Chapter 3
Chapter three
Harper
There’s a knock on my hotel door at six o’clock in the morning, and without thinking, I grab the gun from underneath my pillow. No one in their right mind would dare wake someone up at this hour unless they plan on taking the person hostage.
I shuffle quietly to the door and place my ear against the thin piece of wood as I listen to the conversation happening on the other side.
“I can pick the lock in under twelve seconds,” Jessie says.
“I can pick the lock in under ten,” Savannah retorts.
A voice I don’t recognize says, “I can do it in under two. Jerry created a master electronic key that will short circuit the lock.”
Amelia giggles. “You three sound like you’re playing the spy version of ‘Name That Tune,’ only with lock picking. How about we just knock again?”
I can almost hear the pout in Jessie’s voice as she asks, “Where’s the fun in that? Harper had her chance to answer the door.”
I hear the tell-tale sound of the lock disengaging, and I reach for the doorknob to open it, giving them a surprise of my own. Three bodies fall into a pile on the floor. “What are you all doing here at this hour, and why?”
Jessie, Savannah, and the woman I don’t recognize are laughing as they try to untangle themselves.
Amelia steps forward while several other women stand behind her.
“We wanted to surprise you on your wedding day! We’ve got mimosas and presents!
Now put that gun away so we can get this day started on the right foot. ”
As the women file in, I excuse myself to go brush my teeth and run a brush through my hair. I’m half tempted to breathe my dragon breath on the ladies for waking me up so early, but I can’t quite bring myself to do it. They all look so excited to be here.
When I come back into the room, a woman with dark, luxurious locks, emerald-green eyes, and perfect skin hands me a glass flute filled with champagne and orange juice.
“I’m Ariella Kent, Patrick’s wife.” She rubs her burgeoning belly and looks about ready to pop.
I eye her glass, and she laughs. “Don’t worry. It’s just orange juice in mine.”
Ariella Kent is the princess of Cothena, a small island in the Mediterranean known for producing high-quality pharmaceuticals. “I’m not sure if I’m supposed to curtsey or not,” I say in all seriousness, unsure of the protocol for meeting royalty while still in my pajamas.
She waves away my comment. “We are all friends here and don’t stand on formality.”
Savannah comes up and rubs Ariella’s belly, bending down to talk to the baby. “We are going to be the best aunties you ever had, sweet girl. Even if your mom doesn’t treat you like the princess you are, the rest of us are going to spoil you rotten.”
Ariella’s laugh sounds like Tinkerbell and windchimes. “There definitely won’t be any shortage of love to go around.”
A gorgeous woman with red hair weaved into a French braid comes over to introduce herself. “I’m Leanna, Carter’s other half. I’ll be joining you for the excursion down to the Keys.” She rubs her hands together. “I can’t wait to play with all the cool toys.”
I’m not sure what “cool toys” she’s talking about, but I’m sure I’ll find out soon enough.
As an agent for the FBI, we have some pretty nifty tools at our disposal as well.
She slings an arm around my shoulders and guides me toward the living area, where the rest of the women have taken up all the available space except for a spot in the middle of the sofa.
Apparently, the spot is reserved for me.
Leanna points to a dainty woman with short blonde hair cut into a bob and silver eyes that remind me of Roger.
“That’s Claire, Ben’s wife. You already know Amelia, Savannah, and Jessie,” she says, pointing to each of them in turn.
“Last but certainly not least is Rosie. She’s Jerry’s fiancée, and they’ll be married in a few short weeks. ”
“It’s great to meet you all, but you do realize that this marriage is only real on paper, right?
” I ask. “It’s just a farce so that we can stay at the resort to do some investigating and find my parents.
” I can’t understand why all these women are going to such lengths for something that amounts to some hasty “I do’s. ”
Everyone laughs except for me. Jessie points to Amelia, “She’s a matchmaker extraordinaire. Amelia is like a dog with a bone if there’s even an ounce of romance in the air.”
Amelia smiles and bounces on her toes, proving Jessie’s statement to be true. “I have a plan to keep you and Roger together in the ‘forever’ category. I have a good feeling about the two of you!”
I shake my head adamantly. “Roger doesn’t see me that way, Amelia. I will always be my father’s daughter to him and the little girl he used to tell stories to.”
Savannah pats my knee gently. “But you want him to see you differently. Am I right?”
“By the time we’re done with her, Roger won’t have a choice,” Amelia says with a mischievous glint in her eye. Amelia hands me a gift. “It’s time to open presents. This one is from Jessie and Savannah.”
I secretly love getting gifts, but I hesitate to open the one sitting on my lap. Jessie nudges me playfully and says, “Go ahead and rip that paper to shreds. It’s the best part of opening a present!”
I tear the wrapping off the box, but I lift the lid cautiously. I pull out what looks like a corset, but yet it’s not. “If this is supposed to be lingerie, it’s not very sexy,” I quip.
Savannah giggles. “It’s ultra-thin body armor and feels like a second skin. It’s top-of-the-line and can save your life. Just ask Jessie.”
Jessie rubs her ribcage and nods approvingly. “Yep. I can attest that it works as advertised. If you are going to be one of us, it’s mandatory that you wear one. Trust me, everyone will give you grief if you don’t.”
I almost cry because I have always wanted to be part of their group, but I manage to hold the tears at bay. Instead, I ask Jessie, “I take it that you know from experience?” Her face scrunches up, and she dips her chin once. I gesture toward the gift. “Thank you. It’s very thoughtful.”
Leanna hands me another gift and smiles, showing me all her pearly whites. “This one is from Carter and me. He actually picked it out, but don’t let him know that I told you that.”
