Kitabı oku: «In Love By Christmas»

CHAPTER ONE

“WE’RE THIRTY MINUTES into the workday and no one is at their desks.” Theo Taylor wove through the open-concept offices of Coast to Coast Living’s San Francisco headquarters. He glanced at his sister, who was beside him. “Was there a meeting I wasn’t told about?”

“Looks like Mother is holding another one of her impromptu employee-wellness sessions.” Adriana pointed at the crowd gathered outside a corner office and frowned. “Wonder what it is this week—parrot yoga, IV drips or detox teas?”

Employee wellness was fine and, in fact, encouraged, but not during work hours. Theo had explained that to his mother last week after he’d interrupted her crystal-stone-therapy session, and the week prior after he’d unplugged the blender and dismantled her charcoal-and-celery-juice presentation. Theo shook his head and veered toward his mother’s office.

His assistant VP of marketing and his human-resources manager noticed Theo’s approach and scurried away, avoiding his gaze. Several well-placed shoulder taps alerted their employees to his arrival and the crowd thinned.

“Ladies and gentlemen, perhaps lunchtime would be more appropriate for this.” Adriana’s voice drifted from behind him.

Theo reached the glass wall of his mother’s office and gaped. No time would ever be appropriate for this. Ever.

His mother stood on the cherry-wood coffee table, her cell phone perched in her hand and angled high above her head. Not unusual—his mother always had a firm grip on her cell phone. And the jeweled crown pinned in her black hair—even that could be overlooked. But…

Unease latched onto Theo like an extra shadow—the feeling was dense, cloying and unshakable. His mother wore a wedding gown. A very familiar, custom-made Linden Topher wedding dress that belonged to…

His sister reached his side and gasped. “She’s wearing my gown.”

Theo managed only an uncomfortable nod.

“Tell me this isn’t happening.” The sudden silence amplified Adriana’s abrupt command.

Theo’s words lodged in his throat.

“I won’t wear the same wedding dress as Mother.” His sister’s voice lowered, as if they were standing in a crowded elevator. “Remember last Easter? She showed up at the charity egg hunt in the same dress I had on. I bet she already tried on my sample veil and shoes from Linden Topher, too.”

That wasn’t a bet Theo would take.

“She’s not even engaged and she’s already glowing like a new bride,” Adriana snapped. She moved toward the closed office door. “Look at her blushing.”

Theo set his hand on his sister’s arm, stilling her and silencing the alarms clanging inside his head. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Mother declared at dinner last night she had to find the perfect dress for her next wedding.” Adriana lifted her chin, the stiff movement not enough to hide the tremor in her mouth. “I didn’t think she meant now, before she’s even found her next groom.”

Theo eased around Adriana, gripped the door handle and glanced back at his sister.

“I can’t do it, Theo.” Anger creased Adriana’s forehead, making her eyebrows crinkle, but dismay wrinkled her voice. “I can’t have her make a mockery of me.”

His sister’s waterlogged words undid him. Growing up, they’d ended many phone calls from their boarding schools exactly the same way: Adriana holding back tears and Theo promising to fix whatever needed fixing. He’d failed his sister back then. He refused to let down Adriana now. She deserved her own dream wedding—it was time for her to be the unique person she was, not a copycat. “You won’t have to. Mia is waiting for us in your office. Meet her while I deal with this.”

Theo never waited for his sister’s agreement. He rushed inside his mother’s office, slid his arm around her waist and helped her off the coffee table. “Mother. What are you doing?”

“Taking pictures of my partial wedding ensemble.” Lilian Rose Taylor pressed a button on her cell phone and stretched her smile to radiant. “I saved the veil for later.”

His mother had retained her beauty like a priceless piece of artwork that now required protection and delicate handling to ensure its value. “You’re not engaged.” His tone lacked the softness of white gloves.

“I’ve decided to change that.” She paused to check her reflection in the glass. “Your sister shouldn’t be the only one granted the magic of the season and a Christmas wedding.”

