This story takes place during some
of “The Baby Blues”. As you may remember, Trixie dropped Honey off at Brian’s
house to help him unpack. This story picks up there. Click on the back button
if you’d like a refresher. Saturday, January 22 Late Afternoon She wasn’t
surprised that she had been able to get into the house unnoticed. Noisy music
caused the speakers to shake, so of course he didn’t hear her. A marching
band could’ve snuck in without being caught.
The racket coming from the sound system made breaking and entering a
piece of cake. Luckily for the resident, she didn’t plan him harm. Well, not
much anyway. Honey had to grin
as she stood in the foyer of Brian’s newly-rented house. Jazz music blared
from the speakers. She recognized the singer as Woody Herman, the saxophonist,
clarinetist, and vocalist whose music had become famous during the swing era
of the late 1930’s and 1940’s. “I Ain’t Gettin’ Any Younger” flowed though
the sound system. Although it was one of Herman’s lesser known songs, it was
one of her favorites. A smirk twitched at her lips as she listened to the
lyrics. The singer was urging his beloved to finally make a permanent
commitment after their long courtship. It was a sentiment to which she could
easily relate. “Yoo-hoo!”
she called as she walked through the small living room of the split-level
brick home. “Brian! Are you here?” Her
longtime boyfriend poked his head through the entrance from the hallway to
greet his visitor. After turning down the volume of the music, he crossed his
arms across his broad chest as he adopted an expression of feigned
displeasure. “Don’t
you realize that you’re trespassing?” Playing
along, Honey shrugged her shoulders. “Hey, when I arrived in this town, I was
told that neighbors just stick their heads in the doorway and yell yoo-hoo.
If you’ve got a problem with that, then I suggest you talk to the short,
curly-haired chick who gave me that piece of advice.” “Hmm…”
he murmured thoughtfully. “Sounds like the work of that nosy blonde that
lives down the road. You’d be better off ignoring everything she tells you.” Honey
nodded. “I’ll remember that. Just a few minutes ago, she was talking about
how perfect her oldest brother was. Knowing her penchant for hyperbole, that
was probably a load of crock.” “Well,
that little snoop might not be completely
unreliable.” Brian allowed his mask of disapproval to slip, and the grooves
in his mouth deepened into a smile as he strolled over to welcome her
properly. As usual, the mere
sight of him caused Honey’s heart to skip a beat. For the millionth time
since she had first met him, she was taken aback at how gorgeous he was.
While his brothers were attractive, Brian was classically handsome. His
dashing looks garnered attention from ladies of all ages. Those who had seen
classic movies likened him to Cary Grant, and people who had watched “Trading
Spaces” thought he bore an uncanny resemblance to Carter Oosterhouse, the
handsome carpenter with dark good looks and a winning personality. Honey had become
accustomed to the attention Brian regularly received. After all, he had the
makings of a Hollywood heartthrob with his sculpted features, perfect hair,
and lean physique. When they went out, she felt like a starlet on the arm of
a movie star. Today Brian looked
particularly attractive. Although
he’d gotten his hair cut just after Christmas, it had already grown out
again. His dark hair was curling at the nape of his neck, tempting her to run
her fingers through it. Honey knew he would visit the barbershop as soon as
possible, so she’d enjoy the slightly scruffy look while she could. Although it was
wintertime, Brian’s skin was a golden-brown. In all the years she had known
him, Honey had never seen the tan fade. Of course, he currently had white
streaks of some mysterious substance dotted along his face, but he still was
just as darkly-handsome as ever. Even though she knew it was his habit to
shave every morning, a five o’clock shadow was already sprinkling the lower
half of his face. It only added to his rugged quality and increased Honey’s
desire to kiss him. His eyes, the color
of milk chocolate, sparkled with anticipation, causing the gold flecks in his
irises to be accentuated. Thick, dark lashes framed his beautiful eyes,
lashes so long that any woman would be envious of them. Looking forward to
the kiss she knew would come, her gaze traveled to his mouth. The perfectly
shaped lips—firmly sculpted, wide and lean, sensuous and sensitive at the
same time—were the kind people paid doctors to get. If everyone had lips as
delectable as Brian’s, plastic surgeons would lose millions on plumping
procedures. The luscious mouth parted in a charming grin to reveal even,
white teeth. Utterly masculine,
the gorgeous physician was a sight for sore eyes. “Hey,
you.” Brian’s voice took on a husky quality as he gathered her into his arms.
