“Eat. All of you,” their dad said with no room for argument. “There’s no reason for you to starve yourselves.”
Dutifully, Mitch began to make his way through the breakfast his dad had made. He wondered if the man had slept at all the night before. Mitch hoped he had since who knew what the day held for them.
The worst part of the situation so far—aside from the unknowns with regards to Ryan—had been watching their mom fall apart. Though Mitch didn’t doubt that she would have been as upset had this happened to any of them, the bonds with her biological children stretched back to the womb.
She had carried Ryan for nine months, forging a relationship that was longer than what anyone else had with him. He’d grown beneath her heart, and half of his genetic makeup came from her. And there was no denying the bond Ryan shared with his mom. When Mitch had first met them and seen how close Ryan was with his mom, it had made six-year-old Mitch a little jealous. The day he realized that she was going to be his mom too had been the happiest day of his short life.
The day before had definitely been the worst for all of them, but especially for their mom. The devastation on her face before her dad had led her away to their bedroom the night before, was something Mitch didn’t think he’d ever forget. Once again, Maya’s father had stepped in to help them, showing up with a doctor who had given his mom a sedative so she could rest.
When he couldn’t stomach anymore, Mitch got up from the table and headed to the garbage in the kitchen to scrape the remnants of food off his plate then put it in the dishwasher. Needing to keep busy, he began to clean the counters, washing up the pots and pans his dad had used to cook breakfast for them all.
As his siblings each brought their dishes into the kitchen, Mitch took and cleaned them before putting them in the dishwasher. At one time, Mitch would have tried to avoid dish duty. He and Ryan both would have. Memories crept into Mitch’s mind, and his hands stilled in the warm water as he stared out the window above the sink with unseeing eyes.
One memory chased another, keeping Mitch bound to the past until they slammed to a halt at the memory of when Ryan had left after the Canada Day weekend. It had been the last time they’d said goodbye. He couldn’t bear to think that it might really be just that. Their last goodbye.
It just couldn’t be.
Suddenly Mitch felt himself being gently pulled away from the sink and engulfed in an embrace made up of many arms. He wrapped his arms around those closest to him, struggling to contain his emotions.
For a while, there were sniffles and murmurs that didn’t actually translate into anything but comfort. At some point, Bennett began to pray, and when his words ran out, Ethan picked up the prayer. And when he was done, Makayla then Gabe continued it. Eventually, they all had a turn, pleading with God to protect Ryan wherever he was, and to bring him safely home.
When their dad ended the prayer, they remained huddled together for a time, drawing support and comfort from each other. Though the fear hadn’t completely gone, Mitch felt more peace than he had from the moment they’d heard the news about Ryan.
Gradually, the group hug began to loosen, leaving Mitch free to finish the dishes, though, in the spirit of sibling love, he tried to talk a couple of others into helping him out. They all waved him off, but after the others had left, Tristan hung back to give him a hand.
They talked as they worked—but it was about inane things like sports’ scores and work stuff. Somehow, they were going to have to find ways to fill their time while waiting to hear something about Ryan. Mitch had just turned the dishwasher on when he looked up to see his mom shuffling into the kitchen with his dad by her side.
The toll this was taking on her was evident in her appearance. Once their mom had decided to work at her health following her aneurysm, she’d made sure that each day she was dressed, her hair was done, and on a lot of days, she even wore makeup despite having no plans to leave the house. Right then, however, her hair hung limply around her face and the dark circles under her eyes aged her.
“Can you boys get your mom some tea and toast, please?” his dad asked as he guided her to the breakfast nook.
Mitch moved to take care of the toast while Tristan worked to make the cup of tea. He got the butter and jam from the fridge, and carried them to the table, bending to press a kiss to his mom’s cheek before going back for the toast.
As he watched his dad care for his mom, Mitch was aware how wonderful it was that they had each other during such a difficult time. Much like several of his siblings, who also had spouses to support them. Would Belle have been there to offer her support to him, if things had worked out differently between them?
Belle felt Jasmine’s gaze on her as soon as she walked into the front area of the shop. They weren’t open for the day yet, but, like her, Jasmine was usually among the first to arrive.
“Why are you wearing…that?” Jasmine gestured up and down Belle’s body. “Are you sick?”
“No,” Belle said, “but I need to hand off my responsibilities for today.”
“Don’t you have a wedding tonight?”
