Love Is Patient and A Heart's Refuge (5 page)

“Hey, there,” he said softly so as not to frighten her.

She whirled around, dropping the key. “Where did you come from? I didn’t think you’d be back yet.” Her words tumbled out in a welter of confusion.

“I ducked out early,” he said, puzzled at her reaction. “I thought you would have been back by now.”

As Lisa bent to pick up the key, Dylan could see her hand was trembling.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yah. Sure. I’m fine.” She laughed lightly. “Just went out for a little while.” She handed him the key. “Here.”

“Keep it,” he said. “You never know when you’ll need it again.” He looked at her more carefully. Her cheeks were flushed and she wouldn’t look him in the eye. Why was she acting so strangely?

“So the rehearsal went okay?” she asked, zipping her purse shut. “No major disasters?”

“We decided to save those for tomorrow,” he said with a grin, hoping to put her at ease. He reached past her and opened the door. “Did you want something to drink?”

She shook her head. “I think I’m going to go to bed.”

Dylan stifled a beat of disappointment. He had hoped to spend some casual time with her, away from files and computers and his family.

“I imagine you’ll want an early start tomorrow?” she asked as they walked toward the stairs.

“I may be a workaholic, but I’m not that bad. Tomorrow this house is going to be a zoo,” he said, inwardly shuddering. “Between my sisters, the hairdressers and the photographers, I don’t think we’ll find a room to work in, let alone some peace and quiet.” He stopped at the bottom of the stairs, his hand resting on the metal newel post.

Lisa took one step up, then half turned. “Does that mean my boss is going to let me sleep in?” she asked with a quick grin.

“Go ahead and try. Chelsea is so wound up, she’ll be pacing the halls at first light.”

“I can imagine she’d be nervous. That’s quite a step she’s taking.”

Dylan held her gaze, wondering. “You ever come close to that?”

“Getting married?” She laughed. “Not a chance. I’ve found out the hard way that my stepfather was a rare man. Committed and caring and, even more important, willing to change.” She grew quiet, her eyes taking on an inward look.

Dylan couldn’t let her comment lie, wondering what she meant by it. “You don’t think most men are willing to change?”

Lisa gave him a quick sideways look. “No. I think a lot of men are stubborn and proud.”

“I know a lot of women who fit that description, as well.”

Lisa shrugged his comment off. “I’m sure. But
somehow in a man the two emotions seem to be more intense.” She angled him a quick smile. “And now that you’ve received your Lisa lecture, I’m really going to bed.”

As Dylan watched her sprint up the stairs, disquiet nudged away the pleasure he had felt just moments ago. And he couldn’t help but wonder if she was alluding to the situation between him and his father.

He gave the cold metal of the post a quick tap, as if beating down his thoughts. He doubted she gave his family even a second thought.

L
isa blotted her lips and tried once more to apply her lipstick. She felt like a stuffed doll, dressed up, fluffed up, perfumed and powdered.

The tangerine-hued dress she had chosen had fit the bill perfectly in the surroundings of the upscale clothing store. Reflected back at her from the mirror of the church’s bathroom, it looked flamboyant and overly provocative.

Too late to change it now.

Sucking in her breath, Lisa tossed the matching gauzy scarf over her bare shoulders, smoothed down an errant curl and left the bathroom.

As she entered the foyer the first person who caught her eye was a man in a tuxedo. His broad shoulders were emphasized by the dark cut of the jacket. The white shirt set off the dark color of his hair. He looked stunning.

Lisa’s heart flipped once slowly as she recognized Dylan, now transformed.

He wasn’t smiling as he came walking toward her, and Lisa’s second thoughts about the suitability of her dress crowded back.

“You look amazing,” he said softly.

Lisa couldn’t think of anything to say in return. Nor could she look away.

“I’m supposed to escort you to your seat,” he said, taking her hand.

“I thought that was the usher’s job,” Lisa said, momentarily bereft of coherent thought.

“Orders of the high command. I’m supposed to make you feel as comfortable as possible.” His smile eased some of the tension as he drew her hand through the crook of his arm. The practical part of her told her to pull away, keep her distance. But a small corner of her mind, the empty part that she usually kept a lid on, slowly opened and released a gentle yearning for the closeness he offered.

So she let her hand rest on the stiff material of his coat, let her mind acknowledge the warmth of his arm.

He stopped a moment in the vestibule of the church and Lisa felt her heart flutter again.

The front of the church was a mass of pink Asian lilies and white roses, accented with draped netting. Candles flickered from holders flanking the arrangement. The end of each pew was decorated with swags of chiffon and lilies. Accenting all this splendor was a string quartet, their quiet strains of classical music adding an understated sophistication.

Elegantly expensive.

“I’m guessing I’m supposed to put you on the bride’s
side of the church,” Dylan said, scratching the side of his head in mock puzzlement, unaffected by the display in front of him.

