Consequences

telephone all morning. Patricia is going to contact Shelly, and a statement regarding our engagement will be released tomorrow. Also, you have an appointment tomorrow at a very exclusive bridal boutique in Manhattan for a wedding gown. They are expecting you, the future Mrs. Anthony Rawlings. They want to meet your every need.” He kissed her lips and continued to hold her gaze with his chocolate brown eyes. “I want you to have the dress of your dreams. Patricia will also choose a wedding planner and coordinator to meet with us when we return to Iowa. Since Christmas is on a Saturday, the wedding will be December 18, which too is a Saturday. I hope you don’t mind, but with the wedding only three weeks away I decided to have it at the estate. Now we don’t have to worry about booking some place, and security is already set. We just need to decide how many guests and where on the estate to hold the ceremony and reception. I did reach Catherine. She is thrilled, and told me to tell you so.”
    Claire felt inundated, information overload! She laid her head back on the pillow. “Maybe this is all happening too fast.” Tony didn’t say anything, but his smile became subdued. “It isn’t that I don’t want to marry you, I do. But three weeks, that seems very rushed.”
    He scooped her into his arms. “I promise you, money can make anything happen. Don’t worry about it. We will marry on December 18, and it will be amazing.”
    “I just worry about disappointing you.”
    “Claire, this is your wedding. I want you to be happy. I also know you are not back to yourself. I don’t want you to overdo. Just enjoy all the things your money can buy and watch the wedding take shape. It will be spectacular.”
    “My money can’t buy us a piece of gum.”
    He laughed and kissed her. “My dear, in three weeks and two days you will be able to buy a gum factory if you want. I want you to share all that I have. You will have everything the world has to offer.”
    Claire struggled with the meaning of his words. “Tony, I don’t want your money. I have not done anything to deserve part of your fortune. I’m happy to share your name, I don’t need any more.”
    “My love, you have done more than you will ever know. And I am pretty sure you will do more.” He leaned down to kiss her, and his hands were busy with the buttons on her slacks.
    “Don’t we have guests coming?”
    “They aren’t due until 1:30. I am pretty sure we can be successful multiple times before then.” He removed her slacks and started removing her sweater. He straddled her legs as he removed his sweater and undid his slacks. His smile was seductive and his chest moved with his breaths of anticipation. Claire could smell his cologne and knew that if he bent down she would taste the scent on his neck.
    “But, Tony—” He put his finger to her lips.
    “Shhh, I have better things for those beautiful lips to do than talk.”
    They left the bedroom together just before 1:30, and Tony spoke. “I am sure you realize, but I am going to say it for the sake of clarification. Just because we are engaged, divulging private information is still forbidden.”
    Claire looked up at his eyes and wondered what he possibly thought she would say to his associates. “I promise I know that.” They continued to the front stairs, where muffled voices could be heard from the sitting room. “Now who am I meeting?” As she asked, the voices came into range, her eyes moistened, and she looked to Tony for confirmation. “Is it really them?”
    He gently held her shoulders, “Yes, I invited them to surprise you for Thanksgiving but now you have even bigger news to share.”
    “I can tell them about our engagement?”
    He smiled. “Of course, didn’t you say you wanted Emily to stand with you?” She wanted to run down the stairs or cry out, but his grip on her hand tightened. “Claire, follow my rules.”
    “I will.”
    When the soles of their shoes hit the marble floor, John and Emily turned toward them. They’d been enjoying the view from the sitting room windows. Her family looked just as Claire remembered: John tall with dark blond hair and playful blue eyes, and Emily with the Nichols brown hair, cut short and sassy, and Claire’s sparkling green eyes. Claire ran to Emily and hugged her.
    “I didn’t know you were coming. It is a wonderful surprise. Oh, Emily, it is so good to see you!” And then she hugged John. “And, John! Oh, let me introduce