Chapter 18
Jordana had never argued with a pack of children before. They were incredibly passionate about alligators and Jordana loved it. She had that kind of passion for plants. Eventually, the debate settled on they’d agree to disagree.
Forrest was talking to the children’s parents as Skeeter joined her and Gator. “Hi, Jordana. Did they tell you about me taking you out to look at some of our plants?”
Jordana felt herself light up. She loved talking about plants just as much as those children loved talking about alligators. “I would absolutely love it. There are so many plants here that I don’t see in Brazil. I want to see them all.”
“Great, we’ll do it this coming weekend,” Skeeter told her. “As soon as the film crews are gone.”
“You mean as soon as your lady friend is gone,” Gator said, clearly teasing his friend.
Skeeter turned red. “Mary is so wonderful. I don’t get why she’s interested in talking to a guy like me. She’s so smart and the ghosts love her. Anne said Mary is making sure that the ‘scurvy dog gets our story right.’”
“I’ve only known you a short time and I already know you’re far smarter than that director.
I’ve learned more in one evening from you than I did in most of my university classes.
Mary would be lucky to earn your loyalty.
” Jordana already felt protective of her friends in Shadows Landing.
First making sure Rowan was eating and now making sure some snooty director didn’t make Skeeter feel bad about himself.
The door opened and Skeeter blushed. Jordana didn’t need to turn around to know Mary had walked in.
She didn’t just walk in either, she headed straight for Skeeter.
“Hi, Jordana, Gator.” Then Mary turned a large, but shy smile to Skeeter.
“Good evening, Owen. I was hoping to see you again. I was wondering if I could ask you some questions about Shadows Landing.”
“You want to ask me?”
“Yes, you’re the expert here. I might be the expert on piracy in general, but you are surely the expert on piracy as it pertains to Shadows Landing. I find your knowledge and your ability to paint an accurate historical picture very . . . attractive.”
Skeeter turned bright red. Gator and Jordana shared a big smile as Skeeter nodded and held out his arm to indicate they should take a seat at the very private corner table.
“I hope you two aren’t still arguing over caimans versus alligators,” Forrest said as he joined them and handed Jordana a drink.
“No, we’ve moved on to Skeeter and his woman,” Gator said before tipping back his beer and finishing it off.
Forrest turned to where they were looking and Jordana saw him smile too. Everyone loved Skeeter and wanted him to be happy.
“Forrest.” The deep voice behind her made Jordana flinch in surprise. She turned and had to look up at the dark and serious man she’d met the other night. Billionaire Ryker Faulkner. “I have information. I’ve called Granger and Damon. They’re meeting us here.”
The happy smile Jordana had been wearing since she entered the bar slipped from her face as Damon and Granger walked inside. For a moment, she forgot that her and Forrest’s lives were in danger.
Forrest’s hand came to rest supportively at the small of her back. “What have you found out?”
Ryker stood, almost glaring at them, yet he was nice enough to look into this for them.
“Illegal logging, mining, and farming are exploding in the and are run just as ruthlessly as any drug cartel. They have weapons, machinery, and money. They go into the —the more remote the better—and wipe out any indigenous tribes so they can take their lands. Mr. Alves is helping fight that. It’s obvious why Jordana was taken.
They wanted Mr. Alves to back off and let them continue their illegal activity.
However, Forrest, you are also causing a problem.
One of the ways these assholes can force tribes off their land is by destroying their water supply, thus forcing them to move off the land.
You gave them the means to stop that. It doesn’t matter if they contaminate the stream or dam it.
You gave those tribes a way to get clean drinking water, independent of streams and rivers. ”
“Of course,” Jordana said, fully understanding what was going on. “The tribes won’t give up their land easily if they have a means to hold out. They’d force the loggers or miners to come after them physically and that would draw my father’s attention.”
Ryker nodded. “Exactly, so you two are literally killing two birds with one stone. There is every chance that the people who came to Forrest’s village might not have known you were even there or that you’re even with Forrest now.”
“Now they’ve lost us both.” Jordana looked to Forrest with fear in her eyes.
