Love California Box Set: Books 1-3 (Love California Series Collection)

by Jan Moran

  Johnny. That’s who he needed to call. But it was far too early in California to call yet.

  Niall continued working on the words to the music he’d composed. He had to finish it today. His friend’s wedding was the next day, and he’d promised to sing to surprise the wife. Evidently she was a long-time fan.

  Niall tried a couple of new versions of the love song he was working on, but he couldn’t seem to get the words quite right. What would he really like to say to Fianna someday?

  Kaitlin stuck her head through the door on the turret rooftop. “I think we’re going to have to cancel that bike ride this afternoon. Smells like rain is on its way.”

  Niall swung his legs off the table. “Then let’s go to the pub for a pint. I need to take a break anyway.”

  16

  DRESSED IN YOGA pants and a T-shirt, Fianna paced in Lizzie’s room, wondering how much longer her sister would be gone. She should be back by now. The wedding was in mid-afternoon.

  Emily stopped in the doorway holding her carrot-topped, two-year-old daughter, who was complaining about being carried. Her four-year-old son was tugging on her hand, whining about a toy his older brother had taken from him. “Any word from Lizzie yet?”

  “Mam said she went out for a run almost two hours ago.” Fianna turned a cotton scarf in her hands, twisting it in into knots, which was exactly the way her stomach felt. Had something happened to her sister? “I’m worried, Emily.”

  “Did she take her phone?”

  “No, it’s here.” If Lizzie was planning to skip the wedding, she would’ve taken her phone. Wouldn’t she?

  “Maybe she just kept running,” Emily said, glancing at her children. “Sometimes I’d like to do that.”

  “You don’t mean that.” Fianna took her niece from Emily and swung her in the air. The little girl started giggling, and the boy clamored to be next. “I’d better take the car and look for her. She could be injured on the side on the road with no way to call for help.”

  “Now you sound just like our Mam. Where is she, by the way?”

  Fianna eased the little girl down, and then whisked up her nephew, who squealed with glee. “She’s having a long bath. I told her not to worry. She doesn’t need the stress.”

  Emily shot her a look. “She told you, didn’t she?”

  “You knew?” Fianna was a little hurt by this, but Mary Margaret and Emily had always been close. As the oldest child, Emily had been a helpmate to her mother with the younger children.

  “That’s why I’ve been taking on more of the duties around here. I know we’re a burden with our little ones under foot, but Mam seems to enjoy her grandchildren. Once we’re back on our feet, we’d like to move into old man Finn’s cottage down the lane. He’ll be moving in with his son soon. But Mam will still need help here. The manor house is too much for her to care for by herself, so our father wants to bring in a housekeeper for her.”

  “What will she say to that?” Mary Margaret had always been a thrifty, industrious woman who took pride in doing everything herself.

  “Oh, she’ll make a fuss all right, but secretly I think she’ll be relieved. She’ll never let on that she likes the idea.” Emily peered out the second story window and frowned. “You should look for Lizzie. I’d come with you, but I have to feed and bathe the children for the wedding.”

  Fianna flipped the little boy onto his feet. He flung his arms around her neck and she gave him a kiss on the cheek and a playful tug on the ear. “Back to your mam now.” She straightened and put her hands on her hips. “I’d better go.”

  Driving slowly down the lane, Fianna searched for any sign of Lizzie. She looked for a spot where her sister might be resting, a swath of broken brush, anything. Has she been hurt?

  A thought occurred to her. Had she intentionally left her phone at the house so no one could reach her? If that was the case, then the wedding was probably off.

  She wondered if she should call Shane. She didn’t want to worry him unnecessarily, but if Lizzie didn’t surface soon, she’d have no choice.

  Fianna swept a hand across her neck. If Lizzie had decided to forgo the wedding, why didn’t she tell her? Or leave a note? With that thought, Fianna pulled to the side of the road and checked her phone. But there was no text, no email, no voice mail. No calls at all.

  Lizzie had disappeared.

  Soon she’d made a full circle, and the manor house was up ahead. She squinted against the sun as it rose in the sky.

