by Francis Ray
“I feel blessed. They give so much, are so impatient for life and yet so afraid. How many people get a chance to touch so many lives in their lifetime? The children are a blessing to me as I hope to be to them.”
No matter how many times she heard her sister speak that way, it always touched Celeste deeply. Yolanda might not have any biological children, but she had hundreds who loved her as much as any mother. “You are. Just as you are to everyone you meet.”
Her sister chuckled. “I’d better get off this phone before you make my head swell. Good night, niña, and sleep well.”
“Good night, Yolanda.”
Celeste snuggled under the covers. If a man was out there, he’d better find her, because she sure wasn’t going looking for him.
THREE
Alec Dunlap was a man who never second-guessed himself. He knew what he wanted and went after it with everything within him. Then one faithful night, it all went to shit.
Leaning against the island counter in the spacious kitchen of the home of his new sister-in-law and brother, Alec’s hand clenched the coffee mug he held. Four months ago, he’d killed a twenty-nine-year-old repeat drug offender. Every minute of that night would forever remain indelibly etched in Alec’s mind.
He and his partner, Tony Durant, had been returning to the station after interrogating a suspect in a double homicide when the call came in for any car near the scene of a robbery to respond. Shots had been fired and a security guard wounded.
Alec and Tony had arrived less than two minutes later and found the security guard unconscious and bleeding from a chest wound. A white panel van with the motor running and the back door open was backed up to the dock. Alec had guessed the security guard must have surprised the thief.
“My turn.” Tony drew his 9mm. “Call for backup. I’m going in.”
Knowing Tony could be as stubborn as he and that they alternated taking the lead, Alec came to his feet. “Be careful, Tony. If he went back inside he’s either a fool or high. Either way, he’s dangerous.”
“Noted.” Tony stepped inside the warehouse.
Alec radioed for backup, checked on the wounded guard, then followed Tony inside. He hadn’t gone thirty feet inside the building before he heard a shot followed by a grunt of pain. From the sound, he knew it was a .38 instead of Tony’s 9mm.
Adrenaline rushing though his body, Alec ran. Seconds later he rounded a stack of boxes to see a slim black man in jeans and a hooded sweatshirt, an evil grin on his face, standing over Tony with a gun aimed at his head.
“Drop it!” Alec yelled, his arm straight and braced.
The suspect swung the gun toward Alec. He squeezed off one round of his 9mm, hitting the man in the chest. The man fell and didn’t move.
Alec spared a glance at his downed partner on his way to make sure the criminal was out of commission and disarmed. He kicked the gun away and leaned down to find the suspect’s eyes wide and fixed. Blood blossomed from his chest, staining his gray sweatshirt. Alec felt his carotid anyway. Nothing.
Alec had received accommodation, praise, and thanks from his partner and his parents, a call from the mayor. Everyone congratulated him on doing his job.
He’d been almost embarrassed by the praise and attention.
He’d just been doing his job. His brother Patrick had been shot in the line of duty and they’d almost lost him. At the end of the day, you wanted to go home to your family. Alec and Tony had been able to do that. He was just happy he’d been there and went about doing his job as always—until he had to draw his gun three months later.
But he froze when the perp got a shot off at him. This time, the perp had taken the lead. The bullet had missed Alec by mere inches. The man had pulled the trigger again, and all Alec could do was stand there and wait to die. He would have if the man’s gun hadn’t been empty. Throwing the gun at Alec, the man had fled. Alec overtook and cuffed the suspect.
The men at the station had praised Alec for getting another criminal off the streets of Myrtle Beach. Tony had been just as effusive with his praise. Alec had just nodded, too aware that by a miracle he’d missed death, that if he’d been with anyone else his inability to act might have gotten them killed.
Being a policeman was all he’d ever wanted to do. His father had proudly served in the police department. Alec and his four brothers were extremely close. All were on the police force, until Patrick retired after he was wounded.
Simon recently had transferred to Charleston, where his new wife lived, but his older and younger brother remained on the Myrtle Beach police force in different units. In the past they openly went to one another with their problems, but Alec couldn’t tell them about this. He was too ashamed of his cowardice.
