Unexpected Marriage (7 page)

There was a warning glint in Jake’s eyes that told Kaycee he was very mad about something, though she couldn’t think what it was. If anyone had a right to be mad it was her after all he was still trying to manipulate her in to staying with him even though he had promised he would not.

“Jake?” she asked in a cool voice determined not to let him see how unnerved she was at the sight of him.

“I thought I would come and surprise you but imagine my surprise when I find you with him,” Jake said furiously and Kaycee gasped in shock.

“Look mate it’s not like that…” Dave said only to trail off at the sharp look Jake sent his way.

“I suggest you leave… mate!” Jake snapped and Dave hesitated as he glanced at Kaycee questioningly.

“It’s okay Dave, I’ll be fine.” She assured him and with a final glance at them Dave left though he was clearly not happy about it.

“You had no right to speak to him like that,” Kaycee told Jake furiously as she turned to glare at him with her hands on her hips and he responded with a fiery glare of his own.

“You are my wife,” he said firmly as though that was an excuse and Kaycee was stunned that he actually seemed to believe he had claims over her and what she did just because they happened to have gotten married.

“And Dave is my friend,” she told him refusing to back down.

“More than a friend is what I heard,” Jake informed her and this time Kaycee actually was stunned. Who on earth would have told him that? It was true that she and Dave worked closely together but clearly there would never have been anything between them.

“Well then you heard wrong,” Kaycee told him firmly folding her arms and watching as he ran his hand through his dark hair making it stand out in all directions.

“If I heard wrong then what was going on just now?” he demanded and Kaycee decided she’d had enough. Why should she be getting accusations when she had done nothing wrong? He had no right to behave like the jealous husband and no right at all to tell her whom she could see and speak to.

“That’s none of your business,” she told him and his eyes narrowed.

“I’m making it my business,” he said coolly and Kaycee glared at him. There was no way that she was going to explain herself to him when he would never have explained himself to anyone.

“Well then you’re going to be disappointed. I have no intention of discussing Dave with you,” Kaycee said glancing pointedly at her watch.

“I suggest that you do not try my patience right now love,” Jake gritted out and Kaycee gave a sigh of frustration. Don’t try his patience? He was certainly trying hers.

“I have to get back to work now,” Kaycee said in answer but before she could take more than a step Jake was there spinning her back to him with his hand grasping her wrist.

“I’ve decided that time apart isn’t suiting us as well as we thought,” he told her and Kaycee frowned.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” she demanded and in answer he lowered his head and captured her lips in a bruising kiss meant to punish as much as pleasure.

“It means we are going to have a honeymoon,” Jake explained when he finally pulled away. The burning in his eyes had changed now from an angry glint to a lusty fire that couldn’t be put out by just a mere kiss.

“You’re being ridiculous. This is all because you think something’s going on with Dave and I. Well, you know what? I don’t want to go on a honeymoon,” Kaycee informed him and Jake’s eyes narrowed.

“It wasn’t a request Kaycee!” he replied firmly and she gaped at his assumption that she would meekly go along with anything he suggested.

“I can’t go on a honeymoon. For one thing I have work, and for another I have my family to think about. They need me,” Kaycee explained and Jake shrugged.

“I’ve already sorted out some time off from your job and as for your family; they are not your responsibility.”

“What do you mean you’ve sorted out my job? And my family are my responsibility when they’re in trouble,” she snapped making Jake frown.

“I have discussed with your manager and she was more than happy to let you have the time off. And would your family be helping you if you were in trouble?” Jake asked making Kaycee shift uncomfortably for it was true that her stepmother and stepsister would not care one bit that she was in trouble. Her father might care a little but if her stepmother interfered then even he would turn his back on her.

Knowing that Jake was right however did not mean that she would become the same as them. Her father was her only real family and she would not sit back and watch him fall when she had the power to catch him.

“I will not let you destroy my father just so you can take over his business,” Kaycee snapped and Jake actually looked surprised though it shouldn’t have come as much of a shock considering what her father had told her.

“Why would you think for a second that I wanted to take your father’s business?” Jake demanded and she raised her head to glare at him.

“I know exactly what it is you’re planning and it won’t work. You may get my father’s business but you’ll lose me,” Kaycee informed him and Jake gave a final sigh.

“I have had just about enough of this. We are going to have a honeymoon and we are going to make sure that your father and Dave do not interfere,” Jake said before he placed one arm around her waist and led her from the building without even giving her chance to argue.

