Team: Echo (6 page)

“
I can give you all the reasons he’s the way he is Penelope
but you’ll still feel the same so I won’t waste the breath. Get
digging,” Marius said, grabbing an axe and moved up into the trees.
“Don’t forget to drink water often, you get dehydrated and collapse
remember you’re at our mercy out here,” he called followed up by an
evil chuckle.

“
Right, will keep that in mind boss,” Penny said with a laugh
and began to work.

Chapter Seven

Walking into Duke’s Place, the only and only dance bar or
club in all of Greensfield, James grinned at the others who all
groaned. “Told you it was country with a side of country,” he
yelled over the band that was belting out a classic. Putting a hand
on Penny’s back he pointed towards the bar. “We’ll get drinks and
find a place to park our asses between dances.”

“
Sounds good to me.” Penny moved along and twisted and turned
between people, being swept up into a step or two of a two-step
line dance before she ultimately claimed a table for them all.
Grinning she moved along with the music and looked around. “I
happen to love country music boys. As long as it’s not all twangy
and my girl kicked my dog on her way out to my truck kind of
music.” The upbeat country music she loved though.

“
Do you dance too?” James asked, whistling a second later and
grinned at the waitress. Holding up fingers for the count he made a
large circle and then gave a thumbs up. “Beers and first round of
shots are coming,” he plopped down in a chair.

“
Love it,” Penny confessed. “To me dancing is the fun way to
work out. That and running. Can’t seem to get enough of either of
them.” She ran at the farm, even after pulling a long day helping
clear the brush. It was the only time she was able to be alone with
her mind and only her thoughts.

“
Well, there’s no dancing before shots and then any time you
sit back at the table there’s another round of shots,” Mikhail told
her, coming up with the first round. Setting two handfuls down he
spread them out and lifted his. “To Penelope, she’s actually
managed to survive with a bunch of men without killing any of
us.”

The others lifted their shots and grinned at her. “To Penny!”
and downed the amber liquid.

Penny lifted her shot, laughed and drank it down. She didn’t
miss how Mikhail kept Daisy close to him. “So how did Gareth manage
to talk you into coming out tonight so that he could stay with Ms.
Honey herself?” They all knew that child had every single one of
them wrapped around her pinky finger and to get to spend alone time
with her, well hell every one of them would cut off an arm, the
fathers especially.

“
Bribery,” Anton said with a grin. “Come on D, come dance with
me,” he said, getting up and tugged the little woman away from Mik
with a chuckle. Spinning her around he got them out among the
crowd.

“
Penny, you want a go?” James asked, hopping off his stool and
held out a hand even as his feet were already moving to the
tune.

“
Abso-freaking-lutely.” She tossed the rest of her shot back
and grabbed his hat off his head to shove it onto hers and moved
with him to the dance floor, laughter flowing behind her like
bubbles. They moved together to the fast paced song, two stepping
it with the best of them, line dancing and back again. When a slow
song came on Penny laughed. “All right, back to the
drinks.”

“
Yes ma’am,” he grinned. “Bernie love, we need another round!”
he hollered to their waitress as he escorted Penny back to the
table. Pulling her chair out he smiled. “Ma’am,” he wiggled his
brows at her.

Penny gave him his hat back as she took a seat once more.
Settled now between James and Dieter she grinned first at one man,
then the other. “Man they sure make some beautiful men in the
forces don’t they?” When she had her next drink before her she
lifted it. “To the men that women love to drool over,” she teased.
Getting a ‘here-here’ from Daisy she slapped her next shot back
like a pro and then leaned back while waiting on another fast tune
to come on.

“
Oh boy,” Marius muttered, lifting a hand for another round.
“This is going to be one of those nights I can tell,” he said,
eyeing the women at their table. “You lads have explained the rules
to them have you not?”

“
We didn’t exactly have time given they don’t usually let us
get a word in edgewise Sphinx,” Victor said, shooting a grin across
the table at Daisy.

