“I never meant to,” he said.
She met his eyes. “You’re pushing too hard. I need a break. I’ll see you at breakfast. Good night, Vann. Off you go.”
Vann didn’t look at her as he toweled off and left the bathroom. Something inside her snapped when she heard the cabin door close a couple of minutes later. Alone at last, just like she’d insisted.
She promptly fell to pieces.
Thirteen
Vann had to stop himself from jumping up to get Sophie’s attention at breakfast. He had to abide by the rules. But the rules felt like a jacket that was two sizes too small.
“Sophie! There you are!” Jenna called out. “I was wondering where you were.”
Sophie gave Jenna a smile as she approached the table where Vann sat with Ava, Drew, Zack and the bride-to-be. She looked amazing, in a stretchy sunshine-yellow top that wrapped smoothly over her breasts and showed off her narrow waist, and wide-legged white linen pants. Her hair was still down. He could smell her fresh scent from across the table.
A stern glance from Sophie told him he was staring. He looked away.
“Good morning,” Sophie said, smiling at Drew and Jenna. “I see the weather is holding for you. My phone told me it’s going to be sunny and warm this afternoon.”
“I know, right? And the beach last night was wonderful,” Ava said. Her curious gaze flicked from Sophie to Vann, but thankfully, Sophie didn’t seem to notice as she sat down. “Did you sleep in?”
“No, I’ve just been running around, getting organized,” Sophie said. “I went to see when Mr. Zhang might need me. His grandson tells me that Malcolm and Hendrick have the conference room scheduled for eleven. That gives me plenty of time for breakfast.”
“Good,” Ava said. “Relax and enjoy. I hear Uncle Malcolm was doing his best Dickensian supervillain routine down in San Francisco. He’s so annoying when he does that.”
She shrugged. “It wasn’t that bad. I lived.”
“We’re glad you did,” Jenna told her. “Fuel up. We’ve got a long day of celebrating ahead of us.”
“Hey, Richard,” said Ava with a bright smile. “How nice to see you again!”
Vann glanced up and saw Richard Bryce standing there. He’d met Tim’s son a couple of other times over the years. Richard was a tall, good-looking man with a buzz cut and a neatly trimmed beard. From the way Richard looked at Sophie, Vann suspected that Bryce had already shared his suspicions about her with his son.
Then again, any guy could be excused for staring at Sophie.
But then Richard slid into the seat opposite Sophie and proceeded to talk her ear off as she ate her breakfast, trying to impress her with his clout as a budding Hollywood mogul. As the minutes passed, all desire to be charitable and understanding with Richard Bryce swirled down the drain.
“Yeah, it’s intense,” Rich was saying to Ava. “There are always at least a hundred people ready to stab me in the back so they can take my job. I have to stay on my toes.”
“Hmm,” Sophie murmured. “Sounds stressful. Do you like the work at least?”
“God, yes,” Rich said. “It’s what I was born for.” As Rich spoke, his eyes drifted down to Sophie’s chest. “I’ve won six awards in the last two years. I get offers from headhunters every day. People try to poach me all the time.”
“That’s great, Rich,” Ava said. “I’m so glad it’s working out for you.”
Rich turned his attention to Sophie. “Everyone in this crowd is in the wedding party except for you and me,” he said. “Let’s leave them to it and go down to the beach until it’s time for the ceremony. There are some amazing tide pools I’d love to show you.”
“She’s working,” Vann said. “Interpreting for Malcolm and Hendrick.”
Rich blinked at him, as if startled to realize that Vann existed. His smile widened. “Ah! Dude, I get it. My apologies. I didn’t mean to move in on your territory.”
“Not at all,” Sophie said. “No territory here. And I can speak for myself.” She gave Vann a sharp look. “But it’s true,” she said to Rich. “I’m busy this morning.”
“Well, all right. Looks like you all have lots to do, so I’ll just get out of your hair.” Rich got up. “See you at the ceremony.”
