by May Williams
“Not if you give us each coffee and something sweet,” Adrien bargained, giving his sister a kiss on the cheek.
Lexy leaned back and narrowed her eyes at him, but dipped her head in agreement. “Gracie, will you fix a couple to-go bags for these two clowns, please?” she called over her shoulder and winked at Adrien.
When they stepped outside with coffee and food, Colette whisked past him, planting a quick kiss on his lips and stroking his stubbly cheek. “Glad to see you’re up.”
“Anything I can help with?” He offered, willing to do anything for her.
“Not now. Eat your breakfast,” she patted his cheek again and headed for the cherry orchard.
“Let’s take a walk,” Adrien said, but something in his tone suggested that they had something to talk about.
Ian followed Adrien past the barn and into a meadow where some benches made from split logs surrounded an old fire ring.
“Thanks for your help last night.” Ian sat down on a log. “It would have taken a lot longer by myself.”
“Anything for Collie.” Adrien took a drink of coffee, keeping his intelligent eyes on Ian. “I like you, Ian, so I’m going to play this straight. I didn’t want to say anything in front of Dad or Nate last night, but I did some research into Northfield Investments. I know who you are and who your father is.” Adrien paused, and his words sunk into Ian like a heavy, cold weight. “What I don’t know is what kind of game you’re playing with my sister. But understand this, if you hurt her, I’ll hurt you.”
Ian couldn’t speak for a minute. He put the bag of food down on the bench next to him. The clenched gut eliminated his hunger and it flowed out to his fists. “Did you tell her?” Ian finally asked, even though he already knew the answer. He wouldn’t have gotten a kiss this morning if Colette knew. He’d have gotten a right to the jaw and his walking papers.
“Not yet. I’m not ruining her day and I don’t want you to.” Adrien stood over him. “But, you have until Sunday night to leave. If you don’t, I’ll tell her.”
“It’s not what you’re thinking. I love her.” He just hadn’t managed to say that to her yet. Now he wasn’t sure he’d get the chance.
Adrien gave him the same steely expression he’d seen on Jack’s face the first time they’d met. “Seems like one hell of a coincidence to me.”
“I’m sure it does.” And I’m sure that I’m going to get the shit beat out of me by an academic if I don’t do this right. And when he’s done, he’s going to hand me over to Nate and Jack. There’ll be a bloody carcass left of me by Monday morning and they’ve got plenty of woods to bury it in. Telling Adrien the truth was his only option. “You got anywhere you need to be right now?” he asked.
“Nope.” Adrien settled onto the bench opposite Ian, stretching his long legs out in front of him. “So why don’t you explain to me how this coincidence happened?”
Ian told him everything, starting with their intentional meeting on Grand Island and the accidental night they spent together at the cottage. More than once he thought Adrien was going to come off the bench and pound him, but over the course of the next half hour, Ian made his case.
Justifying his love for Colette and his actions over the past several weeks wasn’t his idea of a good time, but he did it. Adrien’s handshake at the end of his story was enough to tell him he’d done it right. Now, he had to say it all again to Colette. If Adrien didn’t believe him, it wouldn’t have broken his heart. But If Colette didn’t, all his hopes and plans would be gone.
At just past five, Lexy gave the arrangements the final nod. Vases of flowers and candles decorated the living and dining room of Colette’s home. A little later, trays of appetizers and drinks would be set out. Her kitchen was crowded with Lexy’s staff putting the final touches on a variety of miniature desserts.
“Two hours to show time. I guess we’re ready,” Colette said to Lexy and Gracie.
“Nate’s gone home to change and check on the babysitter. I’m so glad I decided to dress here. That way I don’t get sucked into whatever’s happened at home.” Lexy took Gracie and Colette’s arms and steered them upstairs. “Time to get ourselves prettied up.”
A few minutes later when Colette stepped out of the shower, she heard the giggle of female voices in her bedroom. She toweled off quickly and poked her head into the room.
