Accidental Bride and Groom Read online

  The car, he had almost forgotten about the car engine he’d heard. He was really starting to worry. Surely she wouldn’t do something as stupid as leave in the middle of the night. He felt panic rise to the surface. He was about to start downstairs to look for her when he saw the paperweight and note on her pillow. He picked it up and began to read.

  Landon and Lynn,

  I have a family emergency. I had to return to Georgia right away. Please don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I promise to return before the wedding celebration. I love you both.

  Landon was gripping the paper so tightly it tore. The last sentence looked like it had been tacked on as an afterthought, and maybe it had been. He knew she loved Lynn, but they hadn’t gotten a chance to talk about their feelings for each other.

  His frustration and worry got the best of him. “What the hell,” he shouted into the darkness. He didn’t know what was going on, but his instincts had been right on target. Whatever it was it couldn’t be good. In all the time he’d known her, Emma had never mentioned her parents, not once. Lynn had indicated to him several years ago that Emma was estranged from her parents and was an only child. That begged him to ask the question, what kind of family emergency would send her running to Georgia just days before her best friend’s wedding celebration? A celebration that Emma had worked really hard on for the past several days. It just didn’t make any sense.

  Landon looked up when he heard his sister and new brother-in-law stumble into the room.

  Lynn was the first to speak. “What in the world is going on in here? We could hear you yelling all the way down the hall. It’s almost midnight. Don’t tell me that you and Emma are fighting this late at night,” Lynn reprimanded with a sharp bite to her tone. “I swear Landon, you may be my brother, but if you hurt her, I will never forgive you.”

  Landon just stared at his sister. He didn’t know if he should be grateful his sister was willing to protect Emma from him or jealous. Why did his sister have to assume he was the cause of any problems the couple might be having. “We aren’t fighting,” Landon finally told the bystanders. “We can’t be fighting, because Emma isn’t even here.”

  “What,” his sister spluttered. “What do you mean she’s not here? It’s the middle of the night, where else would she be?”

  Landon held out what was left of the note he’d been mutilating with his clenched fist and showed it to his sister. “She was already gone when I woke up a few minutes ago. I found this note on her pillow.”

  Lynn grabbed the note from her brother’s hand and read it to out loud so that Bruce could hear the contents. When she finished, she balled up the already damaged paper and threw it at Landon. “You need to go after her right now. Charter a flight if you have to. I’ll drive you to the airport.” Lynn realized she was the only one moving. She turned back and looked at her brother. “This is not the time to be standing around, Landon. Go put on a shirt and some shoes, and let’s head for the airport.”

  Landon still didn’t move. His sister was taking this a lot worse than he was. There was something more going on here, but he couldn’t quite put a finger on it. “What’s going on Lynn? What aren’t you and Emma telling me? You are too upset for this to be your run of the mill family emergency.”

  Lynn huffed but took the time to answer his question. “I already told you once before that Emma and her parents are estranged.”

  “Yes, I know that much already. That’s why she always stayed with us during your college breaks and holidays. Tell me something I don’t know, Lynn. What’s got you so upset about Emma’s note?” Then a horrible thought crept into Landon’s mind. “You don’t think she’s planning on not returning, do you? I haven’t had a chance to convince her to stay in Texas yet.”

  Lynn vigorously shook her head. “I don’t think that at all Landon. What I do think is that Emma could be in trouble either physically, emotionally, or both. Did Emma ever talk to you about why she never saw her family?”

  “No.” He clenched and unclenched his fists. “She never mentioned her family at all. I always thought that was a little strange, but until her latest stay at the ranch she never really talked to me about anything.” He frowned. “I didn’t give it much thought.”

  Lynn took a deep breath. This wasn’t her story to tell, but Landon needed to know the truth so he could protect Emma. Unless she missed her guess Landon cared deeply for Emma maybe even loved her. He would definitely want to protect her. She had to tell him the truth and then pray that Emma would forgive her. She let it out in a rush of words and air. “Emma’s father is a drunk, a mean one that abuses his wife.”

