Secret Vows (Hideaway (Kimani)) (23 page)

Greer’s eyebrows lifted with his revelation. “If he was being held hostage, when did they get the time to make a baby?”

“That’s something they refused to talk about.”

“How long were Ana and Jacob engaged?”

Jason chuckled softly. “There was no engagement. They lived together for about a week and then decided to make it legal.” He didn’t tell Greer that Diego had orchestrated their marriage of convenience when his sister had gone into hiding with Jacob as her bodyguard. The union proved a win-win for both because they’d fallen in love. “Long engagements aren’t our strong suit.”

Greer worried her lower lip with her teeth. Coles didn’t believe in long engagements whereas her engagement to Larry had spanned eighteen months, and during that time she’d believed she’d come to know everything about him. Unfortunately she was so wrong. Jason was offering her a second chance at love and marriage, a marriage that would begin with her hiding secrets. She was a special agent
and
she’d become Jason’s temporary protector. Greer had asked herself the same question over and over and the answer was always the same. Yes, she could do both, marry Jason and keep her secrets.

She smiled, her expression softening, becoming tender. “I will marry you tomorrow, but I don’t want anyone to know until we repeat our vows New Year’s Eve.”

“Why?”

Greer’s hands covered his. “We should allow Nicholas and Peyton to bask in the spotlight as the family’s latest newlyweds and the exciting news that there’s another Cole on the way. Now if we go and announce to everyone that we’re married, that would steal their thunder. Let them have their fifteen minutes of fame for the next few months.”

Jason kissed the corners of her mouth. “I see your point. I’ll have to change our flight schedule. We’ll check into a hotel tonight, pick up a license and marry tomorrow, and then fly out tomorrow night.”

Greer took Jason’s hand as they retraced their steps. “I think we’re going to have a dilemma. Which anniversary do we celebrate?”

“We’ll celebrate October eighteenth as our secret wedding anniversary and December thirty-first as the open one.”

“Will we ever tell anyone about our secret vows?”

“Yes. But not until Christmas,” Jason said. “Everyone has secrets. There’s no need for us not to have ours.”

Greer didn’t want to tell him how close he’d come to the truth.

* * *

After returning to the tents, Greer found herself caught up in the unrestrained frivolity as she danced nonstop. She shared a dance with Celia’s husband, giggling uncontrollably when the FBI field office supervisor sang off-key to what he said was his audition song for
American Idol
. Gavin claimed he was devastated when he didn’t get the golden ticket which would allow him to go to Hollywood.

Jacob was less effusive and Greer wondered if he was still suffering from the effects of the bachelor party. He did admit that he’d married the prettier twin to which she replied her twin was hotter. Jacob managed to smile when he stated that was debatable. He ended the dance, kissing her cheek and whispering he wanted her and Jason to marry New Year’s Eve when he and Ana renewed their vows along with Nicholas and Peyton. She said she would talk to Jason about it. Greer couldn’t tell Jacob she and Jason had already talked about it, and for the first time in the family’s history, there would be a triple wedding.

The instant she came face-to-face with Diego, Greer knew dancing with him would be vastly different from her conversations with Gavin and Jacob. She moved fluidly into his outstretched arms. “Why are you glaring at me?” she asked him.

Diego’s frown vanished quickly. “Sorry about that.”

She angled her head. “You don’t like me.” The question was a statement.

“Is that important to you?”

“Of course it is. I’m marrying your cousin and that will make us family.”

Diego’s expression changed, softening, as if he were a snake shedding its skin, his thumb moving back and forth over the ring on her left hand. “I think of you as family because you’re wearing Jason’s ring. And you’ve succeeded where so many other women have failed, and that is to get him to fall in love with you.”

“You make that sound as if I just pulled off a major coup because I managed to snag one of the country’s most eligible bachelors.”

“Personally I think Jason got the better of the deal. Please don’t get me wrong because I’m quite fond of my little cousin.”

“Jason’s not so little,” Greer countered, defending him.

“No, he’s not.”

The song ended and Diego led her into the food tent, settling her on a chair at an empty table. “Tell me about your uncle’s restaurant?”

“Why? Are you looking to invest?”

The consummate businessman looked sheepish. “Not really. But if you need an infusion of cash I can write you a check as a pre-wedding gift.”

