Author's Note: I can't resist. I have the next three chapters finished, and I have to post them. They're just too fun! So make sure you don't skip any, k?
Heero's POV
The Wedding Planner Part 11
The next morning I was up first, as usual. Milly, the maid, served me a cup of tea on the veranda, and I settled back to watch the gardener trimming the distant hedges. While I soaked in the soothing morning breezes, I replayed the previous night's scene in my head, wondering how I could have handled it differently.
Not that I hadn't spent the better part of the night doing just that. I'd stared at the ceiling so long I'm surprised there weren't holes in it. Yet after all that pondering, I couldn't come up with a solution. Yes, I'd been a jealous fool. But I still felt justified. And Relena should know that with the tumultuous nature of our relationship, there were bound to be moments of doubt and uncertainty. She should have worked to reassure me, rather than add to them. Oblivious twit.
And Maxwell, that arrogant fuck! He clearly saw the insecurity that Relena so completely overlooked. Worse yet, he played upon it quite deliberately. I recalled the sly gleam in those wide indigo eyes and the heat from his arm as he'd brushed past me on the way out. It was as if he knew the effect a look or a touch would have, and he enjoyed bringing the angry flush to my face. Who gets off on driving someone else crazy, anyway?
I was half-tempted to head for the gym before Relena got up, to work off my renewed anger so that we could have a civil conversation. But before I could, the sound of light footsteps heralded her arrival.
When there was no immediate greeting from her, I knew she was still mad. I could almost feel the temperature go down as she came up behind me. "Are you prepared to be reasonable this morning?" I recognized the tone Relena used when dealing with a roomful of difficult diplomats.
"I was reasonable last night," I said curtly. I could be just as stubborn as Relena. If you don't believe me, just ask Wufei.
"You were rude."
"He was deliberately baiting me," I insisted, recalling the defiant gleam in the deep indigo eyes, and the mocking twist to his lips as he'd brushed past me. "He knew it looked suspicious the way you two were curled up on the couch, and instead of explaining, or apologizing--"
"You didn't give him a chance to explain. You threw him out!" she blurted walking around to sit opposite me, her blue eyes icy.
"I asked him to show himself out," I corrected meticulously.
"It's my house."
She liked to play that trump card quite often, since the entire estate had been willed to her when her parents died. But I had a few aces of my own.
"It's my money that pays the staff," I reminded her.
While she owned the incredibly vast estate, and had enough of an allowance to survive, it was my income that was allowing her to keep some of the luxury items, like the gardeners, kitchen staff, valets, chauffeurs, maids, and butlers. Without me, she'd have had to alter her lifestyle drastically, or sell the place and take up residence in one of the modest country homes her parents had left as well. She needed me, much as she hated to be reminded of it.
Relena's face reddened, and she gave me a hurt look. "Are you going to throw that in my face?" she asked with tears springing to her eyes. I could feel my grasp on the situation slipping.
"Of course not," I said carefully, trying not to look straight at her. When she turned on the "little girl" charm, it was nearly impossible to stay objective. "But please don't tell me I can't ask someone I despise to leave the house I've come to consider our home." Go me! I felt like I'd phrased that perfectly. And avoided completely caving in.
"It is our home," she said earnestly. "But Duo was my guest. After all the time we've spent together the last couple of weeks, he's like a friend."
Pointing out how much time they'd spent together was a tactical error on her part. I didn't want to be reminded of how chummy they were.
"He's a paid employee," I reminded her. "He's helping plan our wedding, and then we'll never see him again." It couldn't be too soon for me.
"If you only got to know him--"
"I don't want to know him--" I began.
Wait! Scratch that! If she wanted me to get to know her touchie-feelie wedding planner, who was I to object? I could play chaperone again, and she'd never think twice about it, or suggest I didn't trust her.
I reached across the table to take her hand in both of mine. "Forget I said that." I kept my tone gentle...conciliatory. "If it will make you happy, I'll give him another chance."
Her face lit up, and the tears that had been about to spill over, didn't. "Really?"
"Really."
"You're a darling!" She came around the table and hugged me, pleased with her victory.
I hugged her back, pleased with mine. "When is your next appointment? I'll arrange my work schedule to accommodate it."
"Tomorrow morning," she said happily, pulling away and going back to her seat as the maid brought out her morning tea and muffin.
"I'll be there." I'll be at every meeting from now on, no matter how much work I have to miss--no matter how much I despise Maxwell. I tried not to grimace. Taking a swig of tea helped hide my expression.
She sipped her tea, peering over the rim of her cup at me, and giving a coy flutter of her lashes. "Could you, maybe, apologize a bit to Duo?"
I choked on my tea, coughing and sputtering as the maid ran over to pat my back and offer a napkin. "Apologize?" I demanded, glaring at my fiancée.
Relena's eyes went from pleading to ice in a heartbeat. "You were rude to him. And if he were to quit on us now--"
"--he wouldn't get paid," I finished for her. "And I'd make sure everyone who ever might even consider Winning Weddings heard about it." Well, they'd hear my version of it.
"Heero--"
I made the mistake of looking into the pleading blue eyes, and knew she'd win this one. But I decided it would be on my terms.
"I'll tell you what, Relena. How about if Maxw--Duo, and I--go alone tomorrow?" I made my voice sound neutral, and tried to keep the malice from my eyes. "It will give us a chance to get to know each other..." Yeah, right. "I'll apolo--er, smooth things over. And perhaps I'll be reassured that he's not trying to get too close to you."
Her face lit up. "Oh! A little 'male bonding' time? That sounds perfect! I'm sure once you get to know him, you'll adore him as much as I do!"
Male bonding indeed!
Adore him? I think not!
I was going to lay down the law to Mister Duo Maxwell. He was going to keep in his place, and keep his paws off my intended. Or I'd take great delight in trading in Zero for a new punching bag by the name of Maxwell.
~*~
The next morning, Duo looked surprised, and a little apprehensive, when I came down the staircase instead of Relena. But he quickly recovered his poise, smiling and stuffing his hands in his pockets, rocking back on his heels slightly.
"G'morning, Heero."
I simply nodded in response, eyeing him up and down. He was wearing his usual dark slacks, and his typically flattering style of shirt. There were sunglasses perched atop his head, and he looked a little windblown. I suddenly recalled that the sleek black Jaguar was a convertible; of course he'd be the type to prefer the top down.
"Is Relena ready to go?" he asked, as I reached the bottom step.
"I'll be the one accompanying you today," I said flatly.
"Oh." He seemed to tense slightly. "I--er--hope she's well?"
"She's fine," I said curtly, giving him a deadly glare. "She has other plans for today."
"But we set this up several--"
"I said she's not coming."
Duo stopped abruptly in mid-sentence, turning a slightly affronted look my way. He knew damned well what was coming, and I could tell he was trying not to let his unease show. "Okay," he said slowly. "If you're sure she didn't want to reschedule--"
"No." I walked over to the door the butler was still holding open, turning a smoldering glare on the braided man. "Shall we?"
He nodded, glancing up the staircase one last time before turning and following me out.
TBC...
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