His comment made her skin tingle. But she was already immersed in all kinds of heat.
Timothy glanced at her, too. Then back at Max. With a smile, he said, “Rubies are often associated with fire and passion. That particular stone is six carats and is a star ruby, a rare variety. See the starry points in the center? How they magically glide across the surface? It’s an optical phenomenon known as asterism.”
Lizzie finally spoke up. “It’s stunning,” she said about the ring. The ruby, the star, the diamonds, every glittering aspect of it.
“Try it on,” Max said.
She placed it on her left hand and held it up to view. It felt right. Too right. Too beautiful. Too perfect.
Both men watched her, silent in their observations. She glanced at the painting of Lady Ari. And for a jarring instant, it almost seemed as if the goddess was watching her, too.
“That’s the one, Lizzie.” Max spoke up, pulling her attention back to him.
She nodded. “It is, isn’t it?” She couldn’t refuse the ring, no matter how much she wanted to.
Timothy suggested a petite pavé diamond band to go with it, and her bridal set was complete. Pavé was a French word, and in this context it meant that the ring was paved with diamonds, creating an unbroken circle of sparkle and light.
When Timothy presented the men’s wedding bands, Max’s demeanor changed. He wasn’t as self-assured as when he’d been examining rings for her.
Lizzie took the liberty of choosing a design for him—a simply styled, highly masculine piece dotted with black diamonds. There was a ruby among the gems, too. Just one, she noticed, the same fiery color as hers.
When he put it on, he frowned.
“You don’t like it?” she asked.
“No, I do. Very much.”
Maybe too much? she wondered. Well, at least she wasn’t suffering alone. They were in this torturous situation together.
And now they would both have bloodred rubies to prove it.
Seven
Max took his brothers out for a steak dinner and ordered a fancy gold bottle of Cristal. He did everything he could to make it a celebratory occasion and tell them his news, repeating the same tale he’d told Losa. At this stage of the lie, he had it memorized.
Jake accepted it easily, lifting his glass in an immediate toast. But that was Jake for you, with his half-cocked smile, fashionable wardrobe and stylishly messy hair. He’d probably never given Max’s relationship with Lizzie more than a passing glance. Either that or he’d assumed the platonic part was bogus and they’d been sleeping together for years. Prior to settling down, Jake had been a playboy, dating actresses and models and whoever else caught his roving eye.
And then there was Garrett, with his protective personality and proper ways. He’d joined in on the toast, too, but now that it was over, he appeared to be analyzing Max. Was he questioning the validity of his story? Did he suspect the truth?
Max frowned. He didn’t like being judged and especially not by a man who’d helped him fight his childhood battles. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because I want you to say it one more time,” Garrett replied.
“Say what?”
“That you’re in love with Lizzie.”
Shit, Max thought. Shit. He grabbed his champagne and took a swig, needing the buzz. “Why are you goading me to repeat myself?”
“I’m not goading you, little brother. I just want to hear you say it.”
“I already did.” And it had taken every ounce of strength inside him to rattle off those phony feelings. Topping it off, he was immersed in images of how Lizzie had looked when they talked about kissing at the wedding. Rubies and diamonds and dreamy musings. How was he supposed to deal with all that?
Jake put down his fork. He’d been enjoying his big old rib-eye steak, but now he watched Max and Garrett like a tennis match.
Garrett turned to Jake. “Does Max look like he’s about ready to jump out that window to you?” He gestured to the view. The restaurant was on the tenth floor, overlooking the city.
“Actually, he does.” A slow grin spread across Jake’s face. “But I was like that, too, when I first realized how I felt about Carol.”
“Ditto,” Garrett said. “About Meagan.”
Now Max wanted to wring both of their necks. Apparently, Garrett had only been kidding around, setting Max up and pulling Jake into it, too.
Max shook his head. Typically, Garrett wasn’t a jokester. “When did you get to be such a wise guy?”
“Since you brought us here and told us you were getting married. But in all seriousness, I was surprised to hear it. I never thought you and Lizzie were anything more than friends.” Garrett sat straight and tall in his chair, impeccable, as always. “But you already explained that the adoption brought you closer.”
Just in case the lies weren’t clear, Max reiterated, “We’re not getting married because of the adoption. But it is part of the reason we scheduled the wedding so soon.”
Jake interjected, “I had a short engagement, too. But that’s what sometimes happens when children are involved.”
Max managed a smile. “Oh, that’s right. While I was on my sabbatical, searching for the meaning of life and volunteering at an orphanage, you were at a wild party in the Caribbean impregnating your assistant.”
Jake chuckled. “It was just that one weekend. Speaking of which, are you and Lizzie planning a big family? Maybe more adoptions? Or a few seedlings of your own?”
Max all but blinked. They hadn’t even gotten the first kid and already they were being prodded to have more? “We’re just going to focus on Tokoni for now.” It was as good an answer as any and certainly more diplomatic than admitting that they would be divorced long before the possibility of other children ever came up.
“I was panicked at first about becoming a dad.” Jake returned to his steak, cutting into it again. “But not anymore. My wife and daughter are everything to me.”
