Chapter 22
CHAPTER 22
A t four in the morning Cassidy was in her car at the airport. Warrick and Dalton were going to be landing any minute. She’d watched the meeting live and knew Warrick would be hurting. He’d told her goodnight when they were texting, but she couldn’t sleep knowing how upset he was.
Thurmond Culpepper was a spineless egomaniac. However, his narcissism was a positive in this case. She knew he’d do something, assuming he’d never be caught.
Cassidy watched the lights of the plane come into view. A couple of minutes later the plane touched down and taxied toward her. Cassidy got out of the car when the steps were lowered and people started getting off the plane. She saw the moment Warrick saw her. He looked relieved and she knew she made the right choice in coming.
She simply opened her arms and seconds later Warrick was hugging her so tightly her feet lifted off the ground. “Sweetheart, you should be in bed.”
“It’s not the same without you in it.” Cassidy kissed him and she heard whistles. They broke apart and several guardsmen and Dalton were whistling at them. “Come on, let’s go home.”
“I’d like to see your actual home sometime.”
“I can arrange that,” Cassidy told him as he tossed his things in the backseat. “Now, tell me what you really wanted to say and do to Thurmond.”
Warrick vented and Cassidy listened to the man she loved release the anger he’d been trying to keep bottled up. She held his hand, told him his feelings were justified, and told him how proud she was he’d been able to pull this off. By the time they arrived home, he was much calmer.
“This is so much bigger than my parents,” Warrick said with a sigh.
“It is.”
“There’s a new Mollia Domini trying to start up. I hope we’re not too late to stop it,” Warrick confessed. “There’s also something I want to talk to you about, but maybe not at four forty-five in the morning.”
“I’m here. You’re here. I say now is the perfect time,” Cassidy told him as they walked into the little house on Mo’s farm.
“Dalton mentioned how he thinks I would be a good fit for the president’s guard. I want to do it, but that would mean leaving you at the CIA, and I don’t know if I can do that.”
Cassidy kicked off her shoes and shoved down her jeans. “It’s been mentioned to me that I would be an asset to helping Greer run the president’s guard.” She saw Warrick’s face light up. “I say, let’s see how this week goes, and then talk about it again. I’m not married to the CIA.”
“You’re not married to me either,” Warrick said, his voice falling flat.
“Yet,” she said, giving him a wink that turned his frown into a smile. “That depends on family dinner. I won’t marry a man who my family can make cry.”
Cassidy finished stripping and climbed into bed. She patted the mattress next to her and that was all the invitation Warrick needed. “I love you, Cassidy.”
“Show me,” Cassidy said, knowing he needed love after a night like he’d had. “And I’ll show you how much I love you, Warrick.”
“You sure you did it right?” Cassidy asked as they hid in the bushes beside the road.
“I know how to dismantle a car, sweetheart.”
Cassidy watched then as Veronica’s car drove by with Blythe in the passenger seat.
“Go time,” Cassidy said when they heard the backfire. “I guess I owe you a blowie. You apparently do know how to dismantle a car.”
“Best bet I’ve ever made,” Warrick said with a laugh as they stepped out from the bushes and walked back to where Cassidy’s car was hidden.
Cassidy got behind the wheel and they slowly merged onto the road. They drove down the street heading toward town. Just around the first curve they found Veronica and Blythe standing by the hood of the car staring at it.
Cassidy slowed down and Warrick rolled down his window. “Hey ladies. Car trouble?”
“Yeah,” Blythe told him. “We were heading to the café, but the car just stopped.”
Warrick made a shucks type sound. “Sorry, I don’t know much about cars.”
“Hop in,” Cassidy said, leaning over to shout out Warrick’s window. “We just have a quick stop to make and then we can drop you at the café while your car gets towed.”
Warrick struggled not to laugh as both women winked at them. He’d been on CIA missions. He’d participated in plenty of military missions but none compared to the speed and strategy of Keeneston mobilizing to arrange a surprise engagement for Veronica and Blythe.
Cassidy kept up steady conversation as she drove out of town instead of toward it.
“Where are we going?” Veronica suddenly asked.
“Yeah, where are we going?” Blythe also asked.
