by Melody Anne
Epilogue
Champagne exploded as Smoke used his knife to knock the top off the bottle, froth spilling over the side while cheers exploded in the little diner off the freeway.
“Congrats!” Sleep cheered as the bubbly liquid was poured into multiple glasses.
“Yes, congrats. Another one bites the dust,” Smoke said with a huge grin as he held his own glass out.
“The mighty are falling fast,” Green said.
“But at least they’re hitting pillows when they land,” Eyes added.
“It’s not falling when you jump,” Brackish said, his arm wrapped around his wife. His wife! He thought it again. Erin was his wife.
“Tell us the story,” Chad demanded as more bottles were opened, and more champagne flowed. Tom was back in the kitchen, cooking up a storm, delivering plates of appetizers, the food gone almost as quickly as it was set down.
“Here, here, we want the story,” Eyes demanded.
“The long story short is I talked this woman into marrying me, so I called Joseph, got him to lend me the jet, and whisked her off to Vegas.”
“I think I was fooled,” Joseph grumbled as he sipped from a crystal glass, his trusty scotch sitting on the counter in front of him. He didn’t like champagne.
“Are you admitting to being outsmarted?” Chad asked, laughter in his voice.
“I don’t understand the need to jet off to Las Vegas when there are plenty of great venues right here in Seattle,” Joseph said.
Everyone laughed. “Tell us what happened,” Smoke demanded.
“I’m trying, I’m trying, but I can’t tell a story if you idiots keep interrupting me,” Brackish said.
“Our lips are sealed,” Green said. The crowd was still chuckling, but they closed their mouths.
“When we got to the hangar and walked outside, we found two tables lined with armed security and rows of rocks glittering in the morning sun,” Brackish began.
“Whoa, the jewelry store came to you?” Green asked with a laugh. Then he turned to Joseph. “Can you send a gun store my way?”
The group chuckled and Erin took over. “I stopped in my tracks. Steve told me he was going to take me to a store to pick out a ring, but I’ve never had a store come to me before.”
“That’s because you hadn’t met me yet,” Joseph said with a proud smile.
“I sure hadn’t,” Erin said. She moved up to Joseph, wrapped her arm around him, and leaned over, kissing his cheek. “Thank you.”
“Let’s see it,” Sleep demanded. Joseph held up Erin’s hand where a stunning three-carat princess-cut diamond about blinded them all.
“This was the smallest diamond on the table,” Erin said, her cheeks flushing. “I know it’s a bit flashy . . .” She paused as her lips turned up. “But, dang, I really like it even if I didn’t think I wanted something this big.”
The group laughed again. “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend,” Avery said, holding up her own hand where a large round solitaire shone just as brightly.
“I’ve heard that in a song,” Smoke said. “I don’t get it. That was once a lump of coal. What’s the deal with a rock costing as much as a house?”
“I don’t know, but I’m not going to complain because it’s beautiful,” Erin said.
“Okay, back to the wedding,” Smoke demanded.
“For a man who’s vowed to never get married, you sure are anxious for the story,” Eyes pointed out.
“I said I’m never getting married,” Smoke told him. “But I love hearing about my friends being sucked into the deep, dark abyss.”
“I’d be offended by that, but I have a feeling we’ll be watching you at your own wedding one day in the near future,” Erin said, flicking it right back at Smoke.
“Don’t you dare join in on the bet,” Smoke told her. “I like you, Erin, but I’d have to take you down.”
“You’re nothing more than a big teddy bear,” Erin told him, moving to his side and reaching way up on her tippy toes to kiss Smoke’s cheek.
“Holy shit, is that a blush I see on Smoke?” Green gasped.
“Shut up, Green,” Smoke said.
“Come on, Brackish,” Joseph said, his voice booming over all of them. “Get on with the story.” Brackish had shared as much as he could with his wife, so she didn’t blink when the men called him by his military name.
“It took Erin an hour to pick out her ring. She wouldn’t touch any of them for about fifteen minutes, afraid they’d jump out at her like a spider. She looked all around and insisted the security men take away the five and six carat rings immediately as she looked around. She was expecting a team of thugs to drop from the sky at any minute.”
The men laughed. “There were millions and millions of dollars worth of gems sitting right there in the open. I was a wreck,” Erin said.
“She kept going back to the ring she’s now wearing, and finally I picked it up, dropped to my knees, and proposed to her the right way,” Brackish said.
“Yes, you did,” she answered as she came back to his side and wrapped her arms around him, then leaned up and kissed him. “I’m so glad you did. Now I’ll never want to take this ring off. And I got two proposals. That gives us double the luck for a life of love, happiness, and a bright future.”
“Baby, we’ll fly to the moon and play among the stars,” Brackish told her. Then he kissed her again until groans from the people surrounding them broke them apart.
