An Unlikely Bride

by Nadia Lee

  “Elizabeth. She’s tight with her cousin Mark…who owns the restaurant. So she hooked us up.”

  Ava claps her hands. “That’s wonderful! Thank you.”

  “I told her we have Mia, so she also sent a list of nannies. That should allow us to have a relaxing dinner,” I say.

  Ray begins, “That’s un—”

  “That sounds wonderful!” Darcy interrupts. “We haven’t had an adult dinner in a long time.”

  Ray almost looks pained, which is surprising. You’d think he’d like an opportunity to dine in a fine restaurant without a baby in the way. On the other hand, maybe he’s anxious about leaving Mia behind. “The nannies are very well qualified. Mia will be fine,” I say.

  He gives me an oddly tight smile. It’s almost like he thinks I’d harm Mia or something.

  “Of course,” Ray says finally. “Thank you.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Ava

  Éternité is no ordinary restaurant. I can see why Ray and Darcy wanted to try it, and why dining here is on some people’s bucket list. And I understand why Ray finally decided to leave Mia with the nanny, even though I could tell he’d rather not. Despite my promise to keep my silence a little longer, he seems to harbor an instinctive wariness toward Lucas. I remind myself that once he has a chance to get to know Lucas, he’ll change his attitude.

  The place is stunning, with the aesthetics of east and west merging together to form a harmonious and lovely atmosphere. The music is lively yet quiet. The wait staff is outfitted in crisp black-and-white uniforms, and the diners are dressed to impress in priceless designer silk, chiffon and leather. I’m glad that Lucas had Rachel get me and Darcy new dresses and matching shoes. It sounds shallow, but I don’t want to do anything that would reflect badly on Lucas or embarrass him among his social peers.

  Every table has expensive wine and food almost too beautiful to be eaten. The maître d’ takes us to a table in the loft that overlooks the floor below. Screens and hangings create the illusion of a private balcony. After browsing the leather-bound menu, I order the waiter’s recommendation—a surf-and-turf seven-course dinner. Everyone else also orders it, and Lucas adds a bottle of red and one of white, his voice a quiet murmur.

  Despite the crowd, service is quick. The wines come first, and after Lucas approves them, the waiter serves everybody. We clink glasses. “To a new beginning,” Darcy says. “I’m glad that you two were able to work everything out. It’s obvious you love each other.”

  Lucas inclines his head. “Thank you.”

  “So what the tabloids said about your inheritance…” Ray takes a small sip of wine and places his glass on the table. “Was it true?”

  My cheeks heat. “Ray—”

  “No,” Lucas answers. “All true, unfortunately. But before you doubt my sincerity, I want you to know that I will not marry Ava until my father’s deadline has passed.”

  Ray squints. “But…your siblings will lose out as well, won’t they?”

  “Yes, but certain sacrifices have to be made. And I choose Ava.”

  “I see.” Ray leans back in his seat, his shoulders slightly slumped.

  I give him a quick look, hoping it communicates what I’ve told him before. Lucas loves me too much to hurt them through Mia. A man who can walk away from an inheritance worth millions for love is a man worth trusting and keeping.

  “That couldn’t have been an easy decision,” Darcy says. “I’m glad Ava found a man who puts her first.”

  “Actually, it was an easy decision. When Ava came back and gave me another chance, I knew this was the only way. I don’t regret it.”

  Just then, the server brings out the first course— vegetables and thinly sliced lamb cooked in a dark chocolate sauce. I stare at it, somewhat skeptical. To me, chocolate equals dessert. On the other hand, I’m not going to turn it down just because it happens to start the dinner.

  It’s surprisingly good, the texture and flavors blending perfectly. Contrary to expectation, it’s not at all sweet. Rather it’s slightly bitter with just a dash of mint at the end.

  “This is incredible,” Rays says as he polishes off his portion. “Wow.”

  “Wow indeed. Thank you for bringing us here, Lucas,” Darcy says.

  “It’s nothing. You don’t understand how much I owe you for all that you’ve done for Ava.” Lucas brushes a hand along my shoulder. “Otherwise I would’ve never met her.”

