Magnolia Bride Read online

  Married for a day, in love for life

  Nealy Grainger knew that returning to Cypress Pointe meant an inevitable encounter with her teenage crush, and momentary husband, Dane Peterson. She could handle it. She wasn’t the wounded girl who’d left Cypress Pointe years ago, heartbroken and furious when Dane had annulled their marriage the day after they’d eloped.

  Now one of L.A.’s most in-demand celebrity event planners, Nealy’s only come back for a vacation and to help with her sister’s wedding—not for a reunion with her long-lost love. But the more their paths cross, the more the sparks fly! Maybe their connection isn’t over just yet….

  He turned to her. “This is a disaster.”

  She couldn’t argue. Juliet’s party had been reduced to a manic free-for-all.

  He tightened his grip on her hand and a memory flashed of the day they’d gone to the courthouse to say their vows. He’d held her hand just as tightly then. The promise of a future together had made her giddy, and she’d stuttered when it came time to say “I do.”

  Standing next to Dane now, so close she could feel his body heat, made her heart race. Just one touch from Dane and she reverted back to a love-struck teenager? She couldn’t let Dane get to her. They’d had their moment in time and blew it. She would not let these jumbled feelings for him ruin years of healing the wound he’d inflicted.

  No. Not now.

  Dear Reader,

  Who said do-overs are easy?

  When Nealy returns home for her sister’s engagement party, she is shocked to run into her ex, Dane. One look at Nealy, the girl who got away, and Dane knows he has to try to win her back. What could possibly go wrong?

  Second chances sound romantic, but we all know the journey to true love is usually rocky. And believe me, Nealy and Dane have a bumpy road ahead of them. Joining our struggling characters on their journey to happiness is what we love to read about: the discovery of who the characters are, what makes them tick and most important, whether or not they will overcome the odds and get together. Trust me, Nealy and Dane have their work cut out for them every step of the way.

  So, dear reader, welcome back to Cypress Pointe. Pour yourself a glass of sweet iced tea and pull up a comfy chair to spend a few hours with new friends. When you close the book, please visit me at www.tararandel.com and tell me what you think of Nealy and Dane’s romance.

  Enjoy!

  Tara Randel

  Tara Randel

  Magnolia Bride

  TARA RANDEL

  has enjoyed a lifelong love of books, especially romance, so it came as no surprise when she began writing with the dream of becoming published. Family values, a bit of mystery and, of course, love and romance are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Tara lives on the west coast of Florida, where gorgeous sunsets and beautiful weather inspire the creation of heartwarming stories. This is her second book for Harlequin Heartwarming.

  Also by Tara Randel

  HARLEQUIN HEARTWARMING

  10—ORANGE BLOSSOM BRIDES

  To my good friends Nikki and Kelley. You are both very special people and you mean so much to me.

  Contents

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  PROLOGUE

  NEALY HOOKED ONE FOOT over the sill before hauling herself up and out the window. Her heart was pounding with excitement as she landed on the soft grass. She’d made sure the coast was clear, checking on her sleeping parents before slipping away. They’d made it very clear they didn’t like her sneaking around and ignoring her curfew, but who cared? Ever since she and Dane had started dating, she wanted to be with him every second. And if it meant getting in trouble, again, he was worth it. No way would she let being grounded keep her from the party Dane was throwing for her birthday.

  He’d told her to join him at midnight. Right on time, she jogged onto the beach, her flip-flops kicking up sand as she ran, heading toward the beacon of a roaring bonfire. Once she arrived, Dane pulled her into his embrace.

  “Happy birthday.”

  She threw her arms around his neck. “You are my hero.”

  He grinned, a lock of his long hair falling into his eyes. “And the best boyfriend ever.”

  “That, too.”

  “C’mon.” He took her hand and led her toward the action. A group of girls, including her good friend Lilli, hugged her, giggling as they pointed to the boys gathered at the far side of the fire. Knowing the boys as she did, they were most likely up to no good.

  “Are you sure this was a smart idea, Nealy?” Leave it to Lilli to voice a concern, always worried about getting into trouble. “When your parents find out you snuck off again, they’ll ground you forever.”

  Nealy laughed. “It won’t be forever. Once I leave for college I can do whatever I want.”

  “Like you don’t do whatever you want now?” Marianne, her friend from homeroom, snickered.

  “Okay, so yeah, I might have gotten into trouble one too many times this summer.”

  “Ya think? If you ever decide to go on out to the causeway late at night and get stuck in the mud, be sure to find another driver,” Marianne huffed. “My parents are still ticked at me.”

  Dane swooped in behind Nealy, circling his arm around her waist to draw her close. “No talking about parents and trouble. Tonight is all about you. I have something planned you’ll never forget.”

  “Really? What is it?”

  He kissed the side of her neck. “Just wait and see.”

  Even late at night, the sultry summer heat saturated the air, scented by the damp sand and burning logs. Sparks drifted from the fire, escaping into the star-filled night.

