“That’s what I want to know. A maid? A nanny? Jewelry? And here I thought love would be enough.”
She looked sharply at him. “Where did you get this?”
“On my bedside table.”
“You don’t seriously believe I wrote this.” She thrust the papers back at him. “It’s not even my handwriting.”
“I don’t believe you wrote it—Margaret did.”
“That’s not her handwriting. It looks as though a middle-school girl wrote it. All it needs is little flowers in place of the dots over the i’s.”
“Who else would write it and leave it in my room?”
“I don’t know…” she trailed off, looking thoughtful. “There is one of the maids who’s extremely…gregarious. Maybe she—”
“So you’re blaming the maid.”
“No. If I had done it, I would have taken the responsibility. But I have to tell you that even though I didn’t write this one, I still think having a pre-nup is wise.”
“Oh, I get it.” He could taste the bitterness he felt. “I see this horrible one, then am supposed to be grateful when you suggest a much more reasonable one. I know that game and it’s not going to work.”
“Dylan—”
“Getting back together was a mistake. A huge mistake.” He turned to leave. He had to get away from her.
“Where are you going? We need to talk about this.”
Dylan kept walking. “I don’t want to hear anything you have to say. I’m going to pack and I’ll be out of here in half an hour.”
“You can’t go anywhere because of the snow.”
He hated it that she was being so calm and reasonable. “I’m leaving if I have to dig my way out.”
“Now, Dylan, be rational. Let’s talk about this.”
“There’s nothing to say. Goodbye, Alexis. Have a good life.”
He couldn’t bear to look at her anymore.
After packing, Dylan literally walked into a wall of snow, but he pushed his way through to the parking lot with very little trouble. Snow wasn’t as hard to get through as he remembered.
His car was covered and drifts were up to the window, but the powdery snow melted wherever he touched it. Very strange snow, but he wasn’t going to complain.
The snowblowers were out clearing the entrance drive. Dylan soon reached the end of the cleared area and decided just to see what the car could do. He’d meant what he said. He’d get a shovel and dig his way back to Denver if he had to.
But the car cut through the snow as though it were nothing more than heavy fog.
FROM THE ROOF, Sunshine, Glory and Desdemoaner watched the little red car.
“Sunshine, his righteous anger is melting your snow.”
Sunshine moaned. “I got to do something to stop him.”
“More snow?” asked Desdemoaner.
“He’s so far out and I’m still tired from yesterday’s storm. Can’t somebody plant some thoughts in his head for me?”
Glory guffawed. “And risk a black mark? You gotta be kiddin’, girl.”
“Desi?”
“Nope. I’m not good at that, anyway. I can plant thoughts, but more often than not, they’re the wrong ones.”
Dejected, Sunshine materialized in Alexis’s room. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Alexis was staring out the window where the tiny red car was all but invisible. “So you were the one who wrote all those silly things.”
“They’re not silly, but I was only trying to show you that it could be done. I don’t understand why he’s so mad.”
“Because me marrying him without a pre-nup was some sort of test of my love, I guess. And I agreed. But I don’t even get credit for it.”
“Can’t you call him with your phone?”
“Already tried. He turned his off. And you know something? It’s probably best. He didn’t even listen to me. He believed the most outrageous things and wouldn’t even let me speak.” She gave Sunshine a wry smile. “The same thing I did to him all those years ago.” She sighed. “No matter. It wasn’t meant to be. Unfortunately, I don’t believe I’ll ever love anyone else.” She shrugged. “So I’m going to marry Vincent as planned. If he’ll still have me.”
11
VINCENT WAS VERY NICE about the whole thing. Maybe even relieved, but Alexis was too miserable to notice. Or care. Bring on the pre-nup. She’d sign it. She’d sign anything.
With the path cleared by Dylan and the highway crew, the delayed guests streamed into the hotel and the wedding was back on schedule.
Or it would be back on schedule if things didn’t keep going wrong.
First, there was the missing wedding gown that was found only after Alexis declared she’d get married in her pajamas because she just didn’t care. Her mother and sister put it down to bridal nerves.
Then the florist was locked out of her van. Alexis said she didn’t need flowers to get married. Actually, she expressed herself much more colorfully and Sunshine, who was causing all the delays, knew that Alexis was just hurt enough and just mad enough to ruin her life by marrying the wrong man and there didn’t seem to be any way to stop her.
The right man had about reached the edge of the snow, according to Sunshine’s lookouts on the roof. In spite of their earlier refusals, they had tried to help by planting thoughts. In fact, all the girls were on the roof concentrating on making Dylan see sense and come back. Sunshine even told Alexis what they were doing and it didn’t make a difference to her.
While all this was going on—and frankly, Alexis was afraid she was going to have to speak to the manager about Sunshine’s demented ramblings—Margaret brought by the papers for Alexis to sign.
“You’re so lucky,” Margaret said as Alexis scanned the pre-nup for any new surprises. “I envy you the opportunity to have a family. I gave up my chance for babies to concentrate on my career and I’ll admit this to you—though if you tell anyone I’ll deny it—I do have regrets. And now, realistically, it’s too late for me to change my mind.”
