by Force, Marie
The words had come later, when she sat at his table for dinner and they’d struck up a conversation that had lasted well into the night. He couldn’t recall what they’d talked about, but he remembered thinking he never wanted to stop talking to her. In the long months since the last time he talked to her, he’d missed the sound of her voice almost as much as he’d missed the sight of her gorgeous face.
And now… God, it was almost too much to wrap his mind around.
He released a shaky-sounding deep breath.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing at all. Everything is perfect.”
“If you’ve changed your mind, I’ll understand.”
He rested a finger over her lips. “I’m not going to change my mind, about any of it, so don’t worry about that.”
She closed her eyes, tears once again leaking from the corners.
As he brushed them away, he kissed her forehead. “Why the tears?”
“I’m so relieved. I didn’t know what I’d do if you couldn’t or wouldn’t help me. I’d have to go somewhere and disappear. Change my name… I’d always be looking over my shoulder, waiting for him to find me.”
“None of that is going to happen. We’ll get through this together, and he’ll never get the chance to hurt you again.”
“I feel kind of guilty, too.”
“Why?”
“Because this has nothing to do with you, and the minute I marry you, I’m putting you squarely in the middle of it.”
“I told you I don’t care about that. The only thing I care about is that you’re safe and happy and free of worries.”
She took a deep breath, her body trembling as she exhaled. “Thank you. I don’t know if I’ve said that enough or—”
He kissed her. “You don’t need to thank me. Having you here with me feels like a dream come true. You’re giving me as much as I’m giving you.”
“That’s hardly true,” she said with a laugh.
“It’s entirely true. You have no idea how concerned I’ve been about you, how sad I was that I couldn’t talk to you anymore or see you… And now I get to marry you, so you can stop feeling guilty, because nothing has ever made me happier—or more worried—than coming home to find you half frozen on my porch.”
She laughed at the way he said that. “I hope you still feel that way after we’re married.”
“I have a sneaking suspicion I’ll always feel that way.”
For the first time in weeks, Mia could finally relax a little. Wade was everything she’d hoped he would be—and then some. All the things she’d worried about—that he’d be involved with someone else by now or would have forgotten about her—hadn’t materialized. He was free and clear, and his feelings for her seemed as strong as they’d always been.
“Are you hungry?” he asked.
“No, thank you. I’m good.” Her stomach had been in knots for so long that eating had become a chore.
“Let’s go sleep in my bed. It’ll be more comfortable than the sofa.”
She’d been more comfortable on the sofa with him than she’d been anywhere else in months, but she willingly took the hand he offered and followed him to the bedroom.
“The bathroom is in there if you need it, and there’s an extra toothbrush in the cabinet.”
“I have one in my bag.” She gasped. “My bag. Please tell me it was with me when you found me.”
“Let me go look.” He went into the other room and returned with the nylon bag she’d worn wrapped around her waist as she trudged through the snow in what had seemed like an endless trek.
“Oh, thank goodness. I’d be lost without that.” She took it from him and ducked into the bathroom.
When she came out a few minutes later, he had a pair of flannel pajama pants and a long-sleeved T-shirt laid out on the bed for her. She happily donned the clothing, since her teeth had begun to chatter again when she left the heated cocoon next to the fire.
“I’ll throw some more logs on the woodstove,” Wade said. He’d changed into flannel pajama pants, but his splendid chest was on full display.
Mia found herself wanting to stare at him, like a person who’d been starving and stumbled upon a banquet. The rush of emotion that came from being with him, from being safe and under his protection, made her legs go weak. She sat on the edge of the bed and focused on breathing. There’d been a time, not that long ago, when she’d been fully independent and in need of no one’s protection. But that was before she met Brody and got lost in the web of an abusive relationship the likes of which she’d only heard about before it happened to her.
Once upon a time, she’d had friends and a decent job as a waitress in an upscale restaurant and an apartment and a life she had built for herself. Once upon a time, she’d been a woman who’d never believe she could be so completely controlled by a man. She shuddered thinking about him punching her until she blacked out. How had she gotten from her former life to being beaten by the man who’d professed to love her?
Wade returned to the bedroom with a glass of water that he handed to her. “You need to stay hydrated after being so cold.”
“Thank you.” When she took a sip of the water, she realized how thirsty she was.
“I also have this stuff we sell in the store that works wonders on bruises.” He produced a green container that he held up for her to see. “You want to try it?”
“Sure.”
Wade sat next to her. “You want to apply it, or do you want me to?”
“Would you mind?”
“Not at all,” he said with a wolfish smile. He opened the jar and dabbed his fingers into the white cream. “Close your eyes and tell me if anything hurts.”
His touch was light and gentle as he spread the cream over the bruised side of her face.
Right away, she experienced cool, soothing relief. “What’s in that?”
“Eucalyptus, among other things.”
“Feels really good.”
“It helps with the pain and the healing.”
“Could we put it on my ribs, too?”
“Sure. Lie back.”
Mia stretched out on the bed and raised the T-shirt and tank to expose her abdomen.
