Chapter 9
In less than 24 hours, Tani was sitting at the kitchen table with Sabrina, Leslie and Marissa who had joined forces to put on the wedding. Marissa had arrived with a truck full of wedding dresses, a rough draft of the guest list and seating arrangement making the whole thing seem that much more real to Tani who still felt a bit like she was dreaming. All the paperwork had been filed, she was now an investor in the project and would soon be Flynn’s wife allowing him entry into Egypt as well as making him an American citizen.
The men had closed themselves up in Cooper’s study to make plans and a part of her thought she should be part of the planning, but the women had pulled her out of the room to help them plan the wedding. “Shouldn’t I know what’s going to happen when we get to Egypt?” Tani complained when they pulled her away.
“Don’t worry, they’ll tell you everything. Right now, this is more important.” Sabrina had said leading her down the hallway to the kitchen.
Tani doubted her words, knowing that the wedding was a sham she just couldn’t seem to get excited about the event, and when Marissa began showing her the dresses she’d brought, Tani put up a fight. “I told you I wasn’t going to wear white. This wedding isn’t even real, someday I might get married for real and I want to be able to wear white.”
Marissa took a deep breath and shut the lid on the trunk, she’d have her way about the dress but there were other things to talk about. “Okay, we’ll wait on the dress. How about we look at the guest list and seating arrangement.” She said, handing Tani several sheets of paper.
Tani looked at the guest list first, then back at Marissa. “There are an awful lot of people on this list. I thought this was going to be a small wedding.”
“This is a small wedding. I’ve only included close friends and family. You can’t leave these people out.” Marissa said, turning to Sabrina for support.
“Have you chosen your bridesmaids? We’ll have to decide on their dresses soon.” She asked, hoping to change the subject.
“Bridesmaids?” Tani hadn’t even considered that, then she realized with a start that someone would have to give her away and her heart sank thinking of her mother and father. “I don’t know if I can go through with this it just reminds me that my parents aren’t here and why.”
Leslie had been through so much with Tani, knew how deeply her guilt ran but she also knew that it was time for her to move on with her life. “You can and you will. Think of it this way, by marrying Flynn you’ll be able to fulfill your dad’s dream. Right now, that tomb is sitting unprotected out in the middle of Egypt, when this is all over at least some of the treasures will be safe and so will you.”
“But this whole wedding has gotten out of control. What’s going to happen when we come home and everyone finds out that it was all just a front to get Flynn into Egypt?” Tani asked, still unsure about her decision, especially now that the wedding had suddenly gotten so big.
“Are you changing your mind?” Sabrina asked.
“I don’t know, all of this has happened so fast. What if Flynn gets hurt or worse? I won’t be able to live with myself, this isn’t his problem and now he’s going to marry me.” Tani was avoiding what was really bothering her and Leslie knew her well enough to know that.
“Tani, I don’t think you’re being honest with yourself or us, I know you’re worried about someone getting hurt but I think there’s more to this than you’re telling us.” She said, hoping that Tani would be honest with them, knowing that it would do her good.
Tani was silent for a long time, the feel of their eyes on her forcing her to look down into her lap. It was never easy for her to open up to people, but these women only had her best interests at heart and maybe they could offer some reassurance. Right now, she couldn’t afford to alienate the very people who were on her side.
“I’m scared that Flynn’s like David.” She finally said.
Leslie sighed, got up and sat down next to Tani. “Tani, it’s time you moved on with your life. The mistake you made with David was a big one, but you’re not the same person you were back then. You’ve grown since then, done an amazing job of putting what happened behind you and I know that going back to Egypt will help you even more.”
Tani opened her mouth to speak, but Leslie held up her hand. “I’m not finished. I want you to think about what you and Flynn share, how he treats you. You have to let go of David, not every man is like him. Look at the men you know here on the ranch. Are any of them like David?”
Tani shook her head, “No, but I’m not in danger of getting my heart broken by them.” She finally admitted.
“Tani, nothing is ever worth it if there isn’t some risk, besides how do you know that you’ll get your heart broken, from what I can see Flynn really cares about you. He’s willing to risk his life for you, if that’s not love I don’t know what it is.” Leslie said, then smiled when she saw a hopeful look begin to blossom on Tani’s face.
“Do you really think so?”
“I do and I think you need to stop worrying about what happened in the past and embrace what’s happening now. You’ve got a great man who’s willing to marry you to keep you safe and I’ve yet to hear him agree to the annulment. Did it ever occur to you that maybe he’s not just marrying you to get to Egypt, that maybe he wants to marry you?”
“If that’s true why doesn’t he just say so?” Tani demanded, “It’s the not knowing that is part of the problem.”
“Ask him how he feels.” Sabrina interjected.
“I can’t do that, I’m too afraid that I won’t like the answer he gives me.” Tani said, knowing she was being a coward.
“Then it seems to me that your only choice is to marry him and see what the future holds, but one thing I can tell you for sure, if you don’t stop thinking about the past it will ruin the future.” Sabrina said, taking Tani’s hand in hers to soften her harsh words.
