Head Over Heels (The Bridesmaids Club Book 3) (17 page)

“It does to Max and the nanny goat. And it does to me, too,” she added quietly.

Todd’s mouth tilted into a half-smile. “I guess I’ve got a chance of being redeemed, then.”

Sally grinned back at him. “I wouldn’t go that far. But if you’ve got the room, the shelter’s got a litter of kittens that need a new home?”

Todd frowned. “Maybe two, but that’s my limit.”

“Are you sure you only want two?” Sally reached out and ran her hand along the buttons on Todd’s shirt.

“If I wasn’t so rusty, I’d swear you were flirting with me. It’s just as well I know you like me because I look after your animals.”

“I like you for other reasons, too.”

“You do?”

Sally nodded. “You’re thoughtful and kind. You care about your friends and don’t mind bossy women from The Bridesmaids Club taking over your ranch for the weekend.”

“That’s because I like one of the bossy women in particular.”

Maybe it was the stress of having a criminal after her, or maybe it was because she liked Todd more than she’d told him. Either way, she was incredibly pleased that he liked bossy women.

“And just for the record…” Todd stepped closer. “Nanny and her kid weren’t supposed to be permanent. But I’m always open for negotiation.”

Sally fanned her face with her hand. “I thought you said you were rusty?”

Todd’s smile turned twice as lethal and twice as hot. “I’m a fast learner.”

And then he leaned forward and showed her just how fast he was.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Sally found the casserole dish Annie wanted and passed it to her. “Are you going to put dumplings on top of this one?”

Annie nodded. “I’ll add some mixed herbs and garlic to the dough. Everyone enjoyed them last week.”

For the last three days, Sally had been helping Annie in her commercial kitchen. Mitch Zambezi was somewhere in Montana. The special agents looking after her had told her not to go back to work. The FBI was ready to charge Mitch with a mile long list of felonies, including the murder of Todd’s family. Now all they had to do was find him.

Sally went back to her own mixing bowl. She picked up the spoon she’d left on the counter and started creaming the butter and sugar. “I’m getting better at baking since I’ve been here.”

Annie smiled. “You have. And what’s better is that you’re out of your house and somewhere safe.”

Sally didn’t know how she would have gotten through the last few days without Annie’s help. She’d become paranoid whenever she stepped outside, certain that Mitch, or one of his gang, would be waiting to finish off what they’d come here to do.

Her imagination had worked overtime, keeping her awake at night and grumpy during the day.

“How’s Todd holding out?”

“He’s okay,” Sally said softly. “I haven’t seen him since we cleaned the barn. He called me the other day and said that Max misses me.”

“Are you sure it’s only Max that misses you?”

Sally put an egg yolk and some lemon juice into the bowl. “We like each other, but we’re not like you and Dylan.”

“Everyone has to start somewhere.”

“But not everyone falls in love.” Sally tipped some grated lemon and orange peel into her bowl and beat the mixture until it was light and fluffy. She wouldn’t tell Annie how she really felt about Todd. He was a great guy. He made her happy. He tolerated her addiction to finding homes for unwanted animals. He didn’t even mind her brothers’ over-protective behavior. And if he wasn’t still grieving for his wife and son, he would have made a wonderful boyfriend.

“So now that I know you like Todd, tell me you’ve invited him to Carolyn’s wedding as your date.”

Sally looked up from the bowl. “He’s not going.”

“What do you mean?”

“The FBI special agents said it was too risky. He’s heading into town on Saturday before the wedding starts.”

“Where’s he going?” Annie stared at Sally until she realized where he’d be. “He’s staying with Dylan, isn’t he?”

Sally nodded. “The security around Dylan’s home is incredible. With Mitch still hiding somewhere in Montana, no one wants to take chances with anyone’s life.” Sally measured the flour and tipped it into her bowl. “After I’ve mixed this together, do you know how long I’m supposed to chill the dough for?”

“One hour should be enough. What about your safety? Who’s looking after you on Saturday?”

“Dominique and Alastair will be with me. I’m safer away from Todd.” Sally wasn’t convinced that was the case, but she wasn’t an expert on how criminal minds worked.

Annie rolled the dumplings into round balls and placed them on top of her beef casserole. “Do you think the police and FBI will ever find Mitch?”

“I don’t know.” Sally didn’t like saying that out loud. She felt as though she was letting Todd down by even thinking that Mitch Zambezi wouldn’t be caught.

An alarm on the far side of the room beeped and Sally and Annie jumped.

“It’s okay,” Annie said. “It’s Molly. She’s standing at the front door.”

Sally looked at the monitor and sighed. “I’ll be happy when all of this is over. I don’t think my stress levels can take many more weeks of being on edge.”

“It will be okay.” Annie pushed a button on the console and opened the door for Molly. “All of this will be a distant memory soon. Before you know it you’ll be walking around Bozeman without a care in the world.”

Sally didn’t think she’d ever take her life for granted again. Or the people in it. “Thanks, Annie. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Probably burn your cookies.” Annie grinned. “By the time this is over you’ll be a domestic goddess.”

“I’d settle for being able to make pancakes without lumps in them,” Sally said as the door to the kitchen opened.

Molly walked in with a smile on her face. “Guess what I’ve just done?”

Annie and Sally looked at her blankly.

“I’ve submitted a portfolio of images to a gallery. They’re considering exhibiting my work.”

When Molly told them the name of the gallery, Sally was impressed. “Dunbar and Sloane are
the
top gallery in Los Angeles. I did an art appreciation class last year and studied some of their artists. Their exhibitions are huge successes.”

Annie slid her casserole into one of the ovens. “We need to celebrate. Who wants a tiramisu latte?”

“It sounds as though it’s full of calories,” Sally said. “Like the kind of drink a potential bridesmaid might not like, especially if she wants to fit her dress.”