“Yes, I do, so I’ll need you and Stace to manage it for me.”
Jasmine’s mouth dropped open, and she held up a hand in protest. “Wait. I’ve never done that on my own before.”
“I know, but you and Stace have both assisted me. I think you can handle it together.”
“Are you certain you’re not sick?” Jasmine asked again as she came out from behind the desk to approach Belle. “I’m not sure I’ve ever known you to allow anyone else to direct a wedding.”
“You’re right,” Belle agreed. “But someone needs me. I hope.”
“You hope? Has something happened to Rory? Or Ariel? Are you flying to be with her? Is that why you’re dressed in jeans and a T-shirt?” The questions tumbled out of Jasmine’s mouth, giving Belle no chance to answer any of them.
Belle shook her head. “Something happened to Ryan, Mitch’s brother. I want to go to Mitch to…be there for him.”
“Really?” Jasmine came over and gave her a hug. “And you’re going to Mitch? Like, for real? Because you…like him?”
“I love him, Jazz. Because of our past together, I was letting Andre control my life, but I’ve decided that I don’t want my future to be dictated by him. So, I’m going to take a chance and trust that what I have seen about Mitch as a man is really who he is.”
“Oh sis, I’m so happy for you,” Jasmine said, hugging her again. More tightly that time. “I know he’s going to be so happy.”
“I’m not going to be telling him all that just yet,” Belle said. “The focus needs to be on what his family is dealing with. I just want him to know that I’m there to support him.”
“Then you go do that,” Jasmine said firmly. “Stace and I will be just fine handling the wedding. Don’t you worry about a thing.”
“Thanks, sweetie. I appreciate you stepping in.”
“You’ve done it for me. It’s my turn to return the favor.”
They spent a few minutes going over the file Belle had prepared for the wedding. Though she was eager to get to Mitch, she knew she owed it to the bride and groom to at least brief Jasmine on the wedding plans. Thankfully, it was one of their less formal weddings, and the bride and groom had been very laid back and easy to work with.
“Okay. I think we can handle it,” Jasmine said when Belle closed the file. “Don’t worry about a thing.”
“I’m going to turn my ringer off, but I’ll have my phone on vibrate in case you need me for something.”
“We won’t,” Jasmine said, a determined look on her face. “Everything will be fine.”
For just a moment, Belle felt a flutter in her stomach. Could she truly do this? Trust Jasmine and Stace to carry out the plans she’d made?
Yes.
Yes, she could.
With a final hug for Jasmine, Belle gathered up her phone and purse and headed back out to her car. As she drove to the Callaghan home, a few doubts began to creep into her mind. Would Mitch want her to be there? Or would he prefer to just be with his family?
Belle tried her best to shut down her doubts because she knew that if the tables were turned, Mitch would be at her side to support her. If he could offer her that kind of support, then she could do the same for him. Going out there without talking to him first was a risk, but her heart told her that Mitch was worth it.
It was possible that the family would prefer to be on their own, and that would be fine, but she just wanted to let Mitch know that she was there for him. That she wanted to be there for him. He’d been a solid support for her, and now it was her turn.
As she turned onto the driveway leading to the house a short time later, Belle gripped the steering wheel in both hands. She wasn’t too surprised to find her nerves were kicking up big time, but she refused to let them win. So much was at stake, and where she might have let nerves dictate her decisions in the past, now was the time to try to change that. She knew that she couldn’t just will away the anxiety, but she had to push through it.
Since the parking area at the Callaghans’ was filled with vehicles, Belle parked off to the side, so she wasn’t in the way if someone needed to leave. She sat in her car for a couple of minutes after she’d turned it off, her hands still wrapped around the steering wheel. Her head dipped forward as she said a prayer that somehow in the time since she’d talked to Rory, the family might have received good news about Ryan.
Then she prayed for the strength to be what Mitch needed.
Belle heard the rumble of a car engine and looked into her rear-view mirror to see a car pull up behind hers. Nervous about who might be coming to the house, Belle fought the urge to slide down in her seat in hopes that whoever it was would walk by without noticing her.
However, relief chased away some of the nerves when she recognized Maya as she climbed from the car. Deciding that it might be better to go in with her than on her own, Belle pushed open her door and greeted the other woman as she neared Belle’s car.
“Belle!” Maya said, a smile briefly appearing on her face. “What brings you out this way?”
