“Maybe you should ask him.” Kailua connected the prongs and smiled. “That’s if you ever speak to him again.”
Ophelia lowered her hand. The weight of her old bracelet seemed extraordinarily heavy—just like the engagement ring in the opposite hand.
Diana rushed back into the room with the wedding planner close on her heels.
“Believe it or not, we found you some Tums and some chewable Pepto-Bismol. Which ones do you want?”
“Give me two of each,” Ophelia said.
Diana brows rose, but she obligingly unwrapped the tablets and placed them in Ophelia’s hand.
The wedding planner clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. “I need you ladies downstairs. The carriages are ready.”
The bridesmaids gathered excitedly and filed out of the room.
“Remember what I said.” Isabella gave her a final kiss and rushed out of the room.
“Are you feeling any better?” Diana inquired.
In truth, the tablets seemed lodged in her throat, but Ophelia responded, “I’m doing much better. Thanks.” She carefully stood up and took a last glance at herself in the mirror. To her, she looked like a deer caught in headlights. The weight of the jewelry on each hand increased, and the pain in her chest refused to ease.
“Are you ready, baby girl?” the Corporal asked from the doorway.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she whispered and turned a bright smile toward her father.
“Then let’s get you married.”
* * *
Framed against a landscape of lush vineyards and rolling hills in the northern reaches of Atlanta, the sixteenth-century style French Château Élan was the backdrop of Jonas and Ophelia’s wedding. The crisp fall afternoon was perfect as six hundred friends and family members took their seats.
Yet despite the kiss of a cool breeze, Jonas felt stuffy and kept fingering his collar. When that didn’t work, he worried about the fast pounding of his heart. Surely he wasn’t about to have a heart attack.
The sound of carriages reached his ears, and in the next second the music changed and the processional music began.
Everyone turned in their seats to watch the first bridesmaid and groomsman walk down the aisle.
Jonas suddenly winced at a pain in his chest, and it was probably the first time his stomach ever twisted into knots. Of course, Quentin strolled down the aisle with his usual self-confident strut while silently flirting with the woman on his arm. Jonas rolled his eyes and waited patiently as the rest of the wedding party took their turn down the aisle.
The best man and man of honor strolled down the aisle without linking arms, but they still made an amusing sight. However, Jonas did his best not to meet Sterling’s questioning gaze. When the men finally took their places, the music dramatically changed to the wedding march, and everyone stood and waited.
But after a few bars, the bride failed to appear, and people started glancing at one another.
Jonas closed his eyes and discreetly rubbed at the increasing pain in his chest. The march ended and after a brief pause, the organ player started again.
This time, Ophelia and her father stepped into view, and a collective sigh of relief rose just above the music.
Ophelia’s beauty surpassed Jonas’s expectations. As she approached, smiling, he was certain he’d forgotten how to breathe. What in the world had he done to deserve this woman? It was hard to believe he was just moments away from officially making her his wife.
When she at last reached his side, the Corporal leaned over and kissed his daughter’s cheek.
All three turned to face the minister.
“Excuse me. Excuse me,” a man’s loud whispering reached Jonas’s ear, and he glanced back to see a large man, toting a cigar, make his way to an empty chair.
Minister Bulmash smiled down at them before addressing the crowd. “We welcome you today to the marriage of Jonas William Hinton and Ophelia Rose Missler. We are met together in the presence of their dearest family and friends to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. This is indeed a joyful time, in which we witness the love of these two people expressed in the joining of their lives together.”
Jonas drew in a deep, steadying breath and glanced over at his bride, but before he was able to pull his gaze away, he noticed her hand fiddling with a bracelet on her arm, and then her ring. While the minister went on, he studied her face and noticed how she was growing paler by the second.
“Ophelia and Jonas, do you both come freely, and without reservation, desiring to commit yourselves to one another in this covenant of marriage?”
“We do,” Jonas answered, and then waited for Ophelia to respond.
She swallowed and looked as if at any moment she was going to pass out. After another low rumbling of whispers, Ophelia answered in a small, pinched voice. “We do.”
The minister smiled. “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?”
“Her mother and father,” the Corporal announced, releasing his daughter’s arm and stepping back.
The couple linked their arms together, the minister continued his sermon, and Jonas couldn’t take his eyes off Ophelia.
“And now,” the minister said with a rising voice, “if anyone knows any just cause why these two should not be lawfully joined together in matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.”
“I object!”
Chapter 29
This time, when the gasp of surprise from the six-hundred-plus guests reached its highest decibel, one boisterous laugh rang out. “Ha! I knew it.”
