“That we are,” Ryan Parker, Jackson’s older brother and head of the local FBI office, said, handing Detective Braxton a piece of paper. “You’ll want to see this. This is the private URL Kale made to watch my cousin getting a confession out of Miss Lowe, not only on the kidnapping and attempted murder of Miss Winters, but also on the murders of those doctors in Lexington last year that had been ruled accidental death by gas leak.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“I’d like their families to be told tonight,” Jace told her. “They’ve always been suspicious of what happened.”
“Of course. I’ll watch it and then contact them if it’s credible.”
“Don’t worry about that. It’s credible. But, Detective, she’ll plead insanity. Just make sure she doesn’t get out. Ever,” Jace warned her.
The town overtook him and Stella as the ambulance arrived and Molly was taken away. All Jace wanted was a moment alone with her. His heart was still racing at the idea of her being taken from him. Through it all, many things were made clear. He loved Stella with all his heart and soul and he had the best town in the world at his back.
Jace took a deep breath. It was over. The threat was over. Now it was time to look toward the future, and he knew exactly what he wanted his future to look like.
26
“Son,” Jace’s dad said quietly as Stella was telling her version of events to Detective Braxton.
The Rose sisters were already converging with their special bourbon-spiked tea and cupcakes. Miss Daisy wrapped a crocheted blanket around Stella’s shoulders before Stella turned and hugged each one of them. She was in good hands.
“Yes, Dad?”
His father motioned for him to step away from Stella. Jace stepped away, but turned so that he could keep an eye on her. He knew she was safe, but that didn’t mean he was ready to let go of her yet.
Jace looked around and felt his heart fill with love. Not only was Stella part of Keeneston, but Jaylen was laughing as Bliss shoved her head between his legs while the rest of the football players teased him. Then there was Jace’s mother, brother, and sister all hugging Aiden and Piper. From here, Jace could see his mom giving Piper a talkin’-to about placing her first grandbaby in danger.
“I want you to have this,” Mr. Davies said, pulling out his phone. A ping sounded and Jace looked at the text.
“Dad, I’m in love with Stella. I don’t need some woman’s number.”
“You do if you want an engagement ring.”
The light went off in Jace’s head and he laughed. “This is your get-out-of-trouble number for calling Mom too old to have Cricket.”
“Don’t laugh. You’ll be a married man soon. Trust me, you’ll need this number at some point. Now, since we’re talking about proposing . . . next Monday would be lovely. Everyone thinks it’ll be this weekend. No one proposes on a Monday. Gotta keep them guessing. Think about it.”
Jace shook his head as his father winked and walked back to rejoin the family. Proposing sounded like an excellent idea to him. He already knew he didn’t want to go another day without Stella by his side.
Hi. This is Jace Davies, Pierce’s son. He gave me your number. Jace sent the text and was surprised to see an immediate reply.
What do you need to apologize for? That will tell me how big a stone I need to bring.
Jace couldn’t help but laugh. No apology. An engagement.
I can meet you in an hour.
How much money had his dad spent to have a jeweler ready to come out in the middle of the night?
Early Monday morning is best for me. This weekend Jace wasn’t going to leave Stella for even a moment. He’d get a ring before work on Monday while she was opening the garden center. Now he needed the perfect proposal. But first, there was one more thing he needed to do.
* * *
Stella felt warmth bloom in her body as she drank what was supposed to be iced tea. The warmth told her while it might be called iced tea, it also had a healthy dose of alcohol in it. The Rose sisters rubbed their hands on her arms and back as if knowing she was chilled as the adrenaline wore off.
“I think I have everything. You’ll need to come back to the station to sign your statement once it’s typed up,” Detective Braxton was telling her. Stella honestly was about to crash. All she wanted was Jace, Jimmy, and to go home.
A strong hand slid across her lower back. His fingers cupped her hip and pulled her tightly against his side. “Are you ready to go home?” Jace asked her.
Stella nodded and tucked her head against his chest. All around her, the Keeneston family had rallied to support her. Quite frankly, she was overwhelmed by love and gratitude for them all.
