by Jaycee Ford
I nodded as they came in holding my dress. I couldn’t believe it was finally today. I didn’t worry about all of the decorations getting ruined in the torrential downpour. We weren’t having a huge wedding, just the people closest to us. I stripped off my robe and stepped into the dress, and as Jordan and Katherine assisted me in zipping it up, I didn’t care what kind of wedding I was having. I was going to become Mrs. Paul Harris.
• • •
Katherine descended the stairs as I watched from the railing above. I glanced at the man who I once thought I was going to marry, and that same look he gave me all of those years ago, he gave to Katherine. She fought it and she fought it hard with good reason, given his track record, but if there was one thing I knew about Lance, it was his persistence. I didn’t know how easy it would be, but I had a good feeling about them.
Jordan was next in line, getting used to the walk to the altar. She would have to take the walk down the aisle in a little more than four months. I had never had a friend so close, and I hadn’t even known her for a year. It was good to be friends with girls for once.
I held a small bouquet of wildflowers in my left hand as my father squeezed my right. I turned toward him as he brushed his hand across my forehead, tucking a strand behind my ear. I exhaled as he rested his hands on both of my shoulders, sinking to my level.
“You did good, El,” he whispered, and I nodded as I gave him a small smile. He breathed out as I did, and continued with a tear in his eye. “I couldn’t have asked for a better daughter. I don’t think I ever thanked you for spending your high school years with me. Those were the best four years of my life. I’m proud of what you have become.”
“You are going to make me cry.” I started fanning my face as he wiped the lone tear that managed to slip out. The music changed, signaling our queue.
“Get your game face on. It’s go time.”
I nodded. “Let’s go.”
Dad wrapped my arm around his, and we eased down the stairs. When we reached the landing, I looked into the dining room and I lost my breath. The room was filled with dozens and dozens of white hydrangeas. The lights were off, and the room was darkened with the only light coming from candles flickering in the winter draft. I gazed at my cowboy as I walked down the makeshift aisle, and his face slacked while he laid his hand across his chest.
The closest people in my life surrounded me. My dad held my arm as I passed by Mrs. Ethel and Mr. Al, who sat next to Mr. and Mrs. Hawthorne. Mrs. Betty from Dixie’s Tavern sat on the other side with her husband. Caleb sat next to a woman who I didn’t know. That didn’t surprise me one bit. Mr. and Mrs. Harris sat next to Caleb, and the thought of me soon joining the Harris clan amazed me. My father’s girlfriend sat behind my mother and George. He gave Trish a wink as we walked by. Gianni sat a few seats down from Trish with his arm around a girl, who was extremely pretty, with long dark hair and an olive complexion. I guess he did “know people.” A preacher stood before me with Jordan and Katherine to my left, and Paul, Tom, and Lance to my right. Once I saw the candlelight sparkle from his blue eyes, I was lost. My father handed me over to Paul.
“Take good care of my little girl.”
I kissed my father’s cheek as Paul shook his hand and said, “I will do more than that, sir.”
Paul took my hand inside his as the preacher bound us in marriage before the eyes of God. Our grips on each other’s hands never faltered; our eyes never swayed. We promised words of love and forever, words that meant so much to us now after the time it took us to get to this spot.
“I do.”
The preacher repeated himself to Paul, who answered in a whisper only to me.
“I do.” His eyes filled with moisture. My cowboy who had built up this strong exterior loved me with all of his heart and all of his soul. We were soul mates and we knew it all along.
“By the power vested in me and the state of North Carolina, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
We kissed before the preacher allowed us to. He coddled my face in his hands as if I were the most precious thing in the world. To him, I was.
The applause erupting throughout the room was but a faint whisper until in vanished. The only sound was the drumming of our hearts. His lips glided across mine, and for the first time in my life, I kissed my husband, Paul Harris.
