Chantal, Jillian - Surfer Bride (BookStrand Publishing Romance)

by Jillian Chantal

  Quincy looked at Finn. “This one doesn’t seem to have the hots for you, mate.”

  “That’s very funny, surfer. She’s old enough to be my mother.”

  “Old enough to be your mother’s younger sister maybe.”

  “Whatever, she’s not my type.”

  “What is your type?” The flight attendant came back, handed Quincy the requested items and walked away.

  “I only have one type, and if I had a mirror, I’d hand it to you and you could look in it and see my type.”

  “You’re so suave, Finn. So suave.” She quirked one eyebrow. “So, you like Medusa?”

  He had the grace to look abashed. “You have to admit, your hair was a royal mess this morning.”

  “It’s been a snarled mass of knots since I was taken to the jail in Bali. This kind of hair takes a lot of work, mister.” She grabbed a handful of it and shook it at him.

  Finn reached over and took it out of her fist. He held it up to his nose and sniffed it. “Oh, how I remember waking up with you and your lemon scented shampoo, my love. I remember your curls flowing around your naked body as we made love. I guess I do love Medusa. Or maybe it’s Lady Godiva I want in my bed.” He rained kisses on her hair.

  She pulled her hair from his grasp. “Stop it. Stop talking to me like that.” Good God, my panties are wet. He knows exactly what to say to get to me. Always did. He’s gotta shut up before I forget my resolve.

  “Sorry, sweetheart. I can’t help myself.”

  Quincy pulled the blanket over her. “I’m going to sleep for a bit. Can you behave?”

  “Don’t know about that.” He leaned over and whispered in her ear. “I may just reach under that blanket and bring you some pleasure. I’m pretty sure old Percy hasn’t been as good a lover as I am.”

  She glared at him. “First, you better not try anything. Second, thanks for reminding me that no matter how charming my flying companion can be, I have a fiancé.”

  He leaned back into his own seat. “Thanks, Q. Way to ruin the mood.”

  “No mood. There is no mood, Finn.”

  “Maybe not for you.”

  She turned her back on him and closed her eyes. It was a long time before she slept.

  They finally landed at MiamiNationalAirport. They made their way off the plane and down the concourse. As they walked, Finn said, “You heard me talking to my brother at LAX. He’ll be here to pick us up. He’ll take you home.”

  “That’s okay. I called Avery, and she’ll be here for me.”

  “I was hoping we could be alone together and continue our conversation from last night.”

  Quincy stopped walking and pulled him to the side, out of traffic. “I need some space. I want to go home and decompress for a couple of days. Be left alone. Get my equilibrium back. Is that too much to ask?” A tear trickled down her face.

  Finn gently grabbed her upper arms. “Of course, sweetheart. I’ve been a dolt. Sorry. I’ve been so concerned about wanting you to come back to me, I wasn’t thinking about the trauma you went through. Can you forgive me for being an utter ass?” He kissed the top of her head and then searched her face for forgiveness.

  She smiled a thin smile. “Yeah. It’s fine. I just need some time to think. Alone.”

  “But Avery’s all right to be around?”

  “Finn. Don’t start.”

  “Fine. I won’t. Let’s go.”

  They turned and continued their way down the concourse toward the baggage claim area. Quincy picked up her pace. She wanted to get home to her snug little bungalow.

  * * * *

  Avery and Craig stood at the baggage claim area at MiamiInternationalAirport. As soon as they saw Quincy come out of the security area, they both ran at her. Craig got there first, swept her up in his arms and hugged her. He twirled her around, off her feet.

  Avery was right behind him. “Stop, Craig. Give me a chance. I want to be sure she’s all right.”

  At the same time Finn said, “She’s okay.” Quincy said, “I’m okay.”

  She laughed at Finn answering for her.

  Craig put her down, held her at arm’s length and searched her face as Avery jumped around trying to get to Quincy. “She looks fine to me, Avery.” He hugged her again.

  “Why are you here, Craig? I mean, I’m glad to see you, of course, but why aren’t you home in Australia?” Quincy asked his shoulder since her mouth was shoved there in the process of the second hug.

