Chapter 22
Forrest drove Jordana to Bell Landing. It wasn’t far, but it looked as if they’d travelled through time to another century.
Beautiful, towering oaks lined the drive, Spanish moss hanging from their branches.
Then a white mansion from another time came into view.
It seemed strange to drive a car up to it instead of a horse and carriage.
Mr. & Mrs. Bell, along with their daughter, Maggie, and son, Gage, stood on the large verandah waiting for them.
“It’s right out of a historical movie,” Jordana said, gaping at the gravel drive and perfect landscaping.
“The lawn slopes down to the river behind the house. It’s stunning.
Maggie and Gage have a shooting range down that path to the left.
” Forrest pointed to the separate gravel path, this one a little narrower, heading off into the distance.
“Oh, and the man about to open your door is Timmons. He’s their butler, estate manager, etc.
He only speaks in Millennial slang. But since his younger brother began to visit more, he’s trying not to show he’s older so he’s tossing in a lot of Gen Z slang and even some Gen Alpha.
I don’t understand half of what he says. ”
Timmons still wore his hair in his signature manbun as he opened Jordana’s door for her. “Wow, look at you with your skibidi rizz. You’re slaying, no cap. It’s giving international mystery model sigma. You totally slap.”
“Slap what?” Jordana asked and Forrest almost laughed at her complete confusion, but he didn’t since he was just as confused.
“I’m gagged by your queen aura. You just hit different.” Timmons smiled at her and closed the door.
“Am I supposed to hit him?” Jordana whispered in alarm as other cars began to pull up and Timmons went on spouting words and catch phrases that made no sense to her or Forrest.
Maggie met them on the steps and gave Jordana a hug. “Gavin and Kenzie have the room all set up for him.” She walked up the steps and then turned to her parents. “Jordana Alves, may I introduce my parents, Clark and Suze Bell, and my brother, Gage.”
Jordana greeted and thanked them all as Hunter stepped from the house. Behind her, Kane and Waverly joined them on the verandah. The sound of a motorcycle coming up the lane signaled Damon’s arrival.
“Come in. We’ll wait in the living room. Timmons, could you bring us tea and some snacks?”
“Bet,” Timmons said before disappearing into the house.
Forrest followed behind Jordana as they entered the living room. Everyone took a seat, but he could tell Jordana really wanted to pace.
“Granger, Kord, and Tristan are along the road between here and the airbase,” Hunter told them. “Sutton will text as soon as the plane lands.”
“So, we just wait.” Jordana looked ready to bolt and run to Charleston. Forrest put his hand over Jordana’s and gave it a reassuring squeeze as she bounced her leg.
Suze did a great job distracting Jordana with the history of the estate. Hunter’s phone pinging with an incoming text stopped her discussion of the estate’s role during the Civil War.
“Your father is in the SUV with Sutton and they’re on their way. She sent a second SUV straight to Waverly’s with Jordana’s supplies,” Hunter told her.
Waverly nodded. “Security will show them where to put it.”
“I can’t stay in the room and wait.” Jordana stood up and began to pace. “Can I wait outside?”
“Of course, dear,” Suze said, standing to join her. “We can all wait outside with you. Let me tell you about our gardens.”
“Your mom is really good at distraction,” Forrest whispered to Gage as they headed out front.
“Yeah, works great when you’re trying to ask her something as a teenager and she doesn’t want to answer so she goes on a forty-minute lecture on the history of the house. That’s what she did when I asked her if she liked my first girlfriend.”
Forrest knew when to give comfort and when to pull back. Right now, Suze had Jordana well in hand, keeping her calm, even as she paced. Forrest kept out of her way until the sound of tires on gravel could be heard. Then he raced forward to join Jordana in running down the steps.
An extended SUV came into view. Forrest had expected a whole train of SUVs, but only one appeared. He had to hold Jordana back as it came to a stop. She’d wanted to race and open the door, but he didn’t know if the agents would approve of that or not.
The front doors opened and two men stepped out.
They might be in suits, but it was clear they were well armed.
One opened the back door closest to the house while the other opened the tailgate.
Forrest had expected heels and a fancy suit.
He hadn’t expected sneakers, jeans, and a snug-fitting red V-neck shirt.
But that was what Secretary of State Sutton Ramsey was wearing.
“You must be Jordana Alves. I’m Sutton Ramsey.”
