Love Takes Time (2 page)

“Who knew he was younger than you?”

“He's not that much younger…just seven years.”

“Humph! Seven years means that he was in elementary school when you were graduating from high school,” Maria said.

“And in elementary when you lost your virginity in the back of Jaron Miller's Hoopty,” another woman added.

Alyssa quickly thought about the difference between her and Quentin's age.

“Ashley, there's a young lady in the room,” Toni reminded her, and then smiled politely at Alyssa.

“Sorry,” Ashley quipped.

“Aren't you a pretty little thing,” Toni said.

Alyssa looked around to see if she was talking to someone else.

“I'm talking to you,” the bride reassured. “How old are you?”

“T-thirteen.”

“Ah, I remember thirteen,” she said dreamily. “I received my first kiss at thirteen. Have you had your first kiss yet?”

Alyssa shook her head, but couldn't stop imagining a fantasy kiss with Quentin. He would pull her into his arms and…

“Aaah…so there
is
a boy you
want
to kiss,” Toni said, reading her like an open book.

Alyssa dropped her gaze as her face heated.

All the women in the room noticed her reaction and chorused a long, “Awwwww…”

“Well, we should be getting back to the kitchen, Alyssa,” Beatrice said.

“Alyssa. What a pretty name,” the bride cooed. “Oh, can't she stay and help us around here?” Toni asked.

Beatrice hesitated.

“I'm sure my dad won't mind,” Alyssa said before Beatrice could make up an excuse.

“Then that settles it. You can stay and hang out with us.”

Beatrice's lips pressed into a hard, firm line and
her eyes flashed a warning to Alyssa to be on her best behavior before she backed out of the room.

“Alyssa, do you mind pouring my friends some tea?”

She shook her head and quickly went to work.

“So finish telling us how you snagged a ring from this young pup,” another friend of the bride asked. “I want details.”

Alyssa's ears perked up. She was eager to hear more about Jonas and Toni's love story. Who knows, maybe she would learn a few pointers.

“All right. Well, like I said I first started dating his brother…”

For an hour Alyssa remained rapt, caught up in Toni's version of events, but just when the story was getting really hot, the bride stopped talking. Then she slowly became aware that all eyes were on her.

“What? Did I do something wrong?”

Toni smiled and gathered up her dress so that she could glide over to her. “No, sweetheart. You haven't done anything wrong.” She slid an arm around Alyssa's thin shoulders. “It's just that, uh, some of this story isn't fit for young ears.”

The bridesmaids snickered softly behind them and Toni softened the blow by pinching Alyssa's apple cheeks.

“You mean that you want to talk about sex?” Alyssa asked.

“Well…” Toni looked around while her face darkened abruptly. “Something like that.”

Alyssa's shoulders deflated as she dropped her head dramatically in hopes of convincing everyone to let her stay. When no one said a word, but instead let her cross the room slower than a turtle, she decided to offer a suggestion.

“You could always skip over the sex part.”

“Not if she knows what's good for her,” Ashley quipped.

“I know that's right,” Maria agreed.

Brooklyn shook her head at her friends. “Behave.”

“I'm sorry,” Toni said again, this time poking out her bottom lip.

Defeated, Alyssa turned and walked out of the door. The minute she closed the door, peals of laughter erupted on the other side. “I can't wait until I grow up.”

Another trickle of laughter slipped under the door, tempting Alyssa to press her ear against it to see if she could hear the rest of the story.

“Whatcha doing, Alice?”

Alyssa jumped and twirled away from the door. At the sight of her future husband strolling down the hallway, the muscles in her throat tightened and made it impossible for her speak.

Stopping in front of her, Quentin laughed and shook his head. “You know there's no need for you to be shy around me. You've been living here at my parents' home your whole life. We're practically family.”

His words caused a world of butterflies to flutter madly in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to be a part of his family all right—the part that would marry
him and give him at least a dozen babies that looked just like him.

The women laughed again; the melodic sound caught Q's ear. This time, he pressed his ear against the door but then winked down at her. A second later, he pulled away with a knowing smile.

“Oh, this isn't fit for young ears,” he said, planting his hands on her shoulders and turning her away from the door. Alyssa sensed that if she wasn't there, he would have been more tempted to hang around and listen.

“We better find you something else to do,” he said, laughing and directing her down the hallway. “If your father knew you were listening to that kind of stuff—”

“I wasn't,” she said, finding her voice.

Q laughed. “Ah, so you do speak.”

They reached the staircase and Alyssa's panic increased when she saw her father rushing around with the servers.

“Really,” she insisted. “I just wanted to hear how the bride and groom fell in love. I didn't hear anything bad. Please don't tell my dad.” She turned and glanced up at Quentin. “Please.”

“Alyssa?” Her father called.

She turned and smiled down at him. “Hey, Dad.”

“Is there a problem?” His suspicious gaze darted from her to Quentin.

“No, sir. I just finished helping the bride and the bridesmaids.”

Alfred nodded, but his eyes remained locked on the youngest Hinton. “All right, then. You go on to your room and try to stay out of the way.”

“Yes, sir.” She started down the staircase, but relaxed when she heard Q's soft whisper.

“Don't worry. It will be our little secret.”

 

Alyssa was supposed to go to her room.