  Where is Lizzie?

  As she drove, she thought about a swimming hole nearby where she and Lizzie used to swim when they were young. She pulled over, got out of the car, and maneuvered down a steep tree lined slope.

  She gripped a tree, steadying herself, searching the grassy slope. Her heart thudded in her chest. Lizzie’s running shoes were sitting neatly near the water’s edge.

  “Lizzie!” She tore away, frantically racing down the hill. “Lizzie!

  The surface of the water broke. “Fianna? What are you doing here?”

  Fianna skidded to a stop near the water. “You’ve been gone more than two hours. Emily and I were worried. Are you okay?”

  Lizzie treaded water. “I had a good run, and stopped here to cool off. The water’s lovely. You should come in.”

  Relieved to have found her sister, Fianna sat down on the soft spring carpet of grass and rested her elbows on her knees. “So do you think you’ll wear your wedding gown today?”

  Lizzie arched her neck and floated on her back. She still wore her tank top and running shorts. “I always loved coming here with you. This spring so natural and beautiful just as it is. I don’t need all the latest technology, or the latest fashions.”

  Fianna knew her sister well enough to know she was winding her way around to a point.

  Lizzie fluttered her feet. “The water is so cool. I’m virtually weightless.”

  Fianna could feel the seconds ticking away. Birds called from a tree overhead, and the sun passed behind a whipped meringue cloud.

  “Shane could be here beside me, and we could be anywhere.” Lizzie lifted her head. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”

  “I think so.”

  “The family is going to hate me for leaving, but Shane and I have decided that being together, and following our dreams together, is what will make us happy.”

  “So what’s your dream, Lizzie?”

  Her sister dove through the water, her body a rippling mirage under the surface. Moments later, she was in front Fianna, blinking water from her wide aquamarine eyes. “My dream is to find my dream. Isn’t that what this journey of life is about?”

  Lizzie had a point. Fianna nodded.

  “Shane and I plan to explore the world and help as many people as we can.” Lizzie brushed water from her eyes. “So how much time do we have before I have to put on that amazing dress you made for me?”

  Fianna grinned. Lizzie had made her decision. “We have time for a swim.” Fianna tore off her shoes and dove in after Lizzie, and the two sisters splashed and laughed like they had when they were children.

  Niall turned off the main road onto the lane that led to the church. He and Kaitlin had left early, but he’d still managed to miss a couple of turns.

  “You’re sure this is the right way?” Kaitlin looked doubtful. She was a vision in a blush pink lace dress.

  Niall tugged the collar of the gray afternoon suit he wore. “Now I am.”

  “I hope we’re not late.”

  “I think we’ll just make it. But weddings seldom start on time.”

  Kaitlin tugged her dress over her long bronzed legs. They’d both gotten a tan in Hawaii. “I can’t wait to hear you perform your new songs.”

  Niall winked. “It’s my best work in a long, long time. These are pretty special songs.”

  Suddenly the car emitted a grinding noise and shuddered to a stop. “No, no, no,” Niall muttered.

  “That can’t be a good sound.”

  Nial
l tried to start the engine, but it failed to respond. He looked around, but no one else was on the road. “I’ve got to push it out of the way.”

  He shoved the gear in neutral, opened the door, and heaved his shoulder against the frame. Kaitlin jumped out to help in her heels, and together they steered the car to the shoulder of the road.

  “Now what?” Kaitlin asked.

  Niall pulled his phone from a pocket. “Now we call for help. We’re not that far away.” He punched a number and spoke to his friend, explaining what had happened. “Can you send someone to give us a lift?” They talked a little more before Niall hung up.

  He turned to Kaitlin. “Help is on the way.”

  Fianna peered into the church. Spring hats of every pastel macaron-hue bobbed among the pews, which were filled to capacity with family and friends.

  She ducked back in to the outer chamber where the bridal party was waiting. Lizzie looked so beautiful, but she was so happy she would’ve been radiant in a burlap bag.

  “I love what you did with the dress.” Lizzie ran her hands over the slim silhouette, which flared in the back beneath the hip, giving her an elegant, graceful line.