• • •
The wedding party headed to Dixie’s for our reception. Yes, our reception was being held in a tavern. Two tables in the back of the bar had merged together with more white hydrangeas resting in the middle of the table. Each couple sat close while we ate pizza, of course.
“Ugh, do you ever stop!” Katherine pushed away from the table, heading toward the ladies room.
“You want me. Admit it,” Lance hollered after her.
“Not today!” she yelled back. She vanished down the hall.
Lance folded his arms across his chest as he shook his head. He wore that smirk of his. “I’m gonna make it happen, dammit.” He then left the table for the jukebox.
I glanced at Paul. He shrugged his shoulders and I shook my head.
Tom left the table to refill the pitchers. Katherine came back and sat next to Jordan. She wouldn’t let on, but Lance definitely made her flustered. A smile eased up my face at the thought of them together.
“Teague, could you get me another glass of wine?” Mrs. Harris asked her husband. Mr. Harris, who looked like an older Paul, kissed his wife on the cheek and headed to the bar.
A slow country song started to play over the speakers. I turned my head to look at my ex-boyfriend, the man who I hated to hurt throughout all of this. He played our song and his voice echoed over the music.
“Ladies and gentleman, I believe Mr. and Mrs. Paul Harris have yet to have their first dance.” He turned toward us and continued, “Congratulations, y’all.”
Paul stood, held his hand out to me, and asked, “What do you say, Ellie Harris?”
I held his hand as our boots walked across the beat up hardwood floor. When we met Lance in the middle of the floor, I let go of Paul’s hand and wrapped my arms around Lance. He squeezed me back and whispered, “I am really and truly happy for you. I’m giving y’all our song. I want it to remind you of your husband and not your ex.”
“I’ll never forget what we had,” I whispered.
He sighed in my ear. “I love you, El.”
“I love you too, Lance.”
He released his hold of me and squeezed my hand, his eyes beaming with happiness. He then … let go.
Paul wrapped his arms around my waist, and I melted into his embrace. We swayed to the music … in public.
“So, honeymoon,” he stated with a twinkle in his eye.
I took off his black cowboy hat and placed it on top of my head. “You reckon you wanna go?”
A big grin eased across his face. “I reckon.” He pressed his lips to mine, and then whispered, “The sooner we start a family, the better.”
“You want a little cowboy running around, I bet.” I tipped the hat like a cowboy would, and his face softened.
“I want a little girl with your sparkling eyes and your hair of fire,” he whispered, and I didn’t think I would ever stop getting weak over his quiet words. “Loving you is the easiest thing that I have ever done.”
“Loving you is the best thing that I have ever done.”
THE SPRING HAD eased into summer with another wedding to attend. I wasn’t allowed to wear boots and my hat for this one. The full monkey suit was a little warm on the farm. I sat down to have a beer as the festivities were kicking off. The band crooned a country tune as Tom and Jordan took center stage. I tilted my beer back as the most beautiful woman caught my eye. Her hand rested on her stomach, which had the sexiest bump I had ever laid eyes on. I grabbed her hand and pulled her onto my lap. Her lips pecked mine, tasting like heaven.
“Oh, you taste like beer. I could so go for a beer right now.”
I placed my beer on the table and grabbed
the mason jar filled with lemonade. “Here. I got this for you.”
She beamed when I handed it to her and chugged it. “Thanks. I still want a beer.” She wiped her mouth with her hand, and I kissed her cheek, unable to keep my lips off her.
“Not until my little girl comes.” I grazed my hand over her stomach, and she froze in my arms.
“Babe, what if the baby is a boy? Are you going to be okay with that?” Worry etched her brow.
“Of course, I am.” I pecked her lips again to show her that, as long as the baby was healthy, I didn’t care either way.
“I was also thinking of the name Teague,” she whispered, and my heart filled with love.
“You want to name our baby after my father?” I caressed her cheek with the back of my fingers.
“I want to name our boy after your father.”