“What are you laughing about?”
“Ian came in to get his suit. He looked a little bewildered to find Gracie and me in here. Good thing we had our robes on.”
“Oh, shoot, I was going to warn him to get his things earlier in the day, but I’ve hardly seen him since noon when he and Adrien wandered off.” Colette wrapped a robe around herself before going into the room.
“Nate pressed him into service collecting some last minute supplies and setting up tables and chairs,” Gracie commented.
“I haven’t even been outside. I’ve been too busy getting the downstairs ready.” Colette ran a comb through her hair. “You see why I didn’t want to open the house, Lex.”
“Complain all you want, but it looks beautiful. People are going to love exploring the downstairs. Happy guests write bigger checks after all. It’s a fact.” Lexy twisted her own sleek, dark hair into a knot at the base of her neck. “You can thank me later when the big donations come rolling in.”
“I’ve already gotten donations pledged to the Facebook page Ian made for the center. Apparently, the article in the Tribune is working some magic.”
“I’m surprised you let Ian do that.”
“He was sneaky. He set it up, then told me about it.”
“Ah, so he does have a sneaky side.” Lexy and Gracie burst into giggles.
“What?”
“Ian tried to be subtle when he was in here a few minutes ago, but we saw him slide a little jewelry box into his pocket.”
“Jewelry box?” Colette whispered and sank down on the bed.
“You know, blue velvet box with a hinge.” Lexy slid pins into her hair, but kept her eyes on her sister’s face. “You aren’t interested in jewelry from Ian?”
“I am, but, I didn’t think…”
“It could be just a gift like a bracelet,” Gracie suggested, apparently seeing the worry on Colette’s face.
“What if it’s not? What if it’s a ring?” Colette murmured.
“You haven’t thought about that?” Lexy pulled on a knee length black dress with a deep scoop neck.
“Of course I have, but,” Colette got up to zip her sister’s dress, “we haven’t even said…”
“If you haven’t done the I love you routine, then it’s probably not a ring. Isn’t that right, Gracie?”
“Don’t ask me. I’ve never gotten that far in a relationship. Took me years to finally go on a date with your brother.” Gracie held a brush in her hand. “Should I straighten my hair?”
“No,” Lexy and Colette said in unison.
“It’s not your fault Adrien is such a slow mover. Some bouncy curls and that fabulous red dress,” Lexy gestured to a flaming dress of silk and sequins, “should get him into a higher gear. What are you doing?” Lexy said to Colette, who was suddenly digging through her closet. “Your dress and shoes are out.”
“I’m not sure I can wear that. In the store it looked okay, but I don’t think it’s me.” Colette fingered the silver sleeveless sheath dress. “It’s too shimmery.”
“You’re wearing it and the shoes to match. Now, get over here so I can do something with your hair.”
Despite her protests, Colette put on the silver dress and shoes, got her hair done up in a sophisticated style and fussed with her makeup. With only a few minutes to go before the first guests arrived, she went downstairs to light the candles in the living room.
“I’ve been waiting for you.” Ian leaned in the open front door, his pose falsely casual. “I see it was worth the wait.”
She blushed, but did a little twirl for him.
He came toward her and took her ha
nds. “You look beautiful. Is it safe to kiss you?”
In answer, she leaned in until their lips met. “I like you dressed like this,” she said after the peck, smoothing her hands over his dark gray suit and blue tie. His cheeks were freshly shaved and his cologne a spicy scent, but his eyes were serious tonight.
“Are you ready to see the lights? It’s not dark yet, but you’ll get the idea.” They walked onto the porch. The main tent in the side yard glowed with tiny, twinkling white lights that stretched to the stand of birch trees where the dessert tent was located. Lanterns hung from the branches of the oak tree in the front yard.
Farther away in the orchard, the green and white lights were whimsical, calling guests to wander through the fruit trees with a glass of wine. Colette turned to look toward the barn where the entrance and its pasture fence were outlined in gold and white lights. The smell of barbeque wafted from the tent.
