Nicole and Nolan picked at their steak and seafood meal, but Bailey ate as if she’d never tasted anything so good before. He could tell Nicole was exhausted, and his lack of sleep was beginning to wear on him as well.
“I think,” Nicole began after a few moments of nobody speaking, “that Victoria is still around because she feels it’s her duty to protect the Carrigan line. Missy, of course, wants to keep the Carrigan line from connectin’ to the Rick’s line. I honestly believe that once we can figure out a way to help Missy move on, then Victoria will do the same.”
Bailey snorted a laugh and wiped her mouth with a linen napkin. “If you help the ghosts pass over, then Hanover House might sue you since that’s how they are making their money – by telling everyone they’re haunted.”
Nolan chuckled. “Oh, I’m sure my friend, Aaron, could give them lots of tips about how to make their bed and breakfast haunted.”
“I just don’t understand how both of us ended up in the same place at that same time without knowing each other.” Nicole drummed her fingers on the table. “Victoria can only haunt the inn and the cemetery. I didn’t ask Missy, but I would think she was the same way.”
Nolan shrugged, pushing his mashed potatoes and gravy around with his fork. “I’ve always been interested in paranormal activity, and Aaron Powers knew that. He was the one who set me up with the tour and arranged everything else. It wasn’t my idea at all.”
“Victoria had been in my dreams before comin’ here, but I think once I was here and she noticed your last name, I think she was tryin’ to set us up... in her ghostly way.”
Nolan grinned. “She’s definitely an odd ghost. Yesterday, when I had thought about checking out, I opened my suitcase, but she kept closing it. Now I believe that Missy was the one that kept opening it. Funny, since Victoria states she hasn’t seen Missy lingering around the inn.”
Bailey’s phone buzzed and she checked her text. Her face brightened and she lifted her gaze to Nicole.
“Devin wants to take me out tonight.”
Nicole gave her a wink. “I’m glad. You’ve probably had enough ghost talk for one lifetime.”
Bailey rolled her eyes. “You’re not kidding!” She glanced at her phone and texted him back. “I’m having him pick me up here.”
“That’s fine.” Nicole leaned closer to her cousin. “I just hope you remember after a few drinks that we are no longer at Hanover House.”
“Winning the lottery couldn’t drag me back there.” She lifted her drink and took a sip. She paused in thought before chuckling. “Shoot... not even Prince Charming could take me back there and give me a lavish wedding.”
Nicole laughed. “That’s good, because I want you to get to know the man really well before you start thinkin’ of him as your Prince Charmin’.”
Bailey lifted her drink in a salute. “Agreed.” Then she took another big swallow and set it back down on the table. “I’m going out in the lobby and wait for him.” She glanced at Nolan and smiled. “And thanks for buying dinner. It was great.”
He nodded. “Think nothing of it.”
As Bailey left the table, he glanced at Nicole whose mouth had dropped open. Slowly, she shook her head.
“Did you just hear that?” she asked quietly.
“I don’t know. What was I supposed to hear?”
Nicole turned her body toward him and touched his arm. “She actually thanked you for dinner. She doesn’t even do that to me.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Do you think that maybe she’s going to start changing her ways and treat people with kindness and respect?”
“She’d be stupid not to, especially after everythin’ we have experienced this week.”
“That’s very true. I hope it made her take a good look at her life. Victoria was trying really hard to change one of you so you didn’t turn out like her.”
“Yes, I know.” Nicole leaned her elbow on the table so that her hand could help hold up her head. “From the dreams I was able to see of Victoria’s life, I’m happy to report that I’ve never been that bad. For a few years, I wasn’t the nicest person, but I’d also been used and manipulated by many men. I had a grudge, and I didn’t realize it.”
“What made you change?”
She sighed. “I woke up one morning’ and realized that I hated my life. I didn’t like my friends, and I wanted to divorce my uncle and cousin. I didn’t like feelin’ that way. I wanted to be happy, and I knew that I was the only one standin’ in my way.”
