Surprise Bride and Groom

by Iris Abbott

  SURPRISE BRIDE AND GROOM

  Rancher’s Bend Bride and Groom Series

  Book 4

  Iris Abbott

  Table of Contents

  Books by Iris Abbott

  Dear Readers

  Dedications

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  EPILOGUE

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.

  SURPRISE BRIDE AND GROOM

  Copyright © 2013 by Iris Abbott

  First E-book publication: October 2013

  Cover design by Iris Abbott

  Photos by: Buzya Kalapkina, Giobbi, Andres, Kraska, and Siilur

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters in this book are fictitious and exist only in the imagination of the author. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  IRIS ABBOTT has always enjoyed reading, especially romances. She grew up in North Carolina and has also lived in California and Georgia. She travels extensively throughout the United States and enjoys sharing the ambiance of some of her favorite places through her stories. When she’s not writing emotion packed romances with a happily-ever-after ending, this former high school science teacher is traveling with her husband, taking photos, bird watching, riding her bicycle, or taking care of one very spoiled and demanding cat. She loves to hear from readers and fans. She can be reached at iris@irisabbott.com. Please check out her website irisabbott.com and the Facebook page for Iris Abbott (author).

  Books by Iris Abbott

  Montgomery Family and Friends Series

  A MONTGOMERY HOMECOMING

  AUBREY’S SONG

  A MONTGOMERY MARRIAGE

  CAROLINE’S SEDUCTION

  EVAN’S SURRENDER

  LAURA’S STORM

  FAITH’S SHERIFF

  Enigma, Maine Series

  A VAMPIRE’S LOVING BITE

  A GUARDIAN’S LOVING CLAIM

  A PIRATE’S LOVING KISS

  A SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING

  LITTLE RED VALENTINE

  OCEAN’S LOVING EMBRACE

  A GUARDIAN’S LOVING CARESS

  A WOLF’S LOVING VALENTINE

  Rancher’s Bend Bride and Groom Series

  ACCIDENTAL BRIDE AND GROOM

  SECOND CHANCE BRIDE AND GROOM

  EXPECTANT BRIDE AND GROOM

  SURPRISE BRIDE AND GROOM

  ISLAND MEDICAL SERIES

  LOVE CURES ALL

  ISLAND CHRISTMAS (December 2013)

  Dear Readers,

  It’s been so much fun spinning tales of romance in this sleepy, little Texas town. I hope you’ve enjoyed your visits to Rancher’s Bend just as much as I have. And even though Surprise Bride and Groom is the fourth and final book in the Bride and Groom Series, don’t fret. You’ll be hearing from the residents of Rancher’s Bend again real soon.

  A new series called Rancher’s Bend Hometown Heroes will also take place in Rancher’s Bend, Texas. This book introduces our very first hometown hero, Derek Barnes! His book will be coming early 2014. Happy reading!

  Dedications

  To Anna P. for her never-ending words of support and encouragement, you’re the best!

  To my wonderful husband Mike for his love, support, and unending faith in my abilities!

  ONE

  Time dragged by, and the hands on the huge wall clock above the bank’s front entrance seemed to be stuck. Friday was usually her favorite workday, but today had seemed especially tedious. It was just one more very long day, fraught with tension. Working in the same place as Carson Miller day in and day out was nerve-racking, at least for Daisy Carter anyway.

  Her gaze wandered once more to Carson’s closed office door. Breathing a deep sigh, Daisy tried to immerse herself in the piles of work collecting on her desk. As the personal assistant to Charles Jenson, the bank’s new vice president, Daisy had a full workload. Admittedly her job wasn’t quite as hectic as it had been when she worked for the bank’s former president.

  Daisy could barely suppress a shiver at the thought of William Johnson. The man had been a lecher, and he’d made Daisy uncomfortable on a regular basis. If she hadn’t needed a job with decent pay and even better benefits so badly, she would have never put up with the man’s lewd behavior. Luckily for Daisy, after he got caught participating in some questionable business deals with an unsavory developer, Johnson had been forced to resign.

  And Carson Miller, who’d served as the bank’s previous vice president, was promoted to president. He had his own personal assistant, Renee Jenkins. Carson had kept his experienced and motherly PA with him when he changed offices. And that had been just fine with Daisy.

  The man with his thick, black hair and stunning dark-brown eyes was seriously sexy. After a lukewarm marriage followed by a bitter divorce, the last thing Daisy was interested in was another relationship. Especially with a man who was considered her boss, even indirectly.

  That was just asking for trouble. And Daisy, who was now the sole caretaker of her young nephew, couldn’t afford trouble. Besides, it was apparent to Daisy that Carson went out of his way to avoid her too. She just assumed he was one more man that didn’t want anything to do with a readymade family.

  Daisy had already been badly burned by someone like that: her ex-husband. The man absolutely refused to have anything to do with Lucas after Daisy’s brother was killed in a one-car accident. He’d immediately filed for divorce and hadn’t looked back when Daisy refused to let her nephew languish away in the foster-care system. So Daisy had tried to put her heartbreak behind her and move on. She did that by concentrating on making the best life possible for her nephew.

