Fran nodded with a smile on her face directed toward her husband. “I remember falling for Terrance and it scared me too. I had Tate to think of and Terrance’s reputation was horrid back then. Somehow though, I leaped in when I thought I wouldn’t. I’m so glad I did.”
The guilt twisted deeper as Joan smiled back at Fran. She really was a lovely woman and she was opening her heart and welcoming Joan in all the while Joan was lying to her.
I am going straight to hell for this.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
“The way you spoke earlier I thought you were sure of your love for Joan,” Crenshaw was saying as Liam met Joan’s gaze across the room.
“I am.”
Crenshaw raised his bushy dark gray brows. “Why not set the date. Better yet, why not make it this weekend? What better way to prove to Joan that this isn’t gratitude but love?”
“That is rather fast, Bishop. I imagine they will want a large wedding,” his father said.
“She’s wearing your first wife’s ring, Terrance. I think an intimate and beautiful wedding would be in spirit with your wedding to Liam’s mother.”
Liam kept a straight face when his father’s eyes shot to Liam. “She has your mother’s ring?”
“Yes.”
“You must truly love her, I admit I thought it was more of a physical attraction and gratitude you felt for her. I apologize for doubting your intentions,” he said and embraced Liam. “Congratulations, son.”
Crenshaw watched him like a snake waiting to strike.
Terrance was not a man to hug and the emotion behind the act surprised Liam as he returned the hug. “Thank you.”
Tatum and Cole watched them with surprise rounding their eyes. Tatum stepped forward embracing Liam next. “Congratulations, little brother, I’m so happy for you.”
“Way to go, Liam.” Cole grinned.
The full support from his family behind him was what he’d expected but not like this. Liam swallowed back the bad taste in his mouth. He looked over at Joan, who was fanning her face, and Fran doing the same as they laughed.
“I wish we realized how serious you are about Joan, Liam,” his father said following his gaze to the women. “I would have flown her family out for tonight. We should meet them before you get married.”
“I spoke to her father on the phone this morning,” Liam said. “He wasn’t pleased with our engagement.”
Terrence scowled. “Not pleased with marrying their daughter to a Wainwright? Why on earth not?”
“Yes, Liam, why not?” Crenshaw jumped in.
“I didn’t ask for his permission and since he doesn’t know me, he doubts my feelings are genuine.” Liam smiled. “I’ll just have to show him how wrong he is about me and the way I feel about his daughter.”
Tatum and Cole nodded, matching his smile.
Joan and Fran rejoined the group. This didn’t stop Crenshaw from continuing with what he had in mind to say, “Let’s just hope your heart doesn’t fall helplessly for another as it did from Alise to Joan.”
“Liam was never engaged to Alise, and they weren’t talking about marriage.” Cole snapped.
When Crenshaw cut his eyes at Cole, Tatum stepped forward. “We’re all very sorry things did not work out with Alise, but if you’d like to continue your friendship with our family, you’ll accept Liam’s apology and watch your mouth in front of Joan.”
Crenshaw looked to Terrance and when their father nodded Crenshaw exhaled. “You’re right.” He looked at Joan. “I’m sorry if I cast a shadow of doubt in your direction.”
Joan gave him a nod as all eyes turned to her.
“Dinner is to be served shortly. If you’d please make your way to the dining room.” Hansen announced.
Liam waited until only he and Joan remained. “How are you holding up?” he asked.
Joan bit into her lip as she looked at his mother’s ring on her finger. “Is this a duplicate made like your mother’s ring?”
“Fran told you about the ring?”
Joan nodded. “She’s being so kind and this ring is a family heirloom, it’s special to your whole family. We’re lying to them and I can’t possibly wear your mother’s ring. It’s not right.” She began twisting the ring from her finger.
Liam stopped her by taking hold of both her hands. “You’re panicking.” He pulled her close and into an embrace. “It’s okay. You’re doing great. We’re almost done. We’ll push the deals through with Crenshaw and then we’ll cook up a fight and I’ll call off the wedding. Okay?”