Damon, Kane, and Hunter were at the back of the SUV and he could tell Jordana wanted to be there too. She held it together long enough to shake Sutton’s hand and thank her for getting her father to the U.S.
Forrest introduced himself and also shook her hand before letting Suze and Maggie take over hostess duties in welcoming the Secretary of State. Forrest rounded the vehicle to find Jordana bouncing from foot to foot as she impatiently waited to see her father.
“Here, let me help.” Forrest moved into position behind Damon and then they began to move the transport board with Mr. Alves strapped on it out of the back of the SUV.
“Dad!” Jordana cried. She couldn’t help it.
“It’s okay, my dear. I’m here. Let these young men get me out of the SUV and then I’ll hug you. Now, introduce yourselves as you pull me out.”
Forrest chuckled. He liked her father already. “I’m Hunter Townsend,” Hunter said up at his head.
“And I’m Damon, the eldest Townsend.”
Her father chuckled and then groaned in pain. “A typical older sibling, you have to let everyone know you’re the leader, huh?”
“Yes, sir,” Damon said a slight smirk on his lips.
“I’m Kane Townsend, sir. It’s nice to meet you in person.”
“I would know you by your voice. It’s good to put a face with the voice though. And I guess that makes you Forrest? Or are there still more Townsends?”
Forrest smiled at him as he finally got Mr. Alves far enough out of the SUV to see his ashen face. “I am Forrest, sir. And there’s plenty more Townsends. Here’s one right now. My twin, Rowan, he’s going to be one of your doctors.”
“I’ll get to him in a minute. Are you taking care of my baby girl, Forrest?”
“Dad!” Jordana exclaimed even as she wiped tears from her face. Forrest wanted to hug her, but Waverly was at her side as Forrest and his brothers carried Mr. Alves out of the SUV.
“I am, sir. And I hope to be taking care of her for a very long time.”
Mr. Alves smiled at that. Waverly lost her battle to hold Jordana back and she shot between Damon and Forrest to grab her father’s hand and start talking as fast as she could in Portuguese.
“Which one of you is his doctor?” one of the agents asked.
“We are,” Rowan said to where he, Gavin, and Kenzie were standing.
“Here are his medical records. Agents Mayfield and Spivey will be staying here with Mr. Alves. I’ll be escorting the secretary back to D.C.”
Rowan took the records and thanked him as Gavin gently interrupted Jordana and had Forrest and his brothers follow him to the room they had made up for Mr. Alves.
It took several minutes to get Mr. Alves into the hospital bed and hooked up to the monitors. The doctors were ready to get to work, but Jordana’s father stopped them. “I need a moment with Forrest. Everyone else out.”
Forrest enjoyed seeing Damon get ordered about. That didn’t happen often. Jordana tried to stop him, but whatever her father said in Portuguese had her leaving too.
The door closed and Forrest stepped up to the bed and waited. It didn’t take long for her father to tell him what was on his mind.
“So, you’re the man who loves my Jory?”
“I am.”
“I don’t know if I can pull this one off, son. But I need your word that if I’m not here, you’ll protect her with your life.”
His body seemed weak, but his mind was sharp. His face was pale and sweaty.
“You have my word, sir. And while we’re here alone, I’d like to ask for your permission to marry your daughter.” Forrest had laid in bed all night holding Jordana, and it was all he could think of. There was no question she was the one for him. None.
Her father smiled. “When you find the right one it hits hard. Doesn’t it, son?”
“The hardest, best hit I’ve ever gotten.”
It was too hard for Mr. Alves to hold up his arm, but he straightened it by his side. “You have my permission, son. I knew the moment she said your name on the phone to me that you were the one.” Forrest reached down and shook his hand. “Now, for the time I have left, call me Pedro.”
Forrest leaned forward so Pedro had to look him in the eyes.
“Jory just got you back. Don’t die on her, sir.
She told me stories of how you never quit, how you never surrendered.
Don’t you want to walk your daughter down the aisle?
Hold your grandchildren? Watch the people who hurt your little girl suffer? ”
A tired smile cracked Pedro’s lips. “Now you definitely have my approval. Bring me their heads, son.”
“I will, sir. First, I’ll bring you your daughter and the doctors.”
The trip was clearly zapping Pedro’s energy.
He looked ready to sleep as he opened the door.
Jordana was the first to rush in as she and her father began talking in Portuguese.
Gavin and Kenzie entered, but Forrest stopped his twin.
