His Winter Rose and Apple Blossom Bride

by Lois Richer

  “Hey! How are we gonna find out what happened?” his carrot-topped friend demanded.

  “Guess you’re just going to have to come back next week.” Jason grinned. “Okay, the ride’s over.” He glanced at Piper, who stood waiting.

  “Everyone’s to go to the community center,” she explained. “We’ve got a chicken dinner and lots of games. With prizes.”

  The excited kids could hardly wait to exit the helicopter before hitting the power buttons on their wheelchairs and zooming off, supervisors jogging to keep up. While Piper was busy with one of them, Jason turned to Baron.

  “Thanks hardly seems enough.”

  “Forget that. What happened with the boat?”

  “I’m pretty sure somebody sabotaged it.” He explained the problems. “Higgy checked the beacon last night. Everything was fine.” He swallowed, hating what he had to say. “I’ve been trying to think who could have done it. Dylan was here, Baron. We had dinner then I got a phone call. He said he was going to wait outside.”

  “I was afraid of that.” Baron looked upset.

  “Why?” Jason frowned, his surprise deepening as he heard about Piper’s attempt to reach her father through Dylan. “But why? Why would he do that?”

  “I don’t know. But you need to speak to the police. Now. They’ll want to examine the boat.”

  “And Piper?”

  “She and I have some talking to do,” Baron told him. “I love my daughter, Jason. Even though I’ve acted like a jerk, I always did. It kills me that I wasn’t there when she needed me.” His eyes clouded. “For her to lose Vance like that—” He shook his head.

  “You’re here now. I think that means a great deal.”

  “I messed up, Jason. I messed up a lot.”

  He patted the tired father’s shoulder.

  “We all did. But we serve a God of second chances.”

  Baron nodded but he said nothing more, content to feast his eyes on Piper, who was speaking to several officials. She looked over one shoulder, winked at them and grinned.

  Jason longed to hang on and never let her go, but he couldn’t. Not yet. Not until he’d apologized to the Society’s director, not until he talked to Bud Neely.

  Then he’d find her. And with God’s help he wouldn’t let her go.

  *

  Piper slipped her arm into her father’s and walked beside him to her car. She could hardly believe he was here, that he loved her, that he always had.

  “Where’s Jason?”

  “He had some things to do.” Baron pressed the hair out of her eyes. “I need to talk to you, honey. Can we go for a coffee somewhere? I could sure use one.”

  “Get in. I’ll drive you.” She switched the heat on then steered out of the parking lot toward the town’s only drive-through. After she’d ordered and picked up two coffees, she pulled into an empty space on the lot. “I’m so thankful you came. I don’t know what we would have done.”

  “God would have worked something else out.” Baron sipped the steaming liquid. “Piper, I need to apologize. I acted like a boor and an oaf after your mother died. A hundred times I’ve wished I could take it back and a hundred times I’ve prayed for God’s forgiveness. Now I’m asking for yours.”

  “Why did you do it, Daddy? What changed?”

  “Everything.” He tilted his head back, closed his eyes. “I always thought I’d die first, never her. When she was gone I couldn’t accept that God would do that. I got bitter and very, very angry.”

  “You were hurting,” she agreed. “We all were.”

  “It was worse than that. I let fear take over.”

  “Fear?” Piper had never imagined her father was afraid of anything. To hear him say it shocked her. “Fear of what?”

  “Of messing up. Of not doing the right thing. Of being a horrible parent.” He dragged one hand through his hair. “She was so good at it, a natural-born mother. I should have let her teach me but I got caught up in making money. As if that mattered after she was gone.”

  “You did your best,” she offered quietly, wondering at the anger that had faded now that he was here.

  “No, Piper, I didn’t. What I did was try to dictate every move you made.”

  “Why did you do that?”

  “Because I was stupid. Because I was stubborn, too stubborn to know your grandparents were exactly what you needed. Because I was terrified something would happen to you and you’d leave me, too. Just like her.” He blinked rapidly, then stared into her eyes. “I loved your mother more than my life, Piper. But in those days I was young and brash and I scorned God. I certainly didn’t think I needed Him. I’d decided I was going to raise you all by myself, my way. I was going to turn you into a woman your mother would be proud of.”

