Shannon's Fairy-Tale Foursome (21 page)

Drew’s reason was more simplistic. He wanted a pound of flesh to slake his no-holds-barred fury. His fist and their faces seemed to be an ideal option. It was the perfect time, the perfect place.

“Push me, Drew, and I will push back,” Jared informed him matter-of-factly as he backed Drew into the bar, going toe-to-toe with him. “Fight me, and I’ll fight back. I guarantee that I will be the victor. I have something to fight for that you don’t. Shan—”

Three separate text tones went off at the exact same time, and three distinct curses followed them. They each dragged their cell phones out of their respective holsters, staring dumbly at the display with duplicate, dumfounded expressions.

Recovering swiftly, Randy beamed. “Looks like we’re going to a wedding.”

Shannon flipped through a fashion magazine, covertly watching the three other women in Deke’s private plane.

Jaycee sat across from her, impatiently bouncing her crossed leg. She tapped her fingers against the arm rest, alternating impatient looks between Shannon and Katie-Anne.

Oh, yeah.
Her friend suspected something.

Sitting next to Jaycee, Katie-Anne crossed and recrossed her long legs every two minutes. She was as antsy as Jaycee. Whether it was from the excitement of a surprise, destination wedding for her best friend or the prospect of spending a weekend with her two men, Shannon didn’t know.

The last woman, Sarah Matthews, fidgeted in the seat across the aisle. Discomfort and stress rolled off her in waves. Shannon could practically hear Sarah’s hammering heart and virtually see her racing thoughts. At this rate, steam would come out of her ears before they arrived in East Tennessee.

Shannon didn’t know Sarah well. Seeing someone around town didn’t make them a friend, and Shannon had purposefully avoided spending time with the seemingly nice woman outside of the group.

Lately Sarah had been spending more and more time with Katie-Anne and the others, but Shannon had still kept her at a distance. She didn’t trust people easily, and she certainly didn’t form emotional attachment for both her safety and theirs.

Apparently, keeping her distance wasn’t an option now, so Shannon would make the best of it, especially if it prolonged the inevitable—Jaycee pumping them for details.

Shannon tossed her magazine down. “So, Sarah, why are you here?”

Startled, Sarah jumped with a squeak. “Gray thought you three could use a chaperone. A–a–and he knew better than to send any of your men. He trusts no one else with you, so he sent me.” Sarah sighed wistfully. “It was terribly sweet.”

Gray trusted Sarah? What? How? Huh?
Shannon hadn’t even been aware that she had a close relationship with any of the men in their group, outside of her foster brother, Landon. She couldn’t hold her question back. “He trusts you?”

Sarah shrugged negligently. “Of course. They all do.”

“Why?” Jaycee probed, her voice far less direct and cutting than Shannon’s. She sounded more companionable and warmhearted.

Sarah relaxed perceptibly, flourishing in Jaycee’s friendliness. “I’m Landon’s baby sister who could do no wrong.” She crossed her arms. “They think I’m an insipid innocent who they can control and dictate.” She snorted bitterly. “Ha! Stupid donkeys.”

Shannon, Jaycee, and Katie-Anne howled, their laughter bouncing off the walls.

Sarah flinched, bolting from her seat and crossing the aisle. “It is not funny!”

Katie-Anne panted, “Not. Laughing. At. You,” between giggles.

“Donkeys!” Jaycee chortled.

Shannon covered her mouth with her hand in a desperate attempt to hold back her giggles. In all her years, she had never heard to their seven men referred to as “donkeys.” What a damn waste.
If the title fits, wear it.
Giving up, Shannon removed her hand, letting her giggles flow freely in the cabin.

Catching on to their thoughts, Sarah fell into the chair next to Shannon, joining in the laughter. She covered her red face with both hands, her shoulders shaking. “I can’t believe I said that!”

“Loved it,” Katie-Anne told Sarah approvingly when her amusement died down.

“Perfect,” Jaycee concurred, grinning sinisterly. “Who would have thought of that? Our men are donkeys.”

