All You Need Is Love (10 page)

“Huh?” Nathan stared at his friend and business associate, not certain he’d heard correctly.

Ian chuckled. “Well, not literally, of course. You just need to get her away from all the stress for a bit. One night might be enough. And I’d be very happy to arrange the use of the owner’s suite for you at the Nob Hill hotel.”

Nathan was instantly intrigued. “You might have something there. I get her to the hotel, order in dinner, maybe arrange for a massage, and then, uh, finally break my dry spell.”

Laughter rumbled up from Ian’s chest. “I assure you, Nathan, that the length of your so-called dry spell is paltry when you compare it to the one I endured waiting for Tessa. Not that it wasn’t worth it, of course. But I’m guessing you don’t share the same sentiments at the moment.”

“Hell, no.” Nathan blew out a frustrated breath. “The difference is that you
chose
to be celibate while in my case the choice is being taken out of my hands.” He scowled. “And now that the tables are turned, you look mighty pleased with yourself, while the last time I was this on edge was when I thought Julia was dating some sleazebag venture capitalist.”

Ian grinned. “Well, I do empathize with you, mate. Though you’re quite right – I am exceedingly pleased with myself these days. Or, more accurately, exceedingly pleased with having Tessa in my life.”

Nathan’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Do not even think of telling me how hot your sex life is. I can already tell from that smug look on your face that you probably got a lot more action last night than I’ve had in a month.”

Ian raised a brow. “Ah, well, a gentleman never tells, does he? This is why you should take me up on my offer, Nathan. Get Julia away from all of that stress, order in a wonderful meal –
not
a bucket of fried chicken – and get her to relax for at least one night.”

“She’ll never go for it,” admitted Nathan in defeat. “Even if I kidnap her as you suggest, she’ll just dash out of there the second my back is turned. I’m telling you, Ian, she’s downright obsessed with having everything done exactly right. I took a peek the other night at just one day of her weekly planner and couldn’t believe my eyes. The entire day was filled from dawn to dusk.”

“Well, if you truly want to manage this situation properly, Nathan, then you’ll need to utilize one of the very first skills taught in any introductory management class.” Ian gave him a knowing smile. “Delegation.”

Nathan frowned. “How so?”

Ian gave a small shrug. “Take matters out of Julia’s very obviously overworked hands and pass them along to others who are willing to help. Her parents – her sister. For that matter, Tessa’s got some free time at the moment until our next business trip and I know she’d be delighted to help. Julia’s been a very good friend to her, after all, and I’m certain Tessa would be more than happy to return the favor any way she can. Here, I’ll give you her number.”

Nathan mulled over Ian’s advice even as he handed him his cell phone. “I think you’re on to something there. It will take some major coordination but I think I can pull it off. The real question is how to get Julia to the hotel without raising alarm bells.”

Ian handed Nathan’s phone – now with Tessa’s number in the directory – back across the table. “Leave that to me, why don’t you? The only other thing you need to do is let me know what day you want the suite. I’ll take care of the rest.”

“A couple of hours from now sounds awfully inviting,” muttered Nathan. “But realistically it’ll be more like a couple of days before I can pull everything together. So let’s say Thursday. And – thanks, Ian. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this. I owe you one.”

Ian’s hazel eyes twinkled. “Ah, but don’t forget that I still owe Julia for that little scheme she concocted back in February. The one I believe resulted in you having to purchase a very expensive pair of shoes for her. Tell her I said its payback time.”

***

Julia groaned when her office phone rang for the fifth time that morning. She was sorely tempted to let her voice mail pick up, but since she was waiting for a very important call back from a supplier she answered on the third ring.

“Julia, good morning. It’s Ian. I hope this isn’t a bad time for you,” greeted the charming Brit.

She bit her lip before she could reply that the last
month
had been a bad time for her. “Not at all,” she replied pleasantly, all the while glaring at the pile of work on her desk. “It’s always a pleasure to hear from you.”

“Well, I won’t take up much of your time. I can only imagine how busy things must be for you right now. But I was hoping that you might be able to spare me just a few minutes later today,” said Ian in a polite but determined tone, one that Julia knew she wouldn’t dream of arguing with.

“Yes, of course,” she agreed instantly. “Everyone here is always at your beck and call, Ian, you know that. So tell me how I can help you.”

