Buch lesen: «The Wedding Adventure»

Chapter One

“Why did you drag me away from Travis?” Cynthia Sterling was not happy with Henry Davenport and could care less if today was his thirty-fourth birthday. “We were having such a good time.”

“A good time?” Henry, wearing a green and white Hawaiian shirt and shorts, led her through the grand ballroom at one of Hawaii’s top resorts. His April Fools’ Day Bacchanalian birthday parties were legendary. This year’s Polynesian paradise theme, complete with tiki torches illuminating the path from the tastefully decorated ballroom to the beach and luau, was no exception. Henry’s customary style and taste were everywhere, not to mention the added touches—such as the beautiful and talented hula dancers—that provided local flavor. But his ever-present smile had all but disappeared. “Travis was about to drool.”

She hadn’t imagined that. Cynthia wet her lips. “So?”

“The man’s obsessed with you, darling.”

“Obsessed is such a strong word. I prefer infatuated.”

“How about pathetic?” Henry suggested with a tilt of his beachcomber hat. “No matter, he’ll get over it.”

“Not if I can help it.” Travis had the qualities she wanted in a husband. He hung on her every word, thought she could do no wrong and wanted to give her the world. “He’s perfect.”

“You can do better than Travis Drummond.”

“What if I don’t want to do better?”

“He’s already jilted one bride at the altar.”

“He told me,” Cynthia admitted. “It wasn’t his fault.”

“It never is,” Henry muttered.

She ignored him, glanced back and spotted a frowning Travis among the other guests. She wouldn’t call him classically handsome like Henry and several of the other men in her social circle, but Travis Drummond was cute with a farm boy sort of charm, a sweet grin and a mind-boggling net worth. Like her, he was an only child. He had mentioned feeling lonely, how he wanted to settle down with the right woman and start a family. Cynthia had used every ounce of willpower to keep herself from hauling him off to a judge right then. She felt the same way. Except about finding the right woman. She needed the right man to be her husband and the father of her children.

Travis could be the one. He adored her. She liked him. What more could she want in a marriage?

His gaze met hers. He stared at her as if she were the only woman in the crowded room. In his eyes, she was and a rush of feminine power surged through her. All of her close friends were either married or engaged. She wanted the same comfort and security they had found.

Cynthia mouthed “later.” Travis smiled. Maybe feeling lonely was going to be a thing of the past…for both of them.

She adjusted the hibiscus in her hair and looked up at Henry. “Travis thinks I’m the best thing he’s ever come across.”

“You are.” Henry sounded sincere, but he always said the right words. His reputation as a playboy and heart-breaker was well-earned. He oozed charm, but Cynthia was immune. He was a good friend, the closest thing she had to a big brother. She’d met him when she was a debutante and they had become fast friends despite the difference in their ages. Dating him wasn’t an option. They’d tried once five years ago right after she’d turned twenty-one. It felt weird, uncomfortable, wrong. They were destined to be nothing more than friends. Both were happy with that. “But before you settle on becoming Mrs. Travis Drummond, there’s someone else I want you to meet first.”

“Who?”

“Cade Waters.”

“Waters.” The name didn’t sound familiar. She knew most of the families of the rich and the eligible. “Should I know him?”

“His full name is Cade Armstrong Waters.”

She stopped walking. “Armstrong International?”

Henry nodded. “He’s one of the nephews.”

Nephew, cousin, distant relative. It didn’t matter. The Armstrongs were so wealthy they made Travis Drummond’s net worth seem like milk money. But even better was the family itself, something Travis couldn’t give her.

The Armstrongs were a large, extended family of movers and shakers who made millions and headlines. And royalty since Christina Armstrong had married His Serene Highness Prince Richard De Thierry of San Montico. A princess for a cousin-in-law. Now that would make family get-togethers interesting. Oh, family get-togethers…

Cynthia dreamed about being part of a big, loving family. She hated not having any siblings. In theory, she was part of a family. Reality, however, was another thing.

“Why haven’t I heard about Cade Armstrong?” she asked.

“Cade Armstrong Waters,” Henry corrected. “He keeps a low profile. Avoids the press. Some call him the black sheep of the family, but you won’t meet a more perfect man.”

“I thought you were the only perfect man?”

“If only.” Henry laughed and waved to a mutual friend. “Cade’s sister got married on Valentine’s Day. You may have heard of her. Kelsey Armstrong Waters Addison.”

“Addison? As in Addison Resorts and…” Cynthia grabbed Henry’s shoulder. “She’s the wedding consultant to the stars.”

His eyes gleamed with amusement. “Could come in handy if something developed between you and her brother?”

