The Best Bride

by Susan Mallery

  Thoughts tumbled over and over in her mind. What to do? She glanced at Nick. He sat patiently waiting for her to decide. He’d been nice to her all day, even though she’d been difficult. She held back a sigh. She didn’t mean to be callous and uncaring. Or so private it came across as paranoid. Even though it had been a lot of years, she had trouble letting go of the past. Trusting people was hard. Trusting someone like him was nearly impossible. But she must have, at least a little, or she wouldn’t have brought him with her.

  She rubbed her temples. She was putting off the inevitable. “Let’s see if we can find my mother’s street. If not, we’ll check into a hotel and start again in the morning.”

  “No problem.” He started the car and pulled back out on the main road.

  Louise had sent directions to where she lived. Hannah pulled out her letter and clicked on the map light. “She rents a room,” she said. “I’m guessing it’s some kind of nursing home or retirement center. I don’t know if that’s going to be in a residential area or not.”

  “Depends on the zoning,” Nick said.

  She told him where to turn. They drove past a large park. In the twilight, she could just make out a pond with white ducks. Several families had come down to the sloping banks to enjoy the balmy May evening.

  Families. Hannah felt a twinge in her chest. She’d been alone most of her life. That’s what she was used to. Not depending on anyone. Now she had a mother. Would that change everything?

  She spied a street sign. “Make a right here.”

  The residential area looked like something out of a television movie. Two-story houses with wide porches. Minivans in the driveways, bikes left on lawns. Shouts of laughter drifted into the car. Hannah felt her throat tighten. When Nick gave her hand a squeeze, she didn’t push him away. Without wanting to admit it, even to herself, she took comfort in his presence.

  They made another turn. The street got wider, the houses farther apart. Two-stories became three.

  “Someone has money,” she said.

  “Maybe it’s your mom.” He grinned.

  She smiled back. “Wouldn’t you like that? You could get her involved in one of your land deals.”

  “Hey, people have made lots of money with me.”

  “Sure.”

  “I would never hurt your mother.”

  Oddly, she believed him.

  “This is the street.” Hannah stared at the houses, sure something must be wrong. Louise couldn’t live here, could she? It didn’t make sense for one person. Maybe a large residence had been converted into apartments or something. “The address is 2301.”

  The car slowed to a crawl. “That one,” Nick said, pointing to an especially large house.

  In the gathering dusk, Hannah could just make out the shape of the peaked roof and wide porch. “It looks Victorian.”

  “Probably is. I think railroad barons first settled this part of the state. The houses might be restored.”

  There were so many cars in the driveway, there wasn’t room for theirs. He pulled up to the curb.

  Hannah stared at the structure. Her heart pounded rapidly, her palms were sweaty, and she felt as if she was going to be sick.

  “What did you tell her about your arrival?” Nick asked quietly.

  “I didn’t know how long it was going to take to drive up. I thought we might do it in a couple of days. I just said sometime this weekend.”

  “So she’s not expecting you tonight?”

  “No. Why?”

  He motioned to the cars. “I thought maybe she was throwing a welcome party for you.”

  “I doubt that.”

  “You want to go to the hotel and come back tomorrow?”

  Yes! Yes! That would be great. She could sleep on it, figure out what to say. Slowly, she shook her head. That was the coward’s way out. “I want to go in.”

  “Then let’s get it over with.”

  He got out of the car and came around to her door. When she stepped out, he took her arm to steady her. Normally she would have slapped him away, or had a biting remark, but tonight her defenses were down. She was confident Nick would use this against her later, that he would tease her unmercifully. She didn’t care. Right now he was a warm body she could cling to. He was the only person she knew in this strange little town. If he offered comfort and protection, she was going to leap at the chance to take it.

  She drew the strap of her small purse over her shoulder. Nick closed the car door, then hit the button that activated the alarm. Before she could step toward the house, he moved in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

  “She’s going to adore you,” he said.

  “You think so?”

  “I’m sure of it. Just try to remember to smile.”

