“Oh, no. Did you get arrested?”
“No, but my husband reported me for child abandonment, divorced me and got full custody.” Fallon kicked the curb again, harder this time. “I was sorry the next morning, but it was too late. What if my husband hadn’t shown up when he did? He was right. I was a horrible mother.”
“Do you get to see him at all?”
“I have supervised visitation, which is probably all I deserve. But one day I’ll get shared custody. He’s a good little boy, super smart.” Fallon’s eyes lit up. “I made one mistake, and I’ve been trying to fix it ever since.”
“Good. Don’t give up.”
Somewhere along the line, Kailey’s mother must have given up. Kailey had vague memories of visits with her mother, of tears and hugs, but one day the visits had stopped altogether. When she’d asked her foster mother about ‘Mama’ she’d been told, ‘You can call me Mama now.’ Someone else said her mother had given up. She couldn’t do it anymore. Kailey should be grateful there were willing and kind people in the Foster Care system that would open up their home to her so she wouldn’t starve to death.
Still, for years Kailey had firmly believed Mama would be back for her. She never had. Maybe it was true she’d stopped fighting for Kailey. And it had been a mistake, because when you loved someone you could never give up.
For the first time in her life Kailey had to stay, no matter how difficult it might be.
“I don’t talk to anyone around here about my kid,” Fallon said. “Except maybe Scott Turlock. He doesn’t judge me. Most people do, but I figured you wouldn’t. I hope you don’t go.”
“Actually, I don’t want to go. I think I need to stay.”
“Then don’t let some guy decide if you stay or go.”
But he wasn’t some guy. He was everything.
Fallon put out her cigarette. “Think about it.”
“Okay,” Kailey said. “I will.”
“Sure you will,” Fallon said with a smirk as she glanced over Kailey’s shoulder. “See ya.”
Kailey turned, and there was Joe, standing right behind her. He’d put a grey T-shirt on and looked like maybe he’d run all the way here. Her stupid heart did the same triple beat time again because not only did he look good, all strong and sweaty and powerful, but he was here.
He’d come for her.
“Okay. Look. I’m an idiot,” he said, raking a hand through his hair.
“Joe—”
“You were right, and I should have seen it. I guess we got stuck in a pattern somewhere along the way, and I liked that you needed me.”
“I do need you. But I want to be needed too.”
“And I haven’t done a good job with that. Maybe because I wanted to be your hero.”
She swallowed, her mouth dry. He was her hero, in every way. From the moment she’d first laid eyes on him, the sexy pilot with a devastating southern drawl, and her heart felt like it had been drop kicked across the floor.
His eyes were soft now, a beautiful blue. “I don’t need much, but I do need you.”
“Oh, Joe.” She went into his arms, and he practically crushed her against his chest.
“Listen to me,” he said, pulling back to cup her face in his hands. “I love you, and I want you to stay.”
And now she was crying, a blubbering mess over this man. “I got mad when I thought you were going to make me go.”
“Never. I like it when you get all feisty and tell me what you really think. Don’t stop.”
“I thought you’d be mad. You like that?”
He squeezed her tighter. “Yes, darlin’, when you’re honest and real with me. Whatever it is. Don’t be afraid to tell me anything because I’m never going to stop loving you.”
Forever. She’d never had forever. “Always?”
“Always.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “How do you feel about a ring?”
The ring. “You mean like, get married?”
“Too soon? I can wait.”
“No, I don’t want to wait. I want to marry you, Joe Hannigan. My whole life I never felt like I belonged anywhere. And then I met you and for the first time I fit. I didn’t think I could fit in this little town. But I was wrong. So wrong.”
“You fit right here. With me.”
“Forever.”
Epilogue
One month later
“I look like a queen!” Eileen Turlock said.
Kailey had been hard at work all morning on this late June day, Eileen and Giancarlo’s wedding. She and Fallon had braided Eileen’s shoulder-length wavy brown hair into a bun and were now threading freshwater pearls through it. Eileen Turlock-soon-to-be-Abella looked better than a queen. She might be a woman of age, but being a woman in love she seemed ageless. The fact that Eileen had chosen an iridescent and fitted strapless lavender gown for her wedding dress, opting for color, only made her more special to Kailey.
When all was said and done, Kailey and Fallon had done hair and make-up not only for Eileen, but for her entire bridal party: Brooke, Gen, and Giancarlo’s youngest daughter, Sophia. Granted, all three looked pretty mortified in their short puffy skirt bridesmaid dresses but the hair was more than making up for it.
Eileen’s father, the man everyone called ‘Pop’ opened the door to the bride’s suite and leaned in. “How’s it going in here? You all about ready?”
“Almost,” Kailey called out and waited as Fallon adjusted one last pearl in place.
Eileen turned to Pop. “How’s Giancarlo doing?”
“Nervous,” Pop said with a grin. “But he’ll be there. Don’t make the man wait, Eileen. You’re not getting any younger.”
“You can leave now. But don’t let him go anywhere.” She laughed. “Not that he would.”
“Of course not,” Sophia protested.
“Don’t worry. If he tries to leave, he’ll have to deal with three large and pissed off men,” Brooke said.
