2

The sun was a huge ball of fire, floating lower on the horizon. I gazed into the ocean, lost in thoughts. The restaurant scene kept replaying in my mind.

“You promised, Orlando.”

I didn’t even hear him coming in. With a deep sigh, I turned to face my younger brother, Enrique. He used my name only when he was pissed. He must have found out about my meeting with Desmond.

“I’m sorry, Enrique. You know how much expectation we had from this deal.”

My brother glowered, running a hand through his unruly hair. His honey-brown eyes pinned me with accusation. His eyes were the only feature he inherited from the woman who brought us into this world.

“And I tell you we don’t need this deal anymore. That bastard is dating her, brother.” He stabbed the air with his index finger. “The gossip magazine is full of their photos. Didn’t you read how she dated his son for a year before jumping into his father’s bed?”

“I didn’t know.” Turning away from Enrique’s scrutinizing gaze to hide the storm in my eyes, I stared at the intense orange hues in the sky through the window. Outside, the wind ruffled the trees. Lazy blue waves kissed the beach in the distance. Such a calming sight. Only it didn’t ease the turbulence in my mind. “I don’t follow the gossip columns.”

No one knew about Kenzie except Enrique and our father. My brother wouldn’t have discovered if it wasn’t for his playboy habits. I never spoke about my past to anyone. The way he found about us still made me sick. No. Don’t go there now. Pulling the leash on my thoughts, I met his gaze.

His shoulders slumped, and he cocked his head to the side. “Tell him no and move on. We have enough wealth for generations to come.” His gentle tone pacified.

He was right. This deal wasn’t a priority. But this partnership would open job opportunities for thousands of blue-collar workers. Losing this deal won’t affect the Cortez business, but I didn’t want my personal feelings to destroy the promising future of many. Moreover, I don’t want to back off just because of her. No. That wasn’t me. I always stared at my problems in the eye while I made lemonades out of the lemons life handed me.

“This isn’t about us, Enrique.”

“I can’t talk you out of this, can I? But you promised you won’t work until my wedding. Two weeks. That’s all I asked, brother.”

“I’m sorry, Enrique. I promise these two weeks are yours.”

“Good. But it’s not just about me.” He sighed and gave me his trademark smile. “It’s time for dinner.”

“I’m not hungry.” Kenzie’s smile flashed in my memory, churning my stomach. I walked back to the dresser, removing my watch and emptying the contents of my pockets on the table.

“Tell that to Grandpapa. I dare you.” His right brow shot up as I unbuttoned my shirt.

“Can’t you handle things for tonight?” I urged, meeting his gaze through the mirror.

“I’m not letting you off tonight, brother. Did you forget Ari and Rosie are here?”

Ah, yes, Arianna. There was that fluttering in my heart again. She was joining after a long time. Why wasn’t her boyfriend here? Perhaps he would join her for the wedding. My jaw tightened. There was no explanation of the sudden hatred spread across my chest at the thought of her boyfriend. Fuck.

“Give me five minutes.”

Too much to handle for a day. Kenzie’s face with a mocking smile popped in my memory. The way her nails traced Desmond’s arm made my skin crawl. Bile rose from the pit of my stomach. My head throbbed from the day’s exhaustion. Massaging my forehead, I walked toward my bathroom. I didn’t know why thinking about Arianna made my heart clench, especially now, of all times.

She’s a friend. Nothing more. Her love life shouldn’t have mattered to me. What was his name? Did it start with B? Brian or Brandon? Brian. Right. Brian came from a good family. I ran a background check on him and found his family did business with the Swanson family and had a close-knit friendship with them. He was perfect for her. Then why did I feel bad about it? I hadn’t felt these emotions in years.

Water pelted my body when I yanked the shower on. But it was a little later when I realized I forgot to remove my shirt and pants. Damn. Cursing aloud, I stripped and forced my mind to shut off.

When I went down to the dining hall after fifteen minutes, my gaze swept around looking for her. My body relaxed when I sensed her absence. Papa gave me a tight nod when I sat beside him. Now that we had guests, the chef had prepared a feast that was pleasing not only to the eyes but also to the taste buds. Only my appetite was long gone.

“Ari, here,” Mike hollered patting at the empty seat next to me.

My gaze jerked to the right, and I saw her. Looking gorgeous in her floor-length purple dress, she took my breath away like she always did. The dark purple complimented her light complexion. I loved her new hair color; it brought out her hazel eyes well. She wore one of my favorite colors, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

“Arianna, you look lovely, my dear,” Grandpapa greeted from the head side of the table, and Papa nodded at her with a tight-lipped smile, a rare affection he reserved only for people in his inner circle.

“Thank you, Grandpapa. You aren’t bad yourself. I see where the Cortez handsomeness comes from.”

“So, you agree we are handsome.” Enrique grinned with a smug look.

“Never claimed you weren’t. Except I wish you had inherited a brain similar to Grandpapa.” The table boomed with laughter, and her cheeks blossomed with pink.

