Chapter 92: Wedding DayBella awoke early the next morning. She sighed. It was her wedding day. Unbelievable, she thought, shaking her head. The ceremony wouldn't be for hours, but she couldn't sleep any longer.She wondered if Luke was still sleeping. Or sleeping one off, she grimaced. Her 'bachelorette party' hadn't exactly been a wild girls' night out. No male strippers, no cherry bomb domino shots. Instead, it had been tastefully low-key, befitting the pregnant bride.I just have to talk to him, she thought. Grabbing her mobile from the bedside table, she sent a quick text. Good morning, Cowboy. Her message was returned thirty seconds later. Good morning yourself, m'lady. What say we get hitched today? Bella grinned. She started to text a reply when her phone rang."Hey there," she answered almost shyly."Hey there," Luke replied. "How's the most beautiful bride in the world this fine morning?""I don't know, but if I see her, I'll ask," Bella joked. "I was afraid
Chapter 93: No Second ThoughtsLuke arrived at Nevin's 'wee castle' about an hour before the ceremony. The sun was beginning to set and guests were arriving. He couldn't imagine a more beautiful setting for their wedding. His thoughts strayed to that day exactly a week earlier when he'd been afraid that he'd lost Bella forever. The thought still hit him square in the gut. They'd left Italy and spent the week here in Edinburgh getting ready for the wedding. Nevin and his mother, and probably hordes of unknown others, had generously come through for them, taking care of the planning, ordering, cooking, and finalizing all the preparations.He and Bella had spent time together recovering from the terror that had been the earthquake, and they'd started thinking about their future. The baby was due in the summer. They had time to shoot one more season of Two Streets Over if they wanted before then. Bella had consented to several more interviews since they'd arrived in Scotland, and
Chapter 94: Mr. and Mrs.The newly married couple posed for photos as their guests relocated downstairs to the dining room that had been set up in the stone cellar of the castle. To hear Nevin tell it, the space had once been a dungeon. Now, a single long table set with crystal and fine white china had been situated in the center of the long narrow room. Candles lit the space and their glow flickered off ancient stone walls.When the photo session was over, Luke and Bella adjourned downstairs to join the others. "You know that Tre and Cornelia's gift to us is the photography," she told him as they walked along.He turned to her, surprised. "I didn't know," he said. "But that's a great idea." He kissed her gently. "Are you hungry, Mrs. McGillicutty?" She smiled up at him. "Let's go eat."Nevin stood and tapped his wine glass with a knife as they entered the room. "Your attention, ladies and gentlemen, the bride and groom have joined us. A toast to Luke and Bella!" Everyone
Chapter 95: The Magic of Mont Saint-MichelBella drew the blanket around herself to brace against the frigid air as she stood watching the moonlight play on the water surrounding Mont Saint-Michel. It was after two in the morning on their last night in France and the lure of the magnificent view from their balcony had been too irresistible to ignore. She smiled as she thought of Luke, snoring lightly as she'd gotten out of bed, too restless to linger. Luke. Cowboy. Her husband. Her Sir. How can you get it so right in such a short amount of time? she wondered. One thing she knew for certain. She was happy. Not just a general pleasant sense of well-being, but deeply, profoundly content. She belonged to him. She had since they'd met, if she was honest about it. She'd never known more of a sense of peace.He'd been so kind to her, so careful, worried about the precious life they'd created and that she carried inside of her. She absently put a hand to her belly, imagining tha
Chapter 96: NestingBella and Luke returned to Birmingham two days before Christmas, choosing to stay at the townhouse in town rather than out at Tre and Cornelia's. As her first order of business, Bella called to accept the half-hour interview series job immediately before she and Luke collapsed into jet-lag comas. They emerged in time to spend a pleasant holiday with her brother and his family.Two days after Christmas, they flew to New York and rented a small apartment for a few months to use as their base of operations. Charlie and the network crowd were happy to hear that the pair would begin the second Two Streets Over season in February and were very positive about Bella's plan for the remainder of the episodes.With the help of a realtor, just before New Year's they found and fell in love with a property about a half-hour's commute outside of the city. The forty-acre farm included a century-old farmhouse with a huge barn and four other outbuildings in addition to a pond and
Chapter 97: Dinner at the McGillicutty'sCharlie gazed at the family pictures lovingly placed on the old beat-up wooden table in the family room of the farmhouse outside the city. Among the framed photos there was a small red-haired girl being pulled on a sled, a smiling family of three cradling a new baby, a bride and groom in front of a castle, even some photos that included him, he was touched to see. He gently caressed the table and considered its significance. How Luke managed to get that table shipped from Sardinia is beyond me, he thought to himself.Delicious dinner aromas emanated from the kitchen, as did the cheery sounds of small children chattering and playing. He turned from the old table and headed in that direction. "Hey, Charlie," Bella smiled at him as he entered the kitchen. "Are you settled?""I'm here for a night, what kind of settled do I need to be?" he grumped, but he smiled as he did."Dinner is almost ready," she said. "We're having baked ziti with salad
