The Magnolia Sisters

by Michelle Major

  “About another chance?” she asked, her voice gentle. “My answer is yes. All the chances.”

  He nodded and then shook his head. “I’m glad to hear that, because the question we’ve moved on to now is just a tad bit more serious.”

  “You’re gonna freak her out,” Violet told him. “Like she’s in trouble.”

  “Listen to the girl,” Mal shouted.

  “You’re not in trouble,” he clarified. “But I will be if I mess this up any more.”

  She shifted so that her knees grazed his and gave him a slow smile. “You aren’t messing anything up.”

  “I had a plan,” he explained, his mouth suddenly dry. “A solid one.”

  “I’m sure.”

  Spot, who was gently mouthing Gray’s wrist, gave a low whine and then farted. “It involved your dog behaving.”

  “Good luck with that.”

  “And everyone else watching in respectful silence,” he said over his shoulder.

  “Get on with it,” Meredith commanded.

  “You can do it, Daddy,” Violet said, squeezing his arm with her small hand.

  He dropped a kiss on the top of his daughter’s head and undid the box from Spot’s leash before letting the dog down on the floor. Spot immediately climbed into Avery’s lap and stared at him with her liquid brown eyes.

  “You were going to ask me something,” Avery reminded him as she patted the dog’s head like she had all day to wait.

  Gray didn’t want a moment longer. “Will you marry me?” he said in a rush of breath. “It doesn’t have to be soon. We can have a long engagement or a short one. Whatever you want. Just say yes, Avery. Please. Make me the happiest man in Magnolia and say yes.”

  Violet plucked the box out of his hand, flipped it open and gave it back to him. “You forgot the ring.”

  Right. “Thanks, sweetheart.” He took the ring, a round solitaire in a platinum band, and held it up toward Avery. “Will you say yes?”

  “Yes,” she whispered and the bakery erupted in a cacophony of cheers and wolf whistles.

  Trying to ignore his trembling hand, he slid the ring onto her finger, then leaned in to kiss her.

  “Did you ever doubt I’d say yes?” she asked against his lips. “I love you with every part of me, Grayson Atwell. Forever.”

  “Forever,” he repeated. “I love you forever.”

  “Just remember...” Violet wagged a finger between them as they separated. “No brothers. Only sisters.”

  Gray opened his mouth and then shut it again. He could handle just about anything at the moment, other than discussing potential future siblings with his precocious daughter.

  He glanced at Avery to see her smile go wide once again and grinned right back at her. They straightened and he lifted Violet into his arms. Family and friends surrounded the three of them, with Spot barking happily at their feet.

  In the midst of all the revelry, a sense of peace filled Gray. All the poignant and corny movie lines in the world couldn’t capture the breadth of his feelings for Avery. He simply loved her with everything he had and knew deep in his heart it would always be that way.

  EPILOGUE

  One month later

  “STOP HIDING.”

  “I’m not hiding.”

  Avery shared a look with Meredith before placing her palms on the enormous oak desk in the gallery’s private office and leaning forward. Carrie sat on the floor, knees drawn up to her chest.

  “The opening is a huge success. Everyone’s amazed at your talent.”

  “They’re just being nice,” Carrie said, continuing to stare at the floor.

  Meredith snorted. “Since when has Julie Martindale ever been nice if there isn’t something in it for her?”

  Carrie let out a choked laugh. “She dropped off a handwritten invitation to one of her parties the other day and was extremely friendly.”

  “She wants your money,” Meredith argued. “Although, someone with that much inventory should have a smile on her face.”

  “Once again, we’re getting off topic,” Avery told her sisters. “People want to congratulate you.”

  As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. Butterflies danced across Avery’s stomach as Gray entered the office. Would the thrill of him ever diminish? She didn’t think so. In the past few weeks, her life had taken on a glow of happiness she never could have expected. They still had a long way to go as far as untangling Niall’s estate, but she had no doubt she belonged in Magnolia, building a life with Gray and Violet.

  She glanced down at the diamond sparkling on her finger as she took a step toward him. It felt like a cliché, but she loved gazing at her ring and what it represented. They were planning a wedding for just before Christmas and she relished the time they’d truly be a family.

