by Lorin Grace
The detective stepped closer to the bed. “I have a few questions for you.”
“Stalker is Felicia . . . left the bar.” She closed her eyes and willed her brain and her mouth to get in sync. “I tried to tell—sorry, I broken.”
“Take your time. Why do you think it’s Felicia?” asked the detective.
Abbie took a few breaths and allowed her mind to put several pictures in order. “She sat next to me when the snake got in my salad, long prayer. Last year at some event, Patrick Vonn insinuated he was more than a bodyguard to his client. He often worked for her.” Abbie paused for a breath. “After the bridal shower, she told me I didn’t belong in her world. Texts said the same thing. But her smile when she left the bar . . .” She shuddered. Preston took her hand.
“What about her smile?” prompted the detective.
“Triumphant. And the finger wave. She should have told Preston hello. She is your cousin. I don’t understand.”
“Mr. Harmon, do you have any theories?”
Preston stood but didn’t let go of Abbie’s hand. “Felica is my aunt’s daughter, though not my uncle’s. When she was ten or twelve, she realized that since we weren’t blood relations, she could marry me. Everyone told her a relationship would be scandalous. Three years ago, when she graduated college, she tried unsuccessfully to seduce me. I thought she was joking. I know I hurt her feelings, but she seemed to have gotten over it. She even apologized and said she was wrong. Since then she never mentioned—”
“I understand, Mr. Harmon. I’ll let you know if we have any further questions.” The detective left the room.
Preston sat back down. “I should have listened to you when you asked about her at first.”
Abbie tried to move closer to him, but she was too tangled in wires and cords. “Preston, it’s okay. We got her, and you are safe. My job is done.”
Preston sat for several minutes, or maybe seconds. Time wasn’t moving right. “Your entire family is in the lobby. I had better give your mom and Alex a turn.” He stood. “Bye, Abbie, and thank you.”
Mom came in next and filled the seat Preston had been in. “The detective called. They caught her.”
“Good.” Abbie closed her eyes. “He left, didn’t he .”
“I think so.”
Abbie opened her eyes enough to see her mother. “I told you so.” She closed her eyes again and waited to fade back into oblivion, where she wouldn’t feel her heart.
3:00 a.m.
The clock didn’t want to move any faster. Preston went to his closet and pulled out a clean shirt, then called security to let them know he was leaving and would be driving himself.
The house was quiet, so he went to grab something from the kitchen.
Mum sat at the table stirring her tea.
“Mum, what are you doing up?”
“I was waiting for you.”
“Why?”
“I wanted to see if you are as smart as I hope you are.” She lifted a plate. “Muffin?”
Preston took one. “I don’t know if I am or not, but I need to see her. So maybe that makes me stupid. Love you, Mum.” He kissed her cheek and opened the back door.
“No, son, you are not stupid.”
Preston didn’t turn to respond.
The hospital hallway lights were set on dim. Only the light above the nurse’s station shone brightly. Preston didn’t stop as he headed for the room. It was easy enough to find with Alex sitting out in the hallway.
“What are you doing here?” Alex shifted in his seat.
“I need to see her.” He couldn’t explain what he didn’t understand.
Alex stood. “Job’s over. You left.”
“I needed to go deal with the family. You guys needed to see her. I took a turn.”
“You left her.”
“With you and your brothers and your parents. May I go in?”
“So you can leave her again? You know she asks for you every time she wakes up.”
“Then I want to be here when she wakes up again.”
Alex shifted his weight but kept blocking the door. “I don’t think so. The way I see it, the only person in this family you are going to see is me, in a ring, like you promised.”
The door opened behind Alex, and Jethro stepped out. “What is going on? Oh, Preston, it’s you. What are you doing here at four in the morning?”
Alex moved only far enough for his father to get out of the doorway. “He had an appointment to set up with me.”
“You came to see Alex?” Jethro’s eyes twinkled.
“No, I came to see Abbie.”
“Do you love my daughter?”
“I think she should be the first one to hear that from me.”
Jethro opened the door and bowed slightly. “You may want to wait to tell her. The doctors said she will probably not remember much that happens for the next few hours.”
“Thank you.” Preston started to walk into the room.
Jethro stopped him with a hand. “It is customary to speak with the father at some point. I’ll expect you in my office before the end of the day.”
Preston nodded and walked into the room.
twenty-six
“Tessa! And Araceli! You’re both here.” Abbie hugged Araceli. “Mrs. Evans, I thought you would be on your honeymoon still. Didn’t you get the memo? This isn’t a real hen party.”
“You think I cared? Any chance to see y’all. Starting July first, I’ll be in Haiti for three months.” Araceli glanced at Tessa. “Other than the last weekend in August, when I’ll be in New York.”
“Did you guys hear that? She’s only been married to the Texan for two weeks and already she is saying ‘y’all,’” said Candace in a passable accent.