  “She’s always been resilient and bright,” Ray says softly. “We didn’t do that much.”

  “With or without us, you would’ve met if it was meant to be. And it looks like it was.” Darcy looks at me and Lucas. “I’m so happy for you both. May you always be together.”

  “Thank you,” I say. It is a huge relief to know my foster parents accept Lucas, even though Ray is still a bit hesitant. But I can sense he’s gradually seeing that Lucas isn’t the enemy—and that he’s actually a good guy.

  The waiter clears our plates and brings out the second course—a creamy bisque with huge chunks of succulent lobster piled high in the center of the bowl. “I know you’re looking forward to spending some time with Ava,” Lucas says, “and I’m more than happy to give you that time, but in case you don’t know, you’re invited to my brother’s Thanksgiving party.”

  “Elliot?” Rays asks.

  “Ryder.”

  Darcy’s hand goes to her chest, reaching for the silver pendant. “My goodness. Who would’ve thought we’d get to have Thanksgiving with a Hollywood movie star!”

  I grin. It’s sort of fun to see Darcy’s stunned reaction. Now I’m beginning to understand why Lucas wants to spoil me. He’s probably anticipating something like this from me. And it’s surprisingly fun to treat the people I love.

  Lucas smiles as he pours more white wine for her. “Don’t do that when he’s around. He’s already insufferably arrogant.”

  “As bad as the media says?” Ray asks.

  “Oh, worse. Although he’s pretty tame now, what with being married and having a child on the way.”

  “That’s right. He married his assistant not too long ago.”

  “And it was a love match,” Lucas says. “Nobody makes Ryder do anything he doesn’t want to.”

  The conversation turns to plans for Christmas and what Darcy and Ray want to see and do while they’re in L.A. Lucas is attentive and charming throughout, and I’m relieved to see Darcy’s beaming smile of approval.

  Although we’ve all eaten together like this before, this time it’s different. It’s not the venue, but the dynamics. Lucas is more relaxed, and he’s openly possessive and affectionate with me. My foster parents are also starting to relax around Lucas.

  Although each course is only a few bites, I’m starting to get full by the time the sixth one is done. Everything’s perfect—a sublime indulgence in taste and smell—and the wines Lucas chose complement everything.

  “So…” Darcy licks her lips. “I’ve heard great things about the desserts here.”

  Ray looks at her fondly, and I laugh have to at her enthusiasm even as I stand up. “Excuse me. I need to visit the ladies’ room.”

  A server lets me know that the restrooms are on the first level. I hurry down. Maybe I shouldn’t have had so much wine, but it was impossible to turn down such great vintages. The bathroom stalls are individually done with those fancy Japanese bidets. The warmed seats feel like heaven.

  After I’m finished, I wash my hands, freshen my makeup and exit. I walk down the long corridor and into the main dining area, where I almost bump into a woman coming the other way. “Sorry.”

  “Excuse m— Wait. What is this? Why are you here?”

  I stiffen at the tone. “Hello, Elle. Fancy running into you again.”

  Her gaze rakes me up and down. “Do you…work here now?”

  “Actually, I’m here to have dinner.” I note with catty satisfaction that my dress is made of finer material than hers. Last time we ran into each other, she acted as
though I was the hired help, beneath notice. “In the loft.”

  “Are you now? Well, I see you’re playing this game far better than your mother. Did you snag someone who spends money on you? I hope he’s not secretly married…”

  I inhale sharply. The way my father treated Mom will always be a source of raw pain.

  “You should’ve never been born,” Elle continues. “People like you absolutely ruin it for the quality folk. If it weren’t for you, Dad would’ve never stayed so long with your pathetic mother.”

  “Don’t you dare talk about my mother that way.”

  “Why? Does the truth hurt?” Elle smirks. “And it is all true. My mother told me everything. God, how stupid was your mom to think Dad could be a blue-collar worker? I mean, really. He had a banker’s hands.”

  “Why are you so hateful, Elle? What did I ever do to you?”

  “You keep running into me, for one. So embarrassing it is to have someone like you in my past. Do us both a favor and take your cut-rate boyfriend and get out of L.A., Ava. Please.”