After Rich was halfway across the room, Ava smacked her forehead with the heel of her hand and glared at Drew. “Remind me why you invited him?”
Drew shrugged. “Uncle Malcolm insisted. To make Tim Bryce happy, I guess? Tim is convinced that Rich and I were the best of friends all through our tender boyhood. You know. Childhood memories, summers on the lake and all that?”
Ava snorted. “Yeah, him constantly trying to undo the strings of my bikini top,” she said. “He was a bra-snapping dweeb back then, and surprise, surprise, he still is.”
“Ignore him,” Drew said. “We’ve all got better things to think about.”
“We certainly do.” Ava turned a misty look on Jenna. “I still can’t believe it. My two favorite people in the world, coming together. It’s a dream come true.”
Ava and Jenna dissolved into tears and wrapped each other in a big, sniffling hug. Sophie caught Vann’s eye. “I should go get ready for Malcolm and Mr. Zhang,” she said.
“I’ll walk you to the conference room,” Vann said.
“You’re drawing attention to us,” Sophie said as they walked through the dining room.
“I’m just walking beside you,” he said under his breath. “I’m not touching you. Surely that’s not suspicious. We’re colleagues, right?”
“And fending off that guy at the breakfast table? What was that all about?”
He shrugged defensively. “He pissed me off. Tide pools, my ass.”
“I don’t need protection,” Sophie told him. “I’m capable of decimating any man who gives me unwanted attention with no help from you. You’re acting like a jealous boyfriend, and it’s visible from miles away. Please, stop it.”
Vann stopped in the corridor. “I can’t get anything right with you.”
“Not if you draw attention to us in public like that,” she said crisply. “I know the way to the conference room. I’ll take it from here. Later, Vann.”
As Sophie walked away, he stood there, stung.
Banished to the doghouse.
* * *
Malcolm, Hendrick and Zhang discussed the Nairobi Towers project for well over two hours before a knock finally sounded on the door.
Ava poked her head in, giving the men a brilliant smile. “I hate to interrupt you gentlemen, but just a heads-up. The ceremony is in two hours, and Bev sent me to nudge you.” She winked at Hendrick. “So blame her and not me. She wants everything to run on time.”
“Bev is, as always, the ultimate authority,” Malcolm said, his voice surprisingly jovial as he snapped the laptop shut. “We can continue tomorrow, I suppose. Don’t keep your wife waiting, Hendrick.”
After the men left the conference room, Sophie hurried back to her room to look through her much depleted wardrobe. The choice was clear. The last dress standing.
She slipped on the dusty-rose dress. It was bias-cut silk chiffon with a long, filmy wrap. The underdress faded from dark on the clinging bodice to light at the skirt, and the wrap was a couple of shades lighter, with a loose, floppy chiffon rose at the hooked closure. She put on her spike-heeled strappy sandals made of black velvet, and freshened her makeup. Then she transferred phone, tissues and room card to her beaded evening bag with a chiffon rose that matched the wrap.
And that was it. She’d done all she could.
At least the bride and groom in question were incredibly sweet about her crashing their wedding. She hoped that someday she’d be able to claim those people as friends. Maybe even family. A girl could hope, but hope was a risky enterprise. The chance of this going sour was very high.
W
ith Vann. With the Maddoxes. She had to stay chill, or she could hurt herself.
She’d tried to tame her hair with the blow dryer and the curling iron, but the minute she stepped outside, the wind whipped it around madly. The wedding was to be held out on a relatively sheltered swath of lawn in the lee of a big rocky outcropping near the reception hall of the resort. Beyond the lawn, the turf segued into waist-deep fields of wildflowers that covered the rest of the countryside.
Once she got there, the worst of the wind would be blocked, but her hair was already a casualty.
The day was warm for spring on the coast. She was fine in the clingy sleeveless dress and the filmy chiffon wrap. As she drew near to the main building, a woman came out, dressed in the tailored maroon jacket and black trousers of the resort staff.
It was Julie, she realized. The woman spotted her and hurried in her direction, her ponytail bobbing wildly.
