A Bravo Christmas Reunion

by Christine Rimmer

  “No. I don’t think so….”

  He brushed a finger under her chin. “Come on. Don’t be scared. Open your eyes.”

  “It’s a bad idea. I can’t take the rejection.”

  “Hayley…”

  Finally, she opened one eye to a slit. “What?”

  “Come on.”

  “Oh, fine. Sure. You want me looking at you while you turn me down.” She opened both eyes at last. “Well?”

  “Yes. Of course, I’ll marry you.”

  She gasped. Then she frowned. “Say that again. Just the yes-word, that will do it.”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh, Marcus!” She laughed and threw her arms around his neck, wincing a little when her battered body resisted. “Now, you kiss me.”

  So he did. A very long kiss that time. And a deep one.

  When he lifted his head, he asked, “How about here in Vegas? Today?”

  She blinked. “Today? But…we’re flying back to Sacramento today.”

  “Yeah. So?”

  “It’s a lot to do, all in one day. I mean, especially after having a baby yesterday.”

  “The jet is on call. It’ll be there when we’re ready for it. If we’re not ready to go until nighttime, it won’t be a problem. And don’t worry. I’m not asking you to stand up before a justice of the peace.”

  “Good news. I’m seriously not up for putting on street clothes and actual shoes.”

  “How about this? We’ll go back to Impresario. I’ll get us a nice, big suite for the rest of the day. I’ll arrange for a preacher or a justice of the peace—and a license. All of it. You have to know Caitlin and the others will help me get whatever we need. You can marry me in bed.”

  A smile broke wide across her face. “Now you’re talkin’.”

  “With Jenny in your arms. A reunion wedding to go with the reunion baby.”

  “Okay. I admit it. I’m liking this.”

  “Hold on a minute…”

  “What?”

  “Don’t move. Stay right there…”

  “Marcus?”

  He left her just long enough to go to his suitcase and take a certain small velvet box from a hidden compartment.

  “You brought the ring with you, here, to Las Vegas?”

  He returned to her. “What’d I say a few minutes ago? A man can dream. Give me your hand.” She laid her fingers in his and he slipped the engagement ring into place.

  She admired the sparkling stone. “I love it. Thank you.”

  “We’re engaged,” he said, grinning. Engaged to Hayley. The thought pleased him immensely.

  She said, “It will be the world’s shortest engagement, lasting…oh, maybe six hours?”

  “Or less.”

  Hayley was still turning her hand this way and that, watching the way the enormous stone caught and reflected the light. “Did I say I love it?”

  “You did—and don’t worry. I’ve got the wedding ring, too. All ready for when you say ‘I do’ this afternoon.”

  “Talk about your whirlwind courtship.”

  He kissed her again. Then he took her by the shoulders and turned her toward the open bathroom door. “Now take your shower and let’s get a move on.”

  Obediently, she trotted in there and shut the door. A moment later, he heard the water running.

  He sank to the edge of the bed, hardly daring to believe that he was getting what he wanted: Hayley for a lifetime. His beautiful daughter to raise…

  Adriana.

  Her name came creeping, silent as a shadow, into his mind.

  He should have told Hayley about the thing with Adriana. Before he said yes to her proposal.

  Hayley wanted honesty. And he knew damn well she’d only proposed again because she believed she was getting just that from him: the whole truth.

  He should tell her….

  But then she’d worry. Maybe she’d doubt him, wonder if he really wanted to be with his ex.

  The shadow of Adriana looming between them could tip the scales in the wrong direction. Hayley might decide she wanted to slow things down a little. She’d start thinking how they didn’t need to get married today. She’d want him to explain to her why he hadn’t mentioned Adriana’s call earlier.

  And damn it, why the hell hadn’t he? It should have been a simple enough thing to say, “Adriana called me. She said she wants to try again with me. I told her no.”

  Simple. Direct. Clear.

  But something had held him back.

  And, now he really thought it over, was keeping his mouth shut about it such a bad thing?

  What was the damn point in going into all that old garbage? Why couldn’t they just let the past go?

