The Gift (The Protectors Book 6)

by Leeanna Morgan

  “Liam is the same age as me. Doesn’t that worry you?”

  “Does it worry you that Hannah is about the same age as me?”

  “We’re not talking about Hannah.”

  Mary-Beth reached for a cookie. “Not yet, but you must have thought about dating her.”

  Brett looked down at his coffee. “It wouldn’t work.”

  Silence fell across the kitchen.

  “Has this got anything to do with mom and dad?” Mary-Beth asked gently.

  Admitting he was terrified of falling in love wasn’t something he was prepared to do, even to his sister. They’d grown up in a battle zone. His parents used words like ammunition, firing shots into each other to see who would drop first. In their family, love was a weakness. It was a state of mind that was okay for everyone else but not for them.

  Mary-Beth sat beside him. “Is that why you haven’t dated many women?”

  “I prefer my own company.”

  His sister’s small hand settled on his. “I felt the same way until I met Liam. He showed me that it’s okay to be vulnerable and let down your guard. He loves me, Brett. Sometimes I think it’s more than I deserve.”

  “It could never be more than you deserve. I still remember the day mom brought you home from the hospital. You screamed blue murder for the first few months, but you were the best thing that ever happened to me.”

  Mary-Beth wiped the tears from her eyes. “You looked after me better than mom and dad did. There wouldn’t be many fourteen-year-old boys who made sure their sister had food to eat and clean clothes to wear.”

  He squeezed Mary-Beth’s hand. “You made me feel whole.” They hadn’t had much, but they had each other.

  By the time he was eighteen, Mary-Beth had been placed in foster care and he was living on the ranch. If it hadn’t been for the McConachies and his sister’s foster family, they would have been two more government statistics.

  “Don’t be sad,” Mary-Beth said. “We can’t change the past.”

  “I shouldn’t have gone to Australia and left you here.”

  “You did what you had to do. I had a good life with my foster family. When you went to Australia, I liked getting your postcards. You were on an adventure, thousands of miles away, and you never forgot me.”

  “Did you think I would?”

  Mary-Beth looked at their linked hands. “Mom and dad forgot about us.”

  “They had problems long before we were born.”

  “I know, but it doesn’t make it any easier to understand.”

  “Have you told Liam what happened?”

  “I did.” Mary-Beth bit her bottom lip. “It wasn’t easy, but he didn’t run screaming from the room. Why are you so worried about him?”

  Brett wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “You’re my little sister. I don’t want to lose you.”

  Mary-Beth kissed his cheek. “You’ll never lose me. Even if we live in different cities, I’ll still call you every day and make sure you’re behaving yourself.”

  “That’s one of the good things about living on the ranch. There’s not much chance of getting into mischief.”

  Someone knocked on the kitchen door.

  Mary-Beth looked up and smiled. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” she whispered.

  Hannah looked at Brett. “Is it safe to come in?”

  “As safe as you’ll ever get,” he said. He glanced at his sister, hoping she didn’t say anything to Hannah. He didn’t want her to know about his childhood, about the choices he’d had to make to survive.

  ***

  Later that afternoon, Hannah stood in the middle of Emily Green’s fashion boutique, staring at Holly. “Oh, wow. You look amazing.” She tried not to cry, she really did, but tears filled her eyes anyway.

  Holly turned in a slow circle in front of the mirror. The bodice of the dress was covered in tiny diamante beads, glittering like diamonds above the full tulle skirt.

  “I feel like a princess,” Holly murmured. “I love the sweetheart neckline and the sparkles. But I’m not sure about the strapless bodice. I don’t want to feel as though the dress needs to be pulled up all night.”

  Emily appeared from behind a rack of dresses. “Once we make a couple of adjustments, the dress won’t move.” She smiled at Holly. “You look lovely.”

  Hannah sighed. “It almost makes me wish I was getting married.”

  “You need a boyfriend first,” Holly said with a grin.

