Twice Loved

by Wendy Lindstrom

  He swung his disbelieving gaze to Kyle who now stood beside Duke and Boyd. “Don’t do this,” he said quietly, aware their guests were looking on, yet unable to accept so much when he’d let them all down.

  “We planned to do this a while ago. We’ll hang it at the mill tomorrow.”

  “Why, Kyle?”

  “Because I’m tired of tripping over it.” Their gazes held for a moment then Kyle opened the door. “Let’s get some air.”

  Radford followed him outside, away from the questioning eyes of their friends. They stopped on the porch and he groped for the words to express his gratitude. “I’ve made so many mistakes, I don’t even know where to begin apologizing.”

  “I’ve made some, too, Radford. We can’t undo the past, but maybe we’ll find a way to start over.”

  “Can you do that?” he asked, wondering if Kyle could truly forgive him for what he’d done.

  “I have to.” Kyle hooked an arm around Radford’s neck. “I’ll lose too much if I don’t.” Their eyes locked and Kyle gave Radford a hard squeeze. “Come on. I want a piece of that cake before Rebecca eats it all,” he said then pushed Radford back inside the house.

  Rebecca had left the house at nine-thirty in a whirl of excitement, thrilled that she could take her new doll to Helen’s for the night. But Boyd lounged in the parlor until midnight, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

  Evelyn shook her head, knowing the rascal was delighting in keeping Radford from his wedding bed.

  Finally Radford caught his brother by the shirt collar and escorted him to the door. “Good night.”

  Boyd winked at Evelyn on the way outside then saluted Radford through the window. They laughed at his purposeful dallying then turned toward each other.

  “That boy is a pain in the hind side,” Radford said, rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt.

  “He loves baiting you.” Her gaze wandered to Radford’s open collar where dark hair peeped through.

  “I know.” He smiled down at her, allowing her to see his. “But I was about to smack him. You are a beautiful bride, Mrs. Grayson.”

  “You’re the only man who’s ever made me feel that way.”

  “That’s part of loving someone,” he said, pulling her into his arms. “You bring out the beauty inside them that they can’t find on their own.” He kissed her temple. “Because of you, I’m beginning to feel free again.”

  He lowered his mouth and Evelyn leaned into his embrace. He reached down and lifted her in his arms, twirling her in a slow circle, giving her a slow, tender kiss. “I believe it is customary to carry the bride over the threshold, Mrs. Grayson. Would you mind if it’s up the stairs instead?”

  She twined her arms around his strong neck. “You’ll break your back.”

  “You’re worth it.” He grinned down at her and crossed the room, halting at the foot of the stairs. “Can you grab my valise for me?”

  Evelyn caught the handle of his bag and nearly pulled herself from his arms. Amid much flailing and laughter, they managed to hang on to each other. “Maybe I’d better walk.”

  “Not on your life.” Radford stumbled up the stairs and bumped against the railing, groaning in great exaggeration, until finally he stood gasping on the landing. “Too much... cake... for the bride,” he panted.

  Evelyn’s laughter bubbled forth, echoing in the empty hallway.

  “Which room is ours?” he asked.

  She pointed to his door and Radford pushed it open with his foot, blinking in surprise at the transformation. Evelyn’s bedroom suite had replaced the bed and dresser he’d used. A long, thick mauve rug ran the length of the bed and a candle burned on the nightstand. His old trunk was still in the corner, but several pictures now rested on the surface. Pictures of his parents and brothers and Rebecca, as well as Evelyn’s parents.

  Lying in front of them was a single pine bough with a huge red ribbon tied around it.

  “The sprig of pine is to remind you where you came from,” Evelyn said quietly, “and the red ribbon is to remind you of who you are.” She stroked her palm across his cheek. “You’re a good man, Radford, and a wonderful father. That’s what a hero is made of.”

  Radford looked down at her, love filling his chest. “Thank you,” he whispered. He cupped her face between his hands, his voice hoarse with emotion. “I’ll show you every day that you helped a man worthy of being saved.” He kissed her then. Every nuance of love that radiated between them was poured into that tender, heartrending kiss. It was filled with promises and dreams, with love and passion. For the first time, Radford experienced the peace of coming home. Having the love and support of his wife and family gave him the security to be himself and that was a freedom more precious than any gold.

  As the candle burned low, it cast a pale luster upon Evelyn’s magnolia pin. Feeling truly blessed, she hugged her husband, knowing her lonely soul had finally found its true mate. She slipped her fingers through Radford’s hair, loving the soft texture, the rebellious wave, the reckless length of it.

  “Do you wish for anything?” she asked quietly, believing that inside every heart there lived an unfulfilled longing, a private hope, a secret dream lost in the shadows of obligation and duty.

  “Sometimes I wish you had another mole... right here,” he said, his eyes twinkling as he touched a fingertip to the corner of her lip.

  She wrinkled her nose at his teasing.

  His expression grew tender, his smile fading as he gazed down at her. “I have no wishes, Tomboy. All my heart could ever hope to hold is right here in my arms.”