  Fury and humiliation choke me, and I can’t think of a clever comeback. All I can do is clench my hands so Elle doesn’t see how badly they’re shaking.

  “There you are, Ava.”

  Lucas. He slips an arm around my waist and pulls me closer. He turns to my half-sister, his face a hard mask. Apparently he heard her last line. “You are…?”

  “Elle,” she says, cataloguing his clothes. Lucas’s outfit is simple, but impeccably tailored in superb material. Her gaze takes in the Rolex on his wrist, the two-thousand-dollar shoes.

  “You’re the reason a word like cunt exists.”

  She gasps, and so do I. I’ve never heard him speak so brutally before.

  “Who do you think you are?” she says.

  Before Lucas can answer, a man comes over. It’s her fiancé, whose picture I saw when I got the Google alert about her engagement. “Sweetheart, you were gone for so long I thought you’d gone on safar— Lucas! Good to see you.”

  “Hello, Cedric.” Lucas’s voice is ice smooth. “Do you know this woman?”

  “I do, in fact. She’s my fiancée.”

  “I see.” Lucas smiles. “Normally I’d offer congratulations, but in this case I’m sorry to hear you’re marrying a vicious, ill-mannered shrew who sees nothing wrong with harassing another woman.”

  Cedric pulls back, his eyebrows almost hitting his hairline. “Excuse me?”

  “I had to intervene when I noticed your fiancée was verbally abusing Ava here.” Lucas pulls my hand up and kisses the back of it with his eyes on both Cedric and Elle. “Perhaps you should ask her who gave her the right to behave so abominably to the woman I intend to marry…so we all can be enlightened.”

  “Cedric, how can you let him talk to me like th—”

  “Not a word.” He raises a hand to stop her.

  Her face is scarlet, a small vein in her forehead ticking visibly, but she shuts up. Cedric turns to me and Lucas. “I’m terribly sorry for the offense. I’m sure Elle didn’t mean anything by it.”

  I pat Lucas’s forearm. “Of course. Everyone makes mistakes. It’d probably be better, though, if we didn’t run into each other so much.”

  She stiffens, but Cedric smiles, all decorous and proper. “It does seem as though that would be for the best. We’ll try to avoid such encounters in the future.”

  “Excellent. You’ll hear from Rachel later this month,” Lucas says, then leads me away.

  After a couple of steps, I can’t help but look back. Elle and Cedric are arguing. Well, “arguing” isn’t quite the right word. It’s more like him leaning in, clearly furious at her, and Elle looking like she’s about to cry.

  I feel slightly bad about the whole thing, but glad that it’ll mean an end to our unpleasant confrontations, especially if we’re going to be in the same city and move around in the same social circles.

  “Seen enough?” Lucas says.

  Flushing, I turn away. “Yes.” I clear my throat. “How did you know?”

  “I could see both of you from our table. I knew something was up from the way you were holding yourself.”

  “I’m that transparent, huh?”

  He squeezes my hand. “Nobody has the right to upset you—no one. You’re mine, Ava, my top priority. You’re up here”—he stretches his arm way above his head—“and everyone else is here.” He drops his arm.

  Suddenly, I can’t help myself. I’ve never been anybody’s most important priority or felt like I truly belonged to someone the way I do with Lucas. I give him a tight hug. “But why did Cedric back off like that? It was amazing…like you had a string tied to his tongue or something.”

  “More like his wallet.” He presses his lips to the top of my head. “Cedric’s a lawyer, and Elliot and I are responsible for a big chunk of his firm’s billables.”

  “Thank you,” I whisper.

  * * *

  Lucas

  I have the limo take Ava, her parents and Mia to the apartment, and then I return to Blake’s penthouse. My oldest brother hasn’t been around since our brunch with Elizabeth. If I could be certain he wasn’t coming back for a while, I’d move Ava in here.

  Although her parents are fantastic cock-blockers, I am glad that Ray seems to be softening a bit. He was pretty hostile—without being overtly rude—at Ava’s apartment at first. Not that I blame the guy. If some shithead made my daughter cry the way I did Ava, I’d hire a hit man.

