The Groom Candidate by London Cait

Author:London, Cait
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-942478-30-0
Publisher: Cait London Books
Published: 2017-06-11T00:00:00+00:00

Six

“You’ve looked stunned for the entire two weeks you’ve been married, Lacey. Surely you knew that once Birk decided you were the one, he’d want to marry you. You married in such a hurry that we wanted to give you a proper bridal shower.”

Elspeth’s sleek black hair gleamed, crossing her Tallchief tartan in a rich braid. A sparkling line of blue beads swayed as she met Alek’s kiss. With short curls framing his face and an earring in his ear, Alek also wore the Tallchief tartan. The design mixed Una’s Scottish Fearghus plaid with a unique vermillion stripe added by Elspeth’s loom.

Elspeth, a professional weaver, had learned from her mother. Una’s fiery paisley shawl had brought Elspeth and her husband, Alek Petrovna, together. His sister Talia’s marriage to Calum had drawn Alek to Amen Flats.

Amid the tall family of Sioux and Scottish background, Lacey wore the Tallchief colors, a gift to her from Elspeth. She had always worn the plaids, had been included in the family, and yet now, she was terrified. While the past clawed at her, the future terrified her.

On a Saturday night, the old Tallchief ranch home, remodeled by Duncan, was filled with townspeople and Tallchiefs. Sybil moved gracefully through the seated and standing guests, dressed in an elegantly simple, long black gown. The Tallchief plaid crossed her body, ripening with Duncan’s second child. Amid his brothers, Duncan’s gaze flicked to his wife, banked desire mixed with love.

Calum lifted his head from the intense discussion when his wife, Talia, passed. Always cool and confident, Calum straightened suddenly and Talia, her long blond hair fanning around her, danced from him.

“She’s tormenting him,” Elspeth murmured with a soft smile. “Since the baby, he’s been too careful with her. She just pinched our fair Calum’s backside.”

Lacey closed her eyes, the old house familiar to her. Matthew and Pauline Tallchiefs’ laughter seemed to mix with the steady hum of people talking. She’d almost grown up here, and now everything was different and frightening.

Birk glanced at her, one of those quick, assessing glances, a check mark on her welfare. He’d made it clear that he possessed her—yes, a possession, she mulled. Birk’s arm was always around her shoulder, drawing her near, or there was his kiss and a nuzzle and a lingering caress on her arm. He’d tucked her under his protective and possessive wing, and she didn’t like it.

“Elspeth, I don’t see why we had to have this shower, when you only just got married. We all were here, just like this, toasting you and Alek after the wedding. There’s no reason you should send out invitations and deck out the Tallchief house again. I really don’t like celebrations in my—our honor. You even got Fiona to come home in the midst of her battles. It’s all so fast,” Lacey returned unevenly.

There was Fiona moving through the old friends and never stopping for long. The same age as Lacey and her friend forever, the youngest Tallchief wore her storms and was just as restless as the others.

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