by Beth Alvarez
And that meant that whenever the old man changed, he’d clung to life. Felicity couldn’t wrap her mind around that.
“I know,” he grumbled. “I can’t get past that, either.”
“And I can’t get past you being in my head all the time,” Felicity said. “You could see anything in there.” Like the indecent thoughts that rolled through her mind as she felt the definition of his muscles through the fabric of his shirt, or the memories of her short-lived expedition into that Amarillo strip club to find Nick.
A look of alarm crossed Kade’s face and he studied her with great concern. “That’s the last time I ever let you hang out with Cole.”
She couldn’t help but laugh.
“At least it’s only like that with you,” he said. “I could probably read other people the same way, but I don’t want to. I don’t like it. It feels wrong. Dirty, even, like snoopin’ in somebody’s underwear drawer when they’re not lookin’.”
“How would you know what that feels like?”
“Just a guess.”
Chuckling, Felicity hugged him close.
He stroked her hair and the back of her neck, gazing up at the sky. “There are a lot of things I can do now, accordin’ to the papers I saw. I don’t know what all of them mean, but I understand a few. They have whole ranks they sort us into, based on what we can do. I don’t know how high it goes, but I get the feelin’ I’m pretty high up there. What I did to Nick today... I don’t want to ever do that again, but all the Keepers are gonna care about is that I can do it, and that I did.”
“And what did you do?” They hadn’t discussed it, but she already knew it was serious. She’d gathered that much from his Keeper’s brooding silence.
“The book called it compulsion,” he said. “I told him what to do. What to think, what to remember. And that scares me, Filly. I won’t lie. What I am—what I’m turnin’ into—scares me witless.”
Felicity cradled his face. “You’re turning into my husband. That should scare you more than anything else.”
“I’m bein’ serious,” Kade muttered. “I got lucky this time, but there’s a day comin’ when it’s gonna be me they hunt.”
“Then we’ll deal with it when that day comes.” She didn’t know what else to tell him.
He turned his head to search her eyes, his brow furrowing. “Not marryin’ me never even crossed your mind.”
“Why would it?” Nuzzling closer, she pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “I know we haven’t said them yet, but the traditional vows say ’for better or for worse’, and I believe that.”
“They also say ’till death do us part’,” he said. “Seems like that’d pull us apart before we even begin.”
Felicity smirked. “Then we’ll just have to use our own vows.”
She expected a smile or some kind of retort, but instead, he just grew solemn and stared into the night sky.
“What’s the matter with you?” She propped herself on an elbow beside him.
Kade closed his eyes. “I’m supposed to be the strong one. Keeping you safe. Instead, I got myself carted off to some basement bunker two states away, and you were off chasin’ down danger to help my sorry hide. I... I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”
Ah. Wounded pride. He exhibited less machismo than a lot of men she’d known, but he wasn’t immune. “I don’t need you to protect me. In case you’ve forgotten, I’m the one who shot that chupacabra.”
“And I’m the one who saved you from du Coudray,” he retorted.
“And I’m the one who saved you from yourself.”
That quieted him.
Leaning over, she plucked the hat from his head and planted a firm kiss on his lips. “So if they want to hunt you, I say let them try. I may be a baker who likes frilly skirts, but you’re mine, cowboy. And I won’t let go without a fight.” She plopped his hat on her head.
Solemnity broken, Kade chuckled. “Oh, you’re more than just a baker.” He cracked a grin, rolling over and pinning her into the blankets.
“Ain’t you supposed to be saving that for the honeymoon?” Brady called from the other side of the truck.
Kade growled in frustration. “Aw, c’mon, now. I thought we were friends. Why you gotta do that to me?”
Wiggling out from underneath him, Felicity sat up. “What are you doing out here?” The moon was well into its waning phase, but knowing what the full moon could do, it was odd to see Brady out at night.
“Got a visitor.” Brady motioned to a young man at his heels. “He’s here for me, but you were the one who called, so we thought we oughta stop by and say hello. Of course, if it’s a bad time...”
