Adaline (The Wallflower Series Book 3) (2 page)

Adaline’s eyes narrowed in warning at her cousin. “I’d watch what you say to me, if I were you. I am not in the mood to deal with your whininess. Newsflash: the world isn’t stopping just because you are getting married.  I came to help- you can either accept that or not.”

Their eyes stayed connected in a silent battle.

“Fine,” Carla finally gritted out. She pushed her shimmery blonde curls behind her delicate ears and slapped the maid’s hands away. “Just let me get out of this dress, I’m tired.”

“But…Miss Lang, I’m not done.”

Adaline watched as her cousin ignored the maid’s confusion as she stepped into her walk-in closet and slammed the door. In a soft voice, she spoke,

“It’s okay, Caroline. Sometimes it’s best to just let her mood wear out on its own; you’ll prefer to work on the dress then, believe me.”

Caroline merely gave her an uncertain smile before scurrying out of the room. When she had closed the door behind her, Adaline made her way around the room, touching the frilly fabric of the curtains. From the window, she could see the white tent being constructed for the upcoming nuptials. There were stacks of white chairs that had yet to be placed despite it being an intimate affair.

What startled her most though was that Carla had not been completely off about the jealousy bit. While Adaline had prided herself on never envying her cousin, in this moment she did. The romantic aspect of her life had always been nonexistent. She was not clueless as to the reason why; she was, after all, a dark-skinned girl in a white community with unapologetically Nubian features, a deaf accent and cochlear implant. Things weren’t exactly stacked in her favor in those regards. But she had never dwelled on them. Or at least not always.

Carla’s wedding, however, made them a little more salient. One day, she would like to be the one walking down the aisle. The old saying, “always the bridesmaid, never the bride” had never rang truer. To distract herself, she looked over the seating arrangement posted up on an easel. She recognized several names but as she perused every table, her breath hitched.

She heard the door open behind her and turned as Carla returned to the room in black leggings and a tank top that accentuated her model-like figure. Her long, curly hair, a product of her biracial parentage, was tied into a knot on top of her head.

Adaline cut to the chase, blurting out, “You invited the Vikhrovs?”

Carla gave her a ‘duh’ look. “Why the hell wouldn’t I invite one of the most powerful families in New England? They live right down the street for goodness sake. That would be rude!”

“But…”

“What did I just tell you?” Carla interrupted. “This wedding isn’t about you. If I wanted to invite them to
my
wedding, I shouldn’t have to explain myself.” She sighed in frustration. “It’s not like I had much of a choice in the matter anyways. Daddy has been on good terms with Nikolai Vikhrov for like decades!” She smiled naughtily. “Plus, did you hear all the drama that came out about that fucking family?”

“No, like what?’

“Well, for starters Nadia was never off backpacking Europe. She was in rehab!”

Adaline remembered the little girl who had been several years younger than her. “Really? I had no idea. I make it a point to not involve myself in any community gossip.”

Carla ignored the subtle dig and carried on, “Well, apparently she was like on death-row because of some eating disorder.” She rolled her eyes at this. “Some people just don’t know how to do it right. It’s called
balance
. Anyways, because she was sick her older brother, Dmitri came back. I caught a glimpse of him one day while I was driving,” she exhaled and playfully fanned herself. “He is just as sexy as he was when we were in high school.”

Adaline hesitated at first, but she couldn’t help herself from asking, “What about…Dominic? Did you see him? Have you heard anything about him?”

Carla’s eyes narrowed at her question. “You know, I think you are quite literally the most pathetic person. You don’t seem to get it. You didn’t then and you don’t now. He…doesn’t…want…you. Move on.
Geez.
I have and look at me now; I’m getting married to one of the most successful Wall-Street bankers.” She tittered at this. “I’m going to make him regret ever letting me go.”

With a confident twirl in her slim hips, she walked out of the room calling behind her, “Hurry up. I have a last-minute meeting with the caterers. Why do I have to do everything around here?”

Adaline turned her eyes once more to the table seating. The Vikhrov family had an entire table to themselves towards the front of the reception. Her heart beat with anticipation and dread at laying eyes on him once more. It had been so long. She wondered how much he had changed. She wondered if he ever thought of her…or even remembered…

Dominic eyed her appreciatively as she walked to and fro behind the glass window. Her wild curls flowed behind her beautifully like a halo on top of her head as she worked. Even after so long, Dominic still found Dina to be one of the most beautiful women he had ever met. It had been several months since he had last seen her at Dmitri and Sasha’s wedding in Newark. The moment, despite the few people who attended the event, had never come for them to reacquaint themselves with each other. Instead, he had spent the entirety of that day drinking and grudgingly catching Slade’s gaze as they silently challenged one another for her attentions. But neither of them had acted out their desires. It wasn’t the proper place for it.

He had thought it best to let her settle in. From what he had been able to get out of Sasha, Dina had moved back to the United States because of a curator position that had opened up. It was her dream and he wasn’t simply happy for her, he was happy that she was back within his reach. After meeting that infamous night for the first time, he had doggedly pursued her; despite her hesitations in the beginning, they had ended up dating for some time. And he had fallen for her in a way he had never felt for any other woman.

