“Say yes,” Estelle urged. “Because I don’t know anyone else here that can wear this dress.”
“Of course I’ll be your maid of honor. It would be a privilege.”
Estelle opened her arms and Alyssa slid in for a hug. Everything was happening so fast, she could barely wrap her brain around it. Her two-member family would soon be four. There was an emotion tugging at her heart that she was afraid to name. Guilt?
Alyssa’s thoughts turned to her mother.
Alyssa grew up always believing that her mother was watching over her. Her own personal guardian angel. She often pretended that her diary entries were life letters to her mother. In the last two days, she wondered whether her mother would be happy or hurt about their moving on.
Surely, she would understand.
Melissa Jansen was a face Alyssa only knew in pictures now. She was four years old when she and her mother were involved in that fatal car crash so many years ago. The doctors and police had all said that it had been a miracle that Alyssa had survived the incident with just minor scratches.
Her mother wasn’t so lucky.
Alyssa pulled out of Estelle’s arms and smiled kindly. “I better go try this on.”
Estelle nodded in understanding and then returned to her chair where her hairdresser waited patiently.
Miraculously, Alyssa escaped the room before her tears embarrassed her. She was happy for her father, she tried to remind herself. Happy. Happy. Happy.
Before she reached her room, she saw her father lumbering down the hall. Their eyes caught and they shared a brief butterfly smile. He looked stunningly handsome. His long lion mane of hair was tamed while his black tux only seemed to magnify his mountainous shoulders and tall frame.
“Hey, baby girl. I see you got your dress.”
Alyssa glanced down at it and nodded. “Yes. It’s very beautiful. Thanks for having her ask me.”
“No. It was completely her idea,” he insisted, walking up to her. “She’s really hoping that you two will hit it off.” He cleared his throat. “I am, too.”
Alyssa smiled and pretended to dust away lint from his arm. “I think she’s lovely, Daddy. I’m sure you two are going to be happy.” She had meant the words of encouragement, but there was a sudden sadness that paralyzed his smile. “Mom would want you to be happy, too,” she said. “It’s way past time.”
Alfred took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Did I ever tell you why I decided to work for Mr. Hinton in the first place?”
She shook her head.
“I thought it was the perfect place to work and raise you. You had access to the best that life had to offer. The best schools, horses—fine art. Now look at you. It was sort of perfect, really. If I’d pursued working at some fancy restaurant it would have been long hours away from you and we probably wouldn’t have been so close. This way, I was able to keep my eye on you. Now you’re all grown-up.” He lovingly swept her hair back from her shoulders. “So beautiful. You look so much like your mother.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“It was also easy to protect you here. Now you don’t need my protection anymore.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.” She elbowed him. “A girl will always need her dad around.”
Alfred’s eyes misted and it looked like he was struggling with his next words. “Quentin…”
She stiffened.
He seemed to pick up her resistance and backed down. “Just be careful, baby. I don’t want to see you get hurt.” He leaned forward and kissed the top of her head. “Thanks for being the best daughter a father could ever ask for.”
It was an hour before the wedding and Sterling was already hovering above the punch bowl.
“It’s usually your brother Quentin that I worry about indulging too much at one of these functions,” Roger said, stepping up behind his son.
Sterling glanced over his shoulder. “Don’t worry. I know my limit.”
His father nodded and then reached to fill his own glass. “I have a question for you,” he said.
“Shoot.” Sterling turned up his drink.
“What do you know about your brother and Alfred’s daughter?”
Sterling groaned.
“Ah. So you noticed his sudden interest in the girl, too?”
Sterling cleared his throat. “I’m sure it’s nothing. Q is a big flirt.”
“That’s one way of putting it,” Roger said. “I would say that he has a hard time keeping his dick inside his pants.”
Okay. This wasn’t going to be a friendly conversation.
“The deal was that if he wanted back into the will then he was to agree to marrying Elizabeth Wilde.”
“Then perhaps you should remind him,” Sterling said.
“That’s why I came to you.”
Another groan rumbled from Sterling’s chest, and he quickly made himself another drink. Why did it always fall on him to get Quentin to toe the line?
“I have a major deal riding on this,” his father said. “I need this merger to go through if my company is going to survive this new economy we find ourselves in. Unfortunately, Gregory Wilde, billionaire extraordinaire, wants his daughter to be happy. It’s not my fault the disillusioned girl has set her sights on dragging your brother down the aisle, but I do plan on delivering him. Lord knows it’s not like he’s doing anything useful with his life.”
Sterling nodded along, even though he didn’t completely agree with his father’s take on this whole thing. But if Quentin had agreed, then it was up to him to hold up his end of the bargain. “Getting Q to the altar is one thing, his being faithful is another animal completely.”
“I’ll deal with one crisis at a time.” Roger set down his glass and seared him with a leveled gaze. “Talk to him. He won’t like it if I have to do it.”
Sterling grumbled his understanding.
“Good. I knew that I could count on you.” He slapped Sterling on the back and then strolled off to greet his mother and Billy Dee Williams, who rested in the crook of her arm.
