Perfect Bride for Christmas, A

by Dyann Love Barr

“You tried to distract me with food.”

  “Guilty as charged.” He sat on the couch and played with the fringe on one of the pillows. “I wanted to let you rest your first day back without dumping my garbage on you.”

  “Alexander Franklin King, I’m your mother, who else should you come to if you need to talk?”

  “Dad, but he’s not here.” He rubbed his nose.

  “Zoe gives me headaches of her own.”

  “And three beautiful girls.”

  “They aren’t the headache.” He smiled and rubbed his stomach. “Although I found out that reality trumps theory every time. It’s one thing to want a family. It’s another to have one handed to you.”

  “Have you talked to your brothers about your situation?”

  Alex scrubbed the back of his neck and started to put his feet on the coffee table until his mother gave him the ‘don’t you dare’ look. “Yeah. Clint just 140

  A Perfect Bride for Christmas grunted and said that’s what I get for not keeping it zipped.”

  “He’s right. You always had the girls after you, but I never saw you run the other way.”

  “What can I say? I love women. Heath just laughed his as—butt off and told me that my pretty face finally caught up with me. Called me an over achiever. Neither one had a bit of sympathy.”

  “I’d like you to bring the girls out to the house.

  We were introduced at Zoe’s shop, but I want to see my granddaughters.” Her blue eyes grew a little misty. “I thought I’d never have grandchildren. I wish your father had lived to see them.”

  Panic swelled in his chest as the tears flowed.

  He ran over to a small table where his mother kept a box of tissue. “Don’t cry, Mom.”

  She took a tissue and dabbed at her eyes. “I miss your father. You may have my coloring, but other than that, you’re just like him. Same smile. Same charm. He was such a wild man.” She shook her head and glanced up at him with a watery smile. “I had to beat more than one woman off of him when we were young.” She sniffed and tossed the tissue onto a small wicker wastebasket by her chair with force. “Why, even last year I had to tell Sharon Miller she’d be wearing her new fake boobs for a bowtie if she didn’t quit hanging all over Frank.”

  That mental image stopped Alex dead in his tracks. He couldn’t believe those words came out of her mouth. “Okay, they switched mothers at the hospital. I want mine back.”

  “You must think I’m some goody two-shoes. I grew up in the sixties my darling. Actually, I met your father on campus at protest rally. He was all ROTC, and I was the hippie chick.”

  “I don’t believe it.” Her injuries hadn’t kept her from keeping up appearances. Not a hair dared to be out of place in her short, pixyish style, her makeup 141

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  perfect. He couldn’t imagine her in bell-bottom jeans and tie-dyed tee shirts. “Come on, you’re making this up.” “Alexander, I do not lie.” She shot him a look that was all Mom.

  “Okay, okay.” He held his hands up in surrender. Even incapacitated by a broken ankle, Alex knew better than to tangle with his mother.

  The crutches were too handy. “I’m just not seeing it.”

  “Oh, yes, I had long black hair, wore tie-dyed tee shirts, smoked a little weed, and danced naked in the dark.” His mother let out a soft chuckle that said there were more secrets lying behind those blue eyes. “You and the boys don’t know everything about your parents.”

  “Apparently.”

  “To be honest, I never smoked pot until I met your father.”

  “No, I don’t believe you.”

  “He introduced me to marijuana after he got back from his first tour of Vietnam—right before we got married. A lot of the guys over there used drugs just to get through each day. He was no different.

  His second tour took him away from me—not just physically but here.” She tapped her heart with her hand. “Oh, he never stopped loving me, but when he came back, he wasn’t the same man I married. Those first three years were rough, but we got through it.”

  Her blues faded into the past for a few seconds and then, she wrinkled her nose. “To tell you the truth, I never liked the stuff and after a while, stopped. He had a lot of issues to deal with and it only compounded the problems. But the dancing naked in the dark part, now that was extraordinary.”

