by Loni Ree
“My plane is ready to go. Just say the word.” I’m looking down at the two shirts, trying to decide, when I hear Damien talking to Jackson in the living room. Telling myself I should mind my own business but not having the ability to listen to my own advice, I place my ear next to the paper-thin wall between my bedroom and living room.
“You said you’re dying to get the fuck out of here, and now that Jason got your ass cleared so you only have to pay your fucking fines, let’s hop on the plane. You can come see The Git-It-On Ranch.” I don’t hear Jackson’s reply because I’m stumbling to my bed with tears blurring my vision. That jerk. I knew he didn’t love Naverton like I do, but he’s been hinting at staying. Was it all an act to get into my pants?
Deciding it’s better to give myself time to come to terms with this new information before I confront Jackson, I throw on a shirt and head out the door. Luckily, my condo is set up in such a way that I can walk down the hall without being seen by the occupants of the living room. I hear the two men’s voices while my traitor bird sings, “Asshole,” continuously. I grab my purse off the hall table and slip out the front door, my heart completely shattered.
I find myself at Sweet Treats where Megan and Tricia are sympathetic to my troubles. I’ve only known them since Megan’s sister, Sophie, started dating Jason, but the ditzy duo, as Jason calls them, are perfect for soothing my shattered heart.
“Are you sure Jackson was agreeing with his holy hotness?” Tricia asks as she hands me another decadent creme puff. “I mean, it’s hard to disagree with anything the rock god himself says.”
Megan hip-checks her and I roll my eyes. “Shush, she doesn’t need you drooling over the enemy.”
“Enemy or not, he’s a god.” Watching these two fight while stuffing myself full of sugary sweets is helping me forget my shattered heart, temporarily.
As my friends are arguing back and forth, I realize that I never did hear Jackson’s response. Doubts begin to seep into my mind as the sugar chugs through my veins. I’m biting my lip, wondering if I’ve made a horrible mistake, when the bells above the front door frantically jingle then smash into the sheetrock. We all jump and spin around.
“Woah there, Conan,” Megan shrieks as Tricia starts gasping.
Jackson stalks over to me, and the fierce expression on his face causes me to freeze. “You better have a good explanation for all the worry you’ve put me and your family through, or I’m going to beat your little ass.”
“Holy shit, I need new underwear.” Tricia’s whispered words echo throughout the quiet bakery, and Damien smirks as he raises an eyebrow in her direction.
He smiles at my friends and suggests, “Ladies, why don’t we let these two have a few minutes alone,” and the stunned ditzy duo follow him into the kitchen.
“What the fuck?” Jackson growls as tears overflow my eyelids and streak down my cheeks.
“I heard you guys. I know you’re leaving town.” Pushing the words past my dry lips, I watch as he rubs the side of his jaw.
“So, you didn’t wait to hear the whole conversation? If you had, you would’ve heard me tell my brother that I’d bought you a house in town. For us to live in together.” My shattered heart mends back together at his words, and I want to kick myself.
“Really?” I throw my arms around his neck, but he stands stiffly in my embrace until I continue. “I’m so sorry. I love you so much, and I was so scared to lose you. Loving you has turned my whole world upside down. I’m usually the level-headed one, and you’ve turned me into a big marshmallow.”
Chapter 27
Jackson
“What the fuck are you talking about? I said that the night I got arrested. Things have changed since then. I met Candace, and hell, I bought a house here. The love of my life is in this town. You called her your sister. What the fuck?” Even the bird pauses his Assholes and looks at me in shock as my brother’s mouth falls open, then he opens and closes it, just like a fish.
“Holy shit, hell has frozen and pigs will fly. I didn’t think you meant forever, forever. God, are you sure?” He rubs the back of his neck. “You do realize every chick on the planet is going to expect me to settle the fuck down now, right? They’ll think it’s contagious or something.”
It hits me that I’ll be dealing with both of my girl’s siblings from now on, not just my asshole brother, but I just rub my eyes and let him know, “I’m not concerned with your inconvenience. Tell your bodyguards to man the fuck up.” Out the corner of my eye, I notice Dirk’s head twisting back and forth, and I wonder if we’ve managed to break the bird.
“Maybe one day your cold ass will fall in love.” I doubt it myself even as I speak the words, and he looks at me like I’ve lost my mind before I continue, “Let me grab Candace, and we’ll go get breakfast. I’m sure this is going to be a shit show, but since you don’t care, I’m ready to sit back and watch the fireworks.” The bedroom is empty, so I peek into the bathroom and don’t find her in there. I don’t start worrying until I find her phone sitting on the bedside table, but her purse and keys are missing. After finding out from the front desk that she did leave approximately fifteen minutes ago, I really start to panic. What the fuck is going on?
