Agatha broke the awkward tension in the room by laughing and shaking her head. “Slow down, Amanda, girl. You’re talking so fast my head’s a spinnin’. As for you two,” she said to her and Caleb. “It sounds like a fine idea to me.”
The room grew quiet as Amanda and Agatha sat and stared at them both. Caleb seemed to be at a loss for words but cleared his throat and shifted in his seat again. “Amanda, we can’t pressure Diana into rushing the wedding. She wanted until the new year to decide if she wanted to stay or not and I’m going to give it to her.”
Amanda leaned toward her, her eyes big and imploring. “But she doesn't want to wait, do you Diana?”
Everyone’s focus was on her again. Those butterflies she usually felt were going to make her sick they were swimming in circles so fast. She’d never been put on the spot with no way out before. What did she say? Did she agree with Amanda and let Caleb think she was rushing things like he said they’d be doing by marrying early or tell them she’d rather wait like he and Diana had agreed on?
But what will he say if he knew he would be marrying an imposter?
She chewed on her bottom lip while staring at her plate. Tell him the truth. Just—spit it out and be done with it. Look him in the eye and say, my name is Rebecca, Caleb. I’m not Diana Hale but I will marry you in a heartbeat if you’ll have me.
The words were on the tip of her tongue but fear kept them locked down tight. He’d hate her if he knew she’d been lying to him all this time. How could he not? She’d be fighting mad if their situations were reversed. If she’d thought she was marrying a man she thought she knew only to find out he was someone completely different she’d be livid.
“I have no objections if she doesn’t.”
Caleb’s quiet statement took a full thirty seconds to register. Rebecca lifted her head and met his gaze.
He shifted again and his cheeks were definitely red. “I thought to do this a little differently but since Amanda brought it up…” His words trailed off before he cleared his throat. “I’d like nothing more than to marry you. I don’t see a reason to put it off.”
Her heart started pounding.
“Is that something you can do now or do you still wish to wait?” When she said nothing in reply, he added, “I can get on one knee if you’d like.”
He grinned, and she ducked her head and smiled.
You could have heard a pin drop it was so quiet. Rebecca wasn’t even sure if anyone was breathing. She certainly wasn’t.
“Will you marry me, Diana?”
Diana.
Something painful clenched in her chest at the sound of that name. She was beginning to hate it.
Caleb reached across the table and took her hand, giving her fingers a light squeeze until she looked at him. “I’ve always needed a wife. It took my mother nagging me for over a year to convince me of it and I’ll admit that when I sent off the request, I had no intentions of—well, you know what I wanted. And I knew all this was on a trial basis for you. That you would decide after Christmas if you wanted to stay but—” He glanced at Amanda. “I don’t…” He blew out a breath and laughed before running a hand through his hair. “I never imagined doing this in front of an audience. I’m sorry it’s coming out all wrong.”
He inhaled a deep breath and squeezed her hand again. “Will you marry me? And not just a marriage of convenience like we’d discussed. A real marriage.” His face turned red again before he shifted so he couldn’t see his mother.
A real marriage? The arrangement he had with Diana had been for a marriage of convenience only? She needed to find that letter.
Everyone was still looking at her. Caleb’s words whispered through her head again and one thing kept repeating… him saying a real marriage, not one of convenience. Did that mean he had feelings for her? If the look on his face was any indication, then she’d say yes, he did. The thought made her heart clench.
No one had ever cared about her. A few months ago, she could have died in the streets of Charleston and no one would have mourned her death. Now, she wasn’t so sure that would be true. Caleb would care. Amanda and Agatha, too.
Tears burned her eyes. She’d never wanted for anything other than for someone to love her. Caleb hadn’t said the words and he may never, but in that moment, she felt loved. This is what she’d always wanted. Had always dreamed of.
He was still clasping her hand. She took a cleansing breath and took what he offered without another second of thought. “Yes. I’d love to marry you, Caleb.”
He grinned so big, the skin around his eyes crinkled. Amanda squealed and Agatha’s smile matched Caleb’s. They were happy. This little family was happy because of her. If they only knew how much joy she felt, they’d think she was silly but as she sat there, holding hands with a man who wanted to marry her, it was hard to contain. She didn’t realize she was crying until Caleb lifted his hand and brushed away the tears on her cheeks. She laughed and wiped her face before sitting back in her seat. “Our breakfast is getting cold.”
Amanda took a bite of her eggs and washed it down before saying, “Are you going to get married at the party like we planned on, Pa?”
He said nothing for a long moment but finally shook his head and said, “No.”
Rebecca’s joy died in an instant.
“The party is all wrong for our wedding.”
Caleb grabbed her hand again and just as she’d seen all those southern gentlemen in Charleston do a hundred times when addressing a lady, he leaned forward and kissed the back of her hand. If she hadn’t already been sitting down, she would have swooned just like one of those fancy Southern Belles.
“Our wedding will be too special to share it with the town party. It should be the only thing people are there for. Christmas day. In the church, with everyone watching.”
Amanda liked that idea even better and as Caleb let go of her hand and they went back to their breakfast, they all listened as Amanda laid out every detail. It looked as if the girl was as excited for this wedding as Rebecca was. Her dreams of getting married were coming true. How could anyone not be excited about that?
“So you’re really doing it?”
Caleb grinned and nodded but didn’t look up. “I am. Christmas Day. You’re invited, of course.” He pointed to one of the rings in the case. “Let me see that one.”
Jeremiah opened the small wooden, glass-topped box, and lifted the ring from the blue velvet lining the bottom and handed it to him. “That one came in last week.”
The band was gold and someone had taken the time to carve swirls into the metal that looked like flowers. A small stone sat on top, the color reminding him of Diana’s eyes. It wasn’t a big stone but after paying for her trip from the east coast all the way to Angel Creek, his credit was pushed to its limit.
He nodded and laid the ring on the counter. “I’ll take it and the other things I picked out for Amanda. Well, assuming you’re all right with the added credit.”
“Your credit is always good here, Caleb.” Jeremiah put the other rings away and reached under the counter, digging around for something, and stood a few minutes later with a small box. He laid the ring inside it and closed it with a snap. “There you go. I hope you and your new bride have a long and happy life together.”