“It’s beautiful,” Ariana told him as she gave him a welcome-to-the-married-club smile.
“Brian and my dad could open a wedding planning company. They did all this in four weeks. Willa, Sydney, and Tilly designed the dress and came up with the theme,” Porter told them.
“What did you do?” Greer asked, looking lovely in her bridesmaid dress that matched Tilly’s.
“I showed up. And I picked the music.” Porter grinned as the hottest country band played on the stage. “It’s good to have friends in the biz. Even Brian was impressed Holt hooked us up with his friends.”
“Well, he did open for them a couple of years ago,” Jace said as they all glanced around the happy reception filled with laughter and dancing.
“What are you doing about the farm?” Greer asked as they watched Nikki grinding on some tech billionaire who was mesmerized by Nikki’s enhanced booty. Porter turned away to look at his wife talking to Tilly, Lucas, and Talon.
“I’m going to ask Mr. Habisher if I can buy the land behind me,” Porter said as his eyes connected with the elderly man talking to the Rose sisters. “Excuse me.”
Porter had a grand plan. He was going to buy the farm, expand the rodeo breeding program, and still have enough space for Willa and him to build a house, her own barn, and even a practice arena. He just needed to buy this land first.
“There’s our handsome groom,” Miss Lily said when he joined their group.
Porter greeted the sisters and then shook hands with Mr. Habisher. “Mr. Habisher, I was hoping to have a moment of your time.”
“Of course,” he said as they excused themselves from the Rose sisters who immediately went and turned up their hearing aids. Nothing was private in Keeneston. Not their love lives or their business plans. “What can I do for you, Porter?”
“I know you’ve talked about putting your farm up for sale. I was hoping I could buy it from you when you were ready.” Porter waited for the smile to come, but it didn’t. Instead, Mr. Habisher frowned.
“Porter, I sold the farm five weeks ago. Some corporation bought it.”
“They’re going to develop it?” Porter asked as he felt his stomach drop.
“No, that was a condition of the sale. I don’t know what they’re doing with it. It was all done at arm’s length and I was wired the money in full.”
“Porter, is everything okay?” Willa asked as she joined them.
“Um, yeah,” Porter said, putting on a fake smile. He wasn’t going to let this ruin the happiest day of his life. “Willa, meet Mr. Habisher.”
Willa held out her hand as her brow creased, then cleared. “It’s nice to meet you in person, Mr. Habisher.”
“You know Mr. Habisher?” Porter asked his bride with total confusion.
“Yes. My trust bought his farm the day I moved here. I’m embarrassed to say I don’t know where it is compared to here. I got caught up with wedding stuff and getting the headquarters set up, and quite frankly, it just got pushed aside. But if you know Mr. Habisher, then you know where it is, 1784 Old Woods Road in Lexington. I was going to talk to you about selling it so we could buy that property behind you.”
Porter tossed his head back and laughed. Then he grabbed his wife and swung her around. “Sweetheart, that is the property behind me. The ridge is the county line. You bought the property next to mine before we even met. Now that’s fate!”
“Sure, fate,” Marcy Davies said with a wink as she clinked her champagne glass to Lily’s, Daisy’s, and Violet’s.
“As soon as I heard from Nora at the Fluff and Buff that her cousin, the realtor, had this big new client from Florida looking for a horse farm, I knew exactly what we had to do,” Miss Lily said with a grin.
“Mr. Habisher was happy to listen to my idea of privately listing his farm with Kimberly. Then it was as good as done,” Miss Daisy said with a smirk.
“And a little birdie passed it along to Brian,” Miss Violet said of the random mailing Brian Aldridge received from her. One that just happened to be sent to Kimberly as well.
“Mrs. Davies?”
“Ah, Agent Naylor,” Marcy said, looking up at the agent whose suit was still wrinkled. “How did you enjoy the pie I sent you last month?”
“It was the best pie I’ve ever had,” Agent Naylor said and Marcy knew he was angling for another one. Well, he did do her a favor, even if he was a bit of an ass. “If you stop by tomorrow, you can pick one up.”
“I’d love that! Thank you, Mrs. Davies.” Naylor turned and then bowed his head quickly. “Mr. President. Mrs. Stratton.”
“Agent Naylor,” Birch Stratton said in a dismissive tone that Marcy had used herself a time or two. It worked as it sent Naylor scampering away.
“Just how extensive is your spy network, Mrs. Davies?” President Stratton asked.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Marcy smiled up at the president. “Now, about that favor you owe me, Birch dear.”
Marcy glanced across the room. They thought they were being sly with their glances, but they weren’t. They couldn’t keep their eyes off each other. Sometimes tension was foreplay. Sometimes it was a way to hide your feelings. Sometimes it was because the feelings you felt were too great and tension kept them at bay so you didn’t have to face them. Marcy was sure this was a case of all of the above.