  Nealy sighed. She’d never been this happy, or this in love, ever.

  This year had been the worst. The more her parents had tried to convince her to go to a college that would ready her for law school, the more she’d refused. It seemed as if they’d always been at odds over this and would never be able to reach a middle ground. But this summer they’d hit the ultimate height in their disagreement. They didn’t get that pushing her to be an attorney, only made her push back, or rather, act out. She’d been unhappy until she met Dane.

  As soon as Nealy started hanging out with him at work, she developed a crush on him. The night she’d decided to spray paint the pier and Dane showed up to help her, she lost her heart to him. Subsequently getting caught and grounded hadn’t kept her from him, which made her parents just that little bit crazier. Served them right for always bullying her to do what they thought was right, never caring about what she wanted. Once she left for college, and freedom, they’d lose the power to make her miserable.

  “Ready?” Dane whispered in her ear.

  “Are you kidding? I’ve been going nuts since you told me about this party.”

  He looped his arm over her shoulders and pointed across the bonfire. “Watch the sky.”

  She heard shouts. Suddenly a light flared, followed by a whizzing noise as a swirl of red, yellow, green and blue erupted in the darkness. Surprised gasps could be hear
d all around her. Before she knew it, another colorful burst of sparks shot into the sky, followed by another, then another.

  “What do you think?”

  Nealy crossed her hands over her heart. “You got me fireworks for my birthday?”

  “Yep, since you light up my life.”

  She snorted. “Lame.”

  “But true.”

  Her heart melted as another round of fireworks went off. “I love you,” she said. “More than anything.”

  “I love you back.”

  They stood side by side, lost in the wonder of being a couple and sharing this special moment. Nealy secretly wished it could last forever, but her hopes were quickly dashed as the familiar-sounding sirens rang in the distance. Before she knew it, she was running, had to before the police arrived. A stitch tweaked at her side and her breathing grew labored as she made her escape, but not badly enough to keep her from laughing.

  Best. Birthday. Ever.

  CHAPTER ONE

  AFTER BEING AWAY from Cypress Pointe, Florida, for more years than she cared to count, Nealy Grainger expected to find more changes in her small hometown. Sure, a few new businesses had taken up residence on Main Street, but the familiar sights of Milly’s Gifts and Things, Rascal’s Candy Shoppe, Duke’s Grill, and Cuppa Joe, her grandmother’s coffee shop, remained the same. Maybe she expected more because her life had changed so much since she left. Shouldn’t everyone else’s life have changed, too?

  Late-afternoon sunlight sparkled off store windows while tourists browsed from the sidewalk, some seeking protection under the store canopies to escape the afternoon heat. She drove the candy-apple-red rented convertible toward the north end of town, deeply inhaling the salty air as she cruised past the public beach, the location where countless days had been spent lounging in the sun, splashing in the waves and hanging out at late-night bonfires.

  From the radio, Trisha Yearwood’s lyrical voice crooned a soulful melody about driving past an old boyfriend’s house after many years away.

  Nealy snorted.

  Yes, it had been years since she’d been home, but the old boyfriend part? The term boyfriend, even if she had considered him a quote-unquote boyfriend, would have been used quite loosely. What they’d had was intense, quick and forever burned upon her heart. Boyfriend? No. They’d fast-forwarded through that phase and went straight to the altar. Husband? Yes, with a capital H.

  Actually, ex-husband was a more accurate description.

  Her cell phone rang to the tune of “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” a peppy Beach Boys song she’d come to love since living in California. She snatched up the phone and noted the caller ID. Her boss’s number. If she was calling, it meant some kind of drama had transpired. Nealy had had everything in order before leaving. As executive assistant to the party planner of the celebrities, every detail must be perfect. Expensively perfect.

  “Hi, Crystal. Is everything all right?” she asked while silently praying she hadn’t forgotten anything.

  “Mr. Taylor wants the color scheme changed.”

  “Now? The party is Friday night.” She’d checkmarked each detail with the man weeks ago, from the monogrammed napkins to the rented crystal chandelier he insisted on dangling from a tree on his oceanfront property.

  “His astrologist says blue is not a good color for him this month. She insists he should focus on red.”

  Nealy worked for Milestones by Crystal, a much sought-after event planning company in Los Angeles. They had three huge parties booked for the upcoming weekend and even though she’d put her vacation request in weeks ago, her boss didn’t let the pesky little inconvenience of Nealy being out of town stop her from calling.

  “Can’t Liz handle it?”

  “No. Mr. Taylor refuses to talk to anyone but you.”

  Nealy took a deep breath since she couldn’t close her eyes and count to ten. Hollywood clients could be a challenge, but her boss even more so. She’d loved her job when she first started four years ago, but as the company grew, their stress levels had gone off the charts. Her boss knew Nealy had come home to visit her family, yet she phoned as if it were a snap for Nealy to handle the problems from Florida. So much for her vacation.