  He had found happiness, with Hayley and their baby. Adriana, who very well might have changed her mind again by now and returned to VonKruger, couldn’t be allowed to get in the way.

  Hayley could hardly believe how quickly it all was arranged.

  They were married at three that afternoon.

  In bed, as Marcus had promised. At Impresario, in the same suite they’d had before. Hayley wore white satin pajamas that Celia, Aaron’s wife, had found for her in one of High Sierra’s most exclusive boutiques. Jenny, in Hayley’s arms, was wrapped in a satin-edged pink blanket with a pink, ribbon-threaded hat on her head.

  Jilly, the wife of Will Bravo, who was Aaron and Cade’s third brother, had scoured the bridal shops until she found a Renaissance-style circlet of greenery with white roses at the front for Hayley to wear in place of a veil. Her red hair, clean and shining now, fell loose on her shoulders. Jilly had done her makeup, too. All Hayley had to do was sit there, while Will’s wife worked her magic with blusher and concealer, eyeliner and mascara.

  For a woman who’d been in labor not thirty-six hours before, Hayley thought she’d cleaned up pretty damn good.

  Marcus wore a tux. He wasn’t actually in the bed, like Hayley and the baby. Rather, he sat on the edge, at Hayley’s side, holding her hand. The minister stood at the foot of the bed, below the dais.

  And the rest of the large, luxurious red-and-gold bedroom? It was wall-to-wall Bravos. They all came, even the kids and the babies, so many that they spilled through the arch into the sitting area.

  The ceremony was brief. A quick, sentimental speech from the minister. The all-important exchange of vows.

  Hayley looked in Marcus’s wonderful green eyes as she said, firmly and clearly, with all the love in her overflowing heart, “I do.”

  Marcus slipped on the ring. It snuggled right up to the gorgeous engagement diamond. He repeated after the minister. “With this ring, I thee wed.”

  Then the minister said he could kiss the bride. Marcus bent close. His warm lips covered hers in a kiss so sweet and tender, it broke her heart and mended it, all in the space of a few shining seconds.

  The minister said, “I now pronounce you husband and wife. Ladies and gentlemen, Hayley and Marcus Reid.”

  And two rooms full of Bravos erupted into applause, whistles, catcalls and cheers. Several babies, startled by the sudden shouting and clapping, began wailing.

  Jenny’s eyes popped open in surprise. But then she only yawned hugely and went right back to sleep.

  There was champagne. And a whole bunch of toasting. Since everyone seemed to be talking at once, those giving the toasts had a little trouble being heard.

  But not Caitlin. In her trademark tight jeans and sequined red shirt, she stepped up on the dais at the foot of the bed and let out a whistle so loud it had the babies wailing all over again. “Do I have your attention?”

  “Go for it, Ma!” shouted Cade from the back of the room.

  “You bet I will. I’m so glad you could all make it. I had one hell of a time and hope the rest of you did, too.” A murmur of agreement went up. Caitlin raised her champagne high. “Here’s to the bride and groom. To love and marriage. To happiness and new life. And most of all, to family.” She drank.

  And so did the rest of them, even
the kids caught on and lifted their champagne flutes full of sparkling fruit juice.

  It was a great moment, Hayley thought. And she was downright teary-eyed, to have so much family, to be married to the man she loved, with all of them there to witness their vows.

  Marcus leaned close. “You look happy.”

  “Oh, Marcus. I am.”

  After Caitlin’s toast, things wound down swiftly. People had planes to catch, or faced a long drive home. Many took a moment to personally congratulate the newlyweds. And then, within an hour of the “I do’s,” the two rooms emptied out.

  Kelly and DeDe left to get their suitcases.

  “Half an hour?” Marcus asked Tanner. “I’ll have a van waiting downstairs to take us to the plane.”

  “We’ll be ready.” Tanner left them.

  Marcus shut the wide doors to the other room and came to sit on the bed again, next to Hayley. “How are you holding up?”

  “Pretty well, all things considered.”

  He leaned close and kissed her forehead, right below the crown of flowers. She freed a hand from cradling their daughter and hooked her fingers around his neck, pulling him closer, lifting her mouth. He kissed her lips.

