Vivian slipped off her sandals and her feet sank into the warm sand. Mariah and Dawn followed suit and the three strolled leisurely toward the water’s edge.
Mariah stopped walking. “Have you ever seen such a beautiful sunset?”
“It’s breathtaking,” Vivian said.
Dawn gestured around. “And we’re the only single ones out here enjoying it. A damn shame.”
They continued walking. A yawn escaped Vivian. “I think I need to go to bed. And, before you say anything about it being only seven thirty, Ms. Party Animal, remember I’ve been up since two this morning and, with the time change, it’s been a long day.” Also, the emotional impact of seeing Devin had literally drained her.
Dawn laughed. “I wasn’t going to say anything, but if you hadn’t tried to drink yourself under the table, you might not be so tired.”
“What are you talking about? I had one drink and less than half of a second one,” Vivian protested.
“For you, that’s drinking yourself under the table.”
Vivian rolled her eyes.
“Sorry, Viv, but Dawn’s got a point. You’ve never been a drinker,” Mariah said with a chuckle. “However, in your defense it has been a long day and you’ve had some extra stress. I’m a little travel-worn myself so turning in early works for me. I need to be focused for the next day and a half. Can we talk for a few minutes about the game plan before we go to bed? We can meet in your room or mine, doesn’t matter to me.”
“Let’s do mine. All I want to do when you leave is turn off the lights and pull up the covers. You coming, Dawn?” Vivian asked as they started back.
“Not yet. I want to explore a little more, but I won’t be in late so I don’t wake up Riah.” Their rooms were next to each other, and Dawn had elected to share a room with Mariah so they could split the cost.
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Vivian and Mariah went in the direction of the lobby and Dawn continued down the beach. At the elevator, Vivian yawned again. She hoped she could stay awake long enough to listen to Mariah. When the elevator came, they boarded and pushed the button for their floor.
“I’m going to shower first, then I’ll be over. And you’d better not be asleep.”
“Then you’d better not take all night,” Vivian shot back as they exited on their floor and walked down the hall.
Mariah stopped at her door. “I won’t. Give me fifteen minutes.”
Vivian nodded and slid the key into her own door. “Okay. See you in a few.” She shut the door behind her and leaned against it. For a moment, she just stood there and surveyed her surroundings. She had been in such a rush earlier that she only had time to drop her bags, go to the bathroom and leave. But, now she focused on the stunning room. Hers wasn’t even a suite, but the grandeur of the room rivaled that of any suite where she stayed previously—mahogany furnishings, four-poster king-sized bed and a balcony with the most amazing view of the ocean, which she could still appreciate even in the impending darkness. Pushing off the door, she hefted the suitcase onto the luggage rack and unzipped it. She searched for and found her nightclothes and toiletry bag. In the bathroom, Vivian toyed with whether to take a bath or shower and settled for the shower, knowing there was a high risk of her drowning if she sat in that tub and fell asleep.
When she finished her shower, Vivian glanced over at the clock and saw twenty minutes had passed. That girl needs to hurry up or I’m not going to hear anything she says. She walked over to the balcony doors that were still open, stepped out and released a long breath. “What a day.” She still hadn’t figured out what to tell Devin. There was no way she could pretend to be unaffected by him. They had dated exclusively for eight months. He’d come to know her—and her body—well and could read her like a book. Her mind went back to the sunset. Yes, she had seen one just as beautiful when Devin had taken her to Carmel. They’d made the hour and a half drive from San Jose a couple of weekends after they returned from a Los Angeles concert where Monte had proposed to Devin’s sister, Janae. They had sat on the beach watching the sunset. She recalled his words: “There’s nothing more perfect tonight than kissing my princess as the sun dips below the horizon.” Their lovemaking that night had been different… indescribable, and she thought she’d finally be able to have the happiness she had always wanted. But, less than a month later, it was over. A knock on the door interrupted her musings. She closed the door and drapes then went to let Mariah in.
