Mail-order Bridegroom Part 65

it was the one place n the world where he could kick back and relax, where hequit worrying about the business and enjoyed nimself.The one spot where there were no tensions and no pressures. Ever.And his mother wanted him to take Kate?He closed his eyes and groaned. With no distractions, with only sun and sand and surf, he would have nothing to keep him from getting to know his new wife, and his mother knew it.

Damon didn't want to know his new wife.

He already knew far too much.

He knew that her cheeks turned bright red when she got angry and that she had one tiny off-centre dimple in the left one when she laughed.

He knew that she looked as fresh as a daisy with the wind in her hair.

He knew she could laugh with the exuberance of a seven-year-old.

He knew she could charm the pout off an unhappy child and bring a smile to

the face of another with a

newly skinned knee. He knew she could stop a fight that had been brewing, could make Sophia nap when no one else could, could keep his brother-in-law in line.

He knew that her lips felt soft and full beneath his, that her curves fitted snugly against the hard lines of his own frame. He'd learned those curves when he'd held her against him this evening as they'd stood in front of his mother.

And now he knew she sang soft s.n.a.t.c.hes of romantic songs while she got ready for bed.

She was driving him insane. And all the while the d.a.m.ned woman sounded as if she didn't have a care in the world!

Probably she didn't, he thought, his fingers tightening on a fistful of crumpled quilt.

She didn't have a multinational corporation to oversee. She didn't have a mother and six sisters determined to drive her crazy. She didn't have a philandering brother-in-law to keep on the straight and narrow.

Mostly, he thought irritably, she didn't have a delightful, delectable wife she wasn't allowed to touch!

Thoughts about her upcoming week in the Bahamas with Damon would have been enough to bedevil Kate throughout the weekend. Helena Alexakis complicated matters further.

"She's invited me to lunch tomorrow," Kate told Damon on Monday afternoon when he picked her up from Sophia's.

"She and Sophia."

Damon grimaced.

"So be busy."

"It's not as simple as that. For one thing, my busyness at midday generally involves the twins, who happen to be going to a birthday party. But even more important, I'm not sure I should beg off."

Damon looked at her, aghast.

"You want to get the third degree?"

"Not particularly. But I'm afraid it will be worse if I ivoid her. I mean,right now she sort of seems to like the."

This last astonishing fact had been borne in on Kate iver the weekend.

At the family dinner on Sat.u.r.day light, Helena had been quite genial, askingKate about her father, about her schooling, about her plans for Kid Kare.And when Sophia had her mother and Damon and his new wife over for brunch onSunday, Helena had shooed the twins away so she could once igain conversewith Kate.

This time they had talked about Kate's first mari age and, rather thanresenting Damon's mother's probing, Kate found herself telling Helena moreabout t than she'd ever told anyone.

At first, of course, Kate had been wary. But Helena was calm and kind and not given to the snap judge- nents that Kate had always been used to on theparental front. Anyway, it was difficult to keep up the's guard all thetime. Particularly in the face of in expected acceptance.

Damon grunted.

"I'm glad she likes you, at least."

"Has she said anything negative to you?" Kate wanted to know.

"She hasn't said anything at all to me. She smiles ike the cat in that children's story."

"The Cheshire cat?"

Damon grimaced.

"That's the one."

Kate didn't know if it was worry about his mother ar something else, butDamon had been increasingly . ton ny and irritable. At first she thought itwas a result of his night on the hard wood floor. But he'd slept on thefloor of the bedroom for three nights now without comment, declining hersuggestion that they add a futon so it would look like a sofa, but would provide him with a bed.

"Don't bother," he'd muttered.

"I only want to help," Kate had replied, miffed by his irritable tone.

"Do you?" Damon had asked sarcastically."Do you really?" And without giving her a chance to reply to that, he'dstalked out.

Kate watched him go and wondered about how they'd cope for the next three hundred and fifty-four days.

She was still wondering when she met his mother for lunch.

Helena had reserved them a table in a small French restaurant not far from Damon's office. She was already there, waiting, when Kate arrived, apologising.

"No, you are not late. I am early. I stopped to see Damon on my waydowntown. I had hoped we'd have time to talk, but, as always, he is toobusy." She gave Kate a conspiratorial smile.

