“At least we don’t have to get our hair done,” Will joked. “Though the way you’ve been torturing yours, someone better attack it with a comb.”

“You come near me with hairdresser intentions and the wedding’s off,” Grant responded sharply.

Will shrugged good-naturedly. “Never mind. I always did think the windblown look suited you just fine.”

Grant held up his hand, listening. Someone was playing the piano downstairs. “They brought in a piano player?”

Will nodded. “And some lady’s going to sing, too, from what I hear.”

Grant groaned. “This is like a real wedding.”

His friend clapped him on the shoulder. “That’s the point, big boy. You get the picture. This is a real wedding.”

But Grant was looking right through him, his mind in turmoil. Somehow this made everything different. How could this be a mere business deal when you added piano players and orange blossoms? How had everything careened so quickly out of control? Callie had been right the night before. This was all a bit too much. But it was obviously too late to change things now.

Coming down the stairs a few minutes later, Grant saw Tina arriving. He’d sent a car for her and was glad to see she’d made it. And then he saw her little girl coming in behind her-the little girl who looked so much like his Lisa that he looked twice to make sure it wasn’t her. He had to reach out and take hold of the banister for a moment.

Why was she here? Why would someone bring a little girl like that to a wedding?

He knew it was irrational, but he couldn’t help his reaction. When he saw the child, he reacted in an emotional way he couldn’t seem to control. The pain swept over him again, intense and almost unendurable. He couldn’t have a little girl who looked like Lisa watching as he married Callie. He was usually a logical, unemotional guy, but something about that just struck him as wrong.

He searched for Rosa and pointed out Tina’s child. “Could someone watch her during the wedding?” he asked. “Maybe take her up to the old playroom?”

“Of course,” Rosa said with a smile. “Such a pretty little girl.”

Gena had come up behind him. “What are you doing?” she asked as Rosa hurried off.

Grant avoided her gaze with a guilty maneuver. “Uh, that’s Tina’s little girl. I thought she would be happier playing away from the wedding.”

Gena frowned. “Did Tina ask you to do that?”

“No, but…” He swallowed hard and turned to look his sister in the face. “Look at her. She looks exactly like Lisa. Don’t you see? I can’t have her here during the wedding. I just can’t.”

Frowning, Gena stared at the little girl then turned back. “Grant, I don’t see…” But he was already heading back up the stairs and he ignored her comment.

There was no way he could explain. Every time he looked at Molly, he saw Lisa and he felt his own little girl looking at him with a sad reproach he just couldn’t face. That was all there was to it. And there wasn’t much he could do to change that.

Finally it was time. The backyard had been set up with chairs leaving an aisle down the middle. He walked down that aisle behind Will and they took their positions. The place was packed and he had another qualm, hoping Callie didn’t feel intimidated.

“What did you do, take an ad out in the local paper?” Will muttered to him out of the corner of his mouth, looking around at the crowd.

“Not me,” Grant murmured back. “You can’t pin this one on me.”

He looked at his grandfather, sitting in the front seat. The old man gave him a smile that helped make up for a lot of this. At least Grant Carver IV was happy.

The pianist struck up “Here Comes the Bride” and Tina came out, looking pleased as punch, and then Callie, looking so beautiful, he could hardly breathe for a moment.

A wave of relief swept over him. She was smiling at him, looking joyful. It was going to be all right. They would get through this and then, tonight, they were going to begin the task of making a beautiful baby together. He was looking forward to that a lot more than he’d expected to. In fact, almost too much.

He settled down and greeted his bride as she reached him.

“Hi,” she whispered.

“Hi, gorgeous,” he whispered back.

“Let’s get married,” she said, and he grinned.

“Let’s do it.”

Magic. That was the only word she could think of for today. Pure, shimmering, golden magic. She’d thought she’d feel awkward with a room full of people she’d never met before. The only people who were really there for her were Tina and Molly and Grant and his sister. But that seemed to be enough, because everyone else acted as though they’d known her since she’d toddled out into the world. She was the center of attention and praise and questions-she’d never felt so in demand before in her life.

Everyone was so happy for her and for Grant, thinking they were on their way to a lifetime of blissful happiness. At first she felt a little strange about pretending this was a normal marriage and not a business deal. She had to admit they’d put on the trappings of a real love match, so why would anyone think any different? But there was no way to explain. No one would understand.

And anyway, she wasn’t much different from the others-even she was beginning to feel like this was a love match. Whenever she looked at Grant she couldn’t help but react to how handsome he looked in a tuxedo. She felt a quiver inside. Was this the way love began?

That’s not love, you ninny! That is just pure anticipation of your wedding night, that’s what that is.

Maybe. There was no denying her heart skipped a beat every time she thought of it. So what? It was exciting and it was wonderful and she could hardly wait to be alone with him. She was on pins and needles, but in a good way. A very good way.

And then, Tina had caught the bouquet and the champagne punch bowl had been drained and the finger sandwiches had all been devoured and cake had been smashed into faces and icing licked off fingers and it was time for them to go.

They joined hands and thanked everyone for coming. People were laughing and calling out good wishes. She’d heard someone had tied things to the back of Grant’s car. She saw someone passing out little bags of rice.

This was crazy. It was a real wedding. She’d never thought it would happen to her. She turned to look up into Grant’s handsome face.