She always had a hard time doing what she was told—especially now that the guests had started to arrive. Beautiful women draped on the arms of handsome men had her young, romantic mind churning and her body itching to be a part of the festivities.

Maybe she could.

The moment the possibility crossed her mind, her shoulders deflated when the promise she made her father floated through her mind.

“Cheer up, Alice. Things can't be all that bad.”

Alyssa's head jerked up to see Quentin leaning against the oak door, leading to the service quarters. Her heart flip-flopped in her chest and when he flashed his dimpled cheeks, she nearly swooned on the spot. “What are you doing here?”

Q shrugged. “Well, if you don't want me here, I'm sure I can find a group of females who'd actually enjoy my company.” He pushed away from the door and started to head back toward the wedding party. “I just thought you wanted to hear the rest of Jonas and Toni's story. Silly me.”

“Wait.” She raced over to him and grabbed him by the wrist. “I do.”

When he turned to face her, she was suddenly stunned by her own behavior and released his hand while embarrassment scorched her entire body.

“Ah. So you are interested?”

She was much more interested in spending time with him.

He laughed. “What is it about women that makes them love sappy love stories?”

Women? Did he consider her a woman now?

Alyssa straightened and even tried to thrust up her flat chest. Her effort wrangled another laugh from him. “Calm down.” He tugged her fat pigtail. “Don't try to grow up so fast, sport. You have plenty of time to torture the opposite sex, Alice.”

She smiled, enjoying their budding friendship. “It's Alyssa,” she said meekly.

“What?”

“My name.” She shrugged. “It's Alyssa—not Alice.”

“Alyssa,” he repeated. His eyes sparkled like diamonds. “I like it.”

Another flash of his dimples and her knees nearly folded.

“Now about this story.” He leaned back against the door. “I can't tell you all of it, but if you tell me where you left off, I can tell you what I do know.”

For another half hour, Alyssa listened intently to more of Jonas and Toni's love story before they were rudely interrupted.

“Q!” Sterling shouted and stormed toward his startled brother. “There you are. I've been looking all over the place for you.”

“Well then, mission accomplished, dear bro.” Quentin made a mock bow and then winked over at Alyssa. “If I'm not careful, one of these days they're going to implant a Lojack device under my skin and I'll never be able to sneak off with you again.”

To her surprise, an uncharacteristic giggle tumbled from her lips. It was what other women did whenever they were around Quentin—not that she was a woman, yet. But soon, she promised herself, she would be.

Belatedly, Sterling noticed the starry-eyed teenager. Suspicion narrowed in his eyes as his gaze ping-ponged between the two. “Am I interrupting something?”

Q took one look at his brother's face and launched one eyebrow high along his forehead. “Certainly not what you're thinking.”

Sterling cleared his throat while looking both guilty and embarrassed.

Alyssa wasn't sure she followed the conversation.

“I was simply filling little
Alyssa
in on how our wonderful brother Jonas has, once again, found himself ready to walk the plank into the abyss of happily—ever—after.”

Sterling's gaze fell to the empty champagne glass in his brother's hand. “How many of those have you had?”

“Not nearly enough,” Q laughed. “But hey, the night is still young.” This time he winked at his older brother.

Sterling drew a deep breath in an obvious effort to remain calm. “Dad wants to see you. He's in his library.” He glanced at his watch. “When you're done, Jonas wants to see you.”

“Well, I guess I shouldn't keep them waiting,” Q said, marching away.

Disappointed, Alyssa's shoulders slumped at having been so quickly forgotten. Then, as if he'd heard her thoughts, Q stopped and turned with a magnanimous smile.

“Oh, but I haven't finished telling poor little Alice the story.”

Alice again.

Once again, Sterling's gaze shifted to the shy tomboy.

“Don't worry.” Q smiled. “I was real careful to omit the racy parts. Perhaps you could finish for me?”

Horror rippled across Sterling Hinton's face like he wasn't quite used to talking to someone so young.

“Don't worry,” Q continued. “She won't bite.” He made a silent toast with his empty champagne glass and stalked off.

Alyssa smiled dreamily after her future husband until he disappeared into the house. A sigh, she didn't even realize she was holding, exploded from her chest.

Sterling chuckled.

Embarrassed, Alyssa's face heated to the point her cheeks felt like they were on fire.

“I've seen that look before,” Sterling said, with an air of superiority that irked Alyssa. She didn't like
it—not even for a moment—that she'd given her emotions away to a man who would undoubtedly feel it was his duty to give her some type of speech.

“Don't worry,” he covered. “Your secret is safe with me.”

Unable to hide her surprise, Alyssa eyed Sterling with wary and cautious eyes.

“What?” he asked innocently enough. “I know what it's like to have a crush.”

It took everything she had not to protest and proclaim what she felt for Quentin was stronger than any schoolgirl crush. Q was her destiny.

“Or maybe I should say what it feels like to be in love?”

Alyssa experienced another jolt of surprise. Somehow the man was truly reading her thoughts.

Sterling smiled and for a brief moment, his handsome good looks rivaled his younger brother and she was stunned by how it sent her heart aflutter.

“I better get back to my room,” she said, and turned toward to the servants' quarters.

“You don't want to hear the rest of the story?”

Surprised, she stopped in her tracks. “You don't mind telling me?”

“Well, I'm sure I'm not as colorful a storyteller as Q…but if you really want to know.”