Forever Bold

by Kathleen Brooks

  Ari and everyone else smiled at her. Sloane had had it rough. She’d been a waitress when Gabe met her. She had been hiding out from a family who developed illegal drugs, all the while working to get her master’s degree.

  “I’m thankful that you let me come into the family business on my terms,” Gabe said. “I didn’t think I’d like being a diplomat but, like Ari, I found my niche with negotiating and I’m really enjoying it. I’m also thankful for my family and my beautiful wife who almost stabbed Ari with a fork while fighting for food for our child.”

  Ari and the others at the table laughed.

  “Wait, what?” her mother cried out after a second. Ari looked at her with confusion. What was her mother screaming about?

  “Did you say fighting for food for our child?” her father asked slowly and deliberately.

  Ari’s mouth dropped open as she spun to look at Gabe and Sloane who were grinning.

  “We’re eight weeks along,” Sloane said into the shocked silence before the room erupted. Ari was next to her so she hugged Sloane first, but her mother practically climbed over the table to get to them and their father was just as bad.

  Ari moved to the side and came to stand with Kale. “Not willing to get into the middle of that?” he asked with a nod to the tight group of people all sharing hugs and excitement.

  “Don’t get me wrong,” Ari whispered to him. “I’m very happy for them. I just want to give them their time to celebrate.”

  “And the fact that we’re the only two in the room with no possibility of understanding that connection makes it feel a little weird, right?”

  Ari nodded. “Exactly. Maybe someday.”

  Kale let out a little groan. “Not you, too.”

  “Me too, what?”

  “You have that look on your face people around Keeneston get when they’re ready to become boring old married people.”

  “I wouldn’t call your dad and mom boring. Or Abby and Dylan. Even my parents are having more fun that I am, so I’m pretty sure I’m the boring one here. How much worse could it get if I found someone to love me?” Ari asked.

  “They’d be idiots if they didn’t love you and if you love me like the best friend I am, you won’t saddle me with an idiot I have to pretend to like.”

  Ari gave a little laugh then. “I promise. I’ll only marry someone wonderful, which is precisely the reason I’m still single.”

  “Damon liked you.”

  Ari shook her head. “He’s a great kid, but not the one.”

  “How would you even know?” Kale asked and for once didn’t seem to be joking.

  Ari shrugged her shoulders. “I wish I knew. Zain and Gabe both said they just knew. They knew with a certainly that left no question.”

  All of a sudden, everyone’s cell phones buzzed. Ari reached for hers only to realize it lay on the table as she heard Kale groan next to her as if he were in pain. “What?”

  “Ready for more baby news? Piper is in labor and you know what that means.”

  “Oh my gosh!” her mother cried. “We have to go. Wrap up the leftovers to bribe the nurses.”

  “I’m calling Tammy to see if she needs anything,” Bridget called out as the family went into baby mobilization.

  “I can’t believe I’m going to be an uncle,” Dylan said as he and Abby ran from the room. He was going to get to his sister now, food or no food to bribe the nurses.

  “I’m happy for them,” Ari said to Kale as she grabbed her things and walked with Kale to his car.

  “I am, too. But . . .”

  “Exactly, but . . .” Ari slid into the seat as Kale got behind the wheel.

  “But it might never happen for us, or at least not for a very long time. That’s not a big deal for you, though. After all, you’re not even thirty yet.”

  “True, but how many princesses do you know who are still single at twenty-eight?” Ari let the silence speak for itself as Kale drove unusually slow to the hospital in Lexington.

  * * *

  Ariana had never seen nurses happier to be working on Thanksgiving than that night. The people of Keeneston got past those pesky privacy and visiting rules by plying nurses with baked goods. Tonight the entire maternity floor was plied with a full course Thanksgiving meal. Turkey, stuffing, casseroles, pies, you name it—and it was laid out at the nurses’ station.

  Pierce and Tammy, who were going to be first-time grandparents, stood with their children Dylan, Jace, Cassidy, and little Cricket as they talked excitedly about the upcoming delivery. Ariana and Kale shared a look and kept to the back wall.

