A Fool for You (The Cochran/Deveraux Series Book 7)
Page 25
She was in the kitchen of their new home making him a lovely dinner for an early spring evening; roast chicken with herbs under the skin for flavor, tiny potatoes in butter and parsley, spinach salad and his favorite dessert, dulce le leche ice cream with her homemade brownies. She was dancing around the kitchen singing “Goin’ to the Chapel of Love” and looked utterly carefree until she heard John’s voice coming from the dining room.
“Nina, I’m going to get my hair cut for the wedding, how does that sound?” That was when John found out Nina could speak Spanish.
“Man, she cussed me for old and new,” John told his brothers. “I had no idea she could understand a word of Spanish let alone speak it. I think that’s the only reason she stopped yelling at me that day, I looked so stupid standing there with my mouth open.”
Nina had indeed ended her tirade and angry as she was, she still smiled at the look on John’s face. “Close your mouth, querida. I probably should have mentioned I’m bilingual.”
“But…how?” John stammered.
“Our housekeeper from the time I was a baby was Dominican. She spoke to us in Spanish all the time and when I first started talking I used as many Spanish words as English. Besides, I’ve been living in California for years, how could I not know at least a little Spanish?” she asked reasonably. “I should have told you I could speak Spanish a long time ago, but it’s so handy to understand what’s being said when no one knows you can.”
John had given her what he hoped was a stern look and asked if there was anything else she wanted to tell him.
“Not a thing, darling,” she answered in perfect Mandarin Chinese.
The men all laughed heartily at the story. John laughed along with them, saying that Nina was the perfect woman for him. “And in” – he glanced at his watch – “ten minutes I’m going to make her my wife. What could possibly make this moment any better?” he asked with his arms spread wide.
Victor scratched his nose with his forefinger. “Um, just guessing here, but maybe some pants,” he said in a deadpan voice.
Tony agreed, adding, “And some shoes, man. Shay’s kinda particular about shoes.”
John looked down and realized he was indeed half dressed. “I thought it was kind of chilly in here. My bad.”
***
The church was decked in flowers, big arrangements of spring blossoms in various shades of pink with abundant greenery. The candles were lit and Patty and Marva were seated in the mother-of-the –bride places. The voice of Ceylon Deveraux cascaded over the family and friends gathered to witness the vows. She was singing “Ave Maria” and it was like a balm to the soul. After the bridesmaids, Renee, Tina, Faye, Angelique, Benita and Paris, were in place, as well as the junior bridesmaids and flower girls, Nina’s matrons of honor, Susan Benrubi-Hong and Alicia Cochran, took their places. Then it was time for Nina to be escorted down the aisle.
First Big Al walked with her, since he was her last father figure. He handed her over to a visibly moved Dr. Hamed Benrubi, who walked her to Morgan Sterling. Morgan walked with her and kissed her on the cheek as he entrusted her to Victor and Tony who took her the rest of the way to John, who didn’t bother to try to hide the lone tear trickling down his cheek. Nina shed a few tears of her own when the minister asked, “Who giveth this woman?” and her brothers, the Benrubis, Big Al, Miss Velma, Morgan and Marva all stood up and said “We do.”
Nina tried hard to control her shaking but the emotions were too powerful. She looked up at John with tears sparkling in her eyes and whispered, “I love you.” John flouted tradition by bending down to kiss her forehead and caress her cheek. “And I love you, Miss Parker, for always.”
By the time they were pronounced man and wife there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
And They Lived Happily Ever After…
In her entire life Nina never imagined it was possible to be as happy as she was now. She had the love of a lifetime in John. He made her believe all things were possible, like winning the class action suit against Oscar Giddens. Thanks to Alan and Andre Cochran, Giddens had to make good on all his promises and everyone in the Oakland neighborhood was able to purchase his or her home and get out from under his venal thumb. Nina was able to purchase her darling little dollhouse and sold it back to Giddens at a profit since his mother really did want to live in the house. When Miss Velma came to Michigan for the wedding she reported that as luck would have it, Mr. Gidden’s mother was a sweet lady, nothing like her son.
“We go walking together in the morning and we watch Oprah in the afternoons,” Miss Velma told Nina. “She hasn’t made one single change to your house, either, she just fell in love with it the way it is.”
Miss Velma also filled Nina in on some other things that had happened as a result of the class action suit. “Everyone was so happy about what that fiancé of yours did to help us get started with the lawsuit they renamed the playground Whitney Park after you, sugar. That’s so we’ll always remember you. You did a lot for that neighborhood even before the lawsuit, Nina. You helped bring it to life.”
Miss Velma had looked around Nina and John’s new home and surveyed the hose of family and friends gathered for an informal dinner in the days before the wedding. “I’m so happy for you, sugar. This is what I always wanted for you. I knew that man would bring you the happiness you deserve if you’d just let him love you. And I was right, wasn’t I?”
“Yes, Miss Velma, you surely were. I have so much now,” Nina had spread her hands wide as she looked around her at her new life. “More than I ever dreamed. I have my family back and I have the most wonderful friends and I have the most wonderful man in the world. For so many years I couldn’t even begin to imagine this kind of life,” she said dreamily.
