Operation Bailey Wedding

by Piper Rayne

  “Good idea,” Liam says. Sometimes I wonder why he seems so much more mature than my brothers who are the same age.

  “Thanks, Savannah.” I wave and she waves back, rocking Dion in her arms while spinning something for a game with Calista. She can definitely multi-task like a mother.

  Chapter Nine

  Savannah

  * * *

  Rome leaves with Denver, making some sly remark about buying a jogging stroller.

  “Rome is going to kick his ass soon,” I remark, shutting the door to Liam’s house.

  He’s cleaning up the kitchen and I go in to pick up my computer off the breakfast bar.

  “I know. Hopefully Denver’s over his jokes before the wedding otherwise, I fear the cake table might collapse when those two go at it.” Liam would be a man after my own heart. He’s wiping down the counters and cleaning out the blender from his smoothie. He’s neat, and I begrudgingly like that about him.

  “Maybe I should say something.”

  He turns off the water, grabs a paper towel to dry his hands. “No, you have enough to deal with. I’ll do it.”

  “Thanks.”

  My stomach is still queasy with the thought of seeing Holly’s dad. Hate isn’t a strong enough word for how I feel about that man, but it’s her dad and Liam was right, my issues with him need to be put aside for the day.

  “Who should I bet on?”

  “What?” I ask, holding my laptop to my chest.

  “You and Holly’s dad or Rome and Denver?”

  “I can control myself.”

  He leans against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest. He’s such a cocky son of a bitch. “You have a hard time with me. Why is that?”

  “Do we really have to do this now?”

  “We have the house to ourselves. Why not?”

  I blow out a breath and sit on the stool. “We’re just very different people.”

  He studies me for a second and I have no idea what he wants from me. Pushing off the counter, he throws the paper towel in the garbage. “I’ll be in the barn.” He never looks back at me and exits through the backdoor.

  “Liam,” I sigh, but I’m too late. The screen door slams shut, and my head falls back to stare up at the ceiling. I don’t even know what he does in that barn of his. Probably where his gym is, which explains why every morning I’m tortured with having to see him all sweaty from his work-out.

  Jeez, I haven’t had sex in way too long if I’m getting excited over perspiration.

  My phone dings and I grab it off the charger.

  * * *

  Juno: Well?

  Me: He’s on his way to Holly.

  Juno: Good job. Way to go.

  * * *

  I grab my phone and head upstairs to get ready for the day, trying to forget Liam Kelly and what his abs do to my libido.

  Driving up to North Forest Lumber Company in Sunrise Bay brings a sourness to my stomach, but I’m a good sister-in-law and I love Holly. I want her day to be everything it should be and more.

  I park my SUV and stare at the building of Bailey Lumber’s biggest competitor and enemy. I hate everything about him and this company. He tried to take us down with rumors and lies and I haven’t forgotten it.

  Just go in. Just go in. I tell myself over and over again until I finally open the door and step out of my car. There’s still a nip in the air which as far as I’m concerned is perfect for a beautiful wedding because no one will be sweating their asses off.

  I cross the parking lot and open the glass doors, finding no receptionist. Looking around, I head down the hallway in search of someone who can point me in the right direction.

  When I enter the main area, an open concept space with cubicles and phones ringing off the hook but no one is answering them.

  “Excuse me.” I stop a guy who has a bunch of papers in his hands. “Can you point me to Clint Edison’s office?”

  “You’re kidding me, right?”

  I tilt my head. “Um… no.”

  “He skipped town. He was embezzling funds from the company.”

  “What?”

  He nods and moves along down the hall. This has got to be a joke. Why wouldn’t I have heard about this? We’re in the same industry.

  I stop another employee, a woman this time, with the hopes that she feels like being chatty enough to give me the lowdown.

  “When did they find out Clint Edison was embezzling?” She looks at me and then I see the recognition in her eyes.

  “Savannah Bailey?”

