White Wedding: A Christmas Romantic Comedy (Blackwood Cellars Series Book 3)

by Carla Luna

  When Tony snickered at him, Martin shook his head. “Just you wait. You’re next in line.” He filled the coffeepot with water and set it to brew.

  Once the coffee was ready, Martin poured them each a cup. As the caffeine hit his system, Rafael slowly came to life. “I needed that. I almost fell asleep during Father’s homily.”

  Tony spooned sugar into his coffee. “Don’t think Má didn’t catch you nodding off.”

  “Did you go out with the crew again?” Martin asked. “You need to cut that shit out.”

  Judgmental, much? “I wasn’t out drinking, viejo. I went to bed at eleven. I had a hard time falling asleep.”

  Because he’d been up until one, talking on the phone with Victoria. Since they hadn’t been able to see each other in person since Wednesday morning, they’d spent the last four nights burning up the airwaves with lengthy phone calls. Calls which started off in a conversational tone but slowly dissolved into steamy phone sex.

  Rafael knew he was behaving irresponsibly, but he couldn’t resist Victoria. Besides, part of the reason the wedding was going so well was because they made such a great team. Nothing they’d done together had put the wedding in jeopardy.

  Assuming no one found out about their fling.

  “You worried about the big wedding?” Tony asked.

  Rafael nodded. Better they assume he was losing sleep over his job than due to virtual hookups with Victoria.

  Martin topped up his cup. “Seems like you’ve got everything under control.”

  “I hope so.” Rafael bit into a glazed donut and wiped the sugar off his lip. “We set up the prep schedule and finalized the shopping list yesterday. I’ve secured extra help for Saturday night. All the craft projects are done, and Missy picked a signature cocktail.”

  She’d decided on the cranberry mojito, which suited Rafael fine. Anything was better than the candy cane martini.

  “What about the Christmas trees?” Martin asked. “Luz said something about a decorating party?”

  “The Fraser firs are arriving at Blackwood Manor on Wednesday morning, so we’re decorating them that night. Araceli recruited a bunch of family to help out since we’re dealing with twenty trees.”

  “I’m impressed,” Martin said. “You’re handling this event like a pro.”

  Normally, Rafael would have relished the praise. This was what he wanted. For his brothers to see he’d changed and respect him for it. To realize he could be trusted with a job of this magnitude without messing up. But guilt settled in the pit of his stomach. Martin wouldn’t have been as generous with his compliments if he knew his little brother was sleeping with the event coordinator.

  It’s only for six more days. Why throw a wrench into things?

  He and Victoria hadn’t talked about their future as a couple. But if she’d asked him what he wanted, he would have told her the truth. He wanted a real relationship, without the lies and sneaking around. But he couldn’t imagine her taking that step—not as long as she answered to her father.

  For now, it was best to avoid the subject.

  The day passed quickly. After assisting with brunch prep, Rafael joined Tony and some of the crew at an event they were catering in Fallbrook. Compared to Ben and Missy’s wedding, this job was a no-brainer—a forty-person luncheon with a full buffet and an open bar. Rafael ended up behind the bar, mixing an endless stream of holiday-themed cocktails.

  Whenever he had a break, he checked his phone for updates from Victoria. She’d been texting him while on duty at Blackwood Cellars during their Holiday Open House. When she slipped in the occasional innuendo, he had to keep his lust in check. If he thought too much about her, he’d never be able to focus.

  After he and Tony got back to the restaurant, they had to help out, since the place was packed. At eight, Ernesto sent him a message. Going to the new Bond flick @ 9:30. You in? Can get tix ahead & you can meet us there.

  Rafael loved James Bond movies, and he’d been so busy he hadn’t seen the new one yet. But if his cousins were going to be out of the apartment until midnight, he’d have a window of opportunity.

  He texted back. Not tonight. Gonna crash after work.

  Before he lost his nerve, he sent a text to Victoria. Want to come over at 9:30? Cousins will be out.

