Two
Peyton didn’t know where to look or what to think. She was consumed by guilt. Suddenly, this assignment was skewing out of her control. Not only did she feel like she was constantly fighting with her instincts to just let go and enjoy being with the man who held her so capably in his arms as they did another turn around the dance floor. This also wasn’t what she’d signed up for. She’d expected an uncomplicated union, a chance to dig for more dirt on Alice Horvath and eventually the opportunity to extract from her the apology her father and her late mother had been due for far too long.
And now what? Now she was married; that was what. It wasn’t the wedding she’d dreamed of as a child, where her father would proudly walk her down the aisle, but one engineered by a stranger so she could marry a stranger. She had been confident she could handle it. How hard could it be?
But now she was a stepmom, too. And not just a stepmom, but to a child who already knew far too much about loss and how the whole world could be upended in the blink of an eye. Already Peyton felt a pull toward the girl—how could she not? Ellie was bright and engaging and demonstrative. Everything she herself had been at that age. Except when Peyton’s world had turned upside down she’d retreated into herself. She’d been nothing like Ellie. Did she dare risk crushing Ellie’s spirit? Could Peyton enter into this debacle of a marriage and then exit it without causing harm? It was doubtful. And she was in, whether she liked it or not, for at least the next three months under the terms of the agreement she’d signed only a few weeks ago. Signed, secure in the belief that this would be a simple matter of going through the experience, writing her story and leaving without looking back.
Galen watched her, obviously expecting some kind of answer. He’d been open with her about his expectations and it was only fair that he expected openness in return. But honesty was something she couldn’t give him, even if she wanted to. Her entire adult life she’d been gearing up for this moment. To exact the revenge for Alice’s unfounded accusations against her dad of improper record keeping and misappropriation of funds. Accusations that had cast a permanent pall on his professional career and made him untrustworthy in the eyes of every potential new employer. Accusations that had put additional strain on her mother’s diminishing health—she’d developed complications from her multiple sclerosis—which had subsequently drained what little they had in the bank and left them living on handouts and whatever sporadic income her father could earn. They’d been unable to pay medical bills for treatment that might have eased her mother’s condition and had ended up having to move from California to Oregon, where the cost of living was lower, but which put her mom even farther from the medical team who’d overseen her care.
A little of the anger that had driven Peyton all these years sparked back to life, blanketing the guilt so there was little more than a pang left.
“I committed to marrying you, Galen. I will do my part.”
He tensed as if waiting to hear more, but she wasn’t prepared to outright lie and make false declarations. She was here to do a job and to close a chapter in her and her family’s life. And then there was the other reason. The reason she barely allowed herself to think of. The child she’d been forced to give away. Had her family’s circumstances been different, she would have been able to keep her. Circumstances she could lay fully and completely at the feet of the woman walking toward them right now. With no money left in her college fund, Peyton had had to take out student loans to go to college. No matter how carefully she’d crunched the numbers there was no way she could afford food, rent, utilities and childcare on top of her loan repayments and her parents had had no way to help physically, emotionally or financially. After all these years, and all her painstaking planning, it was coming to fruition now. She couldn’t afford to take her eye off her goal, for anyone.
“I guess that’s all I can ask,” he said. “And look, here’s Nagy to check on her new chick.”
“Nagy?” Peyton asked, quietly bristling at the idea of being one of Alice Horvath’s anything.
“It’s Hungarian. A diminutive of nagymama, for ‘grandmother.’”
And then Alice was upon them. Though she was slightly built and petite, there was a steeliness to her gaze, and her back was ramrod straight. It was clear this woman didn’t suffer fools gladly; Peyton could tell the woman who’d controlled the Horvath Corporation at its head office in California for many years after her husband’s death was formidable. But as Alice drew nearer, a smile appeared on the old woman’s face. It softened her and made her look entirely approachable. This wasn’t the face of the monster Peyton had always believed her to be.
Galen’s arm tightened around her waist and she involuntarily nestled closer. She had to look and act the part of newlywed, no matter what. And it wasn’t so difficult, was it? He was hardly unattractive and the lean, hard lines of his body beneath his suit felt uncommonly right against her, confusing her even more.
“Congratulations, you two,” Alice said warmly as she reached up and kissed Galen on the cheek then took Peyton’s hands in hers. “You look wonderful together. I’m sure you’ll be very happy.”
Peyton smiled, or was it a snarl with her nemesis standing right in front of her? She couldn’t be entirely sure. “Thank you,” she managed, her voice sounding stiff and unnatural.
“We’re a bit overwhelming en masse, aren’t we?” Alice said with a conspiratorial smile. “But you’ll get used to us. Everyone does.”
