WindSwept Narrows: #12 Danielle Greystone Read online

  Danielle Greystone

  WindSwept Narrows

  Book Twelve

  Karen A. Nichols

  Copyright 2011 by Karen A. Nichols

  Smashwords Edition

  Published by Karen Nichols. Copyright, Karen Nichols. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Chapter One

  Surprises on Christmas Eve weren’t such an unusual thing. After all, it is considered the season of miracles. For some reason, most of the men watching the third choral recital believed themselves to be immune to such things as surprises in their relationships.

  They each had some silly notion that they knew their partners very, very well.

  Some were about to be proven wrong.

  The men were all dressed in black tux and white shirts, watching the curtain come up and the first song began, the large room was silent, but for the melodic voices of the women on the stage.

  It was the third show. The first had been for the employees, as a thank you for their hard work in getting the resort up and running. The Christmas Eve show had been the one the women had expressly asked their partners to attend. Word spread and before the second showing the night before, all four shows had sold out, making a great deal of money for the charity they were building and incredible press for the resort.

  Mac Lawson and Nate Cooper were two of the men not in the aisles for the entire recital. Busily making certain all the lights, sound and music were working to perfection for the vocalists.

  Mac returned to his seat for the third song, his laughter loud when he looked at a few of the familiar faces.

  “I’m guessing you didn’t know Isabel could play the violin?” He asked Gabe with another chuckle.

  “I’ve heard her sing all the time…but never even saw a violin in her stuff,” Gabe could only stare at the dark haired woman he married dancing around the stage with a violin to her neck and playing to perfection to the Carol of the Bells song. Dark ringlets of chestnut sparkled beneath the lights, springing lightly around her face with a flurry at the finish of the tune.

  “This is gonna be interesting,” Mac commented to the silence he received. “Simon, brace yourself…”

  They watched a nicely dressed drummer boy step forward, a pale eye winked in his direction as the song began. Four women stepped onto the stage with the drummer boy, the vocals beginning to the rhythmic beat of the drum.

  “And you didn’t know Chloe could drum?”

  “I honestly have some idiotic notion I know my wife…” Simon admitted with a sigh meeting the low chuckles around him.

  All of them wore dresses from the Dicken’s era, each a varying shade of color that would later fit into the music and songs.

  “Who’s that one?” Jack looked across the various men, watching Emily and another woman presenting a melodic version of Oh Come all Ye Faithful.

  “Danielle Hudson,” Donovan Banner answered quietly. “She’s brilliant on a keyboard and has receivables and payroll…evidently, she can also sing.”

  Half way through the next song, Simon was shaking his head. Chloe had changed into one of the dresses and was singing with Frannie and Diana. In French.

  “I have no clue what they’re saying…but it sounds incredible,” he said with a sigh, listening to the soft French carol they performed.

  Damian Brandt sat bolt straight the next minute when his wife walked from the group and began singing. All the men turned to him.

  “Jane?” he whispered in disbelief, listening to her high, melodic voice bringing the Winter Wonderland song to life. Jane wasn’t a public person. Put her in a room of techie’s and she would rule, but unknown people made her freeze and go silent.

  “You didn’t know she could sing?” Jack asked with a curious smile. He’d listened to Emily for the last month while she altered some of the dresses, letting out the waists a little for the women who were barely showing, but definitely pregnant.

  “I…hell yes, I knew…she sings constantly at home…but in public…” his head shook slightly. “Jane doesn’t do public well, she…panics…”

  “She wanted to surprise you. They’ve been working on it for weeks,” Mac commented, checking his watch and taking off at a light run to the back for the finale.

  “She always manages to surprise me,” he said softly, smiling at the woman meeting his eyes.

  Jane stood quietly in the middle of the stage, her head bent as the piano strains began and the lights came up a little. Mia joined her half-sister, their hands clasp as their voices joined the piano for the finale.

  Donovan stared and listened, watching the slim, delicate hands he’d seen deliver a baby flitting over the ivory keys with precision and expertise. The French lyrics filled the room for the finale, both women bending forward at the end, all the others joining them for the riotous applause, the men sitting together the loudest of them all.

  The men moved quietly toward the stage, each holding a palm out and finding it lovingly filled as the rest of the stage was draped behind the thick curtain.

  Cameras flashed and recorded as the owners moved toward the set up area for the brief news comments before going to the Christmas Eve dinner that had been planned for them.

  Abby decided she’d never get used to this whole media thing, her smile there and her hands holding tightly to Cade’s arm. She remained mostly silent, letting Cade and Logan field questions for the most part. She met Cassidy’s gaze with a set of rolled eyes and a good natured grin was returned. She looked around at the various women, a small frown forming as the reporters were politely escorted out of the area.

  “What happened to Dani?” Abby asked Cassidy.

