“Probably, but hell, I was eight. My mom had told me she was going to be right back. Calling someone would have been like admitting something was wrong, admitting she wasn’t coming back. Ever.”
Kelsey felt heartsick at the thought of the frightened, abandoned boy Connor had been. “You were so young. How did you get on without her?”
“My dad and I stumbled along, but he always blamed my mom for dying. If she’d been happy with her life, if she hadn’t always been out looking for more and expecting something better, she’d still be alive. If she’d just listened to me. I could have—”
Saved her. Connor didn’t say the words, but they rang in the silence and underscored everything he did. “It’s not your fault, Connor,” she insisted, and this time she couldn’t keep from reaching out and grasping his hands as if she could somehow heal the pain and guilt with her touch. “People make their own decisions, and you aren’t responsible for their choices.”
“No, only for my own,” he agreed darkly, but tension tightened his hands into rock-hard fists.
Her family was so wrong about Connor. He wasn’t out to ruin Emily’s wedding—he was trying to save her from a past he couldn’t possibly change. But Kelsey still wasn’t convinced Todd was the threat Connor thought him to be. After all, Connor’s gut reaction had pinned Matt to the restaurant, mistakenly seeing her ex-boyfriend as a physical threat. Wasn’t it possible Todd was as harmless as Matt, and Connor was looking through the eyes of the past and seeing a danger that wasn’t there?
“I can’t imagine what that must have been like to lose your mother so suddenly.” So violently. “But don’t you think maybe that’s colored the way you see people?”
“People like Dunworthy?” he asked with a wry twist to his lips. He pulled his hands out from beneath hers in the pretense of shifting to face her on the love seat. “I know you think I’m wrong about him, but it’s because of my past that I’m sure I’m right.” As if sensing her doubt, he asked, “Haven’t you ever met someone and instantly known the kind of person they are?”
Thoughts of her first impression of Connor assailed Kelsey. The bad boy. The troublemaker. The man out to ruin Emily’s wedding and destroy Kelsey’s chance to prove herself to her family, to make her mother proud…But he was so much more than that.
“Maybe once or twice.”
“Like when you met me?”
One corner of his mouth kicked up with the teasing comment, but the smile lacked full-force charm, his heart not in it. The emotional waters had gotten too deep, and Connor was clearly pulling back to shallower depths. And Kelsey almost wished she had stayed on the surface, wished she could still see Connor the way he wanted to be seen—cocky, self-confident, unbreakable. But she felt herself going under, caught by the pull of this man who was so much more than the rebel he played.
Struggling to break free, she focused on the easy out Connor had taken and followed him to more solid ground. “I knew you were going to be trouble the moment I met you. Does that count?”
“Talk about biased,” he murmured. “How many Connor McClane stories have you heard over the years?”
“More than a few.”
“More than a few hundred, if your aunt and uncle had anything to say about it.” The teasing tone stayed in his voice, but Kelsey could tell her family’s poor opinion of him still rankled. He was clearly out to prove the Wilsons wrong, but Kelsey suspected he had as much to prove to himself. “And here I’ve been a perfect gentleman.”
“Well, not perfect,” she argued. But who wanted perfect? Perfect was for women like her cousins; Kelsey much preferred the real thing to Ken-like perfection.
“I’m crushed. Señora Delgado will be so disappointed.”
“Señora Delgado?”
“Javy’s mother.”
“How did you and Javy meet?”
“We went to school together. Mrs. Brown’s sixth-grade glass.”
“And you two became fast friends?”
“Nah, we hated each other. I can’t even remember why. Oh, wait, it had something to do with a girl. We thought we were pretty hot stuff on the playground. Both trying to impress Alicia Martin. Unfortunately for us, she had a thing for older men.”
“Eighth grader?” Kelsey guessed, playing along to maintain the teasing mood.
