Chapter 3
ALEX
Iglanced at my watch for what felt like the millionth time. I only had one more hour to go, and I could call an end to this facade. It was a beautiful wedding, and I wasn’t hating on it, but I wasn’t feeling it either.
I couldn’t count the number of times that I felt like a fool for going through with it.
Yet, I had never backed out of a contract or went back on my word, and I wasn’t about to start.
My business was everything to me. I had worked hard to get through school, studying late, taking a job so that I could pay for anything beyond tuition and boarding, since that was mostly covered by scholarships.
The first day that I opened this shop, I promised myself and my associates that we would always operate with integrity.
I worked hard to build my reputation in the community, and so had my two associates, Serena and Brielle.
Either of them could have taken this contract on, but Princess was adamant that she wanted my services.
Her mother even threw in an extra five grand to ensure that I was the one who would oversee the wedding and that I wouldn’t pass it off to someone else.
While both of my associates were in attendance, they were only here to help pull things together.
“Hey, I wanted to stop and thank you again for doing this for me, Alex. You are so sweet, and I truly appreciate it. Any other woman wouldn’t have, and that tells me you have a beautiful, confident spirit.”
“You’re welcome, Princess. I told you, . . . things between he and I were long over. I’m in a great place, and this is my business.”
She smiled, squeezed my hands, and headed back to enjoy her reception. She really was a good person; there was no malice in her heart. I watched the ceremony for another five minutes before the next interruption occurred.
“Penny for your thoughts.”
The voice was smooth and rich, an experience, like sipping a glass of aged bourbon while listening to Miles Davis. I fought the smile that wanted to take over my lips and chided myself at the warmth that washed over me as though I had consumed the bourbon.
Spinning around slowly, I replied, “Just noting that another successful event is under my belt.”
“Is that right?”
“Yep.” I bobbed my head, trying to talk myself down from the reaction my body had to his proximity.
Judah St. Charles was one of the older brothers of my ex, Issachar.
In fact, he was the fourth oldest brother, and as fine and smooth as an aged cognac.
He was a couple inches over six feet with a muscular, well-defined body.
Smooth, bronze skin was blemish free and made him look like he should be a male model.
Downturned russet-brown eyes assessed me the same way that I was checking him out just before those long lashes hid his gaze from me.
He pulled his fingers through his hair, and I found myself wanting to do the same. A woman could get lost playing in those thick curls of his in a postcoital moment. They were kind of long, but they looked good on him.
The thick curls didn’t stop at his head; they surrounded his lips and hid his chin. I usually didn’t go for men who had thick, bushy beards, but in another life, Judah St. Charles could get it.
“Now do you want to tell me what you were really thinking?” he asked, lifting a couple of champagne flutes from a passing waiter’s tray and handing me one.
“I really shouldn’t do that.”
“Doesn’t matter whether you should or shouldn’t, just do it. It’s the least that we can do for you after having to deal with this bullshit. You need to be inducted in Sainthood. This bullshit would have made Mother Teresa curse.”
I laughed so hard and shook my head. “Judah, you’re silly. You always could make me laugh.”
“Champagne?” he asked, lifting the glass again and making a silly face.
“Judah, I really shouldn’t. I’m the wedding planner.”
“Baby girl, taking a drink is the least of your worries. You should be drunk and telling them to kiss your ass.”
My face grew warm at his confirmation that everyone else thought that I was a fool for taking the job too.
“Excuse me?”
“Baby girl, I just want to know how you landed this job?”
“They hired me.”
He chuckled, a low, sexy sound. “I get that, but why did you take it? I could’ve kicked my brother’s ass for placing you in this situation.”
“Well, it was a fluke, really. I can’t blame him.
Princess and her mother came in for a scheduled meeting.
We had no idea who each other was. We talked in depth, we hit it off, and I agreed.
I had taken their payment and everything.
The only thing that we needed was to have the contract signed.
I emailed it to her so that she and her fiancé, Char, could discuss it and then sign it together. ”
He chuckled. “That shit kills me.”
“What’s that?”
“He hates that she calls him Char. She’s the only one who does, but he won’t stop her or tell her that he doesn’t like it.”
“Well, I had no idea that Char was Issachar. I mean, we call him Zack, or I used to.”
“We still call him that. You weren’t wrong. It’s just that when he saw the name of your business, he knew. His ass should have gracefully bowed out.”
“It’s over. I won’t have to worry about it again after today.”
“So, are you going to take this champagne or not?”
I took the champagne from his hand and took a couple of sips.
“Happy?” I asked after a third sip. I placed it on a side table.
“Not unless you agree to dance with me.”
“What? Judah, come on.”