His face tightened with tension as he studied the bruises. “How could he do this to you?” He leaned over her and kissed the darkest, meanest-looking bruise.
Mia sucked in a sharp deep breath.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
She combed her fingers into his hair. “You didn’t. That wasn’t a pain sound.”
He looked up at her with eyes gone hot with desire. “No?”
She shook her head.
Wade kissed every one of the bruises before applying the soothing cream to them. “That ought to make them feel a lot better by tomorrow.”
“They already do.”
He eased her tank back down and adjusted the T-shirt. “Are you warm enough?”
“Yes, much better. Thank you.” She glanced at the bedside table that had a stack of books and a framed photo of his family that she picked up for a closer look. Everyone wore denim shirts and khakis along with big smiles. They looked so happy.
“That right there is the Abbott family circus.”
“Introduce me.”
“Get under the covers so you don’t get cold.” He took the photo, went around to the other side of the bed and got in next to her. When she was snuggled up to him, he pointed to the three people at the center of the gathering. “That’s my mom, Molly, Dad, Lincoln, and grandfather, Elmer, along with my parents’ dogs George and Ringo.”
“Ringo?”
“My dad is a crazy Beatles fan. My mom refused to allow him to name a kid Ringo, so the dogs are named after them. Incidentally, George and Ringo are both girls.”
Mia laughed. “That’s awesome. I love the Beatles.”
“My dad will love you. That’s all it takes. When we go to the store, I’ll show you his Beatles memorabilia coll
ection. People come from all over to see it.”
“I’d love to see it.”
“This is my oldest brother, Hunter, the CFO of our company, and his wife, Megan, who runs the family restaurant in town. That’s Colton and his fiancée, Lucy, Max and his former girlfriend Chloe. Max is the youngest of us and was the first to produce a grandchild. A month after the baby was born, Chloe took off and left him to raise their son, Caden.”
“Oh wow. How old is Max?”
“Almost twenty-three.”
“That’s a lot of responsibility for someone so young.”
“It is, but he’s got a lot of help, and he seems to be adjusting. He works with Colton at the family sugaring facility on the mountain. It gets pretty crazy up there for about three weeks in the spring.”
“Does Colton’s fiancée help out, too?”
“Everyone helps during sugaring, but Lucy is a partner in a website company, and she works from home on the mountain, one of the few places around here that has a reliable internet connection and cell signal.”
“I wondered why my phone didn’t work. I tried to call you when I first got stuck in the snow.”
“Your phone is basically useless in this town.”
“That’ll take some getting used to…”
“So I’m told. I’ve never had one, so I wouldn’t know.”
“I’m trying to remember the last time I met someone who didn’t have a cell phone.”
“You already busted my balls about that when we met. Remember?”
“I remember everything.”
“I do, too. Anyway, this is my brother Will and his wife, Cameron. She’s known in town as the girl who hit Fred, the town moose, on her way into Butler. He was fine. Her car wasn’t. Will rescued her from Fred and Vermont mud season, and they’ve been together ever since. She’s expecting their first child later this year. He oversees our Vermont Made line at the store. That’s my sister Hannah, she’s Hunter’s twin, and her husband, Nolan. Her first husband, Caleb, was killed eight years ago in Iraq.”
“Oh, that’s so sad.”
“It was awful. Truly terrible for all of us, but we’re thrilled to see her happy again with Nolan. He owns the garage in town and was a close friend of Caleb’s. I’ll send him after your car as soon as the storm lets up. They just had a baby daughter who they named Caleb, but they’re going to call her Callie.”
“I love that they named her Caleb.”
“It’s an amazing tribute to someone we all loved.” He pointed to a dark-haired man. “That’s Caleb’s brother, Gavin, who’s engaged to my sister Ella. She was crazy about him forever, but he was a mess after he lost his brother. They’re so happy now that they’re engaged and living together. I’m really close with Ella.”
“She’s lovely.”
“Inside and out. That’s Charley. We joke that she’s a pain in our asses, which she is, but of course we love her to pieces and so does her boyfriend, Tyler. He saved her life when she fell off the mountain on a run back in December.”
“Whoa. She fell off the mountain?”
“Yep. Stepped right off the side in a snowstorm and fell about thirty feet, tearing her ACL. He ran back to get help for her and then insisted on nursing her back to health. The rest, as they say, is history. She moved in with him at the beginning of the year, and she’s less of a pain in our asses now that she’s a pain in his.”
Mia laughed. “I bet she’s a doll.”
“Right… I’ll let you decide for yourself when you meet her. These two lunatics are Lucas and Landon. In case you can’t tell, they’re identical twins and full of the devil. When they aren’t causing grief for the rest of us, Lucas is a woodworking genius who lives at the family Christmas tree Farm that Landon runs—with Lucas’s help, not that Landon would ever admit that. They’re also paramedics and volunteer firefighters.”
“They’re adorable.”
He glared at her.
“Almost as adorable as you are.”
“Haha, very funny. They’ll flirt shamelessly with you, but I’ll pound them into the ground if they cross the line.”
