Let Me Hold You (14 page)

“You need to give a man some warning when you’re about to say something like that,” he told her.

“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking,” she said demurely.

Sitting in the tub full of bubbles with her firm brown breasts with the lickable dark nipples pointing at him, she was so desirable that he wanted to have that noisy unbridled sex right then and there, but he made himself stay strong.

With Marisa and Pamela’s help, Alana looked pretty much like her normal self when she came downstairs. Marisa styled her hair in an attractive bun on top of her head and her bangs hid the bandage. Pamela applied her makeup and the mineral powder foundation she used covered her black eye nicely.

She wore a pair of violet wide-legged pants with a matching camisole and a fabulous Adrienne creation, a black jacket with kimono sleeves that was covered with exotic flowers.

Her future sisters-in-law were most impressed when she told them that the garment was made by her sister. They were equally excited about the annual sister swap and vowed to have one of their own. Pamela squealed when she saw the necklace and earrings from Roland.

“I’m going to have to rethink my dating program,” she mumbled to herself. “I’ve obviously been doing something wrong all this time.”

Alana was pleased to see Roland’s eyes light up when she entered the living room. Everyone had gathered there for pre-dinner drinks apparently, since everyone seemed to have a drink at hand. She looked around for Domino and Gwennie, but they were nowhere to be found. She turned to Roland to ask where they were, but he had his own agenda.

Taking her hand in his, he spoke to the room at large. “Everybody, I wanted this to be a special night for a lot of reasons. When I moved to Columbia, I had a lot of plans for the restaurant and my real estate portfolio and all that good stuff, but all my plans changed when I saw the beauty standing next to me. Everything changed in that one moment, even though I never believed in that kind of stuff, no matter what Jared and Lucas told me,” he said, looking down at Alana. A ripple of laughter went through the room before he continued.

“But I can attest that when you meet your other half you know it. It can happen before you realize what’s going on in your head or your heart. You just have to be smart enough to figure it out. I figured it out and now every dream I ever had is coming true. I had planned this a little differently, but I realized that time isn’t promised to any of us, so...” He turned and gave a sharp whistle which brought Domino running with a bow around her neck. Attached to it was a small box, which he removed while Domino twirled around to applause and laughter.

He knelt in front of Alana, who had tears running down her face. “I had to have this delivered by special messenger because I wanted you to have it when I made this official. Alana, you are my everything. Nothing in my life has brought me as much happiness as the time I’ve spent with you and I never want it to end. I want you for a lifetime of lifetimes, Alana, starting with becoming my wife.”

He slid a ring on her finger while all the women shed tears of happiness for the couple.

“Yes, Roland, I will. I thought I’d never have love again and you proved me wrong over and over again. I’m so happy that you love me because you’re my heart and my soul and I can’t wait for you to be my husband.”

She looked at the ring for the first time and couldn’t breathe for a moment. It was like nothing she’d ever seen before. It was so perfect that the tears started again. It was an oval cinnamon diamond of at least five carats, surrounded by three rows of fancy diamonds in chocolate, rose and pink and set in rose gold. It was obvious that he’d had it made just for her and it touched her heart so deeply that she fell in love with him all over again.

Domino danced around again as if she knew exactly what was going on and her happy barks signaled the beginning of a wonderful new life for the blissful couple. They were so involved in a deep, loving kiss that they didn’t hear Pamela again telling Marisa that she was definitely going to change her dating criteria from here on out.

“If I can’t have what they have, I don’t want it,” she sniffled. “Hand me a tissue, please.”

Chapter 13

“I
don’t think there’s a church in the state big enough to hold all these pe

ople,” Aretha said with a sigh.

“You’ll work it out, Mama, you always do,” Alana said calmly.

They were in her living room working on wedding plans. That is, Aretha and Glendora were planning; Alana was holding her nephew, David Jared VanBuren III. She couldn’t get enough of rubbing her cheek against his silky hair and inhaling his precious baby scent. At this stage in her pregnancy, her maternal instincts were raging and she absolutely doted on him.

