by Olivia Miles
Chapter Twenty-Two
So the old man actually showed up.” William arched a brow at Alec as he came to lean against the terrace rail, and despite himself, Alec laughed. It was a tight, uneasy sound. A guilty sound, he thought, thinking of how close they’d come to not making it to this rehearsal dinner after all.
The meeting with Mason had, predictably, lasted longer than originally planned, and Alec could see that his father was all too eager to keep it going, extend it into the evening with a round of drinks. It had been Alec who had cleared his throat, made his apologies, and explained that they had somewhere to be. He hadn’t dared to meet his father’s eye, but he could feel the glare burning from across the table.
Now he looked across the large deck to where his father sat, nodding his head politely at something Elizabeth’s father was saying. The Joneses were doing a damn good job of making him feel welcome, and Alec was relieved for that. He hadn’t spoken to his father since they’d left the meeting with Mason. Hadn’t wanted to engage. He’d had his say, made it clear where he stood.
But it wasn’t out of anger that he couldn’t look at his dad. Not completely. It was out of something worse, maybe. Sadness, loss. Maybe even a little pity. That company was all his father had. All he’d chosen to have. And Alec could have helped him save it today.
Well, he told himself, scraping the last of the potatoes from his plate, it wasn’t over yet. They’d made a good case for themselves, proven they were trustworthy and successful advisors. There was still a chance that Mason would want to work with them, and a big one.
And it was a risk that Alec was comfortable taking, he thought, shifting his gaze to his brother as he leaned back on the rail.
“Have you talked with him yet?” he asked, almost not wanting to bring it up. William and their father barely spoke anymore, and when they did it was stiff and tense. Both were hurt and offended. Alec frowned. In time maybe things would work themselves out. For now, he wouldn’t hold his breath.
“Briefly,” William said, reaching for his glass of wine. “He was perfectly polite in that wonderfully cold and sterile way of his.”
“Then I would say the day was a success!” Alec laughed a little easier. He wanted to believe his own words, but the weekend felt long and looming and there was entirely too much room for something to go wrong.
William grew silent. The sounds of the party filled the air. The piano music was subtle in the background, the candlelight flickering, but in this corner of the terrace, it was dark and shadowed. “You know earlier, at the rehearsal, I…I couldn’t stop thinking that it would have been nice if Mom were here.”
Alec looked at him sharply. His pulse drummed. They didn’t talk about her. They didn’t say they missed her. Didn’t imagine how life might have been.
At least he hadn’t. Wouldn’t. Couldn’t.
Until now.
He shifted to turn toward the ocean, his back to the party, his arms draping over the rail. “Do you remember that time she let us stay up late to catch fireflies? She showed us how to cup them in our hands, just tight enough that they wouldn’t get out, but just loose enough that we could see their light shining through.” He gave a sad smile. “She was gentle like that.”
“I wish I could remember.” William’s voice was filled with regret.
“You were little,” Alec said. Hell, he’d been young himself, not more than six or seven. But he could still hear the sound of her laugh if he closed his eyes. See the light shining in her eyes. “That was a long time ago.”
“He never talked about her,” William said bitterly. “He never told us stories. Never kept her alive for us.”
“It was easier for Dad that way,” Alec explained. Easier for him, too. Now he knew he’d been wrong. “It was his way of coping with it.”
“It doesn’t make him right,” William said.
“No,” Alec agreed. It didn’t make any of them right. Across the deck he noticed his father stand, shake Jeff Jones’s hand, and start walking toward them. His jaw was squared, tense, the usual all-business stance he’d maintained over the years, but there was something different about him, Alec noticed, as he came closer. Something in his eyes.
From behind him, Elizabeth was waving, motioning William over. “Hate to leave you like this…”
Wouldn’t be the first time, Alec thought. But the anger he’d felt had shifted these past few days. “Go. Have fun. I can handle Dad.”
He took a long sip of his drink as his brother disappeared into the crowd and his father came to a stop in front of him.
“That lead we’ve had has panned out,” George said, lifting a bushy eyebrow. “He wants to move forward with our meeting with him and his son.”
Alec felt his mouth go dry. “This isn’t the time to discuss business.” He lifted his wineglass again, only to realize that it was empty.
It was going to happen. The meeting. Tomorrow. The day of his brother’s wedding. His father knew as well as he did that they couldn’t be in two places at once.
“Any chance of rescheduling?” Alec said.
His father shot him a look. Or maybe, Alec thought, a warning.
“Sounds like business is going well,” William cut in, back at his side to reach for his cell phone, which he’d left on the deck rail.
“Not as good as yours, I’m sure.” Their father’s gaze turned hooded. “Should have had you sign a no-solicitation clause. But then, I never thought one of my sons would leave the family business and take a book of clients with him.”
“I didn’t take them. They came on their own.” William’s expression remained completely neutral as he tapped on the screen of his phone and then thrust the device back into his pocket. “I’m where I need to be, Dad. It would mean a lot if you could be happy for me.”
Father and son stared at each other until George tapped the railing twice and gave a curt nod. “I’ve had a long day and I’m turning in. I want nothing but the best for you, William. And you, Alec. With that, good night.”