Sterling shook his head and then swept his gaze across the growing crowd. He zeroed in on Toni, who was holding Denzel’s hand and encouraging him to take a few wobbly steps on his own. His nephew giggled while he discovered the joys of walking.
Jonas and Kerry applauded like a two-member cheerleading squad.
Sterling’s heart melted at the sight of them. It would be nice to settle down one day.
“You know that could be you one day,” his mother whispered as if she’d plucked the thought out of his head.
Sterling laughed at the sound of his mother’s voice breezing across his ear. “Yeah. One day.”
“I’m serious,” she insisted.
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
She frowned and Billy Dee Williams barked as if sensing her displeasure. “Why won’t you find yourself a nice girl and settle down? You’re just throwing your life away burying your nose in business like you do. Your father and Jonas are both successful and they still manage to raise a family. It just makes me so sad to see you like this.”
Billy Dee Williams barked again.
“See. Even Billy agrees with me.”
Sterling struggled to keep a cap on his amusement.
“You know I have plenty of girlfriends that—”
“No, Mom,” Sterling said. “I’m not going to let you and Dad wrangle me into an arranged marriage. It’s bad enough that you’re doing it to Quentin.”
“Oh that’s different,” she huffed. “Quentin is like a ship without a rudder. He just goes in whatever direction the tide takes him.”
“It still isn’t right.”
“Well—” she sighed, not wanting to give an inch “—take it up with your father. He knows better about these things. It’s you I worry about,” she said returning to her original subject.
“Don’t worry about me, momma. When the time is right, it’ll happen.”
She sighed dramatically. “If you say so, dear.” She glanced up at h
im. “But I’ll keep my eye out anyway. A woman could never have too many grandbabies.”
Sterling’s gaze cut back to find Jonas and Toni, but they were gone. Instead, he caught a glimpse of Alyssa in a stunning green gown that made her look like a forest nymph. He marveled at just how beautiful she had turned out to be. He could almost understand Quentin being lured by temptation.
But Alyssa was like a member of the family.
Wasn’t she?
“Now there goes trouble,” his mother mumbled at his side.
Sterling frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t play stupid, son,” she said, patting him on the arm. “It doesn’t become you.”
Alyssa felt nervous as a bride, herself, as she fluttered around the estate, making sure everything was coming along on schedule. She was sure that at any moment the wedding planner was going to evict her. But alas, the guests were seated and the processional music started.
When it was her turn to walk down the aisle, she had the pleasure of linking arms with Roger Hinton, who’d accepted the honor of being her father’s best man.
“You look absolutely beautiful,” he whispered as they strolled down the aisle.
“Thank you.”
Before the preacher, her father smiled down at her with so much love and affection that it nearly overwhelmed her. From the front row on the groom’s side, Alyssa felt the heavy weight of Quentin’s stare.
Images of them at the pool last night flooded her head. It had been so romantic and so breathtaking that even now she wanted someone to pinch her to make sure that it hadn’t all been just a dream. How she had the willpower to stop at just kissing was beyond her. One thing was for sure: it sure as hell hadn’t been easy. In fact, when she’d raced back to her room, she felt more like an escaped convict than a woman who had been thoroughly kissed and nearly seduced.
It was the right thing to do, but regret tugged at her.
Alyssa took her place just as the wedding march began.
Estelle made her appearance and everyone climbed to their feet.
Love radiated from her father’s eyes, and Alyssa could feel herself growing weepy. By the time the couple linked their arms together and faced the preacher, there wasn’t a dry eye in the place. Twenty minutes later, the preacher introduced everyone for the first time to Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Jansen.
“Oh, everything was so beautiful,” Tangie cooed as they headed toward the makeshift pavilion. “Do you have a toast prepared?”
“A toast?”
“Yeah. It’s customary for the best man and maid of honor to give a toast at the reception.”
Alyssa tried not to panic. “I—I guess I’m going to have to wing it,” she said. But when she stood to make the toast the words flowed effortlessly. “I’ve heard that when two people get married, their nuptials have a positive effect on everyone around them. Like someone dropping a pebble into still water, your love sends out ripples of happiness. It brings joy to those who have already said, ‘I do,’ as they fondly remember their wedding day.” She glanced over at Jonas and Toni, and then to her best friend, she added, “It also brings hope to those who are still looking for that special someone.
“Two people brought together by the bonds of love and united in marriage are a powerful force. You bring happiness to those who are here to bear witness and those who couldn’t attend, but carry you in their hearts. May your love remain strong to sustain you during times of struggle and enrich the good times you will share together. May it continue to send those ripples of happiness to all of us. Congratulations!”
“Hear, hear!” Everyone raised their glasses.
Next, Mr. Hinton stood and addressed the crowd like a man born on a stage. He recounted the many years her father had worked for him and expressed his unshakable belief that Alfred’s next career move would make him the star chef he deserved to be. As always, Roger had a way of talking too much. But it was the end of Roger’s speech that finally reeled her back in.
“I hope that everyone will come back here in a couple of months when we’ll have another wedding to celebrate,” he said.
She glanced up. Who was getting married?