If something developed… The Armstrongs probably had a big Christmas gathering with a huge tree covered with lights and ornaments and a formal sit-down dinner with all the family in attendance. She could almost smell the scents of pine, vanilla and cinnamon. Almost hear the sounds of conversations, laughter and singing. A warm glow flowed through her. With Cade and the Armstrongs, she would never have to spend Christmas alone while her parents took yet another “second” honeymoon.

Cynthia’s heart pounded. She wanted to surround herself with love, cocoon herself in a family. The Armstrongs were a ready-made one with lots of aunts and uncles and nieces and nephews and cousins. They were also rich. She would never have to worry about being poor again. This was everything she’d ever wanted and it sounded too good to be true. “Does Cade have any ex-wives, clinging ex-girlfriends or children I should know about?”

“None of the above.”

Excited, she glanced around. “So where is Cade?”

“Over by the waterfall.”

A buff blonde, wearing only a Speedo, stood next to the cascading water. His wide, overdeveloped shoulders would look silly in a suit or tuxedo, but that didn’t seem to bother the bevy of beauties hanging on his every word. Cynthia gulped.

Immediately, she felt guilty. She knew better than to judge a man by his appearance. That’s all anyone had ever done with her. Still… “The blonde?”

“I’m not sure who that is.” Henry led her to the other side of the waterfall. A man with wet, dark hair slicked back from his high forehead stood alone. A pineapple cup hid his face. “That’s Cade Armstrong Waters.”

He was tall. Over six feet. He wore a white T-shirt and green-and-blue plaid swim trunks. He didn’t have the other man’s muscles, but Cade looked solid and strong.

He lowered the pineapple, and Cynthia breathed a sigh of relief. Cade was good-looking in a geekish sort of way. His small wire-rimmed glasses made him look smart, like a professor. Or a husband. And a father.

He was not a man she would lose herself in. Thank goodness. Cynthia wanted to be a better parent than either of hers had been. Her children would always know they were loved.

On second glance she realized he really wasn’t a geek at all. His hair was too long to call him clean-cut and the angles of his face made him look rugged, more than a little dangerous. She swallowed. Hard.

“Like what you see?” Henry asked.

All she could do was nod. That scared her a little. Cynthia remembered Cade came with all those other Armstrongs, and she didn’t feel as bad.

Henry laughed. “Better than Travis?”

“Maybe.” She forced the word from her dry mouth and adjusted the hibiscus in her hair. “Let’s go. I’m ready for Cade to fall in love with me.”

Cade Waters stirred his drink with the multi colored paper umbrella. He was getting another headache and wanted to call it a night. Nothing about this party interested him. Not the gourmet food, the open bar or the women. Okay, he didn’t mind the sarongs or the bikinis, but these women usually wore a lot more clothing and coordinating accessories. Not to mention a pound or two of makeup so they could look “natural.”

This wasn’t his scene. It had been once, a long time ago, but never again. He was a different person now. Money—Armstrong money—had not only destroyed his parents’ marriage, but had also ruined Cade’s chance for happiness.

Yet here he was.

Cade glanced at the pool on the other side of the waterfall. He’d already swum more laps than he could count which explained why he was so thirsty and hungry, but he preferred being in the water to air-kissing and socializing with people he didn’t like, much less respect.

For years, he’d declined Henry’s party invitations, much to the dismay of his cousins who loved partying with the generous billionaire. Cade had struggled to move beyond being just another one of the Armstrong cousins. People expected Armstrongs to succeed, and Cade would. He would succeed on his own terms without the help of the Armstrong name or money.

Unfortunately this year he wasn’t in a position to say no to Henry Davenport. Call it blackmail, call it desperation. Henry had waved a sizeable donation to Cade’s Smiling Moon Foundation with one stipulation—Cade had to attend the birthday party. If he came, did not solicit any of the other guests for donations and stayed until the end of the festivities, Henry would give him a check for one hundred thousand dollars.

Cade had had no choice but to attend. His foundation needed the money. Running a nonprofit agency was more difficult and more expensive than he had imagined. He’d been struggling to make ends meet and if he wasn’t careful Smiling Moon might become Frowning Moon and bankrupt if he didn’t get a couple of big donors like Henry Davenport.

His parents wanted him to walk away from the foundation and start over with a new venture. Or better yet, return to law. But Cade couldn’t. He wouldn’t do what his many times divorced parents did when things got tough—leave. He wasn’t like that. He wasn’t like them. Whether they knew or cared, the kids helped by Smiling Moon would have one adult who didn’t abandon them. He would stick it out until the end. And if he had any say in the matter, there wouldn’t be an end.

