by Rebecca Deel
“I’m glad she took a leap of faith and married him.”
“So is he.” A few seconds of silence. “Do you think about marriage?”
A soft laugh. “How could I not? I shoot weddings and anniversary parties every month.”
“Do you think of marriage in terms of work or for yourself?”
Her forehead creased. “Both.” Claire’s hand cupped his jaw. “Lately, though, I’m more interested in romance for my own sake rather than work.”
Thank God. Maybe she was developing feelings as deep as his had grown. Though it was insanely fast and defied logic, the end result was the same. He was teetering on the edge of falling in love with Claire Walker. Zane leaned over and kissed her, slow and thorough. “Come on. Time to rescue Rio from himself. Darcy should be home from work soon.”
Claire gathered her equipment bag and moved toward the front passenger seat. “Do you know the plan for tonight?”
“Nope. Rio planned the whole thing. We’ll have to ask him for details.” On the ground, Zane noted the flight of stairs leading into Darcy’s house and sighed. Hopefully, the back door didn’t have them. Otherwise, he’d need assistance into the house.
He shouldn’t have worried, though. As soon as he was clear of the van, Quinn and Josh brought out a temporary ramp and placed it over the stairs to the front porch. While they positioned the ramp, he looked at the outside of Darcy’s house. Man, now he knew what Rio meant when he called her house monstrous. Her old Victorian was huge. Once the ramp was set, Quinn motioned him over.
“This house is amazing,” Claire said. “Can you hold my bag for a bit?”
“Sure.” He watched her work while keeping an eye on the surroundings. Within minutes, Claire had taken multiple pictures of the front of the Victorian from different angles. When she returned, he asked, “What will you do with those shots?”
“Hopefully frame one or two of them for a wedding gift.”
“Nice.” Zane waited until Claire was on the porch, then powered up the ramp and into the house. The first thing he noticed was the grand piano in the living room. Beautiful instrument. Perhaps Darcy would play a few pieces for them. Zane had collected her CDs though he’d never heard Darcy play in a live concert.
“Oh, wow!” Claire raised her camera and focused on the piano. “Gorgeous.”
“Darcy does some amazing things with that Steinway,” Rio said. “Thanks for coming tonight, Z. It means a lot.”
“You’re a lucky man, Rio.”
“I know,” his friend said simply.
Claire said, “Rio, go to the curve in the piano and lean back against it. Casual pose, maybe your arms folded, ankles crossed.”
“Why?”
“Do it, buddy,” Zane said. “She has a reason for the request.”
With a bemused smile, he did as Claire directed. Within a few shots, she had teased the awkwardness from his poses. Those photos were going to be fantastic. Darcy would love them. For that matter, so would Rio’s father. He made a mental note to ask Claire to print extra copies for the medic’s family.
They finished the photo shoot a few minutes before Darcy walked in the door. The woman in question pulled up short. “Josh, Quinn. I wasn’t expecting you tonight. Is anything wrong?” Her gaze tracked to Rio, concern in her expression.
“Everything is fine, baby.” He took her bag from her shoulders and dropped a soft kiss on her upturned mouth. “Change in plans. Nate has dinner almost ready. You have time to shower and change clothes if you want.”
“Sounds great. I’ll never turn down a meal prepared by Nate Armstrong.” She turned, smiled. “Zane, Claire, great to see you again. Where are Lily and Remy?”
“Kitchen with Mason,” Rio answered. “They’re free labor for Nate.”
“Hmm. I need helpers like that some days. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Once she was upstairs, Zane turned to his friend. “All right, buddy. What’s the plan?”
“Dinner like we planned earlier. Jon, Eli, and their wives are coming, along with Alex and the rest of Durango’s wives. Quinn’s date canceled at the last minute.”
Quinn grimaced. “Thanks for pointing that out.”
Rio shrugged. “Her loss.”
“And for the important part of the evening?” Claire asked.
“After dinner, I’m depending on you and the other women to keep her occupied in the kitchen over hot tea or something while the guys and I set the stage. I have everything stored in the room I’m using.” He glanced at the stairs. “I’m crazy about that woman. What if she turns me down?”