  Daisy glanced at the clock again. Only five minutes had passed. There were still two hours left before she could leave the bank and pick Lucas up from the daycare center. That was another perk to working at the bank. The most recommended daycare facility in the Rancher’s Bend area was located only two blocks away. It was nice knowing Lucas was so close during the workweek, in case he got sick or needed her for any reason.

  Daisy squirmed in her seat. She was unsettled but not sure exactly why. Charles was absent from the bank today. His absence usually made her job easier, because there were fewer interruptions. Today, for whatever reason, she just couldn’t concentrate.

  She looked toward Carson’s closed door one more time. Deep down, Daisy knew she was hoping to steal a glance of his handsome face. That only served to irritate her more. Two more hours and she could log out, shut down the computer, and go home. Too bad “out of sight, out of mind” didn’t hold true for Carson Miller.

  She’d be glad to see the end of this lousy day. Sighing, Daisy tried once again to focus on clearing the in-pile on her desk. She needed to get a handle on things before the pile became taller than she was. That meant she shouldn’t be wasting time daydreaming about a man she could never have. No matter how attracted she was to him.

  Shuffling a few papers around, Daisy redoubled her efforts to focus on her work. The third piece of paper she looked at caught her attention. She closely scrutinized the document. It was a copy of the notes from the last board meeting. The papers needed to be signed by Carson, not Charles.

  Daisy wasn’t sure how the typed copy of notes got mixed up in her stack of papers, but here they were. Glancing across the room she
noticed that Carson’s personal assistant was absent from her desk. She’d been there the last time Daisy had glanced that way. Renee was more than likely taking a bathroom break, Daisy decided. She pushed back her chair and hesitantly made her way to the far side of the bank.

  A tall, well-built man who looked vaguely familiar to her was waiting near Renee’s desk. Daisy gave him a tentative smile. “May I help you?” she asked with a polite smile. The least she could do was greet the gentleman while Carson’s assistant was away from her desk.

  “I have an appointment with Carson.” The man nodded in the general direction of the president’s office. “But his door is closed and there’s no one manning the desk. I figured whoever is supposed to be here must have momentarily stepped away from the area.” He gave a nonchalant shrug of his broad shoulders. “I’m fine with waiting. There’s nowhere else I have to be right now.”

  Indecision and then the stranger’s small talk made Daisy linger by the desk a lot longer than she normally would dare to do. Prolonging the time she spent there increased the chance of a face-to-face meeting with Carson. She tried to avoid those at all costs. The documents were important, however. And who knew how long they’d been buried under the stack of paperwork on her desk?

  If the stranger hadn’t been waiting by the unwatched desk she would have left the papers front and center for Renee to find when she returned. That wasn’t an option, however, not with a stranger hanging around. And Daisy didn’t want to stand around making small talk just so she could babysit the document until Renee returned from her break. Before she could decide what to do, the heavy wooden door behind her swung open and Carson stepped out of his office.

  “Renee, where is my…” Carson’s voice trailed off. And he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Daisy standing there instead of his assistant. “Where’s Renee?”

  Daisy’s only response was a shrug. She held out the papers, tightly clutched between her fingers that were slightly trembling. Carson always had an effect on her. His penetrating stare was unsettling, to say the least.

  She flapped the papers to get his attention off of her and onto the documents. “These need your signature. I found them on my desk a few minutes ago.” She waved a hand toward the man standing nearby. “And this gentleman says he has an appointment with you.” Daisy simply made the statement as quickly as possible. She didn’t smile. And she refused to make eye contact with Carson.

  ****

  Her stiff and guarded manner put a damper on Carson’s otherwise good mood. Of course it was just business with the two of them. Carson was a busy man under normal circumstances. The economy and the bank’s business were both picking up. That made him busier than ever. Soon, when he had a moment to spare, he was going to go out of his way to engage Daisy in conversation and try to lessen some of the tension and unease that existed between them.

  Carson knew good and well that he was partially to blame for the strain that defined their working relationship. Daisy was sweet, but she was sexy too. And Carson was attracted to her the moment she walked through the doors of the bank for the first time. She’d blossomed from the gangly teen he’d known in passing several years ago to a beautiful young woman.

  Her sweetness sometimes made Carson feel like the most jaded man alive. That was why he mostly stayed away from her. Maintaining a professional as well as personal distance didn’t seem to be working. Maybe it was time for him to reevaluate and change tactics.

  Carson reached out to take the papers from Daisy. In the process their fingers accidentally touched. She yanked her hand back as if it had been burned. Carson could barely suppress a sigh of frustration. He hated that she was so uncomfortable around him that she couldn’t even stand his touch. Carson made a mental note to find a way to change that.

  He pushed down the vexing feeling that plagued him. Instead he took a deep breath. Fighting an internal battle, Carson called forth a sense of professionalism he wasn’t exactly feeling. Professional was nowhere close to how he felt whenever Daisy invaded his workspace and his thoughts.

  “Thank you, Daisy. I was just getting ready to ask Renee where the board meeting notes were. This is something I need to take care of today.”

