Skylar (The Love Family Series Book 1) (10 page)
Read Skylar (The Love Family Series Book 1) Online
Authors: Kate Allenton
Their moment was lost when the police, trampling through the woods, spotted them; Simmons was leading the charge.
“Are you okay?” he asked. “I saw the car.”
“I think I bruised my lungs on impact and have whiplash. My entire body aches.”
“We need to get you checked out.”
“Simmons,” one of the officers called out. His fingers pressed to Justin’s neck. “He’s breathing. We need paramedics.”
Simmons used the radio attached to his lapel to have the medical team, which apparently was on route, hurry through the woods to their location.
When they arrived, one crew went to Justin while another ordered her onto a stretcher. Luke walked beside her as she was carried out. He rode with her to the hospital and stayed with her while they admitted her and then as she waited for x-rays to be done. She’d suffered a broken rib. Her bruised midsection had already turned black and blue before they ever turned the x-ray machine on. They ordered her a room for observation and that’s when Luke pulled the doctor aside and talked in hushed tones.
“Fine, but only for a few minutes. She’ll be in the room next door.”
Luke helped ease her into the wheelchair and pushed her from the room. “Where are we going?”
“There’s someone who needs to see that you’re okay, or he’ll kill both of us. I hear he’s already causing quite a stir and the nurses can’t keep him contained.”
“Declan.” She smiled.
He rolled her onto the elevator, up to Declan’s floor, and inside his room.
His yanking on his IV stilled as he held her gaze. “I was just coming to find you.”
“No need.” She gave him a sad smile. “So lie back down before you get us both in trouble.”
One month later, Skylar and Olivia stood on the sidewalk watching as the bricklayers added each brick to her new building. “What do you think of that one?”
“He has a nice body.” Olivia tilted her head. “But I don’t think so.”
“You’ve said that about all of the ones I’ve picked out for you. So just tell me which one you think is the cream of the crop.”
Oliva bit her nails as she eyed the shirtless construction guys, never answering Sky’s question.
A police siren blared behind them and they glanced over their shoulders to find Declan getting out of the car and walking over to them.
“He’s the one.” Olivia pointed to one of the construction guys carrying wood over his shoulder.
“He’s the one what?” Declan asked.
“He’s the one she thinks is the hottest,” Sky chimed in, holding back her grin.
“Sky, you have a boyfriend,” he announced.
She shrugged. “I didn’t pick him.”
Olivia chuckled. “No, you picked
him
.” And she pointed to one of the other guys.
Skylar’s mouth parted. “Not for me, for you.”
“You’re late for Sunday dinner. Do you need a lift?”
“I’m taking her,” Olivia answered, never taking her gaze from the good-looking man now staring at her and grinning from ear to ear. She wiggled her fingers and giggled.
“Fine,” Declan growled. “But I’m not saving you any damn dessert if you don’t hurry your asses up.”
Skylar nudged Olivia. “He’s getting cranky in his old age.”
They glanced back to watch him leave before heading for the car. “He’s just jealous.”
“Sky, he isn’t interested in me. He only tolerates me because I’m your best friend.”
The drive to Skylar’s parents’ house was short. They could have walked the distance, but in the blazing sun, they didn’t want to arrive all sweaty.
“How’s it going with Luke?”
Skylar grinned. Since leaving the hospital, things between them had changed. He’d been staying with her when he wasn’t back in New York getting the employees and part of his company ready to move. “He picked out a house.”
“So it’s official.” Olivia’s eyes lit up. “He’s here for good.”
“Looks that way.” Skylar could barely contain her excitement.
“Oh, I’m so happy for you.” Olivia reached over and squeezed Skylar’s arm. “You deserve it. You both do.”
“We’re just dating, Olivia, and it’s only been a month.”
Olivia parked the car behind all of the SUVs that lined the road in front of Skylar’s parents’ house. “Who’s missing today?”
Skylar let out a long sigh. “Landon. I swear I’m going to have to go track that little shit down and drag him home to see Mom. He’s breaking her heart.”
They got out of the car and headed toward the sound of her mother’s favorite music.
She gasped as she rounded the corner. The entire backyard was surrounded in Skylar’s favorite flowers. Luke stood in the middle of the yard, wearing a suit. Everyone was watching her.
Olivia grasped her arm. “Oh my god,” she whispered. “Sky…”
Skylar walked slowly into the yard, her gaze going over her brothers and landing on her father with his arm around her mother’s shoulder. Her mom’s eyes were filled with tears.
