Until Next Time (The Shooting Stars Series) (53 page)

“I’m sure I will.”

“Now, on to business matters, David Kingston, one of your last clients before you ran off to California thinks you are the cat’s meow and that makes you a hot commodity.”

“Thank you, sir,” she smiled.

“How do you feel about travel?”

Katherine frowned.

“I’m not too keen on the idea; I’m getting married soon and house hunting too,” she answered honestly.

“You better learn to juggle; I have big plans for you,” he grinned.

“Right,” her stomach clinched. She did not want to leave her husband and be gone all the time. Hank told her to expect to travel a great deal by next spring and seemed very enthused by Katherine’s new promotion; it would come with a pay raise of course

That evening she returned home to find Adam in her kitchen and spaghetti on the stove. They had exchanged copies of their apartment keys the night before.

“How was your day?” he asked.

“I’m getting a promotion at work,” she admitted.

“And you aren’t even certain you want to continue in advertising,” he noted.

“No, I’m not. He wanted me to start traveling after the start of the year,” she shared.

“Oh,” Adam frowned. “Are you really serious about not wanting to continue in the business?”

“I am,” she sighed.

“So resign.”

“Just like that? Adam, you haven’t even got your studio up and running yet,” she protested.

“Kaitlyn, it’s true that I need to get the studio up and going for the long haul but if we don’t go insane we’re good for some time,” he assured her. “I think I may have a buyer for the house already and unless you’ve developed a new interest in outrageous real estate I should be able to buy a home here outright,” he admitted. “Real estate here, even in nice areas, is nothing compared to California, sweetheart.”

“I’ll think on it,” Katherine wrapped her arms around him. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he assured her.

After dinner they went over the real estate flyers and listings together and noted some that looked promising.

On Saturday morning they met a realtor to start looking at properties. When the realtor kept suggesting newer properties, Adam stopped him.

“Kaitlyn wants a historic property, if it takes some time so be it but we are not interested in looking at new homes.”

“Adam, I know I love old houses but…” the look he gave her made her stop short.

“Right, it’s just with what you have to spend, we have some amazing new estates with less upkeep…”

“We want an old house,” Adam insisted.

“Historic properties; we have some of those,” the man assured him.

They looked at several, the last two of the day catching Katherine’s attention.  The first was a small Victorian cottage, smaller than they wanted but charming. The second was a Craftsman. As they were leaving the last one, Katherine paused on the walk to study the house next door.

“Isn’t it beautiful? Too bad it isn’t for sale,” she admired the Queen Anne Victorian.

Adam assured the realtor they would think about it and get back with him before escorting his fiancée to an appointment to see the church where she wanted to be married. They were thrilled to learn it was available in three weeks’ time when they had decided they wanted to be married. Katherine had already selected her attendants’ dresses and was sending her friends to the local branch of the store she was using. Upon seeing the church, Adam knew decorations were going to be simple. The church its self was beautiful and as Katherine had said; too many decorations would be over kill.

***
 

Katherine sat in the small house that had once been the parsonage for the church next door. Her hair and makeup were done and she was waiting for the moment she was to cross the yard and become Adam’s wife. The last few weeks had been a whirlwind but Katherine couldn’t say she minded. She was so happy to marry Adam that not much of anything would have disturbed her.

“It’s time,” her father, entered and extended a hand to her. “Wow, look at you, Kattie. You’re all grown up and quite beautiful,” Walter smiled wistfully at her.

“Thank you, Daddy,” she stood and kissed his cheek.

They crossed the yard together, Katherine gathering her dress to keep from dragging it on the ground. A white runner had been laid outside the church where she dropped her dress and arranged the train before mounting the stairs. A moment later her father was escorting her inside. Sunlight poured through the windows and made the room glow brilliantly. The aisle end of each pew held a bow and a small spray of flowers. A white runner lay along the aisle and at the front an arch of flowers framed the pastor. Amy, Tess, and Kristen stood fanned along one side, Tabitha standing like a small end cap.  On Adam’s side of the alter Joel, Terrance, a friend Adam had made in rehab, and Sam stood, Katherine’s cousin’s little boy was serving as ring bearer. Katherine noted all this quickly before her gaze settled on Adam.

Adam, his heart pounding, watched Kaitlyn approach; she was so beautiful. The sun glinted off her copper curls beneath her veil, her green eyes were glowing, and the dress she had chosen made his mouth go dry. She was amazing and she was going to be his in a matter of moments.

They reached the front, her father handing her off with a kiss when prompted. She listened as the pastor went through the formalities at the start of the service and waited for the moment she could turn to face her groom. The moment finally came, Katherine handed her bouquet off to Amy before taking Adam’s hands. As she looked into his eyes everything else faded.

“Repeat after me,” the pastor instructed. “I, Adam Ellington, take thee, Katherine Mayfield, to be my lawfully wedded wife,” he paused for Adam to repeat his words.

“I, Adam Ellington, take thee, Kaitlyn Mayfield, to be my lawfully wedded wife,” he repeated with a smile. His use of his nickname for her brought both tears to her eyes and a smile to her face and elicited several chuckles from the audience as well. They repeated their vows and when prompted, Adam laid a kiss on Katherine that left her blushing.

“May I present Mr. and Mrs. Adam Ellington,” the pastor presented them to the church.

They let the crowds leave before taking a few pictures; Katherine hadn’t wanted a large number of stiff poses, before she and Adam posed on the front church steps before the open door. A small number of the press was allowed to join their photographer for the outside picture. They had otherwise hired security to keep the press and uninvited guests at bay.