They would be having a honeymoon and she would forget all about Dave and their short-lived romance as well as her father who couldn’t care less about her, Jake decided. The only problem was convincing her that he was not the bad guy here!

That plan lasted all of five minutes, right up until they reached his car when Kaycee decided that she'd had enough of being dragged around and obeying orders. If he wanted this to be a real marriage then it meant he had to include her opinions not just ride over them.

“I'm not going," Kaycee declared firmly as they came to a halt beside the car.

“You can save the dramatics for later," Jake said with a sigh and Kaycee glared at him furiously.

“I'm serious. I am not going anywhere with you." she told him and Jake brushed a weary hand over his face.

“Kaycee, I'm trying to do something nice here. We're going away somewhere that we can get to know each other properly without all the distractions," he explained less than patiently.

“And what? You think that after a few weeks alone together we can come back and everything will be completely different? You think that all those distractions will just vanish?" she asked.

“I think that if we get to know each other more then the distractions won't matter as much. Kaycee we can have a good marriage, but not like this," he warned and she blew out a frustrated breath.

Why was it that nobody ever seemed to understand what she was saying? And if they did they seemed to ignore her opinions. First her family and now Jake, it was just too much for her.

“Well, I have no intention of going on a honeymoon with you." she said firmly sticking to her guns.

“Kaycee, get in the car," he growled and she shook her head slowly.

“I said no, Jake. I am not going anywhere."

“Is this still about your family?" he demanded and she rolled her eyes. Why did he think that everything had to do with her father?

“This has nothing to do with them. This is about us and nobody else. Taking a holiday together is not going to change anything," Kaycee explained calmly and Jakes eyes darkened.

“It will give us some much needed time together, is that not worth anything?" he asked and Kaycee frowned. Did her expect her to drop everything just for a few weeks with him? It would be absolute bliss, no doubt about that, but she wanted them to get to know each other properly not just in the bedroom.

“You promised that we would give each other space and see what happened," she said and Jake sighed.

“And we did but it didn't work," he ground out.

“You gave it all of one day," she argued and Jake groaned.

“It was enough time to realize that it wasn't going to work," he tried but Kaycee'd had enough. Why did he think that his ideas were the only ones that would work? Neither of them had expected or wanted this marriage and it just wasn't going to work if they couldn't agree on anything.

“How about we try my way first and if that doesn't work then we'll try a honeymoon," she tried but Jake didn't like that idea at all. He couldn't bear another night away from her.

“Kaycee just get in the damned car," he snapped finally losing his temper but she stubbornly refused. Something he had learned about his wife early on, she could be extremely stubborn when she wanted to be and she very rarely let anyone force her to do something she didn't want to.

“Please," he begged softly and he saw her waver then apparently she decided it was some sort of trick on his part as her expression hardened and she shook her head once again.

“We try it my way and then we'll try it yours," she said firmly and Jake blew out a breath. His wife may be beautiful and smart but she was stubborn as a mule and he was fighting a losing battle. Why was it so wrong that he wanted to spend time with her?

He was about to ask her that when his phone rang and with a frustrated growl he fished it out of his pocket and answered, never taking his eyes of Kaycee who was watching his every move.

Kaycee had seen it in his eyes that he was not going to break and let her have her way. But when he answered his phone she was stunned to see his face pale beneath his tan and his voice came out softer. When he finally put away the phone he seemed distracted and didn't even notice when she stepped closer to him.

“Everything okay?"  she asked placing a hand on his shoulder only to frown in confusion when he jerked away from her.

“Everything's fine," he snapped and Kaycee frowned up at him.

“You sure? Cos you don't look fine," she noted and he ran a rough hand through his hair.

“I think you were right," Jake said after a moment and Kaycee looked at him in even more confusion.

“I was right?" she repeated questioningly and he slowly nodded.

“We need some time apart to see where we stand, so I'll call you in a few days," he said and then Jake got in his car and drove away leaving Kaycee staring after him wondering what the hell had just happened.

Kaycee gazed at herself in the mirror critically analyzing every detail. Her long hair was tied back in a French twist that made her face look pale and drawn, she had applied minimal make-up but no amount of make-up could hide the dark shadows beneath her eyes. She wore a midnight blue evening gown that was a little baggy and revealed how much weight she had lost in the last few weeks. Adding to that matching jewelry and heels Kaycee actually looked the best she had in weeks.