“You want us to go to your place and clean it up a bit so there’s no visual reminder of what happened?” Porter asked Jace quietly so he wouldn’t upset Stella.
“Actually, that would be great. Can you take all her stuff to her house? We’re going to be staying there this weekend.”
“You got it.” Porter tapped Stella on her shoulder. When she looked around at him, Porter hugged her. “Glad you’re safe. After all, I expect to be named godfather of the first baby y’all have.”
Stella blinked and then laughed. “Deal. You’re a good man, Porter. Someday a good woman will tame you.”
“Not without a fight,” Porter winked before sauntering off with a rifle slung over his back.
“What exactly happened that brought you here with Porter, Parker, and is that a pro football player with you?”
Jace laughed and shook his head. “They were ready to fight for you by my side. By the way, I owe Rick an apology. A big one. Hey, Jaylen, Trey, Will, and you, Ari!”
Stella looked at him with confusion but didn’t say anything as the pro football player walked over with Bliss refusing to move from between his legs. It was like watching a three-legged race as the big player and dog moved together. There was some tripping, some fumbling, but then they found their pace. Stella waited with interest as not only the coach but also the owner of the Lexington Thoroughbreds joined them.
Ari had already hugged her tightly and talked with her, but it felt good when Ari slipped her hand into Stella’s for support. Not that she needed it among friends, but she didn’t know where this was going, and as the adrenaline wore off, she was feeling as if she were about to be overtaken by her emotions at any moment.
“So,” Jace said with a grimace, “I need a favor. A big one. We kind of barged in on Stella’s ex and accused him of kidnapping. Also, we might have threatened him with what might be construed as grievous bodily harm. I need to make an apology, and I was wondering if you all could help me.”
Jaylen started shaking his head. “No, no, no. Don’t ask me what I think you’re going to ask me.”
“Can you take him to a practice and can y’all just shake his hand and put up with his BS sales pitches for a few minutes?”
Jaylen groaned.
“Sure,” Trey said with a shrug. “I’ve gotten really good at tuning out sales pitches. I usually make a mental grocery list while they’re talking.”
“I’ll give him a tour behind the scenes, but it’s just because I love you like my own family,” Will told him.
“I’ll acknowledge his existence,” Jaylen agreed begrudgingly.
“What am I doing here? I didn’t threaten him and I don’t represent the football team,” Ari pointed out.
“I know, and yes, Jaylen, he is a douche.” Jace was right. Stella had to admit she was pretty embarrassed that she’d ever dated him. “But he is a douche with money. If we all have to suffer his presence, then I thought you could get a donation for Daughters of Elizabeth.”
“Oh, now that’s worth me putting up with him,” Jaylen laughed.
“I don’t get it.” Stella looked around as she saw the others suddenly understand.
“While we’re putting up with his sales pitch, Ari can pitch her charity. We’ll talk it up and get him to donate big time,” Tr
ey said through chuckles.
“Genius,” Jaylen laughed. “I’ll totally write a check to this charity. I don’t even know what it is, but it’ll be worth it to talk him into parting with a big chunk of his money.”
“Thank you all. I’ll call and set it up.” Jace turned to her and brushed a finger over her cheek. “You ready to go home, sweetheart?” Jace kissed her temple as he held her close.
“So ready. Any way you can get everyone’s attention so I can thank them?”
Trey and Will put their fingers to their lips and let out a loud whistle. Everyone quieted down. Stella looked out among faces she knew, faces she didn’t, and faces she knew she’d get to know.
“Thank you all for coming to my aid. You’ve given me support, love, and even put yourself in harm’s way to keep me safe. I can’t thank you enough. I moved to Keeneston because of my job. But because of all y’all, I’m proud to say I live in the best small town in the world.”
Stella was once again embraced by her new town. The tears threatened once again, and as Tammy and Piper hugged her, she let them flow.