Yes. Adriana should be granted all the magic she could grasp. This was his sister’s moment. No one should steal it away, especially not their mother. Their mother had stolen their childhood. Now she lived in the in-law suite attached to Theo’s house and expected to be obeyed like the parent she’d never wanted to be. “It’s too late to plan a second Christmas wedding. There isn’t enough time.”

There also wasn’t time for his mother’s latest spectacle at the corporate headquarters for the lifestyle brand Theo had built. Too bad he couldn’t simply edit out the wedding madness dominating his life. He had a business to grow and his mother—the wild card—made that difficult.

“Your sister is still planning her wedding.” She tapped her crown back into place as if Theo’s harsh words had knocked it askew. “Adriana has plenty of time to make her wedding happen.”

Theo stared at the ceiling tiles, noted the tranquility posters his mother had tacked up there sometime that morning and tempered his voice. “Adriana also has a fiancé.”

“I will, too.” His mother took one measured step at a time along the length of the glass wall. As if she was walking the aisle of the city’s oldest cathedral.

The glass walls made a stunning architectural statement, but they also put the occupants on constant display to the staff and visitors. And Theo’s business associates—the ones from the TV network who were arriving any minute—would be very interested in his mother’s current performance. Had that been his mother’s agenda all along?

He wanted to believe his mother was only having a momentary lapse into wedding euphoria. But he’d learned as a child to trust his gut. And every cell inside him knew his mother never suffered momentary lapses into anything. She always jumped in with both heels and little consideration for the impact on everyone else.

He touched his mother’s elbow, guided her away from the wall and any possible spectators and led her into the far corner. Then he willed his admin assistant to take the TV producers straight to his office and bypass the coffee bar that had a clear view into his mom’s office.

His mother tilted her head and aimed her welcoming smile at the empty leather chair behind her desk, as if she was greeting a wedding guest. “I hired a discreet matchmaker.”

Discretion wasn’t part of Lilian Rose’s makeup. “Was one of your potential match requirements ‘must have wedding vows already memorized’?”

“I’m lonely, Theo.” She cradled her cheek in her palm, her frown fragile. “Don’t be insensitive.”

Theo flinched. As if claiming your own daughter’s wedding gown for yourself wasn’t insensitive enough. Still, she was his mother. And putting out fires wasn’t just what he did at the company. “What matchmaker did you hire?”

“Daphne Holland.” His mother swiped a clear, shimmery lip gloss across her mouth, supporting her sudden smile. “Holland Matchmakers was featured in last year’s August edition. I thought I could be the featured cover story for next August’s edition.” His mother preened, her loneliness forgotten. “I’ve always wanted to be a cover story.”

And apparently a Christmas bride, too. Theo ground his teeth together. “The August edition—”

“Can be changed,” she interrupted. “For your own mother.”

His own mother hadn’t changed for her own son or daughter. Boarding schools and distance had been Lilian Rose Taylor’s response to parenthood. Resentment smashed against his clenched teeth. Thanks to his parents, he’d grown up to be independent and self-reliant. More than comfortable standing on his own. Being on his own. Why, then, did he still want his mother’s approval? “I want to meet with Daphne Holland.”

“Wonderful.” His mother pressed her hands under her chin and sighed as if he’d agreed to escort her down the aisle. Her voice was delicate and dreamy. “You could sign up, too. Then we could have a double feature in the August edition.”

There wasn’t going to be any Taylor featured in the August edition or any future magazine edition. There also wasn’t going to be any matchmaking for himself. One Taylor on a love hunt was more than enough. Although his mother never mentioned love. But she looked more than camera-ready. “Between Adriana’s wedding and running the company, I have enough on my plate.”

“You’re right. There’s my wedding, too.” His mother set her lip gloss into her purse and snapped the clutch closed. “After the holidays, you can sign up with Daphne. Then you can have your own Christmas love story next year.”

The only thing Theo wanted for Christmas was a flawless wedding for his sister and a profitable year-end.