“I didn’t hear you come in.” “Obviously
not. Hasn’t anyone ever told you that loud music isn’t good for you? You
could do permanent damage to your eardrums,” she playfully scolded. “Nobody
said a word about that in medical school.” He winked one of his sinfully
long-lashed lids. “Of course, maybe I’d already lost so much of my hearing
that I missed it.” “You
goof!” Honey giggled as she kissed him lightly on the cheek. “Uh-oh.
You missed.” Correcting the problem, he dipped his head down to meet her lips
and kissed her deeply. Honey’s pulse raced as the kiss intensified. When
they finally separated, she looked up him tenderly as she brushed the powdery
substance from his cheeks. “Have you been baking?” she queried, holding out
her white-coated hand as proof. Brian
grinned sheepishly in response. “Not yet, but I have been playing happy homemaker. The bag of flour exploded when
I was transferring it from the bag to the canister. I guess I got some on
me.” “Maybe
you need someone else to make your home happy,” Honey teased. “Perhaps
you’re right.” Brian’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Do you have any
candidates in mind?” “Oh,
I don’t know,” she replied airily. “I suppose I could come up with a list of
suitable candidates to fill your vacancy.” “Well
then, never mind. Since you don’t seem too enthusiastic about filling the
position yourself, I’ll pay a visit to the employment agency and ask if they
know of any good housekeepers.” “You
didn’t—” “No,
too late,” he interjected, holding up a silencing hand. “You missed your
chance. I’ll find my own housekeeper, thank you very much.” “Just
make sure that she’s old enough to be a grandmother, and homely enough to
remind you that you’re taken,” Honey advised. Brian’s
expression sobered. “Actually, I was hoping they might have a twenty-year-old
Swedish bombshell by the name of Inga.” Honey
balled up her fist and used it to punch Brian in the stomach. Although she
hadn’t hit him hard, he wailed like a little girl. “Ow!
I think you just caused internal bleeding!” “You’d
better suck it up, buddy boy, or I’ll hire a Swedish nurse to take care of
you,” she warned. “That
doesn’t sound like much of a threat to me,” he pointed out. Honey’s lips moved in a crooked,
jeering line. “The Swedish nurse I had in mind was a three-hundred pound
hairy dude named Sven.” “Strangely,
I’m feeling much better,” Brian announced heartily. She
breathed an exaggerated sigh of relief while wiping the tips of her fingers
against her forehead. “Whew! That was a close one. I thought for a second
that we were going to lose you.” Laughing,
Brian clasped her hand and led her on a tour of the house. After leaving the
living room, he showed her a modern kitchen, a cozy dining room perfect for
intimate parties, a bathroom in dire need of modernizing, two guest bedrooms,
and a master suite which consisted of a large bedroom and another bath
slightly better than the one for guests. “What do you
think?” he asked once the tour was concluded. “I think it’s
amazing how different you and Trixie are,” was Honey’s thoughtful response. “Huh?” Honey giggled as
she explained. “Well, it’s just that all of your boxes have been properly
marked and neatly arranged in the correct room where they belong. When your
sister moved into our apartment, she had stuffed all of her worldly goods
into Hefty® trash bags. She dumped them all out in the center of our living
room, and when she did, I noticed that she had crammed kitchen utensils in
the same bag as her clothes.” Brian shuddered at
the account. “As painful as that is to hear, it doesn’t surprise me,
considering how messy her bedroom at Crabapple Farm was. However, in her
defense, she probably knew exactly which bag she had stuffed what into.” “You’re right,”
Honey agreed, chuckling. “She had it down to a science.” “So, what do you
think of the house?” he clarified
once they’d gone back to the living room. “It’s great!” Honey
looked approvingly at her surroundings. “You’ll need some more furniture, of
course, but this home has a lot of potential.” Brian slung an arm
around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “I’m glad you like it. I was
lucky to find it so quickly.” “Do you like it?” “I love it!” he
replied enthusiastically. Honey’s heart
increased its tempo. “Are you thinking about buying instead of just renting?”