“It’s a fine time,” Felicity said.
Kade shot her a rueful look, but he sat upright and turned to look at the newcomer. “I know you. You’re...”
“Joseph,” the young man supplied, leaning over the side of the truck to offer his hand.
“Moen,” Kade added, nodding. “From New Salem. I remember. How’s your grandfather?”
“Alive, which is kind of a surprise at this point.” Joseph grinned. “I volunteered when I heard your request. It’s the first time I’ve gotten to travel on pack business.”
“Pack business?” Felicity’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you-”
“Yes, but I’d prefer not to discuss it openly,” Joseph said with a polite smile. He was a shade younger than her and Brady—Felicity pegged him as somewhere in his mid-twenties—but there was shrewd maturity in his eyes. If he was part of a pack, she supposed he’d been through a lot at an early age.
Kade touched the small of her back, retrieving his hat from her head and putting it on again. “Joseph’s grandfather is a friend of mine. Soon as I was sure about Brady, I gave him a call to ask for help. He’ll be showin’ Brady the ropes. Teach him to keep hold of himself so he won’t have to worry about this huntin’ mess again.”
“I’ll probably be here for a bit,” Joseph said. “I’d appreciate if you keep things quiet, but if you’re Kade’s mate, I’m sure that won’t be a problem.”
The thought of being anyone’s mate was amusing. Felicity didn’t know whether that was a side effect of the young man being a wolf, or if it was supposed to be some sort of a joke. She chose to ignore it. “Where are you staying?” With Cole gone and Owen leaving soon, she didn’t think one stranger in the bed-and-breakfast would be a problem.
“I brought a camper. It’ll be staying here at the ranch. Kade had mentioned your establishment to my grandfather, but if I’m going to be here for a few moons, it’s probably better if I stay somewhere rural. I’m comfortable around people any time, but...” Joseph trailed off.
“But I’m not,” Brady said. “I need to learn my limits first, so I’ll need him to stick close for the next couple times I change.”
“Well, if you change your mind, our door is always open,” Felicity said.
“Until the weddin’, anyway, at which point I think it’ll be closed. With us behind it.” Kade prodded her ribs with a fingertip. She blushed. “In the meantime, if you think of anything you need me to do...”
Joseph scratched the back of his neck. “For now, just keeping things quiet and uneventful should be all we need.”
Felicity climbed out of the bed of the truck. “Well, good luck with that. Life with Kade is anything but quiet and uneventful.”
Straightening his hat, he followed. “You know what you signed up for, woman.”
Or she’d be signing for it soon, anyway. She smirked at him, hoping he caught that thought. “Anyway, it was nice to meet you, Mr. Moen. I’m glad you’re able to come help Brady out. He’s a good man. But I still need to go over some wedding notes with my unofficial planner before he leaves for Nashville, and it’s getting late.”
“Good thing we interrupted you, then,” Brady teased. “You’d be out here all night.”
From the dirty look Kade gave him, she suspected that was right.
They bid quick good-byes an
d climbed back into the cab of the truck, and Felicity found comfort in holding Kade’s hand on the way back to the house. It was simple, innocent, and exactly what she needed. She suspected there was a lot more that hadn’t come to the surface, and probably wouldn’t for some time. They hadn’t spoken about the lycan contract, the issue with Nick, the details of this compulsion skill, or the rest of what had occurred in Nashville. But they’d addressed Kade’s discomfort with himself. That was surely the most pressing issue, and that didn’t change a thing. He might scare himself, but he’d never scared her.
She turned her head to study his profile and his hand tightened on hers.
The Hilltop House was still bright and cheery when they returned.
“I invited Cole and Justine to the weddin’ before we left Nashville,” Kade said as they parked. “I’d wanted to invite him, but I didn’t know how to track him down. Suppose I can be glad that worked out as it did, if nothin’ else.”
