A Perfect Bride For Christmas (31 page)

“That’s not enough.” Brenda seemed to be on the point of hysteria. “Not nearly enough.”

“Mommy, is Aunt Brenda sick again?” Mia stood

in the doorway, a bright green crayon in her hand.

Macy and Michaela stood behind her, looks of worry etched into their faces.

“No, she’s just tired from her trip and a little sad.” The girls gathered around their aunt.

“Why are you sad?” Mia laid her hand on

Brenda’s.

Brenda wiped her eyes. “I, ah, I don’t know.

Sometimes, I just get sad.”

“You can take medicine when you’re sad, just

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like on TV.” Macy glanced over at her siblings. “Did you take medicine? You smell funny, like cough

syrup.”

The other two girls made a face.

“Girls.” Zoe picked up the sacks and handed

them out. “Why don’t you put these under the tree?”

She turned to Brenda. “Have you had anything to eat?” “No.” She slumped back into the chair, her green knit top hanging on her stick thin body. “I just got in the car and drove.”

Zoe sighed, not knowing what to do next. Food

was always a good start. “Look, let’s get your

luggage out of the car and get some food. You’ll feel better.”

****

she’d thought about renting a car until she saw the news reports of the deteriorating road conditions and freaked. At first, she told Amelia it might be better to wait, but his mother refused to let Keeley off the hook.

He waited in the lobby and knew her on sight.

She looked like Dad, except for her green eyes.

Keeley’s long legs ate up the floor and she walked with the same authoritative swagger as his father but sweetened with a feminine swing. His mother would approve of her classy, yet casual black slacks and yellow sweater set. Her heavily streaked dark blonde hair reminded him of Zoe’s.

“You must be Alex.” Keeley held out her hand in greeting. Cool, yet not unfriendly. In spite of their amicable phone conversation she was still reserved.

“Your mother described you exactly. I feel a little strange meeting your family, considering I’m

demanding liquidation of the assets.”

Straight and to the point. Mom would like that.

“Where you able to get an extension for the

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financing for your project?”

She shook her head as he took her topcoat from

her hands and held it open for her. “Do you mind my asking what it is?”

Keeley slipped her arms into the boxy, black

wool coat. “My company is taking credit for my

designs. It gets old after a while, so I’m thinking about going out on my own. There’s a prime location for office space, and I need capital.”

“Did you find the answers you wanted regarding

the estate?”

“You know the answer to that. The paperwork

was very thorough.” Keeley buttoned up her coat, snapping each one through the holes, her mouth

thinning into a line of irritation. “The car dealership is in the corporation, so I can’t touch it. That leaves the house and land.”

That explained the coolness.

“So you plan on kicking Mom out of a home she’s lived in for forty years? She’ll be forced to sell land that’s belonged in the family for almost six

generations?”

“You’re angry.” She pulled on her gloves and

headed out the glass doors, into the exhaust-fumed winter air. “I don’t blame you. I wanted to speak to Amelia before I made a final decision. If I plan to go ahead with the action, I’ll have an appraiser come out as soon as possible. That way we’ll all know how much a buyout would be.”

“I said I’d front you a loan. The only stipulation is—Mom can’t know about it. She’d have a fit, and believe me, it wouldn’t be pretty.” Alex shifted gears as he led her to the Hummer parked in the hotel’s garage. “It seems strange to see a sister I never knew about. I can’t get over how much you look like Dad. It’s spooky.”

“Good spooky, like Casper the Friendly Ghost?

Or Freddie Kruger spooky?” Her smile returned, this 249

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time less defensive.

“I’d like to think Casper.” He unlocked the door on the passenger side and held it open. “This

blindsided all of us, but one thing I do know, if Dad had an inkling you existed, he’d have made sure you were part of our family.”

“How do you feel about it?” She slid into the seat and buckled her belt, tugging it tight. “I’m not making myself very loveable by asking for a share of the estate.”

“Like Mom says, we’ll get into that later. She’s so curious, excited, and I think a little scared, though she wouldn’t admit it.”

“Well, the threat of having your house sold

would make someone scared, but excited?”

