Save the Date

by R. J. Groves

  She helped Libby out of the wedding gown, careful not to disturb the few pins that were still left in it.

  So, he wasn’t engaged to Libby.

  Didn’t mean he wasn’t with someone else. Hell, he probably was. She knew his type. Someone who was so sure of himself, had money to spare, wore a tailored suit—and looked, himself, tailored—and had meetings and no doubt travelled. Oh yeah, he’d definitely have someone else. They always did.

  Which was exactly why whatever she was feeling was totally irrational and inappropriate. That was not something she wanted to get involved with again. She held the silky white dressing gown out towards Libby, surprised when she didn’t put it on. Instead, Libby reached for her own clothes.

  Damn it.

  It was definitely worse that he was Libby’s brother.

  It meant he was arrogant and cocky about the fact that he was The Money. And he’d totally shut down the one dress that suited Libby entirely. Which meant that Andie had spent hours putting up with him for nothing.

  ‘If you don’t mind,’ Libby said nervously, her voice shaky. Disappointed. ‘I think I’ll have to call it a day.’

  ‘Are you sure?’ Andie said, her expression genuinely concerned. ‘You’ve tried on a number of nice gowns and I’m sure I can find one similar to this one that’s not as expensive.’

  Libby shook her head, her eyes glistening. ‘No, thank you. I’m sorry, Andie. I’m just feeling … overwhelmed. I think I need to just … think … about it for a bit. Can I get back to you?’

  ‘Absolutely,’ Andie said. Though she held no hope.

  She knew it was just a polite way of saying thanks, but no thanks. And, oh—it was all Taylor Ballin’s fault. He infuriated her. His impatience, his blatant horror at the price. She would have thought any price under five figures would be nothing for an obviously rich businessman like him. He must be rich. There was no other reason she could think of as to why he would be paying for his sister’s wedding. Hell, in today’s society, it was a rare occurrence to even see parents paying for their children’s weddings.

  She saw Libby out and returned to the gown room, flopping herself down on one of those huge comfortable seats. Harley looked up at her from the mannequin she was redressing.

  ‘That good, huh?’ Harley said, straightening the bodice of the dress.

  ‘I hate him,’ she groaned, placing her hands over her face. She was exhausted. Pretending to be happy and excited for weddings and anything to do with them was flat-out exhausting. And it made her miserable. ‘The brother? I’m not sure what’s worse—the cocky brother, or a controlling groom?’

  Harley nodded and moved to sit on the ottoman near her. ‘They’re probably on par. So, what’s the verdict on the gown?’

  Andie rolled her eyes, then, realising Harley wouldn’t have seen it, she dropped her hands from her face and looked at her friend. ‘She loves it, clearly. He’s not buying.’ She shrugged, resting her head on the back of the seat. ‘She won’t be back.’

  ‘And if she is?’

  She glanced back at her friend again. ‘She won’t.’ After all, she knew his type.

  ***

  ‘Tell me something good.’

  Tay flicked through the notes Helen—his assistant-slash-receptionist-slash-life-organiser—had handed to him as he passed, and lowered himself into his big leather chair behind his desk. Connor—his best friend, business partner, and soon-to-be brother-in-law—was already comfortable in the club chair opposite him.

  ‘He’s thinking about it,’ Connor said, matter-of-factly.

  Tay groaned. Missing most of his meetings was a setback he’d had to take on the chin. Some didn’t want anything to do with him or his business—they’d come around eventually—while the others had taken up most of his afternoon trying to reorganise. Thankfully, his three o’clock had only been a short meeting and he’d had the time to reorganise the rest of his meetings. And his life.

  ‘I said tell me something good.’

  ‘Dude, that is good.’

  ‘Thinking about it is not good. It’s bad. Very, very bad.’

  He should know, since all he’d thought about was how much his sister loved that dress. And Andie. And how stunning Andie had looked in it. He clenched his jaw, attempting to get a grip on himself. For ten years, he’d never once been affected like this by a woman. Sure, he’d been with women. A mutual understanding. It was all physical. He’d certainly never thought about them like he was thinking about Andie. Hell, he’d barely thought about them at all. Perhaps it was exactly what he needed.