“Girl, I thought you’d be sleep. Sorry I took so long. Ahmad called and wanted to make sure I arrived safely. I can’t believe he searched to find the hotel’s number,” she muttered. “I think he just wanted to see if some other guy was going to answer the phone.” Ahmad was Mariah’s on-again-off-again boyfriend. “I told him we would be over for good if he didn’t get over his trust issues. I don’t have time to deal with this crap.”
“That’s what you’ve been saying for the last three months.”
Mariah dropped down on the side of Vivian’s bed. “I know. He promised he would work on himself. I know he’s still tripping because his ex cheated on him, but I don’t know how much longer I can take this.”
Vivian climbed onto the bed, leaned against the pillows and tucked her feet under her.
Mariah waved the folder in the air. “Anyway, let’s talk about what we need to do.” She opened it and pulled out the top sheet. “Okay. You’re going to be making the eight boutonnieres and four corsages. For the guys, it’s a dark purple calla lily, loops of white stem wire with pearls and purple metallic stem wrap. For the ladies, a double midnight purple orchid dendrobium with lavender ribbon.”
“I hope I can do this. I’ve never done the pearl loops before.”
“You’ll be fine and I’ll be there to help. I have the three smaller bouquets for the bridesmaids, centerpieces for the five tables, and Samantha’s bouquet. I’ve only done that one twice, but it’s one of my favorites.”
“I love that one, too.” The all-white cascading bouquet of phalaenopsis orchids, cattleya orchids, calla lilies and gardenias decorated with rhinestones was a gorgeous piece and Vivian had fallen in love with it on sight.
“Maybe one day I can make it for your wedding.”
She didn’t hold out hope that she’d ever get married. Besides, the one man she wanted to marry, she couldn’t have. Her brother breaking into Devin’s house had made sure of that. Then Greg had had the nerve to try to pressure Vivian into giving him more information about Devin, his family, and Devin’s new superstar brother-in-law, in the hopes of getting into their homes, as well. In order to keep that from happening, she had ended her and Devin’s relationship and cut all ties from him. “You’ll probably get married long before me.”
“We shall see,” Mariah said and stood. “I’d better get moving before I fall asleep here instead of next door.” She paused. “Are you really okay with Devin being here and knowing he’s part of the wedding party?”
“Not like I have a lot of choice. I just have to deal with it, but I’m trying to come up with a way to get out of going to the rehearsal dinner tomorrow night.”
“Not sure how you’re going to do that seeing as how we’re here in a working capacity for the next couple of days and since the client asked you to be there. You’ll just have to paste a smile on and work it like you own it. I know you’ll be able to pull it off.”
Vivian hated to admit it, but Mariah had a point. “You’re right. I can do this. It’ll only be for an hour or so.” She waved a hand. “No sweat.”
Mariah nodded. “Okay. See you in the morning. I’ll knock on your door around eight so we can grab a quick breakfast first.”
“All right. Goodnight, Mariah.” As soon as the door closed, Vivian turned off the lights and scooted beneath the covers. This was her job and she would do whatever it took not to jeopardize their growing company, even if that meant spending tomorrow night in Devin’s company. Work it like she owned it? Sure, she could handle that…maybe.
Devin entered his room later that evening after having dinner with Marcel and Jason still thinking about Vivian. He’d gotten a glimpse of her walking on the beach and it took great effort on his part not to approach her again. No, he’d give her some space tonight, but tomorrow night was a different story. He recalled Vivian’s discomfort, especially when he called her princess. She had told him once that being with him felt like a fairytale. The corner of his mouth lifted in a slight smile. He’d teasingly called her his princess and the name stuck. His smile faded slowly and anger tightened his chest. Vivian made it quite obvious she planned to avoid him, but taking advantage of Samantha’s generosity brought him closer to getting those answers, and that was his ultimate goal.
