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  Cold Feet

  Copyright ©2021 Samantha A. Cole

  All Rights Reserved.

  Suspenseful Seduction Publishing

  Cold Feet is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Editing by Eve Arroyo

  Cover by Samantha A. Cole

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  On a cool, overcast day, Buck Thompson stood between his two best friends, Ryan Vaughn and Justin Haber, in St. Mary’s cemetery in Largo Ridge, New Hampshire. It was a place they’d spent far too much time in, grieving over one loss or another during their thirty-plus years on this earth.

  Buck’s father, both of Ryan’s parents, most of their grandparents, a friend from middle school who’d died of cancer, another friend who’d been in a fatal skiing accident, and Noah Scott, their fourth musketeer who’d been killed in Afghanistan, were all buried there. And today, Buck, Ryan, and Justin were there to say goodbye to the man who’d been like a second father to all three of them—Noah’s father, Matthew Scott, who’d suffered a massive heart attack less than a week ago.

  Mr. Scott had served in the Army in his youth and had lost his right leg in a training accident that’d killed two others in his squad. After receiving a prosthetic leg and a medical discharge, he’d returned to his hometown where he married his high school sweetheart and took over his family’s business—the Largo Ridge Ski Resort. Together, he and Grace had made the forty-guest room resort a place where many clients returned year after year. Some of those faithful visitors were now bringing their children and grandchildren on ski vacations like they’d done with their own parents.

  Three days after Buck had been born, Mr. & Mrs. Scott had welcomed their only child, a son, into the world. After Noah had started school, he’d become best friends with Buck, Justin, and Ryan. Theirs had been a true brotherhood. Arguments had been few and far between among the four, with most of them being resolved with rock, paper, scissors.

  Today, the men were as close as ever, minus Noah. Buck could still remember the phone call he’d received from Ryan to let him know Noah’s helicopter had gone down and there’d been no survivors. That was the day Buck had truly understood the word grief. He’d felt like a part of his soul had been ripped from his body. Even now, tears filled his eyes and the sense of loss raced through him as he glanced over at the tombstone at the head of Noah’s grave, next to the one that had been dug for today’s services.

  Sitting on chairs in front of the three friends were Mrs. Scott and her niece, Maxine. Sixteen years ago, the Scotts had taken in the then fourteen-year-old girl after her mother had been arrested and found guilty of murdering a convenience store clerk, along with her drug-addict boyfriend at the time. At least that’d happened in Ohio, so Maxine had been able to start over in Largo Ridge without a scarlet letter on her chest. At the teen’s request, her aunt and uncle had arranged to have her name legally changed from Judy Maxine Rhodes to Maxine Scott after she’d come to live with them. Very few people in Largo Ridge knew about Maxi’s background, but they included the men she’d come to love as surrogate brothers—her cousin Noah’s three best friends. The men would take her secret to the grave, never wanting her to be humiliated by her birth mother’s actions—something she’d had no control over.

  As the Army honor guard readied for the twenty-one-gun salute, Justin and Ryan both lifted a hand and set them on Buck’s shoulders, silently lending their support and, hopefully, keeping him from having a PTSD flashback. He appreciated their concern just as much as he hated it. Combat hadn’t been kind to Buck—not that it was ever kind to anyone involved. And now, the sound of gunshots had the power to bring him to his knees or make him take off running in a panic before his mind registered he was no longer in that hellhole a half a world away.

  The first of three volleys from the seven rifles had his knees shaking as if an earthquake had rumbled to the surface. The hands on his shoulders squeezed gently, letting him know they were still there. The second volley caused his entire body to break out in a cold sweat under his good suit. When the third round was fired off, he had to swallow back the bile that’d threatened to spew from his mouth.

  As “Taps” was played, he pulled a black bandana from his back pocket with a shaking hand and wiped his wet brow and upper lip. After a moment, he nodded his thanks to his two friends. By the time the American flag that’d been draped over the casket had been folded and presented to Mrs. Scott, Buck was back in control of his body and mind again. All three men reached out and touched Mrs. Scott’s shoulders and upper arms as she hugged the reminder of her husband’s military service. Maxi laid a consoling hand on her aunt’s thigh.