  I nod.

  She looks around and ushers me back toward the reception area where no one else is.

  “I shouldn’t be telling you this, but the investors figured it out anyway. We all kind of knew something was going on for months. He was firing and laying off employees weekly and then today, one of the partners came in and told us all what was happening.”

  I soak in the information. My mind should be on Holly and not on how well this will work for Bailey Timber, but I prayed for years that the world would see what a slimeball that guy really is.

  “I’m sorry,” I say, meaning it because this means a lot of people are out of a job.

  “Well, if you have any openings.” She looks at me hopefully.

  “What’s your name?” I ask.

  “Grace Holden.”

  I put my hand out. “Call my office Monday morning, Grace and I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Thanks.” She looks behind her and I get the idea that I should probably leave before anyone else sees me, so I head out, my mind a jumbled mess.

  It takes me a half hour to get to Austin and Holly’s place. Both of their vehicles are parked in the driveway. On the way over here I was hoping it’d only be Austin so that he could break the news to Holly himself.

  I ring the doorbell which I’m still getting used to doing since it is my childhood home. I hear Myles’ paws along the hardwood floors they had installed. Long gone is the horrible carpet we never upgraded.

  “Calm down,” Austin says to the dog from behind the door.

  Shock morphs his features when he sees it’s me. “Sav?”

  “Everything good?”

  He nods. “Yeah, we’ll all good. We’re delaying the honeymoon until after the state tournament. I did push back though, and we’ll be extending our time away for another week.” He opens the door wider for me, and I step in, taking off my shoes.

  Myles slobbers all over my hands and I pet him hello. Daisy comes around the corner, her tail wagging.

  “Who is it?” Holly asks from the kitchen.

  “We’re making dinner. You want to join?” Austin asks.

  “Um… no. This is your last night before the wedding stuff really gets underway. I just came here to tell you about some information I came upon.”

  He tilts his head.

  “It’s about Holly’s dad.”

  Austin’s shoulders fall. “Austin?” Holly calls out since he didn’t answer her question the first time.

  “It’s Sav.”

  “Come in, Savannah. Sorry about earlier.” Her voice grows closer and I have no opportunity to tell Austin before Holly joins us. My gut twists watching her smile.

  “No need. I understand how Austin can be at times.”

  She giggles and Austin walks over to her and kisses her head. “Savannah has information about your dad.”

  Her smile fades and I guess there’s no easing into it now.

  “What?” She shakes her head. “Do I need a drink? Come in. Let’s grab a drink.”

  She disappears and I follow her, Austin between us. He grabs two wine glasses and a bottle of Holly’s favorite white wine from the fridge.

  “Thanks.”

  “Want to go outside? It’s beautiful outside right now.” Holly picks up her wine glass and opens the screen door.

  “Babe?” Austin says, and Holly stops, turning back around.

  Her expression says it all. She knows she’s about to be
disappointed and hoped that maybe she could delay it. She sits down next to me and seems to brace herself. “Okay. What is it?”

  I gather my thoughts in my head so I do a good job of delivering this blow. “I went to ask your dad to come to the wedding. I didn’t want you not to have him there because of me.”

  “What?” She looks to Austin.

  “Well?” he says.

  “You weren’t the reason I didn’t invite him, Savannah. I know you would’ve tried to hold it together.”

  “You have more faith in me than my brothers.”

  She laughs. “Well, they’re men.”

  “True. Anyway, I went there, and I found out he was gone. I guess he was embezzling from the company and now the partners are looking for him. I think he fled.”

  She stares at me like she cannot wrap her head around it. “Oh. Well, I shouldn’t be surprised, I guess.” She stares down at her wine glass for a minute, deep in thought.” What about his family?”

  I shrug. “I don’t know. I assume they’re with him. Or that the wife was blindsided.”

  She looks to Austin and he comes over to her, putting his arm around her shoulders. Just as we’re figuring out what to do, the five o’clock news comes on the television in the family room.

