His Band of Gold

by Melissa McClone

  “Okay what?”

  “I’ll coordinate Faith’s wedding.” The gruffness of Kelsey’s voice should have bothered her, but it didn’t. She was doing this under duress. “I’m not saying it again.”

  “I’m not asking you to.” Will grinned. He was practically dancing like a bride-to-be registering at Tiffany & Co.

  At least one of them was getting some enjoyment out of this. She knew it wouldn’t be her. She wouldn’t be happy until February fifteenth—when Faith’s wedding was over and done with, and Kelsey was back home. “I want an exclusive contract to plan weddings at Starr Properties. As many weddings as I want.”

  “Fine.”

  “And my normal fee went up.” Money didn’t mean much to her, but she wanted to make them pay. This seemed as good a way as any. Unlocking the door to her office, Kelsey stepped inside. “Way up.”

  He followed her in. “Okay.”

  “I need to pack a few things here. I’ll also have to stop by my condo, repack my suitcase and make a few phone calls.” She paused, wondering if she could make him change his mind about taking her with him. Not the fairest way to play, but she was desperate. “It’ll take a little while. I understand if you don’t want to wait.”

  “I’m happy to wait.”

  Anything to make her happy, Kelsey realized. She was tempted to ask him to jump to see if he would. She set her bag on the reception desk instead. With no warning, Will touched her shoulder, sending shivery sensations shooting up and down the length of her arm. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”

  “Let’s get one thing clear.” She moved away from him, from his much-too-pleasurable touch. She’d brushed off advances from a few of the most handsome actors and musicians in the business—some even grooms-to-be. That had been bad enough, but this was much worse. Will was already married. M-a-r-r-i-e-d. “I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing it for your mother.”

  And my grandmother.

  “I understand.”

  Kelsey shook her finger at him. “And I swear if Faith doesn’t get married this time…”

  “I know my sister.” He smiled. “She’s getting married on February fourteenth.”

  Kelsey flashed him one of her give-me-a-break looks. “Care to make a wager on it?”

  His eyes gleamed as if amused by the idea. “It’s a sucker’s bet.”

  “I happen to like suckers.” She grinned. “Lime’s my favorite.”

  “Cherry happens to be mine.”

  “So I’m tart and you’re sweet.” She laughed. “This could make for an interesting wager.”

  He smiled. “Seriously, there’s no need for us to bet. Faith will go through with it this time. Trent’s different than her other fiancés. What you see is what you get. No games, no ego trips. Faith’s found the one.”

  “The one?” Kelsey tried not to sound too incredulous.

  “Her soul mate, heart mate, love of a lifetime.”

  Surely he couldn’t be serious. Yet the wistful look in his eyes was hard to ignore. Of course, it must be the lighting. Men weren’t wistful about such things. Especially married men. Yet a part of her wondered if Will had married what he believed to be his “one.” Kelsey tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Don’t tell me you believe in those things?”

  “Of course I do.” His eyes narrowed. “Just because I’m a guy doesn’t mean I’m not…”

  “A romantic at heart?” she offered.

  He nodded. “There’s nothing wrong with being romantic. Women like that in a man.”

  Kelsey shrugged. “Some women might, others…”

  “I feel sorry for those who don’t.”

  Oh, boy, they came in all shapes and sizes, those romantic idealists who believed in love at first sight and happily-ever-after, but she’d never met one in a more perfect package than Will Addison. Too bad she didn’t share any of his beliefs. No, it wasn’t too bad. After everything she’d been through growing up, Kelsey knew better. That should kill whatever attraction she felt for Mr. Romance.

  She headed toward the storage room. “Would you give me a hand?”

  Together they carried the leather trunk she took with her on out-of-town weddings into the office. From Telluride to Turkey, the contents of the trunk had saved the day more than once.

  Will tapped the top of the trunk. “What’s this for?”

  “Anything I might need to keep me from having to run around a town I’m not familiar with and waste time I don’t have to spare. You’d be amazed at what can happen the morning of a wedding.”