“Seeing as how I know her name and not the groom’s, that would be the logical choice.” Lisa found her voice and grabbed at her sense of humor to keep her fear at bay. The Matheson home should have been enough to show her how much money they had compared to her and Gabe. This “simple” wedding underscored it.

Dylan led her to an empty spot a few pews back from the front of the church. As she sat down, he leaned over her, a hand on the pew in front of her and beside her. She felt sheltered by his hovering presence.

“Are you going to be okay by yourself?” His gentle half smile nudged her heartbeat up a notch.

To cover up her reaction she flashed him a bright smile and nodded. He waited a moment, as if he was going to say something further. Then he pushed himself away and left.

Lisa forced down a knot of panic, fiddling with the clasp on her purse.

You and me against the world.
Gabe’s words came back to her, and panic fluttered in her chest once again as she looked around at the perfection that surrounded her. The world she and Gabe were against.

What if Gabe was wrong about these people? What if he
had
stolen the money and she was lying to Dylan’s family for nothing?

She had to believe her brother, she thought, clutching the purse with damp hands. Gabe had no reason to lie to her.

Except he had done it before.

Lisa’s mouth felt suddenly dry as doubts piled on questions.

Gabe wasn’t perfect. Neither was she. And Gabe was all she had. She had to fight for him. For now that meant she had to believe him and she had to stay focused on her plans.

In time the pew beside her filled with other people she didn’t know, the women’s perfumes blending with the scent of the abundance of flowers in the front of the church.

After a while the music changed, a photographer hustled to the front of the church and a rustling through the gathering signaled the beginning of the ceremony.

One of the ushers led the groom’s parents down the aisle and sat them down on the other side. After that, Dylan made another entrance, escorting his mother. He sat Stephanie down, his hand resting on her shoulder. He leaned over, talking to her. Stephanie looked up at him, covered his hand with hers and smiled up at her son, her pride evident on her face.

As Dylan turned back, he glanced at Lisa and gave her a quick wink.

It wasn’t supposed to mean anything, but combined with the obvious love he had for his mother and his consideration a few moments ago, it created a surge of confusion.

A few moments later a side door near the front of the church opened and the groom, Jordan Strachan, and his attendants filed in, standing in a precise row at the front. Lisa wasn’t going to look at Dylan, but it was as
if her eyes had their own will and were drawn to his tall figure.

To her consternation, he was looking back at her.

Then the tempo of the music changed again, the congregation shifted and from many of the pews camera bulbs flashed as Amber, the first of the five attendants, came walking down the aisle, wearing a plain navy blue sheath. Silver and cream ribbons were wound around her neck, fluttering far down her back. Simple, thought Lisa, yet formal, setting off to perfection the bouquets of pale pink lilies.

Then, after the last of the attendants were assembled at the front, a hushed murmur flowed through the church, the music swelled and the congregation rose.

Lisa turned to watch Chelsea, now transformed from the bubbly young woman she had met to the classic, blushing bride. Her eyes shone with a happiness that Lisa knew she had never felt. For a moment she felt a clutch of jealousy.

Jordan came forward to take Chelsea from her father, and they exchanged a look that radiated absolute love.

Lisa swallowed down a sudden swelling in her throat, caught up in the purity of their emotions. When she saw Alex kiss his daughter and take his place by his wife she bit her lip to stop its trembling. A storm of odd feelings swirled through her. Even if one were to take away all the exterior trappings of this wedding, Lisa instinctively knew that the happiness and joy she saw now would be as strong in twenty-five years.

Thankfully the minister came to the front and gently
put the nervous couple at ease, moving easily from slightly jocular to more serious as he opened his Bible.

“Jordan and Chelsea have chosen Ecclesiastes 4, the second half of verse 12. ‘A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.’ Knowing Jordan and Chelsea, I find this verse especially appropriate. The two of them have asked to stand before God and His people to be married. Their marriage is not just Jordan and Chelsea, but Jordan, Chelsea and their Lord, whom they love and serve. A powerful cord of three strands.”

As the minister spoke he elaborated on the strength they would receive, as well, from their family. From their community of believers.

The words created a subtle attraction. Gabe’s father, Rick, and Lisa’s mother, Trish, had enjoyed such a relationship. Their faith had been the cord that bound their family together.

So why had God taken them from her? If God was such a loving God, how did He allow the threefold cord to break?

The memory of her loss jolted her back to reality. She forced herself to think of why she was here. To figure out how she was supposed to exonerate her brother. Lisa turned back to the minister as he wound up his address to the couple, inviting them to speak their vows.

Chelsea’s shining eyes, her future husband’s stirring words, as he spoke vows they had made up themselves, came across as so authentic and heartfelt.

Though she hardly knew them, Lisa found herself wanting to believe this couple would find their happy
ever after. And why not? Lisa thought. Chelsea had a good example in her parents.

Stephanie and Alex had held hands the entire service. Stephanie had brushed away a few tears, and to Lisa’s surprise, so had Dylan’s father.

