Perfect Bride for Christmas, A

by Dyann Love Barr

  Sydney decided to eat her breakfast and picked up a piece of toast. Good thing, because Alex felt sorely tempted to shove every one of the pancakes down her throat.

  His mother’s words finally sunk in. “Zoe’s coming by?” he asked.

  Mom nodded. “She’s bringing samples of the dishes she’s planned for the reception. You two should be present.”

  “I need Alex to run me into town today,” Sydney interjected.

  Mom shook her head, her blue eyes taking on the look that her boys knew meant an ass whipping.

  “You’ll have to go on your own, Sydney. This is your wedding. One of you needs to be present. Alex, it’s in your hands.”

  He didn’t know if Mom meant handling Sydney or picking out the food.

  Luckily, for everyone’s digestion, Sydney kept her mouth shut.

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  A Perfect Bride for Christmas Alex took a bite of the pancake. The sweet syrup and butter exploded on his tongue and reminded him of Zoe.

  Clint filled his plate and sat down next to Heath. “Mom said you went with Nicolette to a ceremony for Rudy last night? How was it?”

  Heath blinked as if Clint had interrupted some deep thought. He frowned, his fork poised over a piece of egg white. “I didn’t go with Nicolette. I saw her there. It was a nice ceremony. Rudy would have been proud.”

  Alex couldn’t take anymore. He was tired of the Sydney Show and Heath’s pain left a lump in his throat. He stood up—he had to get out of here.

  “Excuse me, Mom. Breakfast was wonderful.” He looked down at his gray tee-shirt and red and orange flannel Chief’s lounge pants. “And put some clothes on.” “Okay, honey.” Mom continued cooking as if nothing had happened, but she gave him a soft smile that took off the edge. “I’ve got breakfast for the girls. You can spend time with them while Zoe’s setting up.”

  With a nod, Alex left the room. Sydney, damn it, he almost forgot. He went back to the kitchen. “The keys are on the table in the front room, Sydney.”

  “All right.”

  She waited, but he’d be damned before he gave her a kiss. Not after her bad behavior.

  ****

  Zoe tried to quiet her rambunctious children. They were excited about seeing their Uncle Clint again. They’d met briefly yesterday while she was busy cooking. Amelia had asked him to drop off the list of items she wanted for the reception on his way to his tux fitting, and Cherri and the girls met him at the door. The instant the girls laid eyes on him, it was love at first sight.

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  “Settle down, girls. We’ll be there in a few minutes.” She turned down the now familiar road to Hollyfield.

  Zoe could understand. The few times she’d met Clint when she worked for Alex, he’d been nothing but kind and never acted like she was a freak because of her weight. And gorgeous. An aura surrounded him that demanded a woman take second look—like the rest of the King brothers.

  The girls bounced up and down with impatience while Mia hit the doorbell until the chimes came out, Somewhere, Somewhere, Somewhere Over.

  “Stop, Mia. Someone will answer the door”

  “But we want to see Daddy and Uncle Clint. He promised to play games with us, and Gramma said we could do crafts.”

  “I love crafts,” Macy shouted with glee.

  “I want to see Walter. Can we see the kitties—

  please?”

  “I don’t know, sweetie.” Zoe ruffled the hood of Mia’s jacket. “Daddy and Mommy are going to be busy, and I don’t know how long Uncle Clint can play.”

  The door opened. Heath stood there with a surprised look on his face. He bit back a curse as the girls rushed through, Macy’s shoulder barely missing his family jewels.

  Zoe smiled at his dumbstruck look. “Heath?”

  “Yes. Sorry, Zoe. Come in.” He gave her a little peck on the cheek as she walked into the room.

  The girls would’ve charged their grandmother if Zoe hadn’t stood between them and Amelia. “Girls, come meet your Uncle Heath.”

  They came to a standstill and turned wide, questioning eyes up at him.

  “Hello.” The look on his face said it was clear he didn’t know what to do with the three little girls.

  “This is Macy, this is Michaela, and this is Mia.”