“Rowan, that man is going to be my father-in-law. Do whatever you can to get him better.”
Rowan didn’t look as surprised as Forrest had thought he would.
He gave Forrest a nod and then headed back into the room.
Forrest looked up. In the shadows of the hall, he found Damon leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest and a smirk on his face.
“I believe the words are, ‘You were right, Damon. I do need the love of a good woman.’”
Forrest rolled his eyes at him as they walked to the front of the house. They heard voices coming from the living room and found Sutton Ramsey talking to the Bells, Kane, Waverly, Maggie, and Hunter.
“I never thought of politicians as good-looking before, but wow. Sutton could be one of those athlete models,” Forrest whispered.
“And look, she went right for Preppy Boy,” Damon grumbled about Gage. “At least his pants don’t have tiny sailboats on them today.”
“Someone sounds jealous,” Forrest teased.
“Right, the biker and the secretary of state. Not my type. Not enough tattoos and probably no scars. She’s private school through and through.”
“Secretary Ramsey,” Forrest said, smiling, and holding out his hand. “I’m Forrest Townsend. Thank you so much for helping my girlfriend’s father. Have you met my eldest, very single brother, Damon?”
Sutton shook his hand and then turned to Damon. “I haven’t had the pleasure yet.” She held out her hand and waited.
“Most women of your status wouldn’t call it a pleasure, princess.”
Forrest and everyone else in the room froze.
Sutton stood holding out her hand. She didn’t even blush.
Instead, she smirked up at him. Damon towered over her and glared down at her as if she hadn’t personally made all this possible.
“Oh, Mr. Townsend, I know all about what brings me pleasure. Not that you would. How is your body shop in D.C. doing? It opened two years ago, didn’t it? ”
Sutton finally put her hand down, but only smiled the more Damon glowered. Gage stood to the side, clearly forgotten at this point. “You had to clear the big bad biker before you came here, princess?”
“I’d like to think I’m more Joan of Arc. But of course, I investigated you. Damon Townsend, the rags-to-riches story of America’s favorite bad boy. My, you have quite a following of biker bunnies. It’s actually impressive.”
“And I’m sure you have quite the following of finance bros and politicians who like to talk down to you,” Damon shot back.
Sutton’s eyes went wide. “That is actually quite accurate and surprisingly feminist.”
“I have sisters. I’ve beaten up enough of those douche bags to know a woman who’s likely a target of them.”
“So, what? Are you saying I should date someone more like you than them?” Sutton asked sweetly.
“You couldn’t handle a man like me, princess. I don’t play nice.”
“Am I interrupting?” Jordana asked, joining everyone staring at Damon and Sutton.
“Not at all,” Sutton said, turning to Jordana with a smile. “How is your father?”
“The doctors are with him now. He instructed me to be a good politician’s daughter and take you out for lunch before you head home.” Jordana didn’t seem happy about it, but she was the dutiful daughter.
“Karri’s is closed this week as she gets ready for her wedding. There’s either the diner, The Pink Pig, or Lowcountry Smokehouse. Which sounds good to you, Secretary Ramsey?” Forrest asked.
“I can’t be recognized. I’m not here, remember?” Sutton told them.
“Don’t worry about Shadows Landing,” Suze told her.
“The documentary pirates are still on the pirate ship today so it’s just townies.
And if it would make you feel better, you could always go to Harper’s Bar.
It just opened for the day and it’s usually not too busy at this time.
Plus, I bet she’ll lock the door for you and tell anyone who comes knocking to go away. ”
“Harper is Ryker Faulkner’s cousin, correct?” Sutton asked.
“You got it, princess. Already eying that presidential campaign contribution, aren’t you?” Damon winked at her and Jordana’s mouth dropped in surprise.
Sutton stepped forward and placed her hand on Damon’s black T-shirt that was stretched tight against his chest. Then she looked at him with big eyes and batted her lashes.
“I would ask if I could count on your vote, but I don’t own leather chaps or spread my legs for all the vests in your club.
Too bad. I guess I’m not bunny enough to get your vote.
How will I ever win the presidency?” She batted her lashes and sighed dramatically, sarcasm oozing from every word.
Hunter snickered. Maggie bit her lip and smacked him in the arm. Waverly and Kane were staring at the ground as their shoulders shook. Clark and Gage put their hands in their pockets and grinned. Suze bit her lip and smiled, ever the perfect hostess.
“Then Harper’s it is. You’ll just love her burgers.”