  Landon audibly sucked in his breath. He didn’t know what he’d expected his sister to say, but that hadn’t been it. “Oh. My. God! Please tell me he did not touch Emma.” Unconsciously he clenched and unclenched his fists faster than before. When his sister took too long to answer, Landon almost lost his sanity. “Tell me, Lynn, I need to know. Did that bastard hurt her?”

  Lynn could feel her brother’s pain and tried to reassure him. “I don’t know. I don’t think so. Emma never said one way or the other. I know she wanted her mom to leave, tried to get her to come to Texas with her, but the woman refused. Instead, her mom told her to leave home and never come back. The first time she came to the ranch with me, that Thanksgiving six years ago, she came because I found her on the floor of our dorm room crying. She’d just called her mom and asked to come home for the holidays, and she’d been told once again not to bother.” Lynn sniffed. “She told Emma she wasn’t welcome and then hung up on her.”

  Landon felt like his insides had been shredded with a scalpel. He ached from the pain he knew Emma must have felt at her own mother’s rejection. “Emma’s so sweet. How could anyone treat her like that, especially her own mother?” Landon ran his hands through his sleep mused hair. “You’re right. I need to go to her right away. She’ll need my support and maybe even my help. I don’t think I could survive if anything happened to her. I know it seems sudden. We’ve only been intimately involved a handful of days, but I love her. I don’t think I could live without her, Lynn.”

  Lynn gave her brother a long hard look. It was just as she suspected, but now was not the time to gloat. She had Emma’s well-being and safety to worry about first. There would be time for gloating later. “Does Emma have any idea how you feel about her?” she asked instead.

  “I don’t know,” Landon admitted with a grim face. “I just realized how I felt myself about a day ago. I tried telling her earlier, but she was too upset for such an important conversation.”

  “We’d better get you to the airport then. It seems you have some work to do. There’s no way I’m letting Lynn drive that far this time of night by herself,” Bruce informed them. “So we’d all better get out of these night clothes and fast.”

  Landon winced. Emma was taking that drive by herself right now. He threw up a quick prayer that she made it to the airport safely. She wasn’t going to face her family alone though. He’d make sure of it. The trio separated, so they could quickly dress in clothes appropriate for travel.

  They met at the front door a handful of minutes later. “No bag?” Lynn asked her brother.

  “The only thing I need is my credit card to pay for a charter flight to Atlanta. I can buy anything else I need once I get there. I’m not wasting time packing a bag when every second counts. Let’s go!” He was the first one out the door and to the car. He jabbed the key into the ignition and was revving the engine and moving down the drive even before Lynn and Bruce could fasten their seatbelts.

  FOURTEEN

  Emma made it to the hospital in her hometown in record time. Luckily without traffic, it was only a thirty-minute drive to the community hospital. She strode to the admissions desk and asked about her mom. The woman sent her to the intensive care family area on the fifth floor. She recognized Mike Parsons and his wife as soon as she entered the waiting area. She quickly walked over to join them.

  �
��How’s my mom doing,” she asked. Emma had spent most of the drive to the hospital in tears. She probably had the puffy eyes and red nose to prove it. She must look a fright to the couple in front of her. Her looks were the least of her concerns, however. The nerves in her stomach were tangled in knots for too many reasons to name.

  To their credit, the Parsons rushed forward and enveloped Emma in a hug. “It’s too bad we have to see each other again under such horrible circumstances. I have good news though. Your mom’s out of surgery and is stable for now. She woke up a while ago, and the doctor said she is still asking for you.”

  “That’s why I’m here,” Emma confided to the older couple. “This is so hard, but I have to ask about my father. Where is he?”

  “The police arrested him and hauled him off to jail to dry out and sober up. He’ll eventually be charged for what he did to your mom. The two policemen that answered the call at your parents’ house are veterans. They were on the force when you made your original complaint several years ago. I’m sure they’ll see to it this time that justice is served and your mother is finally protected.”

