The Troublemaker (Players on Ice Book 8)

by Cathryn Fox

  My mind races back to that glorious night. “I thought I was dreaming,” I say softly and because he’s being so open and honest, I decide it’s time for me to do the same. “I thought that because I dream about you, Cason. Fantasized, too.”

  He brushes my hair from my face, as his shoulders relax slightly. “I want to be with you Kinsley. I want to make all your dreams a reality.”

  “Cason,” I say, and look around again. “This is too much. I just…can’t accept all this.”

  “How is it too much?” he asks with a frown. “You’re my wife, and a man is allowed to do whatever he wants for his wife, isn’t he?”

  I go quiet, and he doesn’t even seem to be breathing as his eyes search my face, looking for answers.

  “I made a mistake, Cason.”

  His body tenses, the hurt registering in his eyes bringing tears to my own. I touch his face, the bristles on his cheek rough on my palm. “I made a mistake when I said you were like Evan. You’re nothing like him.”

  He lets out a fast breath that he must have been holding. “You were upset. I get it. But you are my wife. I don’t care that it was a cheesy, Vegas Elvis wedding. You are my wife.”

  “Cason.”

  “Yeah.”

  “You’re saying all the right things.”

  His smile is a little wobbly when he says, “If you’ll let me, I’d like to spend the rest of my life saying the right things to you.”

  Tears spill down my face, my emotions on such a roller coaster ride, it’s almost impossible to think straight. “I think I could get behind that.”

  Warmth races through me as he kisses my fingers again. “Am I the right guy for you?”

  “You’re the only guy for me,” I say and he lifts me from my chair and spins me around. I squeal, my heart full of love and laughter. I take in my new restaurant as he spins me. My God, I still can’t believe he did all this to show me how much he loved me. He really is one of the good guys, and I’m the luckiest girl in the world.

  He sets me back on the chair and goes down on one knee. “You wanted something special, Kins. You wanted something just between us that we’ve never done with anyone else.” He takes my hand, and asks, “Will you stay my wife?”

  I laugh. “I can’t say anyone has ever asked me that before.” He smiles at me, and while it might be impossible, I fall a little more in love with him. “Yes, Cason, I’ll stay your wife.”

  His smile is so big, he reminds me of a child on Christmas morning. “Then how about we christen this place, Mrs. Kinsley Elizabeth Palmer-Callaghan?”

  “That’s kind of a mouthful, Cason.”

  He grins at me. “Speaking of a mouthful…”

  Epilogue

  One month Later

  “I am so nervous,” I say to Kat as we take a peek out into the dining room.

  “Don’t be,” Kat says as she ties her apron around her waist. “This is going to be a fantastic opening.”

  “That’s right, Kinsley,” Jason says. “Kira said we’re almost completely full tonight.”

  I turn to look at Jason. “Did she now?” I tease, knowing full well he has a crush on the hostess.

  “What?” he asks and squares his shoulders as he goes back to his prep work. “It’s what she said.”

  I chuckle and look out into the dining room, and my nerves jump. I check my watch and nibble on my bottom lip.

  “Don’t worry, he’ll be here,” Kat says and nudges me.

  I laugh. “I hate that I’m such an easy read.” Truthfully, I know Cason would move a mountain to be here on opening night, but his practice has to come first and if they run late, there is nothing he can do about that. While I want my husband—I will never get used to saying that—I totally understand he has to work, too.

  Just then Katee, Quinn, and my sister-in-law, Nina, all walk in the door together, and my heart jumps, thrilled that they are here to support me tonight. My in-laws follow behind them and I wave. Cason introduced me to them right after I agreed to stay his wife, and I am lucky to have such great friends and family, but I’m sad that my own parents haven’t talked to me since the backyard fiasco, and probably don’t even know about this place. But I can’t think about that right now, not when a beep lets me know our first order is in.

  “Okay, let’s do this,” I say and we all turn our focus to making the best damn food in Seattle.

  As the three of us work, and what an amazing team we make, a new set of footsteps on the kitchen floor reaches my ears. I turn to find Cason coming toward me, a huge smile on his face.