“It’s perfect. I don’t know how to thank you, Ian.”
“Come with me for a minute.” He tugged her in the direction of the birch trees where they could disappear together. When they were alone, he pulled the jewelry box from his pocket. “I wanted to get you something special for tonight.” She held her breath in a combination of hope and fear as he popped the lid open so she could see the contents of the box. Blue sapphires dropped on the ends of silver and diamond chandelier earrings. They were beautiful, exactly what she’d have picked for herself. “I heard you were wearing silver and the sapphires match your eyes.”
Colette took the box. “It’s my birthstone, too. They’re lovely.” The stones sparkled in the dim light. She ran her fingers down the side of his face and pulled him down to her for a kiss. “Now, I really don’t know what to say.”
“I need to talk to you about something later. After the party.” He tugged at his tie and the crease between his eyes deepened.
She smiled at him. “Why are you so serious tonight? Is something wrong?”
He shook his head. “I just don’t want to screw up what we have.”
“No chance of that. I love you, Ian.” She managed to say what she’d been feeling, finally trusting him enough.
His somber expression didn’t alter. “Colette, I—”
“I’ve been looking for you two. Guests are starting to arrive.” Lexy poked her head between them and glanced down at the earrings in Colette’s hand. “Nice. Put them on and get to your post by the house. Ian, go down and check on the valets. I don’t know about Nate’s harebrained idea to let the high school football team park cars.”
“I’ve heard worse ideas,” Ian commented, separating himself from Colette.
“We’ll see at the end of the night.” Lexy took Colette’s arm to steer her in the direction of the house.
Every time he looked at her it was like getting punched in the gut. She’d said she loved him. He ought to be ecstatic, but what would she do when he told her the truth? As the sun faded and the lights began to glow, she sparkled in the silver dress. The earrings he’d gotten her caught the light whenever she moved her head. It was not something he wanted to lose, her light. With his camera in hand, he worked his way through the crowd, snapping pictures, but always aware of where Colette was. She greeted people she knew with a kiss on the cheek and gave warm handshakes to welcome other guests. Despite the sexy high heels, she led groups of people to the barns where the calmer of the animals were on display.
Lexy ran around, directing servers and managing the time table like a general while the rest of Colette’s family smiled and worked the crowd. Even Jack dusted off his social skills for the evening. By midway through, Jack had shed his suit coat, rolled up his sleeves, and was holding court in the barn about the care of various kinds of animals.
He snapped pictures, already building the stories in his mind that he would use them to tell on Colette’s website. At the barn, the bluegrass music, exquisite barbeque smell, and Jack’s authoritative voice combined to draw a crowd of donors. This was the group with questions, Ian noted, the people who wanted to hear about the successful treatment of specific animals. He’d never seen Jack so comfortable while speaking.
In the orchard, tables laden with local produce, cheeses, and wines were accompanied by the sounds of a jazz ensemble. With the white and green lights, the rustling of leaves, and the sultry music, people milled and chatted. Ian caught snatches of conversation about the farm itself, the event, and the newspaper story. He couldn’t resist a little burst of pride over that last bit. Jade insisted the article had had a significant financial impact.
His favorite place to circle through as he ambled was the dessert tent in the strand of birch trees. Lexy had outdone herself in providing sumptuous desserts, all designed to be eaten easily and one-handed. Most guests had a glass of champagne in the other and were happily bidding on the silent auction items.
Deeper into the evening, as he continued to wander through the crowd, Ian heard people comment about the benefits of supporting the animal rescue center. The success of the fundraiser was assured, leaving Ian to worry about his own success later as he revealed his deception. Adrien passed him several times, always with a nod and smile, and Ian wondered where he stood with Colette’s brother. This afternoon, Adrien accepted Ian’s explanation, but left the impression that he wouldn’t hesitate to act on his sister’s behalf.