Forrest pulled her to his side. “And that makes them desperate and desperate people are dangerous.”
“Exactly. Rumor has reached my guys that Jordana was the trump card, so not only did they lose her, they couldn’t even take out a nerdy scientist. Now it’s a matter of their reputation being on the line.
Other criminals are pushing in, thinking they’re weak, and trying to take over their illegal lands. ”
“What do we do?” Damon asked.
“The good news is, from what I can tell, they all assume Jordana is with her father,” Ryker told them. “And while their reach in Brazil is strong, it’s not as strong in the United States. But as Forrest pointed out, desperation leads to desperate measures.”
“I’ve told the foundation that gave me the grant I was in Europe,” Forrest told them.
“Good thinking. Have them looking everywhere except the obvious,” Granger said. “In the meantime, I don’t think there’s much we can do. We will stay vigilant here and hope Mr. Alves can take them down in Brazil. Ryker, maybe you can share your contacts with him?”
“No offense, but I don’t share my contacts. However, I’ll let Kane know everything and he can give Mr. Alves what information a ‘source’ has gathered. I hope you understand.” Ryker said that last part to Jordana.
“I do understand. If it makes you feel better, my father wouldn’t share his contacts with you either.” Jordana smiled when she saw Ryker’s lip twitch in amused respect for her father. They would get along great if they ever met.
“Jordana!” Waverly called out as she hurried in with a woman next to her. “I see you’ve met Ryker, but this is his wife, Kenzie. I couldn’t remember if you two met or not last night, so I’m happy I can make sure now.”
Jordana saw the big bad billionaire melt for his wife and it was the most romantic thing she’d ever seen. Ryker smiled at Kenzie, pulled her to him, and kissed her before she had a chance to say hello to anyone else. “Missed you today,” he whispered.
“I was gone for six hours. Somehow, I think you’ll survive. But I missed you too.” Kenzie then turned a big, bright smile onto Jordana. “And you’re going to have to miss me some more because I want to get to know Forrest’s girlfriend better.”
Kenzie looked to Forrest, then back to her, and then over at Waverly who smiled and clapped her hands.
“They didn’t even flinch when you said girlfriend.
They are so together, thank goodness!” Waverly hugged Jordana before she could even process what was happening as she was being dragged away by Kenzie and Waverly under the guise of girl talk.
“Isn’t Forrest wonderful?” Waverly asked her as they took a seat. She waved to Harper who asked Gator to watch the bar for a bit and joined them.
“Wait a second,” Kenzie said, stopping Jordana from answering as she stared at the drink Harper brought to the table. “What are you drinking?”
“Bourbon,” Harper answered and then turned her attention back to Jordana. “I guess things are going well.”
Kenzie was watching Harper intently as she sipped her bourbon.
“Um,” Jordana said. “Yes, they’re going really well, but maybe you are the right people to talk to.
I have such strong feelings and it’s been such a short time.
I mean, it took me six months to tell my last serious boyfriend that I loved him.
One week and I’m telling it to Forrest.”
“Aw!” Waverly looked ready to float away with happiness.
She had to be the sweetest person ever. “I’m so happy for you both!
But I also totally understand. I fell for Kane hard and fast. But do you know that love has only grown the longer I’m with him.
And I know for a fact that Natalie was the same with Stone. And Bex was the same with Wilder.”
“Same,” Harper told her. “Dare and I might have been at odds here and there, but those feelings were there from almost the moment we met.”
“If Forrest is anything like Ryker,” Kenzie said, leaning forward, “his love is just as steady and his loyalty unmatched. When our guys fall, they fall forever.”
Suddenly, Kenzie’s hand shot out, grabbed Harper’s bourbon and drank it all in one gulp. Jordana gasped. Her eyes stung in sympathy, except Kenzie wasn’t even coughing.
“Ha! I knew it! It’s iced tea,” Kenzie said, slamming the glass down, drawing the attention of Forrest sitting behind them at the bar. “You’re pregnant!”
A huge man who had joined Forrest turned and stepped up to Harper.
Jordana was pretty sure he was her husband, Dare.
