Whitfield Brides Complete Collection: Long Time Coming ; The Sweetest Temptation ; Taken by Storm by Rochelle Alers

Author:Rochelle Alers
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

Faith left her overnight bag by the door, hung up her jacket in a closet off the entryway and followed Simone and Lucinda into the room the older woman referred to as her meeting room. It was here that she conferred with prospective brides and their attendants while they perused the portfolios of Lucinda-designed wedding and bridesmaids’ gowns.

Petite with a rounded body and close-cropped, salt-and-pepper natural hairstyle, Lucinda Whitfield’s wedding gown designs rivaled notables like Vera Wang, Amsale, Priscilla of Boston, Reem Acra and Monique Lhullier. And she’d passed her incredible talent on to her daughter Tessa.

“I don’t know if you’ve eaten, so I put out a little something,” Lucinda said, motioning to the side table with a platter of bagels, croissants and miniature pastries. The Senseo gourmet coffee machine her husband of nearly forty years had given her as one of her Christmas gifts sat ready for brewing a single cup of coffee with the push of a button.

Simone set her oversize leather bag on the carpeted floor and shrugged out of her coat, leaving it on the back of an armchair. “All I want is coffee, so I can take a few aspirins.”

Lucinda sat in her favorite chair at a round oaken table. “You need more than coffee, Simone Whitfield, if you have a headache.” Her gaze shifted to her niece. “Are you going to eat something, or do you only want coffee?”

Faith smiled. “I’ll have something later, Aunt Lucy.” She’d eaten breakfast with Ethan.

“Sorry I’m late,” said Tessa in a throaty drawl as she walked into the parlor. “Traffic was backed up on the Tri-borough Bridge.”

“You’re not late, Theresa. Simone and Faith just got here,” Lucinda said.

Tessa picked up a coffee pod, inserted it into the coffeemaker, placed a cup under the spout and pushed a button. “Does anyone want a cup?”

“I’ll take one,” Simone volunteered. “Please make it black.”

Tessa frowned at her sister. “I’ve never known you to drink black coffee, because you claim it stains your teeth.”

Combing her wayward curls off her forehead with both hands, Simone closed her eyes. “I knew I shouldn’t have had that drink last night.”

“What were you drinking?” Tessa asked.

“I had a Long Island Iced Tea.”

Now Faith knew why Simone hadn’t taken off her sunglasses. “Where were you last night?”

Groaning, Simone opened her eyes. “Somewhere I didn’t need to be.” She saw Faith and Tessa share a glance. “I wasn’t with Tony,” she spat out.

Lucinda opened a book filled with samples of color swatches and fabrics. “Girls, please let’s get started. Remember, I only have five months to design and sew at least four gowns.”

Tessa placed a saucer under a cup, handing it to Simone. “You can eliminate my gown, Mama. I’ve decided to wear one of the gowns I bought from you last year.”

With wide eyes, Lucinda stared at her youngest daughter. “Which one did you choose?”

“The strapless silk-satin gown with the kimono-style sash. The only thing I want you to change is the color of the sash from bronze to platinum.

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