Besides, she wasn’t particularly interested in all the wedding plans. She just wanted to get married with no muss and no fuss but everyone vetoed that notion. Her parents were dead set against it because they’d missed her first wedding due to the hasty elopement.

Roland’s parents wanted to see their oldest son get married in a nice ceremony since he was the first to marry. Sydney, Courtney and Gabriel wanted to be in the wedding and Roland’s sisters did, too, so it was on and poppin’.

Alana agreed graciously, as long as someone else did the planning.

She was perfectly content to spend her time loving Roland and getting ready for their baby to come. Yes, it was going to be a barnyard-sized production with ten bridesmaids and an equal number of groomsmen, but it wasn’t a problem for her.

She was more concerned with deciding who was going to manage Custom Classics, but even that wasn’t a huge stumbling block because she was seriously considering selling the business. It was her idea; no one had tried to convince her that it was time to let it go, this was a conclusion she’d arrived at on her own. Roland was slightly astounded when she told him about it one morning while they were having breakfast.

He was completely supportive and agreed with her that divesting herself of the business was a practical plan. She’d had offers for the company before and now it was a matter of fielding the best one. She wanted to make sure that her employees were well taken care of and could keep their jobs because after all, it was their skill and creativity that had built the business into the profitable enterprise of which she was so proud.

Alexis was also on board with it because she was in the midst of making changes in her business life. After years of running two of the most successful salon/day spas in the state, Alexis was ready to hang up her curling irons for good.

“I don’t know if I want to sell the business to Javier outright or just stay on as majority stockholder,” she told Alana. “But I do know that I don’t want to work there anymore. I want to stay home with my baby, for one thing, and for another, I want to start a food-related business. I want to start producing jams, jellies and preserves that are organic and healthy. I also want to make organic baby foods. Do you know what they put in the food that innocent babies are expected to consume?”

Alana made a face and said, “No, not really, it’ll make me sick to think about it. Just get busy on it so our babies will never have to eat it.”

The only person who wasn’t walking around smiling and serene was Ava. It was an odd situation for her to be in, that was true. All three of her sisters were college graduates, highly successful and now they were reproducing while Ava was working as a receptionist in her sister’s spa. It was a mercy job, at that. Alexis let her work there to give her something to do, basically.

Adrienne, who’d lived the farthest away for so long, had the most clarity about Ava’s situation.

She told Alana as much when she was designing the dress in which Alana would be wed. “Something is really off with Ava and I think you all are too close to the situation to see it clearly. Ava was an A student all through high school and she was always on the dean’s list at college. She has one semester between her and her bachelor’s degree and for her to leave school, move home and while away her time means that something is going on, something serious.”

Alana felt a wash of guilt as she listened to Adrienne. “You’re right. We’ve all been so busy being self-righteous, self-involved and bossy that we haven’t really helped our baby sister at all.”

“We might not be the ones who can help her,” Adrienne pointed out. “Maybe we need a more objective party to lend a listening ear.”

“You’re absolutely right, Adrienne, and I’m really ashamed that I didn’t see that much earlier. She’s been acting out for a reason and we’ve been feeding into it instead of helping her handle it.” Her eyes filled with tears and she looked around Adrienne’s sewing room for a tissue.

“Hormone alert,” Adrienne said cheerfully. “Go in the bathroom, don’t wipe your nose on my fabric,” she teased.

When Alana came back with a roll of toilet tissue, her ever-shifting hormones had gone back to normal. “Speaking of a listening ear, what did you and Royce Griffin talk about in terms of your situation? Was he helpful?”

Adrienne stuck her drawing pencil behind her ear and rubbed her burgeoning belly with her other hand. “He was very helpful,” she admitted. “I’m still not worried about Sierra trying to swoop in and steal my baby because I haven’t heard from her or her ex-husband. They seem to have forgotten that I was their surrogate and the baby inside me is theirs. So I’ve forgotten it, too. This is my baby and no one is going to stake a claim on him. I’d like to see them try it,” she scoffed. “And by the way, that Royce Griffin is possibly the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen in my life. Is he from another galaxy or something? Good Lord, the man is flawless,” she said, shaking her head. “Absolutely flawless and I should know because I’ve seen some of the best-looking men in Hollywood up close and personal.” She laughed.