  The End

  Dear Reader,

  Thanks so much for taking the time to read Twice Loved. I am deeply grateful for your support. If you enjoyed this story of love and family, and consider it a 5-star keeper, will you please consider helping other readers find my books by writing a review? Your review will help me, too! And if you would like to find out when my next book is available, sign up for my newsletter. I often write about my little Rustic Studio and the magnificent — and somewhat crazy — wildlife that resides in this beautiful little glade that reminds me so much of the Grayson world. I share a lot of other fun information in my newsletter as well (like the fact that I’m working toward my black belt and that I recently got my motorcycle license and that I’m in love with tiny houses). So please sign up and join the conversation!

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  Again, my sincere thanks, and I hope you will read and enjoy the rest of my books about the Grayson family.

  Peace and warmest wishes,

  Wendy

  Turn the page for a preview of Second Chance Brides Series Book Two

  Then Came You

  A Marriage Of Convenience—And Unexpected Romance

  When her beloved father dies, Amelia Drake is forced to marry her father’s competitor, Kyle Grayson. The last thing Amelia wants is a marriage of convenience to the man who rejected her youthful flirtation—especially when she’s still smitten with him. But Kyle is her only option and she’s determined to make a real marriage with her handsome husband. Can she break through Kyle’s staunch business demeanor and show him that laughter and love are possible?

  Chapter One

  Then Came You is the SWEET edition of

  The Longing (Grayson Brothers series)

  Fredonia, New York,

  May 1871

  Cold spring rain pounded across Kyle Grayson’s broad back. He hunched his s
houlders as lightning sliced a jagged white line across the sky. The desire to find cover for his skittish gelding warred with his need to reach Tom Drake’s sawmill and discover why the man was betraying him.

  Tom Drake had been friends with Kyle’s father for years. Despite being competitors all their life, the men had respected each other, and when Kyle’s father died five years ago, Tom had shown Kyle how to manage his father’s sawmill business. Although Tom was twice Kyle’s age and still a competitor, they had formed a deep, respectful friendship with each other. Now, for some unknown reason, Tom was changing, and Kyle’s instincts warned him to beware.

  It took him half an hour to ride to Tom’s mill on Shumla Road, but the cold rain hadn’t diluted his anger or washed away the ache of betrayal in his chest. Though the crew was gone and the saws were silent, Tom’s mill was alive with the storm. Thunder rumbled to Kyle’s left and streaks of blinding white light ripped open the sky with brilliant razor-like fingers. His gelding shied, but Kyle lifted his face to the wild, snapping air and inhaled the energy of the storm.

  Beneath the anger, raw pain pulsed through his veins. He’d trusted Tom. Five years of friendly competition, of coexisting profitably in a plentiful lumber market, and their shared delight in going nose to nose on big orders like the railroad contract had garnered respect and admiration for each other as well as a deep bond of honor Kyle would have died to protect. But he no longer knew what to expect from a man he’d thought was his friend.

  Faint light glimmered from Tom’s office window just as Kyle had expected. Tom had taught him that any owner worth his sawdust maintained his books as meticulously as his saws. Kyle had followed Tom’s example by reconciling his books and preparing his bids each evening before leaving his own mill. If not for the need to collect money from Tom, Kyle would be at his desk instead of leaving his work unfinished.

  Dragging in a breath of moist air, Kyle tried to calm himself, to think clearly—and give Tom Drake the benefit of doubt, one last time.

  He backhanded the rain from his eyes and entered the office where Jeb Kane, Tom’s mill foreman, was leaning against a tall wooden file cabinet covered with a sundry of saw parts. Kyle had known Jeb nearly as long as he’d known Tom, and admired the man.

  Tom glanced up in surprise before a smile of welcome filled his face. “What are you doing out in this storm?”

  Kyle didn’t return the smile.

  Tom’s expression flattened. “Has something happened?”

  Kyle shook his head. “I just need to talk to you.”

  Tom pressed his fist to his heart. “From the look on your face, I thought someone had died. My heart’s jumping like a bullfrog. What’s so important that you would plow through this rain and scare ten years off my life?”

  “I need the money for that section of pine you bought from me. It’s been three months.” Kyle hated confronting Tom, but being forthright and putting business first had helped him live through his father’s death, the hard struggle of building a small lumber empire with his three brothers, and watching the woman he’d planned to marry take her vows with his eldest brother instead of himself. Despite the pain and setbacks, Kyle had survived. He’d been hardened by the experiences, but they had made him wiser. Dealing with his problems head-on had made him a successful and respected businessman. He wasn’t about to start dancing around the truth at this point in his life. Not even for Tom Drake.

  Tom sighed. “Jeb and I were just discussing that problem. My saw broke down again last week and it set me back a bit. Can you give me another couple of weeks?”

  Even though Kyle suspected he was being railroaded, he couldn’t force a negative response from his mouth. “I’ll need it soon. I ordered another saw for my mill.”

  “I heard. I’m sorry about holding you up like this.”

  “Are you?”

  Tom’s brows furrowed. “What are you driving at, son?”

  At one time being called son had made Kyle feel less alone, now it made him angry that Tom’s greed was breaking that bond between them. “This is the third time you’ve put me off, Tom. I’m beginning to think you want to stop me from expanding my business.”