  We all move in there to watch it.

  “Local business owner, Clint Edison, embezzled over three-hundred thousand dollars from his company. He was found at the airport, flying alone. His wife of Sunrise Bay says she didn’t know anything, but evidence shows the contrary. They have three kids who are in the mother’s care tonight while Edison awaits to appear in front of a judge.”

  A picture of the building I was just at flashes across the screen.

  Holly continues watching even though the segment is over. “It’s so weird. I feel like I should have all these feelings and I don’t. I hope the kids and his wife end up okay, but…”

  Austin pulls her to him and kisses her forehead. I figure my time is up, so I wave goodbye to Austin and slide out the front door.

  I’m not beside my truck checking my phone for more than a minute when the door opens, and Holly runs out to me with Myles on her heels. Austin waits at the door with Daisy.

  “Savannah,” she says, rushing over to me, both her arms swathing me in a hug. “Thank you.”

  “For what? Giving you bad news two days before your wedding?”

  She draws back. “That you would have sat through the wedding with him there for my happiness. You know it’s amazing that non-blood relationships can be worth more than blood sometimes. You’re more family to me than Clint Edison ever was. Thank you.” She hugs me one more time. This time tighter and longer.

  “We love you, Holly. You’re a Bailey.”

  She wipes her tears and smiles. “That means so much.”

  “Now go in there and enjoy your last night living in sin.”

  She laughs through her tears. “Will do.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  She starts to walk away. “You will.”

  I climb into the SUV and she waits with Austin on the porch, waving goodbye as I drive down their long driveway to the other side of town. The ache between my legs only intensifying as I get closer to Liam’s.

  Chapter Ten

  Holly

  The day before the wedding…

  * * *

  Terra and Mare is decorated with rows of tea lights in the centers of the long tables extending the width of the restaurant. Flower petals are scattered along the wood surface and their scent lingers in the air.

  Rome walks out of the back wearing his chef’s jacket.

  “Rome, it’s beautiful.”

  He leans forward and kisses my cheek. “Let’s just hope the food tastes good.”

  “I’m sure it will be delicious.”

  All of our groomsmen and bridesmaids start to arrive since we came here right after the rehearsal for the ceremony. Grandma Dori is at the bar ordering herself a beer. Harley comes in through the back with Dion in a stroller and Calista looks adorable in her sundress and sandals. Harley is such an awesome mom, I’ll never compare.

  “Have you seen Liam?” Savannah asks me.

  I look around. Weird. He was just at the rehearsal.

  “He had to go pick up his date,” Denver says, joining our conversation.

  You know when you’re somewhere loud and everything around you just stops and becomes still and quiet? That’s what happens now. Even Dion’s cries die down.

  “You need something? You know I’m stronger than him anyway.” Is Denver the only one not noticing that it’s weird that Liam would bring a date? He never brings a date to anything.

  “Does Liam have a girlfriend?” I ask for Savannah’s sake because I owe her one after what she tried to do for me last night.

  “Liam? Hell no.” Denver scrunches his face up.

  “Denver.” Harley points to Calista who is busy staring up at her uncle like he’s the life-size version of Superman.

  “Sorry.” He cringes. “But Liam’s a loner for life.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Austin says.

  “I need to see Rome. His selection of beer is not up to my standards.” Grandma Dori joins our little circle.

  “What are you looking for?” Harley says, pulling Dion out of the stroller.

  Juno comes in and swoops him up in her arms. Her and Phoenix and Sedona all head to a table far away from everyone with both the kids.

  “I love this big family thing.” Harley smiles and releases a breath.

  “He doesn’t have Coors or Miller or Bud.”

  “He has Stella,” Harley says, trying to appease her.

  “He has beers I’ve never heard of. Fancy beers. Frou-frou beers.”

  “You should try Stella,” Denver says.