“Yes. Okay.” She stiffened beneath his arms. “You’re right.” Joan stepped back and touched the ring on her finger as if to make sure it was still there.
The door to the study began to open. Joan took his face in her hands and kissed him as the door continued to open. She was pressing herself up against him as she sucked his tongue into her mouth. The feel of it so sensual it silenced the part of his brain that warned him to be careful.
He slid his hands down her naked back, her skin as smooth as the silk of her dress, he continued lower slipping beneath the silk to cup her bare ass and pull her against the hard length of him.
“Master Liam?” Hansen said from the doorway. “I hate to interrupt but everyone is waiting for you both.”
Joan drew back, but Liam still hadn’t removed his hands.
“We’ll be just a minute,” Liam said looking over his shoulder at Hansen, who gave him a nod and closed the door.
“You wanna remove your hands please?” Joan asked, her cheeks flushed pink with her lips swelling from their kiss.
Liam lowered her back to the floor not realizing he’d lifted her. As his hands slid out of her dress, he watched her. His body grew harder in response to her. Joan became increasingly breathless as he moved his hands over her skin.
Joan took hold of his wrists removing his hands completely. “Ready to go?”
“Depends on where you have in mind,” Liam said, wishing Joan didn’t have such a powerful effect on his body. He was hard as a rock and walking was going to be mighty uncomfortable in his current state.
Joan pointed toward the door. “To dinner.”
“Just give me a minute and then we’ll go. Okay?”
Joan watched as he turned away and tried to adjust himself so that he could walk. “Oh.” Her soft voice sounded behind him only adding to his current predicament. “I guess I’m a pretty great kisser then, huh?”
“I wouldn’t give yourself too much credit. I’m a man built to respond to the attention of a woman.”
“Sure, that’s what it is.” Joan grinned and the dimples in her cheeks flashed at him.
Again, she wasn’t helping by giving him her sexy smile. “Happy about my discomfort, are you?”
“Yes, I am,” Joan answered easily. “If I’m stuck walking around on wobbly weak knees, the least you can do is be uncomfortable too.”
“I make your knees weak?” he asked turning toward her again.
Joan lowered her gaze just beneath his waist. Almost inaudibly she breathed. “Yes.”
A knock on the door sounded before it opened this time. Fran was on the other side smiling at them. “Come on, you two lovebirds. The rest of us are hungry for food not each other.”
“Ready?” Liam held his hand out to her and she took it. The ring looked perfect on her hand like it was made for her. It should have been unsettling to see his mother’s ring on her finger. What did it mean that he wasn’t uncomfortable with Joan wearing her ring?
Fran sighed happily. “I don’t know what it is about seeing a young couple in love, but it’s so good for the soul.”
“If you say so,” Liam answered.
Joan inhaled taking hold of his arm at his bicep with her other hand as they entered the dining room. “It’s so beautiful.” Her eyes sparkled reflecting the lights on the chandelier she was admiring. “It’s fit to host the Queen of England in here.”
Fran was beaming as his father pulled the seat out
for her. Liam pulled a chair back for Joan. Crenshaw was seated straight across from Liam, but he leaned in Joan’s direction. “Has Liam told you about the wedding date?”
“No,” Joan said looking up at Liam as he scooted the chair in for her.
“He has it in his head you’re going to want a big wedding. I happen to think from what I heard you say on television that a small intimate wedding would suit you well. But enough of what I think. What kind of wedding do you have in mind?”
Joan spread the cloth napkin over her lap. “I admit, I haven’t thought much about planning the wedding.”
“Come now,” Liam’s father said with a smile. “Don’t hold back, this is the first wedding in the family since Fran and I were married.”
“Every young woman pictures her wedding. What colors do you like?”
Joan squeezed his hand in a silent plea for help. “I like pink, but I don’t know if I like it enough to incorporate it into a wedding.”
Crenshaw stabbed the lettuce salad in front of him with his fork. “It’s almost like you don’t want to get married.”
