Spencer & Kayla's Wedding Read online

  Two of a Kind BONUS Scene

  Callaghan Family & Friends

  Abbie Zanders

  Published by Abbie Zanders, 2018.

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  TWO OF A KIND BONUS SCENE

  First edition. April 1, 2018.

  Copyright © 2018 Abbie Zanders.

  Written by Abbie Zanders.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Two of a Kind BONUS Scene (Callaghan Family & Friends)

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Thank You!

  Spencer and Kayla’s Wedding

  Two of a Kind Special Bonus Scene

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Special thanks to my friend and fellow indie author, Robin Lang, for ensuring Ingrid’s German dialogue was accurate and authentic.

  Thanks also to author C.E. Kilgore for taking the time to answer my questions and provide the information I needed to make Kayla’s surprise wedding gift to Spencer a reality.

  Before You Begin

  This special bonus content is being offered exclusively to subscribers of Abbie Zanders Romance and is to be read after Two of a Kind. If you haven’t read Spencer and Kayla’s story yet, put this down and save it until you do!

  Now... are you ready for the big day?

  Chapter One

  “Beautiful!” Clarisse said in her rich French accent, plumping and spritzing yet another curl. “Tres magnifique!”

  Kayla smiled at her reflection. She did look damn good. Her sun-streaked chestnut hair was arranged in a sweeping up-do with artfully curling tendrils framing her face. The natural caramel and golden highlights from her time in the salt water and tropical sun had been lightened even further, adding a stunning, shimmering depth. The skilled stylist had done an incredible job, but that was no surprise. Clarisse was the best.

  “You are a miracle worker, Clarisse.”

  “Ah, c’est facile when I have something so lovely to work with.”

  Kayla laughed. “I bet you say that to all your clients.”

  “Bah. Of course I do,” Clarisse agreed with a wink. “But I mean it when I say so to you.”

  “Thank you.”

  Every bride wanted to feel beautiful on her wedding day, and Kayla was no exception. Spencer had insisted she take the entire week for excessive pampering prior to the big day, no expense spared. Who was she to argue with that?

  Over the past couple of days she’d been buffed, waxed, massaged and oiled until her lightly bronzed skin was baby-smooth and glowing. When combined with the incredible sex she and Spencer had been having all week – the man had been positively driven - Kayla had never felt more relaxed in her life.

  “You are the calmest bride-to-be I have ever seen. Are you not having the nerves?”

  “No,” Kayla answered honestly. Anticipation, maybe, but not nerves. While many brides-to-be stressed over wedding plans, Kayla was spared all of that thanks to her exceptionally wealthy and well-connected fiance. Spencer hired only the best. The highly recommended wedding planner was taking care of everything and doing a phenomenal job. Other than occasional, brief meetings to discuss their preferences, they hadn’t had to worry about anything.

  Zero stress, zero drama all around. It was good to be her.

  “And your beau, he is quite the catch, non?”

  “He sure is,” Kayla smiled. She never thought she’d get married, but here she was, about to wed the billionaire playboy who commanded her heart as skillfully as he commanded her body. If she believed in croies like the Callaghans did, she might even go as far as to say that Spencer was hers.

  Kayla was a practical woman, however, despite the fact that the last year had been nothing short of a fairytale. She had her dream job as head of Public Relations and occasional bartender at an exclusive adult resort. Lived in a tropical island paradise with her ideal man, who she would be officially marrying in a few short hours. She was making the most of every moment, not obsessing about things that might or might not happen years in the future.

  Ingrid, the wedding planner, breezed into the room, nodding in approval when she saw Kayla’s transformation nearly complete.

  “Stunning, absolutely stunning.” She checked her diamond encrusted Cartier watch and clapped her hands. “Attendants! It is almost time. The gown!”

  Like expertly trained soldiers, half a dozen women suddenly appeared to assist Kayla with her dress. The design was a one-of-a-kind creation, a special favor granted by one of the top designers in London who had become a regular at Sate. A beautiful shade of candlelight, the silken bridal gown was light and airy, perfect for the sunset service on the beach and comfortable enough to enjoy the dinner reception afterward with special VIP guests – guests who, by mutual agreement, did not include family.

  Once the final fitting was complete, Kayla was adorned with minimal but exquisite jewelry. The set was a wedding present from Spencer, consisting of a diamond necklace and earrings, crafted to match her custom engagement ring and wedding bands. She smiled, thinking of the “set” she had purchased for their wedding night. Even as she prepared, a team of specialists was hard at work, secretly transforming her and Spencer’s hideaway bungalow into a high end “play room”.

  Her body warmed just thinking about it.

  Ingrid watched with an assessing eye as she continued to consult her ever present tablet. Occasionally, she tapped her ear and spoke soft commands to whoever was on the other end of her invisible connection.

  When Ingrid’s tone sharpened unexpectedly, however, Kayla and the others looked her way. Kayla had only heard the unflappable event planner’s voice do so once before when one of her crew ordered the wrong flowers for the centerpieces.

