The Texan Quartet (Books 1-4) Omnibus

by Claire Boston

Eyota had told him Piper was meeting the bus at the stadium where the kids were going backstage to watch the sound checks before heading to the bayou for lunch.

  Ignoring the churn, he focused on his task, which was checking off the names of the kids who were on the bus. When he was satisfied, the bus drove off.

  Inside it was noisy. The kids ranged from as young as eight right up to eighteen, and they were excited. Tai sat at the front and kept an eye on things, but there were no problems. The kids were thrilled to be on an excursion to the city, and on their best, if loudest, behavior.

  He ran through what he wanted to say to Piper, but they arrived before he came up with a decent sentence, let alone a whole explanation.

  They pulled into the parking lot and Bradley ran to the front of the bus.

  Tai put a hand out to stop him. “Whoa! Wait until the bus has stopped,” he said.

  “But there’s Piper!”

  Tai glanced out the window and his heart stopped.

  It was indeed Piper.

  His heart kicked into gear again, this time at double speed, and the nausea whipped up his stomach like a hurricane.

  She looked amazing.

  She was dressed in a patterned, knee-length skirt and a fitted red top. She was smiling and waving at the bus, and he wished the smile were for him.

  The bus stopped and the doors opened.

  “Slowly,” Tai advised, and let go of Bradley, who raced down the steps and into Piper’s arms.

  She laughed and hugged him back.

  If only it could be that easy for him.

  He waited until all the children had disembarked before he got off. Piper hadn’t noticed him and while he was tempted to go straight up to her and drag her away, now wasn’t the time. They had children to look after.

  Piper directed them all to the backstage door where George was waiting. He gave each child a backstage pass.

  “All right. You need to stick together. No wandering off, otherwise you’ll get me into trouble,” George said.

  There were a few murmurs of agreement before George let them inside.

  Tai stayed at the back to make sure no one got left behind, or indeed tried to wander off.

  His eyes kept finding Piper wherever she stood, which was generally at the front, with Bradley, her faithful shadow, at her side.

  George showed them the dressing rooms, where the kids got to meet Kent Downer. Kent spoke with them for a few minutes, and signed autographs, before George hustled them to the next spot.

  Tai hadn’t seen Adrian in costume before. It was strange. He hung back to shake his hand.

  “The kids are having a great time,” he said.

  “Sure are. It’s a blast to meet them all,” Adrian replied.

  Just then Tai noticed a couple of kids hanging back, glancing around as if they were going to sneak off. “I’ll catch up with you later. Good luck tonight.” Tai called out to the kids, who jumped guiltily, groaned and continued following the group.

  George led them into the seating area, where they sat to watch the sound check. He explained what was going on.

  Tai couldn’t concentrate on the words. His eyes were firmly fixed on the back of Piper’s head, willing her to turn around.

  She didn’t.

  What could he possibly say to make up for how he had treated her?

  How could he show her he was sorry, that he didn’t mean what he’d said?

  In front of him children stood up and he brought his attention back to what was going on. The sound check was finished and it was time to go. Tai stood up to wait for the kids to file out of their seats and found himself face to face with Piper.

  He froze, drinking in every aspect of her. She had darkness under her eyes that told him she wasn’t sleeping much.

  “Tai,” she said.

  It had to be a good sign she was willing to acknowledge him. “Piper.” He longed to reach out and touch her, but one of the other chaperones called out for them to hurry up. There was a busload of children waiting for them.

  As Piper turned to go, he blurted, “Could I have a word with you later?”

  She nodded, not letting any emotion show. “Sure.” She walked off at George’s call. The relief was immense. After how cruel he had been to her, he’d been expecting anger or complete dismissal, not agreement.

  Maybe he had a chance.

  “Are you and Piper still fighting?” Bradley asked.

  “We’re not fighting,” he said. They had to be talking to do that.

  Bradley squinted up at him and then shrugged, and joined the others.