  She opened the trunk, rummaged through it and made a mental list of what needed to be packed. “Does Faith have a wedding dress to wear?”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s right. I forgot,” Kelsey said. “She’s got four of them. Let’s hope she hasn’t had any alterations done yet, in case she’s a no-show again.”

  Will laughed. At least he had a sense of humor. Not that it mattered, she reminded herself.

  “Does she have a headpiece and veil?”

  The smile faded from his face. “My mother planned to make one herself a` la Martha Stewart. She got hooked on crafting last summer, but the stroke…”

  “I’ve got plenty to choose from.” Kelsey stared at her selection. “Do you know what style of gown Faith’s chosen?”

  “No,” Will admitted. “That’s been the most highly guarded secret, next to her engagement itself.”

  “Not a problem.” Kelsey packed a variety of head-pieces—halos, silk flower wreaths, beaded tiaras and different-length veils—in the trunk. If worse came to worst, she’d call in a few favors owed her. “We’ll bring several with us.”

  “What about the one you were wearing?”

  It would kill her to let Faith wear the vintage ensemble, but even Kelsey had to admit it would look lovely with the movie star’s long wavy locks. “I’ll pack it.”

  “Do you need anything else in here?”

  She gathered up a couple of garters and guest books in case Starr hadn’t gotten around to that, either. “Would you grab the lavender toolbox in the storage room?”

  “A toolbox?”

  “Tricks of the trade.” And right now she needed every trick she had up her sleeve to get through packing her gear with Will’s help. If it felt strange here in her own office, she didn’t want to think about what it would be like working with him in Lake Tahoe.

  “What tricks would those be?”

  “Sewing needles, thread, safety pins, first-aid kit, clear nail polish, hair spray, things like that.”

  “You’re very prepared.”

  “I have to be,” she admitted. “My clients expect nothing less. I do my best to make sure their wedding day is the most perfect, the happiest day of their lives.”

  He stared at her with an odd look on his face. “A person’s wedding day is only the first of many happy days.”

  Using all of her willpower, she managed not to roll her eyes. “Wasn’t your wedding day your happiest day ever?”

  Her question seemed to catch him off guard, but only for a moment. The sweet smile on his face made Kelsey swallow hard and remind herself he was already taken. “Yes, it was the best day of my life.”

  The dreamy tone of his voice touched a place deep within her heart. His wife was a lucky woman. Or would be until the marriage started unraveling and falling apart…No doubt they hadn’t been married long or faced any bumps in the matrimony road. “Told you so. Every bride and groom deserve a perfect wedding day, even your sister.”

  Will stared at Kelsey. “You take what you do very seriously.”

  “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be doing it.”

  “So you’re a romantic at heart, too?”

  “I wouldn’t go that far.” She smiled at the ridiculous notion. No one she knew would ever call her romantic. “I’m more of a…realist.”

  A realist, she thought, who knew the truth—there was no such thing as “happily ever after.”

 
Sitting in the living room of Kelsey’s condo in Brentwood, Will tried to make sense of the woman who’d agreed to coordinate Faith’s wedding. Kelsey hadn’t said yes out of the goodness of her heart. She would be well paid and receive an exclusive contract to put on weddings at Starr Properties. But he’d seen her genuine concern over his mother’s condition. The tears in Kelsey ’s eyes, the slight quiver of her lower lip, the cracking of her voice.

  From the doorway of what Will assumed was Kelsey’s bedroom, she leaned out, a toiletry bag in one hand, a cordless phone in the other. “I’m going to be a few more minutes. Would you like something to drink?”

  “I’m fine, thanks.”

  Watching her pack a trunk of wedding paraphernalia in her office had been like watching Tiger Woods play golf. Not one motion wasted, not one hit bunker. Here, she was no different and made multitasking look as effortless as a stroll through the park on a spring morning. “Do you need any help?”

  “No, thanks.”

