Heartthrob (Bennett Brothers Series)

by Ahren Sanders

  I stare at Maria, searching her face, and can’t miss the twinkle in her eyes. Shit! I can’t get snarky with Mathis’s mom.

  “Maria, why did you arrange a luncheon when we saw each other a few nights ago at Grace’s?”

  “Speaking of Grace, she’s sorry she had to miss this.”

  “What exactly is this?” I already know what she’s going to say, but I have to hear confirmation.

  “We’d like to talk about your wedding.”

  Yep, there it is. The meddling never stops.

  “I’m not sure there is anything to talk about.” I wiggle my ringless finger in the air.

  “From what Mathis has explained to me, that’s a formality. He said you two discussed this already and urged me to push you for planning. I thought maybe, with the five of us, we could iron out some pre-planning details today.”

  “You didn’t think to give me a head’s up?” I quip at Mom.

  “Mathis mentioned you were a little… um… skittish,” Maria says softly.

  “Oh, he did, did he?” I fumble in my purse for my phone, and when I locate it, I hit his number.

  “Baby, I’m walking to a meeting,” he greets.

  “You better walk your ass to somewhere private unless you want whoever’s in hearing distance to hear me lose my mind.”

  “I take it Mom’s started?”

  “Started? If you mean tricking my mother into asking me to lunch and then ambushing me with Bizzy and Rory as tag-alongs, then yes!”

  “Shit, she didn’t go in easy.”

  “Easy, because you told her I was skittish?”

  “Fuck, baby, I really can’t talk about this right now. Have lunch, work with them to pick out whatever women pick out for weddings, and we can discuss this tonight.”

  My head threatens to blow apart. I stand abruptly, throwing my napkin on the table, and stomp to the side of the patio out of range from my gaggle of nosy bodies. “Whatever women pick out for weddings? Did you truly just say that shit to me?”

  “Yes, isn’t that what women do?”

  “Maybe, when they’re engaged!” I hiss.

  “Motherfucker,” he rumbles, and I hear a rustling on his end. “I thought we worked through this.”

  “You decided we were getting married in Vegas. I love that idea. You made some other bold declarations, and I didn’t argue. But what you haven’t done is bring it up again.”

  “I thought I made myself clear in Boston. In the weeks we’ve been back, we’ve lost a patient and had several other things happening, including everyone’s focus on Nick and Grace moving. You are the one who didn’t bring it up again, and I waited. I’m sick of waiting. In order for me to give the woman I love the wedding she deserves, I need a hint of what she wants. Since I don’t know jack shit about this stuff, I decided it was time to get the ball rolling, so I called in reinforcements.”

  I take a second to think, finding a little calm. “I’m not skittish.”

  “Then sit your ass down with those women who know how to make things happen and get the ball fucking rolling.”

  “You could have given me a head’s up.”

  “I did that when I told you I wasn’t giving you a choice to say no and that you were the love of my life.”

  I lose all my verve and the remaining anger vanishes. I peek over my shoulder and see the four smiles aimed knowingly at me. “Do you have any requests in this process. They’ve pulled out all the stops today and settled in to make big decisions.”

  “I want you wearing champagne.”

  “Not white?”

  “Not because of the white wedding dress purity and kindness folklore, but because you shine in champagne.”

  “I guess I can handle that.” I smile myself.

  “You over your snit?”

  “Not totally, you’ll pay for this later.”

  “That is something I’ll look forward to.” He hangs up before I can respond.

  I go back to the table with a lot less attitude. “It seems there was a lack of communication on Mathis’s part,” I tell no one in particular.

  “Don’t test the Bennett brothers,” Bizzy advises.

  “Shut up.” I sit my ass down as Mathis instructed. “This is a bit unconventional, and when Mathis said we discussed this, it wasn’t in the traditional sense.”

  “Been there, have the ring and the baby to prove it.”

  My face flames, not because I’m a prude, but I try to refrain from talking about sex in front of the moms.