  As soon as he sent it, he wondered if he’d been too presumptuous. She might not want to drive all the way to Escondido on a Sunday night, especially since she’d worked her ass off all weekend. But her response was immediate. A heart and a winky face, followed by a thumbs-up.

  Perfect. When they closed the restaurant at nine, he was the first one out, claiming exhaustion. Rather than chastise him for leaving early, Martin let him go. The wedding had given him a ton of leeway.

  When he got to the apartment, he jumped in the shower, so he wouldn’t greet Victoria smelling of garlic and cilantro. He was toweling off when the doorbell rang. Instead of getting dressed, he threw on a robe and answered the door that way.

  Victoria was a holiday vision in red, clad in a figure-hugging ruby-red dress, black ankle boots, and a Santa hat. On her shoulder was a black leather weekend bag. She kicked off her boots and gave him a once-over, her mouth curving up in a coy smile. “I like your outfit.”

  “I like yours better. You look like a sexy elf.”

  “You think? I was hoping you’d give me a reason to put you on Santa’s nice list.”

  “Wouldn’t you rather have me on the naughty list?”

  “I’ll take both.” She glanced around the apartment. “Your cousins are out for the night?”

  “Until midnight. Which means we get a couple of hours to ourselves. And—if you promise to keep quiet—you can even spend the night.” He felt like he’d reverted to his teenage self, sneaking in girls after hours while trying to avoid the watchful eyes of his family.

  “I brought my things, just in case. And I left a note for my father saying I was staying at my friend Emmy’s place. Doing a girls’ night in.”

  “You don’t think he’ll be suspicious?”

  “If anything, he’ll be relieved I’m getting out and socializing.” She handed him her weekend bag. “Do you want to put this in your room?”

  He took it from her and went into his bedroom, where he set it by the closet. She followed him, shutting the door behind them.

  A very good sign.

  He pulled her toward him, running his hands along her back. Though he was aching to get her into bed, he didn’t want to act like a selfish prick. At the very least, he should offer her food. “Did you get anything to eat at the open house? I can whip up something if you want.”

  She hooked her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his. “Honestly? All I want to do is jump into bed with you. Is that terrible?”

  He plundered her mouth with a searing kiss, tasting red wine on her lips. She responded hungrily, matching his kisses with her own. With a quick movement, he scooped her up and placed her on the bed. He looked down at her with hunger as he loosened the belt of his robe. “It’s not terrible at all. I had the exact same thought.”

  Rafael woke to a feeling of lazy contentment. Truly, was there anything more satisfying than waking up next to a sexy, naked woman?

  Beside him, Victoria slept peacefully. Last night, after they’d made love, he’d intended to listen to her open house stories and make her something to eat. He didn’t want to treat her like a mindless booty call. But they’d both fallen asleep within minutes.

  As he stretched out in bed, he imagined what their lives might be like if they kept things going. He couldn’t afford to treat her the way Ben had—fancy restaurants, nights at the theater, charity events. But he’d bet any money he could out-cook the bastard. He and Victoria could go on inexpensive dates—hikes, picnics, movies. Even if he wasn’t fabulously wealthy, he wasn’t some broke-ass loser either.

  Who are you kidding?

  It didn’t matter if Victoria preferred picnics in the park to expensive dinners. She was
so obsessed with earning back her father’s respect she’d never do anything to upset him. Dating Rafael would definitely piss him off.

  He checked his phone. Eight fifteen. He was content to wait in bed with Victoria until his cousins left, but his stomach growled, reminding him he’d foregone dinner for the lure of steamy sex. He eased out of bed and grabbed a t-shirt and pajama bottoms. Opening the bedroom door a crack, he slipped out and shut it softly behind him. But the curious stares of his cousins made him stop short.

  He plastered an innocent expression on his face. “What?”

  Ernesto grinned as he poured himself a cup of coffee. “You got someone in there?”

  “Nope. No one.” Rafael broke into a sweat, and not just because Dario had cranked up the heat.

  “So, if I went into your room to borrow your phone charger, there wouldn’t be anyone sleeping in your bed?” Ernesto asked.