Turning to a side she placed one hand over her flat stomach and wondered if it was her imagination that it seemed a little bigger. It was true that the last few weeks she had barely been eating or sleeping and she had lost weight everywhere yet her stomach did seem bigger than usual.

“Kaycee?"

She jumped at her stepmother's shout and immediately let her hand drop as she turned away from the mirror trying not to look guilty as the woman in question appeared in her doorway.

“You called?" Kaycee asked dryly and Sue rolled her eyes as she observed her.

“You really could have made more of an effort for your sister's wedding. But never mind, you'll have to do!" Sue said with disdain and a sniff her way. It was Kaycee's turn to roll her eyes and with a sigh she followed Sue from the room, hoping that the nausea she was feeling would disappear before the ceremony.

Once settled in the car beside her father and Sarah, Kaycee found her thoughts drifting. As was so often the case lately her mind went straight to Jake. She hadn't seen him in four weeks, since the day he drove off and left her. He had tried to call a few times but Kaycee had ignored his calls. It hadn't been easy the past month. Even though they had only been married a few days she couldn't get used to the emptiness of her bed and found herself unable to sleep and couldn't face the thought of food. She had also been feeling extremely nauseous of late and had the sneaking suspicion that Jake may have left a piece of himself behind.

“We're here,"

Broken out of thought by her father's voice, Kaycee glanced out the window at the large church where her sister was to marry. Her sister who right now looked almost as sick as Kaycee felt.

“Oh my god," Sarah said breathlessly and Kaycee frowned as she observed her normally over-confident sister.

“I'll be right back," her father said as he exited the car to talk to someone leaving the girls alone, both pale and nervous.

“Kaycee?" Sarah blurted out.

“Yes, Sarah?"

“I think I'm going to be sick," Sarah announced before she buried her head in her puffy white dress skirt and began taking deep breaths.

“Just breathe, everything will be fine. You love him," Kaycee said and Sarah slowly lifted her head to gaze at her in confusion.

“Why are you being so nice? Until a month ago you loved him," Sarah whispered and Kaycee frowned.

It hadn't occurred to her until now that she had never loved Rob. How was it that in the entire time that they had been sorting out the wedding and choosing the outfits and getting her dress fitted that she had never once realized that she no longer cared about them being together? Ever since she had met Jake it was like Rob had no longer existed and though she should have been devastated today that her ex was marrying her sister Kaycee found that she did not even care. She didn't wish that it was her getting married to him or that he would come to his senses and realize he'd chosen the wrong sister. The only thing she wished was that Jake was here with her.

“Because, you must love him or you wouldn't have gone this far." Kaycee explained and Sarah turned to her with fear in her eyes.

“I don't know if he loves me as much as I love him though," Sarah revealed and Kaycee sighed as she gave her sister a hug.

“Nobody can know if someone really loves them or if a marriage will last. The only thing we can do is try the best we can to make the marriage work and hope for the best," Kaycee told her even as she realized she should have been taking her own advice. It seemed to soothe Sarah and she calmed down, just in time for their father to help her out the car to where her other bridesmaids were waiting.

Kaycee took a slow deep breath and tried to keep the smile pinned to her face as she walked ahead of her sister and father leading the way down the aisle to where a bored looking Rob was waiting. She could feel sickness rising up again and taking very discreet breaths she prayed that it would hold off for just a bit longer.

As the wedding march ended and Sarah finally took her place beside Rob, Kaycee expected him to say something supportive but instead he turned to the vicar.

“Let's get this over with," he muttered and Kaycee frowned as she had a sudden flashback.

“You are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen." She remembered Jake whispering in her ear even though they were both drunk and she wasn't even dressed for the occasion. But those words had made her love him all the more.

Kaycee shook of the memory to realize that something was wrong. She had tuned out most of the ceremony but now the church was deadly silent and the priest was looking stunned although the look on Rob's face was impressive. He had gone a reddish purple color and looked both furious and embarrassed at the same time.

“You're being ridiculous," he hissed and Kaycee frowned wondering what exactly she had missed.

“I don't think I am. You don't love me. The only person you love is yourself," Sarah informed Rob in to the complete silence of the church and Kaycee gasped watching in shock as her sister turned and stormed away down the aisle leaving Rob to stare after her as the center of attention.

“Kaycee," he implored and she turned to find that he had moved to kneel before her.

“What are you doing?" Kaycee demanded aware of all the eyes trained on her right now.

“I was wrong to leave you. I never loved Sarah, It's always been you!" he declared with a hand over his heart and Kaycee stared at him in shock.