by Cee, DW
“True.”
“What will you do about Rhys before you leave?”
“I have to see him again and we need to agree upon some ground rules before this relationship continues. I need complete trust during the two years we’ll be separated.”
“What about Nolan?” Shit. I so didn’t want to have to explain the trouble I’d gotten myself in. “What’s that oh-shit! look? What have you done now?”
“Well...remember how Nolan so easily left the party last night after a brief chat with me?”
“Yeah...”
“He did so under a few conditions.”
“And those conditions would be?”
“It was something stupid, but doable.” I knew my cousin would be upset if I told her everything.
“You’re stalling, Delilah Rose Taylor. Spill it.”
I sighed. “Nole made me promise that I’d be his friend for six months.”
“Do I look stupid to you? I know there’s more. Spill it, Cuz.”
“During those six months of friendship, he’s going to attempt to court me.”
“No. Damn. Way! You do understand that a man who has the audacity to disrupt an engagement party will do nothing less than convince you that he’s the right man for you?”
“No he won’t. I made him promise me that we’d just be friends.”
“You believe him?” Ellie’s incredulous expression made me feel as if I’d just fallen off the turnip truck.
“But he swore he’d be my friend. That was the only way to make him leave. I had to promise or else we would’ve had a brawl rather than an engagement party.”
My cousin heard my distress. “All right, Lilah. What can I do to help?”
Elizabeth Reid and I were five years apart in age. While growing up, I was the annoying little sister who chased after her as soon as she appeared on the cul-de-sac. As irritated as she might have been, she still took care of me and treated me like a sister. Now, so many years later, Ellie continued to look out for me.
“If you’re around, will you chaperone our time together? He won’t be able to push his cause if you’re there with me.”
“Definitely. How about if we enlist all our cousins? I won’t be home always, but when I’m not around, use James, or your brothers, or any of the Davises. Hell, use your uncles, aunts, grandparents—any person on the cul-de-sac. Don’t ever be alone with him.”
“I always knew I could count on you, Ellie. You’re like the sister I never had.”
She smiled and reached her hand out to me. “We, girls, need to stick together. You’re the first to get married. We might make a few mistakes, but by the time the younger ones are ready to date, we should have this all in hand.”
“How can I help you, Ellie? You’ve been so sad the past few weeks. What would brighten your day and make you smile again?”
“I’m good, Lilah. Let’s figure out your issues, and then work on mine. For now, there’s nothing to be done.”
“Will you tell me how you ended your relationship?”
That was when the sadness came back in full force. “I didn’t know we were going to end. All I was told was that he didn’t think we were right for one another.”
“That’s it? There must have been something more.”
“That was it. That’s how we ended.”
“What a jerk! I’m going to tell Henry and Scottie to kick his ass when they see him at the hospital. You want me to talk to Grandpa Henry and have both twins kicked out of the hospital?” I was damn furious for my cousin. She deserved better than this weakling of a twin.
She sort of laughed. “Let him be. If he’s comfortable working among all the Reids, then I should be comfortable being near one man. It’ll be fine.”
“Listen. There are only four girl-cousins in this male-dominated family. We need to stick together. I’ve always loved you like a sister, Ellie. I hope you know that I’m here for you if and when you want to talk about your broken heart.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, Lilah. For now, let’s go tackle your issues in London before we head back to deal with your bigger issues in LA.”
Damn!
Nolan: #VBG
“So now that you’ve disrupted a possible wedding and have convinced the bride-to-be to give you a chance, what’s the next move, Nolan?” As soon as we arrived back at the home, I told Mom all that had happened. I’d told her most of what had happened when I called her after the engagement party, but she wanted more details. Like her horrified responses on the phone, she groaned, shook her head, and she told me repeatedly that she was mortified for me. I couldn’t quite tell whether I’d impressed her or made her want to hide under the nearest rock.
“I have plans, Mom.”
“Oh no! What plans, Son?”
“Can I tell you tonight? I have a meeting in about thirty minutes.”
That’s how I left my mother with a still-shocked visage. She didn’t know what to make of her son. Once she re-met Lilah, she would love her. Who wouldn’t want Delilah Taylor as a daughter-in-law?
I raced to my meeting with the man who held the key to my future.