“I’m not scared of being a father.” Max was thrilled about that. It was being Lizzie’s husband that freaked him out. To combat those fears, he admitted, “I am a little anxious about the wedding.” Before either of his brothers could question him, he chalked up his anxiety to being a rushed groom. “There’s just so much to do in such a short amount of time. I’m glad you guys will be there, standing up for me.” They’d already agreed to be his best men. He addressed Garrett. “Can you recommend a wedding planner? Maybe someone you use at the hotel or an associate of theirs?”
“Sure. I’ll email you a list of names. And don’t worry, it’ll turn out great.”
“It definitely will,” Jake agreed. “But don’t forget about the honeymoon, too.”
Max quickly replied, “That’s already been worked out. We’ll be going back to Nulah to start the adoption proceedings. But we’ll still get to hang out at the resort where we stayed before and enjoy the beach.” Only on this trip, they would have to share a bungalow, like a husband and wife would be expected to do. And that was the part about being married that petrified him the most. Wanting Lizzie, he thought, more than he ever had before. But not being able to have her.
* * *
Within a week after getting engaged, Max and Lizzie hired a whirlwind of a planner who would be consulting with them at every turn. And if that wasn’t enough to keep them busy, Max had decided to revamp his yard for the ceremony, with a custom gazebo surrounded by a garden. Lizzie already thought his yard made a stunning statement, with its parklike acreage, but now it was going to be even prettier. She walked beside him as he explained work that would soon be underway.
He said, “I told the landscaper I wanted something tropical. I showed him pictures of the private gardens at the resort in Nulah to give him a feel for what I’m after. I assumed that you
would approve, since you incorporated that style onto your patio.”
“I only dabbled with a few extra plants.” Nonetheless, she was impressed that he’d noticed her effort.
He gestured in the distance. “They’re going to build a stone walkway from the back of the house that curves around to the gazebo and serves as part of the wedding aisle. Then all the way around that will be the garden, with a waterfall fountain and some intricate little pathways.”
“So essentially, we’ll be getting married in the middle of the garden?” She gazed at the lawn, imagining the changes in her mind. Clearly, the landscaper and his crew would be working around the clock to complete the job. “It sounds spectacular.”
“I figured if we’re going to do it, we might as well do it right. I also thought it would make a nice spot for Tokoni later, for when he plays out here. It’s too bad that coconut trees don’t grow in this environment or I would add some of those, too.”
“To give Tokoni a sense of home? We’re going to have to take him back to Nulah for vacations so he doesn’t lose his connection to it.”
“We’ll definitely do that, as often as we can.” Max smiled. “I can’t wait until he’s our son.”
“Me, too. It makes all this wedding stuff worthwhile.” She breathed in the late-spring air. It would be summer by the time the ceremony took place. “I haven’t talked to my dad yet. I haven’t even told him that I’m getting married.”
“You’re going to have to do that soon, Lizzie.”
“I know. But I haven’t been completely remiss. I called my friends. Not everyone I associate with, but the ones I asked to be my bridesmaids. I spent an entire day on the phone, chatting with my gal pals and pretending to be in love.” But she knew Max had done the same thing when he’d dined with his brothers. “It was interesting, how mixed the reactions were. Some of my friends were surprised, but others claimed that they knew all along that something was going on between us.”
He checked her out, softly, slowly. “Funny, how people can’t tell lust from love.”
Her skin turned warm, her blood tingling in her body. “At least it’s working in our favor.”
He didn’t respond. Instead, his stare got bolder, hungrier, as if he couldn’t seem to help himself.
Lizzie’s mouth went dry. If they were a real couple, heading into a genuine marriage, would they pull each other to the ground right here and now, desperate to make love on their future wedding site?
Pushing those dangerous thoughts out of her mind, she glanced away from him, breaking his stare.
He walked closer to where the gazebo was going to be, and she fell into step with him, eager to get past the heat that warmed her blood. But nonetheless, an inferno ensued. Clearly, he was still feeling it, too.
Finally, she started a new conversation by saying, “I chose blue, green and purple for the colors, with shades ranging from turquoise to magenta.”
He squinted. “Colors?”
“For the wedding. It’s called a peacock palette.” She envisioned it being deep and rich and vibrant. “I spent hours on the net, looking at color combinations and kept coming back to that one. I hope that’s all right with you.”
“Sure.” He stopped walking. “It sounds beautiful. I wonder what peacock symbolism is. I’m always interested in the spiritual meaning connected to animals.”
She noticed how the sun shone upon his hair, creating blue-black effects. “That’s the Lakota in you.”
“Yes, I suppose it is.” He removed his phone from his pocket. “Why don’t I look it up right now?”
Still studying him, she waited while he did an internet search.
He shared the results with her. “First off, they’re birds in the pheasant family, and only the male is referred to as a peacock. The female is a peahen, and both are peafowl. In terms of spirituality, some of the peacock and peahen’s gifts include beauty, integrity and the ability to see into the past, present and future.”
Fascinated by it all, she said, “That’s quite a résumé.”
