Graham laughed and gave her a light hug. No matter how awkward and uncomfortable he often felt in his brothers presence, Ellie had a way of making him relax. She was seven months pregnant with their third child and it obviously agreed with her. Her eyes and complexion glowed as she beamed up at him. Tiny and blond, she was still as lovely at thirty-eight as she had been back in high school when she and Terrence had been voted the most popular couple.
I didnt exactly do it on my own, Graham said. I had a little help.
It was still your vision. Were all so proud of you. Arent we, Terry?
His brothers gaze didnt quite meet Grahams. Im just sorry Mom couldnt be here tonight.
Shes where she needs be. Their grandmother had fallen a few days earlier and broken a hip. Their mother, Audrey, had driven up to Lufkin to be with the older woman while she underwent surgery and physical therapy.
Michael placed his hand on Grahams shoulder, a friendly reminder of their earlier conversation. I need to mingle. Ill see you later.
After he was gone, Graham and Ellie chatted for a few minutes while Terrence watched the crowd with a brooding scowl. When there was a lull in the conversation, Graham said, Ive had time to think about our earlier discussion. Id like to drop by and sign the papers in the morning before Kendall and I head back to Austin. That is, if youve got time to see me.
Terrences gaze narrowed. Are you sure you want to do this? Once those papers are signed, itll be a done deal. I dont need you coming back in a few days accusing me of having railroaded you into this.
Im sure, Graham said, trying to tamp down a spurt of anger at his brothers tone. I dont know why I was so resistant this afternoon. It just made me think of Dad
Yeah, I know.
Their gazes finally met, and for the first time in a long time, an unspoken understanding passed between them.
Ellie, who was never one to allow a silence to grow awkward, slipped her arm through her husbands. Im dying for a drink, honey, and I havent seen anything all night except champagne. She patted her stomach. Do you think you could find me a ginger ale?
Sure. Be right back.
Once Terrence disappeared, Ellie moved closer to Graham. Thank you.
For what?
You know for what.
He shrugged. Like I said, I should never have been so resistant.
And Terry shouldnt have been so pushy. I know how he gets. Especially with you. Hes like a bulldozer.
Its not just him. We rub each other the wrong way. Always have and probably always will.
That makes me so sad.
Graham smiled. Dont let it get to you. Its just the way things are.
But it shouldnt be that way. You two are brothers. You should be closer. Especially now that
Now that what? Graham asked curiously.
She hesitated, her gaze scanning the crowd. Now that you have a new niece or nephew on the way, she murmured.
I can still be a doting uncle, just like I am with Ashley and Caitlin.
Ellie and Terrences two daughters were ten years apart. Ashley was fifteen going on thirty, a blue-eyed blonde who looked just like her delicate mother but with her fathers propensity for hell-raising. That she was causing Terrence the same kind of grief hed put their mother through at the same age was completely lost on him. It was strange because when theyd been teenagers, Graham had never been able to relate to Terrences rebellion, but now he was often the one Ashley turned to for advice.
The younger girl, Caitlin, not only looked like her mother, but also had Ellies sweet disposition. Nothing ever seemed to faze the five-year-old, even the occasional scream fests between her father and older sister.
And now they had another one on the way. Graham loved his nieces dearly, but sometimes after theyd all been together for a holiday or birthday, he was left wondering if he was cut out to be a father. He hadnt said anything to Kendall about his doubts, but he might have to because lately shed been bringing up the subject of children a lot.
Wheres Kendall? Ellie asked as if reading his mind.
Ive been wondering the same thing. She went to powder her nose a little while ago and I havent seen her since.
Is she okay?
Why wouldnt she be?
Ellie hesitated. We had lunch today and she seemedI dont knowquiet. She said she felt fine, but I thought she looked a little stressed.
Shes probably just worn herself out making all the arrangements for our trip.
Oh, yes, that trip. Ellie sighed. Im so envious. What I wouldnt give if Terry and I could get away for a whole month. But once you have kids, everything changes. I doubt well be able to manage more than a weekend getaway for the next eighteen years. She adjusted her beaded jacket over her stomach. Sometimes I wonder what we were thinking. Then againthinking had very little to do with it. She paused with a chuckle. You know, a trip like thatjust the two of youI wouldnt be surprised if Kendall came home pregnant.
