“You fight dirty.”
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“How do you think I’m where I am today?
There’ll come a time when you’re in my position and will do anything for your child.”
“Sydney wouldn’t be so clingy, so needy if you’d paid attention to her when she was little. How does that fit into your picture of fatherly love?”
“One of my many regrets.” Lyle stood. “Don’t make me sorry I brought you into this firm and her life.” “Like I said, I have a lot to think about.” Alex jerked his briefcase off the conference table and marched out the door without looking back.
Anger fueled his steps. How dare Lyle treat him like some flunky? Alex had proved his worth to the firm, repeatedly. He hated feeling like a trapped animal.
Thoughts slammed into him from all sides.
What about Sydney?
Where was the joy he felt when he first asked her to marry him? Alex got into the elevator and punched the button to take him to the parking garage. Had she always been so selfish and needy?
Why hadn’t he seen it before? When had the fun loving woman he knew several months ago turn into this paranoid bitch? And when had he found such shallowness attractive? Still, he had to consider the partnership. Or did he? Would his father have told Lyle to go to hell?
Alex unlocked the Hummer and tossed his briefcase onto the passenger seat before he slid behind the wheel. He breathed in the sharp smells of oil and exhaust fumes. The odors in the garage might not be the most pleasant but they were familiar and unchanging—unlike his life.
He pulled his door shut, put the key in the ignition, and started the engine. It’s deep rumble echoes through the concrete canyon of the garage.
Alex drove out of the parking spot and headed 151
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towards the exit. There would be one bright spot to his day. Zoe planned to bring the girls by to meet his mother—and Sydney.
He hoped everyone was on their best behavior.
****
Zoe steered her white mini-van into the long, frozen, gravel drive leading up to Hollyfield. The big pine trees lining the sides of the drive still wore a mantle of snow on their boughs. Random flakes, loosed by the gentle breeze, glittered in the late afternoon sun. Again, she marveled on how perfect it looked. Amelia wanted to see the girls, and Zoe felt happy to oblige. It also meant she’d be near Alex.
She pulled in a quick breath of anticipation and squeezed her thighs tight to tame the growing ache between her legs. How could she be near him and not betray her feelings.
“Is this our gramma’s house?” Mia asked from the backseat.
“Yes it is.” She tried to focus her mind on her driving rather than her libido.
“You said she gots kittens?”
“She has kittens,” Zoe corrected Macy.
“I love kittens.” That was Michaela’s single contribution to the conversation. She’d been quiet most of the trip from town. The girls had to deal with a lot during the last couple of days—first a father, and now a grandmother.
Their Aunt Brenda’s idea of a relationship went as deep as a shot glass. Brenda was still pissed James had left her only fifty thousand dollars.
Before the arrival of Zoe and the girls, she’d been his only heir. No wonder she said such nasty things to the girls about their parentage.
“I don’t want you three to hound Gramma Amelia about the kittens as soon as you go through the door. Is that understood?”
152
A Perfect Bride for Christmas She glanced in the rear view mirror to see three dark head bobbing up and down in agreement.
Hopefully, the rest of the day would go just as well.
“I got the paper flowers we made.” Michaela held up a bouquet of tissue paper flowers they’d constructed under Cherri’s guidance. They’d worked hard, were proud of the results.
Zoe brought the van to a halt and unbuckled her seat belt. She got out of the car to help the girls with their car seats. She heard the crunch of footsteps on the drive before the girls yelled into her ear,
“Daddy!”
She turned to see Alex come out of the house without a coat, smiling and looking so male. Her heart skittered in her chest like water on a hot griddle. Again, he dressed casually, in jeans and a red Harvard hoodie sweatshirt. Sydney stood on the porch in white designer jeans and a gorgeous, robin’s egg blue sweater designed more for visual appeal than warmth.
