Olin's lips twitched. "I'll check." He glanced at Hadman. "You coming?"
"Yeah." Hadman's pistol was raised, too. With his other hand, he massaged the bridge of his nose.
"If this is what she does to cops, I can't wait to see how she pulverized that son of a bitch downstairs."
Taylor was still trying to process the fact that Detectives Hadman and Olin were here, along with a
local backup team who'd boarded the yacht behind them. Mitch was there, too, and Reed was shoving cops out of the way so he could leap onto the yacht and get to her.
"Taylor." He grabbed her, assessing her dazed, rumpled state with excruciating torment. He himself looked like he'd aged ten years and hadn't slept one night of them. "God, sweetheart, are you all right?"
"I—I think so."
"Is she all right?" Hadman echoed as he hoisted himself back up the ladder. "I had a migraine to begin with. Your girlfriend just turned it into a concussion." The quick wink he shot Taylor belied his disgruntled tone. "Nice work."
Turning, he leaned down, helping Olin drag a half-conscious, fully naked Gordon Mallory up to the
main deck.
"Stop bitching," Olin advised his partner. "It could be worse. Take a look at this guy."
"I did. Why do you think I'm being so nice to her?"
In between banter, they hauled a handcuffed Gordon to his feet. Scotch was dripping down his body,
and pieces of glass were clinging to his hair and shoulders. He struggled to right himself, visibly disoriented by the blow to his head. His eyes, still tearing from Taylor's finger rake, were scratched and bleeding. His nose was bloody, too, and swollen. He was hunched over, limping, and totally out of it.
Reed and Mitch both stared.
"Hey, Taylor," Olin called over his shoulder, shoving Gordon across the deck and toward the waiting squad car. "Forget the family counseling. Join the force. The NYPD needs you."
"I..." Taylor's voice was quavering so badly she could barely speak. What was unfolding around her
still wasn't sinking in. Not fully.
She blinked at Reed. "How did you find me? How did you get here in time? How did you know that Dennis and Gordon were the same person?
How—" She broke off, burst into tears, and flung herself into Reed's arms. "I can't believe you're
really here."
"We're here. I'm here." He held her against him, his lips in her hair, cradling her in his arms like a precious treasure. He frowned, feeling the tremors shuddering through her body. "Did that filthy
bastard hurt you?"
She shook her head. "I stopped him, thanks to what you and Mitch taught me."
"Yeah, basic self-defense techniques come in very handy," Mitch agreed, coming up to stand beside them. "Martial-arts types never expect them, certainly not from the average person. So they never
know what hit them." He stared after Gordon's retreating figure. "Judging from the shape he's in,
I see you used my finger rakes and ear slaps."
Taylor responded to his levity, smiling through her tears. "I went for those first."
Reed wasn't smiling. "You had no choice. He trapped you in bed."
"For a little while," Taylor amended. "Till I got away." She wasn't ready to get into details—not yet.
The experience was still too raw. "I had to play a few head games to get him off guard. It was like choreographing a repulsive ballet. Anyway, once he got into his part, I raked and slapped, then ran.
I got only as far as the ladder before he grabbed me from behind." She flinched at the memory.
"He must have been ripping mad," Reed surmised. "The guy's certifiable. You took a huge risk."
"I had no choice."
"I know." A hard swallow. "How did you get away the second time?"
"That I owe to you." Taylor tilted up her chin to meet Reed's gaze. Her lashes were spiky with tears. "Remember that acronym you taught me during our self-defense lessons? It kept playing in my head,
over and over, like a litany. And when Gordon dragged me off that ladder, when I felt the violence rippling through him, I just used it. I didn't let myself think. I just acted. It was that, or die."
"What acronym?" Mitch demanded.
"Reed taught me to sing."
"To sing? Why—are you tone-deaf? Were you hoping to kill him with your voice?"
"No." Taylor laughed. "S-I-N-G." She spelled it out for him, letter by letter, then elaborated on each one. "Solar plexus. Instep. Nose. Groin. It worked wonders. So did a bottle of Scotch over the head."
"Very catchy. I'll have to remember that," Mitch noted.
"You never answered my questions," she reminded them. Shock was setting in, as was the cold, and
her teeth started chattering. She folded her arms across her breasts.
"I'll answer them all." Reed yanked off his coat and wrapped it around her. She saw the fury and pain that flashed across his face when he realized her bra was unfastened. He pulled his overcoat tightly around her, then eased her against him. "Later. Right now, I'm getting you to a hotel. You need sleep."
"Good idea," Mitch agreed. "I'm heading back to the city with Hadman and Olin. They're thrilled. I'm springing for a car." He grinned. "Somehow, I don't think you two will be needing me anymore tonight."
"No, we're fine," Reed assured him. "I'm tucking Taylor in bed, then calling all the worried people back home. Kevin was pretty freaked out. And Jonathan's a wreck."
"Poor Jonathan," Taylor murmured. "This must have been such a shock for him."
