An Unexpected Groom

“That’s a last-resort answer to an ongoing unresolved problem,” Kimberly chided him. “Let me go talk to Uncle Steve, and we’ll see if we can make this right.”

“There’s nothing wrong with the inn plan, Kimber.”

Drew leveled that stubborn cop gaze her way. Her heart wanted to step closer, smooth the irritation that creased his brow again, but her head kept her right where she belonged, four distinct feet away. “If what Shelby wanted was an everyday wedding, that’s what she would have planned and that would be fine. But a woman who chose rose gardens and a grotto with an amazing view of Canandaigua Lake probably was looking for a perfect fall setting to match the colors she’s picked for everything from flowers to linens to chair drapes. This won’t be exactly what she dreamed about, but it would be something special. Let me talk to Uncle Steve and see what he says.”

“About?”

“Maybe doing the whole thing right here.”

That piqued his interest. Daryl’s, too. He looked intrigued and nodded. “That would solve a myriad of problems, pretty lady.”

“But you said it was against the rules.” Drew included Tara in his statement, but Kimberly answered.

“It is, technically, but there’s nothing holier than the blessing of matrimony. Uncle Steve’s got the final say, but this could work. Of course, we’d have to let the other venue know—”

“No.”

She turned toward Drew, surprised. “No? What do you mean?”

“If this works out, if your uncle agrees, then we keep the other venue listed.”

Daryl nodded again. “The perfect red herring.”

“Yes. We’d pay them, of course, but losing the cost of that is worth the added security we’d get by bringing everyone into town four weeks earlier than we originally planned." He turned toward Tara. “How’s your security on that computer?”

She raised a spiral-bound notebook and asked, “What computer?”

He grinned, and when he did his face shed years of worry. “You’ve done this before.”

“We’ve hosted some big names in the last five years. Knowing when to go old-school and leave no electronic footprint has been helpful.”

“You’re talking our language.”

“But first.” Kimberly reached out her hand for the keys. “I need the keys to go see Uncle Steve.”

He could have just tossed her the keys. He didn’t. He turned toward Tara. “With your permission, I’d like Daryl and Rocky to stay here and familiarize themselves with the layout. And if you two don’t mind, can I leave Amy here so I’m not distracted while I meet your dad?”

She laughed and hooked a thumb toward the east wing. “My mother made cookies last night when things cooled off. Amy and I can grab some and talk girl stuff so Daryl can get his work done.”

Amy hesitated, mock-concerned. “There is no dungeon, right? Because Dad might have an ulterior motive for leaving me here.”

Drew grinned, and once again Kimberly glimpsed the guy he’d been before drug dealers had gunned his partner down in the street. “Then be extra good, honey. Just in case.” He turned back to Kimberly. “Let’s go.”

“You really feel the need to watch me coax my uncle into opening the Abbey for the reception?”

He strode past her, through the door and toward the car. “No surprises, remember? Like it or not, Kimber.” He turned and faced her over the roof of the SUV. “We’re attached at the hip for a while.”

“What about the senator? Who’s protecting him and the family if you and Daryl are here?”

“He’s under Secret Service jurisdiction now. When it comes to this wedding?” He pointed to her, then hooked a thumb back toward himself. “It’s you and me.”

His serious expression held her gaze, but then he did the unthinkable.

He smiled.

And in that smile she saw a glimmer of hope she hadn’t noticed in the first two hours they were together. It brightened his eyes and relaxed his jaw, letting her glimpse the old Drew she’d liked so well back in the day.

Her phone rang. She checked the display and saw her sister-in-law’s name. Dave’s widow, Corinne, left to raise her toddler son and unborn daughter on her own. A single parent driven by circumstances she might not have faced if Drew had gotten to the appointed meeting place on time.

She answered the call, still facing Drew. “Corinne, hey! What’s up? How are the kids?”

The sound of Corinne’s name accomplished her goal.

Guilt replaced Drew’s smile. She’d done it purposely to remind him of what her family had lost at his hands.

He climbed into the car, waited while she finished the call, then started the engine once she was seated. Hands tight on the steering wheel, he aimed the car south and drove to the little town of Prattsburgh without saying a word.

She’d changed his easy mood intentionally, and now she had a twenty-minute drive to ponder what she’d done. When they finally pulled into the parking lot of the small stone church, she figured that might have been the longest twenty minutes of her life, and it was all her fault.

A roadside sign invited people to the weekend services. Beneath the listed times was one simple quote: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”

The tight line of Drew’s jaw indicated she needed a whole lot of work in the peacemaker department. He waited while she moved ahead, not meeting her gaze.

Shame coursed through her. Her parents and sisters had never blamed Drew. Now, seeing his reaction to Corinne’s call, Kimberly glimpsed a hollowness inside him, an emptiness that reflected her own. Her shallow move had opened a fresh chasm between them, and she had no clue how to fix it.

She turned as Uncle Steve came through the church door. When he welcomed Drew with a big hug, she felt worse than ever.

Blessed are the peacemakers...

The sign taunted her. Seeing Uncle Steve’s hearty welcome to an old family friend spoke volumes. The rest of the family had moved on, long ago. Why couldn’t she?

Because you were mad at Dave when he died. He’d scolded you about being self-absorbed, and you hung up on him.

And then he was gone. Just gone. And no amount of apology could bring him back or fix that last fateful call.

“Kimberly!” Uncle Steve’s robust voice jerked her back into the here and now. As she stepped past Drew to hug her father’s brother, guilt still bit deep. She’d been a jerk, then and now. Could she change?

Sure, if she wanted to badly enough. One way or another, she needed to come to peace with three things while she was back in Grace Haven. The loss of her beloved brother and a sweeter relationship with her two sisters headed the list. And the other?

She sighed inside.

The other was finding a common ground with Drew Slade. From the set of his jaw right now, that one didn’t look the least bit likely.

Chapter Three (#ulink_666b638e-6ad3-5c43-9aea-421caccd36d7)

“I can’t believe you talked him into it.” Drew made sure Kimberly heard the approval in his tone. “I’m impressed.”

She shrugged as she fastened her seat belt and checked her lipstick. She pulled out some shade that looked like ripe, sweet cherries and applied a fresh coat.