The Topaz Brooch

by Katherine Lowry Logan

  “We might go riding. Why?”

  “Are you staying in the big house?”

  “Charlotte put us in the cabin.”

  “Ohhh-lala! The cabin. Pete and I were going to stay there, but… Oh”—she covered her mouth with her hand—“the boys wanted to stay up here with the other kids. Don’t go riding. Hang out at the pool with us. We need to catch up.”

  “We can stay up here if you and Pete want the cabin.”

  “No, really. Churchill is hanging out with the twins and wants to be here. And Lukas will throw a tantrum if he can’t be with Churchill.”

  “How is Churchill?”

  Sophia pointed toward the river. “He’s over there playing soccer with the twins. He’s doing well, and he and Lukas adore each other.”

  Penny put her hand to her forehead to shade her eyes from the glare and watched three boys passing a soccer ball back and forth. “Are those Kenzie’s twin boys with Churchill?”

  “Robbie and Henry. I have to warn you. They’re rather…ummm…precocious.”

  “So is Churchill. They should get along well.” She skirted the pool and headed toward the grassy area on the far side, waving. “Churchill!”

  He picked up the ball and stood there, staring at her. “Captain Lafitte?”

  Penny opened her arms. “Yes, it’s me.”

  He ran to her and gave her a big hug. “You don’t look like yourself.”

  “I don’t? Well, look at you. I love your hair and your clothes. You look very Americanized.”

  “Does that mean that I look like I belong here?”

  “You definitely look like you belong. But how do you feel?” Penny asked.

  “Pretty good.” He patted the top of his spikes. “I can’t fix my hair the way the barber did, so Henry and Robbie help me. They’re the first friends I’ve ever had.”

  “What do you think of Lukas?”

  A smile started at one ear and stopped at the other. “I don’t think I’ve ever loved anyone before. But I love Lukie, that’s what he calls himself, and he thinks I’m special. He calls me Erchill.”

  Tears stung her eyes. “You are special. And you’re going to do great things. I’ll be watching.”

  He touched the silver and gold box in her hand. “Where’d you get that? I’ve seen one like it before.”

  “You have?”

  “Where?”

  “Navy Lieutenant Maurice Bowes had one. I saw it once. He kept letters in it.”

  “Interesting. Well, I doubt this one belonged to him, but you never know. So what’s next for you? Are you going to Italy?”

  “Sophia and Pete said we’d be in America for a while. I’m glad. I like being with Robbie and Henry.”

  “It looks like you’re having fun together.” She sniffed and hugged him again. “Go on and play soccer. I’m going to change, and I’ll be by the pool after a while if you want to talk some more.”

  “Okay. See you later.” He ran off, waving goodbye.

  She turned and fell into Rick’s arms. “Pete and Sophia have given him so much. I’ll enjoy watching him grow up.” She wanted a little guy just like him. She sighed, watching the three boys pass the soccer ball. They stopped and stared at her, and then jumped up and down and came running, stopping only a foot short of plowing into her.

  “Miss Malone! We’re huge fans. Will you do some passing drills with us or give us some tips on how to save a penalty?”

  “I might a little later, but first, tell me your names.”

  “I’m Henry.”

  “I’m Robbie. I’m the oldest.”

  “Yeah. Fifteen whole minutes,” Henry said. “He might be the oldest, but I’m the smartest because I stayed in the womb longer getting that oxygen-rich blood.”

  “Smartest? Are you kidding? What was your score on the calculus test we just had?”

  “Same as yours. Ninety-eight. Ha. Ha.”

  Churchill watched their bantering, following the exchange with his eyes, one direction and then the other, as if trying to figure out what they were saying. “I think you’re both brilliant. Let’s go play ball.”

  “You do?” Henry asked. “You think I’m brilliant?”

  Churchill glanced back at Penny and winked, then he clapped Henry on the shoulder. “Yes, I do. I think Robbie is too.”

  Then Robbie looked back at Penny. “Mom said you might go to Gothenburg for the Gothia Cup. We told everybody on our team. We hope you go.”

  “I’m planning to.”

