Love Takes Time by Adrianne Byrd Page B

continue to send those ripples of happiness to all of us. Congratulations!”
    â€œHear, hear!” Everyone raised their glasses.
    Next, Mr. Hinton stood and addressed the crowd like a man born on a stage. He recounted the many years her father had worked for him and expressed his unshakable belief that Alfred’s next career move would make him the star chef he deserved to be. As always, Roger had a way of talking too much. But it was the end of Roger’s speech that finally reeled her back in.
    â€œI hope that everyone will come back here in a couple of months when we’ll have another wedding to celebrate,” he said.
    She glanced up. Who was getting married?
    â€œMy son Quentin has recently gotten engaged, and his mother and I couldn’t be more thrilled.”
    Alyssa’s wineglass slipped from her hand and crashed against the table. All eyes shifted to her.
    â€œExcuse me.” She stood and then raced out of the pavilion.

Chapter 10
    Q uentin cursed under his breath as he cradled his head against the palm of his hand. It took everything he had not to race after Alyssa. Mainly because to do so would definitely get the gossip tongues wagging. His gaze cut back over to his father, who was still standing and holding court. He didn’t doubt for a moment that his father made that little announcement specifically for Alyssa’s benefit.
    For now, all Quentin could do was sit there and stew. When the toast was finally over and the music began to play again, an avalanche of congratulations rained down on him. Heavy hands whacked him on the back, while women sent calculating glances hisway as if wondering whether he was truly off the market, which in his mind, he wasn’t.
    As far as he was concerned, this marriage was nothing more than a way for him to ensure his inheritance, since his father had held firm and kept him financially cut off. The question now was how was he going to explain this situation to Alyssa? And he definitely wanted to explain.
    After having the taste of her lips more than once, his body now craved more. After seeing the astonished and hurt look on her face, Quentin gave himself a mental kick. Soon the hired waiters came and delivered everyone’s meal. Quentin thought this was the perfect time to excuse himself from his table.
    Sterling clamped a hand down on his shoulders and stated bluntly. “Let her go. I think you’ve done enough.”
    â€œI have to talk to her.”
    Sterling shook his head. “And tell her what?”
    â€œYou know, you have this annoying habit of putting your nose where it doesn’t belong.”
    Sterling leaned in close. “And you have a habit of thinking with the wrong head.”
    There were only a few times in Quentin’s life when he wanted to punch his brother in the face, mainly because Sterling was much stronger than he was and could kick his butt, but now was one of those times.
    â€œIt’s none of your business what I do,” Quentin hissed. “It’s bad enough that I gave my future away so that our old man can get his much-wanted merger.But I never promised that I would be faithful or a good husband.”
    â€œSo life goes on as usual. You’re going to do whatever the hell you want to do no matter who gets hurt, right? Tell me. What has little Alyssa done for you to think so little of her in all of this?”
    â€œTrust me. I’m thinking about her feelings and everything else if you want me to be honest.”
    Sterling’s jawline hardened. “Careful. If you think for one second that I won’t break that glass jaw of yours, you have another thing coming. I won’t let you hurt her. She doesn’t deserve that kind of treatment from you.”
    An unmistakable hostility wrapped around the two brothers. No doubt to onlookers it looked as if they were just seconds from throwing the first punch.
    â€œSo how is it going over here?” Jonas asked, slapping