A sparkle from my left hand caught the light of the moon, distracting me. Funny, I didn’t feel like a bride. I did not feel very complete these days. If anything, I was scattered and restless. The apprehension I had thought would retreat with time was growing stronger inside of me. When I tried to reason away my fear as pre-wedding nerves, it only rooted itself deeper into my soul. I was not afraid of getting married, or spending the rest of my life with Michael. I was afraid I would never again feel the ecstasy I had known with David.
I listened to the thud of music coming from the house. The party would be getting into full swing now. All the guests would be toasting to the happiness of the bride and groom.
I pushed my dark thoughts from my mind and rose from the bench. I needed to return to the party. I was a bride and it was time I started acting like one. I walked back through the gardens to the house. The house was alive with lights and revelry. I squared my shoulders and marched face front into the storm.
Val was hovering around inside the living room door when I entered from the patio. She looked flushed and was searching the crowd.
“There you are!” she yelled at me. “Wait here. It’s time for your present.”
I stood in my place by the patio door, as Val scurried off to the den. A few moments later, the music stopped and a crowd of people entered the expansive living room. Michael and Uncle Lance were ushered into the room with my father following close behind them. Val pushed Michael next to me.
“Do you know what this is about?” he asked me.
“I have no idea.”
Val waved her arms and shouted for the room to quiet down. The Fagles were gathered around Val. Mrs. Fagles appeared to be hanging on Val’s every word.
“I want to thank everyone for coming tonight,” Val began. “I’m glad so many of you turned out to celebrate the union of this fair young couple. I know we wish them all the best in their new marriage. To Nicci and Michael.” There was a small round of applause. “I have a very special wedding present and I wanted all of you to share in it with me,” Val went on. “I hope, Nicci and Michael, that the two of you will enjoy this for years to come.” She motioned to an easel standing to her left. It was covered with a large red sheet.
I felt my stomach tighten.
“My gift to you.” With a flourish, she yanked the sheet away from the easel.
The room suddenly went quiet. Mrs. Fagles was the first to scream. She dropped her champagne glass to the floor. Uncle Lance and my father were chuckling. Michael grabbed my forearm and began squeezing, hard.
I stared at the painting in disbelief. It was the bathtub nude I had done with David and it was sitting on the easel for all the guests at the party to see.
Michael jerked on my arm. “What the hell is that?” He was trying, rather unsuccessfully, to restrain his voice.
A low buzz of whispers started circulating around the room.
I turned to my uncle and father while shaking off Michael’s grip. “You knew about this?”
“Well, actually it was Val’s idea,” my father replied, pointing to Val. “She wanted to get you something special.”
“I can’t believe this!” Michael shouted. “You knew and you did not ask me about this first?”
My father scowled. “Why should we do that, Mor…Michael? Lance and I liked the idea.”
“It’s not your fiancée naked up there, for all the world to see!” Michael’s voice reverberated off the tile floor as a small group of guests took in the show.
“No. It’s my daughter. I think she looks wonderful. Don’t you think she looks wonderful, Lance?” My father turned to his brother.
Uncle Lance tried to look serious. “Smashing! Damned fine picture, if you ask me!”
I glowered at Uncle Lance and my father. “I cannot believe you two did this to me.”
“What about me, Nicci?” Michael whined. “They did this to me, too.”
“Shut up, Michael!” I yelled.
I turned to the small crowd gathered around the painting. Michael’s mother was off to the side, sitting in a chair. Someone was fanning her, while her husband was patting her hand. People were looking at me and Michael, and the painting. I saw Hattie off to the side, standing next to Uncle Ned. Uncle Ned was smiling. Hattie wasn’t.
My fists were clenched and my heart was beating like a scared deer. I felt the walls of the room closing in on me. It was getting difficult to breathe.
“I have to get out of here.”
I was about to take off for the patio doors when a large hand seized my arm.
“Nicci!” Dad called.
I turned to him, gasping for air. The room was getting smaller as the burn of panic crept up my chest and into my throat. I must have looked pretty bad, because Uncle Lance frowned at me.
“Let’s get her out of here,” he said, heading to the patio doors. “Come on, this way,” Uncle Lance called to my father.
Dad began escorting me to the patio.
Michael followed quickly behind us, reaching for my other arm. “Nicci and I have to talk,” he demanded, trying to stare my father down.
My father stepped back and removed Michael’s hand from my arm. “Go and take care of your mother, Michael. First, Lance and I need a word with her.”
Michael stood there, looking rejected, while my father carted me to the patio and across the lawn.
We finally came to a halt in the middle of the lawn far from the lights of the house.
“Are you okay?” Uncle Lance questioned, as I continued to hyperventilate. “Calm down, darlin’. It’s all right.”
When I finally caught my breath, I shouted, “I can’t believe this. How did you get that picture?”
“Val tracked him down in New York,” my father illuminated. “It seems the lady in that newspaper picture was an acquaintance of hers. She bought the portrait from David.”
“Does he know? Does David know about all of this?” I motioned to the house.
