by Addison Fox
Although his outward emotions remained as hidden as ever, River did brighten as the men began posing for pictures.
Hawk watched from the periphery, amused by everyone’s antics. Ritual, he thought to himself as he opened a fresh beer from a small cooler. Today they celebrated one, together as a family, all looking forward toward the future.
The future.
As he looked at all the Coltons, he had to admit that was something Livia hadn’t been able to taint, no matter how hard she’d tried.
Her life’s work had been about maximizing her own personal situation at the expense of everyone she came into contact with. Despite that—or perhaps in spite of it—she’d managed to give birth to six children who all saw the world as a place to make better instead of as a toy to use and break at their whim.
Once again, the emotional weight behind that manila envelope struck him.
Regardless of what the results said, Claudia would always be a part of this. Would always share her life with these men and women she’d spent a lifetime calling brother and sister.
The day carried them all along with its series of rituals and rites and after mugging for a few pictures with Thorne, he’d drifted outside to the altar and the rows of seats set up for the wedding. Guests had already begun to assemble and he smiled at them all, leading some to seats, others to the gift table to drop off items, still others to a registry to sign their good wishes to the happy couple.
The waitstaff helping with catering buzzed in and around like bees, setting everything up. He gave everyone room to work and almost made it to the ceremony without a hiccup before nearly railroading a petite server in his attempt to back up to take a photo.
A light “oof” filled his ears as he tripped backward over a small, but solid, form. Hawk twisted, but not before he made sure to keep a firm grip on his cell phone, to catch the woman in his arms. Clicking echoed from the camera app open in his hand as he fumbled phone and woman, focused on not dropping either.
“I’m so sorry.”
“You need to watch yoursel—” She reined in the sharpness, her tone turning immediately conciliatory. “I’m sorry.”
The sharp tone surprised him but it was the hatred darkening her gaze that had him dropping his hands. “No, it’s all on me. I’m truly sorry.”
The woman seemed to catch herself once more, her tone moving from conciliatory to groveling. “No, no. It’s all me. I’ll be on my way. I am so sorry.”
He watched her go, curious about the absolute darkness he’d seen cover her features before shrugging it off. Stressful day. Stressful job. Some handled it better than others.
And speaking of jobs, he had one of his own. The last of the guests had been escorted to their seats and Allison had asked him if he’d help Cody get ready to walk down the aisle. The two of them had bonded and her trust in his ability to get the little boy to do his part was humbling.
And, if he were honest, a bit scary.
The pretty strains of classical music drifted from speakers as the wedding party moved from the house to the lawn. Cody had already run over to take his place next to Hawk and he had a hand on the boy’s shoulder when Claudia came through the door.
His breath caught as he watched her step over the porch steps and down onto the white runner that had been set for the procession. All that gorgeous blond hair was pulled up on her head, a series of curls spilling down over the crown like a curly halo. Her always-present heels were a perfect match to the pale lavender dress that highlighted her breasts before dropping down to hug her gorgeous curves.
She was beautiful.
And without benefit of any further probing from the imp by his side, their earlier conversation came back to him.
Did he want a baby with Claudia? A life with her? Marriage?
For the first time in four endless years, questions about his future filled him with hope. With excitement.
And with the shimmering promise of life.
* * *
Claudia fought the urge to throw her flowers, kick off her heels and race toward Hawk. He stood at the back of the chairs, waiting with Cody to help her nephew down the aisle.
And he was perfect.
His suit was expertly cut, the material showcasing his broad shoulders and narrow waist. He’d had a haircut the day before and it left him with an extra sharp look that was fresh and crisp. Professional.
And wildly sexy.
Since their beloved town preacher stood a few feet away from her, Claudia opted to rein in her more adventuresome thoughts and focus on the intangibles instead. Yes, the man was sexy, but he was so much more.
The strong, firm lines of his body showcased his strength, but it was his kind blue eyes and the way he gently encouraged Cody down the aisle that showed the real strength. Strength of conviction.
And, as she’d seen firsthand, strength of heart.
It was the same quiet grace Mac displayed each and every day. It was what she saw in her brothers and was what her sister had found in her husband.
For all the evilness her mother had brought into their lives, there had been good, too.
More than that, there had been love. The bone-deep kind that made a person stick around. The lifetime kind they were about to celebrate today.
With that in mind, she turned with the rest of Maggie’s bridesmaids and faced the back of the aisle. And sighed in contentment as her soon-to-be sister-in-law came down the aisle. Each step was a careful march toward her future, and Thorne’s smile as he gazed at Maggie was a promise that this was only the beginning.
The two of them joined hands and turned to face each other. Words of love and commitment were exchanged, followed by symbols of that love.
Happiness for Thorne and Maggie burst inside of her. For the new life Maggie carried that would bring more love and happiness into their family. And for the commitment they both made to building a life together.