Ophelia and Jonas stared at each other, both stunned and relived they had objected at the same time. “I’m sorry,” they said in unison.
“Excuse me,” the minister whispered. “But what’s going on?”
“Give us a few minutes,” Jonas said, sliding an arm around Ophelia’s waist and guiding her away from friends and family.
It took a couple of minutes to find a decent spot away from prying eyes and ears, yet they found one close to their tented reception room.
Again, both of them rushed out their apologies and tried to explain before both of them realized they shouldn’t talk at the same time.
“You go first,” Ophelia offered.
“No, you go,” Jonas countered.
Immediately, Ophelia’s eyes glossed with tears before she could get her trembling lips to open. “Oh God, I don’t know where to being.” When she finally got ahold of herself, she laid a hand gently against his soft face. “You’re such a good man. I have no doubt that one day you’ll make some lucky woman a wonderful husband.”
The tears finally leaked from her eyes, and it seemed almost poetic how they seemed to match his.
Jonas calmly and gently removed her hand from his face and kissed the palm. “And I think you will make Solomon a very good wife.”
For the first time in years, she couldn’t get herself to protest or deny her feelings for Solomon. And boy, did she have feelings. She was suddenly drowning in them.
“I’m so sorry,” she finally whispered. “I didn’t know… I’ve been denying and ignoring the signs for so long that it’s practically second nature. But standing there listening to Minister Bulmash, I suddenly knew. I just knew…”
Jonas nodded, but there was still a lot of pain etched across his face. “Yeah. I saw that,” was his only response.
“Please say something. You can even yell if you want.”
“I’m not going to yell. I’m just as guilty as you when it comes to ignoring signs or lying to myself,” he confessed. “I wanted you so badly that I was willing to take you from the one you rightfully belong to. I knew Solomon was your match the moment I met him, and it’s the only reason why I didn’t like him.”
“Jonas—”
“I’m going to be okay…eventually.”
More tears slid from her eyes. “Are you sure?”
“No.” He chuckled. “You’re sort of a tough act to follo
w.”
She felt worse.
“I may not like Solomon, but I think I understand him.”
Ophelia frowned in confusion.
“I want you to be happy—even if it means it’s with someone else.”
Overwhelmed, Ophelia stepped forward and leaned up on her toes to press a kiss against his salty tears. When she lowered back onto her heels, she was surprised at how her engagement ring slipped easily off her finger. “This belongs to you,” she said.
Jonas said nothing as she pressed the blue diamond into his hand.
“Your Ms. Right is still out there.”
“Sure she is.” He smiled and glanced at his watch. “You better get going if you’re going to catch Solomon before his flight.”
Ophelia nodded and gave him a final kiss. “Take care of yourself. Goodbye.” She turned and raced back toward the astonished crowd.
Everyone turned in her direction, and a few were bold enough to ask what was going on, but Ophelia ignored them all as she searched for one man in particular: Uncle Willy.
“Where is he?” she asked, running up to him.
Willy responded with a lopsided grin. “Finally came to your senses, eh?”
Ophelia didn’t have time for Willy’s sarcastic commentary. “Willy, if you don’t get up and take me to Solomon, I swear I’ll make you eat that cigar.”
“Ah, the lady wants a ride,” he said, pushing his meaty frame out of his chair. “Why didn’t you just say so?”
“Wait, wait,” Marcel yelled, catching up to them. “I think I can help.”
* * *
One of the perks as vice president of a top record label was having a Hawker 800XP private jet at his disposal. But during the whole ride to the airstrip, Solomon kept second-guessing his decision not to go to Ophelia’s wedding.
There was no point in seeking some kind of closure. Hell, he wasn’t even sure what that meant. Saying goodbye and good luck wasn’t going to make him feel any better. It was a silly notion.
Then why did he feel like he made yet another terrible mistake?
When it came to relationships, it was time for him to admit he was totally inept.
After pulling into the small airport, he parked in his reserved spot and was immediately greeted by a personal assistant.
“There’s going to be a slight delay in takeoff, sir. The pilot and crew are still checking the plane.”
Solomon frowned and inquired whether there was something wrong.
“I’m sure everything is fine, sir. We’ll have you up in the air in no time.”
He nodded and glanced at his watch as he headed toward the building. As soon as he walked into the building, the pilot greeted him and repeated the same excuse to him.
“Are you sure there’s nothing wrong?” Solomon inquired again. Something about everyone’s behavior set him on edge.
“No, sir. Everything is fine. We’ll have you up in no time.”