“Wallace would kill him,” Gen said.
“Joe, too,” Kailey added, knowing how fond her fiancé was of Mrs. Turlock.
Her fiancé.
“I know my dad,” Sophia said, “And believe me, he’s in love. Disgusting as it is and all.”
Everyone laughed.
“Sophia, my darling, I hope I have many years ahead of thoroughly making you sick,” Eileen said. “We’re looking forward to our honeymoon in Italy!”
“I’m so happy for you,” Gen said, hugging her mother-in-law to-be.
Apparently, Eileen had wanted to visit Italy for a long time and never had the chance.
Sometimes dreams did some true. Kailey raised her left hand slightly and admired her ring again, as she did about one hundred times a day. Joe hadn’t waited long at all to give it to her. One morning in bed he’d slipped it on her finger and told her to never take it off.
She never would.
Finally the bridal party filed out one by one, Kailey and Fallon following them.
“See you out there,” Kailey said to Fallon, and went to find Joe.
As weddings went, this one was pretty much the event of the year in Starlight Hill. Popular restauranteur marrying the mother of the local multi-millionaire. The wedding was being held outside among the vines at Brooke’s, the vineyard Billy and Pop owned.
A beautiful trellis surrounded a small make-shift altar in the middle of a clearing. Kailey glanced out into the crowd of guests already seated on lawn chairs under a large covered awning—there was Rosie, who waved when she saw Kailey. Ophelia, one of Kailey’s new and regular customers, smiled and nodded in her direction. Ivey, seated with her husband Dr. Jeff Garner, also smiled and waved.
No doubt about it, Kailey was slowly becoming part of this town.
She found Joe talking to Wallace, who was dressed in a black tuxedo and not looking too happy about it. She slipped her hand inside Joe’s.
“Kill me now,” Wallace was saying.
“This is a good drill for your own wedding,” Joe
reminded Wallace as he squeezed Kailey’s hand.
“I don’t mind wearing one of these things for my wedding, but it’s cruel to make me wear one now. Who knew my mother was this sadistic?” He grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck.
“You think you’re miserable, take a look at your brother.” Kailey had a difficult time not laughing out loud as she pointed in the direction of Scott. The youngest Turlock brother, Scott was also the biggest. Tall and built solid as a rock, he appeared to have been rolled into his suit. It didn’t look like he could move his arms.
“Billy always looks good in a suit,” Wallace said, pointing out the obvious. “He’s had plenty of practice.”
Billy already stood next to Giancarlo near the front of the altar, looking more like a movie star than a retired pitcher. But no one looked better than her Joe, wearing a casual blue double-breasted suit jacket so effortlessly it looked like he’d been born in it.
Kailey caught Billy beckoning Wallace with one finger.
“I guess it’s time. See you all after.” Wallace walked towards his brothers.
Joe led her to their seats on the bride’s side. One by one the bridesmaids filed out to the beautiful sounds of a string quartet. Brooke followed by Gen, followed by Sophia, the maid of honor. Finally all eyes turned to the rear and Eileen, arm in arm with Pop, who looked quite dapper in his black tux. The string quartet switched to the familiar sounds of “Here Comes the Bride”, and Eileen walked slowly to the front to meet her groom.
Kailey glanced at Joe, her heart full.
She could tell the past month hadn’t been easy for him, but he was letting her take care of him. Sometimes. Despite the fact he liked to take charge most of the time, in many ways he had shown her how much he needed her. She’d finally opened up to him too, about her wild teenage years and getting kicked out of one foster home after another. She’d been running from herself all this time and never realized it. But now, she was finally home.
Home with Joe. Sometimes, love worked things out.
Like today. The wedding of two people who might not have ever thought of dating each other if Brooke hadn’t played matchmaker with Eileen and Giancarlo, who was younger than his bride by about a decade. Stranger things had happened.
Like a big city celebrity stylist falling for an ex-military small town guy.
The ceremony was short and sweet. Then the wine flowed freely as it tended to in these parts, and Pop toasted the couple before their first dance.
“To love again, at any age!” Pop raised his glass. “And to family!”
“A la familia!” Giancarlo’s brood cried out.
Everyone clapped and cheered.
When it was time for all the couples to join in, Joe pulled Kailey onto the dance floor.
Her hands went up around his neck. “You know what, Joe? I’m sure glad I met you when I did. I like to think you would have wanted me even if you met me at fifty, but I would hate to have missed the next twenty-five years with you.”
Joe bent down and she felt his lips graze her forehead. “Twenty-five years? Darlin’, don’t you know what forever means?”
For the first time in her life, she was beginning to understand.
I hope you’ve enjoyed Joe and Kailey’s romance. To read the next book in the Starlight Hill series, click here. There are 8 books in this series and two other collections.
You may also be interested in Country Gold and She’s Country Strong in my Wilder Sisters series, both small town romances. All books are connected but stand alone.
Join my newsletter list and receive a free ebook! Be the first to hear about upcoming releases, cover reveals, pre-orders and exclusive excerpts.