“I think somebody
already bought it.” “Oh, no!” she
cried. “Will you have to move again?” “I’m pretty sure
that the new owner is going to let me stay here,” he replied. “That’s good,” she
murmured. “So, do you have any plans to buy something yourself?” “There are a few
factors I need to consider first,” he answered cryptically. Honey nodded and
then looked away to hide her disappointment. You shouldn’t be upset with him, she scolded herself. This has been his plan all along, so you
can’t be mad at anyone but yourself. “Where do you want
to start?” Startled from her
thoughts, Honey jumped. “Pardon?” “Where do you want
to start unpacking boxes?” Brian flashed her a plucky grin. “You did come here to help me get settled,
didn’t you?” “Of course,” Honey
responded with a nervous laugh. “It doesn’t matter to me. You pick.” “All right, how
about we start in my office? I unpacked the things in the master bedroom
first thing this morning, so my office is my next priority. I’d like to get
out my medical books as soon as possible.” “Sounds good to
me,” she agreed. As they walked
towards the smallest of the three bedrooms that would serve as Brian’s home
office, he paused at his sound system. “Do you mind if I turn this up a
little? It’s hard to hear the music in the rest of the house.” Honey nodded her
assent, and with a flick of his finger, the volume increased. One of Woody
Herman’s greatest hits, “Pennies from Heaven”, was playing now, and since she
loved big band music, Honey was only too happy to listen. The couple began
the tedious task of unpacking the many books Brian intended to keep in his
office. Since he wanted them ordered alphabetically in his bookshelves, it
would take a while. “How was Ruthie’s
shower?” Brian asked in an attempt to make small talk. “Interesting.” “Interesting?” He repeated with a quirk
of his brow. “Last time I checked the dictionary, that didn’t mean the same
thing as fun.” Honey giggled.
“Well, although your sister would disagree, I would definitely say the shower
was more interesting than fun.” “What happened?” “Christy made the
mistake of inviting Jane Morgan,” she explained. “Jane purposely insulted
every single guest there, including Ruthie.” “And that surprises
you?” “No, not really,”
she admitted. “What did she say?” Honey sighed
heavily. “Oh, lots of things. For instance, she said Ruthie was putting on a
lot of weight, Mariellen is fooling around with Dr. Harding at the hospital,
and Patty had a clown-car va-jay-jay.” “I don’t know how
much weight Ruthie has gained, I don’t even want to know what a ‘va-jay-jay’
is and how it applies to Patty, but I do
know that Mariellen is messing
around with Dr. Harding,” Brian said with a devilish grin. “Of course, last I
heard, so is Jane, so maybe that’s why she brought it up. Ken Harding’s a
real playuh.” “Word,” she managed
to say with a straight face, amused at Brian’s “gangsta” lingo. “She also
said something about Mariellen drugging her patients so that she and Ken can…
uh… have their alone time, if you know what I mean.” Brian snickered. “I
seriously doubt that that part’s
true. The old battle-ax that runs the nurses’ station in the ER would never
let that sort of thing go on. Jane was probably just trying to start a rumor,
hoping her competition would get fired.” “Well, I guess there is usually a grain of truth in Jane’s lies. Not all of her crap
is made up.” “That’s true in the
cases of most pathological liars,” Brian agreed. “Are you referring to
anything specific that Jane mentioned?” Honey nodded. “From
what we heard at the party, she knows about Trixie and Jim.” “It wouldn’t
surprise me if she did,” he said with a shrug. “People like her make a point
of digging up all the dirt around town.” “What if she spills
the beans?” Brian shrugged
again. “It might be the best thing that could happen. I’ve never liked the
