“Hey, Keith.”
Both Rita and Keith turned at the sound of the voice, and the moment Rita saw the man walking up behind them, she knew that he had to be Keith’s brother. He looked so much like him.
“Aaron.” Keith hugged the slightly shorter man, then turned to the woman by his side who was holding a sleeping baby. “Melissa, it’s good to see you as always.” He kissed her cheek. “Aaron, this is Rita. Rita and I—”
“I’m the daughter of the bride,” Rita quickly interjected. “I’m in town for the wedding and I’m renting one of Keith’s units.”
“Ahhh,” Aaron said. He readjusted the baby bag on his shoulder, then offered her his hand. “Nice to meet you. This is my fiancée, Melissa. And our daughter, Kara.”
“My goodness,” Rita cooed, looking at the small baby decked out in a cute pink dress and matching pink shoes. “She’s so precious! How old is she?”
“Five months,” Melissa responded.
“Have you enjoyed your time here in Sheridan Falls?” Aaron asked.
“Yes,” Rita answered. “Surprisingly.”
“I came back to Sheridan Falls,” Melissa began, “and this is what happened to me.” She indicated the baby in her arms, then glanced up at Aaron and grinned playfully.
“Wow,” Rita said, and laughed. She didn’t look at Keith. But she was suddenly thinking about her future with him.
“We’d better get inside,” Aaron said.
“Mom, Dad and the family are halfway up on the right,” Keith told him. “Saving you a seat.”
Keith opened the door for them, then gave Rita a little smile before he, too, went back into the church. Rita watched him to speak to the organist. Then he went to one of the church deacons, an older man Rita had met earlier named Stan. Moments later, Stan headed to the sanctuary doors and began to prop them open.
It’s showtime, Rita thought to herself. Then she returned to the bridal room.
Her mother looked at her expectantly. “Is everyone here?”
“Looks like it, yes. The church is pretty full.” The ceremony was open to anyone who wanted to attend, and it appeared that quite a number of the townsfolk had shown up.
Lynn visibly swallowed, and her eyes widened with panic. “Oh, God. Is everything going to be okay?”
Just weeks ago, if her mother had asked that question, Rita would’ve seen it as an opening to talk her out of getting married. Now she knew the question was simply one that many a bride had on her wedding day. Nerves. She wanted everything to be right and for there to be no complications.
The organist began to play the traditional “Here Comes The Bride.” Rita walked toward her mother and looped her arm through hers. “Yes. Everything is going to be perfect.”
Her mother smiled, and seemed to truly relax.
* * *
Feeling a sense of contentment Rita never thought was possible, she straightened the train on her mother’s dress as she made her way toward the head table. Her parents had entered the reception hall only minutes ago, had their first dance as a married couple and now the reception festivities could begin. Her mother was undeniably glowing. She was happier than Rita had ever seen her.
From the weather to the ceremony, the day had in fact been perfect.
Perfect... Rita made a face as she remembered what her mother had said to her when they’d been leaving the botanical gardens where the photographer had taken photos. “This day has been perfect, sweetheart. And it’s going to be perfect for you, too.”
Rita had looked at her mother with curiosity. “Hmm?”
Her father had slipped his arm around his wife’s waist at that moment and pulled her close. The photographer had been right there, ready to snap some impromptu shots of the cozy couple outside of the limousine.
The day had been busy, and Rita had put her mother’s cryptic statement out of her mind. She had probably been alluding to the fact that Rita, her father and brothers were all a real family now.
Rita continued to fix the train as her mother got to the head table. Instead of climbing the platform to get to her seat, her mother stopped to talk to yet another guest.
Rita glanced around. And her heart nearly flatlined when she saw him entering the banquet room. Suddenly, she understood the meaning of her mother’s mysterious words.
Rita stared, horrified. She blinked, confused. Maybe she was seeing things. Maybe...
“No,” she uttered.
As each second passed, there was no mistaking what she was seeing. And then her stomach bottomed out. Because walking toward her with a smile on his face, wearing a black suit and tie, was Rashad.
Rashad’s smile grew as he neared her. What the heck was he doing here?
Rita wished she could disappear into the ground. God help her, she hoped that Rashad wasn’t here for the reason that she thought he was here. How was she going to explain this to Keith?
As Rashad closed the distance between them, he opened his arms. Rita stood paralyzed as he wrapped her in a hug.
“Rita.” He said her name with meaning, as though they were reuniting after not having seen each other for years. He held her close, hugging her, letting his hands familiarize themselves again with the skin on her back. Rita was mortified.
She extricated herself from Rashad’s grasp and threw a glance in Keith’s direction. He was looking at her with a curious expression.
“What are you doing here?” Rita demanded.
“Your mother invited me.”
Lynn turned from the person she’d been talking to and beamed at Rashad. “Rashad! I worried that you might not make it.”
“Of course, I’d be here,” he said. He leaned in and hugged the bride. “And wow, Lynn, you look ravishing.”
“If everyone can settle into their seats, please,” the emcee said into the microphone.
Rita sidestepped Rashad and her mother. Then she hurried out of the banquet hall and into the bathroom.
