Light from Her Mirror (Mirrors Don't Lie Book 3)

by Becki Willis

  Another dozen of roses was thrust into her face, arranged artfully in a cut-glass vase. A white satin sash draped across the greenery, with more words spelled out in glittering silver and gold. Pure gold was never more valuable than the words she read now: ‘Marry me’.

  Tears blurred her vision, but Makenna was fully aware of the bouquet lowering, down enough to reveal the most amazing and intensely blue eyes she had ever seen.

  “Hardin!” With no thought at all to the cost of -or the destruction to- the beautiful roses he held, Makenna flung herself against him. He caught her with his free hand and crushed her to his side as she threw her arms around his neck. She fought a spiky leather leaf fern for his lips, not caring that florist greens flavored the kiss. All she tasted was Hardin.

  He gave a low growl and thrust the bouquet aside, releasing the entire thing so that he could sweep Makenna into his arms.

  Sensing what was about to happen, Kenzie rushed in and made a diving rescue to catch the roses mid-air as they fell. The kissing couple never noticed her impressive save, but a glance over her shoulder confirmed that her grandmother, at least, appreciated the amazing feat.

  Locked in one another’s arms, Makenna and Hardin never knew when Kenzie straightened to her full height, adjusted the crooked bouquet, and tiptoed silently back into the apartment. She shut the door behind her, allowing them a moment of privacy. Even the officer on duty had vanished.

  “Makenna.” Hardin breathed her name against her lips. He could not get close enough, could not bear to allow even the space of a word to come between them. Even then, Makenna was pulling him nearer, trying to fit his skin into hers.

  “God, I missed you,” he growled. Between kisses, against her lips and the tender skin of her neck, around the overwhelming love that stole both their breaths away, he muttered more words in a voice thick and hoarse. “I was going mad without you. What was I thinking?”

  “Yes.” The word was little more than a weak breath that feathered against his ear as he nuzzled her neck.

  “I can’t live without you,” he ground out.

  “Yes.” This time, she managed the word with more strength.

  “I love you.”

  “Yes,” she breathed, as he kissed her again. “Yes,” she repeated, struggling to remain coherent. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  Her words finally penetrated Hardin’s fogged mind. He pulled his head back, just far enough to peer down at her. “When?” he demanded.

  Soft, feminine curves begged to mold around the hard angles of his body. It was difficult to think, when their bodies were carrying on a conversation all their own.

  “Set the date,” she promised. “Next week. Tomorrow.” She swallowed his kisses. “Right this minute.”

  “Makenna.” He leaned his forehead into hers, blowing warm air over her face as he released a sigh. “I’m sorry, baby. Can you ever forgive me?”

  “Can you forgive me? I was the one who-”

  “Shh. It doesn’t matter who did or said what. I don’t care what happened in the past, as long as I have a future with you.”

  “Oh, Hardin, I was so miserable without you!” Makenna threw her arms around his neck as she began to cry.

  “Shh, baby, no more crying. We both did enough of that.” His big hands were warm as they came up to her waist and pulled her close. “I love you, Makenna,” he whispered in a voice rough with emotion.

  “I love you. So much. So very, very much.” She put her hands on his cheeks and stared into his incredibly blue eyes, willing him to see the truth in her gaze.

  Hardin’s eyes darkened to an intense shade. The exact color of desire, Makenna thought, as he pressed proof of that desire against her. When her body melted around his, she said regretfully, “We have company.”

  “Get rid of them,” he growled, nuzzling her neck.

  “Okay,” she agreed mindlessly. Then, as she grabbed for a wisp of sanity as it floated by, “No! I can’t. My- My grandmother is here.” Her lips faltered around the word.

  “Granny Maybelle? Or Grandma Reagan?”

  “Neither. Grandma Leigh Anne,” she said, knowing he would not understand. She barely did.

  “Huh?”

  “It’s a long story. I still have trouble wrapping my head around it, but I know it’s true.”

  “Babe, I have no idea what you are talking about. Maybe we should go inside.” For the first time, Hardin realized the roses were gone. He glanced around in confusion. “What happened to the flowers?”

