“We have two rooms,” she offered sweetly. “And two showers.”
“I hate that.” But he shoved the bedclothes aside and then he was sitting up, running his hands over his face and through his hair.
Nice. Nina felt her lips begin to curve.
“No,” he said warningly. “We’ve got miles to cover. Places to be. Consider me a broken man.”
He didn’t look all that broken to her.
“Wedding,” he said firmly. “Family ties. You’re mending them, remember? You can play with your new toy afterward.”
“Right.” He was so right. “Alex, when are you going home?”
“Soon.” He eyed her steadily.
“Do you have a date?”
“Not yet.”
“Within the month?”
“Probably.” Which barely rated as an answer. Guess he wasn’t into a cozy morning-after talk about where they were heading with this. Their friendship that had so suddenly turned into something else. The unbelievably satisfying sex.
“Do you have to go?”
“Yes.” Low, his voice ragged. She touched her fingertips to his arm and watched him close his eyes as if in pain.
“Why?”
“I have a duty to my family. It’s time I started fulfilling it.”
“Don’t you also have a duty to yourself? To be happy with your life and what you do with it?”
“I’m not unhappy to be going home, Nina. I’ve been ready for a while.”
“So what was last night? Why start all this and then leave?” Nina knew she sounded needy and greedy and lost. She just couldn’t help it.
“You could always come with me.”
Nina stared. He was serious. “You mean there’s a Night Circus in Derbyshire?”
Nina knew there wasn’t. So did he.
“No.” Alex ran his hands though his hair again and dropped his gaze. “There’s no Night Circus in Derbyshire. No Night Circus in my future plans at all. And I can’t see you commuting.”
“I see.” Nina waited a beat. “Long-distance relationship, then?”
“Yes.” But he didn’t sound impressed. “We’re going to need coffee, Nina. Lots and lots of coffee.”
It was as good a solution as any.
Alex got his coffee and a big pancake breakfast to go with it. Nina picked at her fruit salad and yogurt, and then when Alex pushed his plate toward her she ended up eating half of his pancakes for him, while he laid down the law on how they would ride out this day. Less caffeine for Nina, in an attempt to keep her jitters at bay because she had them already, yes indeed she did, and it wasn’t just because of events that had transpired last night and this morning. The closer she got to home, the more her feelings of longing and of loss assaulted her and the faster her confidence slipped through her fingers like rain.
She was a twenty-five-year-old woman, financially independent and with a career she’d always dreamed of. By her standards she was a success.
But standards varied.
“You’ll let me drive if I start getting nervous, right?”
“Excuse me?”
“Later today…” Nina offered up her most winsome smile. Appearing winsome was one of the benefits of being a little brown mouse. “When the homecoming jitters start to get the better of me, you’ll distract me by letting me drive your pretty blue vintage Corvette.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought you said.”
“Was that a yes?”
“No.”
“Please?”
“We’ll see.” Alex smiled crookedly. “There’s more than one way to distract you, Nina. Trust me. I’ve got it covered.”
From Tallahassee to Louisiana, the aim was to get to a motel just outside of Bellefleur, where they’d stay the night. The following morning Alex would drop her at the house, bright and early, and then be on his merry way. He’d be back in time for the wedding. Nina could phone him if she needed him. That was the master plan, and for the best part of the day they executed it perfectly.
Nina tempted Alex with jambalaya for lunch and beignets dusted in powdered sugar during their midafternoon break. The man needed his strength. And Nina needed to show off the joys of Louisiana and let his smile warm her for a while, forget about him leaving so soon and simply enjoy the pleasures of the day.
They were still two hours away from their stopping destination when Nina’s phone rang. She’d been meaning to check in with Honey all day and see how the preparations were going. She’d been planning to do it when they got to the motel.
Ten to one that was Honey on the phone now.
Alex shot her a glance, but he said nothing as she rummaged in the bag at her feet and eventually put the phone to her ear.
“Nina?”
“Honey?” Her sister sounded perilously close to tears.
