The Feisty One: A Billionaire Bride Pact Romance

by Checketts, Cami

  Tucker nodded and they all followed the police officer out the door.

  “After questioning, we’re going to your house and you’re going to cuddle me the rest of the day,” Maryn told Tucker.

  He glanced down at her with an eyebrow arched and a grin on his face. “I’m in.”

  Tucker kept his promise and held Maryn all afternoon while they both dozed. They woke as the sun was setting over the Pacific Ocean. Maryn yawned and snuggled against his side, looking out at the view from his sitting room. “That’s beautiful,” she said. “I think I could live here.”

  “You’re beautiful,” Tuck said. “Would you live here? Would you marry me, Maryn?”

  Maryn sat up straighter. “Now wait a minute. That is no kind of way to propose to a girl. Nuh-uh. I need flowers and a beautiful ring and maybe some music, but most of all there needs to be kissing. Lots of kissing.”

  Tucker stood and walked away from her.

  “Where are you going?” He couldn’t fulfill the kissing requirement if he was leaving her.

  “Just a second.” He winked at her. “I’ll be right back.”

  He walked out of the room and Maryn wondered what in the world was going on. If she was really getting a proposal, she needed to freshen up. A girl had to have dreams.

  She ran into the bathroom and swished water around in her mouth then made sure her makeup from last night was still semi in place. She looked tired but not horrible. She found some toothpaste in the drawer and scrubbed her teeth with her finger. Feeling better and hoping Tucker was coming back soon, she eased herself down onto the couch again.

  Tucker walked in with flowers in one hand and some kind of tickets in his other hand. Soft music played through the house’s built-in speakers.

  Tucker held up two tickets. Maryn stood and leaned closer to read what they were, but he kept them just out of reach. “What are they for?”

  “Nope. I need a kiss first.”

  Maryn laughed and kissed him, grabbing the tickets from his hands as she pulled back. “Chargers and Broncos? Yes! My Broncos are going to kill your team.”

  He watched her with an amused glint on his face. “If you wear a Peyton Manning jersey I will claim I don’t know you.”

  “You’d better believe I’m wearing his jersey. Peyton is my boy.”

  “Oh? I thought I was your boy?”

  Maryn trailed her fingers down his chest. “No, you’re my man.”

  Tucker chuckled, wrapped his arms around her waist, and softly kissed her. Maryn dropped the tickets on a side table, ran her hands up his chest to his shoulders and deepened the kiss. She trembled from his touch and knew she would only want this man, even if Peyton Manning came knocking.

  Tucker pulled back, dropped to one knee and pulled out a ring box.

  Maryn thought she might faint. “How did you? When did you?”

  “I bought it two weeks ago.” He grinned at her.

  “Oh, my heck!”

  Shaking his head, he said, “Maryn Howe, will you marry me?”

  He popped open the ring box but she was already yanking him to his feet, throwing herself at him, and almost knocking him over.

  “Yes!” she screamed, kissing him until he knew she meant it. Pulling back, she looked at the open ring box. The ring was a beautiful round diamond set in a thick gold band. It was exquisite and as simple as a two-karat diamond could be. “Oh, I love it.”

  “You do?”

  “It’s perfect.”

  Tucker grinned, pulled it out of the box, and slipped it on her finger. Maryn studied the ring for a minute before looking back into his dark eyes. “I love you, Tucker Shaffer.”

  He swallowed and pulled her in for a lingering kiss. “I love you, Maryn Howe.”

  “I never thought I’d be grateful to be attacked by a bear, but I am. Otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten to know you.”

  “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, saith the Lord.’”

  “What the heck?” Maryn straightened up. “You’re quoting me scripture?”

  “I’ve been reading a bit since we talked about being forgiven.”

  “I really do love you,” Maryn said.

  Tucker lowered his head to hers and softly kissed her. “I really do love you back.”

  Mama Porter insisted on a celebration dinner that night. As they all sat around talking and eating roast beef, potatoes, carrots, and green beans, Mama interrupted the conversation, “Now, Maryn, I don’t want you to go worrying that this whole crowd is going to be living with you once you two get married.”