Felicity chuckled. “I’m surprised you didn’t ask him to be your best man.”
“Nah, I already got someone for that. ’Sides, Cole said he’s gonna be runnin’ security for us.” He flashed her a grin, then rounded the truck to open the door and help her to the ground. They climbed the porch, hand-in-hand, only for Regina Foster to open the front door.
“There you are!” Regina planted her fists against her hips. “I’ve been waiting an hour for you to get back here.”
Panic swelled in her chest and Felicity pressed a hand to her sternum. “What happened? Is everything okay?”
There was a hint of sadness in Regina’s face, but she plastered on a smile anyway. “Don’t tell me you forgot we’re finishing your dress tonight.”
Felicity almost groaned.
“Well, that’s all right. We can still do it, but that means you had better high-tail it back to the ranch.” Regina jabbed a finger at Kade’s chest. “The last thing we need is for you to spoil the surprise after all our hard work.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Kade laughed. He tugged Felicity close enough to press a kiss to her temple. “We’ll talk more soon.”
She slid her arms around his waist and gave him a squeeze. “Yes, we will.”
And with any luck, there wouldn’t be any more surprises.
TWENTY-FOUR
* * *
THE LAST TWO weeks before the wedding crawled by with little fuss, restoring the quiet way of life Felicity expected from Holly Hill.
They knocked out the remaining stalls and stripped the old barn of the evidence left by Kade and Brady’s full moon scuffle, then scrubbed the place from top to bottom. The cowboys had chased Felicity out of the barn after that, insisting they’d take care of the rest. She half feared what sort of decorations she’d find when she arrived for the ceremony, but she’d smiled and nodded anyway, then gone to distract herself with the rest of the preparations.
The day before the wedding, cars began to roll in, and the lack of space for everyone in the Hilltop House became apparent. Marshall and Alberta volunteered the extra space in the bunkhouse for guests and Penny volunteered to oversee it. That left Felicity on her own in the bakery, the front door unlocked but the sign turned to closed, her wedding cake perched on the kitchen counter as she mixed decorator icing for the finishing touches.
“Knock, knock,” Penny called as the door swung open.
Felicity put down the large metal mixing bowl and rubber spatula, fixing her hair. “Decided to come lend a hand, huh?”
“I went by the ranch first. I thought you’d be out there. The boys didn’t need any help, so Kade suggested I come this way.” Penny stilled the swinging sign on the door before she joined her in the kitchen.
“Well, I appreciate it. I’ll need more icing than this.” Felicity hefted an empty bowl onto the large stand mixer. “Can you start another batch? The second buttercream decorator recipe in the book.”
“Second recipe? You know, if you use shortening, you can’t still call it buttercream.” Penny pulled her copper hair into a ponytail, sliding an elastic band from her wrist to fasten it. Then she washed her hands.
Laughing, Felicity scraped the spatula on the rim of her bowl. “Oh, hush. You know it looks ivory if you use butter. How do things look out at the ranch?”
Penny shrugged, retrieving a measuring cup from the counter. “I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Kade sent a message, though. He said to tell you his dad and his brother won’t get here until tomorrow. Something about his dad getting held up at work.”
“With what I know about Kade’s father, that doesn’t surprise me in the least.” Felicity gathered ingredients and scooted them down the counter to as Penny scooped powdered sugar into a sifter. “How are you doing, today?”
The redhead grew quiet and for a moment, Felicity regretted asking. Then Penny sighed. “As good as I can be. I have good days and bad. Sometimes I’m relieved to be out of the whole thing, even if I do have to answer questions for the police. Others, I’m just so angry that Nick got us tangled up in all of this in the first place.” Her lip trembled.
Felicity stepped forward, wrapping her in a hug. “I’m sorry it turned out like this, Penny. I really am.”
“It’s not your fault.” Penny sniffed, managing a smile. “Besides, you and Kade are getting your happy ending, and how unlikely does that seem? Maybe there’s hope for me, too.”