  A doctor came into the waiting room and walked over to the Parsons. Mike Parsons introduced Emily to her mother’s doctor. The doctor shook hands with her and told her she could see her mom for just a couple of minutes. “I know it’s not visiting hours, but I think it might do her more good than harm to see you now. She’s been asking for you almost nonstop since she regained consciousness. Knowing you’re here might finally allow her to get the rest she needs.”

  “That would be wonderful. Thank you very much, Dr. Jones.” Emma hugged herself to dispel some of the chill that had settled in her body. “May I go in now?”

  “Just follow me. Remember,” he cautioned. “You can only stay for a couple of minutes. Your mother needs her rest. Like I said, I think it will be good for her to see you, but you mustn’t tire her any more than she already is.”

  Emma followed the doctor down the hall and into a semi-darkened hospital room. The hospital had that antiseptic smell that almost every hospital had. Emma wrinkled her nose in distaste. She looked around the room. It was small, but at least it was private and appeared to be neat and clean. She noticed the frail figure lying in the middle of the bed almost immediately. The doctor went straight to the chart at the foot of the bed. Emma walked over to the side of the bed.

  Her mom must have felt her presence because she opened her eyes and reached out a hand toward Emma. “Oh, my baby I’m so glad you came to see me. I was afraid you’d never want to see me again after the way I have treated you, but everything I did was done for your safety. If I had gone with you to Texas, your father would have followed us and taken his anger out on you. I didn’t matter. I just wanted to keep him and his anger away from you.” She took a deep breath and brushed an errant tear from her cheek.

  Emma felt her eyes water, and her own tears begin to fall. All those years she’d thought her mother hadn’t loved her anymore. “Oh mom, why didn’t you just tell me? You should have told me. I thought you hated me.” Emma cried even harder.

  “Oh honey, if I had told you the truth you would have never stayed away. The older you got, the more you stood up to your father. It would have only been a matter of time before the two of you butted heads, and he hurt you. I could have never lived with that. I decided it would be better to never see you again than to have you hurt while trying to defend me.”

  Both of the Sharpe women were crying in earnest by now. Emma carefully moved her arms around the various tubes and IV wires to give her mother a hug. The two women embraced for the first time in a long time. “I understand why you did what you did.” Emma confided to her mom. “I just wish things had been different that’s all. I’ve really missed you, mom.”

  “I know baby, I have missed you too. We’ll have plenty of time to catch up when I’ve had a chance to recover. You’ll have to tell me all about your life now. Is there anyone special in your life and do I have any grandkids yet?”

  Emma blushed at her mother’s question. “No momma. I’m still single and childfree unless you count the twenty plus third graders I teach every year.” She thought of Landon when she made that statement. She wondered if she would ever get married or give birth to children of her own. The uncertainty of their relationship still weighed heavy on her mind. She’d have to face him and the truth sooner or later. Then she’d be able to get on with her life, one way or the other.”

  The doctor closed the chart and placed it back in the holder at the foot of the bed. He cleared his throat to get their attention. “You seem to be feeling better Mrs. Sharpe. How’s the pain?”

  “I’m doing much better now that my daughter is here. My pain is a minor discomfort I can deal with as long as she’s here.”

  The doctor smiled. He saw abused patients too much in his line of work. At least this woman seemed to have a loving daughter to help her get through the abuse, seek help, and hopefully put it all behind her. “Your daughter just arrived and was anxious to see you. Visiting hours ended long ago, and you need your rest. I’m going to have to ask your daughter to leave now.”

  “Oh, doctor, she just got here. Does she have to leave right this minute?”

  “I’m afraid so. I’ll walk out with her and make sure she knows what time visiting hours begin. That way she can be here first thing in the morning. I’ll also tell the floor nurse to keep an eye on your pain level. We don’t want you to be in so much pain that you can’t visit with your daughter when she comes back to see you.”