The reception went well, the newly married couple sticking close to each other much of the time. They danced several dances and talked to their friends who were in for the wedding. Katherine watched in amusement as Tessa’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head when Joel asked her to dance.

When it came time to leave, Katherine gathered her things. Adam had made their honeymoon plans and Katherine had no clue where they were going. They left under a shower of bird seed before settling into the limo with a sigh.

“My feet are screaming,” Katherine admitted.

“Give me your feet,” Adam ordered. He took her shoes off and rubbed her feet.

“That feels soooo good,” she moaned in pleasure.

“Gee, and we haven’t even started the honeymoon yet,” Adam joked.

“I would sit up and pop you for that but you might stop rubbing,” Katherine returned.

“I love you, Kaitlyn Ellington.”

Katherine smiled brilliantly at him then.

“I love you too.”

“Oh, I guess I should tell you, our flight will be a lengthy one so we aren’t flying out until morning,” he shared.

“Good, I don’t want to be completely exhausted by the time we reach our hotel tonight.”

Katherine pulled her feet from her husband’s lap and shifted to lean against him, her head tilted. Adam took her up on the invitation for a kiss. They were quite lost in each other when the limo came to a stop.

“I guess we’re here already,” Adam smiled down at her.

“I guess so,” she smiled.

When Adam helped her from the car she frowned. They were standing on the side walk of a residential neighborhood. The one they had looked at the Craftsman in, she realized. She turned to Adam in confusion.

“I thought I would give you your wedding gift,” he told her.

“A house?” her eyes were wide.

“Yeah, you aren’t really the jewelry type and I’d already done that one,” he shrugged.

Adam took her hand and led her down the side walk; Katherine was confused when they passed the Craftsman. Adam instead led her up the walk of the Victorian she had admired and pulled a key from his pocket. He opened the door and turned back to lift her and carry her inside. Adam set her on her feet and she scanned the rooms; they were completely empty and dark.

“What is this?” she asked him.

“Your wedding gift.”

“It wasn’t for sale,” she frowned.

“It was, they just had to be convinced,” he countered.

Katherine shook her head in amazement.

She looked around again and noted the candles, one on each side of each step of the staircase. She started up the stairs, the candles curved at the top of the stairs and again curved to a door.

Katherine pushed the door open and smiled. The room had high ceilings and a fireplace, candles lining the mantel and a fire popping in the fireplace. There was no furniture, only a low platform bed opposite the fireplace, rose petals were scattered across it and the floor around it. She could see more candles burning in the bathroom and rose petals littered the floor in a trail. Katherine stepped into the room to find the claw foot tub filled with steaming water, and petals floating on top. She smiled at Adam and then turned to present him with the zipper on her dress. Adam lifted her hair and kissed her neck as he slid her zipper down. Her dress pooled in the floor and her remaining clothing and his soon followed.

Epilogue

Katherine stood, hands on her hips as she surveyed the placement of the couch Adam and Joel had just set in place. The two men waited patiently in case she changed her mind yet again. She and Adam had been home from Italy for two weeks and were trying to have the house ready for Christmas at their house that year.

“Perfect,” she pronounced. “Now you two come have some of these warm brownies I just pulled from the oven.”

“I knew my patience would pay off,” Joel joked.

“Thanks for your help, Joel. I’m glad you decided to visit.”

“I had ulterior motives for doing so,” Joel admitted. “I came with your in-laws to see the house after you two had left for Italy the next day and the house next door caught my eye. If I bought it would you two mind keeping an eye on it when I’m out of town?”

“Of course not,” Katherine smiled. She had really learned to like Joel since meeting him.

“Thanks. I’ve been saying for a while that I want a place where I can escape the Hollywood crowd and as much as I love my hometown, everyone makes such a fuss there that it wouldn’t be much better,” he shrugged.

“We’d love having you for a neighbor, Joel. I have to warn you though that southern women are hard to beat. Your heart will be on the line,” Adam teased.

“I’m willing to take the risk,” Joel grinned. “Especially if there are any more as sweet as the one you managed to snag.”

“I assure you there are none to compare.”

“I looked at the house and already made an offer; I’m supposed to hear something by tomorrow evening,” Joel returned to their earlier topic.

“It’s a beautiful place, we considered it,” Katherine shared.

“Adam said you did but he could tell you were smitten with this place. I would ask him what he had to pay to convince the previous owners to sell but he insists you aren’t to know.”

“I would probably flip if I did,” Katherine pinched the corner off a brownie.

“Eat it, baby, you’re going to a pinch at a time anyway,” Adam teased his wife.

She smiled and lifted the brownie.

“I made a nice sum on the place in California and I needed to reinvest it anyway,” Adam shrugged. He had also purchased space for a studio and offices and was in the process of retro fitting it to suit his needs. When he wasn’t busy with that or his wife, he had started volunteering at inner city outreach for at risk youth; Kaitlyn went with him. She had turned in her notice at work and worked her final day on the Wednesday before their Saturday wedding. She had been a great help with painting and decorating not just the house of course, but the office and studio space.

“How’s the studio coming?” Joel asked as though reading his thoughts.

“Good; Sam is sending me a demo for a young woman he’s been representing. The big labels are hesitating but he feels she has potential; I’m going to listen to it anyway.”

“I’m going to get the mail; I’ll be right back,” Katherine excused herself.

“She’s truly a gem, Adam, congrats man.”