Fortune's Proposal (6 page)

She shouldn't care so much whether Drew's family liked her, but she did, and hoped her smile was not as shaky as it felt when they reached the group. All eyes seemed to turn toward her as Drew began naming off the players before lifting her hand that he was holding. “And this is Deanna Gurney.”

“Your fiancée. That news made it around the family by the time the sun came up this morning.” Bethany, the petite blue-eyed blonde holding Darr's hand, gave her a dimpled smile.

“Thank God we had time to get over the shock,” Nick drawled, giving Deanna a quick, charming wink, and everyone laughed.

“Oh, you.” Bethany shushed him with a wiggle of her fingers as she turned to Deanna and caught her unaware in a quick hug. “We're all just so happy for you.” She stepped back and her eyes twinkled. She could have been made from spun sugar, she had such a sweet face. “You look radiant. I love that shade of pink on you. I can never get away with anything darker than this.” She
dashed her hand over her soft pink dress. “I just look all washed out.”

Deanna managed to get out a “Thank you.” She thought that “neon” might be more appropriate than “radiant” given the vivid color of her dress, but it was the only compliment she'd received since she'd put it on. Drew had only given her a sort of stunned look when he'd joined her in the great room after he was finished getting ready himself.

Because she'd been a little busy trying not to swallow her tongue at the sight of him in his perfectly tailored black suit, white shirt and pale gray tie with his hair ruthlessly combed back from his handsome face, she had just quickly set aside the hot tea that she'd made for herself and pointed out the keys that J.R. had left behind for them, and they were off.

Bethany had turned to Drew, pulling his head down to plant a kiss on his cheek. “But you're a rascal, Andrew. You had me convinced that you were positively allergic to marriage!”

Deanna's gaze collided with his over his sister-in-law's softly waving hair and she hoped that she was the only one who saw the irony in his eyes. “What can I say?” He patted Bethany's shoulder as she stepped back to make room for Charlene—Nick's red-haired wife—and her similar greeting.

Drew gently chucked the baby Charlene was holding under the chin, earning a chortling giggle, and Deanna barely managed not to stare.

For some reason, she'd never thought what Drew would be like around little ones, but to watch him now, he seemed much more natural than she'd have expected.

He looked at Bethany. “And where's your munchkin?”

“She's off with Josh. You get Randi anywhere within ten feet of Brandon and Maribel and she wants nothing more to do with her own mama and daddy.”

Bethany turned to Deanna again. “Randi is actually Miranda. Our two-year-old. But she moves so fast these days, we started shortening up her name.” She grinned. “And Brandon is Josh's little boy. He's—Josh, that is—is Frannie's oldest and Maribel is Frannie's youngest.”

Even though Deanna had tried to get a primer on the family names from Drew, she still felt lost.

“Frannie's one of my cousins,” Drew provided, evidently recognizing her failure to keep up. “Josh is her son. Frannie and her husband, Roberto Mendoza, have been helping Josh raise Brandon.”

“Ah.” She nodded, managing to follow the branches of the family tree her mind was drawing. “Mendoza? Isn't that Isabella's—”

“Yeah. They're distant cousins. And those are the rest of the Fortune cousins over there. Frannie's brothers.” He pointed toward a trio of men and a woman standing near the steps leading up to the church doors. “The guy leaning against the railing is Ross. He's Aunt Cindy's oldest. He's the P.I. I told you about, and the brunette with him is his wife, Julie. They got married a year ago. Cooper's next. Brown hair, no hat. He's worked on ranches all around the U.S. pretty much, but doesn't spend a helluva lot of time here. So I understand anyway. And then there's Flint. Black hat. Has a spread in upstate New York. And, I don't see Frannie anywhere around.” He slid his arm so casually around Deanna's shoulder that she almost didn't startle. “She's the youngest of them and the only girl,” he added.

“You talking about Frannie? I just saw her inside with Lily,” Jeremy provided, walking up to them.

Deanna had already met him at J.R.'s while Drew had been getting ready and had immediately liked the somewhat soft-spoken surgeon. She had the feeling he didn't say anything until he knew exactly what he was talking about.

It was something Deanna practiced herself, and usually succeeded at, except when she was dealing with Drew.

Only then did that particular trait seem to completely desert her.

“Has Dad arrived yet?” Jeremy asked. He shot his cuffs and glanced around, his blond hair gleaming in the sunlight.

“Haven't seen him,” Nick provided.

“Maybe he's come to his senses,” Drew said.