  She wouldn’t look him in the eyes. It was just one more thing about their nonexistent relationship that really bothered Carson. “We need to talk as soon as possible, Ms. Carter. Please make sure you see me before you leave the bank this evening.” He gave her a knowing look. “It’s important. Don’t skip out on me, okay?”

  Before Daisy could reply to his request all hell broke loose. A shrill scream had his eyes snapping away from the magnetic pull of Daisy. Instincts took over and he hastily scanned the bank, looking for the cause of the earsplitting commotion. Something was definitely wrong.

  Two men wearing ski masks to cover their faces were waving guns around the bank. “Everybody but the tellers drop to the floor now!” one of the men demanded in a brusque voice.

  Fear had almost everyone hustling to do as ordered. A couple of the customers made sounds of distress once they were seated on the floor.

  “Shut up,” the same man who’d issued orders before harshly grated. He was the only one who’d spoken so far. Carson guessed that one was the ringleader of the duo.

  Carson’s entire body stiffened. This was his bank, his domain. He couldn’t believe this was happening. He forced his skyrocketing heart rate to calm and his rapid breathing to slow. Carson Miller didn’t panic. And it certainly wouldn’t help anyone in the bank if he did.

  An elderly customer who suffered from poor health was moving too slowly to suit the masked men.

  “I don’t have all day, move!” The lead bank robber yelled in the direction of the old woman.

  Daisy started forward: most likely her goodhearted nature had her terrified for the woman. She didn’t even move an inch before Carson wrapped an arm, as strong as an iron band, around her waist. He pulled her back against his body and held her tight. He tried surrounding the soft curves of her body with the hard contours of his own.

  “Don’t even think about moving forward and making yourself a target,” Carson hissed in her ear. “Stay here! I’ll help Mrs. Davis.” He didn’t want anyone getting hurt on his watch, most especially Daisy. The thought of anything happening to her made him feel like he’d taken a particularly nasty punch to the gut. He let go of Daisy and started forward, but it was too late.

  Daisy sucked in a quick breath of air. The raspy sound was loud in the now otherwise silent bank. Much to Carson’s fear and dismay the sudden and unexpected sound drew the attention of the masked men.

  The bank robber who’d been issuing orders fired a shot in the air. The loud sound and the immediate threat it represented elicited a few more shrieks of alarm from two of the bank tellers. Waving the weapon toward Carson and Daisy, the man started shouting. “I’m not going to say it again!” He continued to erratically wave the handgun all around the bank. “Everybody get down on the floor. And I mean right now!”

  ****

  The forgotten pile of papers fluttered to the floor. Daisy was right behind them. A large shadow loomed over her just before a hulking weight covered her body. She recognized the scent and feel of Carson. It was small comfort in a volatile situation that she knew could quickly become deadly.

  Daisy tried to ignore the feel of Carson’s body. She lifted her head and looked toward the front of the bank. The bank robbers ordered the tellers to put all of the available cash into two backpacks they produced. The three women and one man were nervously doing as they were told.

  Daisy remained absolutely still on the floor. Her gaze darted around the room quickly moving from one object to another. She was trying to memorize every single detail that she could. The police would need accurate descriptions of everything the witnesses could remember. That was, if any of them made it out of the bank alive.

  She shivered at the morbid thought. She fought back the bile that threatened to rise in her throat. She had
to stay calm and she had to keep her wits about her. There was no other option, because there was no telling what would happen to Lucas if she didn’t make it out of the bank alive.

  Movement in her peripheral vision had Daisy slowly turning her head toward the stranger who had been waiting to see Carson. In the chaos and fear Daisy had forgotten all about the man. Using great stealth he’d moved next to Daisy and Carson. The man was so close to Daisy that he was almost touching her. That was a complete surprise to Daisy, who hadn’t even seen or heard him move.

  He used his eyes and a slight nod of his head to indicate that he wanted Daisy to move behind the desk. His manner was authoritative enough to make Daisy respond. After all, the man was calm and composed even though they were in the midst of a monumental crisis. Carson must have agreed too, because he loosened his hold on Daisy and gave her the space she needed to start moving.

  Daisy slowly inched sideways toward the limited shelter of Renee’s large solid oak desk. It wasn’t much but it would be better than nothing. While her body moved her eyes never left the face of the formidable-looking man. She could barely suppress a shiver. Danger seemed to radiate off the stranger in waves. He was almost as scary as the bank robbers. Almost.

  The corners of his mouth turned upwards. He gave her a slow, sexy grin. That’s when Daisy realized that the man wasn’t a stranger after all. It was none other than Derek Barnes. Daisy would recognize the distinctive heated smile and smoldering look anywhere.

  That smile had turned all the girls’ heads in high school. All but Daisy, her head couldn’t be turned. At the time she only had eyes for her high school sweetheart, Travis Carter. Of course that hadn’t turned out very well for Daisy. Maybe she should have taken her chances with Derek after all.

  The faint sound of a siren broke Daisy’s concentration. She was still several feet from the relative safety of the desk. Her eyes darted from Derek to Carson. Both men tensed, and she knew they could hear it too. The bank robbers were also aware of the police’s imminent arrival if their growing agitation was anything to go by.