38. Sunshine
Chapter 38
Sunshine
I couldn’t have asked for a better night for Mrs. Cullen’s event.
Luca drove us over to the event early. I’d dressed in the fancy gown he’d bought me and gorgeous jewelry. I didn’t want to admit it, but I felt better knowing I looked amazing.
The evening was crisp and clear, only a few scattered puffy clouds in the sky. The sun was setting over the ocean, making everything feel magical.
Mrs. Cullen arrived in a limo, her sparkly silver dress twinkling like the sun. “Goodness.”
The Italian Villa was transformed. I’d worked for hours to get the right amount of rustic Old World charm to accent rather than cover the ancient masonry.
Twinkling lights lit the grounds along with standing sculptures. Guests began arriving, and Mrs. Cullen stood at the entryway, greeting everyone like old friends.
I did another circuit of the estate, checking all of my stations. Logan had really outdone himself and the food perfectly matched the décor of the experience.
In addition to light finger foods, Logan had cooked paella, steamed clams, and other foods that made you think of the Mediterranean coast. Another experience gave you the feeling of being lost in the forest, and he’s made venison, served on a slab of hardwood and dusted with cranberries.
There was a section of the ballroom dedicated to the circus, and we even had rope dancers along with a man doing balloon animals for whimsy. Another experience had a nightclub vibe, with a man on stage playing acoustic guitar. Out back, on the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean, guests could paraglide down to a landing pad.
For a few hours, I lost myself through the rooms. Everywhere I looked there were smiling faces. Not just the bored “night on the town” smiles, but some of the guests looked like children tasting ice cream for the first time.
Buzzing with energy, I found Julian and Luca wandering around and greeting the guests. Luca looked every bit the corporate lawyer in his immaculate suit, and with permission, Julian had worn his turn out gear.
He’d skipped the helmet, hood, and air pack so he wouldn’t have to spend hours walking around in gear that could weigh more than seventy-five pounds, but wore the black and yellow jacket, pants, and boots.
Julian kissed me on the cheek. I pulled him close so I could whisper in his ear. “Wear that home so I can jump you in it.”
“Sure thing, babe.” He looked smug.
“Thank you for coming.” I should have set up a dark room I could drag him and my alphas into. No that wasn’t professional, I told myself. Behave until we got back to the house.
“No problem. I’ve already had a few people offer to donate to the local station so win-win.” Julian gave me the thumbs up.
Luca kissed my cheek, his thumb lightly brushing his bondmark. The skin was still mostly pink, and extra sensitive. “You look ravishing.”
“My alpha who loves me very much bought me this necklace.” I touched the heart shaped diamond, the stone warm from my body heat.
“He does.” Luca purred, stepping into my personal space. “Only the best for my beta.”
Warmth spiraled through me, and I wondered if Logan had a space in the kitchen where the four of us could have some alone time.
“There she is.” Mrs. Cullen beamed and crossed the ballroom floor. In her wake were two elderly gentlemen and an elderly woman. “Meet my pack. Alfonso, Eric, and Mariella.”
“So wonderful to meet you,” I said, shaking hands with them.
“Is that a new bondmark?” Mrs. Cullen smiled, her face looking ten years younger.
“It is.” Luca put an arm around my waist. “It’s Sunshine Kahele now.”
“You have excellent taste, my dear.” Mrs. Cullen shook hands with me again. “When you told me about your concept for this event, I thought for sure you were overreaching.”
“But she wasn’t, was she?” Another woman entered our space, wearing an expensive blue tweed jacket and skirt combo. “It was pure inspiration.”
I vaguely recognized her from the Financial Times. Mrs. Cullen introduced me to a small group of people, all of whom were the who’s who of the area.
Every one of them praised my ingenuity and creative vision. I was vaguely embarrassed, but every time I talked about the collaboration I’d had with Logan and even Ginny, Julian pinched me.
