20
What a day! Stella smiled as the rush died down and she was finally able to sit. Her center was still packed even as closing time approached. Her sister-in-law and Piper were running the cash register while Jace, Nolan, and Karl helped with the customers.
April was happily shrieking and running around with Cricket. Tammy and Karl were talking as he carried more flowers to her minivan. Nolan had helped secure a deal to supply the flowers for Main Street. The city bought them and she’d plant them next week in the large bourbon barrel containers and hanging baskets that lined Main Street.
Cody had taken her short list of business competitors and went off to investigate that morning, but Stella knew that nothing would come from it.
At nine, Blythe had shown up. She’d chatted with Stella for a while and then just walked around . . . for eight hours. She only sat down when Aiden stopped helping Jace and began wandering around. Stella had a feeling they were her personal bodyguards, but everyone had just agreed to pretend they weren’t. However, it was hard to miss that they were on one-hour shifts.
A sleek black extended SUV pulled into the parking lot as dusk began to tease the sky. Nolan took over the customers as Jace joined her. The door opened and one long slim leg in a tight knee-length skirt and bright red high heels came out first. Then a second before Veronica stepped fully from the front passenger side as the entire royal family casually exited the back while happily chatting with each other.
“Oh, Sloane!” Mila pointed to a new flower shipment. “Those would look so pretty in front of your house.”
Blythe and Veronica kissed hello before Blythe was back at full attention scanning the area.
“Hello, dear,” Dani greeted Stella before hugging Jace. “Zain and Mila brought Zaria to play with the girls. She’s just a baby, but she loves seeing other children.”
Stella watched Zain sit down in the dirt with Cricket and April while he held his daughter. It didn’t matter that he wore a suit that was worth more than many used cars. He was just having fun playing with the girls.
Speaking of dirt . . . a massive dirt cloud was now racing toward them. Stella began nervously looking around as she wondered if she was in danger.
Veronica took one of her hands and smiled at her. “Let’s move this way so we don’t get run over.”
Jace nudged her along as everyone calmly cleared the parking area. Stella worriedly looked for April and found Zain running with her, laughing loudly from her perch on his shoulders. Her hands were gripping his hair as if they were reins. Zain didn’t seem to mind as he ran with April on his shoulders and Cricket and Zaria in each arm.
“Let’s pick it up, Stella.” Veronica was still calm, cool, and collected, but her high-heeled feet were moving like ducks’ feet underwater. Jace tightened his grip on Stella’s other hand and quickly pulled her forward.
Stella was amazed at how quickly the entire area cleared out as the dust cloud roared forward and nearly overtook them. The cloud was led by a black demon. The sports car was low to the ground and black as night. The engine roared as the driver accelerated instead of slowed. The sound moved up her body and gave her an appreciative shiver.
“He’s going to kill someone,” Stella screamed as Jace shoved her behind a massive tree.
“Nah, he’ll stop, most likely,” Ariana said, joining them. She was just as calm as Jace and Veronica were, but Stella was beginning to freak out. Whoever this was, was trying to kill her.
The Audi R8’s brakes engaged at the last minute as the driver turned the steering wheel hard. The car spun one hundred eighty degrees and slid to a stop in a parking spot next to the SUV Veronica and the royal family had exited.
“Someone has a new toy,” Ariana said with a roll of her eyes.
The man who stepped from the sports car was young and powerful. He was in jeans and a tight black T-shirt that showed off his muscular physique. He smirked as if something was funny, and among all the darkness of his outfit, the tanned skin, and jet-black hair, his bright blue eyes sparkled with amusement.
“Hey, y’all. I sure did miss you!”
People were smiling as they all rushed toward Mr. Tall, Dark, and Dangerous.
Miss Violet pulled the man down for a hug. His face was lost in her fluffy bosom for a moment before he resurfaced for some air.
“That’s because you haven’t been home in ages,” Miss Lily chided.
“Who is that?” Stella finally asked.
“The man who’s going to help you,” Veronica told her before striding off toward the new arrival.