  Maryn swallowed a bite of sweet carrots and looked at Tucker. “Of course you’ll all still live with us. We’re family.” She had to clamp down on emotion as she said that. She’d never really had family and now because of Tucker, she would.

  “Of course we are, dear, but you and Tuck need to have your own place and run around naked like newlyweds do.” Her face colored. “Oh, my, can’t believe I just said that.”

  Braxton laughed. “What Mama is trying to say is we’ll see you often, but we’re going to give you two some space.”

  Tucker nodded thoughtfully.

  “And I bought the Hotel del Sol,” Johnson interjected. “I’m going to be living there while I renovate a great house I found a mile down the beach. So you won’t have to worry about me watching you running around naked.” He winked and murmured, “Though I wouldn’t complain.”

  “Oh, Johnson!” Mama Porter grabbed the dish of green beans and scooped some on her plate.

  Maryn laughed. “Good. You shouldn’t see that. The Hotel del Sol is a cool hotel,” Maryn said. “We’ll come stay.”

  “I’m in,” Tucker murmured close to her ear and her stomach filled up with happy butterflies.

  “Maybe you should have your wedding there,” Johnson suggested, a twinkle in his eyes and his dimples deepening.

  “Ooh, I like that idea. What do you think Tuck?”

  “I don’t care if we get married in Vegas as long as I get to marry you.”

  Maryn hugged him and laughed. “Thank you, lover, but we’re definitely not getting married in Vegas.”

  “Hotel del Sol it is then. Thanks, Johnson.”

  “Sure thing. I’ll have the wedding coordinator get a hold of you soon. What’s the date?”

  Tucker arched an eyebrow at Maryn.

  “What’s your earliest opening?” she asked Johnson, not taking her eyes off of Tucker.

  Tucker grinned and kissed her. Maryn sighed against his lips as everyone else chuckled or groaned.

  “I’ll have them schedule you in as soon as possible,” Johnson said, rolling his eyes and spearing some roast.

  “Do you want to stay here in California or live somewhere else for a while?” Tucker asked her.

  “I don’t care where we live as long as I get to be with you.”

  “Oh, man, that’s cheesy,” Johnson said.

  Tucker stood and took her hand. “Excuse us for a minute.” He winked at Maryn and led her out onto the back patio then around the side of the house. Maryn tingled from his touch and his look.

  “Done with dinner, my love?”

  “Done with being watched when all I can think about is kissing you.”

  The waves broke and rolled against the sand, and the moon was reflected in the ocean. Maryn could only see Tucker lowering his head, smell Tucker’s wonderful scent, and feel him wrapping her up in his arms and kissing her until she knew being Mrs. Tucker Shaffer was going to be the best experience of her life.

  Also available:

  Shadows in the Curtain

  Dead Running

  Dying to Run

  Christmas Kisses: An Echo Ridge Anthology

  Christmas in Snow Valley

  Summer in Snow Valley

  Spring in Snow Valley

  The Fourth of July

  Reality Ever After

  Poison Me

  The Colony

  Cami is a part-ti
me author, part-time exercise consultant, part-time housekeeper, full-time wife, and overtime mother of four adorable boys. Sleep and relaxation are fond memories. She’s never been happier.

  Sign up for Cami’s newsletter to receive a free ebook and information about new releases, discounts, and promotions here.

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  www.camichecketts.com

  “I, Erin Marie Parker, do solemnly swear, that someday I’ll marry a billionaire ...

  OR I will have to sing the Camp Wallakee song (with the caws) at my wedding.”

  The Camp Wallakee girls all ended up on the same row at the wedding. Erin was the last to arrive and was greeted with a chorus of squeals and hugs. She took the seat on the end of the aisle and shifted to adjust the skirt of her silvery gray dress. After brushing her rose gold hair out of her eyes, she leaned forward and beamed down the row at her girls. It was as if no time at all had passed and they were kids at camp again – sharing care packages from home, riding the zip line into the lake, roasting marshmallows around the campfire, and telling creepy stories in the cabin with flashlights under their chins. Erin’s stories were usually the best, probably because she had the best ear-splitting scream and she liked to spring it on them when they least expected it. She always had to tell her story last because the resulting chaos would usually bring in a counselor who would yell at them to go to sleep.