What was she doing here? A knot formed in her stomach. Alex said the wedding had been called off, that Sydney gave him his walking papers. Had he lied? “Do you need a hand with that?” Alex stood next her at the van’s door, close enough she got a good whiff of his aftershave. It mingled with the scent of his warm skin. She’d breathed in, tasted him enough to be imprinted for life.
“No.” Zoe shook her head, and then changed her mind. She didn’t want to lose whatever closeness they had, even if it lasted only a few minutes. “Sure, you might as well get used to this.” Their hands touched as they reached in at the same time for Michaela’s buckle. His fingers closed over hers, his eyes hot blue and full of desire. She went liquid inside.
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so long.” Sydney’s teeth chattered. “Hurry up, it’s cold out here.”
The girls jumped up and down, vying for their father’s attention, each one speaking over the other in an effort to be heard.
“Oh, look at them. Aren’t you girls pretty,”
Sydney gushed. She rushed down the steps with her arms out as if expecting the girls to jump right into them. “So cute, too. Aren’t they cute, Alex?”
She might as well be discussing the litter of kittens. Zoe decided if Sydney said something along the lines of ‘can we keep one’, she’d deck Sydney and damn the consequences.
“Mamma, I don’t like her,” Macy whispered behind her mitten. “I think she is me—”
Zoe clamped her hand over Macy’s mouth.
It seemed to Zoe as if Alex wanted to bolt back into the house, but he stood his ground. “Girls, this is Sydney Stanford. She’s my fiancée, the woman I’m going to marry.”
So, he had lied to her—used her to get to the girls. Zoe wanted to break into tears. No, she wouldn’t give either Sydney or him the chance to hurt her or her children.
Michaela planted her pink, boot-covered feet in the snow. She crossed her arms over her chest, very Alex-like, with the paper flowers still clutched in her fists. “I don’t want you to marry my daddy.”
Sydney’s smile faltered. Her words came out sugar coated and patronizing. “I don’t think you have much say in that now, do you?”
“Sydney.” Alex drew her name out in warning.
Sydney’s lips folded into a plastic smile. “I only meant they—”
“Stop while you’re ahead.” He shot Sydney a shut the hell up look. “Girls, why don’t we go see your grandmother?” Alex held open the screen door.
“She’s really anxious to see you again. I think there’s 154
A Perfect Bride for Christmas cookies and milk. Why don’t we all go into the house? Sydney’s right. It’s freezing out here.”
Macy raced up the stairs to the porch at the mention of cookies. Michaela followed, but shot Sydney a look that said the woman rated right up there with trips to the doctor’s office and lima beans.
Mia stood with her arms wrapped around Zoe’s leg. “What is it, Sweetie?” Zoe placed a hand on Mia’s tiny shoulder.
“I’m scared.”
Alex came back down the stairs and picked Mia up. She clung to his neck, her head resting on his shoulder. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“I’ve never had a gramma before.” Zoe heard her daughter whisper.
“I’ve never had little girls before, so we’ll weather this one together.” Alex gave Mia a reassuring squeeze. “Okay?”
Mia nodded and gripped tighter as Alex made his way across the frozen gravel and up the steps.
He turned around at the door. “Are you ladies coming?”
“I’ll be there in just a moment.” Sydney’s face looked placid but her pale blue eyes were as warm as chipped ice as she turned to Zoe. “Charming children.” A sneer lurked inside the compliment.
“They can be.” Zoe stuck her hands in her coat pocket. It would be so easy to give in to temptation and rake her nails across Sydney’s perfect face.
Sydney rubbed her arms to ward off the cold and stamped her furry boots against the hard frozen snow. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t come in. You can run errands or something for an hour or two.”
“No, I’m afraid not.”
“I think Alex needs time to get to know his children without your presence.” She flipped the silky blond hair away from her face and smiled. “By 155
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the way, that was very clever of you, even if it’s the oldest play in the book. Most men only have to deal with one bas—child, but you’ve managed three.”