“One kiss,” he whispered. “And we’re out of here.”

She nodded happily. He bent and touched his lips to hers. She sighed. Magic.

And then it all fell to pieces, like a glass vase smashed by a rock.

Someone shouted. A buzz went through the assembly. Callie turned, confused. What was going on?

“Call 911,” someone shouted. “Quick. It’s Tina.”

“Tina?”

Callie was pushing her way through the crowd, her heart in her throat. By the time she got to her friend, Tina was sitting up, supported by someone who was holding a cup of water to her lips.

“I’m okay,” she said, trying to smile at Callie. “I’m just…” Her voice faded and she slumped forward.

She wasn’t okay at all. That much was obvious. Callie was frantic until the paramedics arrived to take her to the hospital.

“I have to go with her,” she told Grant. “I’m so sorry, I…”

He nodded. “Of course. Go.”

“I’ll call you from the hospital.”

“Fine.”

He watched her climb into the back of the ambulance in her wedding gown and he knew his wedding night was a lost cause. But that didn’t matter. Tina’s welfare was all important now. That, and…

“Where’s the little girl?” he asked Gena. “I hope she didn’t see any of that.”

“No. She’s asleep on my bed.”

Grant nodded and took in a deep breath. “I guess we’d better look into some sort of child care for her.”

“Later,” Gena said, putting a hand on his arm. “She can stay with me for now.”

“Are you sure?”

“Oh, yes. She’s adorable. I’ll take care of her until we hear more about Tina.”

He nodded, looking broodingly at the road that led away from the ranch, the road Callie had disappeared down, and wondering how long it would be before he had her in his arms again.

It had been a week since his wedding, but he didn’t have a wife yet. Tina was home from the hospital but things didn’t look good. Callie had been staying at the apartment and spending most of her time at the hospital or taking care of Molly. And Grant was on his own.

So here he sat in his darkened apartment, a glass of bourbon and water in his hand, mulling over where things stood. He’d married Callie, but he hadn’t made her truly his wife, and he was about to go out of his mind with gloom over it.

He’d seen her every day. He’d gone over and done what he could for Tina and given support to Callie. He’d hired a service of rotating nurses and child-care professionals to help out at the apartment once Tina was back from the hospital. This was a very trying time for all of them.

Callie had decided to stay at the apartment herself for the short-term, and he’d agreed. Even with a nanny hired, he knew she felt someone should be with Molly to keep her from sensing how scary things really were. He wanted Callie home, but he hadn’t pushed. He’d had to bite his tongue a number of times to keep from saying what he felt. But he’d held it back.

What was happening to Tina was tragic and heartbreaking. The cancer she’d been battling over the last year had returned with a vengeance. Chemotherapy and radiation were being considered. Callie had thrown herself into the role of support for her friend and he could understand that. Callie’s compassionate side was one of the factors that made her such a quality person.

And she was. The better he got to know her, the more impressed he was with the woman he’d chosen to be the mother of his future children. She was great.

And at the same time, she was so much the opposite of his first wife. Jan had been all fire and passion, dancing and laughter, sharp anger and sweet atonement. She’d kept him on his toes. He’d loved her with a passion just as deep and bright, and he missed her so much he avoided thinking about her.

Just because she’d been such a presence in his life, he’d known he needed someone completely different, someone who wasn’t like Jan at all. And Callie was that person. Where Jan ran on impulse, Callie was planned. She used logic and kept her distance until she was sure of what she was doing. He was learning to appreciate those qualities more and more.

Now she was coming home tomorrow. And in some ways, he was more worried about that than anything. A bad pattern had been set by their being apart all this time. That pattern had to be broken. He wasn’t sure how and he didn’t want to come off like a caveman; he only knew something had to give.

He had a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. Once she came back if she still had that lost, haunted look in her eyes, chances were good she wasn’t going to be in the mood for babymaking. He’d promised he wouldn’t push her into anything until she was ready. Circumstances were conspiring to keep that from happening. She was going to need something to pull her out of her current sad reality. Something new. Something to jolt her world and make her see the sunshine.

And, what the hell, something to make her see him again.

He frowned, turning the glass in his hand, thinking over options. He had to do something, no matter what it was. What was the point of having a lot of money if you didn’t use it?

An idea came to him, full of possibilities. Narrowing his gaze, he thought over all the options hard and fast. Yes. It was a good idea. In fact, it was a fantastic idea.

He picked up the telephone and punched in the number of the local airport. He was going to order himself up a honeymoon.

CHAPTER EIGHT

CALLIE had barely walked in the door when Grant was hustling her back out it again. In minutes, he had her ensconced in his car and they were sailing along the highway toward the airport.

“Where are we going?” she asked, looking out the window at the passing scene. He’d astonished her and she realized she was glad. With so much sadness in her life right now, she needed a respite. She’d spent so many nights lying awake in anger at what was happening to Tina. She’d spent hours crying in the shower, away from Molly. Grief was exhausting. She needed a break.

“It’s a surprise.”

She frowned. “But I didn’t pack anything. Are we staying overnight?”

He smiled mysteriously and refused to answer.

“You see, this is the problem with surprises,” she fretted, only half teasing. “Women need to prepare for these things. We need time to decide what to wear.”