Beginnings (Brady Trilogy) (18 page)

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As the clock chimed midnight, Isabel joined Luke and his family to bid farewell to their merrily content guests. She was profoundly pleased at how successful the Christmas Gala had turned out. Starting tomorrow, she’d have to dive in head-first into completing all arrangements for their New Year’s bash. She smiled at the exiting guests knowing she’d soon see them at the next function. The cleanup crew she had hired arrived shortly after the last guests had left the premises. They hovered outside the entrance door where the guests had been departing when Jake joined them.

“Everything set?” Luke asked Jake who was momentarily distracted looking at Emilia through narrowed eyes.

“Yeah. I sent my guys to do a last thorough look around the premises and gardens before they start locking up.” Jake answered but his eyes were still assessing Emilia. Isabel watched in wonder but was unable to read the expression in Jake’s eyes. She glanced towards Luke’s sister and realized she wasn’t looking back. She was softly speaking to Amanda and Drew. Emilia had come back into the ballroom but something was different about her. She spent the remainder of the night mainly silent and kept to herself, a bit angry, distracted and unsocial, which Isabel realized was very unlike her.

Kathryn caught Isabel off guard when she turned around from talking to her husband and embraced her in a tight warm hug.

“Oh darling girl, everything was so wonderful. I just love Christmas and it was absolutely beautiful this year.” She beamed with appreciation.

“Can’t wait to party again for New Year’s.” Thomas told his family and they laughed. “Jake are you staying here tonight son?”

“No sir I’ll be heading back to my apartment.” Jake replied.

“How about you three?” he asked Amanda, Andrew and Emilia. Drew had his own apartment in the city and Emilia occasionally stayed at Amanda’s apartment. But all four of them had their own bedrooms in the large estate. Even Jake and Amanda who he loved just as much as his own children were welcomed to come and go as they pleased. His home doors would always be open for them.

“I’m staying here.” Drew announced as he snaked a hand around Kathryn’s shoulders. “I missed my mom.” He smiled his oh so charming smile and earned a laugh with a playful swat on the arm from his mother.

“I’m going home too.” Amanda laughed. “Emilia?” she asked and looked at her friend strongly hoping Emma would agree to go home with her so she could ask her what the hell happened that made her leave the surveillance room differently. 

“I’m going to stay at Amanda’s tonight Dad.” Emilia said as she hooked her arm with Amanda’s. “I left my luggage there when we came back.”

“It’s settled then. Jake, if you could please take the girls to Amanda’s place?” Thomas asked.

“That’s not necessary.” Emilia interrupted her father and realized her voice rose higher than she wanted it to. Amanda’s brows raised in surprise. Jake must have done something to really piss her off.

“No problem I’ll wait for you both here when you’re ready.” Jake ignored Emilia and directed his comment to Amanda.

“I have my car. I’m capable of driving us home.” Emilia answered coldly without looking at him.

Jake’s icy green eyes froze on Emilia’s face. “You’re not driving this late at night.” He hissed.
The woman made it nearly impossible to stay calm.

Emma snorted un-lady like. “Oh I’ll be fine.” She turned her arctic blue eyes on him. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Amanda I’m going to grab our purses and I’ll be right back.” Emilia said as she turned inside.

It was then that Jake realized everyone had stopped talking and were waiting to see if this conversation would turn into a quarrel between him and Emilia. It usually did. “She’s impossible.” He muttered to Luke and walked towards his car. “Have a good night everyone.”

“Good night.” They called out after him relieved.

After the cleaning crew and Jake’s security team left, Isabel said good night to Luke’s family and headed towards her room. Luke caught her arm gently at the bottom of the stairs.

“Heading for bed?” he asked.

“Yes I’m exhausted. By the way you have meetings scheduled back to back tomorrow. Are you sure you don’t want to cancel some of them?” She asked concerned. He worked too much.

“No I’ll be fine. I need to make my usual stops with clients when I come to New York.” He paused and searched her eyes. “I’m more concerned about you.” he confessed.

Isabel’s eyes widened with surprise. “Why?”

“I haven’t asked you how you’ve been sleeping.” Luke murmured. “Are you alright? Is your room comfortable?”

“You mean have I been having any more dreadful and humiliating nightmares?” Isabel released a sneering laugh. She waited for him to speak, but Luke continued to study her with his usual inquisitive gaze. She looked away. She had always been a bad liar.

“Damnit Isabel.” Luke seethed with impatience. “What’s the problem, do you not trust me?” he asked angrily and noticed her mouth open from shock.

“What? No of course I trust you. Luke I trust you more than anyone. It’s just…” she paused.
Why was he always doing this? Making her discuss a subject she much rather forget.
Why was he forcing her to remember? Because he’s a good guy and cares about you, idiot!
She silently scolded herself.
“I’m just not ready to talk about it.”

Luke opened his mouth to speak but the sound of his father clearing his throat from the end of the hall caught his attention. “Before you head over to bed I’d like a word with you in the library son.” Thomas smiled casually.

“Sure dad I’ll be right there.” He watched his father leave. “Call my cell if you wake up in the middle of the night.” He lifted his hand to caress her cheek. “I’ll come hold you till you fall asleep.” He whispered softly.

Isabel’s heart melted. Luke was making it impossible to not fall for him.
Who was she kidding? She was already in the deep end.
“I promise I will.” she whispered back. “Good night Luke.”

Luke watched until the tips of Isabel’s flowing gown disappeared from view and he headed towards the library. He found his father pouring a healthy portion of whiskey at the wooden bar.

“Bourbon?” he asked when Luke entered.

Luke raised his brows but answered, “Sure.” If his father was pouring drinks at this hour then it must be something serious. Luke took a seat on the dark brown leather couch until his father sat across from him. He assessed his son with thoughtful eyes before taking a sip of his drink.