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  A Perfect Bride for Christmas Zoe touched each of her daughters’ dark heads as she introduced them.

  “Well, they’re Kings all right,” he said with a smile. Then his face looked stricken. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean that like it came out.”

  She grinned back at him. “Not a problem. I know what you meant.”

  “They’re beautiful.”

  “Thank you. They’re a handful.”

  Heath’s hair whispered at his shoulders as he shook his head. “I can’t even imagine taking care of one, let alone three. You deserve some kind of medal.”

  She let out a light laugh. “I’m sure just being their mother is reward enough, although I’ll admit there are times I question that theory.”

  Michaela piped up, “You’re our uncle?”

  “I am.” Heath dropped to a squat in front of them.

  “He’s my little boy,” Amelia explained.

  Macy’s face twisted with a scowl. “He’s not even little.”

  “Not anymore,” Amelia said with a wistful tone.

  “But he used to be as little as you. Even littler.”

  “Was he in your stomach like we was in our mom’s?” Macy asked.

  Amelia laughed heartily. “Yes. I suppose he was.”

  Zoe’s face heated with a blush. “Come on, girls, let’s go into the kitchen.”

  “Yes, lets.” Amelia said. “Gramma made breakfast. You like pancakes?”

  “Yes,” they yelled in unison.

  “Your Uncle Clint is in the kitchen waiting for you.” Amelia got to her feet. “I need to get some stuff set up, so go on and get some breakfast.”

  A perfect storm of giggling erupted the moment the triplets saw Clint in the kitchen. “Uncle Clint,”

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  the girls squealed. They threw themselves at him, nearly toppling him over in their enthusiasm.

  “Whoa. Easy there. You three want some pancakes?” he chuckled.

  “Yes!” The three moved with the precision of a little school of fish, and scrambled up into the chairs at the red and chrome table.

  “Morning, Clint.” Zoe wondered if his reaction would match Heath’s. “It’s good to see you.”

  He turned to look at her, his eyes widened with recognition. A smile tugged the corner of her mouth.

  Clint tried so hard not to stare while he helped her with the bags of food, but she couldn’t stop blushing at his appreciative look.

  “You look good, Zoe.” He gave her a genuine smile.

  She let out a light laugh as she unpacked her bags. “Thanks. Running after these three has its benefits.”

  Clint chuckled as he watched the girls whispering in a huddle. “How have you been?”

  “Good.” She nodded and helped her daughters off with their coats. She laid them on the back of an empty kitchen chair. “The catering business keeps me busy. How have you been? I hear you’re raising Thoroughbreds?”

  “Yeah. Trying to, at least.”

  Her dishes neatly aligned on the countertop, she dusted her hands off and smiled. “Let me introduce you to your nieces.”

  “Please.”

  Zoe moved behind her eldest and snatched a cup of milk from the edge of the table. She handed Macy the milk. “This is Macy. She’s my klutz. If you have something breakable around, don’t leave it where she can reach it.”

  Clint grinned. “All right. Noted.”

  Moving down the line, she set her hands on 218

  A Perfect Bride for Christmas Michaela’s shoulders. “This is Michaela. She’s a bit like Jesse, I can’t get her in a dress to save my life.”

 
Zoe stepped behind her third daughter and smoothed the girl’s long hair. “This is Mia. She’s my little princess.”

  Clint dipped his chin, acknowledging all three at the same time. “Do you like horses?”

  “Yes,” they cried in unison.

  “Maybe your mom will let me take you over to the barn to see mine before I go back to Kentucky.”

  He looked to Zoe for approval.

  The girls squealed in delight, their blue eyes hopeful.

  Zoe decided to choose her battles, and knew she couldn’t win this one. “Of course. But not today.”

  Three little faces puckered up, protest impending.

  Cutting it off at the pass, she added, “You’re not dressed for it.”

  “I have to run over and check on her real quick.

  But when I get back, ladies, we’ll go into the front room and play a game so your mom can work.”

  “Checkers! I wanna play checkers!” Macy cried.

  “We always play checkers,” Michaela protested.