"He's free now. He'll also be in therapy, thanks to your referral. In time, he'll heal. We all will." Reed turned to Mitch. "Hey. Before you go, are you doing anything for Easter?"
"Nothing special. Why?"
"My whole family's getting together at my parents's place in Vermont. Rob will be there. You can take out that piece of hide you've been waiting to collect."
A chuckle. "Yeah, but then you'll owe him."
"No problem. I'll be paying him back in spades." Reed glanced at Taylor. "Not just him, but my whole family. I've got the perfect gift for them."
"And what would that be?" Mitch inquired. "Or should I say, who?"
"Who and what. The 'who' is Taylor. The 'what,' if I have my way, is an announcement."
"Is that announcement what I think it is?"
"You won't know until you leave us alone so I can ask my question and get my answer."
"I'm gone." Mitch gave a quick wave of his hand. "Good night. And good luck. See you in the Big
Apple. And count me in for Easter."
Taylor was staring at Reed when he turned back to her. "Reed . . ."
"Hotel first," he interrupted. "Then a hot bath. Then a glass of Merlot and a cozy fire. And then—"
"Yes," she broke in to reply. "The answer to your question is yes."
EPILOGUE
APRIL 20, EASTER SUNDAY
5:15 P.M.
NEWFANE, VERMONT
Reed was right.
It was a good thing the Weston farmhouse was made out of stone. Otherwise, it definitely would have burst that weekend.
By the time a full count was taken, there were eighteen adults, nine kids, one baby-in-waiting, two chocolate labs, one beagle, an orange tabby, her six kittens, an albino ferret, three gerbils, two acrobatic turtles, and a bunny.
Taylor had never seen such chaos in her life. The dinner table alone was nearly caving in from the
weight of the food and the people leaning over one another to reach for it.
The kids, having grown bored by food and conversation, were now running around, playing a variety
of games. The pets were barking, meowing, racing around wheels in their cages, doing backflips in
their water tanks, or dashing along with their respective owners as they burst in and out of the house.
The adults were drinking coffee, talking a mile a minute to catch up with one another's lives—and
hissing ou
t whispered bets over who'd be settling down first, Rob or Mitch. Both guys had brought
their girlfriends along, and both those girlfriends were now in the powder rooms freshening up.
"The pressure's on, Rob," his sister Meredith teased. "Now that Reed's taken, you're it. The loner in
the hot seat."
"Real cute." He patted Meredith's very pregnant belly. "Have another doughnut. My newest niece or nephew is starved. Make sure your mouth's full when Jen comes out of the bathroom. She doesn't
need encouragement. She's already giving me hints."
"So take them." With a broad grin, Meredith helped herself to a frosted doughnut.
"What about you, Mitch?" Joy, Reed's sister-in-law, inquired across the table. "Pam seems like a sweetheart."
"She is. But I'm waiting for Rob to go first."
A collective chuckle rumbled through the room.
"Let's get back to the center-stage couple of the weekend," Reed's oldest sister, Lisa, urged, getting up
to walk around the table and squat down next to Taylor. "Now that the initial hysteria has died down, may I see your ring up close?"
"Of course." Dutifully, Taylor held out her left hand for the umpteenth time since Reed had made their announcement yesterday.
"It's gorgeous." Lisa admired the glistening square-cut diamond. "Really gorgeous." She turned to Reed. "My compliments. A surprise engagement. A beautiful ring. A terrific woman. And a brand-new law
firm, one that will bring out the best in you. You hit the jackpot across the board." She squeezed
Taylor's hand. "Especially with Taylor."
"I think so, too," Reed agreed.
"Have you thought about where you're having the wedding, and when?" his sister Shannon asked
Taylor across the table.
Taylor gave a helpless shrug. "I'm open to suggestions. I haven't had a chance to think. It's been crazy."
"Before we open up the floor to suggestions, there are ground rules," Reed announced. "Where we
have the wedding is up for grabs. When isn't." He draped an arm around Taylor's shoulders.
"We're getting married as soon as possible."
"I don't blame you." Reed's father's voice was serious, laced with compassion. "After all Taylor's been through, she deserves some happiness."
"And some family," his mother added gently. "I'm so terribly sorry about your cousin."
"Thank you." Taylor still felt the pain of loss when she discussed Steph, but the horrible gripping emptiness had diminished. "I miss her."
A nostalgic smile. "But I know she's looking down at me and grinning ear to ear. She always said
I was destined for a big family."
"And a hottie for a husband," Reed reminded her. "Don't forget that part."
Rob groaned. "God, what an ego."
Everyone laughed.
"I have a suggestion," Reed's mother offered. "Unless the trip is too much for your guests, why not
get married here? We've got thirty acres. I'm sure that's larger than any catering hall. As for when, how about June? It's not too hot yet. And Vermont is beautiful in the late spring. The flowers are in bloom. The trees are full and green. Of course I'm biased."
