Page 28 of Jordan

Sally snapped to attention like an officer facing her general, reminding Jacquline that the girl would have been a perfect match for her son. She would have been obedient and willing to do anything that was asked of her. Tamping down the regret, she forced a pleasant smile and sat next to her.

"You should be mingling."

"I cannot believe he's married to her." The voice was petulant, and an unattractive pout was on her lips.

"You're going to pull yourself together," Jacquline murmured in a voice that brooked no argument. "People are watching." She looked around and her eyes lighted on a young man wearing tinted glasses. He was the son of one of their associates and looked lost and uncomfortable.

With a discreet nod, she beckoned him over. "Solomon darling, how lovely to see you. Please accompany Sally to the food table and get her something to eat."

"I don't--" Sally's voice trailed off at the icy look on the older woman's face. Without another word, she placed her hand in Solomon's and allowed herself to be guided away.

With that distasteful task dispensed with, Jacquline rose to mingle and play nice with people she did not even like.

"I was hoping to dance with the bride."

Julesa had just taken her seat after whirling around first, with Liam who had flirted with her outrageously, until she was openly laughing at him and then her brother and several others.

Placing an unconsciously protective hand on her arm, Jordan faced his father.

"It's just a dance."

"She's tired."

"How would it look to the rest of the guests if we did not take a turn even once." He held out a hand to Julesa, his eyes challenging.

Placing her hand in his, she sent Jordan a reassuring smile.

"I'll be fine."

Jordan felt himself tensing as his father led his bride onto the makeshift dancefloor. He had stuck close to her to prevent any unpleasantness from his family. And was well aware that his mother was fairly seething with resentment.

He could see the anger behind her practiced smile. She had not liked being backed into a corner and that was exactly what he had done. He had forced her to do something she had not wanted to do and knew there would be repercussions.

For himself, he could handle anything she dished out, but did not want his bride to get caught in the whiplash. It did not surprise him that his first thought was to protect her.

Placing his ring on her fingers had made it official. She was his to take care of. She was his family now. He was going to have to work hard to get her to look beyond the name and see him for who he really is, but he was up to the task. Because this had stopped being a way to get back at his parents and had become something that was of the utmost importance to him.

He was going to have to tread lightly. His plans to take her to the cabin were shelved. There was no way on earth he could be with her in that remote location and not show his true feelings. He wouldn't be able to stay away from her.

Turning away with a sigh, he strode over to the food table to get something to eat.

"It's a particularly lovely day for a wedding," Harry murmured after circling around for a few minutes in silence.

"It is. I appreciate the use of the grounds to hold the ceremony. Your wife went through a lot of trouble to make it happen."

He gazed down into the exquisite face and had to admire his son's choice as well as his bravery and determination to have his own way. At first he had feared the boy had gone out of his wayto piss them off, but he had seen the way he looked at his bride and realized to his surprise that he was in love with her. And she was pregnant.

The idea of the next generation of Wainwright was swaying him and changing his mind. He had tried to talk to his wife, tried to make her see that there was nothing they could do about any of it, but she would not listen. She was determined to hate the young lady. He was not certain he had the energy to continue fighting.

His head lifted to scan the crowd, his gaze finding Joani who looked stunning in a pretty green dress. A stab of jealousy went through him when the man she had come with wrapped an arm around her waist.

After the argument a week ago, he had not been back at her place. He was about to remedy that. He had tried for several nights to draw closer to his wife, only to be rebuffed. It was time he admitted it to himself. He was trapped in a loveless marriage and there was no hope for it to be any better. He would never leave her of course, but he deserved to find his happiness elsewhere.

"Mr. Wainwright?"

Tearing his gaze from the woman across the lawn, he looked at the one in his arms.

"Are you all right?"

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