“I told you. We have a quick stop before your stop. Cady has a special bottle of bourbon for us that I told her I’d pick up really quick,” Cassidy said, before turning the topic to the summit.
Veronica filled them in on who had accepted invitations to the summit and so far, which politicians were attending. Warrick watched as they turned into Barrel Creek Distillery. He’d expected the surprise to be blown since the whole town was there, but he didn’t see a single car besides the ones with the distillery’s logo on them.
Warrick watched Veronica and Blythe looking around. Both kept looking at their watches, thinking they’d be late to their special spot. Cassidy pulled into the parking lot. “This won’t take but a second.”
Cassidy jumped out and hurried inside.
“Sorry, ladies. I hope you’re not too hungry,” Warrick told them.
“No, but it is getting late,” Blythe told him, clearly unhappy.
She was about to get a lot more unhappy as Cassidy and Cady stepped out of the distillery. “Veronica!” Cady called out. “I am so glad you’re here. Actually, I can use all of you.”
Warrick opened the door and stepped out, forcing Blythe and Veronica to do the same. “First, thank you so much for having one of the activities for the summit here,” Cady said with a smile. “Follow me. I set up an outdoor tasting area. I want you to let me know what you think.”
“We really need to go to dinner,” Veronica said, glaring at Cassidy.
“Sorry,” Cassidy mouthed.
“I promise, it’ll just take a second. I’ve never had this many important people here before. This could be tremendously important for my business and I want to make a great impression,” Cady pleaded as they walked around back.
Warrick knew the plan and still fell for Cady’s sweet innocence.
“Now,” Cady said, stepping back before they turned the corner, “tell me what you think.”
Veronica and Blythe hurried forward as Cady, Cassidy, and Warrick stopped at the side of the building so they peeked around the corner and watched.
Veronica saw it first and stopped in her tracks. Then Blythe did. They both looked at each other and then crept forward suspiciously. The back area was set up for a party. Flowers filled the tables and a flower arch was at the end of the brick patio that overlooked the rolling hills of the bluegrass that were golden with the glow of the setting sun.
Warrick saw the lightbulb go off for both Blythe and Veronica at the same time. The both turned away from each other and grabbed something, Veronica from her purse and Blythe from her pocket.
“It’s lovely, Cady,” Veronica called out. “Let’s go see this arch, Blythe.”
“Yes, the arch is stunning,” Blythe said, walking hand in hand with Veronica.
“Shh,” Warrick admonished Cassidy and Cady who were trying so hard not to laugh at the fact that neither Blythe nor Veronica had figured out the other was also proposing.
“Veronica.”
“Blythe”
They said at the same time when they entered the arch. Then they froze as they both looked down as saw the other holding out a ring.
Veronica gasped. “But, I’m proposing.”
Blythe shook her head. “No, honey, I’m proposing.”
Then they both started laughing and crying. Warrick glanced beside him to see Cassidy watching with her hand over her heart and tears in her eyes as Veronica and Blythe pledged their love to each other.
“So, will you make me the happiest of women and marry me?” Veronica asked.
“Yes!” Blythe answered as Veronica slid the ring onto Blythe’s finger. “Will you do me the greatest honor of marrying me?”
“Yes!” Veronica said with the largest smile on her face as Blythe slid a ring onto her finger.
Warrick was about to go offer his congratulations, but Cassidy held him back. “Just wait,” she whispered.
Veronica and Blythe reached for each other under the flower arch. Veronica framed Blythe’s face with her hands and they kissed. It was so full of love that all Warrick could think about was wanting that with Cassidy. Then suddenly there was a pop and gold confetti burst out from each side of the arch and the entire town of Keeneston flooded out of the patio doors leading into the distillery.
It was then Warrick saw the drone and the people with professional cameras capturing the moment. Cady rushed forward to congratulate the couple as Mo and Dani hugged the happy couple.
“Wow,” Warrick said, watching the scene unfold. “Keeneston can really come together.”
“You should know that. You’ve seen us in action before.”
“Yeah, but that was a military campaign,” Warrick told her.
“Wedding planning and military campaigns are very similar,” Cassidy said with a laugh. “Come on. Let’s go congratulate the couple.”