His 1-800 Wife (34 page)
Authors: Shirley Hailstock
Tags: #novella, romance, Valentine's Day, contemporary, wedding, wife, husband, romance, fiction, consultant, PR firm, heartwarming, beach read, vacation companion, Shirley Hailstock, African American, Washington DC,
"Why is that, Julianna? Is there something special about tonight? Anyone can make a reservation here. The dining room is open to the public."
Julianna's smile was venomous. "But the story is all over town. How can you show your face? I mean, advertising for a husband on the telephone."
"Isn't it just like me, Julianna? Isn't it something I would do? I'm surprised you didn't guess. You know how much I stray from the norm."
"This is even off the mark for you, Catherine."
Catherine leaned forward so only Julianna could hear her. "It worked, Julianna. I got Jarrod and you didn't."
She pursed her lips. "And where is the telephone-to-order groom tonight?"
"I'm right here." Jarrod spoke as if his cue had been given and he'd come on stage at exactly the right moment. "And I believe you're sitting in my seat, but don't get up."
Catherine was looking up at him. He put his hands on her shoulders and bent down. He kissed her long and hard. Catherine knew the drill. She'd initiated the show-and-tell. Jarrod was acting for their audience.
Julianna eased out of the chair. "I'd better get back to my party," she said.
"How did you know we were here?" Catherine asked when he sat down next to her.
"Robert left messages all over town; with Jenny, on my cell phone, at my office, even at George's, although he should have known I wouldn't be there. How's it been here?"
"Better than a picture show," Robert chimed in. "Elizabeth and I have been watching." They both resumed their seats.
"Except for Julianna, it's been better than I expected," Catherine told him. "She's in love with you, you know."
"Julianna's in love with herself."
"I'm glad you're here," Catherine said. Jarrod's smile was like a balm. "This morning—"
"Never happened," he cut in. "Come on, let's dance. They're here for a show. Let's give it to them."
Catherine got up. The smile on her face was wide. This was one of the things parents told their children about when they asked "How did you meet Daddy, Mommy?" She knew the two of them wouldn't be doing that, but she went into his arms. He held her close and they danced around the empty floor. She relaxed in his arms, her love shining through. Catherine didn't doubt he looked at her with love. No one there, including Julianna Stone, could doubt that, no matter how they were brought together, they were in love now.
Robert and Elizabeth joined them. A moment later Ted Ward led Meredith Windsor out on the floor. With her own life falling apart, Catherine had heard rumors that Ted was seeing other women. She didn't know if he'd told Julianna that the idea had come from her. From tonight's venom she was sure that somehow Julianna knew. Ted seemed to come alive when he started dating. He was often out with different women, and he looked a lot happier.
"Catherine." Jarrod regained her attention. She looked up into his eyes. "You know I'm in love with you?"
“The entire town knows. Newport County and parts of New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts know you're in love with me."
His expression was serious. "All I want to know about is you. I know you—"
Catherine put her hand over his mouth. "It's time I said it. I love you."
Jarrod stopped dancing. Couples moved about them on the floor, some staring at them. "Are you serious?"
"Absolutely."
"Do you love me as in forever?"
"Jarrod, you won't mind being tied to me for the rest of your life?"
"I'd mind if I'm not."
Catherine went up on her toes to kiss him. Jarrod suddenly moved out of range. "There's just one rule," he said.
She hesitated, waiting. "Go on."
"No rules," he said. "We take it as it comes."
She nodded. "No rules."
He kissed her then, in the middle of the dance floor, in front of their friends, strangers, the country club crowd, the whole of Newport and anyone who cared to watch. Catherine didn't care. Jarrod didn't care. They only cared about each other and their new and shining love.
***
They separated with smiles as the room erupted with the sound silver spoons striking crystal glasses. As the music continued, they returned to the table, but only to gather their things and leave.
At the house, they went right upstairs to bed.
"Where did you go this morning?" Catherine asked. Jarrod pulled her closer in the huge bed. He loved having her in his arms, and she was likely to be there for the next sixty or seventy years.
"I went to Boston and I walked."
"Without shoes?" She sounded concerned, as if he'd walked all day barefoot.
He laughed. "I bought shoes. The clerk was surprised that I wanted them there and then."
"Where did you walk?"
"All over. I looked at all the architecture. I drew pictures, took photos, trying to get you out of my mind, but it didn't work. I could see your soft lines in all the straight ones. Everywhere I looked there was your image, not the one I was supposed to see. I had to come back. I had to make you love me."
