Just Between Us (The Kings)

Royal’s ability to set his mood dial to happy never ceased to amaze me. It was like his personality was permanently set to sunny and the rest of us were left to bask in his contented glow.

Thankfully I’d brought my sunglasses.

It would be a lie if I hadn’t finally admitted that Royal’s upbeat personality didn’t rub off on me, just a little bit. I mean, how could it not? Surrounded by his friends and family in a coastal Michigan town, life was good.

Really good.

When news of Russell’s arrest hit the regional news stations, my parents had made the drive to check in on me. Even my mother remarked at how the coastal air seemed good for my skin and my soul. I was sad when their visit hadn’t lasted more than a few days.

Almost immediately after Russell had been arrested, JP offered me a permanent position with King Equities. He promised it would be shitty, but that it would also be good, hard work, and that was something I couldn’t seem to resist.

Hard work and his older brother, apparently.

I grinned over my champagne glass as I tracked Royal’s movements. We had spent the day at Sullivan Farms, where Sylvie and Duke hosted a celebration of life for Maryann. After the family had obtained the proper approval from the Department of Natural Resources, Wabash Lake had been dragged. It was a mixture of aching sadness and relief when her remains were found. The King family could finally find peace. In an intimate service for Royal and his siblings, Maryann was laid to rest at the family plot on Sullivan Farms—a place where Russell could never harm her or her memory again.

As a collective, Royal and his siblings felt that having any kind of celebration for her at the King estate didn’t make much sense. While the house had been fully transferred into Bug’s name, the painful memories inside its walls were still too raw.

Instead, they had chosen Maryann’s birthday to celebrate her life, and Sylvie had offered up her home. Nearly the whole town came out to Sullivan Farms to honor Maryann King, and the show of support was overwhelming.

The rambling blueberry farm had been transformed. Large white tents billowed in the soft breeze. A band played jazzy music, and a few people were swaying on the makeshift dance floor. Momma Faye’s Barbecue catered the event, and I had drowned myself in the most amazing pulled pork I’d ever eaten.

The day couldn’t have been more perfect. I sat and soaked in the moment.

Royal was on the dance floor, shimmying his shoulders and trying to get Wyatt Sullivan’s daughter Penny to warm up to him. That girl could hold a grudge as she rolled her eyes and pretended to ignore him, but I didn’t miss the tiny crack in her facade. When he cast an imaginary fishing line in her direction, I saw the tiny curl in her lip as she fought back a smile.

Undeterred, Royal was pretending to reel her in when Lee stepped in front of her, playing along with Royal’s antics. When Lee flopped like a fish and wriggled his way toward Royal, Penny finally cracked. Her belly laugh got louder when Royal scooped Lee up and hoisted him over his shoulder. Penny jumped and clapped while Royal bounced Lee around the dance floor.

With a laugh, he set Lee down and gave him a playful shove.

Royal’s gaze slowly sliced across the crowd. When he found me, his features grew impossibly brighter. My fingertips teased the hoop attached to the gold necklace at my throat as I moved the ring back and forth. A low thrum moved through me as I smiled at him.

Only he and I knew the real function of the necklace, and I delighted in the sick thrill of something that was just between us.

In a slow saunter, Royal made his way toward me. I steadied my face, attempting to look unimpressed.

He let out a low whistle. “In that dress, you could make the devil nervous.”

My belly tickled with excitement, but as he stood in front of me, I lifted my eyebrow. “Oh, can I help you?”

Royal’s tongue slid across his lower lip as his gaze raked over me. “I think you have a good idea of how you can help me later. But right now . . .” Royal crouched and slid his large palms up my crossed legs to the hemline of my dress. “I want to take you for a walk.”

That wasn’t at all what I was expecting. “A walk?”

He stood and held out his hand. “No more questions. Let’s go, Precious.”

He was up to something, I could tell. Intrigued, I slipped my hand into his. My mid-length skirt tumbled as I stood, and his appreciative glance made my heart flutter. I tucked myself into his side and let him guide me through the crowd. I paused when I saw my mother and father laughing with Red Sullivan and Bug. My mother was dressed in a pale sage-green pantsuit with sensible beige heels. My father, dressed in a navy suit, looked a bit more gray at his temples than I remembered, but he was carrying the conversation with the charm and ease I’d always admired about him.

