Needing Happily Ever After - Elena Aitken Page 0,16

had transpired to keep Katie from moving away from home, at least recently. “I’m sorry I didn’t say so before.”

“Oh no, Mr. Banks. No need. My family got your flowers. Thank you.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Damon’s surprised look and remembered she hadn’t told Damon that his father had recognized her own dad’s death earlier in the year. “And I know I’ve already said so, but your own loss…I’m so sorry.”

Anthony dipped his head for a moment and nodded. When he looked up, his eyes shone with unshed tears. “It’s been hard these last few years without Leona. You don’t realize just how hard, do you?”

“You really don’t.”

“Well,” Anthony said with a lift in his voice. “At least Leona’s dream will come true now. She always wanted a big family to fill this house. We weren’t able to achieve that ourselves, but it really is a house that deserves a family, don’t you think?” He asked the question to Katie, but there was no doubt who it was actually directed at.

Next to her, Damon nodded slowly. “It’s a perfect family home,” he said carefully. “I didn’t realize that Mom wanted more children.”

Katie reached her hand across the couch and laced her fingers through Damon’s.

“It was a long time ago,” Anthony said. “It just wasn’t meant to be for us. But maybe for…” He grinned and tilted his head in their direction.

Instantly, Katie felt terrible for lying to the man. But she’d promised Damon.

She’d promised.

And she cared way too much about him to risk everything now just because she had a flash of doubt.

“One day.” She shrugged noncommittally. The last thing she wanted to do was start talking about fake children to go along with her fake engagement.

“Speaking of ElkView and families, Dad. Maybe we could talk about the details for the sale.” Damon kept his voice even, but Katie knew on the inside he was working hard to control himself. “I mean, I’m prepared to meet your asking price, and I know the stipulation was that you sold to a couple.”

“A married couple,” Anthony corrected him. “Preferably already with a family.” He looked to Katie and softened his voice. “But for you, I will overlook that little detail for the moment.”

“The detail of us being engaged and not yet married?” Damon asked, bringing his father’s focus back.

Anthony’s face once again hardened, completely in business mode. “No,” he said simply. “The detail of not having a family. But the marriage,” he continued. “That’s not a detail I’m willing to budge on.”

“So you mean—”

“Married. The two of you need to be married. Legally. Only then will we discuss the paperwork.”

Next to her, Katie could feel Damon begin to vibrate. She knew that when it came to his father, he didn’t have much patience on a good day. And this was turning out to be not a very good day. She squeezed his hand and before Damon could say anything to get himself into trouble, she made a split-second decision that she hoped like hell he wouldn’t object to. “Well, that works out perfectly then.” She didn’t look at Damon as she spoke. “Because I told Damon that I just couldn’t wait another minute to make it official. After all, we’ve waited our whole lives, right? I mean, it seems silly to drag it out any longer. Besides, I never did want the big white wedding with all the pomp and circumstance.”

“What are you saying, Katie?”

“Yes,” Damon added. “What are—”

“We’ve actually decided to have a really small ceremony on Thursday. Just immediate family.”

Next to her, Damon made a choking sound but he recovered quickly.

“Thursday? That is awfully soon.” Anthony put a finger to his lips and seemed to mull over what she’d just said.

“It is soon.” That was an understatement. “But like I said, it already took Damon so long to realize what a great catch I was, I don’t want to give him a chance to change his mind again.”

“There’s hardly a chance of that,” Damon muttered.

She turned to look at him, and his eyes reflected complete amazement. She winked and turned back to his father.

“And if it all works out with your schedule, well, all the better, right? Because I really can’t think of a better place to raise a family, Mr. Banks. For our own kids one day to be able to grow up out here…well…” She drifted off, and stared out at the valley below that was showcased with a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows.

Almost