“Not at all. Chance and I were in a meeting with my brother this morning and I lost track of time. Alejandro is being wonder—”
Cara’s heart nosedived into her stomach.
“Oh, Cara...I’m sorry. Does it upset you if I speak of my brother?”
Yes. Yes. Yes. I am not over him yet. “No, it’s fine. Of course you can speak of your brother.” Cara glanced at the waitress, who stood patiently by.
She didn’t miss her cue. Dressed in a fire-engine-red uniform and a stark white apron, the waitress stuck a menu under their noses. “Welcome to Royal’s,” she said mostly to Gabriella. “Now that you’re both here, shall I give you a few minutes to decide?”
“That’s perfect,” Cara said with a smile. “Thank you.”
As the waitress walked off, Cara asked, “What were you saying about your brother?”
She owed Gabriella her loyalty and friendship, since she was taking a leap by keeping Cara’s secret from Alex. Cara put aside her own heartache to listen to what Gabriella had to say about her brother.
Brightness entered Gabriella’s eyes and her mouth curved into the biggest smile. “Oh, Cara. Alejandro has offered to give me a wedding in his home. Is that not wonderful?”
“It’s very kind of him,” she said, doing a mental happy dance for Gabriella and Chance. How could she not be thrilled for them? They deserved a happily-ever-after. She had to give Alex credit for making his sister happy.
“Chance and I discussed having a small wedding in the judge’s chambers. We wanted to be married quickly, and Chance knows that I am a traditional woman at heart. I am living with Chance as his fiancée, but nothing would make me happier than to be his wife. He wanted that, too, as soon as we could have arranged it. And now, Alejandro will host our wedding. It is the best gift of all to have my brother and father attend my wedding. Even though Papa is against the marriage and does not think Chance is worthy of me, Alejandro has been helping me convince him to attend our ceremony.”
“I know it means a lot to you.” It wasn’t easy hearing news of Rodrigo del Toro, since he was the designer of Alex’s little plan to spy on Windsor Energy. But he was also Gabriella’s father and she loved him, flaws and all. Cara had to remember that. “Will you take your vows before a clergyman?”
“Sí, there is a deacon from the church who will marry us. The three of us met with him today. That is why I was late.”
The waitress returned with notepad and pen in hand. Gabriella’s eyes were still gleaming as she ordered coffee and lemon raspberry pie, though it wasn’t the thought of pie keeping the perpetual glow on her face.
“Good choice,” the waitress said. “It’s my personal favorite.”
The waitress glanced at Cara next. She waited for an ounce of guilt while ordering Royal’s most sinful specialty and was relieved when desire won out over good sense.
Alone again, she found Gabriella’s eyes on her. “You are Chance’s good friend, Cara.” Her softly spoken words flowed with the rhythmic beat of her Mexican heritage. “And now, you are my good friend, too. I feel closer to no other woman in Texas and I would like to ask you if...if you would be my maid of honor. W-would you consider standing by my side while I speak my vows to Chance?”
Goodness. She hadn’t expected this.
Gabriella watched her carefully, her soft brown eyes warm and filled with hope. The affection between them had grown surprisingly strong as their budding friendship developed in a short span of time. She’d come to really love Gabriella del Toro as a dear friend. “It would be my honor, Gabriella. I would love to be your maid of honor.”
Gabriella rose slightly, coming halfway over the booth with arms outstretched, and Cara met her in the middle. Their embrace was awkward and loving and then both giggled happily before returning to their seats.
“I’m very glad to have you for my friend, Cara.”
“I feel the same way. I’ve never been a maid of honor before, so you’re going to have to steer me in the right direction.”
“And I’ve never been a bride before. We’ll, how do you say, muddle through together?”
“Yes, that’s how you say it. It’ll be an adventure.”
Though Cara’s plan to keep her distance from Alex was shot to hell before she had a moment to implement it, she reasoned she couldn’t very well avoid Chance and Gabriella’s wedding day or deny her friend her request. Cara’s heart tugged at the notion of being included in her friends’ wedding. She wouldn’t miss seeing them marry...not for the world.