  My belly full of good food, I lie on the couch and put the phone on my stomach. I’m hoping she’ll text me once her parents are settled in. I offered to put them up in a hotel—which would be more comfortable than Ava’s small apartment—but they categorically refused. The only reason I managed to pay for dinner was by slipping my credit card to the server before anybody noticed.

  My phone buzzes, and I grab it instantly. But the message isn’t from Ava.

  Got a small problem, Ryder writes.

  I frown. Don’t tell me you’re canceling. Darcy’s dying to meet Ryder. Every woman in the world loves a movie star, and Ryder’s one of the hottest leading men at the moment.

  No. Lemme call you.

  A second later, my phone rings. “What’s going on?”

  “My idiot assistant screwed up,” Ryder says.

  “I thought Paige quit.”

  “Not her! She would’ve never messed up like this.”

  “Okay, so what did she do?”

  “He.”

  “You got a guy?”

  There’s a slight pause. “Thought it’d be better that way. Tabloids can’t make shit up about how I’m having an affair with the new assistant. Anyw—”

  “They’ll start saying you’re secretly gay.”

  He snorts. “Like anyone’s gonna believe that. Anyway, the moron sent out invitations to all the plus-ones.”

  “Okay. So?”

  “He invited Faye last week. And she accepted.”

  “Ah, jeez…”

  “Yeah. To make things worse, he made it sound like I want her to come, like it was a special separate invitation.”

  “So she’s going to show.”

  “Well, you said the breakup wasn’t awkward. And people do have this thing about hanging out with celebrities.”

  “This isn’t good.” I run a hand over my face. Ava isn’t exactly crazy about Faye, and I’m sure her foster parents aren’t either. How the hell do I explain Faye’s presence at a holiday dinner that’s supposedly family only? “Can you rescind?”

  “Kinda tough to do. The dinner’s tomorrow, and it’s already after ten. I just found out.” He sighs heavily. “That idiot’s totally fired. Let’s just hope Faye doesn’t show. She might not, ’cause you guys are broken up…and she knows you’re back with Ava, right? Plus, I’ll text her tomorrow, make sure she knows you’re bringing Ava. Maybe Faye’ll get the hint that it won’t be comfortable if she comes.”

  I purse my mouth. I don’t like it, but Ryder has a poi
nt. Faye made it clear she wants to be my friend, and doesn’t wish me anything but best. Although Ryder—jaded bastard that he is—believes she can’t possibly mean that, I do. She’s never done anything to make me doubt her friendship.

  But as I hang up, a nasty feeling starts forming in my gut.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Ava

  Darcy and Ray sneak out of the bedroom at seven. “You’re up early,” I say. Both of them are in flannel pajamas, Darcy’s pink and Ray’s dark burgundy.

  She winces. “Sorry, we were trying to be quiet so you could keep sleeping.”

  “It’s okay.” I sit up on the couch. “Jet-lagged?”

  “A little. We were up around five and read for a while. But I’m getting hungry now.”

  Uh oh. Breakfast. “I only have some bread…and a few eggs.”

  “Got any syrup?”

  “Maybe a few packets from takeout places.”

  Ray tut-tuts. “You ever cook?”

  “I’ve been really busy at work.”

  “That man isn’t bringing home-cooked meals to you?”

  I chuckle at his disgruntled expression.

  Darcy sits by me, her legs tucked under her. “How did the reconciliation come about? I was shocked, but we haven’t had a chance to really talk.”

  “It’s…sort of a long story.” I tell them about how Lucas and I ran into each other in L.A. and the things I’ve learned about him—and myself—since, while Ray putters around my humble kitchen, putting together breakfast and coffee and listening with one ear.

  “And you haven’t said anything about Mia yet?” Darcy says when I’m finished.

  I shake my head.

  “You should.”

  Behind her, the corners of Ray’s mouth turn downward, but he manages a smile as he hands coffee to Darcy and me, gesturing toward the table, where he’s served up some simple French toast.

  Pretending not to see his reaction, I take my mug and join them. Badly stocked kitchen or not, Ray has somehow whipped up excellent French toast and fried eggs.

  “Are you sure about telling Lucas?” I ask Darcy after a few bites. “You aren’t worried that he might…want to take Mia back?”