“You what?!” His face paled. He shook his head.
The unmistakably glee of her co-workers could not be ignored. A stab of hurt poked her. They didn’t want her in their little circle or a part of their group. What she thought of as her business family had only been a big sham. “I resign. I turn in my badge. I’m not re-upping or renewing my contract with Diamond Enterprises.” Could she make it any plainer than that?
“But…you can’t.”
She nodded. “Yes, I can.”
“Heather, I need you.”
Was that actual pain in his voice? “Do you, Drake?” This time she was the one to shake her head. “I don’t think so,” she whispered. With her heart pounding in her chest, she went to him, and on tippy-toes, she leaned in, kissing him.
Heather melted into him, tasting and taking what he freely offered. His lips, firm and warm, played over hers, teasing and drawing out a heart aching response. She wanted this forever and always. Her perfect forever kiss!
Slowly, she ended it, becoming aware of the cheers and wolf whistles all around them. Her cheeks burned as she removed his jacket and handed it over to him.
Looking up into his eyes, she said, “I get it. You don’t love me. You can’t love. It’s too painful. I know that. Now. That’s why I can’t ever have anything to do with you again, Drake.” She backed away, blinking at the sting of tears.
The noise died down. Concerned murmurs reached her ears.
“I thought I could go through with this. I can’t.” She briefly turned to the many people staring at her and then back to Drake. “It was all a lie. Drake and I are a lie.” That stuck and stabbed in so many places.
The crowd erupted and surged toward them. Cameras clicked, the lights blinding.
“You’re free, Drake. Your business will survive. No harm. No foul. No more pretending.”
It hurt to look at him, even briefly, before she walked away.
Would this ache ever end?
Chapter 12
She wouldn’t return his texts or pick up for his calls.
Heather walked out on him, leaving him to deal with the aftermath. His employees were delighted. D.W. muttered heatedly on his way out. Grant stopped to pat him on the shoulder. The boys on his team thought he’d scored big and got out of a close call. The rest blurred.
His dad, however, stood beside him, dodging questions for him and directing the game to begin. His solid presence was welcome and comforting.
Later, they sat side by side in eerie silence in the back of the limo.
After seeing his father safely settled in the guest room, Drake had begged off a nightcap and backed out of the room.
Even now, hours after, his dad’s quiet question echoed in his heart.
“She’s right. Losing someone you love hurts. Like the dickens. But not loving—now, that might be worse than anything at all. Are you willing to live your life alone, son, because you don’t ever want to get hurt again?”
Drake worked tirelessly through the night. In his office, he found several emails from Heather, status updates on clients and accounts, reports on projects she’d either wrapped up or had been a part of, and detailed outlines of future ones like the Caribbean resort, including a long list of reasons to hand over to the Shipleys on why they should hire Diamond Enterprises for the job. She made it sound as if they’d be the losers if they didn’t go with him.
Gut check!
Client emails were copied and sent to him, keeping him abreast of her dealings. They were short, to the point, and beyond professional, assuring them that Diamond Enterprises would continue to give them the utmost quality and attention. She’d hand-selected her replacements on the many accounts.
Also, she’d left a dossier on every employee, giving recommendations on promotions for the staff—some even for those who vocally disapproved of her this last week.
Her insight blew him away. She saw things, knew things, he didn’t focus on, making him better at what he did.
All the while, he hunted for any shred of personal notes. But there wasn’t a hint of anything for him, the man. Only the boss.
A hollow sensation ripped through him.
That’s what she’d been doing holed up in her office the last two days, shooing him and others away. She’d been working for Diamond Enterprises. Not just because she was good at what she did, but because she wanted his company and his dream to thrive.
Drake shoved back his chair and marched out of his office and down the hall, throwing open her door. The stark, barely furnished room pulsed. Emptiness bounced off the walls and ricocheted to hit him square in the chest.
“She’s gone.”
All he had left were her emails and notes.