The brothers watched him go, until he disappeared inside the lobby. “Well, that could have gone worse,” William declared.
It could have gone a lot worse, Alec thought. And it still sadly might.
“I should get back to Elizabeth,” William said, but he stopped as he turned to go. “What I said the other day still stands, Alec.”
Alec knew what his brother was referring to, but as with the first time the topic was broached, he didn’t know how to respond. “It’s complicated,” he said, even though he couldn’t ignore the lightness in his chest, the rare feeling of possibility.
William nodded. “I understand. But…do me a favor and think about it, will you? And, Alec,” he said, lifting a finger. “Don’t do it for me. Whatever happens…do what’s best for you.”
“Like you did?” Alec replied, catching the edge in his voice.
William gave him a long look. “It’s what Mom would have wanted.”
Alec didn’t reply. His brother was right. Their mother had had a few glimpses of happiness in her life, ones he still remembered, when he allowed himself to. She would have wanted a different ending for them. Her boys. That’s what she always called them. Her boys. Even then, when they were so little, she’d lumped them together, made them part of a team.
Somewhere along the way he’d almost lost that. And he’d been blaming the wrong person.
He watched as William approached Elizabeth, set an arm around her waist, laughed at something she whispered in his ear. He suddenly felt a yearning for something he’d almost lost but might still be able to have, if he was careful.
His gaze wandered to the left, catching Kate’s eye. She gave him a small smile, and he held his hand up, grinning as he crossed the deck and grabbed two glasses of Champagne from a waiter passing a tray. He’d been eyeing Kate all through the wedding rehearsal and the immediately following dinner, but he had yet to steal a few minutes alone with her. She’d been in wedding planner mode, doing her
job, making sure every detail was in order, that every guest and wedding participant was accounted for. Even their walk down the aisle had been interrupted by Kate’s need to take the flower girl’s hand and make sure she didn’t drop down to play with the rose petals, as she had tried to. Twice.
She turned to give him her full attention as he approached the corner of the veranda where she was overseeing the setup of an elaborate dessert buffet.
“When I agreed to the pie, I didn’t realize it would look like this,” he said, raising his eyebrows at the individual-sized desserts topped with a perfect scoop of ice cream and drizzled with caramel sauce.
“Well, it’s a rehearsal dinner. I didn’t want it to be too casual.”
“I should have known to listen to you. Sushi for the main course would not have worked.” He laughed, and so did she.
“That’s what I’m here for,” she said. “But I have to admit, I’m looking forward to getting off work soon. My feet are killing me.”
He traced the curves of her body to the hem of her pale purple cocktail dress and over her bare legs, finally resting on the strappy sandals she wore.
“Here,” he said, shaking the fog clear. “I figured you could use this.”
She accepted the Champagne flute with a grateful smile. “I’ve been running around so much, I barely stopped to eat.” She glanced around, before shrugging her shoulders. “Everything is pretty much wrapped up on my end, so…why not?”
Alec clinked her glass and gestured to the stairs. “I wouldn’t mind getting some air.”
“I don’t have anything left to do here,” Kate said, adjusting her shawl over her shoulders. “Lead the way.”
Alec didn’t know where he was leading her any more than he knew which direction to take for himself. He was ambling, searching for clarity, for an easy way out of this mess that wouldn’t require letting anyone down, or hurting anyone.
The meeting with Mason Lambert today had gone well. Too well. In a perfect world he’d be celebrating tonight, but how could he when everyone expected him to be in attendance tomorrow afternoon, just a few hours before his only brother’s wedding?
Everyone but his father, that is.
“Something wrong?”
Alec hesitated. “Do you ever worry about letting someone down?”
Kate stopped when she reached the last step. “All I do is worry these days.”
She set her glass on the post at the end of the railing, bent down, and began fumbling with her shoes. She lost her balance, laughing as he reached out to steady her, and he didn’t let go until she’d eased the last shoe from her heel, smiling into a sigh.
“Ah. Much better,” she said as she righted herself.
His hand was still on her wrist, and as he watched her eyes sparkle in the moonlight, he couldn’t resist. He set his glass next to hers, and without waiting, he leaned in, brought his mouth to hers, felt her lips part to his touch. He kissed her deeply, slowly, wanting to savor this moment. Wanting to make it last.
His hands were in her hair, pushing the strands from her face as quickly as the wind blew them forward. She brought her hands to his chest as he pulled her close, exploring her mouth, enjoying this heat, until a cheer from the deck above made him stop.
“Wow.” Kate brought her fingers to her lips, covering her shy smile. Her gaze skirted from him to the terrace, where the band had picked up and people had started dancing. She slid her eyes back to his. “The party’s just getting started.”
He could suggest they go back, and maybe he should. Instead he jutted his chin toward the beach. The party could wait.
* * *
“Is that the famous lighthouse everyone was talking about the other night?” Alec asked, gesturing to the red and white striped structure at the end of the pier.
“The very one.” Kate dipped her toe in the water, which bubbled and foamed on the wet sand. “Pretty, isn’t it?”