“I’m glad you changed.” He touched the tip of his finger to her nose, briefly. “I don’t think I would have liked you the other way.”
She stared at him with wide eyes. The lights in the room made them a pretty amber – almost like the sparkling liquid in her drink.
“Are you saying... that you like me?”
“Of course, I like you.”
She licked her lips as excitement danced on her expression. “Have you forgiven me for what happened the other day?”
He nodded. He’d probably forgiven her the night he carried her away from the stairs and into his room. “Yes, I forgive you.”
“Oh, Nolan.” She clutched his arm and pressed against him, looking up into his eyes. “I’m happy to hear you say that. You must believe how sorry I am for how things turned out. I just didn’t know—”
He touched a finger to her mouth and smiled. “Yes, you’ve told me, and I’m sorry for judging you, too. I’ve just never met a woman like you before, and when I realized you were rich, well... the old fears I’d experienced and had locked away, resurfaced.”
“I do know what you mean, Nolan. In a way, I’m glad I thought you were rich as I was getting’ to know you because then I was able to get to know your heart. You might not have the money, but you’re definitely worth a billion dollars to me.”
He shifted in his chair and wrapped his arms around her loosely. Her tender kiss from earlier had been on his mind and although he wanted her to kiss him again, talking was definitely needed right now.
“Since Bailey is gone, I think we should talk about that kiss, and especially what you said to me earlier today.”
Nicole’s expression relaxed and a soft smile touched her face. “Do you mean when I told you I loved you?”
Slowly, he nodded. He couldn’t stop gazing into her remarkable eyes – eyes that had always seemed to hold him prisoner, but in a loving way. “Yes, that’s exactly what you said.”
One side of her mouth lifted higher than the other. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Why do you love me?”
She caressed his cheek. “Because I love how you look at me and make me feel important as if my feelings matter to you.”
His heartbeat tripped with happiness. “You are important to me and you will always be part of my heart.” He took her hand from his cheek and kissed her palm. “Thank you for loving me unconditionally.”
“There is one thing that I probably should tell you.” Her eyes twinkled as if she was holding back a secret.
“It had better be good,” he warned nicely.
“It is.” She leaned closer. “Although I’m nothin’ like Victoria or Bailey, I’m still a little spoiled, and if I see somethin’ that I want desperately, I’ll do everythin’ I can to get it.”
“You don’t say.” He paused reading her teasing expression well. “And what is it that you want desperately?”
“You.” She leaned closer and brushed her lips across his before withdrawing slightly. “But I need to know one thing first.”
“What is that?”
“I need to know,” she said in a soft voice, “if you return my feelin’s.”
His gaze dropped to her tempting lips. “I’m surprised you have to ask. After all those conversations we had about fate pulling us together, I’d think you would know what I’m feeling.”
“I want to hear you say it.”
His heart couldn’t beat any faster, and the love filling him couldn�
��t grow any bigger. “I love you, Nicole. I will always love you.”
Her smile widened. “Good. Because then this next part won’t seem so awkward.”
Confusion climbed inside of him as he watched her warily. She still wore her cute teasing expression, though.
She took a deep breath and released it slowly. “Nolan Ricks? I have never felt this way with any other man, and I only want to feel this way with you. I can’t imagine my life without you, so please don’t let me live like that. I want to be your wife and I want to show you as much love as you’ve showed to me.”
Nolan hitched a breath, not believing his ears. She was proposing... to him? And yet, he didn’t mind it one bit. And really, if she hadn’t asked him, he would have definitely popped the question.
He cupped her face and stroked her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. “Now let me ask you something.”
She nodded.
“Do you really want to marry me, or are you just saying this so that the Carrigan’s and Ricks’ lines will finally merge in one big happy lifelong commitment of love?”
She chuckled. “That would be the best way for them to crossover..”
