Chapter 150

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the Bryan home where Gaby greeted Ava in the doorway, dragging her immediately away to the pool.  A wave of blue-tipped fingers indicated that Ava heard her father’s call of, “Tell them we’ll be out in a minute, Baby Girl.” 

Allegra had been extraordinarily quiet ever since the news about the test results, and her eyes looked watery.  Richie didn’t quite understand why she was so upset, but he wanted to get to the bottom of it before they joined the others. 

He shepherded her into David’s music room, just off the foyer, for a little privacy.  They’d no more stepped through the doorway than she immediately launched herself into his arms and gave in to the tears that had been threatening.

“Is this about the phone call?”

She nodded against his chest, gulping back her sobs.

“I don’t want you to do another test,” he reiterated, tucking her head under his chin, rocking her gently.  “There’s no reason for it, and I can’t stand the thoughts of ending up in the ER again, worrying about whether we just killed our baby in the name of its good health.  And the fucking paternity test isn’t even a consideration, because my name is going on that birth certificate as Bug’s father – end of story.”

Allegra clung to him and her hair tickled his chin when she nodded again. “I know,” she snuffled.  “I don’t want to do it again either.”

“Then what’s wrong, baby?”

Her chest heaved against him as she swallowed several lungs full of air to get her voice.  “I – I thought it was going to be over,” she hiccupped.  “The uncertainty, the wondering.  I thought something would go right for a change, and the test would prove this IS our baby.  We went through all of the… crap and still don’t have that peace of mind.  I’m just disappointed.”

He tipped her face up and dabbed at the rivulets streaming down her face.  “I do have peace of mind and I was hoping that, by now, you would too.  Didn’t that ER visit give you enough reason to start believing?”

“I guess.” Her eyes fell to the marble floor.  “But I’m afraid this paternity thing going to hang over our heads and come crashing down when we least expect it.”

She was starting to make him mad.  There was nothing to come crashing down.  It was almost as if she didn’t want him to be the father.  Well, it was getting old and he wasn’t doing this for the rest of the baby’s life.  It was going to stop now.

“Allegra, do you love me?  Do you want to marry me?”

A bewildered frown marred her pretty features.  “Yes, of course.”

“Do you want me to be a father to this baby?”

“You know I do.”

Taking a deep breath, he stuffed down the anger, somehow keeping his tone level when saying, “Then don’t ever imply that I’m not the father again.”

“I wasn’t doing that!”  Allegra jerked away, wiping at the dampness on her face.  She leaned stiffly into the black lacquer baby grand at her back, belligerent tears bubbling back to the surface.

Dammit.

He didn’t want to start a fight, he just wanted her to listen to her heart and believe what it was saying. 

Tenderly cupping her jaw with a patient sigh, he slid a thumb along her cheekbone, even as she tried to retreat from his touch. 

“Yes, you were.  Every time you mourn the fact that we haven’t proven the baby’s paternity, you’re putting it out there that I’m not Bug’s daddy.  And, quite frankly, it hurts my feelings.  I’ve told you a thousand times that I don’t care what the test says, but for some reason you keeping tuning me out.  So listen carefully.  I’m going to say this one more time.” 

He stared directly into the blue eyes that overflowed like cerulean pools, silently demanding that she not look away.  A gentle palm cradled her tummy and he prayed to God that she was finally listening as he spoke from the depths of his heart.   “There is no question in my mind.  This is my baby and I’ll spend the rest of my life loving and providing for it – and you.”

Her slow nod tipped the gathered moisture from her eyes, and Richie kissed away the fresh tear that trailed down her cheek.  “Does this mean you get it now?”

She nodded again, still sniffling.  “I’m sorry.  I know you want us and would never hurt your feelings on purpose.  The hormones are making me crazy.”

“I know they are, darlin’,” he crooned, hauling her into his embrace.  “But Bug will be worth it, I promise.  In the meantime, I’ll be here to help get you through the crazy.”  He planted a quick kiss on top of her head.  “Whaddaya say we go enjoy the day with our friends, okay?”

The tightening of her arms at his waist kept him trapped in place, and her muffled voice drifted up to him.  “Richie?”

“What?”  He liked that she was finally leaning on him.  She was still independent as hell, and he loved that too, but this was nice.  He felt connected to her.

“I think Faith is a pretty name for a girl.”

He grinned and squeezed a little harder.  Damn, she knew just how to touch him.  “I think so, too.”