* * *
“Should we have written our own vows? I don’t know what I’m supposed to say. The rehearsal wasn’t long enough. Is the officiant even here?” Felicity hiccuped, exhaling and holding it as Gertie wiggled the zipper up her back.
The old woman chuckled. “He’s here. Everyone’s here. It’s fine. You’re the only one who’s this scared, I promise you.”
Felicity couldn’t help wondering if that was true. She would have given anything to know what Kade was thinking right about now; she hadn’t asked what the range on his new abilities was like, but she wouldn’t be surprised to learn he could hear her every thought.
“I shouldn’t have left so much of this to Owen,” she muttered, rolling her shoulders and smoothing her skirts. Antique lace from her mother’s gown adorned her bodice and the edge of the full satin skirt. Regina had managed to whiten it; it barely stood out, blending perfectly with the newer lace that covered her shoulders and arms. The dress was everything she’d hoped it would be.
And here she’d thanked Regina by sending her son to jail.
“He did a fine job, and you know it,” Gertie said. “You went over all those notes and papers with a fine-tooth comb so many times, I’d be surprised if you don’t have them memorized by now.”
“But he-”
“Ordered more than enough fried chicken to meet all your RSVPs, borrowed folding chairs from three churches outside Holly Hill for your event, made sure there would be unsweetened tea for Alberta and whoever else might be diabetic, and triple-checked to make sure the photographer was using a mirrorless camera, for whatever reason you wanted that. Honey, it’s all fine!”
Felicity closed her eyes and breathed. Gertie was right; she knew she was, but she couldn’t help cracking one eye and asking one last question. “And the officiant?”
“Is here,” Gertie laughed, slapping her arm. “Now come on, everyone is waiting!”
“What would I do without you, Miss Gertie?” Felicity let the old woman lead her out of the ranch house, watching as a handful of people ran for the old barn to make sure her soon-to-be-husband wasn’t looking.
Gertie sniffed, tilting her nose skyward. “Well, I don’t rightly know. Seeing as I wasn’t able to talk you out of making your own wedding cake, I’m not sure what use I’ve been at all.”
Felicity ducked her head and focused on her feet as she crossed the gravel. Dozens of cars lined the drive, some parked in the open field, more on the other side of the pasture’s fence. She didn’t know where the cattle were, and all the cowboys were out at the barn. Considering they’d eliminated any possible threats
, she supposed there no longer any reason to have someone ride with the herd all the time. That would mean bad things for Kade’s job, but she supposed they’d cross that bridge when they came to it. It would take time before Marshall would be comfortable with ending the night shift.
Penny met her at the edge of the pasture, bouncing the keys to Kade’s truck in her hand. “Climb in back and stay down. He’ll see you coming, otherwise.”
“This isn’t quite how I envisioned the lead-up,” Felicity laughed, though she did as she was told. Blessedly, someone had thought to toss blankets and pillows to the bed of the truck, shielding her dress from dirt and the rest of her from bruises as they rolled across the bumpy field. They stopped a safe distance from the waiting crowd.
The sun burned bright over the edge of the horizon, the scattered clouds dyed orange and pink by its fading light. The old barn stood out like a beacon in the twilight, aglow with the lights inside. Sheer fabric draped the entryway, spangled with white lights that framed the space where she and Kade would soon be joined. Chairs sat in tidy rows in front of it all, and everyone turned toward the truck with eager expressions.
“Quit looking, you!” Gertie hissed in a whisper, catching Felicity’s face and turning her away. “Your man will be stepping out in just a second and you don’t want him to see you until you start down the row. Here’s your bouquet. And here comes your father.” She pressed a bundle of white roses bound with red and black ribbons into Felicity’s hands. Then she stepped back, smoothing her dress—red with a black lace overlay, matching the ribbons and similar to the design of Felicity’s gown—and taking it all in with a smile.
“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” Emmett said as he joined them, a soft light in his eyes and a warm smile on his face.