“Thought you'd have given up on that by now,” Darr said, giving Drew and Deanna a pointed look. “Dad's in love with Lily. And she's in love with him. Maybe if you spent more than two days a year around here you'd see that for yourself.” He looked down at Bethany when she put a hand on his arm.

“Dad's driving himself over from the hotel,” Nick said, his tone calm. “He probably went in the church through the back. J.R.'s in there already. There's a room they quarantine the groom in so he doesn't see his bride before it's time.”

Charlene swatted him with her hand. “Quarantine,” she chided with a smile. “I love it that William and Lily chose New Year's Day for their wedding. I think it's a perfect way to start their life together. And who could ask for a more beautiful day?” She started to shift little
Matthew in her arms, but Nick lifted the tot and held him up to his shoulder.

“You think any day is a perfect day for a wedding,” he teased.

Deanna had to bite back a little sigh of envy. The fact that he adored his wife was as plain as the nose on his face. And holding that little baby just added to the appeal. “It is lovely out,” she said. “It's warmer than I expected it to be.” She'd thought she might be chilly with only the sheer length of fabric that matched her dress wrapped around her shoulders, but the sun was bright in the mildly cloudy sky and there was barely even enough breeze to tickle the floating fabric of her skirt.

“Well, well, cuz.” A deep voice came from behind them and Drew and Deanna turned to see Cooper Fortune ambling toward them, a grin on his ruggedly handsome, weathered face. “Ross just told me the news. Guess your claim that once was more than enough didn't stick after all.” He swept up Deanna's hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “You sure you know what you're getting yourself into with this guy, little lady?”

Her nerves prickled and she quickly glanced at Drew. She still hadn't forgotten his comment about putting his head in a marriage nose “again” and felt shocked all over again at the evidence that he'd obviously been married at one point.

But all he said was, “Don't try charming my girl.” He was grinning at his cousin, either oblivious to or choosing to ignore Deanna's questioning gaze. “Damn, Coop. You get uglier every year.”

“Older, too,” Coop allowed wryly. He also had what Deanna was coming to think of as the Fortune brown eyes.

“Honey, why don't we go check on the groom?”
Bethany looked at Drew. “It's about time for things to be getting started, isn't it?”

“Actually—” Charlene was looking at the delicately jeweled watch on her wrist “—it's a little late.” She looked around at the guests milling about. “Honestly, I don't even recognize half the people here. Can you believe the turnout?” She tucked her hand around Nick's arm. “Maybe we should start moving inside. Give people a start.”

Thinking that Charlene had the right idea, Deanna took a step after them along with the rest, but Drew slid his hand down her arm from her shoulder—an act that made her shiver beneath her thin wrap—and caught her hand, staying her.

“No hurry,” he said.

No hurry for him, he meant, but considering the others who were still easily within earshot, she kept the thought to herself.

But as soon as the others were far enough away, having reached the stone walkway circling the church, she pinned him with a look.

“Once was more than enough?” she repeated. “You have been married before, haven't you. When?”

“Does it matter?”

“Uh…yeah.” She wanted to pinch him. “If I had a former spouse around somewhere don't you think it'd be odd if I hadn't mentioned him to you, particularly now?” She held up her hand and nudged the diamond ring with her thumb. “What was her name? What happened?”

He grimaced. “Paula. It was right after college. And it lasted for the sum total of three months.”

Even though she'd been prepared, she still felt stunned hearing him confirm that he had been married before. Her mouth suddenly felt like she was sucking
on a lemon. “Three months. The usual expiration date. Have you ever been with a woman longer than that before tiring of her?”

“Other way around.” His voice went flat. “She tired of me.”

“Who on earth would get tired of you?” she exclaimed and promptly felt her face go hot.

“The woman I married, obviously, which was made very plain to me when I found her getting busy in our bed with my best friend.”

She was floored. “You're serious.”

His jaw canted to one side for a moment before centering again. “Unfortunately.”

A wave of sympathy plowed over her for the young man he'd been. “And you were just out of college. How awful for you.”

He just grimaced and looked as if he wished she'd drop the matter altogether.

“And your family obviously knows what happened. I can't believe your cousin was insensitive enough to bring it up like that.”

“All they know is that it didn't work out.”

She stared. “You…didn't tell them why?”

“And prove what a miserable judge of women I was?”

“Drew…”

“It's ancient history.” His voice was short. “I was briefly married. It didn't work out. End of story.”