She stopped in front of Luke and glanced once more over her shoulder at her family before turning to address him.
“What are you doing, and why are you dressed like that?” she whispered.
He smiled. The energy around him shifted to an amazing shade of light blue. “I wanted them to witness this.”
“Luke…” Her eyes widened.
He took her hands in his. “Skylar Love. I’ve known you my entire life. You’re the reason I breathe, the reason I look forward to getting up in the mornings. I didn’t know what true happiness and love were until I came back to the island, to you, and I never want to let that go. I’ll love you forever and always.” He pulled out a box from his pocket and opened it. “Please, do me the honor of becoming my wife.”
Her heart raced as she glanced down at the ring and then up into his eyes. She nodded as tears welled behind her eyes. “Yes.”
Cheers sounded from behind them as he took the ring out and slid it on her finger.
“I love you,” she whispered as his lips closed the distance between them. “God, I love you.”
He kissed her, tilting her over his arm, and she opened her eyes to find the color surrounding Luke and her had turned to the light pink like that of her parents. She laughed as he straightened them both and turned to her family.
“She said yes,” he shouted, and they were both engulfed in arms and congratulations.
“We get to plan a wedding.” Olivia did a little happy dance.
“And you get to walk with Declan,” Skylar announced, doing her own version of the dance.
Olivia’s smile fell and her body froze.
“Still, we get to plan a wedding,” she said again, ignoring Sky’s comment.
“It will have to wait until after the champagne,” Sky’s father announced.
The entire group headed inside, leaving Luke and her alone in the backyard. She took his hands. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. Skylar, I love you. I’m ready to scream it from the rooftops. I can’t imagine living another day without you in my life.”
She laced her fingers behind his neck. “I knew one day my dream would become a reality.”
He tossed his head back and laughed. “You’re going to keep me on my toes, aren’t you?”
“You can count on it.” She smiled bigger.
“Any other plans you’ve dreamt of that I should know about?”
“Children,” she answered. “But they can wait a few years.” She pressed her lips to his in a kiss between lovers before wrapping her hand around his bicep and walking toward the house. “You’re going to be a great dad.”
The End
Thank you for taking the time to read my stories. As always I appreciate each and every one of you. If you liked it and have a moment, please leave a review on Amazon.
Please keep reading to enjoy the beginning of Declan’s book available October 27, 2015.
Chapter 1
“Who’s your date to the wedding?” The bride to be, Skylar Love, asked her best friend and Maid of Honor, Olivia Parks, as they huddled in quiet conversation on the pool patio at Skylar’s parents’ home. Olivia knew the question was coming. Sunday lunch was part of their weekend routine and lately the time had been filled with wedding plans and preparations.
Olivia glanced toward Sky’s fiancé, Luke and the brothers as they threw the football and tackled each other in the grassy back yard beyond the pool. No Sunday brunch would be complete without the guys playing the game.
Olivia cringed as she watched Flynn take an elbow to the gut as Declan shoved his way to the imaginary end zone. A tinge of sadness overcame her while watching Declan, the oldest out of the bunch and the one she’d crushed on growing up. He wiped the sweat from his brow as he chuckled at something one of the other ones said.
Declan did his normal victory dance before holding out his hand to Flynn to pull him up from the ground. Declan was a man that got his way in everything he did, and that was one of the things she admired about him. Oliva returned her gaze to Sky, ignoring what she’d never have.
“I don’t have a date, yet.”
Skylar leaned in closer and whispered, “Why don’t you just ask him?”
“Sky, if Declan was interested, he would have asked long before now. I’m tired of waiting for him to grow a pair of balls.”
Skylar let out a full-belly laugh, tossing her head back. Olivia’s cheeks heated as Sky’s brothers glanced in their direction. Luke nudged Declan with his elbow, saying some words Olivia couldn’t hear and then chuckled again.
“Lunch is ready. Time to come in and get cleaned up,” Mary Love, Sky’s mother, announced.
Luke waited on the patio as Sky and Olivia crossed the yard.
“Just remember, he’ll know if you’re lying,” Sky whispered.
“I know. He’s a human lie detector, which just makes my life more miserable,” she answered as they met Luke in front of the double doors into the house.
