“And?” Rachel prodded.
“And…Hunter and I should be hearing the pitter-patter of little crawling feet by summer.”
There was a collective, “Oh my God,” before every one rushed to hug and congratulate Livia. At least now Sofia knew the real reason why Livia had recently quit the business.
“And let’s not forget my big sister, Sofia,” Rachel chimed.
Sofia shook her head. She definitely didn’t want the attention on her.
“She recently got married, too,” Rachel continued.
Sofia hadn’t gotten around to telling Rachel that Ram was filing for an annulment. And she certainly wasn’t about to tell her right now, either.
“Let’s see the ring,” one of her sister’s friends said.
Sofia glanced down at the simple band that she and Ram picked out during their quickie marriage and couldn’t help but smile when she thrust it forward. “I believe that it was the best one Elvis had in his display counter,” she chuckled.
“Well I can testify that it was certainly an interesting ceremony,” Charlene said. “And after taking a peek at that video clip floating around, at least Akil and I now know why Ramell wasn’t wearing a shirt when we showed up.”
Sofia slapped a hand across her face while the women laughed. “So much for what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”
Luckily Sofia was soon spared any further inquiry about her marriage and she went back to just celebrating Rachel’s day.
“Oh I wonder if Uncle Jacob remembered to write his toast,” Rachel said. “The last time I talked to him he said that he hadn’t gotten around to it.”
“I’m sure he has,” Sofia reassured her.
“I don’t know. Uncle Jacob likes to adlib a lot, and he’s not as good at it as he thinks he is.”
The girls laughed. “Sofia, can you call him and check?”
Sofia grabbed her purse, but then remembered that she had left her cell phone in the passenger seat of her car. “I’m sorry but I don’t have my cell phone with me.”
Instantly, everyone stopped what they were doing and gawked at Sofia.
“What?”
“All right. Hold up. Who are you and what have you done with my sister?” Rachel asked with her hands on her hips.
Sofia frowned at all their stunned expressions. “What do you mean?”
“You never forget your phone,” Rachel told her. “Never.”
Sofia thought about it. Lately she hadn’t been as much of a slave to her gadgets as she used to be and…it felt good. “Hollywood can wait… every once in a while,” she said with a wink.
Everyone applauded.
After makeup, manicures, and intricate hairstyles, the women all shimmied into their dresses in time for the wedding photographer to usher them to a designated area and take the first round of pictures. Rachel looked like an angel floating around in her white dress and striking poses.
When the women finished taking their pictures, they headed back toward the bridal suite. Bringing up the rear, Sofia and Charlene were laughing as Livia told them adorable stories of her soon-to-be stepdaughter. It was clear to everyone that she was going to make a wonderful mother. They turned down the wrong corner and ran directly into the groom and the groomsmen.
“Afternoon, ladies,” Ethan greeted.
Sofia sucked in a startled breath when her eyes zeroed in on Ramell.
“Ooops. I guess we should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque,” Livia laughed. “But first,” she rushed over to Hunter, “let me just steal a quick kiss.”
The small group laughed…all except for Sofia and Ramell, who were both left standing off to the side. “What are you doing here?” she finally asked.
Ram cleared his throat and forced on a smile. “I, uh—”
“I invited him,” Ethan said. “After all, in about an hour he’s going to be my new brother-in-law.” He gave Ramell a good, hearty whack on the back. “Besides, I had a cousin that had to back out at the last minute and it just all worked out.”
Sofia swallowed. There were a million things going through her mind at the moment and she couldn’t settle on a single one to say. Their laughter died down and an uncomfortable silence started to hug the group.
“Well, we’re just going to head on back to the blushing bride,” Charlene said, tugging on Livia’s arm.
“Yeah. We don’t want them to think something happened to us.”
“Can I come with?” Ethan joked.
“No.” Charlene waved a finger at him. “It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.”
Ethan tossed up his hands. “Fine. I guess we’ll just go get our pictures taken.”
