CRIMINAL CHRISTMAS: A Set of 8 Holiday Suspense Stories, page 40
Maddy shook her head. She wasn’t avoiding anything. There was no need to stir up old feelings. She just wanted to marry Hunter.
“I see the similarities in our situations. It’s hard to trust the future after your whole world falls apart.”
Mitzi stood and curled her body along Dr. Walters’s feet. The dog was amazing, reading all the emotions spinning through the room.
“I’ve been hesitant about making wedding plans myself, and could not for the life of me understand why, since Davis is an incredible man. But I just realized in the past couple of weeks that the wedding will stir up all the old grief. I didn’t want to put my parents, or maybe myself, through the pain of my sister’s absence.”
Maddy fought the sting of tears. “It’s hard to remember what my life was like before…”
Dr. Walters spoke quietly. “You’ve had no one to share your past. My parents and I have each other to remember all the good times. Can you let us share your wedding with you? I’m sure your parents would love to see you with people who care about you.”
Maddy felt the awful burn behind her eyes as the tears streaked down her cheeks. She never cried. The idea of her parents happy for her triggered way too many feelings for even a tough Marine.
She choked in a half-sob, half-laugh. “I always did want to look like a fairy princess, with a white gown that swirled.”
Dr. Walters reached across the space between the chairs and took Maddy’s hand. “Will you let us be part of your wedding? Sharing in the joy of your very special moment?”
Maddy nodded. And, just like that, Maddy had a wedding to share. Everything her girlish heart had always hoped for.
Chapter Two
Hunter took a swig of the holiday microbrew, fortifying himself before Drew arrived at the Tippe and Drague Alehouse. He was about to spring a shock, an earthquake-caliber shock, on his marriage-phobic Special Forces buddy—that he would be getting married in ten days, with all the bells and whistles.
The event had grown into Maddy’s dream wedding. The venue would be at Aunt Aideen’s house, with the Colonel flying in to perform the ceremony. Hunter didn’t care one bit about the ceremony or who would be there, as long as Maddy was happy, and he finally had her as his wife. He was glad Dr. Walters and her friends had adopted Maddy, and the women and James were going over the top with the wedding details. Maddy deserved every bit of their attention and love.
Hunter hadn’t planned to invite his friends, but Maddy had insisted. And here was the problem. Drew, his best friend, would demand an explanation of why Hunter had drastically reversed his views on women and marriage. How could he explain love to someone who was more cynical and jaded than he had been? He and Drew had sworn together that they’d never buy into the illusion of happily ever after.
They had never discussed the origins of their aversion to marriage. Hunter always knew his mother’s desertion had played a big part in his refusal to commit to one woman. He knew nothing about Drew’s past except that his parents were divorced, and he had been engaged at one point.
Hunter scanned the small pub—mostly men and women in flannel shirts, boots, and North Face jackets. Seattle was unseasonably cold for December, usually a month of darkness and rain. Because of the crisp, cold weather, Maddy was hoping it would snow on their wedding day. With her bright baby-blues lit up in wonder, she got breathless envisioning the magic of a snowy, Christmas Eve wedding. If he had any control over the weather, he’d make the white magic appear for Maddy.
His Marine buddies had ribbed him when he called to invite them to the wedding. But if they had any idea the lengths their tough-ass buddy would go to make Maddy happy, he’d never hear the end of the digs about leg shackles, marriage traps, and being pussy-whipped.
But Drew wouldn’t be into the usual male razzing. He would want the truth. He and Drew had thrived on being the lone wolves—not needing anyone, not relying on anyone. Of course, specializing in intelligence work did make you leery about trusting people. How could Hunter admit now that everything he’d said, before Maddy, about women and love was ignorant and self-protecting?
Hunter wasn’t much of a drinker, but he took another gulp when he spotted Drew walk into the Beacon Hill watering hole.
Drew saw Hunter immediately and quickly made his way through the wall-to-wall crowd using his imposing size and presence. He bent over the wood table and shook Hunter’s hand. “Hey, man.”
