Substitute Bride Read online

  “Well, I won’t have her there at the wedding,” Tammy hissed. “This is going to be my day, and I won’t have your best friend ruining it for me.”

  “You can’t make that decision.”

  “Of course, I can.”

  “No, you can’t.”

  “I’m the bride!”

  “No, you’re not!” Several gasps around him made him stop and give a cautious glance at her friends whose jaws were hung open. Fortunately, the music prevented anyone else in the room from hearing what just transpired. Sighing, Kevin motioned to the balcony. “Tammy, can I please talk to you in private?”

  Tammy crossed her arms. “Are you dumping me?”

  “I just…” He shrugged. “I don’t think it’s going to work.”

  “Oh my gosh. You are dumping me!”

  “And at the engagement party,” one of her friends said.

  “So low,” another one added, this time narrowing her eyes at him.

  Kevin realized damage control was in order, and if he had any idea what that kind of control would entail, he’d gladly do it. But he didn’t know what to do, so he said the only thing he could think of. “I’m sorry.”

  “You’re sorry?” Tammy huffed. “Why did you ask me to marry you if you planned to dump me?”

  “I wasn’t planning on it,” he said. “Can we please talk in private now?”

  “I don’t think so, skunk boy,” one of her friends replied and stepped between them. “We’re not going to let you hurt her anymore. First, Alex and now you.” She scanned him up and down and shook her head. “Tammy, you’re way better off.”

  “That’s the truth of it,” another one added.

  “Come on, Tammy,” one of her other friends said as she put her arm reassuringly around Tammy’s shoulders. “You can do better than this idiot.”

  The group shuffled past him, and Tammy shot him a piercing look before they went to retrieve their coats.

  “Fine,” he muttered, throwing his hands up in the air.

  He tried. He failed. Now it was time to move on. As he turned around, he caught sight of Alex entering the suite. A smile crossed his face and he got ready to approach her when he noticed she didn’t come alone or even with one of her female friends. She came with that guy who was with her at the beach. His smile faltered. Just when did she meet the guy? It couldn’t have been too long ago since she never mentioned dating anyone.

  She took off her coat, and he had to stop himself from yelling at her to put it back on. The dress was red and molded to her body, showing off every curve she had. Her breasts were ready to spill out of it, and it showed off more of her legs than he’d ever seen on her.

  If she was wearing this when they were alone, it would be an amazing dress. But here, in front of all these people…? He glanced around, wondering if any of the other guys in the room were going to start drooling over her. He told himself it was only years of being protective of her that sent him charging her way, ready to take off his suit jacket to cover her up.

  Before he reached her, Nita and her boyfriend came in and Alex and her date headed for the other room to hang up their coats. By the time they reached the room, Tammy and her crew came out of it and stopped when they saw Alex. Kevin got ready to intervene since he guessed Tammy and her friends wouldn’t be nice to Alex, but Camden came up to him and slapped him on the back.

  “You sure know how to throw a party,” Camden said as he ate the shrimp cocktail on his plate. “This stuff is expensive.”

  “Tammy likes the finer things in life,” Kevin dryly replied. “Hey, do you know anything about Alex’s date?”

  Camden looked up from his plate and nearly choked on the food he was eating. “Wow! Alex is hot!”

  “Shh!” Kevin’s face grew warm. For the most part, people hadn’t bothered looking over in her direction, and he’d like to keep it that way. “Just quiet down, okay?”

  Camden rolled his eyes. “You’re engaged to Tammy, so what do you care if Alex is showing off what she’s been hiding all these years? Man, do you think she’ll wear that at the Super Bowl game?”

  “Only if you and Greg aren’t there,” he growled.

  Camden’s eyebrows rose. “You’re with Tammy, remember?”

  “Was with Tammy. That’s past tense.”

  “Huh?”

  “I’ll explain later.”

  Without waiting for his friend to respond, he headed toward Alex and Tammy, thinking that whatever might ensue, it wasn’t going to be good. Tammy said something to Alex, and just as Kevin was about to step in and stop Tammy from doing or saying anything else, Alex’s date stepped between them.

  “Excuse me, but I don’t appreciate the way you talked to my date,” Alex’s date said. “We are here to celebrate your impending nuptials.”

  Kevin blinked. Impending nuptials? Who in the world talked like that anymore?

  Tammy let out a bitter laugh. “Cute.” She peered around him and told Alex, “I see you got yet another guy running to your defense.” Turning her attention back to Alex’s date, she patted him on the shoulder. “You have no need to worry. I’m out of here.” She brushed past him, her friends close behind.

  As they reached the door, Greg entered the suite, took one look at Tammy, and laughed.

  Kevin’s dad waved to him from across the room, and Kevin mouthed the words ‘in a minute’. He got ready to walk up to Alex, but Tammy’s father came up to him.

  “Why is my little girl upset?” her father demanded.

  Knowing he had to take care of this immediately, he turned his attention to the older man. “Uh…well…”

  “You didn’t make her unhappy, did you?”

  Kevin blanched. There was no way this was going to end well. “I had to end the engagement, sir.”

  “You did? Why?”