“But it's not.” She moved into his path when he took a step toward the church. “You know, ever since we arrived in Red Rock, I've been trying to figure out what instilled such a vehement dislike of marriage in you. I'd always just assumed it had something to do with your growing up—trouble between your mom and dad
or something—but then I met J.R. and it's obvious that there's no tension between any of you. And aside from Jeremy—who hasn't said much of anything about the wedding—you're the only one here who isn't openly happy for your father. But now it all makes sense. She broke your heart.”

He smoothed down his tie. “Don't start painting a sentimental glaze over it.”

Her stomach tensed. “Do you still love her?”

“Hell, no.” His voice rose and he glanced around, but nobody was paying them any heed. Everyone was still focused on filing through the opened double doors of the church.

But then his eyes narrowed and Deanna turned to see what had garnered his attention. All she could see was the crowd of people.

But then she realized that one woman in particular was making her way out of the church. She was dressed in a silvery-blue dress that even from several yards away, Deanna could see suited the breathtakingly beautiful woman.

“What's Frannie doing?” Drew mused.

So that was the other cousin. Deanna realized she shouldn't be surprised at the woman's magazine-perfect looks. To a one, all the Fortune men that she'd met had received ample blessings from the genetic pool of good looks.

“I'd say she's looking for someone,” Deanna guessed and quickly fell into step when Drew headed toward Frannie.

When they neared, she realized that the cheerful noise of the guests as they'd collected had muted into hushed whispers and furtive glances.

Drew's hand caught hers in a tight grip. He, too, had noticed the mood shift.

They made their way through the people and joined Nick and Darr and their wives who'd joined Frannie.

“What's wrong?” Drew asked.

Frannie looked at him. Her eyes were plainly worried. “We can't find William.”

T
hree hours later, the groom was still missing.

All the guests had departed, but the family members were still inside the church, either pacing between the pews that were bedecked with clusters of hydrangeas and white roses that matched the enormous sprays decorating the chancel, or sitting in them.

In the rear of the church where the double doors had been closed against the afternoon as well as the departed guests, Bethany was sitting on the floor, her lovely dress spread around her crossed legs as she held Charlene and Nick's baby in her lap and rolled a ball back and forth to her little Randi, keeping the active toddler more or less content.

At the front of the church where she ought to have stood with Drew's father exchanging their marriage vows, Lily was pacing, her long hands twisting together around the cell phone she was clutching.

Every few minutes for the past few hours, she'd held up the small phone and peered at it or dialed it, and every few minutes later, she'd clutch it at her waist again, and pace some more.

She wore high, caramel-tinted ivory pumps that added even more height to her long-limbed figure, and with her dark, sultry features she looked much younger than the sixty-five that Deanna knew her to be. Her dark hair was pinned into a twist with tiny roses at the back of her head that were matched in style with the rose-patterned embroidered lace that covered her bodice and worked its way down into points over the full, wide tea-length skirt. It would have looked like a party dress right out of the '50s except for the color—cream with a hint of coffee added to it—that seemed to add a thoroughly modern edge.

Despite the woman's obvious strain, Deanna could hardly tear her gaze from Lily. She looked elegant and stylish and so lovely that it was heartbreaking to know her groom had seemingly disappeared from the face of the planet.

And then a side door opened and Lily whirled.

Her expression fell, though, when it was Darr and Drew who entered the sanctuary.

“I've checked with the police,” Darr said without preamble. “There's been no report of accidents in the vicinity of Red Rock. Closest thing was a single car accident a good seventy miles out, on the highway heading toward Haggarty.”

Lily paled but Darr lifted his hand. “There was only one person involved, a woman.” He looked solemn. “She didn't make it, but that has nothing to do with Dad, Lily. There've been no emergency calls out of Red Rock, and no incidents between here and San
Antonio. I've got some friends at the firehouse who've promised to recheck all the hospitals in a few hours.” He shook his head. “Drew checked the hotel where Dad was staying.”

Drew sat on the edge of front pew next to Deanna. “His suitcase was packed and sitting on his bed like he was ready to put it in his car,” he told them. “But nobody who works there remembers seeing him leave this morning and he definitely didn't check out.”

“Lily, why don't you sit down,” Isabella suggested softly, stepping into Lily's path to stop her pacing for at least a moment. Like Lily, Isabella had a river of dark brown hair, though hers was a straight sheet down the back of her vibrant, red dress. Deanna was glad to see that Isabella gently maneuvered the cell phone out of Lily's hand.