  Makenna peeked over his shoulder and frowned. “I-I’m not sure. But listen, I need to tell you something before we go in. Today I-I met my biological grandmother. My mother’s mother.”

  “You did? That’s awesome, babe! How did that happen? Did you find some connection while you were in New Hampshire?” Just for a moment, his eyes darkened as he recalled her deception, but she saw the determined way he pushed the thoughts aside and concentrated on her news. Her heart warmed at the effort he was making to forgive her so completely.

  “You might say that,” she admitted. “Hardin, you are never going to believe this, but our grandparents… my grandmother… my grandmother is Leigh Anne Lawrence.”

  “I know that name,” he murmured, running it through his mind. “Leigh Anne Lawrence.” Recognition dawned upon him and registered as surprise in his blue eyes. “But… that means…”

  “Yes, I know,” Makenna sighed wearily. “That means Harry Lawrence is my grandfather.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  For Kenzie, the next evening was a bit surreal; she was having dinner with her grandparents. It was something she never thought possible.

  “I’m nervous,” Makenna confessed as they entered the restaurant. It was an upscale steakhouse near the Capitol, where the maître d’ led them to a private dining room. “Do you think we’re dressed okay?”

  Kenzie was wearing her royal blue silk dress, the one that hugged her torso before falling in flattering folds around her hips. She recalled the last time she had worn it, when Travis had dropped in unexpectedly just before she left on a date. That night, the air cast encircling her leg dampened the overall effect of the waltz-length dress, but she had still managed to render the Ranger speechless. Remembering the warm look in his eye gave her confidence tonight, even if it did leave an odd ache in her chest.

  “I think you look beautiful,” she told her sister. Makenna was wearing a similarly styled dress in dark emerald green, the perfect shade to highlight the auburn glow hidden within her curls.

  “Thanks, Ken. I think the Mandarino sisters clean up quite nicely, if I do say so myself.” She paused at the doorway and turned toward her twin. They automatically touched their palms to one another, glancing at the other as if to check their reflection in a mirror. “Let’s do this.”

  Harry and Leigh Anne Lawrence were already seated and waiting for them at the elegantly appointed table. Although a handful of tables were scattered throughout the room, the exclusive dining area was empty except for their party of four.

  The Senator stood as they approached, a smile touching his handsome face and warming the cool gray of his eyes. The first time Kenzie had seen him, she had thought him too nearly perfect to be sincere; even at his age, he was tall and imposing with an excellent physique and perfectly styled silver-tipped hair. Even his teeth were a dazzling white, as revealed by a most charming smile. Handsome and dignified with a pleasant speaking voice, Kenzie’s first thought was that Harry Lawrence made the perfect politician.

  Makenna’s first impression of their grandfather was that he made an excellent companion for his wife of forty-six years. Harry was as handsome and dignified as Leigh Anne was elegant and lovely. Noting the way he laid a protective hand upon his wife’s shoulder, Makenna warmed to her grandfather instantly.

  “Kenzie!” His voice was warm with affection as he thrust his hand toward the twin he knew. When she put her hand in his, he covered it with his other large palm and cocooned her in a
warm handshake. Turning to the woman he had yet to meet in person, his eyes crinkled with pleasure. “And you must be Makenna. It is indeed a pleasure to meet you at last.”

  “I’m sorry if I seemed ungrateful when we spoke on the phone.” Makenna cringed when she remembered how she had spoken to him that day, insisting that he take the car back. He had listened to her vehement refusal to accept his generosity, praised her determination to be self-sufficient, and then flatly but politely refused to reclaim the vehicle. She had driven it to the restaurant tonight, in fact.

  “I was most impressed with your arguments and your integrity. You quoted your sister almost verbatim.” His eyes twinkled with merriment as he pulled chairs out to seat his granddaughters.

  “You girls look absolutely lovely tonight!” Leigh Anne beamed at them.

  Harry eyed them warmly. “They remind me of Maggie, the night she went to prom with that Miller boy. Wasn’t her dress something like theirs?”

