A Wife for One Year

“I’m already married,” he reminded her.

“And what if you meet someone now?”

“Huh?”

“What if you walk into a coffee shop tomorrow and bump into the woman you were meant to spend the rest of your life with?”

“If it hasn’t happened in the past twenty-seven years, I don’t think it’s going to happen tomorrow or any other time in the next twelve months.”

“But it could,” she insisted.

“If we were really meant to be together, I’d just explain to her that we have to wait until my divorce is final to fall madly in love.”

“You’re making fun of me.”

“Yes, I am,” he agreed. Because the scenario she was proposing was ridiculous—because there really was no one he could imagine wanting to be with more than he wanted to be with Kenna.

“It could happen,” she insisted.

“It’s just as likely that you might meet someone,” he told her.

“Yeah, because guys are always lining up to go out with high school science teachers. I practically trip over them trying to get to my classroom.”

“I believe it,” he told her. “Not because you’re a high school science teacher, but because you’re smart, fun, kind, loyal, generous and beautiful.”

“If I ever decide to join luvmatch-dot-com, you’re writing my profile.”

“But mostly—” he looked at her and grinned “—because you look really good in a skirt.”

* * *

After dinner, Daniel had not only convinced Nathan to let him borrow his truck, he’d somehow cajoled his brother into helping him move some of the bigger items that Kenna wanted from her apartment. So while they were taking apart her bed, she boxed up her clothes and personal items and took them over to his condo.

She’d just started unpacking when there was a knock on the door. Although she hadn’t expected they would be so close behind her, Kenna didn’t consider that it might be anyone other than her new husband and his brother—until she opened the door and discovered her mother-in-law standing on the other side.

“Mrs. Garrett, hi.”

“Can I come in?”

She stepped away from the door. “Of course.”

“This is for you,” Jane said, offering a vase overflowing with colorful blooms.

“It’s gorgeous,” Kenna said. “Rachel’s work?”

Daniel’s mother nodded. “One of the benefits of having a florist as a future daughter-in-law is that I didn’t have to wait until business hours tomorrow to offer an apology.”

Kenna took the arrangement into the dining room and set it in the middle of the table. “But why are you apologizing?”

“Because I know I seemed less than thrilled about the announcement of your marriage.”

“There’s no need to apologize—I know the news was a surprise.”

“But not an unpleasant one,” Jane assured her. “I always suspected that Daniel never fell in love with any of the girls he dated because of his feelings for you—not that he was ever willing to acknowledge those feelings, but I could see that they were there.”

Her claim confirmed Daniel’s suspicion that his mother wanted to believe their marriage was real. But Kenna didn’t know whether that was because she’d been married for forty years and believed in happy endings, or because it was preferable to suspecting that her youngest son had ulterior motives for his marriage.

“So you can understand why I was beginning to wonder if he’d ever meet that special someone...and why I’m so glad that someone was you.”

Jane took both of Kenna’s hands and held them, her gaze steady and sincere.

“I know I should welcome you to the family, but you’ve been part of our family for ten years already. So instead I’m going to tell you both David and I are overjoyed that your membership in our family is now official.”

Kenna’s throat tightened as Jane released her hands and drew her into her embrace.

Daniel’s parents had never been anything but warm and welcoming, and she’d loved them from the start. And Jane’s words would have meant so much to her if she and Daniel had married for all the right reasons; if the vows they’d exchanged had been more than a means to an end. Instead, his mother’s genuine warmth and acceptance made her want to cry.

“And if you have no objection,” Jane continued as she released her, “I really would like to host a reception to celebrate your wedding.”

Kenna had a whole boatload of objections, but none that she could admit to Daniel’s mother without raising red flags.

“Of course, your mother might already be planning something,” Jane realized. “But I’d be happy to coordinate with her.”

“Actually, we haven’t told my mother yet,” Kenna said. “But I don’t think that’s a concern, anyway.”

“Good, because I don’t want to step on any toes, but I know there are so many friends and family who would appreciate the opportunity to give you their best wishes.”

“My only suggestion would be to wait until after Andrew and Rachel’s wedding.”

“But they just got engaged—they haven’t even set a date yet,” Jane protested.

“Andrew doesn’t want to wait too long,” Kenna reminded her of the discussion that had gone on at the dinner table. “But Rachel wants a big wedding with all the bells and whistles, and that’s going to take a lot of planning.”

Apparently Daniel was right—when it came to self-preservation, she would absolutely throw his brother and future sister-in-law under the bus.

Jane sighed. “You’re right. And with Rachel’s parents living out of state, she might appreciate some help.”

“She’ll be thrilled,” Kenna said, confident that it was true.

“Then we’ll plan a reception for you and Daniel next summer—to celebrate your first anniversary,” Jane decided, apparently willing to postpone but not relinquish that plan.

“Sounds good,” Kenna said, and sent up a silent prayer that her temporary mother-in-law would someday forgive her for the lie.

Because by next summer, Kenna and Daniel’s marriage would be over.

* * *

As Daniel stepped out of the shower Monday morning, he was confident in his ability to adjust to life as a married man. Granted it was only day three, but so far their legal status as husband and wife hadn’t changed much of anything between Kenna and him. They each had their own lives, and he expected that they would continue to live those lives. True, they were now living under the same roof, but so long as he remembered this was a marriage in name only and ignored the hum of attraction, the proximity shouldn’t cause any real problems.