“I think I was supposed to say ‘all y’all.’ I still don’t quite get it.” Araceli used a horrific accent, sending them all into peals of laughter.
Abbie stopped first. “Hey, no laughter around the pregnant lady.” She turned to Mandy, who sat on the couch.
“Go ahead. Laugh away. I reached the magical thirty-sixth week today. I can walk and sit up and go places, although the doctor would prefer I don’t ride any lawn mowers. I assured her it wouldn’t be a problem in the city.”
Candace put a tiara on Abbie. “I say we let the festivities begin!”
Abbie took the crown off. “But there isn’t a wedding tomorrow. We caught Felicia, and even if we hadn’t, the wedding would have been fake.”
Mandy stood and picked up the plastic crown. “But you said he was there when you woke up. He said he loved you.”
Abbie sank into a chair. “I don’t know what he said. Everything is kind of blurry in my memory. I’m fairly sure my brothers weren’t dressed up like giant fruit and dancing around my room, but I remember that, too.” Abby counted on her fingers. “But I know for one, I don’t have a ring. Two, the evening news on all four major stations reported Felicia was his stalker and I was an undercover bodyguard. And three, I haven’t seen or heard from him since he left the hospital this morning to go ‘take care of things.’”
Zoe sat down opposite her. “Two of the newscasters were disappointed the engagement wasn’t real.”
“Probably because they will have to find something else for tomorrow night’s show’s feel-good moment.”
Candace rapped her knuckles on the table. “I hereby call an emergency Thursday evening meeting of the Friday Night Art Society. Let the festivities begin.”
“Presents first!” Mandy handed Abbie a wrapped box.
The Canon was the same model Daniel had purchased for the university. Abbie knew the $80K price tag well. “That is too much. I can’t—”
“Don’t you dare say you can’t take it, Abigale Annette Hastings
. I’ll have you know you need this if you are to be the official photographer of Miss-I’m-Waiting-Till July.” Mandy patted her baby bump.
Abbie hugged Mandy. “Fine, then, I’d better keep it, but perhaps I should test it out tonight.”
“Good thing I charged the battery.”
Two hours later the room was a litter of pizza plates, ice cream bowls, and toilet-paper super-hero capes. An oft-watched chick-flick played on the big screen.
Abbie’s phone pinged. Preston. Abbie handed the phone to Mandy. “I can’t look.”
Mandy read the message and handed the phone back. “I don’t understand. Are you doing a photo shoot tomorrow?”
Abbie took the phone back.
Still have Knickerbocker booked. Perfect place for a photo shoot. Please be there at 1:00 p.m. Bring the dress. Plan on two hours.
Abbie read the message out loud. “I agreed to model the dress for a magazine shoot. I guess with the place still booked, he may as well get some use out of it.” Her hand flew to her hair. “Oh no! I have roots showing!”
“No problem. Who is in for a spa morning?” Mandy typed into her phone. Everyone raised their hand. “Okay, then, six appointments starting at 8:00 a.m.”
Zoe set down her popcorn bowl. “How did you do that?”
Mandy smiled. “Sometimes being Mrs. Daniel Crawford III pays off.”
Abbie texted Preston back. I’ll be there.
Preston paced the lobby of the Knickerbocker Hotel, even though Mandy Crawford had texted him twice to reassure him Abbie would be there and the plans he’d set in place were on schedule. He looked over to the photographer. His phone vibrated. One block.
The black limo pulled up, and Abbie got out, followed by five of her friends, including a slightly waddling Mandy. The doorman offered to take the dress, but Abbie refused. Preston couldn’t help but smile.
The women looked around the lobby. Abbie spotted him almost immediately and walked in his direction. The friend with the brightly colored hair whisked the dress bag out of Abbie’s arms. Her steps slowed as she looked back and realized her friends were not following her. Mandy nodded at Abbie and made a shooing motion.
Preston closed the gap, offered her his arm, and led her over to a divan on the far side of the lobby.
“Is something wrong?” Abbie’s eyes darted around the room.
“Well, pretty much everything, but I would like to fix that.” He dropped to one knee. Abbie covered her mouth exactly the way she had the first time he knelt before her. “Abigale Annette Hastings, I’ve learned so much from you this month about love and life and friendship. I told you this yesterday morning, but apparently you don’t remember. Abbie, I love you. Will you make everything right in my life and marry me?”
Abbie kept her hand over her mouth and nodded.
“This is the real thing this time. I need to hear you say it.”
She dropped her hand and clasped his. “Yes! Yes!”
Across the lobby, her friends clapped.
Preston stood and took Abbie in his arms. “I have come to believe in short engagements. Do you think two hours is long enough, or should we make it three?”
“One?”
Preston laughed. “We need to wait for our parents and the minister.”
