Full Throttle

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

“IT’S very irregular,” the clerk said. “I can’t believe the minister agreed to do this.”

It was because Rhett had paid him two hundred bucks, but he just shrugged. “He didn’t see what the harm was.”

He and Shawn were in a wedding chapel, renewing their vows, with true emotion in their hearts this time. They had been legally married for five weeks, and every day their union solidified a little more. It was an education, that was for certain, and they were learning how to communicate, but the amazing moments overshadowed and outnumbered any brief flashes of confusion and misunderstanding. They had been working together on new ideas for Hamby Speedway, and Shawn had started the ball rolling to get national affiliation. It was going to be a great year for racing, and they were definitely working together as a team.

Getting married again had been his idea, and she had readily agreed. They hadn’t told anyone, and it was just meant to be the two of them speaking their commitment to each other out loud.

Shawn was beaming, a beautiful bride, part two, in the dress she had worn to their wedding reception.

“I do,” she said clearly, her eyes shining, lips parted in a wide smile.

“I do,” Rhett said when it was his turn, and he meant that to the depth of his soul. He held both her hands in his and looked deep into her eyes.

When it was time to seal it with a kiss, Shawn threw her arms around him and opened her mouth to him. Rhett picked her up and gave her a spin, grinning. This was it for him—he couldn’t imagine being any happier or that any other woman could make him feel so amazing.

As they walked back down the aisle of the slightly shabby chapel, Shawn told him, “I have a gift for you.” She handed a box to him that looked like a bracelet would fit in it.

“What’s this?” Puzzled, he lifted the silver lid. For a second, he had no idea what he was looking at. Then he realized it was a pregnancy test. A positive pregnancy test. His vision actually went black momentarily, then his hand started to shake. “Is this what I think it is?”

She nodded with a smile. “You have supersperm, there’s no other explanation for it. I’m actually very excited, now that the shock has worn off. I never thought much about being a mother, but I can’t wait. I hope it’s okay with you.”

“Are you kidding?” He grinned. “This is amazing!” He pulled her close against him and decided that he was probably the luckiest man on the freaking planet. “God, I love you.”

Shawn snuggled against her husband and watched in astonishment as her super serious, alpha male husband got a little watery-eyed as the reality of his impending fatherhood sunk in.

Just one more reason she loved him.

“If it’s a boy, I think we should name him Jameson after your grandfather,” Rhett said, holding her tight. “He brought us together, after all.”

Oh, yeah. She loved this man. Now she was blinking back tears, too. “And if it’s a girl, Margaret.”

“Margaret?” he asked, clearly puzzled.

“After Margaret Mitchell.”

He let out a laugh. “We can discuss that one.” He took her hand and they started out of the chapel. “You want to have everyone over for dinner this week and we can tell them?”

“I would love to. Any day but Friday. That’s book club night.”

“Oh, God,” was his opinion. “You hitting up The Wet Spot again?”

“Of course not!” Shawn let him put her coat over her shoulders and accepted the sweet kiss he gave her.

“Damn. I was hoping to go separately and hit on you like I was a total stranger. It would be fun in a place like that to start making out.” He made a sound in the back of his throat. “I’m getting hot just thinking about it.”

So was she. “It doesn’t have to be book club to do that. How about tonight?”

“I love the way you think. Among other things.”

The feeling was mutual.