  “I couldn’t go home once I heard what happened. I had to know you were okay. I even tried to find you a lawyer. You know you’re one of my favorite people.” He finally let go of her, and Avery swooped in for her own hug.

  As the women hugged, Craig turned to Finn and held out his hand to shake. “I take it you’re the cop former boyfriend?”

  Finn took his hand and shook it, determined not to be jealous and to try to like the man. “I guess you could say that. I’m Fennimore Smith.”

  “Glad to meet you, Fennimore. Thank you for going to rescue our girl.”

  “Our girl?”

  “Yeah, our girl. We both love her, right?” Craig smiled.

  What the hell does he mean by that? Finn nodded. “Yeah, I guess we do.” Keep your cool, man. Keep cool. Don’t let Q see you get jealous. Don’t blow it by acting like a buffoon.

  Craig punched Finn in the arm. “Of course I think I love her in a different way than you do, right?”

  Stunned, Finn looked in silence at Craig. He had no idea how to respond to his odd statement. What different way? Some perverse thing?

  Before the silence went on too long, Quincy, who had pulled free of Avery’s embrace, said, “Craig, leave the man alone. He’s got no idea what you’re yammering about.”

  Craig looked at Quincy. “I want to apologize to him for my boneheaded actions two years ago.”

  “There’s no need for that, Craig. We’re past all that.” She looked up at Finn with an unreadable expression. “Aren’t we, Finn?”

  She’s testing me, by damn, the woman is testing me.

  Determined to pass her scrutiny, he smiled. “Yes, we are. Like I told you at Hermosa Beach, I’m glad you’re friends with Craig, and I hope to be friends with him as well.”

  Avery looked from Quincy to Finn to Craig. “What’s all this then?”

  Quincy pulled Avery by the arm. “Let’s get out of here. All I had was this carry-on bag. Do you have a car out there by any chance?”

  Craig said, “Yeah. Mark’s waiting at the curb.”

  Before Finn could ask who Mark was, Cooper Smith walked up. “Hey, bro, have a patrol car out there waiting. C’mon, let me take you home.” He raised an eyebrow at his brother. “Looks like Quincy has her own ride home?”

  “She does. Let me say bye to her and I’ll be ready to go.”

  Coop turned to Quincy and bent to kiss her on the cheek. “Nice to see you again, Quincy. I’m glad you got home all right.” He poked his thumb in Finn’s direction. “This big ape treat you good?”

  “After he slapped some sense in me, yeah, I guess he did.” She smiled at Finn. “Thanks again for coming to my rescue.”

  “He slapped you?” Avery asked.

  “Never mind, Avery, it’s all right. Turns out, I needed it.”

  “You’ve lost your mind if you suddenly think it’s okay to be slapped by a man. Especially that man.” Avery tilted her head toward Finn.

  “Shush, Avery. I’ll tell you about it at home.”

  Damn, why won’t all these people go away so I can kiss her? Finn looked down at Quincy. “Can I see you before you leave for London?”

  Avery squealed. “You can’t be serious. You can’t go to London and marry Percy.”

  Quincy shushed her best friend again. “We’ll talk about it all when we get to the bungalow.” She turned to Finn. “Call me and we’ll meet for pizza before I go. I hope I’ll be leaving early next week. I guess it depends on this immunity thing on the federal charges.”

  Finn
nodded and stood with his brother as the three friends walked away.

  Coop said, “You got it bad again, don’t ya?”

  “Yeah. And I know she has it bad for me, too, Coop, I know it. In my cop’s gut, I know it.”

  “I hope so, man. For your sake, I hope so.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “He is the happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home”

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (German writer, 1749-1832)

  Mark dropped Quincy, Avery, and Craig at Quincy’s house and headed over to the closest China Moon to get take out for the group. Avery carried Quincy’s bag.

  Quincy led the way from the driveway to her front door. Her little bungalow looked just like it always did. The house was small, compact, and made of red brick. It has a little covered porch that was not much more than a stoop with a top over it. There were vines growing up the one side, vines of wisteria she and her father had planted when she was a little girl. That wisteria had welcomed her for more years than she could count. She was home. At long last, she was home.