“It wasn’t my choice.” Zoe hitched her purse on her shoulder and started for the porch. “If you have a problem, take it up with God.”
Sydney gave up all pretense of being civil. She stepped in front of Zoe, blocking her path. “Don’t think you can use them as a free pass to worm your way back into Alex’s life. I have plans, and they don’t include three kids or their mother.”
“Alex has three children. Get used to it.”
“He won’t have time to see them, if I have my way. We’re honeymooning in Europe. Daddy has convinced Mr. Zucker to clear Alex’s schedule for the next month.” She stood, one hip canted out, and gave Zoe a sly smile. “Oh, did I mention that Alan Zucker is my godfather? He’ll do anything I want, give me anything. After that, well, Daddy plans to make Alex a partner once we’re married.”
Zoe decided she’d had enough of Sydney’s snide comments. “Move out of my way.” She went around Sydney and felt herself jerked back.
“I’m not finished, you whore.”
A red mist of anger flared in front of Zoe’s eyes at the feel of Sydney’s grip on her arm. “Oh, yes, you are. No one stands between my children and me.
You have three seconds before I knock you flat on your ass.”
Sydney’s eyes grew round. “If you so much as touch me, I’ll sue.”
“That’s okay by me, sue. I’ll have the satisfaction of seeing you look like an idiot in court. One, two—”
“Fine,” Sydney snarled and moved aside.
Zoe marched into the house with Sydney fast on her heels.
Amelia sat as regal as a queen in the large floral chair. The girls crowded around the ottoman, 156
A Perfect Bride for Christmas munching on cookies and talking over each other as they tried to tell their grandmother about their plans for Christmas.
A tree, full of traditional red, green, and gold decorations graced the room. Strands of garland wound through the branches and many of the ornaments appeared to be old—very old. Zoe smiled at the hominess of everything. The girls ooohed and ahhhed over presents already under the tree.
“Did Santa already come?” Macy walked over to inspect a silver foil wrapped package with a large blue bow.
Amelia smiled. “No these are presents I bought for some friends, but I’ll make sure Santa gets them before Christmas.”
“Doesn’t he bring all the presents?” Macy asked like a dog with a bone.
“Most of them. Sometimes people buy gifts for other people they love.”
“But he brings them. If we want something really bad, he’ll bring it, right?”
One question followed another until Zoe thought she’d better intercede. “Girls, one at a time.” Zoe sat on the couch next to Mia and Macy, while Michaela stood next to Amelia’s chair. “Let’s not wear out your grandmother.”
“Don’t worry. I’m loving every minute of this.”
Amelia positively glowed with delight Alex sat in a rose-colored chair situated across from Amelia. He watched the girls’ every move as if he couldn’t get enough or take it all in fast enough.
Zoe watched the way his eyes grew large, the smile that turned into a laugh.
“We made these for you.” Michaela handed Amelia the tissue flowers of red, blue, green, and yellow. “They’re better than real ‘cause they won’t die. Our pet gerbil George died, my other daddy died too. These won’t.” She gave Amelia a skeptical look.
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“Are you going to die?”
Amelia startled for a moment. Understanding lit her eyes. She reached out and patted Michaela’s hand. “Oh no, I fell over one of the kittens and broke my ankle, that’s all.” She touched the bandage on her head. “I clobbered myself really good, but I’m okay. I’m so sorry about your other daddy and George.”
Michaela shrugged. “It’s okay. They’re in heaven.”
Macy jumped from the couch. “Can we see the kittens?”
“A little later,” Alex said.
“But we want to see the kitties.” Macy pouted as if she meant to object further. Alex raised one eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest. She sat back down on the couch without another peep.
Alex appeared stunned, as well as pleased at the same time.
He’d earned his first gold star in fatherhood. Zoe gave him thumbs up and a ‘way to go’ smile. She wouldn’t let him see how his lies hurt.