fact that Jim has been pretending that he and Amanda are still engaged.” “You sound like
Trixie,” Honey murmured. “She’s anxious for this farce to be over as well.” “I happen to agree
with her. It surprised me that Jim even agreed to it in the first place.” “Well, Mother and
Daddy didn’t leave him much choice,” she defended. “They had already told the
Woodwards that he would, and you know how Jim is about keeping a promise.” Brian nodded in
agreement. “That’s very true. Sometimes Jim’s too nice for his own good.” “As if you’re any
different,” Honey snickered. Instead of
responding, he had decided to shift the conversation back to the shower. “So,
was that the worst of it?” “Huh!” The noise
came out as a mixture of a snort and a laugh. “The confrontation between
Trixie and Jane didn’t even come close
to the blowup Di had with Jane.” Brian arched a
single dark eyebrow. “Do I even want to know what happened?” “It doesn’t matter
if you want to know or not,” she
said with a giggle. “You’ll find out regardless. I guarantee this will be
what everyone in Sleepyside is talking about at their respective water coolers
Monday morning.” “Okay, I’ve got to hear this.” “Jane started
running her mouth about why Di and Mart haven’t had kids yet, but she finally
met her match when set her scope on Di. It didn’t take Di long to completely
lose her patience.” “Oh, boy.” Honey pursed her
lips together tightly in a smirk. “Oh,
boy is right. Di held her peace for as long as she could, but then Jane
insulted Mart.” “Oh, boy,” Brian
repeated. “You can say what you want about Di, but don’t mess with her man.” “You’ve got that right.
Anyway, Di blew her top and slapped Jane!” This time both of
Brian’s eyebrows shot up. “In the face?” “Yes!” “Did she slap her
hard?” Honey couldn’t
contain a giggle. “Hard enough to leave a big red mark on Jane’s cheek.” “What did Jane do?” “Well, she just sat
there with her mouth wide open,” she said excitedly. “I think she was too
shocked to do anything else.” “Jane didn’t slap
Di back?” “No, she just sat
there.” “What did Di do?”
Brian asked. “She went into the
bathroom and stayed there until the end of the party,” Honey explained. “I
don’t think she wanted to come out while Jane was still there.” “I can’t say that I
blame her.” Honey nodded. “Di
felt horrible about it later. She couldn’t believe that she’d done it.” “Frankly, it
doesn’t surprise me,” Brian replied matter-of-factly. “Di’s been a volcano
waiting to explode the past month or two.” “Do you know why?” Brian shrugged. “Di
certainly hasn’t said anything to me.” “What about Mart?” “A few times he’s
acted like he wanted to talk to me about something, but we always get
interrupted before he can spill the beans. Has Di said anything to you?” “Not a peep.” Honey
exhaled a heavy sigh. “It’s obvious that something’s bothering her, though.” An impish grin
tugged at the corners of Brian’s lips. “Well, if she doesn’t say something
soon, I’m sure Trixie will drag it out of her.” “You’re probably
right,” she agreed with a laugh. “So, what did Jane
say to you?” Honey blinked her
eyes in a good imitation of a perplexed Diana. “What do you mean?” Unfortunately,
Brian wasn’t fooled for a minute. “How did Jane insult you?” “She didn’t,” she
fibbed. “Yeah, right,” he
scoffed. “I find it hard to believe that Jane zinged every single person at
that party except for you.” “You know, you
might not be sloppy like Trixie, but you’re just as persistent,” Honey
remarked. Brian grinned
smugly. “I’ll take that to mean that she did
say something to you.” “It was nothing
major,” she finally admitted. “Well, what was
it?” Although Honey didn’t answer him with words, her expression spoke
multitudes. “Was it about us?” She looked up at
him, shocked that he had guessed. “Why would you ask that?” Brian chuckled.
