by Cindy Kirk
But he wouldn’t be staying and putting down roots. In fact, by the first of April he’d be back in London. She’d likely never see him again.
It was something she had to keep in mind, or an April Fool’s Day joke would be on her.
* * *
First thing the next morning Oliver called Quinn. He’d promised the sleeping beauty in the other room that he wouldn’t tell Quinn what had gone on last night. And he kept his promise. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t let Quinn know that his potential business partner was a scoundrel of the first order.
While Oliver scrambled eggs and fried bacon, he issued his warning in words that had been carefully chosen prior to placing the call.
As expected, Quinn pressed for solid details. Oliver only reiterated if he was going into business with someone, Wesley should never be considered, no matter how perfect a partner he appeared to be on paper.
Oliver heard Amelia in the background telling Quinn that her brother rarely issued such warnings and they should heed it. He appreciated his sister’s confidence and support. By the time he ended the call, Oliver felt certain he’d squashed any business deal between Quinn and Wesley.
“Good morning.”
Oliver slid the phone into his pocket and glanced up. Shannon stood in the hallway, looking a bit heavy-eyed—but just as beautiful as always—in jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt and cowboy boots. Her hair, normally loose around her shoulders, had been woven into some sort of complicated braid.
He rose from the table. “Would you like some breakfast?”
“I believe that’s supposed to be my line.” A smile lifted the corners of her lips. “But I have a different question for you this morning.”
Intrigued, Oliver inclined his head. “What is it?”
“You like horses, right?”
“I do. Very much.”
“I just spoke with my mother.” Shannon shifted uncertainly from one foot to the other. “My dad’s ankle isn’t any better. It seems to be a pretty bad sprain.”
“I’m sorry to hear it.” Oliver was not only sorry for Shep but for Lilian, as well. It couldn’t be easy keeping an active man like Shep Singleton down.
“The thing is, my parents ride every day. It’s something they’ve done for years.” Shannon crossed the room and picked a piece of crisp bacon from the frying pan. “Knowing Ollie would be at your mother’s this morning, she asked if I would come over and exercise the horses. If we went together, both horses would get a workout. It wouldn’t take long.”
There had been a period, years ago, when Oliver had ridden every day. Once he moved to London, riding had been confined to visits to his country estate. He’d missed it, he realized.
“My mother said she’d like to keep Ollie all morning,” Oliver mused.
“We’d easily be there to pick him up by noon.”
Oliver thought, considered. There were things he needed to do to prepare for his workday. But he sensed Shannon needed a ride in the great outdoors more than she needed almost anything else.
He glanced down at his dark trousers and dress shirt. “Give me five minutes to change and I’ll be ready.”
* * *
Shannon reined the horse to a halt at the top of a hill that overlooked a large swath of her parents’ property. Though the sun shone brightly, the temperature was in the upper sixties, perfect riding weather.
Beside her, Oliver sat easily on her father’s horse, a spirited roan named Bucky. Right before he mounted Bucky, she’d plopped a black cowboy hat on his head.
He’d muttered a protest, but she knew it was only for form when he’d left on the Stetson headgear. Though comfortable outside, the sun could be intense to an unshielded head.
They’d ambled through fields, then galloped together down a well-worn path by the stream. When they’d reached the hill—okay, so it was more of a small mound—she enticed him to the top by telling him the view would be worth it.
“What do you think?” She relaxed in the saddle, gazing out over the valley where cattle grazed.
“Beautiful.”
“That’s what I think—” But when Shannon turned, thrilled he saw the peaceful serenity and beauty that many overlooked, she realized his gaze wasn’t on the land, but on her.
Her face had to be dusty, her hat tipped back, and some of the hair that she’d woven into a side braid now hung loose against her cheek. Not to mention her eyes had to be puffy from last night. But the way he looked at her, well, she couldn’t remember any man looking at her in quite the same way.
Her heart swelled until she thought it would burst from her chest. “Thank you.”
A startled look crossed his face. “For what?”
“For being so nice to me.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You were my knight in shining armor last night.” Shannon refused to let embarrassment quash the words she desperately needed to say. “You saved me from an evil sorcerer. You comforted me. Not once did you make me feel stupid, though I had been very stupid.”
“No,” he said forcefully. “What happened was all on him.”
“I just want you to know that I appreciated you coming to my rescue and being so...nice. If there’s anything I can ever do for you, all you need to do is say the word and I’m there.”
“Thanks is hardly necessary,” he began. “I—”
“It’s very necessary,” she insisted. “I also realize what you gave up to come here today. Being on horseback under the bright blue skies has made me feel better. You knew it would.”
“How could anyone not feel better with all this beauty as far as the eye can see?” He gestured with one hand, though his gaze remained on her.
“You’re a special guy, Oliver. I hope one day you find a woman back in London who can appreciate all you have to offer.”
* * *
“This is the one,” Rachel said with the authority of a seasoned shopper. “It’s you.”
Shannon studied the simple, yet sexy, black dress. All evening they’d searched for just the right dress for Shannon to wear to the Grand Fortune wedding ceremony Friday night.