“She won’t,” Quinn said. “But if she does, romance her until she gives in.”
A small smile flickered across Rio’s mouth. “I can’t do anything else.” He gave a helpless shrug. “I can’t live without her in my life.”
Josh stood and laid his hand on Rio’s shoulder. “You don’t have anything to worry about, buddy. We’ve all seen you and Darcy together. She’s in this as deep as you are.”
“I hope you’re right, Major.”
Minutes later, Darcy returned and the rest of Durango and their wives arrived along with Eli, Jon, Brenna, and Dana. Zane followed the rest into the dining room, pleased Nate arranged for him to occupy an easily accessible place at the table, one which also allowed Claire to sit beside him.
The dinner conversation was lively, something he suspected was for Rio’s benefit. Zane overheard Darcy ask the medic if he was okay a couple times. Though Rio assured her he was fine, the newly minted deli owner didn’t look convinced.
Another interesting aspect of the evening for Zane was Mason’s interaction with the rest of the boisterous crowd. He seemed to naturally gravitate to Darcy and Ivy. For the most part, Rio’s cousin observed rather than participated. Knowing his background, Zane wasn’t surprised. Had to admit Mason appeared more comfortable than he expected given the short time out of prison.
Once dinner was finished, Ivy said, “Since the men cooked the meal this evening, I guess the ladies should clear the table. Well, except for Darcy.”
“Why not me?”
“You’ve been standing all day,” Del answered. “Sit at the breakfast bar. We’ll tell secrets about the guys while they’re measuring their biceps.”
Josh’s eyebrows rose. “How did you know that’s what we planned for this evening’s entertainment?”
“I knew it,” Brenna said, a twinkle in her eyes. “You’ve been keeping secrets, Eli. All this time, I thought you and Jon were planning missions, but you were flexing your muscles.”
“Sorry, sweetheart.” He gave a dramatic sigh. “I didn’t want you to know how vain we are or lose your admiration of my physique.”
That brought a round of laughter from everyone in the kitchen. When Claire turned her questioning gaze on Zane, he winked at her. The men in this room weren’t vain, just capable and sure of their physical abilities. Their lives and those of their teammates depended on them being in top physical condition. While not in the military or a private contractor like his cousin, the same physical conditioning applied to Mason. Rio had told him how well his cousin was doing with Elliott Construction. Had to be an ego booster for the quiet, self-contained man to have the approval of his boss and his cousin.
“We’ll leave you to your secrets, then,” Nate said. “Be gentle with us.”
Gathering in the living room with the others, Zane said, “Better hurry, Rio. I don’t know how long we have before your lady seeks you out. She’s worried about you.”
“Yeah, buddy,” Quinn murmured. “You need to brush up your acting skills.”
“I’ll remind you of that when it’s your turn to charm a lady into saying yes when you pop the question.” He inclined his head toward the hallway. “Everything I need is in my room.”
“Need help?” Josh murmured.
“Please. Zane’s right. Darcy won’t be distracted for long.” With a quick glance toward the kitchen, he led his teammates down the hall
.
Knowing he would be in the way, Zane waited in the living room by the piano. Within a couple minutes, the men returned with arms full of candles and two dozen white roses. His eyes widened. Oh, man. No wonder he needed the women to keep Darcy distracted for a few minutes. “I assume you want the candles lit?”
“Yep. Couldn’t think of a better way to set the stage than by candlelight. Alex, Nate, set those roses on the opposite ends of the hearth.”
Zane frowned. “Why not on someplace elevated, like the piano lid?”
“Darcy would have my hide if I put anything on that piano, including picture frames. She says it’s not a piece of furniture.” In Rio’s hands was a gift-wrapped box. “We need to light the candles.” He stopped, glanced at Zane. “Will Claire have enough light for pictures?”
“You have enough candles to illuminate Otter Creek. I’m sure Claire won’t have a problem.” If the light was a little dim, she worked magic with her computer programs. He’d watched Claire’s adjustments on Sheila and Marty’s photos. From ordinary to extraordinary in a matter of minutes.