  Looking away from the glaring man, Kevin shrugged. “I didn’t think the marriage would work.”

  “What? Why? And you better not say it’s because of my little princess.”

  He swallowed the lump in his throat. “No, sir. It’s just that some people are more compatible than others, and I don’t think she and I will be a good fit.”

  “Why?”

  Kevin was starting to get tired of all the ‘why’s’ this man kept throwing at him, and fortunately, his father came up to them.

  “What’s going on over here?” his father asked with one of his peacekeeping smiles.

  “What’s going on? I’ll tell you what’s going on,” her father snapped. “Your son just broke my little girl’s heart. She ran out of here in tears.”

  Kevin stopped himself from saying Tammy hadn’t been crying, and as for her heart being broken, he didn’t see how that was possible in the short time they’d been together.

  “What happened, Kevin?” his father asked him.

  “Um...” Kevin glanced over at Alex and saw her date leaned toward her to whisper something in her ear that made her laugh. He frowned. Whoever this guy was, Kevin didn’t like him.

  “Kevin?” his father asked.

  “Oh.” Kevin returned his attention to his dad. “I had to call off the engagement. I don’t think Tammy and I are right for each other.”

  “You’d be a lucky son of a gun to marry my daughter,” her father said.

  “I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with her,” Kevin lied.

  “Then what are you saying?” her father asked.

  Kevin’s father held up his hands and chuckled. “Come on. Things don’t have to get ugly. So things didn’t work out for our kids. Isn’t it better they found out now instead of getting a divorce?”

  Her father let out a low growl. “Easy for you to say. Your son was the one who hurt my girl.”

  “And he’s very sorry for it,” his father said, indicating for Kevin to agree with him.

  “Yes,” Kevin quickly replied. “I am sorry.” When her father continued to glare at him, he added, “Very, very sorry.”

  After an agonizing mome
nt, her father let out a long sigh. “Alright. But you’re not allowed to see her ever again.”

  “I won’t,” Kevin said. “I promise.”

  As soon as her father left to talk to her other relatives, Kevin exhaled, not realizing he’d been holding his breath during the interrogation.

  Kevin’s father also breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness you came to your senses when you did, but who are you going to marry?”

  “I’d like to ask Alex,” he replied.

  “Alex? Your friend?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Good for you. But…if you’re marrying her, then what’s she doing with him?” He pointed to Alex who was sitting too close to her date.

  “I haven’t asked her yet.”

  “Well, you better get going on that one. I guess I have some explaining to do to our side of the family.” He turned halfway and paused. “Will there still be a wedding next Saturday?”

  “If Alex says no, then no.”

  If there was one thing being with Tammy had taught Kevin, it was that he shouldn’t settle for anyone to get the money. As crazy as his aunt was to add the marriage stipulation in her will, he decided he was better off without the money instead of marrying someone who wasn’t right for him, and the more he thought about it, the more right being with Alex felt.

  “Good,” his father said. “Are you going to ask her here?”

  “If I can get her away from her date.”

  “I wish you luck. They look close.”

  While his father walked off, Kevin sighed. He watched as Alex put her hand on her date’s knee. He clenched his teeth. He’d ask her to marry him, and he’d do it before Mr. Perfect, who had every dark strand of hair in place and wore a fancy suit, got a chance to get any closer to her!

  Chapter Ten

  “He’s coming over here,” Trent whispered in her ear. “Don’t look at him. You want him to sweat it out. Move your hand a little higher on my thigh.”

  Alex hesitated. She thought she had her hand high enough as it was. She didn’t consider herself a prude but still…

  “Trust me,” Trent whispered. “And giggle.”

  She obeyed, giggling and sliding her hand higher. The whole time, her face had to be a wild shade of red. As soon as Tammy left the party, she wanted to go up to Kevin and ask him what happened, but Trent warned her that seeming too eager was a bad idea. She knew he was right. Kevin had to make the first move.

  Kevin approached them and cleared his throat.

  The group looked up at him, and Trent put his arm around her shoulders. “Hey, Calvin! This is a great party.”

  He frowned. “My name is Kevin. Alex, can I talk to you?” With a quick glance in Trent’s direction, he added, “Alone?”

  She turned to Trent. “Would you mind?”

  “I guess not,” Trent said and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Don’t keep her away from me too long, Kev.”

  Taking that as a green light, she stood up and walked over to Kevin who looked between her and Trent before he led her to the balcony. When she glanced over her shoulder, Trent offered her the thumbs up sign. She quickly returned the gesture and followed Kevin to a secluded spot which overlooked the water.

  Resting his back against the railing, he rubbed the back of his neck and asked, “Alex, what’s up with you and that guy?”

  Recalling what Trent told her to say if the question came up, she shrugged. “Oh, he’s just someone I know.”

  “You look like you know him pretty well. I mean, you had your hand on his thigh, and you’re wearing…” He motioned to her dress.

  She scanned her trampy outfit and asked, “What?” as if she had no idea what he was implying.

  Groaning, he said, “That.”

  She ran her hands down the length of what little dress there was. “Is there a thread hanging loose?”

  “No.”