  “So, is this the singles’ area?” Porter Davies asked as he sauntered over with his cousins Colton and Landon.

  “I guess so,” Ariana said with unhappy acceptance. Not that she wanted a baby right now, but to find that kind of love her parents and brothers had? Heck yes, she wanted that. “Hey, Porter, where’s your twin?”

  Porter was an easygoing daredevil rodeo rider. So was his twin brother, Parker. However, Parker had recently decided to step back from riding.

  “He’s finishing up US Marshal training. He’ll be back before Christmas,” Porter told her.

  “As you can tell he’s not happy about it,” Landon teased.

  Porter crossed his arms over the flannel shirt that stretched over his muscles. He shoved his hands into the pocket of jeans that showed off his rock-hard legs and a butt that had many of Ariana’s friends begging to come home over breaks with her during college. They’d all asked her why she didn’t go for any of the sexy Davies men, but it was simple—they had all grown up together. She’d been treated as part of the family. While that hadn’t seemed to matter for Carter and Reagan or Ryan and Sienna, all of whom married their childhood friends, it just wasn’t Ari’s thing. These were her true friends and she wouldn’t do anything to mess with that.

  “It’s not that I’m not happy for him. It’s just that he ditched me to go play hero. He’ll be great at his job. With a father who was in the CIA, he’d better be.”

  “What about you? As you said, your dad was CIA so you’d be good at this, too,” Ari asked.

  Porter shrugged his wide shoulders. “I guess I probably would be, but it doesn’t interest me. I already know my passion and that’s horses and rodeo.”

  They were quiet for a bit until Colton grinned to himself. “Anyone notice this is the calmest birth so far? It’s kind of boring without Cy trying to kill the father-to-be.”

  They all laughed and Porter shook his head at his father’s antics. “I feel so bad for my brothers-in-law.”

  A nurse came out then and everyone went quiet. “The baby has been born and Mom is requesting the new grandparents to come back.”

  “Aiden got it easy,” Kale muttered as people began to talk again. “Dylan and my father bond over trying to kill each other. Then my mother has vowed to beat up any girl I bring home because it would be sexist if only the boys got crap from my dad. Aiden over there gets sweet-as-pie Tammy as his mother-in-law and farmer Pierce who is more excited talkng about crops than weapons as a father-in-law.”

  Colton gave a little snort of amusement. “Makes you wonder how they got badass Dylan as a son.”

  Kale joined in the laughter. “And my sister who helps him overthrow governments as a daughter-in-law.”

  Laughter bubbled up through Ariana and soon they were all joking about what any potential significant others they brought home would have to do deal with.

  Their joking ended when Aiden wheeled Piper through the door with her parents behind them. Aiden and Piper were smiling so broadly it was impossible to not smile back. In her arms, Piper held a little bundle in a white blanket with the initials AC on the corner. Aiden Creed, Jr.? Maybe it was his baby blanket from when he was born.

  “Thank you all for leaving your Thanksgiving meals to come here and welcome our daughter, Audrey, to this world.”

  “Audrey Creed, welcome, you little angel,” Miss Lily cooed as the townspeople each cam
e forward to congratulate the family.

  “What are you doing now?” Porter asked Ari after they hugged and kissed the expanded Creed family.

  “I was granted time to speak to the UN Human Rights Council Committee. I’m going to spend the next month and a half working on perfecting my policy proposal. If it passes through committee, I’ll be able to put it forth to the General Assembly next year.”

  “That’s really impressive, Ari. Way to use your influence to help people. If you ever want a break, come over and we’ll go riding.”

  Ari gave Porter a hug. “Thanks. I’d really like that. You’re good at listening to me brainstorm and I’d love a male point of view.”

  “I’d be happy to help. Do you need a ride home?” Porter asked.

  “I got it,” Kale told him before they all said their goodbyes.

  The drive home was quiet. The birth of little Audrey was happy news. Piper and the baby were doing well and Ari hadn’t missed the longing look Zain and Mila shared or the excited look Gabe and Sloane had when they held Audrey. Ari had never felt such family love nor felt so far outside it before.