  This didn’t surprise him. He’d never seen a more self-sufficient, organized woman before. No wonder his mother had been so adamant about his bringing her back with him. “Let me know if you do.”

  “Okay.” With that she was gone.

  Strictly business. Minimal exchanges. Polite manners. That’s how Kelsey had been for the past hour. He should be pleased. Yet, Will couldn’t forget the look of pure joy on her face when she’d tried on the veil or the flirtatious smile and the way she’d batted her eyelashes when she’d first seen him. She was a contradiction. That much he’d discovered in the short time they’d known each other.

  Will settled back on the couch. Obviously there was more to Kelsey than met the eye. Professional and smooth on the outside, he could only wonder what was going on in the inside.

  He was very good at reading people. Over the years he’d learned to anticipate the needs and wants of his guests as his mother had when she’d convinced his father to buy the Lake Inn so many years ago. That’s what made Starr Properties so successful. But Will was having trouble figuring out Kelsey. Dressed in her designer clothes with perfectly applied makeup and just the right amount of jewelry and accessories, she might look like one of his clients, she may have even been one. But she wasn’t the norm.

  Not by a long shot.

  And that’s what bothered him. He wanted her to be like the norm. He wanted her to look ordinary, not stand out. He didn’t want to notice her. He didn’t want her to be different or unique. He couldn’t afford the distraction or any entanglements. Regardless of his attraction, or whatever it was, to Kelsey, Will had to concentrate on Faith’s wedding. That’s what really mattered.

  In two weeks his sister would be married, his mother would be happy and the intriguing wedding consultant would be out of his life. Two weeks. Only fourteen days. He’d make it. He’d survive as he always did.

  Will stared at the pictures covering the walls and on the fireplace mantel. Most were photographs of the Armstrong family. Politicians, lawyers, doctors and corporate elite. Darlings of the paparazzi and one of the closest things to royalty America had. The most recent photo—resembling a family reunion with numerous aunts, uncles and cousins—had been taken in front of the San Montico royal palace. Last summer’s royal wedding had been the social event of the year and broadcast live all over the globe. His mother had gushed over the fairy-tale romance and asked Will to watch the wedding with her. He’d passed. Much to her regret then, and his now.

  Losing Sara had made him realize how important his family was, but he still had taken his parents’ and sisters’ love for granted. No longer, which was one reason he was here.

  Kelsey reappeared in the doorway. “If you’re bored, there are magazines in the ottoman. I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

  Before he could say anything, she disappeared. Will opened the ottoman that doubled as a coffee table. Inside were stacks of magazines ranging from Bride to Vanity Fair, a few of the latest bestselling novels and a couple of photo albums.

  Curious, Will removed one of the albums. Opening the cover, he saw it was more a scrapbook than a photo album. It contained everything from actual wedding pictures to newspaper and magazine clippings about various weddings.

  As Will flipped through the pages, he recognized the extent of her clientele. But something else happened, too. A soothing warmth filled him. Kelsey had surprised him yet again. Realist or not, someone who put this much time and effort into preserving the memory of each wedding she coordinated had to be sentimental.

  Each two-page spread contained photographs of the bride and groom and the reception and keepsakes from the wedding such as a ribbon or ceremony program. Everything was neatly matted on coordinating paper and she’d written captions under each item.

  He continued paging through the book. Each wedding was different. From movie stars to political figures, Kelsey had managed to pull off spectacular and unique weddings for each of them. Some were enormous affairs with media coverage and security, but others appeared to be more intimate gatherings. That made him happy since that’s what his family was hoping for.

  After he reached the end and put the album back in the ottoman, a satisfied smile formed on his lips. Taking Kelsey home was the right move. Someone so warm and fuzzy was what they all needed—correction, what his mother needed. And Faith, too.

  Opening the next scrapbook, he expected to see more wedding memorabilia. He didn’t. Will turned one page, then another, and another. This book didn’t celebrate her clients’ marriages, but their divorces.