“Nicci, your uncle and I want to talk to you about that.” My father nodded to Uncle Lance standing at his side. “We think it is time you called off this farce.”
“Farce? Dad, I’m going to marry Michael. If he’ll still have me, after what you did tonight.”
“What your father is trying to say, my dear,” Uncle Lance inserted, “is that there is a reason for all of this. The picture and so forth.”
“Which is what, Uncle Lance?” I snapped. “Besides trying to ruin my marriage before it even takes place.”
“That is part of it,” Uncle Lance admitted, grinning. “The truth of it is, Nicci, we don’t want to see you make the same mistake your father and I made many years ago.”
“What are you talking about?”
“When I was young and definitely foolish, I met a wonderful woman. She was very much like you.” Uncle Lance waved to me. “I was too arrogant and stupid to realize how much I really loved this woman. When I finally did come to terms with my feelings for her, she had married someone else. My brother.”
“Your uncle always thought I stole your mother from him,” Dad added.
Uncle Lance shrugged. “Your father made a better husband than I ever could have been. I would have hurt Ellen more by marrying her than by letting her go.”
“I knew Ellen was in love with Lance when I married her,” my father said, “but I was too afraid to admit it. I thought she would get over it.” He paused and sighed. “She never did.”
“Why are you telling me this now?” I begged.
My father directed his eyes to the lake. “Your uncle and I spent years bickering over petty things. Our relationship with your mother destroyed the once close bond we shared, and her death cemented our guilt. He felt guilty for letting her go, and I felt guilty for marrying her. Don’t get me wrong, your mother and I were good together. Only, I can’t help but question how much better it would have been if we had started out in love with each other. I know, eventually, she learned to love me. However, since her death
I’ve wondered if life could have been better for all three of us if the circumstances had been different.” He turned away from the lake and looked at me. “You see, Nicci, you won’t just ruin one life by going through with this marriage, you’ll ruin three. Running away from love never cures you of it. It just creates a whole new set of symptoms.”
“We have watched you and Michael for some time,” Uncle Lance chimed in. “Michael wants a wife who will do for him and make him happy. He has no idea how to make you happy. In many ways, Michael reminds me of myself when I was young. He is arrogant, ambitious, and completely ignorant of the treasure he has in you. After all, you can’t marry one man when you are in love with another.” Uncle Lance walked over to his brother’s side and placed his hand on his shoulder. “Saving you from this marriage is the first thing your father and I have agreed on in years.”
That heaviness in my heart bore down on me, and I dropped my eyes to the grass. “Michael loves me.”
“Maybe, but he will never make you happy.” My uncle lifted my head to meet his gaze. “Happiness is not a science, Nicci. It is an art. It can never be measured or predicted; it can only be enjoyed.”
I removed his hand from my chin. “I appreciate what you are both trying to tell me, but I know Michael and I can be happy. And you’re wrong, you know. Mom loved you both, very much. She never meant to come between you. In the end, she always said she got the best of both worlds. She had a wonderful husband and a loving brother-in-law. I don’t think she would have wanted it any other way.”
My father raised his head and peered past me toward the house. “So do you still want to go through with this wedding?”
“Yes, Dad.”
He shook his head. “Then there is only one way to get you to change your mind.”
“I will not change my mind,” I avowed.
Uncle Lance stood back from me, smiling. “So we called the one person who we knew could change your mind about Michael.”
“Oh really, Uncle Lance and who is that?”
“Me.” The deep voice came from across the lawn.
I saw a tall figure of a man, coming closer. As the lights from the house receded behind him, his face came into focus.
“David,” I whispered.
Chapter 24
Wearing a double-breasted suit, with his hair neatly combed to the side, David looked exactly the same. He walked with his usual confidence as he approached, and his piercing gray eyes had lost none of their hypnotic fire.
“I guess we should go and be social,” my father reasoned, backing away from my side.
Uncle Lance moved off with my father. “Remind me to collect my money from the moron,” I heard him say, as the two men strolled back toward the house.
We were alone.
“Hello, Nicci.” David’s deep voice resonated throughout my body.
“David. I can’t believe this. You’re here.”
“Your father called me in New York and told me about you and the doctor. He thought this would be a good idea.” He motioned around the lawn.
“A good idea? You thought this would be a good idea? You son of a bitch!” I went to punch him in the face, but he was too fast for me.
He grabbed both my wrists and held me to him. “I know you’re angry. I know what I did was wrong, but I missed you, Nicci. When your father called and told me about you, I volunteered to come. I wanted to see you again. I know you may never forgive me, but at least let me explain.”
I relaxed and he let go of me.
“So what are you after now, David? I don’t have any more secrets left to give you. You got all my best ones already.” I turned, about to head back to the house, but he reached for my left wrist.
“I deserved that. I know it. But damn it, you have to listen to me. Everything I said that night at the wedding, everything I told you was the truth. You have to believe that, Nicci.”
“I bet you say that to all of your women,” I snarled, trying to wrestle my hand free from his grip. “There was a picture with you and an older woman in New York. Did she have industrial secrets to sell or was she looking for something a little bit more substantial?”
