Page 9 of Midnight Surrender to the Spaniard

He glanced over to his parents. His father, four weeks out of surgery, was determinedly standing. As for Maria—who did not deserve the title of ‘mother’—for the first time in twenty-five years she was by her husband’s side.

Sebastián had no doubt her return was down to the fact that José Romero was dying. The ink on his newly written will was barely dry and Sebastián was certain it would be in Maria’s favour...

Hell, yes, he was jaded and bitter—unlike Alejandro, who had stars in his eyes. English stars! The woman they had hired to revamp the Romero website had revamped much more than they had intended.

He looked back to the bride, resigned to saying the right thing—only his black gaze didn’t make it that far. Instead it fell on herdama de honor.

Anna.

Her long blonde hair was straight and worn down, held back from her face with a couple of sprigs of orange blossom.

The dress was elegant and a deep amber—almost the colour of the sherry the Romeros produced. Certainly the silk was just as fluid as it skimmed her slender body. The spaghetti straps showed her clavicles, and his eyes moved up her long neck to her face.

‘Sí, se ve hermosa,’Sebastián finally said to his brother.Yes, she looks beautiful.

Sebastián had said the appropriate words to Alejandro—and with conviction.

Only he wasn’t referring to the bride...

Closer now, he saw Anna’s made-up eyes and mouth and noticed that her pale cheeks were rouged—or perhaps she blushed a little as she met his gaze. He nodded to her—an acknowledgement, thanking her for delivering the bride—then turned away.

He was actually a touch disconcerted by the force of his attraction towards Anna.

Although, he thought, on reflection, he appreciated the distraction on this hellish day.

The priest spoke of love eternal and again he tightened his jaw unconsciously. He took a deep breath and tried to decide if he preferred Anna with make-up or without. He might kiss that lipstick off later...

Now he was being asked for the rings...

Sebastián wished he could toss them away.

Truly.

He was tempted to fling the rings into the congregation to register his protest.

Not for a second did he believe that this was a love match.

Not for a second did he believe in love.

Even when he’d been engaged himself it had been about duty, about doing the right thing...

His mouth pressed together.

Had there been love?

Not for Ella, who had briefly been his fiancée.

For the baby?

A baby that hadn’t even existed...

One was crying in the church now. Loudly. Then another baby joined in, and then another... In this sacred space their screams felt like a mockery, a pertinent reminder that it had taken a lie about a baby for him to even consider becoming a husband.

Never.

Anna’s doubts were fading.

She didn’t doubt her friend was in love, and the way Alejandro smiled at Emily and recited his vows told Anna it wasn’t as one-sided as she’d feared.

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