Nikki sat on the new wicker loveseat on her back porch. Stinker purred on her lap while keeping a close eye on a box beside the loveseat. Nikki stroked the cat absently as she looked out over her back lawn.
Her life was good. Alicia was in jail awaiting trial, Darin was dead and she finally knew the truth about the deaths of her parents. The principal had called to let her know the school board had reinstated her, although they understood she wouldn’t be back until the fall semester. Although she amazingly, hadn’t broken any bones when the stairs gave way in the explosion, she had cracked several ribs, and her entire body was black and blue.
Before she came home from the hospital, Detective Stiles had asked a friend to put in a new security system. Nikki would have liked to be secure enough not to have it put in, but she knew she would sleep better knowing it was active. To top off the week, Stinker had delivered an adorable litter of five kittens.
So why am I depressed?
“That’s the farthest she’s been from them in days,” Mrs. Crandall said from the chair across the porch.
“I’m honored,” Nikki said smiling down at the cat. She looked up again and saw Joe and Travis working in the backyard as they had been all morning. She was tempted to go out and see what they were doing, but Travis had made her promise to stay put.
“I really like your young man,” Mrs. Crandall said. “And his son is a sweetheart. Did you know he came over and took me to church on Sunday?”
Nikki nodded. She liked it when Mrs. Crandall called Joe her young man. She wasn’t sure if it was true or not, but she liked it anyway. It only took a moment for her to realize that was the answer to her depression. She wasn’t sure about much of anything anymore, but especially her relationship with Joe. Telling anyone else, that would be a mistake. They all acted as if she was made of porcelain. Nope, better to pretend everything was fine.
“Yes, he told me,” she said. “I mentioned to him that we usually go to church together and you had probably been missing it since all this mess happened. I guess since the two of them have decided I’m an invalid, Travis figured he would escort you.”
“Invalid, pooh. They’re just spoiling you, as they should. After all you’ve been through, you deserve some special treatment,” Mrs. Crandall said with a tear in her eye. “Maybe even a medal.”
Nikki reached across the space between them and patted her hand. “Don’t start crying on me again. I’m fine. It’s all over. From now on we celebrate, remember?”
“I heard my favorite word,” a familiar voice called from the side of the house.
A smile broke across Nikki’s face as Rochelle came around the corner. “Hi there.”
“Hi yourself,” Rochelle said, pulling open the screen door and stepping onto the porch. “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine, though my two watchdogs out there won’t let me lift a finger. What are you doing here in the middle of the week all dressed up like you’re going out on the town?”
“What did you expect me to wear? Jeans and a t-shirt?”
Nikki cocked her head as she gave her friend a questioning look. “I can’t remember ever seeing you in jeans and a t-shirt. But I didn’t expect to see you at all today, so why would I expect you to be dressed up?”
“Oops, sorry,” she said, glancing at Mrs. Crandall. “I thought he’d already said something.”
“Who’d already said something?” Joe asked as he walked in the door.
Nikki narrowed her eyes as if she were mad. She doubted she could ever be truly mad at him, though. How could she? He’d never given up on her even when it appeared that the blast had blown her to smithereens. While she was in the hospital after the explosion, he and Travis had come in and totally cleaned and repaired her house leaving no traces of the mess Alicia had made. His partner had told him about a retired cop he knew who did security consulting, and Joe had asked the man to put in a new system. She hoped she didn’t need it anymore, but was thankful he understood she was still a bit unnerved. He had spent every evening with her in the hospital even when she told him he should be with Travis. It was finals week for heaven’s sake.
No, she would never be truly mad at him. She loved him. She knew that. She just wasn’t sure love was enough to overcome her past.
As he came over and sat beside her, she gave up any pretense of being mad. She smiled instead when he took her hand. “You would be my guess as to whom?”
“Me? What could I possibly have to tell you about at this point? School is over for the year and you know Travis aced his finals, though we have to wait for the AP scores. The work on the house, including the new security system is finished. Stinker had her kittens, and most importantly, the case is closed. I think that’s about all there is to talk about.”
Nikki had to agree, that pretty much covered everything going on in her life. She looked at the two women watching them. They both looked like they were going to burst.
“What’s going on, Joe,” she asked, turning back to him as the screen door slammed.
“Did you tell her yet?” he asked.
“Ask, Travis,” Joe said. “Did I ask her yet?”
“Well, did you?” his son persisted.
Nikki wrinkled her brow as Joe rolled his eyes.
“No, he hasn’t,” she said, still watching Joe. “Why am I the only one who doesn’t know what’s going on? You know how I feel about secrets. I don’t want any more secrets in my life.”
Joe reached out and stroked her hair before kissing her forehead. “I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t think about that. In my defense, I wanted to wait for witnesses.”
“Witnesses for what?” she asked.
He stood and pulled a small box from his pocket before going down on one knee in front of her. “For this,” he said, flipping open the box. “Will you marry me, Nikki?”
Nikki stared at the ring inside. Then she moved her gaze to the man holding it. “I-I don’t know what to say.”
Rochelle gave a very unladylike snort, causing Nikki to look at her.