Hunter stood. He didn’t have to look up to many men, but Drew, at six-foot five and built like a linebacker, was one of the few.
“What brings you to town?” Drew pulled out the wooden chair and sat down across from Hunter.
“My sister.”
“You never said your sister lived in Seattle.”
Hunter shrugged. “Why would I? You’re not from here.”
“I’m going to be here now. I just got transferred.”
Drew had become more secretive about his assignments when he transferred out of military intelligence. Hunter expected he was now NSA or CIA.
“FBI?” Hunter always asked, knowing it was futile, but that didn’t stop him from prodding.
Drew’s smile was slow and easy. “Yeah, something like that.”
Hunter glanced at Drew’s black thermal shirt and worn jeans. “You don’t look like feeb.”
“What the hell? You the fashion police now?”
Hunter laughed. “Nah, just glad you’re in town since I’ve got a favor to ask.”
“You want me to set you up for New Year’s?” Drew’s success in attracting women made Hunter look like a monk.
Hunter, thinking of Maddy’s reaction to Drew’s proposal, couldn’t suppress a bark of laughter. “I’m already set.”
“Well, aren’t you the man!”
Hunter waved over the waitress, who was dressed all in black—high, black boots, and a tight, black T-shirt tucked into her jeans. The twenty-something woman did a slow perusal of Drew’s outstretched muscular legs.
Drew gave the woman his best predatory smile. “I’ll have what he’s drinking, honey.”
The woman fluttered her heavily made-up eyelashes and smiled coyly. “Sure thing, honey.”
Hunter watched Drew’s eyes follow the waitress’s slow, hip-swinging saunter. It was just like old times, with Drew on the make. “Looks like you’re not having any trouble adjusting to being back in Seattle.”
Drew lifted his arms over his head and shifted his hefty size in the small chair. “How long are you in town for?”
“I’m here until after the New Year.”
“Two stewardesses from my flight back have a layover in Seattle on New Year’s Eve. If you want to ditch your plans, we can party with them. It’ll be like old times.”
“Flight back from where?”
Drew’s brow furrowed. “You don’t trust my judgement? Remember our layover in Budapest?”
While the waitress set the beers on the table, Drew got the familiar gleam in his green eyes that signaled he was about to recount one of their sexual escapades that Hunter would rather forget. He felt like he would be betraying Maddy by reminiscing about his single-man’s exploits.
“Forget the women. The favor I need is something you’re not going to like.”
“Shit. You want me to take your sister out on New Year’s Eve.”
“My sister?” Hunter barked. “That’s hilarious. My sister is not the kind of woman who’d be interested in someone like you.”
“What the hell does that mean? Sisters always like me.”
“Sorry, man. Nothing about you, but my sister doesn’t get around.”
“What? She look like your old man?”
Hunter leaned across the table, invading Drew’s space. “My sister is fine. She just isn’t a player. She’s had a rough time since her last assignment in Afghanistan and definitely doesn’t need a sexual cowboy.”
“Take a breath, dude. When did you become the protective big brother?
“Since I’m marrying her best friend.”
Drew froze with his glass in midair. Hunter fought laughing out loud at the bewildered look on the face of his fellow covert officer, who had been thoroughly trained not to show emotion.
Then Drew started choking, coughing in spasms, his fair skin mottled a deep red. “What the hell? You trying to kill me? You’re not getting married. You don’t believe in marriage any more than I do.”
“I’m getting married on Christmas Eve.”
“Is this some kind of joke? You never said a word when I talked to you last month.”
“I couldn’t talk about it because Maddy and I were undercover.”
Drew ran his fingers through his sandy brown hair causing clumps to stand up in irregular spikes. “Are you crazy? You know you can’t trust feelings when you’re undercover.”
Hunter was glad Maddy couldn’t hear this. Otherwise, she would have gotten the wrong impression of his closest friend.
“You had sex during your assignment, and now you feel like you have to marry her? You always were an honorable son-of-a-bitch.”
