Saved by the Bride (19 page)

“We’re not having sex in the tree house during daylight hours
and risking scarring Logan for life.” He slid his palms against her cheeks and
traced the jet lines of her brow with his thumbs. “Before we do anything, I
should go meet your parents.”

She shook her head, not wanting to share him with anyone.
“Later.”

He matched her head shake with one of his own. “No, now. I’m a
guest in their house.”

Her frustration built. She hadn’t seen him in two weeks and
their phone calls had been short, and now his unfamiliar air of distraction had
her on edge. “You’re not a guest. You’re not an employee. You’re
my
fiancé.”

A muscle in his cheek twitched and an intransigent look entered
his eyes. “Actually, I’m all three.”

“Hank, please.” They had this argument every time he arrived at
the lake or her father’s house in Chicago. Usually, she kissed him until he
smiled, but today unease scuttled through her, underlining the fact she’d
proposed to him. She’d driven the marriage carriage right up to his door.
“You’re marrying me, not my father.”

“That doesn’t negate common courtesy, Bridey. I should make my
presence known to them seeing as I’m here for the weekend.”

Her loop-the-loop of excitement violently crash-landed into a
landfill of disappointment. “Just the weekend?” She couldn’t stop the moan in
her voice. “No, it has to be longer. For once I’ve got the
whole
family together and you’re supposed to be here with me too.
We’ve got wedding decisions to make, like the venue.” Her voice rose as the long
to-do list scrolled in her head. “And Monday is the cutoff date for the Newberry
Library, which I love but it’s probably going to be too small. The
InterContinental is tempting but Mom’s pushing for the Museum of Contemporary
Art and—”

He kissed her quickly on the mouth and then said in his calm
and quiet way, “It’s all going to be fine. We’ve got an entire weekend.”

Breathing deeply, she absorbed the serenity he always gave her
and laid her head on his shoulder. “So we’ve got until Monday morning.”

He pressed his lips to her hair. “Sunday afternoon.”

She jerked back so fast she wrenched her neck and the pain
intensified the moment she saw his resigned yet determined expression.

“Bridey, I was lucky to even get this weekend. The testing on
the new number four went well but full production starts Monday. I have to be
there at 7:00 a.m.” He kissed her on her eyebrow. “Don’t let that spoil the time
we’ve got.”

He wrapped his arms around her again and his eyes darkened to
burnished amber. “Come nightfall, when you and I are alone in the guest cottage,
I promise I’ll make it up to you not only in the best way I know how, but how
you like it best.”

Guest
cottage
. She almost sobbed. “Mom’s in the
cottage.”

Hank paled. “And your room’s between your parents’ and your
little brother’s.” He swung away from her. “Bridey, not only do I have to work
with your brother and your father, I have to face them at breakfast.”

That was code for “you’re noisy” and “I’m not sleeping with you
in a bedroom surrounded by your family.” Her plans for the perfect summer took
another hit.

She heard the distinctive throb of the motorboat and saw Annika
throw the rope toward the bollard and miss as Finn maneuvered the vessel
parallel to the dock. She also saw his gaze on Annika’s behind as she fished the
rope out of the water, and the smile he gave her when she finally got the rope
in place.

Her big brother who hated vacationing at the lake had got
lucky. Damn it, she was engaged and if anyone should be guaranteed to get lucky
it was her. The moment Logan was safely tucked up in bed she and Hank had a date
in the tree house.

* * *

Finn gripped the longneck bottle of beer and wondered if
a Friday night could possibly go any slower. His plans for the evening had
involved him and Annika in the spa bath with champagne and watching the sunset
before moving into his bed to do more than just sleep. He couldn’t quite believe
that for three nights they’d only slept in his bed. They’d had sex on the air
mattress, outside on the veranda, on a rug in the woods with the fresh scent of
pine around them, and this morning, somewhere between coffee and toast, they’d
had sex against the kitchen counter. But in bed they’d only talked and spooned.
He wasn’t used to having a woman in his bed all night but surprisingly, he’d
slept and slept well.

But his bed plans had been stymied the moment Bridey had met
them on the dock. While he’d been pulling up the outboard, Annika hadn’t waited
for him to help her out of the boat and she’d tripped and sprawled front-first
onto the dock. Hank had helped her to her feet and Bridey had issued the dinner
invitation on the spot. Annika, being Annika, had accepted immediately. That
left Finn with the choice of spending time alone at the cabin, time with his
mother who’d furiously declined the dinner invitation and had insisted on being
“left alone to heal,” or time with the rest of his family. He’d chosen dinner as
the lesser of the evils.

