"Everyone is here and in place. Sam has all the hors d'oeuvres ready to go with a full staff prepared for the champagne toast. I think you'll really be impressed with her."
"I trust you, and I wanted to help her out. Hopefully she'll get some leads."
Drake entered, wearing a tuxedo, as Jackie left. I was beginning to feel nervous, so I was glad to see him.
"You look like an angel. Are you ready?"
"Let's go. The waiting is killing me."
I slipped my hand through his arm as he led me to the entrance of the main exhibit hall. About fifty of our closest friends were seated in white wooden folding chairs that lined either side of the aisle. Blue and purple floral garlands hung dramatically from the ceiling, giving the hall an ethereal quality.
The room was a fantasy land. I couldn't believe how great it looked. In the corner, the string quartet played the "Bridal Chorus", and I looked down the aisle to where my prince stood in his black tuxedo and ice-blue tie.
* * *
Xander and I sat alone at a table and held hands as we ate at our wedding reception. Jackie's friend Sam was a hit. Everyone loved everything she made and Xander said he would consider using her the next time he had an opening.
A band played music, and several people danced on the small dance floor. Drake came up to us and kissed my cheek.
"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Boone. Any chance I can steal your bride away for a dance?"
"Yes, but don't dance too close." Xander teased then kissed me before I left.
As Drake and I danced to the music, I noticed he seemed distracted. I followed his gaze, which was firmly attached to the curvy body of my redheaded caterer.
"See something you like?"
"What? Oh no. I mean yes but…who is she? She looks familiar."
"Maybe she's your dream girl. That's Samantha Mayfair. She just started her own catering business."
"Mayfair? Sammy?"
"Do you know her?"
"I believe I do. I can't believe how grown up she is. She was my nanny's daughter. She was always much younger than me, but she would follow me wherever I went. I guess I never thought of her as being more than that"
"Maybe it's time you got to know her again."
"Maybe it is. Arrange for a party at our museum for her to cater. Use whatever excuse you want. She's not the type of girl I would normally date, but maybe that's why I'm still a bachelor. It's time to change that."
"Yes sir." I clicked my heels together and laughed. "You're something else, you know. You realize I'm in a wedding dress, right? I'll plan your party after I get back from my honeymoon in Tahiti."
Chapter Thirty-Two
Drake
Ashley was special, but she wasn't my type. Over the months that she worked for me, we became close, like siblings. Because of that, I treated and acted differently with her than I would any other woman.
I always had my pick of women. They were easy for me to get and were always willing to do whatever I wanted. Was it my looks? My money? I really didn't care. I just knew none of them could really be trusted.
While I always said I wanted to settle down, I never planned on it. There was always another woman to conquer, another body to explore and claim as my own.
But while I danced with Ashley, something happened. I spotted a beautiful woman with fiery red hair, pulled back into a braid, setting up the dessert station. I imagined her hair undone, wild and soft, somewhere I would want to bury my face.
She had a lush, curvy body. Some people might call her big but after being with all kinds of women, I found I enjoyed the soft delectable body of a real woman most. Never had I been so drawn to a woman before. And never had I been unsure what to do.
Ashley said her name was Samantha Mayfair, and that struck me the most. Could she be little, annoying Sammy Mayfair, the young daughter of my nanny? The little gnat who constantly pestered me when I wanted to be alone?
Maybe Ashley was right and I needed to talk to her. Samantha Mayfair could be the girl of my dreams. The girl I avoided as a boy, only be drawn to like a bee to honey as a man. The problem was I didn't know if I was ready for that. Was I ready to let go of my womanizing ways and really settle down? I didn't think so, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from her.
As the music stopped, Ashley stepped back and gave me a stern look she probably learned from dealing with me.
"Go talk to her."
Chapter Thirty-Three
Samantha
Of all the places, why did he have to be here? This damn town was too small! Had I known Drake Winslow was going to be at the Boone wedding, I would have passed on it. I didn't care how important this event was or the effect it could have on my catering business, I would pay to not be in the same room as that man.
Drake was a selfish, egotistical bastard and had been his entire life. When I thought back to how I used to follow him around like some stupid little kid, it killed me. I mean, I was a stupid little kid. He was seven years older than me, but that didn't mean he had to be such a jerk all the time. It wasn't my fault I had to grow up in that stupid mansion.
Drake was dressed in a black tux, his dirty blond hair slicked back with an offset part. As he spun the bride in her pretty white chiffon dress on the dance floor, I felt a twinge of jealousy that pissed me off even more.
"You didn't tell me he'd be here," I whispered harshly to Jackie as I walked past her with a cart filled with desserts for the last course.
"Who? Do you know someone here?"
Jackie, the maid of honor, wore a light blue sheath dress, and her brown hair hung in cascading curls past her shoulders. She walked beside me as I trekked past cascading blue and purple flowers that decorated the Boone Art Gallery and towards the dessert table.
Somehow, Jackie's simple dress made me even more aware of my simple black slacks and pressed button-down shirt. As a caterer, I felt it was important to blend into the background, but suddenly I wished I was wearing something nicer.