“Hey. Thanks for meeting me on such short notice.” I put out my hand and Nicky Reid was nice enough to shake it rather than sock me. “Truth be told, I didn’t think you’d agree to meet me after London.”
“I was too curious to give up this opportunity. Just be glad I didn’t bring the Taylor twins. That, my friend, would’ve been your funeral.”
I liked this guy. He had a great sense of humor. “Let me get to the point.” Nicky nodded his approval. “I have a great invention I’d like to bring you and Delilah in on.”
“Ah-ha! Now I see why you wanted to meet. What makes you think I, or my cousin, would be interested?”
“Because I know you’ve been tinkering with the idea of a hair-growth product for men, and I already have a product for women. The formula is under review as we speak.”
In a pissed-off voice, Nicky asked, “How’d you know about our newest invention? Who told you? Did Lilah tell you?”
“I wish Delilah would be that open with me.” Truly, I’d have no worries if we were at the point of sharing secrets. “As to who told me, that stays with me. However, I’m willing to bring you both in at this late stage.”
Now the businessman came out. “Why? Why would you bring us in, especially if you’re that much further ahead than we are?”
“Because it makes good business sense to work with two people who have a complimentary product. My formula for women’s hair growth is a slam dunk. It works well! However, I’d like to market it together with men’s hair growth, and it would take me years to invent a solution comparable to my women’s hair line. Since you and Delilah are further ahead, I thought maybe we could join efforts and share formulas.”
I could see the wheels turning. Nicky had to be quite the businessman to have discovered, patented, and sold a successful product at such a young age. “I’d need to discuss this with my cousin.”
“By all means. I need her approval in all things before my life can progress.”
“What if she says no? What will you do?”
“I think Delilah will be excited to work with me. My product is in motion and will be sent for FDA approval soon. Yours is still at the research stage. Imagine how much faster your product will move when I get involved and share my expertise? I think she’s smart enough to set aside her personal feelings and work with me.”
“What you propose is tempting, Nolan.”
“If this works out well, then we can venture into other inventions. I’d like to find a Botox-equivalent that’s all natural. I’ve been tinkering with a few formulas for what I’d like to call Fauxtox.”
Nicky laughed. “I like the name. Maybe that’s what I should’ve called the product I sold last year.”
“Give me a sense of what you’re thinking, Nicky.”
“If we’re talking strictly business, I like it. I think we can be successful to
gether. It’s the personal mess that makes me hesitate. You made quite an impression in London.”
This time, I grinned. “If we’re being completely truthful, I don’t think too many of your family members dislike me. Maybe Delilah’s brothers might be a tad bit upset that their sister wasn’t happy, but I’ve met with your dad and your uncles. None of them warned me against your cousin. If I were the bold sort, I’d say I saw a smidgen of admiration from the men as well as the women.”
Nicky laughed out loud. “My family’s nuts! I thought Uncle Donovan and his posse kicked your ass when they went to meet you.”
“Far from it. They didn’t welcome me with open arms, but they also didn’t deny me the opportunity to woo your cousin.”
“You’re seriously going through with this idiotic idea of marrying Lilah? You understand she’s engaged to be married?”
With pride and confidence, I answered, “You and I will eventually be calling each other, Cuz, Nicky. We might as well start joining our forces now.”
Nicky didn’t know what to do with my audacious words. With a very big grin, he stuck out his hand and said, “If Lilah gives her approval, I’m in...Cuz.”
With a very big grin of my own, I shook his hand and told him, “Talk to you again, soon, Cuz!”
I was on my way toward winning Delilah’s heart.
Delilah: #IMO & #XOXO
“Delilah. There’s someone here to see you,” Mom called from downstairs. “Your guest is in the library.”
Today was our last day in London and I’d avoided talking to Rhys thus far. I wasn’t playing games. I wasn’t trying to garner extra attention from my fiancé. I was well and truly pissed he accused me of wrongdoing. Even when I told him the truth, he wasn’t convinced. Only when I told him to go to hell and take our engagement with him, did he wake up to the reality that I was unhappy with his treatment.
“Hello, my fair lady.” I knew I’d have to face him at some point before I left. I might as well finish off what was started a few days ago. “I can’t believe you’ve evaded me this many days.” He started toward me with his arms out. I stepped back, unwilling to accept his embrace. “Lilah...” His voice and expression told me he was hurt. I was still angry.
