A Bachelor For The Bride (The Brides of Grazer's Corners #2)

by Mindy Neff

  “Patience, my boy. Sonny got a fix on the license plate of the van that followed you out of town. Took a while to track it down because the new owners didn’t transfer the registration. Belongs to a couple of fellows out of Oregon—Cyrus and Alvin Smally. Maynard Grazer’s uncle and cousin by marriage.” He paused. “Looks like the old man was in on it all along. Want me to notify the authorities?”

  For the first time in as long as he could remember, Tanner was struck speechless. He’d commented to Jordan about Maynard being a suspect. He’d been grabbing at straws, talking from his own raw emotions where that man was concerned. He hadn’t actually thought...

  “Are the Smallys still around?”

  “Uh, no.” Mr. B. Cleared his throat. “Sonny persuaded them it wouldn’t be healthy to remain.”

  And Sonny was very skilled at that sort of thing. “Did they actually name Grazer? Give any reasons? Details?” Granted, Maynard wasn’t one of Tanner’s favorite people, but Jordan cared. News like this would devastate her.

  For her sake, he wanted to find a kernel of doubt.

  “They said ‘the boss’ and ‘the broad’s family.’”

  Tanner winced. “Close enough. You say you’re there? In Grazer’s Corners?”

  “Right here at the ranch. I figured it was safe. And I did want to have a look-see myself. Besides, you know Sonny. He’s got itchy feet, won’t stay anywhere a second longer than necessary.” Samuel paused, his tone becoming concerned. “I’m worried about him. He’s not bouncing back from his wife’s and baby’s deaths.”

  Tanner could have made a reference to pots calling kettles black, but he refrained. It had taken Samuel Bartholomew thirty years to recover from losing Ellie.

  Somebody ought to do a study, he thought. All the literature dealt with how a woman could get over losing her man. In Tanner’s personal experience—Mr. B., Sonny and himself included—it was the men who suffered the most from a loss.

  Technically, Jordan had never been his to lose, but he’d suffered nonetheless. And now, after coming so close, after actually tasting the sweet promise of his dream, he knew he wouldn’t recover any time soon.

  He also knew there was a very good chance he was about to lose her. Once they were back in Grazer’s Corners, the playing field would change.

  He tried to keep his mind focused on Jordan’s safety.

  “What’s your opinion of Grazer?” Tanner asked, feeling sick to his stomach that a father might actually arrange for his own daughter to be kidnapped. But he valued Samuel’s opinion and wanted to hear it, forced himself to keep an open mind.

  “He loves the girl. That much is clear. If he did hire the goons, it was a mistake. A mistake he’s paying for with his health.”

  “Then it’s safe for her to return?”

  “Yes, I honestly believe so. Only a fool would try a stunt like this a second time, and frankly, Grazer doesn’t strike me as a fool.”

  Why did his heart feel as though it had a huge hole in the center? A hole that was getting wider by the second?

  This was what they’d wanted, what they were waiting for. The all-clear message. But Tanner’s brain screamed that it was too soon. He needed more time; he didn’t want to share her or give her up. But that was selfish thinking on his part. Her father’s health was at risk. Now was not the time to pressure her. And ultimately, if there was to be any sort of relationship between them, the decision would have to be Jordan’s.

  “Okay. We’ll pack up and be there later this morning.”

  “I’ll wait for you here at Grazer’s ranch.”

  Tanner ended the call, his unfocused gaze riveted on the mussed sheets of the bed. And that reminded him that Jordan was missing. He’d expected to wake up beside her—especially after the night they’d shared.

  He’d had an entirely different plan in mind for this morning, had imagined starting all over again. With her toes this time, and working his way up.

  Now he had to give her the news of her father—the partial news, anyway.

  He left the bedroom, shutting his mind to the bed and the activities he’d like to engage in there. When he stepped into the kitchen, his feet felt as though they were rooted in cement.

  Everything within him stilled at the sight before him. His heart should have felt light; instead it felt like a bowling ball in his chest.

