Looking back at Declan I watch him send a final message before darkening the screen and pocketing the phone. Then he meets my gaze as he says, “Don’t worry, Cassidy. All of that will be taken care of.”
Torn between relief and worry, I ask, “Taken care of by whom?”
“By my wife and her friends.”
“I don’t want anything extravagant.”
Declan smiles and nods, but says nothing, so I add, “I mean it. I want something simple, and to the point. Nothing drawn-out or overly romanticized.”
Declan’s expression doesn’t change, but this time he responds, “And so it will be.”
Not buying it for one minute, I look to Ren for help, but he just shrugs and says, “It’ll be whatever it’s gonna be. May as well just go with it.”
“Oh God,” I mutter, immediately looking around for an escape. “If they try to put me in a puffy white dress, I will call the entire thing off, I swear it.”
Declan’s hand on my forearm interrupts my ranting, his warm gaze lessening my anxiety slightly. “They won’t do anything you don’t want them to, Cassidy. I promise.”
Relaxing slightly, I sit back in my seat, my hand settling easily over the back of Ren’s where he’s placed it on top of my leg. Soon, the car slows, then stops and I look out the windows, frowning. “Where are we?”
Declan opens his door, one foot out as he replies, “This is where we’re meeting my family.”
He’s out of the car in the next breath, disappearing out of sight. Ren’s hand turns over in mine as he opens his door, then he’s exiting the vehicle, pulling me with him.
Straightening, I look around, quickly realizing we’re at a private air strip. There are two jets on the tarmac, a group of women scurrying away from one, and a lone figure slowing walking our way from the other.
The women reach Declan first, likely because he was headed in their direction, and I instantly recognize the women he embraces as his wife, Issa.
One of the women from her group breaks away, her long blonde hair flowing as she races toward the lone figure still making his way slowly toward us, her incoherent shout getting his attention. He picks up speed until he’s running toward her then he scoops her up, stopping dead in his tracks as she wraps her arms and legs around him.
My eyes burn, the heartfelt emotion palpable in the air, and I find myself leaning into Ren, grateful for his warmth at my side.
After a few long moments, the couple eases apart, and after a brief exchange, they continue toward where Declan and the other women are waiting. The man hugs both women, then stops in front of Declan, a pained expression on his face.
Declan pulls him close, wraps his arms around him, and after a moment the man returns his embrace. Feeling like I’m suddenly intruding, I turn to Ren and ask, “Who’s that?”
He leans in close, his voice low. “That’s Tony.”
Glancing back, I see the two men still embracing, Declan obviously speaking into Tony’s ear as the other man nods. “Did something happen?”
“Many things, I’m afraid.”
I frown, not sure what to make of his cryptic response, but not inclined to press, given I know nothing of these people other than Declan and Issa’s very public back stories in the entertainment industry. What I do know is no one in their right mind would even dream about messing with Marissa Hughes.
I’m pulled from my thoughts by Ren nudging me, and I turn to find Declan and his group standing a few feet away. “Cassidy Logan, Rennick Rafferty, may I present my family.”
I smile at his sudden formality, turning fully toward him as he continues, “You know my wife Issa,” he waves his handtoward her with flourish, then to the redheaded woman next to her, “And this is her right-hand woman, slash soul sister, Jessica Ferro.”
Both women give Declan a look, and he grins in response before directing his attention to the man and woman who embraced out on the runway. “And this is Tony and Carolina Andersen. My brother from another mother and his much too good for him wife.”
“That’s fair,” Tony responds quietly, earning a good-natured laugh from Carolina who says, “It’s a sliding scale.”
I give each person a nod and a small smile which I can only hope comes off as friendly as I intend it. Ren nods toward the women then shakes Tony’s hand, the two men exchanging gruff greetings before Ren resumes his position next to me, his hand warm on my lower back.
It’s no secret I don’t do well with newcomers, especially newcomers in groups, so Ren’s presence beside me is helpful. Issa approaches us, her expression open and friendly, shiny red lips smiling, her brown eyes glittering with humor as she says, “It’s so nice to meet you both. I’m thrilled to be able to help out with your big day.”
Ren opens his mouth, likely to say something stupid, so I stop him with my elbow in his side. He gives me a dirty look as I respond, “It’s so good of you to put your own life on hold to help us out.”
She waves a hand dismissively. “Oh, it’s no bother at all. We love weddings, don’t we, Jess?”