And the memories of her lingered. The scent of her hair, fresh and citrusy, wafted over him now as he recalled bumping into her in the hallway many a time, grabbing her arms to set her aside unless he knocked her down. Her laughter rushing over him at her own jokes or giving in to one of his lame ones.
That funny way she could smile sweetly and yet tell him with just a look what she thought of a prospective client or a deal. He leaned on her, depended on her for more than just his business.
He trusted Heather.
She’d only failed him once. Last night. In love.
That sliced him deeper than anything else ever could have.
***
“You want me to what?!” The judge’s deep voice reached out and nearly knocked him over.
“May I call you Gordo?” Drake smiled, waiting on the front doorstep.
“No.”
He shrugged. “I didn’t think so, but I thought I’d try.” Drake dug in his pocket for a paper and pen. “You’re important to her. That makes you important to me.” He scribbled down the number and address. “I’ll have a driver pick you up tonight.”
“Why am I doing this?”
“For Heather.”
A half hour later, his meeting with her parents at King’s Café did not go over as well. The bickering escalated quickly from the moment they entered until they sat down at the table.
“Mr. Talbert, if you just listen.” Drake nearly begged for the exes to stop fighting. He wiped a hand over his brow. “Stop! Now!”
The screeching voices came to an abrupt halt. Silence echoed and pulsed in the restaurant. All eyes were directed at him.
“No more gruff, got it?”
Heather’s mother tried to speak.
Drake held up his hand. “Enough. I don’t care if you like me or hate me. However, you will follow the rules from now on. Heather’s rules. No fighting in front of your daughter. No eye rolling or smirks or—what did she say once—no whining to her about the other.” There, he replayed her words over in his mind.
Over time, she’d let things slip or point out how she wished she’d had a family who got along, revealing her painful bouts of exposure to her parents’ tug-of-war during the divorce and after.
Funny how feeling her throbbing absence he remembered the little details. He missed her giggle and the way she pushed up her glasses on her nose. Her sneeze, soft and delicate, made him smile even now. She was adorable in every way and he longed to hold her again. And her kisses… He nearly groaned. “She deserves better.”
Her father huffed. “That’s rich, coming from you, Diamond.”
“You don’t think I know that?” Drake gazed at the older man, noting the weariness settled in and around his eyes, so like his daughter’s. He leaned forward to emphasize his point. “She’s the best damn thing that came out of your marriage. Maybe the only good thing. Do not hurt her anymore. Do not destroy that part of who you two were once.”
Her mother gasped, her hand covering her mouth.
“That goes for you, too, Miss Charlene.” He said it softer, but with no less steel in his voice. “Start there. With Heather. You’re lucky you have her in your life. Don’t hurt her. Not again.”
As he got up to leave, his own words haunted him. Don’t hurt her
. Not again.
He sucked in a shaky breath.
Would what he was about to do wound her or heal her?
***
“Are you sure, Rico?” Drake hid in the damn closet at the Westbrooke Museum. The very same closet he’d found Heather kissing some random guy in just last week. A wide streak of jealousy reared. No one should be kissing Heather but him.
“Moi? Lie?” He pressed a hand to his chest. “Pegster’s got this.”
The problems at the hotel, the original place for the charity event, forced King’s to hustle to get the museum location at the very last minute. Everything seemed to be rerouted and in place, including the models who had just arrived.
Rico talked into a mic attached to a wire wrapped around one ear. “Bride 2 in the building?”
“Roger that,” Peg cried, her voice carrying.
“Not so loud,” Rico said, adjusting the earpiece. “I’ll peek out and wave you down.”
“Gotcha, 007!”
Drake groaned. “This is not what I had in mind at all.”
“Better idea, handsome? No, didn’t think so.” He didn’t let him finish. Going to the door, Rico eased it open and popped his head out to draw it back in right away and slam the door shut. He leaned back. “OMG! She saw me. I mean, right there in my face saw me!”