Cade was willing to do anything to keep the foundation going and make it a success even if that meant spending a weekend with a bunch of social climbing, money-burning, socially irresponsible partygoers, a few of whom he was related to on his mother’s side. He would overlook Henry’s obscene display of wealth. Cade almost passed on taking one of the expensively filled goodie bags each guest received until he realized he could auction it off at his summer fundraising dinner. Provided they survived until the summer. But the designer backpack containing a handheld GPS locator, Swiss Army knife, a dive watch and oyster shells containing pearl earrings or cufflinks depending on a guest’s gender would bring a good price.

Henry approached with a wide grin. “Having fun?”

Cade chose his words carefully. Henry had enough money to make a real difference to the foundation. And if the billionaire birthday boy decided to become a full-fledged patron… Cade smiled at the thought, his first smile in the past forty-eight hours. Or was that forty-eight days? “It’s been…interesting.”

“Happy to hear it.” Henry motioned to an attractive blonde. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”

Not another one of Henry’s women. Cade sipped his rum and coconut concoction and grimaced at the sweet aftertaste. Give him a shot of whiskey or a beer. Can or bottle. Not a froufrou umbrella drink served in a hollowed out pineapple.

“This is Cynthia Sterling, a close friend of mine. Cynthia this is Cade Arm—”

“Cade Waters.” He glanced over his pineapple at Henry’s latest “friend.” Cade knew what to expect and he wasn’t disappointed. Perfectly cut, dyed and styled blond hair fell past her bare shoulders in gentle waves. Flawless ivory skin, made so by the skilled hand applying her makeup and/or the numerous spa treatments—wraps, peels, facials—she no doubt received regularly, glowed beneath the ballroom lighting. Generous, full lips painted red and able to pout on cue. A deep maroon sarong gave a tantalizing glimpse of the curves underneath and begged to be removed. Cade summed her up in three words—a total nightmare. “Nice to meet you.”

She extended her arm and batted her eyes. The hazel-green color with gold flecks looked natural, but could be a high-tech pair of contact lenses. “The pleasure’s all mine.”

The words flowed from her collagen-injected lips like honey. Warm, slow, seductive. Cade managed not to laugh. He’d known too many women like Cynthia Sterling. Trophy-wife wannabes. Gold diggers. Nothing beneath the perfect outer package. His cousins had married and divorced women like her. Hell, some of his Armstrong cousins were this type of woman.

But Cynthia Sterling was as far from Cade’s type as they came. He knew what he wanted in a woman. Exactly what he wanted. Exactly who he wanted.

Maggie.

But she’ll never be yours, a little voice mocked him. You screwed up. Cade took another sip of his drink.

“I’ll leave you two to get acquainted,” Henry said.

Before Cade could say a word, like no, Henry disappeared into the crowded ballroom. Just when Cade thought the party couldn’t get any worse…

“So,” Cynthia said. “Have you known Henry long?”

Maybe if Cade didn’t answer she would go away. He didn’t want to be rude, but he wanted to be left alone. Thinking about his ex-fiancée always put him in a rotten mood. He pressed his lips together.

“Henry and I go way back.”

A day? A week? Knowing Henry she met him last night. “How long have you been dating?”

“What? Us?” Her laugh, deeper and richer than he expected, surprised him. At least she didn’t have an annoying high-pitched squeal. Though that would be the perfect finishing touch for her. Cynthia tilted her chin. “We’re just friends. I know better than to date Henry Davenport.”

So she was smarter than she looked. Cade had to give her points for that. He stirred what remained of his drink with the umbrella-on-a-tropical-fruit-skewered-stick.

“What about you?” she asked.

“I know better than to date Henry, too.”

The smile disappeared from her face and her eyes clouded. “You’re gay? I’m going to kill Henry.” Before Cade could speak, she continued on. “That’s okay. I mean it’s great you’re gay. All the good ones seem to be,” she muttered. “One of life’s ironies. I’m sure you have to beat the men off with a stick or a larger umbrella.”

He lowered his pineapple glass. Of course she had no sense of humor. What had he expected? “I’m not gay.”

She furrowed her perfectly arched brows. “But you said—”

“I was making a joke.”

It took a couple of seconds, and the smile returned to her face. “Oh, I get it now.”

Okay, so she wasn’t that smart after all. Henry must see something else in her. Her pretty face, intriguing eyes, incredible body?

Forget about her. Cade was only here to pick up the donation. Once he had Henry’s check in hand, Cade was on the next plane home. He glanced into his pineapple. It was empty. “I need another drink. Want one?”

“Please.” She smiled, a dazzling smile she’d probably spent hours perfecting in front of a mirror. “And could you get me one with a pink parasol and a cherry?”

