Olivia knew her sisters meant well. This was simply their sister dynamics in play: Zoe was the hopeful one; Rachel was the strong one; Sophie was the baby; Olivia was the one who fixed problems and rallied everyone to take action.
Often, Rachel and Zoe formulated a plan and Olivia made sure it got done.
Olivia cleared her throat and shook off the cobwebs from last night the best she could. It gave her a little more clarity. She made a mental note to have someone kick her if she ever felt compelled to finish off a tray of drinks. Though it would surely be a while before she imbibed again.
Her sisters were chattering at her. As their words bounced off her ears, she pulled jeans, a black blouse and fresh undergarments out of her suitcase and disappeared into the bathroom.
“I have to take a shower before I do anything,” she said.
“We can go down to the lobby together,” Rachel said. “I’ll talk to the bellhops and ask if she called for a cab or if they remember her taking an Uber. Since we all rode here together, we know she didn’t drive away and I doubt she walked. We can split up and have a look around the hotel.”
Minutes later, after they’d dressed, Olivia grabbed her cell phone and room key and said to Zoe, “Let us know if you hear from her and we’ll do the same.”
When they got down to the lobby, Olivia looked around as if she might see Sophie standing there waiting for her. She wasn’t there, of course. Next, they pulled up a picture of Sophie that Olivia had taken last night with her cell phone and asked the attendants at the porte cochere if they’d called a cab for her or seen her this morning. They hadn’t. Next they decided to split up and each search a different half of the hotel.
Had Sophie really taken her words to heart? Regret churned in Olivia’s stomach, adding to last night’s bile, making her feel sick again. Only this time it had less to do with the Fuzzy Handcuffs and more to do with her big unfiltered mouth and how it had shoved her sister down this spiral of doubt on the eve of wedding-week festivities.
She had to fix this. She would fix this.
She decided to check the café first since it seemed a likely place to find Sophie.
Olivia pulled open the beveled glass doors of the 1886 Café & Bakery and stepped inside. The place was buzzing with families and couples and individuals sitting at the dark wooden tables and booths enjoying Sunday breakfast. She scanned the room with its white honeycomb tile floor and kelly green accent wall that separated the open kitchen from the dining room, and the flagstone archways that partitioned the dining room into smaller, more intimate sections. She fully expected to see Sophie sitting at one of the tables, noshing on a warm chocolate croissant and a café latte.
The place was crowded so Olivia had to walk around. As she did, she breathed in delicious breakfast aromas. Maybe, she thought, a good breakfast would be the cure for her hangover. Or at least the start. But first—Sophie. She would locate her sister—it couldn’t be that difficult, even though she clearly wasn’t in the café—and then she would treat herself to something delicious. In fact, it would be a good idea to treat Sophie to breakfast too, so they could talk things out and settle this once and for all.
Speaking of delicious...
As if she’d conjured him, there sat Alejandro Mendoza, at a small table tucked into a corner of the restaurant. He was enjoying a hearty omelet that looked like it could feed three people. As if he sensed her watching him, he looked up from the piece of the Sunday New York Times that he had folded neatly into quarters, allowing him to read while he dined. He snared her with his gaze before she could turn away and pretend she hadn’t seen him.
That sexy, lopsided smile of his that crinkled his coffee-colored eyes at the corners made her breath catch. Visions of kissing him last night—of how perfectly their mouths and bodies had fit together—flooded back, swamping her senses and throwing off her equilibrium.
Get it together, girl.
“Good morning,” she said, trying her best to appear nonchalant, to act as if it hadn’t taken every fiber of her willpower to go to bed alone last night rather than give in to the chemistry that pulsed between them. She could still feel his kisses on her lips. Her mouth went dry at the thought and she bit her bottom lip to make the memory go away. As if.
He looked her up and down and smiled as if he approved of what he saw. She was acutely aware of the fact that her face was scrubbed fresh and makeup free. She’d pulled her long dark wet hair into a simple ponytail. She felt exposed and vulnerable, but he didn’t seem to be turned off by her appearance. Not that it mattered. In fact, maybe it would be better if he was turned off because she would want nothing to do with someone that shallow. Still, she sensed that Alejandro Mendoza might be something of a player.
Maybe he was playing her right now.
“Good morning,” he said as he stood. “You’re up early.”
“So are you,” she returned.
He laughed, a deep sound that resonated in her soul and wove its way through her insides.
“Please sit down and enjoy your breakfast,” Olivia said. “I don’t want it to get cold.”
He waved her off and remained standing.
“I have to drive over to Hummingbird Ridge for a business meeting later this morning,” he said. “I wanted to grab a bite before I go. Join me. You know what they say about breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day.”
The thought of having breakfast with Alejandro conjured all kinds of other possibilities—of what might have happened after the kiss and before the eggs and bacon if she hadn’t said good-night—but Olivia blinked away the naughty thoughts.
“Thanks, but I’m looking for Sophie. You haven’t seen her, have you?”
He looked confused. “Not since last night before she left the bar.”
“So she hasn’t been here this morning?”