“Nope. You’ve worked very hard to make this beautiful day happen. I’ve seen your associates mingling, celebrating, and they even danced with a couple of guests. My mother dragged them out on the dance floor, so don’t be harsh on them,” he stated, taking in the look on my face.
I didn’t like my staff mingling with guests. We were only here to observe, guide, and make sure everything went over smoothly.
“Whatever.”
“Come on. You deserve to celebrate another successful event.”
“And I will when it’s over.”
“You’d make me very happy if you danced with me. Don’t you want to put a smile on my face?” He dipped his finger in his cheek and gave me a goofy grin.
“Why would that make you happy?”
“Because you and I are the only two who haven’t danced tonight. If I don’t dance with someone soon, my mother will be matching me up with someone’s daughter, and there’s an aggressive bridesmaid who has her eye on me already.”
I giggled and covered my mouth. “You wouldn’t be referring to the maid-of-honor, would you?”
“That’s exactly who I’m talking about.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen her eye-fucking you all day.” I slapped my hand over my mouth. “Oops! Did I say that out loud?”
The twinkle in his eyes conveyed his amusement with the situation. “You absolutely did, but I don’t see anything wrong with that. You were just telling the truth.”
“Well, she is eyeing you right now,” I declared, glancing away from the woman who stared daggers at both of us. She was beelining in our direction.
“See what I’m saying? You’d be doing me a favor by dancing with me.”
“Either that or putting a target on my back.”
“Come on. Just one dance, please.”
“Judah, you should dance with that girl. You were paired up with her.”
“Not my fault. Besides, there are some other guys here who are entertaining her.”
“She doesn’t seem to want them. She wants you.”
“She wants my pockets. She’s trying to get a man with money, like her mother and sister, so she doesn’t have to work.”
I sighed. “Fine, Judah.”
He took my hand and led me to the dance floor just as she reached the spot we stood in. We danced to Usher’s “You Make Me Wanna…” and Miguel’s “Adorn.” But it was Muni Long’s “Made for Me” that broke me.
“Are you good?” Judah asked as I pulled away from him quickly.
“Yeah. I just need to get things wrapped up because it’s ending.”
“Okay.”
I could tell from his tone of voice that he didn’t believe me, but he wasn’t about to argue with me about it. Thankfully, the wedding reception was ending. I advised Serena and Brielle to wrap everything up, and I excused myself to use the restroom.
Hiding in the bathroom for twenty minutes was unprofessional, but so was facing my guests with a face full of tears.
The lyrics had dug in my heart, because here I was planning the dream wedding for my ex and his new wife and ensuring everything went smoothly, while I was alone and lonely. No one was made for me.
His older brother had even felt sorry for me.
That was the real reason that Judah had come to ask me to dance.
His request would have caused me to melt in the past, but these days, I saw it for what it was, a pity dance.
I wondered if their mother had sent him.
I didn’t recall Judah being much of a dancer before.
He was always the more serious, reserved brother—spiritual but reserved.
The tears wouldn’t stop falling. “God, please help me get it together. I can’t do this.
I refuse to walk out there and make a fool of myself.
All day, I’ve been the consummate professional, and now I break down?
All because of a stupid song. Why couldn’t this have happened when I got home? ” I whispered, still sobbing.
I walked out of the stall and headed straight for the sink. Cold water on the face was supposed to do something. What, I wasn’t sure. It only pissed me off. The bathroom attendant handed me a towel.
“You did a fabulous job with this event,” the elderly woman stated.
“Thank you,” I replied with a smile.
“I don’t know what brought those tears to your beautiful face, but if you surrender it all to God, He will answer your prayers and make a way.”
I smiled softly at her again before I squared my shoulders and headed out of the restroom. The minute that I pushed the door open, another tear fell from my eyes. What the hell?
“There you are. I’ve been looking all over for you,” Judah declared, walking down the hall toward me.
I quickly wiped the tear from my face, but another one followed within seconds and then another one. I was so embarrassed, and I had no idea how to explain what was going on with me. Lucky for me, I didn’t have to, because he didn’t ask.
Judah gripped my chin between his fingers, tilted my head back, and covered my lips with his firm full ones. They were soft and sweet. I was so confused as to what was happening between us, but I couldn’t deny that I liked it.
He tugged at my chin and bit my bottom lip. I opened my mouth to lick away the sting of my lip, but he quickly soothed it with his tongue. My tummy clenched, and my toes literally curled in my shoes, but none of that compared to what was happening in my panties.
This man’s kiss had the power to literally make me cream in my panties. When he pulled back, I stared in amazement.
“What was that for?”
“You told me that I could always make you laugh; now I want to see if I can make you smile.”