“Okay, this is what I have in mind for your dress. What do you think?” She held up her sketchpad for Alana’s approval.

The tears started again as Alana saw the vision Adrienne had created. “It’s perfect, the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I love it. I love you,” she sighed.

“I love you, too, Sissie. This is going to be the best wedding ever,” she said. “With the most pregnant bridesmaids!”

* * *

In the end, it was a perfect wedding. Thanks to Aretha and Glendora’s military precision in executing their plans, it went off without a flaw. They had managed to put together a formal wedding in record time and the ceremony took place on a beautiful August day.

Alana’s dress was magnificent, made of pale green silk organza with an overlay of creamy guipure lace. It was off-the-shoulder with a sweetheart neckline that showed off her sculpted collarbones and the delicate line of her neck. Her hair was worn up accented with real gardenias and she looked like a Thomas Blackshear figurine.

She and Roland had decided to have a “first look,” a new tradition in which the bride and groom saw each other before the ceremony.

Roland waited for her in a secluded part of the botanical garden where they were having the outdoor ceremony. He didn’t hear her approaching, so when she touched his back and he turned around, it was a magical moment. She was carrying her bouquet of purple, green and white tulips, calla lilies and gardenias and he was momentarily struck dumb by her beauty. They simply stared at each other, drinking in the sight of their soul’s mate. Roland looked just as handsome as she was beautiful, wearing an ivory shirt and slacks with a pale green vest.

“I can’t wait to get you alone,” he said softly. “I can’t believe that you’re mine for a lifetime.”

“We’re yours,” she said, putting his hand on her still-small belly. “We’re yours now and forever.”

The wedding party was huge but exceptionally gorgeous. Adrienne was her maid of honor and Alexis was the matron of honor. Ava, Sherri, Tollie, and all five of Roland’s sisters were the bridesmaids, all in pale green.

Jared was the best man, with Lucas, Damon, Duncan, Royce and a bunch of Roland’s handsome friends and cousins as the groomsmen.

Sydney, Courtney and Gabriel were the flower girls and ring bearer, and Domino was also in attendance, trotting happily down the aisle with Gabriel. She had on a big lavender bow and she knew she was the star of the procession.

Everything went beautifully with one small hitch; after they were pronounced man and wife, Alana and Roland couldn’t seem to stop kissing. No one minded in the least, though.

The reception was as wonderful as the wedding. It was held at Seven-Seventeen, which by now was considered a lucky place for receptions. That’s where Alexis and Sherri had had theirs and Alana saw no reason on earth to break with tradition.

The food was superb, the ambiance was romantic and their pets were treated like honored guests.

Somehow, amidst all the celebrating, Roland and Alana managed to get away from everyone.

The back of Seven-Seventeen was a big garden area with a deck and outdoor tables. Down the path through the garden was a gazebo and to Alana’s surprise, there was a bottle of non-alcoholic passion fruit spumante, two flutes and under glass was one of Alana’s favorite things in the world, caviar and toast points.

“This was a brilliant idea, Roland,” she said as their glasses touched.

“I’m full of brilliant ideas, honey, especially when it comes to you and me. I had a flash of real genius the day I met you and that’s what gave me the brilliant idea that I would do anything on this earth to make you mine. Now I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you as happy as you are now for the rest of our lives. You’re my heart, Alana. You’re my life from now on.”

He kissed her tenderly and used her handkerchief to dab away her tears. She kissed him back and said, “And you are mine, now and forever. I want to stay here all night,” she whispered.

“That sounds romantic but our mamas would have our heads. Let’s go in, honey. We have forever together.”

She smiled up at him and agreed. “Yes, we do.”

* * * * *

Don’t miss Adrienne’s romance,
LOVING YOU, BABY,
by Melanie Schuster—coming Spring 2014
from Harlequin Kimani Romance!