Читать книгу Brides, Babies And Billionaires - Мишель Смарт, Rebecca Winters - Страница 39

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

IT WAS FINALLY FRIDAY, the day was gorgeous, and the final arrangements for the gala event were going well.

It was being held on the Elegance’s rooftop—an idea Callie had had after she and Blake had gone for the tasting. It had taken some planning—and a lot of convincing—to change the venue so soon before the event, but as she looked around she was glad she’d managed it.

Pillars stood at each corner of the rooftop, with mini-lanterns draped between them. A stage had been set up at one end, adorned with light. The band they’d hired were setting up there, and any speeches during the evening would be made from it. Tables had been set around the centre of the roof, with white flower centrepieces and napkins on black tablecloths, leaving space for a dance floor. The food would be plated, there was a bar up and ready, and the bustle of the staff doing the final touches should have given Callie a sense of accomplishment.

Except that as she stood there, looking at everything, she wasn’t feeling anything except dread.

All she’d been able to think about for the last few days was the way Blake had decided to take her home after the dinner they’d had at his house. The way he’d lied to her about what was bothering him. And although she told herself to be patient, although she reassured herself that he would tell her when he was ready, every time she saw him the feeling of dread deepened.

Because somehow she knew he was slipping away from her.

She’d tried to brush it off at first as paranoia. He wasn’t acting differently around her—at least not on the surface. But her heart knew that there were no more lingering looks, no more affectionate touches. Those had been replaced with smiles that had no depth and words that didn’t say what he meant. She’d hidden the hurt, hidden the concern, and waited in vain for him to tell her what was wrong.

And the wait was breaking her.

‘It’s amazing.’

She turned to see Blake surveying the area. He offered her a smile, and again she was struck by how different it was.

‘Yeah, I can’t believe we actually pulled it off.’ She looked around again, and then returned his smile tentatively. ‘I think it’s going to be a success.’

He nodded, and she saw something flash across his eyes.

And then he said, ‘Shouldn’t you be busy with your hair? We only have four more hours until the event. You’re cutting it close.’

She tilted her head, trying to figure out his mood. ‘No, I have my things downstairs. I’ll get ready once I’m sure everything is done up here.’

He stuffed his hands into his pockets. ‘I was joking, Callie.’

‘Were you?’ She shrugged, ignoring the pain in her heart. ‘I can’t seem to tell with you lately.’

‘Look,’ he said, and then took a deep breath.

He stood in silence for a moment—his hands still in his pockets, his face tense—and Callie felt her nails cutting into her hands as she clenched her fists, waiting for him.

‘Did you say you have your things downstairs?’

‘What?’

‘You don’t have an afternoon of pampering planned after this week?’

‘No, Blake, I don’t.’ She brushed off the irritability that threatened. ‘I didn’t have time to make the appointments this week nor do I want to spend a ridiculous amount of money on a new dress—’

‘You don’t have a dress to wear tonight?’ he interrupted her.

‘Of course I do,’ she said defensively. ‘It’s just not new. It’s one of my mom’s. But what does that have to do with anything?’

Callie was ashamed of the desperation that coated her tone.

He looked at her for a few moments, and then pulled out his phone, his fingers speeding over the screen. A ‘ping’ sounded almost immediately, and he nodded and put it back into his pocket. Then he looked at her, and something in his eyes softened her heart.

‘Would you come with me?’

His voice was hesitant, as though he wasn’t quite sure of what she was going to say. That, combined with the look in his eyes, made her insides crumble, and she took the hand he offered. Even though everything inside her wanted to say no, wanted to ask him why he was allowing this uncertainty to eat at them, she let him lead her down the stairs.

And felt hopeless when the thought that she would follow him anywhere flitted through her mind.

They didn’t speak when they reached the parking garage, and she waited for him as he moved to open the car door for her. But his hand stilled on the handle and he stepped back.

‘What’s wrong?’ she asked—and then she saw the look in his eyes and felt herself tremble.

She was standing just behind the front door of the car, and when he took a step towards her instinct had her moving back against it. Her heart thudded as his hands slid around her waist and he pulled her closer, until she was moulded to his body. She looked up at him, breathless, and her knees nearly gave way at the need, the desperation in his eyes.

She closed her own eyes when he moved his head—closed them against the onslaught of emotions that flooded through her at the look on his face—and thought that their kiss would be filled with hunger, with the passion that need brought.

But instead it was so tender that she nearly wept. She slid her hands through his hair and shivers went down her spine when he deepened their kiss, taking more. She felt herself being swept away with it, but her heart cracked, just a little, as she thought that he must be trying to memorise the way she tasted, the way she felt.