Marissa stood up from the table and began to gather all the papers strew around, “Maybe you should go saddle Devil and take him for a ride. A little time on your own might help you see this all a little clearer.” She suggested.
Tani shot her a grateful look, a ride was just what she needed right then. “I think that’s the best idea I’ve heard all day. Not that I don’t appreciate all the help you’ve given me, but I do need some time alone.” She said, already feeling better. “You’ve given me a lot to think about. Will you tell Flynn not to follow me? I know he’ll try.”
Tani had never been happier to step into the barn and a sense of calm came over her as she saddled Devil. When they got on the trail, some clarity began to come as well. She’d been so concerned that the past would repeat itself with Flynn, so afraid that she’d make a bad choice again, that she’d forgotten what it felt like to be in his arms. She’d nearly lost sight of how wonderful he always made her feel, how he’d held her while she talked about the worse night of her life and then understood how terrible it had all been for her.
Most of all, she’d forgotten that he was willing to marry her so he could keep her safe in Egypt. The simple truth was that he could walk away from her now and no one would blame him, but instead he’d placed himself directly in the way of possible harm or even death. None of them could deny that the people who were after her would stop at nothing to get what they wanted, and that this dig would be full of danger, danger that could come from just about anywhere in a country like Egypt.
She and Devil had reached her favorite spot, a little clearing by the stream that ran through the property. Dismounting she wrapped the reigns around Devil’s neck and let him go, there was plenty of grass in the clearing and he wandered off happily munching as he went. Sitting down on a rock by the stream, she listened to the water rushing over the rocks and closed her eyes. More than anything she wanted to find some peace with the death of her parents. It weighted heavily on her mind, leaving her unable to fully heal. But before long she found that her thoughts had strayed to Flynn, his blue eyes and dark wavy hair, the way his hands felt on her skin, and most of all the way he made her feel safe for the first time in a long time.
As she sat there thinking of Flynn, she began to feel the peace she’d been seeking, it was as if her parents had reached her from some faraway place to tell her that this was the right thing to do. She waited for the feeling to pass, sure that it was a product of her imagination, but the longer she sat there the clearer the feeling became. Suddenly, she understood Sabrina’s words. If she kept comparing the past to the future it would get in the way of her happiness, it was time to let go and move forward.
Life was about taking risks and Flynn was worth taking a risk, she’d look at this marriage like the real thing and hope with time Flynn would see it that way too. If she was braver, she’d ask him about his feelings but this was about more than just the two of them. It was about a small fortune in Egyptian treasures that needed to be found and treated with the respect they deserved, and like it or not she was the only person who knew how to find them.
She also had to admit to herself that she wanted Flynn with her in Egypt; it was not going to be easy to face the memories of the past when she was there, and having him with her would help her remember that there was a future waiting for her. Feeling more at peace than she’d felt since the day she’d met David, she caught Devil and pushed him hard all the way home, eager to help with the wedding plans as well as the plans for Egypt because she had no intention of letting the boys plan without her.
Tani stood in front of the mirror watching as Marissa fastened the long row of buttons on the back of her wedding dress, still amazed that she’d let herself be talked into the dress which was full of so many flounces and so much lace she was afraid the she be lost in it all. But when the last button was done and Marissa stepped back, she had to admit that the dress was anything but over the top. She looked like a princess in a fairy tale. The ivory gown, a perfect complement to her chocolate colored skin, was cut to accentuate her curves, the lace and flounces only added to the effect.
“You look beautiful. Flynn’s a lucky man.” Marissa said, turning Tani so she could look at her.
Fighting back tears, Tani said, “Thank you for all you’ve done.” Then turned to Sabrina and Leslie, “I wouldn’t have been able to get through the last week without you three.”
“This was the easy part. The hardest part is still to come, but when you’re in Egypt and things seem bad remember this day.” Leslie advised, unable to help herself, they’d all been avoiding the fact that in less than a few days, she and Flynn would be going into a very dangerous situation.
“I will.” Tani said, trying to avoid thinking about the plan that they would be putting into action in only a few days. “But I’m not thinking about that, this is my wedding day, we should be happy.”
But as she stood waiting for the word that the ceremony was ready to begin, she couldn’t help think through the plan they’d worked out. It made her smile as it always did to think of the part that Flynn was going to play in the whole thing. Since Cooper wanted him to be their ace in the hole in case something went wrong, he was going to play the role of duped husband. Including ramping up his accent until at times none of them could understand what he was saying. It had taken days for Tani not to laugh when he went into full Australian mode.
Cooper had arranged for security for her and the crew she’d put together. Only people he knew and trusted would be included and she herself had chosen the crew from people she trusted. It had taken a small miracle to pull everyone together on such short notice, but the generous budget they had helped to grease the wheels. Her petition to dig had been granted with a speed that amazed and frightened her, even knowing that the Terrell foundation had been partly responsible, it was clear that someone wanted her to find that tomb and soon.
