Honor on the Cape

by M. K. Meredith

  “The hell it did. You made that decision when your dad had left.”

  Mitch narrowed his eyes at him. “Watch it.”

  “Come on. I have an announcement to make.”

  Mitch stepped behind Jay as if hiding from someone. Jay spun around. “What the hell are you doing?”

  “Fucking Claire Adams.”

  “You’re fucking Claire Adams?!” Jay was beyond shocked.

  “Hell no, jackass. And don’t talk about her like that. I’m hiding from her.” The look on Mitch’s face as he watched Claire round the fountain in the front drive was a whole different conversation than the words coming out of his mouth. “Every time she sees me it’s like she has Tourette’s or something and the only words out of her mouth are asshole and motherfucker.”

  “She does not say motherfucker.”

  Mitch released a sigh of relief as Claire continued on around the back of the center. “Maybe not, but when I’m around, she sure as hell thinks it.”

  The laugh that erupted from Jay’s chest left him feeling lighter than he had in weeks. “What did you do to make her so mad at you?”

  “Not a God damn thing.”

  “Huh huh. Clearly.” Jay shoved him. “Come on, I need to find Ryker to make his toast, then I have something to share as well.”

  The two men made their way through the front doors of the house to search for Ryker in the kitchen.

  The Victorian-style, gothic inspired Victorian was filled to the brim with people there to celebrate the grand opening. The front room had tables lined with information about the currently offered programs, those that were coming, and request forms for new suggestions.

  Delizioso Italian Restaurant had an array of antipasti offered for everyone to enjoy, and Dine on the Vine had provided the season’s most popular red and white wines for everyone to sip on. Well, everyone but Larkin, who was currently staring at a bottle with the same look Jay imagined she gave Ryker anytime he had to travel to New York for work.

  “You better be careful, someone may mistakenly think that look on your face has something to do with Marco instead of the wine.”

  Larkin giggled. “Please, even if I did, they’d only feel sorry for me.” She nodded toward Mitch and his sister chatting by the sliding glass doors. “Marco Bonamici has never had eyes for anyone but Mae. Not that he has time for anything outside of wine tastings and not that she even seems to notice. Besides, the only thing I’m interested in is getting this baby out of me and a good red in me. Even Ryker doesn’t measure up.”

  Jay shook his head. “Poor guy.”

  “Which one, Marco or Ryker?”

  He laughed. “Both.” Pulling in a breath, he directed her to a seat along the wall so she could get off her feet. His whole plan counted on Larkin’s cooperation. “Speaking of the poor guy…”

  She ignored the crowd in the kitchen and focused on him with a curious intensity. He could see why Ryker loved her so much. Larkin had a way of making you feel like you were the only one in the room. “What’s up?”

  A small commotion behind him caught Larkin’s attention but this was too important for distractions. “I have a plan. I’m going to Ireland to get our girl back.”

  “Blayne.” Larkin whispered. Her eyes immediately filled with tears, and Jay dropped to his knees. “Yes, exactly. This is about Blayne. But knock off the crying. This should make you happy, not sad. Ryker’ll kill me if he thinks I made you cry.” He ran his fingers through his hair. Truth be told, he couldn’t stand the sight either.

  She glanced past him, a smile stretching her lips wide. “I’m beyond happy. This is what happens when I’m happy these days.” She grabbed his hands between hers. “I knew you couldn’t just let her stay away. We need her here.”

  “Well, that will remain to be seen.”

  She stilled with a look of confusion. “What do you mean?”

  “Her family’s in Ireland. I love her, Larkin, and if that’s where she needs to be, well then, that’s where I need to be.”

  “Ohhhhh!” Larkin crooned.

  A husky voice spoke from behind him, the familiar Irish brogue a bit thicker than usual and rocketed through him like a sonic boom.

  “Is that your M.O. now? Take me all the way across the ocean, away from my family, and then abandon me there?”

  He shoved to his feet and swung around. “Blayne.”