Graham almost choked on his champagne.
She laughed again. Youd better get used to the idea of being a daddy, Graham, because I think your lovely wife is ready. More than ready.
Graham felt a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach. Was that why Kendall had been so emotional recently? Shes notshe didnt tell you
Listen to you stammer! She didnt tell me she was pregnant, no. But I dont know why youre freaking out at the possibility. Youd be a terrific father.
Not every couple wants to have children, Graham said with a scowl.
Thats true. But Im pretty sure Kendall does.
She said that?
Ellie shrugged. Not in so many words, but I can tell. Its none of my business, of course
Oh, come on, Graham said dryly. Since when has that ever stopped you?
True. Okay, Ill just say it. Is everything okay between you two? Is there some reason why you dont want to start a family just yet?
Everythings fine. Weve never been better. And maybe thats what scares me, Graham admitted. Things are so good between us, I dont want our relationship to change.
It could be a change for the better, you know. I may complain about being tied down, but I wouldnt take anything for my girls. And Terrencewell, you know how he feels about them.
Im not Terrence.
No, youre not. She gave him an amused look. I wonder if I should tell you something.
Graham groaned. Why do I feel as if this conversation has led me straight into a minefield?
Relax. It doesnt have anything to do with having babies. Her blue eyes sparkled. Did you know I used to have a little crush on you in high school?
Oh, right. Your boyfriends geeky younger brother.
You werent geeky. You were deep. And dont think I didnt notice how you looked in that football uniform.
How could you tell? I never got off the bench. Whereas Terrence
Oh, your brother was something all right and I was crazy about him. But you had something special. A quiet kind of confidence that made me think youd be the person Id run to if I were ever in trouble. You still have that quality, Graham.
Oh, your brother was something all right and I was crazy about him. But you had something special. A quiet kind of confidence that made me think youd be the person Id run to if I were ever in trouble. You still have that quality, Graham.
He gave her a rueful look. You give me far too much credit. Terrence is the hero type, not me.
She reached up and patted his cheek. Thats one of the things Ive always adored about you. Youre totally oblivious to your appeal. Kendall is one very lucky woman. I hope she knows that.
No, Im the lucky one, Graham thought, his gaze returning to the crowd. And now if he could just find his wife, the evening would be perfect.
A LITTLE WHILE later, Graham finally spotted Kendall in the crowd. Her red dress stood out like a beacon amidst the sea of black tuxedoes and ball gowns, and his focus vectored in and lingered for the longest moment as he sipped his champagne and tried to hide a sudden impatience.
He would have preferred to do more than admire his wife from afar, but anything other than a smile would have to wait until they got back to the hotel.
He shifted restlessly as he continued to watch her. She was tall and elegant and so graceful she appeared to float through the room. Up close, the scars from the accident were still visible, but rather than detracting from her looks, the imperfections gave her a fragile, ethereal beauty that served to remind Graham of how fleeting life could be. How important it was to live each moment as though it were the last.
Ellie and Terrence had disappeared a few minutes ago, and now Graham stood alone and pensive. Hed lost his enthusiasm for the event and wondered when he and Kendall could slip away. It was all he could do to keep from glancing at his watch, but he told himself that he should just relax. After all, it wasnt every day a man realized a lifelong dream.
As the architect on record for the project, Graham had been invited to say a few words to the crowd, but hed declined so that the guest of honorthe Mexican ambassador to the United Stateswould have more time at the podium. Manuel Garza was just winding up his speech. He had close ties to PemCo Oil and had been a strong advocate of deregulating Mexicos petroleum industry to allow in foreign investors. Hed seized the opportunity to stress the necessity of developing a regional energy program and cited the PemCo Tower as a symbolic merger of the two great neighbors. It was a gutsy speech, considering the protests back home.
As the ambassador began to close, Grahams attention drifted to the windows and to the panoramic view of the city. Even now, standing at the very pinnacle of his dream, he could scarcely believe hed accomplished what he had set out to domake his mark on the skyline of his hometown.