“Ah, but for once this has nothing to do with the hotel or any other design projects,” he corrected. “I was actually hoping you’d help me select a birthday gift for Tessa. She’ll be twenty five at the end of the month.”

Julia was completely bewildered at such an unexpected request. “Yes, I know. We’re having lunch next week to celebrate. And as for choosing a gift – Ian, I’ve seen many of the things you’ve bought her – clothes, shoes, jewelry. You’ve got excellent taste, maybe even better than mine, so I can’t imagine why you’d need my help.”

Ian hesitated for several seconds, and Julia suspected he was improvising. “Yes, well, this particular gift – I just wanted a female opinion about it, that’s all. I promise it won’t take long.”

She glanced at her day planner and shuddered. “All right. I’ll move a few things around, see what I can do. What time should I arrive at your office?”

“Oh, I’m not at the office today,” he corrected, as though it was an afterthought. “No, I’m actually in a series of meetings all day up at the hotel. If you could meet me there instead that would be ideal, Julia.”

She frowned, feeling more than a little suspicious. “So you’re carrying this gift along with you?”

“No, no.” He was quick – maybe
too
quick – to reassure her. “It’s – I haven’t actually purchased it yet. It’s – well, just a photo I’ve got saved on my laptop.”

Julia brightened at this bit of news. “Well, why can’t you just email it to me, then? I’d be happy to look it over and email you my comments back.”

The impatience in Ian’s voice was more noticeable now. “Ah, no, that really won’t do, I’m afraid. I mean, if you don’t think it’s suitable then I was hoping you’d have some alternative ideas. It would just be – easier all around if you could meet me here. I promise it won’t take very long.”

She sighed in resignation, too weary to argue any further. “Fine. Tell me what time and where.”

After she’d agreed to arrive at the hotel at two p.m. and ask the concierge to page Ian, she hung up the phone, now thoroughly annoyed, both with Ian and herself.

‘You should have just told him no,’ she reprimanded herself severely. ‘You know you don’t have even five minutes to spare today. This is going to mean working an hour later, which means the place cards will have to wait until tomorrow. I’m
so
beginning to wish we’d just gotten married while we were still in Paris!’

She knew she was overextended and at the brink of exhaustion. And, with an unabashed admission of guilt, knew that she’d been taking a lot of her stress out on poor Nathan. He’d been trying, really trying, to be supportive and solicitous, but she’d been snapping at him as though she had 24/7 PMS.

And it wasn’t just Nathan who’d been on the receiving end of her bad moods. She’d been short-tempered and snappy with most everyone it seemed – her parents, Lauren – who’d started calling her Bridezilla and told her she needed a good, hard slap – Angela, Travis. It had been almost two weeks since she’d dragged herself to a yoga class, and she’d been eating some really godawful food lately. Just this morning, for example, she’d been desperate enough to take Courtney – Travis’ hipster, offbeat PA – up on her offer to bring back something for breakfast. Even now her tummy was rumbling in protest from the greasy mess of a breakfast sandwich she’d scarfed down – the combination of fried egg, melted cheese and questionable looking sausage patty apparently not agreeing with her. She missed her usual civilized breakfasts of chocolate croissants, fresh fruit, and a frothy cappuccino, and made herself a vow to start eating healthier any day now. Or at least as soon as she got caught up on everything.

The morning flew by, so hectic and packed with tasks that she didn’t even have time to dwell on the fact that Nathan had been oddly absent thus far. He’d left the flat even earlier than she had this morning, mumbling something about meeting a client. But since then he hadn’t dropped by her office to check up on her, or even sent a single text. Julia frowned, realizing this wasn’t her fiancée’s typical M.O., but then quickly forgot about it as her phone rang yet again.

***

The taxi dropped her off in front of the Gregson Hotel with only a couple of minutes to spare. After working with Ian for over a year now, she knew how precisely he stuck to his schedule, and even though their meeting today was personal, she still had zero desire to be late.

The very attractive and very charming concierge – who reminded Julia of a younger, slimmer but equally elegant version of Ian, complete with the same upper crust British accent – was extremely solicitous of Julia, having been apprised of her arrival.