  She couldn’t do anything about her lack of a love life, but Ari could do something to better the world. Tomorrow morning started the hard work of putting together the facts, the policy proposal, the different laws, the expert testimony, and the witness testimony together in a way that didn’t offend any countries on the committee, which would be very difficult, considering several on the committee were the worst offenders. That just meant she had her work cut out for her, but she wasn’t afraid and she wouldn’t back down.

  4

  Ari held out her glass and watched as it filled with champagne. Everyone around her was getting ready for the New Year’s Eve countdown, but there was a different countdown going on in Ari’s mind. Ten days and then she was off to New York City to speak to the UN.

  “You ready for the presentation?” Porter asked her as he topped off her glass.

  “I think so. I was upset at first when Sydney thought this matter was bigger than the Daughters of Elizabeth, but I see she’s right. She’s starting branches in Canada, the UK, and Australia first. Spain, France, and Italy have also shown interest. However, the Daughters of Elizabeth itself is only part of what I’m talking about at the UN. It’s the entire trafficking and human rights problem. The Daughter of Elizabeth was just one of three hundred and twenty supporting testimonies I’ll be presenting from non-profit and national government entities that try to combat trafficking and human rights violations.”

  “Did you figure out how to handle Crusina?” Porter asked, and Ari took a sip of her champagne.

  “They are literally the worst offender of human rights on the globe, and they’re the leader of the committee on human rights. How is that possible?” Ari didn’t expect an answer because the answer was dirty politics. They lied, cheated, and bribed their way there but no one had the guts to say it. “I don’t know yet. I’ve tried to be general about any allegations and save them for when I reach the General Assembly.”

  “Or you could just call them out and threaten them the way they threaten other countries,” Porter said with a shrug.

  “I wish.” And she did. They deserved to be publicly humiliated but Ari feared the ramifications for Rahmi if she did so. Crusina had money, missiles, a military, and a leader with no ethics. However, the idea sat in the back of her head gently tapping her brain.

  “Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Happy New Year!” The packed ballroom in her parents’ house rang with cheers.

  Porter leaned over and kissed her lips quickly. “Happy New Year, Ari.”

  “Happy New Year, Porter.”

  Ari spun around and kissed her way through the town until she reached her father.

  “Happy New Year, my dear girl.” Her father kissed her cheek and then hugged her tight. “I’m so proud of you.”

  “About that? How proud of me would you be if I couldn’t find a ruffle-no-feathers approach to Crusina and human rights?”

  Mo smiled down at her as if she’d said something funny. “I’m surprised it took you this long to ask me about it. President Nikan threatened your uncle two weeks ago for not supplying his country with oil.”

  “I bet Uncle Dirar wasn’t happy with that,” Ari said with a grimace. Her uncle was fair-minded and kind to his people. However, he did not like being told what to do.

  “Not at all. I’ll talk to him, but I have a feeling that if playing soft doesn’t work, then he’ll approve a more cutthroat tactic.” Her father looked at her then. Really looked at her. “I think you’re now up for the challenge. I almost feel sorry for President Nikan.”

  Ari smiled and kissed her father’s cheek before a gentle tap on her shoulder had her turning around to see Marcy Davies and the Rose sisters.

  “Happy New Year to the entire Ali Rahman family,” Miss Marcy said with a smile and kiss to Ari’s and her father’s cheeks. “We wanted to wish you luck at the UN. You might be representing Rahmi, but Keeneston couldn’t be prouder of you and what you’re doing. Now, promise us you’ll be safe.”

  “Thank you so much. Don’t worry, I’m taking a couple of Rahmi guards with me,” Ari told the sweet old ladies.

  “They’ll never be as awesome as we are,” Dylan joked as he, Abby, and Greer joined the conversation.

  “I agree. We’re the best bodyguards ever,” Greer said with a wide smile. “You didn’t even get shot at when we were guarding you.”

  Ari laughed, but her father rolled her eyes.

