Impulsion (Station 32 #1)(98)
“I always have been,” Harley said, not even looking at the ring, still holding Wyatt’s ice blue gaze. That instant, he was on his feet, pulling her to his lips. He heard the room clap, heard the clanking of glasses, but he deepened that kiss, kissed her like it would be the last time he’d ever touch her.
If there was anything that the hell of being away from Harley had taught him, it was that you do not wait to show someone how much you love them, you do not assume they know; you tell them every day, in every way. You fight with all that you are for them.
“As I was saying,” Garrison said over the clatter. “Life brought my greatest accomplishment back to the legacy of the Doran Estate. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of having dinner with Mr. Doran, and he asked for my daughter’s hand, a request that I was eager to grant.”
Wyatt had slowly ended that kiss, and his eyes lingered in Harley’s for a moment before looking to Garrison, to Claire Tatum.
“I was eager to announce this at this party, eager enough to tell Conrad, and then we understood we had a small issue.”
“I’ll say,” Silvia Grant said coolly, doing her best to look calm under all the glances of the room. The Tatums had just humiliated her son, and all she could feel was rage.
Conrad let out a slow smile as he caught Collin’s stare. “Son, in all that glorious grooming your mother put you through, did they not teach you that it is rude to leave your date unattended for more than a moment?”
Collin glanced to Harley to see that she was just as lost, even gauged how Wyatt had pulled her a little closer, not sure what game was unfolding.
The side doors opened again, and there stood Quinn. Even though her gown was elegant and she was simply ravishing, everyone’s stare in the room seemed to fall to her hand.
Collin let a relaxed smile spread across his face and began to speak. “I would like to introduce everyone to the future Mrs. Collin Grant. Quinn Moran.” Collin walked right up to Quinn and landed a soft kiss on her lips, then smiled that classically trained grin and aimed it and his wit at the room. “Clearly, Mr. Doran is the romantic in the room. Me? I proposed at sunset from my balcony, overlooking the city.”
“Your kingdom,” said someone in the room, causing a roar of laughs. Endless congratulations came from every direction at that point.
Gradually, those in the room started to make their way to the party that was blossoming outside, each eager to spread the dramatic, unexpected news of the toast that had just occurred.
Wyatt had never let go of Harley, no matter how many hands he shook. He even made it a point to try and keep himself between her and her mother.
Moments later, after the Grants had moved to one side of the study to meet Quinn, Claire Tatum moved closer to Wyatt and Harley.
She only stared for a second before she spoke. “The Ellingtons. No one thought to tell me of that connection.”
“And why would I do that?” Garrison said from her side. “If I did that, dear, you would continue to see a name and not what lies behind the name. Wyatt and Harley would not have understood that time and circumstance are nothing but trivial matters when it comes to obtaining a dream that you have, in their case a love affair.”
“I only want the best for our daughter. You know that, right, Harley?” Claire said as her gaze met hers. Somehow, this proposal had shifted the balance of power. Harley could swear she saw some fear in her mother’s eyes. It was because she knew how much power Garrison had just handed over to Wyatt. Garrison had given him his legacy and everything that was attached to that name.
“No, I don’t,” Harley said evenly, not expressing a single emotion, just the way her mother had raised her. “If you wanted what was best for me, you would have asked what made me happy. Instead, we both failed. I tried to make you happy, be who you wanted me to be. That did nothing but make me miserable. I’m not living like that anymore. Mother, you owe the Dorans an apology for the harsh things you said years ago, and if you give a damn about me, then you’ll give that apology and be at my wedding, one that I will plan to my liking, one that represents us.”
Claire Tatum sucked in a deep breath. Fury was in her eyes now, a cold fury, but she smiled. “Of course. Whether you care to have it or not, you have my blessing, Wyatt.” And with that, she plastered on her fake smile, moved past Harley and Wyatt, and started saying things like “Thank you, we could not be happier” to everyone who congratulated her.
Garrison didn’t even bother to acknowledge how shallow his wife’s words sounded. Instead, he said, “Tell that Armstrong boy to come on in. Ballantine, too. This party would be a bore without them.”
Wyatt nodded in the direction of Memphis and Easton. A bit nervously, they came in, but they seemed at ease as Conrad and others started to talk to them.
“I’m guessing you said yes?” Easton said as he reached to hug Harley. He leaned away. “Which means I have to wear a suit again.”
“And dance with me, but I’m good with jeans,” Harley said, pulling Wyatt closer.
“You think Mrs. Camille would be?” Easton said, raising his brow, then shaking his head as he walked away and began to inspect one of the trays of food.
Wyatt and Harley stood side by side and met every one of the people Garrison thought were important enough to meet Wyatt Doran. They sat through the toasts in the main party, every ounce of it, barely finding a moment to say a word to each other, but their gazes, the way they held each other said it all.