Take This Man

New York   Boston

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—
Taken
, Prologue

I never thought this day would come, and yet, it came faster than I’d ever imagined. Staring at my reflection in the antique dressing mirror in the big back bedroom on the second floor of the Weston Plantation, I felt excitement spark through every nerve in my body. My grandmother’s wedding dress fit perfectly, and the lace overlay my mother had added to hide a red wine stain on the front matched flawlessly. Actually, I liked the dress even better with the addition.

“You look…” Aunt Jan tilted her head, faltering for the right word. “I was going to say you look like a princess, but I know you’d hate that, so I’m just going to say you make a beautiful bride.”

I let out a nervous laugh. I would’ve hated it if Aunt Jan called me a princess. “Thanks. Where’s my mom?”

“She’s coming right up. She had to get something from her room that she wants you to have today.”

As if summoned, my mom popped through the door. She took one look at her sister and frowned. “Jan, I thought we agreed you’d wear a dress today.”

“A nice pantsuit is fine for a wedding,” Aunt Jan said, turning to me for confirmation. “Right?”

I paused from fiddling with my delicate hairclip made of pearls and white heron feathers found on Turtle Tear Island. “You could wear jeans and I’d be fine with it as long as you’re here.”

Mom rushed over to me, waving her hand around my head, prodding the knot that held the sides of my hair back and fingering the loopy thick curls that hung down my bare back. “I hope there are no fleas or lice in those feathers. I can’t believe you’d want something like that in your hair.”

I refused to let my mother—who was only acting over-the-top crazy today because she was even more nervous than I was—get to me. “Mr. Simcoe soaked them and made sure they were clean. Don’t worry.”

“Well,” Mom said, wringing her hands, “okay then. Do you have the strand of Great-Grandma DeSalvo’s pearls I sent you?”

“Right over there on the dresser. I need help fastening them, though.”

Aunt Jan picked up the pearls and draped them around my neck. After they were fastened, she kissed my cheek. “I’m proud of you, kid. Not just for getting married. You know that.” She chucked me in the arm with her fist playfully, and turned for the door. “I’ll give you two some mother-daughter time.”

Mom and I watched her leave, the solid wooden door clicking shut behind her. “Come sit for a minute,” Mom said, taking my hand and leading me to the windows overlooking the expansive backyard, where an enormous tent had been set up for the reception. Workers in black tie were setting up tables, dressing them in white linen.

I sat on one side of a Victorian love seat in a small sitting area, and Mom sat beside me. She reached into the pocket of her beaded pink jacket and pulled out a man’s ring with a blue stone. I recognized it as my father’s. His father had given it to him. “The dress covers old and new with the lace bodice, and borrowed since it was your grandmother’s. You needed something blue,” she said, placing the ring in my hand. “If you’ll let me, I’ll sew it into the underside of your skirt. I’d like Merrick to have it after the ceremony.”

Tears sprang to my eyes as my heart clenched. “Only if you give it to him, Mom.” My father’s presence would be missed—him walking me down the aisle especially—and for Mom to make him a part of today with his ring… it was more than I could take without breaking down.

“I’d love that,” she said. I dove across the love seat and hugged her. She held me tight and kissed my forehead. “I’m so happy for you,” she whispered. “I know your father would’ve loved Merrick. He’s a man’s man, just like your dad was.”

I nodded, unable to speak around the lump of emotion stuck firmly in my throat.

“Now stop the tears,” Mom said, holding me back from her. “You’re ruining your makeup.”

“She better not be ruining her makeup!” Shannon, my best friend from home and college roommate, said in the doorway. “Sorry. Hope I’m not interrupting.”

“No.” I stood up, waving my hands toward my face to dry my eyes. “You’re fine. I think I need a touch-up, though.”

“I’ll grab my sewing kit while she’s busy with you,” Mom said, straightening her tea-length raw silk skirt, which rustled when she walked.

Shannon strode in the room as Mom strode out. My bridal room was starting to resemble Grand Central Station with all the coming and going. “What do you think?” Shannon asked, twirling in her bridesmaid gown. Since there were only two of them, I let Maddie, Merrick’s son’s girlfriend—no. Brother. MJ was Merrick’s brother. It was still difficult to convince my mind that MJ wasn’t Merrick’s son after all. I let Maddie and Shannon pick out their own dresses as long as they coordinated. Shannon’s dress was like her personality—flashy, a bright yellow-green that set off her blond hair with an uneven hemline and shiny, fitted, strapless bodice. I’d seen a picture of it on the hanger she’d sent me from her phone, but this was the first time I’d seen her wearing it. “You’re stunning, Shan,” I said, giving her a hug.

