An Unexpected Groom. Ruth Logan Herne

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СКАЧАТЬ He’s such an old bear when it comes to keeping us safe, but then again, that’s why we hired him. Listen, he’s going to fuss and bother, then he’s going to think about it a while and then he’ll devise a plan to make things work. Honestly, if Travis and I had thought things through, we’d have either waited or eloped, but my mother would be brokenhearted if I did that. And a girl can’t go through life disappointing her mother.”

      Kimberly decided she liked Shelby Vandeveld from afar.

      “So here’s how I’d like to handle this.”

      Kimberly lifted a pencil to take notes.

      “Give Drew whatever he needs. He’s got the weight of the world on his shoulders, and as long as I show up there and marry my best friend, I’m good.”

      “You’re serious?”

      “Not as often as my daddy would like, but on this, yes. See what you can save, call me to let me know about changes, email me pictures. Oops, gotta go. Family photo op and cheese tasting! I just love Wisconsin!”

      She hung up.

      So did Kimberly. She turned slowly. “So that’s Shelby.”

      “It is. And she extended her permission, I take it.”

      “She said we can rearrange as needed, to keep her informed and she needed to go taste some cheese.”

      He made a face of acceptance. “Life in the fast lane of vote grooming. So.” He stood and kept his eyes on hers. “Shall we go see what she and your mother planned? And then we’ll adjust as needed.”

      Kimberly bit back the scolding she longed to give. When the Finger Lakes became a go-to spot for weddings and events, her mother had created a business that flourished. The downside was there were few alternative sites at this late date. Every elegant winery, hotel, inn, church and lakeside view had been booked for months if not years. Picturesque autumn in the Finger Lakes drew crowds from all over.

      She bit her tongue, stood, lifted the thin portfolio and moved to the door. “Let’s go.”

      * * *

      Beautiful, bright and still blaming him for Dave’s death. If Drew could rewind the hands of time, he’d have fixed that dreadful night, hundreds of times.

      God’s timing. Not yours.

      He knew that. He’d finally come to accept it. But seeing the hollowness in Kimber’s gaze when she looked at him brought the loss rushing back.

      And now they’d be working side by side on a wedding that couldn’t have been more poorly timed. He followed her through the door, trying not to notice how gracefully she moved. The fitted sundress made that an impossible task and her long blond hair shifted with each step forward.

      He shifted his gaze to the floor. Spiky bright yellow heels thwarted that strategy.

      Just admit it. She’s gorgeous. She hates you. You’ve got no choice but to work together. You’re doomed.

      Rocky paused. Barked. Then barked again.

      “Kimberly, hold up.” Drew put his hand over the ever-present weapon at his hip.

      She stopped and turned. “Because?”

      He shook his head. “I’m not sure. Stay here.” He ignored the impatient look she shot to the receptionist as he studied the layout.

      Rocky barked again, but he didn’t aim forward, toward the entrance facing the town square. He turned right, then left as if zeroing in, then moved toward the back of the offices. “What’s down that hall?”

      “Restrooms and the back door to the parking lot.”

      “Is it unlocked?”

      Kimberly nodded. “Of course.”

      He frowned, but they’d talk about security changes later. Right now—

      He gave Rocky a hand sign.

      The broad-shouldered shepherd rushed down the hall, paused, then turned in a half circle. He whined softly, sat, then whined again, like he did when—

      Drew stopped that train of thought instantly, because his beautiful eleven-year-old daughter was nearly six hours away at an exclusive Connecticut girls’ camp, a gift from her maternal grandparents. She couldn’t possibly be...

      He turned the corner into the recessed alcove.

      Amy Sue Slade looked up at him from a seat on the floor, and she had the nerve to smile. “Um... Hi.”

      “Hi?” He stared at his daughter, then the door, then her again. “Where did you come from, how did you get here and do you have any last wishes to make before I initiate your death sentence?”

      She blanched and stood, but she didn’t look nearly as worried as she should have when her life was on the line. “I told you I hated it there.”

      “Telling me you’re unhappy and running away from camp are distinctively different things.”

      “It was literally like four turns to get from there to here, a straight shot across Interstate 90,” she protested. “Connecticut and New York share a lot of latitude lines. Not even the least bit dangerous.”

      Kimberly came up alongside him, which meant this might not be the best moment for a family brawl. But eleven-year-olds should do what they were told. Always. “You took a train—”

      “A bus, actually,” she corrected him. “The nearest trains don’t stop until Rochester and the cab ride back here would have wiped out my debit card.”

      “You got on a bus with who knows what kind of people and rode it here?”

      “Yes.”

      “You are grounded forever.”

      “Okay.”

      “I mean it, Amy Sue. Forever.”

      “I know, Dad. You always mean everything you say.” She let her backpack slide to the floor and held out her arms. “Did you miss me as much as I missed you?”

      “More.” He opened his arms. She fell into them, and the feel of holding his precious daughter tipped some of his world back on course. Rick’s eighteen-month campaign had taken too big a toll on their time together. Once this election was done, so was he. He’d take his delightful daughter and find a quiet, cozy place to settle down and be the family they’d never had a chance to be. “Whose idea was it to send you to camp in the first place? What were we thinking, splitting up Team Slade?”

      “It was Grandma’s idea because you don’t have time to watch me right now.”

      “And that hasn’t changed one bit.” He sighed, held her close, felt her tears and couldn’t suppress the feeling that things just got a little more right in his world.

      The back door swung open. Daryl Jackson, his security point man, strode in and smiled. “She СКАЧАТЬ