Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Kara didn’t know what to think of Gui’s family. After her own small one, his was a bit overwhelming. His sisters were very nice to her, and welcoming, but they had a lot of energy and big personalities. There were three of them.
She’d only met Arcelia and Anika, who were both in their late twenties. Augustina, Gui’s youngest sister, was only sixteen and was back at boarding school in Switzerland. However, she would be joining the family for a party to celebrate Kara and Gui’s engagement.
The two sisters she’d met were skinny and beautiful, and Kara felt fatter and plainer every second she was with them.
Cynthia was doing her level best to find legitimate work-related functions for Kara to attend but unfortunately this afternoon she had nothing on her schedule, so when Arcelia and Anika asked her to join them for an afternoon of shopping…she said yes.
Puerta del Sol was the center of Madrid and was considered by many to be the center of Spain.
Every distance in the country was measured by how far it was from the crescent-shaped plaza in the center of Madrid.
They shopped for three hours before making their way to a restaurant on the plaza where they decided to have a late lunch.
“How did Gui ask you to marry him?” Anika asked once they were seated and all had a glass of sangria.
Kara flushed. No one had asked these questions of her, because she’d neatly avoided being alone with her friends and her sister since the engagement had been announced. Now she was faced with either telling them the truth or making something up.
She took a sip of her fruity wine drink. “You know how Gui is. He didn’t really ask me so much as tell me.”
Arcelia started laughing. “Typical Gui. I hope you gave him a hard time for asking you like that.”
“I did.”
“Good for you. He always said he would never marry, and to be honest I was a bit surprised when I read about your engagement. Mother was furious that he didn’t call and let us know first.”
“I’m sorry you had to find out in the newspaper.”
“It’s okay. Gui isn’t really big on communicating. You will have to be the one to keep us in the loop.”
“So why do you think he asked you to marry him?” Anika asked.
“I have no idea,” Kara said. Truly, she suspected it had something to do with Tristan and Christos both settling down.
“You’re not his normal type of woman.”
“I know,” Kara said. She thought about that every day when she woke up in bed with Gui. Since they’d come to Madrid, he hadn’t made love to her. And a part of her wondered if he had regrets now that they were here. Now that the wedding was only a few short days away.
Anika reached across the table and took her hand. “I think that’s a good thing. He was dating these women who were…” She glanced at her sister, who shrugged.
“Shallow?”
“Yes, shallow. They were a bit trying at times. But you aren’t like that.”
“Well, thank you,” Kara said.
Anika laughed. “I sound like a flake, don’t I?”
“A little. What are you trying to say without saying it?” Kara was really starting to like Gui’s sisters.
They had that genuine core of solidness that she sensed in Gui.
Kara suspected it was because of the way they’d all been raised.
There was no room for doubt or weakness in their family.
Gui’s parents loved all of their children, and it was clear to see that that affection and support had helped those children to mature into adults with purpose.
“We’d like to help out with your foundation. As soon as Gui mentioned your name, we knew who you were. A&A Works has been looking for the right charity to partner with.”
Kara smiled at the women. They owned their own jewelry design house.
“What did you have in mind? I’d have to talk to Malcolm, who heads up our joint promotions department, but I’d love to create a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry that we could sell and use the proceeds to fund a new housing development for women and children. Maybe here in Madrid.”
“Yes, we have considered that before. But we want to be involved globally.”
“Let me get you in touch with Malcolm and then you can figure something out. I’m thinking we could start with a series of exclusive bracelets each inspired by a different country, and then use the proceeds in that country.”
Anika nodded and grabbed a pen to start jotting down notes. And Kara felt more like herself than she had since she’d arrived in Spain.
Gui had been busy working at Seconds and taking care of his own obligations, and Kara had been at loose ends feeling very much the outsider in her own new life.
But this was exactly the type of thing that she could sink her teeth into. “When I get back I’ll e-mail Malcolm.” She paused. “Thanks for inviting me to come shopping with you this afternoon.”
“You’re welcome. We figured you needed an afternoon of relaxation before tonight.”
“Are royal functions that trying?” Kara asked. Gui had invited her to a dinner party at his brother’s house. Gui’s sister-in-law was the Enfanta…heir to the Spanish throne.