“I’m sorry,” Alexis murmured, still reading.
“But it’s a hard choice. The girls these days get trapped. This generation of men expect their wives to work and raise a family. How did that happen? That wasn’t what the women’s movement was supposed to be about. But you’re lucky. Vincent truly doesn’t want you to work. You can be a full-time mother. What luxury.”
“I’m grateful that I won’t have to spend long hours at a job when I have young children.” Alexis still scanned the pre-nup.
“Young or old. He doesn’t want you to work ever again.”
Alexis had only been partially paying attention to Margaret. “No. The whole point is that when I go back to work, it’ll be at a higher level than I am now. The level I’d be if I hadn’t taken time off. Vincent can do that since he’s a partner. And while I’m at home I’ll be helping him the way I do now, but it’ll be off the record.”
Margaret laughed, which was unexpected enough to make Alexis look up inquiringly.
“You don’t seriously think you’re going back to work?” her lawyer asked. “Not after leading the kind of life you’ll be leading.”
“Actually, yes I do.”
“Why?”
“Because…I’m good at what I do. I worked hard to get where I am. I’m not giving that up.”
“Personally, I think you’re nuts. Professionally, I’m obligated to point out that if you do go back to work,” Margaret said slowly, “Vincent will invoke the marital-consideration clause.”
Alexis stared at her. “Oh, come on.”
“I think I understand now why he was so insistent on that clause. I wouldn’t put it past him to sue for full custody of any children, either.”
Alexis’s jaw dropped.
“Alexis, I thought you’d discussed this with him.”
“I thought we had, too. I mean…there are lots of women who don’t want to work. Why isn’t he marrying one of them?”
Margaret gave her
a direct look. “I suggest you ask him. And, this is both personal and professional advice, ask him before you say ‘I do.”’
THE SNOW PETERED OUT about the time Dylan’s anger did. For someone who had preached the virtues of emotional detachment when making decisions, he’d certainly let his feelings have a free rein.
That had been one weird snowstorm. Five miles from the inn and not a flake was to be found.
As traffic headed toward the inn passed him, Dylan drove slower and slower until he finally pulled over to the side of the road to think.
Examining what had happened without the red haze of anger clouding his judgment, Dylan had to admit that sneaking a pre-nup into his room was not Alexis’s style. And if she’d done so, she would have admitted it.
If he’d given her a chance. Which he hadn’t.
And why hadn’t he? Because in spite of years of trying to compensate for it, gullibility still got him some-times—and he was embarrassed when it did. He’d been raised among salt-of-the-earth people who said what they meant with unembellished directness. They didn’t have time for games because they were too busy making a living. As he’d discovered, not everyone was raised the same way. So he’d taught himself to look past the words and seek the true motivations of his clients.
Alexis wanted security. And commitment, as well, he thought. Angering him with that ridiculous pre-nup wouldn’t achieve those goals. Therefore, she really hadn’t known about those papers. She’d never made a secret of her desire for a pre-nup, but she’d agreed to marry him without one. She would rather have one, but she’d still agreed.
It was everything he’d asked of her. She was everything he wanted.
And she was probably getting ready to marry Vincent right now.
Dylan felt slightly sick to his stomach. How could he have blown it twice with her? What was the matter with him? Maybe she wasn’t the one who was afraid to commit—maybe he was. He’d asked a lot of her, but he’d only offered her marriage when he was sure she would say yes.
Dylan didn’t like himself very much right now. But he liked Vincent even less.
There was something odd there, now that he thought about it. He knew why Alexis wanted to marry Vincent, buy why did Vincent want to marry Alexis? What was in it for him? Besides Alexis. Not to take anything away from her, but the man had avoided marrying for fifty-four years and suddenly popped the question?
There was something about this that they were all missing.
Something Dylan wanted to find out.
And there was someone he needed to apologize to.
Someone who’d probably be really good at makeup sex.
And there was someone who made really good cookies at the inn.
Huh? Where had that thought come from?
He turned the car around and headed back to Maiden Falls.
“GLORY HALLELUJAH, he’s a’ comin’ back!”
“Really? Really?” Sunshine wished Glory would let her look through the spy glass, but it was the one thing Glory had taken with her when she’d died—since she’d been spying out her window with it when the gas fumes had overtaken them.
“Yes. I see that little red automobile coming this a’ way.”
A cheer went up from the ladies on the roof.
“Thank Got. My head aches viz zee strain.” The Countess fanned herself.
“Me, I planted sexy thoughts. We all know with what a man thinks.” Mimi laughed and drifted below.
“I went for logic,” Rosebud said.
“I concentrated on that cute little cookie he ran out on,” Desdemoaner confessed.
Sunshine exhaled. “Thanks everybody. I appreciate this. Now all I have to do is stop the wedding until he gets here!”
ALEXIS STILL HADN’T SIGNED the papers. Vincent had, but she hadn’t. And he would demand to see a signed and executed copy before they married.
“Mom, I have to talk with Vincent.”
“It’s bad luck for him to see you before the wedding,” her sister said. “Madison, sweetie, don’t eat the flowers. You drop them. Let me show you.”