* * *
Keith’s breath quickened as he watched the scene before him. Who was this man who had practically had his hands all over Rita?
Rita had looked at him, pulled away from the guy, then raced out of the banquet hall, looking extremely uncomfortable.
Because she didn’t want to be around this guy, or because her relationship had just been outed?
A huge knot formed in Keith’s stomach. He thought about the way Rita had quickly introduced herself to Aaron as his tenant earlier, clearly not wanting his brother to know that there was a relationship between them. He’d believed it was because she didn’t want to go public with their relationship yet. But had she been lying? Did she actually have a relationship with someone else back home?
The last couple of weeks Keith had spent with Rita had been incredible. Had he been foolish to believe that they’d become an item? Or had she just been passing the time, having a summer fling until she left Sheridan Falls for good?
Questions raced through his mind. He needed to know what was going on.
The stranger had just finished talking to Rita’s mother, and now he was looking for a place to sit. Keith headed the man off, extending a hand as he stepped in front of him. “Hello. I’m Keith Burke.”
The man took his proffered hand and shook it. “My name is Rashad. Rashad Williams.”
The blood drained from Keith’s face. Rashad? Rita’s ex-boyfriend who’d been calling her constantly a few weeks back. What was he doing here?
“You’re Rita’s ex,” Keith supplied.
Rashad gave him a curious look then, suddenly sizing him up. “Well, technically yes. But we’re trying to work things out.”
The words were like a blow to Keith’s stomach. “Are you?”
“That’s why I’m here.”
The man’s smile was way too syrupy. Keith disliked him.
“Exc
use me,” Rashad said. “I’ve got to get to table seven.”
Keith forced a jovial demeanor, grinning at the man. “Of course,” he said.
Keith walked back to his table, which turned out to be adjacent to Rashad’s.
So he was here to rekindle his relationship with Rita. The question was, did Rita want the same thing?
What man would come all this way to attend a wedding and see a woman he’d dated if he didn’t have the go-ahead of that very woman? It would be insane to simply show up on a whim, wouldn’t it?
The pain that streaked through him with that thought was intense. Had Keith, once again, fallen for the wrong woman?
Chapter 20
Rita sucked in a startled breath when she heard the bathroom door open. But seeing Maeve, she immediately relaxed. She was so glad that her best friend had been able to come to Sheridan Falls for the wedding. She desperately needed her right now.
“Oh, thank God,” Rita uttered.
“That’s actually Rashad?” Maeve asked, but the question was sarcastic. “My eyes aren’t deceiving me?”
“Can you believe it?”
“What’s he doing here?”
“Heck if I know,” Rita quipped. “I think he’s lost his mind.”
“He didn’t tell you he was coming?”
Rita loosened her grip on the edge of the sink she’d been holding. “No! I had no idea. And now... Oh, my God, what’s Keith going to think?”
“That your ex is a nutcase?” Maeve supplied.
“I hope so.” Rita looked at her reflection. She saw a frazzled woman staring back at her. “I can’t believe he showed up here.”
“You said he’d been calling you. He didn’t give you any hint at all?”
“Nada. He said he was sorry for hurting me and wanted another chance. I told him I wasn’t interested. I thought that was the end of it. But get this—my mother just said that she was glad he could make it, and something about fearing he wasn’t going to show up. I think the two of them conspired to have him surprise me.”
“No, your mother wouldn’t do that.”
“I wouldn’t have thought so either, if not for something she said earlier today. She said the day was going to be perfect...for me.”
Maeve’s eyes widened. “No.”
“Not too long ago, she was talking about how I ought to have forgiven him. Some nonsense. My mother knows how Rashad hurt me... If she conspired with him to do this, what was she thinking?”
“Don’t let him rattle you. Be cordial, obviously, but don’t let him see that he’s even affecting you.”
“I’ll try.”
“And that starts by going back out to the reception. You can’t hide in here.”
“I know.” Rita shouldn’t have been letting Rashad’s appearance affect her at all, but it was such a shock to see him here in Sheridan Falls. And the big concern was how Keith would react.
She stood up straight, smoothed her hands over her dress, then looked at herself in the mirror again. She took a breath and willed herself to relax. “It doesn’t matter why he’s here. He wasted his time if he thinks this stunt is going to win him any points.”
Maeve smiled at her. “That’s my girl.”
Leading the way, Maeve headed out of the bathroom. Rita followed her. Once in the banquet hall, it took a moment before she saw Rashad sitting at a table beside Keith’s. He turned as she neared him, meeting her gaze.
Rita quickly looked at Keith. He, too, was regarding her. She saw a mix of confusion and concern on his face.
She tried to smile at Keith, give him some sort of reassurance, but she felt so sick that she wasn’t sure she succeeded.
* * *
Throughout dinner, Rita was able to relax for the most part. She avoided looking in Rashad’s direction, making sure to keep her eyes on the guests near the front. She kept telling herself that it didn’t matter why he’d shown up here, and that Keith would obviously understand.
“...so join me in a toast for the happy bride and groom,” Brandon was saying when Rita tuned back in to his words.