“There’s so much to do before the wedding.” Gabriella paused, as if this was the first she’d really thought about it. “I need a dress and shoes and a guest list! Dios. I don’t know where to start.”
Cara reached over and clasped Gabriella’s hand. “Don’t worry about a thing. I will help you with everything. You will be a beautiful bride.”
Gabriella’s shoulders immediately relaxed. “Gracias. I had always envisioned being married in Mama’s wedding gown. But there is no time to make the arrangements. The wedding is in one week.”
One week? Wow. Even for a small gathering, that was speedy. The faux-leather seat cushioned her as she leaned back. “Let me help you find the perfect dress. I know a bridal shop that will bend over backward to accommodate a new bride. They have the most gorgeous gowns. Everything will come together, I promise you.” She mustered enough reassurance in her tone to convince both Gabriella and herself.
Gabriella blew out a breath of relief. “Gracias. You have made me feel better about my wedding already.”
Cara glanced away as pangs of heartbreak struck her chest. She, too, should be planning a wedding. She’d had the details set in her mind, what designer she would use for her dress, the perfect bridal bouquet, her favorite flowers adorning the tables. It was all a distant memory now yet the pain lingered, clinging on with heart-gripping force that refused to let go.
She turned back to Gabriella, giving her a smile, and realized it was too late. Her friend saw the misery she had momentarily forgotten to hide. “Cara...this is selfish of me. You have not gotten over—”
“Nonsense, Gabriella. This has nothing to do with Alex and me. I want to do this for you and Chance.”
Joy blossomed on Gabriella’s face again. “If you are certain.”
“As sure as the sun sets in the west.”
Gabriella’s eyes narrowed in question. “It is an American expression?”
Cara nodded. “It means I’m one hundred percent sure.”
When their dessert was delivered, Gabriella’s eyes rounded at the size of the piece on her plate. “I cannot eat all of this.”
Cara had no such high hopes for her own piece of pie. She was eating for two. “Take half home to Chance. He’ll love it.”
“I will do that.”
Cara dug into the whipped cream first. A jolt of sugary sweetness burst into her mouth. “Yum. I haven’t lost my sweet tooth. I should feel more guilt about this.” A forkful of berries and chocolate cream entered her mouth next, and she sighed. “But I don’t. It’s delicious.” She patted her stomach, and Gabriella’s thoughtful gaze fell to her belly.
“Is the baby doing well?”
“Yes, I think so. I see the doctor next week again.”
“Will you find out then if it’s a boy or girl?”
She shook her head. She’d gotten her hands on every baby book she could find and read about private companies that could detect the sex of the child at eleven weeks, but Cara would wait for the real deal. Medical professionals got an accurate picture at nineteen weeks. “I won’t know for a little while longer.”
Gabriella leaned forward, her curious eyes glistening. “I am very anxious to find out. If it’s a girl, I will make her a set of jewelry like no other. I have ideas in mind already.”
“If she takes after me, she’ll love all forms of baubles. And if it’s a boy?”
Gabriella’s face twisted and a guttural groan replaced her normally sweet tone. “Oh, well, if it’s a boy, he will have an empire to...”
Cara’s throat constricted at the thought of her son inheriting del Toro Oil. Her head clouded up and she couldn’t utter a word. Up until this point, with Alex in the dark about her pregnancy, she didn’t have to face the realities of what a son might mean to both families. Her throat wasn’t working, but her stomach made up for the lack of bodily functions. It churned like a grinder spewing sourness on the sweet sensations rippling through from the pie.
Gabriella’s hand flew to her mouth. “Dios, Cara. I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” She shrugged, releasing stiffness in her own shoulders. “I can’t think of the future right now. I’m dealing with the situation one day at a time. The best thing for me to do is to focus on helping you have the wedding of your dreams.” She drew a deep breath to fill her lungs, clear her cobwebs and steady her. “And that’s exactly what I’m going to do. So see, you’re helping me. There’s no reason for you to be sorry.”