  Dario, who was frying a couple of eggs on the stove, pointed to the doorway. “You’re busted. Unless you had a surprise visit from Santa, someone left their boots by the door.”

  Shit. He was such a tool. In his haste to get Victoria into bed, he’d forgotten about her boots.

  “Is that why you blew us off last night?” Ernesto asked. “You missed a killer movie.”

  “Sorry about that. I wanted to keep things quiet. You know how Martin gets when he hears I’ve been fooling around.”

  Dario plated his eggs and added a generous amount of hot sauce. He sat at the table across from Ernesto. “He gets a real stick up his ass.”

  “As long as you’re not screwing Missy Cavendish, it shouldn’t matter.” Ernesto stood to dump out his coffee cup, then turned to Rafael. “You aren’t, are you?”

  Rafael flinched at how close his cousin had hit the mark, but he kept his expression neutral. “Not a chance. She’s a total pain in the ass. Besides, you think I want to cross Ben Macalister?”

  He went to the fridge and pulled out a container of leftover caramel flan. Not the most nutritious breakfast, but it would tide him over until he could make something more substantial. He grabbed a spoon out of a drawer and prepared to make his exit.

  Ernesto wasn’t done yet. “Who is it? Someone we know?”

  No way was he telling the truth. Not with five days left to go before the wedding. He couldn’t risk the fallout if anyone found out. “Nah. She’s an ex. But the sparks are still there, you know? So, we hooked up last night.” He inched back toward the room. “I don’t want her to feel awkward or anything, so…”

  Dario laughed. “Fine. Keep her a secret. But you know nothing stays secret for long in this family, right?”

  Did he ever.

  He retreated into the bedroom, locking the door behind him. Victoria sat up and eyed the container. “By any chance, is that for me? I’m starving.”

  “Bon appétit.” He handed over the flan and the spoon. His own hunger could wait.

  “Thank you. While you’re up, can you grab me a shirt from my overnight bag? I feel kind of weird eating naked.”

  “No problem.” He unzipped her bag and tossed her a shirt.

  She put it on, then spooned up the flan with a sensual mmmm that made his groin tighten. “This is so good. Did you make it?”

  “Yeah. It’s an easy dessert, but everyone loves it.” He slipped back into bed beside her. “Just to warn you, we’ve been busted.”

  She froze with the spoon halfway to her mouth. “Oh, shit. This is bad, isn’t it?” Her cheeks reddened. “How did they find out? We were loud and all, but we fell asleep before they came home. Right? Please tell me they didn’t hear us.”

  The way she’d moaned in abandon, he wouldn’t have been surprised if the neighbors had pounded on the walls. But he quickly put her at ease. “It wasn’t that. They saw your boots.”

  “Oh.” She set down the spoon. “I’m sorry. I was in such a hurry to…um…get into bed with you that I forgot about them. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  He didn’t want to make her feel worse, not when his quick save had satisfied his cousins’ curiosity. “Don’t worry about it. I didn’t tell them who you were.”

  She let out her breath. “Thank God. They had no idea?”

  “Nope. I said you were an old friend. A one-night hookup. Not that you are, I mean—you’re more than that. But I…” He cringed at his pathetic attempt to define their relationship.

  She wiped her forehead. “That’s fine. I’m glad they bought it. Not that I’m ashamed or anything, but we really need to keep this quiet until after the wedding.”

  Then what?

  He didn’t ask, even though he wanted more than a fling and secretly hoped she felt the same way. Without a doubt, he felt as strongly about her as he had in Baja. Except now, he could envision a future together.

  He gestured to the flan. “Go ahead. The door’s locked, so they won’t burst in here.”

  After she finished it, she set the container and spoon on the floor. The uneasy look in her eyes put him on full alert. Here it comes.

  Her voice wobbled. “So…I was going to talk about this last night, but…”

  Damn. Maybe he’d been too hasty, taking her to bed before they had a chance to talk. Or maybe not. If she was calling it quits, he was glad he’d enjoyed one more night with her. “Everything okay?”