♥♪♫♥

“Dammit Legs, where have you been?” David fussed, frowning even as he kissed her forehead affectionately.  “Lexi’s new best friend is driving me fucking nuts and Jon is showing no sympathy whatsoever.”

“Sorry, I had a phone call,” she explained, thanking Richie as he held a chair for her under the umbrella at the poolside table.  She gave Jon a smile as she dropped down next to Dot, who was immediately in her ear.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she responded in a comparably quiet voice.  “We’ll talk later.”

“You look like you’ve been crying.  Is Sir Assalot at it again?”

Richie’s face appeared between them, whispering, “No.  He’s not.”

Allegra laughed and pushed him away.  “Go play with David, you big goof.  He obviously needs a shoulder to whine on.”  To Dot she assured, “No, he’s really not.  Damn hormones just make everything bigger than life.”

“Speaking of bigger than life,” Jon mumbled with a nod toward Lexi and a… man who was holding onto her with one arm while a small, fluffy white dog was perched on the other.  Standing, Jon told his wife, “I’m gonna go swim with the kids.”

“Coward,” she called quietly after him.

“We’ll see who is whining on whose shoulder now,” David told Allegra in a hushed tone, looking back and forth between her and Richie.  “Please don’t blame me for this.”

“Allegra!  There you are!” Lexi greeted her with an enthusiastic hug, latching onto her hand as they separated.  “I heard your ring was gorgeous,” she commented, perusing it carefully.  “And David was right.  It’s stunning.  Richie, you did a good job!”  Her approval was accompanied by a greeting kiss on the cheek.

“Allegra seems happy with it, so I will graciously accept the compliment.  Thanks, Lex.” He returned her kiss and held his hand out to her guest.  “Hey, man.  I’m Richie and this is my fiancée, Allegra.  My daughter Ava is the little blonde in the blue bathing suit.”  He nodded in the direction of the pool.

“I was half a step too slow,” Lexi apologized.  “I was just getting ready to introduce you to Kristofer.  Kristofer, this is the couple I was telling you about.  They got engaged last week.”

Allegra was proud of Richie for not laughing in the poor man’s face.  His obviously bleached blonde hair – contrasting starkly with the black Ray-Ban sunglasses perched on the end of his nose – was poofed high and curly in the front while the back swooped into a close-cropped duck tail.  His meticulously pressed Oxford shirt and white tennis shorts were a shocking pink and white, respectively, and each bore razor sharp creases.  The sweater tied jauntily over his shoulders was embellished with a little man on a polo horse and was as snowy white as his tiny dog.  White alligator loafers paired with pink argyle socks rounded out the ensemble.

“That’s Kristofer, with a ‘k’ and an ‘f’,” he clarified, offering his hand in such a way that Allegra wasn’t sure whether Richie was to shake it or kiss his ostentatious pinky ring.  To top it all off, he had a lisp.  His unfortunate speech impediment made his name sound more like ‘Krithtofer’. 

“And thith…” He held up the little dog.  “Ith Jathper.”

Richie, with his wealth of experience in dealing with a diverse public, never let his smile slip.  He merely wrapped his fingers around the limp hand of Lexi’s guest in a brief handshake then patted the dog on the head.  He remarked casually, “Cute dog.  My ex-wife had a couple of Maltese.  Ava still has one.”

Allegra did not possess his aplomb.  In her sheltered little religious world of church and orphans, she’d never been exposed to someone as… flamboyant as Kristofer.  It took all of her concentration and powers of etiquette to keep from bursting into shocked laughter.  She focused intently on her unpainted toenails, mentally choosing a color for them until she could present herself properly.

“Kristofer is planning mine and David’s wedding,” Lexi explained, smiling at the man as though he’d hung the sun in the sky above them.  “He’s simply been a dream to work with, and I wanted you to meet him.  You know, in case you hadn’t already hired a wedding planner.”

“It’s bridal conthulant and event thpecialist, dear.  How many timeth mutht I tell you?”  The words were snarky, but he said it with such a blinding white smile, the sting was minimized. 

Maybe Jon should ask about his dentist, Allegra thought, squinting.  But, then again, maybe his orange-cast skin just made his teeth look whiter.  If ever there was an artificial tan gone wrong, Kristofer was the victim.

“Of course.  I’m sorry, Kristofer.  So what do you think?  Isn’t she going to be a beautiful bride?”  Lexi patted Allegra on the shoulder demonstratively. 

Allegra looked across the table at David, waiting for the punch line.  This had to be one of his practical jokes.  Lexi was a sweet, smart woman.  There was no way she was pushing this…  alternative lifestyle bridal consultant down her throat.