  “Hey, babe,” he says.

  “You’re not supposed to be back here,” I tell him, as I go up on my toes for a kiss.

  “I should leave then?”

  I chuckle. “Not before you kiss me.”

  His lips find mine and I’m sure I just heard Jason say, “Get a room,” under his breath.

  “How are things going?” Cason asks as he rubs my arms and glances around.

  “Fantastic. I can’t believe this is really happening. I almost want to pinch myself, to make sure it’s not a dream.”

  Cason reaches around me and pinches my ass. I yelp. “Not a dream,” he teases and nods toward the dining room. “Half the team is here and we’re all hungry.”

  “It’s so nice that they’re here to support you, Cason.”

  “They’re here to support you, Kins, not me.”

  I smile, and lean into him, but then his face changes, his smile drops as concern dances in his eyes.

  “What’s wrong?”

  He rubs my arms again. “I didn’t come here alone.”

  I stiffen, having no idea what he’s talking about. “Are you telling me you brought a date to your wife’s opening night?”

  He laughs. “I guess you could put it that way. Two dates actually.”

  I put one hand on my hip. “What’s going on?” I ask, not at all worried my husband is hanging out with any puck bunnies. I trust him with every ounce of my being.

  “I’m actually not sure if this will upset you or not, but…”

  Worry weaves its way through my veins, but in my heart I know my husband would never do anything to hurt me, not purposely. “Cason, what’s going on?”

  “How about instead of telling you, I show you?”

  “Okay,” I say and he takes my hand in his. He leads me into the dining area and the buzz of conversation falls over me. I wave to my friends, and glance around to take in all the happy patrons, but my heart stills in my chest when my gaze falls on the couple sitting in the corner.

  “Cason,” I gasp, my hand going to my chest. He puts his arms around me. “Did you do this?”

  “Yes and no.”

  Just then my father stands. Our eyes meet and the uncertainty I see staring back tugs at my heart. My gaze shifts to my mother, who looks just as unsure as my father. Are they worried I’m going to kick them out?

  “I paid them a visit last week,” Cason says. “I told them about your grand opening. I didn’t force them to come, they wanted to.” Tears fill my eyes, and I throw my arms around Cason. “Here’s the thing, Kinsley. They treated you unfairly and manipulated you. You stayed strong and achieved your dreams. But the thing is, I think it’s important to have our parents in our lives. They usually fix all the mistakes they made with us, with their grandchildren, and I want our kids to know them. I think it’s important.”

  My legs are so wobbly it’s hard to stand. I love this man, I love his values and morals, and the way he cares so deeply about those he loves, and I’m lucky to be one of those people. “You are the best husband ever.”

  He smiles. “I think we all have forgiveness in us, and I think them coming tonight means a new beginning for us all.”

  “You’re right.”

  “Go talk to them.”

  I leave his arms and walk to my parents. I step up to their table and smile at them. “Thanks for coming,” I say around the humongous lump in my throat. “What do you think?�
�� I ask and spread my arms.

  “I think we’ve found our new favorite spot,” my dad says with a smile, and my heart swells. I glance at my mom, who is nervously toying with her napkin.

  “Have you had a chance to look over the menu?”

  She blinks up at me and in her eyes I see the love she has for me. “I thought we’d leave it up to you. Chef’s special.”

  Tears press against my eyes. Calling me a chef is her way of apologizing, and I accept that.

  “Okay,” I say about to head back, but Dad’s hand on my arm stops me.

  “Kinsley,” he begins and pauses. “You’ve got a fine man for a husband.”

  “He’s the best, Dad.” I glance at Cason, who is watching our exchange carefully. Ready to be there for me if I need him. “I’m a lucky girl.”

  “He’s a lucky guy, too,” he says and taking me by surprise, he puts his arms around me. “You did good, Kinsley. I’m proud of you.”

  A big stupid hiccupping sob rises from my throat, and Dad squeezes me tight. “Thank you,” I manage to get out. He lets me go and smiles, but his eyes are damp, and that just about makes me cry harder.

