by Day Leclaire
“Right. Pull the other one,” Jordan said with a snort, then studied her friend more closely. “You’re serious!”
“We have to have a big wedding so everyone will hear.” Her explanation sounded strange even to her. She tried again. “That way my competitors will leave Constantine’s alone. It’s temporary, you see. We don’t love each other or anything.”
“Bridal nerves,” Sonja and Jordan proclaimed in unison, and burst out laughing.
“It’s not! It’s business.”
“Very practical.” Sonja approved. “Love has a nasty way of clouding the issue. Though, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if you don’t find lots of practical reasons to stay together.”
“But not love,” Jordan was quick to insert. “That’s too impractical.”
Andrea gave up. What was the point? It didn’t matter whether or not if they believed her reasons for marrying Thor. Let them keep their illusions as long as possible. They’d be shattered soon enough.
“I don’t know what to say,” she whispered.
“Don’t say a thing.” Sonja dropped an affectionate arm around her shoulders. “We’ll take care of everything for you. Why don’t we go over the arrangements so you know exactly what’s going on? Don’t worry. We’ll all help you.”
Feeling like the biggest fraud who ever walked, Andrea went along with them. But her bewilderment grew. Why was Thor going to all this trouble? It didn’t make the least bit of sense.
T wo days before the wedding, Joe dropped by Andrea’s office for another visit. One look and she realized he’d worked himself into a fine rip-roaring temper.
“This you send to us and I bring back,” he announced, tossing an envelope onto her desk.
She snatched it up, afraid it would sift through the layers of paper, never to be seen again. “What is it?”
“It is money,” he said in an offended tone. “How you do this, huh?”
“Do what?” She stared at him in bewilderment. “I owe you for that bad produce.”
“I know you do not mean to insult us, but you do. To send this money, it is not right.” He dropped into the chair in front of her desk and glowered.
“Of course it’s right. It’s done all the time.”
He eyed her with suspicion. “I do not understand. Explain to me, please.”
She leaned across the desk. “It’s easy,” she began in a confidential tone. “See, you get bad produce and call up Thor, complaining like the devil. Right?”
He cleared his throat. “To be honest, cara, I leave this complaining to my poppa.”
“Yes. Well.” She bit down on her lip. Hard. “Caesar calls and complains. Which makes Thor feel lower than dirt, and he refunds your money.”
“Yes, it happen this way once or twice,” he admitted.
“And why does Thor offer you a refund?” She answered her own question. “Because he wants to keep you happy and make lots of money off you later.”
Joe glanced longingly at the envelope. “I think I understand. But Poppa, he only complains a little to Thorsen. We complain most to you.”
“I know. If you had complained a lot to Thor, he’d have called me up and screamed like, er, complained even louder. I’d have felt like pond scum and would’ve paid him off in order to shut him up.”
“All this mud and pond skummings sounds very messy.” He looked hopeful. “You are sure this is how it works?”
“Positive. All I’ve done is cut out the middleman. You know, the dirt and scum stuff.” She grinned in triumph.
“Yes, I see. But . . .”
She could sense his opposition weakening. “Did you use the produce or throw it away?”
He shrugged. “I regret to say, we throw it out.”
“Was it your fault?”
“No, no. The produce, it was bad.”
“If you’d like, I can have you call and yell at Thor.” She tried to appear duly chastened. “But then he’d have to phone back and treat me like slime.”
“Not scum?”
“Okay, like scum. Do you want him to do that? In a few more days I’ll be married to the guy.”
It took Joe a full five seconds to reach a decision. “No, no. We take the money, so you do not be pond scum on your wedding day.” He beamed and twitched the envelope from her fingers. Crossing to her side, he perched on the edge of the desk. “I am glad we settle this. We do good together. Why you not marry me, instead of Thorsen, huh?”
Andrea’s tone was caustic. “We’d be at each other’s throats before the honeymoon ended.”