  ‘No, thinking about it is good,’ Connor reiterated. ‘Unlike you, Tay, most people need to think about things before they make a big decision. Especially when it involves investing a lot of money on a new idea.’

  Tay frowned, focusing on Helen’s notes. ‘This company has been around for years, Connor. It shouldn’t be too hard.’

  ‘The company, yes. But the idea is basically a start-up,’ Connor said. ‘You and I know we’ll make a good go of it. But you have to admit, taking on a wine range is a bit obscure for a tech company. So, people need time to think about what they’re investing money into.’

  ‘We’re not starting from scratch.’ Tay dropped the notes on his desk and rubbed his aching head. He still hadn’t had a chance to eat properly. Stupid dress-shop teacakes. ‘We’re taking over a company and introducing a new range with a new label. Same trusted winery.’

  ‘Time,’ Connor repeated.

  Tay glared at him. He hated time. Time meant lots of thinking, and it was something he just didn’t want to do. Especially now.

  ‘On other equally important matters,’ Connor continued, lacing his fingers together and resting his elbows on the arms of his chair. ‘How was dress shopping?’

  ‘You mean gown, right? Libby might just kill you if you dare call it a dress again.’ Connor’s eyebrow lifted. Tay waved a hand as if it was unimportant. ‘The employees insist that they’re gowns.’

  ‘Right,’ Connor said slowly. ‘How was it?’

  ‘Miserable,’ he said flatly. ‘Possibly worse than bag or shoe shopping.’

  ‘And yet you stuck around.’ It wasn’t a question.

  ‘I had to make sure Libby didn’t get conned into getting a dress that was too expensive.’

  ‘An impossible task, I’d imagine. The whole overpriced dress thing is a con.’

  ‘Right?’ Finally, someone who got where he was coming from.

  ‘And on that note,’ Connor ventured, ‘I just spoke to Libby on the phone. She said she found the perfect dress.’

  ‘Oh, yeah?’ Tay said, his eyebrow lifting. So, as he’d suspected, Andie must have been keeping the best until last, refusing to show them because he was there. Sneaky little—

  ‘Mmm,’ Connor continued. ‘Says you wouldn’t get it for her because it was too expensive.’

  Oh, that one. ‘It was,’ he said flatly.

  ‘She really likes that dress, Tay.’

  ‘You said it yourself. It’s a con.’

  ‘Yes, but I’m also hoping to get laid tonight,’ Connor said. ‘And it won’t be happening if your sister is miserable because you won’t buy her the dress.’

  ‘You’ll get over it.’

  ‘How much was it?’

  ‘Too much.’ Connor’s eyebrow lifted and he looked bored. Tay continued. ‘Seven thousand.’

  Connor whistled. ‘Pricey for a once-wear. Did they say why it’s so much?’

  Tay’s brow furrowed. ‘No,’ he said. ‘Apparently it’s for a photo shoot or something, but that shouldn’t make it more expensive than the rest.’

  ‘No,’ Connor said thoughtfully. ‘Either way, seven thousand is nothing to you.’

  ‘Seven thousand is a lot of money.’

  ‘You must be the tightest rich man I’ve ever met.’ Connor laughed.

  He felt a smile play at his lips. ‘How do you think I got to be so rich? I’m wise with my money and worked hard for it.�
�

  ‘And managing your father’s share of the company had nothing to do with it.’

  ‘You’re one to talk. Your father owned the other forty-nine per cent.’

  ‘Oh, we’re back to that, are we?’ Connor teased. ‘Well, Mr Fifty-One Per Cent, if the dress is too expensive for you, I’ll go you half.’

  ‘A poor man like you?’ Tay teased back. Always their inside joke. ‘I can’t allow it. I said I’d pay for your wedding, and that I shall do.’

  ‘You’re not much richer than I am, you know.’ Connor’s eyes were flashing, amused. ‘But since you insist …’ He gave Tay a questioning look, and he knew what that look meant.

  The dress.

