Recipe For Seduction (A Madewood Brothers Novel) (Entangled Brazen) (6 page)

“I just had to drop Cal off with Finn. He started his first day of work, and I— What?”

Had the two women just exchanged a knowing grin? Shit. The news of their intimate embrace was going to spread like wildfire.

“Oh, nothing,” Penn assured her.

Veronica cleared her throat and sat at the head of the table. “Anyway. I looked into everything we discussed in our last meeting. Frankly, I wasn’t sure if we could pull it off but I’ve called in a few favors and I think we can secure everything you’ve asked for.”

“In less than a month?” Penn asked, astonished.

“In less than a month.”

Penn sifted through the photos Veronica had laid on the table. Penn’s dark hair was parted to the right and swept up to one side, a blinged-out barrette placed at her temple. Her black pencil skirt and matching jacket were the perfect accompaniments to the red bustier fitted to her curvy body. If they’d been standing up, she would have towered over both Sterling and Veronica, because of her four-inch black stilettos.

Veronica looked down at her frumpy pantsuit and sensible flats, and frowned. Next to Penn, she looked like an old lady. An old lady with no experience. Veronica envied the sexy siren, not only because of her obvious beauty, but you could just tell she knew how to have a good time.

But Veronica wouldn’t be without experience for very long. Thanks to Finn.

“Oh, I love this.” Penn pulled out one of the examples of a barn she had found online and held it out for Sterling. It was Veronica’s favorite, too. Twinkle lights made everything so pretty.

“Oh, yes. Can we do up the barn to look like this?” Sterling asked.

“Even if I have to put up every strand myself, you’ll get your twinkle lights.”

“Now that’s service,” Penn said, her head bobbing in agreement.

“I would never put you out like that.” Sterling frowned. “It’s just a venue. It’s not the most important part of the day.”

“Excuse me?” Penn stalked to the other side of the table and bent over Sterling, grabbing both her biceps. “How dare you disrespect Veronica’s job like this?”

Sterling smiled and cleared her throat as if knowing Penn was nowhere near done with her.

“You, my bestest friend in the world, have the rare opportunity to live the full fantasy. To have the wedding every little girl has ever dreamed of. Tell her, Veronica.” Penn snapped her head around.

“Yes, we can definitely pull together your dream wedding in the given time frame.”

Penn shook her head. “I mean, tell her what Jack told you about the money.”

“Oh…” His answer to Veronica’s most important yet routine query about the wedding budget had been shocking, in that she’d never actually heard it before. Except in the movies. “He said ‘Money is no object. Give Sterling whatever she wants.’”

Penn glanced back at Sterling and shook her body. “
Anything you want
.”

Sterling cocked her head to the side. “That’s a little different than forcing Veronica to do manual labor.”

“Oh, right.” Penn straightened and slid her fingers along the smooth tablecloth. “I get it now.”

A deep voice sounded over her shoulder. “Nice to know you’re willing to spend my brother’s money so freely.”

Cole stood in the entryway. His chef jacket hung open and a white T-shirt hugged his chest. His arm rested above his head as he leaned against the doorjamb.

When Veronica turned her focus back to the two women, Penn’s mouth hung open. For a moment she appeared utterly speechless, which wasn’t a trait Veronica thought would ever be associated with someone like Penn. As if trying to banish demonic thoughts from her brain, Penn shook her head.

Oh, yeah. Veronica knew that look. She knew that move, too. She felt that way every time she saw Finn walk into a room.

Penn placed her fists on her hips. Her jacket pulled to the sides, exposing her red bustier and her ample cleavage, which drew a glimmer of appreciation from Cole. “Just trying to make sure Sterling gets everything she wants for her wedding. It’s about time she got everything she desires.”

Veronica knew from talk within the group that Sterling’s parents had a gambling addiction and were currently attending meetings. Sterling and Jack lived with her two younger twin sisters, who were a year younger than Ali.

Cole’s gaze darted to Sterling and a shadow fell across his face. He no doubt realized Penn was right—Sterling had had a tough life up until now.