She might have surrendered the fruitless device, but the older woman just shook her head and continued pacing. “Something has happened,” she fretted. “I know William. He was looking forward to this day as much as I was. He could be sick somewhere or…” She shook her head again, her voice trailing off.

Deanna slid a glance toward Drew beside her, but he didn't comment. His thoughts looked far away.

“Of course he was looking forward to being your husband,” Isabella soothed. “It's practically all he's talked about for the past few years. We'll figure everything out soon.” Her head lifted when J.R. came through the same door that Drew had used. J.R. had driven out to the Double Crown where the wedding reception was to have been held to see personally if there'd been any news there. William had already moved in with Lily, though he'd evidently checked into a hotel to observe
the propriety of not seeing his bride on the day before the ceremony.

But J.R. just shook his head. “I told the caterer they could go ahead and pack up.” He eyed Lily. “I didn't think you needed to have to deal with that, too.”

“Thank you, dear.” Lily turned to face the simple wooden cross that hung above the chancel area. Her shoulders slowly lifted and fell. “Ever since I lost Ryan I've felt that he's been there, still watching out for us all.” Lily's voice was husky. “I have to still believe that.”

Deanna blinked hard and looked away.

But a moment later, the bride had turned around to face them. Her expression was drawn, but her chin was lifted. “I do still believe that. But there's no purpose to hanging around here.” She stepped down the three shallow steps leading up to the chancel and her beautiful gown swayed slightly around her shapely ankles. “The caterer won't take away the food. So if anyone is hungry, they should come out to the Double Crown. Nothing will be solved by any of us collapsing from hunger.” She looked toward Isabella. “Would you be so kind and let the reverend know we're finally getting out of the way so the custodian and groundskeeper can clean up around here? I know they still need to prepare for regular services tomorrow.” She cradled her hand around the spray of flowers decorating the end of the pew were Deanna and Drew were sitting. “If any of you want some flowers, take them. They're too lovely to waste.”

Not surprisingly, nobody seemed inclined to enjoy the flowers now, beautiful or not.

Drew pushed to his feet beside her. “Has anyone considered the notion that something else might have happened to Dad?”

Deanna sucked in a breath. “Drew—” He surely wouldn't offer the suggestion that William had changed his mind, would he?

He shook his head sharply, though, and she fell silent. She hadn't seen such an expression on his face since the morning she'd gotten to the office early and found him sitting at his desk with an empty bottle of whiskey beside him, looking at a photograph of his mother.

“He's a Fortune,” Drew continued. “We can't allow ourselves to forget that fact.”

J.R. folded his arms across his wide chest. Like his brothers, he too had discarded his suit coat and rolled the sleeves of his dress shirt up his forearms. “What are you thinking?”

“I don't know. But we all know it wouldn't be the first time someone's deliberately brought harm to this family.”

Deanna gasped. “No.” But she saw the way Lily's hand jerked, then moved away from the hydrangea blossom and the petals that rained down onto the carpet after. She quickly slid her arm around the woman's slender waist and nudged her toward the pew. “Sit. Please.”

Lily sat. She pressed her fist against her chest. “Nobody would want to harm William,” she said, but there was a fresh shimmer of fear in her voice.

“Maybe not,” Darr allowed and Deanna saw the look he and Drew exchanged. “But this family
has
had more than a few incidences.”

“What about kidnapping?” Drew looked toward Nick and J.R. He hated being the one to voice the possibility, but he already knew that he and Darr were on the same page.

“Dear Lord,” Isabella whispered. She, too, sat, then
suddenly leaned her head forward until it touched her knees.

“Honey?” J.R. started.

But she just lifted a hand, waving at him. “I'm fine. I just got dizzy for a minute.”

Frowning, J.R. sat next to her, his hand resting on her back.

“We're all getting ahead of ourselves.” The voice of reason came, surprisingly, from the cotton candy-soft-looking Bethany who walked up the aisle with her miniature version toddling after her.

Charlene brought up the rear, holding her sleeping baby. “She's right. Imagining outlandish scenarios isn't helping the situation.”

“It's not outlandish, though,” Lily countered shakily.

Isabella had sat up again. Her face was pale. “The fires a few years ago. First at Jose and Maria's restaurant and then the one at your barn.”

Lily was nodding.

“But Lloyd Fredericks is dead, Lyndsey Pollack is locked safely away in a psychiatric facility and her mother's still rotting in jail,” Nick pointed out. His tone was reasonable, but Deanna—feeling more lost than ever—could see that his expression, too, had taken on a new worry.