“What do you think of pink and navy?” Liam asked referring to the colors she’d been wearing from her sister’s wedding.
Joan smiled. Ignoring Liam, she answered Crenshaw, “I do actually, in fact, what I’d really love is one of those themed weddings you know? Who doesn’t love Elvis? Right, babe?”
Liam was impressed how genuine she sounded. This is what he got for poking fun at her sister’s country western themed wedding. “I’m actually not a big fan of Elvis, sweetheart.”
“He likes Star Wars.” Cole volunteered.
“Does he?” Joan grinned as Liam felt his face heating. “I’ll be Princess Leia and you can be Han Solo. Do you think we could get a priest to dress up like Jabba the Hutt?”
Tatum set his salad fork down midway to his mouth with a red tomato still caught in the prongs. “It’s very likely this wedding will have reporters sneaking in, people will see you dressed in your costumes. Is that really what you want?”
“I agree with Tatum, a Star Wars themed wedding might be a little too risky for the Wainwrights.” His father agreed.
Joan took a bite of the salad. Her dimples telling Liam just how pleased with herself she was at catching the Wainwrights off guard.
“What about you, Liam?” Fran asked him. “You always said you wanted to be married in your mother’s first home. Joan would love it if she saw it. I just know it.”
“That’s where you should marry then,” Crenshaw said his hand smacking the top of the table. “Right?”
Joan nodded. “Of course.”
“Now all you have to decide is when. This weekend would be best for your husband and father-in-law but if you’d rather put it off, I understand.”
“What is he talking about?” Joan turned and asked Liam. “This weekend?”
“The contracts were to be signed, but if it turns out Liam broke my daughter’s heart for no reason, then I’d rather not sign with him. I have other offers knocking on my door. I can’t be asked to just wait around.”
Liam ran his thumb over her hand beneath the table to keep her from worrying about the pressure Crenshaw was laying on thick.
“It’s a wedding not a party. How are we supposed to plan it in just one week, Bishop? I mean really.” Fran shot daggers at Mr. Crenshaw.
“Is it too soon, Liam?” his father asked, tapping his fingers on the tabletop.
Tatum gave Liam a look that told him not to be swayed, but Tatum didn’t have the view of their father that Liam had. Their father was nervous. He was worried. The deal he had with Crenshaw must have more riding on it than Liam did.
Looking at the fear in his father’s eyes that he tried to hide, left Liam no other answer that he could give. “It’s not too soon at all. Right, Joan?”
“What?” She tightened her grip on his hand like a vise. “You want to be married this weekend?”
Crenshaw watched with the kind of excitement twisted people have watching a train wreck. Liam refused to give him the satisfaction.
“Let’s discuss the details after dinner. Okay?”
“Well, I’m full,” Joan said standing up. “And oh look, Liam has finished too.” She stacked her plate on his. “Let’s you and I go talk.” She walked out of the dining room leaving him behind.
Tatum covered his smile with his hand over his mouth.
“Hansen always says you don’t rush a lady,” Cole said.
“Goodnight, I need to go and reassure my fiancée that she’ll have the wedding of her dreams.” Liam stood and set his napkin next to his plate.
Crenshaw cleared his throat taking to his feet as well. “I still haven’t heard from Alise.”
“No? She promised me she’d call you,” Liam said. “Well, that is she promised my assistant Evelyn. I’ll get with her and call you when I have a direct line to Alise.”
“Do that, Liam. If I don’t hear from her by tomorrow, there will be hell to pay.”
Fran stood up too. “Mr. Crenshaw, you may have deals going with Terrance and Liam but you don’t have any with me. You’ve run my daughter-in-law out and now you’re threatening my son. It’s time for you to leave.”
Hansen pulled the chair behind Crenshaw further back. “I can escort you out, sir.”
Liam smiled at Fran. She sure was one hell of a woman. His mom would have liked her. He found Joan sitting at the piano in the study. She was tapping her nails on the keys without pressing any of them and when she saw him she stood up.
