The Wedding Belle (Colorado Billionaires Book 4) Read online

  As he drove away, Belle said softly, “Isn’t that the truth?”

  They went into the lobby. “Say, what were you and Ashley talking about out on the deck for so long?”

  “Coping skills.” Belle grinned at him and left it at that. No doubt he’d hear all about it soon enough.

  “Good. I’m glad you like each other.” He lifted a hand and touched her cheek. “I kind of like you, too.”

  “Well, gee, there’s a compliment to make a girl swoon.”

  Uly made a face. “These things are hard for me to say, but maybe you’ll get a clue when we get inside.”

  Belle leaned against him and squeezed his arm as they walked across the lobby. Her grip on his arm tightened painfully at the sound of a male voice as they passed the entrance to the Il Vaccaro restaurant.

  “Well, well, well, the little ER nurse finally comes out of hiding.”

  Bell whirled. “Zivo!”

  “Dr. Zivo to you, Nurse Daireng. I’ve been looking for you for days. My lawyers want a deposition regarding your mistake in the ER.” He stepped forward cockily, his mouth twisted in a sneer.

  Uly instinctively stepped between them. “Excuse me.” His voice boomed in the lobby. “I’ll thank you to back off.” He lowered his voice. “I don’t appreciate it when strange men are impolite to my wife.”

  “Wife?” Zivo threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, that’s rich. I take it she hasn’t told you the whole truth about herself.”

  Belle stiffened. She didn’t mean to speak, but it just flew out of her mouth. “Shut up, you jerk.”

  Uly’s brow crinkled in momentary confusion, but he did not shift his focus from Zivo. “You’d be wise to go on back to Denver, or whatever hole you crawled out of, mister.”

  “Doctor.”

  Uly emphasized his choice of words. “Mister.” His Texas accent grew thicker with every sentence. “Y’all ain’t smart enough to be a real doctor. Otherwise, you’d be taking my advice and making yourself real scarce.”

  Reese McAvoy emerged from the restaurant, his bushy eyebrows reaching for the ceiling. He wiped his hands vigorously on his white apron. “Gentlemen, gentlemen, please.” He smiled around at several guests lounging in the lobby. “Let’s take our discussion out of the public eye, shall we?” He graciously waved an arm, inviting them into the restaurant. He led them past tables full of diners into the back, talking as he went. “It’s so good to see you up and about again, Mr. Garrison.”

  Uly realized McAvoy was trying to usher them into a private dining room. He kept an arm around Belle, hoping she felt reassured, while a tiny question tugged at the edge of his brain. What truth was Belle keeping from him?

  They barely got into the private area, and were still within earshot of the nearest tables, when Zivo turned on his heel and propped his fists on his hips.

  “This is far enough. I won’t be shoved around by an ignorant muscle-bound fool, nor by some overweight chef.”

  Uly narrowed his eyes and glared at Zivo. “Tone it down, mister. You have no idea who you’re talking to.”

  “Oh, really?” Zivo’s eyes took in Uly’s muscles and he swallowed hard.

  “Yes, really,” said Uly, calmer now. “Mr. McAvoy here is a decorated war veteran, and not only that, he owns this hotel. Unless you have a room elsewhere, I’d advise you to apologize.”

  Zivo snorted. “Ha! You want an apology? I never got one from Little Miss Tease when she let me spend money on her hand over fist and then rejected my advances. And now she thinks she can run away from a lawsuit that could end my career.” His features grew menacing as he shifted his gaze to Belle. “I’ll make sure you never work as a nurse again. And I’ll bet when Muscle Brain here finds out you’re only a shell of a woman, you won’t have a husband to hide behind either!”

  Uly had heard enough. “No one talks to my wife like that, you sniveling dirtbag. You’re the one who shouldn’t have a career in medicine. She told me all about it. You wrote your orders wrong, and nurses are obligated to follow doctors’ orders. You’re a waste of a medical degree. Why don’t you get lost?” He drew his fist back and slammed it into Zivo’s face.

  Belle gasped and leaned against an empty table.

  Zivo clutched at his nose. “I’m bleeding! You broke my nose.” He was so mad he could barely speak. He twirled in a circle, looking for allies. “You! You saw what just happened. You’re my witness.”