“My son Quentin has recently gotten engaged, and his mother and I couldn’t be more thrilled.”
Alyssa’s wineglass slipped from her hand and crashed against the table. All eyes shifted to her.
“Excuse me.” She stood and then raced out of the pavilion.
Chapter 10
Quentin cursed under his breath as he cradled his head against the palm of his hand. It took everything he had not to race after Alyssa. Mainly because to do so would definitely get the gossip tongues wagging. His gaze cut back over to his father, who was still standing and holding court. He didn’t doubt for a moment that his father made that little announcement specifically for Alyssa’s benefit.
For now, all Quentin could do was sit there and stew. When the toast was finally over and the music began to play again, an avalanche of congratulations rained down on him. Heavy hands whacked him on the back, while women sent calculating glances his way as if wondering whether he was truly off the market, which in his mind, he wasn’t.
As far as he was concerned, this marriage was nothing more than a way for him to ensure his inheritance, since his father had held firm and kept him financially cut off. The question now was how was he going to explain this situation to Alyssa? And he definitely wanted to explain.
After having the taste of her lips more than once, his body now craved more. After seeing the astonished and hurt look on her face, Quentin gave himself a mental kick. Soon the hired waiters came and delivered everyone’s meal. Quentin thought this was the perfect time to excuse himself from his table.
Sterling clamped a hand down on his shoulders and stated bluntly. “Let her go. I think you’ve done enough.”
“I have to talk to her.”
Sterling shook his head. “And tell her what?”
“You know, you have this annoying habit of putting your nose where it doesn’t belong.”
Sterling leaned in close. “And you have a habit of thinking with the wrong head.”
There were only a few times in Quentin’s life when he wanted to punch his brother in the face, mainly because Sterling was much stronger than he was and could kick his butt, but now was one of those times.
“It’s none of your business what I do,” Quentin hissed. “It’s bad enough that I gave my future away so that our old man can get his much-wanted merger. But I never promised that I would be faithful or a good husband.”
“So life goes on as usual. You’re going to do whatever the hell you want to do no matter who gets hurt, right? Tell me. What has little Alyssa done for you to think so little of her in all of this?”
“Trust me. I’m thinking about her feelings and everything else if you want me to be honest.”
Sterling’s jawline hardened. “Careful. If you think for one second that I won’t break that glass jaw of yours, you have another thing coming. I won’t let you hurt her. She doesn’t deserve that kind of treatment from you.”
An unmistakable hostility wrapped around the two brothers. No doubt to onlookers it looked as if they were just seconds from throwing the first punch.
“So how is it going over here?” Jonas asked, slapping his hands on each brother’s shoulder. “Looks like you two may need a referee.”
Sterling and Quentin settled back into their chairs, their gazes still combative.
“We’re cool,” Q lied, chiseling on a smile. “I was just about to excuse myself.”
“Then maybe I should come with you,” Sterling said, pushing back his chair.
“Whoa. Whoa,” Jonas said, smiling and glancing around to gauge how much attention they were drawing. He leaned closer and hissed. “I don’t know what in the hell has gotten into you two, but I suggest that you squash it.”
Sterling and Quentin tried to chime in. “But—”
“But nothing,” Jonas snap
ped. “Sit here, smile and act as if you’re having a good time.”
They both eased back into their chairs.
Just then Alyssa returned to the pavilion. She’d changed her clothes and was now wearing a simple blue dress that made her skin look like rich chocolate.
Quentin’s gaze locked on to her while he mentally willed her to look his way.
“Good.” Jonas exhaled. “Looks like my work here is done. I expect you two boys to behave yourselves.” He smiled and then returned to his own table.
Quentin ignored his older brother. All that mattered was him being able to talk with Alyssa—to get her to understand. What he needed was a plan.
A few people at his table tried to engage him in conversation, but he wasn’t interested. He could barely do more than nod and shake his head while waiting patiently for Alyssa to spare him a fleeting glance. One look would tell him all he needed to know. Whether he’d lost her before he really had a chance to have her.
It was time for the couple’s first dance and Quentin knew his chance was coming. After this, the guests would soon crowd the dance floor and he would be able to get away.
Alyssa watched her father and new stepmother as they glided across the floor to the orchestra’s rendition of Nat King Cole’s “Unforgettable.” Either she was a burgeoning actress or she really didn’t give a damn about Quentin anymore.
The thought disheartened him.
The dance came to an end and the crowd applauded. When everyone climbed from their chairs to rush the dance floor, Quentin sprang up, as well. Sterling may have been stronger, but Quentin was quicker.
Threading his way through the crowd tried his patience, but he made it to her table before Antonio could lead her to the dance floor.
“I need to talk to you,” he rushed.
“Maybe another time,” she said coolly and without looking at him.
“It’s important, Alice. I—”
“Stop calling me that,” she snapped, her eyes alive with fire. “My name is not Alice. It has never been Alice!”
He lurched back in surprise. “I’m sorry. I’ve upset you.”
“I’m not upset,” she lied. “Why would I be upset?”
Love Takes Time Page 8
