Summer Kisses (58 page)

“I thought you’d never ask.”

A week later, The Marilyns were going out again. Lucky tugged on her blonde Marilyn Monroe wig, stuck on her mole, stepped into her gold strappy high heels, straightened her white, blow-up-the-vent dress, and grabbed her purse.

Before last week, it had been almost a year since their last escapade.

She opened the door of her bedroom and nearly head-butted Will.

His eyes roamed down her body. “Nice.”

Lucky spun for him.

“There’s never a vent around to blow up a dress when you need one.” Will whistled. “Legs, I hate to repeat myself, but nice. I don’t suppose you’d wear that to bed tonight. I’ve always had a thing for Marilyn.”

She kissed him smack on the mouth with her red Marilyn lips. “I knew you were good people.”

Will took her hand, pulled her back into the room, and closed the door. “I did something today that I’m not sure you’re going to like.”

He looked honestly worried.

“Okay, I guess you’d better tell me what it is.” How bad could it be? This was Will. He loved her.

“I booked you and The Marilyns a day at the Lake Austin Spa Resort.” Will leaned against the door. “I know it’s what Ricky did when he wanted to get rid of you, but I just wanted to do something nice for you. You’ve been working so hard on the birthday party, and well, it was the girls’ idea—”

She cut him off with a kiss. “Thank you.” She cupped his face. “I know you’re not Ricky. I don’t question your motivations like I questioned his. I love you, Will, and I trust you completely.”

His face lit up. “I could stand to hear you say it every day for the rest of my life.”

One corner of Lucky’s mouth turned up. “Is that a proposal?”

“Legs, when I propose, you’ll know it.” He pulled her to him. “I have a plan.”

“When do I get to know the details of your plan?” Lucky snaked her arms around his neck.

His eyes went to the deep V of cleavage hanging out of her dress. “Trust me, you’ll know. When it happens, it will be a day you will never forget.”

“It’s not fair; Charlie and Betts know the plan.”

“Legs, they not only know the plan, they are major contributors. Those two could run the world with nothing more than a smartphone and attitude. I’m not sure how Betts got us a helicopter…”

“You’re proposing in a helicopter? Are we going for a tour of Town Lake?” It was sweet if not original.

“Sucker.” Will laughed. “Do you really think I’d let any details slip if I don’t want you to know?”

He had a point. He’d kept Ricky’s secret for seventeen years.

“You’re torturing me. I hope you know that I’m going to make you pay.” Lucky punched him playfully on the shoulder.

“I’m counting on it.” Will’s hand slid down her back to her bottom. He spanked her gently. “I look forward to it.”

An hour later, Lucky was rethinking the high heels. With each step, they sank into the green of one of the holes of The Hills Signature Golf Course. “We should have gone with the garden gnomes.”

Lucky jangled the tackle box and ice chest she carried. “These make too much noise.”

“Hush.” Charlie followed the fishing poles. “Keep your voice down until we get to the next hole. The clubhouse is still within hearing distance. Getting caught sneaking onto a golf course is trespassing, but I’m pretty sure we won’t get arrested.”

“Arrested?” Lucky looked back at her. “Have we ever gotten arrested for anything? Let’s face it, this is minor compared to some of our outings.”

“Yes, but now we’re supposed to be responsible adults.” Charlie said.

“If they only knew.” Lucky snorted. “Crap, these are heavy. The garden gnomes would have been lighter.”

Betts, munching on a foot-long sub and carrying a net, brought up the rear. “Now you want the garden gnomes. Where was your gnome enthusiasm when we voted?”

“Golf course fishing was next on our list of really stupid things to try.” Charlie switched hands with the fishing poles. “Plus, the guy at Academy about lost it when three women dressed as Marilyn walked in to buy fishing gear. Come on, you’ve got to admit, that was worth it.”

Betts opened the giant bag of potato chips she had under her arm. “Yeah, he’ll never be the same again.” She shoved a handful of chips in her mouth. “Are we there yet? My feet keep sinking.”

“Almost. The pond is on the other side of that bunch of trees, if this map is correct.” Charlie consulted the map written on a napkin by a very intoxicated man they’d found at the bar in the clubhouse. He’d also informed them that he’d just picked up his Viagra refill and he knew how to use it. Charlie had whacked him on the head with the first thing she could find, which happened to be the latest issue of
Golf Digest
.

