He looked up when he heard a trill of Lana’s laughter through his closed office door and reminded himself that he had her. He had Lana and he had his son and his new family, and it didn’t matter what his parents thought.
As consolation prizes went, he might have hit the jackpot.
Lana watched as a local woman put the finishing touches to Cami’s curls on the morning of the wedding. Delphi, Rosemary and Jonquil were running things downstairs and riding the staff to make sure everything was perfect. Sage and Lana were in the bride’s room with Cami, bonding over the moment—or at least the other two were.
Lana couldn’t let herself go and appreciate the moment fully. Cami was distracted with her preparations and Lana couldn’t help but compare her own wedding to this one. It may have been fairly fast, but it would still have the requisite family and friends in attendance and the diaphanous gown Cami had fallen in love with at first sight. Then there would be the fancy cake and toasts to the health of the new Mr. and Mrs. She hadn’t had any of that—even her gown had been fairly simple—the only one of the chapel’s scanty assortment that fit her properly.
It didn’t make Lana any less married than her sister would be in an hour or so, but she still felt dissatisfied, or maybe it was simple jealousy. When she thought of her year-long marriage with Blake, Lana couldn’t help but regret how things had gone, the mistakes she’d made, and wondered what would have happened if she hadn’t seen him with Fiona, hadn’t let the anxiety that had grabbed her at that moment color everything that followed.
She smiled as she handed the rhinestone-studded hair pins to the cosmetologist one at a time and pretended to be following the conversation that had Sage laughing openly.
“Any Sage advice?” Cami asked, grinning at her pun.
“You mean, do the stars have special messages for you today?” Sage asked.
“Of course. I could use some good omens—not that they’re necessary. I’ll have Vince. Who needs more than that, really?” Confidence and joy radiated off of Cami.
Sage took Cami’s hand in hers. “Enjoy things with Vince. I have the feeling you’ll make each other happy for many, many years to come. You can take that to the bank.”
“Coming from you, it’s like a blessing from on high.” Cami laughed a little and turned back to the mirror. “Did I miss anything?”
“No, you’re perfect,” Lana said. She stood, passing along an envelope with the cosmetologist’s fee and tip in it. “Thanks, we appreciate it. You did a terrific job.”
“That’s easy to do when you start with such great assets,” the woman said, taking the envelope.
When she opened the door to leave, Alex stood in the hall. His gray pinstripe jacket fit perfectly across is shoulders. He smiled and entered the room, greeting them all.
“You look gorgeous, Cami.” Alex’s gaze slid over all of them. “You all do.” He looked back at Cami. “Could I speak with you and Lana for a moment?”
Sage nodded with understanding. “I better go rescue the staff from Delphi and Rosemary. They’re bound to be bossing everyone into insanity.”
“And that would be different from usual, how?” Cami asked.
The door clicked softly behind Sage and Lana returned her attention to Alex as he pulled a couple of envelopes from inside his breast pocket.
“I have one more set of letters for you.” He glanced at the top one and handed it to Cami, then passed the second one to Lana. “I would have given you yours last week if I’d been around.”
Lana held the white cotton bond of the envelope in her hands, staring at the spiky writing that was obviously her father’s. “How many more of these are there?”
“One more after this.”
“And why today? I can see Cami’s getting married, but why me?”
Alex smiled sadly. “Today is her wedding. It’s also the first time I’ve seen you since you and Blake got back together again.”
Anger zipped through her, liberally mixed with pain that her father had expected this. He’d always been so full of secrets. “My version of a wedding, huh? Is that why Sage was so fast to get out? Did she get a letter before her wedding too?”
His fingers twitched a little. “Yeah.”
“And if things hadn’t worked between me and Blake, if we split and I ended up with someone else? Did he have another letter waiting in the wings for that possibility?”
Alex hesitated for a moment, obviously torn between being honest with her and client confidentiality, even if his client was dead, and had been for the better part of a year. “Yes. He tried to cover both possibilities, though I know he hoped that you’d make things work with Blake.”
“Why?” Irrationally, Lana wanted to storm out of the room, do something that would displease the father who had lied to her for so long.
“I guess if you want to know, you’ll have to read the letter.” He looked over to Cami. “I’ll be downstairs, waiting to walk you down the aisle.”
“Thanks, Alex.” Cami fingered the envelope he’d given her and waited for the door to close. “Interesting. What were the odds we’d get our letters at the same time?”
“A couple of weeks ago I would have said non-existent.” Lana slid into the chair Sage had occupied a few minutes earlier, then stared at the envelope in her hand. “I’m not sure if I want to read it. I’m so mad at him still.”
“Alex must think the notes wouldn’t make us mad if he would give them to us today.” Cami slowly ripped her envelope across the top.
“I would ask what Alex knows, but it seems Dad shared all of our secrets with him.” With reluctance, Lana pulled up the envelope flap. The paper was the same heavy bond that the others had been, and was written in her father’s hand, though it was more scrawled and trembly, showing this letter had been written late in his illness. She had to grit her teeth against tears when she saw her childhood nickname in the greeting.
