Always the One Read online

  She’s the love of his life...

  ...but is he still hers?

  FBI agent Derrick Matthews has finally found his childhood sweetheart and the love of his life—but she isn’t exactly happy about it! Years ago, Hannah Rawlings disappeared overnight when her family went on the run, and she blames Derrick. She tells him she’s moved on and he should, too, but Derrick fears Hannah’s still in danger. He vows to protect her—even if that means betraying her trust...again.

  “Yes, we made promises. Had our entire future before us.” Hannah’s eyes turned glassy in the lighting.

  She continued. “But the longer we were apart, the more apparent it became that we were over. My family took precedence, Derrick. Decisions were made that moved you and me farther and farther from each other. This is my reality now.”

  He couldn’t deny that truth. “So Prescott is the guy for you?”

  She nodded. “He’s been there. Since we met and later when Mom got sick. He’s a good man.”

  “You love him?”

  “You’ve met him. How could I not?”

  “That’s not an answer.”

  She pressed her lips together. He remembered that stubborn expression.

  “Derrick, it’s been a long time. We can’t be in each other’s lives,” she said, but had hesitated for a fraction of a second.

  A shaft of hope lit through Derrick. “Not even if you’re the love I never stopped looking for?”

  Dear Reader,

  Do you love to travel? I do. Nothing is more exciting than hitting the open road on a new adventure. And when an interesting locale pops up on a television show, I love to say to my husband, “I’ve been there.” There are so many outstanding places to set a story, so picking the right location for a book is important.

  Years ago I was out west with some friends and we drove through Nevada. I was really impressed with the Lake Tahoe area. The mountains were so beautiful. The water so clear and blue. I love being in the woods, and let me say, there were so many gorgeous rustic areas, so many tall trees and lots of wildlife, I fell in love. So when I needed a special place for Hannah, my latest heroine, to live, the lake and surrounding region immediately jumped into my mind.

  Research is a big part of planning a book, and when I get to “visit” new places to discover interesting tidbits to incorporate in a story, it makes writing so much fun.

  I hope you enjoy Hannah and Derrick’s story, and the return of the Matthews brothers.

  Happy reading!

  Tara

  Always the One

  USA TODAY Bestselling Author

  Tara Randel

  Tara Randel is an award-winning USA TODAY bestselling author. 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 tenth book for Harlequin Heartwarming. Visit Tara at tararandel.com. Like her on Facebook at Tara Randel Books.

  Books by Tara Randel

  Harlequin Heartwarming

  Meet Me at the Altar

  Trusting Her Heart

  His Honor, Her Family

  The Lawman’s Secret Vow

  The Business of Weddings

  His One and Only Bride

  The Wedding March

  The Bridal Bouquet

  Honeysuckle Bride

  Magnolia Bride

  Orange Blossom Brides

  Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.

  To my precious daughter, Kathryn. I love you.

  Contents

  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

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  EXCERPT FROM THE FIREFIGHTER’S VOW BY AMIE DENMAN

  CHAPTER ONE

  “I DON’T LIKE the looks of this,” Derrick Matthews said to his three brothers as they huddled around the beach bonfire, waiting for their mother’s news. He hunched deeper into the fleece jacket worn over a T-shirt and jeans as a brisk wind whipped over the water. As the sun sank into the horizon, a damp chill settled in. The stacked logs snapped and crackled, pieces of ash rising in the air before being swept away.

  “She’s been cagey, even more than usual,” Dante replied as he eyed the crowd. “Which is saying a lot.”

  “You don’t think...” Dylan trailed off at the nods sent in his direction.

  “Oh, yeah,” Derrick confirmed. “They’re going to make it official.”

  He and his brothers stared into the burning flames. Their mother was going to marry a man with a sketchy past and if they valued their relationship with her, there wasn’t a thing they could do about it.

  “It’s not like we didn’t expect this,” Deke reasoned.

  Derrick leaned back in the beach chair, his gaze traveling to his mother, Jasmine, who was currently surrounded by a circle of friends. “Still, this is Mom we’re talking about.”

  He couldn’t deny she looked happy. Happier than he’d ever seen her in the years since their father had died. Shouldn’t that count for something?

  As the conversation faded, Deke and Dante, his two youngest brothers, rose and wandered over to their girlfriends. Derrick watched, the envy he’d tried to ignore all weekend making a repeat appearance. He was happy for his brothers, too, wasn’t he?

  “You okay with Mom doing this?” he asked Dylan, the second brother in the Matthews line. All the brothers were dark-haired, with varied shades of blue eyes, concerned about the woman who had raised them.

  “Not particularly, but it’s what she wants.”

  “And you’re tired of arguing with her?” Derrick asked, amused by his brother’s failed attempt to rein in their mother.

  “She’s stubborn,” Dylan muttered.

  “I tried to talk to her, but she ended up lecturing me, so I gave up.”

