a right onto Josh’s tail. “Pull it up, man, pull it up.”

“Can’t. Out of control.” The radio crackled. “This is bad…can’t get her back.”

Brady saw the mountain coming at them. Josh’s plane’s belly skimmed a rocky peak, clipping one of the wings.

“Lost the other engine!” Josh shouted. “Mayday! Mayday!”

Brady had to do something, had to help his friend! But the bogey was coming back toward him. “Eject! Eject, Shooter! Hit the eject button.”

Josh’s voice rasped out, “Can’t reach it.”

“Dammit, man, eject now! And watch the canopy!”

“Eject button malfunctioning!”

Brady’s hands tightened on his own controls as Josh tried to crash-land, the jet shimmying wildly in its nose dive toward the valley. Another mountain came at Brady and he barely pulled up in time. The bogey pulled up and circled back. Josh hit the trees, skimmed along atop them, then plunged into the mountain.

Brady grappled with his own aircraft. Seconds later, his heart pounding, he landed, barely missing a nearby military building on the edge of the mountain as he rammed into the forest. Even before the plane stopped completely, he was undoing his seat belt. The jet’s nose hit a tree and the impact threw him forward, his head slamming the control panel.

Then he was fighting to get out, running across the terrain.

An explosion suddenly rent the air. The wing of Josh’s jet blew off and shards of metal slammed against his leg, knocking him to the ground. Another explosion shook the rocks, causing them to collapse. His foot was trapped, caught beneath the rubble. He yanked, tore at the debris, dragged his limb free. Pain shot through him. His leg was twisted and mangled, but he dragged himself forward. He clawed at the burning wreckage, frantically trying to pry open the door.

Blood spurted from his arm; metal scalded his hands; pieces splintered, slammed into his head. He tried to crawl inside, but the wreckage was an inferno. Josh…God no!

Brady jerked awake, trembling and sweating, the horror of Josh’s twisted body still vivid, his own screams ringing in his ears. Where was he? The lake? But he’d heard an explosion.

Fireworks.

The town had started their evening show with a burst of patriotic red and blue colors. He must have slept for over two hours, for night had fallen. A skyful of stars twinkled above the lake, and the moon shone like a beacon. Just the way it had the night he and Alison had made love here. So damn long ago.

Another lifetime.

The marriage, the annulment—the sheer reality of it all crashed on top of him, almost as painful as the explosion had been. Alison had fallen in love with the star football player, the adventurous guy who planned to be a fighter pilot, the man who’d intended on spending his life serving his country, a hero.

If he and Josh hadn’t been trying to best each other in the flying maneuvers, Josh might have realized the bogey was on him before he got caught in the other plane’s jet wash. Brady couldn’t escape the guilt that he had survived and Josh hadn’t.

He looked down at himself in disgust, stared at the ugly scar twisting around his hand, at his leg, which was scarred and ugly beneath his pants. He was a broken shell of a man. Alison deserved a whole man. How could he have done anything but ask her to file the papers?

“YOU’RE AWFULLY QUIET, sis. Something wrong?”

Alison glanced at Hannah and forced a smile. Other than the fact that she had just watched the fireworks with three very-much-in-love couples on top of a beautiful hill overlooking the meadow by the lake, and she was alone, she was fine. Jake, Seth and Joe had gone for lemonade, momentarily leaving her with her sisters and Vivica.

“Alison?”

“I’m just tired, I suppose.”

Mimi leaned closer. “Where’s Thomas?”

Good grief. She hadn’t even thought about him. “He had another delivery. Seems like the Fourth is a big day for babies.”

Mimi laughed and patted her stomach. “I’m glad I have a few more weeks.”

“Did you get a chance to talk to Brady?” Vivica asked.

Alison tried not to let his name affect her. “Yes, for a few minutes.”

“How’s he doing, Vivi?” Hannah asked. “Jake and I saw him walking toward the Thunderbird. He looked as if he was limping.”