The bridesmaids and the groomsmen started to part ways. Sofia’s moment was about to pass her by. Stop him! Stop him!
“Ramell, can I talk to you for a moment?” she said so quickly that it sounded like one long word.
Ram stopped in his tracks and turned back to face her.
“Please?” She glanced at the others and then tried to swallow the large lump in the center of her throat. “It’ll just take a moment.”
No one waited for a brick to fall onto their head. They quickly scrambled out of the hallway. Sofia hesitated because she had the distinct impression that Ram wanted to leave, as well. Was it too late?
“I…” She stopped, feeling her throat closing up on her. She closed her eyes at the threat of tears. “I’ve never been at a lost for words,” she said and tried to laugh at herself, but even that fell flat.
“Maybe that’s a sign, too,” Ram said.
Eyes shimmering, she looked up to see tears shining in his eyes.
“Love isn’t supposed to be this hard,” he said.
Sofia shook her head. “I think you’re wrong about that. If it wasn’t hard then everyone would have it. Love is hard to find. Love is hard to wait for. And in my case it was hard to recognize. And even harder to appreciate.” She sniffed and then backhanded a few tears. “I’m…I’m sorry. I’m just so damn sorry about how I’ve treated you. You were right about everything you said last night. You’ve always been there for me, even when I convinced myself that I didn’t want you to be. I took you for granted and there’s nothing…nothing I can say can ever excuse that.”
Ramell nodded and lowered his gaze.
“But you never had to wait for me to love you. I’ve always loved you. And if you give me another chance, I promise to prove it to you every day for the rest of our lives. I don’t want you to move to New York and I don’t want an annulment.”
“Sofia—”
“No. Please let me finish.” She reached for his hand and then took comfort with the fact that he didn’t snatch it back from her. “You mean more to me than even I knew at first. It wasn’t until I was faced with the possibility of really losing you that I realized just how much you’re a part of me. I love kissing you, making love to you. Hell, I even love fighting with you. But I can’t…I absolutely can’t imagine myself going back to living without you. Not this time.” She took a timid step forward and slid her hands flat against his chest. “Please. Give me a chance to love you the way that you deserve to be loved. I’ll work less hours. I promise that I’ll never put you on a shelf again. I’ll—”
“Sofia—”
“Don’t say it’s too late.” Tears streamed down her face. “I don’t know what I’ll do if you say that it’s too late.” She searched his eyes for any sign that he still loved her, that he still wanted her.
Ramell lifted her hands from his chest and brought them up to his lips. In that moment she feared that this was it. Her second rejection in two days.
“Do you know how long I’ve waited to hear you say that?” He leaned forward and pressed their foreheads together. His hands trembled as he cupped her face and then kissed her with all the love he felt in his heart. “Are we really going to do this? For real this time?”
Sofia pulled her hands from his grip and then threw her arms around his neck. “
Yes! I love you so much.” She leaned up on her toes and kissed him with every ounce of love and passion that was in her body. She gave and received so much that her whole body trembled like the last autumn leaf blowing in the wind.
When they both had to come up for air, Sofia held him tight while Ramell whispered against her hair. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.” Relief rushed through her like a tidal wave.
“I want to marry you,” he said. “The right way. With family and friends around us to celebrate and witness our love.”
Sofia laughed and cried at the same time. “I’ll marry you anywhere, anytime.”
“Harrumph.”
Sofia and Ramell pulled apart to see Jacob standing nearby, smiling.
“I hate to interrupt but the photographer is waiting.” He winked and then walked off.
Sofia and Ramell stole another kiss before they reluctantly pulled apart. “I guess we better get back to the wedding,” she said.
“Save a dance for me?” he asked.
“I’ll save all of them for you.”
Thirty minutes later, everyone was in their places and watching Rachel float down the aisle. Sofia had never seen her sister look more beautiful. When she met Ethan in front of the minister and linked their hands, everyone sighed at just how beautiful the couple was together. When it came time to recite their vows, Ethan choked up a bit and every woman’s heart swooned.