His father wandered over with a beer in one hand and a fistful
of peanuts in the other. “I’m guessing Hank’s presence here tonight means things
are under control with number four?”

“They’re improving. Monday will be the real test.”

“Everything else going smoothly?”

“Yes.” He studied his father’s summer-tanned face but couldn’t
read it. “Do you want me to email you a full report before Monday?”

“No, thanks.” Sean took a pull on his beer. “Smooth is good. It
means you can work summer hours.”

He heard Annika’s laughter from across the terrace and thought
about all the many and varied ways they could while away Saturday afternoon and
all day Sunday. “This weekend anyway. I’m not holding my breath about next
week.”

Sean gave an understanding nod. “Seeing as you have time this
weekend, how about you help me build a zip line?”

His response to the unexpected question was instant and
automatic. “I don’t think so, Dad.”

If Sean had anticipated his refusal, he didn’t show it. “Hank’s
offered.”

This didn’t surprise Finn in the least. “Of course he’s
offered. It’s the sort of thing future sons-in-law do.”

Sean shrugged but the rolling motion said he didn’t agree.
“Bridey thought Logan would enjoy the zip line as much as the two of you did
when you were kids.”

“I’m sure he will.” It didn’t mean he had to be part of the
build. Memories crowded him and he took a long pull of his beer. “It’s a shame
Grandpa isn’t around to give you construction tips.” He started to move away but
Sean’s reply stalled him.

“You might surprise yourself and enjoy it.”

“And pigs might fly.”

He made a beeline for Annika, but was thwarted by Hank, who
wanted to update him on work, and then Esther rang a small dinner bell, asking
everyone to be seated. Before he could reach Annika, Hank was pulling out a seat
for her and Logan had snuck onto the chair next to hers. Bridey grabbed his arm
so he missed rounding the table before Hank sat down on the other side of
Annika.

Finn seated his sister and took the chair opposite Annika, as
Dana sat next to him and Sean seated himself at the head of the table. Esther
quietly removed the extra place setting that had been laid out for Kathleen and
returned to the kitchen. At least one thing had gone his way this evening. He
could be polite for an hour and survive the meal. Had Kathleen come, things
would have been very different. Her presence and tart response to questions was
the one thing that might have had him feeling almost sorry for his father.

Platters of food were passed up and down the long table as the
family-style meal commenced, and for a minute or two all that could be heard was
the scrape of serving spoons against china, and the murmured requests to pass
particular dishes. The fish cakes were the most popular followed by the
potato-and-cheese bake. Dana picked up her fork. “Did anyone see how enormous
the moon was last night?”

“It’s a blue moon.” Annika broke open a crusty dinner roll and
spread it with butter.

“No it’s not. It’s white,” Logan corrected her with
eight-year-old logic.

Most of the adults laughed but not Annika. Instead she met
Logan’s serious gaze and proceeded to explain—in terms a young boy could
understand—about moon cycles and why it was called a blue moon.

Hank, who was usually quiet at family gatherings, said, “My dad
used to take us camping on a full moon. It was like trying to sleep with the
light on.”

Logan’s head swung around to Hank. “Awesome. I’d love to sleep
in a tent.”

Hank glanced up at Dana and Sean, his expression slightly
cautious but mostly obliging and respectful. “Maybe we could if it was okay with
your parents.”

Bridey stiffened in her chair. “We don’t have a tent,
Hank.”

Annika leaned slightly in front of Logan and spoke directly to
Hank. “I’ve got an air mattress and a sleeping bag. It’s a glorious night and if
you can rustle up another bag, you guys could camp out on the island. I used to
camp out with my brother.”

Finn shot her a look he hoped said, “What in the hell are you
doing?” but if Annika saw it she chose to ignore it.

Sean took a second serving of the creamy potato bake. “We’ve
got plenty of sleeping mats and bags in the storeroom.”

Logan’s face was a wreath of smiles. “Can I, Mom? Can I camp
out with Hank on the island?”

A hint of a frown hovered on Dana’s forehead as her gaze moved
between Hank and Bridey. “Are you sure you want to do this on your weekend,
Hank?”

“Sure.” He nodded and a lock of blond hair fell over the rim of
his glasses. “I’ve had my nose in a temperamental machine for two weeks so it’ll
be great to spend a night out in the fresh air.” He put his hand on Logan’s
shoulder. “What do you think, buddy? Do you want to sleep under the stars?”

Logan let out a whoop of delight.

Bridey choked on a mouthful of chicken and Finn hit her firmly
on the back. “You okay, sis?”