  The twins high-fived each other. “Wait till we tell the team. We’ll be heroes, like Churchill at the Battle of New Orleans.”

  Penny watched the boys pass the ball. “Do the twins understand where Churchill is from?”

  “They do, but you have to remember that they’ve grown up around other kids from the past—Noah, Patrick, Emily, and Isabella—and have heard all of Braham’s stories, so they don’t think much about it.”

  “They think it’s common, while I wigged out.”

  “But there’s a big difference between believing you were stuck in the past for the rest of your life and having friends who come from some other place or some other time.”

  “I guess so,” she said, watching Churchill pass the ball to…Robbie? Or Henry? She couldn’t tell. “Churchill has some natural talent. If he keeps it up, he’ll do well.”

  “You want to stay and play with them?”

  “I would if I had shoes and didn’t have a boyfriend who wants to make love to me.”

  He picked her up and swung her around. “I’m your boyfriend?”

  “Hell, yes.”

  “And you want to make love?” he asked.

  “Hell, yes!”

  “Is that a maybe or a for sure?”

  “It’s whatever you want it to be,” she said.

  He put her down, and they held hands as they walked toward the Suburban. “I want whatever you’re comfortable with. I don’t want to push you,” he said.

  “Let’s go get our bathing suits and come back to the pool for a while. It looks like it might rain later.” Then she looked up at him. “M-kay? But do you know how to make umbrella drinks?”

  “I do, but I’ll cut you off after two. You might try to seduce me in the pool, and with all the kids around, that’ll never work.”

  She snickered. “You wish.”

  “Oh babe, you have no concept of how much I wish.” He opened the door, and she slid into the front passenger seat while he hurried around to the other side. “After you see this cabin, you won’t want to leave.”

  “It’s that nice, huh?”

  “It’s more than that. It’s a little slice of heaven. A perfect retreat.”

  Five minutes later, he pulled to a stop in front of the little slice of heaven.

  “Oh, my God.” It was a one-story A-frame log cabin with a front porch facing the river. Trees formed a semicircle around the back and sides of the cabin, leaving an unobstructed view of the water. Flowering dogwoods and magnolias scented the lot with a sweet, lemony fragrance. “This place is magical.”

  “Come inside.” He led her to the porch, 0pened the door, picked her up, and carried her in.

  “What was that for?” she asked as he set her down.

  “It’s the first time we’ve been alone. It’s a special moment, and I want us to remember it.”

  “You don’t have to worry about that.” She kissed him. “Now, give me the tour.”

  He took her hand and tugged her around behind him. “That’s a stone fireplace, there’s the bed, and there’s the kitchen.” He turned around and held her in his arms. “There’s only one bed. I hope that’s okay. If it’s not…I can sleep on the sofa.”

  “We slept together last night.”

  “We sure did.” He released her. “Make yourself at home. I’ll go get our gear.”

  Facing the fireplace was a comfy sofa and deep-seated, cushioned chairs and ottomans. In the back left corner was the king-sized bed, and the back right cor
ner was a compact granite countertop kitchen. She opened the fridge—bacon, eggs, fruit, butter, jam, milk, and champagne. And the cabinets were filled with spices and mixes, everything she needed to fix a big breakfast in the morning.

  The bathroom was behind the fireplace between the kitchen and the bedroom area, and opposite the fireplace was a wall of windows. The cabin was the most romantic place she’d ever been.

  Rick came through the front door with her suitcase and his duffel. “Why are you grinning?”

  “I love this place.”

  He set their bags on folding luggage racks in front of the bed. “I loved it the first time I saw it, but it can’t touch how much I love it now.”

  “There aren’t any shutters or drapes.”

  “That’s why this place is off-limits.”

  Penny wrapped her arms around his neck. “What do you want to do?”

  He put his hands on her hips and tugged her to him. “Did you really just ask me that?” He nuzzled her neck. “I want you like crazy.”

  “I can tell,” she said. “And I guess if we were already lovers, we could have a quickie, but I’m holding out for a romantic evening.”

  “If that’s what you want, that’s what you’ll get.” He lightly swatted her ass. “Why don’t you change into your bathing suit while I fix us a sandwich?”