He sighed gustily. “But it would be a very good honeymoon.”
“Did you have something else to discuss?” she asked, firmly steering the conversation back to business.
He pinched two fingers together. “Er, one teeny bitsy little thing more.”
Uh-oh. “Yes?”
“I like to apologize for making you break it up with Thorsen last time. My words do this and I feel very bad.” He peeked quickly round and, apparently satisfied, lowered his voice. “He heard what I say?”
She struggled to keep any hint of laughter from her voice. “Not from me. I haven’t mentioned it.”
“Good. I think if he knows, it is bye-bye baby for me. You promise to keep all the lips glued? In fact, you do not have to tell him I come here at all.”
His expression was so pathetic she couldn’t help but agree. “I promise. My lips are sealed.”
He shook his head. “I feel very bad, cara. Thorsen will be your husband, and a wife should not keep secrets from her husband. But I am glad you do not tell him—”
“Not tell me what?” Thor stood in the open doorway. He nailed them with a furious look and strode into the room.
Joe leapt off her desk. “Very good to talk to you, cara. You have a good marriage. I see you soon.” At Thor’s thunderous glare, he added hastily. “No, no. I mean, I see you not so soon. Maybe never again. I leave now, okay?” He edged around Thor.
“Okay by me,” Thor agreed. He kicked the door shut behind Joe’s retreating back and turned on Andrea.
She broke into speech as he approached. “Don’t bother bellowing. It won’t work.”
“What aren’t you supposed to tell me about?” he demanded, quieting his voice to just beneath a bellow.
He towered above the desk, putting her at an instant disadvantage. She wanted to answer him, but because of her promise to Joe, she couldn’t. Nor could she lie. She despised lies, lies were wrong and they were always uncovered.
Except, with any luck, this one.
“He didn’t want you to know about his visit.” That wasn’t a complete falsehood. Perhaps she could tell him certain truths, without telling him the truth. It would sure go a long way toward salving her conscience. Well, maybe a short way.
“Why not?”
She squirmed. Tough question and no answer. “Why do you think?” she countered.
“Because he loused up our engagement last time,” Thor responded promptly, “and he knew I’d kill him if he did it again.”
Andrea sat and blinked. So he knew. Unfortunate for Joe, but very fortunate for her. She peeked up at him and winced. Sort of. Perhaps an explanation was in order. “When Joe filled me in on the details about the Milano deal last year, he didn’t realize it would end our engagement. Actually he favored our marriage.”
Thor said a nasty word and she blushed. “The only thing Milano favors is getting you.”
“That’s not true,” she protested. “He thinks our marriage is very practical. I wasn’t interested in a marriage based on practical reasons before.”
“Now you are?”
“I’m marrying you, aren’t I?” She stared at him resentfully. “You act like you’re the injured party. I’m the one who lived in a fool’s paradise. I thought you loved
me. Instead, I learned the only reason you proposed was to keep Nick sweet during the negotiations. Can you deny it?”
His expression closed over. “I do deny it. I denied it last year and I deny it today. Do you honestly think I needed you in order to work the best deal with Nick and the Milanos? I didn’t. But having me for a son-in-law would have been quite advantageous for Nick. He tried to make our marriage a stipulation, not me.”
She jumped to her feet. “That’s a lie! Don’t you dare blame this on my father. He would never have done such a thing to me.”
“And I would?”
“You proposed, didn’t you? You tried to get the Milanos to break their contract with Constantine’s and deal directly with you. When that didn’t work, I was the next best choice. Get engaged to Nick’s daughter and he’ll give you the deal of a lifetime.”
A muscle worked in his jaw. “You have it all figured out, don’t you?”
“Yes.” She lifted her chin, refusing to back down. “The truth is, you wouldn’t be marrying me now if it wasn’t for the Milano account. Deny that one if you can.”
“I can’t deny it,” he bit out. “But I certainly regret it.”