  “I want to play Go Fish.”

  “How about Chutes and Ladders, Uncle Clint?

  Gramma said she bought it for us,” Mia asked.

  Clint chuckled. “If you eat a good breakfast, maybe we can do all three.”

  He’d said the magic words. The girls settled down and tucked their food without argument.

  Clint shook his head amusement. “Adorable. My brother produced that?”

  Heat spread up Zoe’s neck and cheeks. She couldn’t figure out what to say that didn’t sound weird, so she went to work organizing the dishes she’d prepared.

  “I heard that.” Alex stood in the doorway. She wanted to rush over and kiss him silly. Instead, she 219

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  kept her focus on the food.

  “Daddy!” The girls didn’t hesitate to do what she longed to. They bounded over to him and threw themselves at his legs. Alex laughed and squatted down, his arms held out wide. They jumped at him with the enthusiasm of a box of puppies.

  Zoe would cherish this moment forever. Tears of joy, of the rightness of the scene before her, welled in her eyes. She smiled and placed her hand over her heart, feeling a little ache at losing a part of her girls to Alex.

  Alex’s blue gaze locked on hers with so much heat she was sure Clint’s sharp eyes would see it as well. Maybe he had. Clint gave Alex a quizzical look.

  He finished his coffee in one scalding gulp and sat it on the counter. “Gotta go check on my mare. Be back in a little bit.” He hotfooted it out of kitchen.

  Alex stood, with Macy in his arms, and peered down at the other two. “Looks like you still have a bit of breakfast to finish.” Mia and Michaela climbed into their chairs without any fuss. Macy hung onto Alex like a monkey.

  “What is it, Mac?” Alex asked with concern.

  “Will you take us to see Santa?”

  Alex questioned Zoe with his eyes. “I can’t, baby.

  I’ll be busy with the wedding.” His jaw tensed.

  Macy pulled back in his arms until she looked him in the eye. “That’s what Mommy said. She said we’d try to see Santa. That means no.”

  “Maybe you can write Santa a letter.”

  Michaela rolled her eyes. Usually Zoe would’ve scolded her, but she’d let Alex handle this one.

  “We’re just learning to write, Daddy. It’s a big letter.

  We don’t know all the words.”

  “I’ll write it for you.” He smiled, pleased with himself at his obvious solution.

  “No,” the girls yelled in one voice.

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  A Perfect Bride for Christmas Alex blinked at their vehemence.

  “Only Baby Jesus and Santa can know what we want, or it won’t come true. If you help, you’ll know,”

  Mia explained to him in a gentle voice that held a bit of censure. She daintily dabbed one of the tiny pancakes into syrup. “We gotta talk to Santa.”

  “By ourselves,” Macy added and gave Alex a pat on the cheek.

  “O-k-ay.” He looked over at Zoe and put Macy in her chair. “We’ll figure out something before Christmas Eve.”

  “That’s what I told them, but it’s become an obsession.” Zoe tapped one of the dishes. “We need to get started on this before too long. I don’t want the food to be less than perfect when Sydney and Amelia taste it.”

  “Ah, that’s a bit of a problem.”

  Zoe didn’t like the sound of that. “Why?”

  “Well, Mom put her foot down, told Sydney and me that we need to figure out the menu on our own.

  She’s going to be busy with the kids.” Alex rubbed the bump on his nose. “She covered the dining room table with a drop cloth and put out enough paint and glitter to decorate half of Kansas City.”

  “So, where’s Sydney?” Zoe tied her chef’s apron over her jeans and bright cherry red sweater.

  “Left me high and dry.” He shrugged, his smile strained. “It’s just you and me. Maybe I’ll order burger and fries. That’ll teach her to bail on me.”

  Amelia hobbled through the door without her crutches.

  “M-o-m—”

  “Don’t start on me, Alexander.” Amelia waved a finger at him. “The dining room is only a few steps away.”

  The girls’ eyes went wide at the sight of their grandmother scolding their father.