Belle accepted the woman’s hug. “Rory called me this morning with the news about Ryan. I wanted to come support Mitch. Like I know he would do for me if I were in his shoes.”
“That’s wonderful.” Maya looped her arm through Belle’s. “I know he’ll be happy to see you.”
Belle hoped Maya was right. It hadn’t escaped her attention that Mitch hadn’t called to let her know what was going on. He hadn’t reached out to her for support. But then, had she given him reason to believe that she’d be there for him if he would have shared the news about Ryan himself? Or did he think she was too busy, or too scared, to be there to support him?
“Have they had any more news on Ryan?”
Belle felt Maya’s shoulder slump against hers. “No. I talked to Gabe just before I left to come here, and he said they haven’t heard anything more beyond the call yesterday from Ryan’s boss.”
Belle thought back to the man she’d met not that long ago. His smile had been engaging and friendly when he’d taken the seat beside her at the cabin. She had enjoyed the conversation, and his words about seeing the truth had stayed in her mind. It was hard to imagine that something bad had happened to him.
“We’re all just praying for the news that Ryan has been found and is on his way home,” Maya said. “My dad is…looking into some things.”
Belle glanced over at the woman beside her. “In what way?”
Maya shrugged. “He won’t give me details, but let’s just say that if money can bring Ryan home, my dad will make it happen.”
“But because of the geographical location where the team was situated, isn’t it likely that terrorists are responsible for his disappearance?” Belle asked. “I thought we weren’t supposed to negotiate with terrorists.”
“Yes, that’s the standard line.” Maya came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, bringing Belle to a standstill as well. “The problem is, it’s a line easier spouted when it’s not your loved one being held by terrorists. It becomes a lot harder to accept—even if you do understand the reasons behind it—when you realize that money might be the only thing standing between you and the freedom of someone you love.”
Hoping that Maya’s father could help bring Ryan home safely, Belle nodded, then walked behind Maya up the steps to the wide verandah that led to the front door. The other woman gripped the doorknob in her hand, not pausing to ring the bell. Belle hesitated, then followed her into the house, suddenly apprehensive about her reception.
“Hey, babe.” Gabe’s greeting was lowkey when he spotted Maya in the foyer. He drew her into his arms, burying his face in her neck.
Belle shifted from one foot to the other, uncertain what to do. But then Maya must have said something to Gabe because he lifted his head and looked straight at her.
“Belle,” he said, keeping one arm around Maya. “Are you here to see Mitch?”
“Yes.” She hesitated, feeling warmth creep into her cheeks. “If you think that’s okay.”
Gabe flashed her a quick smile. It was there and gone, unlike the smiles that were usually perpetually on his face. “It’s fine. Better than fine, most likely. I think he’s on the back deck.”
Maya held out her hand. “C’mon. I’ll take you there.”
Belle glanced into the living room as they passed it and saw several people gathered there. In the kitchen, there were more people. A few looked up and gave her and Maya a smile, but most were caught up in their own thoughts or conversations. She recognized them all from the weekend at the cabin.
“He’s out there,” Maya said. “Find me before you leave. Okay?”
Belle nodded, though if things didn’t go well, she wouldn’t be hanging around. Maya gave her a hug and then a smile.
Taking a deep breath, Belle pushed open the screen door then looked around. Mitch sat on a large swing at one end of the porch. He was looking out over the backyard, but as she approached him, he turned toward her.
“Belle?” He pushed to his feet, his brows drawn together. “What are you doing here?”
“I heard what happened. I wanted to…be here for you.”
Mitch motioned to the swing then waited until she was seated before he settled back down. “Don’t you have to be at work?”
“This is more important.” Belle hesitated before she reached out and rested her hand on Mitch’s. “You’re more important.”
Mitch stared at her before dropping his gaze to where her hand lay on his. For a moment, neither of them moved, then Mitch turned his hand over, interlacing their fingers. Belle felt the tremble in them and tightened her grip on his hand. She scooted closer and rested her head against his shoulder, sandwiching his hand between both of hers.
“How are you holding up?” she asked, keeping her words soft.
Mitch took in a deep breath, her head rising with the movement. “Not knowing is the hardest part. Not knowing if he’s being fed. If he’s hurt in some way.” Mitch’s voice cracked. “If he’s even still alive.”
His fingers tightened around hers, almost painfully, but Belle didn’t try to free her hand. This was what she had come for. To give him an outlet for the pain he was in. She stayed quiet, waiting for him to say more.
