by Nadia Lee
She drained the rest of her scotch and wiped her fingers on the napkin. “Thank you for lunch, Salazar. I’ll see you tomorrow…unless you’re skipping Thanksgiving.”
“Oh no, wouldn’t miss it. See you tomorrow.”
* * *
As soon as the door closed, Geraldine whirled around. “Why was that…nasty piece of work here? And you just let her talk to me like that?”
Salazar shrugged. “It’s a free country. Plus, she didn’t say anything you didn’t deserve.”
Ceinlys’s words had also given him an insight, something he’d been aware of but never fully realized.
The lofty expectations.
Shirley had often remarked on the importance of being proper, of making sure you never did anything to embarrass the family. To her, the family’s reputation was everything. “Don’t be inappropriate.” She’d said it so often, it was almost like a punctuation mark.
Had she been unusually harsh with Ceinlys? She’d never disguised her disdain for her daughter-in-law, but Salazar had assumed she’d gotten over it after Dane had been born. Shirley couldn’t have loved that boy more. Hell, she’d loved him more than her own son.
“You cannot let her get away with talking to me like that!” Geraldine screeched.
“You’re right. I should probably divorce her.”
“Salazar!”
“I’m not siding with you. You know that.” The only time he’d ever done that was when Julian had shown up with his pregnant mistress. As much as Salazar didn’t care for his spoiled sister, he wasn’t a total asshole.
“Are you really going to invite her to Thanksgiving?”
“Why not? We aren’t mortal enemies,” he said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need a beauty nap.”
She sputtered. “Nap? When did you start taking beauty naps?”
“Well, none of us are getting any younger,” he said, giving her a significant look. He yawned and left before Geraldine threw something.
Chapter Fifteen
“Do you think this looks okay?” Sophia asked for the tenth time as she fussed with the centerpiece on the long table.
“It’s beautiful. Exactly right.” Dane would toss anybody saying otherwise out on their ass. And then slam the door in their face.
“Okay.” Exhaling softly, she smoothed her hands down a green dress that brought out her eyes. “So let’s see…” She looked around, unconsciously adjusting her hair, which she’d left loose and unbound. It was longer now, the perfect length for him to fist in one hand when he took her from behind.
“Sophia.”
She tossed a nervous glance his way.
“It’s fine. Everything’s perfect.” He wrapped his arms around her and inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. “You are perfect.”
As he intended, she giggled. “You are so incredibly biased. Not that I mind.”
“Not biased. Objective,” he said gravely, then gently nipped at the diamonds around her neck. “I want to see you with nothing but this on later tonight.”
A flush colored her skin where he nuzzled. “Dane…”
She raised her arm, her palm tenderly grazing the side of his face. Moments like this, his heart felt so full it hurt. He kissed her delicate hand, loving the feel of his ring on her finger. It might not be an engagement ring, but it was a step closer to what he wanted.
The door to his penthouse opened, and his brothers and their better halves walked in. The security team hadn’t bothered him about the guests since they all knew his family now. A moment later, Vanessa and Justin showed up, the latter wearing Ryan in a sling.
“So. Ham or turkey?” Mark asked after they settled in the living room. Dane didn’t have enough seats for everyone, but the plush rugs made the floor a comfy place to plunk down temporarily.
“Why don’t you wait and be surprised?” Dane said.
“Is Mom coming?” Iain asked.
Sophia nodded. “Yes. And so is Salazar.”
Hilary blinked. “Wow. Both of them? Did they, uh, know…?”
“Yes. I didn’t make it a secret.”
Ginger elbowed Hilary in the ribs. “Told ya.”
“Told her what?” Shane asked.
Ginger leaned forward. “I’m pretty sure they’re secretly dating.”
The notion was so preposterous, Dane couldn’t help but laugh.
Shane glowered. “Hey. If Ginger thinks that, she has good reason.”
“Hallucinations can seem reasonable,” Dane said. He spread his hands. “They’re divorced. Why would they be dating now?”