And then she simply disappeared. Both emotionally and physically. And dare he say it- his ego took a huge battering. For the first time, he wasn’t the one being pursued and now he was floundering as to why she had left in the first place. How could she not feel the connection they had when they were together? Or was it that something spooked her?

Either way, Dominic entered the art gallery with the full intent of finding out why and to get Dina back. The slamming of the door warned her of his presence. She turned around and her warm gray gaze met his dark ones.

“Dominic…” she said, almost breathless. “What are you doing here?”

He almost laughed at that. “Really? No ‘hello, it’s good to see you’? It’s been years!”

Dina swept her hair from her face and looked away, pensive. “Yeah, it has been. Two and a half, right? It is good to see you. And I’m sorry we never got to speak at the wedding. Its just…” she obviously struggled for words.

He shook his head in frustration. Why was she being so cold? As if she was talking to a distant family relative? Dominic surprised himself when he took a step forward until they were mere inches away from each other. She didn’t have to strain her neck to look up at him; he liked that she was near his height. She stood regal, her back straight, with her slender neck and figure. His hands itched to wrap themselves around her waist, and as if acting on their own, they did that.

“Why are you acting like this?”

“Dominic,” she said in warning. “Stop. This is not the time or the place to be having this conversation.” She set her hand on his hard chest to push him away but he didn’t budge.

“Then when? Because I am sick and tired of you hiding from me. You left with no fucking warning, Dina! And then you come back as if…as if I’m your goddamn perverted uncle you’re trying to hide from. Am I missing something? Or were we not getting pretty serious before you left?” His tone was brusque and he almost winced at his harshness. It wasn’t like him to be this way but she had done this to him. Dare he admit that she had actually broken his heart? Or was it simply his ego?

“Don’t talk to me like that, Dominic!” She took a step back until she was out of his grasp. “I didn’t handle things well- I know that. But…you have no right to bring this to my place of work. I don’t have answers for you right now.”

“Tell me…was it Slade?”

As soon as he spoke his name, there was a cold silence that entered the room. Dina merely looked away from him. But she had given him his answer either way.

“Did you cheat on me?” Now that was the answer he was dreading. His hands were clenched into fists as he waited with baited breath.

“Dominic, you need to go.” And, like before, she was the one to walk away.

When he finally made it back to his apartment, he wanted to punch something. Anything. But when he heard movement in the kitchen along with his younger sister’s melodic voice as she sang, he put back on the mask he had kept to hide his inner turmoil. It had become so natural, he often did it without even thinking.

Sneaking up behind her as she looked in his refrigerator, Dominic grasped her around the waist and tickled her stomach like he always did. Her shrieks of surprise and then laughter warmed his heart even just a little.

“Dominic! What the fuck!” She yelled out breathless when he finally released her. “Don’t scare me like that again.”

He merely smiled at her and shoved her aside to look into the refrigerator himself.

“Don’t bother,” Nadia said at his actions. “You never keep anything in this place. I’m starting to think you’re the one with the eating disorder.”

While he knew his sister had come a long way from the time she was battling anorexia, the jokes still hit too close to home for him. But he knew it was his sister’s way of acknowledging her past, not allowing social pressures to make her feel ashamed of how low she had fallen but how far she had come. So he allowed them, within reason.

“Why don’t we just go over Dmitri’s? He owes us a dinner. Ever since he got married, he stopped feeding us.”

Nadia laughed at that. “I don’t think we can. They are still in that honeymoon stage if you catch my drift. I’d rather not see them make those lusty gazes in front of me. It’s gross,” she replied, referring to Dmitri and Sasha, his bride.

“Speaking of which,” she continued. “Mother called and told me that we are expected this upcoming weekend at the
manor
.”

“What for?” he asked distractedly as he continued to search for something to eat. Once again, having found nothing, he decided instead to order in. Pizza had unfortunately become its own food group in his eating habits.

“There’s another wedding. The Langs. They’ve invited all of us, even Dmitri and Sasha.”

Alarm bells went through Dominic’s mind. He immediately asked, “Who is getting married?”

“Not the deaf one.”

He turned to his sister then with a deep frown. “Her name is Adaline, Nadia. Show some respect.”

Nadia held up her hands. “Whoa…chill out, bro. I didn’t know them. All I remember is that the girl was obsessed with you and couldn’t take a hint.”

“What are you talking about?”

His younger sister sighed and gave him a pitying look. “You really are too nice for your own good, sometimes. Just like then. Trying to be savior to an outcast. It’s sweet but you see what it got you? A fucking stalker.”

