Jace smiled at her brother and Stella noticed how easily they got along. Karl had never liked Rick and conversation had been stilted and minimal. “No, but I have some bourbon back at my office.” Jace suddenly spun around. “Colton!”
But the fire trucks were already down the drive.
“There went my ride,” Jace groaned. “Cousins.”
April giggled at the funny face Jace made at her.
“Daddy, can Dr. Davies be my doctor? I don’t like old Dr. Shelling. She’s mean and when she gives me shots, she smiles when I cry.”
“Honey, he’s probably not a doctor for kids,” Karl told April whose bottom lip was already protruding into a pout. “Are you?”
“I’m a family doctor so I can see you from the moment you’re born all the way until you’re old like me.”
April giggled. “You’re not that old. You look like Aunt Stell’s age.”
“And what age is that?” Jace asked and Stella prepared for the impact of brutal child truth.
“Fifty-three,” April answered with authority.
“So,” Karl said, cutting off the age discussion. “I texted my wife who had already looked you up and she said we’re going to be in Keeneston a lot anyway. If April likes you, she’d love for you to take over her care.”
“Yay!” April held out her arms and jumped onto Jace who caught her effortlessly and hoisted her up. “Then how about you give me a ride to my clinic and I’ll give you your booster shot. I promise to look most unhappy about it.”
“That works for me. Stell, can you still watch April tonight?”
“Of course,” Stella told her brother.
“Come on, Dr. Davies. Let’s get this kiddo a shot and then I have to get back to work.”
Jace was still holding April when he turned toward Stella and smiled at her and her insides melted. “It was nice meeting you, Miss Winters. Welcome to Keeneston.”
4
Jace heard the pounding at the back door as he watched television in bed. He looked at the clock and saw that it was eleven at night. It was too early for a real emergency that would cause him to freak out, but late enough to narrow it down to any of his single friends, which meant he didn’t need to get dressed to answer the door. Jace jogged down the three flights of stairs in the rear of the building to open the back door.
“Hey, guys.”
Jace opened the door and let Colton, Zain, Gabe, Ariana, and Draven inside. Colton led the group up the stairs as they all shook their heads at Jace. “What’s going on?” Jace asked as they moved to sit down in the living room.
“We’re here for two reasons,” Zain, the oldest of the Ali Rahman kids, told him.
“One of them has to be pretty important since you’re here. I figured baby Zaria would have you sleeping every chance you got.” Jace took a seat and looked at the new dad who instantly smiled at the mention of his daughter.
“They’re both important, just in different ways,” Gabe, the younger twin by a couple of minutes, said as he looked at his brother, Zain, and younger sister, Ariana.
Ari picked up the cue and ran with it. “Colton told us about today at the garden center.”
Jace cast a glance at Colton who looked back impassively. What was this about? “Okay.” Jace looked around again and everyone seemed so serious. “The girl will be fine and I think you’ll really like the owner.”
Ariana rolled her eyes. “Exactly! She’s single. She’s nice. She understands owning her own business. Just like you.”
“Right, which is why I—”
“Need to get laid.” Draven crossed his legs and leaned back as if he’d just issued a royal decree.
“Would you knock it off?” Ariana was valiantly trying not to roll her eyes at the King of Bermalia, but ended up failing. “You should speak. Addison kept you celibate for two months.”
“Anyway,” Zain cut in, being as diplomatic as ever. Anywhere else it would be strange for a doctor and a firefighter to be sitting with two princes, a princess, and a king. Not in Keeneston, though. Which was probably why said royalty stayed here as much as possible. They got to be themselves. “We think you should ask her out.”
“You haven’t even met her,” Jace pointed out, even though he’d been kicking himself for not getting her phone number. His friends didn’t need to know that, though.
“Then let’s be the first to arrive on Friday,” Gabe suggested. “Sloane wants to meet her, too. We’ll all go, meet her, and then give you the thumbs up or down. If you get a majority of thumbs up, you ask her out right then and there. Deal?”