  “Oh. Then everything’s as it should be.” Smiling, she brushed her hair over her shoulders and crossed her arms so that her breasts were more prominent.

  “I can’t take this.” Slipping off his suit jacket, he draped it over her shoulders. “What are you doing dressed like that?”

  “Dressed like what?”

  “Dressed like you want that guy to do more than take you to this party.”

  She frowned and gripped the edges of the jacket. “That’s a nice double standard.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “It means that Tammy told me all about you and her. Together. Last night. All night long.”

  “I wasn’t with her last night.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. I had that run to do. Don’t you remember I signed up for that?”

  “Yes, but you could’ve gone to her place afterwards.”

  “Are you kidding me? After a long run like that, I was beat. I went home, took a shower, and went to bed.”

  She relaxed her hold on the suit jacket. “Good.”

  “Now that we got that squared away, should I be concerned about your date in there?”

  Once again thinking of what Trent told her, she said, “You’re getting married to Tammy, so does it matter?”

  “I’m not marrying Tammy.”

  “You aren’t?”

  “No. I tried to tell her earlier today, but it didn’t happen so that’s why everyone showed up tonight. It wasn’t easy to tell her. I guess it never is when you’re dumping someone, but I realized that she and I were all wrong for each other.”

  She nodded, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and anticipation. Would he ask her to marry him? Or would he go through a list of possible candidates like they did before?

  “So,” he began as he ran his hands along the rail, “that’s why I wanted to know if this thing between you and Trent is serious. If it is, then what I want to ask you is pointless.”

  She swallowed and glanced at Trent who was laughing at something Nita and Jordan were saying. She wondered if it was too soon to stop playing hard to get because she had the sudden urge to throw her arms around Kevin and kiss him. Taking a deep breath, she ventured, “I just met him the other day.” There. That was all he needed to know.

  “Okay. Well, I did a lot of thinking last night, and I realized that you were right. Tammy would come between us. Then I thought that anyone else I married would have to be first in my life, and the only person I want to be first is you. So, I thought I’d ask you…” He took a deep breath.

  She eagerly waited for him to come out and ask it.

  “I was wondering if you’d marry me.” Before she could answer, he continued, “I mean, I know we’ve never been more than friends. I’m sure it’s not what you expected, but I heard somewhere that couples starting out as friends manage well in marriage. I was thinking you and I get along great. We already have all the important things in common. You know, religion, politics, and whatnot. It seems like a logical choice, don’t you think?”

  The only reason her smile didn’t falter was because it was frozen on her face. She wasn’t sure if he just gave her an actual proposal or was providing her with an essay on why he should marry her.

  “Alex?” he asked.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw another couple walk out onto the balcony, followed by a server offering them hors d'oeuvres.

  “Alex?” Kevin asked again, this time looking concerned.

  Alex blinked a couple of times. “So would this be a marriage of convenience sort of thing?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess. I have to marry someone to get the money, and there’s no one else I’d rather marry than you. Does that make it a marriage of convenience?”

  “I think so,” she answered, uncertain of what that meant in terms of being married to him. “So, if I married you, then would we be as we are now?”

  “I think so. But better, right? We’d be closer, and no one would come between us.”

  She let out a sigh. It wasn’t quite the way she hoped the proposal would
be, but it was better than nothing. She didn’t want to marry anyone else. Maybe, in time, he’d stop thinking of her as a friend and think of her in more romantic terms. She’d never know if she didn’t marry him. “Yes,” she said. “I’ll marry you.”

  He smiled. “Really? Great! For a minute there, I thought you were going to say no.”

  “Well, it sounds logical when you spell it out. Um…so since this is a marriage of convenience, do we have sex?”

  To her surprise, he burst out laughing. She blinked and glanced around, hoping he wasn’t attracting anyone’s attention.

  “What idiot is going to get married and not have sex?” he asked, still laughing.

  “Okay,” she whispered, noticing that some people were looking in their direction. She stepped closer to him and kept her voice low. “Fine. We’ll have sex.”

  As if he didn’t hear her, he added, “I mean, you’d have to be a complete moron to turn down the opportunity to have sex.”

  Through gritted teeth, she replied, “We’ll have sex.” When she realized he couldn’t hear her over his laughter, she grabbed his arm and said in a louder voice, “I’ll have so much sex with you you’ll be dizzy for a week.”

  He stopped laughing and looked at her in interest. “Really?”

  Someone cleared his throat.

  Realizing it was the server, her face grew warm.

  “I’d ask if there’s anything you need,” the server began with an amused expression on his face, “but it seems you are doing well enough without me.”

  As the server walked away, she covered her face with her hands and groaned.

  Kevin chuckled and rubbed her back. “It’s okay.”

  “Sure. For you,” she muttered. “The server thinks you’re a lucky guy.”

  “Then he would be right.” Kevin stepped in front of her and lowered her hands from her face. “Come on, Alex. It’s not that bad.”

  “I guess not, but do you think he heard the part where you asked me to marry you?”

  “Does it matter? He’s not invited to the wedding.” He squeezed her hands. “Actually, half the people who were invited will be uninvited. Then we need to invite your family and friends. It’s going to be a busy week.”