  Penny dug through her suitcase for her two-piece and slipped into the bathroom to change. When she came out, Rick was standing there with a sandwich in his hand. He paused mid-bite and choked down the food.

  “God, Penny. You’re fucking gorgeous.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “All I want to do is look at you. Well, that’s not all, but damn. I knew you were beautiful, but your body is perfect.” He put the plate down and stepped over to her just as his phone beeped. He checked the face of his phone. “Damn. Sophia’s looking for you. Lukas is up from his nap, and they’re going to the pool.”

  Penny grabbed her cover-up and slipped it on. “Tell her I’ll be right there.”

  “Is that what you want to do?”

  “No, but that’s what we need to do. We’ve got tonight.”

  His slow smile was a warning and a promise, and then he started crooning…

  “We’ve got tonight / who needs tomorrow? / We’ve got tonight, babe / Why don’t you stay?”

  66

  Mallory Plantation—Penny

  Penny spent the afternoon at the pool with Soph and Lukas while Rick and Pete sat in the pool house discussing winery business. Meredith and Jack’s wife, Amy, stopped by to say hello, but they didn’t have time to chat, which was perfect for Penny since Soph had been in the middle of sharing her exciting news. She was pregnant, and Penny had to swear she’d keep it secret until the official announcement was made at dinner.

  Penny was beside herself with joy. She was there when the baby was conceived—well, not in the room, but the century—and Soph asked her to be the baby’s godmother, which made Penny cry.

  An unexpected rain shower sent Rick and Penny racing for a golf cart and hurrying to the cabin to dress for dinner. But since the planned picnic was now rained out, Charlotte turned the meal into an adult sit-down event and asked that everyone dress appropriately.

  Penny was sitting on the cabin’s sofa with Rick when she received Charlotte’s text. “What exactly does ‘dress appropriately’ mean at Mallory Plantation?”

  “Cocktail dresses for women, kilts for the Scotsmen, and suits and ties for the rest of us. Do you have a dress, or do I need to take you shopping?” he asked.

  “Charlotte sent me a list of items to pack, including cocktail dresses, bathing suits, riding clothes, things like that. Which reminds me…” Penny jumped up and headed for her suitcase. “I need to unpack my dresses and shake out the wrinkles. What about you?”

  “I have a suit in a closet at the big house. There’s a tux there too. I never know when I come here what I’ll need, so I leave clothes here and at the farm in Lexington.”

  Penny unpacked two dresses, one black, one red, and held them up. “Which one should I wear? Red or black?”

  “Did you bring your red power shoes?”

  “Yep.”

  “Wear red. I love those shoes.”

  Penny opened the small closet. “There’s a wool and cashmere suit with a Desmond Merrion label in here. Is it yours?”

  “Must be.”

  “I’m impressed. Desmond Merrion is one of the most renowned tailors on London’s legendary Savile Row.”

  “How is it that you know about them?”

  “My ex-husband often shopped at a store in LA that carried movie stars’ used clothes. One of the suits he bought was from Desmond Merrion, and Franklin was thrilled to have scored a hand-tailored, fifty-thousand-dollar suit for a thousand bucks.”

  “My suit is not from a second-hand store,” Rick said.

  Penny huffed. “That’s rude. Not everyone is as wealthy as you are.”

  “I don’t like him, Penny, and I hate what he did to you. I’ll never have a nice thing to say about him. I’m not one to flaunt my wealth, but I will where he’s concerned. He’s an asshole, and it bugs the shit out of me that he’s slept with you, and I haven’t.”

  She gasped, her eyes wide open as she stumbled back to the sofa. She plopped down on the arm of the couch and put her feet on the cushion. “Patrick O’Grady, that’s a tacky thing to say.”

  He turned to face her, hiking his bent, jeans-clad leg up on the sofa. “I sat there and took it when Lafitte kissed you. I hated it, but I didn’t object. Don’t expect me to be reasonable about your asshole ex.”

  “I hope you’ll at least be polite,” she said.

  “I don’t plan to go anywhere near him, but if I am, and it’s that important to you, I won’t shoot him.”

  “God, you sound just like Jean. Are you always this possessive?”