“Because when I asked Ceinlys to meet me for lunch to discuss photographers, she put me off. For a week. Something about previous appointments, and—I’m not sure if she meant to let it slip or not, but—she said she needed to see Salazar to discuss a few things.”
Jane gasped. “She did that with you too? She can never meet me for lunch. It’s always tea or something. When I pressed her a little, she said she needed to work on restoring the grove.”
Hmm. Which meant she needed to work closely with Salazar. Dane didn’t understand why she would want to work on the grove in the first place. It had nothing to do with her now, and surely she didn’t want to spend time with Salazar unnecessarily. After all, it had been her idea to divorce. “Still. Maybe Dad asked for help. Mom’s managed the grove for a long time.”
“No, they’re right.” Mark scratched the tip of his nose. “I heard from Al that Mom’s been having lunch with Dad every day for the last three weeks. They don’t have to eat together every day if she’s just helping out with the grove.”
“Perverse,” Dane muttered, oddly aggravated. “If they were going to pull this, why bother to get divorced?”
Everyone shrugged. He didn’t understand his parents’ deal. He wasn’t entirely clueless or oblivious, despite his siblings’ opinions, and he knew they’d been in love at one point. But that love had morphed into something else. The problem was likely their pride—they were both so stiff they’d rather eat broken glass than humble themselves.
“Well.” Justin bounced Ryan a bit. The baby babbled and then laughed when Justin kissed him noisily. “The wedding planning is going as it should?”
Jane nodded. “Fabulously. Ceinlys is a miracle worker. And somehow she can do all this with so little time and…you know, not a lot of money to throw around.”
“Plenty of couples get married on a budget,” Ginger declared.
“Not in this family,” Vanessa said. “Unless you elope.” She rested her head on Justin’s shoulder.
Dane said nothing, but his mother’s being okay with such a modest ceremony was curious. She cared about the family reputation and image just as much as Shirley had—if not more—which was why she’d been so meddlesome about who her children ought to marry. Although he’d married “beneath” himself, Mark had done what was expected of him once he’d gotten engaged—a grand wedding, even if there had been some shameless guests crashing it, the bastards. Dane had assumed she would want something amazing for Iain as well, and now she’d already had a practice run. Hilary didn’t have anyone from her fucked up family to help out, so the planning had been left up to her best friend, Josephine Martinez, with occasional input from Ceinlys.
At that point, Ceinlys swept in. Dane regarded his mother thoughtfully. She was well put together as usual, but there was something different now. She’d gained back most of the weight she’d lost since filing for divorce. Her blouse was golden yellow, while a red and black skirt fit snugly around her hips then flared out. He couldn’t remember the last time she’d worn such a vivid color or…anything, really, that wasn’t a conservative dress. The outfit made her look even younger than normal, especially combined with her smooth, taut skin. At least she was wearing stilettos. Otherwise he would’ve thought this was an imposter.
“Hello, children.” She hugged and kissed everyone in order, starting with Dane.
He did his best not to stiffen because that would be inappropr
iate and uncalled for. But he didn’t care for people touching him, except for Sophia.
“We’re waiting for Salazar,” Sophia said. “And Geraldine.”
Ceinlys cocked an eyebrow. “She’s been invited too?”
“Well, since she’s in town.”
“That was…generous of you.”
It was no secret how Geraldine felt about Sophia’s mother, who had replaced her as Julian’s wife.
“Sophia didn’t want Geraldine to spend Thanksgiving alone,” Dane said almost defensively. He hadn’t wanted to invite his aunt. As much as he indulged Geraldine by way of fulfilling his promise to Shirley, he didn’t like the way she had disrespected Sophia or the way she looked down on everyone. But Sophia had insisted, and since Dane had promised…
Contrary to what Geraldine liked to believe, she wasn’t that special. The only reason she had what she had was the family name. Dane still couldn’t understand why Shirley had been so partial to her.
Having both of his parents at the dinner was already bad enough. Hopefully Geraldine’s invitation had gotten lost in transit.