Chapter 98: The Love of His LifeLuke made his way into the house and upstairs toward the master bedroom, pausing along the way to check on the children. In his own room, Nevin was on his back spread eagle with the covers kicked off. Luke marveled at how restless his son was in his sleep. His son. His heart hitched at the notion. Who would have ever thought that he, Luke McGillicutty, would one day have a son? When he looked in on Rose, she was smiling in her sleep, looking so much like Bella he felt an ache in the back of his throat.Bella, he thought, pulling Rose's door closed. He smiled. She would be waiting for him, probably sitting propped in bed, reading glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, a new development, perusing one of the many books stacked on her bedside table. She always had reading to do to prepare for one interview or another.He opened the door to their bedroom and frowned for a moment, puzzled. The king-sized bed with its cream silk duvet and dark blue accent
Chapter 99: Loose EndsIt was early evening when two men walked into a bar in Austin. The city is known for its music scene in hip clubs and bars. This was not that kind of bar. It was a tacky dive out by the airport. They stood just inside the doorway waiting for their eyes to adjust to the dimly lit interior. The place smelled like sour beer and old cigarettes. Glancing around they saw a half-dozen patrons seated around the bar, another few seated at high top tables along the side. Most of them seemed like they'd been there all their lives drinking cheap beer and smoking cheap cigarettes. At the end of the room was a small stage where a lone guitarist was playing bad covers of classic rock. They chose a space at the far end of the bar near the stage."Coupla Buds," Luke told the bartender. "Is that Daniel Santiago?" he asked, indicating the singer."Yeah, that's him. Are you from the record label?" asked the man behind the bar. "He said someone was coming to hear him.""S
Chapter 328: Epilogue"Just one more push, you're doing great," the doctor said."How are you holding up, Dad?"Bleary-eyed, he nodded to the pink scrubs-clad nurse. He was ready for this long night to be over.He felt her starting to squeeze his hand again. "You've got this, babe," he murmured, kissing her forehead.Eyes closed and teeth clenched, she bore down, releasing a grunting squeal with the effort."Stop! There we are, Mom. The head is out. Now don't push, just breathe for a moment."Still holding her hand, he leaned over to see the back of the baby's head. His heart was in his throat and tears streamed down his face."Now this is it. On the next contraction, go ahead and push."He turned back to her. Eyes wide, she panted, gripping his hand for dear life."Oh, God, here it comes," she cried."You're doing great, I'm so proud of you," he murmured, turning to watch as their child was born.Fifteen minutes later, he strode down the hospital corridor to the family waiting
Chapter 327: No Time Like the Present"You should go home and get some rest, Jackie."Without taking her eyes off Scott, asleep in his hospital bed, she reached for Blake's hand. "I can't. I need to be here when he wakes up.""You're sure?"She nodded, then looked to her brother. "Can you take care of the kids? I hate to impose, but…""No worries, Jackie. Now that the storm's over, we'll take them back to our house. Amy's more comfortable there, anyway. We'll have a sleepover party."Jackie sighed. "I know they're ready to be back in their own beds. But I'll be home tomorrow, for sure, at least overnight.""Okay, sis." He kissed Jackie on the cheek. "Keep us posted."In the quiet of the hospital room, Jackie pulled a chair beside Scott's bed. As soon as they'd arrived back at the lodge, Blake and some of the others had carried Scott to the battered Suburban, laying him on the back seat.At Amy's insistence, Blake had driven Jackie and Scott to town. By the time they reache
Chapter 326: Dream Versus RealityHe was staring up at an azure sky. A warm summer breeze caressed his face. He turned his head and Jackie smiled at him, her deep blue eyes sparkling. "Where were you?" she asked.Scott shrugged. "I don't know.""Well, you're back now. That's what counts." She took his hand and led him to a bed in the middle of a sun-drenched field full of flowers. The bed's sheer white canopy billowed in the breeze. Kissing his hand, she released it, reaching up to slide first one, then the other spaghetti strap of her filmy white dress, allowing it to slide down her body and pool at her bare feet. His gaze slid from her sapphire eyes to her succulent lips. Then it traveled over the firm globes of her breasts with their pert pink nipples, to the flair of her hips, to the junction between her thighs where tight black curls were neatly trimmed. When he met her eyes again, she smiled knowingly and sank to her knees, bowing her head and resting her hands palm
