by C. J. Miller
“Tell me what you want and I’ll make it happen,” Declan said.
“I want you to go back in time and when River asks me if we should rent tents, I want to say yes. Or, in the immediate, I want you to stop the rain,” Edith said, pushing wet hair away from her face. She laughed, but he heard the strain in her voice. Close to tears, she was doing everything she could to hold it together.
“Do you want to postpone for a few hours? Maybe the minister can come back later. You could get married in the barn? Get married beneath an umbrella? I’ll stand in the rain and hold it over your heads.”
Edith looked out at the rain slamming to the ground. Mud was washing over the pathway. “I want to marry River. Today. Now. It doesn’t matter where.” She looked at her future husband adoringly, and Declan was jealous. Jealous that Edith had found someone who mattered so much to her and that she was ready and willing to love with all her heart. It didn’t matter to her who River’s mother was and she didn’t seem to care about his physical scars.
“Let me talk to Mac. We’ll organize what we can,” Declan said.
“Edith? We’ll fix your hair and makeup and we’ll try this again,” Jade said.
Edith went with her bridesmaids into the house. Declan approached Mac, who was speaking with the minister. “She says she’ll marry him anywhere as long as it’s today.”
“We can use the barn, but that will involve running out in the rain again,” Mac said.
“Why not the porch?” Declan asked.
Mac pointed to the line of windows. “Folks can sit at the windows. We can open them so they can hear the vows. We can make it work. Standing room only, I’m afraid.”
As Declan, Mac, Knox and River went to work setting up the porch, Declan’s thoughts wandered to Jade. Beautiful, strong and caring Jade. Though her family life saw to it that she was not naive, she had a gentle innocence about her. She hoped for the best and she anticipated goodness in people. Declan needed that in his life.
He had learned long ago that listening and stewing on the negative brought him down too. Hopes and dreams and positive energy got him through the day and had helped him build his empire.
Though today would be one of the most unconventional weddings he had been to, he vowed he would do what he could to make it right for Edith and River.
* * *
The summer storm didn’t blow through Shadow Creek. It raced in and lingered. Though it had lightened to a drizzle, allowing guests, the musicians and caterer to move around without being soaked to the skin, it was dreary and hot. Most men had removed their suit jackets and ties and the women were barefoot.
After the ceremony, with River and Edith married, the festivities were held in Mac’s barn. Jade didn’t mind the smell. Even with the doors open, the horses and hay scented the air. The thick humidity did nothing to dissipate the smell, either.
Leonor’s photographer friend was snapping pictures, though Jade noticed him taking more pictures of things than people. He was circling the cake and the centerpieces. Perhaps everyone looked like a disaster, hair flattened or frizzy from the rain, makeup running and clothing clinging from dampness.
Curious about what her family was doing, Jade searched for them. Since she was on the outskirts of her family dynamic in most situations, the busyness of the reception gave her a chance to observe.
Maggie was eating and Thorne sat beside her. They talked and laughed and looked at each other with love and affection. Rubbing her hand over her pregnant belly, Maggie giggled at something Thorne whispered in her ear.
Edith and River were mingling and speaking with their guests, stopping to pose for pictures every few minutes.
Knox was dancing with Allison. As Allison looked up at her child’s father, Jade saw no hint of the drama they had endured, in part due to Livia’s manipulation of their relationship.
Leonor and Joshua were standing away from the group, looking out of the barn at Mac’s farm. When they met, Joshua had been undercover pretending to be a billionaire interested in donating to the museum where Leonor worked. Leonor’s close relationship with Livia made her the Colton most likely to have assisted Livia with her escape and to be assisting her now. Piecing together what Jade knew about Leonor’s father, she believed their mother’s affection had everything to do with the weighty trust left to Leonor. Now that Joshua was no longer working for the FBI, he and Leonor seemed closer than ever. They’d be planning their wedding soon. Leonor’s huge engagement ring sparkled on her finger and even from this distance, Jade admired it.
Claudia was looking as glamourous and city-chic as usual. Though the sisters were all wearing the same bridesmaid’s dress, on Claudia, it looked taken straight from the runway. Her private investigator boyfriend had helped Claudia answer questions from her childhood. Having reunited Claudia with her biological family, Hawk had done his job, but the connection he had with Claudia was still strong.
Mac and Evelyn danced, locked in each other’s embrace, their bright smiles catching.
Jade tried to imagine what her family saw when they looked at her. Her passion was her farm and her horses. Educating children in the community about off-track Thoroughbreds and caring for horses took most of her time. She loved her animals and took pride in her garden and farm. And now she had a man in her life who sparked an even deeper passion. Her feelings might be written on her face, the way her siblings’ feelings about their significant others were written on theirs.
She and Declan hadn’t made declarations about their intentions. They didn’t know what would happen when Declan finished with his business at La Bonne Vie.
Declan came up behind her, casually running his hand along her hip. A brush of his fingers and she was totally tuned into him. She had been lonely before she’d met him, a fact she hadn’t recognized until he was traveling. “I used to live on this farm. It was Mac who taught me the most about caring for horses.”