As hed told Ellie earlier, the accomplishment was not his alone. Austin-based Hollister and Associates had collaborated on the design with a larger architectural firm in Houston, as well as with the developer, builder and representatives from PemCo Oil.
Thousands of hours had gone into both the design and construction of the building, but all that was behind Graham now. When he walked out of the building tonight, his role in the project would be greatly diminished. He and Kendall would finally be able to enjoy the vacation theyd been talking about for years. A month-long adventure that would take them to Bora Bora, Hong Kong, Singapore and finally the Australian outback.
The tickets and itinerary, along with their passports, were tucked away in his desk drawer at home, their suitcases had been brought down from the attic and Kendall had been feverishly shopping for weeks.
From the parade of sundresses, shoes and sportswear that had been modeled in their bedroom night after night, the one thing that stood out in Grahams memory was a certain turquoise bikini that made him anticipate even more keenly the long, luxurious days on a private island in the South Pacific that would launch the trip.
He could picture Kendalls long, toned body stretched out on the sand, her skin warm and silky to his touch. The image was so vivid that Graham could almost smell the coconut oil, but the stirring of warmth in the lower part of his body was all too real. He needed to think about something else.
You know, a trip like thatjust the two of youIwouldnt be surprised if Kendall came home pregnant.
His thoughts skidded to a halt as his sister-in-laws prediction rushed through his head. How would he feel about that? Graham wondered. Hed never thought of himself as the paternal type, but deep down, he knew that wasnt the real reason for his hesitancy.
After five years of marital bliss, he still harbored a secret doubt about his relationship with Kendall. What if she decided to leave him again?
His gaze went back to her. He couldnt help it. He loved looking at her. But as she drifted closer, he noticed something he hadnt been able to see from a distance. The anxious glitter in her dark eyes might have gone unnoticed if he hadnt been watching her so closely. She was still smiling, but tension tightened the corners of her mouth and her fingers strayed to the gold necklace at her throat, a sure sign that she was upset.
She stopped for a moment, waylaid by someone Graham didnt know, and as the man leaned in to make himself heard over the ambassador, Kendalls gaze uneasily searched the room. Her eyes found Graham, moved away, then came back, a silent plea emanating from the brown depths.
Something was wrong. Graham could see the distress on her face. He started toward her, but at the same moment, a waiter collided with someone in front of him. The heavy tray of crystal flutes toppled, showering champagne over those in the immediate vicinity.
A collective gasp rose from the crowd as everyone scurried out of the way, and Grahams view of Kendall was momentarily blocked.
Somewhere nearby a woman screamed. Not the shocked squeal of someone who had been doused by champagne, but a horrified, ear-splitting shriek that stunned the room into silence.
Everyone seemed to drop back a step, creating a void at the front of the room where a man had collapsed. Graham recognized him instantly. It was Manuel Garza.
Grahams first thought was that the man had had a heart attack as he left the podium, but then he saw a crimson puddle beneath Garzas left shoulder.
The ambassadors wife was on her knees beside him, her hands covered in blood. She looked up, her eyes frantic and brimming. Por favor! Someone help him!
Graham reacted instinctively. He moved forward, not really knowing what he could do, but in the space of a heartbeat, security came out of the woodwork. Graham was pushed back into the crowd by a man wearing an earpiece. As the officer spoke rapidly into a transmitter concealed by his sleeve, he turned away, and Graham saw someone else rush toward the wounded man.
A hand reached out and grabbed her, but she jerked free and shouted, For Gods sake, Im a doctor! Let me help him!
The ambassadors personal bodyguards quickly formed a protective circle around him as the undercover HPD officers assigned to the event moved to restore order. But in the initial pandemonium, Graham had lost sight of Kendall.
He turned now, desperate to find her. He couldnt see her at first, but then he spotted a splash of red near the entrance.
Kendall!
Whether she somehow heard him over the roar of the panicked crowd, or whether the force of his gaze drew her attention, Graham didnt know. But at that exact moment, she glanced back, her gaze clinging to his a split second before he found himself pushed back against the wall.