The Night That Changed Everything

Chapter One

I’m getting married!

Grant Culhane pulled his cell phone away from his ear for a second in disbelief.

Winona. Getting married? Since when?

They spoke most nights, around dinnertime, and had done so for years. Growing up, Winona Sheehan was the best friend he’d ever had—and that hadn’t changed much as they’d gotten older.

He digested what she’d said, got a twitch in his gut he didn’t waste time registering and then scowled again. Who the hell to?

Grant heard her soft sigh. To Dwight, of course.

The boyfriend. More accurately, the long-distance boyfriend, a marine who was currently deployed in Bahrain. Winnie, you haven’t seen him in nearly a year. Don’t you think you should spend some time together before you start planning a wedding?

"I’m not planning anything, she said. We’re eloping."

Grant’s back immediately straightened. What?

I’m heading to Nevada tomorrow and meeting Dwight in Vegas on Thursday. He’s got a few days’ leave.

She sounded happy. Happier than he’d heard her in a long time, actually. But still, marrying someone who had been in another country for over ten of the eighteen months you’d been dating didn’t seem like such a great idea.

Winnie, he said, dropping his voice an octave and using the nickname, funnily, that only he called her. Don’t you think you should—

I’m tired of thinking, she said, clearly exasperated as she cut off his words. "I overthink everything. That’s why I work in a boring job and have never ventured past the South Dakota state line. I’m sick of playing it safe. Dwight asked me to marry him and I said yes, so you could at least pretend to be happy for me."

Of course I’m happy for you, he lied, since he wasn’t feeling that way inclined at all. Damn if he couldn’t figure out why.

Are you gonna be there or not? she asked abruptly, cutting him off again. Dwight’s bringing his best friend from his unit, and to be honest, I’d like my best friend to be there, too. Can you get the time off work?

Grant pushed back in his chair. He looked around at the four bland office walls. He’d been working fourteen-hour days on the same job for over a week and suspected he could certainly use a break. Plus, there was the current family drama that was taking up way too much of his thinking time lately.

Still, he wasn’t sure how he felt about seeing Winnie get married, either!

But how could he say no to her?

Of course I can be there by Thursday, he said, surprising himself a little.

He heard her relieved sigh and then felt better about his decision. If he was there, at least he had a shot at trying to talk her out of it, or maybe he could have a word with Dwight and get the other man to see that eloping wasn’t a great idea. For starters, Winona’s grandfather would certainly have something to say about his only grandchild racing off to marry a man she had only seen in the flesh a handful of times.

Have you told Red? he asked.

She sighed. No. You know how he is. He’s going to ask me to wait so we can have a proper wedding.

He’d have a point.

"It will be a proper wedding, she replied. All that matters is that Dwight and I want to do this now. Besides, he’s only got four days leave and Papa wouldn’t be able to travel that far on such short notice."

That was true. Red Sheehan’s health wasn’t the best. The older man had been the foreman on Grant’s family’s ranch for years before a series of strokes forced him to stop working altogether. He still lived on the ranch, though, and helped out where he could. Grant’s oldest brother, Mitch, would always offer a home for the Sheehans on the Triple C.

I’ll call you tonight, Winona said and ended the call.

Grant slipped the phone into his pocket, got to his feet and walked to the window, staring out to the street below. He stretched out his shoulders, thinking about Winnie, his concern quickly gathering momentum. Of course, after nearly twenty years of friendship, he’d never known her to be impulsive—Grant didn’t even know if she really loved the guy. Sure, she regularly talked about the marine, but he wasn’t convinced she was doing the right thing by marrying him.

He wondered whether he should have tried to talk her out of it, or at least tried harder to get her to hold off for a few more months. The truth was, he probably should have seen it coming. But he’d been distracted lately—with work, with family stuff—and maybe he’d been too preoccupied to focus on what was going on in his best friend’s relationship. He’d try and get to the bottom of things once he saw her, he told himself—even if that was going to be on her wedding day.

He pushed back at the niggling jolt racing up and down his spine and worked out his next move—go to Vegas and try and talk some sense into her.

After that, maybe he’d go home for a while. He’d lived in Rapid City for seven years, moving there after completing four years of college in Sioux Falls. But Cedar River, South Dakota, would always be home. Situated in the shadow of the Black Hills, it had once been a vibrant mining town. Now, it was mostly a stopover for tourists and commuters heading for the state line. There were several tourist attractions, though, including the famous O’Sullivan Hotel, numerous dude ranches and a couple of the old mines, now operating as tourist centers. Grant loved Cedar River and, more importantly, he loved the Triple C Ranch and his family. The second youngest of six children, he looked up to his older brothers, particularly Mitch, who had gained guardianship of them all when their father had bailed. Grant had been just twelve years old at the time, and still remembered the day his father left. He’d raced after his father’s truck, begging him to take him with him. It was a memory Grant tucked away, determined to keep buried.

If only Billie-Jack would let him.

Billie-Jack Culhane had been a deadbeat dad twenty years ago and Grant had no reason to think he’d changed. Except that two weeks earlier, out of the blue, he’d received a call from his long-lost father.

