Page 12 of Harvey

Tugging off the tie and dumping the suit, Harvey changed into his usual comfortable wear of faded denim and a thick cream t-shirt. He had taken the day off and wondered if he should change his mind and go on-site.

But suddenly, a feeling of restlessness had come over him at the chapel. His parents had stopped him to talk about a real wedding one day and told him how smart he looked in a suit, which had made him more than eager to change.

Grabbing a case of beer from the fridge, he took a six-pack and brought it into the small living area. Turning on the electric heat, he sat in front of the unit. Twisting off the cap, he chugged the liquid, his expression contemplative.

He knew what was expected of him and had known it for years. He was the heir to a fortune, and even though he was not blood, he was legally a Blackwood; nothing would change that. He had insisted on seeing it in a binding legal document. He owed the people who had gone out of their way to show him love to produce an heir.

Only, with his history, he was not sure he would be a good father. His parents had been stupid, irresponsible teenagers who had decided to play sex games and reaped the consequences. Because of that, whenever he was with a woman, he made sure to carry his condoms with him. No surprise for him.

He leaned back against the cushions and reflected on how many women had come at him. The Blackwood name had much pull.

Some of them had been turned off because he was not crashing up at the ‘big house’ and not taking his ‘rightful’ place in the company. A few had tried to talk him into making that decision, much to their detriment. He did not answer to anyone or care enough about the women he had been with to change his mind.

Closing his eyes, he recalled the ceremony with a twist of his lips. The girl—Kendra—had wanted to walk away. He had sensed it, seen it on her beautiful face. There had been a look of fear there. He had felt something, too—that they were doing something wrong.

That’s what you get for stepping inside that church, he thought wryly. Well, it was over, and his brother could not come asking for another favor for a very long time.

*****

“You are going back to the shop.” Silas had insisted on taking her to lunch in appreciation for her sacrifice.

“I have to.” She told him with a laugh. “I am so proud of you.”

He beamed at that. “We are not supposed to allow pride in, but I must say that it went very well. I will put everything in my report to show the bishop I am ready.”

She still had on the outfit she had worn for her fake wedding. Pushing away the shrimp cocktail, she propped her chin on her palm and gave him a curious look.

“What is it?”

“Just wondering.”

“About?”

“If you ever regret your decision.”

“Of becoming a man of the cloth?” He shook his head as he reached for his drink. “No,” he told her with a beatific smile.

“Ever since I was a child, I knew there was something different about me. I grew up trailing behind my brother and being fascinated by the fact that he was a renegade. I was proud that others followed him around. And that no one dared to mess with me because of him.

By the time I started kindergarten when I was three, he was almost eleven years old, and already at the private school, my parents had chosen for him. By graduating, he had earned himself a fearless leader reputation.”

A smile touched Silas’ mouth. “He excelled at everything. He was a gifted athlete, a straight-A student, and the most popular kid there. So, when I got there, it was a breeze because he paved the way.”

“You love him.”

“I idolized him at one point.’ He corrected wryly. “But I discovered he had flaws and insecurities like everyone else. He does not believe in God and refuses to attend services. When I told him I wanted to take it up as a vocation, he supported me even though he did not understand. He is fiercely loyal and would do anything for family.”

His hazel eyes wandered over her face. “But he is tough and blunt to the point of being rude.”

“He makes me nervous,” she admitted.

“He makes most people nervous,” Silas assured her.

*****

She had given back the ring with some reluctance. Kendra had to admit that it had looked good on her finger. She did not know much about stones but knew it had been a costly ring.

She had come back to the shop and rushed upstairs to change into jeans and the store shirt. The shop was generally busy, and surprisingly so, considering the cold weather. She had gone straight to work, not giving herself time to think about the ceremony and its beauty. Of course, she had dreams of getting married.

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