  “Now go wipe those tears and bring me some food,” He says sternly. “I’m starving. What do you have to do to get service around here?” I laugh, as warmth and happiness weaves its way through me.

  “Yes, sir,” I say, and he grins and sits back down. I smile at Mom and she smiles back, a new, deeper understanding and acceptance between us all. I turn to head back to the kitchen, but before I do, I walk back to my husband and I don’t care who is watching, I give him a big kiss.

  “What was that for?” he asks, grinning.

  “For being the best damn husband in the world, and what you said earlier about us having kids, I thought we should get started on that tonight.”

  “Or we could right now. You do have a private office.”

  I chuckle. “As tempting as that is, I have hungry diners, and don’t worry, I’ll bring you lots of food.” I wink at him and lust and love dance in his eyes. My God, I love the way this man looks at me. “You’re going to need the energy for what I have in mind.”

  “Jesus, Kinsley, you’re giving me a boner.”

  I grin. “Good,” I say.

  “And they call me the Troublemaker.”

  “There are some things you have no trouble at, husband,” I say and a tortured sound crawls out of his throat as I saunter away, giving an extra shake of my ass to the ass man.

  “You’re going to pay for that,” he grumbles.

  I grin at him over my shoulder, all the love I have for him welling up inside me. “That’s what I’m counting on.”

  Afterword

  Thank You!

  Thank you so much for reading, The Troublemaker, book 8 in my Players on Ice. I hope you loved this story as much as I loved writing it. Keep reading for an excerpt of His Obsession Next Door, book one in my Line of Duty Series.

  Interested in leaving a review? Please do! Reviews help readers connect with books that work for them. I appreciate all reviews, whether positive or negative.

  Happy Reading,

  Cathryn

  His Obsession Next Door

  “What’s gotten into the puppies tonight?” Veterinarian Gemma Matthews asked her assistant as she finished securing the last howling pooch into its kennel.

  Victoria gave a mock shiver and shot a nervous glance toward the shelter window. “It’s the moon. It’ll be full tomorrow night.”

  Despite the uneasy feeling mushrooming inside Gemma, she laughed at her assistant and followed the long column of silver moonlight illuminating a path along the cement floor. She reached the front lobby of her clinic, now eerily quiet after a demanding day of surgeries, and turned to Victoria. She gave a playful roll of her eyes, and said, “You’ve seen too many scary movies.”

  Victoria dabbed gloss to her lips, smacked them together and countered with, “Hey, it could happen.”

  Gemma arched a brow, humoring the young girl she’d hired straight out of veterinary college. “You think?”

  “Sure.” Victoria’s long, blonde ponytail flicked over her shoulder as she gestured to the no-kill shelter attached to the clinic. “That’s why the dogs are barking.” Her green eyes widened and her voice sounded conspiratorial when she added, “They can sense the big, bad wolf out there, ready to shred a human’s heart into a million tiny pieces.”

  “I hate to break it to you, Victoria,” Gemma said, grinning at her assistant’s antics, “but werewolves don’t exist.” Even though Gemma didn’t believe in the supernatural, there was nothing she could do to ignore the jittery feeling that had been plaguing her all day. The truth was, the dogs weren’t the only ones feeling antsy and out of sorts on this hot summer night.

  Her assistant held her arms up and jangled the big, silver charm bracelets lining her wrists. “Well I’m not taking any chances, which is why I’ve armed myself with silver.”

  Before Gemma could respond, the office phone started ringing. As Victoria turned her attention to the caller, Gemma dimmed the lights and made her way to the front door to stare out into the ominous night. She stole a glance skyward and took in the mosaic of stars shimmering against the velvet backdrop. Even though the Austin night was calm, with not a cloud to be found in the charcoal sky, deep inside Gemma could sense a strange new ripple in the air. It left her feeling ill at ease. She placed a hand over her stomach, unable to shake the feeling that all was not right in her world.