  Fianna had draped antique lace of candlelight white over the bright white, softening the shade and illuminating Lizzie’s fair complexion, which had a healthy glow after their swim. With a pearl choker and her blond hair brushed into soft waves, she looked a little like Princess Grace, the American actress who’d married the Prince of Monaco.

  “You’re a master, Fianna.” Mary Margaret touched her arm.

  Fianna and Davina had helped her mother and Emily coordinate their outfits. They all wore dresses in shades of delicate pink and spring green in keeping with the colors Lizzie had chosen. Fianna had brought a soft, pistachio green silk dress of her own design. She was the only one standing up for Lizzie.

  The church bell tolled on the hour. The wedding was supposed to be starting now, but they hadn’t received a signal from her father.

  Lizzie drew her delicately penciled brows together. Davina had created a smooth, flawless makeup look for her niece that enhanced her natural glow.

  “Weddings never start on time,” Fianna said.

  The door opened and their father stepped inside, looking handsome in a light gray afternoon suit. “Lizzie, my darling. Have you heard from Shane?”

  “Not since last night. It’s bad luck to talk on the day of the wedding. Why?”

  Ryan Fitzgerald fidgeted with a button on his jacket. “He was here, but he seems to have gone missing. His car isn’t here either. Do you know where he might have gone?”

  Mary Margaret looked shocked. “Or if he’s coming back?”

  Lizzie lowered herself onto a chair and the color drained from her face. She closed her eyes and shook her head, unable to speak.

  Fianna placed a hand on her father’s shoulder. “How can I help, Dad?”

  He shook his head. “We have a search party in progress. Just stay with your sister and mother. They need you now.”

  After her father left, Fianna knelt by Lizzie and took her sister’s hands in hers. “Something might have happened. I’m sure there’s an explanation.”

  “We’d agreed on a plan,” Lizzie said softly. “We were going to tell everyone after the ceremony.” Her large eyes loomed in her face, and in them Fianna saw the infinite sadness of lost love.

  What could she say? Fianna was furious. She thought of all the things she’d say to him for leaving her sister at the altar. How dare he do this to sweet Lizzie?

  Five minutes passed, then ten, then twenty. Fianna paced the room while Lizzie sat with her eyes closed and her head bowed. Her mother and Davina clutched each other’s hand. At forty minutes past the appointed hour, Fianna couldn’t stand it any longer. She was just about to leave to find her father when he tapped on the door.

  He was red-faced and out of breath. “Shane’s back. The wedding is on.”

  “Well, the nerve of that guy!” Fianna exclaimed. “He doesn’t deserve—”

  “Fianna, it’s okay,” Lizzie said, looking relieved and serene. “He’s back.”

  “Girls, it’s time.” Mary Margaret kissed Lizzie and then Fianna. The eldest brother came to collect his mother. “It’s going to be a beautiful wedding after all.”

  Fianna hugged her sister and left Lizzie and her father.

  She made her way down the aisle to the sound of organ music reverberating through the walls of the old stone church, which had stood for three hundred years on this land. The aroma of gardenias and lilies filled the sanctuary.

  Fianna took her place across from Doyle, who was Shane’s best man. She saw Brona sitting a couple of pews back, narrowing her eyes at her. Fianna gazed past her.

  And here we are. The O’Donnell and Fitzgerald clans finally united after centuries of feuding. Fianna suppressed a smile. Somewhere their ancestors were turning over in their graves.

  Shane took his place by Doyle, and Fianna shot him a glance. She wanted to be angry with him for keeping Lizzie waiting, but he had such an expression of love on his face that her anger dissipated. She didn’t know what had kept him, but it was clear he wanted nothing more than to be standing right there waiting for her sister.

  Fianna blinked back tears. Her sister and her father started down the aisle. Lizzie was a vision in the gown that Fianna had redesigned. The wide neckline framed her face and shoulders, showcasing the Edwardian diamond necklace Davina had brought for her to wear. Shane beamed. Would a man ever look at her the way Shane looked at Lizzie?

