Her eyes slowly cleared. ‘You do, don’t you?’
Maxie had taught him that love came at a cost, and that sometimes that cost was high. She had been right to defend her father. It was not right that Diego had allowed thoughts of revenge and rage to rampage through him for so many wasted years, or that he had allowed that fury onto the polo field, where it had nearly killed him and his horse, and had made him a danger to every other player in the game. He kissed her again to confirm in his own mind that all that was behind him now. She tasted so good, so sweet and fresh … so different, somehow.
What was different?
Some primal memory stirred inside him. ‘Why are you telling me this now?’ he repeated gently, moving his head on the pillow so she had to look at him.
‘Because it’s more important than ever that you and I don’t have any secrets between us,’ she said, holding his gaze trustingly.
He looked at her, frowning slightly. ‘Why more important than ever?’
‘Because we’re going to have a baby, Diego.’ She stopped and bit down on her lip, as if she wasn’t sure if he’d be pleased.
He shot up in bed. ‘Are you sure?’
‘I’m positive,’ she said quietly.
He exclaimed with pleasure—anticipation—excitement—a world of emotion flashing behind his eyes. ‘Can we tell everyone?’ he exulted.
‘No, it’s too soon. And the timing could be better.’
‘How could it be better?’ he demanded. ‘The timing is perfect,’ he argued fiercely.
‘Beating the bride to getting pregnant isn’t so great—especially when you’re a wedding planner who is supposed to be so organised.’
‘Nonsense!’ he exclaimed. ‘You got it exactly right—for us.’ Dragging her into his arms, he gazed into Maxie’s eyes intently, as if he would see some change there too. ‘All right. I won’t tell anyone,’ he promised. ‘At least not today. You’re going to be a mother!’ he exclaimed softly in wonder.
‘And you’re going to be a father,’ Maxie agreed wryly. ‘How do you feel about that, Diego?’
‘How do I feel?’ he demanded incredulously. ‘As if the world and everything in it is mine.’
‘Diego,’ she murmured when they finally found the willpower to break apart, ‘we’ve got a wedding to go to.’
Picking his watch up from the bedside table and glancing at it, he raised a brow.
‘You are impossible,’ she breathed as he pressed her down on the bed.
‘And you are the wholly irresistible mother of my child,’ he said, starting to unfasten the buttons on her blouse.
He had made love to Maxie in the way he intended to live his life from now on, Diego reflected as he examined his unusually smooth, freshly shaved face just before the wedding. Taking her gently and with reverence, he had experienced a deep calm and certainty inside him as she sighed with pleasure in his arms. She was the mother of his child, and they had a lifetime ahead of them in which he intended to demonstrate his love for Maxie in so many ways—not all of them calm and with reverence, he amended, smiling to himself as he racked his brain for ways they hadn’t made love yet. ‘You look fantastic, Diego.’
He turned to find her standing in the doorway. Tousled and sexily sated, she looked fantastic too, wearing nothing more than a sheet. ‘You’d better get a move on,’ he told her.
‘Don’t I know it?’ she agreed. ‘But it won’t take me long to shower and dress.’
She looked him over again. Diego was Ruiz’s best man, and Holly had requested he wear a pale, lightweight linen suit with a white open-necked shirt and a vibrant orchid in his buttonhole to pick up the colour of the bridesmaids’ dresses. Maxie adjusted his collar at the back, and then passed him some cologne which he slapped on reluctantly.
‘Are you sure you like this?’ he demanded, grimacing.
Maxie grinned. ‘I like everything about you.’
‘Later,’ he murmured, teasing her as he comforted himself that they had all the time in the world now and that nothing could ever part them again. ‘You’d better get ready,’ he urged, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. ‘You’re the one person who can’t afford to be late today. And I don’t want Holly coming after me for distracting her wedding planner.’
‘She’d be jealous if she knew the reason,’ Maxie teased him.
‘Not after tonight, I’m guessing,’ Diego told her dryly, on his way out of the room.
Maxie would be in the background today, making sure all her arrangements ran like clockwork. Her outfit would consist of a businesslike white shirt tucked into cream linen trousers, her only adornment the radio earpiece with attached microphone which she used to co-ordinate the various stages of the celebration.
‘Quick shower, and then I’ll see you downstairs,’ she shouted after him.
‘See you down there,’ he confirmed from the door. He was heading for Ruiz and patted his pocket to make sure he had the ring. ‘I love you,’ he murmured, holding Maxie’s gaze for one long, lingering moment.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
EVEN Maxie was blown away by the scene she had helped to design. The vast courtyard was dressed with a profusion of colourful blossom, while the wedding arbour where the couple would exchange their vows was a fragrant mass of lush white flowers and soft green foliage. Gilt chairs with the palest gold seat pads were lined up either side of the pastel primrose carpet down which the bride would glide.