The passenger door opened and another man in black appeared. Only this time he fell out of the car and sprawled on the ground. “Thank God!” he cried as he kissed the gravel.
The driver laughed. “I told you that you’d see God.”
“I definitely saw Peter at the Pearly Gates and he was running for his life.”
The man on the ground pushed up to his knees and bowed his head. All Stella could see from his back was that he was praying.
“Father Ben! I’m so glad you’re here. I want you to meet Stella,” Tammy said happily as she rushed to him. Jace groaned as little Tammy told the praying man to suck it up and practically yanked him from the ground. Stella cringed when he turned around and she saw the priest’s collar.
“Why is your mother dragging a priest our way?”
“She has a hundred dollar bet on us getting married in June.”
Stella blinked. She didn’t have a response for that as the poor priest was dragged toward her, his face still pale with a slight green tinge to it. Looking as if he’d hurl any minute, the man certainly didn’t look like any priest she’d ever seen. He was in his thirties and built like an athlete or military man. “I’m not Catholic.”
“Sugar, half the town isn’t, but Father Ben is a good one. He captured a terrorist at my wedding. Yanked him right from a tree.”
Stella turned her head slowly to see Aniyah standing next to her in tight jeans that showed off her curves and big platform wedge sandals. “What?”
Aniyah looked pityingly at her. “Oh, sugar. Don’t you worry about your little problem. We’ve faced far worse. If Pam hasn’t run someone over with her Hummer yet, it just ain’t that big of a deal.”
Ariana nodded in agreement. “And Aniyah hasn’t even pulled her gun yet.”
Stella decided she was hallucinating. A priest, a demon, a gun-toting beauty, and a hit-and-run momma. Yup, she had to be hallucinating.
“Stella, this is Father Ben. He’s the rector of St. Francis Catholic Church. He performs the most beautiful marriage ceremonies,” Tammy told her with a serene smile as Jace groaned.
“And takes down terrorists, I hear,” Stella said with a slightly hysterical pitch to her voice.
“Only those two, or was it three times?” Was he joking? Stella just stared. She didn’t know what to say. “Anyway, it’s lovely to meet you. Welcome to Keeneston. If you need anything at all, I’m always available to listen, help, or marry you. June tenth would be lovely.”
“Father Ben,” Jace said through clenched teeth.
Father Ben shrugged. “The church needs new pew cushions.” As if that made any sense to Stella.
“Is this the beautiful woman who has taken our most eligible bachelor off the market?” Mr. Tall, Dark, and Dangerous asked. Heaven and hell now stood side by side. Maybe pigs would fly next.
“Kale, how are you?” Jace shook his hand and then turned to Stella. “This is Stella Winters. Stella, this is Ahmed and Bridget’s son, Kale.”
“Want to go for a drive and tell me about this problem you’re having?” Kale grinned and every single woman in the vicinity immediately thought some very dirty thoughts. The sigh she heard from Molly all the way across the parking lot proved it.
Father Ben blessed himself at the mention of a car ride.
“I think I’ll pass. How are you going to help me?”
“Just give me your phone and I’ll find out
who sent the text.”
“The sheriff’s department already tried.”
Kale laughed. Ten women practically fainted.
“That’s like asking a toddler to explain Kafka’s Metamorphosis in the original German. Trust me, I got this.”
“Sweetheart,” Jace whispered to her. “Kale works for people we don’t even know the names of. He’s a genius.”
Stella reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. “My code is—”
Kale laughed again. “That’s cute.” He put her phone in his back pocket as his eyes traveled over her. “Nice watch,” he told her and she lifted her wrist to look at it.
“Thanks.”
“You run?” Kale asked.
“Yeah. This maps my run and offers suggested routes.”
“Nice.” He held up his arm to show her his watch. “Mine does, too. I love it. Well, I’ll get to work on this and see what I can find. You’re lucky. Jace is a good one.”
Kale smiled again and someone fainted behind her.
Ariana rolled her eyes. “He’s just a man, y’all.” She crossed her arms and glared at Kale’s retreating back.