When she’d left New York, she’d been convinced that love—especially romantic love—was an illusion. The pain of her relationship with Ben and all the ways he’d betrayed her had left her constantly looking over her shoulder, afraid he’d find her. More, afraid that what they’d shared was her one and only failed shot at love.
Hawk had brought it all full circle, helping her to fully heal, but it was her love for her family—and the examples they set—that had started her on the journey to putting her past behind her. They had shown her that what she was looking for in her life wasn’t an illusion or simply a mirage found only in dreams.
More, they’d shown her in every way that love was not only real, but it was the only thing in life that brought true and lasting happiness.
* * *
“What was that sigh for?” Hawk held her close, his hand on her lower back as they danced. The wedding had moved from the aisle and seats outside to the large tent that dominated the back of Mac’s property. Twinkle lights streamed from the top of the tent, the lighting soft and dreamy as they transitioned from the seriousness of vow-taking to the fun and laughter that came with celebration.
“I was just thinking about their dreamy kiss there at the end of the ceremony.” She stared over Hawk’s shoulder to where Thorne and Maggie danced, their gazes nowhere but on each other. “And how happy they are. And how that will multiply when the baby gets here.”
Hawk’s hand tightened briefly on her back before he spoke, the move bringing her attention back to his face and the humor that lit his eyes. “About the baby.”
“Oh?”
“I got a stern talking-to from Cody earlier.”
“Did you get the pony question, too?”
“Better.”
Visions of what her nephew had possibly asked danced through her mind. “Better than where ponies came from?”
“In all his nine-ye
ar-old wisdom, he informed me that babies needed playmates. That it was no fun to be a kid all by yourself, and that you and I needed to make sure his uncle Thorne and aunt Maggie’s baby had a new playmate. So you and I need to get on that.”
An image of that very thing—holding Hawk’s baby in her arms—had her pulse thumping hard in her chest. “A baby?”
“As soon as possible, if your nephew has anything to say about it.”
Hawk spun her around, the lights whirling in a dizzying arc before her eyes, before he pulled her tight against his chest. Thoughts whirled even faster in her mind. Did she dare tell him all that was in her heart?
And then it didn’t matter because he beat her to it. “Would you want that? A baby?”
“I’d love a baby.” No, that wasn’t the whole story. She shifted the hand she had positioned over his shoulder, pressed it to his chest. “I’d love to have a baby with you.”
“I wonder if Cody’s onto something, then, because I’d like to have a baby with you. More than that, Claudia Colton, I’d like to have a life with you.”
The joy and happiness she’d sought for so long—that had remained elusive for what had felt like forever—settled around her, gentle as a warm breeze. And it all centered on the amazing man who held her close.
“I’d like that, too.”
He bent his head and captured her lips with his. Love beat strong and true between them, layered in every moment of the kiss. Promise twined with passion, laying the path to their shared future.
Long moments later, after Joshua and Leonor had deliberately bumped into them, teasing them out of their kiss, Claudia ran the tip of her finger over his jaw.
“We should keep this to ourselves for a few days. Let Thorne and Maggie have this time.”
“It’ll be our secret.”
Our secret.
She smiled, tamping down on the small shot of anxiety that accompanied his words. They had another secret—one that wasn’t quite as joyous—in the DNA test results.
Would they show that she was a Colton? Or reveal something else.
The implications of that secret still haunted her a half hour later as she ran toward the house for her small sewing kit. Maggie’s heel had caught in the edge of her dress when she tossed her bouquet and Claudia wanted to fix it so Maggie didn’t accidentally trip over the small tear.
It was the work of a few minutes and would ensure nothing marred their fun. Even if she was doing a damn fine job of that all on her own.
Secrets. DNA tests. She’d been so determined to enjoy the day free of those thoughts, it was humbling to realize just how quickly they could gnaw at her if given free rein.
“Worry about it tomorrow,” she muttered to herself as she rummaged through the small kit.
The talk of a baby and a life with Hawk had filled her with joy. Why couldn’t she hang on to that, even if only for the night? The DNA test results would tell the truth soon enough.
Her hand closed over the small kit and she ran back through the house, oblivious to the threat that hovered behind her.
The path to the tent had been laid with a sturdy runner for the guests and catering staff and Claudia skipped over it, light on her feet in her rush to get back to Hawk. When she was with him, it was easier to forget all that was still to come.
So she’d go to him and take that solace. Would use the time to regain her equilibrium.
A small noise had her slowing, almost stumbling, as the heavy tread of feet suddenly felt as if it was on top of her. Claudia whirled, intending to move away if the catering team was laden down with trays, when she saw the gun.
And the small woman dressed in a catering uniform who had it pointed directly at her chest.
Chapter 18
“Where’s Claudia?”
Hawk wondered the same thing as Mac and Evelyn waltzed past him where he stood at the edge of the dance floor, their smiles bright.