  Ingrid’s perfect posture had gone rigid; her brows pulled slightly together. She turned away quickly, her voice snapping quietly into her unseen microphone. “Folgt dem Isolationprotokoll. Ja, genau wie wire es besprochen haben. Ich mache mich sofort auf den Weg.”

  The first tendril of unease settled in Kayla’s stomach. Perhaps she was a little nervous, after all. Things had been progressing far too smoothly. “Ingrid? Is there a problem?”

  The wedding planner turned back around, her face once again smooth and confident. “Nothing to worry about, my dear. A minor inconvenience, that is all.” She checked her watch again. “Fifteen minutes, people!”

  To Kayla, she said, “Breathe, Ms. O’Connell. Everything is going to be perfect. I guarantee it.”

  Ingrid left in the same efficient whirlwind fashion as she entered, and Kayla exhaled. “Okay, what just happened?”

  “I am sure it is nothing,” Clarisse said, but she too, looked concerned. Kayla almost believed her.

  Chapter Two

  Spencer stood on the balcony, staring out at the clear, pristine waters of the Caribbean. So vast beyond his little slice of tropical paradise. So seemingly endless.

  But the ocean did end. It did have its limits.

  He sipped his Glengassaugh, relishing the smooth burn of the thirty year old, single malt scotch as he pondered the finity of the universe. Everything had an expiration date. People. Relationships. Marriages.

  And yet, just like the boundaries of the water before him, Spencer couldn’t see the end of this thing he had with Kayla. Their relationship was like a beautiful, complex puzzle, and each day, another tiny piece snapped into place. Unlike the jigsaws that came in a box, however, Spencer had no reference for what the finished produc
t would look like. It was constantly changing. The good news was that after more than a year together, the parts he could see just kept getting better.

  “Nervous, Mr. Dumas?”

  Spencer turned to his general manager and best man with a small smile. “I’ve negotiated billion dollar deals and have been responsible for thousands of employees world-wide, Dominic. I think I can handle marriage vows.”

  “Yes, but this is more important, don’t you think, sir?”

  It was more important, Spencer realized, because he had a personal stake in the outcome. This wasn’t something he would allow to be scrubbed down and sanitized into two-dimensional spreadsheets or represented in red and black bottom lines. If, for some reason, his marriage to Kayla didn’t work out, he’d feel the effects in a lot more than just his bank accounts.

  His father would say – and often had said – that emotion had no place in important life decisions. Spencer disagreed. It was exactly because he was personally invested in Sate that the resort was doing so well, and he believed the same would be true for his marriage. He and Kayla understood each other. They were kindred spirits. Two of a kind, really.

  His father couldn’t comprehend that. Tristan Dumas believed that marriage was nothing more than a means to an end: improving financial status, acquiring assets, gaining political or social power. Spencer was gaining none of those things by marrying Kayla, therefore, according to his father, marriage didn’t make sense.

  That was one of the reasons his father would not be receiving an invitation. Another was that his father had gone behind his back and tried to remove Kayla from the picture by offering a multimillion dollar bribe and the promise of her own business.

  The plan had backfired, however. Not only did his father’s interference eventually bring him and Kayla closer together, it had cemented Spencer’s decision to walk away from the family business once and for all. It was a decision he hadn’t regretted once, and probably wouldn’t anytime soon (if ever).

  The sun was well on its descent to the horizon. Down below, staff were scurrying about, putting the finishing touches on the decorations, ensuring everything was perfect. Guests were beginning to filter toward the seats that had been set up in front of the pavilion where he and Kayla would soon be taking their wedding vows.

  It was somewhat staggering to believe that in less than an hour, he would be a married man.

  Spencer waited for the sense of impending doom or the last minute tingle of uncertainty, but like every other time he’d pondered his wedding, he remained calm and confident. The only tingling he experienced was a building anticipation for what Kayla had devised for them later with that wicked, wonderfully deviant mind of hers.

  And the wicked little minx was up to something. He guessed it had something to do with their private overwater bungalow, because each time he suggested they escape there for a bit of pre-wedding stress relief this past week, Kayla had deferred.

  Kayla loved that place and never willingly gave up an opportunity to visit the bungalow.

  A covert trip out that way had confirmed his suspicions. A small crew had been out there, doing something behind draped tarps. Exactly what, he wasn’t sure, but he wasn’t going to ruin the surprise. Knowing Kayla, it would be a good one.

  “It’s almost time, sir.” Dominic held out his jacket, and Spencer slipped his arms in. “How do I look?”

  “Like the luckiest man on the planet, sir.”

  “Good answer.” Accurate, too, because that was exactly how he felt.

  The phone rang just as they were about to leave. Dominic spoke quietly into the device, but Spencer had no difficulty hearing his end of the conversation. “When? ... I see ... Yes, I’ll tell him.”

  Judging by Dominic’s completely blank expression, it was bad news. Worst case scenarios began popping up amidst his happy thoughts and for the first time that day, unease slithered up Spencer’s spine. “What is it?”

  “A private jet landed at the airstrip earlier, sir.”

  Spencer inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. His first thoughts, naturally, had been centered on Kayla. However, he knew for a fact that no incoming flights were scheduled. “Security has been notified?”