“So, what is your answer?” He kissed her on the lips, but only for a moment.
“I really want to marry you, even if this isn’t the way to help those two annoyin’ ghosts move on.”
He grinned and nodded. “That’s the answer I was looking for.” His gaze dropped to her mouth again. “And, as much as I want to seal this marriage proposal with a passionate kiss, I don’t want to do it here. What do you say we go back to the inn and find a nice comfortable room to continue this moment?”
“Absolutely!”
THIRTY-THREE
Nicole wanted to do nothing but kiss this man for the rest of her life. She didn’t even care about running the oil business, either... unless Nolan came with her and held her all day long. Now that would be the perfect job – hugging and kissing all day and all night long.
Her mattress at the newer bed and breakfast inn was much more comfortable than at Hanover House. Of course, it helped to be curled up against a wonderful man as they kissed to their heart’s content. Her mind wouldn’t stop whirling with dreams of her wedding and becoming Mrs. Ricks.
She broke the kiss and stared into his passionate expression. He stroked her hair, from the top of her scalp, down the length of her locks. It should have relaxed her so much that she could fall asleep, but instead, she wanted to stay awake and look at the handsome man in her arms.
“I think we should have a quick ceremony here before we leave,” he said.
Surprised, she sat up, looking at him as if he’d been possessed. “Why would you say that? We only have one more day, and there’s no way we could get a marriage license in that short of time.”
“We could make a change with our flights tomorrow and leave on Tuesday. Sunday we can look around for a church or somewhere that a clergyman could marry us. Monday morning, we could be at the courthouse to get our marriage license. In fact, we could get married right there if you’d like.”
The clouds of pleasure had started to clear in her mind, and she finally started to think seriously about this. “No, we can’t do that. We have to get married at Victoria’s house.”
His eyes widened and his jaw hardened. “You are not going down those stairs like she did. That place is dangerous, and I won’t have you risk your life again.”
Smiling, she rubbed his chest. “My darlin’ handsome man, you forget that there is a gazebo out in the backyard. That was where Victoria had planned to exchange vows in the first place.”
He expelled a heavy breath. “You’re right. I had forgotten. But, Missy will be there and she’ll try to stop it.”
“We can’t let her.” She took hold of his hands. “Our love and Victoria and Williams’ love needs to last forever.”
Nolan wrapped his arms around her again. “I’ll do everything I can to protect you.” He kissed her, but briefly. “But you do know that your uncle is going to be livid when he finds out, right?”
She rolled her eyes. “I’d forgotten about him, but I’ll explain it to him later, even though he’ll never believe me. You’ll have to work extra hard at provin’ to Uncle Ethan that you love me and not my money.”
“How do you propose I do that?” He kissed her again. “I’ll do anything to make your family like me.”
“All you have to do is show them the wonderful man that I’ve gotten to know, and they’ll love you, too. They will also see it in my eyes.”
“I love you, and you deserve much more than a gazebo wedding.”
She sighed and cuddled against him, resting her head on his shoulder, looking up at his face. “We’ll have a bigger weddin’ with our family and friends when we get back to Texas – and in Arizona. But in order to help Victoria and Missy, we need to have it at Hanover House.”
“Then I suggest we get busy and start planning this small and quick wedding, don’t you think?”
She frowned, playfully. “As much as I want to stay right here, you are right. As soon as we can do this, then we’ll start our new life together.” She pulled away and took her phone out of her jeans’ pocket. “I’ll call Hanover House to see if we can reserve the gazebo.”
“And I,” he sat, reaching for his phone, “will call around to the churches in the vicinity and try to get someone to marry us.”
“Oh, one more thing.” She leaned over and kissed him. “I love you.”
His eyes beamed with emotion. “And I love you.”
THINGS WERE WORKING out smoothly as if fate was proving to Nolan that this was meant to be. All he knew was that he’d never been happier... and he was going to marry the most beautiful woman in the world.