  Erin looked again at the row of women sitting beside her. Okay, some things had changed. The scrawny, scabby knees were gone, as was most of the acne. And they’d all filled out – some more than others. Lindsey was beautiful with her enormous blue eyes and pouty lips; Taylor was still tall and skinny, but not all arms and legs anymore; and Holly looked polished and perfect in her designer dress and chestnut highlights.

  To her right, MacKenzie sighed. “Isn’t this beautiful?” she said to Erin.

  Erin glanced around. “Yeah. But who gets married in a cemetery?” There was no denying that the West Laurel Hills Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania was a beautiful place. The grass was still green, but many of the trees were wearing their autumn colors and the splashes of red, yellow, orange, and brown created a nice contrast against the blue of the sky and the white and gray tones of the mausoleums and gravestones.

  The aisle between the rows of transparent chairs was a carpet of autumn leaves, ending at the Louis Burk mausoleum It was pure Roman architecture with its ionic columns flanking a copper gate, weathered to a gray green patina and featuring a sorrowful maiden in a dramatic pose that brought a sweet ache to Erin’s heart. The wide, low steps of the mausoleum were banked with flowers in shades of cranberry, pale pink, and ivory.

  But still, a cemetery?

  MacKenzie laughed. “That’s Nikki. You didn’t think she’d pick somewhere normal, did you?”

  Erin couldn’t say. Nikki had always been a little quirky, but Erin hadn’t been privy to her wedding plans. In fact, she hadn’t known Nikki was even engaged until she got the invitation in the mail. They’d all tried to keep in touch in the years following camp, but some were better at it than others, and their contact had become less and less frequent as they got older and busier. Erin could probably have remembered what each of her friends was doing now if pressed, but she’d have to think about it a little bit first.

  Which was part of the reason she was so excited for the wedding. Taylor’s wedding four years earlier didn’t count because Taylor had eloped and hadn’t invited anyone. This was the first time most of the girls had been together again and it was the perfect opportunity to catch up.

  “Do you know the groom?” Erin asked MacKenzie.

  “Not at all,” MacKenzie shook her head. “But I hear he’s loaded.” She elbowed Holly, who sat on her other side. “Isn’t that right?”

  “What?” Holly looked up from her phone.

  “Isn’t Darrin super rich?” MacKenzie repeated.

  Holly nodded. “I think he owns some kind of software company.”

  “Count it,” Erin smiled in satisfaction. “We never said it had to be inherited money.”

  “What are you talking about?” Holly wrinkled her perfect brows.

  “The Billionaire Bride Pact,” Erin clarified. “Remember?”

  “I do,” MacKenzie put in.

  Understanding dawned in Holly’s eyes. “Oh, that’s right. I forgot about that.”

  Erin glanced at Holly’s left hand, where a diamond the size of a small Volkswagen glittered on her ring finger. “I guess it’s lucky you found Josh then,” she said, widening her eyes dramatically. “Or you’d get ... the consequence.” The Billionaire Bride Pact had been her idea – because of course it had – and the notion that anyone had simply forgotten about it rankled a bit.

  Holly gave her a small, tight smile. “I guess.”

  “Do you know what these chairs are called?” MacKenzie said amid the sudden tension. She tapped the seat of her transparent chair with her long, pink fingernails. “Ghost chairs. Appropriate, no?”

  Erin nodded, but her stomach was tight. Holly had always been hard to read and the two of them had clashed more than once at camp. Erin had had a talent for annoying her then and it looked like that hadn’t changed.

  She glanced down the aisle again, taking note of who was missing.

  “Do you know if Kynley is coming?” Of all the Wallakee girls, Erin missed Kynley the most. Maybe it was because they had such similar personalities.

  MacKenzie shook her head. “I’m sure she wanted to be here, but with her crazy touring schedule, she probably couldn’t get away.”