A pink parasol and a cherry? She was the worst possible combination—high-maintenance and high society. Cade held back a sigh. “I’ll do what I can.”

Happy Birthday to me.

Henry Davenport hummed the tune. The party was an overwhelming success and was only going to get better. Time for two guests to partake in his “adventure.” He climbed on stage and the band stopped playing. “Line up for your chance at the adventure of a lifetime,” he announced to the crowd.

Tropically and scantily clad, hard-bodied waiters and waitresses passed out drinks to guests who stood in line. No one knew what was in store for the lucky participants. No one cared. People’s willingness to participate in his adventures was the only birthday present Henry wanted. Besides, everyone knew they’d get a nice reward from him when they finished. The more difficult the adventure, the bigger the reward. This year’s would be a doozy.

Henry cupped a pair of dice in his hands. This adventure would be his finest triumph. Until next year.

Guests waited for their chance to walk on stage and roll the dice. Cynthia Sterling’s turn arrived. She made her way up with a sensual sway of her hips. She was attractive, stunning really, with beautiful hair she had colored every three weeks to give it a natural blond look, and a figure any Sports Illustrated model would die for. A brilliant smile lit up her face. Things must be going well with Cade.

Good for her.

Cynthia would never be called sweet or innocent or nice. Truth be told, she was a pain in the butt. But he loved her like a sister and underneath all her makeup, designer clothes and pouty facade lay a good heart.

She was the quintessential poor little rich girl. Her parents were so in love, they barely noticed they’d had a child and she’d grown into a woman. Cynthia deserved to be happy, deserved to be loved. Henry still couldn’t believe her parents hadn’t remembered her birthday last year. She had shrugged it off. The same way she shrugged off holidays spent alone.

He almost believed she only cared about marrying well, but he’d seen a longing in her eyes the first time she held Noelle. He heard the envy in Cynthia’s voice when commenting how perfect Laurel and Brett were together and how lucky they were to have found each other. Cynthia claimed she had no luck finding her Mr. Right. Henry knew she was trying too hard. She was only twenty-six and in a rush to get to the altar. He didn’t want her to settle for less than she deserved.

But Cynthia’s luck with men was about to change….

She stepped up to the platform and kissed his cheek. “Happy Birthday, Henry.”

“Thank you, darling.” With a sleight of hand learned from a Reno magician last year, Henry gave her a special pair of dice, different ones than the others had used. “Good luck.”

She rubbed the dice between her hands and rolled. Double sixes. High rollers participated in the adventure. One man and one woman. A momentary deer-in-the-headlights expression flashed across her features.

“Don’t worry,” Henry assured her. “You’ll do fine.”

Her gaze met his. “I’d better or you’ll be the one worrying.” Her voice was low, but filled with a threat. He expected no less from her.

Cynthia wasn’t meek and mild. She went after what she wanted. The next two weeks weren’t going to be easy for her, but they would be good for her. Henry wanted her to be happy. His job was to show Cynthia what she wanted—no, needed. And he’d finally figured out the right man for her.

Cade Waters stepped onstage and took the dice. He wasn’t thrilled to be here, but he would get over it and come to appreciate what Henry had planned not only for Cade’s foundation, but his heart, too.

Cade rolled. Double sixes. He grimaced. Cynthia’s full lips broke into a wide smile.

Other guests needed to roll, but Henry couldn’t wait for the adventure to begin. This was going to be so much fun. He rubbed his palms together.

The way the adventure would take advantage of Cade’s strengths had been a stroke of luck. Henry knew fate had been helping him out. By the time the pair returned from the island adventure, Cynthia would see Cade Waters as her knight in shining khaki, the Indiana Jones of the new millennium, the man of her dreams. Henry tried not to grin too widely. But he had to smile. Life was too good not to have a smile on his face.

Before giving the next guest the dice, Henry discreetly switched them back to the original pair. Once everyone had rolled, he stood at a microphone. “We have our winners. Cynthia Sterling and Cade Armstrong Waters.”

The other guests cheered.

“This year, I’m paying homage to the pop-culture phenomena television show Survivor. Cade and Cynthia will spend two weeks on a deserted island together.”

“Two weeks?” Cade’s jaw hardened. “I have responsibilities.”

“You’ll have time to make arrangements for your absence,” Henry said. “You also have the option of paying a penalty fee and not going on the adventure if you choose.”

The penalty fee consisted of a ten thousand dollar donation to one of Henry’s favorite charities. So far, no one had opted out of an adventure. Along with paying the penalty, one could never attend another one of his birthday parties. He knew Cade was a lawyer and the penalty fee would never stand up in a court of law. But Cade was also counting on a donation to his foundation. Offending the host wouldn’t be in his best interest.