Dear Lanabear,
If you’re reading this letter, you’ve given your marriage another chance. I can’t tell you how happy that makes me if I’m in a place where I can see you now. As I write this I know you’re still mad at me for the cavalier way I treated my own marriage.
I’ve been trying to figure out how to explain things to you, how much to tell you, and how much is just none of your business—in the same way that yours and Blake’s marriage was none of my business. I know there were probably times you wished I had left things well enough alone, not interfered in your lives, but I couldn’t.
You jumped to conclusions about Blake because of me, because of what happened when you saw me with, well, one who would never be important to me. I wish there were something I could say that would make you feel better, that would excuse my behavior over the years, but there was no excuse. You know there wasn’t. I just didn’t like being alone—even for a week or two while I was away at other resorts.
Your mother never mentioned it, but she knew—not about the other girls, your sisters, but that I hadn’t been entirely faithful. I didn’t deserve a woman like her; she was always there for me, just as you’ll be there for Blake. Except you and he will have a stronger relationship than we did. I’m glad, sweetheart. Looking back, I regret the way I hurt your mother, but I can never regret my daughters. Every one of you has enriched my life. Band together, become the strong family you all deserved. I know you can all make each other’s lives full, if you try. I love you, sweetheart. I know Blake loves you as well, that together you can reach all of your dreams. Don’t follow my example and live your life half-heartedly. Put everything you have into your marriage and it’ll become more than you could ever imagine.
Love always, Dad.
Lana swiped at the tears pouring down her cheeks. “Bastard.” But she folded the paper carefully and slid it back into the envelope instead of squishing it into a ball as instinct demanded.
“Yeah, what did you expect?” Cami asked. She hadn’t folded her paper, but held it in her lap, a tear sparkling on her cheek. “S
weet, loving and clueless all at once. Are you okay?”
Though she wanted to deny that anything was wrong, that the letter had bothered her at all, Lana couldn’t stop crying and her throat was choked with a tight ball of emotions so she turned away. It took her a long while to get her emotions under control. “She didn’t mean anything to him. The woman I caught him cheating with. She meant nothing to him, and he ruined my faith in him. Do you have any idea how it destroyed me? I felt like I couldn’t believe anyone or anything again. And then Blake popped into my life and I was so in love and then I saw him with Fiona and because of Dad—”
“Don’t do that,” Cami said. “Dad didn’t betray you, he betrayed Mom, and you can’t blame him for you refusing to listen to Blake for the past year. That’s on your shoulders.”
Lana whirled back, her hands in fists at her side. “Are you excusing Dad?”
“No. There’s no excuse for his actions, just like you can’t excuse yourself because of what he did. We all make our own choices. Mom knew, didn’t she, that he was cheating? There were days when she was so sad it was almost palpable, and she hated when he was gone. He shouldn’t have done that to her.”
“You seem pretty calm, considering.” Lana stalked over and snatched a tissue from the box on the counter. She dabbed at her face, cleaning up the mess. She would have to fix her makeup before going downstairs.
“Vince is a pretty calm person, with a good head on his shoulders,” Cami said. “He’s helped me look at things a little differently. It hasn’t been easy. Not at all.”
“Do tell.” Lana didn’t want to look at Cami, so she picked through the makeup strewn over the counter and grabbed eyeliner.
“Dad loved Mom.”
“Yeah, that’s obvious.” She allowed the sarcasm to ooze and drip.
Cami grabbed Lana’s arm before she could touch the pencil to her face. She whirled her little sister around to face her. “It wasn’t the kind of love either of us wants in a marriage. It was what it was. He loved her. He cheated, had four other daughters, and was a good dad to them—or as good as he could be under the circumstances—but when Mom got sick he stayed by her side, didn’t visit Sage or the others once, never left town, didn’t go out with anyone else for a break, and never, ever complained about it.
“When it really mattered, he was there, at her side. A rock. He fought for her with the doctors and hospital. For those few months she was the focus of everything for him.”
She shook her head. “We don’t really know anything else about their marriage—it was their marriage and we didn’t know what happened in it. He must have given her something she valued—and you know it wasn’t the money. If she’d kicked him out, he’d have supported her as well as he did any of the other’s mothers. Better even.”
“That wipes out all the times he strayed?” Lana didn’t know what to think, but she craved answers, needed to feel like she understood at least a small part of it.
“Not even close. But we can’t talk to Mom. We’ll never understand why she stayed, get her thoughts, understand where she was coming from. Even if she were here to talk to, I doubt we could really get it. And Dad’s letter could never hope to explain it. No matter how much he might have wanted to make it all better.”
She took Lana’s arm and turned her so they faced each other. “You can’t let what he did ruin what might be between you and Blake. He’s your rock—and I don’t think it’ll only be in the bad times.” She brightened a little. “But if he does cheat on you, I can guarantee you’ll have five very ticked off sisters more than happy to help you kick his butt.”
Lana laughed despite herself. “You think?”
“I know. Now, we need to get our makeup fixed and prepare to go out there, because I’m getting married soon, no matter what else comes up.”
They hugged tightly for a long moment, then pulled back when there was a knock at the door. “Who is it?” Lana called.