“Nope. Please join me until she comes.” He pulled out the other chair at the table for two.
Needing an ear, she sat down and he helped her scoot in her seat, and he motioned for the server to bring another cup of coffee.
She appreciated his gentlemanly way. Of course, she was perfectly capable of scooting in her own chair, but she had to admit the gesture was nice. It said a lot about him. She thought that chivalry had become a dying art these days. It was nice to meet someone with such good manners.
She bit her bottom lip again as she weighed how much to tell him. He already knew that Sophie had left last night’s party upset and that Olivia’s blunt words about love had offended her. They’d kissed and shared that secret. She might as well share this, too.
“I can trust you, right?”
He leaned in and studied her, as if he was trying to figure out what she meant, but he nodded. “Of course.”
The server delivered a cup of coffee. After adding cream, she took a sip and felt some of the fog lift from her brain. She leaned in and rested her chin on her left hand, toying with the handle of the mug with her right.
“When my sisters and I woke up this morning, Sophie was gone.”
“Gone? As in...?”
“Gone. As in packed up her things and left.”
“She’s not in any danger, is she?”
“We don’t think so. Well, not physical danger, anyway. Maybe in danger of calling off the wedding because of my unfiltered tirade on love. I need to find her and fix this.”
Alejandro looked concerned. “Have you called her fiancé?”
“He called us, saying he couldn’t get in touch with her. That she’d called him last night while he was sleeping and left a couple of messages, and when he tried to call her this morning he couldn’t reach her. She wasn’t picking up. I’ve looked all over the hotel and she’s not here. The best I can figure is that she called an Uber and left.”
“Where would she go?”
Olivia thought for a moment, changing gears from likely hiding places in the hotel to where Sophie might go outside of the place. She had an idea.
“We know she’s not at Mason’s. He said he’d call if he heard from her. I can think of a couple of places I’d look to start. She probably went home to her condo.”
She shook her head. “I’m going to have a lot of explaining to do when I find her.”
“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Alejandro said. “Maybe it’s not as bad as you think.”
Olivia shrugged. “My sisters and I think that last night sent her spiraling into a case of prewedding jitters. You know, cold feet.”
Alejandro opened his mouth as if to say something, but sighed instead.
“What?” Olivia asked.
“Nothing.”
“No, it’s something. Tell me, please.”
“If she’s so easily spooked, maybe she knows something we don’t.”
“Such as?”
“Maybe she’s questioning whether she should get married or not. If so, that’s not your fault. In fact, maybe you did her a favor. Maybe what you said made her think. If she’s having second thoughts, isn’t it better to call off the wedding than to get a divorce?”
“We can’t call off the wedding, because it’s Dana and Kieran’s wedding, too. And if Sophie opts out, it will certainly put a damper on their day.”
“So you’re saying truth be damned? She should just suck it up for propriety’s sake? Because if so, maybe you’re not as antiestablishment as you think you are.”
She squinted at him. “That is not what I’m saying. This has nothing to do with me and everything to do with my sister’s happiness.”
“But you’re making it sound like this is all about you. You must think you have some kind of power over her if you think your feelings about love and marriage can change her mind.”
“I’m not saying I changed her mind. I’m saying I’ve spoiled the mood, cast a black cloud and now she’s got cold feet.”
Cocking a brow that seemed to say he wasn’t convinced, Alejandro sat back and crossed his arms. He looked at her as if the judge and jury resided inside his head and they’d already come to a verdict on the matter. “You’re saying all you have to do is talk to her and you can change her mind.”
It wasn’t a question. It was a statement, and Olivia didn’t like the implications. She stood.
“Look, you don’t know me or my sister. I don’t know why it seemed like a good idea to burden you with the details. So please forget everything I told you. Sophie will be fine. The wedding will be fine. Good luck with your meeting.”
As she turned to walk away, something made her turn back. He watched her as she returned to the table. “I hope it goes without saying, but please don’t mention this to anyone. Okay?”
“Of course. And I won’t mention the kiss, either.”
He had the audacity to wink at her. All cheeky and smug-like. That’s what he was—cheeky and smug. And a player who took advantage of drunk women.
Okay, so maybe the kiss wasn’t so bad.
Olivia flinched and waved him off. Her stomach remained in knots even as she made her way into the majestic Driskill’s lobby, away from Alejandro Mendoza. The guy was a piece of work. A smug, cheeky piece of work who called it as he saw it no matter how awkward it rendered the situation. In fact, he seemed to get some kind of pleasure out of making her uncomfortable.
She’d do her best to steer clear of him for the duration of the wedding.
She hated the disappointment that swirled inside her. Because she wanted another taste of Alejandro’s lips—she wanted more than just another taste of his lips, if she was honest. But she also knew that the only thing she should be focusing on this week was making sure she got Sophie to the wedding and down the aisle. The conflict tugged at the outer reaches of her subconscious, and she shoved it out of her mind.