Luck? Alexis wondered what they’d do if Leigh and her mother knew how she’d spent her morning. “It’ll be bad luck if I don’t talk to him.”
“But I haven’t finished your hair!” Her mother held her hands over Alexis’s head. The tag still dangled from the sleeve of her dress.
Since her mother was going overboard with the curling iron, Alexis didn’t think interrupting her was such a bad thing. “It’s okay. The headpiece will cover it up.”
Alexis wrapped herself in the large terry robe and made her way to Vincent’s room.
He was already dressed and making stilted conversation with Bob, her brother-in-law who’d been pressed into duty as best man after Dylan left.
“I need to talk with Vincent,” Alexis announced, and Bob made a grateful escape.
“If you’re going to confess to your relationship with Dylan, I can put your mind at ease. Although I was aware that you both attended law school together, until recently, I was unaware that you had been anything more than fellow students.”
Alexis wasn’t going to confess anything. “Other than seeing him at a distance occasionally, I hadn’t spoken directly to him since graduation. No, Vincent, what I want to know is why you’re marrying me.”
“Alexis!” He grasped her by the arms—but held her at a distance. “You’re beautiful, smart and successful. Why else would I marry you?”
“There are a lot of women you could have married. Why me? Why now? And, why don’t you want me to go back to work?”
“Oh, you’ll be able to keep your oar in the water by helping me, just as you always have.”
“Vincent.” She held his gaze. “Do not patronize me.”
He gave a resigned sigh, dropped her arms and sat at the little desk. He loosened his tie. “I have a feeling I won’t be needing this.” He dropped the tie on the table and looked at her.
She waited.
He made a little face. “I want to slow down. At this point in my career, I shouldn’t have to kill myself the way the associates and junior partners do. I should get to pick and choose my cases. Play golf. Take long lunches. Vacation several times a year. But I can’t, and you know why?”
She shook her head.
“Because of you. You make me look bad.”
“I make you look good!”
“And you spent far too long doing it. I have to work harder than you to stay ahead. I don’t want to do that anymore. By marrying you, I remove the problem. Others can work the long hours and not achieve half what you do.”
She was stunned, but relieved in a way. “You mentored me.”
“And look what I created.”
Privately, Alexis thought she had a lot to do with her own success, but decided not to contradict him.
“I don’t want to be shown up by my assistant. So when I heard my assistant finally, finally express discontent, I grabbed the opportunity.”
“I see.” She thought for a minute. “I could cut back—”
“You don’t have it in you.”
They looked at each other. “You realize I can’t marry you,” she said.
“I know.”
There was another silence. “I’m not going to be able to work for you anymore, am I?”
Vincent gave an elegant shrug. “I would prefer not. I will, of course, see that you receive a generous settlement and my highest recommendation.”
“And if I don’t resign?”
Vincent said nothing. He was too experienced.
But Alexis knew what would happen. She’d be reassigned to someone else where she would be buried in tedious, low-profile cases. In a few years, no one would remember her.
“Thank you,” Alexis said. “You were an excellent mentor and I appreciate all the opportunities you gave me.”
Vincent gave her his magnanimous winner smile. “You’re most welcome.”
She drew a deep breath. “I’m going to
stay on here with my family for a few days.”
“I understand. Goodbye, Alexis.”
He was already on the phone arranging for an airline ticket back to Houston by the time she made it to the door.
Alexis wandered slowly down the hallway. Oh, this was just great. Just fabulous. She had no fiancé, no lover and no job. So much for thinking with her head. Her heart had never got her into this much trouble.
She was going to have to tell her mother and her sister and the rest of her family that they’d made the trip to Colorado for nothing. Her mother would be thrilled that she hadn’t cut the tags off her dress yet.
At least Alexis got to see her niece. And then she stopped. This wasn’t for nothing. Her family and closest friends were all here under one roof to see her. To spend time together.
So that’s what they’d do. It would set the world’s record for making lemonade out of lemons, but she was going to have one heck of a family reunion party.
DYLAN ARRIVED BACK to find everyone in the ballroom at the wedding dinner. So she’d married him. He actually felt as though he’d sustained a physical blow.
There was always divorce, but he wouldn’t ask it of her. Not with the pre-nup she’d signed.
No, Dylan had made a huge mistake and he was going to pay for it for the rest of his life.
But how could Alexis go from his bed to marrying Vincent in just a few hours?
Because he’d run out. He’d messed up big-time. He’d run out on a major client and that client’s wife. And he’d forgotten all about being the best man.
His personal life was in ashes and his career was going to take a hit, too, so he wouldn’t even be able to bury himself in work.
Well, he was going to have to suck it up, apologize and wish everyone well.
He stood in the ballroom doorway. People were milling around. A piano trio was playing and a few couples were dancing. Everyone looked so darn happy. How could they be happy when he was so miserable?
Dylan searched the room for Alexis. He couldn’t find her, or anyone dressed as a bride, for that matter. He didn’t see Vincent, either.
Pushing his way into the crowd, he finally saw her talking to a group of people. Even she looked happy.
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