Greer stared at the hands resting on his thigh when he looped one leg over the over. They were beautiful with long slender fingers and square-cut buffed nails. Her gaze moved up to this face. Looking at him was like seeing photographs of a young Samuel Cole come to life.

“We don’t have a cash-flow problem.” She told Diego everything about Stella’s from her aunt and uncle’s vision for the family-style restaurant to the newly instituted all-you-can-eat buffet. “It’s become a quasi-sports bar with a pool table, mechanical bull and TVs tuned to the sports channels. Thursday is Karaoke Night with a DJ who doubles as a stand-up comic, and live music is featured on Friday and Saturday nights. When he’s not busy, Jason occasionally sits in the band.”

“What’s going to happen when your uncle retires?”

“The restaurant will be mine.”

“Will you be able to run it alone?” Diego asked.

“No. My uncle has been doing double-duty cooking and managing Stella’s, but it’s beginning to take its toll on him. That’s why I’m helping him out.”

Diego leaned closer. “Who’s going to help you out when you find yourself pregnant? Do you think you’ll be able to stand on your feet for hours and not put your unborn baby at risk?”

Greer met the deep-set dark eyes that made her feel as if he could see behind her facade of indifference to know what she was thinking. Diego was asking the same questions she’d asked herself since agreeing to marry Jason.

“What aren’t you telling me, Diego?”

“Get Jason to help you run Stella’s. A family-owned business should be run by family not strangers. It’s always been that way with Cole-Diz. It’s privately held and there’s a mandate all CEOs must be a direct descendant of Samuel Cole. It should be no different with Stella’s. In an age where mom and pop businesses are swallowed up or are forced out of business by ever-increasing fast food chains, it’s a miracle Stella’s has survived.”

“What about Jason’s music?”

“If Jason wants to write songs, he will find the time to write. And now that he blackmailed me into giving up one of my best managers, Serenity isn’t going to fall apart if Jason isn’t involved. Jason’s talent is identifying new talent, and that is something he can continue to do. He also has an inherent skill for running a business. When Ana took a leave of absence earlier this year, Jason stepped in and reorganized Serenity, and the results were beneficial to management, employees and their clients. If he’s going to live in Oregon, then his focus must be Stella’s and not Serenity.”

Greer knew it was something she would have to talk to Jason about. She didn’t want to assume beforehand whether he would want to help her run Stella’s.“Will Graham be able to replace Jason?”

Diego smiled for the first time. “Jason has been after me to release Graham for the past two years, and I’ve always said no. But asking for him as a wedding gift is definitely a new low.” Lowering his leg, he picked up his chair, moving it closer to Greer’s. “I’m going to tell you something, and if I hear it repeated, then I’m going to disavow all knowledge. Tell Jason you want him to help you run Stella’s as a wedding gift, and he won’t be able to refuse you.”

Greer blinked slowly. “You’re not joking?”

“No. Can I count on you to keep our secret?”

“Of course.” A shadow fell over the table, and Greer and Diego looked up at the same time.

Jason sat down, resting an arm over Greer’s shoulders. “We’re leaving in two hours.”

Diego drummed his fingers on the table. “Why don’t you guys come back to Florida with us tonight? Then you can fly back late tomorrow afternoon.”

“We’d love to take you up on your offer,” Greer said quickly, “but I have to get back.”

Cole-Diz’s CEO stood up. “I guess this means we’ll see you for Thanksgiving.”

Greer and Jason shared a smile. “We’re looking forward to it.”

“What were you two talking about?” Jason asked when Diego walked.

“He was telling me that you blackmailed him into giving up Graham because there’s a rule that you can’t deny someone their wedding gift request.”

Throwing back his head, Jason closed his eyes. “What is it you want, Greer?”

“Once my uncle retires, I would like you to help me run Stella’s. But I also don’t want you to give up your involvement in Serenity Records.”

He opened his eyes. “That’s it?”

Her smile was as bright as sunshine. “Yes, that’s it. What did you think I was going to ask for?”

Lifting his shoulders, Jason slowly shook his head. “I don’t know. I was thinking maybe a Ferrari or Maserati. And you know I hate going shopping.”