“I’ll take that as a yes. What did Janey-poo have to say about us? Am I
really gay, and you’re just pretending to date me so I can stay in the
closet? Or maybe you’re dating me so I can provide you with drugs? Or perhaps
we’re really swingers and have a variety of couples that we trade around
with?” “Thank goodness she
didn’t come up with anything that
creative,” Honey said with a giggle. “She wanted to know why we hadn’t gotten
married yet.” “You should’ve told
her that we’ve been secretly married since you were sixteen,” he teased. Honey snorted as
she rolled her eyes. “Oh, yeah. That would’ve made everything so much better.” Brian allowed his
penetrating gaze to run along every single inch of her face. Just as
perceptive as his sister, he realized that, in spite of Honey’s attempts at
humor, Jane struck a nerve with her barbs. “Did what Jane said bother you?” “Well, no, it
didn’t bother me exactly,” she
hedged. “I mean, what we do is none of her business, so who cares that we
still aren’t engaged.” “Is it my
imagination, or am I picking up on a trace of irritation in your tone?”
Brian’s answer was the scowl on Honey’s face. “I’m going to assume by your
expression that you are ticked, but
what I need to determine now is if you’re angry with Jane or me.” “Why would I be mad
at you?” Something in her
tone told Brian that that was a very good question. “I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?” Honey sighed
noisily. “I’m honestly not mad at you, Brian.” “Well, that’s a
relie—” “I guess you could
say that I’m more impatient than angry,” she interjected quickly before she
lost her nerve. “Impatient?” he
repeated. With a groan, he raked a hand through his thick hair. “Hon, we’ve
already talked about this several times. I thought we were in agreement that
it would be better for my practice to be established before we got married.” “I know what we
talked about, but sometimes I feel like…” She shook her head, leaving her
thought incomplete. Brian took her
hand. “Tell me how you feel,” he urged. Honey inhaled
slowly as she pondered what to say. Deciding to lay out all her cards on the
table, she just blurted it out. “Sometimes I feel like you’re just stalling,
and you don’t want to marry me.” “Sweetheart,” Brian
murmured, wrapping his arms around her. “There’s nothing I want more than to
marry you. If you’ll just wait a little
longer—” Honey snorted as
she gently pushed him away. “We’ve been dating for eight years. How much
longer do you suggest I twiddle my thumbs?” “I can’t say for
sure, but I do know it won’t be
another eight years.” “Well, what’s your
best guess?” she prodded. Brian chuckled
nervously. “You really know how to pressure a guy. I don’t know an exact
date, but things are moving along according to plan. I have some ideas that
will make the practice more profitable. I’m expanding after Dr. Ferris
retires in the spring, and Loyola will become a partner. Sleepyside doesn’t
have an OB/GYN, and right now expectant mothers have to go to White Plains
for their prenatal care. She’ll be a huge asset to the practice, and the
success will mean more income for a house payment. Everything falling’s into place.” “That’s wonderful,
Brian!” Honey wrapped her arms around his neck and nestled her cheek against
his chest. “I’m glad your practice will be successful, but it doesn’t matter.
