As he opened the door his beautiful bride smiled at him. He took her hand and helped her out, capturing her in his arms and kissing her solidly on the lips.
“Mrs. Wright, we’re home.”
She rested her head against his chest. “I sure do like the sound of that.”
“So do I.” He pulled her hand and shut the door. “C’mon, I’ve been thinking about this for days now.”
“What?” She was laughing as he pulled her across the front yard.
“I’m carrying you over the threshold of the house. That’s what husbands do.”
“Oh, Warner…I don’t know about that.”
He turned as they cleared the top step. “Well you either let me sweep you up off your feet in a romantic gesture or I throw you over my shoulder.”
Now she was smiling that radiant smile and laughing. This was how it would be, he knew. His wife—their home—he was completely in love and this felt great.
He unlocked the door and pushed it open. “How is it going down, because I’m not kidding. I’ll haul you in here.”
She moved toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I guess I’ll give in to traditional. There has to be something we do that’s traditional right?”
Warner smiled wide as he scooped up his bride. “Remember our wedding night? I do believe that is tradition.”
A blush covered her cheeks. “That was just crazy love taking over.”
“Hmm, well I’m thinking I could take you up on some crazy love right now.”
“Then you’d better keep carrying me straight up those stairs.”
He gave her a nod and a wink and did exactly that. There were a few hours before they were expected at her parents’ house. That gave them a few hours to roll around in the sheets and enjoy one more day of their honeymoon.
***
Warner parked Clara’s Jeep in front of her parents’ house. Considering the driveway and the street was full, it looked like everyone had been invited. But only one person stood on the front porch and that was her father.
“They know,” he said through clenched teeth.
“I expect them to. Besides, they were going to find out tonight anyway.”
“He’s going to kill me.”
Clara turned to face him. “He loves me. He wants to protect me. You love me and you want the same. Don’t assume the worst.”
“I’m not trained to think that way.”
“Start.” She leaned over and kissed him softly. “He’d be more shocked to find out I threw all your condoms in the trash.”
“That was stupid on your part.”
She laughed. “What’s it worth to be married if you have to worry about it?” She gave him a wink and slid out of the Jeep.
Warner opened the door and let his foot touch the ground before he took in the deep breath he was going to need. Before he made it around the truck Carlos was headed toward them, and he wasn’t smiling.
“Hi, Daddy.” Clara moved toward him.
“I cannot believe you did this. I cannot believe you hurt your mother’s feelings by running away.”
“Dad, I’m thirty.”
“And you’ve known him for three weeks,” he said pointing to Warner.
Clara’s hands fisted to her sides. “I’m happy. Would you wish that I was miserable and had waited?”
“No. Just some common courtesy to let us know where you’d gone.”
Warner watched them interact, but he was surprised when Carlos was more upset about the trip than the wedding? He must not have heard that right.
“I left a note.”
“A note that said you’d gone on vacation. C’mon, you could have gotten hurt or something could have happened and we wouldn’t have known where to find you.”
She narrowed her eyes at her father. “I’m sorry.”
Warner noticed there was a shimmer in Carlos’s eyes. “I can’t believe my baby got married.”
Clara pulled Carlos in to her arms and hugged him tight. “I did. Oh, Daddy, I’m so happy.”
“I knew you were.” Carlos sniffed and pulled back from Clara and turned toward him. “You’re going to take care of my baby, right?”
“Yes, sir. I love her very much.”
“I know you do.” He put his hand on Warner’s shoulder. “You’ll take good care of each other.”
“I promise,” Warner agreed and he hoped Carlos couldn’t feel him shake under his hand.
“C’mon.” Carlos wrapped his arm around Clara’s shoulders. “There’s a party happening inside. Darcy can’t decide if she’s happy for you or sad that she wasn’t there or mad that you went first.”
“Ed’s lucky to have her.”
“We all are.” Carlos gave Clara’s arms a squeeze.
Warner began to follow them up the driveway and to the house. “Oh, I forgot the video. It’s in the car. I’ll be in in just a moment.”
Clara nodded and walked through the door with her father and Warner hurried back to the Jeep to get the video.
He also had a little surprise in the glove compartment for Clara.
When he had the video in hand and the small box he headed back to the house as his phone rang. He looked at the screen to see the ID read Jeremy Smith.
“Hello.”
“Congratulations! Had no idea that was going to happen.”
“Yeah, kinda goes with the whole thought of eloping.”
He slowed his walk as he approached the house.
“It sure will make for some interesting TV,” Jeremy laughed, but Warner didn’t like that. “Anyway, can you be in my office at ten tomorrow? The others who are doing the show will be here and we need to do some paperwork.”
“Yeah, no problem.”
“Great. And again, congratulations.”
Warner tucked his phone into his pocket and walked into the house where the noise was nearly deafening.
He was greeted immediately by Darcy running to him and throwing her arms around him.
“God! I can’t believe you took her and got married. That is so romantic!” She yelled in his ear.
As soon as Darcy let go of him her Aunt Simone swooped in. “I like your style.” She kissed him on the cheek. “Curtis and I ran away too.”