  “She lectured you?”

  “What can I say? I was deep into a case and she caught me off guard.”

  “Like she manages to do with all of us,” Dylan said.

  “You know you could investigate. We threatened Stanhope we’d do it.”

  Dylan looked at Derrick like he’d lost his mind. “Not if I prize my future.”

  Derrick chuckled. “Exactly.”

  “So I’ll let it go. For tonight.”

  The Cypress Pointe crowd had gathered for the special occasion, which was all the insight their mother would allow. Neighbors, townsfolk, kids and teens swarmed the beach located not far from the city park. The sand ran up to the grassy area, which then led to sidewalks, picnic benches and a large gazebo used for town, or private, events. Everyone brought a dish to share. There were drinks galore, plenty of riveting conversation and the occasional firecracker set off farther up the beach. It reminded Derrick of his youth, even if he hadn’t grown up in this particular Florida location, but the antics were still the same.

  “So when’s your big day?” Derrick asked, referring to Dylan’s upcoming wedding.

  “This summer.”

  “You’re going to brave the Florida heat?”

  “It’s what
Kady wants.”

  Right. Dylan’s fiancée. The first of the brothers to make it to the altar.

  Dylan and Kady had met during a DEA investigation in this sleepy little tourist town. Since then, Jasmine Matthews had moved to Cypress Pointe to be near one of her sons because the rest were scattered. What they hadn’t expected was for her to fall for a man and remarry.

  Derrick and his brothers were law enforcement, following in their police commissioner father’s footsteps, or had been, anyway. Dylan had met Kady during an undercover stint in town, but was still on the job. Former criminal forensics, Deke had gone off to the Georgia mountains to get a line on the man in their mother’s life and had fallen in love with Grace. He now worked as an outdoor guide for her family’s adventure vacation business. And Dante, the youngest, had left his position as a detective with a local PD. His girlfriend, Eloise, had been promoted to sergeant, but Dante had decided to open a specialty mechanic shop to work on classic cars, located on the other coast of Florida.

  They were happy with their decisions, in love and bugging the socks off him.

  “Good luck with that,” Derrick grumbled.

  “Don’t need luck. Just two words that’ll make me happy.”

  I do. Yeah, he got it.

  “You’re still my best man?”

  “Wouldn’t miss it.” Even though he’d like to. He didn’t need a reminder of the love he’d once had and lost, but he wouldn’t tell Dylan no. They were close, all the brothers were, and Derrick would do his part, even if it about killed him.

  He must have frowned because Dylan said, “It’s been a long time.”

  Like he’d ever forget. “Feels like a hundred years.”

  “Think it’s time to move on?”

  He barked out a harsh laugh. “Move on to what?”

  “Happiness.”

  Derrick didn’t hide his annoyance. “Happiness is overrated.”

  “Says the guy who won’t give any nice woman he dates a chance.”

  Okay, that was true. He’d been accused of being a serial dater albeit it wasn’t the case. He purposely let his brothers believe he was out enjoying the wild, single life when he was still hung up on Hannah. It was better for them to think he couldn’t commit, instead of witnessing their pity if they knew otherwise.

  “I don’t need your opinion on how to live my life.”

  Dylan raised a dark eyebrow. “Aren’t you the first one to stick your nose in our business? You made sure to give me unsolicited advice when Kady and I started dating. And if I remember correctly, you managed to butt into Deke’s and Dante’s love lives, as well.”

  “I’m the oldest brother. It’s my job to put in my two cents.”

  “Even when it’s unsolicited?”

  Derrick lifted a shoulder. “Blame it on the cop in me.”

  “More like you want to be in control.”

  “Can’t help myself. I’ve got Mom’s genes.”

  Dylan snorted. “On that we can agree.”

  Derrick dug the toes of his boots into the sifting sand. Said in a quiet voice, “I was the first one to fall in love. The first one to talk about getting married. Now look at me. I work too much, don’t ever commit, as you endlessly remind me, and have to put a smile on my face to make our mother happy.”

  “Don’t beat yourself up. You tried to find her.”

  “A lot of good that did.”

  “You can’t blame yourself.”

  Derrick shot him a sharp look. “Really? Who else?”

  Dylan wisely kept his mouth shut.

  “She’s out there, Dyl. Somewhere, she’s out there.”

  Hannah Rawlings had been his first love. His only love. The one who got away.

  He glanced at his brother. “I was sure I had a good lead two years ago.”

  Dylan sighed. “You’ve searched for years. Never made any headway. Let her go. Give yourself a chance to grieve and then start embracing life. Get serious with a woman.”

  It wasn’t like the idea had never occurred to Derrick. There had been a woman once, but in the end, the memory of Hannah had overshadowed the budding relationship. Still, he’d ignored the idea of moving on. Until now.

