Fortune's Surprise Engagement. Nancy Thompson Robards

picking up. I’ve looked all over the hotel and she’s not here. The best I can figure is that she called an Uber and left.”

      “Where would she go?”

      Olivia thought for a moment, changing gears from likely hiding places in the hotel to where Sophie might go outside of the place. She had an idea.

      “We know she’s not at Mason’s. He said he’d call if he heard from her. I can think of a couple of places I’d look to start. She probably went home to her condo.”

      She shook her head. “I’m going to have a lot of explaining to do when I find her.”

      “Don’t jump to conclusions,” Alejandro said. “Maybe it’s not as bad as you think.”

      Olivia shrugged. “My sisters and I think that last night sent her spiraling into a case of prewedding jitters. You know, cold feet.”

      Alejandro opened his mouth as if to say something, but sighed instead.

      “What?” Olivia asked.

      “Nothing.”

      “No, it’s something. Tell me, please.”

      “If she’s so easily spooked, maybe she knows something we don’t.”

      “Such as?”

      “Maybe she’s questioning whether she should get married or not. If so, that’s not your fault. In fact, maybe you did her a favor. Maybe what you said made her think. If she’s having second thoughts, isn’t it better to call off the wedding than to get a divorce?”

      “We can’t call off the wedding, because it’s Dana and Kieran’s wedding, too. And if Sophie opts out, it will certainly put a damper on their day.”

      “So you’re saying truth be damned? She should just suck it up for propriety’s sake? Because if so, maybe you’re not as antiestablishment as you think you are.”

      She squinted at him. “That is not what I’m saying. This has nothing to do with me and everything to do with my sister’s happiness.”

      “But you’re making it sound like this is all about you. You must think you have some kind of power over her if you think your feelings about love and marriage can change her mind.”

      “I’m not saying I changed her mind. I’m saying I’ve spoiled the mood, cast a black cloud and now she’s got cold feet.”

      Cocking a brow that seemed to say he wasn’t convinced, Alejandro sat back and crossed his arms. He looked at her as if the judge and jury resided inside his head and they’d already come to a verdict on the matter. “You’re saying all you have to do is talk to her and you can change her mind.”

      It wasn’t a question. It was a statement, and Olivia didn’t like the implications. She stood.

      “Look, you don’t know me or my sister. I don’t know why it seemed like a good idea to burden you with the details. So please forget everything I told you. Sophie will be fine. The wedding will be fine. Good luck with your meeting.”

      As she turned to walk away, something made her turn back. He watched her as she returned to the table. “I hope it goes without saying, but please don’t mention this to anyone. Okay?”

      “Of course. And I won’t mention the kiss, either.”

      He had the audacity to wink at her. All cheeky and smug-like. That’s what he was—cheeky and smug. And a player who took advantage of drunk women.

      Okay, so maybe the kiss wasn’t so bad.

      Olivia flinched and waved him off. Her stomach remained in knots even as she made her way into the majestic Driskill’s lobby, away from Alejandro Mendoza. The guy was a piece of work. A smug, cheeky piece of work who called it as he saw it no matter how awkward it rendered the situation. In fact, he seemed to get some kind of pleasure out of making her uncomfortable.

      She’d do her best to steer clear of him for the duration of the wedding.

      She hated the disappointment that swirled inside her. Because she wanted another taste of Alejandro’s lips—she wanted more than just another taste of his lips, if she was honest. But she also knew that the only thing she should be focusing on this week was making sure she got Sophie to the wedding and down the aisle. The conflict tugged at the outer reaches of her subconscious, and she shoved it out of her mind.

      She stared up at the gorgeous stained-glass ceiling, taking a deep breath and trying to ground herself. She took her cell phone out of her pocket and checked the time. It was almost eight thirty. There were no calls from her sisters. Dana and Monica were supposed to join them for brunch at eleven, which gave Olivia two and a half hours to find Sophie and make amends.

      She called Sophie’s cell again. After one ring, the call went directly to voice mail.

      She did not leave a message. Instead, she texted her.

      Where are you, Sophie? We’re worried about you. I understand why you’re upset and I’m sorry. I really am, but please let us know where you are...that you’re safe.

      Fully expecting the message to sit unanswered, Olivia shoved her phone into the back pocket of her jeans and made her way toward the elevators. As she waited for the doors to open in the lobby, her cell phone dinged.

      Olivia’s heart leaped when she saw that Sophie had replied.

      I’m safe.

      With shaking hands, Olivia typed:

      Where are you?

      She stared at her phone as if she could will her sister to answer. But by the time the elevator arrived, Sophie still hadn’t replied.

      Olivia tried to pacify herself with the thought that maybe there was no cell service in the elevator hallway. She walked back into the lobby and typed another message.

      Thank you for letting us know you’re okay. Will you please meet me for a cup of coffee before the brunch so we can talk about this?

      There’s no need. I’m going to pass on brunch. Please give my regrets to Dana.

      She was going to pass on brunch?

      What am I supposed to say to Dana?

      Tell the truth. Tell her I’m not getting married.

      I’m going to call you. Please pick up.

      There’s nothing to talk about.

      Are you kidding me? I worked my butt off to give you and Dana a nice weekend. You can’t just opt out without so much as a phone conversation. I don’t care if you thought I was a little harsh last night. Sophie, you need to grow up. Your deciding not to get married affects others besides yourself.

      Seconds after she sent the message her phone rang. It was Sophie.

      “Hi,” Olivia said. “Thank you for calling me.”

      “Say what you need to say.” Sophie sounded like she was crying and Olivia’s heart broke a little more.

      “Sophie, please, you can’t take to heart what I said last night.” She moved out of the lobby and into the bar area where they were last night, looking for a quiet corner where she could talk to her sister privately. “Please don’t let my cynical drunken words cause you to make the worst mistake of your life.”

      “Those weren’t just liquor-inspired words, Liv. It’s the truth. Every single word of what you said is true. Are you trying to tell me it’s not?”

      It was true. Her parents had a terrible marriage. If you could even call it a marriage. They led separate lives because they couldn’t stand each other.

      “I thought so,” Sophie said on a sob when Olivia didn’t reply. “Look, I need some time to figure out what I’m going to do. I appreciate all the time and hard work you put into the bachelorette party, but I need some space right now.