The sound of knocking burst through the tiny space. “Rico! Rico! Rico!” Peg called. “Holy Batman and Robin, you’re going to ruin it all.”
His nerves jumped and he nudged Rico aside to thrust the door open. “Peg, really?”
She shoved Heather at him.
“Drake?” She tumbled into his chest.
He held her close. “Heather!” Lush. Warm. His heartbeat kicked into overdrive.
“Give me the other one,” Peg insisted.
Shifting, he tugged Rico by the arm and pushed him out. “Bye.” Then he closed the door behind the sputtering man.
“See if I do you any more favors!” he called from the other side.
“Come on, pal. The show’s already started,” Peg called.
The noises from outside the closet faded.
The air thickened and the heat blasted. “God, I missed you.” The ache in his voice could not be mistaken.
“It’s only been hours,” she squeaked out, tensing.
He reached up and brushed back a wispy tendril of her dark hair, brushing her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “Soft. Silky.”
“Caveman?”
His chuckle bounced around them. “There’s my Heather.”
“Yours?”
“Mine.”
Her gulp rent the air.
“I’m only going to say this once, alright? I do not want you to work for me ever again.”
She winced. “Wow! Crystal-clear.”
“Work with me or wherever the hell you want. But not for me.”
“I won’t. I sorta signed a new contract a few minutes ago.”
He blew out the breath he was holding. There weren’t any doubts whoever hired her had gotten a gem. “That was fast. My competition?”
“Not really.” She shrugged. “For King’s. Charlie liked the resort idea so much she asked me to partner with them on developing special event packages for their clientele for high-end destination getaways.”
“Perfect.” He nodded, liking the idea of her working for the Kings. “Your new family.” Along with me and my dad.
“So.” She tried to pull away. “That’s that.”
“You think?” He smiled. “Don’t think you can get away that easily.”
“Ah, Drake.” She gazed down at the wedding dress she was wearing. “Charity event. I go on in a short time. Like, right now.”
“Anxious, are you?” he murmured. “I should make you kiss me first. Here. But we can wait.”
“For what?”
“That’s for you to find out,” he whispered, pushing her glasses up for her and kissing her on the tip of her nose.
“I don’t understand.”
His heart expanded when he looked into her questioning eyes. “All in due time, my Heather.”
Chapter 13
Bright lights flooded the runway and Heather could barely see without her glasses on. She’d forgotten her lame contacts and relied solely on Drake guiding her.
The audience murmured and the rustling sounds carried. She swore she heard a gasp or two rise.
“Honey, it’s us,” her mother called—from somewhere in the front row she thought. “Me and daddy.”
“Truce, baby. For you.” Her father choked up. “Drake convinced us.”
“What?” She twirled to him. “You stopped World War III? Holy crap, Drake! You’re a miracle worker.”
Her breath caught at Drake’s whisper-soft chuckle and his warm touch on her waist. Rico shoved something between them, waving it slightly.
“But, I thought…I ditched you.” Her voice bounced around the room. She was on a mic?
“Speak louder. I don’t think they heard you in Cleveland yet.” Drake’s chuckle joined with the crowd. “No, seriously, I’m good. Not too many scars.”
She blinked, trying to focus. Surely that couldn’t be an altar over there? With flowers over it and a man in a black robe standing near it. “Lacey? Ashley?” she called out to her friends.
“We’re here,” they said in unison, waving from somewhere near either side of the archway.
“Is that what I think it is?” No, it couldn’t be. Pretend was going a little too far, wasn’t it?
Drake gently turned her so she looked at him fully—well, what she could make out of him. His chuckle, like liquid warmth, poured over her. She sighed. He tugged out her glasses from his top pocket and fitted them on her.
She opened her eyes wide, seeing his handsome face and wicked smile. Beyond him, she realized a couple hundred people were glued to their seats, staring at them.
“I wanted you to know who you were marrying.”