“Duh. Why would I need those when I have Johnny B. Goode II?”

Jason rose in one fluid motion and extended his hand. “Come, darling. We have to pack.”

Chapter 19

G
reer didn’t want to believe her voice sounded calm as she stood in front of the court clerk as he officiated their wedding. The driver—from the car service Jason had retained to chauffeur them from the hotel to the courthouse and then to the airport—stood in as their witness. It took less than ten minutes for her to become Mrs. Jason Eduardo Cole, and with her new marital status, she realized her new husband’s cell phone was a magic lamp. All he had to do was touch a button, and he could reserve a car service, a charter jet or check into the best room in any given hotel.

“What time is liftoff?” she asked, settling on the leather seat at the rear of the limo next to her husband. Greer smiled. Jason was no longer her lover or fiancé but her lawfully married husband.

“Four-thirty. Once we’re airborne, we’ll eat, then I suggest you try to get some sleep or you’ll be out of sorts for the next few days.”

Wrapping both arms around his wife, Jason rested his chin in her hair. He could now think of her that way. Greer had voiced her reluctance to marry after they’d only known each other for a short time, yet being married to her felt as natural to Jason as breathing. He’d tried explaining his upbringing and his father’s lectures, lectures he’d loathed listening to.

However, a kernel of those lectures stayed with him whenever he began a relationship with a woman. David Cole had warned his sons to treat women in the same manner they wanted a man to treat their sisters. In other words, do not mess over them. If they slept with a woman, make certain to use protection. If she was good enough to live with, then she was good enough to marry.

* * *

Greer closed her eyes, luxuriating in the warmth of Jason’s body and the hauntingly sensual scent of his cologne. “I feel as if I’m dreaming and when I wake up I’ll be back in Kansas.”

“I don’t think so,” Jason said, laughing softly. “You’re not Dorothy, and we are not in Oz.” He kissed her hair. “We’re going to have a wonderful life together.”

“Promise?”

“I don’t have to promise, babe. What I plan to do is spend our life together making certain you’re happy.”

“That’s easy. Being with you makes me happy.”

“Ditto here.”

Greer felt herself succumbing to the smooth motion of the moving car, dozing off to sleep. She’d spent a restless night tossing and turning once she’d contemplated what she was about to do. She had asked herself over and over if she’d taken leave of her senses agreeing to marry a man who, in essence, was still a stranger to her. Then she recalled Jason telling her about his uncle who had married his wife eight days after meeting her. Their marriage was probably based on love at first sight whereas it hadn’t been that way with her.

Jason had intrigued her, but it wasn’t until she went to his house for the first time that she saw the man who definitely went against type. He wasn’t an egotistical, spoiled, wealthy man used to getting anything he wanted. There were times when she found him to be slightly self-deprecating—a trait that didn’t fit into her concept of a celebrity musician.

However, there were times when Greer felt Jason tried much too hard to please her, and she wondered if he was trying to make up for what Larry hadn’t been able to do. That’s when she chided herself for revealing the details of her first marriage. If Jason hadn’t known about Larry, would he have treated her the same or differently?

Jason woke her when they arrived at the airport. It was the same flight crew that had flown with them from Portland. This time they weren’t the only passengers. There were two other couples onboard once they entered the cabin. Greer nodded and smiled at them as she took a seat in the rear of the aircraft. Jason sat opposite her and buckled his seat belt.

The flight attendants walked the aisle checking to see if seat belts were fastened as they prepared the cabin for takeoff. One of them informed the passengers they would liftoff as soon as the captain received the signal from the tower.

“Are you going to tell Bobby we’re married?” Jason asked Greer after a comfortable silence.

Greer nodded. “Yes, only because he can keep a secret like a priest hearing confession.”

“What about your parents?”

Greer shook her head. “Not yet. What about yours?”

“No,” Jason replied. “Unlike Bobby, my mother would be on the phone or emailing everyone within seconds of hearing the news. We’ll stick with our decision not to tell anyone until we go to West Palm for Christmas.”

A mysterious smile curved Greer’s mouth. “I will tell my parents that we’re getting married New Year’s Eve, and give them the particulars.”