“Just accept the compliments,” Julian whispered. “You worked hard and deserve the praise.”
After that I just smiled and nodded. Julian was right. I should take the compliments. I had worked hard, and it was paying off.
The evening was in full swing, with happy people wandering around the Villa with smiles on their faces.
Across the room, I spotted Becca. I forced myself to keep smiling, even though the paella sat like lead in my stomach.
I turned to the side, as though I could hide myself. I didn’t have time or energy for Becca’s crap anymore. I was done .
Luca and Julian both looked puzzled, no doubt sensing my reaction through the bonds. I nodded at Mrs. Jennings, who was asking me to fit her into my schedule.
I handed her my card and told her to contact Ginny, and we could set up a time and place. I kept Becca in my peripheral vision, but the crowd shifted, and I lost sight of her.
We’d set the event up like a maze, each experiment leading to three or four more so there wouldn’t be weird jams of people waiting to get into the next room.
“Sunshine is the mastermind here.” Mrs. Cullen beamed. I looked over at who she was talking to, and it was an older man, his hair salt and pepper, in an expensive suit.
“You’re simply brilliant. The Underwater Experience took my breath away.” He smiled, lighting his whole face up. “I was a dive instructor off the coast of Italy for years. It’s brought back many pleasant memories.”
“I’m so glad.” I smiled, shaking his hand. “It was one of my favorite exhibits to put together.”
“Sunshine, there you are,” a loud, superficially happy voice said.
My entire body froze. I turned to see Becca standing next to Rob.
On the other side of Rob was Talia.
The air whooshed out of my lungs. Luca and Julian both flanked me, Luca’s face never changing expression but his steely resolve came through the bond.
Becca smiled brightly. “We’ve been looking everywhere for the premier event designer.”
I still didn’t know what to say. Becca smiled, but there was a hint of malice on her face, like a cat who had cornered a canary. Cold sweat gathered at the small of my back and I prayed they wouldn’t make a scene.
“Hello, Rob.” Mrs. Cullen nodded at my former lover. “I didn’t know you were acquainted with Sunshine Kahele.”
Becca’s eyes went wide, and Talia only looked grimmer.
“She’s finally found herself a pack.” Becca offered me a poisonous smile.
“She has.” Julian pulled me closer. “I’ve never met a more enchanting beta.”
“She swept us off our feet,” Luca smiled.
“I just bet she did,” Becca giggled, and looked at Rob. “She does love inserting herself into packs.”
People around us shifted uncomfortably.
Julian cocked his head. I squeezed his waist, willing him not to make a scene.
“That’s funny coming from you, considering you were sleeping with Rob and his pack while they were still dating Sunshine.” Julian smiled, like he was just confused.
Everyone stiffened, and my cheeks got hot. My actual worst nightmare, unfolding before me.
“You can’t help a scent match,” Talia said hotly. “And then she dropped our friendship because she thought she was too good for me.”
My throat closed up and I thought I would cry. All of my hard work to be seen as a professional, wasted. Becca and Talia couldn’t just move on, they had to ruin it.
“You mean the cupcakes you agreed to make and then refused to deliver on the morning of?” Logan asked, appearing from the crowd like a sexy ninja. He nodded at one of the elderly ladies. “Bennie says hi, by the way.”
He looked at Talia. “They loved the Hawaiian flavors I created for them.”
Talia looked at one of the richest women in the room and swallowed hard. “She didn’t give me enough notice?—”
“Cupcake My Day did not handle that professionally,” Logan shook his head, looking grim. “I’m glad I had the time.” He kissed my temple.
“But she…she dropped it in my lap.” Talia looked around at the small crowd.
Everyone looked stony faced, glaring at Becca and Talia.
I swallowed hard. “I hope you enjoy the event. But this is not the time nor place for this.”