Her heart demanded the same, and she slowly opened the buttons of his shirt and slid her hands up and down his chest, over his abs and back up again. She shook when the muscles beneath her hands trembled.

And then he moved back, breathing heavily, with his forehead against hers. She realised that she was breathing heavily too, and she stepped away from him, laying a hand on her racing heart. Finally, time and place caught up with her and she looked around, half expecting to see a colleague looking at them with shock. But the parking garage was empty, and for some strange reason she felt disappointment.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said, and she saw that he had buttoned his shirt up.

‘Why are you apologising?’ she asked, and braced herself for his answer.

But he simply said that someone might have seen them, and she nodded, not trusting herself to speak when she realised why she felt disappointed that no one had.

Because now there was no proof that everything that had happened between her and Blake hadn’t only been in her head.

He opened the car door for her, and when he’d got in he pulled out of the parking garage and started driving towards the business centre of Cape Town.

‘Where are you taking me?’ she asked, when she thought she had her thoughts—and her body—back under control.

‘To a friend. You’ll see when we get there,’ he said quietly, and again Callie wondered what was going on with him. With them.

She had never felt this unsure in her life. Even when her parents had died she had had certainty. She’d known they were gone, and the only thing she’d been unsure of then had been herself. Now she was wondering if she’d made up their relationship—could she even call it that?—in her head. The feelings, the sharing... Had that just been wishful thinking? Was she just a fling to him? Someone to pass the time with?

No, she thought. That couldn’t be it. Not when they’d shared things that she knew had been new for both of them. Besides, he’d never tried anything besides kissing with her. And, yes, the kissing had been hot and delicious, but he’d had the opportunity to press for more. Like the evening they’d been at his house... But instead he’d just dropped her off at home. That didn’t seem like a man who wanted a fling.

But why hadn’t he defined what they were? an inner voice asked her. He’d never told her that she was his girlfriend. A mistake, she realised, and suddenly she was immensely tired of the back and forth of her thoughts. She was going to ask him, once and for all. She would demand to know what they were to one another, and why he had pushed her away that night. She would demand the truth from him.

Satisfied with her resolution, she opened her mouth to speak—but the words stuck when he pulled up in front of two large bronze gates. Blake pressed the buzzer and told the crackly voice who he was, and the gates opened.

Callie held her breath as they drove up the path and she saw the large white house in front of them. Blake pulled into one of the designated parking bays and they walked to the front door, barely having enough time to press the button before the door opened and a woman stepped out and pulled Blake into her arms.

Callie might have felt threatened if the woman had done it in a remotely flirtatious way. But her hug was almost maternal, and Callie felt interest prickle when the woman drew back and said, ‘Let me take a look at you.’ She scanned Blake from his head to his toes and back up again, and then she smiled, and Callie thought it made her look years younger. ‘Blake, you’re an adult. I can’t believe it.’

He laughed. ‘Yes, Caroline, I have been now for quite some time.’

‘Which I would have known, had you visited me at any point during that time.’ She gave him a stern look, and then waved a hand. ‘But that’s water under the bridge now that you’re here.’

She turned and Callie felt her back stiffen as she was sized up.

‘And who are you, darling?’

‘This is Callie. She’s...a friend of mine.’ He paused, as though thinking about what he had called her, and then continued. ‘She needs a new dress for an event at the hotel tonight.’

‘Oh, why didn’t you just say so? Come on, let’s go in.’

She walked past the two of them down the passage, and entered a room right at the end. Callie and Blake followed, and she whispered, ‘Who is this woman?’

‘She’s an old family friend. My mother’s, actually, though she didn’t want us to hold that against her when my mother left. Her name is Caroline Bellinger.’

Callie stopped in her tracks. ‘You know Caroline Bellinger?’

‘Yes. Why?’

‘Why?’ She looked at him incredulously. ‘Caroline Bellinger is Cape Town’s top designer. She’s designed dresses for local celebrities for almost all of our glamourous events. She isn’t just someone’s “family friend”.’

‘Do you plan on joining me, or are you going to stand in the passage whispering about me all day?’ Caroline called from the room.

Blake grinned. A genuine one this time, she noted.

‘She’s astute, isn’t she? Come on, let’s find you a dress for tonight.’

From that moment Callie felt as though she had been selected for a makeover show. Caroline examined her even more critically than she had when they’d met, and Callie had to resist the cringe that came over her when Caroline announced that she had a body ‘like a movie star’. She could tell Blake was enjoying the show, but Caroline shooed him out before she pulled out any dresses.