  After the services concluded, Buck, Justin, and Ryan waited with Mrs. Scott and Maxi while the rest of the mourners placed flowers atop the gray casket and returned to their vehicles. A repast to celebrate Matthew Scott’s life was being held at a nearby restaurant and everyone had been invited.

  Once they were the only ones still standing at the grave site, the men helped Mrs. Scott and Maxi to their feet so they could all say their goodbyes together. A few minutes later, Maxi escorted her aunt to the waiting limousine that would take them to the restaurant, and the three friends headed for Justin’s truck.

  As they approached the black Chevy Silverado, an older, gray-haired man dressed in a dark suit, stepped in their way, stopping them in their tracks. “Excuse me, gentlemen. My name is Howard Millner—I’m the Scotts’ attorney. Forgive me for interrupting your day of mourning, but I wanted to make certain I touched base with you before Mr. Thompson returned to Massachusetts, as per Matthew’s orders.”

  “Orders?” Ryan asked, obviously as confused as Justin and Buck were.

  “Yes, you see, Matthew has named all three of you in his will, along with Grace and Maxine. I’ve already arranged to meet with the ladies on Friday at ten a.m. for the reading of the will. Is that a good time for you all to attend?”

  The friends glanced at each other, their confusion deepening. Buck asked what the others were probably thinking, “Why would Mr. Scott put us in his will?”

  “I’m afraid I can’t disclose that until Friday.” He held out three business cards. “Can I expect you at ten?”

  Each one took a card before eying the others. Ryan and Justin both shrugged and nodded at Buck, who turned back to the lawyer. “I guess we’ll all be there.”

  “I’ll see you on Friday then. Take care, gentlemen, and I’m sorry for your loss. Matthew was a good man.”

  As the man walked away, Buck studied the business card in his hand, hoping it would give him some clue as to what was going on. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

  “Why would he put us in his will?” Justin asked, repeating Buck’s earlier question.

  Ryan stuffed his card in the pocket of his suit jacket. “Beats me. Should we ask Mrs. Scott?”

  Buck shook his head. “No. She’s got enough to deal with right now. We’ll know in two days. It’s probably something small to remember him by.”

  Pushing his curiosity aside, Buck started for the truck again with the others following. He’d gotten over the worst of the day. Now, it was time to sit back and toast the man they’d loved and respected for most of their lives.

  “He left us what?” Buck burst out as they sat in a conference room in the lawyer’s office shortly after 10:00 a.m. on Friday.
He glanced at Justin’s stunned face, then Ryan’s, before settling his wide-eyed gaze on Grace Scott’s smile. The sixty-one-year-old woman’s dirty-blonde hair had only recently started turning gray. If they’d all been standing, the three men would have towered over her five-foot-two, plump frame, but she could whip them all into shape with just a disapproving look in their direction if they’d been fucking up in some way.

  “Don’t look so surprised, boys,” she said. “Matthew and I had always thought the resort would be passed down to Noah.” A flash of sadness crossed her face before she continued. “But, since that wasn’t meant to be, we decided to do the next best thing. You boys were and still are our son’s best friends. After his death, you always brought him up in conversations with us, remembering all the good times, and making Matthew and I smile and laugh despite our grief. While growing up, I think you spent more time with us at the resort than you did at your own homes some years. You’ve all worked there during your teens, and even while visiting after you all enlisted, you still had no problem pitching in whenever help was needed. You know that place inside and out. So, Matthew and I decided a few years ago to leave each of you and Maxine a share of the resort. While I’ll still have a controlling interest, when I pass on, you’ll each inherit an equal share of my ownership.”

  “Holy sh—” Ryan caught himself before the rest of the expletive rushed out of his mouth. “Sorry.”

  Justin took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Mrs. Scott, I don’t know what to say.”