Hunter shook his head. “It’s not like that at all. When you meet Maddy, you’ll understand.”
Drew raised his eyebrows.
“Okay, you won’t understand. But Maddy’s the right woman for me. You can’t understand, because you haven’t met the right woman.”
“I can’t believe this. The most cynical man I know spouting bullshit about the right woman? Look, I get it. You got hot and heavy undercover, but it isn’t real. It’s lust, man.”
Hunter wasn’t the kind of man who wanted to explain his feelings, but he felt his friend deserved an explanation. He and Drew had been in many tight spots together, and he trusted the man with his life. “It isn’t just lust. Maddy helps my life make sense. And all I can think about is making her happy. Lust is definitely part of it, but it’s more than the sex.”
“You must have been tortured on your last assignment, or you’ve been reprogrammed, or had a chip inserted in your brain. Hunter Hines would never say sex isn’t the big draw. I know…”
Hunter shook his head. He had tried. “You don’t have to buy into the whole marriage thing, but I’d really like you to be there for me. Will you be my best man?”
Drew narrowed his eyes, then gave the boyish grin that melted women’s hearts. “Of course. You know I’ll be there for you. And I’ll keep my reservations to myself since I wouldn’t want to offend the little lady.”
“Oh, I don’t think you have to worry about offending Maddy. She can hold her own.”
Chapter Three
Maddy stood in front of the mirror and tried to strike a nonchalant pose. She refused to be intimidated by a ritzy dress designer when she wasn’t frightened by battle-tough Marines. Maddy doubted many Marines had ever come to this fancy, schmantzy Fourth Avenue dress store. Probably Bill Gates’s wife bought her dresses right here from Julie Lang, but not the likes of Maddy, who was outfitted in her usual black turtleneck sweater, black slacks, and leather boots.
Julie, in a slim, charcoal gray skirt, a white blouse and sling-back heels, and her thick, black hair pulled back in a ponytail, didn’t match what Maddy had envisioned for an exclusive dress designer. But her understated, youthful appearance fit the style of the shop to a T. Although the store sparkled with white gowns, tiaras, and rows of stylish high heels, everything had a graceful simplicity and sophistication, much like its owner.
The usually irreverent James couldn’t contain his enthusiasm. His dark eyes gleamed at the elegant surroundings and the fashion discussion. “Thank you for fitting us into your calendar on such short notice. I would have hated to go to Naomi B.”
“You’re timing is perfect. I’ve just finished all the gowns for the Debutante Ball,” Julie said.
A champagne glass in hand, James paced around the stylish space filled with French furniture, crystal chandeliers, and opulent mirrors. “As we discussed on the phone, we need Maddy’s wedding gown quickly. I’m thinking something in an off-white, perhaps pale pink.”
Julie stood next to James and studied Maddy. “With her color, more of a warm white or ivory, no blues or gray in the white.”
Maddy was definitely out of her league. She had no idea that the color white required so much consideration.
James smiled at Maddy. “My vision is that Maddy should look like a snow maiden out of a fairy tale. And the dress must swirl.”
A snow maiden sounded perfect to Maddy. She had shared only with Hunter that she hoped there would be snow on Christmas Eve for her wedding.
James referred to what she had shared about “swirling” with Dr. Walters. Maddy might have been offended, but Dr. Walters had treated her almost-mocking comment with total seriousness. And the sympathetic woman had understood better than Maddy how much she wanted to feel like a princess—in a dress that swirled.
“And for the maid of honor dress, a deep red—not any orange tones for Angie with her olive skin. I’m doing all white flowers—hydrangeas, orchids, roses. I want Angie to be the holiday color.”
Angie, seated in a blue velvet chair, sipped champagne and didn’t say a word. Maddy stuck to drinking water, since she wanted to remember every moment of this day and the design of her dream wedding gown, since she didn’t imagine she’d be coming back for more gowns in the future. Designer gowns were definitely not for her pay grade.
