The only thing to mar the event was Kellie’s absence. After she’d learned there was going to be a wedding, and had been told the true facts, she was desolate for all the things she’d said. But Nik had gotten on the phone and put her mind at ease. Just when Fran thought she couldn’t love the man more, he did something to win her heart all over again.
Unfortunately, Kellie hadn’t been feeling well and decided not to make the flight over.
Fran believed her, but she also knew she was afraid to come to Greece. Leandros kept an eye on her even when they were apart. He would know if she returned to attend the wedding. Fran promised to stay in close touch with her.
Nik had taken another week off in order to be home. When they weren’t playing with the baby or eating, they found joy in each other’s arms. Fran was existing on an entirely different level of happiness. It transcended what she’d known before.
The thought of tonight after they’d put the baby down and could concentrate on each other sent heat surging through her body. It was embarrassing how eager she was, but she loved her husband so much, she couldn’t hide it if she tried.
She hurried into their bedroom barefooted to get busy and was just smoothing the duvet when she was grasped at the waist from behind and spun around.
“Nik!” she squealed in shock and joy. No one looked more gorgeous than he did, especially in his tan suit and tie. “You’re not supposed to be home until tonight! You’ve caught me looking terrible.”
His dark eyes devoured her. “Every husband should be so lucky to come home and find his wife in a pair of shorts like yours. I have to admit my T-shirt adds an allure, but I think we’ll dispense with it.”
“Darling,” she half giggled the words as he put actions to his words and followed her down on top of the bed she’d just made.
“There’s no help for you now,” he growled the words into her neck. “I peeked in on Demi and she’s out for the count.”
“But today’s your first day back.”
“It was.” He plundered her mouth until she was breathless. “Sandro told me I was worthless and sent me home.”
“He didn’t—”
Nik rolled her over so she was lying on top of him. “No, he didn’t. Actually, I sat at my desk and didn’t hear a word my assistant said to me. My bros came in to eat lunch with me. When I couldn’t carry on a coherent conversation with them, I knew what I had to do.”
He turned her on her back once more. “Something smelled good when I walked in.”
“It’s my surprise dinner for you.”
That heartbreaking smile broke out on his handsome face before he pulled a necklace out of his pocket. “This is a choker of gemstones the color of your eyes. It’s for seven days of bliss,” he murmured as he fastened it around her neck. “Happy anniversary, you beautiful creature. If a man could die from too much happiness, I’d have expired a week ago.”
“I love you, Nik. I love you,” she cried as rapture took over. She forgot everything until they heard Demi start to fuss much later.
Nik groaned and slowly relinquished her mouth with a smile. “We’re going to have to do something about this. While I was in my office, the thought came to me that you could work with me. We’d bring in a playpen for Demi.”
Laughter bubbled out of Fran. “That would be a novelty for about ten minutes before it turned into a disaster, but I love the idea of it. Maybe if your father put in two days a week, you and I would have more time together and could sail around the Aegean with our little girl. What do you think?”
He planted a long, hard kiss on her mouth. “I love the way you think. I’ll call him later.”
“Go ahead and do it right now. Think how happy it will make him.”
Nik frowned. “What’s the matter? Are you tired of me already?”
“Darling—” She leaned over him, kissing every centimeter of his face. “You know better than that. I just thought if you do this now, my Atlas will stop worrying about him. I’m afraid I’m very selfish and want all your thoughts centered on me.”
“Don’t you know they are?” he asked in a husky voice. “Why do you think I came home early today?”
She pressed a kiss to his lips. “Then humor me.”
He groaned again. “Hand me your phone. Mine is on the floor with my clothes.”
“Where they should be.”
Laughter escaped his throat. “Whoever dreamed I’d be married to such a ‘wicked’ wife?”
“There’s still a lot you don’t know about me.” With a chuckle, she took her phone from the bedside table.
As he pressed the digits, she whispered in his ear. “Tell him we need him to start work as soon as possible. I want you all to myself for as long as you can stand me. When the tornado brought Demi to me, it also brought her uncle. It was written in the whirlwind.”
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from Single Dad’s Holiday Wedding by Patricia Thayer
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CHAPTER ONE
SHE still wasn’t sure if coming here was a good idea.
Lorelei Hutchinson drove along First Street to the downtown area of the small community of Destiny, Colorado. She reached the historic square and parked her rental car in an angled spot by a huge three-tiered fountain. The centerpiece of the brick-lined plaza was trimmed with a hedge and benches for visitors. A pathway led to a park where children were playing.