“It’s the eye shape on the feathers that gives them the gift of sight.” He kept reading, explaining the meanings. “In relation to human spirituality, beauty and integrity is achieved when someone shows his or her true colors, so that’s where all those colors come into play.”
Suddenly Lizzie took pause, concerned about what he was saying and how it related to them. “Maybe we shouldn’t use the peacock palette.”
He glanced up from his phone. “Why not?”
“Because we’re not showing our true colors. This whole thing is a lie.”
“No, it isn’t. Not if you look at it on a deeper scale. What we feel for Tokoni is our truth, our true colors, and adopting him is what our wedding is about to us.” He glanced at his phone again. “It also says that peacocks have an association to resurrection, like the phoenix that rises out of the ashes. And isn’t that what we’re doing? Rising out of the ashes of our pasts and creating new lives for ourselves by becoming Tokoni’s parents?”
When he lifted his gaze, she got caught up in the feeling, looking deeply into his eyes. “I’m so glad I’m going to share a child with you.”
“Me, too, with you.” He fell silent for a moment, looking as intently at her as she was at him. Then he asked, “So you’re keeping the peacock palette, right?”
“Yes.” She broke eye contact, needing to free herself from his spell. “I’m going to keep it.”
“Do you think you could add a bit of gold?”
“Gold?” she parroted.
“To the color scheme. It would be cool if your dress had some gold on it.”
He was putting in a special wardrobe request? Then it hit her. Lady Ari was wearing a gold dress in the painting he’d bought. “Do you want me to wear my hair loose, too?” Long and free and wild, like the goddess’s?
“It would certainly look pretty that way.” He reached out as if he meant to run his fingers through her hair, but he lowered his hand without doing it. “But that’s up to you.”
“I’ll talk to my stylist about it and decide when the time comes.” She didn’t want to sound too eager to please him, not with how romantic he was making her feel. “What do you think of Ivy and Nita as the flower girls?” she asked, moving the discussion away from her and onto the people who would be part of procession. “Meagan and Carol could walk down the aisle with them. Meagan could hold Ivy’s hand, and Carol could carry Nita.”
“That’s a great idea, having them participate in the ceremony, especially since my brothers are going to be in it, too.”
“I’m having lunch with Meagan and Carol tomorrow, so I’ll talk to them about it then. Meagan invited us to her house.” No men, she thought, only women and children. But Max and his brothers had already had their meeting.
“So, what should we do about a ring bearer?” he asked. “Who should we get to do that?”
“I wish it could be Tokoni.” Her heart swelled just thinking about him. “But Losa would never let us bring him to the States to be in our wedding.” Tokoni didn’t even know that she and Max planned to adopt him. He wouldn’t be informed about his prospective parents until everything was approved.
“I wish it could be him, too,” Max said.
“So maybe we’ll just skip having a ring bearer?” She couldn’t fathom having another boy in place of him.
Max agreed, then said, “We can have an adoption party for Tokoni later, like Garrett and Meagan did for Ivy. Also, I think in lieu of wedding gifts, we should ask our guests to donate to the orphanage.”
“That’s perfect.” Exactly as it should be. Not only would their marriage serve as the catalyst for adopting Tokoni, it would benefit all the other children there, too.
* * *
Meagan, Carol and Lizzie gathered around a coffe
e table in the living room of the residence where Meagan lived with Garrett. The elegant beachfront home was located on a cliff that overlooked the hotel and resort he owned.
They’d already had lunch, a taco feast Meagan had cooked, and now Lizzie was analyzing her companions and thinking about what she’d learned about them so far.
Meagan looked soft and natural in a chambray shirt, faded jeans and pale beige cowboy boots. Her long silky hair was plaited into a single braid, hanging down the center of her back. Little Ivy was dressed in western wear, too, but her outfit was much fancier and in shades of pink.
Both mother and daughter loved horses. Garrett’s resort offered horseback riding along the beach, making the activity easily accessible to them. In fact, Meagan still worked as a stable hand in the original job Garrett had given her when she was first released from prison, even though she was engaged to him now. She’d kept the job to pay back the restitution she owed and meet the requirements of her parole.
Lizzie glanced over at Carol, who was a lovely strawberry blonde with a curvy figure and sparkling green eyes. She still worked in her original job, too, as Jake’s personal assistant. But nowadays, she and Jake had baby Nita to consider, so they took the infant with them to the office, where Jake had built an on-site nursery especially for their daughter. A nanny was also on hand to help. Lizzie thought it sounded like a wonderful setup.
Carol was a former foster kid who’d lost her family. In that sense, she and her husband shared tragic histories. But as youths, they’d handled their grief in opposing ways. While Jake was running wild, Carol compensated by being a bit too well behaved. Lizzie understood. She’d become an overly proper person herself.
She turned her attention to Carol’s daughter. The baby was asleep in a carrier, with two-and-a-half-year-old Ivy sitting on the floor, watching her like a mother hen. Even if they weren’t blood related, the children looked like cousins, with their dark hair, chubby cheeks and golden-brown skin.
Tokoni would fit right in, Lizzie thought. He was tailor-made for this group. She was certain that he was going to love being part of Max’s foster family.
Paper Wedding, Best-Friend Bride Page 9