The German Wife(84)

Calvin and I continued to grow close after Henry left until we were unlikely best friends. When he told me he’d fallen in love with me and wanted me to be his wife, I was heartbroken, not pleased. I had no intention of accepting his proposal and figured it would be cruel to stay in our friendship knowing our feelings were imbalanced.

“I know you don’t feel the same way about me, and it’s perfectly fine,” Calvin said quietly. I was relieved, but still confused, especially when he added, “I just can’t help but wonder if there’s not a solution that would suit both of us.”

“A solution?”

“Your whole life is earning minimum wage at a hotel where most of the guests don’t even see you, but, Lizzie Davis, you are the kind of woman who deserves to be seen. I hate that you work harder than anyone I know and it’s all for so little. And don’t tell me you’re doing fine, because we both know you’re not. You have to work two jobs just to pay your rent on that terrible apartment.”

“You’ve never even been inside my apartment,” I replied stiffly.

“I don’t need to. That building is one strong wind away from being condemned.”

“We didn’t even have running water at the farm. This apartment is just fine.”

“Why should you settle for just fine, Lizzie? Especially when you could be with someone who wants nothing more in this life than to make you happy?” I didn’t know what to say. After a while, Calvin took my hand and added softly, “I know from experience that the most important thing in a marriage is a solid foundation of friendship. This is a pragmatic proposal. I’ve accepted a permanent position at Fort Bliss, so I need to set up a home here, not to mention entertain more, so you could help with all that. And I could help you too. You wouldn’t need to struggle for every little thing. You work so hard, Lizzie—when do you even have time to stop and breathe? I could give you the gift of a comfortable life. And maybe, if you let me love you, in time, you’ll come to love me too.”

I was lonely after Henry left and so damned tired of struggling for every crumb city life had to offer. I’d already reinvented myself once—from farmer’s daughter to city battler. I could do it again, especially if it meant making such a good man happy in the process.

“You don’t even look the same,” Henry chuckled now. That laughter was music to my ears. His appearance had also changed—he looked strong and healthy, and there was a twinkle in his eyes. “You look like some backwater farm girl who found her way to the city, met a rich guy, and now gets to be a trophy wife.”

He was teasing and I knew he didn’t mean to cause offense, but I gasped as I looked down at my outfit. I’d bought it because the fabric was the color of Texas bluegrass and it reminded me of home. That dress was beautiful, but Henry had a point: it was also something I’d never wear back in Oakden.

But Cal pointed out that most of his colleagues’ wives rarely wore trousers and then he gave me a big stack of money, so I bought some dresses.

“And what did you do to your hair?” Henry asked now, chuckling as he reached to touch my head. I slapped his hand away.

“It’s called a pompadour, you oaf,” I muttered. I’d never really had a clue about how to style my hair—that had never bothered me before, but things were different now. Cal said the best way to learn was to watch professionals, so I’d been booking myself into the salon a few times a week.

“I was surprised when you wrote that you were marrying Calvin,” Henry admitted. “You never even liked to date, remember?”

“I know.”

“But Calvin is a good guy. Army life has its ups and downs, but I don’t think they’d have taken me if he hadn’t put in a good word. Things got pretty bad for me for a while there, Lizzie. I wasn’t in my right mind. I still have bad days now, but they come and they go, and whether it’s a bad day or a good day, I have to get up and out of that bed before God is awake, because that’s how the Army works. Your Calvin saved me when he didn’t even know me. That’s a top kind of man right there. When I couldn’t look after you, I was glad to hear he was.”

“He really does look after me.” And I was trying to do the same for him. I wasn’t much of a girlfriend, and our relationship wasn’t exactly typical. I was still trying to figure out how to dress and act like the kind of woman a man like Cal deserved to marry.

“This should be the happiest time of your life.”

“It is,” I said, frowning. “Why would you think otherwise?”

“You’re pretty and dolled up, but you’re acting like you’re not even you.” He flicked me a confused glance. “At dinner with Cal and his parents, you hardly said a word.” We’d gone to the Hilton’s restaurant for old times’ sake, and Cal and his mother and father were staying there for the night, since it wasn’t appropriate for us to sleep in the same house before the wedding.

“It’s a big change.” I shrugged. “I’m nervous, that’s all.”

“I know. I get that. And tomorrow is your wedding night. I guess a girl would normally talk to her mother about these things, but with Mother not being here—”

“No! Stop it!” I said, covering my face with my hands. “God, Henry!”