“You do deserve it, Sterling,” Cole said.

“Really…” Sterling looked back and forth between them all. “There is only one thing that will make the day absolutely perfect. With the exception of marrying Jack, of course.” She looked on stone-faced, then winked. “And it’s the chocolate fountain.”

Penn groaned. “Unlimited funds at your fingertips and all you care about is a chocolate fountain?”

“Some people aren’t greedy, Penn,” Cole snapped. “Some people care about more than appearances and money.” Veronica didn’t know much about Penn’s background, but with the way she glared at him from across the table, she had the sinking suspicion he had it all wrong.

Veronica had heard of Penn and Cole’s explosive relationship but she’d never witnessed it in action before now. Despite their harsh words there was a slow burn of sexual tension that tied them to each other. Veronica felt it—the undercurrent of desire and need that fueled their every conversation. And it would only take one small push for them to ricochet over the fine line of boss and employer.

“Speaking of chocolate, the fountain is all booked,” she interjected cheerfully, to head it off.

Sterling clapped her hands quickly in front of her chest. “I love chocolate, and there is nothing more appealing than being able to douse everything I eat with it.”

“I hope Jack feels the same way.” Penn winked at her friend, and Cole took off with a grunt and an eye roll.

“Let’s switch gears.” If they had any hope of crossing off the items on Veronica’s discussion list, she had better rein in the conversation. “We can probably pull off a bridal shower in the next two weeks and—”

“Who cares about the wedding shower?” Penn cut her off. “What about the bachelorette?” Her friend had a devious twinkle in her eye. “I’m thinking naked men and five-dollar bills.”

“I don’t know. I…don’t think I want that kind of night,” Sterling said.

“You’re never going to sleep with another man again.” Penn plopped sideways into a chair and let one arm dangle over the back. “At least allow yourself to
look
one last time.”

“Who says I don’t?” Sterling drawled.

“Looking is fine,” Veronica said with a chuckle. “It’s the touching that’s the problem.”

“Anyway. I don’t need to look, and I don’t need to touch. I just want to spend some time with my friends. Something PG my little sisters can attend, but still a night for the record books.”

Sterling’s description sparked an idea in Veronica’s mind. “I might have a suggestion.” Sterling and Penn eyed her curiously. “There’s something I had planned to do on my own, but now that I think of it, this would be a perfect addition to a girls’ night.”

Their eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“What do you think of getting boudoir photos taken?”

“I’m in,” Penn whooped.

Veronica laughed. She hadn’t even explained the whole plan yet. “My friend is a photographer, so I’m sure I can get a group rate. She’ll also have connections for hair and makeup. You could have champagne and some finger foods. You can give the photos to Jack as a wedding present.”

“What about my sisters?” Sterling asked with a frown. “I am absolutely not allowing them to have half naked pictures taken so they can end up on the internet.”

Veronica smiled. She really should get to know Sterling a little better. They seemed to have the same fears when it came to teenaged girls. “I agree. They can still have their photos taken, but for them it would be more like a fashion shoot. And we’d be sure to keep the doors closed on the other sessions.”

“That’s a great idea.” Penn was fully on board. “So it’s settled? We’re taking sexy photos.”

“On one condition.” Sterling turned to Veronica. “You need to join us.”

“Oh! I…” She didn’t have the words. Veronica didn’t have many girlfriends. Most of her friendships had dwindled as soon as she decided to adopt her two younger siblings. “Thank you. I would love to.”

“Don’t forget to bring your sister.”

A grin spread across Veronica’s face. She had known Finn and his brothers a long time, and loved them all. And Sterling had just proven why Jack was a very lucky man.

“Ali is away at school and probably won’t make it, but I’ll call my photographer friend tonight and set everything up. I do have a wedding every Saturday until the end of the year, and I’ve got a couple bridezillas, so I expect my Friday nights will be hectic. Can we do a Sunday?”

“Sunday’s fine with me,” Penn said. “I don’t think my boss will mind if I’m hungover Monday morning.”

