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chapter thirty-four

Chapter Thirty-Four

Before Allie could finish her statement and explain why she didn't want a wedding, the table erupted in loud exclamations of disbelief.

"I would'a bet my left front tooth there'd be a wedding," Pete stated.

"There will too be a wedding! I worked too hard to get you both together to have you backing out now!" Amelia added.

"I won't see my grandson hurt that way, dear. You are going to marry him."

"It's o..okay. She d..doesn't have to."

Allie's head spun and she shook it roughly, convinced that everyone at this café table at completely lost their minds, "Of course I'm going to marry Michael!" she exclaimed. "I would never change my mind about him or how much I love him!"

Allie looked at Michael and saw the confusion on his face. She smiled gently and kissed his jaw, "Michael, I can't believe you'd think I didn't want to marry you..."

He frowned, "But you said..."

"That there wouldn't be a wedding!" Allie insisted, "Not that I wouldn't marry you! Of course I want to marry you!" she glared at the people surrounding them, "And if everyone would have kept their mouths closed for even five seconds I would have finished my statement and you would have known that's what I meant."

Michael's face lit up and he smiled. Martha reached across the table and swatted Allie's arm, "You really need to learn how to word things more properly, child! I thought for a moment I would have to beat some sense into you."

"I'm pretty good at swinging a skillet," Amelia added.

"Honestly, it's offensive that you all would assume the worst of me," Allie noted. "Have I given anyone reason to doubt the love that I have for Michael? Or my devotion to him?"

Allie was glad when it was everyone else's turn to glance sheepishly down at the table top. Martha was the first to speak again, "Why won't there be a wedding, Allie? If you want to marry Michael then we'll need to have a wedding."

"No we don't," Allie insisted, trembling when Michael's thumb stroked the sensitive flesh on the underside of her wrist.

"And why not?" Amelia demanded. "If you're going to get married then you need a wedding."

Allie shook her head, "I don't want to have that big fuss made," she insisted. "I simply want Michael and I along with the ones that we truly love there with us. Small, intimate and perfect."

"What about you, Michael?" Martha turned her gaze to him and seemed hopeful that he would disagree with Allie. Clearly Martha had been hoping for a large ceremony.

Michael glanced at Allie, brushed his lips gently across her temple and smiled at his grandmother, "I want whatever Allie wants. As long as I can be her husband, I don't care about anything else."

"Listen to that!" Pete chuckled. "Spoken like a man who knows who his boss is."

Allie rolled her eyes and was about to argue that she was not Michael's boss but he cut her off when he squeezed her hand. She turned to look at him and was surprised when he swooped down and captured her lips under his own.

He pulled away and Allie sat there desperately attempting to calm her racing heart. Her eyes remained closed and she breathed deeply, savoring the sweetness of his kiss still lingering on her lips.

Michael's next words had her heart swelling with love and her body heating and yearning for Michael's in a way that shocked her, "I know how blessed I am," he assured Pete. "There is no one alive who loves anyone more than I love my Allie."