A smile tugged at my lips. It was refreshing to see her teasing smile, Still, I couldn’t comprehend the dullness in her eyes.

“You sure know how to boost an old man’s ego, Arianna. I like your new look. It suits your personality, bold and elegant.”

“I agree. The dark color suits her well,” I said before I could rein in my tongue.

“Thank you.” She gave a shy smile, pushing her food around the plate.

“Chiara, when is your family coming?” Papa asked.

“Next week, Papa.”

“Orlando, have you made the necessary arrangements for their stay?”

“Yes, Papa.” He always had a soft spot for my brother, who was abandoned by our father’s ex-wife while he was barely three weeks old.

“Good.”

A throat cleared to my left. “Tonight, I’d like to toast.” Grandpapa’s grin was contagious. “To Enrique and his lovely bride-to-be, Chiara.”

Raising my water glass, I noticed Arianna had done the same on my right. An amused snicker vibrated along my chest and she returned it. I’ve never seen her drink in any of our gatherings.

“Arianna,” Chiara called.

“Yes.” She took a bite of her food, looking at Chiara with a smile.

“There is something I wanted to ask you and Rosalinda. Will you both be my bridesmaids?”

“And you ask this after arranging everything, including my dress for the wedding?” Arianna teased.

In my peripheral vision, Chiara raised her arms in surrender. “I was sure you wouldn’t say no. Don’t make me beg, please…”

“You don’t have to, Chiara. You’re one of us now. Besides, we wouldn’t miss it for anything,” Rosalinda said. A permanent smile resided on her face when Jeff was around. I vaguely remembered Mike telling me about them.

“That’s great. Arianna can be Orlando’s plus-one for the wedding.”

What the—

My gaze narrowed at my brother, who had no filter to his mouth. He often teased me with her, but I never thought he’d go to this extent. What was his plan? She already had a boyfriend. A boyfriend who’s missing from the group. Didn’t that bastard know how important this was to Arianna?

Arianna shifted in her seat. “It won’t be necessary. I’ll go alone.” Her grip tightened around her spoon.

Alone? Ah, trouble in paradise. While it eased my mind to know I wouldn’t have to put up with that asshole throughout the wedding, it also didn’t make it easier. My hand clenched around the glass. I should have guessed this was coming. She would never want to go out with me. To her, I’d always be her best friend’s cousin. Nothing more. Whoa. What was that? Disbelief rendered me speechless. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

“You don’t have a choice,” Mike snapped.

They hadn’t even given me a chance to respond and conversed as if I wasn’t present.

“If Orlando doesn’t want to go with you, then you can be my third wheel. I’m sure Skyler wouldn’t mind,” Mike continued.

She wasn’t a third wheel. Not for me, at least. What was wrong with him? How could he even say that to her? My eyes widened. Where did that come from? I swallowed. My emotions were a wreck. The afternoon tension was getting to me, I concluded.

Arianna hit his arm with a playful grin, but I noticed the flash of pain in her eyes. She didn’t want to be his third wheel.

Fortunately, Enrique and Mike dropped that speech, and we continued to eat in silence. I couldn’t help but look at her now and then, trying to figure out what was wrong. She was silent. And that was wrong. Silence wasn’t her thing. Arianna loved to talk. This wasn’t the same girl I knew.

She faked a yawn and pushed her half-eaten plate away, excusing herself from the table. I’d bet on my balls she faked her exhaustion. She wasn’t one to sleep early, and she sure wouldn’t leave the American chicken untouched. That was her favorite dish.

“Why can’t you be her plus-one?” Enrique asked as soon as she disappeared from our view.

Because you didn’t give me a chance to respond. And I never said I wouldn’t take her. No. I gritted my teeth. When I hesitated, wondering if it was a joke, they assumed I wouldn’t want to go and made that choice for me. “She can invite Brian. You didn’t have to push this in my face.” The bitterness of the day’s events got the best out of me. I didn’t want a plus-one.

“They’re not together anymore, dammit! I thought you knew that already.”

Huh? Now I felt like an asshole.

“What are you talking about? They’re getting married, aren’t they?” When my gaze locked with Mike’s, mixed emotions assaulted me. Did they break up? Shock gripped me. What did that sudden lurch in my chest mean? A sudden emotion warmed my heart. This shouldn’t make me happier, but it did.

“No. That bastard cheated on her with her sister. He is marrying Alana, her twin.”

What?

Alana. That name was familiar. Now everything clicked. One of the recent incidents surfaced in my memory. Arianna rarely spoke about her family when we were younger. When I saw the bride’s name as Alana in the email, I didn’t piece it together. The couple wanted to get married at the Cortez estate, and I denied their request. It wasn’t a mistake then. I did that purposefully and suddenly. I was glad I declined their request.

“I thought…I’m sorry.” My gaze flicked toward the exit as guilt weighed me down. I shouldn’t have lashed out like that.