“Puh-lease, Nikki. You’ve loved this guy since junior high. You say yes,” she said. Then, with a softer smile than Nikki had ever seen on Rochelle’s face before she repeated, “You say yes.”
Nikki moved her gaze to Travis still standing next to Rochelle by the door. He nodded and smiled at her. Finally, she brought her gaze back to Joe who hadn’t moved or said another word.
“Are you sure? I mean, I have, well, you know what kind of baggage I have. Do you really think--”
Joe placed a finger over her lips and shook his head. Nikki’s heart started to fall.
“I don’t think, Nikki. I know. I love you. Marry me.”
She gazed into his eyes for a moment. They were so clear and met hers straight on. She didn’t even see a shadow of doubt in them. With that realization, every doubt in her head disappeared. Throwing her arms around his neck, she kissed him.
When she broke the kiss, Joe smiled and said, “That’s a yes, right?”
“Yes,” Nikki said for everyone to hear as he slid the ring on her finger. “Yes.”
The End
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Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed investigating the case of the Eenie Meanies. When I decided to have Detective Stiles from Dream Stalker of the Colorado Skies series, join Joe and Nikki, I realized he is going to need his own story. With the cases he’s been involved in I can only imagine what his story will look like.
I am still working on the next book in the Masters Men series. It will be the first story about one of their sisters, Blaze. As you can probably perceive from her name, driving her brothers crazy has always been a favorite pastime. Her story will take us away from my typical Colorado backdrop as she requires an ocean to do her work as an underwater archaeologist. I’m having a blast with research, and look forward to you joining me as we dive into the deep blue with her to uncover whatever treasures she may find.
While you wait for me to finish writing that story, you might check out my other Colorado series, Colorado Dreams and Desires. The first book came out in September of 2013, A Daring Proposal, and the second in January of 2014, Gathering Clouds. Continue reading for an excerpt from A Daring Proposal and ride along with Chaney as she lives up to her reputation for causing trouble by accepting a dare.
Please feel free to send me your comments about any of my books at sandra@sandrakerns.com. As always, I wish you happy reading.
Sandra
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Three steps down the center aisle, in her painfully pink maid-of-honor gown, Chaney’s smile faltered. If not for the bride waiting behind her, she would have turned around and marched out the front doors. No, she wouldn’t give the surprise best man the satisfaction. She kept walking. She moved her focus to the groom. The fire burning in her eyes should make her soon-to-be brother-in-law burst into flames any minute.
He knew how she felt about Jed. Her sister did too. How badly Jed had hurt her. Okay, maybe they didn’t know how badly he hurt her. No one knew that. However, everyone knew she wanted nothing to do with him.
Besides, didn’t she have enough problems with the ranch, their father’s death, and Belle’s wedding? Chaney reached the front of the church. She turned to watch her sister walk down the aisle, and all her anger melted away.
Belle looked every bit the fairytale bride. The white as high-peak snow antebellum gown and jeweled tiara veil were perfect. The smile on her face brightened as she walked toward the man she loved. An odd mix of joy and jealousy knotted in Chaney’s stomach.
She wasn’t jealous of Belle. Her sister’s happiness meant the world to her. The jealousy came from knowing love wasn’t in the cards for her. Shaking off the stupid self-pity, she turned as her sister reached the groom’s side. Doing so put Jed in her line of vision again.
How dare he meet her gaze and smile. The knot in her stomach intensified, but Chaney didn’t let the pain show. This day belonged to Belle. Turning her gaze back to her sister, she clenched her jaw and prayed for strength while the bridesmaids whispered and giggled behind her. There was no mistaking what man they were whispering about. Women always fawned over Jed.
Even you.
Her hand strangled the bouquet she held with the unwelcome reminder of her and Jed’s past. A quick glare over her shoulder silenced the girls. As she turned back, the preacher asked who gave Belle’s hand in marriage.
“I do.” Chaney’s face flushed when the words croaked out of her dry throat. It should be their father giving his favorite daughter away. He hadn’t liked Belle’s choice of husband. Marrying the son of the man their father had quarreled with as long as she could remember should have been an insult. The only explanation was their father had been too sick to fight about it by the time Steve asked for Belle’s hand. They had no doubt waited until after he died to decide on the best man. If Dad had known they were planning to have Jed stand up, there would have been hell to pay. Dad made no bones about his feelings toward the man. He would have forbidden it.
The ridiculous thought had her hiding a grin behind a fake cough. Dad had never said no to Belle. To be honest, Chaney couldn’t remember ever saying it to her sister either. Even if she had known about Jed’s part in the wedding, she wouldn’t have this time. When their mother died soon after Belle’s birth, Chaney made Belle’s happiness her main goal.
At least you’ve succeeded at one thing.
The reminder of what a shambles the rest of her life was, made her pull her shoulders back, and stand taller. She didn’t know the meaning of the word quit. It didn’t matter what absurd challenges her father, Belle, or anyone else threw at her. She’d never backed down from a dare in her life, and she wasn’t about to start now. With renewed determination, she met Jed’s gaze straight on, daring him to look away first.
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More titles by Sandra S. Kerns
The Colorado Dreams and Desires Series
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