“Rio, do you want us to stay or leave?” Alex asked. “We don’t want to intrude on a private moment between you and your lady.”
“Claire will be here anyway and Quinn is recording it on his phone so Trent can be part of this night as well. Stay.” His gaze swept all the men in the room, each of them he considered friends. “All of you. Please.”
Del peeked into the room. Her breath caught. “Oh, Rio. This is perfect. Darcy is restless. How much longer?”
“Two minutes.” He pulled open the end table drawer and grabbed a lighter. “Z, would you do the honors? The rest of us will set up the candles around the room one you’ve lit them.”
Soon, the room was awash in flickering light. Rio turned off the electric lights, glanced around. “It’s time. Wish me luck.”
“You won’t need it. I’ll signal Del,” Mason murmured and left the room. He was back less than a minute later and joined the other men who had positioned themselves around the room in the shadows.
Feminine laughter heralded the approach of the women. Each one moved to the edges of the room to stand beside their husbands. Ivy and Darcy were the last to enter the living room.
A soft gasp from Darcy. “Rio, is this a special occasion?”
He crossed the room and threaded his fingers through hers. “It’s why I invited our friends to join us tonight.” He led her to the piano bench and urged her to sit. “I have a gift for you, sweetheart.” Rio presented her with the wrapped box.
Hmm. Zane narrowed his eyes. Too big for an engagement ring alone.
Darcy removed the ribbon and ripped the paper, fingers trembling. She smiled. “From the antique shop. What did you find?”
“Open the box and see for yourself, love.”
She raised the lid and froze. “So beautiful.” Darcy reached inside and lifted free a miniature grand piano. “A music box.”
The medic knelt in front of her and opened the jewelry box. Nestled on the velvet was a diamond solitaire.
“Rio?” she whispered.
He picked up the ring. “Darcy, we’ve only been together three months, but they have been the best three months of my life. For the last ten years, your music was the light that brought me home from deployments time and again. You saved me. For that I’ll always be grateful. When I met you, your kindness, courage, grit, and sheer determination captured my heart for all time. Nothing and no one in this world matters more to me than you. I love you, Darcy St. Claire, and I want to share the rest of my life with you. Take a chance on me, on us. Marry me, Darcy.”
“Yes! Oh, yes, I’ll gladly marry you, Rio Kincaid.” After Rio slid the ring on her finger, Darcy cupped his face and laid her lips on his for a long, tender kiss as their friends clapped and cheered and Claire captured the moment in pictures.
Zane became aware of his girlfriend shifting position and taking picture after picture. In the soft light of the flickering candles, Claire was even more beautiful, so beautiful his heart squeezed in his chest.
As Darcy exchanged hugs with the men and women around the room, Claire continued shooting pictures. Standing next to Zane, Quinn finally lowered his cell phone and tapped the screen a few times before sliding the phone in his pocket.
“Send it off?” Zane asked.
“Yep. Knowing Trent, he’ll call as soon as he’s able.”
Once the celebration had ebbed, Darcy returned to Rio’s side. “How soon do you leave?”
All conversation ground to a halt. “You’re sure we’re leaving?” he asked.
“One of your teammates is being held hostage. Of course you’re going.”
Rio wrapped his arms around his bride-to-be. “The Fortress jet is waiting for us.”
“All of you are going?”
“That’s right, including Claire and Zane.”
“Good. I won’t worry as much about you and the rest of Durango.”
“Will you be all right by yourself?”
“She won’t be alone,” Del said with a smile. “Ivy, Spenser, Brenna, Dana, Stella and I are staying here with Darcy and Mason. We’ll have a house party while you’re saving the world. Hopefully, we won’t drive Mason crazy.”
“Are you kidding?” he said. “What man wouldn’t appreciate the beautiful company, great dog, and good food? Nate was busy this afternoon. He made extras for leftovers and we have wraps from Darcy’s deli. Tough job, but I’ll suffer for the cause.”