Hunter and she had agreed that it would offend Dr. Walters and her mother to try to reimburse them for their gift. Instead, they’d decided they would make a donation to Teen Feed in honor of Dr. Walters’ sister, Cassie. They also hadn’t told Angie, but they planned to pay for her dress.
Julie, standing next to James, carefully studied both women. It was difficult not to flinch under her close inspection.
“Angie, what do you think?” Maddy asked.
“I’m fashion challenged, so I have no idea, but I think you looking like a fairy queen is perfect.”
Maddy tried to imagine Hunter’s response to seeing her in in a flowing white wedding gown. He repeatedly reassured her that she was beautiful to him no matter what she wore.
“What do you want to wear, Angie?”
“You’re the bride. What I’m wearing is not important.”
“But are you okay with wearing red? Because you can pick any color you want.”
“James already informed me that red is my color. He wants me in red high heels to show off my fabulous legs. How can I argue with the man? I’ve always wanted red high heels. And I’ve never had a red dress, so this will be fun.”
James ran his hand over his impeccably styled hair as he spoke to Julie. “My only indecision is what to do with Maddy’s hair and whether to do a veil or hat. Of course, it will depend on the dress.”
“Only one indecision?” Julie’s lips curved slightly. Maddy wasn’t sure if she was teasing.
“Neither. Her stunning blue eyes should be the focal point. Besides, Maddy doesn’t strike me as a veil person.” If Maddy hadn’t been trained in reading people’s body language, she would have missed the way the designer’s shoulders straightened as her tone got more precise. Julie didn’t force her opinions. She was too skilled to offend her clients, but, like James, she also had definite views.
“I have the perfect dress for Maddy. I had planned to put the gown in the window for my holiday window display.”
Maddy had been stunned by the beautiful window display. It was like something out of Vogue, the white gowns in the window glistening and glimmering like the backdrop of snow and silver lights.
“Julie’s window is my favorite in the entire downtown. It’s also a prime marketing space,” James added.
Maddy’s heart thundered in anticipation.
Julie walked toward the back of the shop. Her assistant, who had been hovering in the background, followed Julie into the back room.
James raised his dark eyebrows. “Julie loves lace and silks, but I’m thinking more organza for the skirt to make it the best for twirling and swirling.”
Maddy held her breath. She didn’t know squat about the difference between silks and organza.
Angie squeezed her hand. “I can’t believe you’re going to be a bride. And to my brother. Life has the craziest twists.”
“Nothing is going to change our friendship. You know that, right?”
“I know. Now you are officially my sister.”
Maddy squeezed Angie’s hand back. “You’ve always been my family, but now I get both you and Hunter.”
James coughed dramatically. “Did I hear the mention of family?”
Maddy had been waiting for the perfect moment. She stepped toward James. “You and Dr. Walters are family, too. Hunter and I will never be able to repay you for the kindness.”
“Nothing to repay. I love weddings.” He paused. “Well, you could introduce me to one of Hunter’s friends.”
Maddy grabbed James’s arm. “I can do that. But I have one more favor to ask.”
James dragged out the words. “One more?”
“Since Aunt Aideen plans to have an aisle in her living room, would you be willing to give me away?”
The shock on James’s face was priceless. It had never occurred to Maddy that she might shock the sophisticated man. He took out a pristine handkerchief and patted his tearing eyes. His voice was strained, and he swallowed with effort. “I’d be honored to give you away, but you know we’re never giving you away.” And then he pulled Maddy into his arms and hugged her tightly.
After she had ran from her foster family eight years ago, she had believed she would never find the feeling of family again. But her wandering had brought her around to the truth. Family was made from the heart. And though her parents were gone, she was building a new family.
The wedding would be perfect, not because of the perfect dress or flowers, but because of the love that surrounded her.
And at that precise moment, Julie carried out the perfect dress for Maddy. A frothy cloud of ivory lace and silk.
James beamed at Julie and then turned to Maddy. “What do you think?”