  ***

  There was no chance to talk to Piper before they got on the bus to head for the bayou and a picnic lunch.

  At the park, both he and Piper were surrounded by the children wanting to talk to them about their week, or something at school. Normally he loved listening to the kids and encouraging them, but today he wanted Piper alone.

  She wasn’t making it any easier for him. She laughed and played with the children, always just out of his reach.

  After lunch they went to the Museum of Natural Science and he again had to bring up the rear with Piper at the front.

  It was agonizing to have her so close and not be able to speak to her.

  But he needed to be alone with her to say what he wanted to say.

  ***

  Dinner was a fast-food extravaganza because it was the cheapest to do on a budget. Then they all returned to the stadium and found their seats.

  Tai was getting desperate. If he didn’t talk to Piper now, he wouldn’t get another chance tonight. Bradley was going home with her after the concert and he was taking the bus back to the reservation.

  Unfortunately she was also at the other end of the seating row to him. He leaned over to one of the other chaperones in front of him. “I need to talk to Piper for a moment. Are you fine with the kids?”

  “Sure.”

  Relieved, he jumped up and walked down one of the empty rows until he got to Piper. Then the nerves kicked in again.

  “Can I talk to you a minute?” he asked, when she glanced up at him.

  She indicated the empty chair next to her. “Have a seat.”

  He squirmed. “Privately.”

  A frown crossed briefly over Piper’s face, but she spoke with the other chaperone on her side and then followed Tai out into the foyer. There were people milling around, but it was about as private as he was going to get.

  But now he had her to himself, he wasn’t sure where to start.

  “What did you want?” Piper asked, her tone polite.

  It was too polite. There was no emotion there. Perhaps she didn’t love him any more. He swore to himself. There was only one way he was going to find out. “To apologize,” he said. “And to explain.”

  She was silent, waiting for him to continue.

  “You were right about the article. I knew you hadn’t written it, that it wasn’t your fault. I told Stan after you left. I used it as an excuse to break up with you.”

  She showed no surprise, no change of expression at all. “Why?”

  “I did know about the tribal laws from the beginning. I wanted to tell you, to explain it couldn’t be serious, but I didn’t know how to bring it up. I enjoyed being with you and I didn’t want that to end. I was so very selfish.” He ran a hand through his hair. This was the hardest bit. “And then I realized we’d become more. I panicked. It happened so fast. I didn’t want to love you because it couldn’t work out.” He was making a mess of it.

  “So you’re telling me this to ease your conscience? To give me a nicer goodbye?”

  The words terrified him. “No.”

  She crossed her arms. “Tai, I know how important your tribe is to you. I understand you want your children to be part of that. But I won’t keep dating you until you find a nice Queche girl. I deserve more than that.” Her eyes flashed.

  She didn’t understand what he was trying to say.

  He took hold of her
hands. “That was the reason I pushed you away, but I’ve been so miserable. Everything I did, everywhere I went, reminded me of you. So many people would mention your name and I would ache right here.” He touched his chest. “Eyota finally had enough of my temper and spoke to me. She made me realize that tribal membership is in the heart, not on a piece of paper. As long as we raised our children right. And anyway Stan is going to propose to change the law.” He smiled. “You won him over with your manuscript.”

  Piper’s lips curved upward in a hopeful smile. “So what are you saying?”

  What was he saying? Couldn’t she tell?

  But, no, he hadn’t told her. His heart full with hope he said, “I love you. You brought the sun into my life, a shelter from the storm, and the hope instead of despair.”

  Piper’s smile was as bright as that sun. She flung her arms around his neck. “I’m so glad you realized.” She kissed him and her taste was so familiar, so right. “I love you too.”

  Tai wrapped his arms around her, not willing to let go. “I’m so sorry,” he murmured. “So very sorry for those horrible things I said to you. I was hurting so badly, but I had to push you away. I’d hoped you hadn’t fallen in love with me yet, like I had with you.”