“We’re newlyweds. Leave us be,” Brackish said. Then he wrapped his arm around his wife.
“We got to Vegas and I’d already arranged where I wanted to take my bride-to-be, so we spent the day looking for her dress, and arrived at The Little Vegas Chapel at 1900 hours.”
“The Little Vegas Chapel?” Joseph stammered in horror. “You didn’t even marry her in a classy place like the Bellagio? I could’ve made some calls and had a five-star wedding in five minutes. We could’ve all joined you, too,” he grumbled.
“How about Erin and I go for a weeklong honeymoon in Fiji, and then you all join us there the second week? We can do a beach ceremony with all of our family — who happens to be you guys,” Brackish said. He wasn’t adding that his mother had read him the riot act as well about not having family at his wedding. This would soothe a lot of people, and he’d love to marry his bride again for all of the world to see.
Joseph lit up at that. “Well, son, I like your thinking. I’ll make the calls as soon as you finish telling your story. Carry on.”
“So we got to the chapel at 1900 hours, and we were swept apart. I was taken to a room to change into my tux while Erin was taken to another to slip on her dress and have her hair and makeup done. I wanted this place because of the history. Some say the ghosts of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Marilyn Monroe, Louis Armstrong, and more come to the weddings.”
“Why this place now when they were all over Vegas in the fifties?” Green asked.
“Well, this particular place was a night club for the mob in the fifties with a lot of high-profile clientele. And you know how the mob likes a good wedding,” Brackish told them.
“Yeah, I heard it was converted into a wedding chapel in, I think, 2000,” Eyes told them.
“How in the world would you know that?” Smoke asked.
“I like Vegas, and I like fun facts,” Eyes said with a shrug. “I really like mob history. It fascinates me.”
“So at 2100 hours Elvis walked Erin down the aisle, and while we said our vows, he crooned love songs.”
“Bahaha,” Smoke barked out. “Really? Elvis?”
“Hell yeah, Elvis. Don’t mess with The King,” Brackish said.
“It was beautiful, and it was planned and executed in a single day. That’s my kind of wedding,” Erin said.
“But we’re having a second,” Joseph reminded her. He was already holding his phone in his hand, itching to make the calls.
“And a second beach wedding will be wonderful. After all, I did h
ave two marriage proposals,” Erin said.
“Who do you think will be the next to fall?” Sleep asked, his arm around his wife.
“What do you mean?” Green asked, taking a step back from the two married couples as if they were contagious. “Why does anyone else have to fall?”
Joseph was the one to answer. “Because love is in the air,” he said. He looked at Green, then Smoke, and then Eyes. All three men took a step away.
“Nope, we’re good on weddings. The three of us are confirmed bachelors and we want to keep it that way,” Smoke said.
“I said the same thing,” Sleep said. “But I’ll tell you what, I’ve never been happier in my life.”
“Me neither,” Brackish said.
“Well, that’s great for the two of you. We don’t need to get married. We’re honeymooning with the two of you,” Smoke said.
“Too bad I don’t have bridesmaids for you to fall in love with,” Erin said.
“I fall in love often . . . for a night,” Smoke said with a waggle of his brows.
“We still need a bachelor party. We’ve been deprived twice,” Green said. “It’s not a real wedding unless there’s a bachelor party. I say we go to Vegas and have a double one for Brackish and Sleep.”
“I like your thinking,” Smoke said. “I’ll plan it. You losers will screw it up.”
“It’s a bit late for a bachelor party,” Brackish said.
“No way,” Avery interrupted. “That means we’ll get our bachelorette party and I’m all for Vegas.” She turned and winked at Erin. “Thunder from Down Under, here we come.”
“Oh yes,” Erin said.
Brackish and Sleep both growled. “Really? You really want to watch gay men strip?”
“Oh, most definitely,” Erin said with a laugh. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Sleep’s hold tightened around his wife. “I say we scrap this entire idea.”
“No way. It’s on,” Smoke said. The girls giggled, and the men began planning. Sleep and Brackish no longer looked as excited over the prospect.
“Fine, but it’s the same weekend. I don’t trust those men around you,” Brackish finally said.
“Are you worried some Vegas stripper is going to whisk me away?” Erin asked with a laugh.
“Nope, not at all. I’ll strip for you anytime you want, baby. I’m sure I’d do a better job,” Brackish said. “I’m worried they’ll dare touch you and I’ll have to bash their faces in.”
“Mmm, my big strong man,” Erin said, making the men lose it as they laughed hard enough to be heard a mile away.
The group continued celebrating as they toasted love, happiness, and friendships that grew stronger by the day. They were a team, and they were family — and nothing and nobody would ever get in the middle of that.
