Yvonne Lindsay - Vengeful Vows

Peyton smiled, or was it a snarl with her nemesis standing right in front of her? She couldn’t be entirely sure. “Thank you,” she managed, her voice sounding stiff and unnatural.

“We’re a bit overwhelming en masse, aren’t we?” Alice said with a conspiratorial smile. “But you’ll get used to us. Everyone does.”

By decree of Alice Horvath, Peyton thought bitterly. Get used to them and play by their rules, or get out. She forced herself to hold that smile on her face and took in a deep breath of relief when Alice let go of her hands and turned once again to her grandson. Peyton watched, intrigued by the genuine affection between them. There was nothing stilted or fake about the fondness they showed one another. She let their conversation wash over her and surveyed the rest of the room. It almost looked like the celebration of a real wedding as people laughed and danced and ate and drank. And yet she felt completely separate from all of it. Had she bitten off more than she could chew by taking this assignment?

* * *

Galen sensed his new bride’s disengagement and hastened to end the conversation with his grandmother. It was important to him that Peyton feel she’d made the right decision. He was very good at making other people feel good—about their choices, about themselves, about him. He aimed to please, always, and it had stood him in good stead with his career choice and drew a lot of people to him. But he had the distinct impression that Peyton was not going to be an easy sell. He wouldn’t be able to simply waltz her off into this new happily-ever-after life. There was a reserve about her, even though she was going through all the motions and smiling in all the right places. And he was determined to break that wall down, brick by brick if he had to.

He stroked the curve of her waist but her body remained rigid. Maybe his touch was too much, too soon. He told himself to let her go but the thought of doing so held no appeal at all. He was genuinely attracted to her and mentally gave his grandmother a thumbs-up for their pairing. And he’d have bet that Peyton was attracted to him, too, though she was doing her best not to show it. As soon as this party was over, things would be different. They could all relax. He thought about the Horvath resort in Hawaii where they’d be heading by private jet tonight. Hopefully there, soothed by the balmy breeze and the lush beauty of the landscape, Peyton would unwind a little more and allow him to get to know her better.

“Nagy, could you give Peyton and I a little time alone? We’ll need to get ready to leave soon. Perhaps you could mind Ellie for me and we can collect her before we head to the airport?”

“Of course. It would be my pleasure. Ellie is such a delight. When you’re back from honeymoon, I’d love it if she could stay with me in Ojai for a weekend.”

His grandmother gave Peyton and him both a kiss on the cheek and went off in search of the nine-year-old.

“Ellie is coming with us?” Peyton asked with a surprised expression on her face.

“I hope that’s okay. She’s on spring break right now, so it made sense to me to include her and, as we weren’t permitted contact between one another before the wedding, I couldn’t exactly ask you.”

“No, it’s not a problem at all,” Peyton answered, looking more than a little relieved.

Was it because she wouldn’t be left alone with him, that they’d have Ellie as a buffer between them? Galen gave an internal shrug. Whatever; it didn’t matter as long as this worked out. Ellie already liked his new bride. She was a bright kid and knowing she liked Peyton was half the battle won. If they could cement that into something strong and lasting—a family unit that would make her feel loved and secure for the rest of her childhood—then he would have succeeded in fulfilling the promise he’d made to his two dead friends as they were laid to rest. Failure was not an option.

“Are you curious about where we’re going?”

“I’m assuming it’s somewhere warm. I was told to pack light clothing and swimwear.”

“It’s perpetually warm. We’re off to a Horvath resort a little over two and a half thousand miles east-southeast of here,” he teased.

“That would be your resort on Maui, right?”

“You’ve been doing your research on us,” he answered, surprised at her very specific response.

Her cheeks colored. “Research? What makes you think that?”

She sounded defensive. Definitely not what he’d been hoping for just before they left to change for travel.

“Let’s just say I’m not used to people being as well-informed about my business as you apparently are,” he said, attempting to soothe her.

“Information is my business,” she said smoothly, her demeanor relaxing slightly.

“And your business is?”

“I’m a reporter, freelance.”

“A travel reporter? We’ve been featured in quite a few magazines and blogs. Maybe you’ve been our guest before?”

She shook her head. “No, not travel. Didn’t you say we needed to go and change?”

Her subject switch was about as subtle as dropping an old typewriter from the top of a tall building onto the pavement below. But he wasn’t slow to take a hint and he had plenty of time to get to know her better.

“We do. A chopper is taking us to SeaTac in about an hour.”

“It doesn’t take me an hour to get ready,” Peyton answered with a gurgle of laughter. “Do I look that high-maintenance?”

Her laugh was intoxicating, the first sign of unfettered emotion he’d seen in her so far. He knew he wanted more of it, more of her being natural, being herself.

“Well, we might be able to go earlier, provided we can say goodbye to our guests without too many holdups. It won’t change our departure time from SeaTac, though—the flight plan has already been filed. We’re taking one of our company jets.”

“How the other half lives, huh?” she said, softening her words with a smile.

“You’re a part of that now. Flight time is about six hours once we’re wheels up.”

“How late will it be when we arrive?”

“Hawaii’s three hours behind us, so, all going smoothly, about seven p.m.”

“It’s going to be a long day for Ellie.”

“She’ll be okay. She was used to traveling with her parents and can sleep on the flight if she wants to. You can, too.”

She shook her head. “Sadly, I’m one of those who can never sleep on a plane.”

“Always vigilant?”

“Something like that. Well, I guess we’d better get on our way, then?”

“Let me see you up to your room,” he said, taking her arm. “Did you want to throw your bouquet first?”

She shrugged. “Sure.”

“Give me a minute to get it organized.”

“I’ll go get the bouquet.”

He watched as she glided across the room toward the main table where she’d left her flowers. The gentle sway of her hips totally mesmerized him.

“Nice wife,” his brother, Valentin, said as he approached.

“It’s a good thing you have your own, or I’d be making you keep your eyes off mine.”

“And I wouldn’t trade her for the world.”

Galen heard the intense emotion in Valentin’s words. He and Imogene had been married once before, and until Nagy had reunited them in a Match Made in Marriage wedding, they’d both been unhappy. Now they were together again, for good this time, and Galen felt a glimmer of envy—wishing he, too, could experience the kind of relationship they had. But his bed had been made for him when he’d agreed to be Ellie’s guardian and then signed up to find a wife so Ellie could feel safe again. He wasn’t expecting romance and roses. What he needed for his best girl was stability, and hopefully, he could achieve that with Peyton.