Inside the small box is a pair of blue sapphire teardrop earrings. “Thank you, but this is too much,” I say. “The two of you don’t even know me.”
Rosie pipes up. “You mean the world to Roger, and therefore, you mean the world to us. You’re family whether you’re married to Roger or not.” She winks before handing another package to me. “This one is from Jerry and me.”
By the time I open the last gift, I have body armor, earrings, a necklace, a swimsuit, a designer gown, Zanotti heels, and lingerie in my possession.
Amelia points to the nightie. “That’s a ‘just in case you decide to stay married’ gift.
If my plan works out, Roger will be the one blushing instead of you!
” I place the palm of my hand against my cheek and can feel the heat from my embarrassment.
When there is a knock at the door, Savannah jumps up and shouts, “I got it!” When she returns, she’s holding another box. “One more gift, and then it’s time to get ready for the big day!”
“But you guys already gave me presents, which was totally unnecessary, by the way,” I say.
“Pish posh,” Savannah chides. “This last gift isn’t from any of us.”
I take the large box from her hands and remove the pretty pink ribbon. I read the card,
Harper,
You are beautiful no matter what you wear simply because you have a pure heart and a kind soul. Your smile lights up a room, and your eyes twinkle like the stars. Although this marriage may not be real in your eyes, I thought you might want something special for today.
Love,
Roger
Inside the box is a classic white, strapless gown with a heart-shaped bodice and delicate glass beadwork along the waistline.
It’s absolutely exquisite and far more luxurious than anything I had planned to wear.
The ladies “ooh” and “ahh” over the dress while I sit there in stunned silence, trying once again to hold back the tears.
It’s a thoughtful gesture on Roger’s part, but I can’t help but wish this wedding was real.
I mean, technically it’s real, but not in the true sense of what a marriage should be.
Ariella claps her hands together. “Let’s not let this beautiful dress go to waste. We have work to do!”
For the next two hours, my hair is woven into an intricate updo, and my makeup is flawless. The dress fits like a glove and hugs my curves perfectly. I look ready for a wedding that should be held in a church, not in a courthouse.
Instead of standing in front of a Justice of the Peace, I’m whisked away to a small church just north of the city.
Upon our arrival, I’m dragged into one of the side rooms that has a small couch and told to wait there.
The ladies scurry away, and I use my time alone to admire the dress and talk to God.
“Lord, as you can see, I’m desperate to find my parents and willing to go to extraordinary lengths to bring them home.
But I can’t do this without Your help. I don’t know if I can look into Roger’s silver-gray eyes every day and not fall in love with him all over again.
Oh, who am I kidding? You know my heart and are well aware I never stopped loving him—no matter how much I’ve tried.
Please give me the strength to stay focused on the objective and to understand what Your will is in all of this.
Because right now, I don’t get it. I can’t see any reason for You to take my parents away after they’ve spent their life loving You. ”
A throat clears behind me, and I whip around to see who has the skills to sneak up on me.
Savannah is leaning against the wall with her hands behind her back and a soft smile tugging at her lips.
She looks like a million bucks wearing a deep-purple A-line cocktail dress with wide-band shoulder straps.
“How long have you been standing there?” I ask, hoping she didn’t hear my profession of love.
She strides over to me and adjusts the clasp on my necklace so that it rests at the back of my neck instead of by the sapphire studded cross just above the top of my dress.
“Enough to know that I wish I were going with you to see how this all unfolds—not only with finding Robert and Eloise but also with Roger. He is a handsome stud, isn’t he?
He’s got that whole sexy and distinguished vibe going for him, especially with the salt and pepper hair, chiseled jawline, and hint of stubble. ”
My mouth flops open and closed like a fish gasping for air. I want to refute her words, but it would only end up being a lie.
Savannah clasps my hands in hers. “Can I give you some advice?”
“It depends on whether or not I’m going to like it. Is it about Roger?” I retort.
She shakes her head. “Not really. One thing I’ve learned about relationships is that you can fight your feelings all you want, but in the end, you’ll find yourself in a position where you can no longer ignore them. My advice has more to do with the other part of your tête-à-tête with God.
“I want to commend you for admitting that you don’t understand and remaining calm when so often people prefer to blame God and get angry.
It goes to show that you’re confident that your parents’ disappearance is all part of a grand plan—His plan.
My advice to you is to remain patient when waiting for an answer.
There are times when we can see God’s hand at work in the moment, while in other situations, it can take years before we grasp the magnitude of His ultimate design. At least it did for me,” she says.
“Maybe one day you’ll tell me the story.”
Savannah smiles brightly, “I’d love to, especially since it ends in a ‘happy ever after.’ But for now, we have your own ‘happy ever after’ to create.”
“Why are all of you going through such an elaborate set-up? Heck, you’re wearing a bridesmaid dress.” I ask her as she reaches for the doorknob.
“For two reasons, Harper. The first is that the resort has asked for wedding pics for a slide show displayed during the gala at the end of the week. Amelia didn’t want to send doctored photos, so we are doing the whole wedding for authenticity.”
I guess that makes sense. If the resort has a year-long waiting list, it’s unlikely that those who could afford it would have a quickie wedding at a courthouse. “And the other reason?”
Savannah giggles. “Because we want to see Roger’s face when you walk down the aisle wearing that beautiful dress and give him a taste of what he would be missing.” She points to her necklace. “We’re all wearing bodycams so that we don’t miss his expression.”
“Oh. Well. Um. Er.”
Savannah grabs my hand and drags me toward the door. “Don’t just stand there stuttering. Operation Honeymoon Rescue is in full effect.”