  Chapter 20

  Love slammed through Blayne as her eyes devoured Jay. He looked a bit pale with the shock of her arrival, but he was as gorgeous as ever, and the vision of him before her confirmed everything she ever thought she knew.

  He was her one and only true love.

  Her everything.

  And please, God, let him love her like he promised to.

  “What are you doing here?” His voice was raspy, his hands shoving in his pockets then reaching for her only to drop at his sides.

  She swallowed hard, trying to clear her mind of any jet lag so she could say the right things to make up for her epic failure the night of the gala. “I couldn’t miss the grand opening.”

  Over the past week, she and her da had made amends and made a plan. He was determined to see her and Jamie together. If he’d been important enough to leave Ireland at eighteen and she still loved him, then he was important enough to leave for now. Besides, Noah MacCaffrey did not like the idea of his daughter repeating Jamie’s offense in the name of family.

  She could still hear his thick brogue whispering in her ear as he gave her a hug goodbye. “There is no honor in runnin’ away, but there is in chasin’ after yer dream, Blayney.”

  Drawing in a shaky breath, she reached for him. “I’m so sorry, Jamie. I was scared about my da, and I had already hurt him before. I thought since there was no guarantee you and I would work a second time, that you wouldn’t leave again, that I had to go.”

  “But now you’re back? For what? How long?” Jamie looked caught in a tug-of-war.

  “For you and forever.”

  His gray eyes flared, and he took her hand. “We can’t keep separating our families from our family.”

  At his touch, a swift relief washed over her, she went lightheaded. Grabbing him to steady herself, she nodded. “I agree. I—”

  Before she could finish, he placed a finger over her lips. Her initial instinct was to bite it, but that was the old Blayne rising up. Pushing that self down, she waited.

  “I proposed an expansion of Astor Enterprises into Ireland. We’re already a global business and it only makes sense when we have family there.”

  Surprise rocketed through her. “Expanding? So, you really were coming to get me?”

  He held her close. “That was never a question. I can’t lose you again, Bean. You’re it for me. You’ll forever and always be my everything.”

  Tears of disbelief, of fear, of complete elation filled her eyes. Every dream she ever had ended with this one man. “But your mom and dad are here. It’s not fair to make you leave. I…” She was prepared to stay and continue to build a life in the States. She’d already built a home here, she just hadn’t let herself believe it.

  He pressed a kiss to her lips. “You’re my family, Blayne. My most important family, the one I’ll grow with and raise children with.”

  Her heart stuttered at the thought. There was no helping the grin pushing at her cheeks.

  “I was an ass ten years ago. I was selfish and underestimated you based on something I had completely wrong all this time. I’m so sorry for hurting you, for wasting so much time. But I have to be selfish again. Because I’m never leaving your side. You are mine as much as I’ve always been yours.”

  Wasting time was something she understood all too well. “I’m sorry for turning around and doing the same thing to you. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t see any other way.” An awareness of understanding emerged, ticking up the corners of her lips. “And ten years ago, neither could you. Well, aren’t we a pair?”

  “Guys?” Larkin interru
pted.

  But her friend would have to wait. Blayne was finally home where she belonged. In her town with the only man who truly understood who she really was. Happy ever afters were for believers.

  And she believed.

  “There’s no more sacrificing between us or our families,” she said.

  The kitchen buzzed with the excitement of the grand opening and seeing Blayne, but Jamie seemed to only have eyes for her. “If you think you’re up to it, we’ll work here for six months out of the year and then in Ireland. You have your store here and this place, but I’m sure you’ll find something to add to the colorful town of Glengarriff. We’ll figure out the exact logistics as we go along, but, Blayne…”

  He got down on one knee…

  Every hope and dream that she had ever dared to have flashed through her mind. Was this really happening? She’d have her family and the Astor family and Jamie? After everything was said and done, she knew her place was with him and the amazing, loving people of Cape Van Buren. Her family promised to love her no matter where she called home—and to visit often. Emma couldn’t wait.

  But now, they’d all get the best of everything.