Shannon elbowed Sarah, her snickers still streaming from her mouth. “Good one, Sarah.”

“Oh, my God!” Sarah peeked through her fingers, revealing her blue-gray eyes. “Please, don’t tell them I said that!”

Shannon, Jaycee, and Katie-Anne’s hysterics renewed. All three of them practically rolled in the aisles.

Sarah lowered her hands to her lap, gawking at them fearfully, her eyes wide and perplexed.

Minutes ticked by before the three women regained total control of themselves. At last, their laughs lulled. Jaycee quieted first then Katie-Anne and, finally, Shannon.

Jaycee reached over and patted Sarah’s knee. “Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with us. We girls have to stick together or die together, depending on what day it is.”

“Ooh, I have an idea,” Katie-Anne exclaimed. “Sarah should get in on our Name-The-Men Game. I bet she’d make a superb addition.”

Shannon coughed, choking down a couple of additional chuckles. “Yeah. Totally.”

Sarah smiled shyly, “What kind of game are—”

“Excuse me, ladies.” Livy, their flight attendant, interrupted as she approached them and said, “Make sure to buckle up. We have begun our descent into Sevierville, Tennessee.” With a dazzling smile, she discreetly moved away.

“Those bastards,” Jaycee sneered spitefully, her face pinched and her lips white. “They just couldn’t let me have a good time. Now could they?”

Muttering under her breath, Jaycee buckled up. “Fuck them. I sure won’t be for a long time. Assholes. They’re going to pay. And pay well. Of all the dumbass things to do to their future wife. I am going to kick them in the balls. No! That’s too nice. I’m going to cut off their balls and throw them in the trash. No! I’m going to cook them and feed them to the donkeys for lunch. Yeah, that’s it. Stupid motherfuckers. I despise them. They suck—”

Katie-Anne fell into Jaycee’s trap, interrupting her with a frown, “Whoa, J. Don’t say shit you’re going to regret.”

Shannon kicked Katie-Anne. “Shut up.”

Jaycee’s disdain vanished, replaced with buoyancy. “I knew it! They
are
up to something.”

“Fuck,” Katie-Anne swore. “Gray’s going to murder me.”

People really should listen to me. No matter how often I tell them, no one believes me.

“I told you so, Katie-Anne.”

Katie-Anne rubbed her temples. “Kiss my ass, Shan.”

Shannon blew her a kiss. “You wish, my friend.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. You told her. She’s pissed. What the fuck ever,” Jaycee said. “Details, ladies. I need them. Give them to me.”

“Oh!” Sarah yelped, reaching for her purse and pulling out three envelopes. “I almost forgot.” She handed each of them the envelope with their names scrawled on it. “Svetlana sent you notes.”

“Sarah, I will not be distracted,” Jaycee declared, sounding disturbingly high and mighty.
Katie-Anne 2.0?

Shannon rolled her eyes. “Right and pigs fly, too.”

“Fine. I am easily distracted.” Jaycee tore open the envelope, yanked out the note inside, and read it silently. At the same time, Shannon slid her finger under her envelope’s flap, ripped it open, and removed the note.

Things not as seem.

You protect love.

Love protect you.

You not have to choose.

You save them.

They save you.

Love prevail.

You get you fairy tale.

-Svetlana

As soon as Shannon had finished, she heard Katie-Anne gasp. She didn’t glance up from the paper, her face drastically paling with each line she read. Her lips mouthed each word, dancing from one line to the next.

“Katie-Anne, are you okay?” Shannon asked worriedly.

“Oh, yeah.” Katie-Anne folded her note briskly, attempting to stuff it back into its envelope with her trembling hands. “I’m fine.”

Jaycee scowled at Katie-Anne and scathingly whispered, “Bullshit.” She grabbed the paper from Katie-Anne’s shaking hands and read it aloud,

“
This special trip change life.

You play game.

Game play you.

Follow heart.

Not mind.

It lead you home.

Fly free, little bird.