  “First of all,” she responded, “I think it’s time you all started calling me Grace. After all, you’re in your thirties, all grown up and then some, and now, we are also partners. Second, this wasn’t a decision Matthew and I made lightly. As I walk around the resort, I always recall images in my mind of the four of you, at different ages, laughing and playing and enjoying life. We wanted that to continue. We wanted you all to start families and raise them the way you were raised—with friends and loved ones. Maxi can’t run the resort on her own after I’m gone—she has her practice to deal with.” Her niece had gone to school to become a veterinarian and had returned to Largo Ridge to mentor under a local vet after graduation. She’d taken over his practice after he’d retired last year.

  Grace continued. “Matthew and I knew we couldn’t pass on the resort to anyone but the four of you, but we also understood it might not be what you wanted either. If any of you want to back out, the others will receive your share, and I’ll understand. However, if all of you feel this isn’t something you want, then I’ll start preparing the resort to be listed for sale.”

  Well, hell. That wasn’t something any of them wanted to happen, Buck thought. While they were all still flabbergasted, including Maxi, who hadn’t said a word yet, the offer couldn’t have come at a better time. Justin and Ryan had both left the military six and seven months ago, respectively, with Justin now working for his brother-in-law’s construction company. Ryan had taken over as maintenance supervisor at the resort when Mr. Scott had offered him the job when the previous one had retired a month after Ryan had returned home to Largo Ridge. As for Buck, his honorable discharge had been finalized ten days ago. He was done with the military but hadn’t decided what to do as a civilian yet. It looked like Mr. Scott had made that decision for him, and Buck didn’t mind one bit.

  He sat up straighter in the leather chair next to Ryan. “I’m in.”

  “Me too,” Ryan added. “I work there already anyway.”

  They both looked at Justin who grinned. “I really hate working for my brother-in-law, so, yeah, I’m in, too.”

  All eyes flickered to thirty-year-old Maxi. She shook her head, her long, auburn hair swishing across her slender shoulders, but there was amusement in her hazel eyes. “You know, the last thing I ever expected was to be in business with the three of you, but I couldn’t ask for better partners. If you all agree I can be a silent partner, helping out when and where I can, then I’m in.”

  All three men smiled. “Deal.”

  Five months later . . .

  Scarsdale, New York.

  “You look absolutely beautiful, Gi,” Zia Kemp said as she adjusted her best friend’s veil.

  Regina Vaughn stared at her reflection in the free-standing mirror that had been brought into the hotel suite and wished she felt as beautiful as everyone had been saying she looked. All she saw, though, was a bundle of nerves dressed in itchy, white lace and silk and wearing layers of makeup meant to enhance her features. The $12,000 designer dress hadn’t been her first choice. In fact, it hadn’t even been in her top ten, but she’d been outvoted, so there she stood, in a dress she couldn’t wait to take off.

  Her heart pounded in her chest as the minutes until she walked down the aisle passed by too quickly for her comfort. This was a mistake. A woman shouldn’t be ready to burst into tears on her wedding day for any other reason than she was deliriously happy, right?

  All around her, the bridesmaids and mother and aunt of the groom bustled to gather their things. The limos had arrived to take them to the church where Regina’s fiancé, Edward Harnett IV, would be waiting for her. He was a sweet man, and she really did love him, but she wasn’t in love with him. She’d thought she’d been, but if that were true, she wouldn’t be dreaming and fantasizing about the man she’d only kissed once several years ago, right? Seriously, what woman dreamed about a man she hadn’t seen in what felt like forever instead of the man she was about to marry?

  Eleven months ago, the wedding arrangements had quickly blown to epic proportions from the moment Edward had announced to his family that he and Regina had become engaged. With no immediate family in New York, and only a few close friends, Regina had accepted Margaret Harnett’s help with everything from the choice of venue, food, flowers, band, dresses, tuxedos, and so much more. It hadn’t taken long for Edward’s mother, and the wedding planner she’d hired, to simply take over orchestrating the entire event. At first, Regina had been gracious, considering the Harnetts had offered to pay for the grand affair, since her parents had died in a car accident seven years ago. But then, as the months had dragged on, Regina found she’d had no say in most parts of the very expensive wedding, right down to where they’d be spending their honeymoon. She’d always had a hard time saying no to people, and this had been one of the worst experiences of her life due to that personality trait.