“Worse. P.E. teacher. And man, the guy was old. Like twenty-five. Anyway, we bonded over a couple of cafeteria juice boxes, and I started hanging out with him at his mother’s restaurant. Before long, I was washing dishes and bussing tables. If the Delgados hadn’t fed me through most of junior high and high school, I don’t know what I would have done. Probably would have dropped out to work full-time if Maria hadn’t stopped me.”
Kelsey knew the drop-out rate was horrible, especially in Arizona, but as much as she’d hated school, she never once considered not finishing. “How did she stop you?”
“By telling me I should,” Connor said wryly. “She said anyone foolish enough to give up a free education didn’t deserve one.”
Smiling at the woman’s use of reverse psychology, Kelsey said, “I think I’d like to meet her. Not every woman has enough influence to keep a boy in school and teach him to clear dishes off a table.”
“You’re on. Let’s go to the Delgados’ restaurant. Maybe Maria will be there.”
Kelsey swallowed. Was Connor asking her out? On a date? She waited for the little voice in her head to tell her this was a bad idea, but she didn’t hear it. Possibly because it was drowned out by the big voice screaming, “Go for it!”
She knew the voice of reason would be back, loud and clear, and ready to say “I told you so” if she let herself fall for Connor. But that worry, like the voice, seemed far off, and she couldn’t resist the chance to spend more time with Connor.
“I’m a mess,” she said in weak protest. “I can’t go anywhere looking like this.”
As Connor’s gaze swept over her, Kelsey felt her face heat. She could only imagine what he saw. She had spackle under her nails, drywall dust in her hair, and more splotches of paint than freckles covering her arms. She was sweaty and disheveled, and even though Connor had worked as hard as anyone, he looked—
Gorgeous, she thought with a sigh, taking in the lock of dark hair he’d constantly pushed back from his paint-streaked forehead, the hint of five o’clock shadow shading his jaw, the damp T-shirt that molded to his shoulders and chest.
“I’ll pick you up at your place in half an hour,” he said as he stood and reached down to pull her to her feet.
Kelsey shook her head, ready to refuse, and yet when she opened her mouth she said, “An hour.”
“Forty-five minutes.”
“An hour.” She laughed as she shoved him toward the door. “And not a minute sooner.”
Chapter Seven
Mariachi music greeted Connor as he opened the car door. Judging by the nearly full parking lot, the restaurant was packed. The lunch hour tended to draw patrons from nearby businesses; at night, the place had more of a party atmosphere. The music would play, tables would be pushed aside to create a dance floor, and he was definitely looking forward to slow dancing with Kelsey.
He was looking forward to the entire evening with an anticipation that caught him off guard. After spilling his guts the way he had, escape should have been the only thing on his mind. He never talked about his past—never—and as little as two days ago, the thought of opening up about a time that still left him feeling lost and vulnerable would have tied his stomach into barbed-wire knots. And the thought of confiding in a Wilson!
Connor shook his head in disbelief, even as he admitted Kelsey was no ordinary Wilson. She might not fit the Wilsons’ model of perfection, but she fit his.
He rounded the car to open Kelsey’s door, a split second too late, as it turned out. She already had one shapely leg extended, but he was in time to reach out a hand to help her out. Surprise lit her gaze, as if she hadn’t considered his invitation to dinner a real date.
>
And despite the casual, last-minute offer, Connor realized he very much wanted this to be a real date. The kind of date where everyone in the restaurant would know Kelsey was with him. The kind where he never wanted the night to end and where, when the evening finally did end, a good-night kiss was not only expected, but breathlessly anticipated.
And when that time came, Connor vowed, he’d make sure there was no doubt in Kelsey’s mind.
“You look amazing,” he murmured, placing a hand at the small of her back.
Pleasure brightened her eyes and put color in her cheeks despite the less-than-original compliment. But hell, it was more than her looks. It was Kelsey. She amazed him.
“Thank you.” She smoothed her hands over the embroidered skirt she wore. “I was hoping it wouldn’t be too dressy.”
“It’s perfect.” The flared skirt and off-the-shoulder blouse had a Spanish touch that emphasized her curves, and he wondered again how she could be so oblivious to how good she looked.