  “So,” my mom claps loudly, once again bringing the attention of other tables to us, “are we gonna do this?”

  She’s happy, she’s excited, and she’s looking at me expectantly.

  “Yes, I guess we are. Give Bizzy that damn baby announcement and let her look up the company.” I focus on Maria and add, “By the way, I’m not skittish, just misinformed of his timeline.”

  She nods in understanding.

  “Not necessary.” Mom reaches under the table and brings out a thick magazine. “I’ve already ordered the book of invitation choices. Mathis informed Maria that, since you’ve decided on a destination wedding, the guest list will be small. However, he wants to have a celebration party here in Miami. I was hoping you’d like something ritzy.”

  “Ritzy sounds fun.”

  “If you like this color I’m wearing, I’ve found a gorgeous mother-of-the-bride dress to show you.” She adds, “More importantly, we need to discuss your dress, and I can make an appointment for us to go shopping.”

  That goddamned fucking sting hits my nose and travels to my eyes, which grow misty. “Shit,” I garble, reaching for my napkin.

  “Miss Dixon?” a voice calls from behind me.

  “Yes?” I answer the waitress.

  “Dr. Bennett called and ordered a special bottle for you.”

  “Let me guess, champagne?”

  She presents a bottle of Cristal. “He instructed my boss to keep them coming until you had everything handled.” At this point, I can’t stop the tears that spill over. My mom and Maria reach to clasp my hands.

  There’s no ring on my finger, no date in mind, and absolutely no idea where I’m going to get married. But, apparently, I’m going to plan my wedding.

  Chapter 16

  Mathis

  I pull up to the Dixon’s house to find Kelly and Mitch waiting on the front porch. This isn’t surprising, considering Kelly has called twice today to make sure our plans haven’t changed. My phone rings, and the display reads Dr. Andrews’s personal cell. I hit ignore and shoot him a quick text that I’ll call him in a while.

  When I get to Kelly, she launches herself in my arms, hugging me warmly and cupping my chin with a twinkle in her eyes. Mitch isn’t quite as affectionate but holds my handshake a little longer than necessary.

  “We’re glad you’re here.” Kelly slides her arms through mine and ushers me into the house. “Cocktails and dinner are on the back patio tonight. I’m afraid my dining room is a bit of a mess.”

  We pass through the dining room, and it’s exactly as Claire described it—a chaotic mass of wedding paraphernalia. Magazines, binders, silk flower arrangements, and swatches of fabric clutter the surface.

  “I’m not sure why this is such a formal affair. We usually sit at the kitchen table anyway,” Mitch grumbles.

  “It’s not formal, it’s classy, and you know exactly why it is,” she shoots back, dropping her arm from mine.

  I press my lips together to keep from grinning when I see the patio set up. Mitch is right; it is formal compared to our usual dinners.

  “Mathis, beer?” Mitch offers.

  “Yeah, great.”

  I take in the large backyard, noticing it’s been freshly mowed and all flower beds are bright and colorful. Beyond the pool and outdoor kitchen is another large span of grass leading to the intercoastal with a dock and boat lift. It’s a beautiful property with an incredible view. I’ve always admired it.

  “You know, thi
s backyard holds a lot of dear memories. I always wondered if we’d add Claire’s wedding reception as one of those memories,” Kelly tells me softly.

  “Sorry to squash that thought, but I promise we’ll add celebrations over the years,” I assure her.

  “Can we get this show on the road? Kelly hasn’t slept since she got your call two days ago and asked her to keep this dinner private.” Mitch passes me my beer and jerks his head to the table.

  I follow him, wait until they’re seated, and reach inside my jacket to pull out the large manila envelope folded in the pocket. “Before I hand this over, promise me you can keep this quiet for a few more days.”

  “Of course!” she says a little too eagerly, reaching for the envelope with such excitement, I’m not sure she clearly understands.

  “Kelly?”

  She raises her eyes to mine.

  “Only two people in the world know what’s in here. Me and the personal wedding planner that will be the main point of contact.”