Mitch’s grip loosened just before he said, “What does this mean?”
“What does what mean? Ryan going missing?” Belle straightened and turned to look at him.
“No. You being here. What does it mean?” Mitch glanced at her. “You’re missing work, aren’t you?”
“Jasmine and Stace are taking over for me. They’re handling the wedding tonight.”
“You never let anyone do your work,” Mitch said, as if she needed the reminder.
“Today seemed a good time to start letting others help me.” Belle hadn’t planned to delve into all that. She was there to offer him support, not try to drag the focus onto herself.
“It is. I’m grateful that you’re here. I’m just not quite sure what to make of it.” He lifted their joined hands. “Or this.”
“The message…the one I left you,” Belle began.
“Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you,” Mitch said. “I planned to call you later today.”
“You don’t have to apologize, Mitch. I know you had far more important things to deal with than returning my call.”
“Still, I’m sorry. Why did you call?”
“I was going to see if you wanted to go for dinner. I had a couple of things I wanted to talk to you about.”
“What were they?” Mitch asked.
The butterflies in her stomach started fluttering. “We can talk about them later. I know you have other things on your mind.”
He gave her a small smile. “I wouldn’t mind the distraction of something else, to be honest. I need to stop the endless loop of images and thoughts for a while.”
Belle decided that if that was the support Mitch needed, then she’d give it to him. “Well, the detectives called to let me know they’d located a young man who confessed that Andre had paid him to torch his place.”
“Really?” Mitch said, a smile curving his lips and lingering longer than any other had since she’d arrived.
Belle gave him the details of what the detectives had told her. Happy to see that Mitch seemed distracted and pleased with her news, she squeezed his hand. “I’m so glad it’s all over. Now I’m not waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
“I’m pleased for you. I can’t say that this was how I imagined it all going down, but I’m happy it’s over.” Mitch leaned back, still keeping her hand in his. “Was there something else you wanted to talk about?”
From the way he said it, and the hopeful lilt in his tone, Belle could tell that he suspected he knew what was coming, not that it was a big reach given they were sitting there holding hands. But he needed the words from her, Belle knew that. Just like he’d given her the words.
“I know that I told you I couldn’t—wouldn’t—consider a relationship. That my job was my life, but you were right, I was letting Andre dictate my future.” Belle looked down at their hands. Now that she was at the crucial moment, she was at a loss for words, but she had to try. “You’ve come to mean a lot to me. More than I realized it was possible for someone to mean to me. Someone not my family, anyway.”
“You mean a lot to me too, Belle.”
After he said the words, Belle realized those weren’t the ones she wanted to hear. Of course, maybe those weren’t the words he wanted to hear from her either. Maybe she needed to take the risk. Just like she’d taken the risk to show up there that morning. He hadn’t rejected her for that.
Belle turned and used her free hand to touch Mitch’s cheek, and she looked into his blue eyes, seeing there a bit of hope, a bit of sadness, and love. A love that spoke to her heart and demanded it respond in kind. “I love you, Mitch. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize that. I hope it’s not too late.”
Mitch smiled, reaching up to cover her hand with his. “It’s not too late. I haven’t figured out how to not love you yet.” He turned his head a bit and pressed a kiss to her palm. “Not that I’ve really tried all that hard.”
Now it was Belle’s turn to smile. “I’m really glad you didn’t.” She lowered her hand, once again clasping his. “You showed me how a real man should be. How a real man treats a woman. You gave me hope once again. I’m so grateful that Maya decided she needed to bring you with her that day for her wedding consultation.”
“To think I was trying to find any way to get out of the meeting that I could, and I was dreaming up ways to make Gabe pay. Now it looks like I owe him.”
“Maybe I’ll plan his wedding for free,” Belle said, bumping her shoulder against his.
She was smiling at him when Mitch leaned closer. His hand touched her cheek, his fingertips brushing across her skin, leaving warmth in their wake. His fingers were rough, a result of the work he did, but his touch was gentle.
“Or maybe we’ll just call it even,” Mitch said with a small laugh, then he paused, his gaze lingering on her. “I hope this doesn’t mean I’m your beast, Princess.”
“No. Never,” Belle said, leaning to press another kiss to his lips. Andre had been the beast in her life, but he was out of it now. “You’re my Prince Charming.”