  Reese McAvoy raised his bushy eyebrows in mock surprise. “Me? Yes, I saw it all.” He straightened his apron. “I saw you run straight into that— that—” He looked around, searching for an obstacle, and settled on the swinging kitchen door. “That kitchen door!” He smiled with satisfaction. “Yessirree, you ran right into that door. Didn’t he, dear?” He motioned to one of his waitresses as she left a table in the main dining room. Several nearby diners were murmuring about the noises coming from the private room. The waitress reassured them and approached her boss.

  Reese spoke to her, nodding his head as he did so. “You saw it, didn’t you, Tina dear? You saw this unfortunate man walk right into that swinging kitchen door.”

  Tina needed only a second to appraise the situation. “Oh, yes, Mr. McAvoy. I saw it, too. Wham. Right into that door.”

  A busboy looked up from clearing a table. “I saw it, too, sir. He ran right into that swinging door.”

  Tina high-fived the busboy on her way back to her station.

  McAvoy rocked back on his heels. “Is that what you want us to swear to?” He shifted his gaze to Uly and winked.

  Uly felt a rush of gratitude.

  Zivo backed away, shaking a finger at Uly. “You’ll pay for this. I’m not done with you.”

  Uly pulled a card out of his pocket and extended it between two fingers. “Have fun with that. Since you’re so gung-ho to ruin people’s lives, why don’t you google my name and see who’s going to ruin yours?”

  Zivo’s color was shifting from red to purple. He turned and stomped out of the restaurant.

  McAvoy shook his head. “He didn’t even leave a tip.”

  Uly reached for Belle’s hand. She was shaking badly. “It’s all right, darlin’. I see what you were up against in Denver. Don’t worry. Our legal team will make mincemeat out of the that guy. Don’t go burning your nursing license yet.”

  Belle’s cheeks flamed with embarrassment. “Mr. McAvoy, I’m so sorry he came and made a scene.”

  McAvoy shook his head. “Don’t you worry about it, Mrs. Garrison. He’s been asking for a comeuppance for a couple of days now. Pestering my people with questions about you. Treating my waitstaff like personal servants. Never leaving a tip. He’s a loser.” He snapped his fingers. “Oh, I think his hotel room key just stopped working. Excuse me, I’m going to inform my check-in staff that Docter Zivo is checking out. And while I’m at it, I’ll have a bellboy take your bags up to your floor.”

  Uly grinned. “He looks happy.”

  Belle had to smile. “What a nice man. He owns the hotel but still works in the kitchen?”

  “He loves to cook. This place is famous. Best Italian food in the country. Well, as far as I’m concerned anyway. Are you still shaking?” Uly embraced Belle. “Come on. Let’s go upstairs.”

  Belle leaned into the hug and said nothing until they were in the elevator.

  Once the doors closed, Belle took a deep breath. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Uly nodded. “You mean that crack of Zivo’s about you being a shell of a woman?”

  Belle’s head drooped. “It could change everything.”

  “I doubt it,” said Uly. “I’m pretty sure you’re all girl.” He slipped his arms around her and tried to comfort her as the elevator climbed. When the doors opened on their floor, he was impressed to see their luggage standing by their door.

  Belle sounded impressed as well. “How did that bellboy beat us to the room?”

  “Service elevator,” said Uly, sol
ving the mystery. He pulled his key from his pocket. The door unlocked with a click and a green light. He took hold of the handle, but only opened the door an inch. “We’ll talk, but first, my surprise.” He waved her inside.

  Belle advanced cautiously. When she realized what she was looking at, she gasped.

  The suite had been transformed into a private lounge. The lights were dim. A multicolored slowly spinning ball hung from the ceiling. Love songs played softly somewhere. The dining table was gone, replaced by a small round table elegantly draped in white and topped by a champagne bucket and trays of late night snacks. Two chairs flanked the table. Red and white balloons floated against the ceiling. Vases full of roses graced every flat surface.

  “Are you trying to seduce me?” She turned to him, hands on hips.

  Uly spread his hands. “Oh, heck no. I wouldn’t think of such a thing. But we are newlyweds, and my father has spies, and it seemed wise to do something…newlyweddish.”

