by Debbie Mason
“Good. On that, at least, we can agree. And now I imagine it is clearer to you why Logan and Isabella are in such a rush to wed even though their relationship is somewhat new. Anyone can get swept away on passion. None of us are immune.”
He had no idea how close to home his words hit. “Well, there’s nothing more romantic than Harmony Harbor in the summer, and once I’ve worked out the logistics with the suppliers for the fourth, I’ll arrange for Logan and Princess Isabella to have some one-on-one time together. Away from the manor and the wedding plans. Some fun and romantic dates is just what they need.”
“Perhaps I’ve misjudged you, Ms. Bell. And as that appears to be the case, I am willing to give you a second chance. But there is one small detail that needs to be taken care of so no one learns of your egregious error.”
That sounded good to her. “What’s that?”
“Other than the suppliers, whom you have my permission to offer a monetary incentive to meet the new deadline and to keep quiet, no one except you and I will know that the wedding will be on the fourth instead of the seventh.”
“Not even Logan and Princess Isabella?”
“No, not until the morning of the fourth. The majority of the guests are family and friends who live close by and who were no doubt planning to attend the Fourth of July festivities anyway. We’ll just move the ceremony back so that the fireworks go off moments after they are pronounced man and wife.”
Jenna couldn’t have envisioned a more perfect ending to the ceremony herself. But she could’ve thought of a better ending for her morning. “Excuse me a moment,” she said to Luis, and answered the ringing phone on her desk. “Greystone Manor, Jenna Bell speaking. How may I help you?”
“You may help me by returning my ring, bella.”
“Lorenzo, there was a break-in at the manor and the ring was stolen. But you already know this.”
“I’ll leave you to your call. We’ll speak more of the arrangements later,” Luis said, and quietly left the study.
“I don’t believe you. If it was stolen, someone would have tried to sell it or pawn it by now. There has been no word of the ring on the streets, and I have checked every pawnshop from Boston to New York. Return my ring, and I will speak to Gwyneth about returning your shares in Southern Belle.”
“I can’t return something I don’t have, Lorenzo.”
* * *
If Logan and Isabella were sitting in her office at Southern Belle, Jenna would’ve told the couple ever so gently that not only were they not a perfect match, they didn’t have enough in common to be friends, let alone lovers. Well, clearly they’d been lovers since Isabella was carrying Logan’s baby.
Once again, Jenna’s gaze found its way to the other woman’s stomach. It was hard to tell she was pregnant. Isabella wore a floaty floral sundress and wide-brimmed hat. Jenna knew she was in trouble as soon as she saw what the woman had on. She’d told them both to dress for a fun and adventurous day. Logan had listened; he had on a pair of board shorts and a T-shirt that hugged his impressive pecs and six-pack. Jenna had on a cute pair of stretchy pink shorts and a tank top that matched perfectly because she’d worn her glasses to check herself out. Mateo, who the princess had insisted come along, had on sweat shorts and a T-shirt that kept riding up to show his incredibly ripped physique. The guy was almost as well built as Logan.
Jenna looked away and found herself captured by Logan’s intent gaze. He raised an eyebrow. Busted. She grinned and lifted a shoulder. “All right, I have a fantastic day planned for the four of us.”
She didn’t add that she’d had a fantastic day planned for them yesterday too. Isabella had blown her off for breakfast at the mayor’s and a luncheon at the yacht club, while Logan had spent the day organizing security for the Fourth of July. It had been Jenna’s idea that they mention there would be a party in their honor on Independence Day so Logan had a plan in place when they sprang the surprise wedding on them. The more Jenna thought about it, the more she didn’t like it. The only element of the surprise she did like was that the press would be surprised too. If no one blabbed. Poppy and her sisters knew, of course, but they’d been sworn to secrecy.
Jenna glanced at the questionnaires in her hand. She’d practically had to beg Logan and Isabella to fill them out, which was how she’d discovered just how completely incompatible the couple were. She hoped by pushing them out of their comfort zones they’d bond and build trust in each other. She wondered why she’d never thought to do this with Lorenzo. Probably because the man had made her believe they were the perfect match.