Green was taking a swig of his drink, a smile still on his lips from the bantering with people he liked and respected, when his phone buzzed. He wondered who’d be calling as everyone he spoke to daily was in that room. His smile fell away when he saw the unknown number on his caller ID. With all of the technology Brackish had installed he hadn’t thought it possible for an unknown caller to break through.
“This is Hendrick,” Green said tersely.
“You’re a difficult man to get hold of,” a woman’s voice said. Green smiled.
Hook, line, sinker.
He didn’t say a word and she continued after a few seconds. “This is Senator Anna Miller. Do you have a minute to talk? It sounds as if there’s a party going on around you.”
He hadn’t missed her hesitation. She wasn’t used to having to say who she was. His pause had been done to perfection. He needed to seem eager without allowing her to think he was a total lapdog or infatuated with her.
“Oh, Senator Miller. I’m sorry, I didn’t recognize your voice,” Green said. “I’ve been waiting for you to call.” He kept his tone polite without being too eager, as he left the room.
“Is your schedule over the next two weeks open to meet with me? I have some interesting ideas I’d like to involve you in,” she said.
“I don’t know exactly what I can do for you, but when I get home in a couple of hours I’ll check my calendar and see what’s open,” Green told her.
There was a long pause — a good four seconds. He’d have to keep the smile from his voice when he spoke next. She was seething. She was used to yes men and women.
“That sounds acceptable,” Senator Miller finally said. “I’ll text you the number to send the information to and we’ll get it arranged.” There was another pause before she continued. “And, Hendrick, keep this private between us for now. Don’t even tell your co-workers, boss, or political action committee team.” It wasn’t a request, it was a command.
“I can do that,” Green said.
“Thank you. I look forward to seeing you again. Until then, have a great night.” She hung up before he could respond. She certainly was a woman who enjoyed power trips. He didn’t like her, didn’t trust her, and knew he was the man to bring her down. What he didn’t know was how involved she was with Damien.
Green walked back into the room where the festivities were still going strong. He moved up next to Chad and Eyes and said, “Senator Miller just called. She wants to meet in the next two weeks. She told me not to tell a soul.”
“Good job, Green, good job,” Chad said, patting his back.
“I sure want to know how she’s involved in all of this,” Eyes said. He looked over at Brackish. Chad grabbed his arm as he was about to move toward their tech guru.
“Not tonight, Eyes. Even we can take a day off,” Chad said with a laugh. “Tonight’s a celebration. Let Brackish enjoy himself and his new bride.”
“Love,” Eyes said with a laugh. “It just makes men soft.”
“I don’t know,” Chad said. “I think it’s made me stronger. I’ve got a partner at my side I can count on for anything and there’s nothing that will stop me from getting home to her. Love can be our downfall if we’re fools about it. Or it can be what saves us.”
“I need another drink,” Green said as he laughed and walked away.
“Green’s gonna be next,” Eyes said with a laugh as he looked over at Joseph. “The old man has his eyes on him right now.” Eyes and Chad looked between Joseph and Green, and they both laughed.
“You just might be right,” Chad said. “Now, let’s get back to the party.”
Preview of Hudson
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Chapter One
Daisy Green was anything but fine. Her life wasn’t going the way it was supposed to go, and she had no idea what she was going to do next. Everything she’d been fighting so hard for seemed to keep crashing around her, and all she’d ever dreamt about kept getting destroyed. At this point there weren’t even ashes left over for her to rise from and take flight.
Currently she was on the phone with her very worried grandfather while she tried to keep it together. She was so close to falling apart she wasn’t sure what she was going to do. All she knew for sure was that if her grandpa knew how bad she felt, his impeccable radar would come out, and Daisy would be smothered. She couldn’t handle that right now.
“Gramps, there’s nothing to worry about,” she said for what felt like the millionth time. Though, that saying had always amused her. Did people truly understand how long it would take to say the same thing over and over again a million times? If she weren’t on the phone, she’d ask Siri that question right now. Siri, how many hours would it take to repeat a sentence one million times? If she didn’t forget by the end of her conversation with her gramps, she still might ask.
Daisy was sitting in a crowded airport, her steam long gone. She’d already spent the last twenty-four hours packing, and then waiting on public transportation, and then spent more time waiting on standby to get out of this country. As much as her grandpa drove her crazy at times, she truly wanted nothing more
than to tuck tail and go home.
She was so much luckier than many women in her profession. She still had a home to come back to. Not that any twenty-seven-year-old woman wanted to admit defeat. It was the ultimate shame to return home to a small country town, especially having already traveled the world with so many more adventures she wanted to take.
Buying a ticket from Australia to Washington State at the last minute wasn’t an easy task. She’d think with the price of the tickets there would be plenty of open seats, but nope, not when she was in a hurry to come home.