If we were married and had to live in a cardboard box, I’d be happy.” “Sure, you say that
now,” he snickered, “but what would you do during the first ‘horrorcane’?” “Wrap my arms
around you, and hold on for dear life.” Honey demonstrated her lifesaving
procedure, almost choking her boyfriend in the process. “All right!” he
squeaked through a constricted throat. “Now let me go. I can’t breathe!” Honey released her
death grip and giggled prettily. “Sorry, dear. Sometimes I forget my own
strength.” “Yeah, you’re a
regular Hulk Hogan,” he teased. Feigning insult,
she punched him on the shoulder. “I take it all back. I wouldn’t marry you if
you were the last man on earth.” Brian scratched his
chin in a thoughtful gesture. “I seem to recall someone else making a similar
threat to another individual, and we all know how that worked out. Their wedding’s in July…” “Don’t be so cocky,
Dr. Belden,” she returned with a sniff. “You haven’t asked me yet, and you
know how notoriously fickle we women are. By the time you get on bended knee,
I might be so old that I’ve forgotten who you are.” “I certainly hope
that you’d never be able to forget me, Honey Wheeler,” he murmured tenderly
as he caressed her cheek. He brushed back a strand of caramel-colored hair,
openly admiring the golden streaks that highlighted her face. “There’s
nothing I look forward to more than asking you to be my wife. It’s just a
matter of timing. I have it all planned—” “Oh, yes,” she
muttered. “By all means, we have to
stick to the plan. God forbid we venture from it the slightest bit.” “I get the feeling
that you don’t like my plan.” “What gave it
away?” Honey huffed through a protruded lip. “Oh, nothing in
particular,” Brian drawled out. “Just your vocal tone, body language, and
facial expression. That’s all.” “Mart and Di didn’t
have a plan before they got engaged, and they’re doing all right,” she
pointed out. “That’s true,” he
conceded, “but look how they struggled the first two years they were
married.” “Di still had one
year of college left, which is one reason they had it so rough. If you
haven’t figured it out yet, I’m a college graduate that owns her own
business.” “Once my practice
is doing well and I have a house—” Honey groan
interrupted him. “Brian, can’t you see that I don’t care about having a big
house? I just want you; that’s it.” “But after growing
up in mansions and penthouse apartments all of your life—” “Di was perfectly content in that tiny
apartment she and Mart shared,” Honey interjected sharply. “But you aren’t
Di,” he argued. “She grew up in a tiny apartment, and she wasn’t always
accustomed to the finer things in life.” “Are you saying I’m
spoiled?” Brian shook his
head, realizing he’d just dug himself into a hole. “Of course not. I’ve been
proud of how you’ve made it on your own, without relying on your family’s
wealth. You pay your own bills, cook your own food, do your own laundry, and
even manage to keep the apartment clean in spite of the messes Trixie makes.
I just love you so much that I want you to have the best!” “I know you mean
well, which is the only reason you’re alive right now,” she retorted hotly.
“However, in the future I’d prefer for you to let me have some input on
what’s best for me.” Brian expelled an
unsteady breath. “This isn’t going as well as I’d hoped it would. Instead of
being thankful that I want to provide for us, you’re getting mad at me.” “I just wish you’d
give me some credit. If I’m so happy living in a four-room apartment with
Trixie, don’t you think I’d be ecstatic sharing this split-level house with
you?” “Hon, I think you
could do anything you set your mind to.” He kissed her forehead. “And someday
soon, maybe I’ll put you to the test.” “Argh!” Honey
cried, flinging her arms to her side helplessly. “You can be so stubborn
sometimes! Why are you being so difficult?” “Because I’m good
at it.” “And they say
redheads are stubborn,” she mumbled. “Daddy, Jim, and Regan don’t have
anything on you.” “Honey, if you’ll
just be patient and let me go on with my plan—” “I’ve got a good
place for you to stick that plan,” she groused. Amused by her
grumbling, Brian chuckled. “Someday you’ll agree that my plan was a good
idea.” “Wouldn’t it be fun
to just throw that plan away and do something wild and crazy?” Honey
suggested. “Only if I have
time to plan it in advance,” he deadpanned with a wink. Honey emitted a
theatrical sigh. “You’re hopeless, simply hopeless,” she muttered in her best
imitation of Sebastian the Crab. “For someone who’s so defensive about being
called ‘boring’, you aren’t doing much to disprove the theory.” In a quite dramatic
fashion, Brian’s jaw went slack, and he went through the motions of having a
dagger plunged in his heart. “And you’re supposed to be tactful!” “Prove me wrong,”
she challenged, her lips pressed together in a devious smirk. “Do something
spontaneous.” Arms akimbo, he
leveled his gaze at her. “Like what?” “Get a tattoo.” “Does it have to be
permanent?” Brian inquired. “I found a temporary tattoo in a box of Cracker
Jack™ the other day. It’s of a skull.” Honey smirked over
at him. “Nice try, but something that’ll wash off in three days isn’t nearly
impulsive enough. I’ll have to think of something else.” She pondered her
options, and deciding upon something, a wicked smile eased across her lips. “Get something
pierced.” “Something as in
something that’s a part of my body?” Brian shook his head back and forth and
then snorted loudly. “Not likely.” “Okay, then. Go
skinny-dipping in the lake.” “In January? You
really are crazy. How about you get nekkid and jump in the lake,
and I’ll just watch?” “Oh, so you want to watch me being impulsive so you can see how
it’s done?” Honey needled. “I’m beginning to think it’s impossible for you to
be reckless.” What Brian did next
caught her completely off guard. He took her hand and pulled her against him.