“Of course not. Wouldn’t want to ruin your perfect image.” Becca sniffed, grabbed Rob’s forearm. “You’ll just?—”
“My dear,” Mrs. Cullen’s sharp voice cut in. “Stop before you embarrass yourself even more than you already have. You’ve brought up personal trials that you were the culprit in.”
Becca’s eyes widened, like she’d been slapped.
“This is a private event. If you will not use the good manners your parents saw fit to give you, we will ask you to leave.”
Talia went pale. “But we…but she’s been ignoring me for two weeks.”
I gritted my teeth, but before I could say a word, Mrs. Cullen turned her hawk-like gaze to Talia.
“As for you, if you want any business at all, I suggest you take the same advice. It is horribly inappropriate to bring these squabbles up at a party, where Ms. Kahele is working.”
Becca and Talia both looked like they wanted to protest, but Rob’s face had turned red. “Of course, Mrs. Cullen. Sorry to trouble you.”
“She doesn’t get to win—” Becca hissed.
Rob pulled both of them away, muttering under his breath.
I turned to Mrs. Cullen, and her guests. “I am so sorry that happened. I wasn’t aware they were on the guest list, or I would have steered past such a scene.”
“They came with the Baylor Firm,” Mrs. Cullen said. “You have nothing to be sorry for, dear. They are clearly experiencing sour grapes and thought their petty display would impact your event.”
“But it’s too grand,” the elderly man added. “Who among us hasn’t experienced the same thing from our rivals? Let us speak no more of it.”
And like that, they went back to talking about the event. Since Logan was there, I mentioned his vision for the menu, and we shifted the conversation to food.
I let out a breath. It was too much to hope this wouldn’t blow back on me, but no one was giving me shifty looks. They really meant it.
Becca and Talia tried their high school mean girl stunt, but it didn’t work. We weren’t teenagers anymore.
I relaxed and threw myself into the rest of the event.
We stayed until the small hours of the night, talking, dancing, and experiencing the rooms over and over. I met up with more guests, and we talked about the joy of trying experiences in certain orders, like the underwater room giving contrast to the desert vista. Or the mountain cabin after the guitar bar room.
My pack brought me home, leaving the take down for the cleaning staff we’d hired. I was exhausted, but peace settled over me.
Julian pulled me against him, and Luca and Logan cuddled either side of us.
“Thank you,” I said into the quiet dark of the room. Love pulsed inside me like a second heart. “For sticking up for me.”
“Always,” Luca said. “We will never let someone attack you like that.”
It was true. They had been there for me over and over, in every way that mattered.
“I got so lucky.”
“Luck had nothing to do with it.” Logan kissed my cheek. “You love with all of your heart. You throw yourself into everything you do. How could we not fall in love with you?”
“And we’re pretty amazing,” Julian said. “Of course we’d bring you into our pack.”
“We should go on a trip.” Luca nuzzled into my ear. “Just the four of us, now that the crazy events are done with.”
“But I still have three bonding ceremonies.”
“We’d leave a few months from now.” Luca sounded certain. “Somewhere beautiful, with a good food scene.”
“Italy,” Logan said. “The coast is beautiful. And I wanted to check out some of the new restaurants in Naples.”
I couldn’t hide the zip of excitement at spontaneously leaving the country on a whim.
“Naples it is,” Julian said with a laugh.
“We can’t just leave.” I struggled to think of all the responsibilities we had. “Your schedule, Julian.”
“That’s what time off is for,” he said. “I’ll put in my request.”
“Easy.” Luca grinned. “I’ll get my cases finished up, and that will give you time to finish breaking in your new assistant.”
I blinked. It couldn’t be that easy. “So we’re just gonna leave the country in…”
“Three months,” Julian said. “That will give me enough notice.”
“Three months.” I blinked, and then laughed. “Sure, why not. We’ll be back before Luna is due to have her baby.”
It seemed too easy, but everything with this pack was easy. Love was supposed to be easy, I thought. Not a series of hoops to jump through.
I snuggled my pack, my forever love.