His admin, Fran, opened the office door. Her face never twitched at his mother’s bridal outfit. Fran was a consummate professional. “Your nine o’clock is waiting in your office. Should I tell them you’re running late?”

“It’s Tuesday. Today is the meeting with the TV producers.” His mother’s unwavering gaze pinned Theo in place. “I’m just in time.”

Theo blanched. He knew that nothing good would happen if his mother joined him for the meeting. “I’ll be right there.”

His admin slipped out of the room and disappeared. Now Theo needed his mother to disappear. At the last production meeting with the network, Theo had insisted the Taylor family was nothing to showcase on the company’s new TV series. His mother in her wedding paraphernalia could prove just the opposite.

Theo left his mother’s office and searched the hallway. Mia stepped from Adriana’s office, a camera clutched in her hand. He forced himself to lessen the panic in his tone. “Mia. I have a small situation and need your help.”

More like an all hands on deck situation to distract his mother.

Mia Reid, one of his best contract photographers, waved and headed toward him.

Theo adjusted his smile. He was certain from the slight tilt of Mia’s head that desperation widened his eyes and distorted his face. He ushered Mia into his mother’s office and stationed himself in the doorway. “Mia, I was hoping you could take several pictures of my mother in her wedding gown.”

Mia’s eyebrows pulled together in slow motion as her sharp gaze shifted from his mother to Theo.

“I’m not in my full ensemble,” his mother protested. “What about my veil?”

“But you should see the gown from all angles. You might want to pick a different length, or style of veil.” Theo scrambled to latch onto reasonable arguments, then glanced down the hall at his closed office door. What if it opened? What if one of the TV producers stepped out for more coffee…? His words tripped out in a rush. “Mother, you want the perfect veil.”

“You don’t want your gown to command the entire frame—it’ll take away from you, the bride.” Mia jumped in as if accomplished mind reader was listed on her résumé. “After all, it’s your wedding day, not the gown’s.”

“That’s a valid point.” His mother smoothed her hands over her waist and straightened. “Where should I stand?”

Theo owed Mia a bonus. If she hadn’t already returned from her honeymoon last week, he’d have offered to pay for it. He mouthed a silent thank-you to Mia and slipped out.

Twenty minutes later, Theo stopped believing he’d convinced the TV producers that the Taylor family was nothing to showcase on the new series.

Caitlyn, one of the younger producers, who probably considered 80s music ancient, slipped on a pair of trendy reading glasses. The tortoiseshell frames that flared at the temples gave her a cat-woman vibe. “The show needs drama to push it to the next level.”

Theo sat forward in his chair. “You all agreed the design elements speak to the show’s aesthetic.” And protected the brand he’d worked hard to build. A brand that did not include showcasing the shaky foundation—the imperfect side—of the Taylor family.

“It’s still flat.” Cat Woman narrowed her gaze on the slides spread out across the table. “We don’t want the Coast to Coast Living program to be like every other design show on TV.”

“There’s little profit or longevity in that.” Foster, the oldest producer, barely had five years on Theo. But the gentleman always wore a well-tailored suit and bow tie, and was fluent in numbers.

Turning a profit was Theo’s skill. The TV network had assured Theo a TV series would benefit his company’s profit line. Theo intended to hold the network to their word. “So, how do we make the show unique and make a profit?”

“We infuse the show with the Taylors.” Cat Woman grinned, revealing all her very white, very straight teeth. “The real Taylors. For instance, Adriana has had quite the whirlwind romance—one reportedly not without its hiccups.”

Theo folded his hands together and slowly set them on the table, waiting for his abrasive response to stop whiplashing through him. Settled, he stretched his smile wide and lied. “The Taylors are already reflected in the show’s products and room makeovers. We are the brand.”

“Yes. Of course.” Foster adjusted his bow tie. “But audiences like the behind-the-scenes peeks into families like yours. An inside view into your world.”

This time a curse whiplashed through Theo. An inside view—reality—would ruin everything that Theo had built. Reality would prove their brand wasn’t flawless and shrink their profits, not build them up.