“Yes, of course, Ms. McKinnon,” replied the concierge, whose elegantly scripted nameplate proclaimed him to be David Howell. “Mr. Gregson is expecting you. In fact, he left very specific instructions that I was to have one of my staff personally escort you upstairs. A moment, please.”

Julia frowned, even as David beckoned over a short, balding man dressed in a bellman’s uniform. “Ah, that’s really not necessary. I’m perfectly capable of finding my own way.”

David shook his head. “It’s no trouble at all, Ms. McKinnon. And Mr. Gregson was most insistent.”

She rolled her eyes. “And of course no one ever dares to argue with the fearsome Mr. Gregson, do they?”

David merely offered up a polite smile in response, but Julia swore she saw a hint of a twinkle in his eyes. “Well,
I
certainly don’t argue with him. Now, if you’d be so kind as to follow Felix, he’ll make certain you get to your destination. A pleasure, Ms. McKinnon.”

Felix the bellman didn’t speak a word on the elevator ride up, and Julia frowned when she noticed he’d pressed the floor for the penthouse.

“I’m meeting Mr. Gregson in the penthouse suite?” she asked in bewilderment. “Are you absolutely certain that’s correct?”

Felix gave a curt nod. “That’s what I was told, miss. To bring you to the owners suite. We don’t question Mr. Gregson’s instructions.”

“Of course you don’t,” she grumbled half under her breath. “We wouldn’t dream of challenging His Royal Highness’ authority, would we?”

Felix refused to rise to the bait, merely arching a brow and focusing his gaze on the panel of floor buttons. They were the only occupants of the elevator at it zoomed up higher and higher, and Julia felt a little queasy, the remnants of her greasy breakfast sandwich still roiling around in her belly.

The bellman opened the wide double doors that led into the owner’s suite, extending an arm towards Julia. “Go right in, miss. You’re expected.”

Julia was feeling more than a little unsettled by now, finding this entire set of circumstances both confusing and more than a little suspicious. But as she stepped into the elegant marble floored foyer of the suite, Felix shut the doors firmly behind her and she had no choice but to venture further inside.

“Ian?” she called out tentatively. “It’s Julia. Where are – oh.”

She stopped short, poised at the entrance to the grand, beautifully furnished living room, her bewilderment slowly turning to annoyance as she realized she’d been duped.

“Nathan.”

Her fiancée had a sheepish look on his handsome face, his hands thrust into the pockets of his khaki trousers.

“Hey, baby,” he said softly. “Surprised to see me?”

She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him. “You could say that, yes. Want to tell me what’s going on here?”

Nathan eyed her warily. “Not until you put that purse down and have a seat. And promise not to scream until you’ve heard me out.”

But she ignored him, and remained standing, tapping her foot impatiently. “Think I’ll stand, thanks. You know, in case I need to leave quickly. Like, within the next ninety seconds unless you can give me a real good reason why you and your pal Ian decided to play this little trick on me. And especially when I’ve got way too much to do for playing games right now.”

He sighed. “I knew you’d react this way. And I’m sorry I had to trick you, but there was no way in hell you would have agreed to this willingly.”

Julia glanced around the lavishly appointed room, unable to resist admiring the regal furnishings, artwork and sculptures that had been very tastefully arranged. “Why don’t you start by defining exactly what
this
is supposed to be?”

Nathan walked towards her slowly, almost as if he expected her to turn and run at any moment. Or throw something at him. “
This
is a chance for you to sit back and chill out for the next – oh, I don’t know – let’s say eighteen hours or so. In case it’s escaped your notice, you’ve been a wigged-out, stressed-out basket case for nearly a month now, Julia. And it’s got to stop. You’ll make yourself ill before much longer.”

Her mouth tightened in annoyance. “Well, duh. Of course I’m stressed out. But, as I’ve pointed out to you more than once, this wedding won’t plan itself. And I know you’ve offered to help – multiple times, but let’s face it, Nathan. Not only are you knee deep in construction plans for our new house, you have all of your work projects as well. You have less free time than I do. Not to mention the fact,” she added gingerly, “all of this girly wedding stuff isn’t exactly your forte, honey.”

He scowled. “I’ll try not to take that as an insult. And I know you’re completely overburdened, baby. Which is why I took it upon myself to delegate out a bunch of those wedding tasks.”