The near-verbatim repetition caused a crease in Solomon’s brows, but he quickly dismissed the crew’s odd behavior. He glanced at his watch again and realized with a sinking heart that Ophelia was now Mrs. Jonas Hinton.
“Is there anywhere I can get a drink around here?” he asked.
The End?
Chapter 30
Toni stared at the man beside her and then glanced out the glass doors toward the airplanes. “So, you’re heading out?”
He nodded.
She hesitated and wondered if she should give the man her unsolicited opinion when it suddenly occurred to her that something wasn’t right about his story. “Umm, I know I sort of coerced you into telling me your story and all—and it is one hell of a story—but how do you know that Ophelia didn’t marry Jonas?”
Her handsome stranger glanced up at her with his brows furrowed.
“I mean,” she went on. “If you’re still here waiting for your flight, then how could you possibly know she didn’t marry this guy?”
Finally he laughed and held out his hand. “We haven’t been properly introduced. I’m Jonas Hinton.”
Toni stared at him before she finally accepted his hand. “Then you’re not…well, how did it all end?”
Jonas drew deep breath. “Well, from what I’ve been told…”
Stay…Forever
Chapter 31
“Mr. Bassett, you can board now,” a young, perky stewardess tapped him on the shoulder.
“Thank you.” He folded the newspaper that had barely held his attention and stood. “Is everything all right now?”
“Everything is perfect. Your bags have been loaded onto the plane.”
He nodded and followed her out the small terminal’s lobby. His plane had finally pulled out of its hangar and was waiting for him to board. As he headed toward the jet plane, Solomon gave the pilot at the foot of the stairs a playful salute. “I’m expecting a smooth flight,” he joked nervously. Flying had never been his forte, and he had to admit he was more than a little concerned about their lengthy delay.
“I’m sure you’ll enjoy your trip.”
He held his smile, climbed the stairs, and entered the luxurious cabin.
“Hello, Sol.”
Solomon’s head jerked toward the familiar voice, but he most certainly didn’t believe his eyes. She looked like an angel in her stunning white gown and with hope and tears shining in her eyes. “What—?”
“I hope you don’t mind me delaying your flight,” she said in a shaky voice. “But it was important I talk to you…and since you’re not exactly returning my calls, I figured I could capture your attention this way.”
“You succeeded,” he said, but in the next second he shook his head. “Aren’t you supposed be getting married right now?”
A nervous laugh escaped her as she rolled her eyes. “Well, there’s a slight problem with that.”
He frowned. “What sort of problem?”
Her golden eyes locked with his as she drew a deep breath. “The problem of me being in love with you.”
Solomon stared at her, unable to blink, let alone breathe.
“Now, I know this may come as a surprise to you,” she said, stepping forward, “seeing how I’ve never told you or let on about how I felt.” She paused for a nervous laugh. “But there’s a reason for that.”
“Which is?” he asked out of reflex.
“I didn’t know until today…or maybe I knew but was too scared to risk losing you forever.”
“But then you shut me out—”
“And it was like tearing out my heart—and that was exactly what I did. Whenever your name came up or I thought about you, I would get this horrible pain in my chest. I tried to blame it on everything but the truth.” She stopped within inches of him. “Please tell me I haven’t lost you.”
Solomon closed his eyes and then immediately felt her hand against his face. He captured it, kissed it, and then placed it over his heart. “It seems we’ve been having the same pain.”
He finally opened his eyes and gazed into a face radiant with love. He leaned forward and kissed the soft petals of her lips. That was all it took to send his heart soaring. His arms wrapped around her waist, and he pulled her against him. And still he couldn’t believe she was actually there—in his arms and saying the words he had waited twenty-five years to hear.
“You haven’t lost me,” he said, breaking their kiss. “I loved you since the day we played ten minutes in heaven. For some reason I could tell everyone but you how I felt. Sometimes that one night we spent together seems more like a fantasy than any real thing I know. I desperately wanted you to wake up that morning and be in love with me.”
“Silly charts and statistics. More excuses not to take a chance. Don’t move to New York. Stay…stay here with me forever.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but that sounds strangely like a proposal.”
Her voluptuous lips widened while her eyes twinkled at him. “And what if it is?”
Solomon leaned down for another tantalizin
g kiss. “Then I accept.”
“You just made me the happiest women in the world.” She leaned up on her toes and kissed him again. “Do you think we can get the pilot to take us to Las Vegas?”
“Vegas?”
“Well, I’m already dressed for a wedding.”
The Beautiful Ones (Arabesque) Page 18