Catherine turned over. She hugged his waist, a happy smile on her face. "I'm sorry. I never meant to put you—"
"Shhh," he calmed her, stopping her with his finger on her lips. "It's all in the past. From now on, we go forward."
"I need to tell you. You once asked me why I was so afraid of marriage."
He nodded.
"I was afraid of losing myself like I said, but I was also afraid of loving you." He started to speak, but she stopped him. "Women flock around you, the Juliannas of the world."
"Cathy—"
"I didn't think I had a chance. You joked with me, so I joked with you. I didn't want you to know how I really felt about you. I didn't even want myself to know, so I did everything to keep you from finding out. Only Robert guessed."
"Robert? He never mentioned it."
"Robert can keep his mouth shut when it counts." She ran her hand over his chest. "Then you came back and there you were in the middle of the harem, looking every bit as if you enjoyed it." She pinched him.
"Ouch!" He grabbed her hand.
"I wanted to leave immediately, but you stopped me. I really thought I could handle being married to you for six months, but from the beginning nothing went according to plan."
Jarrod ran his hand through her hair. He turned her face toward his. "That's because of the third person."
Catherine frowned. "What third person?"
"The one who is created when the minds meld."
He'd told her that on their honeymoon." The process doesn't have to take place on a conscious level. Apparently we created our own matchmaker in our minds. While we fought against our fears, somehow we knew we wanted to be married."
He kissed her. She was warm and soft and sated from hours of lovemaking, but he wanted her again.
"Speaking of going forward. . ." she said when she could breathe. "We're going to need a good architect."
"Why?"
"This house is too small."
"It's not that small." He nuzzled her neck.
"It will be in nine months."
Jarrod froze. Then he moved back, pushing himself up on his elbows. "What are you saying?"
"I'm pregnant. It happened at Stone House."
"Stone House?"
"That beautiful house in the snow when we couldn't wait to make love."
"Are you sure, Catherine? This isn't a joke, is it?"
She nodded. "I'm sure."
Jarrod kicked the covers back and started to get up.
"Where are you going?" She grabbed his arm.
"I've got to get started. We don't have much time."
She stopped him. "We can at least wait until sunlight."
Jarrod turned back to her. She rolled into his arms and kissed him.
"I'm so glad I called that number," Jarrod said against her mouth. "I love you."
"I love you too," she said. "I'm glad you came home when you did. Although I doubt I would have found anyone else suitable to marry. It was you or no one.
"So I really am your 1-800 HUSBAND?"
"1-800. . .1-900. . .1-ALWAYS. . ."
Elizabeth Audrey Greene weighed in at eight pounds even at 3:47 Eastern Time on June 27. Next to Catherine and Jarrod in the same hospital, Michael Winston Stokes and his twin sister, Michele Catherine, were born to Audrey and Dwayne five hours later. Both sisters left the hospital the same day.
Jarrod drove her past the construction site of their new home, which was supposed to be completed before Thanksgiving. It sat above the cliffs, behind the stone fence on the land where they'd made love. Jarrod had chosen the place and Catherine agreed with his decision.
At home, he carried Beth inside, but had to quickly give her up to Elizabeth and Robert, who acted as if they were surrogate parents. Jenny, who was too valuable to let go after a year, stayed with them, hovering over Beth as if the child was hers.
Catherine went up the stairs, and on the center of their bed was the trademark rose. Propped against it was a note. This one broke the rules of haiku, but he'd written it in the same form. Catherine read:
Man, Woman
Husband, Wife, Child
Family, Forever
This one was signed, as none of the others had been. She rubbed her fingers across the strong writing.
I
love you, Jarrod.
Tears clouded Catherine's eyes. Life would never be the same, but she would live it with Jarrod. She loved him, and nothing could change that.
The End
Thank you for reading
His 1-800 Wife.
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Change is inevitable in our lives. Catherine Carson in
His 1-800 Wife
had a problem with change. To keep the status quo, she conceived a foolproof plan. Like all foolproof plans, something always goes wrong. When personal relationships are involved, they rarely follow the straight and narrow. Catherine and Jarrod found the truth of this, but they worked through it so life and love survived. I hope you enjoyed your time with them.
All my characters become personal friends. I'm glad Catherine took the phone number 1-800-WIFE and that it brought her the love of her life.
I receive many letters from the women and men who read my books. Thank you for your generous comments and words of encouragement. I love reading your letters as much as I enjoy writing the books.
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His 1-800 Wife
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Sincerely yours,
Shirley Hailstock
Discover other titles by Shirley Hailstock at SMASHWORDS.com:
Under the Sheets/White Diamonds - Boxed Set