“When did you become the negotiator?” Jace asked. Gabe had been the playboy prince up until he met his wife, Sloane.
“Turns out I’m good at it. So, do we have a deal?” Gabe asked, but it was really a demand—one Jace was happy to accept.
“Deal. Now what’s the other thing that had you knocking at my door tonight?”
Draven stood up and walked across the small living room. He wiped his palms on his pants and then looked up at Jace and grabbed his hand. He took a deep breath and looked Jace right in the eyes. “I have loved you since the first time I saw you. It was a foreign concept to me, but the harder the battle, the more treasured the win. And there is nothing worth more than winning your heart.”
Draven dropped to one knee while still holding Jace’s hand. Then he dropped Jace’s hand and cursed. “Dammit, this is too clumsy,” he said agitatedly as he dug an enormous jeweler’s box from the pocket of his pants.
“Is that a giant box in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?” Jace deadpanned.
Draven cursed in his country’s native language and then stood up. “I told you I was a mess! This has to be perfect.”
“Whoa, this is real? You’re actually going to propose to Addison?” Jace looked around and everyone nodded.
“He tried it on me and we made some corrections. So we thought we’d try it on you next,” Colton told him.
“How was the beginning?” Draven asked, so nervous he had to wipe his palms again.
“It was great. I’d have said yes.” Jace looked at the large box and held out his hand. “May I?”
Draven handed it over and Jace opened the box. “Jeez, Draven. It’s a freaking boulder.” Jace looked down at the emerald cut diamond that would need to be measured in inches to fully convey how large it was.
“It needs to be fit for a queen,” Draven said nervously. “Is it not enough? Is it too simple? I should have surrounded it with sapphires.”
Jace shook his head. “No, it’s stunning. You’re right. It’s fit for a queen. I never thought about that. I think of you as my friend, Draven. I sometimes forget you’re a king and that would make Addison your queen.”
Draven nodded solemnly. “The country has never had a queen before. Only men have been allowed to rule. But as you say, I am king and I am going to change that. I want Addison by my side ruling our country. I will surprise her with it along with the law I am going to pass that allows any daughters we have to be in the direct line of succession.”
Jace knew the surprise showed on his face. Four years ago, this would never have even been discussed. Then Zain and Gabe had taken Draven under their wings and brought him into the current century. Plus, their wives also played a big role in his education. Jace knew Ariana had helped, too. Then Draven had gone and fallen in love with the one woman in the world who wouldn’t put up with his nonsense. Addison Rooney was the yin to his yang, and they were perfect together. He made her laugh and she made him a better ruler with the calm, studious nature that made her such a good lawyer. Together, they would ensure that the country of Bermalia prospered.
“I’m thrilled for you, Draven. I’m going to miss Addison around town, though.”
“We haven’t discussed it yet. I wanted this to be a total surprise. I plan to tell her that we can visit as often as she wants. We’ll buy property here and build an embassy just like the Ali Rahmans did. Then there are her paren
ts, who I love as if they were my own. I will give them the gift of a plane so they may visit us whenever they want. I’ve already had a suite of rooms in the palace set aside as their dedicated housing. Do you think this will please Addison?”
“I do,” Jace said and then shook his head. “Addison will be saying those words soon. I do have an idea to make the proposal smoother, though.”
Stella smoothed her hands over her jeans as she took one last look around. This was the day she opened the nursery and garden center to the public. She’d invited local landscapers, builders, and real estate developers to have a first look from ten to twelve. Then she’d open the gates to the public at noon. Stella just hoped the public came.
“You look great,” Eden told her. “The garden center looks great. And here comes the first of your prospective clients.”
Stella took a deep breath and plastered on a nervous smile. “Thank you for taking the day off to help me. Is this one of your contacts?”
“It is. Come on. I’ll introduce you.”