Chapter 325: Warrior Princess"Jacks, you can't go out there." Blake's face twisted with concern."He won't come back until he finds Pierce. But he won't find Pierce, because Pierce is here. You can't leave Amy. I'd never even ask. And if Ned Hart won't go out there, I have no other choice." Her voice was deadly calm.She grabbed her grey coat, then put it back on its hook, heading into the dining room. Blake followed. "Jackie, seriously, I don't want you going out there." He grabbed her hand, stopping her. "Scott wouldn't want you going out there.""He can tell me that when I find him. Can I borrow Amy's pink parka? It's brighter than mine, easier to see."Blake exhaled sharply, his tone resigned. "I've known you long enough to know that once you've set your mind on something, that's it. At least let me put together a pack for you."While Blake scavenged from the survival students, Jackie put on Amy's parka and spoke to Grant and Emma. "I'm going out to let Scott know
Chapter 324: From Bad to WorseAway from the wide-open expanse of the lake, the trees blocked a certain amount of the wind, but plenty of snow filtered down. Try as he might, Scott couldn't make out any tracks left by Pierce. He continued up the trail, slipping and sliding as he made his way up a steep ridge. The designated campsite was the clearing at the top, but once he arrived, the area was empty. Even the snow was thin, having been blown into drifts against the bases of the trees surrounding the clearing. Where are you, you little shit? Scott turned in a circle, considering the most likely way Pierce might have gone. The clearing was exposed. He'd have wanted to find a spot that afforded more shelter. Which meant he would have gone lower. But in which direction?Rolling the dice, Scott headed west, where the clearing dropped off in a bluff about thirty meters above a ravine created by a now-frozen creek. He peered down into the gully, willing Pierce not to be there at
Chapter 323: Who's Missing?An hour later, Scott sipped his coffee and gazed out over the room. A handful of his campers had volunteered to help with lunch, and they'd all enjoyed potato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Now, a group of guests was working on chili for dinner.Out of habit, he mentally counted his group. Tom and Patty Payton, who'd headed up lunch, were playing cards with Justin Sapp and Paula Martinez. Dan Spinelli was talking fishing with the father and sons from Cherub Lake. Not finding Pierce, Adams, or Bennet, he frowned slightly. A trip to the restaurant kitchen revealed Brian Bennett and Keely Adams working on cornbread to go with the chili.That leaves one. Scott returned to the dining room. Jackie was across the room checking on Amy. He cruised by the table where Dan was swapping fish stories. "Sorry to interrupt, but have you seen Pierce?"The younger man frowned. "Not since we ate. But you know, now that you mention it, his backpack is gone." H
Chapter 322: Everyone Shelter at the LodgeAs Jackie and the children hiked toward the main lodge, they heard the snowmobile returning from the island. Jackie sent Emma and Grant ahead with their backpacks, Max galumphing along behind them, while she waited for Scott to secure the snowmobile."How'd it go?"Scott's lips were a grim line. "About how you'd expect. There's nothing we can do about it with the storm coming. Everybody understood, really. Except for Pierce. He's such an asswipe."Jackie's eyes widened but her lips curled impishly. "Oh my, Sire. Language."He popped her ass lightly. "And now my Princess requests a spanking. My day is complete."They both laughed as the entered the lodge. Trina had a huge fire going in the dining room's fireplace, and she'd already been to the cabins to invite guests to gather in the main lodge, where there would be food and heat."Hi, guys," she greeted Jackie and Scott. "I called the crew to let them know to stay home today. Then
Chapter 321: Blizzard WarningFrowning, Scott watched the latest weather report on the early morning local news, his mouth set in a grim line. Beside him, Jackie stirred. "What is it?" she murmured."It's alright," he answered softly. "Go back to sleep. It's not even 5:00 yet."She sniffed loudly and yawned. "I'm awake now. What's the matter?" She pushed up on an elbow and rested her head against his shoulder.He shook his head derisively. "The blizzard. They're predicting the storm to hit by this afternoon.""I thought it was supposed to skirt us to the south.""I hoped it would. But now we're under a blizzard warning." He kissed her temple and slid out of bed."What are you going to do?"He stepped into a pair of fleece-lined jeans and shrugged into a grey thermal Henley. "I'm heading to the island to let the campers know. Obviously, we're postponing the solo outings. I'll offer them the chance to return for free to finish their second week of this session." He glanced
Chapter 320: Winter SessionPulling the hood of his black parka lower over his head, Scott ducked behind the windscreen of his snowmobile and headed back to the lodge. At the bunkhouse cabin, he'd just welcomed Tom and Patty Payton, the only married couple he'd had thus far in his wilderness school.Having checked in with Jackie in the reception area of the lodge, the pair had made their way on foot across the ice to the island where they joined fellow survival students Justin Sapp, a stocky young man with an infectious sense of humor, and Paula Martinez, an attractive thirty-something Latina who wrote a Spanish-language adventure blog.Everyone in this session had broad outdoor survival experience, including the Paytons, who had once spent a year in the Amazon cataloging wildlife. They'd told Scott they were excited to learn winter survival skills in the wilderness of Ontario.That leaves four more clients yet to arrive, Scott mused as he pulled up the slope to park beneath the lodg