Dominic decided to say nothing in response. Instead, he simply asked, “What time?”

~~~~

They came in like stars. That was Adaline’s immediate thought as she watched the Vikhrov family be directed to their seats for the wedding procession. She recognized the three siblings but along with them was a small pregnant black woman with a head full of locs on the arm of Dmitri, the oldest of the Vikhrov siblings. She assumed that this was his wife but it shocked her somewhat. She would never have guessed the traditional Nikolai Vikhrov would allow his child to marry a black woman. Yes, he was a friend of her uncle Dean, himself married interracially, but her aunt was of a different sort. Her maiden name gave her social capital. And even Nikolai couldn’t dispute that. It was also quite another thing to have your child marry interracially.

Almost greedily, her eyes settled on Dominic. With the same familiar slight curl in his hair, he wore it long so that it brushed the collar of his black shirt and trench coat. It was a rather windy day in the fall of September so his sleek hair battled the invisible force, causing him to constantly sweep it back. He had grown even more handsome with the shadow of hair framing his strong jaw line and the slight slant of his eyes that emphasized their darkness. She had always been mesmerized by how his dark features contrasted so sharply with his personality; he had always been so cheerful and brought warmth and acceptance into any place he inhabited.

But unlike other people, she knew there was still a facet of his personality he kept hidden. They had once confided in one another. But even now she wondered if it meant as much to him as it did to her. Before her thoughts could delve further, she heard the orchestra begin.

Grabbing the small bouquet of flowers that matched the rich pink orange of her bridesmaid’s dress, Adaline took a step behind Carla’s best friends, her fellow bridesmaids and began the trek down the white aisle. She walked with her head up high, trying with all her might when she approached the row of Vikhrovs to not let her gaze wander to him. But as soon as she stepped to the front of the procession, standing beside the white columns beside the priest, she couldn’t help it. And her breath hitched when their gazes met.

Dominic gave her a slight smile before turning his attention behind him to Carla. No longer imprisoned by his stare, Adaline quickly did the same. But she wished she hadn’t. Carla looked beautiful with the sun shining on her white dress and tanned skin. Her natural blonde locks were straightened so that the breeze could flow through them more easily. Decorating her face was the same smug smirk Adaline had grown accustomed to seeing on her cousin. After all, she loved being the center of attention. And what better day to take advantage of than her wedding day?

After Carla was finally standing before her husband-to-be, Adaline’s mind wandered until before she knew it, everyone was clapping and shouting their congratulations to the newlyweds. Eventually, everyone was directed to the white tent for the wedding reception and took their seats in preparation for a five-course meal. Carla had truly gone all out regarding the food; she had wanted the best of the best. And so there was not only fresh seafood but also some of the finest Parisian desserts that money could buy.

Adaline took her seat with the rest of the immediate family at the front with Carla and her husband, Trent, in the center of the long table. After the formal dinner, she watched her cousin begin her first dance as a married woman with a slight smile. They may never be friends but there was still a part of her that was happy for her cousin. Despite Carla’s outspoken reveal regarding Trent’s money and upbringing, Adaline still hoped that there was true love there. Maybe Carla would actually find the happiness that had eluded her for so long because of materialism and wealth.

Her aunt eventually interrupted her thoughts. Victoria came up and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder,

“You should make your rounds and say hello to everyone. Carla is a bit too busy at the moment but it’s the proper thing to do. Start with the Vikhrovs.”

Adaline merely nodded her head in assent. She made her way over to the table nearest them. The family was in conversation, their attentions torn between the dancing and the food. Adaline gently cleared her throat and approached Nikolai and his wife, Natalia first.

“Hello Mr. and Mrs. Vikhrov. My name is Adaline. I just wanted to come and thank you again for taking the time to attend Carla’s wedding. The Langs are very happy to have you here.” Adaline paid particular attention to her accent, knowing that for some people they would associate it with a lack of intellect. Consequently, she had not been asked to speak on Carla’s behalf as was customary for close relatives. But she thought nothing of it; she didn’t want to speak in a room full of virtual strangers.

The older gentleman nodded his head, “Aren’t you Victoria’s niece? I don’t believe we have officially met.”

Adaline forced a smile. “No, we haven’t,” she lied. In fact, they had met on several occasions but the man had never bothered to acknowledge her presence being that she was merely adopted into the Lang family. Or at least that is what Adaline preferred to assume. She didn’t want to think he had dismissed her because of her disability. Even though she did have a cochlear implant, she still had her daily difficulties with hearing and speaking.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you. This is my wife Natalia.”

Everyone around the table personally introduced themselves to her after that, excluding Dominic who merely gave her a familiar smile. She was most interested in the woman on Dmitri’s arm. Sasha wore her long locs swept to one side of her face; her dress was beautiful, accentuating her pregnant belly. Adaline didn’t know what it was about the couple, but they intrigued her. There were few interracial couples in Dover, it being a dominantly white upper-class community. But they looked perfect together and their happiness was almost transcendent.

“It is nice to meet you Adaline. This was a very beautiful wedding,” Natalia spoke to her.

Adaline nodded her head in thanks. “I’d hope so; Carla worked very hard for this.” She stopped herself from gritting out the words; while it was partially true, there was no denying that her cousin had hardly lifted a finger, instead resorting to ordering people around to do her bidding.

There was a burst of laughter and so Adaline turned to find Dominic with his shoulders shaking in amusement. The rest of his family gave him weird looks but he ignored them. Instead, he looked up and winked at Adaline. And she knew then that her act had not gotten past him. He seemed to still know when she was lying. And that unnerved her quite a bit.

Knowing that no one else would understand, he signed to her, “
Hard to believe.
”