I have Damien call Jason while I check with Harris and Jordan. There’s no family emergency to explain her sudden disappearance, so I’m filled with alarm. Surely, she has a good reason for fleeing; I just can’t figure it out.
Finally, after I spend most of the day searching everywhere I can think of, Sophie’s sister lets Jordan know that Candace is safe at her bakery. While I’m elated to know where she’s at, I’m ready to spank her little ass for terrifying me. There had better be a damn good excuse for this shit show.
Her excuse pisses me the fuck off. She didn’t even trust me enough to wait around to find out if I was thinking about leaving. Then she describes her feelings, and I know just how she feels. Ever since I turned around and saw her gaping at me in her kitchen that first morning, my world hasn’t been the same. How can I hold a little fear against her? “Don’t you ever pull that shit again! Talk to me,” I demand as I hold her close. Then I add, “I love you so much. You might think you’re a marshmallow, but you’re actually the best Candy Kane I’ve ever gotten.”
“Oof.” I’m bent over rubbing my stomach when my brother comes back into the room with a questioning look on his face.
“He’s going to make sure I never get called Candy Kane again.” She smiles at him, and I agree once I recover from her punch. I make a mental note never to call my girl Candy Kane again, and I vow to get that last name changed so we don’t have these issues in the future.
I get my engagement ring planted firmly on her finger that day, then we move into our new home right away. We wait until after Damien’s tour ends and Sophie has her twins to get her last name changed. Hell may have frozen over in more ways than one. My brother is suddenly coming to town way more than necessary to see us. I want to question him, but Candace tells me to mind my own business, and I’ve learned to listen when my girl gives me instructions.
I want my girl to have her wedding just the way she’s always envisioned it, so I’m shocked when she asks me to take her away to a tropical island. “Hell yes, that’s fine with me, but your brothers both have new babies. Who’s going to take care of Dirk?” I worry.
She shrugs. “Uncle Harris. It’s his turn to get some feathered loving.” I shake my head and quietly wonder how this is going to work out. Harris Kane lives alone, with no pets and no distractions. The man is a living, breathing computer. I’m dying on the inside, thinking about Harris taking care of our loud, obnoxious bird for a week.
I let Candace drop Dirk off at Harris’ house since everyone in the family knows she’s his favorite. It takes over seventeen hours of flying to reach Tahiti. Fuck, I should have taken Damien up on his offer to use the jet. Who ever heard of flying east from Ohio to Atlanta then back to Los Angeles and finally on to Tahiti? Damn. My body feels like it’s
been through a washing machine. Luckily, I have a gorgeous redhead snuggled up next to me to make the time go faster. Too bad there are also about two hundred other people with us, so I can’t spend the time fucking her. Another reason I should have said yes to the private jet.
After checking into the hotel, we sleep for twenty-one hours, then check out the beautiful beach before making sure everything is ready for our wedding. “Last chance. We can have a great vacation then go home and have a wedding that your whole family can attend.” I give her one more chance before we head up to get ready for our ceremony.
“Are you trying to worm your way out of making an honest woman out of me?” She pouts with worry.
I can’t resist her plump lips, and I lean down to nip her bottom lip before answering, “I want you to have the wedding of your dreams. I don’t care where we get married as long as I get to keep you.”
“Then let’s get this wedding underway. I’m ready to get on to our honeymoon.”
As she grabs my hand and pulls me to the door, I agree, “I love the way you think.”
The private ceremony on the beach only takes fifteen minutes. The only part that really catches my attention is when the minister tells me I can kiss my bride. Candace is now mine forever.
We’re about to celebrate our wedding at the small empty restaurant when a familiar tune begins to play. I turn and find my brother standing on the tiny stage. He shrugs his shoulders as he picks up the microphone. “My plane was available, and I wasn’t going to miss your wedding, even though you didn’t invite me.” Now, I know why there wasn’t anyone else in the room with us. “Don’t worry, I got my own suite. Sheesh. I know you don’t share.”
I just shake my head as I feel Candace’s shoulders shaking. Damien begins to sing one of his most popular love songs, and I dance with my girl. I guess I’ll let him provide the live entertainment, but someday, I’ll get revenge as only a sibling can.
Epilogue-1
Jackson-Nine Months Later
I can’t fucking believe Deputy Jones is going to try to pull me over again. This time, I have a reason for going so fast. He’s going to have to shoot me to stop me from taking my wife to the hospital. Before he walks to the side of my car, I’m yelling out the window, “Look, Rodney, Candace is in labor. I have to get her to the hospital. NOW!”