* * *
Jane pulled Ceinlys aside. This was her chance to chat before things got awkward…and they always got awkward with the parents around. The previous Thanksgiving feast, hosted by Ceinlys and Salazar, had been suffocating. It had been her first time, and god, it had been intense.
“So, um… I wanted to ask you something…”
“Yes?”
“It’s about the wedding gown.”
“I thought you bought one already.”
“I did. With Sophia and Ginger. But I thought…maybe I should ask you what you think about it?”
Ceinlys considered. “Do you like it?”
“Like it? Oh my lord, yes.” It was made of gorgeous ivory satin and tulle and lace, just the way she’d imagined her gown would be. “It’s gorgeous.”
“Then why would it matter what I think?”
“Well…” Under Ceinlys’s steady gaze, Jane felt like a school kid caught doing something she shouldn’t have. “It might not be…you know…quite right or something. I mean…I just want to make sure it’s okay.”
A fleeting smile passed over Ceinlys’s hauntingly beautiful face. Jane still couldn’t believe she was Iain’s mother. “My dear, this is your wedding. You can wear whatever you want. If you and Iain are happy, my—or anyone else’s—opinion is entirely irrelevant.”
“Oh.” She cleared her throat. “I see.”
“Did something happen?”
“We ran into Iain’s aunt. You know, Geraldine.”
“Did you?” Was it Jane’s imagination or did Ceinlys’s voice cool? “What happened?”
“She saw us coming out of the gown boutique and said maybe we should’ve consulted someone who would know better…to avoid embarrassing the family.”
“Did she insist on being the arbiter of good taste?” Ceinlys’s expression remained pleasant enough although something arctic crept into her eyes.
“No, she didn’t.”
Ceinlys reached over and smoothed Jane’s hair, the gesture surprisingly maternal. “Shall I tell you a secret?” she whispered.
“Um…a secret?”
“Just between us girls.” Ceinlys winked. “The next time she advises you on avoiding embarrassing the family, tell her she could avoid embarrassing the family with her indiscretions. Everyone knows she embarks on another affair every time Julian gets engaged.”
Jane flushed. “Oh no, I could never…!”
This was a new side to Ceinlys. She’d always seemed so circumspect. One of those people who never complained or openly disparaged anything. No, she’d always been subtle in expressing displeasure. Jane had seen her at family gatherings before.
Ceinlys smiled slightly and quirked an eyebrow conspiratorially. “Try it. It’s good for the soul.”
Jane was saved from having to say anything, because just then Geraldine arrived.
* * *
Salazar nursed his scotch as the ham was served. Virginia. Honey-glazed. Just what he liked.
His sons and Justin were also drinking hard liquor, while Geraldine and Ceinlys both had chilled chardonnay. The only one not drinking was Vanessa, who’d opted for cranberry juice. The poor child. She probably wanted to go swimming in a vat of rum. Or maybe vodka.
“So… Jane. Have you shown Ceinlys your dress?” Geraldine asked in a purring voice as she cut the ham.
“She offered, but I declined,” Ceinlys said. “My opinion isn’t necessary.”
“You and Salazar may be divorced, but you still have your duty to the family as Iain’s mother.”
“I understand my duty as a mother. Better than some, at any rate.”
Fascinating. Salazar leaned back in his seat and gave Ceinlys a wide smile, who in turn gave him a sidelong look before returning her attention to Geraldine.
“She might’ve chosen something unsuitable,” his sister was saying. “Just imagine what you would’ve done without Mother to guide you.”
“I suppose I would’ve had a dress without a cathedral train or veil. Countless brides have survived the travesty.”
“That’s not the point. Imagine the embarrassment.”
“To whom? I certainly wouldn’t have been embarrassed. And in front of whom? A bunch of holier than thou gossips whose lives are so impoverished that they have nothing better to do than monitor other people’s fashion choices?”
