Its not exactly comfortable. With a wry expression, he tugged on the bow tie.
At forty-eight, Trevor, a successful attorney, was eighteen years older than Holly and a longtime friend of her late parents. Until recently, shed thought of him as a kind of uncle.
Then, during the past year, his friendly manner had shifted into courtship. At first, shed kept him at arms length.
But after her pregnant sister Jazz disappeared, Trevor had been her mainstay, offering emotional support and spending his own time and money on the search. It had been a relief to share her burden.
Just before Christmas, one of Jazzs scruffy musician friends, Griffin Goldbar, had showed up with Ben. Astonished at being handed a baby, Holly hadnt questioned him forcefully, especially after Griff assured her that Jazz would return in a few days.
When she didnt, Holly had worried all through Christmas. Shed begun to fear that her sister might not return at all.
Two weeks ago, when Trevor assured her that his love was big enough to include the child, Holly accepted his proposal. Maybe his kisses didnt set her on fire, but she needed him.
She was in no shape, financially or emotionally, to raise a child alone. Besides, he made her feel safe and cherished.
His eagerness had persuaded her not to delay the wedding. Fortunately, she already had her mothers wedding gown.
Did I mention how stunning you look? Trevor brushed his thumb across the wing of dark-red hair that fell to her collar. Honey, Im just bursting with pride. I cant wait to see you walk down the aisle.
She blushed. Have many of the guests arrived? Hollys parents were dead, and she had no other close family. Neither did Trevor, whose childless first marriage had ended in divorce five years ago.
The guests included her co-workers and some of Trevors colleagues. Many couldnt attend, however, because courts were in session. The wedding had been scheduled on the salons afternoon off, a Monday, which was also one of the few days the church had been available.
Theyre straggling in. The crease deepened in his cheek. Im nervous, can you believe that? Its
man was the intensity of the eyes. They burned at her from his chiseled face, disturbing her with their open expression of dislike.
Annoyed, Holly reached up and lowered her veil. Not a twitch of the strangers lips betrayed a reaction.
She hurried inside, but an impression of alert tension stayed with her. And of fierce eyes that seemed oddly familiar.
YOU ARE certain it is she? asked Zahad. To Sharif, the turtleneck sweater and cap gave his cousin a collegiate air.
She covered her face when she saw me, but yes, the sheikh replied. I am certain. The resemblance to the photograph of H. J. Rivers was unmistakable.
The two men sat in the front seat of a rented sedan, next to a small shopping center on the far side of the vacant lot. Through binoculars, they had been watching the churchyard for more than an hour.
Although, following Zahads advice, the sheikh was dressed in casual American fashion, something about him had distressed Holly Rivers. He should not have stared so hard, he supposed, but he had wanted to see her face clearly.
How innocent she looked, and how lovely, her youth and vivid coloring flattered by the ivory gown. He knew her true nature, however. She had stolen his money, and now she was trying to steal his child.
They are all snakes, he muttered. Her, and those people at the clinic.
Beside him, Zahad nodded. I am sorry I steered you to that place. It received many recommendations on the Internet, so I trusted Mrs. Wheaton, but she has deceived us. I am only glad we had not yet paid her the full amount.
A month ago, the clinic owner had stopped returning Zahads phone calls. When he finally reached her, she had nervously declared that there were some unforeseen complications but that they could be handled. Any precipitous action might create legal problems, she had said.
With his usual thoroughness, the aide had checked recent legal records concerning H. J. Rivers. That was how hed learned that Holly Jeannette Rivers had taken out a marriage license with Trevor Samuelson, an attorney.
Amy Haroun, who had grown up as more of a sister to Sharif than a cousin, had surmised that Holly Rivers must have decided to keep the baby. A poor manicurist couldnt afford a legal battle, but marriage to an attorney would guarantee her an inside track. No doubt the older man had been bedazzled by this manipulative young woman.
Zahad had flown to America at once. Sharif, whod arrived yesterday, didnt know the full extent of his aides preparations, but there was a safe house, and this car had been rented through a business subsidiary. Zahad had also stashed a backup vehicle somewhere.
They had brought no weapons, at the sheikhs orders. He didnt want to risk being arrested with a gun.
The plan was to snatch his son and fly him back to Alqedar, using any of several sets of tickets purchased from different airlines. Then let Holly Jeannette Rivers twist and scheme as she might. American custody orders were not recognized in his country.