Still standing by the door, Lani gave Ridge a look of puzzlement.
“My brother,” Ridge said then waved her over to a chair. “He heard your name when Miss Poole announced you.”
“Oh.” Lani relaxed visibly. “For a moment there I thought you’d been discussing me or something.”
Ridge cocked an eyebrow. “Now why would you think that?”
“I don’t know. I just…” She shook her head. “Anyway, that’s not important. What’s important is why I came to see you.”
Ridge watched as she settled in her chair then, his thoughts racing, he walked back to his desk but he did not retake his seat. Instead, he perched his rear on the edge of the desk and as he stared at her he folded his arms. “And why did you come to see me, Miss Donatelli?”
For just a fraction of a second tough little Lani looked hesitant, like she was afraid to say whatever it was she’d come to tell him. But then he saw her set her lips in a tight line and when she looked back at him her dark eyes flashed and she did not drop her gaze.
“I came to see you, Mr. Kent, to tell you that I will marry you.” Her brows furrowed and she raised her hand to point an imperious finger at him. "But only for one year and not a day more. Do you understand?”
Ridge stared back at her, his look deliberately serious, but inside he was laughing. The way Lani was talking anybody would think she was the one in control of this situation. She was like a little terrier trying to assert its authority over a Mastiff.
After staring her down for a few seconds longer Ridge gave her a slow smile. “I’m glad you came around, Lani. Now go get yourself in order. We’re getting married next weekend.”
CHAPTER THREE
“I’m still amazed. How did you pull this off so fast?” Marie Donatelli straightened Lani’s veil one more time. “A full-scale wedding in two weeks? How is that even possible?”
“I keep telling you, Mom, I had nothing to do with it. It was Ridge’s team that pulled it all together.” She wrinkled her nose. “I guess all things are possible as long as you have the money.”
Marie smiled. “Well, it certainly helps.”
“Yeah, it does, doesn’t it?” Lani’s words came out more as a grumble than a compliment. It was so unfair. The money had come so easy for this event – and Lani knew Ridge was spending thousands – but when it came to finding money for research that could make a huge difference in people’s lives, she couldn’t get any. Unless, of course, she married a man who was an expert at working her last nerve. How she would survive a year with him, she had no idea.
Marie stepped back, her brown eyes glistening as she gazed at her daughter. “You look so beautiful,” she murmured, her voice cracking. “The perfect bride.”
Lani frowned. “Mom, are you crying? Don’t tell me you’re getting emotional over this. I told you, it’s just an arrangement. We’ll be going our separate ways in a year.” Then she gave Marie a cheeky grin. “Or less, if I’m lucky.”
“I know your situation is a bit…unorthodox…but it’s a wedding. My daughter’s wedding. I can’t help it if I get choked up.”
“Just try and hold it in,” Lani said drily. “Please.”
Marie sighed. “I’ll try, honey, but I’m not promising anything. You know me.”
Lani shook her head but she didn’t answer. Yes, she knew her mother well, like how she would tear up at the drop of a hat. Her mom cried over commercials, for goodness sake.
“But do you know what?” Marie continued. “Maybe it’s a good thing this is happening. You were always so focused on your studies and then on your work, you haven’t paid much attention to your social life.”
Lani gave Marie a crooked smile. “You seem to know a lot about my social life.”
“I do,” Marie said with absolutely no hesitation. “You’re twenty-nine, Lani. It’s time you started thinking about your future.”
“I am thinking about my future. That’s why I work so hard.”
Marie gave an exasperated sigh. “Let me put this another way. It’s time you started thinking about my future which, I hope, will include grandbabies.”
Lani laughed. “Mom, you're asking for grandkids already? You’re only fifty-five. You’re not like Dad, who’s already retired. You’re a busy woman. Where would you have time for grandchildren?”
“Don’t you worry about that. All I want is for you to start thinking about family. You’re not getting any younger. Remember that.”
Lani didn’t bother answering. It was no use reminding her mother that this wasn’t a real marriage, only a temporary arrangement that would be over in a year. When she’d first told her about it, instead of expressing shock that her daughter would even consider such an arrangement she’d looked relieved, like she was glad there was finally hope for Lani. At the news, her father had simply shrugged and said, “You do what you have to do.” She had such weird parents.
The only sane one had been her sister. Three years older than Lani, she’d always acted like she was a surrogate mom, dispensing advice like it was her purpose in life. Of course, she’d had lots to say about the ‘arrangement’. She hadn’t liked the idea, not one bit, and she’d told Lani so. But Lani had made up her mind and she wasn’t about to change because Paula said so. It wasn’t like she ever followed her sister’s advice anyway.
And just as the thought crossed her mind the door swung open and Paula stuck her head inside. “Come on, Lani. We’re ready for you. Dad’s already at the front, waiting to give you away.”
Those words made Lani’s heart flip over but she straightened her back and drew in a steadying breath. Then, as her sister held the door wide open, she walked out.
“Well, here goes nothing,” she muttered under her breath.
***
“You pulled this one out of a hat,” Ransom said, peering into the mirror as he straightened his bow tie. “Where’ve you been hiding the little lady?”
“Oh, around,” Ridge said casually as he relaxed on the sofa and watched as his older brother finished his titivation then turned toward him. “We’ve known each other about a year.” He wasn’t prepared to say much more than that. He’d already spilled his guts to Rafe. He wasn’t about to give his other brothers reason to start bugging him. Rafe was a risk-taker so he was cool but Ransom and Ryder? Too uptight for anybody’s good.