“What was that all about? Married this weekend?”
Liam closed the doors to the study. “My dad is tied up in some deal with Crenshaw. It’s fine. He’ll sign before the wedding and when the time comes I’ll say I don’t instead of I do. Okay?”
“You’re going to have everyone come out and set up for a wedding that isn’t even going to happen? At your mother’s house no less? It’s sick. We can’t do that.”
Liam stretched his legs covering ground fast backing her into a wall of books. “I can’t be the reason my father is ruined. I can’t. You’ll show up to the wedding and you’ll play your part, Joan, or so help me I will track you down and drag you down the aisle.”
“Don’t tell me what I’m doing, I’ll choose for myself.” Joan shoved him back a step. “I’m not one of your employees that you can order around.”
“And I’m not a weak-spine-twig of a doctor going to run from you every time you show your teeth. You started all this and you’ll finish it. Because if you don’t, everyone will know you lied about being engaged to me including President Little and Director Wheatley. You’ll lose everything too.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
If I show up to the wedding, I keep my job, work with my friends, and have access to some of the best cancer treatment doctors in the country if Kenna’s cancer comes back.
If I tell Liam to shove his threats up his ass, I lose my job, have to find a new one, get to keep my self-respect, stop putting my family through the wringer with all the press nonsense, and leave Liam to face his father after Crenshaw ruins him.
“Are you sure you won’t have a little something to eat?” Fran asked yanking Joan from the mental pros and cons list she was making.
Fran and Cole would be in financial trouble too if Terrance is ruined. Everyone you work with will think you’re a liar, don’t forget that, Joan.
“Sweetheart? Are you all right?” Fran asked.
“My head is just spinning. That’s all. I’m fine. I just need rest.”
Fran nodded. “I can see you do. It’s after midnight anyway. We should all turn in. Liam, why don’t you show Joan to your room.”
“Whoa there,” Joan said standing up from the chair at the table. “I guess Liam didn’t mention this but I’m incredibly religious. Sex before marriage is a huge no no. So, I’m going to need my own bed.”
Liam exhaled a hiss and groan combination and pressed his palm to his forehead. �
�There is an empty room next to mine. I’ll take you there.”
“What religion are you?” Fran asked.
“She’s Amish. I’m still trying to corrupt her.”
Fran laughed. “I see what’s going on here. You’re angry with Liam.” Fran hugged Joan’s arm. “I am going to tell you what my mother told me and it saved my marriage. Never, not ever, should you go to sleep angry with the person you love.”
“That’s good advice, but I’m not much in a forgiving mood.”
“I can see why. Getting rushed into a wedding? That’s ridiculous, Liam. How can you let that old man come in here and boss you around like that?”
Joan put her hands on her hips and raised her brows at Liam. “Well?”
“If it were just my deal with Crenshaw I wouldn’t have let him rush us. Dad has a deal going with him too, and I have a feeling that it’s bigger than he’s letting on. Besides,” he said, looking pointedly at Joan now, “you said you never cared much to plan your wedding. So what’s the difference if it’s sooner? You’ll still get to pick out whatever you’d like. That’s what it’s like when you have money.”
“Should I just pay my family to show up to a wedding they’re not in favor of? Exactly how big a wad of bills should I shove into my mom’s hands for the harassment they’ve received since our engagement became public? Is that how people with money do it?”
“I can see why this is a sore spot for you both, but I have faith that you’ll work it out.” Fran kissed Joan on the cheek and then Liam. “Don’t go to bed angry, children.” Fran called over her shoulder as she continued down the hallway leaving Liam and Joan standing at the bottom of a huge staircase.
“Happy? Now Fran is worried about all this mess.”
“Do I look happy? Is this the face of a happy woman that you’re looking at right now?”
Liam started up the stairs. “Do you have to be such a drama queen about everything? So you didn’t get your way this last round. Take it like a champ, why don’t you?”
“This isn’t a game, you arrogant blockhead. This is my life you’re playing around with.”
An I.O.U. from a Billionaire Page 21