  “Don’t you get some special guard because you’re a foreign diplomat when you go the UN?” Miss Marcy asked.

  “I believe so. I think Veronica takes care of that,” she told Miss Marcy. Veronica was Zain’s right-hand woman who handled everything for him. As Ari and Gabe became more involved in diplomacy, Veronica had quietly and effectively moved to take over their schedules, too. Honestly, they should each have their own assistant, but no one wanted to give up Veronica. She was not only an amazing person but also an insanely organized, no-nonsense assistant who always had your back and covered your ass. Two years ago, she and Gabe talked about it with Veronica. Veronica refused to give them up and, as such, Gabe and Ari paid her as well so she was pulling in three salaries and earning every dollar.

  “We met one of those DSS guys in Crusina,” Abby told them.

  “DSS?” Miss Daisy asked.

  “Diplomatic Security Service. They guard ambassadors and foreign dignitaries,” Abby answered.

  “Jameson Duke,” Dylan said as if finally remembering the name. “Good guy. Former Special Forces.”

  “I don’t know,” Greer said slowly. “I don’t think he liked Ari. He thought we’d pulled the short end of the stick to be assigned to her.”

  Ari hadn’t known that and felt her heart stop beating for a second before going into overdrive. She had thought he was very polite and very attractive. Very. All the while he thought she was a chore.

  “He might have said it, but I don’t think he meant it,” Dylan said with a smirk. “He couldn’t keep his eyes off Ari.”

  Probably because he hated her and was hoping she’d fall on her ass or something. Ari took a sip of the champagne and tried to hide the hurt she felt. People all over the world hated her, but she hadn’t done anything to Jameson Duke to make him feel that way.

  Abby was quiet as she looked at Ari and then to the old ladies. “I agree with my husband. He was super hot, took his job seriously, has a great military background, and he was definitely interested in Ari.”

  “Abby,” Ari finally hissed. This hurt too much to talk about. “He was very attractive, yes. He has a strong military background, yes. He was not interested in me. We were only briefly introduced and apparently he didn’t think highly of me, so just leave it.”

  “He was watching you,” Dylan said again.

  “So what?” Ari snapped.

  “He was watching you like I watch Abb
y.” Dylan dropped that hammer and then took his wife’s hand. “Let’s dance.”

  Ari watched them in stunned silence as they walked away. She looked at Greer who shrugged as if Dylan had a point and then at Ari’s father, whose face was studiously blank. She couldn’t read his thoughts at all. Instead of saying anything, he leaned down and kissed Ari’s cheek before walking off to find her mother.

  “Interesting. Oh, and look, there’s Veronica. I’d better go wish Veronica and Blythe a happy New Year,” Miss Marcy said before teetering off with her cane.

  The Rose sisters and Ari looked over at Veronica and her girlfriend. They waved when they saw Ari and her group looking at them.

  “I love Veronica to death, but she’s not getting my fudge brownies for a while,” Miss Violet said with a huff. “I had twenty dollars on her proposing to Blythe before midnight tonight.”

  “I had Christmas,” Miss Daisy grumbled.

  “How do you know it’s Veronica who will propose? Couldn’t Blythe propose?” Ariana asked. The three elderly Rose sisters looked at each other and then instantly had the Keeneston betting app up on their phones.

  “Brilliant. I’ll hedge my bets and bet both ways. I’m saying Valentine’s Day,” Miss Lily said with her nose buried in her phone.

  It was a brand new year and New York City was alive with hope and excitement. Jameson walked into his offices and even with the UN committee meetings starting soon, people were happy and upbeat.

  “Happy New Year, Jameson,” the lovely Erika said as she used her arms to push up her ample assets. Erika had been after him since his orientation a couple of days ago. However, he believed strongly in not dating co-workers—especially Erika. She was his boss’s assistant and could make his life hell if a relationship went sour.

  “Same to you, Erika. Hope you had a fun New Year’s Eve.” Jameson went to walk by her and into the morning meeting room when she reached out and gently wrapped her fingers around his arm. Her fingers flexed as she tested out his muscles.