  “Claire doesn’t know?”

  “Not yet.”

  “When do you plan to discuss it with her?” Mitch asks.

  “This weekend. She works tonight and tomorrow night. We both have Sunday off.”

  Understanding dawns on him and relief fills his face. The night he came to dinner and insisted we go out for drinks, he was not happy and made this known. He is a traditionalist and wanted assurances our living together was the first of many steps. “Certainly took you long enough,” he rumbles.

  “I agree, but there was a holdup.” I don’t elaborate that I had the diamond reset three times before it was perfect.

  “Can you please put me out of my misery and hand over that damn envelope?” She’s losing patience.

  I hand it over, and she rips the papers out, shrieking. “Oh my God, the Bellagio?” Her eyes sweep rapidly over the page.

  “Terrazza Di Sogno… full dinner reception… bridal day spa services…” She pauses and gasps, “July twenty-seventh!”

  “July twenty-seventh,” I confirm.

  “But that’s so soon! How can I possibly plan a wedding in less than nine weeks?”

  “Easily.”

  “You can’t know that. There is too much to do! Claire is going to stress out!”

  I sit up, locking eyes with Kelly, my mood shifting. “No, Kelly, she’s not going to stress because I’m not going to let it happen. Rachel, the wedding planner, is at your beck and call. She’s been given strict instructions to contact me if there is even a hint of stress on Claire. Bizzy flipped out in her planning, and Grace planned a huge event in another state that almost drove her insane. That’s not happening with Claire.”

  “You have no idea how this goes. You’re a man.” She huffs, completely flustered.

  “Here’s what I know: You and my mom both have your dresses already. Bizzy is working on bridesmaids’ dresses. Brayden and Brinley have their outfits. My dad, brothers, and myself all own tuxes. The invitations are chosen, waiting on the location, date, and time. You have that now. Claire and I have decided on an intimate guest list that equals about fifty people, so invitations shouldn’t be a problem. We can work on the local celebration details after all the wedding plans are done. When you and Claire decide on flowers and colors, you call Rachel, email her your wishes, and she will have it ready. No questions. There’s a block of rooms already saved for RSVPs. I’ve arranged for Claire and me to fly into Vegas a few days early, and we will sit down with the executive chef to plan our menu. The cake as well. Rachel will be working with me on the band and music choices.”

  “What about the extras? Your registry, the showers, the parties? We can’t fit all that in.”

  “You have four women, five if you include Sharon Monroe, to help plan these things. I’ll talk to Claire about the registry, even though I don’t think we need much.”

  “Her China! Her silver! What about her crystal?”

  “For shit’s sake, Kelly. Give it a rest. You got this; we all know you got this. Hand me those.” Mitch snatches the packet out of her hand and scans it, flipping through the contract. “I don’t see costs anywhere on here.”

  “I’ve got it covered.”

  His face heats up, and he shakes his head at the same time Kelly inhales sharply. “No, Mathis, you don’t. This is my baby girl, and we’re paying for her wedding.”

  “Not up for discussion.” I’ve been preparing for this argument since I made the decision to get married in Vegas.

  “We have money. We are paying.”

  “I know you have money, and I appreciate the offer. But this is all me. You want to pay for something, I suggest getting ready for the price tag on the dress Claire’s eying.”

  “Dammit, Mathis—”

  “No, Mitch, listen to me. I respect your—”

  “We’ll pay for the local celebration in Miami.” Kelly cuts me off and places her hand on his. “It’s going to be a huge party, here at the house, and it’s going to be extravagant. Extensive guest list, catering, open bar, wait staff, dance floor, huge band—everything we’d do if you got married in Miami. We pay for that and get to give it to you both.”

  “I can deal with that.” I agree. “But we’ll need to discuss security. Shaw’s going to insist on background checks on the staff you hire. There’s a chance, besides my brother, we’ll have some highly popular athletes attending.”