“Nina, she’s here. They’re all here.”
“Who?”
But the only sound that came through the phone was a tiny mew of pure fear and a shallow achy breath.
“Honey? Deep breaths, okay? Deep breaths.” Nina figured she may as well show Honey how it was done, never mind that Honey couldn’t see her. “You said someone was there. Who’s there?”
“Eve. Eve Fortescue. Aunt Mae. Opaline. The sour bridesmaid cousins. Every old girlfriend of Brent’s in existence is here at this dinner, except for Pippa, and she’s the only one I want here and Eve’s so beautiful and sexy and hungry. I saw him looking at her. Who wouldn’t look at her? Nina, I’m going c-crazy. I don’t think I can do this.”
Nina wasn’t entirely sure she could do this either. “Honey, where’s Mom?”
“Busy playing peacemaker between warring Fortescues and Delacroixes. It never changes. I thought I could fix things, but it never changes. Nina, please.”
“What do you need?”
“I know you said you’d be here in the morning, but can you come now?”
Oh, hell.
“Honey, we’re still almost two hours away.” Nina’s fault for being in no hurry to arrive. “Won’t the dinner be finished by then?”
“Yes,” Honey said with what sounded suspiciously like a sob. “Will you come to the house? Please. I’ll wait up.”
“Honey—”
“I know you don’t want to stay with the parents, Nina, but please. I need you to be here tonight to keep me sane.”
Nina closed her eyes and massaged that spot between her eyebrows, hoping for relief and finding none. “Alex is with me.”
“There’s room for him too.”
“All right. I’ll come. Hang in there, Bee-Bee.” The name was an old endearment that ran back to their childhood. “We’re going to have to stop for something to eat at some stage, but I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“I don’t care if you get here at midnight. Just come.”
“You better be the one who opens the door.”
“I will.” Honey sounded marginally calmer.
“Who else is at this dinner?” Nina asked. “As in someone you actually like?”
“Rainer’s here.”
“Perfect. Go say hello.”
“He’s talking with Eve.”
“Even better. Where’s Brent?”
“Talking to Daddy.”
“Chin up, shoulders back, and breathe. Now go say hello to Rainer. I’ll see you soon.”
Nina hung up with a sigh, only to find Alex eyeing her warily.
“Brent is the groom, right?”
“Right.”
“Who’s Rainer?”
“Distant cousin of the groom. Wild as they come. Goes his own way.”
“And you’re throwing the bride-to-be at him why?”
“Because he’s protective and Brent is tunnel-visioned and forgetful. Which are charming flaws, right up until they’re not.” Nina eyed Alex steadily. “I told Honey we’d be there tonight.”
“So I heard.”
“Sorry about that.”
“So am I.” Alex braked and pulled th
e car smoothly over onto the shoulder of the road.
“What are we doing?”
He pulled the keys from the ignition and dangled them in front of her with a put-upon sigh.
“Really?” she said, with the beginnings of a smile.
“I know. I don’t quite believe it either.” Alex leaned in and kissed her fast before shoving open the car door and getting out. Nina didn’t worry about getting out and going around the car, she just slid on over and made herself at home. The engine purred to life again. Nina ran her hands over the old-fashioned steering wheel. “Oh, you sweet thing.”
“That I am.”
She’d meant the car, but… whatever. “Thank you, Alex. For being here. For being you.”
She meant that too.
Chapter Five
Three hours later Nina turned into the driveway of her family home and pulled up behind several other cars already lining it. She cut the engine and then the silence fell on them, heavy and waiting.
“Impressive,” Alex said.
“Old money.” It wasn’t a plantation house—it was too close to the center of town—but it wasn’t far from it. “The houses get shuffled around between generations every now and then, but they tend to stay in the family. This one belonged to Great-Grandmother Beth on my mother’s side. The servant’s entrance is around the side.”
“We’re not using the side entrance, Nina.”
“We’re not?”