He walked over and slid the balcony door open. The room afforded him an incredible view of the beach and, stepping out, he felt more relaxed than he had in a long time. Devin stood there until a wave of fatigue washed over him. He checked his watch and went back inside. He’d confirmed tomorrow’s plans and now it was time to call it a night. Besides all of the daytime activities, he wanted to be well rested for the battle he knew he’d have with Vivian tomorrow night.
Devin woke up the next morning two hours past his normal five-thirty rising time feeling refreshed. He hadn’t slept this well in a long time. Throwing back the covers, he rose to his feet, stretched and padded to the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, showered and dressed, he went to sit on the balcony until it was time to meet the guys for breakfast. They went for the breakfast buffet and chose outdoor seating.
“Man, I slept like a log,” Jason said, scooping eggs onto his fork.
“So did I,” Devin said.
Marcel chuckled. “By the look on my cousin’s face, he was probably the only one who didn’t.”
They all turned their gazes to Tony, who sat with a heavy scowl on his face.
He glared at each one. “Don’t start with me. If I had known it was going to be like this, I would’ve kept the damn wedding at home. At least there I could see Samantha before we walked down the aisle.”
“Devin said you two had dinner last night,” Jason said.
“We did, finally, after her meeting with the wedding planner. I wanted to go for a walk last night, maybe sit in one of those gazebos on the water, but we ran into her parents. Her mother was like, ‘Oh, good. Since she left before we finished our meeting earlier, I need Samantha to look over some final floral arrangement details’,” he mimicked in falsetto. “It took all I had not to throw Sam over my shoulder and take off.”
Devin tried to suppress a laugh, but failed. “Look on the bright side, after tomorrow she’ll be all yours.”
“Yeah, and you’ll see her tonight at the rehearsal dinner and pre-party,” Marcel added. “I’ll even cover you for a while if you want to be alone with Samantha, but don’t try to be gone all night. I’d say you could get away with about thirty minutes before folks start realizing you’re both gone.”
Tony sat up straight and his expression brightened considerably. “Thanks, man. I owe you.”
The teasing continued for the remainder of breakfast. As they were leaving, Marcel asked, “So, Tony, are you ready for the bachelor challenge tonight? I suggest you go easy on the alcohol at the party. Wouldn’t want you throwing up so early in the game.”
“Yeah, no punking out,” Devin added with a chuckle. Instead of the typical bachelor party, the group of friends had instituted a physical challenge “party”, requiring the prospective groom to engage in a variety of workout exercises—running, lifting weights, sit-ups, push-ups, and any other extreme activity that came to mind—to ensure he was physically ready for the wedding night.
Tony slanted a quick glance at Marcel and Devin. “I can hold my liquor just fine and I’m in much better shape than you were when you got married last year, Marcel.”
Jason laughed and pointed at Marcel. “Man, you were pitiful. Couldn’t even manage thirty push-ups and you were still sore a week later at the wedding. Just weak!”
This brought on another round of laughter and more trash talking. As they entered the lobby, Devin spotted Vivian and Mariah carrying what looked like supplies and flowers. The two women were engaged in an animated discussion and he took the opportunity to study her. She had let her hair grow out—it now hung past her shoulders—and changed it to a lighter shade of brown with gold streaks. He liked the way it complemented her smooth dark caramel skin. His gaze lingered on her long bare legs beneath the sundress she wore. A memory of those legs wrapped around his waist as he thrust in and out of her flashed through his mind, sending a jolt to his groin.
“Yo, Dev, did you hear me?”
Devin registered the tap on his shoulder and jerked his head around toward Tony. “What?”
Tony shook his head. “Obviously not.”
“That’s because one of these brown-skinned honeys caught his attention,” Jason drawled. “Go on over there and introduce yourself. We still have a few minutes before it’s time to leave.”
Tony turned in the direction Devin had been looking and smiled. “Actually, he doesn’t need an introduction. He already knows her… intimately. I think they’ve got some unresolved issues.”
Jason lifted an eyebrow, his smile widening. “Is that right?”