Rosemary pushed through. “Those better be happy tears or I’m going to track someone down and kill them for making you cry today.” She put her hands on her hips. “And I just got my nails done. Jonquil will not be happy if I mess them up.”
Lana laughed more freely this time, thrilled that Cami had been right about the other sisters, and pulled Rosemary into a hug. “Thanks, but we’re good here.” She pushed away and headed back to the mirror. “Give me just a minute to fix my face. Then I’ll go down and play hostess for a bit. How are things in the kitchen?”
“Perfect. Of course. Were you worried?”
“With you in charge,” Lana asked. “Not a chance.”
Blake looked out across the growing crowd. There were only a few relatives on Cami’s side of the family, which meant most of these people had to be Vince’s friends and family. Best friends of the groom and co-best men: Jeremy snapped photos as quickly as the shutter could recover, and Gage shook hands with everybody as if they were long-lost friends—greeting most of them by name. Vince stood off to the side talking with the preacher and his father, perfect happiness on their faces. No wedding jitters here.
Though he told himself to quit watching, Blake’s eyes drifted back to the stairwell that led up to the bride’s chamber. He hadn’t seen his wife since he’d kissed her good morning six hours earlier and he wondered how she was taking all of the hustle and bustle. He wished now that he’d pushed to wait on their marriage until her family could have joined them, but then if she had seen him with Fiona without the marriage tying them together, he might not have been given a chance to prove himself to her.
Just then she walked through the doorway, her red dress clinging to her curves, the bottom floating around her calves, teasing her legs, which continued down temptingly to narrow ankles and a pair of red stilletos. The whole package made his mouth water. He walked toward her, catching sight of Joel, who was conversing with one of his security people—there were several in black jackets to mix with the crowd, checking to ensure nothing went wrong with the ceremony.
Lana’s gaze met Blake’s and he caught his breath. He loved this woman more every day and couldn’t imagine how he survived without her for the past year. He noticed her eyes were brighter and her nose was slightly red. He slid his hands onto her shoulders, which were mostly bared by the dress. “Hello, beautiful.” He leaned in and kissed her, ignoring any onlooking employees.
“Hey,” she said when he pulled back.
“Are you okay?” he asked. He didn’t like that she had been crying already. Was it bad news?
She slid an envelope into his breast pocket. “Interesting letter from my Dad. Read it later.” She didn’t meet his gaze, vulnerability seeping out from under her shell of perfect nonchalance.
He wanted to pull her closer, wrap her in his arms for a long moment, but she wouldn’t appreciate it when they were so public, so he snagged her hand instead, sliding his fingers through hers. “Am I going to wish I could beat him up?”
“Jury’s still out on what I think about it, so I have no idea what you’ll say.” She waved to someone with her free hand. “Cami is nearly ready to come down.”
“Good. I think Vince is getting anxious.”
“Like he has anything to worry about. She’s the smart one. She’s not about to screw this up.” Her words were slightly bitter.
Blake turned to face her, touching her elbow with his free hand. “Don’t punish yourself over what happened.”
“Why not? It’s my fault. I screwed things up for us.”
She wasn’t wrong, but it hadn’t been all her fault—he’d definitely had his share of culpability when he hadn’t run after her to explain. “Let it go. We can’t fix what we did, so let’s focus on now—we won’t screw it up this time, okay?”
“You should hate me for doubting you,” she said, looking at him with confusion.
“But then I would miss out on a whole lot of loving you. And right now, that seems like a waste.” His hand itched to rub across her stomach, to feel the very small b
ump where their child was growing. His son. But he didn’t. He held back, knowing tonight there would be plenty of time when they were back in his suite.
Delphi came into the room, said something into her radio and gestured to the string quartet that was playing in one corner. The cellist nodded and said something to her cohorts. A moment later Lana was whisked away to join the other sisters as a change in music announced the procession. Blake sauntered over to join them, thinking that despite their problems, the future looked bright indeed.
Lana lay on the sofa, wiggling her toes a couple of days later. It was so nice to be off her feet after making a last round of the resort. The day had been long but it was over now and she was glad to be settled back into Blake’s suite, relaxing. He’d promised to order some dinner up for their room and join her in a few minutes and she looked forward to a comfortable snuggle with him. Christmas was only a few days away and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so happy during the holidays.
Her eyes drooped and she was nearly asleep when the phone rang beside her. Who was dialing their room at this time of night?
“Hello?” Lana closed her eyes, hoping the caller had made a mistake.
“Is Blake there?” The voice was unmistakably that of his father.
“Not right now. He’s finishing up some things. Did you try his cell phone?”
“Of course I tried his cell. He didn’t answer. When’s he supposed to be back there?” Royce asked.
Lana held back a sigh. Her father-in-law was ruining her moment of bliss. “I expect him any minute now. Can I take a message?”
“I suppose he’s trying to fix problems your crooked father caused.”
Lana gritted her teeth. She’d known Royce wasn’t a fan of her dad, there’d been plenty of professional rivalry over the years, but he had never spoken to her like that before. “My father had his faults, but he wasn’t crooked.”
Reclaiming His Bride (DiCarlo Brides book 3) (The DiCarlo Brides) Page 17