"It is a good thing you are going on this honeymoon. You can straighten out his priorities." The waitress led them to their table in an alcove on the second floor. It was a cosy, intimate setting the sort that seemed to call for secrets sharedand hearts bared. Kate took a mental inventory, making sure all her de fenceswere in place.

Then, once they had ordered, Helena undermined them all.

"I can't tell you how happy I am that at last Damon has found his bride."

Kate, about to take a sip of her wine, set it down, grateful she wasn't

choking on it.

Helena laughed at the expression on her face.

"You are surprised?"

"Well," Kate hedged, 'he urn wasn't quite sure low you'd feel about urn me.

I mean, since he ^adn't told you and simply foisted me on you. "

"I admit I would have liked to have come to your wedding," Helena said.

"One doesn't get to see one's only son married every day. But.as long as he has ound the right woman. . . " Her voice trailed off. Shesmiled benevolently at Kate, who felt as if she should lisclaim all right tobeing any such thing.

"I'm sorry," she said in a small voice.

"The wedding, it is a small thing. The marriage, that is what is important,"Helena said."Don't be sorry, my lear. Everything is wonderful. Damon has found his ride. I tell you, I was about to give up hope. I was if raid I would have

to do it for him."

"I thought I mean, he thought I mean Jnable to say what it was either of them had thought, Gate took a quick, desperate gulp of her wine.

The waitress brought their meals. Helena dug right into her bowl of bouillabaisse.

"I was getting desperate, I don't need to tell you," Helena went on."For years I have been talking to him ibout what he should look for in abride. She must be trong-willed, I tell him. She must have integrity andtrength of character, and a certain sense of joy. All these things she willneed to deal with you, I tell him. ^nd I never know if he listens." Helenastabbed a hr imp "He grunts. He mumbles.He goes to meetings in the middle of what I say."I know women.Mama," tie tells me."I got sisters." And I tell him, Damon, sisters aren't the same. "Kate laid her fork down and simply listened."I never thought he took it seriously. Every time I brought it up, he would get this look on his face and he would say, "More advice about the Alexakis iride?" and I would say, "Damon, it's important, the

most important decision of your life." And he would ignore me. So I told him last time I came to New York, you can't do ityourself. I will help. " Helena crunched down the shrimp with considerablerelish.

Kate sat mesmerised.

"I will find you a bride, I tell him. And you know what he says? He says to me, "Go ahead. I have a business to run" " Helena shook her head and smiled at Kate.

"And all the while he was listening to me.

He married you. "

Kate wanted to sink right through the floor.

"I couldn't have done better myself."

Kate hesitated, then had to ask, "What about Marina?" ' Helena made a tsking sound and shook her head.

"Marina is a lovely girl. Spirited. Charming. She would have made apa.s.sable Alexakis Bride I think. But she is so young, so untried in thetrials of life.

I told Damon I would find him a bride, and so I brought Marina with me Helena chuckled more to irritate him than anything else. "

"Then. . you didn't intend him to marry her?"

Helena sopped up some of the stew with a piece of French bread."If he loved her, of course. Mostly I wanted him to sit up and take notice.To think about marriage, about what he wanted in a bride. And all the time Iwas worrying, he had done much better than think. He had fallen in love!"

Kate closed her eyes and prayed for divine intervention.

"I worried a little when I first met you. Damon is a strong man. A stubbornman." Helena sighed."But now that we have talked, I feel much better. You, too, are strong. You would have to be, to grow up with your father, to resist his will and marry without his permission. You are strong in other ways, too. You

are making your own business. I envy you your independence. It will be good for Damon not to be the only business person she said cheerfully.

"You must keep your hand in after the children.""Children?" Kate croaked."Surely you want children?" For the first time Helena looked worried.

"Of course I want children! But---' " I was sure you would. Seeing you with Leda and Christina was enough to tell me you will be a wonderful mother. " Helena beamed.

"I'm sure Damon saw that, too. I must give my son credit. He has done well indeed." She finished her bread, then c.o.c.ked her head and looked at Kate.

"Is there something wrong with your meal, dear? You aren't eating."