Jace looked at the ground and coughed. Aniyah shook her head. “He’s not just a man. He’s one fine-ass man.”
“Why don’t you like him?” Stella asked as Kale stopped to talk to Ariana’s family.
“I do. We’re like brother and sister, that’s all. We grew up together and we’re just seeing differently right now. A momentary spat.”
Aniyah leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Did you all hook up?”
Ariana’s eyes went comically wide. “No. Eew. Did you not hear the brother- sister part?”
“Then what is it?” Aniyah asked and Stella had to admit she wanted to know, too.
“We used to be in this immature competition about who could get the most famous person to date them. It was totally juvenile. After I got involved with Daughters of Elizabeth and started traveling the world to see human rights issues in person, I put a stop to the stupid competition. I grew up. He didn’t. We got into a huge fight and said some mean things to each other. However, they hurt more because they were true. He called me a materialistic spoiled brat. And I was. Truth always hurts the most, right? But I’m not anymore. I’ve really worked hard to see what I can do to help others. But last year Kale accused me of doing it only to get more attention.”
Ariana let out a frustrated breath. “We haven’t really talked since. We say hello and such when we see each other, but I miss my best friend.”
“You want me to shoot him?” Aniyah asked with all seriousness.
“I can dump a bunch of manure-covered mulch all over that fancy sports car,” Stella offered.
“I knew I liked you. That’s some devious shit right there,” Aniyah said with appreciation.
“No. I need to suck it up and go talk to him. But thanks, you two.”
Stella watched Ariana take a deep breath and square her shoulders as if preparing for battle.
“Ari,” Jace said, putting a hand on her shoulder to stop her from walking toward Kale. “I talked with Kale a couple of weeks ago about you. I think he misses you as much as you miss him. I also think he’s been going through a transition, too. You did call him an immature man-child who people made fun of because he never took anything seriously.”
“Yeah, and that really looks like it changed him,” Ari said dryly as she tilted her head toward the sports car.
“It did. There’s a lot going on behind the flashy car and easy-going attitude. But, it’s not my job to make you believe that he’s not a twenty-one year old party boy anymore. Talk to him. I think you both need to clear the air.”
“You didn’t tell him I missed him, did you?” Ari asked.
“Of course not. You’re my friend. I wouldn’t betray your confidence, just like I won’t betray his by saying anything else.”
“Fine.” Ari began to walk forward before turning back to them. “If he’s still being a jerk, I vote we go with Stella’s idea.”
Aniyah went off to tell her Sugar Bear how she didn’t shoot someone and Stella turned to Jace. “You think he can really catch who is behind this?”
“If anyone can hack it, it’s him,” Jace said reassuringly.
“Hey, y’all! There’s the talk of the town.”
Stella turned and gave Molly a hug as she joined them. “It’s so good to see you. Thanks for coming out to my garden center.”
“I’m happy to. I was going to plant some flowers tonight. Hey, I heard family dinner went well. Looks like I’ll have to share my work husband.” Molly gave her a wink and used her hip to playfully bump Stella’s hip.
“Typical man, right?” Stella teased. “Needs someone taking care of him during the day and at night.”
“Ha-ha.” Jace slung his arm around Stella’s shoulders and pulled her to him. “As long as I get to take care of you in bed,” he whispered for her ears only though Stella was sure the blush gave it away.
“You two are so cute.” Molly looked over to where Nolan was loading some flowers in her car. “Nolan assures me those all somehow go together to make a fancy decorative pot. Now I just have to figure out how to place them.”
“I can help you with that,” Stella said instantly.
“You did promise a rain check for a girls’ night. Although using you to decorate my pots doesn’t sound much like a fun night,” Molly said with a little laugh.
“You have wine, right?” Stella joked.
“You bet I do!”
“I can take you over to Molly’s in about an hour,” Jace told her.
“Did you miss the part about it being a girls’ night?” Molly teased. “I can wait around and take her when she’s ready. I can even drive her home later. Does that work?”
“It sounds perfect. I’m really looking forward to some girl time,” Stella said excitedly. Stella knew Jace didn’t like the idea of her going off alone, but she wasn’t going to be alone. She was going to be with Molly.