  When she got to the stoop, she stepped up to put the key in the lock. As soon as she slid the end into the slot on the bolt, her whole body started shaking. Her knees gave way. She leaned against the wall to hold herself up.

  Craig, a few steps behind her, noticed her first. He ran forward and grabbed her around the waist. “What’s wrong, darling?”

  She looked at him and Avery, who stood on the porch herself by now, and said through her tears, “It just dawned on me how easily I could have been convicted of a crime I didn’t do. I could’ve been convicted in a foreign country. I may have never seen this place again. I owe Finn my life, and I’ve been nothing but a witch to him since he came to rescue me.”

  Craig held on to her. She continued to shake, and he scooped her up in his arms. She put her left arm around his neck.

  He said, “Let’s get you inside, honey, so you can sit down. And maybe have a stiff drink.” He reached around her and unlocked the door himself. Once the door was open, he carried her in to the couch and sat her down. He tried to make her feel better by saying, “Good thing you’re a skinny little thing. Easy to carry.”

  Avery was right behind them and sat beside her friend. She reached over and grabbed her hand. “What you said on the porch, Quincy, about Finn?”

  “Yeah, what about it?”

  “I’m sure you weren’t as mean as you think you were.” She smiled at her friend.

  “You have no idea,” Quincy said as her teeth started to chatter.

  Craig looked at Quincy as she sat with a wan smile on her face. The shaking had gotten worse, and her teeth chattered even harder. He frowned at her. “I’m worried that you’re going into shock.” He turned to Avery. “We need blankets, Avery. Get them.”

  Avery jumped up to go to the linen closet. Before she could get there, Craig asked, “Where’s the liquor?”

  Avery responded, “Under the counter in the kitchen. The one next to the trash compactor.”

  “Be right back.” He pointed at Quincy. “With supplies.” He left the room.

  As soon as he was gone and Avery had covered her with a blanket, Quincy looked around the room. “First thing tomorrow, I’m unpacking these boxes and settling back in to my house.”

  “So, no marriage, no trip to London?” Avery sat back down on the couch.

  Quincy sat up straight. Determined now and in control. “Oh, no, babe, I’m going to London next week. Percy Hicks is gonna get what’s coming to him.”

  “What’re you saying?”

  “I’m going to London. I’m going to pretend to go through with the marriage to the jackass. And I’m going to get the goods on him. He’s sure gonna spend some time in a jail cell, if I have anything to do with it, that is.”

  Craig came back in bearing four glasses and three bottles of liquor on a tray. “What’d I miss?”

  “Just Quincy saying she’s going to London to trap Percy into going to jail.”

  Craig set the tray on the coffee table and clapped. “Ooh. That sounds like a fun adventure. Can I come?”

  Quincy nodded. “I’m counting on both of you to help me.”

  “How are you going to do it?” Craig poured Quincy a shot of bourbon and passed it to her. “Drink up, it’ll calm you down.”

  She took the glass and swallowed the amber liquid in one gulp even though she was considerably calmer just thinking about taking down Percy. “I’m planning to follow him. You two can help. When I’m playing the part of blushing bride, you can be investigating him and where he goes.”

  Craig refilled Quincy’s glass.

  Avery said, “I see that as a problem.”

  “What?” Quincy swallowed her second drink and winced as the heat traveled down her throat.

  The door bell rang. It was Mark. He brought food with him. Craig let him in and they sat in the chairs across from Quincy and Avery on the couch. Mark started unpacking the little take-out crates from the paper bag. He set up the boxes on the coffee table as Craig passed out plastic forks from China Moon.

  Avery finished what she’d wanted to say before Mark came in. “How are you going to keep from having to sleep with Percy? You know he’s gonna want to make love to his bride to be. He’ll probably want to have sex as soon as you land at Heathrow.”

  “That’s where you come in.”

  “You want me to sleep with him?” Avery was aghast.