  “I’ve loved you since the day I watched you throw back a whiskey at the Blue Loo…”

  Her giggle was thick with emotion as she blinked away tears.

  “Guys!” This time Larkin let loose a shriek.

  Ryker came barreling through the crowd, almost shoving Jamie on his ass.

  She grabbed Jamie, pulling him to his feet as she tried to figure out what was wrong. “What’s happening?”

  With Ryker wrapped around her, Larkin panted through her words. “I’m really sorry…whoo, whoo, whoo…and beyond thrilled that you two are working things out…Whoo, whoo—”

  “Larkin!” This time it was Ryker’s deep bellow that echoed through the room.

  “The baby is commmmmminggggg!” The last word ended on an awful scream that made Blayne swear for the second time in her life that she was never getting pregnant.

  Epilogue

  Three months later…

  “Remember when Archer was born, and you swore you’d never get pregnant?”

  A grinning Larkin settled into a gray tweed chair next to Blayne. The North Cove home she shared with Ryker had been renovated, resulting in a floor-to-ceiling window that opened up the back wall to the rear deck and provided a clear view of the lighthouse across the choppy waters. The glow of the lamp was like a beacon through the large picture window.

  Steadfast and consistent, the perfect symbol of love and strength and commitment that the center had for the town of Cape Van Buren.

  The Archer Conservation Park of Cape Van Buren was thriving and growing by the minute. They were also in the process of tweaking programs and adding more. Which explained why it seemed like the whole town was visiting at the same time.

  Larkin’s mother and father were in the kitchen with Jamie’s parents, as well as Maxine and Evette. The judge was still on the outs with his lady love, but they all secretly hoped they’d find their way back to one another soon. A grumpy Maxine was scary.

  Claire joined them, a big glass of wine for herself and Larkin, and made the new mother scoot over and share a small corner of the chair.

  Blayne scoffed. “Archer was child’s play. Now, this little nugget…” She glided a finger down the baby’s petal-soft cheek and Audrey Maxine Van Buren-aka Baby Max—turned her head toward the touch. “Well, she was a whole different ballgame. I think I’m cured of any threat of the infamous biological clock after hearing you scream.”

  Jamie grabbed each side of her chair, leaning toward her for a kiss. “You better get reacquainted because I know it shouldn’t turn me on to see you holding the baby, but I don’t know if you’ve ever looked sexier.”

  A rush of heat washed through her at his touch. She hoped the feeling never went away. Refusing to let his head grow any bigger, she simply narrowed her eyes at him, though there was no helping the upturn of her mouth. Damn the man. “Slow your roll there, Mr. Astor, we’re not even married yet.”

  Jamie rubbed his big palm gently over the dark fuzz on Baby Max’s head and promised, “Soon, if I have any say in the matter. We’ve waited long enough.”

  It was a wonderful feeling that he was so impatient to be her husband. She’d have to remind him of that in a month or two when he realized she was a pain in the ass to live with. “Let me see how soon my da and siblings can get here. After everything that’s happened, I can’t get married without them.”

  With a gentle touch, she smoothed the cotton onesie covered in lighthouses along the baby’s tummy.

  With a dip of his chin, he sighed, but the look in his eyes was happy and bright. “Of course.”

  Jamie perched on the arm of her chair, glancing out the window. “Is the Hide Away & Stay Inn still running?”

  Ryker strolled in from the kitchen with Mitch close behind and handed Jamie a beer. “For the time being. I’ve heard some talk about the threat of it closing down, but nothing’s confirmed.”

  “No! I love that place. Do you know how many times Blayne and I used to take Archer over there to hang out for the day? We’d grab a picnic from their little cafe and hike through the woods or play in the water along their little beach.”

  Larkin’s eyes turned bright with unshed tears, but she smiled, letting her gaze fall on the baby. “I remember like it was yesterday. He’d loved it there almost as much as the Cape. I hope Audrey Maxine does, too.”

  She smiled at Ryker and the room went quiet.