  “Not sure,” she peered around, leaning back and counting heads. “Definitely missing one, though.”

  “She went home,” Jane answered, leaning into the arms around her from behind. “She doesn’t like the photo thing…I think there’s something else, but I’m not sure what, yet.”

  “It definitely takes some adjusting to,” Samantha agreed with a shake of her head. “I spent the majority of my life avoiding them…”

  “Then you hooked up with me,” Logan teased with a soft kiss. “Let’s get some food…Mia’s outdone herself, I can tell by the smells and I’m starving.”

  “You’ve been starving since I got pregnant,” Sam said with a laugh, joined by the others.

  “It must run in the family,” Anya teased with a glance at Ian.

  “One more show tomorrow,” Isabel said after a while of friendly chatter.

  “I think we can consider your effort a major success, not only for the choir but for the charity,” Logan complimented warmly. “You’ve m
ade over two hundred thousand for the charity.”

  “It’s been marvelous,” Alice breathed happily. “My parents are so thrilled with their vacation this year. They believe they have the most fantastic son-in-law in the world!”

  “I’ve noticed it doesn’t take much to make grandparents happy,” Nick commented with a chuckle, thinking of his father and young son.

  Abby leaned back a while later with a sigh, chatting quietly with Cassidy. “I’m a little concerned about Dani.”

  “She’s a private person,” Cassidy returned with a slight shrug. “People talk when they get to the point they need to…”

  “I’ve known her for over ten years,” Abby frowned, arms crossed over her chest and lips pursed. “It’s something about this area…she wasn’t like this in New Mexico.”

  “Maybe she just needs a little time to adjust to her new life,” Cassidy suggested thoughtfully. “Didn’t you say she had family at one time in this area?”

  “Hmm…maybe that’s it…” Abby said thoughtfully.

  “And I’m sure you’ll ferret it out,” Cade raised an eyebrow at the face she offered. He looked over at Mac. “How long before the CD’s are out?”

  “They’ll be in the gift shop in a month. The recording we made is fantastic,” he remarked in between bites of spice cake. “They’ll be in storage until next season, but we’ll be set.”

  Chapter Two

  Danielle Hudson had changed into her jeans and t-shirt, fingers absently buttoning the front of her thick jacket when she stepped onto the wide walkway outside the casino.

  She walked for awhile, a half smile in place when a few flurries of snow came fluttering down around her. She pulled the collar up on her coat and the fuzzy yellow cap down over her hair and ears as she walked.

  Echoes of the concert were still ringing loudly in her ears, bringing a soft hum out as she walked.

  Her first Christmas in her new home, she thought with a wide, sweeping gaze around. Thick, fluffy flakes of snow began sweeping down and swirling in the light winds coming off the water. She made it to the large transportation stop and decided there were still too many lights around her and continued walking, gazing absently to her left and the wide sparkling expanse of Puget Sound waters. It never occurred to her to be wary. It was Christmas Eve, she thought later. Surely there was peace on earth on Christmas Eve.

  “Danny Hudson?” Asked a voice that had once seen the smoke of too many cigarettes.

  She turned at the sound of her name, suddenly aware of the car that had pulled along side the road. A man in his forties had exited the driver’s side and approached her, a dark cap on his head and glasses fogged from the abrupt exposure to the cold.

  “Yes?” Dark eyes blinked quickly when her arm was grabbed.

  “The boss wants to talk to you,” he said simply, grabbing her arm and hauling her toward the car. He had the back seat door open when she pulled away, his hand out and barely making the snag around her middle. He caught a flailing elbow to the side of his head, a low curse leaving his lips when her feet connected with his ankles. Hands were flying around them both as she screamed and struggled to keep from being put into the car.

  “I don’t know any boss!” She wailed anxiously.

  “Well, he knows you,” was the returned growl.

  Danielle heard the lock slip rapidly into place when she was flung onto the cushiony leather seat of the large black vehicle. She kicked out solidly, her fists up and pounding on the window between them. Muddied boots hit the back of the leather seat over and over.

  “Let me go! You’ve made a mistake!” She pounded some more, kicking at the back seat as the car moved silently forward. She threw herself against the seat, hands out and trying the door handles only to find them unresponsive. “Can you hear me up there? You’ve got to listen to me!”

  “Boss, I got Danny Hudson.”

  “I’m at the apartment,” came the dry response. “I’ll meet you outside.”

  “Be right there,” the driver told him, breaking the connection, his head shaking at the noise from behind him. He didn’t know why the boss wanted this Danny Hudson, but he hoped it was worth it, because he was positive there’d be hell to pay.

  Danielle ran the gauntlet between anger and fear, going through everything in her pockets, which was nothing. Her apartment opened with her thumbprint. She’d been in the recital and left her phone on the counter in the kitchen with her wallet. She laid down on the seat, allowing the tears to flow in her frustration and fear.