If I knew Drake was going to be there, I would've made an effort to wear something more flattering. Instead, I looked like a black blob as I set up dessert. I needed to hire more staff. Then I could dump this on someone else and hide in the back. Instead, I nervously hoped he wouldn't recognize me, or maybe he would just ignore me. Just this once, it was okay to ignore me.
"Don't tell me I never told you about Drake Winslow. After all these years we've known each other, I'm sure I've told you about him."
"Oh, him! I had no idea he'd be here. Where is he?"
"Dancing with the bride."
I slid the cart next to the long empty white linen table and began to set up the desserts. The chocolate mousse was served in tall crystal goblets I lined up towards the back. Sugared berries decorated smaller bowls with a rich pot de creme. And lastly, I arranged small plates with slices of vanilla bean cheesecake around a bowl of freshly made raspberry sauce.
Ashley had insisted everything be as low-key and simple as possible. She didn't even want a traditional wedding cake, which took a lot of pressure off me since I had never done a wedding before.
"Wow Sam, what a hottie! Tall, broad shoulders, dirty blond hair…he looks even better than the photos I've seen of him. He looks like he stepped out of a fashion magazine or a--"
"Movie. Yes, I know. And so does he," I snarked.
"You never…you know…with him?"
"Oh God no! Are you kidding?! I'm sure it was beneath him to mess around with the help. Besides, I was just a kid. I've seen him a few times since then but I don't think he even noticed me. I'm not his type anyway. My friends were though and they'd go crazy over him. You wouldn't believe the stories I heard. Plus he's like ten years older than me, maybe more. Now that I'm thirty it doesn't matter, but back then it was a big deal."
"Speaking of stories, I read once that he practices that tantric sex stuff. He can last for hours!" she whispered as she giggled.
"Who'd want that? You'd be walking funny for days." I laughe
d with her as I finished unloading one section of the cart onto the table then looked out at the dance floor.
The bride, Ashley, was stunning. She was curvy with dark hair and almond shaped eyes. Add in those pouty lips of her and the fact that she was the sweetest person in the world, and I couldn't help but hate her. Okay, not really, but I wanted to.
I covered my mouth to hide my grin. After hearing Jackie's story about how Ashley and Xander Boone met and fell in love, how could I not be a little catty? Jackie made it into a modern day fairy tale. Stuff like that didn't happen to me.
As I watched Drake lead Ashley across the dance floor, I fought back the urge to scream. Didn't the groom know better? That man could not be trusted! I shook my head and felt my long red braid shake against my back.
"Well, I think you like him. Maybe you should say hi. This place might be lucky for more than just Ashley."
"Haven't you been listening?" I sighed, annoyed with her. "He's a jerk! An arrogant, egotistical ass. I can't stand him. The last thing I want to do is say hi to him."
"Hmm, I don't know. I think you're fooling yourself. There's something there." She waved to a couple at a table by some oil paintings. "Sorry, I have to go say hi. I'll talk to you later, but I really think you should say hi to him."
As Jackie walked away, I caught a glimpse of the groom. He was handsome with tousled brown hair, a closely cropped beard, and piercing ice-blue eyes. With the beard and those eyes, it was hard to focus on anything more to guess his age, but the little grey at his temples made me think he was in his forties.
It seemed weird to me that he married Ashley. She was no different than me really except I had more junk in my trunk. I always thought if someone had all that money he'd go for the gorgeous, thin, model type. Wasn't that what all men wanted? Based on Drake's dating choices, the answer was a resounding yes.
To my friends, I jokingly called myself a knock-off. Yes, I grew up in the mansion of one of the world's wealthiest families, but that didn't mean I was spoiled. We lived in rooms designed for "the help", which were old and simple. They paled in comparison to the rest of the house. They didn't even compare to some of my friends’ apartments. Living like that made me even more aware of the things I couldn't have and what my mom couldn't afford.
Mom was the live-in nanny for the Winslow children. Once they didn't need a nanny anymore, Mom became their live-in tutor. Every time they outgrew her, the Winslow family found something new for her to do. There were four Winslow children, and Drake was the oldest. I always had the worst crush on him growing up.
I had to admit I was curious why I never popped up on his radar. When I thought of how many times I threw myself at him and he always just laughed, treated me like a child, or made fun of my freckles. I should have been happy I was never been one of his conquests.
As I finished arranging the pastries on the table, I hoped I could get the hell out of this place before he noticed me. If only I didn't have to do everything myself, I could hide in the break room instead of having to set up these desserts just a few feet away from where that jerk was dancing with the bride.
"Excuse me, Sammy? Sammy Mayfair? I'm not sure if you remember me," Drake said as he stood behind me.
I cringed at hearing that name. "Oh, I remember you, all right. Now if you don't mind, I'm trying to work."
I spun around and faced him, ready to give him more attitude if he didn't go away, but there was something different about him. Suddenly I became that stupid girl crushing on him again, and I smiled. Oh no you don't, Sam! You will not be another notch!
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you," he said.
He reached behind me for a mini eclair and our hands briefly touched. A warm feeling spread from my hand through my entire body, and it took everything I had in me to not melt into a puddle at his feet. Damn! What was it about that man?