  Alex didn’t want to hear any more of his mother’s hippie, naked dancing, pot-smoking days.

  He had to change the conversation fast before he ended up in therapy. “I got a call from Keeley Jacobs 142

  A Perfect Bride for Christmas today. She wants to come in a week early, so I offered her the use of one of the guest rooms upstairs. She refused—insists on staying at a hotel.”

  He took his seat on the couch and leaned back with his hands behind his head. “I don’t want to alarm you, but she said she wants to check over the property. She needs cash to help with a business proposition she’s working on.”

  “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

  “Heath is still checking her out.” He saw the storm brewing in her eyes. “He wants to be careful, that’s all. He’s still refusing to believe that Dad had an affair.”

  His mother let out a sigh. “I’ll call him tomorrow and sort things out.” She lifted the tray off her lap and Alex rushed to her side to take it from her. “By the way, I heard through the hospital grapevine that you’re the hottest thing to come around in quite a while. Something about hauling Sydney out of the hospital over your shoulders—cavemen style?”

  He hadn’t blushed so hard since he was sixteen and she’d found him behind the garage kissing one of her best friends during a garden party. A shiver ran through Alex as he remembered the look on her face and the stern talking to he got from his father.

  “She got a bit hysterical about the reception, so I got her out of there. That’s all. The staff gossips too much.”

  “Too bad.” She heaved a sigh and adjusted a pillow behind her back. “I know you love her, and because you love her, she’s welcome in the family.

  But I’ve got to tell you, I don’t like her much.”

  Now would be the perfect time to tell her about Sydney canceling the wedding—if she didn’t have steel pins in her ankle. He decided to change the subject. He smiled as he remembered the girls and they way they accepted him so quickly as their father. “Zoe and I took them to McDonald’s last 143

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  night. Man.” He rubbed his nose. “That was an eye-opener. How did you and Dad manage to get us to adulthood without killing us?”

  His mother gave him a sweet smile. “There were times I understood why some animals eat their young. I know that’s an old saying, but true nonetheless. You boys were quite a handful.” She reached over for her fast-cooling tea and took a sip.

  “So how is Zoe? What arrangements have you made about the children?”

  Alex ran his fingers along the arm of the couch, the feel of the shiny cotton material reminding him of Zoe’s skin. The pale ivory roses on the soft blue background were tipped with pink, much like her breasts. He swore he could smell peaches.

  “Zoe is fine, better than fine. She’s a great mother. It’s amazing to watch her with the girls. As far as visitation, we’re working on it.” “Mom, about Sydney…”

  His mother let out a yawn. “I think the painkillers are making me a little woozy.”

  “Okay, it’s time for a nap.” He helped her to her feet with a bit of fussing on her part when the doorbell chimed out Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

  “Stay right there,” he commanded on his way to answer the door.

  “Surprise!”

  “Sydney?”

  Why the hell had she shown up here? He’d chickened out and texted her a message that he planned to stay with his mother until she could be on her own and he would make sure any of her stuff she had in his apartment would be returned. That should’ve been enough for her to get the point—she�
��d made her choice.

  “Yes,” she squealed. Sydney clapped her hands and bounced up and down on the porch that groaned under the weight of her Louis Vuitton luggage. “Isn’t 144

  A Perfect Bride for Christmas it wonderful? I read your texts and decided to help you with Amelia.” She waved at his mother. “Hi, Amelia. Oh, you poor thing.” She made a little moue of sympathy. “I showed up at the hospital to be with Alex. He was so distraught, and I knew I had to be by his side.”

  “That’s what I heard,” his mother snorted. “A real Angel of Mercy.”

  Sydney seemed oblivious to his mother’s snarky remark. She snaked her arm through his and peered up at him with a sly smile on her face. “We haven’t had much time together over the last few days, and I plan to rectify that.”

  “I didn’t know we were planning a pajama party.” His mother shot him a sharp look.