  “Yes, I do believe it was, now that you mention it.”

  “You both look so much like your mother, it is a bit startling. If only she could see you now…” In spite of his best efforts, his voice choked with emotion. “If I could turn the clock back, I would do so many things differently.”

  “Unfortunately, life does not come with a rewind button,” Kenzie said with sage wisdom, but her words were gentle.

  The waiter appeared with a wine list and a basket of hot, fluffy rolls, shifting the subject to the lighter topics of favorite foods and wines. After a gourmet meal enjoyed over easy conversation, the waiter brought a tray of assorted desserts and a carafe of hot coffee.

  “I do admit to an ulterior motive with our meeting tonight,” Harry said as he sipped his coffee. Kenzie stiffened but was not surprised. “Of course, my main objective was to meet Makenna and to get to know both of you better. And I must say, I could not be more pleased -or more proud- to know that you exceptional women are my own flesh and blood.”

  “Why, thank you,” Makenna blushed.

  Kenzie remained silent, waiting for the ulterior motive to be revealed.

  “But now I have to ask you something, and I want you to be completely honest with me. As you know, I am considering a bid for the White House. If I should get the nomination, and especially if I should win the Presidency, there will be many changes in store for me and my entire family.” Harry took his wife’s hand in his, smiling at the love of his life. “I do not take my responsibilities as a husband and father lightly. And being a grandfather has been the ultimate highlight of my life.”

  He looked back at the twin sisters, his eyes warm and sincere. “I have asked this question of every member of our family, and I have taken into consideration each and every person’s response. So now, it is time to hear from the final two members of my family. I want you to know your answers bear as much weight as my other seven grandchildren’s. I would like to know if you have any reservations about me running for President.”

  Both women were stunned. Kenzie was the first to recover. “You-You’re asking us?”

  “Of course. You are as much my grandchildren as your cousins are. Our relationship is more fragile, in fact, so your opinion matters to me a great deal. If you have any concerns, any reservations, any just cause why I should not run, I will pull out of the race.”

  “You would do that for us?” Makenna asked in awe. “You barely know us!”

  “I was there when you were born, Makenna. Or shall I say Tamara? I was a part of your life for almost two years. I missed out on the next twenty-something years, but I do not intend to miss the coming twenty. If being President keeps me from being your grandfather, I will put an end to my campaign right now.”

  Kenzie thought the words sounded a bit too practiced, a bit too polished, but they had a wonderful ring to them, nonetheless. She slid her gaze to her sister, whose face was shining with delight.

  “How would your Presidency affect us, exactly?” Kenzie asked quietly. Unlike her sister, she was not quite ready to jump on the bandwagon for a Lawrence Administration.

  “Aside from the aspect of the Press, which both of you are familiar with and actually a part of, there should be little impact on your day-to-day life. During campaign stops and visits to the White House, should I win, there could be the occasional issue of personal protection and bodyguards. Nothing too obtrusive, but the Secret Service would become a part of our lives. And naturally, my accessibility would be limited. I would have world-wide obligations that would demand a great deal of my time.”

  “Speaking of body guards,” Kenzie blurted out impulsively. “Why on earth do you have them as a Senator?”

  Her grandfather had the grace to cringe. “I can assure you, I no longer have them. That was one of Franks’ nuances. He convinced me they were necessary in this day and age, but in retrospect, I realize they were more for his protection than mine. I have quickly rectified that situation.”

  “Okay, sorry, just wondering.”

  “Never be sorry for asking a question. Do you have any others?”

  “We’re journalists,” she reminded him with a saucy grin. “Of course we have questions!”

  Harry laughed. “Any that won’t end up in print?”

  “Yes. Will we be invited to the Inaugural Ball?”

  “I would be terribly hurt if you were not there to celebrate with the rest of our family.” There was a twinkle in his eyes, much as there had been the first time they met and he sparred with her unexpectedly. “That is, of course, if I should win. I think we are both getting a little ahead of ourselves.”