  “How could I not love you?” Piper asked. “You’re the most giving, generous and kind man.”

  She still loved him. His chest wasn’t big enough for the emotion swirling inside of him. He leaned his forehead against hers. “You make me feel like I can be that kind of person,” he said. He’d had meaning to his life before she came along, but now he also had true happiness.

  They would make a life together.

  They would build a family

  They would love.

  Epilogue

  “I can’t believe in the year since I got married, the three of you have fallen in love and now Piper is getting married,” Libby said as she slid into her royal purple bridesmaid dress, which had been specially designed to fit over her sizeable baby bump.

  Piper barely believed it herself.

  It was her wedding day.

  She never would have imagined when she’d met the surly but gorgeous Taima Woods that she would be walking down the aisle to marry him in eight short months.

  But sure enough, here she was on the reservation, in the house that had been Jerry’s and was now where she, Tai and Bradley stayed when they came, getting ready for her wedding.

  Imogen dabbed a tissue at her eyes. “Quiet, you’ll start me crying.” She poured glasses of champagne and handed them around to Rayen, Piper, Elle and Ashlin.

  Elle shook her head. “I’ll have iced tea too.”

  Piper whirled around to face her friend. “Is there something you’re not telling us?” she asked.

  Elle glanced away. “No.”

  Libby and Imogen put down their glasses and looked at Elle.

  “Spill,” Piper demanded.

  “This is your day,” Elle protested.

  “And I want to know, so tell me.”

  Elle sighed. “I was going to wait until after. I didn’t consider the alcohol.”

  Piper clenched her hands together, waiting.

  “I’m pregnant. George and I are having a baby.” Her smile was radiant.

  Piper’s squeals were added to Libby’s and Imogen’s, and they surrounded Elle, giving her a group hug.

  Kate hopped up and down. “Another baby! It’ll be best friends with ours.” She was thrilled Libby was having a baby and couldn’t wait to meet her new cousin.

  “When are you due?” Libby asked.

  “Not until September. I’m just glad the dress still fits. I was panicking I might put on weight.” She smoothed down the front of her bridesmaid dress.

  “You’re not showing at all,” Imogen assured her.

  “May your child have wisdom and strength,” Rayen said, with a smile.

  “Congratulations, Elle,” Piper’s mother said, giving her a hug. “How does Toby feel about it?”

  Elle glanced to the living room, where her son was waiting with Piper’s father. “We haven’t told him yet. He wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret. He’s been hoping for a brother for a while now, so I think he’ll be happy.”

  Piper was so happy for her friend. Elle and George had got married in December because, after Imogen’s garden wedding, George had declared he couldn’t wait any longer. They had married a couple of weeks before Christmas in a beautiful venue overlooking lush gardens, just north of Houston.

  And now they had a baby on the way.

  Piper hugged her friend again.

  “Girls, if we’re not going to be late, we need to finish up here,” Ashlin said.

  Piper checked the time. Her mother was right. They were due at the lake in twenty minutes.

  “Tai won’t mind waiting a little,” Rayen said.

  Piper grinned at her soon to be cousin. “But I do!” She couldn’t wait to marry him, to make their promises and to start on the next stage of their life together.

  Imogen carefully lifted the wedding dress off the bed and Piper slipped out of her kimono wrap. She stepped into the dress and held it in place while Imogen and Ashlin did it up.

  It fit perfectly. Imogen had done an amazing job designing exactly the type of dress Piper wanted. It was strapless, tightly fitting around her waist before flaring out to a slightly full skirt. Just enough bounce for fun, but not enough to be difficult to walk in.

  “You’re beautiful, darling,” her mother said, tears welling in her eyes.

  Piper’s own eyes watered in response.

  “Don’t!” Imogen commanded. “No crying until after the ceremony.”

  They all laughed at the mock severity.

