Secret Vows (Hideaway (Kimani)) (26 page)

He gave her a long, penetrating stare. “Will you be involved in the press conference?”

“I doubt it. I’ve gone undercover before, and the agency wouldn’t want to risk someone recognizing me.”

“Are you undercover now?”

Greer shook her head. “No. I’m what you would call an eyewitness. Or if I was a civilian, then a CI or civilian informant. On the street I would be known as a snitch.”

“Snitching is dangerous.”

“I can take care of myself.”

Jason smiled, nodding his head. “I’ve witnessed that.” He sobered quickly. “Is there anything else I should know about you that isn’t classified?”

“I do have total recall, and I speak fluent French.”

He gritted his teeth. “I knew it. You lied about that, too.”

“I didn’t lie when you asked if I was an intelligence agent.”

Jason placed a hand over his mouth to keep from spewing curses, curses he’d learned so eloquently from his grandfather. “What am I going to do with you?”

“You can divorce me.”

“Oh, no, baby girl. You’re not going to get out of this that easily.”

Pulling back her shoulders, Greer raised her chin while giving him what she called the
stink eye
. “What do you think you’re going to do?”

“It’s not what I think but what I planned to do.”

“And that is?”

“Use those metal bracelets you have in your tote to cuff you to bed and make love to you for twenty-four hours straight. Of course I’ll stop long enough to eat, shower and maybe watch a few games on television, but I plan to make you pay for holding out on me.”

Throwing back her head, Greer laughed until tears rolled down her face. “You wish! You couldn’t go twenty-four hours when you were sixteen, so what makes you think you can do it at thirty-something?” Much to her surprise he laughed with her. The tense moment was over—if only temporarily.

“I
was
randy as a goat at sixteen.”

“Was, Jason. I’m sorry you had to find out like this, but I thought it was for the best.”

A beat passed. “I suppose if the tables were reversed I probably would do the same thing. But I want you to promise me something.”

“What?”

“No more secrets.”

Going to her knees, Greer pressed her mouth to his. “No more secrets.”

* * *

Greer got up early Thanksgiving morning to chop and sauté the ingredients for her cornbread-sausage stuffing, while Jason acted as her sous-chef. Bobby was coming with his girlfriend, and when Chase had called the night before, he said he was bringing Stefi.

“Jason, please check and see if the potatoes are soft.”

He poked a long fork into the sweet potatoes boiling in a large pot. “They’re soft enough. Do you want me to pour out the water?”

“Please. Do you want to make the sweet potato casserole or should I?” Greer asked. She and Jason worked together well in the kitchen.

“I’ll fix it. You have enough to do.”

He was right. She’d rolled out crusts for apple, pumpkin and pecan pies, and as soon as she stuffed the turkey, she would begin making the filling for each. Thanksgiving and Christmas were Greer’s favorite holidays because the house was filled with delicious, mouthwatering aromas.

The day before, Stella’s had closed after lunch and Greer had come home early to set the table in the dining room, put up several loads of laundry and see if the cleaning service had missed dusting any flat surface. It would be the first time she and Jason would entertain as a couple and she wanted everything to go off without a hitch.

She and her mother communicated via Skype to discuss her upcoming wedding. Esther had shown her samples of invitations, and they went through a dozen before Greer approved the one that best suited her personality. She emailed her mother the names and addresses of the friends she’d maintained since graduating high school and college.

Greer and Jason videoconferenced with the wedding planner. They decided on a three-tier cake with layers of red velvet, strawberry shortcake and chocolate ganache separating a layer of mocha chip, decorated with edible roses in red, pink and white nestled between the two top tiers, which would match the flowers in her bouquet. The only thing that remained was her wedding gown and shoes.

She didn’t want something ostentatious with yards of fabric trailing behind her. After all, it would be her second marriage. When she asked Jason about his wedding attire, he said he had several tuxedos in his apartment at his parents’ home. He sheepishly admitted he owned duplicate wardrobes on both coasts. All of his formal clothes were made-to-order and his tailor had his exact measurements. And because of his aversion to shopping, Jason ordered many of his clothes online from upscale retailers.

Greer spoke to Jason’s parents when they’d called him to introduce themselves to her, and she was astounded by how much Jason and his father’s voices were similar in timbre. She liked Serena immediately when she said she couldn’t wait to meet her because she had always wanted three daughters. If her in-laws were anything like the Coles she’d met at Nicholas and Peyton’s wedding, then she knew there would never be a dull moment whenever they got together.

Jason’s cell phone chimed softly. He picked it up, reading the text. His thumbs moved quickly as he returned it. “Ana said she and Jacob found a house they like in Fort Lauderdale. They plan to close on it in two weeks.”

