by Laurie Paige
“Not my father,” she said. “He’ll never forgive me for choosing a Kincaid over him. There’s no going back.”
He took her hand. “I’ll be here. Always. That’s a promise.”
She knew he would keep it.
Jordan slammed the door behind him. He stalked down the hall from the three-car garage to the study. After pouring a drink, he tossed it back in one burning gulp, then grimaced in distaste and set the glass aside. Alcohol had never solved any problem, he’d observed as a young man, watching his uncle try to drown his troubles.
He let his gaze run over the room. Once, the expensive furnishings and tasteful arrangements had been a deep source of pride and comfort to him. They offered nothing now. This was just an empty room that echoed every sound. Except for the distant hum of the air-conditioning, the house was totally silent. It closed around him like a tomb. With one swipe of his hand he swept the array of fine crystal off the gleaming antique sideboard, sending it to the floor when it shattered with a satisfying racket. Then all was silent again.
When he cursed, his voice echoed eerily back at him.
Sitting in his chair, he stared out the window at the view of the town highlighted in the glaring brightness of the day. He felt smothered by the filtered air coming from the vent, and his chest hurt with each breath. Vaguely he wondered if he could be having a heart attack.
If he did, no one would know until the maid came in later to dust and straighten the house. There was no one to call. His daughter was gone. Meg had thrown him out.
Kurt would come, but Jordan didn’t want him. The man was good at his job, but he wasn’t the son Jordan had secretly wanted. Kurt hadn’t a tenth the integrity that Hope had.
Jordan closed his eyes as a shudder went through him. He had never thought she would leave. What had happened to the little girl who had adored him?
She grew up, some painfully honest part of him answered.
She fell for a Kincaid, he scoffed.
He fell for her, too. You could have had Meg. And Gabe. You chose the loneliness.
He was shocked at the admission. Of course he’d walked away from that absurd ultimatum. Women. What did they know of business and justice? They thought with their hearts.
Yes.
The word echoed through his heart. His empty heart. He thought of Hope, of Meg, of Gabe and his glad smile, his demands for “Jor” to carry him.
Something hard landed in the middle of his chest. It rose to his throat, choking him, smothering him, crumpling all the walls he’d worked for years to build. A sound, harsh and violent, echoed in the eerie silence, then another.
For the first time in his life Jordan Baxter wept for all the things he’d lost, for the boy who had wanted too much, for the man who’d sought revenge, who’d made money and gained a foothold in the world…and had nothing.
It was a hard, cold truth. He’d truly lost everything.
An hour later, showered and changed, he backed out of the drive of the empty mansion. He had a trip to make, a long one, but he would do it.
First he had to see his attorney and tell her he’d decided to accept the Kincaid offer. Then he had to see a certain wedding planner to see if he could schedule a wedding. A big one. He would have to invite all his enemies. The Kincaids outnumbered him about twenty to one. He grimaced at the sheer audacity of his plans.
But then, that was how he’d made his fortune.
“Someone’s here,” Gina said, her face solemn when she stepped aside.
Hope looked up from the carpet where she played patty-cake with Gabe according to his rules. Collin was also on the floor beside them. He had already done peek-a-boo with his new half brother until Gabe had decided it was Hope’s turn to entertain him. Meg and Garrett, Trent, Brandon and Emma completed their group.
A pain speared right down into her heart when she saw her father. Collin and Garrett got to their feet and moved in front until they stood shoulder to shoulder, a phalanx to guard those they held dear.
Jordan held up his hands, palms out. “Put away your weapons. I come in peace.” He glanced past the two men. “I need to speak to my attorney.”
Confused, Hope rose. She wasn’t his attorney anymore, but he was looking at her. She smoothed her shirt, then stepped forward. Collin dropped an arm around her shoulder and watched Jordan warily.
“Yes?” she said, sounding very much like her legal persona.
“I’ve decided to accept the latest Kincaid offer,” he said.
She thought her hearing must be off. It sounded as if he’d said he wanted to settle. “You accept?”
Meg jumped to her feet. “Jordan,” she said on a choked breath, as if he’d just offered her the moon.
“I was coming to see you next,” he told her. “How big a wedding do you want?” He glanced around the room. “There’s a damn lot of Kincaids. I suppose we’d better invite them all or else this feud will continue forever.”
The next thing Hope knew Meg had made a giant leap and thrown herself at her father. He was holding on to her best friend as if he’d never let her go.
“Am I seeing things?” she asked Collin in wonder.
“We’re hallucinating together,” he assured her, a wry smile settling on his mouth. “Looks like we’re going to be one big happy family after all.”
Jordan hugged Meg to his side, then held an arm out to Hope. “You have my blessing. Will you give me yours?”
“Of course,” she said, still feeling dazed. She took the necessary step and was enclosed in a bear hug. Tears stung her eyes. It was like coming home again.
“I love you, bumpkins,” he whispered into her hair.
“Love you, too,” she murmured.
“Welcome home, sir,” Collin said, holding out his hand as if welcoming Jordan back from a long, grueling trip.
The two men shook hands. Jordan did the same with Garrett, then each of the other Kincaids.
“Why?” Meg demanded. “How—”
“It was that damned big house,” he said. “That big empty house. It needs a passel of kids and grandkids to fill it up.”
“Ah-hh,” she said in understanding.
“Jor,” Gabe shouted, as if wanting his share of this wonderful laughter and strange goings-on of the adults.
Jordan swung him up into his arms. “How would you like to change that to Daddy?” he asked, and was relieved to see the smiles on Meg’s and Hope’s faces.
“You’re quiet,” Collin said.
“I’m still in shock,” Hope explained.
They walked hand in hand among the cottonwoods along the creek that ran through the meadow. Horses and cows grazed or dozed in the surrounding pastures while the sun set with a last fiery toss of color across the sky.
“It had to work out,” he said reasonably. “I love you too much to have you unhappy about anything in your life.”
She reached up on tiptoe and kissed his chin. “Your grandfather was so gracious. He’ll be a wonderful influence on our children.”
“Hey, I’m going to be a wonderful influence.”
She laughed, then sighed. “I know. I’m so happy right now, I’m afraid I’m going to wake up.”
He leaned against a cottonwood which shimmered with the brilliant red-gold leaves that heralded fall and the dormant season beyond that, and pulled her close against him.
“Never,” he whispered. “This is one dream that’s going to last, this one we share.” He bent to her mouth.
He kissed her then. She felt all the promises of life rush into her heart and soul. Eagerly she reached out for them, giving him kiss for kiss.
“Beloved enemy,” he said when they came up for air, his gaze overwhelming her with his tenderness.
“Life is settling down, isn’t it?” she asked philosophically. “Us falling in love. My father in love and marrying Meg, adopting a Kincaid. The lawsuit dropped. I think the Baxter and Kincaid feud has finally been put to rest.”
She felt his smile as his lips
moved against her temple. “Yes,” he agreed.
Playfully she poked him in the ribs. “Don’t get to thinking the Kincaids won,” she warned.
“I won. I got you. That’s all I care about.” He tucked her under his arm and headed back toward the house.
She sighed contentedly, feeling loved as she never had. For herself. For simply existing.
Life. It wasn’t so complicated, after all.
Special thanks and acknowledgment to Laurie Paige for her contribution to the Montana Mavericks series.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-6657-9
OUTLAW MARRIAGE
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