“Are you sure about that?” Birch asked her, not sounding sure of it at all.
Marcy stomped his toe with her cane. “Don’t make me stop your pie order, young man.”
“Do what she says, Birch!” his wife, Tate, cried as she smacked his arm. “You will not deprive me of my pie when I’m in this condition.”
“Congratulations, dear,” Marcy told the First Lady as the Rose sisters made a fuss over her.
“Thank you. Keeneston is lucky for us. I got pregnant when we were here for Ariana’s wedding,” Tate said, resting her hand on her stomach. She then looked across the room and nodded. “I see it, too. I’ll do whatever I can to help.”
“Such a dear,” Marcy said, patting Tate’s hand. “Stop by tomorrow for an extra pie.”
Marcy hugged the first lady and president before turning to her friends. She raised her glass in a toast. “To Greer and Sebastian.”
“Bless their hearts, they’ll never see it coming,” Miss Lily said as they toasted and then laughed.
“Porter and Willa Davies?”
Porter turned to see a deliveryman standing awkwardly with a large arrangement of flowers.
“Yes?”
“These are for you. Congratulations.”
He shoved the flowers into Porter’s hands and hurried from the reception.
“Who sent us flowers?” Willa asked as he set them down on a nearby table. She pulled the card and read it out loud. “To a worthy adversary. Congratulations on your wedding. I’m happy to have played a part in it and for you doing me the favor of taking care of Lioness. As such, I’ve decided for this happy occasion a gift is in order—the gift of your lives. –P.”
Willa looked up at him with surprise as she handed him the card. “What does this mean?”
Porter read the card twice. “I think it means The Panther isn’t coming after us.”
“There’s no better gift than sharing my life with you. I love you, Porter Davies.”
Porter leaned down and kissed his wife. “I love you, Willa Davies.”
The nickering of a horse had him looking up. Apollo and Miss Trix were tied to the tent waiting for them to ride off into their future together. Wildflowers adorned their manes and tails and a pair of pale blue satin panties were hanging from Apollo’s mouth as he chewed on them.
Porter laughed as he yanked them from Apollo’s mouth. “The panty dropper strikes again.”
“Hmm, that gives me an idea.” Willa gave him that look and Porter held out his hand.
“Shall we, wife?”
“We shall, husband,” Willa said with a laugh that made Porter’s heart swell with happiness.
Porter placed his hands at her waist and lifted her into the saddle before he swung up into Miss Trix’s saddle. He reached out and took Willa’s hand in his as their friends and family gathered to wish them well.
“I love you,” Porter told his bride as they rode into their happily ever after.
THE END
Bluegrass Series
Bluegrass State of Mind
Risky Shot
Dead Heat
Bluegrass Brothers
Bluegrass Undercover
Rising Storm
Secret Santa: A Bluegrass Series Novella
Acquiring Trouble
Relentless Pursuit
Secrets Collide
Final Vow
Bluegrass Singles
All Hung Up
Bluegrass Dawn
The Perfect Gift
The Keeneston Roses
Forever Bluegrass Series
Forever Entangled
Forever Hidden
Forever Betrayed
Forever Driven
Forever Secret
Forever Surprised
Forever Concealed
Forever Devoted
Forever Hunted
Forever Guarded
Forever Notorious
Forever Ventured
Forever Freed
Forever Saved
Forever Bold
Forever Thrown
Forever Lies (coming Jan/Feb 2021)
Shadows Landing Series
Saving Shadows
Sunken Shadows
Lasting Shadows
Fierce Shadows
Broken Shadows
Framed Shadows
Endless Shadows (coming Oct 2021)
Women of Power Series
Chosen for Power
Built for Power
Fashioned for Power
Destined for Power
Web of Lies Series
Whispered Lies
Rogue Lies
Shattered Lies
Moonshine Hollow Series
Moonshine & Murder
Moonshine & Malice
Moonshine & Mayhem
Moonshine & Mischief
Moonshine & Menace (coming Nov 2021)
Moonshine & Masquerades (coming Dec 2021)
About the Author
Kathleen Brooks is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author. Kathleen’s stories are romantic suspense featuring strong female heroines, humor, and happily-ever-afters. Her Bluegrass Series and follow-up Bluegrass Brothers Series feature small town charm with quirky characters that have captured the hearts of readers around the world.
Kathleen is an animal lover who supports rescue organizations and other non-profit organizations such as Friends and Vets Helping Pets whose goals are to protect and save our four-legged family members.
Email Notice of New Releases
https://kathleen-brooks.com/new-release-notifications
Kathleen’s Website
www.kathleen-brooks.com
Facebook Page
www.facebook.com/KathleenBrooksAuthor
Twitter
www.twitter.com/BluegrassBrooks
Goodreads
www.goodreads.com
Forever Thrown: Forever Bluegrass #16 Page 25