That hurt. Tears stung her eyes and she blinked hard to suppress them. “Marrying me last year was a smart business move, so you proposed,” she said, her voice husky with emotion. “I was a means to an end for a man whose life is dedicated to the pursuit of business.”
He circled the desk and pulled her out of the chair and into his arms. Ignoring her resistance, he cupped her face. “So much passion. So much hurt. We did that to you, your father and I.”
She shook her head. “Not Nick. Just you.”
“Have it your way.” He ran a gentle thumb across her eyelids, brushing away the tears glittering on the tips of her lashes. “You’re right about one thing. Business used to be the most important part of my life. For a good reason, or so I thought at the time.”
“You haven’t changed,” she insisted, skittish in his embrace. “The only reason you’re marrying me is your deal with the Milanos is threatened and you’ll do anything to save it.”
“A rather extreme solution, don’t you think?”
“One you were willing to choose before,” she shot back.
“Perhaps.” He ran his hands along her shoulders. “And what about you?” His fingers grazed the side of her neck, tangling in her hair. Her breath caught in her throat.
“I don’t have a choice,” she gasped. “You won’t help me unless I marry you.”
His hands tightened. “Meaning your business comes first, is that it?”
Meaning her father’s business came first. There was a slight difference, though she didn’t expect him to understand. If she’d been the only person affected, she’d tell him, her creditors, suppliers, and brokers to all take a flying leap. But Constantine’s future depended on her making the right choices.
She tried to pull away and met resistance. “Yes,” she retorted rashly. “Constantine’s comes first, as Thorsen’s comes first with you.”
“Your eyes betray you every time,” he murmured. “Despite Nick and the Milanos and the contract, you wanted me. Only your pride got in the way.”
“You certainly managed to strip that from me, didn’t you?” she replied, smarting.
He laughed in genuine amusement. “It was a nasty job, but somebody had to do it.” Then he lowered his head and kissed her. Thoroughly.
She should fight him, she kept telling herself. Her arms crept up his chest. She should protest. Her fingers sank into his thick, tawny hair. At the very least, she shouldn’t enjoy it. That was her final thought before she shifted closer, losing herself in his embrace.
Eventually he ended the kiss. “My parents are worried about your being all alone tomorrow night. They’d appreciate it if you’d come and stay with them.”
Her automatic protest died on her lips. It was a sweet offer and one she’d be happy to accept. The idea of staying by herself on the eve of her wedding didn’t appeal in the slightest. She nodded. “Thank you. Tell them I’d like to very much. By the way,” she thought to mention. “Sonja and Jordan filled me in about our wedding.”
He smiled, his eyes gleaming a warm blue. “Oh?”
“Yes. Oh.” She studied him curiously. “Do you know how hard it’s been finding time for riding lessons? What gives? Why are we having such a fancy ceremony?”
He shrugged. “I explained that already. I intend to impress your suppliers and competitors. Believe me, this will do it.”
“Still—”
He put a finger to her lips. “They won’t buy a quick hole-in-the-wall affair, sweetheart. The more elaborate, the more convincing it will be.”
She looked doubtful. “But all that trouble, not to mention the expense.”
“My problem, not yours. I told you I’d take care of the details. And I will. You do your bit.”
She smiled. “You mean, show up?”
“I mean, show up. I’ll see you tomorrow at the rehearsal dinner. Until then, try and behave.”
“Behave, as in stay away from Joe?”
He grinned. “It’s a start.” He dropped another kiss on her parted lips. “Andrea Thorsen. I like the sound of that.”
She raised a hand to her mouth. The frightening part was, she liked the sound of it, too.
Chapter 5
A ndrea stood by the window of her temporary bedroom at the Thorsens’ and watched the first hint of dawn lighten the August sky. Deep indigo and purple streaks tinted the calm waters of Puget Sound and crept toward the upper peaks of the Olympic Mountains. Her wedding day promised to be fair and clear, which considering Seattle’s unpredictable weather patterns, came as a huge relief.