  “Done,” Mitch barks, handing the packet back to Kelly. “For your information, I own a tux as well.”

  “Good to know. Another item handled.” I sit back, taking a gulp of my beer. “We good?”

  He glances sideways at her then back to me, his color back to normal. “Considering my daughter is getting a dream wedding and my wife gets to plan the party of the year, I guess we’re good.”

  “I have to call Maria right away.” Kelly reaches for her phone, and thankfully, Mitch seizes it first.

  “Don’t you understand the meaning of secret?”

  Her face falls. “I can’t discuss with Maria?”

  “No one until after he talks to Claire.”

  “Shit, this is going to be torture.”

  “I suggest you get organized because, when Monday comes around, you are going to have your hands full,” he reminds her.

  “Yes, you’re right.” She sits straighter, focusing on me. “Big picture planning. I can do this.”

  “I’m counting on it.”

  She finally looks pleased and leaps out of her seat. “I’m going to refresh our drinks and finish dinner.”

  I open my mouth to offer to help when my phone rings again and the screen displays Dr. Andrews again. “I’m sorry, I need to take this.” I walk to the other side of the patio. “Hello.”

  “Mathis, I know you’re busy, but this couldn’t wait. There’s a mandatory staff meeting tomorrow morning.”

  “On a Saturday? What’s happened?”

  “More information will be available in the morning. In the last twelve hours, three cancer centers have reported a massive theft in drugs. DEA is involved.”

  “Cancer drugs?”

  “Class-A, narcotics, low-dose painkillers, multiple class opioids… the reports are coming in.”

  “Fuck.” I squeeze the bridge of my nose.

  “You have no idea. First estimates are that a million dollars worth of drugs are roaming the streets right now.”

  “What does this have to do with our department?”

  “DEA is investigating the cancer center connections. They don’t think it’s a coincidence.”

  “What about the staff?”

  “Right now, no one is a suspect, but that doesn’t mean we can relax.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “This is about to blow up, and it’s going to rock the city. The story of theft has been leaked to the press. The theory is this is going to initiate some heavy heat on the drug community, which can cause escalations in the gangs.”

  “What does that have to do with us? This kin
d of shit is everyday news.”

  “Not three prominent cancer centers getting infiltrated in the same day.”

  “Claire’s working tonight. Is she in danger?”

  “Not that I know of. DEA is sending in people to poke around now.”

  “If you even suspect trouble, I want to know.”

  “That’s why we’re having a meeting tomorrow. There will be more information on how to proceed.”

  “You’re not making me feel good here, Andrews,” I growl, anxiety spiking.

  “I’m not feeling too good myself considering the stakes. Some fucked up nut job is stealing from cancer centers, and I have over one hundred people on my staff who work in Oncology and Hematology.”

  “I’ll be there by six in the morning. Let me know if you need me before then.” I hang up and feel the heat on my back. When I turn, Mitch is close.

  “What’s happened?”

  I give him a brief explanation and watch his expression grow hard. “Is Claire in danger?”

  “Unlikely. Code red with our hospital means uniformed officers are at every entrance and roaming each floor. With DEA onsite, the protection and manpower are heavier than ever.”

  “Are you going to tell Claire?”

  “Yes, the news is about to break, and the story will be public.”

  He glances over his shoulder to the kitchen, where Kelly is at the oven. “Can you do me a favor? It’s a big night for Kelly. She’s been thrilled about this for days. Do you think we can get through dinner and pretend things are as they were before you got the call? I don’t want to ruin her excitement.”

  “Absolutely, not a problem.” I don’t hesitate, knowing I’d feel the same way.

  “Appreciate it. Now, I think you got where I was coming from earlier when I told you it had taken long enough.”

  “Caught your meaning loud and clear.”

  “Gotta say, I’m torn between envying you and pitying you.”

  “Want to explain?”

  “A part of me envies the journey you are about to embark on with Claire. She’s her mother’s daughter through and through. The best day of my life was the day I met her.”

  “Where does the pity come in?”