  “I’ve been thinking. Remember my brother, Connor? You met him when you and Araceli came over.” When he nodded, she continued. “His girlfriend, Jess, had a string of bad luck last spring. Lost her job and her boyfriend. She had to move back home from Chicago. But she just found an apartment in Temecula. A cute place. Kind of small, but…” She twisted her hands together.

  His pulse quickened, but he kept his cool, waiting for her to keep going.

  She played with the ends of her hair. “I thought if Jess can do it, why can’t I? Maybe it’s time I moved out on my own. I’ve never lived by myself.”

  “Not ever?”

  “No. At UCLA, I was in the dorms the first year and the sorority house the second. After the incident with Henri, my father made me transfer to UC Riverside and insisted I live at home. I moved in with Ben while we were engaged, but you know how that ended.”

  “Would your dad be upset if you moved out?” Not that Rafael cared what Brian Blackwood thought. But she clearly did.

  “I don’t know. But I’m twenty-five. I should learn how to take care of myself. Grown-up stuff like making a budget and paying rent. I could even learn to cook.” She gave him a shy smile. “If you’d be willing to teach me?”

  “I’d love to.”

  He shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Just because she was moving out didn’t mean she intended to continue their relationship. But that didn’t stop the hope from stirring in his heart.

  Teaching her to cook wouldn’t be a onetime project.

  It could take weeks. Months.

  Which meant they might have a future together.

  Chapter 24

  Three Days Until the Wedding

  With Ben and Missy’s wedding looming over her like an angry specter, Victoria should have been whittling down her list of last-minute tasks. Instead, she’d spent the last two hours with a real estate broker, visiting apartment complexes in the Temecula area. Each time her phone vibrated, she ignored it, keeping her focus on the broker’s spiel. Missy’s needs could wait.

  This wasn’t the best time to be contemplating a move. In addition to the burden of the wedding, she still had to get through the holidays. But after talking to Jess, she couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that she needed to take charge of her life. Moving out could be the first step. Last night, she’d made a list of pros and cons, followed by a detailed budget. She’d looked up apartment listings, then called a broker to fast-track the process.

  In theory, she could afford a place of her own. Though she’d depleted most of her bank account when she invested in Connor’s winery, she didn’t have any student loans to pay off. Nor did she owe anything on her credit
cards or her Audi. If her father agreed to wipe out her debt, then she’d be able to start off clean. Even so, she’d have to live a far more basic lifestyle.

  But wasn’t freedom worth it?

  She wished she knew whether Rafael wanted an actual relationship. But if he was on board with giving her cooking lessons, he was clearly invested in spending more time with her.

  For now, she was keeping everything under wraps. Rafael. The apartment search. The choice she needed to make between the comfort of home and the freedom of living on her own. Any decisions could wait until after she pulled off the wedding of the year.

  She parked in her space outside Blackwood Manor and pulled out her phone. Six texts from Missy and one from June in all caps: CALL ME.

  Unlike Missy, June rarely resorted to all caps in her communication. Victoria hit call immediately. “June? Are you all right?”

  “Yes. Well, no. It’s not life-threatening. I ate some of that damn holiday brittle in the break room and cracked a tooth. Now the filling has to be replaced.”

  Victoria winced, imagining the discomfort. “That’s rough. Did you make a dentist appointment?”

  “The only time he could see me was tomorrow at two. I hope that’s okay. I know you might need extra help, what with the big wedding on Saturday.”

  Victoria got out of her car and locked the door behind her. She wished she had an excuse to stay outside and bask in the glorious weather, but duty called. “Better to get in the appointment before the holidays. Tomorrow’s Thursday, so I can manage on my own if you want to take the afternoon off. I just need you around on Friday for the rehearsal and the dinner. The only big hurdle before then is the tree-decorating party tonight.”

  Unless Missy’s texts included another set of last-minute demands. But that wasn’t June’s problem.

  “I don’t think I’ll be up for the party,” June said. “Is that all right?”

  “No problem. We have seven or eight people coming, maybe more.”