Nicole had reserved the gazebo, and Nolan had found a priest to marry them after calling only one church. Of course, he hoped Missy didn’t try to scare the man of the cloth away – and she would, because she didn’t want a Carrigan marrying a Ricks.
He and Nicole had agreed that they would only tell their best friends, and she made Bailey swear that she wouldn’t tell her daddy. Bailey promised she would keep the secret. Nolan had sent Aaron a text to let him know the date and time in case he wanted to come to a wedding.
By the time they’d finished, both Nolan and Nicole were so exhausted, that they fell asleep in each other’s arms. When Nolan awoke the next morning and saw her beautiful face next to him, he knew he’d made the right decision.
“What do you want to do today?” he asked after she awoke and smiled at him.
“I don’t have a weddin’ gown and you don’t have a tuxedo.”
“I suppose we could ask Bailey where in Colorado Springs is the best place to buy wedding clothes.”
Nicole laughed. “I hope she hasn’t been shoppin’ there.”
“We’ll find a place.”
“I know, and remember, we don’t have to be extravagant. This will only be a small ceremony.”
“Agreed.”
Nolan went to his own room to get ready for the day as Nicole showered and changed in her room. They walked down to the dining room together for a late breakfast. Thankfully, the dining room was still open at eleven o’clock.
It was such a wonderful feeling not to worry about ghosts in this bed and breakfast, and he really hoped their food was as tasty as Hanover House. Just as they entered the dining area, Nolan noticed a familiar face and he stopped short and stared, not believing his eyes.
“Nolan? What’s wrong?” Nicole asked.
Sitting at the first table was a very attractive couple who looked at Nolan with wide smiles. Aaron Powers stood first and moved toward Nolan.
“Surprise!” Aaron said before throwing his arms around Nolan.
Laughing joyfully, Nolan slapped his best friend on the back. “I can’t believe it. You... are here.”
Aaron motioned toward his wife to join them. Beth rushed up to Nolan and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his che
ek. He was very happy to know he didn’t still harbor feelings for her any longer.
When she pulled away, Nolan turned and slid his arm around Nicole, pulling her against him. “Sweetheart, I want you to meet Aaron Powers and his lovely wife, Beth.”
Nicole reached a hand out in greeting, but Beth gave her a hug, too. “I’m very happy to meet the woman who has stolen Nolan’s heart.” Beth beamed. “When Nolan told us about your quick wedding, I knew we had to be here.”
Nicole laughed and glanced at Nolan before looking back at Beth and Aaron. “What a wonderful surprise. You’ve made our day that much more special.”
Aaron motioned toward the table. “Grab you something to eat. I paid the inn to keep breakfast fresh for you two.”
Once Nolan and Nicole had filled their plates with food, they sat by Aaron and Beth. Aaron clapped Nolan on the shoulder, grinning.
“I couldn’t be happier for you, Ricks, and I hope you’ll let Beth and I help you out with the wedding plans.”
Nolan winked at Nicole. “We’ve already done that.”
“You see,” Nicole said, “it’s just going to be a small weddin’ tomorrow.”
“Yes, Nolan told me all about it.” Aaron wagged his eyebrows. “Ghosts, huh? I wonder if they need any help scaring the guests.”
“Aaron,” Beth elbowed him and shook her head. “I’d think the ghosts could teach you a trick or two.”
Nolan laughed, but quickly sobered. “Missy is one upset ghost who has made it her pursuit not to let a Carrigan woman marry a Ricks’ man. I’m sure there will be enough tricks at the wedding.”
Aaron folded his arms and shook his head. “I really can’t wait to hear what’s been happening here.”
“Oh, believe me – I have an earful for you.” Nolan smiled.
“So, tell me,” Beth said. “Where are you two planning on living?”
Nolan met Nicole’s gaze again and he shrugged. “We haven’t had time to talk about that, yet.”
The Billionaire's Setup Page 21