“Look, there it is.” Charlie pointed to a small pond.

“We’re supposed to fish in that?” Betts squinted to get a better look in the full moonlight. “That’s not a pond, it’s a pothole.”

“The point of golf course fishing isn’t about catching fish, it’s about not getting caught while trying to catch fish.” Charlie picked up her pace and took the lead.

“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” Betts struggled to keep up with Charlie. “Wait a minute. I think we’ve solved one of the world’s oldest mysteries—why men go fishing and come back with nothing. They fish in potholes.”

Lucky grabbed the chips from Betts. “One man’s pond is another man’s pothole.”

“Wonderful, Lucky’s talking in bumper stickers again.” Betts grabbed at the chips, but Lucky held them over her head. “I’m hungry. If I don’t eat those, my baby might be born minus some very important brain cells.”

“What does he need brain cells for?” Lucky scooped up a handful of chips. “All he has to do is look at Aunt Charlie and she’ll buy him the world.”

“What my nieces and nephews want, they get. I can’t help that I’m the cool aunt.” Charlie walked the last ten feet to the pond and threw down the fishing poles. “I don’t know about y’all, but it’s going to take a while to get all this mud off of my Marilyn shoes.”

“Me toooo…” Lucky’s heel caught on a rock, and she went down to her knees. “Crap. I got mud all over my dress.”

Betts waddled over to help. “That’s going to stain. Will’s going to be pissed.”

“Not to worry.” Charlie dug in her cleavage. “I have some Shout wipes tucked in my bra.”

“Of course you do.” Betts must have rolled her eyes, because her tone certainly suggested it.

“What do you mean Will’s going to be pissed?” Lucky stood.

Betts refused to make eye contact. “Um … Charlie?”

“Don’t bring me into this…. You’re the one who messed up.” Charlie unwrapped two wipes and began dabbing at the mud spatters on the front of Lucky’s white Marilyn dress. “We’ll have another one made. It’ll be fine.”

“Not before tomorrow.” Betts’s eyes went wide, and then she shoved a giant handful of chips in her mouth. Around the chips, she said, “Can’t talk, my mouth’s full.”

Lucky shot Charlie a look.

“Oh, for goodness sake, Will’s going to ask you to marry him sometime soon, and his plan requires a white Marilyn dress.” Charlie continued to dab. “Act surprised.”

“Really, he’s going to ask me?” Lucky’s pulse kicked up a notch. “When?”

“Not telling. There needs to be some romance.” Charlie straightened. “That’s the best I can do.”

“You can’t leave me hanging…. What’s the rest? When’s he going to do it?” Lucky liked surprises, but not when it came to the rest of her life.

“No, ma’am. You already know enough.” Charlie slammed her lips shut and pantomimed turning a key.

Betts did the same thing.

“What happened to ho’s before bro’s?” Lucky vibrated with the need to know more.

“You’re not getting anything else out of me.” Betts was deflated. Her whole body drooped. “I’m so sorry that I ruined things.”

“What did you ruin? I already knew Will was going to pop the question. Now I know it will be soon.” Lucky put her arm around her old friend. “Now, if you were to give me some actual details, that would be something worth feeling guilty about.”

“Nice try. Not going to happen.” Charlie put her arm around Lucky. “Now are we going to get on with this or what?”

“I call the black rod because it’s shiny, and I like it.” Betts picked it up. “Which one of these lure thingys am I supposed to use?”

Golf course fishing wasn’t for everyone, but Lucky, Betts, and Charlie prided themselves on doing the unusual.

“The new dress looks good on you.” Will stood in front of the full-length mirror in Lucky’s bathroom, staring at her reflection. He’d had a heart attack when she’d come home with mud on her Marilyn Monroe dress. It did, after all, have a crucial part to play in the next forty-eight hours.

Planning a wedding to take place less than twenty-four hours after the birthday party was daunting … and Lucky had no idea she was about to get married. He knew she loved him and wanted to marry him, but what if she changed her mind between now and tomorrow?