  None of that was the point though. She couldn’t marry a man she wasn’t in love with, no matter how much it would hurt him. Edward and his parents would be humiliated in front of three hundred and forty guests, most of them their family, friends, and business associates. Regina’s brother, Ryan, was supposed to give her away, and Zia and another close friend, Courtney Fields, were two of her eight bridesmaids. The other six were all from Edward’s side of the family—his sister and five cousins, two of whom Regina had met for the first time last night at the rehearsal dinner. She only had about another dozen people included on the guest list. Three cousins she hadn’t seen in two years but spoke to occasionally on the phone or via email, and a few other friends who were more than acquaintances but less than BFFs. It’d made her realize how few true friends she had in New York. Zia was the only friend from Largo Ridge, New Hampshire whom Regina had remained friends with after moving to Manhattan to attend Hunter College eight years ago. And that was because Zia had moved there also, to attend NYU.

  After getting her bachelor’s degree, Regina had applied for and gotten a job with Harnett, Fuller & Gray, one of the biggest accounting firms in New York City, while also working toward her master’s degree. It had helped that she’d been dating Greg Harnett’s son for a little over two months at that point.

  At first, there’d been a number of people at HF&G who thought that was the only reason she’d been hired. But it hadn’t taken her long to prove her work was on par or better than that of others who’d been there much longer than her. That’s not to say there weren’t still a few who resented her relationship with
Edward.

  Regina had met her fiancé one day, completely by accident—literally. The bottom of a bag of groceries she’d been carrying back to her apartment had ripped open and had sent several cans rolling off the sidewalk into the street. Edward had been riding his bicycle and had hit a can of tomatoes, which had caused him to crash into a postal box. Thankfully, he’d been uninjured, save for a few bumps and scratches, but talk about a meet-cute. After listening to Regina say she was sorry for fifteen minutes, he said the only way he’d accept her apology was if she’d agree to have dinner with him at his favorite Italian restaurant the next night. That had ended up being their first date. Twenty-six months later, he was waiting for her at the altar, and she was realizing she couldn’t go through with it. Not when Buck Thompson occupied her thoughts more than Edward did.

  God, she was such a fool, longing for a man—one of her brother’s best friends in the whole world—who didn’t want anything to do with her. But that one kiss, seven years ago, when she’d been nineteen, six years his junior, still felt like yesterday. If she closed her eyes and blocked everything else out, she could remember how his lips felt against hers, how he tasted, and how he’d kissed her like he wanted more from her.

  It’d been a farce, however. He’d ripped his mouth from hers, mumbled an apology, then practically ran out the door of her parents’ house. For the rest of her summer vacation—three whole weeks—she hadn’t seen him again before returning to New York. She’d been in Buck’s presence a few times since then—mostly in the days following the fateful morning Dennis and Maria Vaughn’s sedan had been hit head-on by a truck driven by a man who’d suffered a diabetic crisis. All three had been killed on impact.

  Buck and Ryan’s two other best friends, Noah Scott and Justin Haber, along with Zia and Courtney, and their families, had been the Vaughn siblings’ rocks during that time. Both in the Army, Justin and Buck had been stateside, stationed in New York and Massachusetts respectively, when the accident had happened, and had managed to return home to Largo Ridge and help Regina until her brother could get there. Ryan and Noah had been in the Marines and stationed in the Middle East at the same time. While Noah had been unable to get leave, like Ryan had, he’d stayed in contact with the others during the whole ordeal. A year after, almost to the day, they’d said their final goodbyes to Regina and Ryan’s folks, they’d buried Noah. He’d been killed in a helicopter crash, alongside three other Marines and five Navy SEALs, shortly after taking off from their base in Afghanistan.