  “That’s the surprise. Darling, I hired a limo service bring me out here and the driver stowed my luggage on the porch—as you can see.” Sydney ran her hand up his arm and pulled him close until her breasts pressed up against him. “I’ve missed you.”

  “I, ah, I’ve been a little preoccupied lately.”

  Sydney released his arm and took off her bright purple Italian leather gloves one finger at a time.

  She smiled over at his mother. “I hope you don’t mind. This will be so much fun.” Hunger lurked in her eyes. It reminded him of the old cartoons he’d watched as a kid where the fox imagined the rooster trussed up and ready for the oven. “Will you be the best, bring it in and take it to our room?”

  “This isn’t necessary.” His mother gave Sydney a pointed look. “I’m not up to company.”

  “I’m not company.” Sydney took off her coat and threw it over the back of one of his mother’s wing back chairs. It slid off and to the floor without Sydney bothering to pick it up. “We’re family, or will be in a few days.”

  His mother huffed. “Alex is taking good care of me.”

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  “I know, but it must be such a trial to nurse an invalid.” Sydney came over his mother, lifted her hand, and hesitated before giving Mom a tentative pat on the shoulder. “I insist on helping.”

  “Really?” His mother’s tone held a hint of disbelief.

  “Yes.” Sydney pulled her hand away as if afraid his mother would bite. “You and I need to get to know each other better. After all, we both have Alex’s best interests at heart, don’t we?”

  “Oh, yes, my children’s happiness is my first priority.” His mother looked up at Sydney and, for an instant, he imagined sharp, nasty teeth behind her smile. She’d turned into a Weremom. He blinked and everything went back to normal. Stress had made him hallucinate—that had to be it.

  “I have plenty of spare rooms. Alex, you can take her bags to the blue guest room.” Mom pointed to Sydney’s luggage. “I hope you like tuna casserole”

  A shiver ran up Alex’s spine. This would not end well. He took Sydney by the arm and trotted her into the kitchen.

  “What the hell is going on?”

  “I told you.”

  Sydney’s big blue eyes looked confused. “I’m here to help. You’re my fiancé, how could I leave you to handle the burden on your own.”

  The words would be nice if she sounded sincere.

  “You said the wedding was off.”

  “I know, I know.” She nodded, her voice small and filled with tears.

  “You were crying so hard I couldn’t understand any of your messages.”

  “I’ve made a horrible mistake.” She peeked up at him from under her lashes, her baby doll voice in full force. “I’m really sorry, Alex. My anger got the better of me.”

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  “You were pretty clear about your wishes.”

  Sydney shook her head. “The wedding is back on. Mother said it would look bad to call it off, especially after we sent out all the extra invitations.”

  She turned until her body rubbed against his.

  “Besides, I’ve got the most beautiful dress and I can’t wait for you to take it off of me.”

  Alex pushed her away. “You can’t break our engagement one day and resume it the next. What about me?”

  “Daddy says he’s got the perfect office for you.

  You’ll be a senior partner. We can really build a life together. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

  “Yes.” He had to be honest. Sydney had a lot offer as a wife. Now he wasn’t sure if it was enough.

  “Sydney, what if I want to postpone the wedding until later?”

  She shook her head. “No, no postponement.

  Everything is set. Mother and Daddy are even taking time between trips to Europe to be there.”

  The walls of the kitchen closed in, he felt trapped when he should feel elated. “Okay,”

  Sydney let out a squeal of delight and gave him a quick hug. “Oh, Alex, our life will be perfect.”

  “Yeah, perfect.”

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  Chapter Sixteen

  Alex rose from the sleek conference table, along with his fellow attorneys at the firm and stuffed his assigned files into his briefcase. He needed to get back home before Mom came to blows with Sydney.

  He wished his mother would give Sydney a wide berth. Every time Sydney complained about being bored, Mom played an Oscar winning performance as an invalid.

  He frowned and shoved the last file in place.

  Maybe I ought to throw both of them in the basement.