  “Children.” Amelia turned a loving gaze on the 221

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  triplets. “Uncle Clint helped me carry in a box of family ornaments that need a bit of ‘spiffing up’. I thought you might like to help.” She turned back to Alex and Zoe with an odd look. “You two have some things to decide about this wedding day of yours, Alex.”

  The girls hopped down from their chairs to race after their grandmother.

  Zoe’s blood pulsed at the nearness of Alex.

  Forbidden. Her skin tingled, waiting for his touch, begging for his hand to reach out to her. A deep ache filled her chest, cascaded downward until she felt empty and wanting.

  It would be so easy to go to him, wrap her arms around his waist, to lay her head on his chest. Never again. She couldn’t let it happen, no matter how much she needed him. It wasn’t right, and bone deep, she hurt.

  Alex’s eyes smoldered as his gaze raked over her. “Zoe.” He stepped closer. His hand stroked her hair with the lightest of touches, traced the lines of her cheek until his thumb came to rest on her lips. A slow, lazy caress set her nerve endings ablaze. She squeezed her thighs together to tame the stampeding sensations.

  “I can’t do this, Alex.” She dropped her lashes over her eyes to blind herself to the perfect shape of his mouth. All it would take was one step closer to taste him, to feed on heaven.

  His finger tipped her chin up. “Look at me. Did you mean what you said yesterday?”

  She couldn’t lie to him. “Yes.”

  The blue eyes searched hers with an intensity that left her breathless. “How the hell did we end up like this?” his words came out in a harsh whisper.

  Zoe turned away, unable to bear his scrutiny. “I said it before. Wrong time, wrong place, wrong woman.”

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  “Someday, I’ll make this up to you. I don’t know how, but I promise I will.” He came up behind her, hands on her shoulders, his chin resting on her head. “I don’t deserve your love.” She could feel his throat work. “Five years ago, I was a different man. I took everything you had to give and give you nothing but heartache. You were the only person I could turn to when my relationships went south. I unloaded all my garbage on you. I never had to worry about someone taking you away from me because of your weight.”

  His words cut deep. Zoe tried to struggle out of his hold.

  “Shhh. I’m a selfish bastard. I was so angry that day in Vegas because my best friend, not Tommy, but you, had taken advantage of me. I felt betrayed.”

  “This is ancient history.”

  “I�
��m screwing this up.” Alex let out a sigh and moved away to lean against the counter. He jammed his hands into his jeans pockets. “You know, when I watched the video of you and the kids, I really hated your husband.”

  “Why?”

  Alex paused for a few seconds, his gaze focused on his running shoes. “James got to love you. Really, deep down love you.” He shook his head. “I could see it from the way he looked at you, even with the extra weight, he loved you.”

  “Yes, he did.” Zoe nodded. “I count myself fortunate to have known him.”

  “He never would’ve let you go like I did.” Alex voice became gravelly. “I don’t think he would’ve abandoned you just because someone else thought you didn’t stack up to the other corporate wives.”

  Alex rubbed his nose and glanced up with a ghost of a smile. “Frankly, I think you would’ve smoked them—left them in your dust.”

  Zoe smiled back but didn’t know what to say.

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  “James Bennett was the man I should’ve been, more of a man than I’ll ever be.” The muscles in his jaw bunched. “He raised a pretty high bar for me. I don’t think I’ll be able to be anything like him.”

  “All you have to do is to be a father to the girls.”

  “That’s not what I mean.”

  Zoe’s fingers fumbled on the lid one of the sample boxes. The conversation hit too close to the heart. A stab of guilt sliced through her chest. She’d loved James but not in the way she loved Alex.

  “What has this got to do with us?” Zoe opened a couple more containers, slipped them into the oven and set it to warm. “We’re parents together, nothing more. You don’t have to live up to James. I’m not asking you to.”

  “I don’t know why I’m going through this charade. This whole wedding is a waste of time.”

  Alex swiped his hand over his face. “I’m going to call it off with Sydney.”

  Zoe didn’t say anything, couldn’t. A fist of emotion strangled the words.

  “Did you hear me?”

  She nodded. Her emotions tumbled in freefall.