by Kathryn Shay
“You may kiss the bride, Max.”
But he couldn’t. Tears streamed from his eyes. Whitney, smiling like the sun, scrubbed his cheek with her hands, met his forehead with hers and whispered something that made him give her a big smooch right there in church.
o0o
Nick, Gabe and Connor rode in a second car to Nick’s house where the reception would be held. Deep down, Connor had hoped that Callandra would attend the wedding. Her father would have told her what was happening. He thought about Alessio Gentileschi, about what he’d said his early years in Casarina had been like, and also about his young manhood. Of course, the king’s promise to Connor was never far from his mind.
And Connor realized, somewhere along the way, that he didn’t need to forgive Calla, because from her view, she’d done the only thing she could. Twice. He’d mourn the death of Razim for the rest of his life, but he knew how much the young man cared about him, and Razim wouldn’t want Connor to sacrifice his happiness because of the horrific results of his wandering away in the middle of the night. Also during the ceremony, he realized he believed the pledge Alessio had made to him about the children he and Calla might have. This all allowed Connor to admit wholeheartedly that he wanted what Whitney and Max had, and no other woman could give him that but Calla.
Now he felt a wave of sadness so great he could barely contain it. He tried to hide his feelings from his brothers, but they knew him too well.
“You’re quiet, kid,” Gabe said. “Aren’t you happy for our cuz?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Like hell.” This from Nick. They’d sandwiched him in.
God, Connor hoped he wasn’t going to get a lecture.
“Serves you right for moping for so long. I sure hope she’ll forgive you for being such an idiot.” No coddling from Nick, but perhaps the guys’ coddling quotient had reached its limit.
“I know I’ve moped too long.”
“Nah,” Gabe said kindly. “Sometimes you have to work through things no matter how long it takes.”
“Thanks, guys. For everything.” His voice was choked with emotion.
They arrived at Nick’s. Isabelle was at home, of course, and her mother would have helped her dress and ease her into the living room for a couple of hours.
“Let’s go say hi to Isabelle,” Gabe suggested. He held up a case. “I want to give her the video Macy took.” Lovely Macy had worn a simple peach lace dress and had taken the film so Isabelle could see the wedding.
“That’s sweet.” This from Nick.
Connor got out of the car first and headed to the door. When he reached it, he turned around and saw Nick and Gabe lagged back, then stopped. “You guys coming?”
“Yeah, go ahead inside. I want to ask Nick about work.”
“Today?” He shook his head, opened the door and put on a brave face.
The living room to the right was dim. As it was afternoon, he couldn’t figure out why the blinds were shut. Something propelled him over to the huge windows, where he let the sunlight in. He blinked when the hot rays blasted inside.
He blinked again, hard, when he turned around. “Holy Mother of God.”
“Hello, Connor.” Calla sat on the couch, dressed in a shade of pink, too. Her hair flowed down her back and chest. Her face was highlighted with color.
Connor’s heart started to thunder. His hands shook. He couldn’t move.
“Connor, are you all right?”
“I-I don’t know what to say.”
She shrugged a dainty shoulder. “If I had my choice, you’d say you still love me, you’re glad I’m here, and you want to make a life with me like Whitney and Max.”
His throat parched, he got out hoarsely, “I love you, I’m glad you’re here and I want to make a life with you like Whitney and Max.”
She sat back in the cushions and blew out a heavy breath. “Thank God.”
He covered the distance between them in giant steps, moved the coffee table back and knelt in front of her. Taking her hands, he kissed them. They were soft and smooth and warm. “How long have you been here?”
“I got to Nick’s about noon.”
“In time for the wedding.”
“Yes, but I didn’t want to take away from Whitney’s day. She needed to be the center of everyone’s thoughts. I’m accompanied by the royal guards, but they’re in the kitchen. I also figured you’d be distracted.”
His hand went to her chest, splayed over her heart and said, “Oh, I’d be distracted all right. What made you decide to come? Your father?”
“No, though he talked at length about you. It just came to me that I couldn’t live without you. Now, my father did convince me to fight for you if I had to.” She held out some papers to him. “This is how I begin.”
“Look, I don’t care what that is. I love you. I want you in my life.”
“It’s a prenup, love.”
He stilled. “Oh—because your father’s king and you have assets to protect? But you have to know I don’t care about those.”
“Connor, just read it!”
The note began with legal jargon, but one line stood out: Callandra Marcello Gentileschi legally promises she will never take a child of Connor Marino’s from America without his permission.”
His eyes clouded. He bit the inside of his jaw.
He looked down at the paper.
Then he ripped it in half, in fourths, and tossed the pieces over his head. “You don’t have to do this.”
“Yes, I do.” She took his hand and moved it down to her stomach. Wordlessly she stared into his eyes.
His brow furrowed. “What?” Then his eyes widened. “It didn’t happen!”
“Oh yes it did. I’ve been wondering if we’re the first people to conceive at Camp David.”