Giving her a look that would evaporate butter, he lifted her chin up so she
could gaze into his eyes. “If I were as spontaneous as I wanted to be, you
couldn’t handle it.” She had no idea
that desire occasionally took lump form. However, it must, since she felt something
akin to it wedge in her throat. “Try me,” she managed in a somewhat breathy
voice. “You really know
how to ruin a perfectly good plan,” he mumbled with a shake of head. “I had
it all worked out to the last detail. We were going to have dinner at the
Glen Road Inn, and over dessert I was going to follow through.” “Follow through
with what?” Honey squeaked through a constricted throat. “The plan, of
course!” With that, he pulled a tiny jeweler’s box out of his pocket, flipped
it open to reveal a pear-shaped engagement ring, and got down on one knee.
“Madeleine Grace Wheeler, would you marry me?” “Are you serious?”
she gasped. “As serious as a
heart attack,” he quipped. “And just so you know, the ring’s real. Unlike my
temporary tattoo, I didn’t dig it out of a box of Cracker Jacks.” “But your plan…” “…is to marry you,
if you’ll have me.” “But what about
being a homeowner? I thought you wanted to buy a house before we made things
official…” “You’re standing in
it,” Brian said, grinning. “You bought this house?” “I sure did,” he
informed her. “The real estate slump worked in my favor. I practically stole
this.” With a wink, he added, “I told
you that the new owner would let me stay here.” “You jerk!” Honey
exclaimed. “You purposely misled me!” “Hey, I told you I
had a plan; I just didn’t tell you what it was.” He grinned up at her,
enjoying the complete surprise on her face. “Now, are you going to marry me
or what? My knee’s falling asleep.” “You jerk!” she
repeated, whacking him on the arm. A frown marred
Brian’s brow as he stood up. “I’ll take that as a no.” “Huh, you aren’t
getting off that easily, mister.” In spite of her irritated tone, her
topaz-colored eyes glimmered with humor. “You’d better believe I’m going to
marry you. It might be the only way I can get you back for tricking me. As
your wife, I’ll have the rest of my life to make you miserable.” “So that’s a yes?” “Of course it’s a
yes!” she cried as she jumped into his arms. “Yes, yes, yes!” Catching her
easily, Brian breathed a sigh of relief. “Whew. I was worried for a second
that you were really mad at me.” Honey giggled.
“Although I should be mad at you, I’m not. You really had me going. You
missed your calling; you should’ve been an actor.” “I kept telling you
it would be soon. I just didn’t say how
soon.” “Well, I’ll never, ever accuse you again of being
boring,” she promised. “You’ve proven tonight that you can be just as
impetuous as Trixie. Maybe even more so!” Brian removed the
diamond ring from the box and tenderly slipped it on the ring finger of her
left hand. “It’s a perfect fit,” he murmured huskily. “A perfectly perfect fit,” she agreed
with a smile. “Just like you and me.” “You’re right; we are a perfect fit,” he announced. Honey smiled
happily as she admired her ring. “Oh, Brian, you’ve made me so happy. This is
a dream come true.” “I’m glad, because you make me happy.” Still dazed, Honey
shook her head in surprise. “I never thought this day would come.” Struck by
inspiration, Brian gently gripped her shoulders. “Maybe I’m crazy, Honey, but
I’ve got an idea.” He probed her with his penetrating gaze before plunging
into the deep end of the figurative pool. “Let’s fly to Vegas and elope.” Honey nearly
swallowed her tongue. “Tonight?” “Yes, tonight!