Nodding, she gulped down some water as Hank’s hand reached
across the table and covered hers. “Coming with us, Bridey? It’ll be fun.”

Finn saw the tight edges of his sister’s smile and he knew that
Hank was in serious trouble for planning a campout on his first night back. If
this camping expedition was taking place on the island then he’d make sure it
was as far away from the cabin as possible so as not to disturb him and Annika.
“Hank, there’s a pretty beach on the north side which would be perfect for a
small fire and toasting s’mores.”

Bridey tapped the base of her wineglass with her finger as if
she was tapping out a code for those who could decipher it. “It sounds like
something out of the Boy Scout handbook. Seeing as us girls are lacking the
right equipment, we’ll stay here and do girl stuff while
all
the boys go. Dad and Finn, you need to join in too.”

Traitor
! Finn couldn’t believe that
in her frustration with Hank, Bridey was taking him down with her. None of them
was going to get any sex tonight. He immediately weighed in with, “I don’t think
that’s—” but his words were drowned out by those of his father, Dana and Annika
who readily agreed with the plan.

All eyes turned to him, including Annika’s penetrating
blue-blue gaze that saw more than he thought he’d ever exposed. Normally,
nothing would induce him to spend time with his father and little brother, let
alone a night camping out. Normally, he’d push back his chair, throw down his
napkin and say, “No way,” but if he did that now it would leave him dealing with
Annika. An Annika asking hard questions and he knew she wouldn’t be distracted
by anything. Not even sex. He was
not
having that
sort of conversation with her.

He swallowed a sigh. If he had to spend a night with Sean and
Logan then at least he had Hank as a buffer. “I’ll bring the marshmallows.”

Chapter Eleven

“You do realize this is all your fault? We could have
been crossing the lake right now, well on our way to having wild monkey sex but
no, you had to mention camping.”

Annika smiled up at Finn who’d cornered her near the storeroom,
and was now using his body against hers in the most divine extortion tactics
she’d ever experienced. She fingered his collar. “Actually, it was Hank who
mentioned camping.”

“I should have him fired.” He nuzzled her neck.

His breath caressed her skin, making her dizzy. “He’s
family.”

He raised his head. “And you think family can’t be fired?”

His expression said “joking” but she caught a glimmer of buried
steel in the depths of his eyes.
Business
always
comes
first
. She grabbed the stark reminder and held on to
it like a life preserver in a debris-strewn sea. The fun they had together, the
amazing sex they shared—all of it was very, very temporary.

She kissed him hard and then forced herself to break the
contact. “Go have fun.”

He made a grumbling sound and tried to kiss her.

She ducked and pressed her palms against his chest. “Go. Relive
your childhood camping adventures with Sean and tell Logan all the silly stories
about the fish that got away and—”

“I’ve never been camping with Sean in my life.”

The words cracked like a whip and tension shot along his jaw so
tightly she wondered how he’d been able to speak. She’d noticed a similar strain
tonight when Finn had been talking with his father, although it lessened when
they’d spoken about the company. She doubted they were close and yet she’d seen
Sean with Logan teaching him to dive and fish—doing the things fathers did with
sons that built relationships. Had Finn’s parents’ divorce got in the way of
that?

She breathed in but it seemed hard work, as if she was pushing
air against a heavy weight on her chest and she realized the weight was immense
sadness for him. She recalled the few times she’d been lucky enough to go
camping with her dad—just the two of them—and she treasured those special times
when she didn’t have to share him with her mom or brother. “So tonight’s the
time to start. It will help you all get closer, which can only be a good
thing.”

“Annika.” He spoke her name on a warning growl. “I know you
have this thing about helping, but don’t even think about getting involved in
this.”

But she already was. With every passing day she was getting
more and more involved with the Callahans.

* * *

Annika had slept with the blinds and windows open,
allowing for the cross ventilation of fresh air and better sleep. The downside
was the slivers of the dawn light and the cacophony of early morning birdsong
woke her. Not that she minded. Between her excitement about setting up the
thermography machine, thinking about Finn at the campout, and her arms
constantly reaching out across the bed only to find a cold and empty mattress,
she was done with sleep. Or to be more accurate, she was done with what had
passed as sleep, and she was happy to start her day.

The sound of running feet and a slamming door launched her out
of bed.

“Annika, are you here?”

“Be there in a minute.” Wondering why on earth Bridey was on
the island so early, she quickly pulled on the nearest clothes, which were a
pair of her shorts and an old long-sleeved T-shirt of Finn’s. She caught her
elbow on the doorjamb as she walked into the main room and found Finn’s sister
in the kitchen rummaging through cupboards.