“We’ll look in on the kittens in a bit, but let’s eat these cookies first.” Alex grabbed up a big sugar cookie covered in pink frosting and sprinkles. “Our next door neighbor, Jesse Saurs, wields a mean cookie cutter.” He bit down and made silly yummy noises that had the girls in stitches.
“Oh, I love sprinkles.” Macy took the cookie with the most sprinkles. She handed each of her sisters one as well. “I like pink icing too.”
Mia and Michaela nodded, their answers mumbled because their mouths were full of their treat.
“Sydney, why don’t you be a dear and pass around the milk?” Amelia pointed to a pitcher of milk and glasses set on the coffee table next to the cookies.
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“But,” she objected until Alex gave her the same look as he’d given to Macy. “Oh, all right.”
She made a slap dash effort and thrust a glass into Macy’s hand. Macy reached out for the milk, but Sydney released it before Macy got a good hold of the glass. Milk splashed over the fur on Sydney’s boot, her jeans, and the hardwood floor.
“Why, you little snot.” Sydney grabbed up some napkins to blot at the white, goat hair, après ski boots. “These boots set me back almost four hundred dollars. I’m sure they’re ruined.” She shot Zoe a wild-eyed look. “You’re going to pay for these. Do you hear me?” Her voice grew shriller. “I’ll bet you did that on purpose.”
“It was an accident.” Michaela stood between Macy and Sydney. Mia got off the couch to join them.
“You don’t get mad ‘cause of an accident.”
“Yes, an accident.” Mia nodded. “You took your hand away ‘afore Macy could hold the glass. You didn’t mean it.” Mia reached for another napkin and handed it to Sydney.
“Me?” Sydney screeched. She snatched the napkin from Mia. “You and your sisters are nothing but—” She made a move to smack Mia’s hand.
Zoe jumped to her feet, followed by Alex. In two heartbeats, she’d haul Sydney outside for a little one-on-one butt kicking.
“That’s enough, Sydney.” Amelia thumped one of her crutches on the floor loud enough to make everyone jump.
Sydney whirled around, bright red dots of heat on her cheeks. “You’re right, I’ve had quite enough.”
Sydney’s hands shook as she tossed the damp napkins on top of the gaily-decorated cookies. The raw mood faded as Sydney ran up the stairs, but the emotional shrapnel littered the room.
Alex tried to hide his anger behind a smile.
“Well, I think it’s time to look at the kittens.”
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“I’ll stay here and clean up the mess.” Zoe reached down to take the plate of cookies from the coffee table. “Girls get into your coats and mind your father while you’re out there.” She collected the glasses and plates in a flurry of motion.
“Don’t you think you ought to come with us?”
Alex stood at the door with the triplets close to his knees.
Zoe shook her head. “You’re on your own.”
“Hey, I’m not going solo. I need you there with me. Come along, Zoe. I’ll probably lose one by accident.”
“Come on, Daddy.” Mia tugged at the leg of Alex’s jeans.
Amelia let out a chuckle. “I think you’ve received your marching orders, son.”
****
Elbows on his knees, hands clasped, Alex sat on one of the bales of hay his mother had brought in for the mamma cat. The crazy animal birthed her kittens way out of season, but he had to admit they were cute. He almost forgave them for causing his mother’s accident as he watched the girls and the kittens play together. All of them were young—so full of life.
Michaela teased a black and white spotted kitten with a piece of straw, while Macy lugged around two others, her arm firmly planted beneath their front legs.
“Be careful, kiddo.”
Alex held his breath as the kitten struggled for freedom. Tiny claws dug into the fabric of Macy’s coat. The kittens’ hind legs dangled as they tried to wriggle out of Macy’s hold.
“I am. The kitties love it when I carry them around.”
The kittens looked dubious.
Mia sat in the corner petting the white kitten.
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A Perfect Bride for Christmas This culprit caused his mother’s accident, the one he’d thought about dropkicking. Alex didn’t know what she whispered into its ear, but he could hear the purr from across the room. It was a love match.
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