“I think we should reconsider this engagement, Rhys.”
“What?” he asked, totally surprised.
“My parents were right. I’m too young to understand marriage and we went too fast with this relationship. As much as I still adore you, I can’t get over the lack of trust.”
“I’m sorry. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you since our horrid morning. My brothers told me that they met with Nolan and he confirmed what you’d said. I should’ve believed you. I’m sorry it’s taken this long for me to convey my heart.”
“So what I’m hearing is that you’re now sorry because Nolan confirmed what I told you to begin with? Is that right?”
I’d caught him in his faux pas. “Um, I suppose?”
“So what would happen if I told you that I promised Nolan that we’d be friends when we returned to the States? Would you trust me to stay platonic with him or would you believe that there were nefarious dealings between him and me?”
“What?” His tone told me he did not like what I’d said. “Why would you be friends with him?”
“Maybe because that was the only way to get him to leave our party before you all killed him.”
“But...but...he wants to marry you...he believes he’ll marry you...why would you promise such a thing...why would you give him hope?”
“I’m not giving him hope. I was trying to diffuse a volatile situation and this was the only way to do it. It’s not as though there’s anything remotely romantic happening between us. I’m not even attracted to the guy. I just want some peace in my life.”
“In my opinion, that was a dumb move. You shouldn’t have promised him anything, especially not your time and attention.”
“Well, in my opinion, your opinions aren’t welcome.”
“Lilah. You’re being unreasonable and childish. I don’t like us fighting. I have to let you go in a few hours and you’re unhappy with me. What can I do to make it better between us? A newly-affianced couple shouldn’t be arguing like we are.”
“Do you love me?”
“Without a doubt!”
“Do you trust me?”
“You, yes. Nolan, no.”
“When I head home, will you trust me to stay loyal to you?”
That answer came with a slight pause. “Yes. I know you’ll be true to me and to us.” I supposed that was good enough.
“Then you won’t be upset if Nolan happens to come up in our conversation from time to time?”
Rhys was unhappy. However, he was trying to make a bad situation into a tolerable one. “All right,” he answered with reluctance. “Can you just promise me you’ll avoid him as much as possible?”
That was an easy answer. “Without a doubt. In fact, knowing Dad and the rest of the men on the cul-de-sac, I don’t know that Nolan will ever set foot on our block. You saw the treatment you received—and we were, are, to be married. I don’t think anyone in our family liked Nolan barging in on our engagement. You have nothing to worry about, Rhys.”
He thought about it and soon agreed. “True. With all the men in your family, I probably have nothing to worry about. From what I saw at our engagement, no one was happy to see him. Perhaps I should suggest your father put a gate and a keeper at the entrance of your cul-de-sac? Perhaps, I’ll pay for it myself.”
I groaned. “Please don’t encourage any more craziness. The men in our family are Neanderthals already.”
That’s when things turned sad and mushy. “Damn. I’m going to miss you, my fair lady. When will we see each other again?”
“Well,” I answered with a grin, “my father doesn’t know this, but Nicky and I have to be in London for one of his speaking engagements in exactly a month. We will be reunited very soon.”
“Splendid!” He said while pulling me in for a serious make out session.
“RHYS! Welcome!” Damn father of mine butted into my life at all times. Privacy didn’t exist in my world.
My fiancé jumped back and shook Dad’s hand instead. The smirk on Donovan Taylor’s face drove me batty. “Hello, Sir.”
“I see you’ve decided not to lose my daughter to that man-boy who invaded your party.” There was a question in there somewhere??? Who knew with my father.
“Yes, Sir! We’ll be married in exactly two years, maybe sooner if I work through summer. I might be done in eighteen months.” He spoke confidently.
“Really?” I was excited enough to embrace Rhys, father be damned.
“I’m starting immediately and will work through until I’m done.” He said with a wink and a quick kiss, to my father’s chagrin. “You, my fair lady, will be Mrs. Rhys Kent very soon.”
I whispered, “And you will see me very soon, without my father.”
That’s how we parted. Thanks to Dad, there weren’t enough hugs and kisses, but we knew in a month, there would be plenty.