People raised their glasses and toasted the new couple.
“And now the daughter of the bride will say a few words,” the emcee announced.
Drawing in a deep breath, Rita forced a smile. She was nervous about speaking in front of the crowd, especially since she hadn’t written anything down. But what she was going to say would come from the heart.
She made her way to the podium. Once there, she glanced down at the bracelet her father had given her, now adorning her left wrist. Warmth filled her heart.
She cleared her throat before speaking. “When my mother first told me that she was going to marry my father, I thought she had lost her mind.” There were a few chuckles. “Now, I know that most of you would think that that’s crazy. Children usually are thrilled with their parents getting back together. But all of you in this room know the reality. How my parents were involved briefly decades ago and then parted ways. I’ll skip over the nitty-gritty. That’s not the point now. The point is that despite all odds, love found them again.”
Rita glanced toward her mother and father. Her mother’s eyes were alight with love. Her father gave her a little nod and smile before she continued. “I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t trust this,” Rita went on. “Not after everything they’d been through. I just didn’t see how this union would work now. I didn’t believe that the love was real. To be honest, I came to this small town kicking and screaming,” she added with a chuckle, and some in the crowd laughed with her. “But not only has this town grown on me, so has the relationship I see between two people who clearly love each other. Maybe they never stopped loving each other, even though life and circumstances got in the way.
“So today, I am here to say that I wholeheartedly support the newest couple in Sheridan Falls. I’ve seen their love with my own eyes and if I can give it my blessing, everyone else can. I know that my father loves my mother. And I know that she loves him deeply. And I’m confident that they will live out the rest of their days making each other happy. If this kind of love story doesn’t give you hope that love finds a way, nothing will.” With that, Rita’s eyes ventured toward Keith. She offered him a little smile, and she felt a wave of relief when he smiled back. Thank God. Hopefully he hadn’t even realized who Rashad was.
“Will you all please raise your glasses in a toast for this very special couple who have finally made it official! Mom and Dad, I love you.”
The guests raised their glasses and sipped their wine. Then the clinking of glasses began and without much more prompting, Rita’s father leaned forward, gently stroked his wife’s face and planted a soft and sensual kiss on her lips.
There was a raucous round of applause.
“We’ve heard from the best man and the maid of honor,” the emcee said when the applause died down. “Now the floor is open for any of you who’d like to say a word or two. I ask that you please keep your speeches to two minutes or less.”
The guests glanced around the room, waiting to see who would be the first to speak. No more than a few seconds passed before Rashad jumped to his feet and started for the podium. Rita swallowed, fear making her body tense. What was he doing?
Rashad offered a charming smile to all of the guests and raised a hand in a wave. Then he stepped behind the microphone. “Evening, ladies and gentlemen. I know that most of you don’t know who I am, and that’s okay. I’m a friend of the bride and her daughter. It’s my pleasure to be here in your town today.” Rashad surveyed the room, then continued, “I have to say that I absolutely echo what Rita just said. About love finding a way. This occasion also gives me hope about love, and second chances.” He paused. “I’m not a perfect man. I’ve made a lot of mistakes. And the biggest mistake was letting the most amazing woman in my life go because I was stupid. I hurt
her. I betrayed her. And I’ll always be ashamed of that fact.”
Rita began to slink down in her seat. Please, Rashad... Stop.
“She did the right thing when she dumped me. But like her own parents were able to find each other after challenging circumstances, I’m hoping that my being here today will prove to her—” Rashad turned to look at Rita “—the woman I love, that I’m fully ready and willing to commit. I’m sorry, baby. And I hope to God this finally proves it to you.”
Rita glanced around the room, saw that some of the guests’ eyes were alight with curiosity and even excitement.
No! she wanted to scream. You have no clue!
And then Rashad did something that absolutely mortified her. From his jacket pocket, he withdrew a small box. Obviously the man had lost his mind. This wasn’t happening.
It couldn’t be happening.
“You gave this back to me after we broke up,” Rashad said, “and I never returned it. I always knew that one day I would give it to you again.” He inhaled a deep breath. “Rita, will you marry me?”
People began to clap. Rashad started up the mounted platform and toward the head table, making his way toward her. Rita, like a deer caught in the headlights, sat there like a fool. She wanted to scream, she wanted to say something.
Rashad reached her and took her hand. “Rita—”
She pulled her hand from his and pushed her chair back. Then she rushed out of the room.
As she did, she saw Keith’s eyes. Saw and understood clearly the emotion on his face.
Betrayal.
Chapter 21
Keith watched Rita go. Then he looked at Rashad’s stunned face. It didn’t take long for Rashad to quickly scurry after her. Keith sat there, watching the man run out of the banquet hall. The wedding guests did the same, mouths wide, eyes bulging.
Obviously there was unfinished business between Rita and Rashad. Their relationship wasn’t truly resolved. And Keith didn’t need that complication in his life. He’d been falling for Rita, yes, but she was a woman who still had an ex in her life. An ex who wanted her back.
The CEO's Dilemma ; Undeniable Passion Page 34