  Tom’s chin jerked up as if Kyle had punched him. “Would you like me to forget you just said that?”

  “I’d like you to be honest with me.”

  Tom’s eyes darkened. “Have you ever known me to lie?”

  “No,” Kyle answered honestly. “Nor have I ever known you to renege on a deal. But you’re holding me back and I want to know if it’s intentional. Is my mill getting too big for your comfort?”

  Tom’s face flamed and he pointed at the door. “Go back outside and let the rain beat some sense into your head before I’m tempted to do it myself.”

  In a physical match Kyle could have taken both Tom and Jeb, who were at least twenty years his senior, but regardless how upset he felt about Tom’s betrayal, Kyle could never harm either of the men he considered friends. “I want to know why you’re playing this game with me.”

  Tom slammed his fist on his desk, his body visibly shaking. “This isn’t a game, just an embarrassment I have to live with.”

  Jeb moved toward the desk. “Calm down, Tom. Doc Finlay warned you about getting upset.”

  Tom pointed a shaking finger at Kyle. “You listen to me, young man. Your father and I tangled over every stand of timber in this county for twenty years while we built our mills, but we never cheated each other. We played fair and never doubted each other’s word no matter how tense the competition got between us. We even managed to become good friends through all of that.” Tom grimaced and planted his fists on his desk. His arms shook and he gulped in deep breaths, but he continued in a harsh, strained voice. “When your pa died, I treated you like my own son and taught you how to survive in this business. How can you stand here and tell me I’m trying to cheat you?”

  Shame filled Kyle. Tom had shown him how to keep his family sawmill from going under. While Radford had been too tormented by his war memories to stay and help Kyle with their family sawmill, Kyle had shouldered the responsibility of supporting his mother and two younger brothers. He’d managed it by working hard and running the mill with an iron fist. He’d survived because Tom had shown him how.

  “Kyle, I can’t…” Tom swayed over his desk. “I can’t do this now. I’m not... feeling well.”

  Kyle and Jeb sprang forward together, but neither of them reached Tom before he collapsed on the floor with his fists pressed to his chest. They knelt beside him, but when Kyle felt Tom’s heaving chest, panic filled his own. “Take my horse and go for the doctor!” Kyle commanded, so used to being in charge that he issued the order without a second thought. “Hurry!”

  Jeb jerked to his feet and raced out the door, leaving Kyle with his own heart thundering.

  Tom’s gaze locked on Kyle. “I... helped you.”

  “I know. I’m sorry I pushed you about the money, Tom. I shouldn’t have doubted you.” Kyle stared at his friend, feeling helpless in the face of Tom’s struggle. “You could have used your experience against me all those years ago,” Kyle said, using his voice to keep his friend conscious and focused on something other than his pain. “Instead, you made me a good businessman. You challenged me to educate myself and compete with you man to man. I’ve always meant to repay you for that. I’ve just never known how.”

  Tom gritted his teeth and panted. Sweat beaded his forehead. “Take care of Victoria... and Amelia.”

  “Of course. Until you’re on your feet again.”

  Tom’s face grew pale, but his gaze stayed locked on Kyle. “My daughter...”

  “Amelia is fine,” Kyle assured him, knowing the pretty schoolmarm would be safely tucked in her room behind the little white schoolhouse in Laona at this time of the evening.

  “She needs a... husband.”

  “She needs you, Tom. So does your wife. Jeb will be back with the doctor soon. Just stay calm until they get here.”

  “
M-marry her.”

  What? Kyle was definitely attracted to Tom’s daughter, and would never forget the kiss he had stolen from Amelia at her father’s lumberyard years earlier, but he had suffered enough heartache for a lifetime and had no interest in pursuing marriage. Not even with a gorgeous woman like Amelia Drake. Bachelorhood suited him perfectly.

  Tom gripped Kyle’s forearm. “Keep him away from her.”

  “Who?”

  Tom shuddered.

  Kyle gripped his arm. “Keep who away?”

  Tom gasped. “Tell them... I love them and I... I did my best.” A hard shudder passed through his body and he arched against the dirty pine planks of his office floor. He dug his fingers into Kyle’s forearm. “Please, son. Promise me.”

  Guilt swamped Kyle. Despite Tom’s recent behavior, Kyle owed this man more than harsh words and hurtful accusations. “Of course I’ll take care of your wife and daughter,” he said, trying to ease the anxiety in Tom’s eyes. “I promise. Now stop worrying. It’s not helping you right now.”

  Pain streaked across Tom’s face and a dazed expression filled his eyes.

  Kyle’s stomach clenched and his throat filled with denial as he realized he was watching his friend’s life slipping away. “Tom!”

  Slowly, the deep lines in Tom’s face eased as his tense body relaxed on the pine floorboards.

  Kyle grabbed the man’s limp shoulders and shook him, trying to jar him back to consciousness. “Tom!” he shouted. Another fierce shake loosened Tom’s jaw, but no air passed his blue lips.

  “Breathe!”

  Kyle shouted the order a second time, loud enough to rattle the windows, but Tom Drake couldn’t breathe. He was dead.