  “Okay, I’ll give him a call as soon as I can. Then I’ll get in touch with Marsha at Elegant Linens. She owes me, so I’m sure she’ll make the changes. Can you speak to Michele and see what she can pull off with the flower arrangements?”

  The rustling of papers sounded over the line. Nealy formed a mental picture of Crystal sitting at her desk, her attention already focused on a different problem while Nealy tried to fix the current one.

  “Hmm. Michele? Yes, I’ll contact her.”

  Nealy breathed out a sigh of relief. “Good. I’ll call Mr. Taylor. And, Crystal?”

  “Yes?”

  “Then I’m on vacation, okay?”

  “Of course. Unless I need you.”

  Crystal signed off. Nealy knew it wasn’t the last time she’d hear from the woman during her much-needed break.

  In the past year, Nealy’s workload had doubled. She never complained because she appreciated the steady paycheck. With the prospect of a new client signing with them soon, her workload was about to get even more hectic.

  An up-and-coming fashion designer, Ashlee James, popular with young stars, had shown an interest in hiring Milestones by Crystal to plan her clothing launch and then take care of all subsequent events. Everyone at the company had their fingers crossed the contract would come through, especially Nealy, who was tapped to lead the project. Interacting with elite clientele from Hollywood and L.A. had its moments, but Nealy logged long hours arranging an event. Did she have time for a social life? Please. Dating? Forget it. She hadn’t seen Sam, her kinda, sorta boyfriend, in three weeks. Though when it came to Sam, her workload wasn’t the only cause for the distance between them. He put in just as many hours at his office, which made their relationship status vague.

  She pushed her dating woes to the back of her mind. She had more important matters to fret over. Namely, her sister’s multiple engagement parties. Yes, multiple. What had started out as an intimate gathering of friends and family to celebrate the joyous occasion soon morphed into adding an additional party to allow the senator—the fiancé’s father—to invite his political friends and financial backers so they, too, could offer their best wishes. Between the demands of the two families, her sister had booked both engagement parties for this weekend.

  When Nealy’s sister Juliet had called to tell her about the engagement, she begged Nealy to plan the bigger party. Since she was marrying into an illustrious political family, Juliet wanted to impress her future in-laws. She complained because the coordinator she was working with didn’t have ideas grand enough to make an impression on the senatorial family. Juliet wanted the glitz and glamour of a Hollywood A-list event. Nealy could make that happen.

  Nealy had her reservations; after all, it wasn’t as if she lived close by. Juliet put her in contact with the coordinator at the venue where both parties would take place and the two got down to business. Soon, Nealy realized her sister’s frustration with the woman. To say her ideas were lackluster was being kind. Sure, a traditional party might be nice for the quaint coastal town of Cypress Pointe, but it would never do for her sister’s opulent vision. Nealy took over and before long was working her magic from the other side of the country. Now she had only a few days to finalize the arrangements for the two events.

  In addition to the engagement parties, Nealy’s second mission involved Cuppa Joe, her grandmother’s coffee shop. When her grandmother found out Nealy would be coming home, she asked Nealy to run the shop while she went on a seniors’ cruise. Growing up, the coffee shop had been Nealy’s second home. She loved the place and would do anything for her grandmother, so she agreed, but secretly wondered if she was
pushing herself too hard.

  She couldn’t remember the last personal day she’d taken, let alone her last real vacation. Was it the first year she worked for Milestones by Crystal? Once she decided to come home to Cypress Pointe for her sister, she’d stood firm on using the vacation days she’d accumulated, knowing once they landed the Ashlee James account, there would be no more free time for visiting family. Okay, so this had turned into a working vacation, but after years of working nonstop, could she picture herself relaxing and doing nothing? Hardly. She’d been born in high gear.

  Driving past Swindler’s Ice Cream Shop, Nealy noted a young couple walking out the door, hand in hand. Her heart pinched at the sight. How many times had she and her ex met there for what they thought was a secret rendezvous? Another blast from the past. Until now, she’d kept the special memories from that summer tucked away. But really, what did she expect? Had she thought coming back to Cypress Pointe wouldn’t stir up a mess of emotions? She thought she’d recovered from her heartache, but driving through town proved challenging.

  Her cell phone rang. “Not again,” she muttered, and immediately dismissed the leftover romantic notions and adopted her usual business tone. “Nealy Grainger at your service.”

  “Where are you?” her sister Juliet whisper-hissed into the phone.

  “About ten minutes away.”

  “Step on it.”

  “Mom getting on your last nerve?”

  “I swear, I’m about to break something. Tonight was to be spent visiting with you. It wasn’t supposed to turn into let’s-interfere-with-every-little-detail night.”

  Today, Wednesday, the women of the family were getting together to make last-minute tweaks to Nealy’s plans for the weekend. The next several days would be a whirlwind of formal social gatherings and casual meet-and-greet time as the families got to know one another.

  “When did my engagement turn into a national event?” Juliet asked.