Jane and Ginger choked. Iain and Shane patted their backs. Dane went for another generous swig of scotch, while Sophia drained her glass of merlot. Mark and Hilary looked at each other with an “aren’t we glad we’re done with this?” expression. Justin slid his glass of scotch toward Vanessa, but she shook her head. She was still nursing, and she was careful about what she ate and drank.
What a devoted mother.
“Not everyone wants to spend a million dollars on a wedding, Geraldine,” Salazar said. “And why should we care so much about what people think about us? It’s an exercise in futility, although I suppose it can be more enjoyable than other endeavors… Root canals, for instance.” Salazar dug into his food. It was quite good. He’d never realized Sophia was so talented in the kitchen. On the other hand, she could’ve just had the party catered. Knowing Dane, it was a definite possibility; the boy treated her like a Ming vase.
“You should all eat,” Salazar said. “Life is short and dieting is for fools.” He turned to Jane. “If you bought your dress a size too small, you can always let it out.” He winked and glanced at Geraldine, who gave him a withering glare in return, her mouth pursed tight. “Nobody’ll notice.”
Jane smiled, her eyes uncertain. “I think I bought the right size.”
He smiled back. “Smart girl.”
* * *
“As these things go, it wasn’t that bad. Mom and Salazar were actually…civil,” Vanessa said as she stepped into their home.
Justin put Ryan into the crib in the nursery. “I thought they were always civil.”
“There’s civil and then there’s civil. This was civil. They didn’t throw a single barb at each other.”
“Geraldine was certainly batting for Team Pryce.”
She frowned. Her aunt had definitely had a lot of not so nice things to say to Ceinlys. “I’m not so sure Dad was, though. He gave her that dig about her wedding dress.”
“Huh?”
“I heard the story. She bought a dress that was a size too small because she couldn’t bear to be a size-four bride.” Vanessa rolled her eyes. “She’s always had peculiar ideas about how she wanted to be perceived and thought of.”
Justin shook his head. “Women.”
“Do you think maybe…Mom and Dad are realizing what they threw away when they divorced?”
“What do you mean?”
“They loved each other at one point. I’ve seen some of the letters Dad wrote to her when they were dating. I mean, he must’ve loved her to write something like that. And she
kept the letters for all these years, so…”
“They might’ve loved each other, but I’ll tell you something—they loved their pride more. I’ve never seen two people prouder than your parents. They’ve never humbled themselves in front of anyone.”
Vanessa turned around and hugged him tightly. “That could’ve been us.” She’d been so scared to make the final commitment, and he hadn’t wanted to wait or give her any more space. Even after they’d gotten married because she’d become pregnant, they could’ve lost each other. The idea chilled her. “We were just lucky enough to figure things out before we wasted our lives being miserable.”
“Let it go, love,” he murmured against her hair. “Sometimes things don’t work out no matter how hard you want them to.”
She nodded and sighed. “You’re probably right, but… It just makes me sad. To throw away an entire life…”
“Let’s get ready for bed. It’s late, and I know you’re tired.”
Reluctantly, she pulled away. She went to the bathroom to wipe off her makeup, while Justin got undressed. She tilted her head to check him out as she put lotion and cream on her clean skin. Damn. That was one fine male body, all those lean muscles and ridges… She wanted to lick them every time she saw him. She didn’t understand how they could’ve been together for so long, but still wanted each other as though it was the beginning of their relationship. At this rate, she might never get used to his effect on her. Not that she minded.
He came over in nothing but boxer shorts and wrapped his arms around her. “You’re getting that frisky look, counselor.”
“Can’t help it. Exhibit A is hot.” She grinned at him, then growing serious, she laid her face on his bare chest, loving the skin-to-skin contact. “Even when you get old and paunchy, I’ll still think you’re hot.”
He chuckled. “No, you won’t. You’ll order me in your courtroom voice to diet or else.”
She looked up at him. “I’ll always go weak in the knees for you because you’re you. You’re my best friend, the father of my child and the man who shares my dreams and future. Every other man pales next to you.”