  Brady O’Conner stepped onto the concrete as the car pulled before the main entrance. The black evening jacket he wore was shoved back, his hands in his pockets. It wasn’t that he was getting tired of putting Danny Hudson back on the wagon again but a part of him wondered if one time he would be too late to help the man.

  “Better be careful, boss,” Wes Calder warned with a shaking head as Brady’s hand reached for the back door handle. “She’s a spitfire…” he said, rubbing his temple with a wince.

  Brady froze in place.

  Dark brows raised and lashes closed over a set of midnight eyes. He sighed thickly. His palm hovered over the unopened door.

  Chapter Three

  “She?” He repeated very slowly.

  “Yeah…you said Danny Hudson. Found her at the new resort…” He looked over at his employer with the first hints of doubt.

  “Danny Hudson is your age and almost bald,” Brady said with quiet calm.

  “Shit.”

  Brady pulled the door open slowly, stepping closer and dropping to his heels. A bright yellow and white cap lay on the seat, the beginning of the woman now pressed against the seat. He watched as she slowly raised her head, the vaguest sound of a sniffle hastily hidden, her palm up and managing to streak the tears and make up a little further.

  “Hi,” he said quietly, staring into the wide, deep brown eyes, a small streak of makeup on her cheeks following the tears.

  “Hi,” she returned in a whisper. She watched as he pulled a white square from his breast pocket and handed it to her. “Thank you,” she eased back on the seat, carefully wiping beneath her eyes and over her cheeks.

  “I am very sorry about this,” Brady began carefully, the vision of a long line of lawyers marching around in his head.

  “She said she was Danny Hudson,” Wes shook his head.

  “Danielle Hudson,” she said quietly, looking at the palm the younger man held out to her.

  “Shit.”

  “As I was saying,” Brady began again. “How about if you come inside with me and we talk about this mistake, Miss Hudson? Please. I would be very happy to share the remnants of a very bad dinner party with you, if you’ll be my guest.”

  “There’s been a mistake. I don’t know any boss and I don’t know either of you,” Dani said carefully, her hand slipping into his as she slid over the seat, her feet reluctantly touching the concrete as more snow began falling around them. She moved away from the car, her gaze sweeping the area. The apartment unit was one of the newer ones along the Sound, a view over the dark water holding her attention as snow fell in the stream of the street lamps around them.

  “I will apologize again, and yes, there was a very large mistake,” Brady agreed quietly, watching the wide eyes appraise him. Her cheeks high and chin rounded below a pair of once tinted red lips. She raised the handkerchief he’d given her, swiping over her face with a shuddering sigh. “I’m very sorry if you were frightened. Truly. I can explain…inside where it’s a little warmer?”

  “Oh…yes, please. That would be nice,” Dani nodded, stepping ahead of him as he guided her inside to a waiting elevator. “It’s beautiful outside, but it’s gotten very cold,” she declared, moving to stand at the outside of the elevator as it rose. One palm up and on the thick glass, feeling the cold that came with the new snow. “It’ll be a white Christmas,” she said aloud with a long, shuddering sigh. “I really hate crying…it takes so long for your breathing to get back to
normal.”

  “It does appear that way,” Brady agreed, gesturing to the hallway. “This way, Miss Hudson.”

  “Why am I here?” She asked as she entered the large apartment. “You don’t have a tree,” she stated sadly. “I didn’t get one either. It somehow didn’t feel right alone.”

  “It’s warm in here…you can take your coat off,” Brady accepted the long heavy coat she peeled off, realizing she was much smaller than he originally thought. She wore small heeled boots, her jeans folded to mid-calf.

  “Oh…this too, I suppose,” she said vaguely, pulling the yellow cap from her head. Long waves of chestnut tumbled around her shoulders. She’d just stuffed it in there after the recital. Slim fingers massaged her scalp absently. “Who are you?”

  “Brady O’Conner, Miss Hudson,” Brady laid the coat and cap on the chair, something in the back of his mind making him frown. “I’ve met you before.”

  “I’m afraid you’re mistaken,” she said with a shake of her head, letting her eyes study the man standing before her. Over six foot with black hair and eyes. He filled out the dinner jacket perfectly, she thought, taking in the hands devoid of jewelry with the exception of a glint of gold at his cuffs.

  “We’ve never met before?”

  “I think I’d remember you,” she admitted with a little smile. “Why did that man bring me here?” She looked at the once white square in her hand, noticing the remnants of her make-up there. "Sorry about that. I was in the recital singing...and our makeup was a little on the heavier side. I don’t usually…cry…well…I’ve never been…umm…”

  “Abducted?” Brady supplied the word for her, gesturing to an empty dining chair. “Are you hungry? As you can see, I’ve plenty of food to share.”