Lisa’s eyes strayed once more to Dylan. He stood one level below the bridal couple, his hands clasped in front of him, his expression serious as he watched his younger sister pledge her life to her husband.

Dylan was just her boss and a means to an end. But the more she watched him from the safety of the church pew, the more attractive he became. The way he tilted his head down and to the side as he listened. The indentation his mouth created when he smiled his now-familiar half smile. How the light seemed lost in the dark of his hair. He looked even more handsome than the groom, and Lisa couldn’t help a stirring of pride in her escort.

At precisely that moment Dylan shifted, caught her eye. Once again their gazes meshed and held, and Lisa felt a faint longing.

“So what God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” The preacher’s voice boomed out, authority and conviction ringing in the words, echoing in the vastness of the church building. The minister’s words yanked Lisa out of the dangerous zone she had slipped into.

Dylan was temporary, she reminded herself, quickly averting her gaze. He needed her and she needed him. Strictly business.

The rest of the service went by in a blur. Lisa could
hardly wait until it was over. She couldn’t control the ebb and flow of her emotions. From yearning to loss to anger to yearning once again. It was tiring and it had to stop.

Finally the organ started up its joyful celebration music and Chelsea caught the hand of her new husband. With happy smiles and a few waves at people in the audience, they started down the aisle.

And once again Lisa couldn’t keep her eyes off Dylan. The crisp white shirt and dark coat were perfect foils for his dark hair and startling gray-blue eyes. He looked like a movie star, she thought as he walked down the aisle. Then he turned, caught her eye, smiled and was gone.

As the family filed out, Lisa was pulled into the wake, Tiffany’s husband alongside her. While they walked out, he pointed out various members of the family he seemed to think Dylan’s escort should know.

She was part of the family and yet not.

Stop this right now.
Lisa clenched her fists, as if squeezing the falsely beguiling thoughts away. She wasn’t a part of this and would never be. Especially not if they found out who she really was—the sister of “that accountant.”

Thankfully there was no receiving line, and as she walked out of the church into the warm summer air, she saw Dylan waiting for her.

His smile widened as he caught sight of her.

“There you are,” he said softly as he came to her side. “We have to go get pictures taken at the studio. Come with me.”

His voice was pitched low, his last three words sounding like an intimate invitation. Lisa didn’t want to read more into them than mere convenience, but the peculiar feeling that had gripped her in church would not be dispelled.

“Surely I don’t need to come?”

Dylan shrugged, shook his head, his eyes holding hers. “It would just make things easier. After that we go straight to the reception, so you may as well come with me.”

Lisa nodded, forcing herself to look away from his mesmerizing gaze. It was the startling contrast of those gray-blue eyes and dark eyebrows and hair that always caught her attention. Like a puzzling surprise that needed further investigation to figure out.

Not because she was falling for him. Not at all.

The twins had found a ride with a friend, so Dylan and Lisa rode by themselves to the photography studio. Lisa kept thinking of the ceremony she had just witnessed. Dylan was quietly whistling one of the songs from the service.

Being Dylan’s escort had seemed so simple back in Toronto. It had been easier to think of this all in the abstract rather than the concrete. In her life she had much experience with coming and going into other families, so she’d thought this would be much the same.

Until she’d seen Dylan greeted with a hug from his mother. Until she’d sat through a church wedding that was more than just a tradition, more than an idle gesture. Sincere prayers had been spoken, heartfelt songs had been sung. In spite of Dylan’s distance from his father,
she saw a love for God that spanned generations. Grandparents from both sides of each family were there. Aunts, uncles and cousins.

This was a family with a history of togetherness and faith.

“You’re pretty quiet,” Dylan said finally as they followed the limousine into the parking lot of the photography studio.

“Tired, I think,” she said, unable to look at him. She felt as if she had put herself out on a limb, first taking on the job, then meeting his family. Each move, each event pushed her further and further out to a world she had to negotiate with care. If they knew about Gabe…

And she had a whole week to get through yet.

It’s just a game, she thought. Just play it through till the end.

She was about to get out of the car when Dylan caught her arm.

“Lisa, just a minute,” he said, his voice quiet.

With a frown she turned to him, wondering what he might want to say.

“I want to thank you for doing this for me. You really have no idea what you’ve saved me from.” He smiled, and Lisa felt again that unwelcome nudge of attraction.

“Not a problem, Dylan.” She glanced at him, affecting a breezy air. “I got a taste of what you were in for the other night at suppertime.”

Dylan angled his head to one side, as if studying her. “I also want to thank you for all the extra time you’ve put in.”

“I’m not phoning the labor relations board yet.”

Dylan laughed. “I wish I had your ability to turn things into a joke.” He leaned back against his window, as if settling in for a heart-to-heart chat.

Something Lisa didn’t have the defenses for now. “You know the saying ‘Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you’ll end up on an afternoon talk show.’” She winked at him, hoping she could keep this up.