Having checked with her assistants that there was nothing more she could do for now, she ran up to the terrace at the top of the steps and watched the remaining guests taking their seats. The air of anticipation was electric. An orchestra was setting the scene with an elegant Bach concerto while people chatted easily to each other. This was the moment she always enjoyed. She had done everything possible to make a perfect day for the bride, and now it only remained for the main players to take the stage.
A fanfare announced the arrival of Ruiz, accompanied by his equally striking brother Diego. A rustle of excitement swept the crowd as they walked down the bridal carpet, stopping from time to time to greet friends. It looked like a scene from a fairytale, she thought as Diego turned to look at her. She shared a brief look, and then got back on her radio to let everyone know the groom and best man were in position. It was only when she had finished the call that she spotted trouble brewing.
All the guests were looking forward, towards the arbour where Ruiz and Diego were standing, but one elderly woman was staring back at Maxie. She didn’t look like the usual troublemaker—someone who might have had too much to drink—this was a small, inoffensive-looking woman with neat grey hair. But the man seated at her side did look like trouble, and as he turned to stare Maxie was shocked to see the look he gave her. She couldn’t imagine what she’d done to deserve it. It was obviously a case of mistaken identity. But the man was on his feet now, with the older woman hanging on to his wrist.
‘Hold the bride,’ Maxie rapped into her radio mike. ‘I need a good ten to fifteen minutes here.’
A second call to the leader of the orchestra had them breaking into a jolly piece and playing much louder than they had before. The chattering guests were none the wiser, Maxie confirmed with relief. If words were to be exchanged this could be done discreetly now. She also warned Diego of a slight delay, taking care to make nothing of it. A last call to Lucia worked in her favour.
‘I’m not ready yet,’ Holly yelled in the background, and, seizing the receiver from Lucia, added, ‘Haven’t you heard of the bride’s right to keep the groom waiting?’
‘No, I never heard that before,’ Maxie said, forcing a wry note into her voice. Cutting the line, she hurried down the steps to what was looking more like trouble with every passing second.
She spoke to the man first. ‘Can I help you?’ She backed away as he came after her, with the older woman, Maxie presumed his mother, hot on his heels.
She wasn’t running away from either of them. She was drawing them out of earsho
t of the other guests. Leading them behind a screen that divided the wedding congregation from the linen-draped tables where the drinks for the champagne reception were sitting. She asked politely once again what was wrong.
‘You don’t know me,’ the man rapped with an ugly expression. ‘But I know you.’
He came towards her, with his mother hanging on to his arm.
‘My name is Maxie Parrish,’ Maxie said evenly. ‘I’m Holly’s wedding planner. If I can help you in any way …?’ Her voice might sound calm, but her heart was thundering at the sight of so much barely contained anger.
‘My name is Alessandro Fernandez,’ the man snarled, as if this should mean something to her. ‘And this is my mother, Señora Fernandez.’
‘I’m very pleased to meet you, Señora Fernandez,’ Maxie said politely, extending her hand. Instead of shaking it, the old lady started to cry. ‘Your mother’s upset,’ she exclaimed, when Alessandro took another menacing step towards her. Walking between him and his mother, she ushered Señora Fernandez towards one of the chairs set out for the older guests—and gasped with fright when Alessandro tried to grapple it from her.
‘Alesssandro!’ Señora Fernandez exclaimed, equally shocked.
Diego erupted round the screen, flinging himself between Maxie and Alessandro. It took all three of his brothers to hold him back. Flinging the chair aside with a roar of fury, Alessandro squared up to Diego, at which point Señora Fernandez entered the fray.
Maxie’s first impulse was to shield the older woman. ‘Can’t you see you’re upsetting your mother?’
‘I’m upsetting her?’ Alessandro ground out. ‘I think you will find it is you, Señorita Parrish, who insults my mother with your very presence at this wedding!’
‘I’m the wedding planner,’ Maxie pointed out. ‘Why would I not be here? And how have I upset you?’ Something made her look at Diego for the answer.
Before anyone had a chance to speak Alessandro’s mother stepped in. ‘This behaviour does you no credit, Alessandro. It will not bring your brother back.’ Turning to Maxie, she added, ‘Why is it only women who understand?’
The older woman’s voice was tinged with such sadness that Maxie shot another look at Diego, but he was pinning Alessandro to the spot with a warning stare. She didn’t know anyone in Argentina, Maxie reasoned. What could she possibly have done to have caused such distress?
‘Alessandro.’ Diego’s voice was low and menacing. ‘Your mother is right. This does no good.’
‘And what do you know?’ Alessandro sneered. ‘You have no heart. You have no feelings. You’re not capable of feeling anything, Diego. Does this woman know that?’ he said, sparing a withering glance for Maxie.