Leo shot George a sideways glance and lifted his glass. "Thank you. You haven't said much about my bride-to-be."
"What's to say?" George asked. "She's beautiful." He shrugged and tossed back the scotch, setting his glass down for a refill. "There's just something about her."
"What?" Leo asked, his antennae on alert. George was an excellent judge of character.
George frowned and squinted his eyes. "I can't put my finger on it. She's not evil," he said. "But there's something going on beneath the surface. The woman's more complicated than she seems."
Leo twirled the thought around in his head. "Most intelligent women are complicated."
"True," George said, nodding his head. "How'd the prenup go?"
"I insisted she have her attorney look at it. He put in a clause about her getting ten million after six months," Leo said. "Mine cut it down to two million. Her attorney didn't like it, but she signed." He shrugged. "She's so family-focused that I'm sure this wasn't her idea. It had to have come from her attorney."
"You're sure she doesn't know your guardian helped bring down her father?" George asked.
"How could she?" Leo asked, the familiar taste of bitterness filling his mouth at the mention of Clyde Hawkins. "It was ten years ago, and I've wiped out my association with him. Besides, that was one scheme I didn't play. I may have been introduced as Clyde's genius, gifted son, but I didn't have to do anything but validate Clyde's super success."
"Why are you marrying her?" George asked bluntly.
Not many would have the nerve to question his decisions, but he trusted George more than he trusted anyone else. "Besides the fact that I want to have sex with her?"
George chuckled. "Yes."
"I want the expanding Japanese and Indian markets, and I'm finding that the leaders of the companies I'm negotiating with aren't comfortable with my single status. I'm competing with other companies for the business. It's time to get a wife. Calista fits the bill. She's well educated and beautiful. She'll be an asset."
"So this is a business decision?" George asked.
"Mostly," Leo said. "The timing is good-no long engagement period."
George clicked his shot glass against his again. "I wish you a happy home then, Leo. After all you've been through, you deserve something good. I hope Calista will be good for you."
Calista practiced yoga breathing as the helicopter descended to Leo's helipad at the lake. In a matter of hours, she would be married."Omigod, this is amazing," Tami said, lifting her cell phone toward the window and taking a picture. "I have to text my boyfriend a photo. Will there be a photographer at the ceremony?"
"Yes," Calista said, taking another deep breath.
"Are you okay?" Tina asked. "You look whiter than usual."
"It's the helicopter," Calista insisted and forced a smile. "Did you enjoy the ride?"
"It was sweet," Tina said.
"What about you, Justin?" she asked her nephew.
"Cool," he said, clearly trying to appear unimpressed but not quite succeeding. "I want one of these when I grow up."
Sharon laughed. "Keep your grades up and go to college and you may have a shot at it."
The helicopter landed and several members of Leo's staff stood to greet them. A man helped her sisters, cousin, her cousin's husband and son out of the helicopter. Calista found herself pausing before she accepted the assistance of a man to help her step onto the ground. Every passing second drew her closer to the time when she would become Leo Grant's wife. Her heart raced in fear at the thought, then she looked at her sisters. So young, yet their childhoods had been stolen from them. The least she could do was to give them some security now and a solid start for their adult lives.
"Miss French," the man said, having been schooled in her appearance. She wondered from where Leo or his assistant had pulled her photograph, then pushed the thought aside.
"Thank you very much," she said and smiled.
"My name is Henry. I'm in charge of Mr. Grant's lake home. I have a special suite for you to dress for the ceremony. Mr. Grant has ordered rooms and food for the rest of your family," he said, guiding her down the walk. "I'm told that the second you are sequestered in your suite, I am to call Mr. Grant. He is in a room facing away from the lake."
She smiled. So, he had stuck to the agreement not to see her before the wedding. She had to like him for that. Her stomach dipped again. She would need to exhibit far more than like in their wedding bed tonight. She was terrified her true feelings for Leo would show.
Following Henry toward the suite, she heard her sisters gasp in approval as they walked inside Leo's home. "Sweet," Tami said. "More pics."
"I can't remember being in a house this beautiful," Tina said, looking around.
Calista felt a twist of regret that she hadn't been able to provide more for her young sisters after her parents' deaths.
Her cousin studied her and broke away from her husband to come to Calista's side. "You need someone to help you get ready," Sharon insisted.
"I'll be fine. Just a little repair work on my hair and face, pull up my dress and I'm done," Calista said, the strange sensation of panic and numbness filling her again.
Sharon frowned. "I'll hang around anyway. A bride shouldn't be alone on her wedding day."
Perhaps her cousin was right. Calista was feeling the unmistakable surge of fight-or-flight syndrome, and at the moment flight seemed most possible.
"This way, ladies," Henry said, guiding them up a curved stairway. "Jamal will take the rest of you to your rooms. Refreshments will be waiting."
"Thank goodness, I'm starving," Justin muttered.
"See you soon, bridie," Tami said with a broad smile.
"See you soon," Calista replied with much less enthusiasm.
Sharon helped Calista get dressed and encouraged her to eat. Calista couldn't swallow a bite. Even though this was the best possible result from her plan, she couldn't believe it was happening so fast.
"You look dazed and pale, sweetheart. Are you okay?" Sharon asked, her face full of worry.
"Just wedding-day jitters," Calista said with a smile.
"Are you sure this is what you want?" Sharon asked. "You haven't known Leo very long at all."
Calista recited her rehearsed response, "When it's right, it's right."
"But still," Sharon said, frowning.
A knock sounded on the door. "Oh, could you please get that?" she asked, thankful for the interruption. The photographer appeared. "Ready for me to take a few shots?"
"Of course," she said, smoothing her dress with her hands. "Sharon, come stand here with me."
Sharon shook her head shyly. "Oh, no. It's your time to shine. You look beautiful."
"But I want my close family members with me," Calista said. "Please get my sisters and bring them here."
Calista posed for several pictures before her sisters and Sharon returned. Then she took several pictures with them. Tami took a few pics with her cell phone. Calista drank in the sight of her happy sisters and reminded herself repeatedly that they were the reason she was doing this. Their lives would be so much better because she was marrying Leo.
One of Leo's staff poked her head in the doorway. "It's time," she said with a smile. "Are you ready?"
"Yes," Tami and Tina chorused, giggling with excitement.
Sharon placed a kiss on Calista's cheek. "I'll see you on the dock. You can still change your mind," she said.
How I wish. Calista smiled instead. "I'm all decided. Thank you for coming today."
"Wouldn't miss it," Sharon said. "Be happy."
Happiness for herself was the last thing on Calista's mind as she and her sisters walked down the staircase. Just before they stepped outside, Tami turned to her and adjusted her veil. "You really do look beautiful. Leo is one lucky dude."
Calista laughed. "You're sweet. Both of you look gorgeous yourselves."
"Do we really get to go for a boat ride after the ceremony?" Tina asked.
"Sure do. We're changing clothes and eating on Leo's yacht," Calista said. "Now let's get this over-" She barely caught herself. "Let's get this wedding on its way."
On either side of her, her sisters escorted her down to the dock. As she rounded the corner, she saw the minister, George and Leo. Her heart felt as if it dipped to her feet at the sight of him. Dressed in a designer black suit with a crisp white shirt and crimson tie, she knew the second he saw her. She felt the weight and heat of his gaze from yards away.