  “Oh, Daddy.”

  He reached out to touch her curls, laid his palm against her cheek.

  “She would be proud, Piper. So proud of her brave, strong, true little girl.” He patted her shoulder. “Even though I took my loss out on your grandparents, accused them of taking away my daughter, even though my incessant demands drove you to them and kept you from the home your mother had made, even though I wasn’t there to help you as she would have wanted, you’ve come shining through. Your mother would be so proud of you. Just as I am.”

  Piper set her cup into the holder, leaned over and wrapped her arms around him.

  “I didn’t understand, Dad. I wanted you to hug me and hold me and you were trying to live through your own grief.” She relaxed in his embrace for a few moments, then risked a look into his eyes. “But you were much harder on me than Dylan. Why?”

  He let her go, and shrugged.

  “I felt that Dylan was older, that he’d already made so many decisions, chosen his path. I didn’t think he was as vulnerable.”

  “Dylan needs to know you love him, Dad.”

  He nodded. “I should have told him more, I know. Instead I’ve taken him for granted. And now there are problems.”

  “What problems?” The concern etching his face sent a shaft of fear to her heart. “Dad, is there something wrong at Wainwright?”

  He nodded.

  “There have been a number of—irregularities—all involving him. That’s why I’ve been traveling so much. I’ve been trying to catch them before—” He paused, refusing to say any more even though Piper begged him to continue.

  “I’ve got to go, honey. I promised I’d finish what I started and I can’t stop now. Can you drive me back to the helicopter?”

  “Of course.” She swallowed the last of her coffee, switched the engine on. “But you’ll come back, won’t you? You’ll come and stay so we can talk and get caught up with each other. I have so many things to tell you.”

  He smiled. “I’ll be back, honey. Nothing in the world could stop me.”

  Satisfied, she drove them back to the marina. The rain had stopped for the moment. They stood together on the windswept lot and embraced, saying without words everything that needed to be said.

  “Take care, sweetheart,” Baron murmured, kissing her cheek.

  “You, too, Daddy.” She hugged him tight, then let go. “Come back soon.”

  “Yes.” He turned to walk away, then paused, turned back. “When Dylan shows up, find a reason to keep him here and then call me, will you?”

  She nodded. He gave her one last look, then walked to the helicopter, climbed in and was gone.

  Piper checked Jason’s shop, but he was not inside. They needed to talk but it looked as if that would have to wait. Once she’d made sure the children had left and she was no longer needed, Piper returned to her car, intending to head home. But when she was inside, she remembered her father’s words and puzzled over them.

  Why would Baron ask her to keep Dylan here when Dylan wasn’t even in town?

  She’d have to ask him when next she saw him.

  Piper turned her thoughts to Jason, a tiny smile lifting her lips. She wanted to see him, to tell him how much she loved him.


  But not like this.

  She decided to go home to Cathcart House. She’d cut some roses, fill the house with their heady scent. A bubble bath, fresh clothes and then she’d start dinner.

  And maybe, if everything worked out just right, Jason would show up. Then she’d tell him what she’d been afraid to say before.

  Now she knew why God had brought her to Serenity Bay.

  “I forgive,” she murmured. “Please forgive me.”

  The rush of peace assured her God did. She could hardly wait to tell Jason.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Jason huddled in his chair, desperately praying for God’s help. Once more his life was out of control.

  Outside a car stopped, a door clicked. Footsteps padded to the door. It opened.

  “Dylan? Hey! What are you doing here?” Piper paused with one hand on the screen door, scanning her brother’s lounging form in her grandfather’s chair. Her gaze rested on Jason, widened at the gag in his mouth, the ropes binding his hands and feet. Her body sagged, her shocked whisper carried across the room on the wings of fear. “What have you done?”

  “Me? What have I done?” Dylan lurched out of his chair, his voice a notch too high, speech a tad too quick. “Shouldn’t that be what have you done?”