She was still learning all their names. But the look of both pride and concern was clear.
He’d protect her no matter what, even from gossiping friends.
His hand came to Harper’s shoulder in silent support as Forrest, Damon, Granger, and the others all stared, waiting for confirmation.
“I am, but I’m only around seven weeks along,” Harper said, her voice low.
Kenzie screamed and sprang from her chair to hug Harper. “I’m so happy for you two.” She pulled back and frowned. “But why do you not look happy?”
Harper reached up and squeezed her husband’s hand and glanced up at him. Dare offered her a kind smile before looking to the table. “We wanted to wait until after the first trimester to say anything,” he told them.
Kenzie’s face fell and instantly she looked very professional. “Are you concerned about something with you or the baby? What was the heart rate? How is your blood pressure?”
Harper dropped her voice again. “I miscarried four months ago at six weeks. We’re very happy, but also very nervous.
As of now, everything is fine health-wise, but it was the last time too.
That’s why we didn’t want to say anything.
Because of the look on your faces right now.
I can’t take the whole town constantly looking at me with pity or constantly checking in with me. ”
Jordana wiped the sad look from her face and reached out her hand to Harper’s even as Kenzie looked guiltily at Harper, silently asking for forgiveness. “I am so sorry you both went through that. I’m also so very happy though, for where you are at the present.”
“You know you can call me at any time and I’ll bring the ultrasound machine over to see the little peanut if it will make you feel better,” Kenzie offered.
Harper took a deep breath. “I’d actually really like that. I haven’t even told Gavin. My brother wouldn’t ask. He’d just show up every morning and fret over me. That would make my stress worse than it is now.”
“I promise,” Kenzie said, crossing her heart with her finger. “I won’t bring it up again until you’re ready to tell everyone. And I promise I won’t tell Gavin why I’m borrowing the ultrasound, which I will only do when you text me that you want one.”
Harper smiled and reached her hand out to squeeze Kenzie’s. “Thank you. I really appreciate it.”
“Are you okay, babe?” Dare asked and waited until she smiled up at him. “I’ll tell the guys to keep it quiet. They’ll understand. And if they don’t, I’ll shoot them.”
Jordana didn’t know if he was joking or not until Harper laughed. “Just tell them I’ll ban them from the bar.”
Dare grimaced. “Damn, babe. That’s ruthless.”
Harper only laughed harder.
“Now, tell us about this shit you’re caught up in,” Harper said to Jordana after Dare left.
Jordana launched into telling them what Ryker had found out and about the assassination attempt on her father.
“My house is right behind the bar if you ever need to make a run for it. Trust me, Dare would love to beat the crap out of someone for you.”
“I’m shockingly good with a rapier,” Kenzie said seriously. A rapier? Who used that anymore? “Oh! That reminds me. Are you coming to class tomorrow at the church?”
“I am,” Jordana told them. “Will you be there?”
“We both will be,” Harper told her. “We can’t miss you meeting Miss Winnie and Miss Ruby. Also, you never know what Miss Mitzi will say.”
“Where are they? I’ve missed seeing them this week.” Kenzie asked.
“Who are these people?” Jordana asked at the same time.
“They’re the town elders. They’re our matriarchs. I want to be them when I grow up,” Harper told her before turning to Kenzie. “They’re at the South Carolina Craft Fair selling their dicks.”
Jordana choked on her drink. “I’m sorry, did you say dicks?”
Kenzie and Harper nodded. Harper pulled out her cell phone and turned to a social media post. “This is them.”
“Granny dicks,” Jordana muttered as she read their tagline. She saw photo after photo of knitted dicks dressed up in various outfits. “Meu Deus! She has the whole cast of Pride and Prejudice.” Jordana couldn’t help the very unladylike snort and howl of laughter that came out of her.
The guys joined them for dinner and the fear and anxiety from the day melted away.
Kenzie and Waverly asked her so many questions about her work and no one seemed bored when she talked for thirty minutes about plant life in the .
How did she find it so easy to be herself here?
Maybe it was because she didn’t have to live up to the Alves name. She was simply—Jordana.