After all, the Taylor family hardly lived the lifestyle the Coast to Coast Living brand embodied. The Taylor family was everything the brand was not. And everything Theo had always wished they’d been. He’d built an entire company around his childhood daydreams. From the positive response, customers wanted the same things: witty throw pillows, fast-paced game nights and harmony inside their homes. “I never agreed to a reality TV show.”

“It’s not a reality TV show per se.” Foster fiddled with the end of his bow tie.

“We’ll do preliminary footage here at the offices and around town to help determine the full cast,” Cat Woman purred. “Then meet later this week to review the footage with you.”

“You can set up that meeting with my admin.” Theo stood. “If you’ll excuse me, I have another meeting.”

A meeting with a certain photographer and his mother. He needed his mother off the premises before she gave the producers even more ideas. Or, worse, proved their suspicions correct. Theo walked toward his mother’s office and rubbed his forehead.

He’d transformed his father’s local lifestyle newspaper insert into a national magazine and expanded the brand into over a dozen successful retail stores across the country. Surely he could control one TV series and capitalize on the audience to widen their brand’s reach. And all without succumbing to the usual reality-TV mayhem. He had to.

He’d been pretending his family was perfect, like a sitcom, since he was a child. He’d built a business on those same fabrications, creating an image of the ideal family he’d been deprived of and transforming the Taylor family into a household brand. If he misstepped now, the brand would suffer. But success was all that mattered. All that people wanted from Theo.

Don’t make me regret giving you the family business. The weight of his father’s expectations still snagged into Theo’s shoulders like iron hooks. It was a daily reminder that everything he did was for his family.

Theo stepped into his mother’s office. Only Mia remained. She was sitting on the couch, her feet propped up on the coffee table. Worry seeped through him. “Where’s my mother?”

“She stepped out.” Mia focused on her camera. “And agreed to use the back stairwell to keep from revealing her wedding attire to even more of the employees. She promised to return quickly.”

Theo stuffed his hands in the pockets of his dress pants. He’d give his mother five minutes, then start looking for her. “Sorry about this.”

“Your mother is entertaining.”

Exactly what the producers would love. And exactly what Theo would hate. “She can be.”

Mia changed lenses on her camera. “Adriana told me that she now needs to find a new wedding-dress designer and rearrange all the other details of her wedding, too.”

Theo pressed his arms into his sides, restraining his irritation. How could his mother be so selfish?

Mia shifted her camera and eyed him. “I know a designer.”

Theo studied the photographer. He’d already promised to help his sister. “That’s rather convenient.”

“It is, since you need one willing to work on a tight timeline and meet your sister’s requests.” Mia grinned at him.

Impatience scratched against his neck like an overstarched collar. He wanted Adriana’s wedding over. He wanted his sister—the creative director of Coast to Coast Living—back full-time. He never wanted two brides. At the same time. Theo let his skepticism cut through his tone. “Your dressmaker can do that?”

Mia nodded. “She is up-and-coming.”

“Is she any good?” Theo persisted.

“You’ll find out that she’s fabulous if you give her a chance,” Mia said. “Josie just needs a break.”

How many times had he heard that line? Theo rolled his shoulders, testing to see if he could handle one more person stepping over him to climb their own ladder of success. He hadn’t blamed his past two girlfriends for their dreams. He wouldn’t blame Mia’s dressmaker, either.

“By the way, your mother went to pick out several wedding veils from your sister’s sample collection in the second-floor workroom.” Mia checked the time on her fitness tracker. “She should’ve been back already.”

Theo strode to the door, once again intent on intercepting his mother. He wasn’t certain the TV producers were even out of the building. He glanced back at Mia. “One meeting. Only an hour. I’ll look at your dressmaker’s work. Set it up with Fran.”

Surely he could find a better solution—a designer more qualified than Mia’s friend. After all, an unknown designer could ruin his sister’s perfect dream wedding. That wasn’t a risk he was willing to take.