  “Umm.” She stroked the hair at his temple. “I’m looking forward to a lifetime of kisses.”

  He smiled against her mouth. “Care for a quickie before we go?”

  She stuck out her tongue and licked the seam where his lips met, just to let him know that while she might not be up for a quickie, she wasn’t dead, either. “Hmm. Rain check? Ask me again in about six weeks?”

  He caught several strands of her hair between his fingers and rubbed them, as if the feel of them pleased him. “That long? You’re killin’ me here.”

  “Oh, I think you’ll survive.”

  “Maybe. Barely.”

  “Plus, there’s how good I am with my lips and my hands.”

  He groaned. “Don’t remind me. It’s cruel.”

  “I can’t help myself. You know how I am, a postpartum sex goddess.”

  “Okay. Now you’re scaring me.” He brushed another kiss across her lips and then, reluctantly, he pulled away. “I’ll change. Then I’ll help you wherever you need me.”

  She cast a glance at the wheelchair Marcus had rented from the hospital. “I gave you a hard time when you brought that thing with us. But now I’m so glad you did. I don’t think I could make it anywhere on my own steam right now.”

  “We could stay another day….”

  “No. Really. I can manage. I’ll be on wheels the whole way to the plane. And once we board, I’ll go right to sleep.”

  He disappeared into the dressing area. Hayley watched him go, feeling all mushy and sentimental. She was totally exhausted. But really, her world had never been so right.

  Jenny stirred, fussing. Hayley readjusted her pajama top and put her to her breast. Jenny latched on. Hayley winced. It hurt. Though the pain did ease after a moment. The books she’d studied explained that her nipples would toughen up over time—though the pain would likely get worse before it got better.

  Babies. First they turned you into a walking beach ball. Then they split you open being born. And then came nursing, which could be lovely and fulfilling, the books said—after the nipples stopped hurting like hell.

  She rubbed a gentle finger along the beautiful curve of her baby’s cheek. “All worth it,” she whispered. “I wouldn’t change a thing….”

  With a long sigh, Hayley let her head droop back against the pillows. The corona of roses Jilly had bought for her slid down her forehead until it almost covered her eyes.

  Not that she cared. Her eyes were closed anyway. She felt so very peaceful….

  Marcus emerged from the dressing area five minutes later to find Hayley conked out, her crown of flowers drooping over her eyes and Jenny starting to fuss.

  Hayley stirred but didn’t wake when he took the crying bundle from her arms. He changed Jenny and put her in her car seat, where she waved her little hands and made soft cooing noises.

  He turned to look at his new wife again. Dead to the world.

  If they were going, he really did have to wake her….

  He took a step toward the bed—and then changed his mind and detoured through the other room. Bracing the door with the security arm, he went out into the hallway. He knocked on Kelly’s door. When she answered, he told her that Hayley was too beat to travel. “I’m just going to send you three on to Sacramento as planned. Hayley and Jenny and I will go tomorrow.”

  DeDe, lurking behind her mother, piped up, “Oh, Mommy, can we stay? We could go to Circus Circus. Puleeeassse!”

  Kelly shushed her. “DeDe is out of school for the holidays and I could use an extra day off, anyway. I think we’ll stay on with you and Hayley.”

  Marcus went down the hall and checked with Tanner, who said he was fine with staying. “Just so happens a few of my half brothers are hanging around, too. We’re talking about organizing another card game for tonight. You in?”

  “I’d love to, but…”

  Tanner clapped him on the shoulder. “No need to explain. Go back to your bride and my new niece.”

  When Marcus returned to the suite, Hayley was still fast asleep. By then, the crown of flowers had drooped halfway down her nose. He took it off and set it on the night table. She didn’t so much as sigh.

  Jenny gurgled at him from her car seat, so he picked her up, seat and all, and carried her into the sitting room, stopping to pull the double doors shut behind him. He made some calls from the phone in there and scored a crib courtesy of Cleo Bravo, who lived on-site right there at Impresario with her husband, Fletcher, and their kids. Cleo also ran the top-quality day care the twin resorts provided for employees; she had access not only to cribs but to a whole boatload of baby stuff: blankets and sleepers and little baby T-shirts. The crib arrived, packed with baby gear, within thirty minutes of his conversation with Cleo. Marcus snapped Jenny into one of the sleepers and got her settled into her borrowed bed.