  She was proud of Lizzie and Shane. They’d been honest with each other and worked out their plan between them. They hadn’t shared their plan yet, but Fianna couldn’t wait to hear it.

  Ryan Fitzgerald stepped aside, and Lizzie transferred her hand to Shane’s.

  Fianna swallowed against a lump in her throat and dabbed her eyes. Lizzie took her place, while Fianna arranged the modest antique lace and satin train she’d fashioned behind her. The organ music stopped. Fianna drew in a breath, ready for the ceremony to begin.

  Instead, the sound of a soulful instrumental guitar filled the silence. Fianna’s neck bristled. There was something vaguely familiar about it.

  Within a few moments, a man’s deep, gravelly voice accompanied the music, and Fianna’s knees buckled. How could this be?

  She craned her neck to see past the floral arrangement. It had to be Niall.

  Lizzie turned her glowing face up to Shane’s. Fianna heard her whisper, Niall Finley. A murmur of recognition swept across the church.

  Fianna blinked in shock. She peered around the flowers, nearly tripping in her heels as she did. It was Niall. Her heart thudded, and she nearly dropped the bouquet she carried. What was he doing here?

  Shane was wreathed in smiles with the gift of this moment. Fianna quickly deduced his absence. He must have gone to fetch Niall and surprise Lizzie.

  The sweet ballad wove its magical spell as Niall sang, entrancing everyone in the church. As Fianna listened, her throat tightened. It was the most beautiful love song she’d ever heard. Her eyes welled. The lyrics and music touched her deeply. She closed her eyes and listened, remembering how she and Niall had met in Malibu, the kiss in the ocean they’d shared, and how natural it had felt to wake up curled in his embrace. Her misunderstanding slid from her memory, and all she wanted was to feel his arms around her again.

  Fianna snapped herself back to the present. Why was she acting like some lovelorn teenager? She hardly knew this man. Was she longing for him, or was it the thought of someone like him?

  Her gaze traveled to Lizzie and Shane, and her heart warmed for them. Shane’s eyes glistened with tears of adoration, and Lizzie was flushed with love for him. They’d been honest with each other about their deepest desires. Either one of them could have called off the wedding, but they’d rededicated themselves to each other and were moving forward with their lives. That was love.

  Her view of love was changing. It wasn
’t roses and wine and starry nights, although those were beautiful elements of life. No, it was sharing your deepest, most intense passions for your life experience on earth with another person. It was having their acceptance and support and doing the same for them. It was building a life together, as her parents had done, and taking care of each other when one faltered. Lizzie and Shane clearly had that.

  Would she ever experience such an ideal love?

  Niall’s song drew her back in. He might not be the one, but if his music and lyrics were any indication of the type of man he was, then he had earned her admiration not only for his art, but also for the type of person he was. No wonder his fans adored him and clamored to hear him again. He helped them feel the ideal of love deep in their souls.

  After Niall finished singing, all tension over the delay had eased in the church. Many people were already pressing a finger or handkerchief to their eyes, clearly affected by the beauty of Niall’s music and the love that emanated from Lizzie and Shane, two very special people.

  As Fianna listened to the ceremony, her emotion caught in her chest. At one point she glanced in Niall’s direction and saw that he had shifted his chair. She had a clear view of him now. She couldn’t help but smile and saw his eyes light up when she did.

  17

  NIALL LISTENED TO the exchange of wedding vows and couldn’t help but think of Laila. They’d known each other for so long, and she was his wife, his friend, his lover. He was the type of man who needed only one woman. He missed her, and knew he always would.

  But something had shifted in him in Kauai. He’d felt Laila’s presence there when he first arrived, but after the evening he and Kaitlin had spent with Eli, her spirit seemed to have vanished. Had she left him for good? He missed talking and singing to her, though maybe she had to continue on her journey and he on his.

  Shane and Lizzie were exchanging their marriage vows. Shane was a good guy, and Lizzie was a lovely young woman, who looked stunning today in a magnificent dress of antique lace. Niall had been noticing women’s fashions more since Kaitlin had started modeling.