  Dominic shifted his feet slightly. “Yes, sir. The new arrivals have been picked up and are being detained so as not to interrupt the proceedings.”

  “Good.” They hadn’t exactly advertised their wedding, choosing to invite only a very select group of guests to share their day with them in lieu of the traditional family and friends. As Kayla had so aptly put it, they wanted to actually enjoy their wedding, not spend the day defending themselves.

  “Late arriving guests or party crashers?”

  Dominic looked even more uncomfortable. “They... well, they’re not invited guests.”

  “Oh? Exactly who are they, Dominic?”

  “Your father and your mother-in-law to be, sir.”

  The only things surprising about that statement were that one, it sounded like they had arrived together, although that was probably just coincidence – and two, that it had taken them so long. “Where are they now?”

  “Contained in the dungeon, sir.”

  Spencer raised an eyebrow. “The dungeon?”

  “Ingrid thought it would be best since it’s soundproofed, sir. They’re mad as hell.”

  Spencer’s lips curled a little. The thought of his overbearing father and Kayla’s gold-digging mother locked in one of the darker play rooms together was an amusing one. It seemed a satisfying karmic payback for their attempt to crash the wedding.

  Certainly, they would have much different reasons for doing so. Dumas Senior would feel compelled to put a halt to the ceremony, thinking Kayla O’Connell unworthy to carry the family name. Despite the fact that Spencer had walked away from his father and Dumas Industries over a year earlier, Tristan Dumas still seemed to think he held some sway over his son.

  Kayla’s mother, Patricia Coxton Jennings O’Connell Davidson, was on the other end of the unwelcome interference spectrum. Spencer had no doubt the woman wasn’t here to stop the wedding, but to insert herself back into her about-to-be-filthy-rich daughter’s good graces with her hand out and her Michael Kors purse wide open.

  “Do you wish to speak to them?”

  “Later, perhaps.” Spencer’s smile was cold when he said, “Since they went to so much trouble to be here for our special day, let’s ensure they don’t miss a moment. Override the in-room screen controls and stream the ceremony in for them.” He smoothed his cummerbund and tugged lightly on his sleeves.

  “Oh – and Kayla is to hear nothing of this, understand?”

  “Perfectly, sir.”

  “Excellent. Then let’s go. I don’t want to tempt fate any longer than necessary.”

  Chapter Three

  An uneasy bundle of nerves decided to take up residence in her lower belly. That mysterious phone call had burrowed into her brain and wouldn’t let go.

  Something had gone amiss, Kayla was certain of it. Ingrid’s reaction had been slight, but it was there. Kayla clutched her bouquet and paced back and forth, bracing herself for someone to come in and tell her that her fairytale wedding wouldn’t be proceeding as planned after all.

  “It is time.”

  Kayla’s head snapped up at the sound of Ingrid’s voice. The tall woman seemed back to her usual efficient, unruffleable self. “Really?”

  Ingrid smiled. “Yes, of course. Your prince anxiously awaits your presence.”

  My prince. The thought made Kayla grin like a fool. Yes, in many ways, Spencer was her prince. Handsome and wealthy and able to make her weak in the knees with one smoldering look. Not like the kind in Disney movies, though; Kayla had no use for those golden-hearted, goody two-shoes types. No, her prince had a dark, wicked side that made her body hum and her heart scream.

  “Then let’s do this.”

  She waited anxiously before the doors while her attendants fluffed her veil and smoothed her gown, her he
art beating wildly in her chest. Then she stepped outside and took a deep breath. Her eyes immediately searched for the only thing that could reassure her that this was really happening. She found him, standing about twenty yards ahead of her.

  Her feet stumbled slightly, he looked that good. His dark tux fit him perfectly, custom fit for him and him alone. But it was the way his face lit up at the sight of her that really slammed into her chest, threatening to steal her breath completely.

  In that moment, everything else faded away – the guests, the string quartet, the scents of sea and the tropical island flowers that surrounded them, and there was only him.

  Maintaining an acceptable pace down the aisle was difficult when all she wanted to do was run into his arms, but Kayla knew the value of patience and discipline. She took her time, placing each step exactly, adding a slight sway to her hips as she did so. Her eyes never left his; it was impossible to look away from the heat and promise they held.

  It took an eternity to get there and place herself at his side. The moment she did, he cupped her face and kissed her passionately, earning a round of chuckles from the guests.

  “I had to do that,” he breathed.

  “I’m so glad you did.” And she was. It was exactly the reassurance she needed. Spencer had a way of centering her. By the time he released her lips, she was calm, focused, and one hundred percent in the moment.

  He entwined his fingers through hers and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as the smiling justice welcomed everyone. She squeezed back, reluctantly forcing her eyes away from the man who affected her so deeply.

  The service itself was brief and to the point, which was exactly how they had wanted it. No long-winded speeches extolling the virtues of marriage; no dissertations on the binding of souls. She held her breath when the official asked if there was anyone present who objected, half expecting Spencer’s father to suddenly stand up and speak out. No one did, though, and in less than ten minutes from the time she began her walk down the “aisle”, Ms. Kayla O’Connell officially became Mrs. Spencer Dumas.