“Shh, you’re safe now. Go home, take a nice shower, and then sleep. We will see you tomorr—” Tammy looked at her son and then a mischievous smile spread over her face. “We’ll see you Monday. Take the weekend just for yourselves. You two need some alone time.”
“Alone time?” Aniyah picked out that one phrase and then gasped. “Sugar! I got your sexy book right here. Katelyn meant to give it to you, but I said I would.”
Jace and Stella both blushed as half the women sighed and their husband cleared their throats and smiled. Aniyah rummaged around her purse and pulled it out. She handed it to Stella and winked. “I also have these oils.”
“No!” Jackson and Evie yelled suddenly, startling Stella and everyone around them.
“I’ll take those. They make me tingly.” Nikki tossed her long mahogany hair over her shoulder. She might have smiled, but her lips were too big to move much. Stella’s eyes traveled upward and then Jace’s hand covered her eyes.
“Don’t look at the lashes,” he whispered before spinning her to face the exit of the storage lot. “Let’s go.”
Despite everything that had just happened to her, Stella smiled as her hand clasped Jace’s. Together they drove home. The streets of Keeneston were empty, but behind them was a mile-long trail of citizens returning home.
Stella felt the pull of sleep. Jace’s hand on hers calmed her. The way his thumb drew little circles on her palm relaxed her to the point her eyelids drifted closed.
“We’re home,” she heard Jace’s voice say through the fog of sleep.
Stella blinked her eyes open to see Porter getting into his truck. He winked at her and drove off with a wave to them.
“What was Porter doing at my house?” Stella asked as she looked around. “Is that my brother’s car?”
“Porter brought your things from my place here and I called your brother. I thought you’d want to see him.”
Stella clasped his hand. “Thank you. That means so much to me.” The front door opened, and despite it being so late at night, April burst out with Jimmy by her side.
Stella had held herself together far longer than she’d thought possible but she lost it when she saw her dog and niece. She gasped out a sob and practically kicked her door open. She dropped to her knees in the grass and held her arms open wide. Jimmy and April hurled themselves into her embrace as her brother and Eden hurried down the stairs and dropped to the grass behind her. Karl wrapped his arms around his family and held them together as they cried.
Stella managed to stick an arm out and instantly felt Jace’s hand take hers. She took a deep breath to stop the tears. Her family was safe. She was safe. “Thank you for coming,” Stella told her family between Jimmy’s enthusiastic kisses.
“Jace called us and told us what had happened. He asked us to pick up Jimmy. He thought you’d want him home,” Karl told her before finally dropping his arms from around her.
When Stella looked over her shoulder, she saw a still sniffling Eden hugging Jace and knew this right here was what she’d always dreamed of. She had her own family.
“Aunt Stell, are you okay? You have boo-boos on your arms.”
Stella glanced down to the rope burns. They looked ugly but she was safe. Who cared about some bruising and burns? “I bet if you kiss them they’ll feel all better.”
“Just like when you and Mommy and Daddy kiss my boo-boos?” April asked. Her eyes were wide with the responsibility of what Stella asked her to do. “Did Jace kiss them yet?”
“Not yet, April. Do you think we could do it together? You can show me how it’s done.” Jace knelt down in the grass next to April.
The little girl lifted up Stella’s hand and kissed the first boo-boo, then the other.. “That’s how you do it. Didn’t they teach you that in doctor school?”
Jace looked at April with as much seriousness as April was looking at him. “No, Miss April, they didn’t. I’m so glad you showed me how to do it.” Jace placed his lips on her hands below the rope burn so he wouldn’t hurt her. When Stella looked up, Eden with wiping tears from her eyes.
“You’re a very good man, Jace.” Stella agreed with her sister-in-law as Jace helped her stand up.
“I wish I could agree. It’s my fault this happened.”
April’s brow creased. “Jace, you stole Aunt Stell?”
Jace shook his head. “No, I didn’t take her.”
“Did you give her the boo-boos?” April asked next.
“No, sweets, I didn’t.”
April shook her head, sending her bed-head hair flying and pronounced with absolute certainty, “Then it’s not your fault. You didn’t hurt Aunt Stell.”
