Alex walked up the flagstone driveway toward the laughter and noise of his sister’s birthday party. He’d much rather have gone to Jake’s tonight with the rest of the guys from work, but he’d promised Julie he’d be here.
When he reached the wrought-iron gate, he stood for a moment before opening it and entering. Even then, he didn’t head toward the merrymaking, but took a few minutes to observe the crush of guests gathered on the back veranda and around the pool. There were about forty people there, he estimated, most of them his sister’s friends. Looking around, he spied Julie, who looked spectacular in a form-fitting black strapless dress, laughing and talking to a group of young people about her age. Suddenly, as if she felt his gaze, she turned.
“Alex!” she cried. “You made it!”
Beaming, she rushed to his side. Putting his arm around her, he kissed her cheek. “Hello, birthday girl.”
Her blue eyes shone with excitement. Julie loved nothing better than a party. And a party in her honor was the best of all possible worlds.
Alex handed her the small, silver-wrapped box he carried. “Happy Birthday.”
“Thank you! Oh, I love presents.” Taking his hand, she led him toward her friends. “C’mon. I want to introduce you.”
Alex knew it was useless to protest, so he let himself be led. Six pairs of eyes turned his way.
“This is my gorgeous brother, Alex,” Julie said. “Alex, these are…” One by one, she named them. “Crystal, Russ, Scott, Madison, Penn and Phoebe.”
The girl named Phoebe, a truly spectacular blonde, gave him a seductive look from under long eyelashes.
“Gorgeous is right,” she murmured.
Alex would never get used to the boldness of Julie’s crowd. The girls didn’t seem to care what they said or how they said it. If they wanted something, they went after it, no holds barred.
Not waiting for Alex to answer, Phoebe slipped her arm through his and said, “He’s mine.”
The others laughed.
Gently but firmly, Alex removed her arm. “It’s nice to have met all of you, but I have to go say hello to my mother.” Directing his smile at all of them, he said, “Excuse me.”
Shaking his head mentally, he headed toward the house. It was a moment before he realized Julie had hurried after him.
“Alex, wait up!” she said.
He turned around, stopped so she could catch up to him.
“You broke Phoebe’s heart,” she said as she reached his side.
“I seriously doubt that.”
“I’ve been telling her about you for weeks.” Although her tone was scolding, her blue eyes—the same shade as the tourmalines in his gift—were amused.
Alex looked down at her. “Not interested, Jules.”
“Why not? Phoebe’s beautiful and sexy and rich in her own right. Plus she’s my best friend.”
“For one thing, she’s too young. For another, she’s not my type.”
“Too young? She’s twenty-five! And how could she not be your type? Most men would die to have Phoebe.”
Alex wasn’t in the mood to spar or to justify his reasons for not wanting to get involved with the model-like Phoebe. “Aren’t you going to open your present?” he said instead, for Julie still held his gift.
“Later. I’ll put this on the table with the rest of them.”
Alex knew his sister was punishing him for not going along with her matchmaking scheme. Or maybe she just wanted to ensure he’d stay at the party for a while.
“Mom’s probably over there,” Julie said, pointing to the area on the other side of the pool where there were several umbrella-topped tables.
Alex and Julie headed that way. Sure enough, his mother sat at the nearest table along with Julie’s father and another older couple. At their approach, Terrence touched his wife’s arm, and Lucinda turned around.
Her face lit up, and she rose. As always, she looked beautiful. Tonight she wore an emerald silk pants outfit with wide legs. Her dark hair was swept up, and sizable diamond studs twinkled in her ears. A small woman with a trim figure, she didn’t look her fifty-eight years and could have easily passed for someone in her early forties.
As always, Alex felt himself tense as she rushed forward and put her arms around him. Because he was essentially kind and because he did love her, even as he knew he would never be able to trust her, he returned her embrace, saying, “Hello, Mother.”
“Oh, Alex, it’s so good to see you.” She drew back and looked up into his eyes. “You look wonderful.”
“You look very nice yourself.” He heard how stiff he sounded and wished he could be more generous toward her. But the habits of a lifetime were hard to break, especially when the underlying reason for his feelings hadn’t changed.
“Thank you for coming,” she said softly, her dark eyes liquid in the deepening light. Her dimples flashed briefly when she smiled.
Alex had inherited his height from Harry, but everything else came from his mother: dark hair, dark eyes, dimples. Julie, on the other hand, looked more like her father than like Lucinda, with her blue eyes, five-foot-eight height, and larger bone structure. The only trait of Lucinda’s she bore was the dark, almost black, hair.
“Come meet our friends, darling,” Lucinda was saying. She took Alex’s hand and led him forward.
“These are Spencer and Deanna Steele. My son, Alex Hunt.” There was no denying the pride in her voice as she introduced them.
Alex shook hands with Spencer Steele, a powerful-looking man with gray hair and an enviable physique. He smiled at Deanna Steele, a lovely, cool-looking blonde who had remained seated. He then turned to his stepfather. “Hello, Terrence.”
“Glad you could make it, Alex,” Terrence said.
“Alex just met Phoebe,” Julie said, addressing the remark to the Steeles. Turning to Alex, she said, “Spencer and Deanna are Phoebe’s parents.” Her eyes twinkled mischievously.
Alex decided he would not let his sister get to him. “You have a very beautiful daughter,” he said graciously.
“Yes,” Deanna said, “we think so.” Her gaze was speculative.
They made polite conversation for a few more minutes, and all the while Alex was wondering how long he’d have to stand there before he could make his escape.
“What do you do, Alex?” Spencer Steele asked.
“I’m