‘You can follow Darren, Blake. He’ll take you to the restaurant where we make all the men wait while we do this.’

The man who appeared when his name was called nodded at Blake, and Blake gave Callie a reassuring nod before leaving. She held her breath when she realised that Caroline was now looking at her, and she felt the weight of the woman’s stare.

‘So, you and Blake are...friends?’

Caroline didn’t believe it for a second, Callie thought, but answered, ‘Yes, I think so.’

‘I didn’t need an answer, dear. I just wanted to see your face after my question.’

Caroline didn’t elaborate on what she’d seen there, and walked past Callie to a rack of dresses on the other side of the room.

‘I met another friend of Blake’s a while ago. Except it was at their wedding.’

Callie quickly realised what Caroline was implying, and it had her shaking her head. ‘No, no. This isn’t anything like him and Julia.’

Caroline raised her eyebrows. ‘No, it can’t be if he’s told you about her.’

She returned to Callie with four dresses, each of which looked as though they were fit for royalty.

‘He didn’t bring her here, you know.’

‘Excuse me?’

Caroline handed her a midnight-blue dress that Callie worried might not cover nearly as much of her body as she would have liked before answering.

‘I always thought I would be the one to make Blake’s bride’s wedding dress. Though he didn’t even ask me.’ She looked at Callie again, and this time the gaze felt distinctly more piercing. ‘And yet here you are. For a dress for an event at the hotel.’ She paused again, and then simply said, ‘You can get changed over there.’

She pointed to a dressing screen and Callie followed, not sure what else she was supposed to do. Or whether she was supposed to speak at all. The woman had given her so many innuendoes that Callie wasn’t sure she was able to process them all.

She dressed as quickly as she could, and almost sighed when she felt the silk on her skin. It was luxurious, she thought, grateful for the distraction of something as simple as a dress. Except that this dress was anything but simple. She thought she could easily become used to such luxury...until she walked out and Caroline shook her head.

‘Oh, no, that’s dreadful.’

Callie felt her face blanch, but Caroline waved a hand.

‘No, darling, it’s not you—it’s the combination of you and that dress. Try this one instead. I think it’ll do wonders for that rich skin tone of yours. And it won’t hide your curves either.’

She winked, and Callie took the dress wordlessly.

She knew that artists could be eccentric—but, honestly, she hadn’t ever experienced it first-hand before. It was strange that this woman was a part of Blake’s life. Her conservative boss—she’d settled on using that term, since she wasn’t sure what to call him personally—didn’t strike her as someone who would be familiar with a person so—well, unique. Especially when Caroline seemed to see things Callie didn’t think most people would want her to see—especially not someone as private as Blake.

She looked down at the dress, noting how much tighter it was than the previous one, and resisted pulling at the neckline that lay just a touch too low for her liking. When she walked out in the emerald dress Caroline clasped her hands together in what Callie could only imagine was delight.

‘This is it. This is the one.’

Callie doubted the dress required that much enthusiasm, and was still thinking about it when Caroline asked her what size shoe she wore. She responded automatically, even though she wanted to tell the woman that she had some shoes she could wear with the dress. But then Caroline brought out the most gorgeous silver pair Callie had ever seen and she kept her mouth shut.

‘Gorgeous—though there’s something missing...’ She looked at Callie for a few more moments, and then went to fetch something from a glass cabinet.

Callie didn’t realise what it was until Caroline presented her with a diamond necklace.

‘Oh, Caroline, I couldn’t—’

‘You can, and you will.’ She fastened the necklace around Callie’s neck herself, and then led her to the mirror.

Callie was almost afraid to look, but she caught her reflection before she had a chance to close her eyes and nearly gasped. She looked... Wow, she thought. Maybe the dress had required that much enthusiasm. She almost didn’t recognise herself.

Caroline had been right about the colour, and the gown fitted her perfectly. The necklace sparkled up at her, matching the shoes that she could see beneath the slit that ran up her left leg. She had never seen herself like this before. Not even on the night of Blake’s welcome event had she looked this elegant.

She remained silent when Caroline stood behind her and twisted her hair into some kind of chignon.

‘You should wear your hair like this. And just a touch of make-up. We don’t want to hide any of your natural beauty.’

Callie nodded wordlessly, not trusting herself to speak. What could she possibly say to this woman who had made her look like a princess?

‘It’s okay, dear. You don’t have to thank me. That look on your face is more than enough.’ Caroline smiled at her, and for the first time since they’d met Callie could see what it was about the woman that Blake cared about.