She hadn’t heard from him again. She glanced at Logan. Until that moment, she’d forgotten to tell him about the call. Her only excuse was that she’d started calling suppliers as soon as she’d hung up with Lorenzo. It wasn’t like it made any difference though. He and Gwyneth were still MIA.
“Jenna?”
She looked up, and Logan tapped his watch.
“Uh-oh, someone didn’t read my list of no-no’s,” Jenna said. “Hand it over. And your cell phone.” She held out the waterproof bag. “You too, Princess Isabella and Mateo. All right, now we’re ready to start the day,” she said once they’d done as she asked. “The first thing we’re going to do is go whale and dolphin watching.”
“Cool. I haven’t done that in years. We used to go out with Captain Bill.”
Maybe this was going to work after all, she thought, gratified by Logan’s enthusiasm. And she had a special surprise for him. “Well, guess who just happens to be taking us out on the water today? Captain Bill! Yay! Isn’t that the…?” She caught the look on Isabella’s face. “You don’t want to go whale and dolphin watching, Princess Isabella?”
“Please, call me Isabella. And no, I’m sorry, I don’t like the water. But you and Logan can go. I’ll join you for the next activity.”
“Sounds good. Come on—” Logan began.
Apparently, the day was going to go as badly as she’d initially suspected. “No, no, I’m sure I can find an activity we’ll all be excited about.” She looked at her list. “I guess that means wakeboarding is out?” she asked Isabella, trying to hide her own disappointment.
Logan didn’t do as good a job hiding his disappointment when Isabella agreed wakeboarding wasn’t for her.
“I’ve got an idea. How about fishing? We don’t have to go out in a boat,” Jenna suggested.
“Great idea. I know the perfect spot. I haven’t been—” He glanced at Isabella. “So that’s a no too?”
“Please, you and Jenna go. I have a book I’ve been wanting to read.”
Logan blew out a breath and crossed his arms.
“We’ll go for a hike instead,” Jenna said with determined cheerfulness. “There’s some lovely trails…” She glanced at Isabella and knew she’d struck out again. As though sensing his princess was getting upset, Mateo said something to her in Spanish. She gave him a wan smile.
“Okay, follow me, everyone. And this time I’m not taking no for an answer,” Jenna said.
“Where are we going?” Logan asked, as Jenna walked toward the pond and the wooden bridge. He held up the radio. “I need to let security know.”
“We’re going to the spa for a couples massage, and then we’re going to have a picnic on the beach.” When her plans were greeted with put-upon sighs, she said, “Please try to curb your enthusiasm.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
If Jenna’s plan was to show how ill suited he and Isabella were, she’d be happy to know it was working. They were in one of the cottages on the estate that had been used mostly by the extended Gallagher family during holidays and summer vacations. His brother and Shay were living in one just up from here that had been kept for his family’s use. This one had been converted into a spa.
The manager, Tina, was a nice enough woman, but a little extreme. “All right, relax on your pillows; feel the tension leaving your body and melting into the floor. Close your eyes and breathe in, pushing out your tummy and
opening up your rib cage. Hold it for five and then release for five. Lovely. Again.”
He heard the quiet padding of her bare feet on the cedar-planked floor, and then she was behind him. “So tight,” she murmured, digging her fingers into his shoulders. He opened his eyes to see Jenna watching him while trying to keep a straight face. To the other side of her, Mateo and Isabella sat cross-legged on their pillows, both of them breathing deeply and rhythmically.
“Let’s get this tension out of you,” Tina said, leaning her whole body into his back as she worked her elbow into his shoulder blade. She was going to get more than tension out of him—he was going to cry out in pain if she didn’t let up.
“Um, Tina, maybe you should use your hands instead of your elbow. It looks like you’re really hurting him,” Jenna suggested.
“You know what they say—no pain, no gain. Wink, wink. Now, Jenna, close your eyes and breathe.”
“I’d love to, but we’re scheduled for a picnic on the beach in forty-five minutes. So maybe we can start the couples massage?”