“No, really, she’s been saddled with sons, and I think she’d like a daughter.”

Keeley flashed him a wry smile. “I’m a little old to be dressing in ruffles and patent leather shoes.”

“You’re a part of Dad, and that’s enough for her.

All I ask is that you be kind. Don’t forget she lost her husband less than a year ago. Clint, Heath, and I are trying to adjust to life without Dad. I’d

appreciate it if you wouldn’t start in on Mom in front of them. It won’t win you any favors.”

“Got it, keep happy shiny around the big

brothers, or in my case, you’re all little brothers.”

She smiled over at him. “It’s an adjustment for me as well.”

They exchanged childhood war stories. Keeley’s

mother never remarried after Viet Nam but settled in San Francisco. Keeley was a wild child, allowed to roam free, while her mother worked two jobs.

“I discovered the joys of architecture in junior high.” Keeley glanced over at Alex. “That marked the end of my craziness. No more running with the wrong crowd and getting into trouble. Then it was nose to the grindstone.”

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He told her the story of Zoe and the triplets.

“Wow, talk about an over achiever.”

They were laughing by the time they pulled up

to the house. Mom waited on the front porch, on her crutches for a change. Sydney hovered around in her Angel of Mercy mode, but his mother waved her

away. She looked out of place, hands thrust into her shearling coat pockets, and wearing a too-bright smile. Alex had to give Sydney kudos for trying.

However, the effort fell flat.

“Hey, Mom. Look who I found in town.” He

opened the car door and Keeley stepped out. His mother thrust her crutches into Sydney’s hands and grabbed the handrail to hobble down the porch

stairs.

“Oh my, oh my.” She stopped in front of Keeley

and grabbed her hands. “You look so much like my Frank.” She turned to Alex. “She looks exactly like your father, doesn’t she?” Tears welled up in Mom’s eyes. His mother’s reaction to Keeley hit him in the gut with the punch of a medicine ball. Tears burned in his eyes, but he blinked them back. “Yeah, Mom.

She does.”

“Forgive me, it’s cold out here. Come inside.”

Mom took Keeley’s arm, but Keeley didn’t budge. “Is something wrong?”

Keeley shook her head. “This is magnificent.”

Keeley’s eyes traveled over the front of the house, first taking in the veranda with its wraparound porch, the turrets, and gingerbread work. “A real Spindled Queen Anne.” Her face glowed with

rapture. “It’s beautiful.” She followed his mother up the stairs, her hand running over the railing and the delicate columns in reverence.

“Hollyfield is home,” his mother countered with a pat on Keeley’s arm. “I’m freezing.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Keeley came back to earth. “I

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didn’t expect this.” She turned to look at Alex.

“There were no pictures with the documents. I

thought it would be some little boxy farmstead

instead of a work of art.”

Mom’s eyes twinkled with delight, and for a

second, a calculating glance flashed in the brilliant blue. “You can take the grand tour once we get warm.

I have some hot cocoa, tea, as well as coffee.” She gave Alex a pointed look. “Zoe brought over quite a bit of food yesterday. Alex chose the menu for the reception because Sydney had things to do in town.

What did you say you picked out?”

“Good old American burgers and fries.”

Sydney looked horrified.

“And chocolate shakes. Isn’t that what you

said?” His mother added with a conspiratorial smile.

It wasn’t right to have fun at Sydney’s expense, so he relented. “Don’t worry, Syd. Everything will be fine. I trust Zoe’s discretion when it comes to food.”

Later today, he would tell her there wouldn’t be any need for the damned menu anyway.

His mother led Keeley over to Sydney. “Oh,

Keeley, let me introduce Sydney Stanford. She’s Alex’s fiancée.”

Alex didn’t miss his mother’s pointed stare. He sent one of his own.
I’ll get around to it.

“I’m so pleased to meet you.” Sydney held out

her hand. “Yes, he’s the love of my life. I can’t wait for all this to be over so I can have him all to myself.” She let go of Keeley’s hand to hook her arm through Alex’s and wrinkled her nose. “Amelia.”

