Chapter 46 - It runs in the family
"Mom, Paula - this is Olena. She's partners with Bessy of Dream Weddings."
"I remember you, dear. This is my daughter, Paula. And my son, I believe you know him already, seeing as he's the one introducing you to us."
Olena looked up and met familiar gray eyes, but ones that looked more warm and friendly than the stormy ones she was used to.
"Hi Anna. I'm glad you remember me, even though we've met only once," Olena responded shyly.
It didn't make sense, but meeting Patrick's family in their home was making her nervous. It felt too intimate, too personal.
When Patrick led her to his car, she had assumed they would meet in a restaurant or in another office. When she realized where they were going, they were already passing through the gates of the huge mansion, and it was too late to back out.
His mom, Anna, really reminded Olena of Patrick. Both had piercing and intimidating stares, after all.
His sister Paula was a bit different, she had more similar features as her father, Eric James. Olena was surprised when she first met him, he was very different from what she expected a tycoon to look like.
Instead of a stern and serious expression, Eric had been smiling all the time , lighting up his face and making him look much younger than his years. He seemed to be in a constant state of euphoria, and as Olena heard about their story, she understood why.
But while Eric's face was welcoming at that time, Paula's was crunched up in a frown and Olena couldn't figure out why. This is their first meeting, and she couldn't have made such a bad impression with just one sentence, right?
"So how do you two know each other?" Paula suddenly asked.
Though Olena had prepared herself for the question, she still froze at the suddenness of it. And it seemed like Paula had meant it that way.
So it's not just the looks she got from hee father. She got the razor sharp mind as well, Olena thought, realizing that Paula had been frowning not because of aversion, but because she had been deep in thought.
I have to be more careful around her.
Olena glanced at Patrick, half expecting him to answer, but he just returned her gaze, a playful smirk on his lips.
"Oh, we used to work together a few years ago. We met again by coincidence yesterday, during his fitting for his suit," Olena responded dismissively, hoping Paula would let it go.
She didn't.
"It seems more than that, though," Paula replied, shooting a knowing glance at her brother. "I've never known Pax to take such a keen interest in family events, especially weddings. You have to be special for him to introduce you personally to us."
Wow, no beating around the bush, huh. It seems stubbornness runs in the family.
"No, no. It's nothing like that. Bessy was supposed to introduce me, but she got tied up with a client so we asked Pax for help."
"That's not what happened, Lena," Patrick spoke up suddenly. "I distinctly remember volunteering. And if Bessy hadn't immediately agree, I was prepared to force her hand."
Olena glared at him angrily. He had been silent this whole time, and now he decides to talk?
"What?" Patrick shrugged. "I was brought up being told not to lie."
"I knew it! I knew there was something! I felt it the moment you two walked in," Paula declared with a triumphant smile.
Olena felt cornered, and panic was threatening to engulf her. Thankfully, Ana noticed her terrified expression and came to her rescue, pulling Paula to her side and away from Olena.
"I saw it too, dear," she told Paula softly. "But I thought it was too soon to point it out. You've scared Olena."
Paula clapped a hand over her mouth at her mother's gentle reprimand.
"Oh, Olena I'm so sorry! I got so caught up with my curiosity that I didn't think how bad it would look. Forgive me?"
Charm runs in the family as well, Olena thought ruefully. She remembered the early days of theit friendship when Patrick turned on the charm and Olena would forget what irritated her in the first place.
"There's nothing to forgive, Ms. James - or may I call you Paula? You're my clients after all."
"Just Paula please. And I'm pretty sure we're going to be more than just clients very soon," she answered, throwing a knowing look at her brother.
Olena replied with a tight smile and turned to Anna.
"Speaking of business, I'm actually here to discuss the final guest list and seating arrangements, if you're free...?"
"I'll leave you with mom to talk wedding, I have to go back to the office," Patrick told her and Olena nodded with relief. She had been worried how she was going to remain professional throughout the meeting with both siblings bugging her, at least now she only has to worry about one.
"I'll go with you! I have a meeting in an hour, anyway," Paula jumped in.
Thank you god or whoever is listening to me. Now I can work in peace, Olena thought, feeling relieved.
"Excuse my children," Anna told her as Patrick and Paula left the room. "They got that bullishness from their father - they don't stop until they get what they want."
Olena squirmed under Anna's knowing stare, but decided not to respond. Better end this conversation quickly and get to work.
As Anna politely listened to the wedding details being discussed, she couldn't help but throw curious glances once in a while at the only woman her son had introduced to her.
She could see that Olena was running away scared, and she could relate to that feeling. The men in the James family seem to have that effect on women - their intense passion and fierce emotions can make a girl feel overwhelmed.
But she had done that too... and wasted so many years being depressed when she could have spent them happily with the man who loved her more than life, hurting that same man so deeply in the process.
She was not going to stand by and let it happen to her son.
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"Spill."
Paula demanded as soon as they got inside his car.
Patrick sighed. He knew he was in for a serious grilling session when Paula insisted he give her a ride instead of her bringing her car.
"I'm driving, Paula."
"So? Talk while you drive. And before you come up with more excuses, know that I'm not getting off your car until I get my answers."
"There's nothing to tell."
"Hmmm... She mentioned having worked with you before. It must be while you were still in Picture Perfect," Paula kept muttering, thinking out loud.
Patrick was almost tempted to spin a story just to get her to stop, but he knew Paula was smarter than that. While he was still thinking of a solution, Paula suddenly snapped her fingers and shouted in glee.
"I know! If you won't tell me, I can ask Jasper - or better yet, I'll ask Haidee..."
Patrick cursed under his breath.
"Paula," he warned.
"What? You said there's nothing to tell, right? I'm sure Jasper and Haidee won't have much to say either," she wiggled her eyebrows at him, knowing that she had won this round.
"Fine. I'll tell you. But you have to swear you won't bother Olena."
"Well... It depends on how juicy the story is..."
"Paula!"
Paula laughed at the irritation in her brother's voice. He may be older and have authority over her, but she was still the baby in the family and knew how to tug at their strings to get what she wanted.
"Kidding! Fine, I promise. So spill."
"Let's go find a coffee shop. I can't do this while driving."
As Patrick parked by a cafe near his office, he started to fill in details on how he met Olena and what went down, only keeping to himself that fateful night when he and Olena had made love. It was his memory to keep.
As soon as they got settled in, Paula was hard on his case.
"Pax, I know you're my only brother, and I love you. But you can be really stupid sometimes."
Patrick didn't respond and just raised his eyebrows, knowing that Paula was on a rampage and wasn't going to stop.
"I get that it was complicated then, but she's not married anymore. So what the hell are you waiting for? You obviously love that woman - and from what I saw this morning, she doesn't not love you back, so what gives?"
Patrick couldn't help the sudden thumping of his heart at Paula's statement.
"She says she doesn't love me, though," he confessed in low tones.
"And you just believed her? Where have you been these last 15 years, brother? Did you not see what happened to our parents? You want to wait 15 years too before you get the girl?"
"I'm not giving up, damn it! But Olena is a stubborn woman, in case you couldn't tell. She won't admit to herself that there's something between us. She's not giving this a chance!"
All his pent up anger and frustration was bubbling up the surface and Patrick took a deep breath to control himself.
Paula eyed him carefully, taking in the ragged breathing and the misery in her brother's eyes. He must have been suffering this whole time, and she never realized it was happening.
Feeling guilt wash over her, Paula reached out and held her brother's hand comfortingly.
"Looks like you need my help here, brother," she said with a grin to lighten up the mood. "Whatever will you do without me?"