“Well, shit, Jackson. Follow behind me.” The man’s voice cracks as he runs back to his car and speeds past me. With Deputy Jones driving like a maniac, we make to the hospital in no time at all.
A couple of hours and three thousand steps paced later, our twin daughters are born. Macy and Melissa are perfect, female but perfect. Candace has come through the ordeal like a champ. Yet, I may never be the same. That part of the body shouldn’t do the things I saw it do today. Another thing, the Kane family only knows how to produce girls. I know they say that the male is responsible for determining the sex of babies, but I have a hard time believing this could be my fault. Not after both of her siblings recently had little girls. I’m placing the blame squarely on the Kane genes.
“Your daughters are beautiful,” Harris gushes over his great-nieces. For a man who has great-nieces, he’s in wonderful shape. He looks more like a father than a grand-anything, and I think to myself that it’s a shame he doesn’t have kids of his own to spoil. Only a bird. Yep. He’s the proud father of a Macaw. Dirk never did come home after our wedding. Harris Kane and the crazy bird discovered a love for each other that Candace and I refused to separate. We visit our little buddy often but agree that he’s where he needs to be—making Uncle Harris’ life a little bit brighter and louder.
Epilogue-2
Candace-Six Years Later
Macy and Melissa have been begging all week to have Claire over for a sleepover. They love trying to impress their older cousin. Having three little girls running around the house makes for a loud weekend, but we survive, well, normally, I survive. Jackson usually locks himself in his man cave and writes when he’s overrun with women. Or, as he states, he “hides from the carnage.”
This weekend, I have revenge on my mind. My husband should know better than to mess with me. I have a lovely anniversary present waiting for him when he walks through the door after a day-long field trip with the girls. Since he doesn’t have a book deadline for quite a while, I decide now would be the perfect time to remodel his man cave. Workmen have removed the door and are in the process of tearing up the old flooring as he comes to a halt in the doorway. “What the…” He stares at the empty room.
“Happy Anniversary. I know you’ve wanted to remodel this old room for a long time. I set your temporary office up in the den so you can be close to all the action. You know, the fingernail painting, makeup applying, giggling. All the fun you usually miss.” I smile up at him and watch him wince.
“What did I do to deserve your wrath?” He sighs and I shrug.
“You told Mrs. Jasper that I might be able to find an eligible man to marry her daughter.” All the guys have felt sorry for little Tommy ever since he started hanging out and watching Sunday football games with Jordan. Both Tommy and his grandmother desperately want to find a daddy for Tommy. It’s so sad, and I truly wish I could help, but I have no clue who I could set up with Ellie Jasper. Unless… Well, that’s a crazy idea.
While the crazy idea circles around in my mind, my husband groans, “What happened to my sweet wife who gives me Candy Kisses?”
“She’s taking you for a massage next weekend,” I answer, and he winces as he rubs the back of his neck.
“Is there any way I can get you to forgive me so we can move past this without me getting all the hair removed from my body?”
I think about it for a few minutes, and then I tell him, “You see, here’s what we’re going to do…”
See what happens when the Kane Triplets set out to find a daddy for Tommy. The next book in the Kane Kisses Collection will be coming in February 2020.
About the Author
Loni Ree is an author of Contemporary Insta-Love Romance. She plans on releasing several books in the upcoming months that will be available on Amazon.
Loni Ree is a very busy mom of six who loves to read, and she finds that it helps her escape the chaos of everyday life. She likes quick reads that are red-hot and on the excessive side. Writing has also been a passion of hers, and Loni decided to share the stories floating around in her mind. Her short, steamy stories are a little over the top because she believes reading should be an escape from real life. She writes steamy love at first sight that always leads to a happily ever after!
Website: lonireeromance.com
https://linktr.ee/loniree19
I’d love to hear from you! You may write me at:
5636 Telegraph Road
#510362
St. Louis, MO 63151
Also by Loni Ree
Lukas’ Angel (Ryan Family Book 1)
Blake’s Bombshell (Ryan Family Book 2)
Drew’s Undoing (Ryan Family Book 3)
The Merger: The Ryan Family Books One-Three
Sideswiping Mr. Lane (Fielding-Stone Gallery Series Book One)
Blindsiding Mr. Quinlan (Fielding-Stone Gallery Series Book Two)
Professor Maxwell
Packaged Love
Nerd Boy
Love at First Sight Books One-Three
Hungry For Red
Finding His Forever
Holly Kisses
Christmas Kisses
Candy Kisses