Stella saw the shine to Jace’s eyes and knew then and there this was the man she not only loved but wanted to spend the rest of her life with.
“Thank you, Miss April. I needed to hear that.”
“Gwown-ups are stwange.” April said with a shrug, followed by a big yawn. “Can we go home now? I’m sleepy.”
Stella hugged April tightly as Eden and Karl hugged Jace. Her brother wrapped her in a hug and she felt the way his breath shook his body as he let it out. “I don’t know what I would have done if I lost you. He’s a good man, Stella. I’d be honored to call him my brother.”
Just what had Jace said when Karl had hugged him?
Eden was next as April flung herself at Jace. “A man who would go to the ends of the earth to find you is a man you should marry.”
“What did you all talk about in the span of a hug?” Stella whispered to her sister-in-law.
Eden winked at her and then picked up April. Jace wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him as they waved good-bye to her family. “I’ll start the shower for you.”
“Only if you’re in it, too,” Stella said as she looked up at him.
“Your wish is my command. I’m yours all weekend.”
“I like the sound of that.”
Stella and Jace walked hand in hand into the house as Jimmy pressed himself between them. With the closing of the front door, the nightmares were put behind them and dreams began to come true.
27
Monday morning came too quickly for Stella. It had been as if they lived in their own little world together for the entire weekend. Jace only left twice a day. He drove to Lexington to check on Riley and Matt each morning and evening. He’d take food to them and then bring breakfast or dinner back for Stella and himself.
It was perfect. The connection between them had been electric from the beginning, but now it was something much more. It was a something she’d never felt before. She knew they were so deeply bonded that nothing could come between them and that gave them much more freedom to be themselves.
They laughed, shared their ideas about the world, and then the news came that Molly had suffered a complete mental breakdown. She would have to be institutionalized, and as of now, th
ere were no signs that she’d get well enough to go to trial.
Stella had hugged Jace tight and sworn to him it wasn’t his fault. She realized he carried the guilt when he left for work that morning. Luckily, she knew the whole town had his back and Jace would have the support he needed no matter where he turned.
Stella dressed for the day and looked in the mirror. She still wore one of Piper’s shirts even though the threat was gone. It gave her the confidence to take a deep breath, hold her head high, and get on with life.
Stella drove down the lane into the back of the nursery and was surprised to find Nolan working to open the shop. “Nolan. You don’t have to work here anymore.” Stella wasn’t expecting any of her normal help now that the threat to her was locked up.
Nolan nodded. “I know. I just thought to help out while I waited to talk to you. I’ll take over my family business soon, you know. My parents want to retire or at least shift to part-time. I’m actually here with a business proposal.”
Stella looked at him dressed in her nursery’s polo and thought about all he’d done for her already. He deserved to be heard out. “What do you have in mind?”
“We rent our building downtown and the owner has received an offer from another business to buy it outright. My family would lose their tenancy if the building sold, even though we’ve been there forever. I thought about it, though. It’s a pain for farmers to come downtown, and we can’t store our grains, seeds, and such downtown. We have to haul it in daily. If we had a couple of acres, though, we could store it all in one place. So, I was thinking the feed shop and the nursery could have one entrance and one checkout. But, farmers picking up bulk supplies could drive over the hill behind the nursery and that’s were we could store our bulk items. What do you think?”
Stella looked back over the small hill. It would work. She’d lose a little flower-gardening area, but it wouldn’t be much. “Would you want to combine companies?”
Nolan shook his head. “No. I’ve looked and this land is made up of many different parcels that had been bought up over time and then sold to you as one piece. It’s why the description in the deed is so long and broken up. “I want to buy parcel 3-B. It’s two acres. Then I can buy an easement from you for the drive. Hopefully, that will make up any money you’d lose from the farmland we’d take up. You and I would remain two different companies. But I thought we could each have one person up front to do checkouts or we could both split the salary of an employee who would work for both of us. I worked up some proposals for you to look over.”
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