“It’s okay. We should’ve told you earlier. You don’t have to go with her.” Enrique’s shoulders slumped.

“I…”

“It’s fine. We’ll keep her company.” Skyler smiled, and Mike squeezed her hands while leaning down to peck her lips.

It didn’t feel right. I saw the discomfort in her eyes. She didn’t want to go with them. Arianna didn’t want to be here. I knew that feeling well. “I’ll go with her,” I announced and noticed a smile cracking Grandpapa’s lips in my peripheral vision.

As I excused myself from the table, everyone sported a smug grin which I ignored. My focus was on Arianna. The look of hurt on her face pulled at my heartstrings. This was why she wasn’t like her old self.

Her father called to book for a wedding. Was it a misunderstanding? I still remembered the call, and he said it was for his daughter.

“Hello.”

“Mr. Cortez, it’s Henry Swanson.”

“If this is regarding a deal, you know the procedure, Mr. Swanson.”

“No. I have a request.”

“Make it quick.”

“It’s about my daughter’s wedding.” The world around me stopped functioning for a moment, and I felt like I was doused in the ice water. “She wants to get married at the Cortez estate.”

“You should contact our office for the bookings, Mr. Swanson.” My grip tightened around the phone.

“They said the venue isn’t available. When I checked, there was no wedding on the stated date. I’d really appreciate it if we can negotiate on this. I’m willing to pay double.”

I swallowed the sudden surge of anger before schooling my emotions. “Mr. Swanson, there is nothing I can do for you in this matter. If my office said the venue isn’t available, then it isn’t available.” I didn’t wait for his response before disconnecting the call and throwing my phone on the table.

There was no explanation of why I behaved that way. It was easy for me to make an adjustment, but I didn’t. Enrique wouldn’t mind. An uneasy feeling crept into my mind and settled within my bones. My body was in an automated mode when I dialed my PA. “Sheila, send in the recent booking request for Cortez Estate, including the declined ones.”

“Sure, sir.”

They just started to date. Why was I even furious? I should be happy for them, shouldn’t I?

When the email came in, I was quick to sort out Swanson’s request. Groom, Brian Schultz. My blood boiled on seeing that name. Bride, Alana Swanson. What?

That must be a mistake. I shouldn’t be feeling or reacting this way. It was their life. With a strained breath, I looked at the date requested and realized it fell in line with Enrique’s wedding. My brother would spend their honeymoon on the estate. So, it wasn’t available either way. Well, Enrique wouldn’t say no if it was for Arianna, but I couldn’t say yes.

The view of the familiar purple gown pulled me out of my thoughts.

“Arianna!”

There was an urgency to her steps, and her shoulders were stiff. She whipped around, almost losing her balance. I swore as she regained her balance and forced a smile.

“Hey.”

“You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine…” She pushed the loose strands of hair behind her ear.

Liar. When she looked at me, I could see it in her eyes. “I’m sorry about earlier. I wasn’t expecting that, and I didn’t know about…” I didn’t know how to bring it up without hurting her further.

“It’s fine.”

“So, will you be my date for Enrique’s wedding?”

“You don’t have to do this.” Her lashes fluttered, blinking away the tears, and her fingers bunched the dress she wore, fiddling with the soft material.

“I was upset because I wasn’t informed about this earlier, and I had no chance to ask you properly. You deserve nothing less.”

“It’s okay. Really.”

Her teeth caught her lower lip. Oh, how much I wanted to reach out and release them from their grip. Were they soft and warm as they looked? How did she taste? The thoughts shocked me, and I pushed my hands deep into my pockets before I did something we both would regret. Okay, that was a lie. I wouldn’t regret it.

“It’s not okay, Arianna. It’s not that I don’t want to go with you. If we are going together, then I’m doing it the right way. I’ll ask you again. Will you be my date to the wedding?”

“Um…ah, yes, sure.” The pink color returned to her cheeks while she gave me a nervous smile. It felt good to know I affected her to some extent as well.

“Good.” I smiled, swallowing the urge to brush the tear that trekked down her cheek. “Come, I’ll walk you to the door.” She hadn’t realized she was crying…yet.

“That’s…um…you don’t have to do that.”

It was the least I could do. “I told you earlier, Arianna. You’re my date, and I want to do it the right way. Let me do this, please.” That was BS. I just wanted to stay in her presence a little longer. A part of my mind contemplated cooking up a plan to extend my stay. Then I realized I’d never talked to her longer than a minute before. Offering to stay wouldn’t be a good idea. That might make her uncomfortable.

“Good night, Arianna.” It was hard to take my leave. I wanted to stay and make sure she was all right.

“Good night.” Her whisper was weak when she slipped inside the room, locking the door behind her.

I stood there for a minute before moving on to my room. She’s hurting. The pain I saw in her eyes before the door closed kept replaying in my mind. An unknown ache started at the center of my heart, spreading to the other parts of my chest. I wanted to take that pain away. I wanted to make her laugh, but how?