  Impressions flashed one right after another—dawn in the fragile stillness, songbirds singing outside, a beautiful woman cuddling warm puppies, her green eyes lighting up as he came into the room.

  It didn’t get much better than this.

  And that was what made it so bittersweet. It couldn’t last because she wasn’t his to hold. He didn’t have the right to revel in that soft look, to allow himself to look forward to seeing it every morning for the rest of his life.

  He was about to extinguish that light in her eyes, and for the life of him, he didn’t know how to say what needed to be said.

  Her smile was gentle, a little shy...and solely for him.

  “Hi,” she said.

  “Hi, yourself.”

  “The puppies are growing like weeds,” she said in a rush. “I can’t believe how frisky they’re getting.”

  It was obvious she wasn’t practiced in morning-after etiquette. Sweetly embarrassed, a little unsure. Color heightened in her cheeks with the tender intensity of a rose petal. If he hadn’t been in love with her before, he would have fallen right then and there. “Did they wake you?”

  “Yes. But I don’t mind. Annie’s gaining her strength back, too.”

  “That’s because she’s had such a good nursemaid.”

  “Plural.” She rose with the puppy in her arms, her smile soft. “You’ve spent more time with them than I have.”

  He waited until she put Pal back in the cardboard enclosure before he spoke again.

  “I got a call from Mr. B.”

  She turned, her eyes filling with worry. He hated to see that flicker of fear that chased the color from her face. This woman should have only happiness in her life. She shouldn’t have to fret about kidnapping attempts or bank loans or the expectations of society. She should have the world at her feet and nothing but time on her hands to devote to her beloved horses.

  Tanner knew he could give part of that to her—the money and the time. He just wasn’t sure about the expectations of society. His presence would more than likely disrupt her life.

  He wanted to think it wouldn’t. He wanted to believe she’d return home and break her engagement to Latrobe, to admit that there could only be one man for her. Him.

  But that scenario gave him a little trouble. Once given, Jordan’s word was gold. He admired that about her—hell, he even tried to put himself in Latrobe’s place, imagining the devastation the other man would suffer if Jordan dumped him.

  He told himself not to dwell on it. Because after last night... And looking at her now, he wasn’t in the mood to play fair.

  “Well?” she prompted. “Are you going to tell me what Mr. B. said?”

  It seemed he was always getting sidetracked around this woman. “Sonny’s sounded the all clear. It’s safe for you to go home.” I hope.

  “But what about the kidnappers?”

  “Evidently they were just a couple of goons out for a quick buck.” He deliberately focused his gaze on Annie who was keeping a close eye on her frolicking offspring. He didn’t want Jordan to detect the vital information he was leaving out. “They won’t be a problem.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because Sonny spoke to them.”

  “Spoke to them?”

  He imagined Sonny had done quite a bit more than that, but wasn’t about to speculate on details. Especially with Jordan. “You don’t want to know any more.”

  “Handy friends you have, Caldwell. I still don’t understand why those men chose me, how they knew about my wedding or that my family had money.”

  “Either dumb luck or the fact that the details of your upcoming w
edding were splashed in every big-city newspaper around.” He shrugged. “That’s how I found out.”

  “Oh.”

  Her smile was strained. He knew it was about to become more so. Stepping closer, he lifted her hands, and held on. “There’s more.” As gently as possible, he said, “Your father’s not well.”

  She sucked in a breath and paled. Emotion made her eyes go liquid. “What’s wrong with him? What happened?”

  “They think it’s a heart attack. He’s in the hospital.”

  “Oh, no. I’ve got to talk to him!” Her voice rose in panic. She jerked away and raced for the bedroom. He followed, and found her tearing through his duffel, scattering clothes at will. “Where is that damned telephone? You tell me the code right now!”

  “Easy, Blackie.” He reached for her, to soothe, but she shrugged away. Defiance spit like licks of fire from her eyes as she drew in a breath, gathering her control like a cloak. It was an amazing thing to watch, that core of steel that turned her momentary panic into determined acceptance.

