“Everything is all set,” Richard told Elizabeth as he got into the Z4 where she waited for him. He squeezed her hand and gave her an encouraging smile, his eyes sparkling even in the dark. “Why don’t we leave your car here and pick it up after the ceremony?”

“Who did you just phone?”

“Judge Harvey Fairfax. He’s going to take care of the license for us. We’ll meet him in his chambers in an hour.”

Elizabeth uneasily twisted her hands in her lap and bit her lip. “Richard, I’ve been thinking. I’ve always dreamed of a big, beautiful wedding. I don’t think I want to get married this way. I’m wearing shorts and your jacket, and I have sand all over me. Besides that, we need a few weeks to think this thing through. We aren’t talking about a dinner date, you know.”

“We don’t need a few weeks to think things over, honey,” he protested. “We should have gotten married ten years ago.” He gave her a look that stabbed her somewhere in the vicinity of her heart. “You know it too. As far as the ceremony goes, I don’t care how we get married. I know women make a big deal out of weddings, though, so why don’t we go ahead and let the judge marry us tonight, but we’ll keep it a secret. We’ll announce our engagement instead, and you can take your time planning a big, beautiful wedding. That way we can get married tonight, and you can still have your nice ceremony.”

“Not a bad idea.” Elizabeth laughed. “It makes as much sense as anything in this crazy evening, and it would give our parents a chance to get used to the idea gradually, especially your father.”

“I’ll handle Dad,” Richard declared with a frown. “Don’t worry about him.” He leaned across the seat and gently pulled Elizabeth toward him. “Kiss me, please.”

“What a nice idea!” Elizabeth gave him his kiss and snuggled as close to him as possible. “You know we’re totally out of our minds, don’t you?”

“We are not,” Richard protested. “I love you. I never stopped loving you. If I could, I’d turn back the clock and marry you when I was seventeen.”

Elizabeth laughed. “I don’t know why it shocks me so much to hear you say you love me. Presumably, you do love me if you plan to marry me.” The expectant look on Richard’s face told her that he wanted her to say it back to him.

“I love you too, Richard.”

She had pleased him. He lowered his head to kiss her again, but Elizabeth had had enough of kissing. Less than twenty-four hours ago she had told Alex she loved him; she had meant it too. Oddly enough, she still loved him, and if so why had she agreed to marry Richard? Can I really love two men at the same time?

Richard allowed her to push him away. “We’d better leave now anyway, or we’ll be late.”

The Z4 made the trip to the judge’s office far too quickly for Elizabeth. I need more time to think,” she worried, resisting the urge to bite her thumbnail. Her evening with Richard reminded her of a fantasy come true. She couldn’t remember when she’d had such fun. Alex had a serious nature; he’d never think of going to an amusement park for hot dogs and fun. Of course, they had done other enjoyable and wonderful things, but with Richard every single minute seemed filled with color, light, and passion. Sometimes when she thought of Alex she felt nothing but a warm glow, but Richard demanded a more intense response.

Maybe Alex acted more serious because of the work he did. He had made a lot of difference in the world. He used his talents to benefit his fellow man, so everyone, her mother included, admired and liked him.

But I’d be the one living with Alex, not Mother, and while living with him would certainly present no hardship, I doubt it would in any way compare to being Mrs. Richard Lovinggood.

Elizabeth neatly bit the tip off her thumbnail. Oh, crap.
I’ve probably landed myself in hot water. Living with Richard will be exciting to say the least, but it’ll probably be very challenging. He’s so head strong and determined he’ll want his way most of the time.

She breathed a little faster. It doesn’t matter. Alex pales in comparison to Richard, and that’s all there is to it. I feel horrible for betraying Alex this way, but being with Richard makes everything seem new, exciting, and wonderful. I don’t have to wonder why I’m doing this crazy thing. I’m doing it because I have to. I lost him ten years ago, but by stars it won’t happen this time! I’ve got another chance, and this time I don’t intend to waste it. If Senator Lovinggood and my mother don’t like it, too bad for them.

Judge Fairfax was waiting for them when they arrived at his office. The room allotted to the judge wasn’t very large, only fourteen by sixteen or so, but the huge desk that dominated one wall was made of some exotic wood, and the pictures that hung on the wall showed the judge hobnobbing with some very important people.

He held out his hand for Richard to shake, but he didn’t offer to take Elizabeth’s hand. “Richard, how are you? Is your father doing well?”

Richard flashed a huge smile at the judge. “I couldn’t be better, and Dad’s fine too. Judge Fairfax, may I introduce my fiancée, Elizabeth Lane. Elizabeth, this is Judge Harvey Fairfax.
I’ve known him since I was a kid.”

Judge Fairfax quickly gave her the once over. “How do you do, Miss Lane? Permit a long time fan to say you’re even more beautiful in person than you are on the screen.”

“Thank you.” Elizabeth’s palms started to sweat. The judge had said the right things, but she sensed his scorn anyway. Maybe all the people Richard knew would feel the same way about her. What a sobering thought!

“Won’t you sit down?”

The judge waited until they took the two nice leather chairs in front of his desk before voicing any objections. “I want both of you to know up front that I am adamantly opposed to this sudden marriage. If you love each other you should wait and have a nice wedding with all of your friends and family present.”

“I’m sorry, but that isn’t possible,” Richard impatiently answered. “We want to get married tonight, but we don’t plan to announce our marriage at this time. We’re going to announce our engagement and have a big wedding later.”

The judge’s eyes narrowed. “So, it’s a secret marriage as well as a sudden marriage. Why? Miss Lane, are you pregnant?”

Richard’s face turned brick red. “Look here—”

“No, I’m not pregnant,” Elizabeth interrupted. “I wouldn’t sleep with him unless we were married.”