“Oh yeth.  With hith and her dark lookth, I’m feeling gypthy.  You know, like Cher?  Gypthies, trampth and thieveth!”

David coughed forcefully, pushing his chair back.  “I’m coming Lily!” he called to his younger daughter, who looked up in confusion from where she was splashing contentedly with Jake and Romeo.  “Excuse me, Tyger Lily needs me.”

Lexi frowned at him, but didn’t say anything.  “Kristofer that may be awkward.  Richie dated Cher back in the day.”

“Oh really?” he asked interestedly, taking David’s vacated seat and leaning in close.  The little dog circled his lap twice before draping itself across his legs.  “And ith she ath regal ath she theems?  Thuch a clathhy lady.”

Allegra felt a headache coming on.

“Very classy lady,” Richie agreed, seemingly unfazed and completely aweing Allegra.  His social expertise was like nothing she’d ever seen – even Jon couldn’t compete with this – and she was inexplicably proud to be by his side.  “We’re still friends, so yeah, I think a Cher tribute with the potential for Cher to be in attendance may not be the best idea.”

“Cher is coming to our wedding?” she squeaked, ignoring Dot’s chuckle in the background.  “Are you kidding me?”

He just smiled, rubbing a hand along her shoulder blades.  “We hadn’t gotten around to discussing the guest list yet,” he explained to everyone seated around the table before telling Allegra, “That’s up to you, Sunshine.  I’d like to invite her.”

“Yeth, yeth.  Definitely awkward.”  The dainty man cupped his chin.  “With thothe blue eyeth you look Black Irish.  We could do a Celtic theme.  Irish lathe and velvet knickerth.”

“Italian,” she choked out.  “I’m Italian, not Irish.”

“Oh.”  He was deflated for only a moment before exclaiming.  “Renaithance!  Oh my God, can’t you thee it?”  He clasped his hands to his chest with rapture.  “Long, heavy dreththes with the big hipth!  Yeth, that thyle would work famouthly for you, dear.”

Big hips?  She didn’t have big hips!  She was about to give the little gay man that obvious piece of information when Richie leaned in to kiss her temple, breathing, “I’ve got it, baby.”

“Kristofer, it sounds like you have a lot of really spectacular ideas, but Allegra and I have barely decided on a date.  This is her first wedding.”

“Only wedding,” she interjected, earning a delighted grin from her fiancé.

“Only wedding,” he corrected himself.  “I think she’s probably going to want a little while to consider all of her options before nailing down the specifics.  How about we get back to you once she’s had a chance to do that?  I’m sure Lexi has your number, right?”

“Of courthe,” he said, with a dramatic roll of his eyes, clearly offended at being put off, regardless of how politely it had been done.  “It’s your choithe, naturally.  If you decthide thith ith the direction you want to go pleathe call me.  We’ll thee what we can work out.  But I guarantee you won’t find a more pathionate bridal conthultant on the Eatht Coatht.”

“That’s true.  Kristofer wants to make every bride’s dreams come true,” Lexi hurried to make amends as David rejoined the group, Tico and Alejandra in tow.  “It’s probably better to wait until Allegra gets the chance to go through all the preliminary planning material I have for her anyway. Richie, did you bring your Hummer?”

“No, it’s in LA.  Why?”

“To take the planning materials, silly.”  She gestured toward the back door, where Allegra now noticed that there were… two, four, six, eight, ten, TWELVE file boxes neatly stacked.

David was the not-so-joyful recipient of Allegra’s Look of Death, to which he shrugged as if saying, “I asked you not to blame me.”

“Um, Lexi?”  Allegra strove to search for just the right words.  She truly believed David’s fiancée was trying to be thoughtful and helpful, but…  Sweet Mary.  “I thought maybe you would have a few phone numbers and a bridal magazine for me.  I didn’t realize there would be so much.  What’s in those boxes?”

“Well there’s a box for catering, one for centerpieces, flowers, bridal gowns, bridal party wear, bridal party gifts, reception halls, churches, seating charts, jewelry, hair stylists and makeup artists, wedding favors, and invitations.”  She frowned in concentration.  “But I don’t see the one for cakes.  David, did you get the boxes out of all three closets?”

He closed his eyes with a sigh.  “No.  Just your closet and the family room.  Which other one?”

“The upstairs hall.  There should be a box for photographers, too.”

Allegra reached for Richie’s hand and squeezed until there wasn’t any feeling left in her fingers.  Suddenly, getting married didn’t seem like such a good idea.