  Then he stretched out on the couch and channel surfed and resisted the temptation to turn on his PDA. He was still avoiding learning if Adriana had been harassing his assistant in a continued effort to contact him.

  But eventually, it was just too much free time being wasted. He could check e-mail, see how things were going at Kaffe Central while he was lying here doing nothing. He turned on his BlackBerry and checked what he dreaded most first: voice mail.

  “You have one new message….”

  He punched Play, and got Joyce’s no-nonsense voice with a late-Friday-afternoon update. She ran down what was happening in the various departments. All good there. Everything under control. A couple of the managers had requested conference calls next week.

  “But nothing urgent,” Joyce said. “Strictly routine. When you get back to me, we’ll set them up.

  “And lastly—” Her voice changed, grew tighter, almost prim “—you received two calls today from London. Your ex-wife, she said. An Adriana VonKruger? Apparently, she’s having trouble reaching you. I followed your instructions and declined to give her any of your numbers, though by the second call, she became…quite insistent. She wishes you to call her immediately.” Joyce read off the number. “And that’s it.” Suddenly, she was laying on the brisk good cheer. “Have a good weekend, Marcus, and give me a call Monday, if you will, to set up those phone conferences for next week.”

  A click. And a recorded voice read the time and date stamp.

  “Couldn’t resist, huh?” He jerked around to see Hayley, in her white satin wedding pj’s, standing in the doorway to the bedroom, eyes still drooping a little from her nap. She chuckled in a lazy, half-awake way. “You should see your face. Guilt-ee.” And then she grew more serious. “Something wrong?” She spiked her fingers through that silky red hair, raking it back off her forehead.

  He held up the BlackBerry and played it sheepish. “I confess. I just checked messages.”

  She pa
dded over on bare feet and sat down next to him—carefully, but a little less stiffly than before. Already, she seemed to be getting her strength back. He put an arm around her and she cuddled right into his side.

  “It’s okay,” she teased, and kissed the side of his neck. “I forgive you. Checking messages and e-mail is definitely all right….” She gasped and jerked upright. “My God. What time is it? Don’t we have to get to the plane?”

  He touched her shining, sleep-messed hair. “Not happening.”

  “Huh?”

  “We all decided to go tomorrow, instead.”

  “We did?”

  “Yeah. Your sister and niece are heading over to Circus Circus, I believe. And Tanner and some of your half brothers are playing cards tonight.” He guided her hair behind her ear, not because it needed to go there, but as an excuse to touch her. He loved touching her. It made him feel…happy. Grounded. Right. Who knew that he, Marcus Reid, would ever have a life that was grounded and happy?

  It didn’t seem possible.

  But somehow, it had happened.

  And nothing—and no one—was going to screw it up.

  “Marcus.” Her smooth brows were drawn together.

  “Um?”

  “You look…angry. Is something going on?”

  “Not a thing.”

  “But you look—”

  “Seriously. There’s nothing. Come back here.” He pulled her close again. She came to him with a sigh. He stroked her hair and ran a lazy finger down the side of her arm.

  “How long was I asleep?”

  “Oh, couple of hours…”

  “We’re staying over because of me, right?”

  “Yeah. So what? Give yourself a break, woman. You had a baby yesterday.”

  She didn’t argue, just sighed softly again and said, “Jenny’s in a crib. How did that happen?”

  “I called Fletcher’s wife. She sent it up, along with a bunch of other baby stuff.”

  “I adore my family.”

  “They’re pretty terrific, all right.”

  “Life’s just so strange sometimes, you know? I mean, there’s this crazy, bad guy named Blake Bravo. He does any number of awful, unforgivable things in his life—among them, marrying lonely women all over America and getting them pregnant, only to vanish from their lives, leaving them to do the best they can to raise his children. You’d think every one of those kids would turn out messed up and hopeless. But instead, somehow, they find love and they get married. And they have babies of their own.”