“Tony, I don’t need you to answer for me,” Devin said, glaring at them. His gaze drifted back to Vivian as she passed near where he stood. Their eyes connected for a brief moment before she turned away. “Viv and I will have plenty of time to talk. Let’s go.” Yes, they’ll have plenty of time… starting tonight. He took one more look in her direction. Look out, Princess. I’m coming for you.
CHAPTER FOUR
Vivian deposited the bag filled with ribbons and Mariah’s tools onto the workstation, braced her hands on the surface and bowed her head. She had given herself a pep talk last night about attending the dinner with Devin, but after seeing him again just now she didn’t think she would be able go through with it. At thirty, she’d had her share of relationships, but Devin was four years older and light years ahead in experience. He’d said they had unfinished business and that meant he wanted answers. And he would use every weapon in his sensual arsenal to get them. But those were answers that she couldn’t give him…not if she didn’t want him to hate her. Vivian feared that’s exactly what would happen when he found out she had been holding back the fact that she knew who had broken into his house for two years.
“Looks like all that talk last night about you being able to handle being on Devin’s arm tonight was just that…talk. I saw the way you looked when we passed him. If I didn’t know better, I’d think there was something going on between you two.”
She busied herself with separating the wires, wrap and beads needed for the boutonnieres rather than look at her friend. “Please. There’s nothing going on.”
Mariah brought a bucket of purple and white roses to the counter. “No? Then what gives? Like I said last night, for a man who broke your heart, he sure seems interested and you don’t act like a woman scorned. I mean, you spent weeks crying after the breakup and now…” She threw up her hands. “I don’t know. I’d want to rip his face off every time I saw him if that happened to me. Even now, I find myself glaring at him every time our paths cross.”
Vivian shrugged. “I’ll admit he’s a tough act to follow, but it’s over. I’ve moved on.” She was tempted to take a step to the side just in case lightning struck from that lie. Wanting to change the subject, she asked, “Show me what you want me to do. How many beads do you want me to put on each strand?”
Mariah stared at her a long moment then said, “Just one. Do three six-inch wires and when you loop them, make sure the bead is in a different location—left side, middle and right side of the loop.” She picked up one of the Calla lilies and demonstrated.
“How do you do that so fast?”
“I’ve had years of practice.”
“Yeah, okay. But don’t expect me to finish that fast.” She picked up
the wire cutters and cut the white fabric-covered wire into twenty-four six-inch pieces, then picked up the package of beads. She glanced over to see Mariah in deep concentration as she expertly assembled the purple and white rose bouquets that the maid-of-honor and bridesmaids would carry. Vivian was grateful for the short reprieve. Before long, Mariah started up again. So much for having a moment of peace.
“Earlier, you said that you’d moved on after Devin.”
“I have.”
“I don’t think so, Viv.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You rarely date, and the guys who are lucky to get a date, get just that—one date. You complain about one thing or the other—most times it’s trivial stuff—and now I’m wondering if you’ve truly gotten over what Devin did to you.”
Vivian was silent for a moment. Every time Mariah mentioned what Devin did Vivian’s stomach lurched. “Riah, it’s not that easy to find a good man. Look at what you’re going through with Ahmad. I just don’t want to carry any more baggage than I have to.”
“Whatever you say,” Mariah said, but she didn’t look convinced. “It’s close to noon and I’m starving. I’ll finish putting the rhinestones on this last bouquet then we should get some lunch.”
“That’s fine by me. I’m almost done with the boutonniere I’m working on.” She still had two more to go and the four corsages.
“You’re doing a great job. I might have to start letting you do more.”
Vivian let out a snort. “Girl, whatever. It’s been almost three hours and I’ve only done six. You would’ve finished all eight and the corsages. No, thank you. I’ll just take care of the managing, ordering, answering the phones… that’s my area of expertise and I love it.”
Mariah laughed. “Still, I appreciate your help. Lord knows I would have needed an extra day if I had to do it alone.”
Made to Love You Page 3