He needed to pace. Walking back and forth made everything better. The more he admired Lucky, the calmer he became. She was amazing … beautiful. Words couldn’t express the depth and breadth of his feelings for her. If he was lucky enough to spend the rest of his life with her, he still didn’t think he could get enough of her. Through the mirror, he stared into her eyes. What would they look like ten or twenty or thirty years from now? Would there be laugh lines in the corners? When she turned eighty, would her blue-green eyes fade? If there was a God and he was all loving and merciful, Will would get to find out. Most people didn’t welcome age, but he craved it. Every new year held the promise of her. Fifty years from now, would he look back on this night and laugh at the nerves jangling through his system?

She thought she’d planned the birthday party of the century, but it would turn into the wedding of her dreams. Nothing flashy like Ricky had demanded, just her family and friends gathered to celebrate a future so bright he could barely contain his joy.

“Are you ready for the party?” Her voice jarred him. Their future loomed, and he couldn’t help but count the hours … minutes … seconds until she would be his forever. And she didn’t even know. Right now, it was his secret, his burden, his treasure to keep to himself.

“Yes … and no.” He couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. “You’re beautiful.”

Lucky cocked her head to the left. “And you’re a flatterer.”

“No, I don’t flatter you enough.” His mouth went cotton-ball dry. “I’ve never had a problem with words, but there don’t seem to be any that express how much I love you.”

“I don’t know. That was pretty good.” She blew him a kiss.

In about an hour, a hundred children and their parents were invading for the girls’ birthday party. Right now, Ringling Brothers Circus members were finishing setting up three massive tents. An event planning company was setting up a stage, and caterers from three different restaurants were hauling food.

Lucky turned around and straightened his tie.

Since it was Halloween and the girls’ circus-themed birthday party was also a costume party, Lucky was dressed as Marilyn Monroe, and he was dressed as John F. Kennedy…. So was Gabe. Lucky, Charlie, and Betts thought it was fitting that Marilyn get to go out with JFK at least once a year.

“You’re not worried about the party, are you?” She fiddled with his tie knot.

“No, I’m sure it will be perfect. You always throw one hell of a party.” Will’s hand shook slightly with a combination of anticipation and nerves. There were practical things that needed dealing with.

Why had he thought surprising Lucky with a proposal and a wedding tomorrow was a good idea? He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. By this time tomorrow, if everything went as planned, he and Lucky would be married. She would be his… Finally, their life together would begin.

“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong, or do I have to pry it out of you?” Lucky finished with his tie and snaked her arms around his neck. “You’re fidgeting.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t pace with you working on my tie.” Will practically vibrated to pace the floor.

“You’re starting to scare me. What’s wrong?” She laid her head on his chest. “We’re partners. You can tell me anything. If you’d get off your lazy ass and ask me to marry you, we’d be legally bound to each other, but since you’re taking your own sweet time, I’m going to have to settle for partner.” Lucky didn’t sound angry, just frustrated.

“Okay, here goes.” He unlatched her arms, stepped back, got down on one knee, and said, “Lucky St. James-Strickland—”

“Oh my God. You’re really doing it now?” She smoothed down the wrinkles in her dress, took a deep breath, and yoga-breathed it out. “Okay, I’m ready.”

“Lucky St. James-Strickland, will you do me the honor of moving in with me?” The perverse side of Will would never forget the look of shock on her face. “I’d like to move my things into your room—make it our room.”

“Wow, I’ve waited my whole life to hear that.” Lucky rolled her eyes. “Do I get a ring or something for sacrificing closet space?”

“You cleaned out Ricky’s closet. It’s not like you’re losing anything.” Will smiled to himself. She wanted to marry him.

“Yeah, but I was going to turn it into a hobby room. You never know, I might take up a hobby that requires a room.” She folded her arms. “You’re a bastard. You got my hopes up and then … nothing. Tease.”

Will stood. “Not nothing. I’m going to move my stuff in here but still sleep in my room. You know, for the girls … so they see a good role model.”

“So we should lie to them?” Lucky continued to regard him, arms folded and sarcasm dripping. “That sets a great example.”

“I’m not going to propose today. This day belongs to the girls … but tomorrow is up for grabs and the next day and President’s Day and Boxing Day. I find Chinese New Year particularly romantic.”

“I hate you.” She turned her back on him. “But yes, you can move in, but we’re not sleeping together again until I get a commitment that involves a ring.” She walked to the door, opened it, and pointed down the hall. “Go get your stuff.”

He dropped a kiss on her nose. “Do we get to have sex?”