“Where are they living now?”

“They have a condo in Boca Raton. I told Ana I would buy it from her once she moves. Then, we’ll have someplace to stay whenever we visit the family.”

“How often do you plan to go to Florida?”

“At least twice a year. Once we have children, we’ll probably go down to New Mexico to visit with Emily and her in-laws, and to Mississippi to see Tyler and his family several times a year. They have at least a dozen kids between them.”

Greer winked at him. “You Coles are rather prolific, aren’t you?”

“All we have to do is smile at a woman and she’s pregnant.”

She wanted to tell Jason he’d just verified what Celia and Ana had told her. “Stop grinning at me because I don’t intend to get pregnant before I’m married.”

Jason took a step, pressing his groin to her buttocks. “Did you forget that we’re already married?”

Resting the back of her handkerchief-covered head to his shoulder, Greer smiled. “I guess it won’t become a reality until we repeat our vows with all of our friends and family as witnesses. Speaking of friends. Do you want me to send Chase an invitation?”

“You can, but don’t feel bad if he declines.”

“I bet I can get him to come. Maybe if he meets a Cole woman, he’ll stop that short-term business.”

Jason kissed the side of Greer’s neck. “I don’t think there’s a Cole woman willing to put up with a man who’s a nomad.”

“We’ll just have to see, won’t we?”

* * *

Stefi paced the floor in the small efficiency apartment, waiting for Chase to call and let her know when he was on his way to pick her up. Her cell rang and she answered on the second ring. “Hello,” she crooned.

“Hey, baby. I’m stuck in line in a bakery waiting to pick up my order. I’m not sure how long I’m going to be here, so I just called a car service to pick you up and take you to Jason’s house. After I hang up, I’m going to call him to let him know you’ll get there before me.”

“Okay. But I really don’t mind waiting for you to get here.”

“But I do mind one of us getting there late.”

“When should I expect the driver?”

“Give him about fifteen minutes, then come downstairs. They told me they don’t have any available town cars, so they’re sending a SUV.”

“All right,” Stefi said.

“See you soon, beautiful.”

Stefi ended the call, smiling. She’d dated Chase for a week, and she really liked him. Unlike some of the men she’d dated, he hadn’t tried to get her to sleep with him. Initially she had thought he was gay but then dismissed that notion when she’d deliberately aroused him to where she wanted him to make love to her. But she had to be careful not to mix business with pleasure. She’d come to Mission Grove to work, and not get involved with a man—no matter how much money he had.

She waited the requisite fifteen minutes, slipped on a wool jacket and picked up her small bag with the shoulder strap. Slipping it over her body, Stefi gathered her keys. Glancing around the furnished studio apartment, she walked out, closing the self-locking door behind her. The shiny black Suburban with tinted windows was idling at the curb. A tall, slender man dressed in a black suit, white shirt and sported a military-style haircut, stepped forward and opened the rear door. Cupping her elbow, he assisted her into the rear seat.

Stefi hadn’t realized she wasn’t the only one in the back of the vehicle until it was too late. A hand snaked out, covering her mouth, as she struggled to free herself.

“Don’t fight me or I’ll break your neck.”

She stopped struggling and the man loosened his grip on her jaw. “We’re going on a little trip.” As if on cue, the partition between the driver’s seat and rear seats closed, and the truck started moving. “I know who you are, and what you’ve been paid to do.” Tears filled her eyes. “No one would expect a tiny little thing like you to be a contract killer. Put your hands behind your back.” She complied and the plastic ties looped around her wrists nearly cut off the circulation.

Stefi was trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey when her feet were also bound. The windows in the SUV were so dark she wasn’t able to see the man sitting in a corner or where she was going. “Where are you taking me?”

“Some place where you won’t see the light of day for many, many years. How long did you think you could get away with sticking folks with the cute little device you hold between your fingers? They think it’s just a pinprick when in reality your toy is filled with venom from the inland taipan variety, the most venomous snake in the world. Your unsuspecting targets don’t realize what’s happening to them until the poison blocks all of their blood vessels.”

“Where are you taking me?” Stefi repeated.

“Singapore. They have the world’s harshest drug laws. If you’re caught with two or more grams of heroin, you’re automatically presumed to be trafficking in drugs. The penalty is a fine up to twenty thousand dollars to a maximum of ten years in prison. You, Moira Byers, will have ten grams of heroin in your luggage, five grams less than the fifteen for the mandatory death penalty. The Central Narcotics Bureau officers stationed at the Changi Airport are experts when it comes to apprehending drug smugglers.”