“Okay.” Jace agreed reluctantly. “I was going to go check on Porter before doing my rounds with Riley. I’ll see you back at my place. No one knows to look for you at Molly’s, so I don’t think you’ll need any backup. But, still, check in with me, okay?”
“Sounds like a plan.” Stella rose up on her toes and curled her dusty hands into his T-shirt as she kissed him. “I look forward to seeing you tonight. Give Porter my best.”
“Do you want me to come with you to check on Porter while Stella wraps up things here?” Molly asked Jace, who shook his head.
“No thanks. You two do your girl things. I’ll pick up dinner and hang with Porter for a bit before taking dinner to Riley and Matt. You two have fun.” Jace placed a slow kiss on Stella’s lips. “Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Stella watched Jace head toward his SUV while the town began to decamp from her parking lot. The remaining customers were paying as Nolan and Karl help load the final trucks.
“Oh my gosh,” Molly giggled. “The L word? Girl, you need to dish.”
Stella knew she blushed, but she was also excited to get some giggle time in. “Give me just a minute to wrap up and I’ll tell you everything.”
21
Jace was about to knock on the cottage door when Parker hailed him. Cy and Gemma had an enormous farm where they raised cattle and grew crops. When Reagan and Riley left for college, Cy and Gemma had built two cottages on opposite ends of the back acreage.
Reagan and Riley shared one until they each got married. When Reagan married Carter, they moved to Ashton Farm, and Matt and Riley moved back into the cottage house after selling their house in the suburbs.
Porter and Parker spent so much time traveling on the professional rodeo circuit, they were hardly ever home. Four years ago while recovering from one the more serious injuries he’d gotten, Porter decided to build a barn near his house and start his own breeding program. Parker had instantly agreed to be his
partner and together they started PD Rodeo.
“What’s up, Jace?” Parker asked as he pulled off a pair of leather gloves and slapped them across his jean-clad thigh. Dust billowed up from the point of impact as Parker never slowed his stride.
“I brought us dinner. I thought it would help coerce Porter into a checkup.”
Parker nodded, but Jace knew something was bothering him. Jace walked down the steps of the cottage porch toward Parker instead of going inside the house.
“What’s on your mind, Park?”
Parker and Porter were two years younger than Jace, but they’d grown up together. Jace, Ariana, Kale, Porter, Parker, Colton, and Landon could often be found getting into mischief together during their teenage years. While the older cousins had it worse under the watchful eyes of the uncles, the younger cousins were able to sneak away and wreak havoc. Although their parents may have missed it, Parker and Porter alone got smacked with Miss Lily’s broom too many times to count.
Parker let out a sigh as he tapped his gloves against his thigh. “I’m old, Jace. My body is in peak condition, but my brain has wised up that I’m one injury away from permanent disability or worse. Port is even worse. Don’t tell him, but Porter always took the hardest rides and the hardest falls.”
“Are you thinking of retiring?” Jace asked with concern.
“I just came from the office,” Parker said of the office on the nearest end of the barn. “I have offers on all the roping horses I’ve been working on. It’ll set us up for at least a year. The horse business is going well. However, I don’t know if I want to do it full time. Like I said, how many more cracked ribs can I take?”
“You think Porter will be upset if you leave?”
Parker let out a frustrated breath. “I don’t want to leave. I just want riding to be my hobby. What I need from you is a physical. I need a clean bill of health for a job I’m applying for. You know how Porter and I majored in criminal justice because we basically already had a master’s degree in it just by growing up in this family? I want to join the United States Marshals Service. I have the college degree for it, plus apparently riding in the rodeo has me in physical and mental shape for it. They like the quick thinking and calmness under stressful situations that I’ve learned in my time as a rodeo rider. I think having a father who’s a former CIA agent helps, too. Anyway, there’s a twenty-one week training camp all agents have to go through. I just learned that I got in. I have to have a physical sent to them within the next couple of months. I withdrew from future rodeos so I won’t risk any injury before camp.”
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