"And one more thing, don't call me Sammy. It's Samantha, or Sam," I said with what little attitude I mustered up. Why was he talking to me anyway?
Chapter Thirty-Four
Drake
"I'll call you whatever I want to call you," I grunted before walking back towards Ashley.
I recognized the look in her green eyes. She might be as fiery as her hair, but I could tell when a woman wanted me. And she definitely wanted me. Most of them did anyway. Except for Ashley.
Ashley was special, but she wasn't my type. Over the months she had been working for me, we became close like siblings. Because of that, I treated and acted differently with her than I would any other woman. My frame of mind was still clouded by her sweetness when I approached Samantha. That was my error, and it wouldn't happen again. I always got what I wanted.
I knew my reputation as a player. Hell, I embraced it. I enjoyed the chase and having a different woman in my bed even more. At times it was almost too easy.
I had women willing to cater to my every desire, my every whim, and that was all that mattered. I didn’t care what their motives were, but I knew I couldn’t trust them. I never planned to settle down.
But while I danced with Ashley, something happened. I spotted Samantha with her red braid hanging down her back. With her hair back like that, her freckles became that much more apparent. I couldn't take my eyes off of her as she set up the dessert station. I imagined her hair loose, wild and soft, a place I wanted to bury my face.
She had a lush, thick body. Some people might call her big but after being with all kinds of women, I found I enjoyed the soft delectable body of a real woman most. Never had I been so drawn to a woman before. And never had I been unsure what to do, especially after her chilly reception.
I felt torn just thinking about her. Part of me wanted to get to know her better, but another part of me only thought about what her soft body would feel like pressed against me. I listened to Ashley, I went over and talked to her. Now it was time for me to take matters into my own hands.
"Ashley, book Samantha ASAP. Make it an intimate affair at the museum. Fifty guests. Black tie."
"It'll have to wait until I get back from my honeymoon. We leave for Tahiti tomorrow."
"Fine. Just make it happen. The sooner the better."
I left the reception annoyed yet intrigued. It had been a long time since a woman rejected me. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the chase, the thrill of the hunt.
I didn't know why Samantha showed such hostility to me, but it didn't matter. I knew she just needed to witness a little of the old Drake Winslow charm. A little effort and she would be putty in my hands.
As I drove towards my beach house, I realized my old habits were creeping back. What was I doing? I didn't want putty. I wanted a woman with her own mind and ideas. One who wasn't afraid to talk back to me.
My days as a playboy were done, but old habits were hard to break. I could have persuaded Samantha myself, but I knew Ashley would do a much better job. I needed to remind myself what was important.
Samantha could be the one woman worthy of my trust. Having grown up with her, I knew her. But did I? It had been well over ten years since I saw little, annoying Sammy Mayfair. It was hard to believe the beautiful woman setting up dessert was the same girl who pestered me endlessly.
As I drove along the curving canyon road, I thought about my childhood. Samantha lived in the background. I didn't remember interacting with her much, but that might have been our age difference.
I hit a button on my steering wheel.
"Dial Brent."
"Drake? What a surprise! Been a long time."
"Yes, I know. You know I've never been good at keeping in touch. Listen, I called to pick your brain. Remember Sammy Mayfair?"
"Samantha? Our nanny's daughter? Of course! You realize you're the only one who ever called her Sammy, right? She always hated that."
"She did?" I thought back for a moment but had no idea why I called her that if no one else did. "I'm sure I wasn't the only one."
"Trust me, she did. And you were," he laughed. "I haven't see
n her in a couple of years, but what do you want to know?"
"I don't know. I just ran into her and I realized I never really knew her."
"I'm not surprised. You were always chasing tail or partying, and she was much younger than you. Even I barely knew you back then. I think Amber might still be in touch with her. I think she told me she's catering."
"That's how I ran into her. She did the Boone wedding. I'm not calling Amber about a girl. There are things I can't imagine talking to our little sister about, and this is one of them."
"And there it is. I knew it."
"What?"
"I knew eventually you'd sleep with all the available women and would have to go after family." Brent laughed loudly. We enjoyed ribbing each other.
"She's not family, you ass. Besides, you're just jealous. You've always wanted to be like me."
"Sure, that's exactly why I avoided the movie business and chose to work protecting the environment."
"Yes, yes. The do-gooder. A role you enjoy playing. Now back to Sammy. I mean, Samantha..."
"I've got nothing. She was always quiet and kept to herself. You're going to have to pump someone else for info on her."
"Fine. You were no help at all," I joked. "Care to meet for dinner next week?"
"Sure, but I won't have any more information then, either."
"By then I'll have everything I need."
Hanging up the phone, I knew I sounded more confident than I really was. For the first time in my life, I was worried about not getting the girl.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Ashley
Obviously I had heard all the stories about Drake, but I never saw him like this before. As I stood by the dance floor, I glanced over at Sam still setting up desserts. It probably wouldn't hurt to ask her about catering now, but I really wanted to get back to Xander.
My Boss’s Whim Page 11