She got out, wrapped her coat sweater tighter against the cold autumn temperature and walked closer to watch the water cascade over the marble structure. After nearly twenty years many of her memories had faded, but some were just as vivid as if they’d happened yesterday.
One Christmas she remembered the fountain water was red, the giant tree decorated with multicolored lights and ornaments and everyone singing carols. She had a family then.
A rush of emotions hit her when she recalled being in this exact spot, holding her father’s hand as he took her to the park swings. One of the rare occasions she’d spent time with the man. He’d always been too busy building his empire. Too busy for his wife and daughter. So many times she had wanted just a little of his attention, his love. She never got it.
Now it was too late. Lyle Hutchinson was gone.
With a cleansing breath, she turned toward the rows of storefront buildings. She smiled. Not many towns had this step-back-into-the-nineteen-thirties look, but it seemed that Destiny was thriving.
The wind blew dried leaves as she crossed the two-lane street and strolled past Clark’s Hardware Store and Save More Pharmacy, where her mother took her for candy and ice cream cones as a child. A good memory. She sure could use some of those right now.
There was a new addition to the block, a bridal shop called Rocky Mountain Bridal Shop. She kept walking, past an antiques store toward a law office
with the name Paige Keenan Larkin, Attorney at Law, stenciled on the glass.
She paused at the door to the office. This was her father’s town, not hers. Lyle Hutchinson had made sure of that. That was why she needed someone on her side. She pushed the door open and a bell tinkled as she walked into the reception area.
The light coming through the windows of the storefront office illuminated the high ceilings and hardwood floors that smelled of polish and age, but also gave off a homey feeling.
She heard the sound of high heels against the bare floors as a petite woman came down the long hall. She had dark brown hair worn in a blunt cut that brushed her shoulders. A white tailored blouse tucked into a black shirt gave her a professional look.
A bright smile appeared. “Lorelei Hutchinson? I’m Paige Larkin. Welcome home.”
* * *
After exchanging pleasantries, Lori was ushered into a small conference room to find a middle-aged man seated at the head of the table, going through a folder. No doubt, her father’s attorney.
He saw her and stood. “Lorelei Hutchinson, I’m Dennis Bradley.”
She shook his offered hand. “Mr. Bradley.”
When the lawyer phoned her last week, and told her of her father’s sudden death and that she’d been mentioned in his will, she was shocked about both. She hadn’t seen or talked with her father since she’d been seven years old.
All Lori was hoping for now was that she could come into town today, sign any papers for Lyle’s will and leave tomorrow.
The middle-aged attorney began, “First of all, Lorelei, I want to express my condolences for your loss. Lyle wasn’t only my business associate, but my friend, too.” He glanced at Paige and back at her. “I agreed to see you today knowing your reluctance. Your father wanted the formal reading of his will at Hutchinson House tomorrow.”
Great. Not the plans she had. “Mr. Bradley, as you know, I haven’t seen my father in years. I’m not sure why you insisted I come here.” He’d sent her the airline ticket and reserved a rental car. “If Lyle Hutchinson left me anything, couldn’t you have sent it to me?”
The man frowned. “As I explained on the phone, Ms. Hutchinson, you’re Lyle’s sole heir.” He shook his head. “And that’s all I’m at liberty to say until tomorrow at the reading of the will. Please just stay until then. Believe me, it will benefit not only you, but this town.”
Before she could comprehend or react to the news, the door opened and another man walked into the room. He looked her over and said, “So the prodigal daughter finally made it to town.”
The big man had a rough edge to him, his dark hair a little on the shaggy side. He was dressed in charcoal trousers and a collared shirt, minus the tie. His hooded blue-eyed gaze fringed by spiky black lashes didn’t waver from her.
Paige stood. “Jace, you shouldn’t be here. This is a private meeting between me and my client.”
He didn’t retreat. “I just wanted to make sure she doesn’t take the money and run. Lyle had obligations he needed to fulfill before that happens.”
Lori wasn’t sure how to handle this—Jace’s attack. But having heard of her father’s shrewd business deals, she wasn’t surprised by the man’s anger.
“I’m Lorelei Hutchinson, Mr....”
He stepped closer. “Yeager. Jace Yeager. Your father and I were partners on a construction project until I realized Lyle pulled one over on me.”
“Jace,” Bradley warned. “Work stopped because of Lyle’s death.”
The man made a snorting sound. “It wouldn’t have if Lyle had put his share of money into the business account in the first place.” He glared at Lori. “Sorry if my impatience bothers you, but I’ve been waiting nearly three weeks and so have my men.”
“Be patient a little while longer,” Bradley told him. “Everything should be resolved tomorrow.”