When Preston bent and kissed her lightly, Abbie leaned in to him bring them closer. On his seventy-fifth wedding anniversary, he knew he would recall this kiss. It was the perfect first kiss. (After all, the other one didn’t count.)
epilogue
When the band started playing, Preston took Abbie’s hand, pulled her onto the empty dance floor, and led her expertly through the waltz. Abbie wondered how many of her brothers wanted to storm the dance floor and separate them. Even though they had all stood up with them during the ceremony, she wasn’t sure they fully supported the quick marriage.
“Adam and Alex are glaring. Should I be worried?” Preston led her in a turn.
Laughter bubbled up. “I don’t know. Should you be?”
“Maybe.” He kissed her quickly. Abbie pulled him back into a lingering kiss. She was quite sure she could spend the rest of her life happily in his arms.
The music changed, and their parents joined them. In time the dance floor was filled. Her brothers took turns asking her for a dance. Alan and Andrew wished her the best. Adam tried to. Alex growled out dire threats.
Back in her husband’s arms—she liked the sound of that, husband—back in her husband’s arms, she danced through the crowd, passing Daniel and Mandy, who had come to a full stop.
Mandy shrieked.
The music stopped.
The dancers stopped.
Abbie’s heart stopped.
Abbie went for her gun only to remember she wasn’t wearing it under her voluminous skirts. Alex hurried to the Crawfords’ side. Mandy leaned heavily on Daniel, her face pale, a puddle spreading on the floor beneath her.
Daniel spoke loudly. “Sorry about this, Abbie, but it seems our little one doesn’t want to miss out on the party.” He turned to Alex. “Now would be an excellent time to call for our car.”
Mandy grasped Abbie’s arm. “Sorry to spoil your reception.”
“Nonsense.” Abbie let Candace replace her by Mandy’s side.
She turned to Preston and wondered if she were about to start the first argument of their marriage. “I made Mandy a promise that I would be her bodyguard when the baby came. I know the timing is bad, but—”
“Are you asking to delay our honeymoon?” Preston raised a brow.
Abbie bit her lip and nodded.
“Will this be your last job as a bodyguard?”
“Officially, yes. It doesn’t make sense for me to be a bodyguard, when I need one.” She didn’t tell him she would never stop guarding him or that someday their children might have the only mom in the PTA with a concealed-carry license.
Preston whispered his conditions for letting her miss out on their wedding night in her ear. Abbie felt the blush rise. She nodded.
“Then I suggest we go get you changed.”
“We?”
“I’m not going to miss helping my bride out of her dress, even if it is so she can spend our wedding night someplace other than by my side.” Preston’s roguish grin sent a delightful chill down her spine. She hoped for a quick delivery.
Two stories spent the weekend competing for social media most shared:
Amanda and Daniel Crawford III welcomed their daughter Joy Dawn into the world. #BabyJoy
Preston Harmon and his new bride Abigale, end reception early and postpone honeymoon. #PrestonWed
Of course, both stories left out that Joy was born soon after midnight and that the Harmons left on their honeymoon only six hours later than initially planned.
The End
acknowledgments
As always my books need a lot of help to get from my head and into your hands. Photography is art, and perhaps the only art I have written about so far that I haven’t learned. But I did grow up with a father who had a dark room and a Hasselblad camera.
Tammy and Nanette are so willing to help make all my projects better and to read things so many times even in late night texts. I would never make it through a day without Sally and Cindy whose advice keeps me going. Thank you wonderful ladies.
Thanks also to Michele at Eschler Editing for the edits and finding oh so many little things to fix; any mistakes left in this book are not her fault. Nor are my excellent proofreaders, including Julie and Cami who find the tiniest jots and tittles, to be blamed. Thank you ladies and gents!
My family, for sharing their home with the fictional characters who often got fed better than they did. And my husband who encourages me every crazy step of the way and puts up with all my messy spread
sheets.
And to my Father in Heaven for putting these wonderful people, and any I may have forgotten to mention, in my life. I am grateful for every experience and blessing I have been granted.
about the author
Lorin Grace was born in Colorado and has been moving around the country ever since, living in eight states and several imaginary worlds. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Graphic Design.
Currently she lives in northern Utah with her husband, four children, and a dog who is insanely jealous of her laptop. When not writing, Lorin enjoys creating graphics, visiting historical sites, museums, and reading.
Lorin is an active member of the League of Utah Writers and was awarded Honorable Mention in their 2016 creative writing contest short romance story category. Her debut novel, Waking Lucy, was awarded a 2017 Recommended Read award in the LUW Published book contest. In 2018 the first book in this series, Mending Fences with the Billionaire, also received a Recommended Read award.
You can learn more about her, and sign up for her writers club at loringrace.com or at Facebook: LorinGraceWriter
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