“
Ahh, well, live and learn works too,” Marius said, taking the
pitchers of beer and setting them on their table. “Thank you
Bernadette,” he smiled at her. “Oh, and Bernie, bring us three of
the platters will you when you have a minute, no rush. Thanks
darling,” he sat back in his chair.

“
Rules to what?” Daisy said as she cuddled up against Mikhail,
her fingers now twirling the bolo tie that he was wearing. “Are you
going to take me home and ravish me big boy?” She was more than a
little buzzed because she simply didn’t drink, at all.

Penny laughed and shook her head. “Oh D, honey. I love you
like a sister but you can’t hold your booze for shit.”

“
You’ll be passed out long before we leave at this rate D,”
Mikhail said, taking her latest shot from her and downing it
himself. “No more for you for a while and you will eat if you want
any sort of ravishing. Because, at this rate, you’ll only be
hugging the toilet all night and not us.”

“
Don’t want that,” Daisy said, shaking her head. “Not when
there is ravishing to be done!” She exclaimed loudly and then
pressed her face against the side of Mikhail’s neck. “You smell so
good. I think that we need food, and water. I need lots of water so
that I’m totally sober when you take me home. Maybe we can get
Penny and the boys to all divvy up and ride in the other vehicles
so that I have you all to myself on the side of the road
somewhere.”

“
Foods on the way Daisy,” Marius said with a chuckle. “But I
don’t think the entire bar heard your plans for jumping Mik on the
side of the road. Perhaps if you’d say it again just a little bit
louder so the entire town will know of your devious plans for the
man.”

Penny laughed and shook her head. When the next fast song
came on she grinned. “Who’s going to dance this dance with me?
James? Dieter? Victor?” She asked happily. “Or do I have to go and
find some lone bloke to dance the two step with me?”

Dieter got up and held out a hand. “It goes against
everything in my German soul to do this but when in Rome do as the
cowboys do,” he said with a grin. Pulling her up from her chair he
spun her around and moved with her to the floor.

Penny moved into Dieter’s arms and grinned up at him. “Oh you
smooth mover you.” Her hands on his shoulders she moved into line
with him and then began to dance along with an old favorite of
hers, Boot Scootin’ Boogie.

Victor shook his head at the man. “For someone that claims he
can’t do this he’s actually not bad,” he chuckled watching them
dance around with the rest of the floor. “Oh, hello,” he shot up
from his seat and dashed into the crowd.

“
Spotted one of his conquests obviously,” Mikhail murmured
taking a water from their waitress when she came around with the
first platter. “Babe, drink this down and we’ll get you some
more.”

Daisy nodded and drank the water, leaning against Mikhail
with a loopy grin on her face. “I have missed being held by you so
much Mik.” She whispered against his ear. “Don’t ever leave me
again? Or pull away because you think it’s for the best? I love
you, I need you, and dammit all to hell and back again I want
you.”

Pressing a kiss to her lips he rested his forehead to hers.
“I’m not going anywhere love,” he promised softly. “Drink your
water and eat some of the food. You are such a cheap drunk I am
extremely embarrassed by this and will have to rat you out to
Gareth. Just so you know.”

Daisy laughed and shrugged. “It’s okay. You know you love
me.” She patted his chest and looked out on the floor with a grin.
“Penny needs someone to love her.” Turning her gaze to the men at
the table she bluntly said. “Who’s going to love my best friend, my
sister of the heart and treat her right?”

Everyone looked around and then threw their arms in the air.
“Ooh, me, me. Pick me,” they all said with huge grins.

Mikhail looked at them and shook his head. “The sad thing is,
half of them might be serious,” he murmured to Daisy. “But I think
James has his eye on her,” he whispered, brushing his lips to her
cheek lightly.

Daisy frowned and looked at James, then Dieter who was
dancing with Penny and grinned. “Looks like Dieter does too,” she
teased. “Sorry boys but my most amazing and brilliant and damn well
better be soon to be husband just told me that she’s already likely
taken. Maybe next time,” she said with a grin. Looking to Victor,
the largest of the bunch she added. “Besides, I thought a couple of
you already had your eye on the local florist. She’s a doll,
sweetie pie but completely in the dark about men so you have to be
easy with her,” She teased.