“Ms. Valente! I’m so glad I caught you!” she called out. “I called your room, but you must have just left!”
“You’re looking for me?” Sophie asked. “Why?”
“Mr. Maddox needs you urgently, for a quick interpretation job,” Julie said. “You’re supposed to go to his room immediately.”
“Now?” Sophie glanced at her watch. “But...the wedding’s about to begin.”
“I know! Which is why you have to hurry! The room number is 156, the Madrone Suite.” Julie held out a brochure with a map. She’d scribbled with a ballpoint pen to mark the way, and circled cabin 156. “See? It’s this big one, at the end of the main walkway.”
Sophie took the brochure, still perplexed. “Are you sure—”
“Absolutely! You’d better hurry. You don’t want to hold them up.”
“Okay. Thanks for telling me.”
Sophie was tempted to take off her shoes to run back to Malcolm’s cabin. She’d certainly make better time. But she didn’t want to spend the day with sand between her toes.
The walkways were deserted. The timing was strange but Malcolm Maddox was the boss. Maybe he was so eccentric and egoistic he figured everyone and everything could wait upon his pleasure. Including his nephew’s wedding.
Still, what on earth could be urgent enough for such a delay?
Whatever. It was not her call, nor was it her problem. She was just a lackey, so she’d do her job and shut up about it. But damn, the wind was tossing her hair around. She was going to look like she’d been flying through a storm on a broomstick by the time she got back to the ceremony. She spotted the cabin up ahead, peeked at her watch and half ran on the balls of her feet to the door. She knocked.
She waited for a moment for a response, then knocked again. “Mr. Maddox?” she called. “Are you in there?”
No response. The seconds ticked by. She tried again, knocking for the third time, loudly enough so that it might seem rude to anyone inside. He was an old man, but she hadn’t gotten the impression that he was hard of hearing. “Mr. Maddox?” she yelled. “Are you in there?”
Could he be in the bathroom? Or, God forbid, having some kind of health emergency? But she had no way to go inside and check on him.
The best thing would be to run like hell back to the main hall and let someone else know that Malcolm was in his room, but not responding. So he could get help.
She checked her watch again, shoving her hair back impatiently, and trotted back the way she came as quickly as she could. Hoping that everything was okay with Malcolm.
When she got to the main building, she was in a cold sweat, scared for him.
She could see the crush of the wedding party through the picture window at the end of the building, the tents and streamers.
Then she saw Malcolm there, clutching his cane. Jenna was on his arm. He was starting up the grassy aisle with slow, halting steps. Giving away the bride.
He’d never been in his room at all. What the hell? So this Julie character had sent her on a fool’s errand. The directions were too specific to be a mistake. Was it some sort of lame prank?
She turned around, fuming, and went to the front desk. “Excuse me,” she said to the woman behind the desk. “Could you put me in touch with your colleague Julie?”
The woman gave her a blank look. “Um, who?”
Sophie’s patience was at the breaking point. Her voice got louder. “Julie? Short, blond ponytail? She just sent me off to my boss’s room and told me he was waiting for me there. But he wasn’t, because he’s outside right now, giving away the bride. I really need to talk to her and find out what the hell just happened.”
The woman, whose name tag read “Debra,” looked frightened. “Ah, ma’am... I’m supersorry, but I don’t know what you mean. We don’t have a Julie on our staff.”
Sophie stared at her, mouth open. “Excuse me?”
“We have a Gina and a Jennifer,” Debra said. “And a Julian, on the maintenance staff, but he’s a man in his sixties.”
“But I saw...but she had a name tag like yours,” Sophie said blankly. “She wore the uniform. She knew my name, and that I worked for Mr. Maddox. How is that possible?”
“I have no idea, ma’am. I promise you, I have absolutely no idea,” Debra said. “I’ve never met a Julie since I’ve been here, and this is my third year. Do you want me to call the general manager? Maybe she can tell you something more.”