It meant that they’d be watching them closely, that everyone had to play their role perfectly, including Tani who was supposed to make a deal with the very people who were hunting her. She’d never been much of an actress and making them believe that she was only after the money to be made selling the artifacts would be difficult, but their entire plan hinged on her making them believe just that. She just hoped she was up to the performance, anything less than perfection could lead to someone’s death.
The other difficulty they faced was making sure that the archeologists she’d chosen to go with them would have enough access to the tomb to document the find before the Minister of Antiquities discovered what they were doing. It was all a little too Indiana Jones for her, instead of helping at the dig, it was her job to distract the Minister with other things, like horseback riding and several lavish dinners, all paid for by the Terrell foundation as a kind of bribe.
Luckily, she was well versed in the world of using bribes to get what you wanted in a country like Egypt. The practice hadn’t changed in hundreds of years, just the people you had to bribe. Even her father had at times paid a few bribes to get what he needed, but she’d never participated in anything this lavish or complicated. But they’d been over the plan many times and covered any weak points with safeguards; nothing could go wrong.
A knock at the door startled her out of her thoughts of Egypt, “Five minutes.” A voice said through the door and she was suddenly more nervous than she’d ever been in her life.
In a show of support, the women in the room surrounded her and gave her a hug one by one. Leslie was the last, “Just remember that life has a way of giving us exactly what we want if we’re patient. You and Flynn might be doing this backwards, but give the marriage a chance, you never know it might be the best thing that ever happened to you.” She said, then wrapped Tani in a hug that brought tears to her eyes. “And don’t forget how far you’ve come. After what you’ve been through, there isn’t much you can’t handle. You’re a very strong woman Tani, don’t ever forget that.”
When she opened the door, Cooper was standing outside waiting for her. “Are you ready?” He asked, holding out his arm. She nodded her head and took his arm and together they went down the stairs and out the door, he led her across the yard to the big barn which had been decked out for the ceremony. She could hear people talking softly as they approached the closed barn door and she suddenly had the urge to turn around and run.
Pulling back on Cooper’s arm she stopped and took a deep breath. Cooper looked down at her and smiled, “Relax Tani, you can do this. I have some advice that might make you feel better.” He said, turning her to face him. “I’ve been married a long time and the one thing I’ve learned is that you have to take care of one another. If you take care of him and let him take care of you, the rest will all fall in line.”
Tani smiled up at Cooper and said, “Thank you, I’ll remember that.” Then nodded at the men who were waiting to open the doors. “I think I’m ready.”
“Good, let’s go get you married.” Cooper said, as the doors opened and all hundred pairs of eyes turned to her.
There was a collective sigh when she stepped into the barn out of the sunlight, and for a moment Tani felt the need to run again. But then she saw Flynn standing at the end of the alter and all thoughts vanished but the overwhelming feeling of love that spread through her, warming her cold hands and feet. She must have gasped when the feeling overtook her, because Cooper laughed, “I think you two are going to be just fine.”
On shaking legs, she walked down the aisle toward the man she was going to marry, telling herself the whole time that this was real, that they’d make this work. When Cooper officially handed her off to Flynn he kissed her on the cheek and whispered, “Just take care of him and everything will be fine.”
Then he turned to Flynn and shook his hand, then time saying quite loudly, “Hurt her and I’ll see that you’re sorry you did for the rest of your life.” Then took his seat next to Marissa who shot him a dirty look, but had to laugh with the rest of the guests.
Flynn took Tani’s hand, hardly able to breath, he’d been thinking about this day for months, and although he hadn’t pictured it like this he was as happy as he’d ever been. Tani looked more beautiful than ever and he knew he was a lucky man to have found her and the love they shared. There was no doubt in his mind that he loved her, he just hoped that she loved him too. Only time would tell, and he was more than looking forward to that time.
When Tani’s eyes finally met his, he saw both fear and love in them. It was the love that gave him the most hope, seeing it there reassured him that what they were doing was the right thing. When he repeated his vows, it was with the surety that he’d always love Tani and that the life they’d have together would be as wonderful as he’d always imagined.
Tani repeated her vows thinking about the words as she did, knowing that she’d just made a promise that would bind her to Flynn for the rest of her life. It was clear by the look in his eyes that he was taking this as seriously as she was, but there was still a little piece of her that remembered that he’d never said that he loved her, never really told her how he felt. Maybe she was expecting too much too soon, they’d only known each other for a short time and love needed time to grow, but they’d have that time now.
When the minister pronounced them husband and wife, Flynn pulled her into his arms and whirled her around, if she hadn’t known better she would have thought that they’d actually planned this wedding. But when Flynn set her down, he said, “Okay, Mrs. Montgomery are you ready to take on Egypt?” Reminding her that this was still a wedding held only to get him to Egypt with her.
But she stifled the little stab of sadness and smiled up at him. “You bet Mr. Montgomery, they won’t know what hit them.”