When one Fortune got married it was a big deal. But when four Fortune siblings decided to tie the knot on the same day, the event took on epic status. The evening would be the talk of the year, no, the decade. Not just any dress would do for such a wedding.
The stores in Lubbock had an abundance of dresses in every style and color. A few had caught Shannon’s eye enough to try them on. But none had jumped out and proclaimed, “I am the one.”
They’d headed back to Horseback Hollow, empty-handed and discouraged. At the last minute they decided to check out a couple of boutiques in Vicker’s Corners.
At boutique number two, they hit the jackpot. Amazed, Shannon gazed at her reflection in the triple mirror. “It makes me look positively skinny.”
“Forget skinny. It makes your boobs look ginormous,” Rachel said, and the sales clerk laughed.
“The dress is very flattering,” the clerk concurred. “Is this for a special Valentine’s date?”
“Actually,” Shannon said, “I’m attending a wedding on Valentine’s Day.”
“Ah, the wedding. Wear that dress and your date won’t be able to take his eyes off you,” the clerk assured her before hurrying off to help another customer.
“She’s right.” Rachel relaxed in the dressing room chair while Shannon slipped off the dress. “It’s perfect for the weddings.”
Rachel’s overemphasis of the plural made Shannon smile.
“Seriously,” Rachel continued, “how often do you get one dress that will cover four weddings?”
Shannon slanted a glance at the price tag and tried not to wince. While the cost was definitely more than she wanted to spend, the dres
s was gorgeous. She thought about the clerk’s words.
Would Oliver think she was lovely? Would he look at her—
“Especially four Fortune weddings.”
Shannon reined in her thoughts. While she’d been daydreaming, Rachel had been chattering about the upcoming nuptials.
“I don’t know about you,” Rachel continued, “but I wouldn’t want to share my special day with three other couples.”
“It wouldn’t be for me,” Shannon acknowledged. “But I think the Fortune siblings must view this grand event as even more special because they’re sharing it with the ones they love.”
“I bet Jeanne Marie and Deke are celebrating.”
Shannon raised a brow.
“Think about it, four weddings for the price of one,” Rachel explained. “What a deal.”
“For them maybe,” Shannon said with a laugh. “I’m just grateful you agreed to go in with me on four gifts.”
On Friday, at Jeanne Marie and Deke’s sprawling ranch, four of their children would say their vows: Jude and Gabi and Chris and Kinsley, as well as Stacey Fortune Jones marrying Colton Foster and Liam Fortune Jones marrying Julia Tierney.
They’d had the large red barn on their property converted into a reception area. Outside, a huge stage had been constructed for the ceremony itself. Shannon had no doubt the quadruple wedding ceremony and reception would be a night to remember in Horseback Hollow.
“Did I tell you my parents are watching Ollie?” Shannon stepped out of the dress and handed it to Rachel.
“Your parents are such good friends of Deke and Jeanne Marie.” Rachel placed the dress on the padded hanger, a look of surprise in her eyes. “I thought for sure they’d be invited.”
“They are close friends and they planned to go.” Shannon pulled on her jeans and tucked in her shirt. “But my dad’s ankle is still bothering him. Because it’s so difficult for him to get around, they decided to stay home.”
Shannon reached down to pick up her bag. When she straightened, she found Rachel staring at her with a curious expression.
“What’s wrong?” she asked her friend.
“I know we’ve planned to go together for ages.” Rachel spoke slowly, as if choosing her words carefully. “But if you’d rather go with Oliver...”
“No. No way. I’ll have more fun with you.” The moment the words left her lips, Shannon wished she could pull them back. It sounded as if she was dissing Oliver, when nothing could be further from the truth.
She’d only meant to reassure Rachel their plans were solid and she wasn’t doing a last-minute about-face.
“You’re right. He may be hot but he’s a little uptight.” Rachel spoke cheerily, her good humor back. “Did you hear that all four of Gabi’s brothers will be there? Orlando showed me pictures the other day. All I can say is, wow. Not a dog in the bunch. Tall. Dark. Hunky. They look like fun guys. We should consider hanging with them at the reception.”
“Perhaps.” Shannon did her best to summon some enthusiasm even though the only hunky man she wanted to hang with was Oliver.
Of course, Oliver would soon be an ocean away. She supposed it wouldn’t hurt to consider other possibilities.
But even as the thought crossed her mind, Shannon knew she wasn’t interested. There was only one man she wanted. Only one man she loved. And that man was the one who could never be hers.
Chapter Eleven
After making sure his tie was precisely knotted, Oliver strode down the hall. When he reached the living room, he came to an abrupt stop. For a second, all he could do was gaze at the vision of loveliness in black lace before him.
Shannon had bent over to give Ollie a toy. The angle gave Oliver an excellent view of her breasts—er, her dress. In his thirty-seven years, Oliver had seen his share of short black dresses. Cocktail parties, gallery openings and charity galas were filled with women wearing what many considered the classic party dress. Never had he seen one that took his breath away.
Though it didn’t show an obscene amount of skin, something in the cut of the dress made Shannon’s legs look longer, her waist impossibly tiny and her breasts...
