Wedding Party Collection: Proposing To The Planner: The Argentinian's Solace

This feeling, like a lump of lead in her stomach, was due to her getting too involved, Maxie concluded as she walked across the silent hallway. Did she really think she could ease Diego’s pain? What if she tried and it didn’t work?

What if, what if, what if…?

She was a doer, not a dreamer—wasn’t she? How could she make things right for Diego?

* * *

Back in his bedroom, Diego raked his hair impatiently and swore as if that could blank out what had happened. What had possessed him to ride a horse in front of Maxie? Why had he let her watch? Why had he questioned her about her father and simply let it go? Was he afraid to hear the truth? Was he afraid to face the truth about his leg—his future—his place in the Band of Brothers polo team? Was he afraid to face the truth about Maxie?

The chances of one Parrish being connected to another in a world of individuals with the surname Parrish was practically non-existent. And if he asked her and there was a connection he doubted she would answer him honestly anyway. She would just strengthen her defences, making the elusive Peter Parrish even harder to find. It would save a lot of grief if he just hired a private investigator and waited until he had some answers.

He gazed out of the window at the pool house. There was still a very good chance he could make a full recovery. He had to believe that one day full feeling would return to his leg. One thing was sure—the enemy of his progress was inactivity. He’d take a shower and have a swim. If he could do nothing more than religiously practise the exercises he’d been given in the hospital then that was what he’d do.

* * *

Back in her room, Maxie picked up the phone to call Holly with the good news about the caves. ‘Yes, I’m fine,’ she confirmed when Holly spoke without breath or break about her concerns for Maxie. ‘This isn’t about me,’ Maxie reminded Holly good-humouredly when she could finally get a word in. ‘It’s your wedding—though the next time you might warn me what to expect on the unreconstructed man front!’

‘There won’t be a next time,’ Holly said, laughing down the phone. ‘And I doubt anyone could warn you about the Acosta brothers. They’re unique!’

‘They certainly are,’ Maxie agreed, laughing too. She went on to explain what she had seen and how she thought they could use the caves as part of the entertainment for the guests. They chatted some more and Holly thanked her for the photographs.

Maxie had crossed to the window by this time, only to see Diego crossing the garden. On his way to bed down the horses, she presumed. She pulled back just in time as he looked up, making her heart thunder and her body yearn.

This was madness, Maxie told herself firmly, finding she had to wait until even his shadow had disappeared before she could concentrate enough to finish what she’d been saying to Holly.

‘Are you still there?’ Holly demanded.

‘I’m still here,’ Maxie confirmed. ‘I was just distracted for a moment.’

‘By Diego?’

‘How did you know?’ she said, smiling.

‘Maxie, please. Relationships are my business, remember? Agony aunt?’ Holly prompted. ‘My whole job revolves around sniffing out sparks.’

‘There are no sparks.’

‘Right,’ Holly agreed without conviction. ‘So, what do you really think of him?’

‘I don’t know what you mean. I’m here to arrange your wedding. I hadn’t even noticed Diego, to be honest…’

‘Oh, he has made an impression on you,’ Holly interrupted with amusement. ‘Remember, I have seen him—so nothing you can say will ever persuade me that you haven’t noticed Diego. Did you even say that, by the way?’

‘Could we concentrate on business and your wedding plans, please?’

‘For now,’ Holly agreed. ‘So what do you think of the island so far?’

‘Fabulous. Perfect for your wedding,’ Maxie said honestly. She gave Holly some more back-up information to flesh out what she’d already told her. ‘So if you’re sure you’re happy to leave everything to me—’

‘That’s why I hired you.’

‘I’ll send some more notes through later today.’

‘Put some juicy bits in this time,’ Holly insisted with a laugh.

‘Not a chance,’ Maxie exclaimed, pressing her back against the cool of the wall in the hope that it might soothe her overheated body. ‘Sorry to disappoint, but this is strictly business, Holly.’

‘Now you’ve upset me,’ Holly protested, forcing a sob into her voice. ‘I was planning on us being sisters-in-law one day, so I’ll always have someone around to organise my life.’

‘Well, as that’s never going to happen—’

‘All right—so concentrate on my wedding for now. Just think of it as a rehearsal for your own.’

‘Holly,’ Maxie warned in a mock-stern tone. ‘Seriously. Stop this.’ And that was as far as she got before Holly laughed again and cut the line.

Did Holly even know Diego? Did she think for one moment he would look at someone like Maxie? Diego had been right about Holly—she did look at the world through rose-tinted spectacles. Getting to know Diego any better than Maxie already had would be the most insanely dangerous thing she could do.

And what if she wanted to?

She just had to get a hold of herself, Maxie told her inner voice impatiently, wishing she didn’t feel quite so mixed up. After all the excitement on the bike what she needed was to cool down, Maxie concluded, searching for her swimming costume. She couldn’t do any more work on Holly’s wedding plans today so she might as well take some time to chill out—if that was possible while she and Diego lived under the same roof.

Grabbing her things, she was just about to leave the room when she decided to make a quick call first. ‘Dad?’

‘Maxie? Is that you?’

The fact that her father seemed to be totally switched on now, despite his earlier confusion, was incredible. ‘How do you feel?’ she asked eagerly, thrilling at the sound of his voice.

‘Wonderful,’ he assured her.

‘That’s the best news I’ve heard all day. And don’t you worry. I’ll be back before you know it to take you out, and we’ll have a great time—’

‘Take me out? Take me out where? Who is this?’ her father quavered in a voice that chilled her. ‘Why do you want to take me out?’ he demanded suspiciously. ‘What have I done? You can’t blame me,’ he exclaimed on a rising note.

And then he started yelling and swearing just like the old days, only almost worse, Maxie realised, because now he didn’t know what he was saying. She knew she should be relieved when a nurse took over the phone, but instead she just felt beaten. It took a good few steadying breaths this time before she could accept that it was her father’s illness that had beaten them both.

‘Everything’s fine this end,’ the nurse assured her. ‘Are you okay?’

‘I’m fine,’ Maxie confirmed. Fine. Fine. Fine. She was fine.

Emotion filled the room, leaving no air to breathe. Ending the call, she gave herself a moment, waiting for the tide of emotion to pull back, as it did every time, only to regain its strength for the next onslaught. Drawing in a shaking breath, she checked she had everything she would need at the pool house. The thought of a brief spell of solitude and mindless exercise had never seemed more appealing.

* * *

Swimming was one thing Diego could still do really well. After years of training he had plenty of muscle power in his upper body, and if one leg worked less smoothly than the other the water supported it and he could still maintain a credible speed. And swimming was one of the very best exercises for his injury, the physios had told him. The cool of the water after the heated bike ride was certainly welcome. His regular stroke allowed him to focus his mind and plan his next move. With Maxie around the name Parrish was constantly in front of him, so it made sense to him to get to the bottom of the Peter Parrish mystery once and for all.

All he wanted was the chance to confront the man with what he’d done—what they’d both done. He hoped then he could start looking forward—maybe one day he might even forgive himself. Performing a powerful tumble turn using just one leg, he cruised to the side just as Maxie walked through the door. He huffed a humourless laugh, guessing she’d take one look at his scars and probably faint. Even his brothers had flinched when they had first seen them. Like the painkillers he refused to take, nothing could change the past, but to have her see him stumbling and scarred felt like some sort of penance. His guilt for what had happened all those years ago required constant feeding.

‘Hello, Diego,’ she said, seeming surprised to see him. ‘You don’t mind if I take a swim, do you?’