Annie laughed. “I’ll make a skinny version, just for you.”

“Sounds like a good plan.” Sally put her cookie dough in the fridge and turned to Molly. “Did you keep digital copies of the images you submitted?”

Molly pulled her laptop out of her case. “I did. I brought my computer with me,” she said proudly. “This could be the break I need to get into something other than fashion photography.”

Sally sat down beside Molly. “But you’re such a good fashion photographer. Are you sure you don’t want to go back to that industry?”

Molly turned her computer on and waited for it to start up. “There’s more to life than super skinny models and haute couture gowns. I want to photograph real people doing real things.”

“You’ve come to the right place then,” Sally said from in front of the coffee machine. “You can’t get more real than the folks from Montana.”

Sally looked at the first picture Molly opened. It was a landscape showing the barn on Todd’s ranch, the old one they’d cleaned for Carolyn’s wedding. In the photo, the sky was painted the brilliant pinks and purples of a summer sunset. A couple were standing in front of the big wooden doors, holding hands and looking into each other’s eyes. “Is that Carolyn and Wayne?”

Molly nodded. “They wanted an engagement photo. This is the one they liked the best.” She pointed at a baby goat behind Carolyn. “And that’s Todd’s latest edition. She snuck away from her mama and came across to see what we were doing.”

Sally leaned her elbows on the table and waited for the next photo. When Molly pushed the return key, Sally’s breath caught in her throat. “When did you…”

“About two weeks ago. Carolyn wanted to visualize where everything would go for her wedding. Todd suggested coming out to the ranch again.”

“He did?” Sally was surprised. Carolyn’s wedding was like a thorn in his paw. It kept rubbing him the wrong way and leaving him grumpy.

“It was a grand visit. I took his photo as we were leaving. He’s quite photogenic is your Todd.”

“He’s not
my
Todd,” Sally insisted. She looked down at Todd’s photo and sighed.

Molly raised her eyebrows. “Does that sound like a little loving heading in the wrong direction, Annie?”

“It sounds like a lot of loving heading nowhere,” Annie said. “Sally needs some pointers on how to impress a man.”

“I don’t think that’s her problem.” Molly tilted her head to the side and smiled at the blush on Sally’s cheeks. “I think she knows exactly what she wants and so does Todd. It’s just a matter of finding the courage to go after it.”

Annie put a frothy coffee in front of Molly and a slightly less creamy edition in front of Sally. “A cup of coffee may not be terribly courageous, but it’s a good place to start.”

Molly raised her cup. “To new dreams and happy endings.” All three coffee cups clinked softly against each other.

Sally took a sip of the sweet concoction and licked her lips. Annie had been right. The coffee tasted delicious, but it wouldn’t solve her problems.

Right at the moment she didn’t care about new dreams or happy endings. Staying alive was her number one priority.

***

“Have you got a gun?”

Sally stared at Alastair, her best buddy special agent. He was also the man she was most likely to strangle if he didn’t go back to fighting the bad guys soon.

“Does it look as though I have?” she asked sweetly.

Alastair ran a critical eye over her deep navy satin dress. “You could tie a holster to your leg and hide a gun under your skirt.”

Sally picked up her shawl and walked out of the living room. “That’s what I’ve got you for,” she muttered. After nearly two weeks of Alastair’s wonderful company, Sally was about ready to scream. Or run away.

Dominique was waiting for her in the hallway. She nodded at Sally as she opened the door. “Everything’s going to plan.”

Sally didn’t know what plan Dominique was referring to, but it most definitely wasn’t the one they’d agreed to yesterday. Somewhere between spending the morning with Annie, then heading to Molly’s apartment for lunch, things had changed. Instead of getting ready for Carolyn’s wedding with her friends, Sally had been brought home and told to stay put until the last possible moment.

The last possible moment was now. They had exactly twenty-three minutes to make a journey that would normally take thirty minutes. Otherwise, they’d arrive late for Carolyn’s wedding, have trouble finding seats, and probably cause more of a commotion than if they’d left when Annie, Tess, and Molly were leaving.

Sally waited for Alastair to unlock his SUV. It wasn’t what she imagined a run-of-the-mill special agent would rent. It was a black beast of a vehicle with more power than two trucks combined. She knew this because one of her brothers had been drooling over a manual for the same vehicle for weeks. He’d compared the SUV of his dreams, the same one she was riding in, with the truck he could afford. There was no comparison.

Dominique slipped into the back seat beside her. The only consolation Sally could see was that both of her bodyguards had dressed for the occasion. Dominique was wearing a pair of classic black pants with a pretty, deep red jacket. Alastair, not to be outdone on the classic front, had chosen a charcoal suit with a tie that pretty much matched Dominique’s jacket.

Alastair started the engine. His eyes caught Sally’s gaze in the rearview mirror and an uneasy feeling skittered along her nerves. He wasn’t telling her something.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

Sally put her seatbelt on and nodded. “Let’s go before the wedding’s finished.”

Alastair pulled out onto the road and didn’t waste any time hitting the Interstate. “You sound as though you’re getting tired of our company?” His voice held a thread of amusement, as if he couldn’t believe anyone would get sick of being followed around for two weeks.

“I don’t mind your company,” Sally said. “Sometimes you even smile. But I don’t like feeling as if someone’s watching me the whole time.”

Dominique glanced at Alastair, then back at her. “It’s part of what we’re here to do. Why didn’t you tell us you were feeling like that?”

Sally glanced out the window. Alastair was going so fast that everything seemed to blur and fade a little around the edges. “I don’t want you to think I’m ungrateful. I’m happy you’re keeping me alive, but apart from the truck driver, no one’s been harassing me. Maybe Mitch and his gang have given up and gone back to New York?”