“Luke I’m going to ask you a serious question and I want the truth because I’ll know if you’re lying.”

Luke’s eyebrows arched again. “Sure dad what is it?”
This had to be good.
 

“What’s going on with you and Isabel?”  Thomas asked with worry lacing his voice. “It seems like your relationship with her is more than just business.”

He watched Luke maintain control of his face. This was one of the reasons why Thomas felt confident having his son run B. Pentagon. Expressions weren’t easily read off of Luke’s face. You could never be sure what he was thinking.  But he raised the boy and knew he’d eventually start talking.

“Now I wouldn’t normally ask you these questions.” Thomas continued. “What you boys do with the women in your life is entirely your business. But you hired her to work for you. If anyone were to break their own rules and become involved with an employee on a personal level I would have expected it to be Andrew.” Thomas lightly laughed.

Luke continued to remain silent. He was turning his glass around watching the liquor twirl in a whirlpool. Finally he put his whiskey down on the glass table and began pacing around the room. Luke could bluff on any proposal and business deal but his father wasn’t an easy man to lie to. Regardless, Luke didn’t even want to deny his feelings for Isabel. He wanted to say what he felt hoping if he spoke it out loud then it would become real. That somehow the boss and employee status lines would disappear between them. But their professional relationship wasn’t the only thing standing in their way.
How was Luke to start anything with a woman who continuously kept him in the dark about her past
? He wouldn’t care about her past if it wasn’t haunting her present and trying to break into her house through her kitchen window while she was out of town.

“I’m not sure what it is. I can’t describe what exactly is going on dad. I hadn’t planned on mixing business with personal affairs. It brings too many complications. But I can’t keep away from her and I can’t stop thinking about her. I don’t even want to.” Luke continued to slowly pace the room while looking down trying to distract his mind with the patterns on the rug.  “I care about her.” He confessed. “A lot.”

Thomas silently watched his eldest son. He was hoping when his children fell in love they would be overwhelmed with blissful joy. But life wasn’t that simple. It tends to cloud events with its complications. He noticed the struggle in Luke. Though he did not want to pry into his
personal life, he still had to ensure the well-being of all his children. Even those not related to him by blood like Amanda and Jake. He wished he could help Luke but when it came to love towards a woman, every man had to find his own way. Stillness continued to hover around them until Thomas finally spoke. “I can’t tell you exactly what to do son. Every man decides for himself the importance and delicacy of the woman he cares for. But I’ve taught you one thing in life and that’s when you come across something you want then you better damn well find a way to have it.”

Luke turned around and gave his father a long thoughtful look. He shook his head and let out a laugh filled with relief. It felt liberating to speak out loud how he felt towards Isabel. Especially to his father who knew Luke would never easily give up on her. His mind was set and
there was no changing it now. It was then and there Luke decided whatever complications stood their way he’d rip through them to lead Isabel towards a life full of joy. He sensed her hesitation, but he would be patient a little while longer. He’d wait for the woman he wants to finally open up to him. He’d fight her battles along with her until they were both free. He promised himself this as he sat back down across from his father, gave him a knowing nod and began enjoying his bourbon.

             
On New Year’s Eve Isabel stood in front of the full length mirror in the Brady Estate guest bedroom. She stared, wide- eyed, at her own reflection knowing the dress she was wearing was as risqué as the party she had arranged for the night. She smoothed out the red lace patterns of her cocktail dress and admired the detailed bead work. To say this dress was a little on the sultry side would be an understatement. Luke’s attentive interest and appreciative gaze each time he looked at her sure had boosted her confidence. For the first time in her life she felt sexy. She’d always known the depth of her beauty since she was a spitting image of her mother therefore her beauty came by no surprise. But she had never felt sexy before. Never felt wanted and desired. Yet Luke had managed to awake the audacious woman who’d been sleeping deep within.

After the Christmas Gala, Luke had become more eager to persuade her. He’d taken her into the city to see her favorite musical
The Phantom of the Opera.
Every night they indulged in exclusive candlelit dinners and moonlight walks through Central Park. They worked in the office during the day but by nighttime transformed into a couple. He never missed a chance to touch her face with his gentle fingers. Wrap his arm around her waist as they walked through the crowded streets of New York. Or brush his lips against hers when they were out in public. He no longer hid how much he wanted her.
And Isabel thrilled for it.

He’d yet to visit her bed at night. As eager as Luke had become he still kept things at a comfortable pace for her. Isabel knew he was waiting for her to be comp
letely ready and she loved him even more for that. But she no longer denies to herself how much she wants to feel his touch become more intimate. She knew Luke felt the same way. Even though they did not share their nights in bed together, Luke’s need for her in the mornings was evident. She’d walk down the hall to join his family for breakfast when he’d haul her into his room, push her against his bedroom door and kiss her senselessly. Mornings and at night, right before they parted to their own separate bedrooms, had become Isabel’s favorite pastime. It was the only time Luke kissed her so passionately. She’d follow him into their breakfast room still flushed and not miss the knowing glances of his family. How his parents went along their casual way as though she was not an employee but their son’s girlfriend. Emilia would look at them and giggle and Andrew would smirk. Twice, Amanda and Jake had joined them for breakfast as well. Even they were clued in with Isabel and Luke’s growing relationship. Their glances made her blush, and her shyness oddly caused sweet Amanda to redden in the cheeks and glance cordially away. But Andrew and Emilia continued with their obvious interest. Jake would exchange a knowing glance with Luke but just like the way Jake was, he showed no expression on his face. Isabel knew Luke must have told his family of their developing relationship. It was a bit nerve wrecking, but all in all, she enjoyed every minute spent with Luke.