  Blayne cleared the lump from her throat. “Little Max is our girl, of course she’ll love it.”

  “I haven’t been out there in ages,” Claire said.

  “Well.” Larkin finished her wine. “You’ve got a bit on your plate now that you’re taking on the programming at the center. The art classes you proposed to Ryker and me will be amazing.”

  “Besides, you haven’t been ‘out there’ period. I’ve never seen a person hide behind a to-do list as much as you.” Mitch snorted, tipping his head back for a long swallow of beer.

  Claire grabbed the sandal off her foot and threw it at him, knocking him in the chest and making him choke on his drink.

  “Hey, what the hell?”

  With an innocent look, she shrugged. “Better than being the walking STD of Cape Van Buren.”

  “Oh!” Blayne laughed behind her fingers.

  Mitch’s face turned as red as Larkin’s chest was known to do. “What did I ever do to you?”

  Claire opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by a solid knock at the front door.

  “Who the hell is that? The whole damn town is already here.” Ryker frowned but his tone was good natured. Larkin’s love softened the man’s rough edges, but he sported a frown like no other.

  Jamie nudged Blayne. “About the wedding.”

  “Jamie!” She laughed. “You technically haven’t really asked me yet and you’ve had three months.”

  A throat cleared behind her, and her heart stopped. She knew that sound, that tone, that timbre.

  Turning her head, she shot up from the chair. “Da!” Her head spun trying to reconcile the vision of him before her.

  Ryker took baby Max from her arms as if afraid she’d drop the sweet thing.

  Blayne rushed forward and threw herself into her da’s arms.

  “Whoa now, Lass.” He steadied himself with a cane. “Just got my medical release.”

  She glanced down at his hip, then noticed someone over his shoulder. Ruby, Emma, and Dylan stood shyly just past the threshold in the front foyer.

  Her throat convulsed with emotion, and she tried to swallow beyond the questions and tears. “What are you doing here?”

  “I think yer bloke here might have some answers for ya.”

  Jamie shook her father’s hand. “Mr. MacCaffrey.”

  Noah dipped his white-whiskered chin.

  With an indrawn breath, Jamie glanced from
father to daughter. “Sir, I brought you here to apologize in person.”

  “Wait, what?” She interrupted, trying to understand what was going on. Her family was here…in Cape Van Buren—her home.

  Jamie looked her father in the eye. “I’m sorry. We handled things so badly, so wrong when we were young, then I only made it worse when we got to the States, but I promise you, the only woman I’ve ever loved is your daughter.”

  Noah pressed his lips together. She could see the pain of the memories in her da’s deep blue eyes.

  “Thank ya, son.”

  Jamie cleared his throat. “Blayne had mentioned once that what we did lacked honor, and I’d like to make that right. I would like to ask for your blessing in marrying your daughter.” He shot a look at her. “That is, if she’ll have me.”

  Love rushed through her as appreciation for Jamie’s kindness swamped her.

  Noah MacCaffrey laughed. Outright laughed.

  She watched him. He must have gone daft. She looked to Emma for some help but her little sister only shrugged.

  Her father grabbed Jamie’s hand and pumped it vigorously in a shake. “Lad, I appreciate the gesture, but three plane tickets is a very expensive price to pay to ask for my blessin’. Ya could have asked over the line.”

  Jamie shook his head. “No, I needed you here. Does that mean you’re okay with it?”

  “Have ya met my daughter? If I say no she’d knock me over the head.”

  The whole room laughed, but all she could do was stare between her father and Jamie, her heart splayed open, vulnerable…accepting.

  This was love.

  “Then you see, I needed you here so I could do this right.” Jamie turned to Blayne and took her hand. “I’ve loved you since I was a boy and it would be my greatest accomplishment if you would let me love you long past being an old man.”

  Her fingers fluttered to her lips. “Jamie,” she barely got out the whisper.

  “Blayne MacCaffrey, will you make an honorable man of me and be my wife? I promise I’ll never leave you and that I’ll get on your nerves more than once.”