Stefi struggled against her restraints. “You’re framing me.”

“And you’re a murderer.”

She decided to try another approach. “Look, Mister...”

“The name is Caleb.”

“Caleb, I have a great deal of money stashed away. If you let me go, I’ll give you all of it. Every last penny.”

“I don’t need your money. The people who hired me to protect Jason Cole paid me a lot more than what you’re attempting to bribe me with.”

She decided on yet another approach. “How are you getting me out of the country without going through customs? What about a passport?”

“That’s all been taken care of. You’re flying first class in a private jet, and we have your passport. Once we land and you go through customs, you are on your own.”

“I’ll scream and tell everyone I’ve been kidnapped.”

“No one’s going to believe a drug smuggler.”

This can’t be happening. Monk promised this would be an easy job.
Stefi curled into a fetal position and cried. Her father had been a paid enforcer for several unions, and two of her uncles were hit men for organized crime families. Their weapons of choice were knives and guns. She’d become an ophiologist, milking snakes to make antivenom. Then something had happened and she’d followed her relatives, becoming a hired killer. Monk had selected her victims and provided her with identities that got her through airport security and customs.

But it appeared as if Jason Cole’s people were one step ahead of her, and she was heading to prison in Southeast Asia. Her life was about to mirror
Brokedown Palace,
but instead of going to a prison in Thailand, she would spent the rest of her life in a hellish Singapore dungeon.

Chapter 22

T
he doorbell chimed throughout the house and Greer and Jason exchanged a knowing look. Their guests had arrived. They’d spent hours roasting, baking and sautéing the dishes for their initial Thanksgiving gathering. She experienced a domesticity she had never felt in her first marriage. Jason’s passion for cooking surpassed hers. Greer cooked out of necessity, while Jason cooked for experimentation. He’d substitute a common ingredient for an exotic one with pleasantly surprising results.

“I’ll get it,” she volunteered. A smile parted her lips when she opened the door to find Chase staring at her as if seeing her for the first time. “Happy Thanksgiving. Please come in.”

Chase handed Greer a decorative shopping bag. “Same to you. Here’s a little something for your table.” He dipped his head, kissing her cheek. “Jason is safe,” he whispered.

Greer blinked as if coming out of a trance. “Are you certain?”

He nodded. “My people took care of everything.”

Her expression brightened. “Thank you. Where’s Stefi?”

“She called this morning to say her agent got her a part in a movie being shot in New Zealand. She told me to tell you, she’s sorry to leave without giving you prior notice, but it was an offer she felt compelled to accept.”

Greer reached for Chase’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “You did say she was short-term.”

His gray eyes darkened as he studied the woman who’d managed to enthrall his friend—enough to get him to not only include her in his life but also his future. “Yes, I did. You’re going to owe me, Greer.”

Her jaw dropped slightly. “What are you talking about?”

“I took care of a
problem
earlier this morning, and the result is you’ll be able to wake up beside your husband tomorrow morning. Yes, I know you and Jason are married. And, no, he didn’t tell me.”

Greer swayed slightly when her knees buckled, but she managed to right herself as Chase tightened his hold on her hand. “Stefi?” Chase nodded again. She didn’t want to know how he got his information because some things were better if not explained.

“If she ever comes back to this country, she’ll be too old and broken to harm anyone. I promised you my people were going to help you out with your problem. Ten days from now it will be over.”

She closed her eyes, whispering a silent prayer. “How can I thank you?”

“Name your firstborn son after me.”

“I don’t even know your actual name.”

He laughed softly. “I’ll tell you once he’s here.”

Greer tugged on his hand. “Come and rest yourself. My uncle and his friend are expected at any time.”

Jason walked out of the kitchen and into the living room as Chase sat on a leather chaise in front of the fireplace. “Welcome, my friend.”

He stood, shaking hands and pounding Jason’s back. “Thanks.”

A slight frown appeared between Jason’s eyes. “Where’s Stefi?”

“She got an acting job in New Zealand,” Chase lied smoothly.

Greer gave her husband the shopping bag. “This is from Chase.”

Jason removed the bottle from the bag, reading the label and the tag attached to the neck.
“¡Mierda!”
he whispered in Spanish. His neighbor had given them a bottle of aged scotch he’d won at an auction. “This girl is more than one hundred years old. Thanks, friend.” Jason knew the bottle would sit in the bar untouched because neither he nor Greer drank scotch.

The doorbell rang again and hugs, kisses and handshakes were exchanged when Bobby introduced Renata Sutcliff as his very good friend and nutritionist. Tall, slender, with stylishly coiffed salt-and-pepper hair, a clear peaches-and-cream complexion and strong, even features, Greer felt an instant kinship with the woman who’d made her uncle’s health a priority.