She stared up at the gorgeous stained-glass ceiling, taking a deep breath and trying to ground herself. She took her cell phone out of her pocket and checked the time. It was almost eight thirty. There were no calls from her sisters. Dana and Monica were supposed to join them for brunch at eleven, which gave Olivia two and a half hours to find Sophie and make amends.
She called Sophie’s cell again. After one ring, the call went directly to voice mail.
She did not leave a message. Instead, she texted her.
Where are you, Sophie? We’re worried about you. I understand why you’re upset and I’m sorry. I really am, but please let us know where you are...that you’re safe.
Fully expecting the message to sit unanswered, Olivia shoved her phone into the back pocket of her jeans and made her way toward the elevators. As she waited for the doors to open in the lobby, her cell phone dinged.
Olivia’s heart leaped when she saw that Sophie had replied.
I’m safe.
With shaking hands, Olivia typed:
Where are you?
She stared at her phone as if she could will her sister to answer. But by the time the elevator arrived, Sophie still hadn’t replied.
Olivia tried to pacify herself with the thought that maybe there was no cell service in the elevator hallway. She walked back into the lobby and typed another message.
Thank you for letting us know you’re okay. Will you please meet me for a cup of coffee before the brunch so we can talk about this?
There’s no need. I’m going to pass on brunch. Please give my regrets to Dana.
She was going to pass on brunch?
What am I supposed to say to Dana?
Tell the truth. Tell her I’m not getting married.
I’m going to call you. Please pick up.
There’s nothing to talk about.
Are you kidding me? I worked my butt off to give you and Dana a nice weekend. You can’t just opt out without so much as a phone conversation. I don’t care if you thought I was a little harsh last night. Sophie, you need to grow up. Your deciding not to get married affects others besides yourself.
Seconds after she sent the message her phone rang. It was Sophie.
“Hi,” Olivia said. “Thank you for calling me.”
“Say what you need to say.” Sophie sounded like she was crying and Olivia’s heart broke a little more.
“Sophie, please, you can’t take to heart what I said last night.” She moved out of the lobby and into the bar area where they were last night, looking for a quiet corner where she could talk to her sister privately. “Please don’t let my cynical drunken words cause you to make the worst mistake of your life.”
“Those weren’t just liquor-inspired words, Liv. It’s the truth. Every single word of what you said is true. Are you trying to tell me it’s not?”
It was true. Her parents had a terrible marriage. If you could even call it a marriage. They led separate lives because they couldn’t stand each other.
“I thought so,” Sophie said on a sob when Olivia didn’t reply. “Look, I need some time to figure out what I’m going to do. I appreciate all the time and hard work you put into the bachelorette party, but I need some space right now. I hope you understand.”
“What do you want me to tell Dana?”
Sophie was inconsolable. It killed Olivia to hear her sister in so much pain. Especially since she was the one who’d caused it.
“Tell her whatever you want, Liv. I have to go.”
“No, Sophie. Please tell me where you are—”
But it was too late. Her sister had already disconnected the call.
Olivia stood there trying to get her bearings, trying to figure out how to fix this mess—and quickly. It was best not to push Sophie about the brunch. Olivia kicked herself for scheduling the bachelorette party the weekend before the wedding. She shou
ld’ve done this last month. Sophie wasn’t a partier and she was probably exhausted and overwhelmed by all the hoopla leading up to her wedding day. The best thing Olivia could do right now was to show her sister some compassion, give her the space she so clearly needed.
They’d simply tell Dana and Monica that Sophie was under the weather. Given the Fuzzy Handcuffs, that wouldn’t be such a stretch.
As Olivia made her way upstairs to tell Zoe and Rachel that she’d talked to Sophie, she saw Mason at the front desk.
She called out to him and steeled herself for a frantic response from the bridegroom, but Mason smiled at her, appearing remarkably calm.
“Hey, Liv. What’s the latest?”
Good old Mason, the calm to Sophie’s occasional dramatic storm. She said a silent prayer that they would be able to weather this Category Five. How, exactly, did one explain that his fiancée was possibly backing out of the wedding? Then, in a moment of clarity, Olivia realized that even if her careless words had set off Sophie, it was Sophie’s responsibility to tell Mason she wanted to call things off, not hers.
Olivia put on her bravest face. “I just got off the phone with Sophie. Have you spoken to her?”
“Not yet.” Mason pulled out his cell phone. “I’ll text her and tell her I’m talking to you.”
Olivia waited and watched as Mason sent a message. Sophie responded immediately but it was a good two minutes before Mason finally looked up and said, “What we have here is a good old-fashioned case of cold feet. She’ll be fine. Just give her a little bit of time.”
Mason’s calm was rubbing off on Olivia. Still, she made sure she had her filter firmly in place before she spoke. She had learned her lesson after last night. The less said the better.
“I figure until she feels better, we can simply tell people she’s got a bug,” Mason said, looking so confident. “That’s all they need to know.”
“Sure,” Olivia echoed. “That’s all they need to know.”
In the meantime, Olivia silently vowed, she would fix this mess.
She uttered a silent prayer that she could pull it off.
Fortune's Surprise Engagement Page 4