“Your father me you saw that picture. He also told me how you reacted when you saw it.” He let me go. “That old lady in the news photo was my Aunt Flo. I told you about her, remember? She bought the gallery for me to sell my paintings. She wants to meet you. She claims you made me a real artist.”
“You’ve got one hell of a pair of balls coming back after everything you did to me.”
He picked up my left hand and fondled my engagement ring. “At least, I didn’t jump into bed with the first guy to come along. He moves a little too fast if you ask me.”
“I’m sure you haven’t been lonely since you left,” I shouted, yanking my hand back.
“I haven’t even looked at another woman since I left. I’ve taken so many cold showers, I’m starting to like them,” he roared.
“You expect me to believe that? That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard!”
“Yes, I expect you to believe that! God, you’re impossible! You are the most difficult woman I have ever known. I will never know why I fell in love with you.”
“There you are!” a familiar voice intruded behind us.
I wheeled around to see Michael. I tried to think of something to say, but my mind went blank.
“I don’t believe we’ve met.” Michael walked up to David and extended his hand. “I’m Dr. Michael Fagles. Nicci’s fiancé.”
I watched anxiously as the two men shook hands.
“David Alexander. I’m so glad to meet you.” David eyed Michael up and down. “I’ve been very curious about the man who won Nicci’s heart. Although I must admit, I always thought she would marry someone more like an artist than a doctor.”
Michael cocked one eyebrow at David. “Really, and what do you do, Mr. Alexander?”
David grinned. “I’m an artist.”
“I see.” Michael’s eyes were all over David. “Have I ever seen your work before?”
David nodded to the house and raised his eyebrows playfully.
“You did—” Michael stopped himself. “I mean, you’re the one who painted the portrait of Nicci in the bathtub?” I could see Michael was starting to get the idea.
David gave me a knowing smile. “Yes. That’s one of my favorites.”
I glared at him.
“Then you did the portrait over the fireplace? The present for Nicci’s father?” Michael turned to me, scowling.
David inquisitively tilted his head to the side.
“The going away picture you did,” I clarified.
David’s face lit up with recognition. “Yes, Nicci was quite an inspirational model.”
Michael stood with his lips pursed together, looking like he was constipated again. He moved over to me and extended his arm. “It was nice meeting you, Mr. Alexander. Come, Nicci, we have to return to the party. Our guests are asking for you.”
Giving David one last scowl, I took Michael’s arm.
“Nicci?” David called. “Congratulations on your engagement.”
“What was that about?” Michael hissed, right before we went inside to join the party.
“Nothing,” I said, ignoring his enraged countenance.
He squeezed my arm, hurting me. “I do not want you seeing that man again.”
I wrenched my hand free of his grip. “Michael, don’t tell me what to do.” I went inside the patio doors alone.
The moment I arrived in the living room, Uncle Lance, Val, and my father were waiting for me. They were each grinning from ear to ear.
I looked sternly from one conspirator to another. “I will not even begin to comment on what the three of you have done. Michael won’t be speaking to me for days and his family—God knows what they think.”
“Who cares!” Val cackled.
“Why don’t you break up with the silly little bastard?” Uncle Lance suggested.
“We all felt you needed a swift kick in the pants,” Val commented. “We just decided it was time we stepped in and helped fate out a bit.”
“It’s not that easy to forget about what David did to me.”
Uncle Lance stepped forward. “Give the man a chance, sweetheart. Don’t let him get away again.”
My father was standing behind Val and my uncle with his arms folded across his chest.
“You don’t have anything to add?” I asked him.
“You know how I feel. I don’t think I could have put it any better than your uncle, or Val.”
A tap on my shoulder made me spin around to find Michael, still looking constipated. I was not sure how much of our conversation he had heard.
“I need to speak with you, alone.”
My father, Uncle Lance, and Val went off snickering. Michael waited until they were out the way, and then he dragged me up the stairs to the left of the living room. He pulled me into one of the bedrooms and slammed the door closed. I plopped down on the king-sized bed and made myself comfortable. I figured this was going to be a long and tedious argument.
Michael started pacing in front of me. He never once glanced at me, as he walked back and forth on the beige-colored carpet. It was some time before he eventually spoke.
“Nicci,” he began, still pacing. “I know that this painting stuff took place before we met, and I realize now that this man was someone you once cared for. But…you could have told me, Nicci. You should have told me about everything!”
When he finally faced me, I could see the hurt in his blue eyes.
“There was nothing to tell,” I calmly assured him. “David left and I met you. What I did with him should have nothing to do with us.”
“Nothing to do with us? Jesus, Nicci, your naked ass is downstairs for the whole town to see. How do you think that makes me feel? Having everyone see my fiancée…my future wife, naked!” He sat down on the bed next to me. “Christ, my mother is going to need months of therapy to get over the shock. She kept telling me she thought you were such a nice girl. What do I tell her?”
The Nicci Beauvoir Collection: The Complete Nicci Beauvoir Series Page 28