This time, Connor cried.
This time, Calla scrubbed his cheeks and met her forehead with his. Whispered something in his ear. Then Connor kissed his soon-to-be bride.
THE END
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Author’s Note
* * *
I don’t know about you, but I adored Connor throughout the first three books in the To Serve and Protect series. He’s brilliant, witty and was always the easy going member of the Marino family. He’s inordinately giving to others in both his actions and use of his talents. So I didn’t expect him to have such a difficult time in his own story. But there she was, Calla Gentileschi, in book three, a princess! What to do? I’ve learned from writing my sixty-something books to go where the story takes me, so Casarina came to life on the pages. I didn’t know there would be a suspense plot, I didn’t want to watch Calla be abused and I hated the behavior of her father at first. Yet, I went where the storyline took me.
Calla and Connor met during a high-stress time in their lives. The difficulty of caring for the people of Syria brought them close, and their experiences together formed a bond between them that couldn’t be broken. He tries to stay away from her, poor guy, but when she’s in need, he goes to her. He resists temptation as long as he can, but he eventually succumbs to their love. As for Calla, she makes choices you might think you wouldn’t make, but with nobility comes great responsibility. She gives Connor up to fulfill her inherent duty. Can you imagine what she felt when she realized she made the wrong choice? And then when she has to, or thinks she has to do it again in order save her sister’s life.
The book in many ways is a fairytale. A king (who appears evil at first), a good queen and a princess who falls in love. Then of course, there’s forbidden love, family honor, and even a villain. And in the end, like many those old tales, the king is regretful, the strong queen pulls through and absolute love triumphs.
I hope you were satisfied with this portrayal of love, loss and reunion. I was, because no matter what the world expected of them Connor and Calla remained devoted to each other.
Best,
Kathryn Shay
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Don’t miss the rest of the books in the To Serve and Protect Series.
ABOVE AND BEYOND
Nick Marino, top agent in the White House, loves his job and is in line to take over the directorship of the Secret Service someday. Then the president sends him to a small town in upstate New York to determine why his widowed sister is getting threatening notes. Not happy about leaving D.C., he’s even more frustrated when he becomes embroiled in the lives of the beautiful Isabelle Barton and her two spunky boys. ABOVE AND BEYOND provides a deep dive into the life of a Secret Service agent, the glamor of Washington politics and a close look at being related to the most powerful man in the world. The story will keep you fascinated and capture your heart with its tender and sometimes hot romance.
SAY YOU’LL STAY
When Secret Service head trainer at the recruit center Gabe Marino gets his dream job--being part of the Presidential Protective Duty--he doesn’t expect to fall in love with restaurant owner Macy Stevens. He’s going into the kill zone and she can’t risk a repeat of her dead husband’s shooting in the line of duty. But life, and love, get in the way. SAY YOU’LL STAY gives readers an in-depth look at training Secret Service recruits, a peek into the life of a boy with emotional disorders and the man who befriends him, and a tender love story that you won’t want to end. The book will have you pulling out the Kleenex.
ONLY WITH YOU
Agent Whitney Dwyer and Agent Max Blackwell have been together for five years. As a young member of the Secret Service, Whitney has a top-notch job in Threat Assessment and has gotten plum assignments in protection. She’s also gotten Max in a friends-with-benefits relationship. When they split up, neither is prepared for life without the other. Then fate steps in. ONLY WITH YOU is back-dropped by the bombing of a federal building, a case assigned to Whitney and Max during their personal turmoil. The book also delves into the inner workings of the Secret Service and the danger federal agents encounter every day. Toss in a sizzling relationship and readers will find this story a page-turner.
NO OTHER LOVE
Dr. Connor Marino has led a charmed life, with a superb education, several degrees under his belt and a patent which gives him money to live on. But he enlists in Doctors Without Borders because he wants to give back to the world. He never expects to find love in the war-torn Middle East with a real live princess, Callandra Gentileschi, from Casarina. But theirs is anything but a fairytale romance when family and political demands take Calla away. In NO OTHER LOVE, get a glimpse at the difficult work of doctors overseas, travel with Calla to her exotic foreign home country and experience their undying love for each other.
COME BACK TO ME
Army Medical Reservist Dr. Declan Marino married Army Officer Delilah Carrier, his high school sweetheart, had children early on and were happy—for a while. They divorce, however, when Lila is stifled by her life. Now, happy in their careers, they’re still in love but can’t seem to find a way back to each other. COME BACK TO ME examines the difficulty of balancing two military parents and maintaining a happy family life. The book also explores the question: can long-standing love triumph over the roadblocks of modern life?
To browse Kathryn’s impressive list of titles go to http://www.kathrynshay.com/books/.