“I hadn’t realized that,” Declan said.
“Most people don’t know why Mac took us in. He did it to help Knox and because Mac loved us like his own. Knox was too young to be a responsible guardian for the rest of us and saddling him with that burden was too much. But Mac made arrangements and cared for us. I owe him a great deal.”
“He seems like a good guy,” Declan said.
“He is. The best,” Jade said. “After my mother was taken to prison, I struggled. Mac’s farm was a great place to ride and run and blow off stress. He didn’t place restrictions on me when I fought my grief.”
“He must have seen your hurt and wanted to help you,” Declan said. “Do you still feel upset when you think about the past?”
“In some ways, I’ll never get over who my mother is. But in others, it seems like part of another life. A life I have no interest in returning to,” Jade said.
“The rain has let up,” Declan said.
The drizzle had turned into a sprinkle, a fine mist that spread across the property, giving the night a dark feeling. “Are you mentioning it because you want to move the party outside?”
Declan shook his head. “I like being in the well-lit barn. Easier to see someone coming at us. But I mention the weather because I’d like for you to take a walk with me.” He extended his hand and Jade took it.
They walked out of the barn and they were alone in the quiet of the night.
“I am so tired. I would ask you to take me home, but I think Edith would be upset.”
“Not River?” Declan asked.
“Nah. He’d understand.”
“Would you think less of me if I asked you to come with me to the car?” Jade asked.
“What’s in the car?”
“A quiet place to be alone for a few minutes,” Jade said. “The bugs will start biting if we don’t find shelter.”
Declan laughed. But he pressed the un
lock button on his car.
They climbed in the back seat of his sporty car and Jade kissed Declan. No point in pretending she wanted to be alone with him for any other reason. Seeing her siblings as parts of couples had highlighted what she was missing in her life. It hadn’t bothered her until she had a man who could help her loneliness, who she actually wanted to be with and share her life with.
Share her life. Her crazy, busy, in-over-her-head life. A mother on the run from the law, a business that was floundering and barely making ends meet, and a family with which all relationships were underscored with past drama and hurts. Adding Declan to that wasn’t the right fit, except she wanted him so much, it pulsed through her.
“Declan, I don’t want to wait anymore.” She reached for his belt buckle and unfastened it.
He didn’t argue. Lifting her skirt, he slid her thong down her legs. It got caught on her shoes. Shifting in the car, she pulled them off, letting them hit the carpet in the car.
Then Declan was rolling on protection and positioning himself. They were both breathing heavily. Every other time they had been together, she had felt as if it was foreplay leading to something. This was the something.
He surged inside her and her body exploded in excitement, desire spiraling in her veins. Shifting her hips and moving one of the seat buckles away, she brought Declan fully inside her. He fit her, filled her, made her feel like her life had been building to this moment of pleasure and contentment.
That fled as Declan started to move. The steady rhythm of his hips and his hands on her body, brushing her oversensitized skin, drove her need higher. Chasing completion, she lifted her hips. He moved harder, insistently, inside her. She squeezed hard, wanting to feel him come apart and watching his face while he found ecstasy with her.
She got her wish. But Declan didn’t stop moving. His thumb brushed her sensitive skin at the apex of her thighs, rolling, sliding, and then she was following him, spasms rocking her body.
He gathered her against him and held her as their breathing returned to normal.
“Ready to return to the party?” he asked.
Jade would have slept in the back of the car with him. Being apart felt wildly unappealing. But it was her brother’s wedding. She wasn’t certain what to say in the aftermath. Instead she kissed him, a quick press of her lips to his, and straightened her clothes. “Sure. Can’t miss the cake.”
Except cake was unimportant. What she had done with Declan had touched her deeply and she wondered if it meant their relationship was leading somewhere. Or if it was just leading to an ending.
* * *
Leonor called to her siblings. With a wineglass in her hand and in such a jovial mood, something about her outgoingness reminded Jade of Livia. “I want to get one picture of just us. There won’t be many of these around soon, with husbands and wives and babies.”
Jade looked at Thorne and Maggie, River and Edith, Claudia and Hawk, Leonor and Josh, and Knox and Allison. She felt like the odd man out, even if she had just had sex with Declan. The decision had been impulsive, but she wasn’t going to analyze it too deeply.
Feeling like she needed to tell someone, she pulled Claudia over. “I slept with Declan.”
Claudia’s eyes grew wide and her mouth broke into a big smile. “Hot. When?”
“In his car. An hour ago.”
Claudia hugged Jade. “I saw something between you two. Go with it. Don’t fight it so much.”
“Claudia! Jade! Come on!” Leonor called.
A quick squeeze of their hands and Jade and Claudia jogged over to the haystack where the Coltons were gathering. Leonor’s photographer friend stood in front of them. Snapping several pictures, he changed the angles and the Coltons changed their positions.