A light tap sounded at the door, and Jordan poked her head into the bedroom. “I thought I heard you stirring in here,” she whispered, nudging open the door. Silverware rattled on the covered tray she carried. “Couldn’t sleep?”
Andrea hurried over and took the tray, placing it on a small trivet table by the window. “Not a wink. If this is coffee, I’ll be your best friend for life.”
“Big deal. I already am your best friend for life.” Seeing Andrea’s disappointed expression, Jordan relented. “Yes, it’s coffee and something to eat, as well.”
“In that case, you can be my best friend in our next life, too.” Andrea’s stomach grumbled, reminding her she’d only picked at last night’s rehearsal dinner. Beneath the curious gaze of all Thor’s relatives, her appetite had fast disappeared. “What have you brought me?”
Jordan chuckled, whipping off the linen napkin covering the tray. “Croissants with jam, my greedy chum. They’re fresh from the oven. I gather Sonja couldn’t sleep, either. I found her busy in the kitchen.”
Andrea glanced nervously at the door and fiddled with the belt of her robe. “She decided not to join our little breakfast party?”
“She thought you’d prefer some privacy after last night’s banquet.” Jordan gave a reassuring smile. “You’ll find Sonja’s a very diplomatic mother-in-law.”
Andrea nodded, knowing it was true. “You’re right. She is diplomatic. She certainly coped well with all the, er, discussions, last night.”
“Arguments, my dear. Don’t bother being polite. They were gate-crashing, wall-tumbling, ear-blistering battles royal.” Jordan took a large bite of her croissant. “Wasn’t it great?”
“No.”
Jordan made a face. “Look at how much we missed by growing up in small families. Besides, it isn’t as though the Thorsens were seriously angry or anything. They just love to squabble. It took me six whole months to figure that out. You’re lucky enough to get the inside track from day one.”
“Thanks so much,” Andrea said dryly. “It’s a wonder the banquet hall didn’t demand a security deposit, considering the fuss Thor and Rainer made. I guess next time t
hose two nearly come to blows I can say, ‘Boys will be boys,’ and send them to bed with no supper.”
“You do that,” Jordan replied, her eyes sparkling with secret laughter. “I’m sure Thor will thank you personally.”
Andrea ignored the double entendre and sank into a chair. “I can’t believe the size of his family.” She helped herself to a reviving sip of coffee. “How many are there? I lost count at around fifty.”
“There’s eighty-three.” Jordan patted her stomach and grinned. “Make that eighty-three and two-thirds. It changes on a daily basis, you know.”
“I believe it.” She picked up a croissant and broke off a flaky portion. “They all seem so happy for us.”
“They are.” Jordan studied her friend, her expression softening. “What’s wrong, Andrea?”
She sighed. “I feel like such a fraud. What will they think when Thor and I divorce? They’ve gone to so much trouble and expense.” She ticked off on her fingers. “There’s the rehearsal dinner last night, the special costumes, carts and horses for the procession.”
“Not to mention the day and a half of celebrating after you’re married.”
“Thanks, that makes me feel much better.”
“You know I didn’t mean it like that.” Jordan hesitated, choosing her words with care. “Whose idea was it to have such an elaborate wedding?”
“Thor’s.”
“Why, do you suppose?”
“He explained that to me. It’s to get the news out to my suppliers, so they’d think twice about giving me a hard time. With the Thorsens behind me—”
“Get real,” Jordan broke in impatiently. “Formal announcements and a few follow-up phone calls would have been just as effective, don’t you think?”
“I guess. But he said they wouldn’t believe a small quick ceremony.”
“And you bought that excuse?”
“I shouldn’t have?”
“Sounds pretty lame to me.”
Andrea frowned. She’d wondered about that, too, which only added to her unease. If such an elaborate setup weren’t for her suppliers’ benefit, why do it? “Then why do it?”