  “She’s coming out,” Avery told Gray, slipping her hand into his.

  They watched as Carrie straightened from behind the desk, smoothing a hand over her printed maxidress. Her dark hair was down around her shoulders, and she kept tucking it behind one ear in a gesture of obvious nerves.

  Meredith stepped around the desk and patted Carrie on both cheeks, maybe a little harder than necessary in Avery’s opinion.

  “Ouch.” Carrie drew back. “What was that for?”

  “You need some color in your face,” Meredith explained with an innocent smile. “You look like you’re going to pass out.”

  “I’m not going to faint,” Carrie murmured. “I’m stronger than that.”

  “We know you are,” Avery assured her. It had taken a lot of coaxing to get Carrie to agree to open the gallery for private group-painting sessions, but already she had a half dozen parties and events booked. Meredith had come up with the idea to kick off the reopening of the studio with a showing of Carrie’s old paintings. They both hoped a positive response to her work would encourage her to return to her art on a deeper level than teaching classes.

  “You’re sure no one is making fun of me?” Carrie asked, her worried gaze darting between Gray, Meredith and Avery. “What if they think I’m trying to capitalize on Dad’s fame?”

  “You’re talented,” Gray reminded her, his voice gentle. “You always have been. Now is the time to let the world know it. Tonight isn’t about Niall. It’s your moment, Carrie. You need to claim it.”

  Avery’s heart swelled with gratitude as she watched her sweet, sometimes shy sister consider Gray’s words and then nod in agreement. “I’ve missed my paints,” she whispered.

  “You might want to invest in new ones after all this time,” Meredith said, giving Carrie’s arm a playful nudge. “But first, you must greet your adoring public.”

  Carrie rolled her eyes even as she laughed. “Let’s go, then. I know Mer-Bear will eviscerate anyone who dares to criticize me.”

  “Damn straight, Princess,” Meredith agreed and then led the way out of the office and down the hall toward the gathering.

  “Thank you.” Avery leaned in to press a kiss to Gray’s mouth. “Your support means a lot to Carrie.”

  “She deserves all the support she gets.” Gray cupped her cheeks between his palms. “But if I’m honest, I can’t wait for this night to be over so I can take you home and have you all to myself.”

  Violet was spending the night with her mother. To Avery’s surprise, Stacy had come around to the idea of Avery being part of Violet’s life without too much convincing. They were still going forward with a modification of the custody arrangement, and although the new plan made Violet’s scheduled nights with her mom more infrequent, Stacy seemed motivated to honor her duties.

  Avery and Gray only spent the night together when Violet wasn’t with him, although they did their best to find creative ways to steal intimate moments at other times.

  “I can’t wait,” she whispered.

  “Are
you sure you don’t want a Halloween wedding?” he asked with a laugh.

  “We can wait a few weeks longer.”

  “I’d wait forever,” he promised, kissing her again. “That’s how much I love you. I’ll admit I’m anticipating Christmas like Ralphie dreaming of that Red Ryder BB gun.”

  She grinned at him. “Now I know you’re desperate for me.”

  He pulled her closer to him. “Would you like a demonstration?”

  She broke away with a laugh. “Later, my love. Right now is about supporting Carrie.”

  “I hope she truly embraces her gift,” he said as he took her hand and followed her to the front of the gallery. “Your father did a number on her self-confidence.”

  “We’ll make sure she gets there.” Avery wasn’t yet sure how’d they’d accomplish it, but she knew that she and Meredith would find a way to make Carrie’s long-buried artistic dreams a reality once again.

  They entered the gallery space, which was crowded with locals and visitors alike. An art opening featuring the works of Niall Reed’s daughter had proved to be a huge draw.

  Avery also knew without a doubt that Carrie had more talent than she even realized. People gathered around the paintings, as if mesmerized by the composition and style, making it clear she wasn’t the only one to feel that way.

  She kept an eye on Carrie, who seemed to grow more relaxed with every passing minute. She spoke to everyone who approached her with the same kind smile and charming focus. Avery couldn’t imagine that Niall had ever been so authentic in how he’d dealt with people.