He hadn’t recognized the number and let it go to voice mail. The message was short and to the point—Billie-Jack wanted to reconnect. Numb, he hadn’t a clue how to react to the memories that he’d struggled for years to hide and which had quickly resurfaced. Three days later, Billie-Jack called again. But Grant wasn’t going to be pushed into seeing him. And he knew any of his four older brothers and younger sister, Ellie, wouldn’t be interested in seeing the old man, either. No, it was better he kept the information to himself for a while. Besides, now that Winona had dropped her bombshell he had other things to think about.

Grant sighed, stretched out his shoulders again and walked back around the desk. It was going to be a long afternoon, he figured, and sat down. He usually had no trouble concentrating on his work. He liked his job and the company he’d been employed with for the last few years. He’d loved gaming as a kid, but in high school, one of his science teachers noted his skills and encouraged him to pursue computer science as a career. Intrigued, he took the teacher’s advice. Now, he worked wherever the company sent him, doing program design and sometimes high-end tech support and program installation for companies up and down the west coast. He had an apartment in Rapid City and spent most of his time there, traveling when needed. And he liked his life. He had a nice home. Good friends. Money in the bank. Yeah, life was sweet.

Except...his father wanted to make a comeback.

And Winnie was getting married. To some guy she hardly knew, no less.

Well, he’d just have to talk to her again—to make sure she was certain that marrying the marine was what she really wanted.

With his mind set on a plan, Grant got back to work and managed to push through until the end of the day.

He was home by six, showered and eating a swiftly put together stir-fry by seven-thirty. Nothing he did, though, could push thoughts of Winnie from his mind.

He wasn’t sure why, but the idea of her getting married made his insides churn. It was just his protective instincts jumping into action, that’s all, he figured. Of course he wanted to make sure she was safe. He cared about her. After all, they’d grown up together on the Triple C. They were best friends. They knew everything about each other. And he certainly would never have expected this kind of bombshell from her. Most days he forgot she actually had a boyfriend, since the marine was half a world away and she hadn’t seen him too often during the months they’d dated.

He and Winnie had been there for each other for as long as Grant could remember, for everything. She taught him how to throw a curveball in middle school; he’d taught her how to ace a math quiz. He’d been the shoulder she’d cried on when she was dumped by her first boyfriend. She’d been the first person he’d called when he’d discovered he was valedictorian in senior year. He teased her when she got braces; she dissed his taste in music. They talked about everything, from bad dates, religion, the environment, to her insistence that one of his work colleagues had a thing for him. The plus one for weddings and parties. That one friend who mattered above all others. They’d supported one another through loss, grief, heartbreak and failed romances. Yeah...they were best friends, and even if he didn’t agree with her planned elopement, he’d still be there for her. Because no matter what, she would do the same for him.

Not that Grant had any plans to get married...ever.

After dinner, he booked a flight to Vegas and then picked up his cell and called her. She didn’t answer and he didn’t bother leaving a message. He was just starting to type out a text message when she called him back.

Hey, there, she said. Sorry I missed your call. I was in the middle of sending Dwight a message.

Grant bit back a comment. No problem. Okay, I’ll be at the hotel around three o’clock, he told her. I’ll text you when I’m there.

Okay, great, she said and then hesitated, her voice scratchy.

What’s wrong? he asked.

I feel bad for not telling Papa. And Ellie, she added. You know how she loves organizing things like this.

That was true. Grant’s little sister was a party-planner extraordinaire. They’ll get over it, he assured her, ignoring the sudden and ever-present twitch in his gut. Once they see how happy the marine makes you.

She laughed. You know, he does have a name.

I know, Grant said humorlessly. I’m just giving you a hard time about it. I hope he appreciates you, Winnie.

He loves me, she replied and sighed. That’s all I want.

Grant figured that’s all anyone wanted. But he’d never been a great believer in the idea of true love. Sure, he believed in attraction and lust and he liked sex as much as the next person, but love always seemed to fade. And worse, ruin lives. He’d watched his father fall to pieces when his mother had died. He’d witnessed his brother Mitch endure divorce from the only woman he’d ever loved. Even though Mitch and Tess were back together now, that didn’t erase the years of pain in between. And when his other brother Joss had lost his young wife to cancer, he’d been put through hell by his in-laws as they tried to gain custody of Joss’s two daughters. Yeah...love wasn’t for him.

Winnie, he said after a moment. Are you sure you’re—

Positive, she replied, cutting him off. And promise me you’re not just coming tomorrow to try and talk me out of it?

Grant held off for a second, figuring she’d know exactly what he planned on doing. Well, I only—

I know what I’m doing, she assured him. Please support me in this.

Grant’s gut plummeted. Despite his misgivings, he knew he would absolutely support Winnie if she wanted to tie herself to the marine. It was her life. Her choice. And as her friend, he’d support that—even if the idea tied his stomach into knots.

Okay, he relented. I promise.

He heard her relieved sigh. Don’t tell Krystal you’re heading to Vegas, though, she teased, or she’ll be booking herself on the flight with you.