The only thing he could figure out was to take some time off to work through his problem. Telling his commander would be a death knell to Alec’s job. He’d be assigned a desk job, have more mandatory psych counseling, and have it put in his permanent record. No one would want to stand shoulder to shoulder with him or have him watch their backs if they knew he hadn’t been brave.
Alec’s hand flexed on the handle of the coffee mug. “You have three weeks to get your act together, Dunlap,” he told himself.
Alone in the spacious kitchen, Alec took a sip of coffee, glad Maureen had an automatic timer. He was probably the world’s worst coffee maker, but his body needed at least one cup in the morning to function properly. Too bad, he thought, that it couldn’t heal his other problem. Neither could the dollop of whiskey he’d added, but perhaps it would chase away the face of the dead man that haunted him in his dreams.
Laced coffee in his hand, he headed for the stairs. He had a job to do. Build the surprise wedding present for Simon and his new bride, Maureen. The corners of Alec’s mouth lifted as he thought of the happy couple during their wedding on Saturday, their happiness yesterday when he, Patrick, and his wife, Brianna, had seen them off at the airport to Europe for a combined honeymoon and buying trip for Maureen’s antique shop.
Thankfully, none of Alec’s brothers realized his true reasons for taking a leave of absence. His oldest brother, Sam, might have his suspicions, but thankfully he’d kept them to himself. If he hadn’t, all of Alec’s brothers would have been in his face, trying to help. He wasn’t so sure about Sam’s wife. They didn’t keep secrets from each other, but since she hadn’t hovered over him, Alec thought he was safe on that front.
The pensive look his oldest brother had given Alec the day before the wedding, when he’d told Sam that he wanted to build a gazebo for the newlyweds, warned him that his story wasn’t holding up.
Alec might like to do woodwork, have a workshop in his garage, but he loved being a policeman. He’d gone to the police academy straight out of college and quickly climbed in the force. His keen eye, interrogation skills, and attention to detail made him a natural.
A natural that no longer can find it in himself to pull the trigger of his gun.
He was worthless and potentially dangerous to his fellow police officers. Until he conquered the demon, he couldn’t return to the work he’d always wanted to do.
Resolve swept through him. He’d find a way. His sanity and career depended on it.
Monday morning Celeste was in a buoyant mood as she climbed out of her van and went to the front door of Maureen Gilmore-Dunlap’s beautiful Georgian home. It was a little past eight, and all was quiet in the upscale residential neighborhood.
Celeste smiled and glanced toward the house next door, wondering if Maureen’s son and his new wife, Traci, were up. They’d been married two weeks before in a lavish ceremony, then honeymooned in Paris for a week before returning so Ryan could give his mother away to Simon, his friend and frat brother.
Love had come to Maureen and Traci, close friends, widows, and neighbors, at the same time. Just goes to show, Celeste thought as she inserted her key into the heavy oak door, that it is never too late to find love, and that there are those lucky ones who find it twice. Cel
este’s smile deteriorated.
Gina was such a wonderful, loving woman. She deserved a second shot at the kind of happiness that Traci and Maureen had found.
The rat Robert played the field while Gina worked hard to make a success out of her travel agency business. Through Celeste’s prodding, Gina had contacted Traci and Maureen and had been able to book both their honeymoons and Maureen and Simon’s extended stay in Europe. Gina, always trying to please others, hadn’t wanted to trade on her friendship with Maureen. Celeste had to remind Gina that who you knew was often as important as what you knew.
After so many attempts at a career, Gina had finally found something she enjoyed. She’d make it this time. Celeste was a living witness that if you enjoyed what you did and worked hard, success followed.
Celeste was always excited to begin a new project. Being given free rein in design was a challenge she eagerly looked forward to. She planned on turning Maureen’s bedroom into a luxurious retreat without making it too frilly for Simon to relax in.
Willie, Celeste’s assistant, had tried without success to find matching material to redo the duvet and shams Maureen hadn’t wanted to keep after a burglar had broken into her house and slept on her bed. Unfortunately, the silk material from a French manufacturer wasn’t available.