“He had an accident.” Vivica frowned. “I’m going to help him with physical therapy while he’s home.”

“Why didn’t you tell us he’d been hurt?” Mimi asked.

Vivica shrugged. “He asked me not to say anything to anyone.”

Alison struggled with her emotions. “What happened, Vivi?”

Vivica ran her fingers through her pixie hair. “I don’t know exactly, some kind of crash during a training maneuver. He won’t talk about it.”

That sounded exactly like Brady, Alison thought. He’d keep everything to himself, all his troubles, his pain. He always had to be the tough guy.

She had to be tough, too. After her parents divorce, she’d heard her mother arguing with Wiley. “I can’t stand married life. That baby’s always clinging to me.”

That baby had been her.

Alison had made up her mind then she would never cling to anyone, and she wouldn’t cling to Brady now.

“So, what did you tell Thomas?” Vivica asked.

Alison jerked her head up, surprised at the change in subject. How pathetic—she was still starved for any word about Brady. “I told him I needed time to think about it.” And I need time to end my first marriage.

She opened her mouth to confide in them, then realized she couldn’t, not now. Vivi and her sisters would want to know details, but her feelings were too raw to discuss with even her closest friend and her sisters.

The men sauntered back, laughing and joking, each heading toward his loved one. Alison suddenly felt out of place. The crowd was breaking up, so she said good-night, then headed toward her car, remembering her conversation with Brady. She’d told him she’d file the annulment papers as soon as possible so she could move on with her life.

But who could she get to file them? She didn’t want the whole town to find out about her hasty marriage, to gossip and pry. She could see the headlines “Town bridal consultant divorces.” She needed a lawyer, someone who would be discreet.

Her mother.

A ball of anxiety knotted her stomach. She’d promised herself she’d never ask Janelle Hartwell for anything. After all, for more than twenty years she’d been a non-existent parent. Alison had been three when Janelle had deserted them. So she barely even remembered her. She and Hannah and Mimi had always depended on their father, Wiley. He’d been wonderful, except for that one night—the night he’d forced Alison to have the annulment.

And now she was back in that boat again.

The very reason she was thinking about her mother, the lawyer. Dear heavens, she’d refused Janelle’s offer of financial aid when she’d decided to open the bridal shop; she hated to go to her now. But Donald Matthews and her mother were the only two lawyers in town. Matthews’s secretary Wanda had a mouth like a party line. Janelle was the only one Alison could swear to secrecy.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw Jake and Hannah, Mimi and Seth, and Vivica and Joe all walking hand in hand toward their cars, and felt more alone than ever. She didn’t want to be alone forever. And Brady didn’t want her—he’d made it clear when he’d stopped writing, and then again today. She had to accept his decision.

Knowing she shouldn’t put off the inevitable, she dug through her purse for her cell phone, swallowed a big chunk of pride, punched in her mother’s number, and left a message on her machine.

Chapter Four

“It’s nice to have you home.” Brady’s mother placed a heaping plate of pancakes in the center of the table, along with a pitcher of maple syrup and a bowl of fresh strawberries, all the time complaining about how the heat had affected her garden. “We need a man around this house.”

Brady’s hand tightened around his coffee cup.

Vivica rolled her eyes. “We don’t need a man, Mom. We’ve managed fine on our own.” She winked at her brother. “But it is nice to have you here, Brady.”

He smiled, grateful for her interference, and stabbed some of the hotcakes. “Do you need some yard work done or something, Mom?”

“Heavens no, the grass is dying from lack of rain.” His mother scooted a plate of sausages toward him. “You eat up, now, son. You look a little thin to me.”

“I’m fine, Mom.” Brady ignored the way she stared at him in concern. “But I must admit, I have missed your cooking.”

“Just don’t overdo it and get fat or you won’t be able to fit into your uniform when you return to duty,” Vivica said.