  She curled up her lips, but it felt like more of a grimace. Still, Nick grinned in return and she felt some of her tension ease. He grabbed her hand and started for the house.

  As they climbed the steps of the porch, they could hear laughter. “Maybe it’s a party,” Hannah said. “We could be interrupting.”

  “I’m sure having you show up will just add to the joy of the occasion.”

  In spite of everything, she laughed. “You’re very quick with those lines.”

  “They’re effective, too.” He winked.

  “I’ll just bet they are.”

  The wide front door looked imposing. Nick raised his free hand to knock, then glanced at her for approval. She sucked in a breath and nodded.

  The sharp sound was followed by a burst of laughter, then a woman called, “I’ll get it.”

  The porch light was bright, as was the light from the foyer. When the woman opened the door, Hannah could see her clearly.

  She was on the tall side, maybe five-six, in her mid-forties. Hannah had a brief impression of blue eyes and a generous mouth before her attention focused on the woman’s clothes. She wore lime green slacks and a turquoise shirt. A gold belt circled her waist twice. Heavy makeup highlighted her features and big dangling earrings hung below the layered edges of her short blond hair.

  Hannah could feel herself shaking. The only stable part of her world was Nick’s warm hand as he held on to her.

  “Hi,” she said, forcing the words past uncooperative lips. “I’m not sure if we have the right house or not, but I’m looking for—”

  The woman caught her breath and clapped her hands together, effectively cutting Hannah off. “Oh, my. I would have recognized you anywhere. Hannah, honey, you’re the spitting image of Earl and the boys.”

  Nick leaned close. “Who are Earl and the boys?”

  Hannah shrugged helplessly. Obviously this woman knew her. A close friend of her mother’s perhaps? Maybe a paid companion? “I’m afraid I don’t understand,” she said.

  The woman smiled. “Of course not. Here I am talking about Earl and his sons, and I’m leaving out the most important part.” Tears sprang to her eyes and she sniffed. “Hannah, honey, I’m your mother. Welcome home.”

  Wait a minute. This couldn’t be her mother. Hannah straightened and stared. What happened to the old frail woman who was sick or possibly dying? The person in front of her looked fit and strong.

  Hannah found herself being pulled into an embrace. The woman, Louise—Hannah couldn’t really think of calling her Mom or Mother—stood in the doorway, about a half step above Hannah. That put them at the same height.

  Strong arms drew Hannah close. She didn’t like being hugged by people she knew, let alone strangers. Yet this embrace felt oddly right. Almost familiar.

  Louise cupped Hannah’s face in both hands. “You’re so pretty. I tried to imagine what you’d look like, but I never could. You have Earl’s eyes.”

  “My…”

  Louise nodded. “Your father. Your hair color is mine.” She tugged at a short blond strand. “I’m not a natural blonde, but you know what they say. I prefer it this way.” She smiled. “I can’t get over this. When I wrote you, I—” She looked pas
t Hannah and gasped.

  “Your husband. Darling, I didn’t see you there. Welcome.” She held her arms open again. Nick stepped easily into her embrace and she hugged him tightly. “Aren’t you the handsomest man I’ve seen in a while. So tall.”

  Louise smiled. “Hannah, honey, you picked wisely with this one. I didn’t always pick wisely, but I made sure they were pretty to look at.”

  Nick grinned. “I’m going to like you, Louise.”

  “Well, I hope so. I want you to know straight off, I’m not going to be a meddling mother-in-law.” Her smile faded. “I’m just happy to have the chance to see you at last. Both of you.” She took one of Hannah’s hands and one of Nick’s.

  Hannah felt as if she’d been caught up in the middle of a tornado. She was being whirled around so fast, she couldn’t catch her breath or her balance.

  “What’s going on, Louise?” a male voice called from inside the house.

  Louise laughed. “I swear, it’s a good thing all my body parts are attached or I would leave them behind. Imagine me forgetting my manners. Come in.” She released their hands and stepped back, motioning them through the door. She patted Hannah’s arm. “The boys are going to be so thrilled. They’ve been waiting to meet you.”