Krystal Heller worked for the same company he did and although she was nice enough, pretty and friendly, and had made it clear she was interested in him, he wasn’t feeling anything other than a respectful working relationship. And he’d never believed in messing around with someone he worked with—it had complication written all over it.

Give it a rest, will you.

She chuckled. I’ll see you tomorrow, she said and chatted on excitedly for another few seconds before signing off. Love ya, she said, the same words she ended the call with every night.

Ditto, Grant replied, as he always did, and then realized something that was oddly unsettling—that it might be the last time he said it to her. She would be married—another man’s wife. She’d move to a new town. Probably a new state. And he would rarely see her. Their nightly phone calls would cease. She wouldn’t be the last voice he heard before he fell asleep each night.

And he couldn’t figure out why the mere idea of that cut through him so hard that for a moment he could barely breathe.

Life was about doing what made a person happy, Winona Anabel Sheehan thought as she looked around the Las Vegas hotel room.

And taking chances.

Not that she’d taken a lot of risks over the years, but that was about to change. She had a lot to be thankful for. First and foremost, she loved three things. Her grandfather, Cedar River and Grant Culhane. Well, of course she actually loved all the Culhanes—but Grant was extra-special to her. He was her best friend.

Four things she loved, she corrected, shaking her head as she carefully draped her wedding gown across the bed. She loved Dwight Kelly, too. He was good-looking and funny and she’d fallen head over heels for him eighteen months ago. He’d been in Cedar River visiting a friend and they’d met at Rusty’s bar, hitting it off immediately. Originally from New Mexico, he’d joined the marines at nineteen. He was finishing his current tour in three months, but insisted he didn’t want to wait that long to get married. Winona had accepted his proposal via Skype without a second thought. When he finished his tour they would settle at Fort Liggett, California, for a while and Winona was looking forward to the move. She’d lived in Cedar River all of her life, only venturing as far as Sioux Falls for a couple of years to attend a community college there. Yeah, she was about as hometown as a girl could get, and at twenty-six was more than ready to venture out into the world.

Papa will understand, she said to herself. Red Sheehan had raised her since her mother ran out when she was nine. Winona didn’t know her father, only that he was Brazilian and her mom had hooked up with him in Reno for a weekend and she was the result of that tryst. She knew his first name, which was Paolo. But no surname. No picture. She’d accepted his absence from her life long ago—just like she’d accepted having a mother who didn’t really want her. But she had Red, the greatest grandparent in the world. And she had the Culhanes, too. Particularly Grant, and Ellie, who was more like a sister than a friend.

And now she had Dwight—her future husband.

Winona stared at the satin-and-lace gown the saleswoman had said flattered her figure, and pushed down the hankering she had for something more traditional. It didn’t matter what she wore. All that mattered was that she would be standing at an altar with the man she loved.

With both of them!

Oh, God, snap out of it, girl!

Winona shook off the thought. As a teenager she’d secretly and longingly pined for Grant Culhane to look at her as something other than his best friend—only admitting the truth in the diary she wrote in—but never letting Grant know how she felt. As she grew up, she accepted that she was in the friend zone and that’s where she would stay. She stood by and watched him fall in love with a girl in high school, and then fall out of love just as swiftly. She remained his sidekick as he hooked up with one woman or another over the last decade, always ending the relationship within a couple of months. Grant didn’t do serious. He didn’t do commitment and he certainly would never do marriage. But he was the shoulder she always cried on. And she did love him—but she wasn’t in love with him anymore, like she had been back in high school. That would be an obvious waste of her time. Now she was in love with Dwight. It had worked out exactly as it should have.

Her cell pinged and she grabbed the phone, recognizing Grant’s number.

I’m in the foyer and all checked in.

Winona’s heart skipped a beat. The hotel wasn’t the flashiest in Vegas—but it was the best she could afford. She’d told Dwight she would make all of the arrangements, including booking the honeymoon suite. The room was huge and almost hideously decorated in shades of lime green, gold and red, with embossed velvet curtains and ornate furnishings. She was sure Grant would have something to say about the outrageous color scheme—not that she expected him to see the suite. No, she’d be sharing the room with her husband in just over five hours. Dwight was on his way. He’d called her that morning and they spoke briefly, making arrangements to meet at the chapel. Winona had thrilled at hearing his voice, and suggested they catch up at the hotel first, but he’d teased her, saying it was bad luck to see one another on their wedding day.

She grabbed her key card and tote and quickly left the room, heading downstairs to the foyer. The place was busy, and she noticed a bride and groom walking toward the elevators. Newlyweds were certainly in plentiful supply in Vegas. Winona spotted Grant immediately—he was hard to miss! Well over six feet, dark hair, broad shoulders and dark green eyes that were blisteringly intense. She saw a few women glancing at him appreciatively. He was hot, no doubt about that.

He hauled her into a hug the moment they collided and held her close. His arms had always made her feel safe and she hung on tightly for a few extra seconds. He smelled good, too, his cologne woodsy and familiar.

What? he said when he released her, holding her a little away, and looking at her jeans and shirt. No bridal gown?

It’s upstairs, she replied and laughed. "Don’t want to get