Maureen, in her typical calm and assertive manner, had decided to redo the master suite after her engagement to Simon, and she’d asked his opinion. Being an astute and loving man, Simon had suggested she keep the blue and beige colors that were throughout the house.
Celeste grinned and twisted the key. She’d bet her van that Simon also knew the same colors were in the master suite. Maureen was certainly a blessed and lucky woman. She probably woke up with a huge smile on her face every morning.
Chuckling softly to herself, Celeste stepped inside the spacious foyer and stopped dead in her tracks.
A man wearing only jeans stood less than twenty feet in front of her, his fingers wrapped around a blue mug. Faded denim molded to his muscular thighs. His long feet were bare as well. Even with him half-dressed, she recognized Alec Dunlap, Simon’s younger brother, immediately.
It would be difficult for a female over twelve years of age to forget the five Dunlap brothers. Even the oldest, with gray at the temples of his thick black hair, was gorgeous. Only the two youngest, Alec and Rafael, were single. The women at Simon and Maureen’s wedding reception hadn’t been shy about trying to hook up with the mouthwatering, tempting Dunlap brothers.
“Good morning, I’m Alec Dunlap. You must be Celeste de la Vega, the interior decorator Maureen said was coming this morning.”
Alec’s voice, a seductive mixture of deep midnight and velvet, vibrated across every one of Celeste’s nerve endings. No wonder there had been such a crush of women around him. Lethal. His dark head twisted to one side. “You are Celeste, aren’t you?”
“Yes, sorry,” Celeste managed, stepping forward to extend her hand and finding her legs a bit unsteady. Alec Dunlap certainly packed a wallop. “Hello, Alec. Maureen didn’t mention anyone would be here.”
Her smile wasn’t returned. Odd. She was known to be able to charm the grouchiest person. Apparently Alec hadn’t heard. The handshake was brief. She tried her best to keep her eyes on his face and not on the impressive chest—which fortunately wasn’t difficult.
“It was sort of last-minute. Sorry about the way I’m dressed,” Alec said. “Maureen said you probably wouldn’t get here until around nine.”
“I thought I’d get an early start,” she explained, and was glad of her decision. Seeing a well-built man like Alec with every muscle delineated was definitely worth getting up early for.
His long-fingered hand speared though jet-black hair. “Me, too. I’m building them a gazebo as a wedding present.”
Celeste’s gaze dropped to his other hand, which was curled around the mug. It was large, competent looking, with long fingers. Bet that isn’t all they are good at, she mused. Aloud she said, “What a fabulous idea. Maureen has a beautiful garden. Have you decided where you’re going to put it?”
“Not yet,” he said slowly.
“Would you like a suggestion?” she asked, watching his beautiful black eyes narrow as if he wasn’t sure of the type of suggestion she meant. Celeste’s smile widened. It was sort of nice to have a handsome man like Alec a bit unsure of her.
“Maureen said you were great at what you did,” he finally said.
Celeste decided to take his comment as a “yes.” “Maureen loves calla lilies. They’re her favorite. They’ve finished blooming for the year, but there’s a great area near their bed that I could show you. It would be perfect for her and Simon to sit and enjoy the flowers surrounding it anytime.”
He frowned. His dark eyes crinkled sexily at the corners.
Was there anything about the man that wasn’t an enticement?
“Was that the flower she carried at the wedding?”
“Yes. I’d be happy to show you where the area is.” And keep on looking at you.
“Thanks. I’ll get a shirt and hurry back.”
Watching him pass, her gaze dropped to his butt. Prime. “Don’t bother on my account.”
He turned, his dark brow arched. “What?”
Oops. She’d forgotten that he was a policeman and could probably hear a pin drop on cotton or, like her mother, could understand hushed whispers at thirty feet. And wouldn’t her mother just love it if Celeste brought Alec home.
She’d heard Simon mention that his maternal grandmother was Puerto Rican. Celeste’s parents were intelligent enough to realize that although heritage was important, it wasn’t the only consideration in finding someone to care for. “Take your time.”