Gabriella immediately lowered her lids and shook her head. Cara sensed she didn’t fully buy into her bravado. “In the future, I will think before I speak.”
“You didn’t say anything wrong.” Gabriella lifted her lashes to Cara’s smile. “It’s me. I’m the one with my head in the sand.” And because she didn’t know if Gabriella knew that expression, she said, “It means that I’m not facing my problems head-on. I’m hiding out. Because I honestly don’t know what else to do right now. Trust me when I tell you, helping you plan your wedding is going to be more fun than I’ve had in months.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Now, why don’t we start by tackling that guest list...”
Four
Neatly groomed columns of lavender bluebells, white daffodils and pink zinnias parted the pathway Cara strolled as she made her way toward the cottage. The flowers in full springtime bloom never failed to lift her spirits after a day of hard work. Setting her purse and laptop down on the living-room sofa, she headed for the bedroom.
Eating for two had its rewards. She’d pigged out today at the Royal Diner and didn’t regret a second of it until she was behind the wheel of her car and halfway home. Her stomach rebelled from abuse for a few minutes, reminding her that guilty pleasures needed some balance. Lucky for her, the revolt was over and Cara was back to her sensible-eating self.
She opened her bedroom door and glided inside. Her gaze immediately hit upon a legal-size note written with a Sharpie that she’d left on her bed this morning.
Dinner with Dad tonight.
She grumbled and let out a moan. “Oh, man.”
She’d forgotten. All day long she’d looked forward to spending a peaceful night at home. After her over-the-top dessert today, she planned on having only a bowl of Cheerios for dinner. Her dad wouldn’t let her get away with taking a rain check. Melanie was coming over tonight and heaven forbid if Cara should slight the woman that might become the fifth Mrs. Paul Windsor.
Thank goodness her mother wasn’t around to see the debacle he’d made of his love life after she’d died.
Cara spilled out of her clothes, tossing each piece into a heap on her bed and giving the note she’d so efficiently written this morning a slow but complete burial. Too bad the damage was already done. No Cheerios for her tonight.
Naked now, she laid a hand over her belly. Every day she took measure and every day her plank-board belly answered in return. No baby bump yet. As much as she wanted to see the baby thrive and grow inside her, she relished the secrecy even more. It gave her time to sort things out in her mind and come up with a game plan. Playing Monopoly with her life wasn’t fun, but it was necessary. She’d landed on Chance and didn’t have a clue where the flip of the card would take her. One thing she knew for sure, Alex wasn’t getting a Get Out of Jail Free card.
She grinned at that and took an almost endless shower that prickled her skin and rejuvenated her body. She’d need the fortification for the upcoming “Paul and Melanie Show.” After the shower from heaven, Cara donned a sleeveless turquoise dress dotted with tiny white flowers. She wrapped a matching belt around her waist and slipped into a pair of white flip-flops decorated with pearls and a perfectly shaped carnation flower.
She let her hair dry loose. It was stick straight and thick enough to look groomed even if she did nothing but run a comb through it. She’d won Best Hair in high school but always wished she’d won Most Likely to Succeed. Being Paul Windsor’s daughter, her friends always thought she had it made, but she’d never taken her job for granted. She worked hard to earn her title as marketing director.
She was halfway to the living room when her doorbell dinged. Furrowing her brows, she headed toward the front door, giving a glance at the wall clock on her way. Only seven? Was her father being impatient? Dinner wasn’t until eight o’clock.
She pulled the handle and swung the door wide open. Her eyes lit on Alex, standing on the doorstep wearing expertly tailored black trousers belted in black leather with a white silk shirt tucked into his waist. The combination of black against white was breathtaking. Relaxed casual looked like a million bucks on him.