  Recently he’d been rethinking his goals. Wondered what they’d look like without Hannah at the forefront. There was more to life and he was missing out by searching for a woman who didn’t want to be found.

  “For once I’m inclined to go along with that.”

  Astonishment flashed across Dylan’s face but was quickly gone. “Wise choice.”

  Was it? He closed his eyes. Shouts of laughter and conversation surrounded him. He’d come to Cypress Pointe this weekend at Jasmine’s summons—yes, he still jumped when his mother called—as did all his siblings. But this time was different. His mother was about to announce her engagement to a man he and his brothers had suspected of harboring a secret past. Turned out they’d been right, he had a shady history, mistakes he’d made after losing his wife and his way, errors he was currently atoning for by paying back the families he’d swindled more than a decade ago. Nevertheless, there could be more to him than they’d uncovered and even though Dylan still talked about investigating, Derrick had convinced him to drop it. The kicker? Derrick kinda liked James Stanhope. He too was intimately acquainted with regrets of the past. Sometimes it was okay to let it go.

  Could he do that with Hannah?

  A woman’s bubbly laughter floated his way and memories bombarded him.

  Bicycling to the beach under a blazing summer sun. Hannah’s riotous auburn curls shining, her hazel eyes filled with teasing merriment. They’d exchanged class rings junior year and she’d been excited to wear the necklace that held his ring around her neck. Every year they’d celebrated their birthdays on the same day. He’d always said she was the best birthday present he’d ever received.

  They’d started hanging out when they were eight or nine, became an item at thirteen and planned to run off and get married the day after their eighteenth birthdays. Except when he showed up that special morning to whisk her away, she was gone. Her entire family vanishing into thin air.

  If Hannah could, or wanted to, wouldn’t she have contacted him by now?

  That was the part that tripped Derrick up, because bottom line, the real reason he’d never found her might be because she didn’t want to be found by him.

  “What’s changed?” Dylan asked, drawing Derrick back to the conversation.

  “I guess seeing my brothers have fulfilling lives. Even Mom. After years of being a widow, she found love again.” He turned to his brother. “I want that.”

  “Then go for it.”

  Easier said than done. He’d only ever loved one woman in his thirty-five years on earth. Didn’t know if he had it in him to try with another.

  As if given a silent cue, the crowd started moving toward the gingerbread-decorated gazebo outlined in twinkling lights located just off the beach. Derrick and Dylan got up and followed the others. His mother and James stood in the center of the structure, his arm around her waist, his mother smiling into James’s eyes. Yep. Didn’t have to be a crack FBI special agent to realize it was time for the big announcement.

  Rather than hang around his brothers and their girlfriends, he lingered in the back of the crowd, staying in the shadows. The wind whipped through again. It was a cold January evening, even for Florida standards. They’d gotten together to usher in the new year, but when their mother asked them to stay a few extra days, they knew Jasmine Matthews was up to something.

  “Thank you for coming tonight, all our family and friends.” Jasmine’s eyes glowed with a barely contained joy. As Derrick glanced at the couples around him, he noticed a similar theme.

  The envy kicked up again.

  “As you know, James and I were lucky to find each other. And we’ve been even more
fortunate to have your support.”

  A snort escaped Derrick.

  When he and his brothers had confronted James last autumn, they’d gotten two big surprises. One, James admitted his past as a con artist but confessed he’d been on the straight and narrow for a very long time. His mother ordered Derrick and his brothers to back off and they had. He kept waiting for one of his brothers to come up with a plan to break up the couple, but so far nothing had come to pass. At least nothing they were telling him since he’d landed on Team James.

  And second, they were going to gain a sister. James’ daughter Serena had become good friends with his mother. Which was a plus because that helped keep Jasmine from worrying about his private life. So if Mom and James got married, there would be one more sibling in the family. And even Serena had found her great love with Logan Masterson, the PI hired to dig up information on Stanhope.

  It was like the universe was conspiring against him.

  Weird, the thought of having a sister after a lifetime of brothers. But again, his mother was ecstatic and Serena was pretty okay, so he’d show up at his mother’s wedding and smile, even though he and his brothers would never shake their suspicions of the man she intended to marry.

  “I’m sure it won’t come as a news flash that we’re getting hitched,” she told the crowd.

  Cheers and claps echoed in the night.

  “So, mark your calendars for the second weekend in February.” She grinned. “The sooner the better.”

  Voices rose in celebration. His mother’s gaze caught his and with a small lift of her chin, she motioned him over. He skirted the outer rim of the crowd to find his brothers already behind the gazebo with their mother.

  “I have a request,” she said as the four circled her. Derrick could have sworn he heard Dante groan.

  She looked each of the grown men in the eyes. “I love you boys too much to decide who will give me away at my wedding. So I’ll leave the decision up to you.”

  “Are you sure?” Derrick asked.

  She cupped his cheek with her warm hand. “I’m sure.”