“Ha, ha! Funny. This is just pretend.” She glanced at the crowd and shot them a stiff smile. “See. Nothing real here, folks.” Looking around, she spotted Peg handing a tissue to a sniffling Rico and then her new boss, Charlie, and her family in the front row. “Hey, everyone.”
A smattering of helloes came back to her.
“Is that—no, it can’t be! The Shipleys! Father and son?”
Grant shot her a thumbs-up. Then, shockingly so did his dad. “Deal’s on!”
“Drake, you did it!” Tears clogged the back of her throat. “No goons allowed. No Dominique?” She couldn’t find the woman sitting anywhere.
“I think she ran off with the gardener,” Rico said in an aside. “Dirty boy, I understand.”
Drake’s dad whistled and caught her attention.
“Mr. D.? Oh, hey.”
“Are you done yet?” Drake asked with a smile in his voice.
She backed away, raising her hand in a slight wave.
He stopped her. “Not so fast. I know you can’t wait for the honeymoon, but we do have to tie the knot first.”
Her cheeks warmed. She shot him a warning glance. “Such a kidder, folks. Joking!”
“I don’t think so.” He nodded over her shoulder.
Heather’s heart drummed in her chest. She couldn’t look, didn’t dare. “Drake? This isn’t funny anymore.”
“Good. I’m not laughing.” He approached, and then got down on one knee. Tugging out a jeweler’s box—a King’s lavender jeweler’s box—he popped it open.
She gasped, pressing her hand against her chest. A sparkling, perfectly shaped princess cut diamond winked under the lights. The very same one she’d selected—well, the custom one—she’d longed for the other day with Drake by her side.
“Heather Talbert, would you do me the honor of being my wife? Will you marry me?”
Not a movement sounded. Silence and expectation echoed. “You’re not—scared?”
“Hell, yes, I am. But what kind of life am I living without love? Without you?”
Stars—or were they blinding tears?—flooded her eyes. “I mean, we’re not—pretending this? Is this one for real?”
“So is that a yes or a no?” A lingering doubt etched his question.
She searched his eyes, those beautiful warm brown eyes, and melted. “For real real?”
“Family, Heather. Our family. You and me. And whoever else is worthy of belonging to you.”
The sweet sincerity of his words sunk in and wrapped around her, making her feel a part of something special. The truth shone in his loving gaze. “Hell, yes, Drake Diamond, I will gladly marry you.”
A collective cheer rose from the attendees.
Heather practically threw herself at him and hugged him tight.
He caught her and held her easily to his chest, pressing his face in her neck. “Thank God you said yes.”
Her kisses landed on his ear and his cheek.
Pulling back, he chuckled. “Don’t you think we should wait for the I dos first?”
***
On shaky legs, Heather stood before Judge Daniels as he completed the reading of the vows, surrounded by her best friend Lacey on one side, Drake beside her, his dad on his left, and Ash close by. Her mom and dad drew close. Peg and Rico and the King family and the rest of the attendees gazed on.
Her smile wobbled through her tears as she faced her new husband. “My family.”
“Always.”
“Do you think you could kiss me now?”
He leaned in. She halted him, whipping off her glasses and tossing them to Gordo. Drake’s chuckle rumbled in his chest as he pressed her against him, lowering his mouth to hers. The first brush of his lips made her gasp and then he slowly tasted, lingering in a full-out assault on her senses, making her dizzy.
Liquid warmth poured on and through her. Tingles raced up and down her spine. Her body molded to his, seeking more.
In his embrace, she surrendered, gaining so much more than she gave up. This is what her grandmother knew and passed down to her. Nothing less would ever do.
Reluctantly, he ended the earth-shattering forever kiss and looked long and utterly achingly into her eyes. “Heather Talbert Diamond, you and I are going to make a great team. My wife,” he whispered hoarsely. “My heart.”
very charming wedding 02 - boss and the bride Page 8