  A gun appeared in his hand. He waved Piper into the room.

  “I don’t know what you mean.” Piper moved forward, dropped her bag on a chair but kept going until she stood in front of her brother. “Dad said you never passed on my message, Dylan. Not today when Jason needed help, not when Vance was sick. Why?”

  “Why?” The stark pain brimming in his voice echoed around the room.

  “Do you really have to ask, Piper?”

  “Yes.” She sat down in front of him, ignoring the gun barrel aiming directly at her midsection. “I have to ask because I don’t understand why you’d do such a thing. I love you, Dyl. You’re my big brother. I thought you loved me, too.”

  “I did.” For a moment the dark eyes softened. A wistfulness flickered across his face. “I do. But it costs me too much. I’m sick of paying. Now it’s your turn.”

  Jason knew the exact moment she realized the truth.

  “It was you! All those incidents, the model hotel, the chlorine in the tub, the plans so conveniently dropped. You did all that. Even the salt in Shalimar’s fuel?”

  Dylan nodded and Jason wished he could spare her this. But there was nothing he could do except pray.

  “Jason’s boat?” Her eyes flared with anger at the response.

  “Yes!”

  “Why?”

  “Do you know what it’s like to be second best? To always fall short, to never feel like you’ve quite managed to meet the bar? That you’ll never be able to do enough, say enough, work hard enough to get your father’s approval?” He shook his head, snorted. “Stupid question. Of course you don’t. How could you? You were always the apple of Dad’s eye. ‘Piper this. Piper that. When Piper comes back.’ Blah, blah, blah. On and on he went. I could count on one hand the number of times I heard my own father say, ‘Good work, son. Well done. I appreciate your effort.’”

  “Oh, Dylan.” Tears washed down Piper’s face as the hate-filled words poured out. “You have no idea.”

  “Don’t I?” He jerked his head, scanned the room. “Look at this place. Even here you were the favored child. I got cold, hard cash. You got the place they loved.”

  “Because they thought you didn’t like it here, Dyl. You took Papa’s diary. Did you read it? He loved you, they both did. But you never seemed to want to stay at Cathcart. Not after Mom died.”

  “Why would I? To compete with Perfect Piper?” He glared at her, his face red. “I read the diary, read all about how proud they were of you. You’re right there. I kept as far away from this place as I could.”

  “I’m far from perfect.” She shook her head. “But why Vance? What did my husband do to you that you would stop Dad from helping us?”

  “He would have bled the company dry looking for a miracle. I knew there wasn’t one. Not for him. Not using the company I’d been breaking my back to keep on solid ground.” Dylan touched her arm. “I was sorry about Vance, Piper. But in reality his chances weren’t good, anyway. According to my information he wouldn’t have made it through the treatments. And when he died, Dad would have felt he had to console you by offering you a job at Wainwright. I wasn’t going to allow that.”

  “I feel like I don’t know you at all,” she whispered.

  “You don’t.”

  “And Jason? What is his crime? How did he threaten you?”

  “He didn’t. But you fell for the guy. His business is here. That meant you’d be staying. I couldn’t have that.” He jerked the gun toward Jason. “I figured that if he died on the water somewhere, you’d get out of here fast. Then I could get on with my plans.”

  “Your plans?”

  Jason had never seen Piper so white. Her fingers clenched around the arm of her chair as she struggled to remain calm.

  “Your plans could have killed innocent children, Dylan. Your greed and hate could have stolen their lives. You would have been a murderer!”

  Dylan paced, agitated and angry.

  “I didn’t know they’d be on that boat! He never said anything about them. He only said he was going out in the morning. How was I supposed to know? How could I know?”

  The plaintive wail hit a nerve. Jason felt a wash of pity for the boy so desperate to gain love he’d resorted to such extremes.

  “It couldn’t have been just jealousy, Dylan. What you did to me, to Jason, to those kids—there has to be more to your actions.”

  Dylan nodded, his eyes emotionless, his face very calm. “There is.”