“Very wise of you.” The judge sagely pressed his fingers together. “Most women would have settled for the one night stand, but you had the foresight to safeguard your future. I commend you.”

Richard froze beside her. “That wasn’t very nice.”

His forbidding expression startled Elizabeth who barely stifled a gasp. Evidently, Judge Fairfax didn’t care for it either, for he backed off immediately. “I hope I didn’t offend either of you, but you must realize this isn’t an ordinary marriage. Miss Lane, do you have any idea what kind of family you’re marrying into?”

“I know Richard’s father is a wealthy senator with a lot of power.”

“The Lovinggood family has more assets than many small nations which isn’t an exaggeration. Senator Lovinggood expects Richard to be the President of the United States one day. He also expects Richard to marry a woman from a socially prominent family, a family that will help him get elected. Unfortunately, Miss Lane, you probably do not have such a family. True, you bring your fame to the marriage, but an actress isn’t the type of woman the senator has in mind for
Richard.”

Richard scowled at the judge. “Dad isn’t marrying her; I am.”

“Families marry too,” the judge observed unperturbedly.

“You let me worry about Dad. I know what I’m doing.”

Judge Fairfax sighed. “I was afraid you might say that. Miss Lane, are you as determined to proceed with this marriage as he is?”

Momentarily, Elizabeth faltered. This will hurt Alex so much! But then Richard took her hand in his and raised herfingers to his lips. “Yes, I want to get married,” she shakilyreplied.

“I thought you were engaged,” the judge observed.

“That’s what they said on TV.”

“I was engaged, but I’m not now.”

“You’re a woman of few words. All right. If you want to get married I’ll marry you. For the record, I don’t want to do it, but I know if I refuse you’ll just find someone else who will. If I marry you, I can get your signatures on this.” He slid an official looking document across his desk.

Richard stared at the paper as if it might bite him.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a prenuptial agreement. If you’ll look it over, I think both of you will see it’s exceedingly generous to Miss Lane in the event of a divorce. At the same time, the Lovinggood assets are protected. If you don’t sign the agreement, I’m afraid
I can’t marry you.”

Elizabeth’s head came up; she refused to even look at the document, but Richard picked it up and studied it. “Do you have a pen?” she asked Judge Fairfax.

“Not until you read it, Miss Lane.”

“I don’t have to read it. I may not have as much money as the Lovinggoods, but I’m not a pauper either. I don’t need Richard’s money.”

“I’m sure you’re right, but if you marry Richard, you’re entitled to a portion of his wealth if the two of you ever get a divorce. I’ve taken good care of you, Miss Lane. You and any children you and Richard might have.”

Richard finished reading the prenuptial agreement and turned to Elizabeth. “It is generous, but nobody has to sign anything. We can always find someone else to marry us.”

Elizabeth silently disagreed. Of course she had to sign it.
“Do you have a pen?”

Judge Fairfax slid a pen across his desk to Elizabeth who signed her name with a flourish. “There. That’s done,” she declared as she handed the pen to Richard.

“You didn’t have to sign it.”

His eyes were so sweet that Elizabeth almost melted on the spot. “Yes, I did. You sign too.”

Richard obeyed and signed his name on the appropriate line. “It doesn’t make one bit of difference if we sign it or not. Once we’re married it’s forever.” He passed the pen and the prenuptial agreement to the judge. “Is there anything else?”

“That’s about it. I take it you didn’t bring any witnesses with you.”

Richard shook his head. “I forgot about a ring too,” he admitted as a look of chagrin spread across his face.

“You don’t have to have one. I didn’t think you’d have witnesses, so I rounded up a couple of Mexican janitors to do it. Hold on while I go get them.”

The minute the door closed behind him, Elizabeth grabbed Richard’s arm and gave it a little shake. “Are you sure? Should we do this? Are we making a mistake?”

“Yes, of course we should get married.” He reached for her hand. “Don’t let him scare you, baby.”

“It isn’t just him! You scare me too.”

Richard’s jaw dropped. “What did I do? How did I scare you? Was it because I wouldn’t let you up when we were on the beach? You have to know if you had insisted I would have backed off. I’m not the kind of guy who’d…”

Elizabeth shook her head. “No, that’s not it! It’s because I saw Judge Fairfax was afraid to make you angry. I knew then I was playing with fire.”

“Nobody’s going to get burned. Calm down. Everything is fine.”

Judge Fairfax silenced Elizabeth when he returned with the Mexican janitors and removed a piece of paper from his desk drawer. “This document is your marriage license. Both of you will need to sign it.”

Richard signed easily, but everyone noticed that the bride’s hand had started to shake. “Take courage, Miss Lane,” Judge Fairfax briefly commented. “We’re almost done here.” The brief, dry ceremony perfectly mirrored Judge Fairfax’s disapproval, but even at the best of times, none of his friends would have said his soul overflowed with poetry. However, he did end the ceremony properly. “Richard, you
 may kiss your bride.”

With one of the sweetest smiles Elizabeth could ever remember seeing, Richard cupped her chin in his hand and kissed her gently. “I love you, Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth’s eyes widened when she heard a declaration of love in front of the disapproving judge. “I love you too,” she answered. There! Let Judge Fairfax make what he wanted to out of that.

Judge Fairfax broke them apart as he cleared his throat. “Now as to my fee, Richard, you owe me five thousand dollars. Make the check payable to the American Cancer Society.”

“I heard about your mother. I’m sure sorry.”

“Thank you. Now, I’ll need another check from you for one thousand dollars. I promised the janitors five hundred each.”

“That’s a lot of money for a wedding ceremony,” Elizabeth protested, shocked at the judge’s audacity.

“Not for your husband it isn’t. You still don’t understand Richard’s financial position, but I expect you’ll find out soon enough.