Joseph looked at his brother for one endless, terrifying second, time standing still as they floated high above the ground.
"I'm sorry … " Joseph whispered, not knowing if the words left his throat, let alone registered to George.
Their car came hurtling to the ground with a sickening crunch. Glass shattered as metal twisted in on itself, making the convertible unrecognizable. The only movement was one wheel as it spun in circles on the mangled wreck of a car.
For a brief second silence reigned in the busy city of Seattle.
House lights began flickering on as people rushed from their homes to investigate the noise. Several brave citizens rushed forward to see if there was any hope for the people in the car.
Neither Joseph, nor George, stirred as sirens broke the eerie silence of the dark night. Still no movement when the ambulance arrived, paramedics struggling through the twisted remains of the vehicle as they attempted to get to the two men. They were shaking their heads as they began mouth-to-mouth and chest compressions. It didn't look good …
Chapter One
One Year Ago
"You're radiant. I'm incredibly grateful for persistent reporting, an especially for snow storms in Alaska because right now I'm the luckiest man in this room," Max told Cassie as he suddenly dipped her low to the ground, before lifting her back up, bringing her body close to his.
"You make me tremble," Cassie sighed, her eyes devouring him.
"I want to drag you out of here right now," he growled while his hand drifted down her satin wedding gown and gripped her hip, pulling her tight against him.
"I'm not stopping you," she purred, a seductive smile on her face.
Max's eyes rounded as her words sunk in and he realized she was giving him permission to haul her away. He stopped dancing and grabbed her hand, prepared to cart her to the nearest room.
"You may not be stopping him, but I am. Do you know how many hours I've spent planning the perfect wedding for you? Joseph and I have worked night and day, and there's no flippin' way you're sneaking off," Kinsey said in a stern voice. The smile she was trying to hide was showing though, taking any bite out of the words.
"I'll make it up to you, Kins," Cassie pleaded with her.
"No way. Don't you dare give me those doe in the headlight eyes. I've known you too many years for that to work. We have a cake to cut, toasts to make, and a bouquet to throw," Kinsey insisted.
"Fine, but when you're trying to sneak off with some hunk of a man, I promise you that I'll be there to run interference," Cassie threatened.
"Don't worry, I can't see that happening in the near future. I think I'm safe."
"Yeah, you never know … "
"Hey, trust me. I really want a niece, but you have plenty of baby-making time on your month long honeymoon. I can't believe how spoiled you are. I really can't believe your job is willing to wait that long for you," Kinsey pouted.
"I guess I'm just worth the wait," Cassie said with a chuckle.
"You are, Cass. You really are," Kinsey said, all joking aside.
"Thanks for making this day perfect, Kins. You know I love you to death," Cass said, no longer pouting about not getting to run off with her husband.
"I love you, too. Let's go cut the cake before you make me cry and ruin this expertly applied makeup," Kinsey said.
"Fine, but you owe me. You owe me big time," Cassie pouted as she followed her best friend.
The night flew by in a whirl of dancing, laughing, eating, and visiting. The Anderson family certainly knew how to throw a huge event. Yes, Kinsey had spent hours with Joseph planning, but she knew he was really the one in control.
She'd insisted on certain things for the wedding, those special little touches she knew would matter to Cassie, but for the most part, she'd tried to just stay out of Joseph's way. The man was a force to be reckoned with. She found it quite funny that the giant of a man liked planning weddings so much. Maybe he'd gone into the wrong business.
"My feet are killing me. I'm thinking right now I should've opted for the flats instead of the three inch heels. I just like to pretend I'm taller than I really am, but that always ends up biting me in the butt," Kinsey said to another bridesmaid as they stood on the edge of the dance floor.
"I know what you mean. I refuse to take them off because, well, look at them. They're stunning, but I won't be able to walk for a week. It's worth it though, or at least that's what I keep telling myself," Shelby said.
"How many times have you been hit on tonight?" Kinsey asked with a smile.
"About seven. I think Cassie picked out the, um, how do I say it nicely? Ah, most revealing dresses she could, for her bridesmaids. I keep double checking to make sure everything's still covered."