  Honestly, she had no reason to feel apprehensive or troubled, considering she finally had everything she ever wanted—her own clinic in the city, a no-kill shelter to help re-home animals, and an upcoming banquet that would hopefully raise enough funds to expand her animal sanctuary before she had to start turning pets away.

  Swallowing down her edginess, Gemma set the deadbolt and was about to switch the sign from Open to Closed when a tall, dark figure stepped from the inky shadows. She sucked in a quick breath and felt a measure of panic as the very male, very familiar figure came into view.

  Speaking of the big, bad wolf.

  “Oh. My. God,” she rushed out breathlessly.

  “Is everything okay?” Victoria asked from behind the counter.

  Instead of answering, Gemma’s shaky hands went back to the deadbolt, certain she had to be hallucinating. The bell overhead jangled as she pulled the door open and the second she came face to face with the man from her past, the same man who’d rebuffed her seduction days after her seventeenth birthday, she feared nothing would ever be okay again.

  Moving with the confidence of a man on a mission, he came closer, the long length of his powerful legs eating up the black sidewalk in record time. Even in the dark she’d recognized that hard body of his, developed from hardcore military training rather than endless hours in some sleek gym. Her gaze took in the leather motorcycle jacket stretched over broad shoulders before traveling back to his chiseled face. Dark, penetrating eyes—harder now from having seen too much carnage—locked on hers, and the raw strength of the impact hit like a physical blow.

  He came barreling through her front door. “Gemma,” he rushed out breathlessly. The urgency in his voice had the fine hairs on the back of her neck spiking with worry.

  “Cole,” she somehow managed to say around a tongue gone thick as she stumbled backward. “What…how…?” She choked on her words as she glanced past his shoulders to see where he’d come from. She’d been positive that after the funeral last year she’d never set eyes on this man again, and if she did, their chance meeting wouldn’t go down like this.

  Worried eyes full of dark concern cast downward. “Gemma…it’s…it’s Charlie…he’s hurt…” Cole’s fractured words fell off and that’s when Gemma’s gaze dropped.

  Her heart leaped into her throat and she instantly snapped into professional mode when she caught the silhouette of the Labrador Retriever bundled in his arms. “Follow me.” Jumping into action she turned and found Vic
toria rushing down the hall toward Exam Room 1, already a step ahead of them.

  Gemma moved with haste and worked to quiet her racing heart. “Tell me exactly what happened.” She kept her tone low and her voice controlled in an effort to calm Cole and minimize his anxiety.

  Keeping pace, he followed close behind her, his feet tight on her heels. “We were out for a run in Sherwood Park,” he began. “A squirrel sidetracked him, and he veered off the beaten path. He was jumping a log and didn’t see the sharp branch sticking up.”

  She stole a quick glance over her shoulder and when dark, intense eyes focused on hers, her stomach clenched. “It’s going to be okay, Cole. I promise.” She drew a breath and gave a silent prayer that it was a promise she could keep. Gemma pushed through the swinging door and gestured with a quick nod toward the sterile examination table while she hurried to ready herself.

  Understanding her silent command, Cole secured the whimpering dog onto the prep counter. Gemma’s heart pinched when he placed a solid, comforting hand on the animal’s head and spoke in soothing tones while Victoria went to work on preparing the pre-surgical sedative.

  Gemma scrubbed in quickly and put on her surgery gear. She gave the dog a once-over before she dabbed at the blood to assess the depth of the wound. Angling her head, she cast Cole a quick glance. “Why don’t you take a seat in the other room. This could take a while.”

  “I’m staying,” Cole said firmly, their gazes colliding in that old familiar battle of wills.

  Uncomfortable with the idea of him watching while she worked, and fully aware that he was a distraction she didn’t need during surgery, she urged, “It could get messy.”

  “I’ve seen blood before, Gemma.” With his feet rooted solidly, he folded his arms across his chest. “I’m not leaving him.”

  “Cole—”

  “I’m fine.”

  Not wanting to waste time with a debate and knowing Cole was a bomb expert who’d seen his fair share of blood in the field, she gestured toward the chair in the corner. Once Cole stepped away, she cleansed the animal’s wounds and continued her assessment.