“That’s good to know. Where do you fall in the family order?”
“I’m number six, after Charley and before Colton.” Pointing to each person as he named them, he said, “It goes Hunter, Hannah, Will, Ella, Charley, me, Colton, Lucas, Landon and Max.”
“It’ll take me a year to remember all their names.”
“Nah, they leave an immediate impression. You’ll catch on quickly.”
“Do you think…”
“What?”
“Will they like me, or will they hate me for dragging you into my nightmare?”
“They’ll love you because I ask them to.”
“Is it really that simple?”
“In my family, we stick together and we have each other’s backs. So yeah, it is that simple.”
“You’re really lucky to have that.”
“I know. Sometimes they drive me nuts, but I always feel lucky to have them and my cousins. Did I mention my mom’s sister has eight kids who grew up with us?”
“So, really, there’re actually eighteen of you?”
“Yep, the Abbotts and the Colemans were a force to be reckoned with back in the day. My cousin Isabella took this photo.”
“Your cousin is Isabella Coleman, the photographer?”
“Uh-huh. You know her?”
“Not personally, but I’m certainly familiar with her work. I’ve always wanted to meet her.”
“Now you’ll get the chance. Her older brother, Grayson, is the one I mentioned who can represent you in any legal issues you may have with what’s-his-name.”
“Is that what we’re calling him?” she asked with a small smile.
“Works for me.”
“Me, too.”
“Anyone who would hurt you the way he did has no place in our home.”
His support made her stronger and more determined than she’d been in years. Her body ached from her injuries, but he made her believe she could face whatever came next and survive it.
“Get some rest,” he said, caressing her hair.
“I’m afraid I’m going to wake up and still be out in the cold, that you’re not really here, that I wished so hard for you, I made myself believe…”
“You can believe. I’m right here, and I’ll still be here when you wake up. I promise.”
She had so many things she wanted to talk to him about, but she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer. They had tomorrow to spend together, and she couldn’t wait.
Chapter 4
“Happy is the man who finds a true friend, and far happier is he who finds that true friend in his wife.” —Franz Schubert
Wade woke to sunlight peeking in around the closed blinds in his bedroom. As silky hair brushed against his chest, the events of the day before came rushing back to him. Mia, half frozen on his porch, her marriage proposal, kissing her, holding her, sleeping with her. All his dreams had come true in one unbelievable day, and today would be about keeping his promises to her.
The office was closed on Saturdays, and usually he slept late and then spent most of the day in one outdoor pursuit or another. This time of year, skiing or snowboarding took precedence over the rock-climbing he did the rest of the year.
Moving carefully so he wouldn’t disturb Mia, he got out of bed. He needed to dig them out so they could get on with their plans. They needed a marriage license, but he couldn’t tell his aunt Hannah before his parents knew. Without a doubt, their first stop needed to be the barn.
Eager to get going, he took a quick shower, brewed a pot of coffee and donned thermals and ski pants. He was putting on his boots in the mudroom when Mia appeared, wrapped up in the down blanket, her hair like spun gold around her bruised face. Those bruises, which had faded somewhat overnight, gutted him. The thought of someone punching her… Wade honestly believed he could kill the guy if he had the chance.
“Morning
,” he said, forcing a cheerful tone. She’d had enough anger and violence in her life. She didn’t need more from him. “Sleep good?”
“Better than I have in years.”
“Glad to hear it. I'm going to dig us out, and then we can see to our plans.”
“Oh. Today?”
“Are you doing something else?” he asked with a teasing grin. He hoped she hadn’t changed her mind about wanting to marry him.
“No, but… I just…”
He stood and went to her, placing his hands carefully on her shoulders, hoping she wouldn’t flinch from his touch.
She flinched and then schooled her features, almost as if hoping he wouldn’t notice.
“What’s wrong?”
“I… Would it be okay if we maybe waited a while, until the bruises heal? I don’t want to meet your family looking this way.”
His heart ached at the shame he saw in her eyes and heard in her voice. “I understand what you’re saying and why you’re saying it, but you have nothing to be ashamed of. This was done to you, and when we tell my parents that, they’ll want to help you as much as I do.” He ran a gentle finger over her unbruised cheek. “Besides, I’m not going to rest until we’ve made it impossible for you to be married to anyone but me.”
She swallowed hard and looked up at him. “Your parents are going to freak out when you tell them you’re marrying a bruised and battered woman they’ve never even met.”
Yes, they would, but that wouldn’t stop him. “Let me worry about them.” He stepped back from her to pour coffee into a travel mug. “Coffee?” He remembered that she liked it with soy milk, which he drank, too.
She nodded. “Thanks.”
“Let me go plow us out, and then I’ll make some breakfast. I’ll also call my brother-in-law about seeing to your car.”
“I could make breakfast while you plow. If you don’t mind, that is…”
“I don’t mind.” He handed her a mug of steaming coffee with the soy milk stirred in. “Anything I have is yours. Make yourself completely at home here.”
“Thank you so much for making me feel so welcome.”