“You guys really came through for me today,” River said. “I can’t tell you how much today meant. To marry the woman of my dreams and start a new life with her. Not that I want to lose everything from my old life. But I feel like tonight, we’re setting off down a new path. A more joyful path.”
River had gone through a lot of changes in the last year. After leaving the marines and struggling with his career, he was getting his life together. He seemed happier and lighter than he had since returning to Shadow Creek. Edith had unburdened his soul.
A high-pitched shriek sounded through the air and then a boom, followed by another whine and more explosions.
River flinched. Knox ran out of the barn, Hawk and Josh on his heels. Jade looked around and found Declan. He was moving in her direction. His arms going around her was the safest she had felt.
“I think it’s fireworks,” Declan said.
No one had said anything about fireworks when planning the wedding. Jade wasn’t looped into every decision though, so perhaps this was a surprise River and Edith had arranged for their guests. It was an unusual choice; the fireworks would spook the horses and other animals.
Declan led her outside. The air exploded in red, green, blue and white fireworks. They filled the sky, launching high and showering down sparks.
Edith and River came to stand next to Declan and Jade.
“Did you do this?” Edith asked Declan.
Declan shook his head. “I had nothing to do with this.”
Edith and River exchanged confused glances.
“Maybe someone from town?” Jade asked. Heaviness hung on her heart. As the wedding guests gathered outside the barn and watched the fireworks, Jade wondered.
Her siblings had all seemed confused about the fireworks. Could Livia be sending them a message? Usually, Livia was more direct and more aggressive. Fireworks were a nice ending to a beautiful, happy wedding. Livia wouldn’t celebrate their successes in life, especially when she wasn’t around to take credit for them.
Jade had to be paranoid. If Livia wanted to send them a message, she would do it more directly and it would be something hurtful or contain a warning or threat.
When the fireworks ended, the guests returned to the barn.
Edith’s screams split the air.
* * *
Declan ran to Edith, the fear in her voice shaking him. Her hands were clasped over her mouth, muffling her cries.
“What’s wrong?” River had his arm around his new wife.
She pointed to the place setting in front of her. Her champagne glass was half-empty; her cake sat untouched. Next to the plate was a pink handkerchief, embroidered around the edges with black and brown. Declan looked at it.
A note was scrawled on it.
I always threw the best parties. Hope you enjoyed the fireworks. Will be seeing you all soon.
“Did anyone see who put this here?” Declan asked.
Josh and Hawk approached. Hawk lifted the handkerchief with his pen. “How could Livia be here? She couldn’t have gotten this close without someone seeing her.”
“Livia loved antique handkerchiefs,” Leonor said, her voice robotic.
“We were watching the fireworks. I didn’t see anyone,” River said. He looked miserable, worry etching lines into his face.
“I’ll call my buddies from the Rangers and ask if they saw anything. They’re still standing post at the driveway,” Knox said.
Livia was slicker than that. She was far more careful. Waltzing up to Mac’s farm with two off-duty Rangers on the premises wasn’t her style. Her connections to the town and the people would give her a way to find out about River’s wedding, and she would have planned the details of her message carefully. Not a single scrap of evidence would have been left behind.
As murmurs rose around the barn, Declan looked for Jade. She needed him. Law enforcement would respond to this event. Any place Livia Colton showed up or left a clue to her presence reignited the manhunt for her.
Instead of a night of celebration and joy, they were in for
a long night of questions and searching.
Chapter 8
Jade’s nerves were frayed. On top of the long day was the knowledge that her mother was lurking around Shadow Creek, watching them, keeping her finger on the pulse of everything they were doing, having the power to get into Mac’s barn and leave Edith a creepy note—and Jade had no doubt the message was from Livia—meant Livia was still slick and careful.
She could be at Hill Country. Showing up anywhere to do anything because she had power. Prison hadn’t taken away her strength. Loyalty to the criminals in her organization had earned her their respect in return. Favors could be called in.
“I’m spending the night. I’ll sleep in the guest room if you prefer, but I’m staying with you,” Declan said.
He had caught on to her frame of mind and she was grateful that he hadn’t needed her to ask. Her desperation to not be alone had to be clear. “Please come inside.”
Jade had left the light on in the kitchen. Now she turned on the ones leading to the bedrooms. Every light on in the house didn’t seem like enough. “My room.” Having him close felt important.
She kicked off her shoes, her feet grateful to be free. Then she took off her dress. It was still damp from the rain. Declan removed his coat, dress shirt, tie and pants.
“I need a shower,” Jade said.
“Me too.”
“Save water. Shower with a friend?” she asked.
He laughed and followed her into the bathroom.
A quick twist of the handle and the water spurted on. As steam billowed from the stall, she stepped in. Declan was close behind her. Unlike their rendezvous in the car, which had been passionate and intense, this felt lighthearted and easy.
Declan helped her remove the bobby pins from her hair and wash out the hairspray. When they were clean and dry, Jade felt more like herself. “I am glad to be out of that dress. I was afraid the seams were going to give out!”
“You looked great. Thank you for doing this for Edith and River,” Declan said.