* * *

Renata successfully hid her shock at meeting Bobby’s niece behind a polite smile. She didn’t know what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t the tall, slender woman with the golden-brown complexion and gold-flecked brown eyes. Greer was casually dressed in a white silk blouse, black tailored wool gabardine slacks and matching ballet flats.

* * *

Greer clasped her hands. “Everything is ready, so please follow me into the dining room.” She removed the place setting that would’ve been Stefi’s, unable to believe the woman would’ve posed a threat to Jason. She didn’t want to think of the consequences if Chase and his people hadn’t uncovered her plot.

“Would you like me to help you bring out something, Greer?” Renata asked.

“Yes. Thank you.”

Tiny lines fanned out around Renata’s dark-brown eyes when she smiled. “I told Bobby he can eat whatever he wants today because no normal person would even consider dieting on Thanksgiving.”

Greer nodded. “Thankfully it’s only one day a year.”

Jason carried the platter with roast turkey into the dining room, placing it in the middle of the table, while Greer and Renata rolled out a serving cart topped by various dishes: macaroni and cheese made with truffle oil, sweet-and-sour green beans, sweet potato casserole with pecan brȗlée topping, fresh cranberries, cornbread-sausage stuffing, giblet gravy and a tossed salad with honey-orange vinaigrette.

The hours passed with lively conversation adding to the festive mood as everyone had second servings washed down with sparkling water, rosé or white wine. Bobby exacted a promise from Jason to give him the recipe for the mac and cheese, but when he heard the price for the truffle oil, he quickly changed his mind. Cappuccino and espresso accompanied slices of pie and homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Greer shooed the men away from the table while she and Renata cleared the table and put the food away. Jason, Bobby and Chase retreated to the media center with a large wall-mounted flat screen and audio components that were separated from the primary living space. Jason lit a fire in the massive rock-faced fireplace as they settled down to watch television.

It took Greer half the time to put the kitchen in order with Renata’s assistance. They sat at the cooking island talking about everything. The licensed nutritionist admitted she had never married after losing her college fiancé in an auto accident more than thirty years ago. She liked Bobby, but knew realistically she could never replace his late wife.

“You can’t replace her,” Greer said, “but you can help to make him happy and healthy.”

Chase was the first to leave, thanking Jason and Greer for their hospitality and promising to come to West Palm Beach for their New Year’s Eve wedding. Two hours later Bobby and Renata left with shopping bags of leftovers.

Standing in the doorway with their arms around each other, Jason and Greer waved as Bobby maneuvered his car out of the driveway. Jason closed and locked the door. “You did good, Mr. Cole.”

Jason dropped a kiss on her hair. “I couldn’t have done it without you, Mrs. Cole.” Taking her hand, he led her into the media center, pulling her down to the sofa to sit between his legs. “I spoke to Bobby about buying the house on the lake, and he said he couldn’t sell it to me because he’d planned to leave it to you in his will.”

Greer glanced up at him over her shoulder. “What are we going to do with three homes?”

“We’ll definitely use the condo in Florida.”

“But what about the house on the lake? How often will we use it?”

“One of my cousins is transferring from a college in Miami to Lewis & Clark in Portland for the spring semester. He can stay in the house instead of on campus. It would be an hour’s drive each way, but at least he’d have his privacy and a quiet place to study.”

“I’m okay with it as long as he doesn’t turn it into a frat house.”

“Nathan’s a cool kid.”

“He’ll stay cool as long as he doesn’t destroy my aunt and uncle’s home.”

Jason pressed a kiss on the column of Greer’s neck. “You’ll get to meet Nathan when we go to Florida. Speaking of Florida, both Bobby and Chase are coming to the wedding. Is Bobby bringing Renata?”

“He said he is.”

“It’s too bad Chase couldn’t have made a go with Stefi.”

“It sure is,” Greer drawled facetiously. She hid a smile. If it hadn’t been for Chase, she and Jason wouldn’t be planning to renew their secret vows. Her smiled faded quickly. He’d promised her that in ten days her life would change forever. Ten days, and then another four weeks, and she would change forever.

* * *

The seconds became minutes and minutes a half hour as they listened to the correspondents at the all-news TV station. Jason became instantly alert with the breaking news that there was a possible gas explosion at the Los Angeles home of Webb Irvine. There was footage of the police attempting to restrain a woman unofficially identified as Irvine’s mother from entering what was left of the smothering mansion. The reporter said the woman kept repeating she’d left her son sleeping inside the house. The explosion had occurred within minutes of her leaving to drive to the store.