Unlike Finn’s chaotic curls, Bridey’s hair was smooth, sleek
and neatly pulled back in a ponytail. It swung around her face as she spoke.
“Does Finn have eggs?”

Annika tried to focus beyond the fact that Finn’s scent filled
the T-shirt and the cotton was stroking her body, reminding her that she’d
missed him last night far more than was sensible. “Why eggs?”

Bridey levered herself to standing. “They’ll want a big
breakfast after sleeping on the beach and I thought I’d cook it.”

Annika stifled a yawn with her sleeve and found herself
breathing in deeply again. She gave herself a shake. Last night at their girls’
night in, Bridey had been overly bright as if she was trying to enjoy herself
but was falling short. It was odd given that it had been her suggestion to do
the pedicures.

She pulled up a stool. “They took food with them and besides,
burning breakfast on a campfire is part of the whole camping experience. Surely
you don’t want to deprive them of that.”

Bridey slumped against the counter and sighed. “You’re right. I
know you’re right. It’s just I haven’t seen Hank in two weeks and his visit is
super short. We’ve got wedding things to work out but instead of spending time
with me, he’s off camping with my brothers and father!”

“I’m guessing you didn’t sleep so good last night.”

Bridey leveled a knowing look at her. “Did you?”

“Sure. With Finn gone, I got to sleep in the bed.” She didn’t
want to talk about Finn, especially not to his engaged sister. It was her
experience that all brides-to-be viewed the world in terms of future couples,
and she and Finn were not a couple. They were just two people sharing amazing
sex for a short time. She rounded the counter and banged her hip. “I’ll make us
some coffee.”

Bridey moved out of the way and sat on the couch, hugging a
cushion to her chest. “I’m sounding like a rich, spoiled brat, aren’t I?”

Annika liked Bridey a lot. She could have been a spoiled rich
girl given how much her father was worth, but she wasn’t. Instead she was warm,
funny and down-to-earth. None of the Callahans seemed to view their wealth as a
right, but rather as a privilege. “No, not a brat. You’re sounding more
disappointed.”

The sunlight caught the facets of Bridey’s enormous diamond
ring which sent a shower of reflections dancing across the walls. “I had such
hopes for this family vacation and none of it’s turning out how I pictured
it.”

Annika thought about her own far-flung family. “You’ve actually
got your family all in one spot.”

“That’s true. Even Mom’s here, which hasn’t happened since the
divorce.” She spun her ring on her finger. “But I don’t have Hank.”

Something about the way she said her fiancé’s name made Annika
look up from the coffee machine.

Bridey gave her an overly bright smile. “What I mean is, Hank
not being here wasn’t part of how I saw the summer. I especially wasn’t supposed
to be planning the—” she made quotations marks with her fingers, “—‘Wedding of
the Year’ on my own either, but that’s happening too because Hank’s consumed by
work.”

Annika scooped the fragrant coffee grounds into the filter and
set the machine to drip. “I would have thought growing up in your family, work
was part of the territory.”

Bridey grimaced. “Very true. AKP dominates everything but Hank
isn’t like Finn or my father.”

The comment spiked Annika’s interest, especially as Bridey was
a striking woman and Hank, with his glasses and serious expressions, came down
more on the side of ordinary. “Is that part of the attraction?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.” A slow wave of red crept up Bridey’s
neck and washed across her cheeks. “All I know is that from the moment he smiled
at me, I was his if he wanted me.”

Annika’s heart hitched in her chest at the idea of that sort of
love and the fact it was being returned. “And obviously he wants you because he
proposed and now you’re getting married.”

But Bridey didn’t reply. She didn’t even sigh in the blissful
way engaged women tended to when they got lost in thought about their future
with their soon-to-be husband. Instead, she chewed her nail and then started
fiddling behind the cushions until she pulled out a rectangular board. “I was
blaming Finn’s lumpy couch for being uncomfortable, but it’s this.”

“Sorry, that’s mine.” Annika crossed the room to take the
board.

“What are you drawing? Is this the view from the cabin?” Bridey
glanced out the window and back again, before taking a closer look at the two
pieces of paper clipped to the board. “Oh, and this looks like a vine of hearts
entwining the letters
J
and
D
.”

Annika avoided commenting on the lake sketch which she wasn’t
happy with. “It’s an idea for a wedding invitation monogram. I’ve already done
the one the bride wants but I was playing around with this idea.”

Bridey’s eyes lit up. “Can I see the other one?”

“Sure.” Annika flipped over her satchel and carefully removed
the first fully completed monogram which was more traditional with fleurs-de-lys
surrounding the initials.