  The gallery remained packed for a while longer, but eventually the crowd disappeared.

  “We’ve sold everything,” Meredith announced when it was just the three sisters remaining in the empty space. Gray had offered to drive Julie home when it became clear she’d had a few too many glasses of champagne. Carrie would drop Avery at his house after they locked up.

  “I can’t believe it.” Carrie pressed a hand to her chest. “Who bought it all?”

  Meredith checked the receipt book. “A variety of people, really. But the same man purchased several of the larger pieces. A Scott Dylan.”

  Carrie frowned. “Are you sure that’s his name?”

  “He’s the Boston real estate bigwig I told you about,” Avery said. “His company is going to develop the empty space at the end of the block. They’re the ones who wanted to buy all the property, but when I explained we weren’t selling, they offered a lease agreement. It’s our big influx of rental income and by the amount this guy spent on your paintings, they’re flush in cash.”

  “Okay, I guess,” Carrie said but her brows drew together as if she were working out a puzzle.

  “I can’t wait to meet this Scott Dylan.” Meredith did a funny little hip sway. “Maybe he’s cute, too.”

  “You have the name backward,” a deep voice announced and they all turned to see a tall, muscular, sandy-haired man standing in the doorway that led to the back of the building. “It’s Dylan Scott.”

  “No,” Carrie whispered on a frantic puff of air.

  “Wait.” Avery’s brain went into overdrive, trying to figure out why this man—or at least his name—seemed familiar, certain she’d never met Dylan Scott before.

  He was a man who a woman wouldn’t easily forget. Well over six feet, with broad shoulders, lean hips and an intricate tattoo peeking out from under the sleeve of his fitted black T-shirt, Dylan looked more like a leader of some dangerous biker gang than the head of a prominent real estate development company. “Do we know you?” Avery asked.

  “Not you,” Meredith said, poking her from around the back of Carrie’s stiff frame. “But Carrie did back in high school. Remember when we talked about how long it’s been since she had great—”

  “Shut up, Meredith,” Carrie said in a hiss of breath.

  Dylan only chuckled. “It’s been a while,” he announced in that gravelly voice that sounded like whiskey and sin. “But it’s good to be home. I missed this town.”

  Avery’s breath caught at the intensity of this man’s focus on her sister. Obviously Magnolia wasn’t the only thing Dylan Scott had missed.

  * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Wyoming Special Delivery by Melissa Senate.

  Wyoming Special Delivery

  by Melissa Senate

  CHAPTER ONE

  Daisy Dawson’s wedding ceremony was supposed to start any minute, and there was no sign of the groom. At nine months pregnant, in a pretty but scratchy white lace maternity dress and peau de soie heels that pinched, standing around wasn’t exactly easy.

  She poked her head out the door of the small room where she was getting ready. The special events hall of the Dawson Family Guest Ranch lodge had been beautifully decorated, thanks to her sister-in-law, Sara, who’d gone all out with pink and red roses, white tulle, and a red satin carpet runner to create an aisle. Thirty-six chairs were set up on both sides of the carpet. On the bride’s side, she saw her five brothers in the first row, all decked out in suits and Stetsons and cowboy boots. She saw her colleagues from the ranch. She saw old friends and newer ones.

  But the other side of the aisle was still conspicuously empty of guests. No relatives or friends of the groom had arrived. That was really weird. Jacob was late and so were all the people he’d invited to their wedding?

  Sure, Daisy. Right.

  She poked her head back in and looked in the mirror, reality hitting her right in the nose. Jacob wasn’t coming to his own wedding. And since none of his guests had turned up, it was obvious that he’d let them know in advance that he was calling it off. How kind of him to tell everyone in his life but her.

  Everyone who meant something special to her was waiting for her to walk down the aisle. And there wasn’t going to be a wedding. She shook her head, calling herself all kinds of a fool for ever thinking this was going to happen.

  Ping!

  Daisy eyed her phone on the vanity table with all her cosmetics and the curling iron she’d painstakingly used to get beachy waves in her straight light brown hair. The text was either from one of her brothers asking if everything was okay—since the ceremony was supposed to start at 5:00 p.m.—or it was her fiancé, Jacob, the cowardly fink, not facing her in person.