  “No, you big ninny.” Quincy punched her friend on the upper arm. “Of course not. Do you think I’ve lost my mind?”

  Avery wiped her brow in mock relief. “Whew. I did think maybe you left it in Indonesia there for a second.”

  “No. Sure didn’t. If anything, I honed my revenge skills as I sat in that cell.”

  “What did you mean, then? When you said that’s where I come in?”

  “I’m going to tell him that I’m still upset about what happened and I want to spend my last few days as a single woman with my best friend. I’ll stay at your hotel with you. I’ll go to the festivities during the run up to the wedding and then back to your room as far as he knows. Instead of hanging around the room, we’ll follow him and find where he stashes his guns.” She turned to Craig. “You, too, if you’re in.”

  “Quincy, that sounds awfully dangerous. I think you need to tell Finn what you’re doing.” Avery looked at Quincy as if she had grown another head.

  Quincy stared at her friend. “A few weeks ago, you wanted Fennimore Smith out of my life, and now you want me to rely on him for help?”

  “Yeah. I do.” She nodded. “He’s trained for this stuff. We aren’t.”

  “He’ll talk me out of it. I know he will. I can’t let him do that. I have to do this not only to get the bastard for what he did to me but to clear my own name.”

  Avery said, “It still sounds just too dangerous to me.”

  “I didn’t tell you that Percy said it was better that the arrest happened to me than him because of the different ways we were raised, did I? That made me furious—”

  Avery interrupted, “He did not have the balls to say that.”

  “Yeah. He did.”

  “Did you talk to him on the phone when you got to the US?” Craig asked. “When did he say that?”

  “No. He was waiting at LAX for me. Wanted me to go home with him right then.”

  “He did not show up there, did he?” Avery asked.

  At the same time, Craig and Quincy said, “Stop saying he did not.”

  The three of them laughed. Mark just continued to eat his General Tso’s chicken in silence. Clearly, he knew when to keep quiet.

  Quincy looked at Craig and Mark and said, “You in? To help me get the bastard?”

  Craig looked at Mark. Mark, his mouth full, nodded.

  Craig said, “We’re in.”

  “Thanks, guys. Means a lot.”

  They all kept eating until all that was left were the fortune cookies. They put a dent in Quincy’s
liquor supply. Quincy stopped drinking periodically to just look around the room and thank God she was home. Thank God Finn cared enough to come get me. I wonder if we really do have a future and if he does trust me. I hope so. I’m sure I still love him. Just gotta get rid of the albatross around my neck.

  * * * *

  Finn and Coop sat in a car outside Quincy’s house. They’d been there for an hour. Coop said, “Remind me again why we’re doing this?”

  “I just want to be sure she wasn’t followed home.”

  “She was. By us.”

  “Very funny, jerk. You know what I mean.” Finn stared at the house, as if he could see what was going on inside if he looked at it long enough.

  “Yeah, I know. But how long are we going to sit here? I’m ready to get home to my dinner.”

  “Can we stay just a little longer? Please.”

  “What? You want to stay long enough to see if that Aussie bloke gets invited to spend the night? You know, the one who scooped her in his arms and carried her into her house like a bridegroom on his wedding night?”

  Finn turned and glared at his brother. “No. I told her I trust her. And I do.”

  “We both saw him grab her at the waist and then pick her up and carry her in. Gotta be blind not to see he cares about her. Hell, you gotta be blind not to see she cares about him, too, the way she put her arm around his neck. Are we right back where we were two years ago? Are you still on the outside looking in? Seems like it to me.”

  “I saw it. I saw it all, Coop. I’m trying not to think about it. So, shut up about it.”

  Coop held his hands up in front of his face. “Don’t shoot the messenger.”

  Finn’s face softened. “Sorry, man. I’m just trying so hard to believe she’s not the person I thought for the last two years. I love her, and I can’t deny it. I have to get past my phobia about women being faithful or I’ll never have the life I want.”

  “Are you talking about women in general or this woman in particular?”

  “This one in particular. Don’t care about the rest.”

  Cooper looked at his brother in mock horror. “What about my Angelique?”