By decree of Alice Horvath, Peyton thought bitterly. Get used to them and play by their rules, or get out. She forced herself to hold that smile on her face and took in a deep breath of relief when Alice let go of her hands and turned once again to her grandson. Peyton watched, intrigued by the genuine affection between them. There was nothing stilted or fake about the fondness they showed one another. She let their conversation wash over her and surveyed the rest of the room. It almost looked like the celebration of a real wedding as people laughed and danced and ate and drank. And yet she felt completely separate from all of it. Had she bitten off more than she could chew by taking this assignment?
* * *
Galen sensed his new bride’s disengagement and hastened to end the conversation with his grandmother. It was important to him that Peyton feel she’d made the right decision. He was very good at making other people feel good—about their choices, about themselves, about him. He aimed to please, always, and it had stood him in good stead with his career choice and drew a lot of people to him. But he had the distinct impression that Peyton was not going to be an easy sell. He wouldn’t be able to simply waltz her off into this new happily-ever-after life. There was a reserve about her, even though she was going through all the motions and smiling in all the right places. And he was determined to break that wall down, brick by brick if he had to.
He stroked the curve of her waist but her body remained rigid. Maybe his touch was too much, too soon. He told himself to let her go but the thought of doing so held no appeal at all. He was genuinely attracted to her and mentally gave his grandmother a thumbs-up for their pairing. And he’d have bet that Peyton was attracted to him, too, though she was doing her best not to show it. As soon as this party was over, things would be different. They could all relax. He thought about the Horvath resort in Hawaii where they’d be heading by private jet tonight. Hopefully there, soothed by the balmy breeze and the lush beauty of the landscape, Peyton would unwind a little more and allow him to get to know her better.
“Nagy, could you give Peyton and I a little time alone? We’ll need to get ready to leave soon. Perhaps you could mind Ellie for me and we can collect her before we head to the airport?”
“Of course. It would be my pleasure. Ellie is such a delight. When you’re back from honeymoon, I’d love it if she could stay with me in Ojai for a weekend.”
His grandmother gave Peyton and him both a kiss on the cheek and went off in search of th
e nine-year-old.
“Ellie is coming with us?” Peyton asked with a surprised expression on her face.
“I hope that’s okay. She’s on spring break right now, so it made sense to me to include her and, as we weren’t permitted contact between one another before the wedding, I couldn’t exactly ask you.”
“No, it’s not a problem at all,” Peyton answered, looking more than a little relieved.
Was it because she wouldn’t be left alone with him, that they’d have Ellie as a buffer between them? Galen gave an internal shrug. Whatever; it didn’t matter as long as this worked out. Ellie already liked his new bride. She was a bright kid and knowing she liked Peyton was half the battle won. If they could cement that into something strong and lasting—a family unit that would make her feel loved and secure for the rest of her childhood—then he would have succeeded in fulfilling the promise he’d made to his two dead friends as they were laid to rest. Failure was not an option.
“Are you curious about where we’re going?”
“I’m assuming it’s somewhere warm. I was told to pack light clothing and swimwear.”
“It’s perpetually warm. We’re off to a Horvath resort a little over two and a half thousand miles east-southeast of here,” he teased.
“That would be your resort on Maui, right?”
“You’ve been doing your research on us,” he answered, surprised at her very specific response.
Her cheeks colored. “Research? What makes you think that?”
She sounded defensive. Definitely not what he’d been hoping for just before they left to change for travel.
“Let’s just say I’m not used to people being as well-informed about my business as you apparently are,” he said, attempting to soothe her.
“Information is my business,” she said smoothly, her demeanor relaxing slightly.
“And your business is?”
“I’m a reporter, freelance.”
“A travel reporter? We’ve been featured in quite a few magazines and blogs. Maybe you’ve been our guest before?”
She shook her head. “No, not travel. Didn’t you say we needed to go and change?”
Her subject switch was about as subtle as dropping an old typewriter from the top of a tall building onto the pavement below. But he wasn’t slow to take a hint and he had plenty of time to get to know her better.
“We do. A chopper is taking us to SeaTac in about an hour.”
“It doesn’t take me an hour to get ready,” Peyton answered with a gurgle of laughter. “Do I look that high-maintenance?”
Her laugh was intoxicating, the first sign of unfettered emotion he’d seen in her so far. He knew he wanted more of it, more of her being natural, being herself.
“Well, we might be able to go earlier, provided we can say goodbye to our guests without too many holdups. It won’t change our departure time from SeaTac, though—the flight plan has already been filed. We’re taking one of our company jets.”
“How the other half lives, huh?” she said, softening her words with a smile.
“You’re a part of that now. Flight time is about six hours once we’re wheels up.”
“How late will it be when we arrive?”
“Hawaii’s three hours behind us, so, all going smoothly, about seven p.m.”
“It’s going to be a long day for Ellie.”
“She’ll be okay. She was used to traveling with her parents and can sleep on the flight if she wants to. You can, too.”
She shook her head. “Sadly, I’m one of those who can never sleep on a plane.”
“Always vigilant?”