I smiled at my beautifully pregnant wife, and asked, “Well, what’s the name if the baby is a girl?”
She paused; her eyebrows furrowed. “It’s not. We’re having a boy.”
The breath caught in my throat. Everything seemed so real now.
“We’re having a boy?” She nodded at my question. My fingers threaded through her hair and I pulled her lips to mine. I wrapped my arm around her waist a little tighter, and as our kiss slowed, my hand grazed across her stomach. “I’m going to have a son.”
“I’m going to be a dad!” Our intimate moment was interrupted by Tom as he picked up Jordan in his arms.
Ellie latched onto my arm as she gasped at the news. We both hopped up and went onto the dance floor. Lance and Katherine joined in the celebration.
“Oh my God, you’re going to have a baby!” Ellie screamed as she hugged Jordan.
“Our kids can play together.”
“We’re having a boy!” I could not contain my smile as I announced that to the group.
Jordan squeezed Ellie into a hug, followed by Katherine, as Tom and Lance congratulated me. Tom and I both had the goofiest grins on our faces, but I didn’t care. I gazed at my wife. I was the luckiest guy in the world.
I reached out my hand to her and pulled her into my arms as we danced with the bridal party on the dance floor. I peeked over at Tom and Jordan, and they were as lost as Ellie and me. I glanced at Lance as he danced flush against Katherine, whispering in her ear. She looked around, and when she assumed it was clear, she grabbed his hand and they headed for the barn. I cranked my head around and got Lance’s attention. He smiled that mischievous smile of his and winked. Damn, he was good. I turned back to my girl, her skin glowing underneath the night sky. I brushed my thumb down her face, and then grazed it across her lip.
“I know it was hell to get to this point, but I would do it all over again just to have you here.”
She rose on her toes and pecked my lips, tasting like the sunshine I fell in love with all of those years ago.
“I love you.”
My heart filled with so much adoration every time she uttered those three words. I caressed her face, bringing my lips a whisper away.
“I love you so much. Thank you for making me whole.”
Time and distance kept us apart, but in certain matters, the heart would wait forever. For Ellie, I would have waited forever. Nothing would ever keep me away again.
When I started writing the Love Bug series, Dragonfly Awakening was actually the last book I wrote to date. I wrote Watching Fireflies, Hornet’s Nest (book three), and then moved on to other stories which will now be split from the Love Big series into a new series. These will be released starting in the summer of 2015.
I had started my dream of writing on Wattpad, where I accumulated an awesome following, and all of these fans kept screaming for Paul Harris.
So, I listened.
This book is for all of my amazing followers on Wattpad and the ones who make up Jaycee’s Army, the most epic street team in all of existence.
Without all of you, this would never be.
Thank you.
Website: www.jayceeford.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorJayceeFord
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Jaycee Ford grew up chasing street cars around the city of New Orleans. After doing a four year stint at Louisiana State University, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and fled for the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. New Orleans beckoned her home again where she discovered her love of writing romance novels. In between writing, she’s found behind her desk at a top rated law firm … or still chasing street cars.
Hornet’s Nest
Mosquito Chase
Chapter One
Katherine
I HAD TO get there.
I had to get there as soon as I could. Why hadn’t I come to visit her before? What if it was too late? My vision blurred from tears as I sped down the snow covered highway trying to get to Olde Town as quick as I could. My heart thumped erratically inside my chest and my left knee bounced to a nervous beat.
My best friend. He took my best friend!
I was going to kill him. I was going to kill him if Jordan hadn’t killed him first.
But if he …
I shook my head and wiped my tear stained cheeks with the back of my gloved hand as the ramp crept up on me to exit for the middle of nowhere. I clicked the blinker as I shifted lanes on the desolate highway. It was five in the morning, I was in the middle of nowhere, and my best friend could be dead.