  And hell, Libby deserved it. After everything—losing their mother young and their father passing away when she’d just turned eighteen—he’d taken it upon himself to look after her. It’s what his father would have wanted him to do. And for the most part, he had. For the rest, Connor had. And maybe it was the fact that his little sister was getting married to someone that he trusted with his life that made him want to pay for their wedding. Like it was the last time he’d be looking after her. Because, once she was married, Connor would be the one looking after her. Not him. And he couldn’t ignore that it left him feeling a little empty inside.

  ‘You’ll think about it?’ Connor said, standing and straightening his suit.

  He nodded. ‘I’ll think about it.’

  Connor smiled and waved his finger towards him. ‘See? Thinking’s good.’

  That was debatable …

  He watched Connor leave his office and let out a deep breath. Libby was worth it, he knew she was. There was no amount of money he wouldn’t spend on his little sister. But seven thousand for a dress … That kind of money could pull a homeless person out of the gutter, educate a child born into poverty. For him, seven thousand was nothing. For a lot of other people, it was everything.

  ***

  ‘Are you staying behind?’ Harley said, leaning against the front bench as Andie organised the paperwork.

  Andie let out a sigh. ‘I’ll be finished soon,’ she said. ‘Just got to put in these orders so we’re good to go next week.’

  ‘Want me to stick around?’

  Andie glanced out the shop window. Being summer, it was still daylight for a little longer. She found it unnerving now to still be at the shop once it was dark. She didn’t know why, exactly. She supposed it just felt … lonely. A time when she could get stuck in her thoughts. And that was a dangerous place to be. She’d once enjoyed being at the shop past dark. But that was before her engagement fell through. And those days were behind her. Even if it had been only six weeks ago.

  ‘No, I’ll be fine. I’m sure you’ve got a hot date to get to.’

  Harley scoffed. ‘Yeah, with my television.’

  ‘And your neighbour,’ Andie teased. Harley’s cheeks flushed.

  Harley lived in a building of units and recently a new neighbour had moved in next door. Not to mention he was cute and totally doting on her. To say they had hit it off would be an understatement.

  ‘Well, then, I best not keep him waiting,’ Harley said, heading towards the door. ‘See you Monday.’

  Andie called goodbye after her and refocused on the order. But truth be told, she’d been staring at the same page for a long time, unable to truly focus on what she should be doing. And it was all because of him.

  She couldn’t remember the last time someone got under her skin as much as he had, let alone still pestering her when he wasn’t even around. Stupid brain. Stupid thoughts! She shook her head, letting out a long, regaining-composure breath. She had to get this paperwork finished before the silence drove her insane. She heard the jingle of the front door and smiled to herself. Harley must have forgotten something. She usually did.

  ‘Back so soon?’ she said, her voice teasing. She glanced up to see Harley’s reaction, and was startled to see a man instead. And not just any man …

  ‘Were you expecting me?’ Taylor said, striding slowly towards her.

  She blinked a few times and swallowed the lump in her throat. From what, she wasn’t sure. Embarrassment, perhaps. She had, after all, been surprised by him twice in the same day. At least she wasn’t wearing a wedding dress this time.

  She shook her head. What was he doing here? ‘Sorry, I thought you were …’ She drifted off, standing up straighter, the professionalism in her prevailing. ‘I wasn’t expecting you back.’

  He stopped walking once he’d reached the bench. It was the second time that day it had been the only thing between them. She was grateful for it. She wasn’t sure where his strides would have ended if it hadn’t been for the bench. He looked slightly more casual now than he had been that morning. He was still wearing his suit pants and a business shirt. Though his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, his tie and jacket nowhere to be seen, and his hair was slightly tousled. She clenched her fist, fighting the urge to reach across the bench and run her fingers through his hair. She was feeling more and more grateful for that bench with every passing second.

  ‘That dress …’ he started.

  ‘Which one?’

  ‘The one that’s … seven thousand.’

  She wondered if he shuddered as he said the price. Well, she certainly would have, if someone had told her the dress she liked cost that much. But she didn’t have nearly as much money as he probably did.