  She hadn’t fallen apart when strangers had attempted to abduct her, nor when he’d whisked her away from her comfort zone into uncertainty. She’d adapted, made the best of it, kept her spirit.

  She was doing the same now. And he admired the hell out of her.

  “I intend to call the hospital and let my father know that I’m on my way home.”

  Tanner nodded and picked up the cell phone from the mattress where he’d left it. “I know.” He punched in the code, handed the receiver to her. “I’ll be ready to go when you are. Just dial Information and tell them the name of the hospital. The service will automatically connect you.”

  Her features softened in gratitude as she followed his instructions.

  He left the room to give her some privacy, using the time to lock up and formulate a plan for the dogs, who needed care. To his surprise, Pal and Buddy were sprawled close to Annie, nursing.

  “Good job, Annie,” he murmured, relieved and incredibly touched by the sight. He’d had a hand in bringing this family together, in giving them a chance.

  Now he was about to reunite another family. Jordan’s. But that thought stirred up a host of emotions that had nothing to do with relief.

  As he watched, Annie nudged her babies, then turned proud brown eyes up to Tanner. “Looks like you can handle the fort for a few hours while I’m gone.” Knowing Jordan would want as few delays as possible, he made sure there was water and food for Annie and spread fresh newspapers on the floor. He doubted he’d be gone long anyway.

  If there was no danger to Jordan, he wouldn’t be needed anymore. She had a life to live. And even after what they’d shared, he wasn’t sure where, or if he fitted into that life.

  “I’m ready to go.”

  He turned, surprised he hadn’t heard her come into the room. His self-preservation instincts were getting rusty. Either that, or the weight of despair over losing her was cloaking them.

  “Did they let you talk to him?”

  “He’s already left the hospital,” she said. “I tried calling my mother, but evidently she’s on her way home from picking Daddy up.”

  “Was it a heart attack?”

  She shrugged. “They don’t know. Bess, our housekeeper, said the doctors seem to think his symptoms were brought on by stress. He’s been instructed to schedule himself in for tests to be sure, but Daddy was adamant about going home. He refused to be stuck in a hospital while I’m still missing.”

  She closed her eyes against the guilt, tugged at the hem of her sleeveless denim shirt. “I should have kept in touch. Told him not to worry.” She opened her eyes, stared at him. “Why couldn’t I have done that, Tanner?”

  Her tone held accusation. She was looking to lay blame, and it was fairly evident that she’d chosen herself as the target.

  Tanner wanted to ease that. He was used to shouldering blame. And he wouldn’t make matters worse by telling her what they suspected—that Maynard Grazer had been in on the abduction. Or behind it, at least. A plan that had gone awry and out of Grazer’s control.

  “If I had it to do over again, I still wouldn’t have wanted you making scheduled phone calls. I made the decisions I thought best for your safety, Jordan.”

  “Yes, and look what happened. Daddy worked himself into a near heart attack. He’s had losing the estate on his mind, the wedding, and then the worry over me being gone. I should have overruled your decision and kept in touch with him.”

  But if she had, they wouldn’t have made love, they wouldn’t have gotten to know each other on neutral ground, learned how much they had in common... how right they were for each other.

  He wouldn’t have had the opportunity to touch, to taste, to store the memory.

  It made Tanner wonder if, in a way, he hadn’t been worse than the would-be kidnappers. Oh, he’d kept her out of harm’s way, but had his reasons been noble or selfish?

  “No sense beating yourself up with what-ifs,” he said, as much for his own benefit as for hers. “If we leave now, I’ll have you back home before your father even has a chance to get settled in bed.”

  “Thank you.” She stepped past him. “What about Annie and the puppies? We can’t leave them—Oh, Tanner, look. They’re nursing.

  “Yeah. Annie seems pleased. I think they’ll be just fine on their own until I get back.”

  She turned then, her gaze meeting his. What passed between them was so strong it was a wonder the air didn’t spark with electricity. There was desire, and sadness and understanding.

  Understanding that reality had intruded and time had run out.