There came a crackling sound throughout the cabin, then the pilot’s voice. “Ladies and gentlemen, we should be moving in a few minutes. We’ll be making stops in Denver and Sacramento. Portland will be our final destination. As soon as we reach cruising speed, the flight attendants will serve dinner. You’ll find the menu in the pocket beside your seat. If you have any dietary restrictions, please indicate it on the menu. The weather is clear from here to the west coast. Please sit back and enjoy the flight.”

Jason glanced out the oval window when the jet began to taxi down the runway, picking up speed in preparation for liftoff and soon they were airborne. “Are you going to invite anyone other than your parents and brother?”

“Bobby, of course, and my father’s brother and his family.”

“You’re going to have to let me know how many are coming so we can have a final head count to make accommodations for our out-of-town guests.”

“How am I going to plan a wedding in Florida when I’m in Oregon?” Greer asked Jason.

“You’ll have a personal wedding planner who will take care of the menu, flowers and seating arrangement. There are always two live bands and two DJs, so there won’t be a lull in the music.”

“Who selects the playlists?” Greer asked.

“We’ll deal with the DJs, while the AARP crowd will give the band leaders their favorites.”

Clapping a hand over her mouth, Greer smothered a laugh. “You can’t say all seniors and baby boomers don’t like rap and hip-hop.”

“I’m sure some of them do. Just like I grew up listening to my father’s music.”

“And I grew up listening to my parents’ R&B. Speaking of music, have you selected a song for our first dance?”

Jason rested his forefinger over his top lip. “I’m kind of partial to ‘Bump N’ Grind.’”

Greer narrowed one eye. “I’m serious, Jason. We can’t dance to that.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s inappropriate.”

Jason rolled his eyes upward and blew out his breath. “What about ‘Your Body’s Callin’ Me’ instead?”

“Jason!” Greer admonished through clenched teeth. “What’s up with you and R. Kelly?”

“You have to give it to him. The man’s a genius when it comes to singing baby-making songs.”

Greer rested her hands on his knees. “Either you pick the song or I will. And nothing with baby-making lyrics.”

He covered her hands with his. “Do you want to make a baby?”

“Yes, but whenever we decide to make a baby, it will definitely not be on a dance floor.” She paused. “Speaking of babies, I’ve decided to go on the pill.”

Jason’s eyes froze on her lips. “How long do you want to wait before starting a family?”

“A year.”

“A year?” he repeated.

“I want us to enjoy being newlyweds for that long. After we have children, we’re not going to be able to make love wherever we want or chase each other around the house naked as the day we came into the world.”

Jason flashed his dimples. “Nice,” he drawled. “Back to songs for our first dance. I’m partial to Tyrese’s ‘Best of Me.’”

She scrunched up her nose. “I don’t know if I’ve heard of that one.”

“I have it on my iPhone playlist. Do you have a song in mind?”

Greer reversed their hands, pressing a kiss to his palms. “I have two. One is Keith Sweat’s ‘Make It Last Forever,’ and the other is Sade’s ‘Nothing Can Come Between Us.’”

“I like them both. That’s it. We’ll have a first, second and third first dance.”

“We can’t do that,” Greer said in protest. “What if, every year, we pick a song we can dance to on our anniversary?”

“Baby, we can do anything you want.” He’d enunciated each word.

All talk of planning a wedding stopped when the attendants came down the aisle to pick up their menu selections.

* * *

Greer parked Johnny B. Goode II in the garage at Stella’s, got out and pulled the rope attached to the rollup garage door. Not only did the restaurant need surveillance cameras but also an automatic garage door and a new coat of red paint. She likened the restaurant to an aging beauty in need of a face-lift.

She’d wanted to sleep in late yet knew that wasn’t possible. When they’d taken off from the regional airport in the Shenandoah Valley, they had encountered blue skies and fair weather until touching down in Denver. High wind warnings with gusts reaching forty miles an hour had grounded all flights. They’d sat on the ground for three hours before they were cleared to continue on to Sacramento. It was after two in the morning when she and Jason shared a shower, crawled into bed and slept instead of consummating their union. Greer had tried to convince him not to get up, but he had insisted on making breakfast for her.

She unlocked the side entrance, deactivated the alarm and made her way into the dining room, heading for the kitchen. Bobby sat on a stool at the preparation table, peeling potatoes. “Good morning, handsome.”