“
Oh we’ll go easy,” Victor promised. “Slow and easy,” he
wiggled his brows at her and chuckled.

Mikhail frowned and tapped Daisy’s wrist to get her attention
back. “Uh babe, I thought you and Gareth were the ones getting
married,” he said in her ear. “Isn’t that what was decided since
he’s Honey’s biological father and all?” Leaning back he looked at
her as she blinked at him. “I’m pretty sure that’s what we’d
decided love.”

“
Oh hell I wasn’t supposed to tell you that,” she grumbled.
“You see.” She started and then stopped when Penny came back with
Dieter, both laughing like crazy. Plopping down between James and
Dieter Daisy smirked. “Having fun P?”

“
Absolutely D, how about you babe? You are looking a little
green around the gills. You sure you aren’t pregnant
again?”

“
Positive,” Daisy grumbled. “If I were there would be some
serious medical explanations needed.”

“
Gotcha,” she looked at Mikhail and grinned. “You are looking
shell-shocked, you okay?”

Grunting he looked at her and blinked. “What? Yeah, Daisy was
saying something but got all distracted. We’ll be back in a second;
she needs some air and less distractions.” Lifting her onto her
feet Mik stood. “Back in ten folks, get her some more water will ya
Penny?” he asked before dragging Daisy towards the door and some
fresh air. Spinning her around he looked down at her.
“Explain.”

“
I love you, Mikhail. You know how much that I love you.
Gareth loves you like a brother and I don’t love him any less but
he and I discussed it and we both truly feel that marrying you
would be for the best. I will put Gareth’s name on Honey’s birth
certificate, but she will carry your last name as will I. I know
how against commitment that you are but I really, Mikhail, will you
marry me?”

Stunned he stared at her for likely an eternity before he
finally blinked. Licking his lips he had to fight to get his brain
moving into any sort of thought process. “D,” he didn’t know what
he wanted to say. Staring into her eyes he felt uneasy. “Are you
really sure you want that?” he asked, more terrified of her answer
than anything ever before in his life.

“
God yes Mikhail. More than you can possibly know,” Daisy
blurted out heavily. “Mikhail I love you so much. I just don’t
think you even understand how much that I do love you honey. You
are always so down on yourself and thinking that you don’t belong
but you do. You are a part of my heart and it would kill me if you
walked away ‘for my own good’ and we both know that you would do
just that. Love you, but it’s the god honest truth.”

She knew him way too well and she was right, he would walk
away from her for her own good. It would kill what little good
still resided inside of him but he’d do it for her. “Aren’t you
supposed to be on one knee? And where’s the ring? I’m not seeing a
ring. And seriously, a country bar Daisy. Is this your idea of
wining and dining me into agreeing to marry you?”

Daisy was dead serious when she spoke. “We can go tomorrow
and pick out a ring if you want one and if it will make you happy I
will get down on my knees and beg if that’s what it takes. Please
Mik, love me forever? Be mine?”

“
I don’t wear jewelry,” he reminded her softly. He was really
not sure about it but he nodded anyway. “I’ll marry you Daisy if
you are truly sure about this. As for my love, you’ve had that
since the moment I met you and you’ll have it to my dying day
D.”

Daisy threw herself into his arms and buried her face in the
curve of his neck. “I love you so much Mik. I want this. God I want
this more than I can tell you. I will marry Gareth in a private
ceremony that is only for our family but you, you are the one that
I want on the marriage license.”

Holding her to him he nodded. “If that’s what you want love
I’m not going to deny you,” he murmured quietly. Stroking her hair
he pressed a kiss to her neck before drawing back to kiss her lips.
Pressing his forehead to hers Mikhail stared into her eyes. “We
should get back in there before one of them decides to drag
Penelope up onto the bar to dance.”

Daisy laughed. “Oh she would do that all on her own. Trust
me. She doesn’t need to be led into temptation, that woman can and
will do it all on her own.” She paused and looked up at him. “Are
you sure Mik? I want this, I want you, but are you sure that you
want me? Marriage is forever, there is no divorce in our
vows.”