Page 12 of Marcel

Matthew hid a knowinggrin. “Because you would have to be blind, gay, or out of yourmind not to be.” Slapping his brother on the shoulder, hepropelled him forward. “Let’s go back in before the oldman sends out the search party,”

*****

Nikki did her best totry to enjoy the party. Wendy Hadley, Julia, and Grace had throwntogether what looked like a well-planned affair to send her off intomarriage. But her thoughts were disjointed and more than a littletroubled.

She had gone to seeher mother in her new facility today, and the magnificence and utterefficiency of the staff had reminded her how much money screamed anddid so glaringly. Her mother had been assigned a well-appointedprivate room in delicate cream and gold decor resembling a five-starhotel room.

Nikki had studied thecontract herself carefully and knew that the cost of the room and theservices were exorbitant. Norma Johnston would get the best care andround-the-clock attention, with nurses and doctors looking out forher daily.

She had gone therewith the foolish notion that her mother would be up to attending herwedding. Her mother was her only living relative, and she had wantedher to be there. But the doctors had advised her against it.

“Your mother islocked into her small world, I am afraid, and it would not be a goodidea for her to get agitated. The change from the home she wastransferred from left her extremely tired and confused, and she hadto be heavily sedated to calm her down.”

Nikki had sat withher for a few minutes, hoping that she would open her eyes andsuddenly recognize her only child. But that hope had shriveled anddied a few minutes later.

Her mother had openedher eyes, eyes yes, but had failed to recognize her daughter. She hadstarted to get agitated again, so much so that Nikki had to press thebell. Two nurses had rushed in and administered care. It washeartbreaking to see. She had left shortly after and returned to thehouse she had known since childhood.

Everything was packedand sent to the townhouse, which she would share with Marcel, but sheneeded to be familiar with it.

She was not going tosell it, at least not yet. She was in love with Marcel Hadley but wassmart enough to realize he was being forced into this union. She washoping that with proximity, he would get to know and then get to loveher. But for now, they would be two strangers living in the samespace.

Stirring herself fromher painful thoughts, she smiled as Wendy came to sit next to her.The bridal shower was being held in the grand salon, a beautiful andhomely cream and blue room with a piano in one corner and mountainsof plush chairs and sofas strewn around the room.

She had opened thevarious gifts and responded appropriately to the outrageous andscandalous underwear, peignoirs, teddies, and slinky see-throughrobes. The finger foods had been devoured, and she was now on thefourth bottle of champagne.

“Are you allright, my dear?” Wendy asked her softly, her eyes staring ather closely like Marcel’s.

Nikki was no strangerto Wendy Hadley. The woman was not a lawyer but was on severalcharitable committees that required her to be at the firm severaltimes a week. And she was very likable.

“I miss mymother.” Nikki found herself admitting. Picking up theforgotten glass of champagne, she took a fortified sip. “Ialways envisioned her being at my wedding.”

“Which isonly natural.” Wendy commiserated.

She liked the girl alot and secretly and fervently hoped that her son would wake up andrealize she was the one for him. Nikki was beautiful, knowledgeable,and was not bowled over by wealth, and after James had told her theyoung woman was in love with Marcel, it had gained her even moreadmiration.

Reaching for Nikki’sfree hand, she squeezed. “I am here. I know I am not asubstitute for your dear mother, but I am here if you just need totalk.”

Nikki smiled at her.“I will keep that in mind.”

“Good.”Patting her hand, she gestured to the other gifts that had not yetopened. “Let’s go and see what those are.”

*****

In his townhouse, thefollowing day at precisely nine-thirty, Marcel Hadley stared at hisreflection in his gold and tan bathroom mirror and wondered if hisshave was close enough.

Passing a hand overhis jaw, he shook his head at the absurdity of his thoughts. He wasmarrying a woman he did not love, so what the hell should it matterabout the closeness of his shave?

He had been given nochoice, which was gnawing at him. His bride had been chosen for him.He was thirty years old and should have been allowed to choose. Animage of a laughing Nikki flashed through his mind, and he wentstill. It had been some time last week while they were at the galleryopening.

They had beenstudying a particularly complex painting by Jackson when she noticedout of the corner of her eye, a chubby woman who had managed to pourher curves into an utterly inappropriate figure-hugging dress, makingfast work of stuffing canapes, foie gras, and what looked like icecold shrimps into her oversized purse while watching furtively if shewas being noticed.

Nikki had turnedaround and aimed her dark brown eyes at the unfortunate woman.Grabbing his arm to get his attention, she nodded at the woman andwhispered something amusing in his ear that had him laughing so hardthat he had to turn away to hide his mirth.

A smile touched hislips as he recalled the scene. He then watched in fascination asNikki strolled to the refreshment table to ask the woman if sheneeded a doggie bag. He then asked if she was on the point ofstarvation.

Stepping back fromthe mirror, he squared his broad shoulders and studied his image inthe immaculately styled ash gray suit with the shell pink shirt.Lifting a hand, he straightened the pink rose, tucked it into thelapel, and turned away from the mirror as his brother entered thebedroom.

“It’stime,” he said solemnly.

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