  She puts her hand on Denver’s shoulder. “Go down to Liquory Split and get me a six of Miller.”

  Denver shakes his head but leaves the restaurant to fulfill his grandmother’s request.

  Austin kisses my cheek and says he’ll be back. Grandma Dori moves around the room like a politician waiting for her lackey to bring her beer.

  “Can you believe it?” Brooklyn rushes over, poking her head between me and Savannah. The three of us huddle together.

  “What?” I ask.

  “He hasn’t proposed yet,” she says.

  Yesterday morning, Brooklyn let all the women know that she found a ring in Wyatt’s stuff. Now she’s on pins and needles every time she thinks it’s the perfect opportunity to propose. She’s going to combust if he doesn’t do it soon.

  “It could be awhile. You need to chill. You just moved in together. You have chickens,” Savannah, always the voice of reason says.

  “Yeah, that’s true. Those things are hard work. It’s like having babies, I swear.”

  “You don’t really know what having a baby is like,” Savannah kindly reminds her as an exhausted Harley rejoins us. She looks presentable, but you can tell she’s not really all there if you look into her eyes. Her gaze keeps moving back and forth to the babies.

  “What about babies?” she asks.

  “Nothing,” I say because Harley will speak her mind and Brooklyn’s casual comparative might not be well received right now.

  Harley rolls her shoulders and moves her neck around in a circular motion like it’s too heavy to hold up. “I swear after-pregnancy sucks more than when you’re pregnant. At least when you’re pregnant, you have a reason to not drink. I can’t have sex, I can’t drink, I’m being used like a world fair’s champion cow for milk supply.” She looks like she might tear up.

  “What could be taking him so long? Is it because I was already engaged before, do you think?”

  “No,” Savannah says.

  “Are we talking about the ring thing?” Harley asks.

  “Yeah,” Savannah and I say in unison.

  “When the time is right, he’ll ask,” I say.

  “Ask what and who
?” Wyatt interrupts the conversation and we all look at one another trying to be discreet, but we’re not at all.

  “Here you go, G’Ma D!” Denver walks in and raises the case of beer in his hand. “No food yet?”

  “Rome’s working on it,” Harley says and from her expression, I’d say she’s not happy with Denver, but maybe it’s a hormone thing.

  “He’s probably sampling too much. Tell me, Harley, are you under that belief that a fat husband is a happy husband?” Denver laughs.

  The rest of us remain quiet because Rome just came out with a tray of food. He places it in the middle of the table.

  Harley pokes Denver in the chest. “Listen. Rome has gained weight, I’ll give you that, but you want to know why?” Denver says nothing and neither do any of us. “See those kids. Your niece and your nephew?”

  Denver actually turns and we all sigh.

  “He’s too busy being a rock star dad to get to the gym much. He’s too busy running out and making sure every craving I had during pregnancy was met because guess what? I was growing a human being inside my body. A human being that was half his. He did the stand-up thing and took care of his girlfriend. He’s not at the gym doing “curls for the girls” and out partying every night. He’s being a true man and taking care of his family and if he’s gained a few pounds because of it, I don’t care. He’s a shit-ton sexier than you.” She pokes him in the chest one more time and he holds up his hands.

  “I’m sorry. We joke. It’s what we do.”

  Rome comes over and shoves Denver out of his way, picking up Harley and kissing her. It’s so romantic how she came to his defense and how he appreciates it.

  “Jesus, I was just joking. I didn’t mean it.” Denver looks over to us and we roll our eyes. One day he’ll grow up. I still think he harbors some jealousy that Harley took Rome away and he’s going to nit-pick the one thing that isn’t perfect between them.

  “Girls, you good?” He points to Juno, Phoenix, and Sedona. Sedona is now holding Dion and Phoenix is coloring with Calista. We’ve yet to figure out why Phoenix came back early with all her bags. She’s kind of a ‘wait for her to come to you’ kind of girl.