  Piper rose, moving forward until she stood directly in front of him—as if she intended to protect Jason from that gun. His blood ran cold and he wiggled hard, thumping the chair on the wooden floor.

  Piper’s eyes begged him to be silent. Dylan grew agitated.

  “Shut up or I’ll shoot you.” He turned back to Piper, grabbed her arm. “You want to know why? Look. I’ll show you. Then maybe you’ll get it.”

  He pulled a folder lying on the table toward him, flipped it open.

  Piper bent, staring at the contents.

  “This is the hotel model you left in my car,” she whispered. “It’s beautiful, Dylan. But what—”

  He didn’t let her finish.

  “I own all the land around Cathcart House, Piper. All of it. Once you sell me Cathcart I’ll be able to start construction. The hotel in town will look like a dump compared to this place. My place. When you’re gone and construction is complete, then everyone will know, especially Baron, that I’m worthy of the Wainwright name, that I deserve to run the company.”

  “When I’m gone?”

  Jason knew how hard she struggled to keep calm, to say the words through the fear. He’d never felt more proud or more grateful to God for giving him a chance to love this woman. If only—

  “I don’t want to kill you, Piper. I won’t have to if you’ll promise never to come back here. Never.”

  “Why? You could have built this in town, Dylan. You could have brought the model in to the council. They would have passed it in a heartbeat.” She touched a finger to the file. “It’s beautiful, the most fantastic work you’ve ever done.”

  “Really?” He was like an eager boy, his smile hopeful, begging for a soft word.

  “I didn’t tell you, Dyl, but I’ve kept track of your work. You have an amazing talent. Builder’s Digest was right when they said your work will only gain more accolades.” She smiled, but it was a sad smile, one filled with regrets. “You could have done it in town. So why here, Dyl? To ruin what Gran and Papa built? To spoil my dream?”

  He lost his smile; his eyes burned with anger.

  “Isn’t it only fair? You’ve managed to ruin mine.”

  “How?”

  “After Christmas last year, the old man had
a physical. His heart isn’t right. He got scared about dying and had a new will made out.” Dylan’s face altered into a hardened mask of fury. “He left you half of Wainwright Inc. Half of everything I’ve worked so hard to build. Half of what you walked away from and left me holding the pieces. I had to show him I was worth loving, worth holding on to.”

  “I do love you, son.” Baron eased into the room and stepped forward, one hand held out. “God has been dealing with me about the way I’ve treated you.”

  “God!” Dylan jerked away from Baron’s touch. “Mom used to say God is love but after she was gone I never felt it. I used to come home at school breaks wishing she’d be there to hug me. I was all alone, Dad.”

  “I know.” Baron nodded. “You shouldn’t have been. That was my mistake. I have to ask your forgiveness, Dylan. I was not the father you deserved. You are the best son a man could have asked for and it took me too long to appreciate that. I love you. With my whole heart I love you, son.”

  “You can’t.” Dylan bit his lip as his father removed the gun from his hand, dropping it onto the floor. “I did some things at Wainwright, Dad. Bad things.”

  Baron nodded. “I know. I forgive you. Because I love you.”

  “Are you sure?” Dylan murmured, hesitant yet to believe.

  “Positive.” Baron drew his son into his arms and held him as Dylan wept, clinging to his father like an anchor. “I love you more than my life.”

  “I love you, too, Dyl,” Piper added a few minutes later, wrapping an arm around his waist. “You’re my big brother. I’ll always love you.”

  Jason’s heart got stuck in his throat as he watched a family reconnect bonds that had been ripped apart by hate and anger and jealousy.

  If ever he’d needed proof that God was in control, he had it now.

  Baron signaled and Chief Neely and another officer stepped through the door. Bud picked up the gun, tucked it into his belt. Then they cut Jason’s restraints. Jason rose, stretching his limbs.

  “We have to go with the police now, Dylan. But don’t worry. I’ll go with you. I’ll be there to help you. I don’t know what we’ll face, but we’ll do it together.” Baron met his son’s gaze without flinching. “We have to tell them the truth now, son. All of it.”