Invisible(17)

They had a wonderful time in the house on Shelter Island, and she left for Greece immediately afterward. She came home tanned, and relaxed, with stories about the good time she’d had, and he stunned her the night she came home. She was happy to see him, and they fell into bed, made love, and lay in each other’s arms afterward. He was technically a good lover although not a warm person.

    “I’ve missed you terribly,” he admitted, which was unlike him, and she could tell that he had missed her and was thrilled to have her back. Antonia was due back from camp in two weeks, and had sent him the regulation postcard once a week that was required. Brandon was warmer with Lara than he’d ever been, and she teased him that she should go away more often, if this was the welcome she got when she returned. He couldn’t keep his hands off her, and held her close.

“I’ve done a lot of thinking while you were gone,” he said softly, nuzzling her neck. She wondered if he was going to ask her to move in with him, but she knew that was too bold a move for him, and he didn’t want to set that example for his daughter, as he had told her several times in the nearly two years they’d been dating. She couldn’t guess what he had in mind. He looked her in the eye then and said in a soft voice, “Will you marry me, Lara?” There was silence for a minute as she tried to absorb it. She had never expected to marry him, and the arrangement they had suited her. She wasn’t asking for more. She was about to turn forty, and didn’t mind being single at all. She had made her peace with it long since, and in many ways, it worked for her. She liked her independence, and she didn’t want children.

“What did you just say? Are you serious?” she asked him, looking him in the eye as they lay there in each other’s arms, but she could see he was.

“I never thought I’d get married again, and I wish I’d met you first, instead of that monster. It’s taken me years to get over her, and I finally have. I want to be married to you, if you’ll have me.” He kissed her then and it was a long time before they came up for air.

    “I might if you promise to take a month’s holiday every summer. In that case, I’d consider it, and maybe a week at Christmas to go skiing.”

“We’ll be free in three years,” he said as an inducement. “Antonia will be in college then.”

“I don’t need to be free of Antonia,” she said. “I love her. You’re a package deal, as far as I’m concerned. I’ve never actually been that keen on getting married. It always seemed too risky to me, but I’d consider it with you,” she said, and kissed him gently on the lips.

“Is that a yes?” She nodded, and he kissed her, and made love to her again a moment later. They were both smiling afterward. “Does this mean we’re engaged?” he asked her, still breathless.

“I think it does,” she confirmed.

“I don’t have an engagement ring for you yet,” he said. Fabienne had left with his mother’s sapphire ring, which he would have liked to give to Antonia one day. He suspected that Fabienne had probably pawned it. She had refused to return it.

“I don’t need one. I’ll take your word for it.”

He made what he thought was a daring suggestion then. “Let’s just do it, right away, would that be okay with you?”

“It sounds perfect,” she said dreamily, lying next to him.

“You’re okay with that, no big white dress or fancy wedding?”

“I’m too old for that, and my parents don’t speak to each other, which would be too complicated. My father is remarried to a woman my mother hates. I can’t deal with them. When do you want to do it?”

    “Yesterday,” he said happily. It was all working out better than he’d hoped.

“What about Antonia? Shouldn’t she be here with us? I don’t want to upset her, or make her feel left out.” She already felt alienated enough and left out of her father’s life.

“I think she’ll be thrilled, and I’d rather it be just the two of us. I’ve been married, and you never wanted to be. Why don’t we just do it, and then pick her up at camp?”

Lara looked worried about it, although a simple civil wedding appealed to her. But she didn’t want to start their life off on the wrong foot.

“I think we need Antonia’s permission,” she said seriously.

“Oh God,” he said, and rolled his eyes. “What if she says no?”

“Then we’ll wait until she says yes.”

“I don’t want to wait,” he said, pouting like a little boy.

“Neither do I, but I don’t want to hurt her feelings. Let’s call her and ask.”

“Now?” He sat up in bed, looking shocked. “We’re not allowed to call her at camp except in an emergency.”

“Good. Tell them it’s an emergency,” she said happily, and he went to get the number out of his wallet with shaking hands.

“This is crazy. We’re asking a fifteen-year-old for permission to get married.”

“She’s the only family you’ve got, and the only one who matters.”

He looked worried then. “Do I have to ask your father for permission?”

“Definitely not. He’s a curmudgeon, and he’d probably tell you you’re making a terrible mistake, and would say no. Just Antonia.” He had already put the camp number into his phone and it was ringing. Brandon gave his name and Antonia’s, and said it was an emergency and asked to have her called to the phone. The person who answered responded immediately that they would get her right away and to hold the line. They didn’t ask what the emergency was.