“She went to get some thread to repair Maggie’s dress. A small tear in the hem she doesn’t want her tripping over.”
“Well, what’s taking her so long?” Evelyn demanded. “I saw her duck out of here at least ten minutes ago.”
“I’m sure she just got stopped talking to someone.”
It was rational and reasonable. The sort of thing that happened at weddings, especially when it was a family member who got married. Claudia knew many of the guests. Heck, she’d smiled and chatted with people all evening.
So why couldn’t he see her?
Mac held Evelyn close but slowed their movements, pulling them to the side of the dance floor. “What is it, son?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing.”
“Why don’t we go look for her, then?”
Evelyn slipped from Mac’s arms, her smile warm as she patted Hawk’s sleeve. “Let her know I’m happy to help with the dress repair. In the meantime, I’ll stay near the bride and make sure she doesn’t trip on that hem.”
Evelyn disappeared into the crowd and Hawk turned toward Mac, feeling as silly as he was uneasy. “I’m sorry to pull you away.”
“It’s a few minutes.” Mac’s eyes were overbright. “We’ll find her and then we can both go back to dancing with beautiful women.”
They both had a height advantage and used it to quickly scan opposite sides of the tent. When that search proved as futile as the others he’d done, Hawk followed Mac from the tent toward the house.
He was being stupid. If he couldn’t let the woman out of his sight for five minutes, then he was farther around the bend than he thought. She wasn’t Jennifer. He didn’t need to assume the worst because she stopped to talk to someone or had to make a stop at the ladies’ room.
She was coming back.
“It’s okay. We’ll find her.” Mac’s quiet voice echoed next to him as they hotfooted it to the house.
The thick runner the catering staff laid down was soft beneath their feet and Hawk flew over it, barely paying any attention to the ground when his gaze caught on something. He slowed, curious as something small glinted in the combined glow of moonlight and the corral lights that had been left on for the evening.
“What is it?”
“There. Look.” Hawk took a few steps off the runner and reached down for the small white object glinting in the light.
Only to wrap his hand around a small spool of white thread, a needle sticking from the top.
* * *
“What do you want from me?” The words slurred against her tongue and Claudia had no idea if she’d even formed a coherent question, her voice was so thick and heavy in her ears. She sat in the back of a car, bumping over an old dirt path behind Mac’s property toward La Bonne Vie.
The woman’s arrival on the path to the tent had startled her, but she’d assumed the staff needed to get into the tent for something.
And then the woman had pulled a gun.
She might have tried making a run for it, but a snap decision at the last minute not to draw possible fire into the party, putting everyone at risk, had her following along. And then the decision to run the other way was taken away from her as a swift prick stuck the back of her arm.
A warm, hazy feeling spread instantly, like she hovered somewhere outside herself. She’d wanted to fight it, but knew she was fast losing the battle so she’d dropped the spool of thread when the woman wasn’t looking and hoped it would be enough.
Hawk would understand her clue, wouldn’t he?
Would he find it at all?
Her body was heavy and her feet felt like lead, but she’d followed along in the woman’s wake as she was half dragged, half pushed toward the small dirt parking lot on the far side of the corral. Claudia had stumbled a few times, but hadn’t had the energy to protest when she was shoved into the back of a car.
; Her head bobbed against the seat, lolling to the side as her gaze drifted to the car’s ceiling. The sedan was old, but it was the thin drape that hovered in a thick fall from the ceiling that caught her attention.
A drape?
Focus, now. Focus!
Claudia ordered her mind to pay attention, trying to make sense of what she was looking at. The dark material that made up the ceiling of the sedan had pulled apart and hung loose over the front passenger seat, separated from the seam. The material was gauzy and long, its width the same as the car.
It would be easy enough to pull it down and lower it over your face...
An image of the driver that nearly ran her off the road filled her mind, the hazy image growing clear as she made the connection on the draped material.
“You!”
“Shut up.”
“You were the one who ran me off the road.”
The car sped up, bumping harder over the dirt path. The frame rattled from being pushed and the driver muttered to herself.
“I must do this. The Forgotten One will be remembered.”
Forgotten one?
Claudia took several deep breaths, and fought for equilibrium from the confusion that swirled in her mind.
Who was this woman?
If she was one of her mother’s minions, she hadn’t been quick to announce the connection.
Mother? Was Livia even her mother? Wasn’t that what she and Hawk had been talking about for the past few days? Wasn’t that why he’d come to Shadow Creek at all?
Because Livia Colton wasn’t her mother.
Why wasn’t that thought more upsetting? And why was there a strange lightness in her chest at the idea she might not have been conceived and carried by Livia Colton?
The car uttered another quaking moan as the woman made a sharp turn off the dirt path. The dirt path out of Mac’s?
“Where are you taking me?”
Again, more silence.
But as the car flew over the taller grasses that lined the dirt road, Claudia knew she was headed back home.
Back to La Bonne Vie.