  Emma saw the stubborn set of her mother’s jaw and thought she might continue arguing with the doctor. Emma didn’t want that. Her mother needed to save her strength, and the doctor had been doing them a favor when he let her in the room. She didn’t want him to regret it.

  She bent down and kissed her mom’s cheek. “I am rather tired. It feels like I’ve been traveling for hours,” in fact she had. “I’ll set up a makeshift bed in the waiting area and get a little rest as well,” she promised her mom.

  ****

  Emma had the waiting room all to herself. Mr. and Mrs. Parsons had left for home as had all the other occupants of the intensive care waiting area. She tried to make a bed out of three connected chairs, but they were hard, and she was too keyed up to rest. Several life-altering events had happened to her over the past couple of weeks, and her mind was having trouble processing everything. It wouldn’t slow down enough to allow her weary body the rest it craved.

  The seemingly doomed wedding and the changes needed to keep it on track had kept Emma on her toes. That would have been more than enough for anyone to handle. Then throw in one arrogant and gorgeous cowboy and a couple of nights of sensuous lovemaking on top of everything else and most women would have had more than enough, but no not Emma Sharpe. Her life could never be that simple. She had to have the added complication of an abusive father, estranged mother, and a midnight flight to the hospital.

  Emma rubbed her hands vigorously across her face and let out a groan. Why bother being quiet. It wasn’t like there was anyone to hear her anyway. If the commitment-shy Landon wasn’t scared off before he would be when he learned why she had to sneak off the ranch in the middle of the night.

  “Emma, there you are. The lady at the nurse’s station said I might find you here.”

  The gruff voice right in front of her made her almost jump out of the chair. She had been so consumed by her misery she hadn’t heard anyone approach. She lowered her hands, opened her eyes, and looked up. She was staring straight into the shimmering green eyes of Landon James.

  “Landon,” her voice was shaking from the extent of the emotion coursing through her body. “You are almost the last person I expected to see. What are you doing here?” She couldn’t believe he’d followed her all the way to Georgia. Dare she begin to hope that he actually cared for her and didn’t just see her as a convenient body to temporarily warm his bed?

  Landon looked at her. The disbelief was
clearly etched on his face. He couldn’t believe she would ask him that. “You take off in the middle of the night leaving only half an explanation as to your disappearance and didn’t think I would follow you? After all the time we’ve spent together the past few days you have to know that you mean more to me than that.”

  It wasn’t an undying declaration of love, but it would do for now. Emma felt hope spread through her body and unfurl like a blossoming magnolia on a hot southern summer day. She also felt as vulnerable as that same delicate magnolia about to have its creamy white petals bruised and broken from rough treatment. “I don’t know anything, Landon. We haven’t spent our time together talking, at least not about us, or our relationship, or even what we mean to each other. I don’t even know if you consider us to be in a relationship. For all I know, you consider our lovemaking a one-night stand that happened twice before this emergency. I am scheduled to return to Georgia the day after the wedding. You never said anything about me staying or even continuing our relationship once I left Texas.”

  Landon looked around the disheveled waiting room with its cheesy wallpaper and cheap plastic chairs. Several end tables stacked with magazines thrown haphazardly around didn’t help the room’s cluttered and uninspiring atmosphere. This was not the place he wanted to have what could turn out to be the most important conversation of his life, but it didn’t look like he had much of a choice. Now that he knew about Emma’s past he understood her commitment issues. He understood her need for reassurance. He needed to tell her how he felt and make sure she understood the deep, undying strength of those feelings.

  “I think you do know how I feel about you, Emma. Because I think you feel the same way about me. It’s a deep abiding love that sends a man out in the middle of the night to charter a flight without even packing a suitcase. All I knew is that I had to get to you, to make sure you were all right. On an instinctive level, I knew you needed me, and I had to find you, to hold you, kiss you, and comfort you. Do you understand what I’m trying to say to you, Emma?”