“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”
Ethan stepped forward and drew his wife into his arms, made a dramatic dip and then kissed Rachel passionately. While the wedding party cheered, Sofia and Ramell’s gazes found one another. There was so much love in his eyes, Sofia could drown in it.
At the wedding reception, Ramell swept her into his arms and pressed their cheeks together. Sofia still struggled to keep her tears at bay when she reflected on just how close she came to losing the best thing that had ever happened to her.
“No tears,” Ramell said, kissing their salty tracks.
Sofia smiled. “Don’t worry. They’re happy tears.”
“Yeah?” He smiled. “Then those might be all right.”
They floated around the dance floor, sharing Rachel and Ethan’s special day and feeling like it was truly the beginning for them, as well. In a lot of ways, that was exactly what it was.
The beginning of happily ever after.
Epilogue
A year later…
Sofia sat on the edge of the doctor’s table with her cell phone tucked under her ear while her fingers raced across her new iPad as she fired off one contract counteroffer after another. “Sorry, Larry, but that’s not going to happen. You’ve only locked down Mary Bell for one season of Paging the Doctor. She’s a big hit. The fans love her. If you want to lock her down for another four years then you’re going to have come up with a figure that doesn’t insult my intelligence.” She only half listened to Larry Franklin’s response because she knew that this was the part when studios started crying broke.
“Larry, if you feel that way then we can just let the contract run out and I can dedicate more attention to the numerous movie offers that have been flooding my in-box.”
“Damn, Sofia. There you go beating me up again. I hoped that you becoming a mother was going to soften you up a bit.”
“Are you kidding? Not with these hormones.”
Larry laughed. “All right. All right. I can go up another ten percent. But that’s it.”
That managed to put a smile on her face. “I’ll confer with my client and get back with you,” she said noncommittally and then disconnected the call. But then her phone started ringing again. She was about to answer when Dr. Perry’s voice startled her.
“You think you can fit in time in for your checkup?”
Sofia jumped and then flashed him an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that.” She quickly put her phone on vibrate and sat it and her iPad down.
Ramell unfolded his arms and grabbed his wife’s electronic gadgets. “Yes, please forgive my wife. She gets a little carried away sometimes.”
Sofia glanced over at him. “Hey, I’m doing better. I’ve cut my work hours in half and only work three days a week.”
“And I appreciate that, baby.” He leaned over and kissed her before returning his attention to their doctor. “So what’s the news doctor?”
Dr. Perry smiled at the loving couple. “I’m going to ask once again. Are you two sure that you want to know the sex of the baby?”
Sofia and Ramell smiled as their arms drifted around each other’s waists.
“We’re sure,” Sofia said, giddy.
“All right. Then just lay back and let’s get you hooked up.”
Minutes later with her belly jelled down, Sofia and Ramell stared at the sonogram monitor in awe. When Dr. Perry pointed out the tiny little head and feet of their child, tears rushed their eyes as more love filled their hearts.
“Oh my God, baby. Look.” Sofia reached for Ram’s hand. “That’s our baby.”
“It sure is.” Ram nodded and then planted a kiss against her forehead.
Dr. Perry pointed at the screen. “And this here tells me that you two are about to have…a boy.”
Ramell dropped his wife’s hand and pumped his fist high into the air. “Yeah! Yeah, baby!”
With tears streaming down her face, Sofia laughed at her husband’s antics and then beamed when he then wrapped his arms around her and smothered her with kisses. “I take it that you’re happy?”
“Are you kidding me? You’ve made me the happiest man in the world.”
She smiled as she cupped his handsome face in her hands. “And you’ve made me the happiest woman. I love you.”
“I’ve loved you for a gazillion years,” he said tenderly.
“And I’ll love you for a gazillion more,” Sofia whispered, and sealed that promise with a kiss.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-7491-8
LOVERS PREMIERE
Copyright © 2010 by Harlequin Books S.A.
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