“I suppose so, although I really hate to interrupt these two. Just look at how in sync their breathing is. Beautiful.” She stood behind Isabella and Mateo with her hands on their heads. “Came back to us now…That’s it. Very nice. All right, now turn and face each other. Mateo, you take Isabella’s hand in—”
“No, they’re not a couple. Logan and Isabella are,” Jenna said.
“Are you sure?”
“Ah, positive. Haven’t you read the news?” Jenna asked as she went to stand beside Tina.
“And pollute my mind with all the negativity? I don’t think so. I’ve been on a news fast for more than a year.”
“Oh, okay, well, these two”—Jenna waved her hand between Logan and Isabella—“are getting married in two— Oh gosh, what am I saying? Five days. They’re getting married in five days.”
Any of the tension Tina had managed to release in Logan came flooding back. Today had proven what he already knew; he couldn’t marry Isabella. And from what he could tell, Isabella wouldn’t be heartbroken. The only ones who would be were his mother, Jenna and her sisters, and pretty much all the business owners in town. If there were more time, he’d ride things out until his memory returned and he knew what was really going on. But there wasn’t time.
Tina rubbed Jenna’s arm. “Let me guess, you’re the wedding planner. No wonder you’re so, ah—” She put up her hands, palms out, and silently screamed.
“Really? I thought I was calm. Argh,” she cried out when Tina jammed her fingers in Jenna’s shoulders.
“I told you. Your muscles are as badly bunched up as Logan’s.” Tina let go of Jenna to help Isabella to her feet. “Take your pillow and sit in front of your fiancé. Jenna, you sit in front of Mateo.”
“No, that’s fine. I’ll just go sit on the deck until they’re finished, thanks. Enjoy the…argh. Stop doing that,” she said when once again the older woman jammed her fingers in Jenna’s shoulders, nearly bringing her to her knees in front of Mateo.
Logan bowed his head at the thought that he wanted to trade places with the younger man. He glanced at Isabella, who was watching Jenna and Mateo with a look of longing on her face. She caught him looking at her and gave her head a tiny shake as if it wasn’t what he suspected, but he knew it was exactly what he thought. He’d witnessed the stolen glances between the pair, the brush of hands, the touch of fingers, the way Mateo watched Isabella when she wasn’t aware of him doing so, and Logan hadn’t felt one iota of jealousy.
He hadn’t really felt anything except a desperate need to get to the bottom of what was going on. When he’d learned no one from Merradien was attending the wedding, he’d had his first stab of insight. He was Isabella’s ticket to citizenship in the States, nothing more and nothing less. He was sure of it. The attempted kidnapping had probably been the catalyst. There’d been talk of an arranged marriage, and she’d balked. Only he hadn’t been able to get her alone to talk because Luis, Pilar, or Mateo was always around, and he couldn’t be sure whose side they were on.
Once they were at the beach having the romantic picnic Jenna had planned, he’d ask for some privacy and talk to Isabella then. Knowing he was finally going to take control of the situation, he felt the tension in his body begin to release.
“I want you to take the lady’s right hand in yours and lightly stroke from the top of her shoulder down to her fingertips.” Tina sighed when Jenna started to laugh. “Press a little harder, Mateo.”
At least Jenna looked like she was having a good time. Isabella looked like his touch pained her.
Tina glanced at them and came over to take Logan’s hand in hers, stroking it down Isabella’s arm. “All right, gentlemen, take your partner’s hand and gently knead. Mateo, maybe not so gentle.”
Logan lightly kneaded Isabella’s hand as Tina suggested and, in return, got another grimace from his bride-to-be. He couldn’t take it anymore and said, “Okay, time to trade partners.” He didn’t miss the relief on Isabella’s face or the panic on Jenna’s.
“No. The whole point of this exercise is for you and Isabella to—” Jenna began before Tina interjected.
“Whatever you were hoping for obviously isn’t happening. At least this way you’ll all get rid of some tension.”
Logan wasn’t so sure about that as Jenna sat in front of him and Tina had her turn around and lie back in his arms.