* * *
The hours flew by. Stella had researched local and national nurseries and garden centers for over a year before she decided what to stock, how to lay it out, and what was needed in the market. She had some of the basic contract-grade landscaping, but most was unique to the area. Trees, bushes, and flowers with color and texture that made you want to reach out and touch them.
The professional response had been very encouraging. Stella had a stack of orders to prove it. Enough orders were already placed that she could hire a full-time employee, which she desperately needed.
Stella was breathing easier as Eden went to re-open the gates to the public. Two of the kind of black SUVs with tinted windows that executives rode around in were the first to pull in followed by two regular SUVs.
The doors of the first executive SUV opened and people began to pour out. An older man in a suit and tie got out from behind the steering wheel. A woman who Stella guessed was his wife got out of the front passenger seat. She was dressed completely differently. She was in jeans and a Milo, Maine Three Rivers Community T-shirt. Behind them, two men and three women got out.
The other SUV stopped and a man with a more extravagant suit got out. Stella’s eyes went right to the sheathed sword at his side. That must be Draven. Stella had thought Colton and Jace had been teasing her about the sword. A woman with her hair swept up into a casual twist and wearing a skirt suit got out next and started pointing to some of the flowers Stella had lining the parking area. She must be the attorney.
Stella’s eyes were immediately drawn to the two men getting out of their own SUVs. She smiled and waved at Colton and Jace as they walked toward her. The other people fell in behind them.
“Holy smokes. Who are they?” Eden whispered. “I suddenly feel underdressed.”
“The man on the right is Dr. Jace Davies and on the left is Colton Davies, the firefighter. I don’t know the others.”
“That’s the doctor April insisted on going to?”
“Yup,” Stella said with a smile as April ran past Stella and her mother.
“Dr. Davies! Mr. Colton!”
Stella and Eden watched Dr. Davies bend down and open his arms as April hurled herself through the air and right onto him.
“Well,” Eden said, blinking in surprise, “what can I say? My daughter has good taste in men.”
Stella cracked up as the group of people joined them. April was excitedly telling Colton all about Jimmy’s latest adventure in the pond and telling Dr. Davies that her boo-boo didn’t hurt anymore.
“Hello, Miss Winters.” Stella might have swooned as Jace spoke. That deep Southern voice with a little twinkle in his eye as if they shared an inside joke had her melting. Apparently her sister-in-law, too, as Eden began to fan herself with the brochures.
“Dr. Davies, it’s so nice of you to come to my opening.”
“Please, call me Jace.”
“And I’m Stella.” Her heartbeat picked up as the smile on his handsome face widened. Eden’s fan smacked her arm and Stella was brought back to the present. “This is April’s mom, my sister-in-law, Eden Winters.”
“The real estate agent,” the older man in a suit didn’t ask but stated.
“Yes, that’s right,” Eden said, surprised. Eden was successful but she ran her own real estate company mostly by herself. She was selective about what she sold, which was why high-end builders liked to use her to sell their houses, condos, and expensive buildings.
“You sold some office buildings for me in the new complex downtown.”
“The law offices?”
“That’s right,” the man smiled.
“I sold those for Mr. McCloud.”
The man smiled, and goodness, he was a silver fox. His lightly tanned skin and dark eyes seemed to take in everything while they radiated quiet power and confidence. “Mr. McCloud works for me.”
“Oh. Then it’s very nice to meet you, Mr. . . .”
“Ali Rahman. Mo Ali Rahman. And this is my wife, Dani.” Mo turned behind him and the five adults stepped forward. They were all grinning and Stella couldn’t shake the feeling they were checking her out. “And these are our children. Our oldest, Zain, and his wife, Mila. Then Gabe and Sloane. If you can’t tell, Zain and Gabe are twins. Then this is our daughter, Ariana.”
“It’s such a pleasure to meet you, Your Highnesses,” Eden said, bowing her head respectfully to him beside her. What the heck? Highness? Like royalty? She’d known that some members of the royal family of some small country owned a horse farm nearby but she just assumed they were never there. It wasn’t like the Queen of England stayed in the United States when her horses were here.