  “That’s not even a word.” Belle felt disappointed. Part of her was hoping seduction was his plan.

  Uly approached and wrapped his arms around her. “Of course, it is kind of romantic. It’d be a shame to let it all go to waste.”

  Belle rested her hands on his shoulders. A moment later, she realized they were dancing. “You called Mr. McAvoy and had him do all of this superfast so you could impress your father? You are one twisted puppy.”

  “Arf, arf.”

  “Doofus.” She grinned from ear to ear. The music was conducive to slow dancing, and their bodies fit together nicely. She couldn’t help leaning into him. He had been such a gentleman and they’d had so much fun together, if you disregarded their first day and his occasional grumpiness when his ribs ached. But that scene with Zivo was the clincher. She’d never known a man who was willing to fight for her, much less one who actually bloodied another man’s nose in her defense. She’d felt dangerously close to falling in love before they left Vegas. She’d known it wouldn’t take much to push her over the edge. Having Uly come to her rescue and send Zivo scurrying had done the trick. She felt her heart pounding with the depth of her love for Uly.

  But there was still her secret. She pulled back an inch.

  “Something wrong?” Uly’s voice was a murmur against her ear. The entire side of her face tingled with pleasure.

  Hesitantly, Belle said, “I… I think… I think I really like you a lot, Uly.”

  “Oh, yeah? A lot a lot, or a little a lot?”

  “A lot a lot.”

  He chuckled. “Good. Because I like you a bunch.”

  Belle smiled. “A whole bunch or a half bunch?”

  Uly pressed his face against her neck and inhaled.

  Belle felt her knees giving out. A persistent tickle tortured her and yet she begged for more. “Oh, God, we have to stop before it’s too late.”

  Uly didn’t let go. “But we’re married. Why should we stop?”

  Belle moaned as he nuzzled her neck. She wanted to rip his clothes off and test drive that marriage certificate, but she couldn’t let herself lose control. She still hadn’t told him.

  “Uly, stop.”

  He let her go so quickly, she was suddenly lonely.

  “Sorry.” His voice was husky with feeling. “I just want you so much. These last few days have been crazy. Fun, exciting, tantalizing, and arousing, all wrapped up together. I got to tell you, girl, you are everything I ever wanted in a woman.”

  Belle whimpered. “You said you weren’t good at that stuff.”

  “Just speaking from the heart.”

  “Oh, Uly, I feel the same way. I want you so much! But there’s something I haven’t told you.”

  “Champagne,” said Uly. He took her hand and pulled her to the little table. “We need alcohol if you have a dark secret.” He popped the cork on the bottle chilling on ice. “Is it worse than my secret? Lying about my ankle?”

  “That depends.”

  “On what?” He poured champagne and handed her a glass.

  Belle tossed it back, then choked and coughed. She managed to croak, “I don’t like alcohol.”

  “In times of need, it grows on you. Have another.” He refilled her glass. “But sip this one, okay? If you’re telling me something about your past, you need to be conscious.”

  Belle couldn’t help it. She laughed. The laugh faded and she looked into his eyes. “My secret and how serious it is…. It all depends on how long our feelings for each other are going to last.”

  Uly looked puzzled. “Wait. Let me catch up.” He drank his champagne in one gulp. “Okay, try me again.”

  Belle sipped at hers. “If our feelings are going to magically disappear at midnight, three hundred and sixty-three days from now, my secret doesn’t matter. But if we’re talking about really being married and hoping to stay that way, it might be a deal breaker.” Her voice faded to a whisper.

  “Oh, Lordy.” Uly filled his glass again and topped off Belle’s. “Should I sit down?”

  Belle led the way to the sofa and Uly sat beside her, glass in one hand and champagne bottle in the other. He drank his second glassful and poured a third.

  “Okay. I’m ready. Shoot.”

  Belle had to admit the champagne helped loosen her tongue. “Okay. You know I’m an orphan. No one adopted me. Ever wonder why?”

  Uly shrugged. “Not everyone gets adopted. It’s a sad fact.”