Brady’s fork halted in midair. When he went back? He wasn’t sure if he would, but he hadn’t told anyone yet.

Mrs. Broussard stirred sugar into her coffee. “I thought you might decide to stay here. Won’t they give you some kind of early medical discharge?”

“Mom,” Vivica chided. “Don’t start bugging Brady to retire from the Air Force.”

“I thought he might have changed his mind about taking over the print shop.”

The pancakes were beginning to clump in Brady’s stomach like rocks. He and his mother had argued about this over and over in the last few months. It was one reason he hadn’t come home sooner. Trouble was, he wasn’t sure he would ever fly again—and for the first time in his life, he was actually considering her suggestion.

Vivica pushed away from the table. “Gotta run now. I want to catch Alison before I have to go to work.”

Brady watched Vivica hurry out the door. What would Alison think if she knew he was considering staying?

“I’M SO GLAD YOU WANTED to meet for breakfast.” Janelle Hartwell laid her hand over Alison’s. “I want us to get together more often.”

Alison struggled not to immediately pull her hand free. “This isn’t a social visit.”

Disappointment flitted across her mother’s face. “Oh, then what exactly is it?”

Alison took a sip of her water, silently asking for courage. Her mother was dressed to the nines today in a designer suit. The perfect outfit made her seem standoffish, contradicting the almost overeager look in her eyes. If Alison didn’t know better, she’d have thought her mother really wanted to be a part of her life. “I need your help.”

Janelle studied her silently for a moment, her ruby lips slowly moving into a smile. “Of course, honey. What can I do for you?”

She should have asked that years ago, when Alison needed her to take her shopping for her first bra, explain the facts of life, show up at her swim meets… But she bit back the words. Hannah and Wiley and Grammy Rose had been there for all those things. And Alison couldn’t dwell in the past. Not with her mother or with Brady.

She placed the envelope on the table, sipping coffee while her mother studied the papers. Finally her mother sent her a questioning look. “You were married?”

Alison nodded. “Brady and I dated his last year in high school, then he went to college and we kept in touch.” She hesitated, not wanting to share too many details. “After his father died, we grew closer, then Brady joined the Air Force. The night before he was supposed to leave, we got married.”

“Young and impulsive, huh?”

Alison smiled. “Exactly. But Dad found out the next morning and insisted we have the marriage annulled.”

Janelle nodded, crinkling her eyes in confusion. “But he never filed the papers?”

“He asked Grammy to file them, but she forgot.” Alison twisted the napkin in her lap. “She sent them to me a couple of days ago.”

“I see.”

The waiter delivered their breakfast, an omelette for Alison, wheat toast and fresh fruit for her mother. Janelle took a bite of her sliced peaches before continuing. “So you want me to file them?”

“Yes. As soon as possible.” Alison leaned closer. “And I’d like to keep this between us. I don’t want the town to know. I never even told Hannah or Mimi about the marriage.”

Janelle arched a brow. “All right, but why the hurry?”

Alison shrugged and pushed the omelette around on her plate, wishing she’d stuck with dry cereal. “It’s been almost four years. I’d hardly call that a hurry.”

Her mother smiled, smearing butter on her toast. “I guess you have a point. But there may be a problem.”

Alison’s stomach protested the eggs, so she sipped her orange juice instead. “What kind of problem?”

“There are certain restrictions on the parameters for annulment. You were both legally of age. You aren’t cousins or related in any way.”

Alison nodded.

“There was no coercion involved—I’m assuming he didn’t force you into marriage?”

“No, of course not.”

“Neither one of you were already married at the time?”

She shook her head.

“One last thing—did you consummate the marriage?”

Alison’s breath caught. Even as a grown woman, she found it way too weird having this conversation with her mother.

Janelle waited, studying her with a knowing look.

“Yes, we consummated the marriage.”

Janelle nodded. “Well, then unless one of you can claim mental impairment, you don’t fit the parameters for an annulment.”

“What?”

“That’s the law, honey.”