Sophie was opening her mouth to say yes, by all means, do call the general manager, when a voice from behind made her jump.
“Sophie! What are you doing here? The ceremony’s already begun!” It was Rich Bryce, poking his head inside the door. “Aren’t you coming out?”
“Ah...sure. I’m just confused. Someone told me to meet Mr. Maddox in his room just now. But when I got there—”
“Meet Malcolm? Any fool knew that he’d be here, giving away the bride.”
“I know,” Sophie said through her teeth. “But—”
“It must have been some kind of mix-up. Come on, or we’ll miss the whole thing.”
Sophie glanced back at the wide-eyed Debra. “After the wedding, I would like to speak to your general manager. Would you let her know I want a meeting?”
“Of course! I’ll let her know right away,” Debra assured her. “I’m so sorry!”
Rich took her by the arm, pulling her so abruptly she tottered on her heels. Sophie jerked her arm back. “I’ll walk at my own pace, thanks,” she said frostily.
Rich lifted his hands with an apologetic grin. “Sorry. It’s just that you’re late.”
“Don’t concern yourself,” she said. “It’s my problem, not yours.”
But Rich wasn’t easy to shake. He followed on her heels as she made her way across the wide swath of green lawn to the crowd.
Rich took her arm as she stepped onto the grass. She snatched it away again. She was forced to pull so hard the gesture was evident to everyone around them.
Sophie joined the edge of the big crowd and Rich took up a position uncomfortably close to her, the front of his body touching the back of hers, forcing her to inch forward again and again. Their position suggested that they were together.
As-freaking-if. She edged away. He oozed after her. This was all her reputation needed, now that people had noticed the energy between her and Vann. Showing up late for the wedding trailing yet another man in her wake? Just call her the Harlot of Maddox Hill.
And, of course, Vann’s gaze locked on to her the second she was in his line of vision. He had a perfect view up there on the raised dais, flanking Drew along with Zack, and looking absolutely smashing in his tux. Malcolm had brought Jenna up the aisle, and had gone back to the front row to sit down next to Bev and Hendrick.
Jenna and her bridesmaids took their places. The bride looked stunning in her white lace and long train, holding a bouquet of wildflowers, her hair a curly strawberry blond cloud crowned with yet more
flowers. She was followed by Ava and Cherise, both looking great in clinging midnight-blue wrap dresses. Cherise’s bionic arm was decorated with blinking lights of every shade of blue. The ring bearer, a preteen Arm’s Reach client Sophie had met at the dinner last night, was holding a pillow with two rings pinned to it, a big smile on his face.
Sophie slid between two of the other guests to put space between herself and Rich, but it didn’t work. Rich just shamelessly elbowed them out of the way to reclaim his place beside her, to the accompaniment of hissing and muttered complaints.
The only way to get away from him was to be harsh, bitchy and loud. To make a big, unattractive spectacle of herself and risk marring the wedding.
What a way to endear herself to her new cousins.
Fourteen
Zack nudged Vann’s arm. He’d zoned out during his best friend’s wedding, first wondering where the hell Sophie was, then wondering why in holy hell she’d ended up coming out so late, and in the company of that asshat Rich Bryce.
He dragged his attention back to the celebrant, who was saying something sentimental about mutual trust. Jenna and Drew had that drunk-on-happiness look that used to make him nervous and uncomfortable, and now just made him envious.
Nervous and uncomfortable had been preferable.
He was going to schedule a meeting with Hendrick and Malcolm as soon as possible when they were back in Seattle on Tuesday. Lay it all out for them. He wanted to take this relationship with Sophie to the next level.
And he wasn’t going to let Bryce’s bullshit hold him back.
The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Drew and Jenna were kissing passionately. When they came up for air, they beamed at each other.
Zack nudged him again. Time to process out after the new bride and groom. They’d practiced the choreography after breakfast, but it was all gone from his head.
Zack and Ava went first, and then Cherise took the lead, grabbing his arm and towing him along after them.
Corner Office Secrets Page 10