“Something like that. Well, I guess we’d better get on our way, then?”
“Let me see you up to your room,” he said, taking her arm. “Did you want to throw your bouquet first?”
She shrugged. “Sure.”
“Give me a minute to get it organized.”
“I’ll go get the bouquet.”
He watched as she glided across the room toward the main table where she’d left her flowers. The gentle sway of her hips totally mesmerized him.
“Nice wife,” his brother, Valentin, said as he approached.
“It’s a good thing you have your own, or I’d be making you keep your eyes off mine.”
“And I wouldn’t trade her for the world.”
Galen heard the intense emotion in Valentin’s words. He and Imogene had been married once before, and until Nagy had reunited them in a Match Made in Marriage wedding, they’d both been unhappy. Now they were together again, for good this time, and Galen felt a glimmer of envy—wishing he, too, could experience the kind of relationship they had. But his bed had been made for him when he’d agreed to be Ellie’s guardian and then signed up to find a wife so Ellie could feel safe again. He wasn’t expecting romance and roses. What he needed for his best girl was stability, and hopefully, he could achieve that with Peyton.
“Peyton’s going to toss her bouquet soon. I need to let the emcee know so he can make the announcement.”
“Watch out for the stampede of cousins.” Valentin laughed, but then his expression grew serious. “Galen, I just wanted to say a few private words.”
“And they are?”
“We only get one shot at life, so we need to make the most of every minute. You’re going to hit some roadblocks in this marriage, that’s a given, but you need to be prepared to work through every one of them.”
“I’m not afraid of hard work. You know that.”
“Yeah, I know. I wish you a lifetime of happiness.”
Valentin wrapped his arms around him in a fierce hug and Galen gave him back as good as he got. “Thanks, Val,” he said, his voice suddenly thick with emotion. “I’m going to do my best.”
“You’re going to need to. Marrying someone you already know and love isn’t always easy, but marrying a stranger...”
Galen looked across the room to where Peyton had been corralled by some of his aunties. “Yeah, but what a stranger, right?”
His brother slapped him on the back with another laugh then left him to find the emcee.
Valentin hadn’t been wrong about the stampede. All their female cousins together with several women he’d never met before tonight, mostly Peyton’s guests, jostled for the moment she released the bouquet. The scramble was both undignified and highly amusing, but Galen was shocked when he saw his nerdy IT expert cousin, Sophia, emerge triumphant at the end. He took advantage of the ensuing chaos to take Peyton by the hand and, calling out a good-night to everyone, lead her away.
“Ellie knows we’re coming back for her, right?” Peyton looked worried.
Galen was touched at her concern for a child she’d only just met. “Of course. Her suitcase is already in the chopper. She knows I won’t leave her behind. Ilya, my cousin, and his wife, Yasmin, will bring her to the helipad just before we’re due to depart. For now she can party it up a little with my younger cousins.”
“You do have a big family,” Peyton commented.
“Yeah, I do. And you? Brothers? Sisters?”
She shook her head. “Just me...and my dad,” she added.
“He couldn’t come today?”
Her lips firmed into a straight line. “It’s difficult—we barely talk. I’d rather not discuss it.”
He wanted to press for more details, but one look at her face made him file that away for another time. Bit by bit, he was learning there were going to be a hell of a lot of layers to peel through to get to the core of what made up his new wife. It was probably a good thing that he was a patient man.
Three
Peyton pushed her hair off her face for the hundredth time. The onshore breeze delighted in tangling her hair at every opportunity, but it wasn’t all bad. At least the wind was warm and gentle, not damp and biting cold li
ke it so often was back home in Washington. After their arrival last night she’d been bone weary and had barely paid any attention to their luxurious surroundings. She didn’t know what she’d expected exactly, when Galen had said they’d be honeymooning at a Horvath resort, but this certainly hadn’t been it. It wasn’t a hotel, although there apparently was one here somewhere in the many sprawling acres of the complex, but a large and airy house that faced the water and was full of dazzling sunshine. She’d been relieved to discover they each had their own bedroom, too, along with their own private beach, where Ellie was busy digging holes and creating roads and moats and tunnels, and squealing happily at the rising tide as it demolished her hard work.
“Can I braid your hair for you?” Galen asked from the sun lounger beside her.
“You?” Peyton was surprised by the offer.
“I’ll have you know I’ve become quite adept at styling long hair. I don’t even have to use a vacuum cleaner hose to get Ellie’s ponytail perfect anymore.”
“A what?”
“Check it out online. I tell you, YouTube is king when it comes to learning new skills.”
She couldn’t help but laugh at the idea of Galen even knowing how to use a vacuum cleaner, let alone having the skills to use a vacuum cleaner to tie Ellie’s hair in a ponytail. But she was always up for a challenge and, heck, let’s face it, she was curious to see how he proposed to tame her tangled locks.
Vengeful Vows (Marriage At First Sight Book 3) Page 2