His mouth went dry. When he cleared his throat, hoping to get some fluid to the area, she straightened and shot him a brilliant smile.
Then her beautiful eyes widened.
“Oh, my.” She pretended to fan herself. “You’re really rockin’ that black suit, mister.”
For the weddings of his four cousins, Oliver had chosen a slim-fit Armani, coupling it with a crisp white shirt and dark skinny tie. His favorite pair of Paul Smith black oxfords completed the outfit.
Though the phrase “rockin’ that suit” wasn’t familiar, the admiration in her eyes said she approved of his choice of attire.
“Your dress,” he said, unable to keep his gaze from dropping to the lacy vee that showed the ivory swell of her breasts, “is...unbelievable.”
“In a good way, I hope?” Though her tone was light, he saw concern in the brown depths of her eyes.
“You will be the prettiest woman there.”
She gave a pleased laugh and lifted Ollie into her arms. “That’s nice to hear, but with four gorgeous brides, I sincerely doubt that.”
“The prettiest woman there,” he repeated, happy her plans to attend with her friend had fallen through and she was his for the night.
A flush rose up her neck, but he saw his words had pleased her. She dropped her gaze to Ollie, who was attempting to pull the tiny silver necklace from her neck.
“Did you hear that, Ollie?” she asked the toddler. “Your daddy thinks I’m pretty.”
With chubby fingers still wrapped around the necklace, Ollie lifted his gaze and stared at her for several seconds. He grinned.
“Pretty Mama,” he said clearly, then repeated the words. “Pretty Mama.”
Oliver stared, startled.
“I think you have another admirer,” was the best he could manage.
“Yeah,” she said with a self-deprecating smile. “I’m a big hit with the toddler set.”
“He called you ‘Mama.’”
“That’s his go-to word for females,” she reminded him.
Oliver didn’t argue but he was fairly certain Ollie knew exactly who he was calling “Mama.” He glanced at his watch. “We should leave.”
“You’re right. It’s not going to be quick and easy getting away from my parents.” Shannon offered a wry smile. “Be prepared. They’ll want you to go through Ollie’s bedtime routine in excruciating detail.”
She never overstepped, Oliver thought. Shannon always made it clear Ollie was ultimately his son, his responsibility, not hers. The trouble was, Shannon was such a natural with him it was easy for him to forget.
Mrs. Crowder, his London nanny, was efficient and kind to his son. But Ollie had never called her “Mama.” He wondered if the older woman rocked Ollie to sleep every night or sang silly songs with him. These were things Shannon did as part of the daily routine. Oliver made a mental note to pay more attention to those details once he was back in London.
On the drive to her parents’ ranch, Ollie and Shannon sang a song about monkeys jumping on the bed. Actually Shannon did most of the singing, with Ollie occasionally yelling out “no more” or “monkey” several beats too late.
The foolishness of the tune coupled with the sound of his son’s giggles made Oliver smile.
As Shannon had predicted, Shep and Lilian wouldn’t let them leave until they’d been apprised of every nuance of Ollie’s schedule. When they returned to the car, Oliver had no doubt his son would be well cared for during the evening.
“That was kind of your parents to offer to keep Ollie overnight.” Oliver exited the long drive and turned the car in the direction of Jeanne Marie and Deke’s ranc
h.
“My parents adore children.” A tiny smile lifted her lips. “They can’t wait to have grandchildren. Watching Ollie gives them a taste of what that will someday be like.”
“Happy to be of service.”
Shannon’s expression turned thoughtful. “I’m glad you brought Ollie to Horseback Hollow. It’s good he had this chance to get acquainted with your family and them with him.”
Oliver realized with a sense of chagrin that he’d never thought of the trip in those terms. In his mind, coming to Texas had been about seeing Amelia and meeting his new niece.
“Thanks to modern technology, even after you return to London you’ll be able to video chat with your mother and other family members,” Shannon continued. “That way they can stay close to Ollie.”
“Good suggestion.” But Oliver found he didn’t want to talk about leaving Horseback Hollow. Not tonight. “Do you like weddings?”
Shannon blinked at the abrupt change of subject but went with the flow.
“What woman doesn’t? I enjoy seeing the dresses and the hair. I like seeing what kind of flowers the bride and groom chose and how they structured the ceremony.” She paused for a second. “With four brides and grooms, I wonder how they decided everything. Majority vote?”
Oliver lifted a shoulder in a slight shrug.
“I can see the advantages of all of them getting married at the same time but...” This time, it was her turn to shrug.
“Not for you?”
“Never say never,” she said with a little laugh, “but I don’t believe it would be for me. Anyway, marriage is so far down the road for me it doesn’t even bear thinking about.”
Oliver slanted a sideways glance. “You’ll find the right man.”
Having Oliver mention her with another man in the same breath gave Shannon a bad taste in her mouth. “When you married Diane, you must have thought she was the right one for you.”
Oliver’s only reaction was a tightening grip on the steering wheel. “At the time, I was convinced we made an excellent match. We socialized with the same people, had similar interests and backgrounds. I thought she’d be happy if I gave her what she wanted. I was mistaken.”