Sydney gave his mother a forced smile. “Don’t you remember? I’ve told you again and again, we don’t need the caterer. I already made plans with the country club after you broke your ankle.”

His mother stopped dead in her hobbling tracks.

“Sydney, I appreciate your concern, but there will be 252

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a reception at Hollyfield on Christmas Eve.” She motioned for Alex to hand her the crutches.

He used his free hand, wondering why Mom was

making an issue of them. Was she playing the

sympathy card in case Keeley turned out to be a hard-ass in sheep’s clothing? Whatever it was going on, it gave him the willies.

Sydney’s face looked pinched. “I’m only trying to help you, Amelia.”

“I’m sure you did it out of the kindness of your heart.”

“I did—”

His mother interrupted Sydney with an

indulgent smile. “But we’ve already had this

discussion. This wedding day is as important to the Kings. You’ve had your way with every other aspect.

I’ll hear not more about it.”

Sydney turned away, her face white with high

dots of color. She was beyond upset. “I think I’ll go upstairs for a while. I have the beginnings of a migraine. Alex will you be coming up later?”

“I have a few errands to run, and then I need to take Keeley back to her hotel.”

Keeley helped his mother, talking to her about

the history of the house as they went through the front door. “It’s called Hollyfield because of the stand of holly shrubs at the back of the house. We still have much of the original furniture. I love modern design, but somehow, it didn’t seem right to change anything. The kitchen is still stuck back in the fifties.”

“I love the wainscoting and crown molding. I’ll bet you have some stained glass somewhere.”

“Yes, we do have some stained glass in the

house. There’s a lovely bit of work in the landing as you go up the stairs. It’s of irises. The first King who built the house had it made as a tribute to his bride, Iris.”

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Keeley’s eyes took in every detail of the room.

“What a lovely story.”

“We have a lot of family traditions. One is that the Kings marry on Christmas Eve. Clive King, the man who built the house, married Iris Chapman and brought her here that first Christmas Eve.” His mother sat down in her favorite chair by the tree with a sigh. The small table held a tray with hot tea and coffee, along with an assortment of cookies.

Alex observed the tight line around his mother’s mouth, the dimming of her bright blue eyes. “Are you okay, Mom? Do you want me to get you a

painkiller?”

She held up her hand and shook her head. “No,

I’ll be fine. Those things make me feel like I’ve time traveled back to the sixties.” She held up two fingers in a V. “Peace.” Patting the crutches leaning against her chair, she added, “I promise to use these more often.”

He leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. “Liar. I love you anyway.”

Keeley sat on the couch, smoothing the black

fabric of her slacks. “So Alex is getting married on Christmas Eve because of the family tradition?”

“Poor Alex, his luck hasn’t been so good so far.

This Christmas will be different—very different.”

Keeley grinned, intrigued. “Just how many

times have you walked down the aisle?”

Sydney had his arm in a death grip. He’d have

bruises in spite of wearing a heavy jacket. “Mom thinks it’s funny. This will be the third attempt.”

“Now that’s a story I’ve got to hear.” Keeley

laughed and gazed around the room, absorbing the Christmas decorations, the way the red and green stockings, with each of the boy’s names etched in patchy glitter, clashed with the pastels decor. Her eyes swept over to the Christmas tree with

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be a holiday mashup but it would always be home to him. “You have a beautiful house. Thank you for inviting me to share it with you.”

“You’re always welcome in a King home,” his

mother announced. “No matter where it might be.”

Alex’s eyes widened at Mom’s sucker punch. She

went for the throat with charm and a smile. No

wonder the car dealership had been such a success.

Keeley flushed. “I—ah—well, thank you.”

“Why don’t you come by tomorrow and do a

thorough walk-through? As an architect, I’m sure you’ll be able to get an idea of what it will bring on the market.” She reached for the teapot on the table and poured a cup. “Tea?”

Keeley held up her hand. “No, thank you.”

“The house comes with five acres. The rest of the land is rented out to Charlie Hanson for hay. He has a five-year contract, but only has two years left. I’m sure you’ll be able to sort that out when the time comes.”