After maneuvering around winding country roads in complete darkness except for the bright beam of my headlights, my GPS announced to “turn left,” in which I turned and my tires began to pop over gravel. I tried to remember if I had ever driven my car over gravel. My experience with the country was driving through small towns in South Carolina on the way to Myrtle Beach for spring break. This was totally out of my comfort zone, but I was doing this for Jordan. I would do anything for Jordan. She was the closest thing I had to a sister.
I came to a rolling stop in front of a two story a farmhouse. Two lights flanked either side of the door, lighting up the walkway. I hopped out of the car, tossing my bag on my shoulder and hooked my purse on my elbow. The mountain cold took my breath away. I gasped while I grabbed my suitcase out of the trunk. I pulled the full load up the few steps as it banged extremely too loud for the quiet of five in the morning and rolled it onto the porch. I inhaled a few times trying to find that calming breath, but I knew it was of no use. I wouldn’t rest until she was found.
Please, God. Let us find her.
As I exhaled, I knocked softly on the door. If everyone was asleep, then I could just rest in my car until dawn. The floor vibrated under my feet. I looked down at the wooden planks and then up at the door again as the sound of an army of boots rushed toward me. The door swung open to five men. Five really hot men. They all stared at me as my eyes widened, not expecting this sort of welcome.
Really hot men.
“Whoa, is this the Jordan Hawthorne search party welcome committee?”
I glanced at the muscular cowboy with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes standing in front of me holding the door open. That was Tom. I knew that from the dozens of pictures Jordan had sent me. The guy to his right sported short dark blonde hair and his police attire matched the two men standing behind Tom. My eyes fell to the guy on his left. They wanted to linger for a moment longer then they should have. His floppy light brown hair was in utter disarray. A thick flannel shirt hung open, exposing a t-shirt, untucked from a pair of worn out jeans. A sparkle of green caught my eye, and then his lifted up. My stomach twisted for just a second as his eyes focused on mine. This was the guy Jordan warned me about. This was the eternal womanizer. The eternal womanizer’s lips just spread into a smile; a crooked smile that I couldn’t stop staring at. In one swift moment, I knew that I was fucked. I tore my eyes away and focused on Tom. I refused to b
e fucked.
“Katherine,” Tom said as he reached out toward me. I dropped my bag as he pulled me into a hug. I kept my eyes closed for the simple fact that I was a mere foot away from Lance, and I didn’t feel like locking eyes with that sparkle.
“So, is this the Katherine?”
As Tom released me from our hug, my eyes opened slowly to Lance, and they instantly narrowed at him … and his shit eating grin.
“Yep, that’s me.” I cocked my eyebrow without amusement and turned back toward Tom. “I’m so sorry for coming so early in the morning. I’ve been in London all week, and for some reason, my phone was not working so well. I flew over as soon as I heard about Jordan. My flight landed about three hours ago in Charlotte, and I came straight here.”
Lance bent down and scooped up my bags. The room silenced as we all watched this supposed player being a southern gentlemen. I couldn’t contain the eye roll. He was not getting anywhere near my pants much less into them. I watched him with a blank stare as he stood back up and said, “You must be exhausted. Let me show you to Tom’s room. Sleep a little bit and you can catch up with Cal and Marie when you wake up.”
My heart broke hearing the names of Jordan’s parents. I couldn’t let Lance distract me. I came here to find my best friend, not to play some silly game with some silly country boy. I nodded at his request. I needed some sleep first. If I was going to be of any use finding Jordan, then I needed to get back on North Carolina time. I followed him to the stairs as he stepped aside to allow me to go first. I rolled my eyes again as I climbed up the stairs. I groaned knowing he was staring at my ass. I could feel him staring at my ass. Quit staring at my ass! This wasn’t a club. We were supposed to be searching for my kidnapped best friend and he wanted to flirt to the gills … and stare at my ass!
I stopped the climb as I was met with two pairs of boots. I pulled my eyes from the steps to a man that looked much like the cop downstairs and a girl with fire red hair that could only be one person.