He stood at an angle, as if he was inspecting the grounds, and then she was hit with the force of his beauty as he turned to fully face her. “Hello, Cara.” A quick white smile flashed against bronzed skin.
Cara blinked. She didn’t think he’d have the nerve to show up anywhere near Windsor property after what he’d done. Then again, this was Alex, the indomitable man who’d marched into Windsor Energy the other day to kidnap her. “Alex. I’m, uh, surprised to see you here. H-how did you get onto the property?”
Her home, nestled one mile into Windsor Farms, also had its own private entrance with a security gate off the main road. It gave her the independence she needed and allowed her guests to come and go without having to disturb the security personnel at Windsor Farms. But the cottage also afforded her the convenience of living near her childhood home.
“I remembered the gate code,” he said without apology.
Cara winced and immediately put changing the code on her list of priorities for tomorrow. She couldn’t have Alex showing up on her doorstep anytime he wanted.
“You called me today. Twice,” he said.
“Yes, I did. But I just asked that you call me back. I didn’t expect for you to...” Her eyes lifted to his hair, shining like cool onyx against the fading sunlight. “For you to come over.”
“You said it was important.”
“Yes, well...I think it’s important,” she stuttered. His presence turned her world upside down. Darn him. She should send him away, but she really needed to speak to him. Her gaze locked on him like a homing device. Unable to look away, she pictured him in the McDaniel’s stables, touching her, making her come apart in his arms. Instantly, a hot blast of heat climbed up from her belly to parch her throat.
“May I come in?” His smile and the softly spoken request charmed her.
“Oh, yes. Come inside.” She stepped back and made room for him to enter.
He strode inside and turned around a few feet away. His presence and the sexy scent of his familiar cologne surrounded her. “You look beautiful, Cara.”
So did he. It was par for the course with Alex. He devastated. “Thank you.”
“Are you going somewhere tonight?” He probed her casually but with underlying intensity in his gaze. Was he jealous? Did he think she’d date another man? She still wasn’t through the wreckage of their relationship. “Just dinner with my father and his latest lady friend.”
He gave a nod.
Finally, good manners set in. “Would you like to sit down?”
&
nbsp; “Yes, I would,” he rasped. Why was it every word he spoke to her sounded like raw sex?
She waved toward the sofa. “Have a seat. I don’t have a lot of time, so I’ll make this quick.”
“Okay.” He sat in the middle of the sofa, which gave her the option of sitting next to him on either side. She took a seat in a chair facing him, but she had to give him points for trying. “The place looks good. I’ve missed coming here.”
If he remembered everything, he’d know they christened the sofa half a dozen times, making love.
His hand splayed out and he stroked the fabric on the cushions.
Yeah, he remembered. She took a big swallow and forced her mind to the reason for her phone call. “I understand that you are throwing a wedding for Gabriella and Chance. I think it’s very nice of you.”
“I love my sister and am happy to do it for her.”
His quick admission rippled through her. A man who loved his sister couldn’t be all bad. Then again, Gabriella was pretty darn lovable. “And Chance?”
“He’s good with it, too. We’ve talked and he’s on the path to forgive me. One day soon, we’ll be family.”
With Alex’s charm and good deeds he’d be granted forgiveness by everyone he’d deceived at the Cattleman’s Club, too. It was just a matter of time. But his betrayal to her was the greatest one of all and she wasn’t about to surrender her heart so easily again. “Gabriella’s asked for my help with the wedding and I want to surprise her with something. But I need your assistance. Do you know exactly where your mother’s wedding dress is stored?”
Obviously somewhat surprised at the question, Alex lifted his eyes toward the ceiling, thinking. He blinked a few times then answered, “I would guess it’s with the rest of my mother’s things at Las Cruces. My father had her possessions stored in a locked room on the estate.”
“Will you ask him and then get back to me? Gabriella’s fondest wish is to be married in her mother’s gown, but she fears there’s not enough time to have it located and sent. I say there is. What do you think?”
THE TEXAS RENEGADE REURNS Page 7