  “What about Alyssa?”

  “She’s here, off taking pictures probably. Maryn’s saving her a seat.” MacKenzie nodded her head toward the empty seat at Maryn’s side. Alyssa and Maryn had come to camp together; Erin wasn’t surprised to see they were still close friends.

  “What about Summer?”

  MacKenzie rolled her eyes. “Who knows where Summer is? Probably sailing down The Vltava on a raft.”

  They laughed. If anyone could be found sailing down The Vltava on a raft, it would be Summer. “I’ll bet she’s wearing some funky bohemian outfit and has picked up at least one hunky Czech boyfriend, maybe more,” Erin said, leaping into the fantasy.

  “I’m guessing more,” MacKenzie said.

  There was a disturbance at the back and they all turned. The wedding party was getting into position.

  “Don’t you love weddings?” MacKenzie sighed, once it became obvious they weren’t quite ready to start. “Holly, have you decided where yours will be yet?”

  “Please have it outside,” Erin urged. “Though maybe not in a cemetery.”

  “Ha! I’m getting married in the winter. Trust me, you do not want to be outside for very long in a Utah winter,” Holly replied.

  “But you could ride in on a sleigh, pulled by white horses,” Erin said excitedly. She could almost see it. With her dark hair, Holly would make a beautiful winter bride. “The horses could have sleigh bells and you could wear a white fur cape and carry a bouquet of red roses, mistletoe, and holly berries. It’s perfect!” She put her hand over her mouth and launched into her best Darth Vader wheeze, “it’s your destiny.”

  Holly laughed. “Maybe I should hire you as my wedding consultant.”

  Erin shook her head, relaxing at the sound of Holly’s laughter. “Not my gig. But I’ll give you that idea for free.”

  They stopped talking as a pastor in a long black robe came down a side aisle, followed by a string quartet and a guitarist. The musicians took seats to the left of the mausoleum, while the pastor went to the steps. After a brief tuning, the guitarist began to play a series of chords and the quartet joined in soon after. Erin had expected Canon in D or some other wedding staple and was pleasantly surprised when they began to play Can’t Help Falling in Love.

  Everyone turned as the wedd
ing party made its way down the carpet of autumn leaves, starting with Darrin and the best man. Darrin was not quite the kind of guy Erin would have imagined for Nikki, but he was cute in an understated way. His dark brown hair was newly trimmed, but still managed to look a bit shaggy, growing past his ears and long over his forehead. He had big, solemn brown eyes that made her think of a puppy poster, but when he smiled, they twinkled merrily at the guests. He was obviously having the time of his life.

  Erin had missed yesterday’s pre-wedding dinner. “Is he nice?” she whispered to MacKenzie as Darrin passed their row.

  “He’s great,” MacKenzie replied. “They’re so cute together.”

  Darrin and the best man reached the front and took their places at the pastor’s side as the parents began their walk down the aisle. Next came Nikki’s five bridesmaids in long gowns of varying shades of pink, wine, and cranberry. They were escorted by groomsmen in black suits with ties that matched the bridesmaid’s dresses. Erin’s eye fell on the second groomsman in line. He was tall, with dark wavy hair and was looking mighty fine in his suit.

  “Check out number two,” she muttered.

  “Oh yeah!” MacKenzie replied.

  But as the wedding party came closer, Erin’s hopes evaporated. Number two was wearing a wedding band. Bummer.

  The bridesmaids and groomsmen fanned out on either side of the pastor as the musicians paused, then started into the familiar Wedding March.

  Erin couldn’t suppress a squeal of delight when Nikki and her father arrived at the head of the aisle. Nikki’s dress was ivory with a deep, V-neckline. The cap sleeves and fitted bodice were delicate lace that transitioned gradually into a flowing chiffon skirt. Her auburn hair was caught in a chignon at the base of her neck and covered by a veil edged in lace. She held a bouquet of creamy roses, accented with cranberry and pink flowers. Erin shot a glance at Darrin and was satisfied to see his mouth open and his eyes gleaming with tears as he gazed at his bride. Pure devotion. The way it should be.