“Sunday works for me, too,” Sterling said. “What about Carson?”

“She’ll be in, for sure.” Penn said.

Carson Kelly was another soon-to-be sister-in-law—Neil’s girlfriend. They had just started dating officially a few weeks ago, after a sex tape scandal had shocked the Madewood world. But everyone saw where their relationship was headed—right down the aisle.

“I really love this idea.” Sterling reached across the table and sifted through the photos. “Why don’t we have it at Vivian’s? That big ol’ house is just sitting there with no one to love it.”

Penn lunged and pulled Veronica into a hug. “You are the best wedding planner ever.”

Oh, Veronica was great with the ideas. Of that she had no doubt. It was the joining in, the being involved, that had always presented problems for her. Another item to add to her list of getting-her-life-back. Spending an afternoon with friends sounded like exactly what she needed to break out of her shell.

Sterling pursed her lips. “Why don’t we kill two birds with one stone? We can have the photo shoot during the day, and then the rehearsal and dinner that same evening. Invite the boys over. Your brothers, too, Veronica.” She made a face. “Giving my parents almost a week between the wedding and the rehearsal might mean they’ll actually show up.”

“Are you sure you don’t mind me tagging along?” Veronica asked, tactfully sidestepping the parents remark.

Sterling waved her off. “You’re practically family. Finn’s told me all about you and the trouble you two used to get into.”

“He has?” Why would he talk about her?

“From what Finn tells me, he, Cole, and Mark were inseparable.”

Veronica nodded, her mind swamped with so many great memories. “They were…still are.” At least, until Mark had moved out west. “When I was fourteen a really nice family took me in and the three of them used to come and visit me. I lived an hour away. Eventually, my foster family realized my brother was a good kid, and took him in, as well.”

That had been the temporary breakup of the three musketeers. It wasn’t until they had all graduated from high school and Mark had moved back to the city to go to college that they saw one another as often.

Penn picked up the book of fabric swatches and leafed through it. “Funny how things turn out,” she mused. “If I’d had to choose, I would have picked Finn to get married first.”

“Yeah. So did Vivian,” Veronica murmured wistfully.

At the sudden eerie silence, she sucked in a quick breath and looked up. Both women stared at her as if she had two heads.
Damn
. She had to remember some things didn’t need to be said. She shared a past with the Madewood family that these women could never know or understand. It wasn’t her place to disclose Finn’s deep and darkest secrets. Not that Veronica knew them all.

Still, what she was about to reveal wasn’t really a secret. It was plain as day within two minutes of meeting the man.

“Finn wants a wife and babies,” Veronica explained. “He wants the family life he never had. Vivian knew that.” A part of Veronica always believed Vivian shared the same daydream, the one where Veronica would someday marry Finn. There was something in the way she’d looked at her, in the way she’d knowingly smiled whenever they were together.

But Vivian had passed away much too early, and now the idea of raising babies gave Veronica the hives.

“I forget that you’ve known them all for a long time.” Sterling stood up from the table and walked closer.

“A very long time.” Veronica shrugged. “I mean, I get his thinking. The whole family thing. But it’s just not something I need to be happy. I already have my family. Finn and I are the complete opposite in that regard.”

“Opposites sometimes work. Jack and I are the perfect example.”

“Opposites can attract. But that’s personality types. Our opposite is the fundamental way we want to live the rest of our lives.” She shook her head, trying to solidify the theory in her brain. “It just wouldn’t work.”

“Sounds like you’ve thought about this a lot,” Penn said. She exchanged a quick glance with Sterling.

“Finn and me?” Veronica pointed at herself. “No, no, hell no.” Had she been convincing enough? “Finn and I are friends.
Just
friends. Besides, I have too many complications right now to get involved with anyone.”

“Veronica,” Sterling said. She moved even closer, placing her palms on the table, and leaned forward. “Believe me when I say I know all about complications. And if it wasn’t for Jack, those complications would still be ruling my life.”