  She grabbed her phone. It was Jacob.

  I’m really sorry. But it hit me hard this morning that we don’t love each other and we’ve been forcing it. And I’ve been forcing that I can be a dad. I’m heading back to Cheyenne and might move east. Wish you and the baby all the best. J.

  A burst of sadness got her in the heart at the same time that red-hot anger seized her. She stared at herself in the mirror, through her late mother’s beautiful lace veil, which she should have known would be bad luck. She’d tried, at least. Tried, tried, tried all summer to make it work with Jacob—she’d thought they were going to build a future together. A family. But her baby wouldn’t have a father.

  She stuffed her phone in her little beaded cross-body purse and stalked out the back door and down the side steps, to where her Honda, with a Just Married sign with streamers on the back, waited to get her out of here.

  She quickly got in the car and took a deep breath, flipped back the veil, then texted her brother Noah.

  J called off the wedding. Need some time alone.

  She reread Jacob’s text. Wish you and the baby all the best. Like he was some distant uncle! How dare he? She banged the phone against the steering wheel and chucked it out the window, then pulled off her engagement ring and threw it out, too. She grabbed the headpiece and veil off her head and tossed them on the back seat.

  Then she peeled out, seeing the ridiculous streamers floating behind the car in the rearview mirror as she took off down the drive toward the gates of the ranch.

  Where exactly am I going? she wondered, trying not to cry s
o she wouldn’t swerve into the wildflowers lining the road. She lived in the main house at the guest ranch, and no way could she deal with relative after relative, friend after friend coming to see her, feeling sorry for her. So forget about her sanctuary of her bedroom and pulling the quilt over her head for a few days.

  Jacob had booked a weekend honeymoon for the two of them at the Starlight B&B in Prairie City, a half hour away. She supposed she could go there and lick her wounds and order their highly rated room service. Her cravings were insane these days. All she seemed to want was pasta in pink sauce with bacon and peas. And garlic bread. And chocolate cake. All B&Bs had chocolate cake, right?

  Thinking of the food almost took her mind off being stood up at the altar and the sudden change to her future.

  Not just hers. Her brothers’ futures, too. Four of the five Dawson men had scattered across Wyoming, and she’d been hoping to steer them back home to stay. She’d had big plans for becoming a secret amateur matchmaker at the wedding reception tonight, putting individually irresistible women for the four remaining Dawson bachelors under their unsuspecting noses. But some case she could make to Ford, Axel, Zeke and Rex for sticking around Bear Ridge, finding true love and settling down in their hometown, if not on their home ranch, now.

  One of her brothers—Noah—had already done exactly that, which had given Daisy hope for the others. One down, five to go, right? Her wedding had brought them all home when being at the ranch, being in Bear Ridge, made them all feel...unsettled. But they’d inherited the ranch last winter from their father, and only Noah had stayed to rebuild the long-closed, run-down family business. Daisy, then five months pregnant and alone, had joined Noah in the mission, and no one had been more surprised than her when her baby’s father had come after her, saying he was sorry, that he wanted a second chance, that they could do this, after all: be a family. He’d lasted four months.

  She’d thought she was getting married today. She’d thought she could convince her brothers that true love really did exist, even if it hadn’t for their father and various mothers—there were three moms among the Dawson siblings. She’d thought the Dawson clan could start fresh here together. She’d thought she could use the wedding festivities to show them they could be happy here. Among the guests she’d invited were at least eight women who would seriously appeal to each single brother for one reason or another. Falling in love would be just the ticket back. But after seeing their sister stood up at the altar—nine months pregnant with their little niece or nephew—the four remaining Dawson bachelors would hightail it out of Bear Ridge, which had always meant bad luck to all of them. Family was everything to Daisy. And not only had her dreams of building her own family with her baby’s father gone poof, but Ford, Axel, Zeke and Rex would most likely leave tonight or tomorrow and come back for her baby’s birth, then leave again after a day or two and return for Christmas. Maybe.