I love hearing from readers! Contact me at [email protected]. If you’re on Facebook and a fan of my books, feel free to join my reader group, Heatherly’s Belles. We have a lot of fun and I often name characters after my readers, with their permission, of course!
The Starlight Hill Collection
Books 5-8
UNFORGETTABLE YOU
A Starlight Hill novel
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Published by Heatherly Bell Books and Tydandon Publishing
Copyright © 2015 by Maria Buscher
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.
Edited by Lesley McDaniel and Jean Mock
Cover by The Killion Group
Join my newsletter list and receive a free book. Be the first to hear about upcoming release, cover reveals and excerpts. I love hearing from readers! Contact me at [email protected].
Created with Vellum
1
Dear Bradley,
Thank you for inviting me to your wedding. I would attend, but here’s the thing: I’d rather be hung over a crocodile infested swamp and used as bait.
No. Diana Mulvaney highlighted the second sentence of her email and hit ‘delete’. Those words didn’t quite get across the message that she wanted. Plus, Bradley might not take her seriously since she’d never even been to Florida.
I would rather have a root canal without the benefit of Novocain.
There. Better, because Bradley understood how she hated the dentist. She begged for the laughing gas every time. Paid extra for it. But still not quite right.
I would rather sit on an uncovered gas station toilet seat.
Much, much better. Bradley knew how she felt about public restrooms. But it might be a little crude, plus the last thing she wanted was for Bradley or his new bride to picture Diana on any toilet seat.
She’d just have to keep working on it. Rome wasn’t built in a day and all that. Diana closed her laptop and picked up the ‘Save the Date’ invitation she’d received last week from Bradley. Beautifully engraved, it announced the marriage of Mr. Bradley Ballard to Miss Tiffany Smythe. How kind of Bradley to think of Diana. Another man might not invite their former college girlfriend of six years to his wedding, but not her Bradley.
He was a special kind of stupid.
Diana dug in her suitcase, found the silky sexy pink lingerie she’d bought a year ago, and slipped it on. It was just one of many hopeful items in the honeymoon trousseau she wouldn’t need any longer. Dating Bradley for six years meant that she had quite a collection of lingerie now collecting dust, but this one was by far her favorite. The tight pink bodice hugged her girls, trailing to a flowing white skirt with slits that showcased a lot of leg. This would at least serve some purpose now, even if it wouldn’t be to entice Bradley away from his software programs.
Diana took a long look at herself in the full length mirror then pulled her bathrobe on because let’s be honest, she was nothing if not a prude. She walked over to the sliding glass door facing the back of her motel room and took in a deep cleansing breath. Truly, there was nowhere else in the world quite like Napa Valley. Outside in the twilight of the day, the courtyard garden seemed to glow with purple Bougainvillea, pink Azaleas, and yellow and white daisy shrubs. Everything about Napa Valley, and Starlight Hill in particular, cried out, ‘We do wine and we do it better than you’. How she’d missed this place. Missed Gran.
Her cell phone rang with the theme from ‘Cops.’
Mandy, her sister.
“What’s up?”
“Did you do it yet?”
“I’m about to if you’ll give me a chance.” Truthfully, this whole thing was Mandy’s idea and Diana still didn’t think she could do it. Write sexy times when all she’d ever written were sweet coming-of-age stories? Who was she kidding?
“If you ever want to get published, you need to start writing spicy. The hotter the better. Haven’t you been reading the stuff I sent you?”
She had, and most of it made her blush and giggle like a sixth grader. “Look, it’s going to take some time. Right now I’m working on my email response
to the Save the Date.”
“You’re kidding. He doesn’t even deserve a response.”
“Yeah well, he’s getting one. It’s going to be one smartass email, too. I’m going to, in a few carefully chosen words, let him know what a jerk he is.”
“Great, Diana. Jerk? That’s the best you got? Anyway, the best revenge is moving on. Showing him what a success you can be. He never believed in you, remember? Even after everything you did for him.”
Right. It wasn’t going to be easy, but as Mandy continually and loudly reminded her, nice girls finished dead last. Tiffany and Bradley had proved it.
“Have you seen Gran yet?” Mandy asked.
“I’m going by to see her tomorrow morning.” Gran was the real reason she’d come back to Starlight Hill in the first place.
After her last brief visit, Mom had become convinced that Gran didn’t leave her home except during family visits which only happened for a week at the end of summer. She’d become a shut-in and a hoarder and Mom had decided to move Gran into a nursing home. Diana was here to stop that from happening. If her Gran needed taking care of, Diana would be the one to do it and not hired strangers. She had a month to prove to Mom that Gran didn’t need to be shelved away like some old appliance that no longer worked properly.
“Call me back after you’ve seen Gran,” Mandy said and hung up.
Diana picked up a manila folder on the nightstand filled with paper reminders of her past failures. Inside there was a rejection from her dream agent. Send me anything else you have, the kind woman had said. But two unproductive years later, Diana still didn’t have anything to send her. Lots of false starts and stops, but nothing else. Zip. Zero. Nada.
Tonight, maybe she would change all that. She rubbed her hands together. “Okay. Sexy times.”
THE STARLIGHT HILL COMPLETE COLLECTION: 1-8 Page 61