  “Well, there goes that dream.” Hannah lifted a veil off a hanger. “This looked wonderful with the last dress, but I think it will look even better with this one.”

  “You need a tiara, too.” Emily opened a glass cabinet. “And I know exactly the right one.”

  Holly twisted sideways, studying the dress from all angles. “Before everyone gets too excited, I need to know how much the dress costs.”

  Hannah spotted the price tag. “Hold still. It’s on the back of the dress.” She glanced at the price and winced. “Does it really matter how much it costs? You’re marrying a billionaire.”

  “But I’m not a billionaire,” Holly whispered. “Daniel isn’t paying for my dress. I am.”

  Emily walked toward them holding a beautiful tiara. “Don’t worry about the price. We’ll come to an arrangement that suits both of us.”

  Holly’s eyes widened. “Is it that bad?”

  “Six thousand dollars worth of bad.” Hannah hoped Holly’s sigh didn’t mean she would say no. “But it’s totally worth it.”

  Holly didn’t look so sure.

  Emily stood in front of them. “Before you make a final decision, you need to see the dress with a veil and tiara. If you think it looks amazing now, you’re in for a big surprise.”

  Emily turned Holly away from the mirror and gathered Holly’s curly red hair into a soft chignon. Very carefully, she attached the veil with a wide, sparkly comb. Next came the tiara.

  Hannah’s sharp intake of breath made Emily smile. Holly would be a beautiful bride. This dress was easily the best one they’d seen all afternoon.

  “Close your eyes,” Emily said softly to Holly. “I’m going to turn you around.”

  Hannah held her hand over her heart, waiting to hear what her friend would say.

  With Holly standing in front of the mirror, Emily said, “You can open your eyes now.”

  Holly’s jaw dropped as she stared at her reflection. “Is that really me?”

  Emily nodded. “If you’d asked me to design a wedding dress for you, I couldn’t have done any better. You look amazing.”

  Holly’s eyes darted to Hannah. “What do you think?”

  “You’re beautiful.” She wiped her eyes and blew her nose. “The dress is perfect.”

  The bride-to-be looked at her reflection. “This is everything I wanted.”

  Hannah grinned at her friend. “So what are you saying to this dress?”

  Holly laughed. “I’m saying yes to this dress. I don’t care how much it costs.”

  “In that case,” Emily said, “I’m pleased to tell you it won’t cost anything.”

  Holly gasped. “I can’t let you do that.”

  “Daniel told me the name of the magazine that has exclusive rights to your wedding photos. The publicity from those images will more than cover the cost of the dress.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “More than sure. I’m just happy you wanted to wear one of my gowns.”

  Hannah passed Holly a bunch of tissues.

  “Thank you.” Holly hugged Emily, then opened her arms to Hannah. “It’s time for a group hug. I’m getting married!”

  Hannah hugged her friends tightly. It seemed like a lifetime ago that Holly had joined her and Claire to trial an online dating app. And now, more than eighteen months later, she was getting ready to marry the man of her dreams.

  ***

  Hannah sat on the sofa in the living room. Mary-Beth had driven home half an hour ago after they’d finished dinner. Whateve
r Brett had said to his sister didn’t seem to have upset her.

  After she’d left, Brett carried the mystery painting they’d found in the attic into the living room.

  Pat looked carefully at the front and back of the painting, trying to find any clues about the identity of the artist. “Ida and I didn’t buy the painting,” he murmured. “My grandmother brought it with her from Connecticut. It hung in her formal dining room for years.”

  Brett tilted his head to the side, staring intently at the canvas. “It’s similar to the big painting in your office.” He pointed at the gray clouds looming above the mountains. “It looks as though a huge storm is coming. The sunlight breaking across the mountains should have brightened the landscape, but somehow it makes it even moodier.”

  “It’s the shadows,” Hannah said slowly. “The sunlight creates more shadows than the storm clouds. It’s the opposite of what you think should happen.”

  Pat sat in his chair. “The painting in my office is by Albert Bierstadt. I’ve never heard of anyone owning one of his paintings that wasn’t signed.”