“Then…then what do we do?”

“You’ll have to file for a divorce.”

Divorce. That seemed like such an ugly word, so much more hurtful than annulment.

“And how long will a divorce take?”

“About thirty days.” Janelle poured more coffee, her voice low. “That is, if neither of you contests it.”

BRADY HAD PROMISED his mom he’d stop by the print shop and help out for a while, but he’d also promised Vivica he’d meet her at Alison’s to discuss wedding plans.

And of course, he needed to find out about the ending of his own marriage.

Dreading the thought of seeing Alison almost as much as the thought of not seeing her, he strolled down Main Street, noting changes in the town he hadn’t noticed the day before. In the aftermath of the big celebration, the small community seemed unusually quiet, a peaceful blend of nostalgic antique shops and more contemporary businesses popping up. A recreation center had opened on the corner, he wondered if Alison swam there daily. He passed a new law office with the name Janelle Hartwell on the door—could that be Alison’s mother, or had Wiley remarried? Moving along, he noticed a sign for Wacky Wiley’s Used-Car Fourth of July Sale, then the Hotspot, which Vivi said Mimi had opened next to Alison’s bridal shop. Everywhere he looked there seemed to be Hartwells.

His parents’ print shop was situated a few doors down from Alison’s store, with a photography shop and a dress boutique in between. Brady entered the Weddings to Remember shop, bracing himself to see Alison.

She stood behind a long counter filled with a selection of bridal books, crystal champagne flutes and bridesmaid gifts. A long, white, lacy wedding dress covered in pearl beads hung behind her on a padded hanger. As he drank in the sight of her, his vision blurred and he imagined Alison wearing the dress—to their wedding.

The bell tinkled, announcing his arrival and shaking him back to reality. “Alison.”

She looked up. “Brady.”

At one time, she would have launched herself into his arms. Now she seemed wary, distant. What had he expected? “I’m supposed to meet Vivi here.”

She nodded, adjusted a stack of brochures and walked around the counter. “Can I get you some coffee?” She gestured toward a corner table draped in a rose tablecloth, complete with coffee, condiments and sweet rolls.

He pressed his hand to his stomach. “No, thanks. Mom stuffed me this morning.”

Alison’s mouth curved into a smile and his gut clenched. He’d forgotten how her eyes sparkled with flecks of gold when she smiled. “I bet she loves having you home.”

“I’ll probably gain twenty pounds in a week.”

A small laugh escaped her and he couldn’t help but smile. God, he missed the sound of her voice and laughter.

“So, you want to sit down? Vivi should be here soon, then we can discuss the plans. I’ve worked out a tentative schedule to make sure all the details fall into place.”

The shop seemed amazingly intimate as he limped to the sitting area and situated himself in the green chair again.

As if she read his mind, Alison said, “The shop shouldn’t be very busy today. Everyone’s probably gone into Atlanta to the big malls for the holiday sales.” She rattled on for several minutes, filling him in on her sisters’ jobs and how Mimi had come to own the coffee dessert shop. “So Mimi and Seth ended up together. They were married in the gazebo on Pine Mountain at Grammy Rose’s, just like Hannah.”

He nodded and was just about to open his mouth to ask how he could help with his sister’s wedding plans when she continued. “I had breakfast with my mother this morning.”

That surprised him. “I didn’t know she was back in town.”

“She came back a couple of months ago. We were all surprised.”

He remembered Alison mentioning her mother once, not in a good way, either. “So, how is it?”

“Awkward as all get out.”

Honest, forthright Alison.

“But we’re managing. She set up a law office downtown.”

“Oh, yeah, I saw it on my way over.”

Alison nodded, gathered some paperwork he assumed had to do with his sister’s wedding, and sat down on the love seat. Today she was wearing a peach-colored shell and a floral skirt that hit her midknee, showcasing those dynamite long legs. He tried not to think about how they’d felt wrapped around him, or how they would feel again.