“Ian, could you lend me a hand with something?” Jade snagged him when he was returning from taking some pictures in the barn. “I need to get these auction items to the winners’ cars.” She pointed to a row of prizes each with carefully written notes, indicating the winner’s name and the make and license plate of the car. “We can do it in three trips if you help me. I was looking for Adrien, but he’s disappeared.”
“I saw Adrien and Gracie walking in the orchard a little while ago.” Ian slung his camera around his neck and picked up a large basket filled with wine bottles in one arm and a potted orchid in the other. “Far away from the crowd,” he added.
“Oh,” Jade’s cheeks pinked in the soft glow of the lighting, “about time.”
“So Colette tells me.” Together, they carried the items to the parking lot, got keys from the man in charge of parking, and distributed the prizes into the winners’ vehicles. When they were done, they strolled back toward the main tent, enjoying the cooling air of the summer night. “I wanted to talk to you about the rings you mentioned a few weeks ago,” Ian said before they got too close to the remaining guests.
“Yes?” Her tone was amused.
“I know it would mean a lot to Colette to have her grandmother’s rings.” He’d come this far in the conversation so he might as well finish it. He drew in a breath before going on. “I was hoping I could get those from you soon.”
“How soon?” Jade stopped walking to face him.
“Whenever you’re willing to give them to me,” he answered. He had a lot of explaining to do before he could propose, and it might all go to hell. But he wasn’t giving Colette up without a fight.
She nodded her head slowly. “Stop by the house. I had Jack take them to the jewelers to be cleaned and polished last week.”
“You did?” He couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows at her.
“I think you’re going to make my daughter very happy. I’m already looking forward to having you in the family, so don’t disappoint me.” She pointed a finger at him.
“No, ma’am.” Ian hoped like hell he wouldn’t.
“Go spend some time with Colette. She doesn’t look as busy now.” Jade gestured to Colette standing near the porch and saying goodbye to a number of guests.
“Thank you, Jade.” Ian moved away from her and took a glass off a passing waiter’s tray. Despite a nearly constant watch on Colette, he hadn’t seen her stop to eat or drink anything all evening. He handed her a glass of sparkling water after she shook hands with a departing couple.
“Thought you might need this,” Ian said.
“Thanks, my throat’s dry from talking and
my feet may never be the same again, but Mom says the donations have been flying in.” She took a sip.
“Looks like it’s clearing out,” he commented, when more cars left the temporary parking area headed for the road. Nearly all of the guests were gone from the main tent and only a few lingered in the orchard for a last bite to eat. The red flash of Gracie’s dress showed in the twinkling lights of the orchard as she and Adrien made their way toward the farm house.
“Wonder where those two have been for so long?” Colette grinned and nodded her head in the direction of her brother and Gracie.
“Having fun, I imagine.”
“Good.” A car traveling too quickly passed between the returning couple and the house. “Who would be coming in at this time?” Colette asked as the car careened by the valets and continued on a reckless course toward the house, nearly hitting one of the servers. The driver of the black Lincoln slammed the car into park when he reached the house.
“Shit,” Ian muttered before the door opened and an elderly man got out and started for them.
Chapter Eighteen
Ian got to his father in three long strides. Grabbing the old man by the arm to stop him in place, Ian leaned his head close to his father’s. “What the hell are you doing here?” Ian kept his tone low so only the two of them could hear.
“Doing what you should have done a month ago. I’m going to make an offer myself.” His father said in a voice loud enough to carry to Colette and her gathering family.
“Ian,” Colette, still sparkling like the twinkling lights, came forward, “who is it?”
“My name is Liam Kroft. You must be Colette Peterson.” The old man pushed past Ian. He approached Colette, but paused to study her face, his expression softening for a moment before the rigidness returned. “You look like your grandmother.”
“Dad, please.” Ian tried to turn his father away from the Petersons, but the older man yanked free.