“Please, don’t do that. Not here at home,” Mo said, smoothly taking Eden’s hand and helping her stand up straight.
Ariana stepped forward and held out her hand to Stella. “I’m Ari. This place is stunning. I just want to hug that miniature tree over there. It’s fuzzy.”
Stella laughed and nodded. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Jace turned and waved the two people behind him forward. “These are our friends, Draven and Addison.”
Stella held out her hand and shook Addison’s first and then Draven’s. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Nice sword.”
“See,” Draven said to Addison. “I told you women love my sword.”
Addison rolled her eyes and Stella instantly liked the woman.
“Welcome to Keeneston, Stella,” Addison said as Mo, Dani, and Eden began to talk.
“Dr. Davies, I want to show you my favowite place,” April said, pointing off to where Stella had built an exhibit around part of the pond.
Jace set April down and took her hand in his. “I’d love to see it. Why is it your favorite?”
Eden turned and gave Stella a pointed look as a minivan tore up the drive and skidded to a halt. A little pixie of a woman jumped out, reached into the back, and pulled out a toddler.
She raced forward, stood on her tiptoes, and smacked the back of Colton’s head. “You seriously didn’t tell me,” she hissed. “I saw that bet you placed, and I will get you back.”
“A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do to win a bet.” Colton didn’t look ashamed at all as suddenly everyone there pulled out their cell phones. “Stella, this is my Aunt Tammy. Tammy, this is Stella Winters and her sister-in-law, Eden.”
Upon closer look, the little fairylike woman wasn’t as young as Stella had first thought. From the short distance, she seemed to be in her thirties, but now Stella wasn’t quite sure.
“Nice to meet you, Tammy. Goodness. Your daughter is adorable. Is she your first?”
“Bless your heart. No, she’s my fifth.” She set the toddler down and pointed in the direction Jace was with April. “Cricket, look over there. Do you see your brother?” The blonde pigtails bounced as she nodded. “Go say hi to him.”
“Jacey!” Cricket shrieked and then toddled off.
Eden and Stella
looked at each other in complete disbelief.
“You’re Jace’s mother?” Stella blurted out in surprise.
“Oh, you’ve met my son?” Tammy asked while batting her eyes in what she obviously thought was an innocent manner but Stella had a feeling there was nothing innocent about it. “Isn’t he such a nice man?”
“Yes, very,” Stella said as they all turned to look at him crouched down introducing Cricket to April.
“So, dear, tell me all about yourself and this beautiful place before we get overrun by everyone else in town.”
“I don’t think I’ll be overrun. But so far it’s going well.”
“I passed them. They’re coming. They’re all coming. John Wolfe is driving and holding everyone up since he won’t drive above twenty miles per hour.”
“Then you’d better hurry,” Ari said. “We all want to know about our newest resident. You’re staying here in Keeneston, right?”
Stella nodded, then took a deep breath and began to answer the firing squad of questions that came at her from every direction. Strangely enough, none of them had to do with her garden center.
5
The second Jace heard his baby sister scream his name, he knew they were in trouble. He was almost too afraid to look, but when he saw Cricket toddling toward him, he saw that his mother was already interrogating Stella. Was it any wonder he didn’t have a personal life?
When April and Cricket were pretend fishing he glanced over and Colton caught his eye. He gestured toward the road and it was then he saw the giant cloud of dust from a line of vehicles. Everyone had arrived.
The whole group that had been at his place the night before shot him a thumbs up as they frantically looked behind them. Dammit. He’d promised to ask her out the second they gave the thumbs up. Colton broke apart from the group and jogged over to him.
“Cuz, she’s freaking perfect. You better hurry before she’s snapped up. You know Taylor Everett is on the lookout for her sons in Lexington. You also know she plays dirty and will steal her right out from under you,” Colton warned.
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