  Hannah swallowed. “Boys?”

  “The Haynes brothers. Earl’s sons with his wife. I know it’s confusing, but you have four half brothers.”

  Nick draped his arm around Hannah’s shoulders. “Great. With me, that’s enough to play basketball.”

  “Actually, there’s Austin, too, but he’s not a real relative. More like an adopted member of the family.” Louise frowned. “Oh, did I just put my foot in my mouth? You don’t mind me saying adopted, do you?”

  Numbly, Hannah shook her head.

  They stepped into the living room. People were everywhere. Not just adults, but children. Lots of children. She couldn’t begin to estimate the size of the crowd. Over twenty people. And they were all staring at her.

  “Everyone, this is Hannah. My daughter.” Louise’s voice cracked and a tear slipped down her cheek. “Isn’t she wonderful?”

  Four men separated themselves from the group. They were tall, well over six foot, with dark hair and eyes. Hannah didn’t need to look at her own reflection to see the resemblance.

  Her heart stopped in her chest. She felt it thunk once and then freeze. She was going to die, which was a very good thing.

  Cops. Her bothers were cops. Only two were in uniform, but the remaining two had the same look about them. Cops who, if they knew about Nick and his shady practices, not to mention the deal she’d made with him, wouldn’t think twice about throwing them both in jail.

  Chapter Four

  Hannah stared unbelievingly at the four men in front of her. They stared back. Silence grew. She kept waiting to fall to the floor. After all, she still couldn’t feel her heart beating. Then, in the quiet, she heard the faint thudding that told her not only was she still alive, but she was also probably going to live long enough to have to suffer through this weekend.

  Nick gave her shoulder a quick squeeze, then stepped forward. “Hi. I’m Nick Archer, Hannah’s husband.”

  The brother with a bit of gray at his temples smiled slightly. “Craig Haynes. Nice to meet you.” The two men shook hands.

  Hannah watched closely, but there didn’t seem to be any kind of male-dominance test going on. At least not yet. The handshake was brief; she didn’t notice any bulging tendons, a telltale sign that there was a pissing contest in progress.

  Craig turned his attention to her. “We weren’t sure what to expect. Sorry, Louise, but she’s a hundred percent Haynes.”

  Louise slipped her arm through Hannah’s. “Oh, there’s a little Carberry in her, too. Your side doesn’t get all the credit.”

  Hannah shook her head. She’d always wondered about her “real” last name, about any family that might be around to claim her. Here they were, in the flesh. It should have been exciting. Instead, all she wanted to do was run for cover.

  Craig motioned to the man on his left. “This is Travis, then Jordan and Kyle.” He grinned. “We’re actually standing in order of age. I’m the oldest, Kyle’s the youngest.”

  “Not anymore,” Kyle said. “Now you get to be the baby, Hannah.”

  “How nice,” she murmured.

  “We’ll run through the rest of the family,” Craig said. “I’m sure it’s going to be confusing as hell, but at least you’ll get a sense of who belongs to whom.”

  At his words, wives came up to stand by their husbands and children collected in small groups. There were too many people, too many faces, too many names.

  She tried to concentrate, but it was no use. She caught brief impressions. Craig’s wife was a petite redhead who was very pregnant. They had three boys. Jordan’s wife was also pregnant, but not so far along. There was another man introduced as “Austin Lucas, family, but not by blood.” He was dark and dangerous-looking, an earring glinting from one ear. His wife, Rebecca, was beautiful, with a face that belonged on a cameo.

  When the introductions were completed, everyone began talking at once. Louise pulled her close. “Don’t worry about trying to sort everyone out. It’s going to take a little while.”

  Nick dropped a quick kiss on Hannah’s head. She felt the heat all the way to her toes and hoped her pleasure and shock didn’t show in her eyes. “Hannah and I will compare notes tonight. I’m sure between the two of us, we’ll be able to keep everyone straight.”