“Nothing compared to the bride.” She held my hand and spun me around. “Hope Merrick doesn’t rip all that lace when he gets you alone tonight!”

I kind of hoped he would, except that the dress was a family heirloom.

“Oh my God, Rachael!” Maddie swooped into the room and put one arm around my waist and one around Shannon’s. “You are the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen! Merrick is going to die!”

Her dress was a rich, emerald green that accentuated her brilliant blue eyes and dark hair. She wore jewel tones amazingly well. The yellow and burnt orange calla lilies tied with ivory ribbon around their long stems would be perfect with each of their choices. “I’ll be the most beautiful bride until you walk down the aisle, Mads.” I took her hand and squeezed. Knowing MJ’s college graduation was right around the corner, I doubted it would be long before she had a diamond on her finger.

“What about me?” Shannon teased. “Don’t you think I’ll be a beautiful bride someday?” She made a gagging sound and laughed. “I can’t even talk about being a bride without getting sick. Forget it! You two can wear the white. I’ll stick to the bridesmaid role. More variety that way.”

“I’m guessing she’s not talking about the dresses?” Maddie said, grinning.

“Uh, no,” Shannon said, smirking. “Definitely the men. Speaking of… are Riley and Jesse going to be at this shindig?”

Shannon had experienced a night of, well, debauchery with Riley and Jesse in the past. I wanted no part of another meet-up with that trio. “They’ll be around,” I said as noncommittally as possible.

Shannon rolled her eyes and grabbed her makeup bag. “Whatever. You’re no fun.” She patted a tufted wingback chair. “Sit.”

“One hour left,” Maddie said, an edge of a squeal to her voice. “I’m going to find MJ and make sure they’re ready.” She gave Shannon a wink.

“I’ll be right down to help,” Shannon said, almost conspiratorially. They’d probably done something crazy, like ordered a cake shaped like a turtle for Turtle Tear.

“What are you two up to?” I asked.

“What do you mean?” Maddie said, then darted out the bedroom door.

“Shan?” I said, giving her the eye.

“Oh, don’t be so surprised that we’d want to do something special for your big day.”

“By special, you don’t mean crazy, right?”

Shannon made an effort to look like she was in deep concentration. “Define crazy.”

I shoved her arm and we both laughed. “I’m trusting you,” I said.

“When have you ever not been able to trust me?” She unscrewed the lid from her eyeliner. “Okay, not including the times I told you I’d have my share of the rent on time.”

I took her hand. “I’ve always trusted you. Thanks for being here with me today.”

“Like I’d be anywhere else.” We smiled, holding hands for a moment. “Okay,” she said, shaking her hand away. “This is getting weird. Next thing you know we’ll be weaving friendship bracelets.”

I threw my head back, laughing. Nobody made me laugh like Shannon.

One hour.

I’d practically paced the lawn bare behind the guest house. The Weston Plantation was dressed up like a wedding cake with flowers bursting around its white columns.

“Stop pacing, man, you’re making me nuts.” Beck put a hand on my shoulder. “It’s going to be fine.”

“What if it doesn’t work? What if she knows already?”

“How would she know?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know.”

Across the lawn, Joan—my old assistant and Beck’s girlfriend—bossed around the hired help for the reception. She was making them move a ten-foot table about three inches to the left, perfectionist that she was. The ceremony was to be held on the front lawn, which was currently empty since Rachael only had a view of the back of the property.

“If we pull this off, it’ll be a miracle,” I said, turning to Beck.

MJ pushed through the door of the guesthouse, two short rocks glasses full of amber liquor in his hands. He shoved one toward me. “Drink this. You’re coming unglued.”

I took it and knocked it back. “All three helicopters set?”

“For the fifth time,” MJ said, sipping his drink, “yes.”

“And the hired pilot is set to take off in”—I looked at my watch—“fifteen minutes?”

“He’s ready and waiting.”

I set the glass down on a patio table and rubbed my hands together. “Okay. This is it.”

Beck stared at me with one eyebrow hitched.

“What?” I asked.

“If I’m ever like this over a woman, feel free to kick the shit out of me.”

MJ and I looked at each other. Beck seemed to be the only one who wasn’t aware of how gone he was over Joan. She’d burrowed right through his tough guy exterior. It was obvious to the rest of us. “Will do.”