“Well, if it is a kidnapping,” Bethany said, “then someone ought to be at the Double Crown in case they try contacting Lily, right?” She grimaced. “One thing I've learned from having a father who owns the largest private oil company in Texas is what to expect in situations like his. My father was always fearful that my brother and sister and I would end up being targets for people like that.”

“Bethany is right.” Lily pushed to her feet. She was still pale, but at least she looked steadier. And resolved. “I want to go back to the ranch no matter what.”

“We'll drive you,” J.R. immediately offered.

“Thank you, dear.”

Isabella stood, too, and smoothed down her dress. “I'll speak with the reverend first and meet you out front.”

Lily nodded and took J.R.'s arm when he offered it and they all began recessing out of the church. But it was as far as it could get from the recessional they'd all expected when they'd started out that day.

The air had taken on a strong chill when they left through the front doors, gray clouds gathering where only hours ago there had been pretty white puffs of clouds and sunshine.

It was horribly fitting and Deanna shivered.

“Here.” Drew slid his suit coat over the thin wrap around her shoulders.

“Thanks.” She clutched it around herself. The scent of him that clung to the fabric was even more comforting than the warmth. Then Isabella joined them and everyone silently aimed across the grass for the parking lot.

It looked desolate, compared to how crowded it had been earlier that day.

No one noticed the person standing in the lengthening shadow cast by the church, a large push broom in hand, watching them climb into their trucks and cars and slowly drive away from the church.

When they were gone, the groundskeeper turned and eyed the pile of flower petals and other bits of debris that the broom had collected from the back of the church. Only one of the Fortunes would have thought to decorate
the rear door of the church that was only ever used by staff.

But it really wasn't the pile of trash that had the groundskeeper's full attention.

It was the tiny infant swaddled in a car seat.

The groundskeeper had found the baby sitting next to the rear door more than two hours ago, but even when the guests started streaming out of the church after the wedding that wasn't, nobody came back to claim the kid, even though it had been crying its head off. Eventually, the baby had stopped its thin wails and gone to sleep.

And still no one came to get the baby.

Everyone inside the church was too concerned about the old Fortune guy to bother looking around for a baby who evidently shouldn't have been there in the first place.

Now, the worker crouched down and touched the gold medallion that hung from a thin chain around the baby and blanket. It wasn't a large medallion but against the baby it sure looked that way. It also looked valuable.

“Who do you belong to?”

But the baby just continued sleeping, its little mouth sucking its own lip.

The groundskeeper straightened and finished sweeping up, moving faster because fat raindrops had begun to fall, making the task even more of a pain.

Cleaning up after other people had never really been part of the plan…

Then, after putting the cleaning gear away, the worker returned to pick up the car seat and the baby.

Nobody noticed…or cared…when they disappeared into the evening.

 

Drew and Deanna drove back to Molly's Pride in silence.

Everyone else had gone to the Double Crown to be with Lily.

Drew couldn't bring himself to be among them.

Not because of his feelings where Lily was concerned. He'd seen for himself just how devastated she'd been when his father hadn't made it to the church.

But because Drew couldn't get the last, angry words he'd had with William out of his head.

He'd told his father he could go to hell and take his new wife with him, if William really expected Drew to find a freaking wife.

What if his father didn't come back?

What if he couldn't?

“Who are Lloyd Fredericks and Lyndsey Pollack?” Deanna's soft voice finally broke the silence when they went inside his brother's hacienda.

“It's an old story.”

“It didn't sound that way back at the church.”

His hands tightened at his sides, remembering the turmoil the duo had wrought on the family. He turned toward the center of the house, his shoes echoing hollowly against the distressed floor as his thoughts kept whirling inside his head.

“Lloyd was Frannie's first husband,” he finally answered. “Lyndsey was Josh's girlfriend. She was pregnant with Brandon, but her real interest wasn't in making a family with Josh—it was the huge inheritance from Frannie's father that he came into when he turned eighteen.”

“Frannie's father being your aunt Cindy's husband,” Deanna clarified.

“One of four husbands.” He reached the alcove that overlooked the center courtyard and stared out at the open space. Scrolled iron sconces cast pools of light around the courtyard and the sprinkles of rain were increasing, making the tile on the fountain gleam.

He looked at Deanna.

She was still clutching his jacket around herself and her eyes looked huge for her face. Her mother might have some emotional problems to deal with, but he seriously doubted that Deanna had the kind of traumatic events in her family tree that the Fortunes did.