He stared at her a long time as if trying to figure out if that was what she’d said. Celeste’s smile widened. Flirting could be fun. A new experience for her, since men always tried to come on to her. Yet there was something about Alec that excited and drew her.
“No problem. We both have jobs to do,” he told her. “After this morning, you won’t be seeing much of me.”
A pity, Celeste thought. Fortunately, she didn’t voice her opinion. However, she wasn’t able to keep her appreciative gaze from running back over him. A real pity. After one last puzzled look at her, Alec continued up the stairs.
Alec had been a policeman too long not to know when he was being watched. He could actually “feel” Celeste’s hot gaze on him. He kept going. This was no time to get mixed up with a woman. His first and only priority had to be getting his head on straight. Thinking about the way Celeste ran her tongue over her lips when he’d mentioned she wouldn’t be seeing much of him, imagining it gliding over his body, was definitely off-limits.
Opening his bedroom door, Alec snatched up the shirt from the foot of the bed and shoved his arms into the long sleeves. Sitting on the bed, he put on his socks and heavy work shoes. A woman was the last thing he needed right now—even if he’d noticed her Saturday at the wedding reception. Sexy and drop-dead gorgeous with a figure that would make a monk weep for mercy, she had been hard to miss.
And no one could call Alec a monk. It was just as well. His only focus had to be on getting his head on straight. Like he’d told Celeste, he planned to stay out of her way.
Opening the door, he headed back down the stairs, buttoning his shirt as he went. He’d only gone a short distance when he saw Celeste at the bottom, a warm smile on her face. She smiled a lot. Each time he’d been able to find her in the crowd Saturday afternoon, she’d had a smile on her face. A man could get used to that smile.
He stepped off the bottom stair. “I can probably find the spot you’re talking about.”
“With me showing you, you’ll find it that much quicker and be able to start on your project.” She started toward the living room, which led to the terrace. “What type of material and design do you plan?”
So perhaps he had misjudged the way she was looking at him, he decided as he followed, tryin
g and failing to keep his gaze from dropping to the enticing sway of her hips. Just his bad luck to have been sleeping single for the past year. “I plan to match the brick on the house.”
“That’s a good idea, but you might consider unfinished cedar. It would give a softer look and blend in more naturally as the wood ages.” She tossed her suggestion over her shoulder before opening the terrace doors and going outside.
She looked even better in daylight. She came to the middle of his chest. He thought of her resting against him after they made love while he stroked her unbound long black hair, now worn in a ponytail, and gritted his teeth. “You seem to know your way around here pretty well.”
“Maureen is more than a client; she’s a good friend as well.”
Celeste took a path bordered by alternating bursts of purple and white flowers. Alec thought they were pansies.
“She has exquisite taste, as you can see. She just needed someone to bring it all together.” Stopping, Celeste bent to cup a blossom almost as large as her hand.
“That’s not the flower,” he said, marveling at how gently her fingers touched the pink blossom. Would she touch a man’s body the same way?
“No.” She tilted her head, causing her thick, silky hair to slide sensuously across her shoulders and back. “It’s a camellia. My favorite.” She straightened. “And would you believe I can’t get them to grow in my own flower garden, so I have to admire them when I see them.”
“Maybe it’s your soil,” he said before he thought; then he frowned. Why had he felt the need to help her and see her smile again?
“Tested several times.” She continued on the paved path.
“Nettie believes it has something to do with the exposure.”
He knew that name. He pulled his gaze from the enticing sway of her hips and tried to think. “Nettie. She’s one of the women in the Invincible Sisterhood.”
She turned, the smile he was becoming to associate with her on her lips. “Yes, and another woman who might prove that love has been working overtime around here. In any case, a lot of Maureen’s friends and associates teased her about not being able to be a member of the Sisterhood any longer because all of the five members were widows.” Celeste folded her arms. “Maureen nixed that by saying her finding a wonderful man to marry just showed how invincible the Sisterhood really was.”