  “I don’t think so,” Kenzie said with confidence. “If you decide to run, which we all know you will, there is no doubt that you are going to win.”

  “I appreciate your confidence. Does that mean I have your blessing?”

  “Blessing, or vote?” she asked, with a brow arched high in feigned aloofness.

  “Both, I hope.” His answer was unabashedly honest.

  “I’ll have to hear more about your policies before I can promise you my vote. I don’t agree with some of your views on politics, to be quite honest. But I will offer you my blessing. If you want to run for President, I think you should.”

  Her candid reply obviously pleased her grandfather. “I would love to discuss politics with you, my dear, but we’ll save that for a later date. And Makenna? What about you? How do you feel about me running?”

  “I have to agree with Kenzie, on all accounts. I may not agree with all of your political views, but I admire your desire to serve your country. If you decide to run, I have no problem with it.”

  “Thank you, ladies,” he smiled. “I appreciate your support.”

  “Emotional support,” Kenzie quickly pointed out. She tipped her wine glass toward him. “You’ll have to earn my ballot support.”

  “Touché, my dear.” His gray eyes sparkled. “Touché.”

  ***

  “I’m glad you brought me along,” Makenna said a week later, as they lunched at a Fredericksburg eatery. They sat by a window so they could watch pedestrians stroll along the picturesque sidewalks. Kenzie was on an assignment for the magazine, getting shots for an upcoming issue highlighting German culture in Texas.

  “I thought we could both use a breather, after such a hectic week.”

  “I’m sorry about this week, Kenzie. I’ve been so caught up in my own happiness that I’ve been living in a little bubble. I’ve been selfish. Can you forgive me?”

  “Oh, please. You don’t have a selfish bone in your body,” Kenzie assured her twin.

  “Yes I do. All I’ve thought about this week is me, me, me, and how happy I am. Hardin and I are planning our wedding, my parents and my biological grandparents are getting along wonderfully, I have some sense of closure about our mother, our guard detail has let up, and so far, no one from the press has made the connection between us and this Modern Power fiasco. Oh, and Kate loves the articles I’ve turned in so far. But I’ve been so caught up
in my own happiness that I’ve forgotten it’s not the same for you. I’ve been very insensitive, going around glowing while you’re still in such turmoil.”

  Kenzie gave a breezy wave of her hand. “I’ve been getting my shine on by proxy,” Kenzie assured her. “I’m thrilled for you, Kenna, you know that. And just because things aren’t as bright for me right now, that doesn’t mean they’ll always be that way. My time’s coming.”

  “And soon, I hope. Hardin says Travis nearly has his case all sewn up.”

  Kenzie nodded. “At least the undercover part of it is over and I don’t have to worry so much about his safety. Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean he has more time on his hands. What with the paperwork and red-tape and all, he still barely has time to call.”

  Makenna dipped a chunk of spicy kielbasa into the cheddar and beer fondue they were sharing, stringing a yellow liquid thread all the way to her mouth. “This is delicious, but messy,” she said, smearing more with her napkin than she actually cleaned off her face.

  “You’ve got a smudge…” Kenzie advised, touching the corresponding spot on her own cheek. Her eyes trailed past her sister, drawn to the flat screen television on the wall. “Oh, great. Another news conference.”

  Makenna twisted in her seat to see Harry Lawrence taking center stage behind the microphone. “Poor guy,” she sighed. “You know he has to be sick to death of all the questions.”

  “Are you kidding? Have you seen the latest polls? All this attention has been great for his campaign. He’s got like a thirty point lead in the polls, and he hasn’t even made a formal bid yet.”

  “It’s crazy, isn’t it?” Makenna murmured. “To think that our grandfather might actually be President of the United States.” Another yellow thread dripped its way from the fondue pot to her mouth.

  “We’ll have to brush up on our dining etiquette, that’s for sure,” Kenzie giggled, fishing out a chunk of smoked turkey from the cheesy confection. When she finally retrieved it, she used her fingers to pop it into her mouth, foregoing the slippery stick from which it slid. “They probably don’t serve something as messy as fondue at the White House.”