“Anyway, I asked my mother to handle the annulment.”

Oh, right, so Alison could marry someone else. “I see. And she agreed?”

“Yes, but there’s a problem.”

She didn’t want the annulment? His heart missed a beat as he waited.

“Technically we can’t annul the marriage. There are parameters for that.” She listed several reasons. “And since the marriage was consummated…” A slight blush swept across her features, making her appear young and vulnerable again, reminding him of that night when she’d lain naked in his arms. “Well, unless one of us pleads mental incompetence, we have to file for a divorce instead.”

“I guess we could both plead mental incompetence. We were only kids.”

“Yeah, impulsive, crazy in love…” She laughed, a nervous sound this time.

“Crazy teenage hormones. But I don’t suppose the judge would buy that.” He forced a laugh, too, but the laughter died quickly, fading into awkwardness.

“Anyway, my mother agreed to file the papers for us. She said a divorce takes about thirty days, unless someone contests it.” She fiddled with her notepad. “I told her to keep everything confidential, that I didn’t want the whole town to know. Since I’m a wedding planner, a divorce might not be good for business.”

So her job was more important than his feelings. And she probably didn’t want her new boyfriend to know she’d married him.

Brady nodded, glancing sideways at the fake wedding cake sitting on the table. They hadn’t had a cake the night they’d married, but they’d stopped at the doughnut shop, bought crème-filled doughnuts and fed them to each other to celebrate their union. Everything had been so simple—they hadn’t cared about details. They’d only cared about being together.

Now she wanted to erase that past without anyone ever knowing they’d shared it.

ALISON WONDERED IF BRADY was remembering their wedding, the simple but romantic ways they’d celebrated. Maybe she could put their relationship behind her if she understood more about where it had gone wrong. He looked so lost and faraway that she forgot her pride.

“Why did you stop writing, Brady?”

His head jerked back to hers, his breathing raspy. But he quickly looked away, studied his hands, his shoes, finally resting his hands on his knees. “I intended to keep my promises when I left. But…”

“You met someone else?”

“No.” His gaze flew to hers, a hint of desperation there, as if it was important to him that she believe him. “I was sent on a training assignment and was out of touch most of last year.”

“That’s when the letters stopped.”

He nodded. “I couldn’t contact anyone, not even my family, to let them know where I was.”

“What about when you returned?”

“I intended to write you then, but we did some combat maneuvers in Arizona, and I had the accident.”

“You were in the hospital?”

“About three months.”

Alison’s hand flew to her chest. “That serious? Vivi didn’t tell any of us.”

He nodded again, his eyes dark as he stretched his fingers in front of him and studied his hands. “I asked her not to say anything.”

“Why not? You knew we’d be worried.”

“Look, Alison, I’m sorry.”

“Was anyone else hurt?”

Brady hesitated. “My best friend, Josh, was killed.”

Alison’s heart broke for him. “Oh, Brady, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s over now, but things change, Alison. People change.” He flexed his hands, then balled them into fists. “When I was recovering, I realized I’d been away too long, that it was time for both of us to move on.”

She frowned in confusion. “Because you lost your friend?”

His voice took on a hard edge. “Because you have your life here, and I have another life. Why keep writing, hanging on to silly teenage dreams? Like you said, we were impulsive kids. We’re not anymore.”

His words sounded so harsh, so final. Alison tried to absorb what he was saying and the things he wasn’t saying. She had a feeling the parts he’d left out were as important as the things he’d openly revealed.

“When do you have to report back for duty?”

“In a month, but my enlistment time’s almost up.” He shifted, avoiding eye contact. “Mom’s pressuring me to come home and run the print shop, and with Dad gone and Vivi moving to Atlanta, I’m…I’m considering it.”

“What?” Alison couldn’t have been more shocked if he’d said he wanted to open a bridal shop. “But, Brady, you hated working there in high school, even for the summer. You never wanted to do anything but fly.”