But that mix of confidence and insecurity was so much a part of Kelsey. He’d watched her divide the workload and make decisions without hesitation this afternoon, giving him an idea of how good a wedding coordinator she must be. Yet that confidence completely deserted her when it came to her personal life.
Living with the Wilsons had done that to her, Connor was certain of it. They’d stripped her of her confidence, of her faith in her abilities, which they deemed worthless and beneath them.
Same way they’d declared him worthless and beneath them.
Connor shook off the dark thoughts as they stepped inside the restaurant. The scent of sizzling fajitas and salsa reminded him Trey hadn’t been too far off about Sara’s lunch. The caterer had brought delicate sandwiches and a fruit salad that looked more like a table centerpiece than something to eat.
“Man, I’m starving. I had a total slave driver nearly work me to death and only feed me bread and water.”
“It was sandwiches, not just bread. And sparkling water, if that makes you feel any better.” Kelsey laughed. “Besides, you volunteered, remember?”
“Yeah, I did.” And he’d gladly do it again. Just looking into her excited brown eyes, listening to her laughter, made him feel—Connor thought for a moment, searching for the right word—happy. At peace. With nothing to prove, nothing to make up for. For the first time in his life, despite spilling the story of his sorry, less-than-sterling past, Connor felt he could be himself and that alone would be enough.
Except you didn’t tell Kelsey the whole story, his conscience argued, dimming his contentment.
He hadn’t told her about the money he’d taken, money he’d given to the Delgados to save the restaurant that pulsed with life around them. The business meant the world to Maria, especially following the dark days after her husband passed away. But Miguel’s medical bills and the damage caused by an accidental grease fire had almost ruined the restaurant financially. In an effort to save it, Connor had taken the money from Gordon Wilson instead of throwing the check back in the smug SOB’s face.
He knew what the older man thought. That he was nothing more than a gold-digging opportunist. But he was starting to think Kelsey might be the one Wilson, the one woman, to understand.
Was that why he’d invited her here? So she could meet Maria Delgado and see how important the woman was to him? So she could see for herself why he’d taken the money?
“Kelsey—”
“How about this? I’ll pay for dinner tonight, compensation for all that slave labor?” she suggested as she stepped forward to talk to the hostess.
“Kelsey, wait.” He caught her hand, wanting, needing to tell her the whole truth.
The seriousness in his tone made her eyes widen. “Hey, if you want to pay—”
“It’s not that. I need to tell you—”
“Connor! Mijo!”
Hearing the familiar voice, Connor turned toward the sound with a large dose of relief and only the smallest amount of disappointment. The moment was gone, and he focused on Maria Delgado as she moved among the crowded tables toward him. She hadn’t changed from the woman he remembered. Sure, she had a touch more gray in her waist-length hair and a few more wrinkles, but her dark eyes were as warm and welcoming as ever.
“Señora!” Connor bent to wrap his arms around the diminutive woman.
“My son told me you had come home! It is so good for you to be back!”
“It’s good to see you, too.” Seeing the undisguised interest in the older woman’s eyes, he added, “Maria Delgado, this is Kelsey Wilson.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Delgado. Connor has told me a lot about you and how much your family means to him.”
Maria beamed at him like a proud mother. “Connor, he is family,” she said to Kelsey. “And for him to bring you here, you must be very special. Never has he brought a young lady to the restaurant.”
The implication that he’d brought Kelsey “home” to meet his family should have sent panic shooting like warning flares through his system, and yet seeing the two women talking and laughing together felt…right.
Kelsey also ignored the too-telling observation, but an adorable blush lit her cheeks as she added, “Your restaurant is amazing. I have to admit, I’ve never cared for Mexican food, but the quesadilla I had the other day was delicious.”
“I always say, people who do not like Mexican food have not had my food.” Maria pressed a hand against her bosom, pride shining in her dark eyes.
As Maria led them through a maze of crowded tables, Connor asked, “Where is Javy tonight?”
