“Oh my! Excuse me!”
Jayden twirled his head around to look behind him and saw Victoria standing there.
“I beg your pardon, Mr. McCartney, but I was here to get the gown to pack—”
Jayden wanted to close the damn door on the sales consultant’s face, shutting him and Alex in so he could kiss her in private. But he was a gentleman, and gentlemen don’t kick doors shut on a woman’s face.
He relaxed and even managed a handsome grin as he said, “Yes, of course.” He turned back to look at Alex. She was staring at her bare feet in mortification.
He sighed and walked out. He went to sit down on the sofa near the window, waiting while the women finalized every minor detail of the dresses with Victoria, who was jotting notes furiously, determined not to miss anything crucial. His cell rang. He saw it was his father calling.
“Hey.”
“Jayden, I know it’s short notice, but come to lunch. I’m meeting Michael at The Marcelo Hotel restaurant at twelve.”
“Business, huh?” Jay asked, eyeing Kelly, who looked as though she were about to approach him.
“Yes. Michael is interested in selling you one of his islands. Thought you’d be interested. Sounds like a great deal.”
“All right,” he said, seeing Kelly purposefully striding toward him. “I’ll see you soon.” He terminated the call.
Kelly stopped in front of him and put her palm out as though she had expected a gift from him. Jay raised his brows and said, “You don’t expect me to pay for your wedding dress too, do you?”
“Of course not,” Kelly snapped. “Come off with it, Jay. Your credit card. We need to pay for Alex’s gown, among other things.”
Jay reached for his black, checkered Louis Vuitton wallet in his back pocket as he said, “What other things?” He handed over his black American Express credit card to his sister.
Kelly pinched it from his hand. “Many other things for Alex. You do realize she needs a complete makeover and a whole new wardrobe, right?”
With Jayden’s blank look, Kelly frowned. “Oh, come on, Jay. Didn’t you hear what that—” She wanted to use the word bitch but caught herself just in time. She said, “Britney said to Alex?”
“Yes, I’ve heard.”
“Well, that’s why Stephanie and I are taking her out shopping.”
Jay chuckled. “Go easy with my money, won’t you?”
Kelly grinned. “For your lovely girlfriend, Jayden, only the best will do. Like you. You’re the best.” She kissed his left cheek lightly and rushed away.
Jay relaxed back against the sofa, smiling.
* * * * *
CHAPTER 14
By the time Alexandra came out of the changing room, she found Jayden had gone. When Kelly told her he was going to lunch with Britney and Beth after all and that they had no idea when he’d be back, her heart shattered. She realized he wasn’t going to take her to Central Park. She had been looking forward to it. She wanted to spend time with him doing silly, regular things a girl did with her boyfriend. Not that he was her real boyfriend, of course.
Stephanie said as they were leaving Vera Wang, “We have loads of fun things to do.”
“What kind of things?” Alex asked curiously.
“Makeover and shopping!” Kelly shrieked excitedly.
“It’ll be fun,” Stephanie put in, clasping Alex’s hands as they stepped toward the limousine.
“Cool,” Alex said, pushing the disturbing thought of Jayden having lunch with Britney to one side. Perhaps the time spent window-shopping with the girls might be fun after all, an experience she knew she’d enjoy.
“I like window-shopping,” she said.
John stepped forward and opened the door for them.
“We are not window-shopping, Alex,” Gracie said. “We are shopping for your new wardrobe.” Then to John she said, “Thank you.”
The limo driver touched the tip of his hat.
“Say what?” Alex exclaimed.
“You need a whole new wardrobe. And a complete makeover,” Kelly commented as she nudged her in.
Alex looked at Kelly, confused, as she slid into the seat beside Gracie. “I do?”
“Of course you do,” Stephanie remarked, taking her seat opposite Alex. “Or didn’t you hear what that—” She paused, her face grim as she was about to say the word bitch. “Britney said?”
Of course Alex heard. But she couldn’t change the way she looked or who she was. She wasn’t like them, born with everything handed to them on a silver platter. And the fact was Alex wasn’t going to change herself just to fit in with them or to please them. She was who she was, and that was fine with her.
“Besides,” Kelly continued, “we do want to polish you up for my wedding. My brother’s one of the top ten bachelors in New York, not to mention one of the youngest billionaires in the States. As his girlfriend, you have to look good. Everyone will want to know who you are.”
Stephanie leaned forward as the limo started moving. “Oh, don’t be alarmed, Alex. Understand that we are trying to help you out. Can’t you see? Britney is trying to steal Jayden from you.”
“Like asking him to lunch with her dad, for instance,” Kelly said. “If people see, word will spread. She’s trying to show everyone she and Jayden are a couple.”
“Now, girls,” Gracie put in calmly, “Britney is not that bad. Shall I call Lawrence?”
“Oh, yes, Mom. It has to be Lawrence. Surely he must be available for us. This is an emergency,” Kelly said. “Besides, my bachelorette party is tomorrow night, and Alex must be ready by then.”
Alex heard her name in the conversation and said, “Bachelorette party?”
“Oh, Mrs. McCartney, you don’t know Britney. She’s capable of anything,” Stephanie commented. “Don’t you agree, Kelly?”
“Yes,” Kelly replied.
“Like mother, like daughter, I suppose,” Gracie murmured as she started dialing on her BlackBerry.
“What’s a bachelorette party?” Alex asked curiously.
“She’s no different from Sarah,” Kelly muttered, looking at Stephanie. “I’m glad Jay’s over her.”
It took a while for Alex to absorb that piece of information. Once she realized what it meant, she shouted, “What?”
“Lawrence? Hello? Lawrence? Is that you?” Gracie said into her cell. “Ah, Lawrence, are you free this afternoon? We have an emergency.”
Kelly widened her eyes and bit her lower lip when she realized what she had done.
“What do you mean? Who’s Sarah?” Alex asked.
Kelly laughed uncomfortably. “She’s nobody, Alex. Don’t worry about it.” She turned to Gracie. “Mom? Is Lawrence available?”
Gracie nodded and Kelly did a thumbs-up. “How about lunch first? Where to?” she asked, still trying to ignore Alex.
“I feel like Italian today,” Stephanie remarked. “What about you, Alex?”
“I don’t mind,” Alex replied, her mind still reeling on who Sarah could be.