  Whoever comes up the stairs after twenty-four hours is the winner.

  “Something wrong?” Lyle Stanford sauntered over to Alex. “I hope everything is going smoothly with the wedding plans.”

  “You’d have to ask Sydney about that.” Alex snapped the locks on his case.

  “She came to me a few days ago, very upset about a squabble at the hospital?”

  Heat rose up Alex’s neck as he thinned his lips.

  He didn’t want to get into this with Lyle right now.

  Not when he didn’t know his own mind.

  “My mother was in surgery and Sydney threw a fit over some trivial matter with the reception. I had to get her out of there.”

  Lyle winced and nodded. “She can be a handful when she doesn’t get her way. Her mother and I should take the blame. We left her alone too much as a child.”

  “It doesn’t translate well in a grown adult. She 148

  A Perfect Bride for Christmas called off the wedding. I took her at her word.”

  “What?” Lyle sat on the edge of the table, picked up a lone pen and slapped it against his palm.

  “She didn’t tell you?” Alex let out a snort of exasperation. “She told Paula.”

  Lyle hit his palm with the pen again, and again.

  “Her mother knew about this and didn’t tell me?”

  “Seems you’re in the dark, the same as me.”

  Alex crossed his arms over his chest. “Paula convinced her to give me another try. To tell you the truth—I’m not sure I want another shot at marriage with Sydney.”

  “You don’t mean that.”

  “Oh, yes. The last time I tried walking down the aisle ended up badly. I want to be sure I’m doing the right thing this time.”

  “Sydney said you found out you’re a father.” Lyle frowned. “How does that happen?”

  “The usual way. Look, I’m not going into details of my sex life but yes, I have triplets with Zoe Hillman, I mean Zoe Bennett. Do you remember her?”

  “The fat girl?” Lyle stopped banging the pen against his hand. His eyes widened in surprise, his voice held a hint of laughter. “I knew she had the hots for you but, Zoe?”

  Alex wanted to punch his boss and future father-in-law in the nose. “Don’t even go there, Lyle.”

  He wouldn’t be in this situation if he’d been as quick to defend Zoe years ago.

/>   “No wonder Sydney went off the deep end.” This time Lyle slid his fingers along the length of the pen, flipped it over, then repeated the action. Alex wanted to grab it out of his hand and throw it across the room. “Can you imagine how that made her feel?

  You’ve thrown a huge monkey wrench into the works, son.”

  “This changes everything. I tried to get Sydney 149

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  to postpone the wedding until we get all of this sorted out but she refuses. I may have to take the decision out of her hands.”

  “I wouldn’t do that.” Lyle’s words came out slow and menacing.

  “Why not?” Alex bristled at the implied threat.

  “Purely selfish reasons.” Lyle shrugged. “Paula and I have tickets to Tahiti immediately following the wedding. We’ll finally be able to relax once Sydney is in your capable hands.”

  “Didn’t you hear me? I’ve got to think things out.” “You can think after you’re married.”

  “No.”

  Lyle’s face grew hard, the knuckles on his hand turned white as they gripped the pen in his hand.

  “Let’s be blunt. I’ve waited a long time for someone to catch Sydney’s eye, someone to take her off my hands. That’s you. So here it is—you either marry Sydney on Christmas Eve or you no longer have a place in this firm.”

  “That’s blackmail.”

  Lyle shook his head. “No, I consider it an act of fatherly love.”

  “I can always work somewhere else. I’ve had offers from several firms asking me to come in with them.”

  “I don’t think so.” Lyle’s plastic smile reminded him of Sydney’s. “I can make it very hard for you to find a position anywhere in the city, or the state.”

  “I don’t like threats.”

  “No, it’s reality.” Lyle placed the pen back on the desk with slow careful motions. “You’ve worked too hard, your family sacrificed to give you a top notch education at Harvard. I remember your father telling me how proud he was of you. It would be a shame if your threw that all away.”