  ‘Which one?’ she repeated, knowing the one he meant. She didn’t know what compelled her to prompt him further.

  His eyes darkened as he held her gaze, the hint of blue in his grey eyes reaching a shade as dark as she imagined the deepest parts of the ocean to be. ‘The one you were wearing.’

  His voice was deep and reverberated through her body in a way that made her hairs stand on end. She knew she was playing with fire. And she couldn’t risk that again. She lifted her chin, determined to put professionalism first and ignore the way his voice made her feel. The way he looked at her.

  ‘What about it?’ she said, mentally distancing herself from him, even if she couldn’t physically do it.

  ‘Is it still for sale?’

  ‘It is.’

  ‘Libby should have it.’

  ‘It suits her.’

  Hell, keeping her tone indifferent was harder than she’d thought. Especially since he kept holding her gaze with those eyes …

  ‘But I’ve been wondering,’ he continued, resting a broad hand on the bench. Her gaze fell to his hand and studied it. For a businessman, they looked like hardworking hands. Firm. Masculine. Scarred in places. His voice snapped her attention back to his eyes. ‘Why is it so expensive?’

  ‘It’s made of the finest silk and lace available, for starters,’ she said. ‘And the beadwork on the bodice is exquisite and done by hand. Expensive materials make for an expensive gown.’

  She was sure something twitched near his jaw. He wasn’t going to try to barter her down, was he? She thought she’d get her word in first. ‘I can’t do a better price if that’s what you’re wondering. On some of the other gowns, perhaps. But this one is the finest we have.’

  ‘But it’s made for a photo shoot,’ he said, his tone businesslike. Authoritative. ‘That means it would technically be a used dress.’

  ‘Actually, it would increase the price. As is, few people know about this gown. Once published in a bridal magazine, it becomes a coveted original. Even copies of it would be more expensive than it currently is.’

  There was the twitch again. ‘And if it sells before the shoot?’

  She shrugged. ‘Most likely we would have to shoot a different gown.’

  ‘And it wouldn’t be an original, so it’s not worth as much.’

  He had a point. If it sold before the shoot, it wouldn’t have the same status as it did now. But it didn’t change the fact that it cost a lot to make.

  ‘It’s still made of expensive materials.’ She looked at him apologetically. ‘I’m sorry, Mr B
allin, but the price is firm on this one.’

  He sighed, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the bench, and finally broke eye contact with her. She felt herself start breathing again.

  ‘I thought as much.’

  He didn’t seem surprised. Reluctant, perhaps. But surprised? No. He brought his gaze back to hers and she felt the breath leave her body once again. Why did he have this effect on her? She’d been attracted to Joseph—infatuated, even. But never breathless.

  His lips curved up in a smile, slightly higher on one side and baring his straight white teeth in a way that made something flutter in her chest. ‘You must understand why I had to try.’

  She did. He was a businessman. He no doubt bartered for a living. Though she hadn’t yet met a wealthy businessman so attached to his money. Perhaps he wasn’t as rich as she’d thought. ‘We do have payment options available if you don’t have the funds.’

  His smile disappeared. ‘That won’t be an issue,’ he said flatly. ‘I’m just making sure Libby gets the most for her money.’

  Your money, she thought. Her stomach churned when she realised she’d said it out loud. It was out of line. And incredibly unprofessional. She wouldn’t be surprised if he left and spread the word about how terrible their service had been. There was just something about him that got on her nerves. Still, professionalism had to prevail.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she said quickly. ‘It’s been a long day and I—’

  ‘No, you’re right.’ He stood up straighter, his expression firm. He towered over her, and she felt a lot smaller than she was. ‘It is my money. So of course I’m going to look into things more. Libby’s too caught up in the romance of it all to realise that a higher price gets slapped on anything once you mention it’s for a wedding. That’s where I come in. To make sure she’s not paying more than she should.’

  Andie scoffed. It was all about the money for him, wasn’t it? She glanced out the window to see the light slipping away and her courage with it. She had to wrap this up. ‘Weddings are expensive,’ she said. ‘It’s the way it is. Do you want the dress or not?’