Let’s drive to the airport, hop on the next plane to Las Vegas, and get
married right now!” “Wow, you’ve
already got the spontaneous thing down pat,” she joked weakly. “What can I say?
I’m a quick study.” Brian gave her arms another squeeze. “Let’s go to Vegas!” “I don’t know,
Bri,” Honey murmured. “This is awfully sudden…” He tossed back his
head and laughed. “Sudden? Ten minutes ago you were complaining that
it was taking too long.” “Getting engaged is
one thing, but hopping on the next plane to Vegas is another.” Her lower lip caught between her teeth.
“Mother would absolutely kill me if
we eloped.” “For once in your
life, don’t think about anyone but yourself.” Brian slid his hands down her
arms until he was grasping her hands.
“Sweetheart, what do you want
to do?” Honey’s tawny brows
wrinkled thoughtfully as she contemplated his question. “Don’t you have to go
to work Monday?” “Since I arrived a
week early, Dr. Ferris isn’t expecting me until next Monday.” “What am I supposed
to tell Trixie? We’re supposed to go to Brooklyn on Monday.” “I’m sure she’ll
understand.” With a chuckle, he added, “In fact, I’ll bet she’d be the first
person to tell you just do it.” Honey looked down
at her brown argyle sweater and tan-colored twill pants. “But I’m not dressed
for a wedding, especially my own—” “We can stop at
your apartment on the way to the airport. You can pack a dress for the
wedding and some clothes for a honeymoon.” “But I don’t have a
wedding dress—” “If you can’t find
anything in your closet, I’ll buy you something when we get there,” Brian
offered. Honey’s eyes, the
color of burnished copper, began to sparkle with promise. “I guess that would
work.” “I know it will!”
Brian regarded her with an intense gaze that went right to her heart. “Let’s
do it, Honey. Let’s throw caution to the wind and go to Vegas.” “This
is so unlike you,” she murmured. “Why the rush?” “If
we have a big wedding, your mother will turn it into the social event of the
decade. It’s killing her that Trixie and Jim want to keep theirs fairly
simple. In fact, I’ll bet the reason she let them off the hook so easily was
because she could fulfill her dreams with you. If we don’t elope, she’ll plan
an extravaganza worthy of royalty. It will be at least a year before we could
be married.” Deep
in thought, she pursed her lips. “You’re probably right. Mother took it easy
on Trixie, but I won’t be so lucky. She’s dreamed of planning my wedding for
years.” “Then
let’s do it,” he coaxed. “Marry me, Honey. Marry me today.” Her
gold-tipped lashes batted in a contemplative gesture, but she remained
silent. “After
all these years, it’s time for us to settle down,” Brian continued earnestly.
“What do you say, Honey?” After
a moment of final hesitancy, Honey’s lips curved in a sultry smile, and she
met his gaze. “Viva Las Vegas, baby.”
Thank you so much to my fabulous
editors: Kaye, Ryl, and Steph H. You are all wonderful! Thanks for helping
me. Hang on, ladies. The right might get a little bumpy from here on out. The title of this story came about
as I was flipping through the music channels on TV. I’d been considering this
storyline, and once I heard the song, I knew I’d found my title. I searched
high and low for the words to this song, but it is one of the few that you
couldn’t find. I’m sure we all know who Cary Grant
is, but in case you don’t know who Carter Oosterhouse is, but if you’re
curious, tune into some of the older episodes of “Trading Spaces”. He will
also be featured on my cast page, which is coming soon. This story wasn’t supposed to happen
until March (the March of my universe, not the real March J ), but Brian and Honey insisted that we move it
up. Thank you to the friend who helped me see that sometimes it’s best to
throw out the outline and listen to the characters. Are you curious about Loyola? I
certainly hope so! More about her later. Sebastian the Crab was a character
in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”, which is one of my favorite cartoons. See? Brian can be a wild and crazy
guy. He often gets a bad rap, but I like exploring his fun side. He has
proved in this story that he can be spontaneous. It’s a pity Honey ruined his
surprise, but they both liked this plan. This storyline will continue with
Honey and Brian goin’ to the chapel… |