  “Never. Not a jealous bone in my body—until now. And you’re driving me nuts.”

  “So, as soon as you get laid, you’ll calm down and be reasonable?”

  “No! I’ll never be reasonable when it comes to you. I’ll be civil, but never reasonable.”

  “You’re insane.” She jumped up and paced around the room. “I can’t handle that, Rick. I don’t want to be with someone who’ll be jealous of every man I talk to.”

  He lowered his head and gripped his hair. “Hell, Penny. You have no idea what it was like searching for you among the wounded and dead. Then when I found you, I thought you were dead. When I realized you were alive, I knew I’d never let you go, and that I’d protect you and keep you safe for the rest of your life. I’m so afraid of losing you.”

  There was such fierce need in his voice, and it tore into her and twined with the passion she felt for him. She returned to the sofa. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  He pulled her into his arms, and they snuggled on the sofa, his heart thudding against her, as well as his dick, and she not only wanted him, she was stunned by the intensity of her feelings. He threaded his fingers into her hair and kissed her again, and she knew she would never get enough of the taste and feel of his mouth.

  “How much time do we have?” she panted.

  “Not enough, if you’re thinking what I’m thinking. I plan to start at your toes and kiss and lick and suck every inch of your body, and by the end of the first hour, I won’t even be at your waist.”

  She ran a slow finger down the center of his body from his forehead, past his lips, and down his chest to his dick. “We could skip dinner.”

  He laughed. “Elliott would send security guards to drag us to the table. No one misses family dinners. And I’m not making love to you unless we have all the time we need, and we need a hell of a lot more time than we have now.” He kissed her. “I’m sorry if I upset you, but—”

  She put her finger against his lips. “Shhh. We’ll work this out as we go along. We’re going to make mistakes, but if we talk about what’s wrong, we can fix it. Right?”

  “Right.�
� He reclined and pulled her with him. “Let me hold you for a few minutes, but then we need to get ready for dinner.”

  She snuggled closer if that was possible, and his heart beating against her cheek wasn’t the only body part pulsing against her. His dick was hard and…unthreatening. But it was daylight, and she was on top. She liked where she was—a lot—and didn’t want to get up and leave this perfection behind.

  “Who’s on the guest list? Do you know?” she asked.

  “Braham and Charlotte, Elliott and Meredith, Elizabeth and Matt Kelly, Pete and Sophia, Jack and Amy, David and Kenzie, Remy, and us.”

  “What about the Kellys’ daughter?”

  “Amber and her family are visiting her sister and my brother in Colorado.”

  “I was looking forward to seeing them again.”

  “You will. Just not tonight.”

  It felt so right to be there with Rick, secure in his arms, in his love…

  His phone beeped with a text message. “There’s a cocktail party at seven, and we’re expected to be there.”

  “You might as well still be in the Marines.”

  “Hell, yeah. If I wasn’t so used to taking orders from Pops, then the Marines, then the NYPD, Elliott’s demands would have driven me bonkers years ago.”

  She groaned. “What time is it?”

  “We have an hour. Why don’t I jump in the shower first and get out of your way?”

  “Charlotte and Meredith have a few things in common, don’t they? They’re both married to men who dote on them, and whatever they want, they get.”

  “They have some diva qualities, but they also are both loving, brilliant women. Give ’em a chance.”

  “For you, I will.”

  An hour later they entered the big house only ten minutes late. Penny was reintroduced to Elizabeth and Matt Kelly. Rhona looked tired, but she was in high spirits. Penny’s jaw dropped when she saw Braham, David, and Elliott in kilts. Man, they were sexy as hell, and she couldn’t help but giggle, remembering her conversation with Elliott about junk hanging out.

  At eight o’clock sharp, they sat down at a long table in the elegant dining room with its full-wall view of the James River. Charlotte’s chef had arranged mouthwatering displays of several Virginia favorites on the buffet—Chesapeake Bay blue crab, trout, shrimp and grits, Virginia oysters, Smithfield ham and biscuits, deviled eggs, black-eyed peas, apple pie, and peach cobbler—all of which could have been served outside, just on different platters.