So, it’s over,
Jason thought. There were no more Irvines and probably no more Slow Wyne. Even if the L.A.-based independent record label went under, Jason knew he wouldn’t pick up their most talented artist. It wasn’t worth the trouble.

His cell phone vibrated. He took the phone out his back pocket, staring at the display. “Are you watching the news?”

“That’s why I’m calling,” Ana said. “He’s gone, Jay. It’s finally over.”

“Yes, it is. But I feel sorry for Mrs. Irvine. No parent should have to bury their children.”

“I agree, but I’m not going to cry for her. She had to have known what she’d given birth to.”

Jason didn’t want to argue with his twin sister—not today. “Did you get my check from the bank?”

“I did, but I shredded it.”

“Why?” Ana had quoted a price she wanted for her condo, and he’d authorized his bank to cut her a check.

“Because I’m not going to take money from my brother. Consider the condo a wedding gift.”

“What do you want as a gift?”

“A boat. It’s not for me. It’s for Jacob. He loves deep-sea fishing, and when I mentioned buying him a boat, he went ballistic. My civil-servant husband has issues because I’m worth a lot of money. You don’t know what it took for me to convince him to move to Bay Colony. He claims the house in the Keys can fit into our new home four times. So if you give him the boat as a wedding gift, he’ll have to accept it.”

“Pick out what you think he’d like, text me the dollar amount and where to send the check.”

“Thank you, Jason. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Ana. I’ll see you guys in four weeks.”

Jason ended the call, and then looked at Greer. She hadn’t overheard his conversation because she’d fallen asleep. He understood Jacob’s reluctance to accept expensive gifts from his wife because a man wanted to provide for his wife and not the other way around. He’d explained to his brother-in-law that all Coles came into a five-million-dollar trust at twenty-five.

At the reading of his grandfather’s will, Jason’s net worth had quadrupled. Other than building the house in Bear Ridge Estates, he hadn’t purchased any other big-ticket items. He didn’t draw a paycheck from Serenity Records, living instead off the interest from his investments. He had more than enough money to take care of Greer, their children and their children’s children.

West Palm Beach, Florida—New Year’s Eve

Greer, Ana and Peyton stood with their arms around each other’s waists in one of the bedroom suites in the West Palm Beach family mansion set on twelve acres, dressed in their wedding finery. Peyton had to have her platinum satin gown taken out at the waist to accommodate her expanding waistline.

Greer smiled at her fellow brides. “I have something to tell you before we go downstairs.”

“What?” Peyton and Ana chorused.

“Jason and I got married the weekend we came to Virginia.”

Peyton’s gray eyes grew wider. “Our anniversaries are only a day apart.”

Greer dropped her arm and combed her fingers through her hair, flipping it over her bare shoulder. “Yes.”

Ana’s dark eyes drilled into her. “You’re already my sister-in-law?”

“Yes. Jason had given me a ring, and we decided not to have a long engagement.”

“But we could’ve had a double wedding,” Peyton said.

Greer shook her head, a wealth of lush reddish-brown waves moving over her back with the motion. “It was your day, Peyton, and it would’ve been selfish and disrespectful if I’d intruded.”

Ana flashed a dimpled smile. “It looks as if all of us are renewing our vows.”

Greer’s gaze swept from Ana to Peyton. “My sisters, you look beautiful.”

“So do you,” Peyton countered.

Ana pressed her cheek to Greer’s. “I’m honored to be your sister.”

Greer rested a hand on the double strand of pearls falling over her collarbone, warmed from the heat of her skin. Chase’s prediction had manifested itself when, ten days following Thanksgiving, special agents from the ATF and DEA arrested sixteen people involved in the sale of illegal drugs and firearms. Danny had infiltrated the group, documenting the delivery and transfer of the stolen weapons. She hadn’t known Danny was a government informant, and he was never made aware that she was a special agent. Two days after the success of the dragnet, Greer drove to the Portland field office and filled out the documents to resign her position with the agency. It was also the same day the Grammy nominations were announced, and Justin Glover was nominated as Best New Artist, his album earned a nomination for Album of the Year, and he was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Country Song. She and Jason celebrated by having a private party followed by making endless love.

* * *

There was a knock on the door and the three women turned in that direction. “Who is it?” Ana called out.

“Your father,” came David’s response. “And I have the other dads with me.”

Greer smiled. It was about to start. “Come in.”

The three men filed into the bedroom, their expressions mirroring tenderness when they stared at their daughters. Only Alphonso Blackstone had had the honor of walking his daughter down the aisle. David Cole and Gregory Evans would be afforded that privilege in fewer than five minutes.