About the Author
* * *
A NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author, Kathryn Shay has been a lifelong writer and teacher. She has written dozens of self-published original romance titles, print books with the Berkley Publishing Group and Harlequin Enterprises and mainstream women’s fiction with Bold Strokes Books. She has won five RT Book Reviews awards, four Golden Quills, four Holt Medallions, the Bookseller’s Best Award, Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year and several “Starred Reviews.” Her novels have been serialized in COSMOPOLITAN magazine and featured in USA TODAY, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL and PEOPLE magazine. There are over five million copies of her books in print, along with hundreds of thousands downloaded online. Reviewers have called her work “emotional and heart-wrenching.”
Continue reading for an excerpt from:
Come Back To Me
* * *
Declan looked around the empty house in Maryland that he’d rented for himself and the girls. “It’s big, Daddy.” This from Meli, his impish twin. “Do we have our own rooms?”
“Of course.”
“Want to go see ours, Morgy?” she asked her sister Morgan. They both had blond hair and blue eyes, like him. His oldest was the spitting image of her mother.
Dec held out two hands, which his kids clasped. “I’ll show you.”
They climbed the open oak staircase, made their way around the railings. Declan led them down one hall. At the end were two doors. “Let’s go in here first.”
Once in the room, the girls scanned the wide windows, the ceiling fan and then their gazes landed on a doorway. Morgan rushed over and yanked it open. “It’s a bathroom.”
“With another door on that side.”
The girls burst through both entrances. Screeches. Proclamations like “Oh, this is so cool,” and “Just what we need!” Their rooms were connected by a Jack-and-Jill bath like the Marinos third-floor quarters built for Whitney and Connor.
Declan leaned back against the wall, grateful that he could please these two munchkins after he’d uprooted them. Thankfully, they were going to have middle school in Lakeville and would have to change buildings anyway. “Uncle Nick scouted this area for us, which is close to your uncles, and when he saw the rooms with an adjoining bathroom, he thought the place would be great for you two.” It also had a master suite.
Meli went to a window. “Oh, look, a big back yard.” She turned to her father. “For our dogs. Right dad?”
He’d bribed the girls when they left Lakeville: if they cooperated in the move, they could each get a dog. He wanted one, anyway. “Yep, and they yard is fenced in.”
Morgan said, “Does the house have a room for Maggie?”
“You bet. This is her home, too.”
His oldest was at the orientation for college right now only forty minutes away at American University where she’d live on campus, but she also had a her own space here. He hoped she’d use it.
“Where’s yours?”
“I’ll take you to it, but Maggie should see her own first before you do.” They’d been staying with Gabe and Macy, and he’d dropped her off at orientation before they came here.
When the girls had their fill of house touring, they settled in the kitchen. Declan had ordered a pizza so it was piping hot, the scent of spicy sauce and cheese filling the expansive area. They sat on the stools left by the previous owners at the bar and dug in. Before they finished, the doorbell rang. “That’s our furniture,” Meli declared, sliding off her seat, and raced to the foyer. Morgan followed, and Dec went after them.
Meli threw open the door. “Oh. I thought you were our delivery.”
Lila smiled at the girls. “Aren’t you glad to see me?” Dec recognized the uncertainty in her voice.
“Yeah, Mommy, we are.” Morgan hugged her then Meli took her turn.
Lila raised her gaze to Declan. “Hi.”
Just the sight of her upset him. “I didn’t expect to see you today.”
“I got excited about the girls being so close, I came out on my lunch break.”
All Dec said was, “There’s pizza left.”
“Oh, well, can I have a tour of the place first?”
Meli grabbed her arm. “Wait till you see our rooms. There’s lots windows, a bathroom that connects us, and even skylights.”
Her mouth thinned. “How nice.” She looked at Dec. “I always wanted skylights.”
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br /> They’d lived in apartments at first then bought a home in Lakeville, which was nice but old, like most of the houses in town. “You’ve should put a couple in your place.”
“It’s a colonial. Skylights were non-existent in a house based on the colony’s dwellings.”
Ignoring her comment, he said, “So, take Mommy on a tour.”
When they left he went back to the kitchen and sat on a stool. He picked up a half-eaten piece of pizza, but now it tasted like cardboard. So he scanned the room. High ceilings, granite countertops, big enough for a table by the fireplace. Lila would probably love this room. But he hadn’t rented the place with her in mind. No, she had a new guy, a new house, a new life now.
Ten minutes later, the girls raced through the kitchen to the backyard. Their mother went outside with them then came back in alone.
“This is lovely.”
He turned. She looked pretty even a yellow summer sundress and strappy sandals. Her hair was up in a knot befitting the hot August day.
“Thanks. Not sure we’ll buy it.”
“Why?”
“The house in Lakeville would have to sell first.”
Taking a seat one stool down, she ignored the food. “So you moved down here.” There was a cutting undertone in her voice, but he knew why. And she was entitled.
“My parents said it was a deal breaker.” Like it had been, in the end for them, though he didn’t know it at the time.
Her mouth got tight. “Did they buy something?”