  Belle nodded. “That’s true. But my case was compounded by illness. My teen years were spent in and out of hospitals. I suffered terribly from chronic endometriosis. I hated my body. Finally, at sixteen, after trying everything they could think of, the doctors decided my only choice for a normal life was—” She sipped champagne. “—a complete hysterectomy.”

  Uly scratched his head. “And what’s the deep dark secret?”

  Belle was perplexed. “Don’t you understand?” She couldn’t believe he hadn’t made the leap. Didn’t he understand what she was telling him? “Uly, I can never have children. Most marriages happen because people eventually want kids. And I can never do that.” She sank back against the sofa, exhausted. “What a relief. Just telling you makes it seem easier to bear.”

  Uly got up abruptly and began to pace.

  Belle’s heart lurched. She was right all along. He was going to run in the other direction.

  After a few laps across the carpet, Uly returned to the sofa.

  “You’ve been afraid that I wouldn’t want you because you can’t have kids?”

  Belle nodded. “I was worried that producing heirs to your family’s fortune would be important to you.”

  Uly nodded. He set the bottle on the coffee table. He emptied his glass and set it down as well. “It is important,” he said. “That’s why I’m so happy that Thor and Ashley have a baby. That means the pressure is off. You had this surgery at sixteen? So you’re all recovered now, right?”

  “Of course.”

  “Good.” He smiled and leaned in for a kiss.

  Belle’s heart pounded a tattoo against her ribcage. She loved kissing this man! When Uly enfolded her in his arms, she turned her face away long enough to ask, “Don’t you want a family?”

  Uly planted little kisses all over her face. “Of course I do. I can’t wait to throw a football with junior and take our daughter to ballet lessons.”

  Belle sagged against him. “But I just told you—”

  “Belle,” he said softly. “We can have as big a family as we want. You, of all people, should know that.” He smoothed her hair. “Silly girl, we can adopt.”

  Belle wondered for a moment if someone had turned on the lights, because the room seemed to grow brighter around them. “Oh Uly, I love you.”

  Uly’s eyes sparkled. “I think my ribs are healed.” He stood up and pulled her up off the sofa. A moment later, he lifted her into his arms.

  Belle laughed. “Wait. You forgot the champagne.”

  “I’ve got everything I need right here,” said Uly softly. He
carried her into the bedroom and pushed the door shut behind him.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Friday morning, 9:00 a.m.

  Belle had never felt so happy. She bubbled over as she and Uly rolled out of bed and showered together. She always thought she’d be too shy to shower with a man, but after a night as his wife, she found it a perfectly natural thing to soap each other clean in the shower. When they emerged, they could hear someone knocking on the door.

  “Maybe it’s room service,” said Uly. “It would be just like Reese McAvoy to send up a breakfast trolley. You wait here and do your hair, punkin. I’ll go see.” He grabbed a plush terrycloth robe, tied it securely around his middle, and left the bathroom.

  Belle toweled the dampness out of her hair and moved into the bedroom to get dressed. She toyed with the idea of climbing back in bed and waiting for Uly to return, but the very thought made her giggle. She would dress. Besides, clothes came off as easily as they went on. She selected a pair of khaki shorts and a pale green tank top.

  She was startled by Uly’s sudden return. He rushed to the chest of drawers and pulled out underwear, jeans, and a blue tee.

  “Is everything all right?” Belle sat on the edge of the bed to put on her socks and running shoes.

  Uly’s words were tight and clipped. “I have to go out. Don’t worry. It’s just a nuisance. I’ll be back before you know it.” He began dressing like a man racing against the clock.

  “I’ll come with you,” said Belle.

  “No. I mean, you don’t have to do that. This is business.”

  “Who was at the door?”

  “Ahmed.”

  “Creepy Ahmed from Tex’s party?”

  Uly laughed, a single humorless sound. “Yep. Creepy Ahmed. Wait until he hears that one.” He stopped and looked around. “Didn’t you say you were going to call Ashley this morning?” He bent over her and planted a kiss on her forehead. He lingered a moment. “Trust me. I wouldn’t be leaving you this morning if it weren’t necessary. You call Ashley. I’ll catch up with y’all in a while.” He held up his phone. “You can text me if I take too long.” He tucked his phone in his back pocket.