“Isabella and Mateo, take the same position, please. Now, gentlemen, stroke your hands up and down your partner’s arms from the shoulders to the fingertips. Wonderful. Much better, much, much better.” She walked to the far end of the cedar-paneled room and turned a switch, filling the space with the sound of rain on a tin roof and rolling thunder in the background.
Tina returned with two small vials, handing one to Logan and then one to Mateo. “Pour a small amount in your hand and then rub your palms together to heat the lavender oil. Once it’s warm, gently massage the oil into your partner’s arms, starting at the shoulders and working your way down to the tips of their fingers. When you hear the bell, you’ll switch positions and, ladies, you will massage your partners. And then we’ll move to the full-body massage.”
“No time for bodies. Arms and hands are good. Oh gosh, so good. Really, really good,” Jenna moaned, and Logan had to agree with her. He was not giving her a full-body massage in front of Isabella, Tina, and Mateo, but he definitely planned to bring her back to the spa once he ended his engagement to Isabella.
Fifteen minutes later, they said their goodbyes to Tina. “I hope you’ll come again and bring your friends. Logan, you make sure Jenna gives those gorgeous muscles of yours some time and attention.” She gave Jenna a playful swat. “You greedy little thing. I thought you were going to start purring any minute. We certainly know whose hands you prefer. Wink. Wink.”
By the look on Jenna’s face, this wasn’t how she’d imagined the day going either. He leaned toward her as he held open the door. “You and I need to talk. But first I need to talk to Isabella. Alone.”
“Of course.” She nodded, trying to smile but failing miserably.
He went to take her arm to try to explain, but she moved out of his reach. “Jenna, it’s not what you think.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” She hurried to catch up to Mateo and Isabella while Logan retrieved his gun from the lockbox behind the door.
“You’re a smart man, so I’m sure I don’t have to tell you you’re marrying the wrong woman, do I?” Tina said.
He didn’t think it would be appropriate to say I know, and I’ll be back with the right woman in a few weeks for a couples massage, so he just smiled and tucked the gun in the waistband of his shorts. “Thanks again, Tina.”
Logan caught up with Jenna and Isabella at the start of the trail into the woods. “Where’s Mateo?”
“He’s gone to pick up the basket and blanket at the manor. Jasper was having everything prepared.”
“Mateo shou
ld’ve waited till he spoke to me.” Logan tensed, an uneasy feeling coming over him as he scanned the woods. Something or someone was watching them.
“I’m sorry. I thought you wanted…” Jenna glanced from him to Isabella. “I’ll catch up to him and send him back.”
At the snap of a branch, Logan shook his head and pulled her back. He got his gun in his hand and then reached for the radio to call for backup. It was too late. He registered movement fifteen yards away and quickly pushed the women back. “Behind that tree,” he yelled. He got off a shot, but so did the shooter. Logan lunged for Jenna and Isabella, bringing them both to the ground seconds before a bullet slammed into a tree a foot in front of them. Covering them with his body, he scanned the woods. A door just up from the path slammed.
“It’s Shay,” Jenna said, a slight hitch to her voice, but otherwise she was holding it together. “Everything’s going to be okay, Isabella. Nothing’s going to happen to you,” she comforted the crying woman.
Shay ran to them, bent low, gun in hand. Logan tossed her the radio. “Call for backup. I’m going after them. I’ll cover you until you get Jenna and Isabella out of sight.”
“No. Don’t go in there by yourself. The security guards will be here—” Jenna began.
“Trust me. I’ve got this, Jenna. Go with Shay.”
Crouched by a tree, he slowly swept his gun from left to right as he focused on the woods. He could hear Shay calling for backup on the radio as she got the women to safety. As soon as he heard the sound of their feet on the wooden deck and the door to his brother’s cottage closing, he moved out. He stayed off the path, stepping carefully through the brush, not wanting to give away his location, using the trees for cover, looking for broken branches that would give the shooter’s position away.
In the distance, he heard at least three, maybe four, men coming his way. It had to be members of the security team. If the shooter was still in the woods, he’d hear them too and would make a break for it now. In a matter of seconds, he proved Logan right by laying down fire.