She returned Caroline’s smile and walked back behind the screen, undressing slowly so that she didn’t do any damage to the dress. When she was done, she handed it over to Caroline along with the shoes and the necklace.

‘Caroline, I don’t think I can take these from you.’ She gestured to the accessories she knew must have cost a fortune.

‘You can’t have the dress if you don’t.’

‘What?’

Caroline put the dress in a clothing bag and said again, ‘You can’t wear this dress if you don’t take the accessories.’

‘Why...why not?’

‘Because you need the whole package for Blake to get that feeling you had when you looked in the mirror.’ Caroline smiled kindly when Callie lifted her eyebrows. ‘You don’t think I saw the surprise on your face when you looked at yourself? I think it would give Blake a good kick in the behind to see you like that. And, from what I know about that man, he could use it.’

Again, Callie didn’t respond.

‘I’m so glad he brought you here.’

Suddenly Callie found herself in Caroline’s arms.

Hesitantly, she put her arms around the woman, and she felt an odd sense of comfort when she said, ‘Be patient with him. He’ll get there eventually.’

She drew back, and Caroline smiled again, and for a moment Callie wondered what ‘there’ meant. She realised too late that she’d asked Caroline out loud, and waited with bated breath for the answer.

‘You’ll know soon enough, dear,’ she said, before calling Blake, and Callie knew her chance to probe was gone.

‘Are you sorted?’ Blake asked when he walked in.

‘Yes, she is.’ Caroline patted his cheek. ‘No need for thanks. You can just send the things back after the event.’

‘Of course. We can sort out payment at a later point.’

Callie immediately wanted to offer payment too—even though heaven only knew how she would be able to afford it—but Caroline had narrowed her eyes.

‘Blake, you say something that offensive to me again, and I swear I will tell the world that you stole this dress from me.’

He laughed, and then sobered. ‘I appreciate it, Caroline.’

‘Anything for you.’ For the first time, Caroline looked completely serious. ‘I’m just so happy to see you, Blake. You look good.’

As they drove away Callie didn’t say anything. Caroline’s cryptic words kept swirling around in her head, rousing the thoughts she had refused to have for such a long time. Rousing feelings she had ignored even when they had demanded attention. Because she couldn’t give in to them. Not when she didn’t know where she stood with Blake.

One moment she felt as if she didn’t know this man she’d spent so much time with, the next he was kissing her as if he was a dying man and she was his last breath. And then he’d arranged this trip to a fairy godmother.

How could she love a man like that? she thought, and then went very still when she realised it.

The very simple truth that made his strange behaviour so difficult to swallow.

She looked away, out of the window, although she didn’t see any of the buildings they passed. She just needed to look away from him. She didn’t want him to know that she loved him. That she—Callie McKenzie, who hadn’t thought she would ever open herself up enough to fall in love—was in love with her boss.

She squeezed her eyes closed, letting herself process the novelty of her thoughts.

Except that they weren’t new, she thought. They had been there since—well, she didn’t even know. But then Caroline had nudged her and cracked the armour she’d protected the thoughts in. She was in love with an incredible man. A man who cared about his company, about people, about her. A man who made her feel she wasn’t alone. A man who had helped her work through feelings from the most difficult part of her past.

If she’d had to pick him from a list on paper, Callie would have put money on herself picking Blake, and a part of her took joy from that. But that joy was quickly dimmed by the fact that the man she had fallen in love with wasn’t the man who was sitting next to her. And it terrified her—wholly and completely—to consider the reasons why that was the case.

She was so deep in thought that she didn’t even notice that they’d stopped until Blake put a hand on her thigh.

‘Callie?’

‘Yeah?’

‘We’re here.’

She looked around in surprise. ‘This isn’t the hotel.’

‘No, it isn’t. This is the salon my stepmother goes to. I made an appointment for you, and a car will come and get you in a few hours.’

‘Blake, this really isn’t necessary...’

‘A car will come and get you and bring you back in time for the event,’ he repeated, and then he continued, ‘There will probably be someone inside to help you with all the make-up stuff, too.’

‘Blake—’

‘No, don’t say it. Don’t tell me that you don’t want this. Because this isn’t about you. This is for you. You deserve this. After all you’ve done...’ He lifted a hand to her face and she thought that it was as if he needed her to believe him. ‘You deserve a few hours of relaxation. When people do things for you. Let me do this for you, okay?’

She wished she could just accept his words at face value. Her heart was full of him, of his compassion, of his gesture for her. But something told her that he’d said them out of obligation. Out of a need for her to accept this from him. And how could she resist such a plea?

‘Okay.’

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. ‘I’ll see you in a little bit. Go and have fun.’