  “Come on, ladies,” Michael called from the living room. “We need to get moving.”

  Piper slipped on the beaded sandals Rayen had made her – a tradition of the tribe – and stood up. “How do I look?”

  “Like my baby grown up,” her mother said.

  “Like a woman in love,” Libby said.

  “Like my new cousin.” Rayen smiled at her.

  “Like the happiest woman in the world,” Imogen said.

  “Like a bride,” Elle told her.

  Piper choked back tears. She was the luckiest woman in the world to have such wonderful friends and to be marrying her best friend of all.

  “Let’s go then,” she said and walked out to greet her father.

  ***

  The ceremony was being held at the edge of the lake. The whole tribe had been invited, and Tai’s staff, as well as Piper’s family and friends. From the car she saw Tai and the groomsmen – Adahy, George, Tom and Bradley – standing at the lake’s edge. She and Tai had agreed on a ceremony that mixed traditions from both of their cultures.

  Tai was absolutely stunning in his tribal garb. Adahy and Bradley wore similar clothing, and George and Tom were wearing black suits.

  Bradley fussed with his sleeves. Piper smiled. She’d fallen in love with the boy too, and she and Tai had been fostering him for months. He had moved to Houston with them, but they returned to the reservation each weekend, and during the school vacations Bradley and Piper spent more time there, staying in Jerry’s house. They were investigating how they could adopt him.

  Being a freelance journalist meant she had the flexibility to choose her jobs and work where she wanted to work. She was also project managing the construction of the youth center, which required her presence on the reservation regularly.

  “Are you ready?” her father asked, reaching a hand in through the door.

  Piper blinked. All the others were waiting for her outside the car. Taking her father’s hand, she stood up and let Imogen fuss with her dress.

  Then with a nod to Adrian to say she was ready, she rested her hand in the crook of her father’s arm and followed Toby, Kate and her bridesmaids down the aisle, while Adrian played an acoustic version of her favorite love song.

  Her eyes met Tai’s and her heart
lifted. She smiled so widely she suspected she resembled the Cheshire Cat, but she didn’t care. The man she was going to spend the rest of her life with was right in front of her and his gaze told her he was as happy about it as she was.

  Finally she reached his side. With a few words from the clergyman, her father had given her away, and she held Tai’s hand.

  “I love you,” she mouthed at him, not really listening to the ceremony.

  He grinned at her and, quick as a flash, kissed her on the mouth.

  “Wait a minute. There’ll be plenty of time for that later,” the clergyman grumbled.

  The assembled crowd chuckled.

  Piper didn’t care because he was right. Today was just the beginning.

  They had their whole lives ahead of them.

  A lifetime of love and family.

  Acknowledgments

  A book is never completed in isolation. For Into the Fire I had many people who provided me with information and whom I need to thank: Teena, for her information about journalism and newspapers; the Rayne’s Writers Research group, who provided me with information about Native Americans, in particular JoAnn, Shane and PB; Michael, for his information about banjolins – I told you I could work it into the story!; and a huge thank you to my beta reader, James, who read the entire book over a weekend and gave me some invaluable advice about my representation of Native Americans.

  In this story, Taima is of the Queche tribe. After much deliberation I chose to make up a tribe rather than use an existing tribe for a number of reasons: the reservation needed to be within easy driving distance of Houston so that Tai could return on the weekend; I wasn’t able to get in touch with the relevant tribe to ensure my reservation information was correct, and I didn’t want to get it wrong; and many tribes from that area of Texas, which are considered by some sources to be extinct (such as the Karankawa), have people claiming to be descendants, so I didn’t want to offend anyone by appropriating their culture. I sincerely hope that I cause no offence for making up a tribe and a reservation.

  Finally I must thank the team at Momentum: Joel, Ashley, Patrick, Michelle, Kate and Jon. As always you’ve helped me publish the best work I can, and I appreciate your hard work and endless patience in answering my never-ending emails.