The entire Love family had unexplainable gifts. Skylar could see colored energy-like auras around everything. Declan was like a human lie detector. Flynn had the gift of precognition, although he’d never had any visions of Olivia, at least not that he’d told her. Reed was a genius without his gift. And poor Landon, the brother that most avoided coming back home, had it the worst with the gift of enhanced senses. He’d joined the military and used his gifts during the secret missions he couldn’t talk about.
“Are you talking about Declan?”
Sky stood on her tiptoes and kissed her fiancé. “Yep.”
“Let me give you a little advice.” He turned his gaze toward Olivia while tossing his arm over Skylar’s shoulders. “Silence is the key with Declan if you don’t want him knowing your secrets. If he asks, then don’t answer. He won’t have anything to gauge your honesty by.”
Olivia mulled around that information, and her mood lightened. Luke was right. She didn’t have to answer. It might not be polite, but she was past the point of being polite with the stubborn ox. She grinned. “Thanks.”
“Aw, honey, you’re so sweet.” Skylar rested her head on his shoulder. “I love that you gave my best friend advice to ignore my brother. I’ve been trying to tell her that for years.”
He chuckled and led them all inside.
Luke pulled out Sky’s chair and waited for her to sit before doing the same for Olivia.
“Now why can’t you boys be more like Luke?” Sky’s mom said while swatting Flynn and Declan with her hand towel.
Flynn, the jock of the bunch, tossed up his hands. “Dude, you’re giving us a bad name. Stop doing that shit.”
“Flynn.” Martin Love, Sky’s father’s, voice boomed through the dining room. “You know better than to talk like that with ladies present.”
“Sorry, Mom.” Flynn leaned over and kissed his mother’s cheek before taking a seat opposite Luke.
“Have you made the seating arrangements for the reception yet?” Mary asked while dishing herself a small helping of mashed potatoes.
“Not yet, but it’s on my to-do list.”
Luke glanced at Sky. His lips tilted at the corners. “We have a to-do list?”
“Don’t worry, Luke,” Olivia answered while passing the green beans. “I’m helping her tackle most of it.”
“That’s because you’re a good best friend,” Mary chimed in.
“The best,” Sky added.
“So who is the lucky man coming as your date to the wedding? Is he local?”
Stick with the truth,
Olivia thought to herself. Declan would be able to call her out on the lie if she said she had someone lined up. “I haven’t decided.”
She glanced up at Declan from beneath her lashes. His intent gaze held hers while holding his fork of roast inches from his lips.
Sorry, Dec
. She held in her smirk. There was nothing for him to decipher. His face was unreadable as if he were deliberating whether a criminal he was interrogating was lying.
“Well, I’m sure he’ll be one lucky guy,” Mary continued.
“Why not go stag?” Flynn asked. “That’s what I’m going to do. I’m sure there will be plenty of hot chicks to choose from.” His grin grew as he continued, “You know if it doesn’t work out with them, I’ll dance all night with you.”
Declan narrowed his eyes in a scowl in Flynn’s direction. “She’s not like you, Flynn. She’s not after a one-night stand. Are you?” He slowly turned his gaze toward Olivia.
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Other Books by Kate Allenton
Suggested Reading Order
BENNETT SISTERS BOX SET
(Books 1-4 in one bundle, 1218 pages)
INTUITION
(Book 1)
TOUCH OF FATE
(Book 2)
MIND PLAY
(Book 3)
THE RECKONING
(Book 4)
REDEMPTION
(Book 5)
CHANCE ENCOUNTERS
(Book 6)
DESTINED HEARTS
(Book 7)
PHANTOM PROTECTORS BOX SET
(Books 1-4 in one bundle, 964 pages)
RECKLESS ABANDON
(Book 1)
BETRAYAL
(Book 2)
UNTAMED
(Book 3)
GUIDED LOYALTY
(Book 4)
CARRINGTON-HILL INVESTIGATIONS
DECEPTION
(Book 1)
DEADLY DESIRE
(Book 2)
SHIFTER PARADISE BOX SET
NOT MY SHIFTER/ SINFULLY CURSED
SOPHIE MASTERSON SERIES/ DIXON SECURITY
LIFTING THE VEIL
(Book 1)
BEYOND THE VEIL
(Book 2)
VEILED INTENTIONS
(Book 3)
VEILED THREATS
(Book 4)
LOVE SERIES
SKYLAR
FLYNN (COMING SOON)
REED (COMING SOON)
LANDON (COMING SOON)
ALEXIS (COMING SOON)
TANNER (COMING SOON)
GABE (COMING SOON)
JACKSON (COMING SOON)