  Hannah wasn’t so sure. She stared at the huge living room. A large fireplace dominated the far wall. Navy drapes covered floor-to-ceiling windows. The same color was picked up in the four sofas forming a loose square. Striped wing chairs of navy and cream filled in the corners. The furniture and floor were light pine. Scattered rugs, paintings and the evidence of coffee and dessert gave the room a homey, lived-in look.

  She couldn’t imagine anyone living in a house this large, but it was obvious the Haynes family needed a lot of room. Hannah counted seventeen adults, eleven children, with two more on the way.

  She glanced at Louise, who was talking to Nick, pointing out various individuals and giving a brief background. The children had started to chase each other around the room. The adults talked among themselves, all the while casting curious glances at her. She felt like the featured entertainer at a sideshow. The attention was uncomfortable. When Nick stepped close and placed his hand on the back of her neck under her braid, she didn’t protest.

  “Do you live here?” she asked Louise, remembering her vision of a frail old woman living in a nursing home.

  Louise laughed. “I have my own place in town. An apartment. But I’m hardly ever there. These boys keep me busy.”

  Louise led them over to one of the sofas. They sat down, with Louise on one side of Hannah and Nick on the other.

  “You work for the Haynes family?” Nick asked.

  Louise nodded. “I have for several years. It started when Travis here—” she pointed to one of the brothers in uniform “—needed a housekeeper. He and his first wife had divorced and he was rattling around in a house as big as this one. The boy couldn’t cook anything. I was afraid he’d starve to death. So he hired me.”

  The brother in question came over and sat on the coffee table in front of the sofa. His wavy dark hair was trimmed regulation short, not quite touching the back of his collar. The khaki uniform indicated that he was Glenwood’s sheriff. Hannah fought back a shudder. Why couldn’t her brothers have been plumbers or electricians?

  “I’m Travis, remember?” he said.

  Hannah gave him a shaky smile. “Yes, hi.”

  “We’re a loud bunch, but our hearts are in the right place. We’ve really been looking forward to meeting you.”

  “You have the advantage,” Nick said easily, with his arm around Hannah. “We were expecting Hannah’s mother to be by herself. This is an unexpected bonus.”

  If Hannah hadn’t been so ner
vous, she would have rolled her eyes. Nick had been born charming. Most of the time she didn’t approve of those who skated through life using fancy words instead of work to get by. In this case, however, she was extremely grateful to have him along. Who would have thought she would be related to an entire herd of people?

  “It’s kind of interesting about Louise,” Travis said and winked at the older woman. “She’s been a member of this family for years.”

  “She was just mentioning that,” Hannah said politely.

  “Now you’re related to both of us.”

  Hannah wondered if anyone had thought this through. If she was Louise’s daughter and the Haynes brothers’ half sister, that meant they shared a father. Then Louise must have had a relationship with their father nearly twenty-eight years ago. Had he been married? If not, why hadn’t Louise married him herself? Why had she, Hannah, been given up for adoption?

  Travis said something to Nick, but Hannah wasn’t listening anymore. She was looking around the room at the happy family. Adults clustered together, talking and laughing. Children played. The volume increased steadily as everyone tried to be heard. It was chaos in its most pleasant form.

  Her family. She was related to many of these people by blood and to the rest of them by marriage. Louise had stayed and found a life for herself. Why had she given her child away?

  She felt emotions piling up in her throat. As tired and shell-shocked as she was right now, she couldn’t risk weakening. She might say something inappropriate. Or worse—she might burst into tears.

  Nick moved his arm and began to stroke the skin at the back of her neck. The contact was comforting and erotic—an intriguing combination. She leaned toward him and let her left hand rest on his thigh. His muscles were rock hard, his body warm. In an uncontrollable situation, he was the only stable point of reference. Right now, she didn’t care if he was a criminal with a record or even a tattoo. For some crazy reason, she trusted him to keep her safe. She, who never dared trust anyone. She didn’t want to think how much she was going to regret this later.

  “Hey, Hannah.” The other brother in uniform walked over. “I’m Kyle.” He looked a lot like Travis, maybe a tiny bit better-looking. Obviously, this was a gene pool that treated its men very well.