  “Maybe he didn’t like this painting when it was finished,” Brett suggested. “I wouldn’t want anyone knowing I’d painted something I wasn’t happy about.”

  Hannah reached for her laptop. She typed Albert Bierstadt’s name into the search bar and scrolled through the results. “This might help.”

  Brett walked away from the painting and sat beside her. “What have you found?”

  “Someone has listed every canvas he ever painted.” Hannah clicked through the first four pages of images.

  “How many paintings are there?” Brett asked.

  Hannah looked at the numbers running along the bottom of the page. “Lots.”

  Pat sipped his coffee. “Bierstadt painted hundreds of images of the American West. Some critics said his canvases were too dramatic and verged on being expressionistic. But he studied under a German romantic painter—what did they expect? Ida and I always enjoyed the Bierstadt we bought at auction.”

  “Do you think this could be an unsigned canvas?” Hannah asked.

  “It could be, but it’s highly unlikely.”

  She looked at a few more pages on her laptop. All of the images had the same gentle blend of color and similar composition. If the painting wasn’t a Bierstadt, it was a very good imitation. “I know someone who might be able to help us.”

  “Who?” Pat asked.

  “Nick Costas. As well as being able to value your paintings, he knows a lot of people in the art world. He’s sent paintings to restoration experts and the Smithsonian for authentication. If anyone knows who we should contact next, he does.”

  “I agree,” Pat said. “Nick knows what he’s talking about. Why don’t you take some photos of the painting and email them to him?”

  “That’s a great idea. I’ll call him tomorrow morning and see if he has any questions.”

  “In the meantime, we should try Mrs. Bennett’s boysenberry cheesecake. It’s Brett’s favorite.” Pat winked at Hannah. “If you ever want Brett to do something for you, make him a cheesecake.”

  “You make me sound like a pushover,” Brett grumbled.

  “I think your sweet tooth is kind of cute,” Hannah said with a smile. “And if you like baking cheesecakes as much as eating them, this could be the best job I’ve ever had.”

  “I wouldn’t be too quick to say that. Mrs. Bennett’s cheesecakes beat mine hands down.”

  “You’ll have to make one before I leave,” Hannah said. “And if it were lemon, you’d earn bonus points.”

  “Is there anything else you’d like?”

  The sexy smile on his face made her blush. “You’ll get me into trouble, Brett Forster.”

  “It couldn’t be worse than the trouble you’re already in.”

  Hannah pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Apart from not following your directions, I’ve been on my best behavior.”

  “That’s what’s worrying me.” Brett picked up their coffee cups. “Pat and I will be in the kitchen. Don’t take too long or there won’t be any cheesecake left.”

  Hannah saluted his back. “Yes, sir.”

  Pat chuckled as he left the living room. “I’m going to miss you when you go home, Hannah.”

  “I’ll miss being here, too.” She watched Pat walk slowly cross the room. She hadn’t been lying when she said she’d miss everyone. There was a strong bond between Mrs. Bennett, Pat, and Brett. They might not be related, but they were as close as any family. It was nice to be part of a family; part of something bigger than her own life.

  She focused her phone on their mysterious painting and took a few photos. When she was happy with the images, she emailed them to Nick. The more she studied the canvas, the more certain she was that it could be a Bierstadt. And if that were true, Pat would have to invest in a new security system. Because this painting, along with the rest of his collection, was worth a lot of money.

  ***

  The next morning, Hannah bit into a piece of toast and watched Mrs. Bennett roll out some pastry. Dividing her time between the McConachies’ art collection and finishing her latest painting was working better than she thought it would. So far, she’d spent more than eight hours painting. It didn’t sound like much, but it was more than she’d managed all month. But today, she was focusing on Pat’s art collection.

  Mrs. Bennett frowned at the jacket hanging over the back of Hannah’s chair. “It’s going to be another cold day. If you go outside, make sure you wear lots of warm clothes.”