Rio chuckled. “Way to take one for the team, Mase.” His gaze shifted to the woman in his arms. “Are you sure you’re okay with this, baby?”
“I knew what I was letting myself in for when I said yes to your marriage proposal. Go. Get Claire’s brother free and take down this drug kingpin.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Darcy glanced at her friends. “Do you need to pack bags for our house party?”
Ivy shook her head. “We had the advantage of knowing Rio’s plans ahead of time. We all brought overnight bags along. I’ll go get Spenser in a few minutes. The guys have their Go bags. They’re ready to roll.”
“Then we should let them go.”
Minutes later, the overnight bags were stored in bedrooms and Durango had piled into one SUV while Eli and Jon rode with Zane, Remy, Lily, and Claire in the van. Within the hour, they were buckled into seats aboard the Fortress jet. As soon as they were settled, the plane taxied down the runway and took off for Belize.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Once the plane leveled out, Claire grabbed her laptop and uploaded the photos of Darcy’s house and the main event of the night. Such sweet shots of Rio and Darcy, the joy and love on their faces, as well as the faces of their friends. A night of celebration for all.
While she was pleased for them, a persistent, silent clock ran in her head, counting down the remaining minutes of her brother’s life. The need to find him was so urgent, she knew trying to sleep would be useless for a while. Might as well work. It’s what she did every time she worried about Adam while he was deployed in the Marines or on a mission for Maddox.
This time was different. Maybe because she knew her brother’s life was at stake. Her stomach knotted. How did the wives of Durango’s team members deal with their husbands striding into a lion’s den? What if it was her husband or boyfriend doing this job? Could she handle it? Stupid question, she guessed. She already handled it with Adam.
“Plan to work long?” Zane asked softly.
The other men were either conversing in soft tones or settling down to sleep. They planned to land in the middle of the night, hoping their arrival was unobserved by Collins or his people. Zane worried about the kingpin learning she was in Belize too soon. Durango, Eli, and Jon were in agreement that she was vulnerable if he discovered her presence before they were ready. The least amount of time Collins had to make plans or for her to be in the compound itself, the better for her safety.
“For a while.” She turned
to eye the computer sitting on his thighs. “Doesn’t look as though you will rest any time soon yourself.”
“I’m used to operating on few hours of sleep. You aren’t.” He paused. “Baby, look at me,” he murmured.
Her gaze shifted from the computer to lock with his.
“You can’t afford to be sluggish from fatigue. You’ll already be battling jet lag.”
She knew Zane was right, but she so dreaded closing her eyes. All day, Claire had successfully avoided thinking about what her brother endured by remaining busy. If she wasn’t working, her brain turned to the speculation she dreaded. “I know,” she whispered. “I just can’t yet.”
He reached for her hand, kissed the back of fingers. “A few minutes, then.” With that, he turned on his laptop and got to work.
Claire turned to her screen and sifted through the pictures she’d taken. After choosing the two best shots of the outside of Darcy’s house, she played with the lighting and contrast.
Finally satisfied with the result, Claire saved those photos and moved on to the shots of Rio. Her lips curved. The medic was a handsome man. Darcy was blessed to have someone so perfect for her. She’d had no idea Darcy was forced to retire from the concert circuit because of her health. While the other woman had told her some of the story, Claire had been snapping photos of her, ostensibly for a gift for Rio. And it would be. The groom-to-be would love the finished pictures. Neither of them realized the pictures were also part of a grouping, a wedding gift for her brother’s friends. Her brother had worked a few missions with Trent and considered himself a fan of Darcy’s music despite a preference for heavy metal when he worked out. Even Adam hadn’t been aware of why Darcy changed careers.
She softened the lighting in Darcy’s photos, zeroing in on the glowing expression of the pianist when she talked about Rio and how much she loved him. Claire sighed. These two were such a sweet couple. She saw many marriages begin. Cameras didn’t lie. Some couples looked as if they would go the distance, like Rio and Darcy. Many more didn’t have a chance. Something about the focus on self or lack of respect for the spouse gave a big hint at problems before they had even begun a life together.