Page 67 of Set In Stone

“Hi, love. I saw that you called yesterday, but I was tied up with Frank all day. He’s shooting a new television commercial for the dealership and he wanted me to be in this one. I don’t know why. He knows I despise being on camera. They lie when they say the camera adds ten pounds you know. It’s more likethirty.”

Her tone was light and I took it as a sign that she was in a goodmood.

“You’re skinny as a rail and beautiful. Cut it out,” I toldher.

She rambled on and on about the troubles with the camera crew and the shoot. I let her talk, grateful that she was choosing mindless chatter over her normal doom and gloom. After about fifteen minutes, her story concluded and she switchedtopics.

“How are things with you? How is Allyson?” sheasked.

“Ally is the same old. She’s been really busy with work, but I managed to nail her down for a bit lastweekend.”

“Oh? What did youdo?”

Here itgoes.

I superstitiously crossed myfingers.

“Actually, we went wedding dress shopping. I asked her to be my maid of honortoo.”

“I see,” was her only response. I inwardlysighed.

“Yes, Mom. I’m still getting married, and I’d really love for you to be on board with it. I mean, come on. You’re my mother. I want you there to help me plan things. You know, to do the whole mother daughterthing.”

She was silent on the other end of the line for a moment. When she finally spoke, her tone was softer, yet still somewhathesitant.

“Have you set adate?”

“Not yet, but I did find a dress designer yesterday,” I told her, hoping to appeal to her love of fashion to persuade her. “After shopping with Ally, I decided to skip a store-bought dress and have one made. I have a consultation scheduled in a few weeks. I don’t know what your schedule looks like, but I was wondering if you’d like to come down and go with me. I planned it for a Friday, thinking you might want to spend the weekend in thecity.”

I paused and held my breath as I waited for her response. I rarely encouraged my mother to spend weekends with me. I loved seeing her and Frank, but a weekend with them usually left me completely exhausted. Like oil and water, I never blended well with my mother for very long. I hoped my invitation showed her how important my marriage to Alexander was tome.

“What’s the day of the appointment? And what kind of dress did you have inmind?”

A slow grin spread across my face as an unexpected wave of happiness washed over me. I didn’t realize it before, but now, with my mother on board, it made everything so much more real. I was really doingthis.

And soon, I would be Mrs. AlexanderStone.

25

krystina

Ipokedmy head inside the door to Alexander’s office at five-thirty.

“Hey, are you readyto–.”

I stopped short when I saw he was on the phone. He waved me in and motioned for me to have a seat in the chair in front of hisdesk.

“That’s fine. I’ll be there at nine tomorrow. Will you be back by Wednesday?” He paused, and I assumed it was to allow whomever was on the other end of the line to speak. “Good. I don’t think Samuel would be able to handle it at such short notice. Krystina and I are going out tonight and he’ll be driving us. I’ll brief him before weleave.”

He must be on the line withHale.

As I waited for Alexander to finish his call, I sat back and gave myself a moment to drink in his powerful frame. He stood behind his desk chair, his fingertips drumming against the back of it. His suit coat was off, which allowed me to appreciate the naturally wide span of his shoulders. He looked powerful, and nothing like the vulnerable man I had seen thismorning.

He fixed his blue gaze on me, as if noticing that I was watching him. He winked, before pivoting gracefully to pace the large glass window. A part of me wondered if he was deliberately giving me the opportunity to check him out completely. After all, it was no secret that I loved to look at him. I would never get used to the impact of his face, so strong and masculine, with his sculpted cheekbones and lips that were both sensual and wicked. The devil peeked his head out from behind my shoulder and I shivered. It was far too easy to imagine Alexander’s lips pressed against mybody.

Easy,girl.

I averted my eyes quickly before I pounced on him. I had left the office door open and I was fairly certain that Laura wouldn’t appreciate seeing an X-rated officeparty.

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