I checked my pocket for Rachael’s ring. It was there. What else could I do for the next quarter of an hour to keep my nerves at bay?

I’d never been so nervous in my life. Not over multimillion-dollar acquisitions. Not even the night I kidnapped Rachael and took her to Turtle Tear for her own good. Not ever.

Beck’s hand came down on my shoulder as he nodded toward the corner of the big house. “There’s Shannon. Rachael’s alone. Let’s do this.”

Panic kicked in hard. “It’s not time!”

“Hey,” MJ said, putting a hand on my other shoulder. “We’ve got the plan down. We’re all ready. Let’s get going.”

I took a deep breath. I could do this. I’d done it before under more dire and, to be honest, illegal, circumstances. I could do it now.

I shook out my arms, releasing tension. “Okay.”

“Give us ten minutes,” MJ said, and he and Beck left me standing alone watching them go.

*     *     *

The ladder was right where it was supposed to be, lying on the side of the big, white house. Rachael was in the corner bedroom. If I knew her, and I did, she’d be watching, dreamily out the back window, waiting for her mother to fetch her when it was time for the bride to make her appearance.

I lifted the ladder and propped it against the house, directly under the side window to Rachael’s room. I could see that the window was open a few inches.

Beck and the hired pilot took off in their helicopters as my foot hit the first rung. I paused to watch them lift into the air and disappear before continuing, hoping Rachael wouldn’t be tipped off that something was going down she didn’t know about. She was a stickler for plans and would start to panic.

I climbed up the ladder. The closer I got, the more the nervousness faded. This was
our
day, and I only needed to be with my bride. I smelled her faint, floral perfume through the open window as I peered through the screen and saw I’d been right. She was sitting on a love seat staring out the window over the back lawn, humming.

My God, she was beautiful, like some Renaissance painting come to life, all softness and light. My heart pounded so hard, I had to hold on to the window ledge so I didn’t fall off the ladder.

This was how a man was supposed to feel on his wedding day. Fortunate. Really damn fortunate, and it was time to tell her.

“Rachael?” I said, hoping not to scare her, but knowing it was inevitable.

She jumped, putting a hand to her chest, her eyes darting to the window where she’d heard my voice. “Merrick?” She got up and headed toward me.

“It’s me.”

She lifted the window all the way and knelt to prop her elbows on the ledge. A big smile spread across her lips. “What are you doing?”

“Before we get to that, maybe you could lift the screen and let me in.”

“I think this is staunchly against wedding day protocol, but since you climbed all the way up, I’ll do it.” She pulled the screen from the bottom and I helped push it all the way up before lifting myself inside one leg at a time.

“Thanks,” I said, taking her in my arms and looking her over, head to toe. “I couldn’t have imagined this in my best dream of you today.” I touched her cheek with the back of my fingers. She was so smooth and soft.

“You’re looking pretty dashing in your tux, Mr. Rocha,” she said, tugging on the ends of my bow tie. “What’s with sneaking in to see the bride before the ceremony? You don’t think you’re going to get the honeymoon benefits before you say ‘I do,’ do you?”

I laughed. Like I hadn’t been getting those benefits for months already. “No, Ms. DeSalvo, soon to be Mrs. Rocha, I came to save you from yourself again, just like the first night we met in that club.”

Her forehead creased in confusion, but she kept smiling. “Save me from myself? How do you mean?”

“You and I both know that while the Weston Plantation is a fantastic place, it’s not where you want to get married.” She opened her mouth to say something and I placed a finger on her lips. “So just like Archibald did with Ingrid all those years ago, I’m whisking you away to Turtle Tear.”

Her eyes got wide. “You’re whisking me away?”

I took her face between my hands. “Yes. It’s been planned for a while. All those people you invited here, they know the wedding will be a small, private affair on our small, private island. Nobody’s showing up until much later for our reception.”

At her bewildered expression, he leaned in and kissed her softly. “I love you, Rachael. I want to give you the day you desire with all your heart.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks onto my hands. “How’d you know?”

“I know you. I know what makes your heart beat. What makes your soul ache. I have to know, Rachael. I promised you forever. I get the honor of being the man waiting at the end of the aisle.”

A sob escaped her and she grabbed me behind my neck and pulled me to her. “I love you so much. I can’t imagine being without you.”

As she kissed me, I scooped her up in my arms and turned to the window. “Time to start our forever.”