Bridey jumped off the couch to study it on the table. “Annika,
this is beautiful. It’s classically elegant, but if I was the bride, I’d want
the other one.”

“Really?” When she’d been doodling the hearts she thought she
might have gone a bit overboard on romance-kitsch.

“Totally.” Bridey moved back into the kitchen and poured two
coffees. “Do you have any other examples of your work? I’d love to see them
because I’m in the market for a wedding invitation designer.”

Embarrassment tangoed with pride. Annika wasn’t certain how
much Finn had told his sister but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to work out
she was currently homeless and lacking in funds. Bridey was being kind but she
was also planning a lavish society wedding and Annika was only a small-town
calligrapher.

“Bridey, please don’t feel you have to use my services for your
invitations. You have plenty of time to check out other designers.”

Finn’s sister’s mouth took on one of a few familiar Callahan
looks—mulish and determined. “I want distinctive invitations that represent Hank
and me, and at the same time set up the excitement and expectation of our
fabulous wedding. You’ve met both of us and there’s not a doubt in my mind
you’re brilliant with pen and ink. I was thinking oversized hand-torn, champagne
parchment with a gold monogram.”

Annika instantly pictured the glorious heavy paper. “Rolled,
wrapped in gold-and-silver ribbon and hand-delivered in tubes.”

Bridey grinned. “I like the way you think.”

Annika’s brain whirred. Bridey had already mentioned three
well-known Chicago wedding venues and Annika doubted she would consider
Whitetail despite the town pinning their hopes on the Callahan-Neiquest wedding
launching Whitetail—Weddings That WOW.

Still, if she invited Bridey to visit the main wedding office
then she’d have done her part as acting mayor. She could show her some
invitation samples and Nicole and Melissa could take their shot. Melissa might
even be able to weave some dress magic although she had her doubts because she
was pretty certain Bridey Callahan would be going haute couture all the way.

Annika sipped her coffee and tried to sound casual. “I’m going
to my studio this morning to set up the thermography machine and print some
save-the-date cards. Seeing as we’ve no clue what time the guys are getting
back, and texting them isn’t in the spirit of camping, why not come with? You
can tell me your ideas and we can go from there.”

Bridey raised her mug and smiled. “It’s a date.”

* * *

“You’re burning those eggs.” Sean poked the fire with a
stick.

Finn’s hand gripped the panhandle. “You think you can do a
better job?”

“Happy to try.”

“Take a shot then.” Finn rose from his crouching position and
stretched his back. His sleeping mat hadn’t been designed for comfort but to
insulate him from the chill of the ground. Who knew sleeping on sand was like
sleeping on cold concrete?

It had been a long night, made even longer by knowing that
Annika was sleeping alone in his bed only a couple of miles away. It might as
well have been a thousand. His father had snored half the night and Logan had
kept rolling into Finn. At 2:00 a.m. he’d given up moving Logan back to his mat,
and instead had clamped an arm around him and accepted that an elbow in the head
was part of the deal. Only Hank had slept as if he didn’t have a care in the
world.

Finn didn’t get it. Hank had known Bridey long enough to know
she could sulk when things didn’t go her way and that she was probably going to
give him hell when he got back. Yet the quiet engineer didn’t seem worried or in
any hurry to return to Kylemore. He’d risen early, got the fire going and had
then taken Logan out in the canoe with the fishing poles and a promise of
catching breakfast.

“You want toast?” Sean shoved a piece of bread onto a
stick.

I
want
out
of
here
. “One.” He poured them coffee from a blue
enamel pot he’d never seen before. “Since when did Kylemore have camp
equipment?”

“I bought it for this summer.” Sean shoveled the eggs and toast
onto plates and handed one off to Finn before sitting down on the sand with the
other. “I’m glad you came. It gives us a chance to talk.”

A prickle of something he couldn’t name made him hot and he
gulped coffee. “We talk every day when I give you the daily report.”

“I meant talk about stuff other than AKP.” His father’s
intelligent eyes bored into him. “It is possible you know.”

“Yeah, it’s possible.” He bit into the toast. Work was the only
thing he and his father had in common. Over the years it had become their sole
connection and he was very happy to leave it that way. “Thing is, I don’t want
to.”

Sean stared out at the lake. “I know I was a lousy father to
you.”

Finn choked on his eggs as the unexpected words snagged him.
Words he might have wanted to hear at seventeen but he sure as hell didn’t want
to hear now. “Lucky for me I had Grandpa.”

Sean was quiet for a moment and when he spoke, regret was clear
in his voice. “It’s part of the reason I took off this summer.”