“No.” The smile was back in Alex’s eyes. “Front door and no apologies. You’ve been invited here. You’re the maid of honor.”
“You know I’m not confident of a warm welcome from anyone except Honey, right?”
“So?” He was out of the car already, stretching his legs on account of the long drive. Nina, on the other hand, didn’t want to leave the security of the car at all. She wasn’t dressed for a homecoming; this morning she’d put on a plum-colored sleeveless sundress—A-line with a boatneck collar, and it made her feel good and Alex had murmured his approval, but it wasn’t what she’d have chosen for this meeting. It was too loud. It was last season. As for her hair…where was her hairbrush? She dug it out, whipped her cap off and tried to restore order to the tangles of her mid-length brown hair. A dark, lustrous brown, because a few years back a good hairdresser had introduced her to the concept of no more mousy brown.
“Tell me when it stops looking like a rat’s nest,” she said, brushing fast and furious, right up until Alex gently pried the brush from her hand and traced a finger over the curve of her brow.
“Breathe,” he said gently, and tossed the brush in the back of the car. He opened the door for her and extended his hand.
Nina took it and felt his fingers close around hers, and the simple touch settled her in a way that no words ever could.
“Ready?” he murmured.
“No.” She wasn’t ready. Not when it came to seeing her parents again. Not when it came to dealing with Honey in full pre-wedding-day panic.
But confidence was key. Same thing she told every new dancer who took to the poles and the rings, the high wire and the aerial silks. Fear is not your friend.
She could do this. Was doing this.
“Don’t let my father diminish you,” she told him fiercely. “It’s something he does, it’s a test, and if I’m not there to fight for you— If I get caught up with Honey—”
“I’ll be fine.” Alex pressed a gentle finger to her lips and Nina couldn’t help but let the tip of her tongue taste the salt on his skin. Alex’s eyes darkened and his smile widened, even as he shook his head to signal no—no distraction to be had here. “Ring the doorbell, Nina. You’re stalling.”
So she dragged her reluctant self to the front door and rang the bell the way a stranger would and they waited, and the sound of hurried footsteps came swiftly to their ears. The door opened and Honey stood there smiling, and then Honey was in her arms, a mass of trembling limbs and huge, noisy tears.
Oh, boy.
Nina closed her eyes and hugged her sister back, letting love pour out because her sister deserved to be happy and to hell with big society weddings and families who didn’t get along. Who on earth had let Honey work herself into such a state?
And then Nina opened her eyes and her mother was standing nervously a few feet away, her eyes bright with unshed tears, and her father stood a little farther back, his face a stony mask.
Oh, yeah. Them.
Nina condemned them with her eyes, even as she whispered soothing nonsense in Honey’s ear. Calming her. Holding her.
Her father’s gaze had shifted to Alex.
Nina pulled back, keeping one arm firmly around Honey’s waist. “Everyone, this is Alexander Carradice. Alex, my sister, Honore, my mother, Olivia, my father, Theodore.” Nina put her hand to Alex’s forearm, wanting the reassurance of his touch and the warmth of the smile he sent her way. Wanting it known, without words, just how much she valued this man. “Alex is with me.”
The satisfaction that rolled through her at those simple words warned Nina just how much trouble she was going to have when it came to letting this man go.
Honey laughed, a hiccup through her tears, and moved tentatively forward, one hand sliding to wrap around Nina’s elbow, as if she weren’t quite game to let Nina go. Honey held out her other hand for Alex to shake.
Alex took it and brought her hand briefly to his lips. “A pleasure to meet you, Honore,” he offered, all easy charm, and Honey smiled and her tears started flowing again. Alex didn’t even flinch. “I believe you asked for Nina,” Alex said next, and those were smart words to be going on with and Nina was glad of them.
“Yes,” Honey said. “Yes. God, I’m a mess. Yes. I’m so sorry.”