“Let’s check it out,” Alec said, to her surprise. Pleased, Kate turned down the wooden pier with him.
“This is one of my favorite spots in town,” Kate said.
Alec looked at her quizzically. “But as I seem to recall, you were in favor of changing it.”
“Not changing it,” Kate said. “More like…improving it. It’s old, and it needs some maintenance. I hate to think of it being let go. I’d like it to last until…” She stopped herself. Until when? Once her future had been so certain. Now it was a gray fog.
“Come on,” Alec said, walking over to the lighthouse. He paused at the doors, but only briefly. “It’s unlocked!” He marveled over this discovery, his smile as broad as a little boy on Christmas morning, and Kate laughed.
She didn’t have the heart to tell him that of course it wasn’t locked. This was Misty Point, not the big city. She knew people who didn’t bother to lock their house at night, not that she was one of them. You could never be too careful, after all…
She held back as she watched Alec disappear into the building and then poke his head back out. “Aren’t you coming?”
“We’re not supposed to be in there,” Kate said nervously.
Alec shot her a look of amusement. “Do you always follow the rules?”
Kate couldn’t deny it. “Always.” At least until now. Until him.
“Come on. Take a risk. Live a little.” He extended his hand. “What do you say?”
She looked at his palm, and knowing she might live to regret this, set her hand in his.
“Where are you leading me?” she asked, starting to enjoy herself. It was dark and dusty, but through the open windows the moon shone down, casting a spotlight on the space as they moved through it.
Alec motioned to the staircase. “There. Unless you’re scared?”
“When we were little, we used to think it was haunted. I remember one time Elizabeth snuck inside and began howling. I’ve never seen Charlotte move so fast. Her face went ghostly pale, and then she was off. She didn’t stop until she was halfway to town.” Kate laughed. “She never forgave me for that.”
Kate frowned, her heart suddenly feeling tight. She hadn’t thought of that night in a long time. They used to joke about it every now and again. She walked to the stairs, forcing one leg in front of the other.
“You miss your sister,” Alec observed, his voice low and husky behind her.
There was a slight echo when Kate cleared her throat. She’d slipped into the past again, when all she wanted to do was move forward. She climbed higher, eager to keep going. “If you go to the top, there’s an amazing view of the town.”
He laughed in triumph. “So you have been in here before!”
She felt her cheeks flush with guilt, but she was laughing, too. “I didn’t say I’d never been inside. I just said you’re not supposed to…”
Her breath caught as his hands caught her hips and held them there. She stopped at the landing as his chest came close to her back, his mouth so close to her ear that the heat of his breath sent a shiver down her spine. “I knew there was more to you than first met the eye.”
“Still making assumptions about me then?” She closed her eyes as he traced his mouth down her neck, so gently she couldn’t be sure if it was the breeze or his breath on her skin.
His arms wrapped around her waist, stirring up heat in her stomach, and she turned to face him, aware of how close his face was to hers, that his gaze was on her mouth.
Kate smiled up at him, refusing to overthink the moment. Refusing to acknowledge the fact that she was dangerously close to losing her heart again, if she hadn’t already.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Well. Now she’d done it. She’d officially gotten caught up in the moment. And slept with Alec.
It was something Charlotte would do, not her. Kate had rules about this type of thing, after all. She didn’t kiss until the third date, didn’t invite a guy over until the sixth, didn’t sleep with him until—Well, no use thinking about that right now. Where had her rules gotten her be
fore?
Kate pulled the car around to the front of the hotel and shifted the gear into park. She would have liked nothing better than to turn off the ignition and go inside with Alec. But today was wedding day, and even if it wasn’t her own, it was the closest thing to it. Today was going to be perfect.
It was already off to a perfect start, she thought, sliding Alec a smile.
“What do you have going on before the ceremony today?” Alec asked, and Kate almost burst out laughing.
More like what didn’t she have going on? It was wedding day. Meaning she would spend the day going over her checklist, making sure that every last detail was accounted for. Every last bobby pin secured, every boutonniere straightened. She’d be overseeing the tent and the caterers and counting the exact number of chairs at the ceremony. There were at least one hundred things to tick off her list, right down to making sure she had safety pins—in a variety of sizes, to boot.
But why bore Alec with the details?
“Oh, I just have a few things to tie up before I meet up with the girls to have lunch and get ready. Though I doubt Elizabeth will be able to eat anything,” she said, imagining how her friend must be feeling this morning. Given the tension that still existed between the bride and best man, she quickly changed the topic to safer ground. “How about you? Plans with William before the big moment?”
“I’ve got some business to attend to before I meet up with him.”
“Business?” Her heart sank as the words brought her straight back to reality. Despite the bliss of last night, there was no denying reality, and the fact was that Alec was very much married to his job. His job in Boston.
“It’s always business with my father.” Alec’s jaw tensed, but when he looked at her again, his features relaxed. “I had a really nice time last night.” His voice was low and gravelly and entirely too sexy for this time of morning.
“So did I,” she admitted. Maybe too good of a time considering how quickly this wedding week was passing.
He hesitated. “I’m starting to dread the thought of going back to Boston in the morning.”