  Damn it, it seemed that time was always running out for him where Jordan Grazer was concerned. His jaw tight, emotions roiling, he whirled and checked the lock on the kitchen window.

  “I figured I’d keep the dogs here for now. You’ll have enough on your plate, dealing with your father’s health. I’ve still got some time on my hands, so I’ll baby-sit the runts.”

  The locks were as secure as they were going to get, and he could tell she was antsy to get going. For that matter, so was he—antsy for action, for closure, to know if he had a chance with her or if this trip to town would really be the end.

  His head knew the answer; his heart held out hope.

  “Do you have everything?”

  She held her hands out from her sides. “I came with only the clothes on my back. Other than the shoes that I pitched in the trash, there’s nothing to leave behind.”

  Just the lingering of her scent and the vivid memories, he thought.

  And the shattered pieces of his heart.

  “Fine, then. Let’s go.” As he ushered her out the door, he started to scrape his hair back into a ponytail—something he was accustomed to doing in the business world.

  That “Take me as I am” voice echoed inside him, staying his hands. He told himself he wasn’t putting Jordan to any tests—he was simply defying Maynard, daring the man to form additional wrong opinions.

  Letting his hair hang free and wild, he helped her onto the Harley, rather than taking the Jeep. It was another petty defiance, but it was damned empowering.

  Wouldn’t it be a kicker when good old Grazer found out that Tanner Caldwell could buy him ten times over?

  That little secret would wait for a while, though. He wanted to be looking his old enemy in the eye when he told him.

  Perversely, he wanted to gloat. He had an idea it would be the only satisfaction he could call upon, once Jordan was ensconced back in the bosom of her family and her life.

  And back in the arms of her fiancé.

  Chapter Eleven

  Jordan felt like a mother hen counting her chicks as the motorcycle roared up the long driveway leading to the ranch house. A wonderful sense of the familiar settled over her like the comfort of a favorite blanket—the smells, the sights. Horses cropped in grassy fields, and a busy-tailed squirrel scampered up an arching valley oak. Golden buttercups spread out like a mat of we
lcoming happy faces along the borders of the concrete drive.

  The relief she felt over everything appearing the same was so all-encompassing, she nearly shouted out her joy.

  The low-throated, bestial sound of the Harley had animals and field hands alike raising heads, looking for the source of disturbance. Honor Bleu whinnied and trotted over to the fence rail as though intending to match his power against the machine’s. She grinned when he snorted and pawed at the ground, then trotted the perimeter of the fence, tracking them, his fiercely competitive spirit urging him to pour on the speed more than he should have dared within the confines of the pasture.

  Tanner seemed to notice the competition, and slowed the bike. Silky mane shifting in the wind, black coat shining like indigo velvet against the bright sunlight, Bleu lengthened his stride, muscles bunching, hooves digging in and throwing clumps of loamy sod.

  “Is that beauty racing us?” he shouted over his shoulder.

  Jordan tightened her arms around his waist, leaning closer to his ear. “Makes you want to start rooting, doesn’t it? He never could stand for anyone to be in front of him. That’s what made him such a winner. His arrogance can make him a handful sometimes.”

  Tanner nodded and Jordan appreciated the admiration that clearly showed in his features and in the slight curve of his lips as he watched her magnificent stallion. She couldn’t remember Randall ever slowing down to enjoy the sight of her Thoroughbred.

  The renegade thought dashed her joy and sent her heart pumping in a silent scream.

  They were at the doorstep of reality. Literally.

  And suddenly, Jordan wanted to turn and run. But to where? And to whom?

  Before she could examine those emotions too closely, Tanner was easing off the throttle, then steadying the bike with a booted foot as he came to a stop beneath the portico. The front door opened almost immediately.

  Jordan barely had a chance to swing herself off the motorcycle before the housekeeper was snatching her into a hug.

  “Oh, sweet darlin’!” Bess cried. “We’ve been so worried. I nearly had to sit on your papa when I told him you’d called. Hasn’t given me a moment’s peace since he came through the door. Had me repeat every word you’d said. Here they are now. He’ll be a world better just to touch you.”