And then her diminutive mother stepped forward and subtly took control, smiling at Alex and Nina and setting the palm of her hand to Honey’s back as if urging her to stand up straighter and be more composed. Nina tried to pretend that it didn’t matter. That her mother’s hands-off welcome didn’t hurt. And then Honey hugged her again as if to make up for it, and maybe her mother just couldn’t get to her through Alex and Honey both. Maybe that was the reason there was no touch for Nina.
A daughter could hope.
“Honey, why don’t you take Nina to your room?” her mother directed smoothly. “Nina, I’ve put you in with Honey tonight.” Her mother turned her attention to Alex. “Mr. Carradice, we’ve a full house—
“Don’t,” Nina snapped. “Don’t you dare turn him awa—
And then her mother lifted a bejeweled hand in silent warning for Nina to zip her mouth. It had worked on Nina as a child. It worked on her now.
“As I was saying,” her mother continued smoothly. “We’ve a full house on account of the wedding, so I’ve taken the liberty of putting you in Nina’s old room. It’s not one we usually offer to guests, but I’m sure you’ll find it comfortable. Nina, you have something to say?”
“I— No.” Damn. Not two minutes here and already in the wrong. “Sorry.”
“It’s all right, Nina,” Honey said. “We knew you were bringing a guest. It’s all sorted. Truly.” And then Honey was hugging her again as if she were afraid that Nina would disappear if she let go. “I would love it if you stayed with me in my room tonight. Please say you will.”
Nina looked to Alex. He’d known what he was getting himself into by coming here, hadn’t he?
“Go,” he ordered softly.
…
Alex watched as Nina’s eyes flashed with gratitude and Honey’s flashed with relief. Beautiful woman, Honore, even through her tears. Nerves shot to hell. His older sister had been much the same the night before her wedding. Not enough sleep and too much pressure to perform.
The mother of the bride looked close to being overwrought too.
“By the time my younger sister got married, my mother had a plan for the night before,” Alex offered cordially. “It involved late-night snacks, bad movies, and good wine in my sister’s room. No menfo
lk allowed, and no exceptions. It worked.”
“Is that so?” Olivia offered him what might have even been a genuine smile as Honey took Nina’s hand and dragged her inside, past the silent judge and on toward the stairs. “I might—” Olivia waved her elegant hand in the direction of the staircase and Alex saw longing there and a desperate need to follow. “I might go on up as well. Alexander, if you’ll please excuse me…”
Alex couldn’t see the look Olivia Moreau gave her husband as she turned and followed her daughters upstairs, but he noted the quirk of the older man’s eyebrow and the tiniest smile of encouragement the judge gave her in reply. It was a lot like the look his own father got when his wife told him in no uncertain terms to behave.
With the ladies gone, Alex waited for Theodore Moreau to invite him inside. He felt like pushing the hospitality issue and damned if the canny judge didn’t take one look at him and know it. Theodore’s sharp gaze flickered to the Corvette parked behind all the others and then back to Alex. “You’ll be wanting that under cover, I expect.”
“Only if you have cover to spare.”
“No, but Honey’s car can go out. She’s very environmentally friendly, our Honey. Drives a hybrid. Wonderful things, hybrids. Ugly as sin.”
Alex tried not to smile but his eyes gave him away. They usually did.
“You may as well bring the luggage in now,” Nina’s father continued. “You can leave it at the base of the stairs.”
“Of course.” Alex didn’t have a problem playing servant when the situation warranted it. But he didn’t have to be the only one. “You’ll be fetching Honey’s car keys, then?”
Loaded word, fetching. And Theodore Moreau knew it.
“Yes.” The older man inclined his head, no mockery there, no servitude at all, and Alex grinned, he couldn’t help it. Amusement might have passed swiftly though the older man’s eyes. Hard to know for certain. The judge was almost impossible to read. Nina favored him in that regard. Her coloring came from him too.
The luggage came in. The car got garaged with minimum fuss, and Alex found himself heading inside via a garage door and taking a quick tour of the ground floor of the house with Theodore Moreau. Kitchen, conservatory, breakfast room, office, and library.
When Honey Got Married Page 13