Bobby put down the paring knife and wiped his hands on the towel slung over his shoulder. “Welcome home.”

Smiling, Greer set her tote on the floor. “It’s good to be home.”

He gave her a bear hug. “Missed you, honey bunny.”

“I was only gone three days.”

Bobby held her at arm’s length. “That’s three days too long. Did you have a good time?”

“Yes. It was quite an adventure. The bride was beautiful, the groom handsome and the food incredible.” Greer suggested they offer a few Latin and Caribbean-infused dishes when the new chef came onboard. She told him about the horse farm and the magnificent Arabians, thoroughbreds and Lipizzans, the fallout from Nicholas’s bachelor party wherein the men had foolishly sampled a specially blended bourbon that made them see double.

“That’s because they’re a bunch of wussies. Did Jason drink it?”

“No. They had the party Friday night and we didn’t arrive until Saturday morning. I have something to tell you, but you must promise me it will go no farther than this kitchen.”

A muscle quivered at Bobby’s jaw. “Please don’t tell me you and Jason broke up.”

“Quite the opposite.” A beat passed. “We got married.”

The beginnings of a smile tipped the corners of Bobby’s mouth before he threw back his head and laughed, while holding his belly. “Yes! Your secret is safe with me.”

“Let me check in and put my bag away, then I’ll help you peel potatoes.”

“By the way,” Bobby said, stopping her retreat, “the new cook is coming in today. You can talk to him as to what you want to add to our selections. I also hired a waitress over the weekend. She’s young but has had a lot of experience waitressing while awaiting her big break in Hollywood. Unfortunately it never came. Her name is Stephanie Williamson, but she calls herself Stefi. I must say she did real good Saturday night. I’ll need you to put her payroll information into the computer.”

“What’s the cook’s name?”

“Omar Warren.”

Greer filed away the two names as she unlocked the door leading to the second story, the soles of her running shoes silent on the worn rug covering the staircase. She made a mental note to replace the rug. There had been a time when nothing at the restaurant needed to be replaced or repaired because her aunt Stella fussed over the building as if it were her child.

It’d taken her some time but she had warmed to the idea of managing Stella’s. It took her back to a period when everything about her life was blissful and carefree. Bobby’s promise to give her his most prized possession meant he trusted her to continue his late-wife’s dream to establish a restaurant offering home-cooked dishes made from scratch.

She unlocked the door to Bobby’s apartment and was met with a blast of cool air. Bobby slept with the windows open year-round. Everything was neat, in its place, a reminder of his days in the military.

Greer opened the safe and removed the laptop. A sound coming from outside caught her attention as she booted up the computer. Walking over to the window, she stared through the screened-in window. The carting company had come to empty the Dumpsters. Her mouth dropped open when she saw Danny hand the garbage man something wrapped in a black plastic bag. She felt as if the breath had been siphoned from her lungs when she saw what had been in the bag. It was a MAC-10 machine pistol. The man her uncle had hired, had taken into his home, was using Stella’s for an illegal gun sale operation.

Greer took her Smartphone from the tote and videotaped the garbage man inspecting the rapid-fire handgun. All along she’d suspected Chase when it had been Danny. She uploaded the video to her computer and then deleted it from her phone. She couldn’t risk losing her phone with the damaging evidence.

“The Looney Tunes—playacting SOB,” she said through her teeth. The Iraqi war veteran had faked PTSD, while playing on Bobby’s sympathies. Going back to her laptop, Greer logged on to the ATF field office’s secure site, typing in an instant message.

Identified Unsub: Daniel Poe, ex-USMC. See attached video. Please advise. Agent Evans.

Now all she had to do was wait for further instructions. Greer knew she couldn’t tell Bobby what she’d witnessed because she didn’t want him involved in a situation that was certain to put him in the line of fire. She would never forgive herself if anything happened to him.

She returned the laptop and tote to the safe, spinning the dial. Greer had just walked out of Bobby’s apartment, closing and locking the door behind her when she heard footsteps. Turning slowly, she smiled at Danny as he came up the stairs.

“Good morning.”

He nodded. “Good morning.”

Her smile didn’t falter when she said, “How are you?”