"That's a great idea!" Meredith burst out. "The baby will be here by then, so we can fly up. Derek
wasn't too crazy about the four-day drive; the boys spent most of it bickering."
"It is a great idea," Lisa agreed. "We can set up a couple of tents on the grounds, in case it rains. But it won't. It'll be beautiful. We'll have the ceremony in the garden, and the reception across the entire backyard, facing northwest, so there's a stunning view of the mountains."
Shannon snapped her fingers. "I just thought of something. I know an amazing photographer. David Lodge. He grew up here. He moved out to Denver for a couple of years, and Roger and I got together with him and his wife. But he missed New England. He moved back to Vermont last year." She started rummaging through her purse. "I have his new card in here somewhere. He takes exquisite outdoor
shots. You remember him, don't you Reed."
"Yes," Reed began. "But—"
"Grandma, you'll have to do the centerpieces." Shari—Lisa and Bill's daughter, who was twelve going
on twenty—interrupted. Her ears had perked up at the word "wedding," and she'd rushed over to take part in the conversation. "You can sculpt a little vase for each table. We'll fill them with flowers."
"I'd love to." Her grandmother beamed.
"What about the overnight guests ?" Reed's father asked with a frown. "That could be a problem.
As it is, the farmhouse is overcrowded when the whole family's here."
"Not to worry," Reed's sister-in-law Jill jumped in. "The accommodations are on us. Mark and I have a ski lodge, remember? Right over the border in New Hampshire. It's just a short drive from here. And it's offseason, so we don't have any advance bookings yet. We can reserve the whole place, and put up as many guests as you need us to." A teasing twinkle lit her eyes. "Including the newlyweds. Need I remind you, Reed, that the VIP suite has an incredible view—perfect for honeymooners."
Reed opened his mouth to reply, but was immediately drowned out.
"You've got a built-in wedding party." Kyle gestured from the table to the shrieking kids racing through the house. "Enough bridesmaids, ushers, flower girls, and ring bearers to fill a room. And that's without whatever close friends you'll want to include."
"I'll cater the desserts." Meredith was already scribbling on a napkin. "You let me know how many
guests you're inviting and what your favorite desserts are. Leave the rest to me. Including the wedding cake. I can't wait to design that. As for the food, I'll get in touch with Gourmet Caterers. They're the
best in Vermont. I know one of the owners, Joan Carmichael. She'll take care of everything from hors d'oeuvres to entrees."
"What about music?" Joy asked. "We could do a combination of classical and funky. A string quartet
for the ceremony and a deejay or live band for the reception. Dignity first, dancing the night away second."
"Great idea," Lisa said. "The kids would love a deejay."
"Yeah, but a live band is great," her husband, Bill, countered. "They can play contemporary stuff for
the kids, and fifties, sixties, and seventies stuff for us, so I can get up and strut my stuff."
"And forties tunes for Mom and Dad and their friends," his wife added.
"But no disco," Derek interjected. "To quote the late, great Harry Chapin, 'disco sucks.' Not to mention that inevitably, you get a couple of paunchy, middle-aged guys who've had too much to drink and are convinced they can re-create Saturday Night Fever."
Meredith burst out laughing. "That's quite an image, darling."
"Yes, really." Lisa was grinning, too. "Fine. No disco. And Bill, you're right about a band being more versatile. You and I will make some phone calls."
"I have a name for you," Jill said. "We had two sets of honeymooners at the ski lodge—one in January and one in February—both of whom raved about the music at their weddings. It turned out they had
the same band."
"Terrific. That means they're local. I'll call them right away. Hopefully, they're not booked."
"You know," Mark added. "Speaking of our guests, we also had that stationery lady. The one who
ended up designing our New Year's invitations. Her samples were incredible. So was her work."
"Mark, you're a genius!" Jill gave him a huge hug. "I forgot all about that. She'd be perfect for the invitations. Ours were simple and clean, but she did everything from traditional to wild."
"Wild?" Lisa frowned. "Not for a wedding. Personally, I prefer—"
"Hey!" Reed cupped his hands over his mouth and bellowed. When that only made a small dent in the noise, he put two fingers in his mouth and let out a long whistle.
That got everyone's attention. They all looked up and blinked, as if suddenly noticing h
e was there.
"Remember me?" he asked in dry amusement. "I'm the groom. And see this beautiful woman next to
me? She's the bride. So, before you sign the contracts and finalize all the arrangements, is it okay if
we're consulted? I'd especially like to know how Taylor feels about all this—assuming she hasn't gone into shock. Maybe she wants to get married in Manhattan or in a big church. We love you, and your enthusiasm. But this is our wedding." He turned to his fiancee. "Are you in one piece?"
"I'm intact," Taylor assured him. Actually, she was glowing.
"Don't feel pressured by the crowd," Reed advised gently. "They have a tendency to get carried away."
"I don't feel pressured." What Taylor felt was choked up and a little teary. For the first time, she understood what it meant to be part of a family.