That didn’t appease Mr. Yeager. “You don’t understand. I can’t keep the project site shut down indefinitely, or I go broke.” He turned that heated look on her and she oddly felt a stirring. “It seems tomorrow you’re coming into all the money. I want you to know that a chunk of that belongs to me.”
Lori fought a gasp. “Look, Mr. Yeager, I don’t know anything about your partnership with Lyle, but I’ll have Paige look into it.”
Jace Yeager had to work hard to keep himself under control. Okay, so he wasn’t doing a very good job. When he’d heard that Lorelei Hutchinson was coming today, he only saw red. Was she going to stroll in here, grab her daddy’s money and take off? He wasn’t going to be on the losing end with a woman again.
Not when his business was on the chopping block, along with his and Cassie’s future. Just about every dime he had was wrapped up in this project. And it was already coming to the end of October as it was, with only bad weather on the horizon. It needed to be completed without any more delays.
Jace looked over Lyle’s daughter. The pretty blonde with big brown eyes stared back at him. She had a clean-scrubbed look with a dusting of freckles across her nose, and very little makeup.
Okay, she wasn’t what he expected, but he’d been wrong about women before. And the last thing he wanted to do was work for her. After his ex-wife, he wasn’t going to let another woman have all the control.
He looked at Bradley. “What does Lyle’s will say?”
“It won’t be read until tomorrow.”
Lori saw Jace Yeager’s frustration, and felt obligated to say, “Maybe then we’ll have some news about the project.”
He glared. “There’s no doubt I will. I might not have your father’s money, Ms. Hutchinson, but I’ll fight to keep what’s mine.”
Jace Yeager turned and stormed out right past a tall redheaded woman who was rushing in. “Oh, dear,” she said, “I was hoping I could get here in time.” Her green eyes lit up when she saw Lori. “Hi, I’m Morgan Keenan Hilliard.”
“Lori Hutchinson,” Lori said as she went to shake Morgan’s hand.
“It’s nice to meet you. As mayor, I wanted to be here to welcome you back to town, and to try and slow down Jace. Not an easy job.”
Since Paige and Bradley had their heads together going over papers, they walked out into the hall. “I’m not sure if you remember me.”
“I remember a lot about Destiny. Like you and your sisters. You were a little older than I was in school, but everyone knew about the Keenan girls.”
Morgan smiled. “And of course being Lyle’s daughter, everyone knew of you, too. I hope you have good memories of our town.”
Except for her parents’ marriage falling apart, along with her childhood. “Mostly, especially the decorated Christmas tree in the square. Do you still do that?”
Morgan smiled. “Oh, yes and it’s grown bigger and better every year.” She paused. “Our mom said you have a reservation at the inn for tonight.”
She nodded. “I don’t feel right about staying at the house.”
The redhead gripped her hand. “You don’t have to explain. I only want your visit here to be as pleasant as possible. If there is anything else, any details about your father’s funeral.”
Lori quickly shook her head. “Not now.”
Morgan quickly changed the subject. “Look, I know Jace isn’t giving you a very good impression at the moment, but he’s having some trouble with the Mountain Heritage complex.”
“I take it my father was involved in it, too.”
Morgan waved her hand. “We can save that discu
ssion for another time. You need to rest after your trip. Be warned, Mom will ask you to dinner...with the family.”
Lori wasn’t really up to it. She wanted a room and a bed, and to make a quick call back home to her sister.
Morgan must have sensed it. “It’s only the family and no business, or probing questions. We’ll probably bore you to death talking about kids.”
Lori relaxed. She truly didn’t want to think about what would happen tomorrow.
“You’re right. That’s what I need tonight.”
* * *
That evening as Jace was driving to the Keenan Inn, he came to the conclusion that he’d blown his chance earlier today. He tapped his fist against the steering wheel, angry about the entire mess.
“Daaad, you’re not listening.”
Jace looked in the rearview mirror to the backseat. “What, sweetie?”
“Do I look all right?”
He glanced over his shoulder. His daughter, Cassandra Marie Yeager, was a pretty girl. She had on stretchy jean pants that covered coltish long legs and a pink sweater that had ruffles around the hem. Her long blond hair had curled around her face with a few tiny braids. Something she’d talked him into helping with.
“You look nice. But you always do.”
“We’re going to Ellie’s grandmother’s house. Ellie Larkin is my best friend.”
“I think she’ll like your outfit.”
“What about my hair?”
“Honey, I’ve always loved your blond curls. The braids are a nice touch.”
That brought a big smile to her face and a tightening in his throat. All he ever wanted was for her to be happy.
Baby out of the Blue Page 17