  Hannah smiled. Each day, Mrs. Bennett said the same thing. “I will, but I’ll be working in the attic this morning.”

  The phone in the kitchen rang. “I’ll get it,” Hannah said as she walked across to the counter. “Hello. This is the McConachie ranch. How can I help you?”

  “Is that you, Hannah?”

  She smiled when she heard Nick Costas’ deep, Greek-accented voice. “It is, Nick. How are you?”

  “I am feeling excited. I turned on my computer this morning and saw the photos you sent to the gallery. Has Pat remembered any other details about the painting?”

  “No. He’s going to visit Ida today and see if she remembers anything. Do you think it could be a Bierstadt?”

  “It is hard to say from the photos. I would like to come to the ranch to look at it myself. Would this be okay?”

  “Of course it would. But if you’re busy, Pat could bring it into town this afternoon.”

  “It would be easier, but not better. I could be at the ranch in one hour.”

  Hannah frowned. “You think it’s that important?”

  “It could be a very important discovery.”

  “We’ll see you in an hour. I’ll let everyone know you’re coming.”

  “That would be good. I will see you soon.”

  And in typical Nick fashion, he disconnected the call and left Hannah staring at the phone.

  “Is everything okay?” Mrs. Bennett asked.

  “I think so. Nick Costas will be here in about an hour to look at the painting.”

  “That sounds promising.”

  It did to Hannah, too. “If it is a Bierstadt, I wonder how it ended up in Pat’s grandmother’s dining room.”

  Mrs. Bennett placed a small plate upside down on the sheet of pastry. “She could have inherited it from another family member.”

  Hannah sighed. “Pat’s going to call his cousins to see if they know anything about the painting.”

  Using a sharp knife, Mrs. Bennett cut a perfect circle of pastry around the plate. “It could have been in the attic for a long time. It’s a pity Pat’s grandparents didn’t tell him more about the painting.”

  “Hopefully, Nick might be able to tell us something.” Hannah rinsed her breakfast dishes and placed them in the dishwasher. “I’ll tell Pat and Brett that Nick’s on his way here. After that, I’ll either be in the attic or the living room.”

/>   “Sounds good. Pat’s in his office.” Mrs. Bennett said as she lined a dish with baking paper.

  “Thanks.” Hannah walked out of the kitchen and climbed the stairs. She hoped Nick could tell them more about the painting. If it was by Albert Bierstadt, it could take a lot of time and money to have it authenticated. And if anyone realized how many valuable paintings were on the ranch, it could create more issues than Pat needed.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Hannah looked up as Brett walked into the dining room. They’d spread a blanket over the table and Nick was studying the painting she’d found in the attic.

  “Bring the light a little closer,” Nick said to her.

  Hannah tilted the LED flashlight to the right.

  “That is good.” After focusing on one area of the canvas, he stood and smiled. “I have good news, and not so good news.”

  Pat gave a resigned sigh. “Before you tell us about the painting, I’d like to introduce Brett Forster. Brett, this is Nick Costas.”

  Brett held out his hand. “We’ve met once before at the retirement village.”

  Nick nodded. “I remember. I haven’t seen Ida for a few weeks. How is she?”

  “She’s doing okay.”

  “That is good.” Nick turned to Pat. “Does Ida know anything about the painting?”

  “I’ll ask her when I’m at the village this afternoon. What have you discovered?”

  Nick placed his magnifying glass in his briefcase. “The canvas reminds me very much of Albert Bierstadt’s work. The composition, color, and brushstrokes are all reminiscent of his style. However, with limited information about its provenance, it is impossible to say who may have painted this canvas.”

  “Was that the good news or the bad?” Pat asked.

  “A little of both. I can not rule out that the painting isn’t a Bierstadt. If you asked me to tell you my initial reaction, I would say we have an undiscovered masterpiece in front of us. But I have been known to be wrong.”

  Hannah turned off the flashlight and grinned at Nick. If the painting really was a Bierstadt, it could be the biggest art discovery of the year. “What should Pat do next?”