The señora waved a dismissive hand. “Ah, that boy. He is out with some girl. I tell him he needs to settle down, but does he listen? No. My son, he is too handsome for his own good. He does not have to work to get these girls’ attention. Too often he chooses the easy way. He does not realize some things you must work for.” She turned to Kelsey in a shared feminine confidence, a twinkle in her dark eyes. “But Connor, he is just handsome enough, no?”
“No. I mean, yes,” Kelsey stuttered, flustered by the question. Connor was ready to jump in and rescue her from having to answer when she made her own save. “I think Connor is more than handsome enough,” she said in a whisper plenty loud enough for him to overhear, “but he still has his work cut out for him.”
Señora Delgado chortled and gave what sounded like a quick prayer beneath her breath. “Come, I will give you the best table in the house.”
“I thought all the tables were the best tables,” he teased with a wink at Kelsey as he placed his hand on the small of her back.
“Sí,” the older woman agreed, “they are all the best.”
Kelsey grinned, sharing his humor in the señora’s unflappable logic.
After showing them to a secluded table in the back, Maria kissed Connor’s cheek and went back to work. Kelsey’s hand touched the ladder-back chair, but Connor beat her to it. As he pulled it out for her, he leaned close. Close enough to catch the cinnamon scent of her skin. Close enough to see the freckles she’d tried to hide beneath makeup. Close enough to hear her breath catch in reaction to his nearness. “You should know by now, Kelsey,” he murmured, “I’m not afraid of a little hard work.”
Her eyes widened, but just like she had with Señora Delgado, Kelsey found her own footing and knocked him for a loop when she said, “I’m counting on it.”
Time froze as the moment held them in its grip. The restaurant, with its loud music and bright lights, faded away, leaving behind only Kelsey’s gorgeous brown eyes and softly parted lips. A burst of laughter from a nearby table broke the moment, and Kelsey sank into the chair he held for her. Connor had little choice but to take his own seat and curse the table separating them.
A waiter came by with menus, but Connor could tell by the frequent glances she sent his way Kelsey’s mind wasn’t on dinner. Finally she set the menu aside and said, “Is it true what Señora Delgado said before? You never brought anyone here?”
At first she looked ready to protest, only to square her shoulders and meet his gaze head-on. “Okay. Did you ever bring Emily here?”
“No. The Delgados are like family to me, and I wasn’t sure Emily would get that.” He hadn’t been able to picture Emily at the rustic, homey restaurant. He still couldn’t…and yet Kelsey fit in so perfectly. He’d never had a doubt about bringing her.
Not waiting for her to ask why—or wanting to look too closely for a reason himself—Connor pushed back from the table. Kelsey’s eyes widened in surprise as he held out his hand and said, “Come on. Let’s dance.”
As Kelsey took Connor’s hand, it occurred to her that she had no idea how to dance to the Latin-flavored beat pulsing from the speakers. But that didn’t stop her from following him onto the tiny dance floor, where the music instantly switched to a ballad.
Connor’s smile flashed as he pulled her into his arms. “Couldn’t have planned it better myself.”
“I’m not so sure you didn’t.”
“This wasn’t me. It must be fate.”
Kelsey didn’t know about fate, but being held in Connor’s arms certainly felt like a dream. She wasn’t the only one who had dressed up for the evening. Connor had showered and shaved, brushed his dark hair back from his forehead. A touch of sexy sophistication replaced a bit of his bad-boy image thanks to the white button-down shirt and black slacks he wore instead of his usual T-shirt and jeans. No matter what Maria Delgado said about her son, it was Connor who took Kelsey’s breath away. He was the most gorgeous man she’d ever met, and the sheer look of masculine appreciation in his eyes made her feel beautiful. But even as the physical connection robbed her of her breath, the emotional connection threatened to steal her heart.
Listening to him talk about his past and seeing his love for Señora Delgado revealed a different side of Connor. A fiercely loyal and caring side that would be as easy to fall for as his cocky grin and killer body.
Once Upon a Wedding Page 11