Curiosity and affection drew me forward. My steps slowed, and my mom caught my eye.

I pulled her into a hug. “What are you doing here?”

I looked between my parents and hugged Dad too.

“We just got here.” Mom used her champagne glass to gently salute Royal. “Royal invited us. We’re honored to celebrate your mother.”

Royal gave my mother a soft smile and nod before holding his hand out to my dad. “Sir. Thank you for coming.”

My father smiled at Royal in a way that made my insides go soft. “We wouldn’t miss today for the world.”

“Where are you two running off?” My mother’s voice sounded strange as it rose higher.

I narrowed my eyes at her. What was she up to?

“We’re going to take a quick stroll around the lake. I’ll have her back in no time.” Royal smiled at my mother, and I swear I could hear the woman swoon.

Royal guided me away from the group, and we skirted the crowd, making our way into the blueberry fields. We stopped when he realized my heels were sinking into the earth with every step.

I used his muscled arm to steady myself as I slipped off my high heels. He gestured toward my shoes, and I passed them to him. “Thank you.”

He looked down at me and winked. “You know I like taking care of you.”

We walked in silence as I soaked up the sunshine and let the gentle breeze lift my hair and cool my skin. Royal’s attention floated over to the southern section of the farm. It wasn’t visible, but in the distance, his mother peacefully rested.

I squeezed his hand and rested my head against his biceps as we walked. He led me away from the crowd, and we wound across the grass pathways through the farm. My heels swung from the fingertips of his other hand. The grass was soft beneath my feet, and for the first time in my life I was grounded.

Connected.

I exhaled a deep, contented sigh. “Today was a good day.”

Royal looked down at me. “Every day with you is a good day.”

I blushed and gently pushed against his shoulder.

Up ahead a small pond came into view. The sun shimmered off its smooth surface. In the distance the band was barely audible, the music floating across the blueberry bushes.

As we approached the pond, a small circular table with champagne and two chairs became visible.

I looked up at Royal. “What is this?”

His finger stroked down my face and stopped under my chin. “I wanted a moment. Just between us.”

Heat flooded my cheeks. As he always did, Royal knew the crowd drained my social battery, and a quiet moment was exactly what I needed.

I stood in front of the calm pond and soaked in the moment. Royal’s hands smoothed up my shoulders and caressed my neck.

He turned to face me. His hands lay gently on my collarbone. “Veda, before I met you, I was lost. My soul was drifting without anything grounding me.” Love and passion poured out of him, and my throat grew thick as he spoke. “You’ve anchored me in a way I didn’t even realize I needed. You give me strength and confidence. Life with you is all the adventure I need.”

His hands were holding mine, and unspoken emotion was bubbling on my lips when he brought a hand to my cheek. “I don’t know for certain you feel the same way, so I’m going to have to leap before I look, for one last time.”

Holding my hands, Royal lowered his hulking frame to one knee. “Veda Bauer, will you marry me?”

My hand flew to my mouth as tears flooded behind my eyelids. His brown eyes held mine, and I struggled to find my voice. “Yes!” I choked out with a laugh. “Yes!”

My arms flung around his neck, and I surged forward, knocking Royal off his knee and flat on his back. I peppered his face with kisses, and his arms banded around my middle. His rumbling laugh thumped against my chest as I kissed him.

When I finally looked down at him, his face was pure sunshine. “Don’t you even want to see the ring?”

I laughed again and grinned, nodding. Royal shifted, placing me next to him on the ground before he dug into the pocket of his slacks. Carefully, he removed a small wooden box. My eyes were transfixed as he slowly opened it.

Set against a navy cushion was a pear-cut salt-and-pepper diamond surrounded by small round and marquise stones. It was stunning and unique and perfect.

Royal grinned. “A black diamond for my black cat, because there’s not a damn thing about you I would change.”

I gazed down at him, my dark hair cocooning us. “I love you, Dwayne James King. Let’s get married.”

He laughed and rolled us so his weight pressed me into the soft grass. With nothing short of all the love in the world, he grinned down at me before pressing his lips to mine and pulling me under.