Forget past.

Live in present.

Embrace future.

Never let go.

You not alone.

They your home.

You their home.

Big home.

Big love.

-Svetlana
”

Jaycee whistled, “Day-um, sister! I thought mine was riveting.”

“What exactly did yours say?” Katie-Anne accentuated “yours” sardonically, letting Jaycee know that she would read her note to them, or Katie-Anne would do it for her.

Jaycee handed her note to Katie-Anne, smiling sweetly, “Unlike you, I have nothing to hide. Read away.”

“I will.” Katie-Anne read over the note once in silence, her eyebrows lifting several times. “Okay. Svetlana said—”

“Destiny said,” Jaycee corrected Katie-Anne curtly. Even now, Jaycee refused to call Svetlana by her real name, much to the amusement of everyone, especially “Destiny.”

“Fine,” Katie-Anne snapped. “Destiny said,

“
Destiny good to you.

You aura not dark now.

You not sad.

You not lonely.

They came.

They saved.

You happy.

You united.

You loved.

For you special day, I give advice.

Expect unexpected.

Two always better than one.

Be happy, friend.

You deserve it.

-Destiny Isgood
”

The door to the cockpit flew open, unveiling an irate Cade. “Very sound advice, darlin’. You should listen to Destiny and expect the unexpected.”

Jaycee shrieked, unbuckling herself and rushing Cade. She jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist, and pressed tiny, smacking kisses all over his handsome face.

He chuckled, despite his outrage. “You are so spanked, Jaycee Elizabeth.”

“Mmmm,” Jaycee murmured against his skin. “Later, honey.”

Cade growled. “Honey?” He whipped around, still holding Jaycee close, and gently pushed her against the wall by the cockpit door. “That isn’t what you called me earlier.”

Jaycee grinned innocently, batting her eyelashes at him. “I love you, Cade McCoy.”

“That’s Cade Blakemore to you,” he retorted, his anger still palpable.

Jaycee whooped delightedly, squeezing Cade. “Hell yeah!”

Cade pulled back and ground out, “You are still in trouble. Let’s tally up your numbers. One. You called your hubbies-to-be bastards. Two. You aren’t going to fuck us for a long time.” Cade snorted incredulously. “I’m not even touching that one. Three. You called us assholes. Four. You plan to make us pay and pay well. Five. More name calling. We were dumbasses this time. Six. You’re going to kick us in the balls. Seven. You’re going to cut off our balls and throw them in the trash. Eight. You called us motherfuckers. Nine. You despise us. Ten. You accused us of sucking. Did I get them all?”

Jaycee shook her head, playing with Cade’s strawberry-colored hair. “You left out my plans for lunch. I think Ball Soup sounds yummy.”

“That’s right.” Cade nuzzled her neck affectionately. “You’re up to eleven, darlin’.”

“No,” Shannon cried. “It’s at least twelve. She called you
stupid
motherfuckers, not just motherfuckers. I think that calls for three more.”

“We have arrived at our destination,” Livy stated over the intercom. “It is now 2:10 pm. On behalf of the crew, we thank you for flying with us today. We wish you safe travels.”

Shannon, Katie-Anne, and Sarah unbuckled and stood. Each woman moved around the cabin, gathering their personal belongings.

Katie-Anne bent over and picked up her purse. “Sounds fair to me, Cade.”

“Fine,” Cade acquiesced. “I’ll mention fifteen to Gray, but I make no guarantees. He’ll think you deserve more than that.”

“You do that, Mr. Blakemore.” Jaycee sighed, repeating Cade’s new last name. “Blakemore.”

Cade kissed Jaycee, groaning into her mouth.

Katie-Anne elbowed Shannon, murmuring, “Let’s leave them be for a minute. Gray wants in, and I want the hell out before they…Yeah, you know.”

Shannon followed Katie-Anne to the exit, needling her as they went. “Cat got your tongue? What do you think they’re going to be doing in here? Hug? Kiss? Lick? Suck? Fuck?”