“They can be fun. But I suspected that Elvira will go out of her way to make you feel like an outsider.”
Kara’s skin suddenly felt too tight. Why hadn’t Gui mentioned that the other woman would be there? Not that he had to. “I…I didn’t realize she’d be there.”
“The dinner is for the entire family to meet you. And Juan is our cousin through marriage.”
She shook her head and smiled. “Well, I am looking forward to meeting all of your relatives.”
Arcelia leaned forward. “Don’t sweat it about Elvira. She’s very good at playing games with men, but she tends to leave the women alone. She thinks the rest of us are below her.”
That wasn’t exactly reassuring. Kara knew she had to talk to Gui and find out exactly what was between him and the other woman. If she didn’t have that knowledge, Elvira was always going to be able to rattle her and Kara didn’t intend to give the older woman the ability to shake her up.
She was going to have to be at her best tonight. As lunch ended and she left Anika and Arcelia to head back to Gui’s home, she decided that she was pulling out all the stops. She’d be the sexy woman that Gui told her she was, confident and proud to be on his arm.
That part was fine, but what caused the knot in the pit of her stomach was the fact that she’d have to somehow convince him that he was proud to be on her arm. Proud to be her man.
What she really wanted was to somehow make him realize that he was happy with her.
Gui had been busy since they’d landed in Madrid.
Between his family business interests, running Seconds and taking care of all his social obligations, he’d had little time for Kara.
This was his life, he thought and, for the first time, regretted it.
He wanted to have time to simply make love to his woman and hold her in his arms.
“Count, I have laid out your suit for this evening. Your father has asked that you come early so that he can speak to you and Alonzo.”
Gui nodded to Vincent as he took off the polo shirt he’d been wearing, tossing it toward the bed. “Inform my father I will be there. Will you let Kara know I’m home and if she has time I’d like to see her.”
“I certainly will, Count. Is there anything else you need?”
“Please have the Bugatti brought around for us to take tonight.”
“Very well, Count.”
Vincent left and Gui went in to take a quick shower. He had little hope that Kara would be waiting when he came out. She’d kept herself incredibly busy since they’d landed in Spain. He was beginning to think she might have second thoughts about marrying him.
There was a knock on the door that led to Kara’s dressing room. He wrapped a towel around his waist before going to open it. She stood on the other side, one arm wrapped around her waist, the other hanging by her side.
She had on more makeup than she normally wore and her dress was incredibly flattering. “You’re gorgeous tonight, bebe.”
She inclined her head. “Thank you, Gui. I’m glad you asked to speak to me. I need to talk to you, as well.”
Kara was all business and he wondered what was going through her head. “About what?”
She came into his dressing room, taking a seat on the padded bench in the middle of the area. She carefully arranged her skirts, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out what she was going to want to talk about.
“I need to know what’s going on between you and Elvira and Juan. I know that you’ve said that it’s all in the past, but everyone keeps mentioning her to me like I know what happened.”
“It’s really nothing to do with you,” he said.
She blanched, and he wondered if she’d back down. He hoped she’d just let it go and that would be the end of it. He had absolutely no interest in rehashing the past.
She shook her head. “If I weren’t marrying you, I’d agree. But I am, and this is important to me, Gui. I can’t continue on without knowing more about her.”
“Why does it concern you?”
“Because she sent me a gift this afternoon, Gui.”
“What did she send?”
“Intimate apparel,” Kara said. There was an indefinable emotion on her face.
“I’m sorry. I have no idea why she would do that.”
“Don’t you? She said that the garment she sent was your favorite to see on the female form.”
“Kara—”
“She was also thoughtful enough to include an exercise DVD that would help me to look better in it.”
Gui cursed under his breath, crossing to Kara. “I hope you discarded both items.”
“I did send them back,” Kara said. “But I really can’t continue to let this lie. I need to know the entire story.”
“What do you want to know?” he asked her, reaching for his dress shirt. He drew it on and buttoned it quickly. He reached for the collar stays that Vincent left on his counter and put them into his shirt before drawing on his tie.
“I guess I want to know everything. From the beginning. Katie said she was the love of your life and she broke your heart.”