Miss Velma took both of Nina’s hands and smiled at her with great love and wisdom. “And there’s more in store for you, sweetheart. You’re going to be great parents, you and your John. It’s going to be a wonderful life.”
Nina was so touched by the older woman’s words that she didn’t dare contradict her. They would have a wonderful life, even without children.
***
Every day was full of joy and excitement now and Nina was so content and happy she’d even agreed to be interviewed on Paris’s talk show. Paris was allowed to film the preparations for the wedding as well as participate in it, although her participation was out of friendship; it had nothing to do with the show. When Nina thought about how much notoriety Paris could have gained by exploiting her, the realization that she didn’t do it out of respect and affection for her was truly touching. Paris didn’t overplay her hand, either, she treated Nina’s wedding with the reverence it deserved. After the wedding while the camera equipment was packed up in preparation to go to the reception, Paris and the other bridesmaids were fussing over the bride.
“Nina, I still can’t get over that dress, girl,” Paris told her. It was truly gorgeous, made of matte silk satin in a dazzling creamy white; it was strapless with a dropped bustier bodice and a cartridge-pleated full skirt with a ten-foot detachable train. The dress was bordered in re-embroidered Alencon lace and the bodice was made entirely of the lace with crystal beading that made it shimmer in the dimmed lighting of the church. Nina looked so exquisite it was unreal, like a bridal Barbie doll. There was a sheer bolero jacket worn I the church for modesty; it was removed for the reception. Nina’s hair was blown straight and pulled up and off her face with a fall attached so expertly that no one would guess it wasn’t her hair. She wore the diamond tiara which Susan worn at her own wedding as had four other generations of Benrubi women. Nina also wore the pearl pendant with the diamond cap setting and the matching pearl and diamond drop earrings John had given her that morning.
Nina thanked Paris for the compliment and returned it. They were in the anteroom of the church, about to leave for the reception. “You look fantastic as well, Paris. That color looks beautiful on you and so does the dress. Titus doesn’t seem to know what hit him,�
�� she teased.
Paris turned pink with pleasure. She was glad when the wedding party was dispatched to the limousines that would take them to the reception because it gave her a chance to escape the intense scrutiny of Titus’s sexy eyes. Once they reached the posh hotel where the reception was being held, though, she could feel Titus staring at her again. The pink color returned to her face along with a hearted response to his nearness. Paris’s body continued to react during the reception because of the way Titus was looking at her, like he wanted to take a bite of her perfumed flesh and devour it. If he doesn’t stop I’m going to get up and leave, she thought. She wouldn’t have done any such thing, not really, but the heat was spreading from her face to other body parts and she was more than uncomfortable.
She tried to pay attention to Nina and John dancing to “Amigos Par Siempre,” sung by Marcus and Vera Deveraux. It was the newlywed’s first dance it looked beautifully romantic. She focused on John’s relatives from Puerto Rico, an attractive and friendly lot. Nina had told her of Cousin Lola’s attempt to snare John. When they were in the anteroom of the church Nina had whispered to Paris she was stunned by the woman’s transformation.
“Paris, I’m telling you, she was a Latin hoochie-mama on the make and now look at her! She’s all covered up from her neck to her knees. And I think she and Alejandro have finally seen the light because they act like there’s going to be another wedding in the very near future. Amazing,” Nina marveled.
It was true; Lola was wearing a chic but modest silk shantung suit in aqua. Her hair was cut into a becoming bob and John’s friend Alejandro never took his eyes off her nor did he leave her side. I think Nina’s right; it looks like there’s true love on the horizon here, Paris thought as she continued to scan the room from her vantage point at the head table. She suddenly felt self-conscious, as though someone was staring at her. She held her breath as she dared to look at the other end of the table. Sure enough, Titus’s hot eyes were burning her up, even from that distance. Paris forced herself to remain composed while John and Nina finished their first dance.
After it ended, Paris tried to escape his intense scrutiny by going to the ladies’ room, even though Nina was now singing “I Believe in You and Me” to John. It was terribly rude of Paris but there was something about the way Titus was staring at her that was driving her mad with unfulfilled desire. However, Titus anticipated her move and was waiting for her outside the ballroom. He held out his hand and she was helpless, she took it with no hesitation and let him lead her into an atrium filled with fragrantly exotic plants.
He didn’t hesitate; he pulled her into his arms and kissed her with a hunger that echoed her own; she was captured by his sensuality and had no desire to escape. She could have kissed him forever; his lips were like the essence of life to her at that moment. Suddenly she was jerked out of his arms and a rough voice demanded to know what was going on.
Paris didn’t even have to look around; the source of the voice was all too familiar to her. She groaned and dropped her head, covering her face with her hands. Then she lowered her hands, straightened her shoulders, and looked to each side before sighing heavily. “Titus, have you met my brothers? Lucien, Wade, Julian and Philippe, this is Titus Argonne.”
She looked around at the unsmiling, brutally handsome faces of her tall and untamed brothers and sighed. It was going to be a very long night.