  Will frowned. He couldn’t believe what he was reading. Page upon page of clippings. Ugly accusations, tearful confessions, angry photographs. Her clientele was the kind to get as much press coverage with their divorces as with their weddings. In the upper corner of each page Kelsey had noted the years, sometimes only days, the marriage lasted. Will tried to reconcile the first book with the second. He couldn’t.

  The first book showed how much she loved her job and the photographs and clippings reaffirmed her talent for designing weddings, but the second scrapbook was the exact opposite. He didn’t get it. Something didn’t add up. He placed the book in the ottoman and closed the lid.

  Kelsey entered the room with one suitcase in her hand, another rolling behind her, and a bag on her shoulder. “I’m ready now.”

  Will hesitated. Should he mention the scrapbooks? He was supposed to bring her home with him, but was it in his family’s best interest to put her in charge of Faith’s wedding? Now he wondered, after what he’d just seen. The divorce album rubbed him the wrong way, made him wonder if Kelsey had a hidden agenda or something. He felt as if he’d opened the cupboard of a health fanatic only to find a stash of junk food.

  “Is something wrong?” she asked.

  A perfect segue, but something held him back. Was he reading too much into this? Maybe the divorce album was some kind of joke. Maybe he was too embarrassed to admit he’d peeked at her scrapbooks. Maybe he was looking for any excuse not to take her home with him and spend the next two weeks by her side.

  “No.” His goal had been to get Kelsey to coordinate the wedding. It’s what his mother wanted. It’s what Faith had asked him to do. No sense changing course now despite his own reservations. Will rose from the couch. “Let’s go. Our plane is waiting for us.”

  Talk about a bumpy flight. Another wave of turbulence shook the Learjet. Kelsey checked her seat belt for the zillionth time. Habit, she realized. Turbulence, she could handle. But Will Addison?

  No matter which way she turned, she could see him, smell him, sense him. Talk about feeling claustrophobic. If only she had a parachute…

  Kelsey didn’t understand what was going on. Okay, that wasn’t the entire truth. But the truth bothered her, made her feel lower than low. Not even worthy of being on the bottom of the food chain. Will might be Faith’s brother; he might even be married. But Kelsey was attracted to him, attracted to his looks and his smile and his easygoing manner.

 
And she hated herself for the way she felt.

  She sunk into the luxurious leather seat and leaned her head back. Married might as well mean leprosy because in her book Will was untouchable, off limits, you name it. She would not be a catalyst to the breakup of a marriage. Kelsey would sooner gouge out her eyes than get involved with a married man. Which meant she had to ignore her attraction for Will Addison, had to ignore he was even a man.

  She knew exactly what infidelity could do to a marriage, to a family. Her father had been the first to stray, but her mother had followed in his footsteps until all hell had broken loose. The accusations, the fighting, the tears. She and her brother, Cade, had been the ones to lose, the ones turned into pawns in a vicious winner-take-all custody battle.

  Will shifted in his seat and stretched his long legs out in front of him. His calf brushed hers and a burst of heat emanated from the point of contact.

  Ignore it, she ordered herself. Something told her she would be having to ignore many things over the next two weeks.

  “So how did you become a wedding consultant?” he asked.

  Thank goodness. A safe topic. Business related even. Kelsey counted her lucky stars. “My parents divorced when I was nine. When it came time for them to marry others, they both asked for my brother’s and my input. I think it was their way of trying to make things easier on us. My brother couldn’t have cared less, but I got into it. Each time they remarried—”

  “Each time?”

  “My father’s been married eight times, my mother six, though she’s currently engaged to number seven,” Kelsey admitted. It wasn’t a big secret to anyone who knew anything about the Armstrongs. Many followed the happenings of America’s second most famous family. “Needless to say, I had lots of practice planning weddings.”

  “How did you pick Beverly Hills to open your business?”

  “When I was thirteen, my mother married a producer, who moved us from Chicago to Beverly Hills and introduced me to the entertainment industry. He’s husband number three and five.”

  Will’s eyes widened. “She married him twice?”