by Ginny Baird
“We had to make a few last minute modifications,” Hope explained. “But everything will work out okay.”
“Whatever you decided is okay by me,” Brent said good-naturedly. “After all, you’re the expert.”
“She is an expert,” Meredith agreed proudly. “And so great at what she does.”
“Brent tells us you’re a relationship adviser?” Parker inquired of Meredith.
“Professional matchmaker.”
Derrick’s eyebrows arched. “You mean that’s a real job?”
“Derrick,” Elsa admonished quietly.
“And what is it you do?” Meredith didn’t quite mask the combativeness in her tone.
“I’m a boatbuilder.”
Her eyes widened in feigned interest. “Ooh, you mean the ‘boat in a bottle’ kind?”
Derrick set his napkin down on the table. “Anybody else need more water?” he asked, standing.
“I’ll take a little,” Grandpa Chad said, holding up his glass.
After Derrick departed, Meredith glanced around and said sincerely, “I hope I didn’t offend him. I honestly didn’t know what kind of boatbuilder he meant.”
William stroked his chin to disguise his smile, and Brent pursed his lips against a grin. If anyone was going to get the best of Meredith Galanes by insinuating she didn’t have a real job, it wasn’t going to be Derrick Albright. That writing was on the wall.
“It’s all right, dear,” Grandmother Margaret said. “We’re sure you meant well.”
“Who’s ready for dessert?”’ Sally asked suddenly.
“I am,” Sofia said, easing out of her chair. “I’ll come and help you serve it.”
…
As folks were clearing the table, Brent tugged Hope into the den by latching on to her hand. “Come here, you,” he said. “We haven’t had a moment alone all day.”
“That’s not true. We had our run.” Her heart hammered when she saw the predatory look in his eyes. The sad thing was, it made her spirit soar and her pulse pound harder, because all she could think of was being alone with Brent, too.
Brent pulled her closer, tugging her into the hall. “I would hardly call that private.” He stroked her heart pendant with his free hand. “I’m glad you told me about this. It’s so special.”
Hope gazed up into his heady, dark eyes, and all reason went out the window. “Thanks,” she said a bit too breathlessly. “So are you.”
He gave her a lopsided grin, and her heart skipped a beat. Then she saw his hand on the door to the coat closet under the stairs.
“Brent?” she asked in low tones. “Wha-what are you doing?”
He held a finger to his lips and cracked open the door. In one smooth move, he pulled her toward him and into the dark, cramped space, shutting the door.
Hope felt like a naughty teenager, escaping from the others. She’d never tell Brent she’d been in here earlier today. No need to have him start thinking she had a thing for closets. Although, at the moment, she kind of did.
“This is nuts.” She giggled as darkness engulfed them. “I can’t see a thing.”
“You don’t need to see. Just feel.”
His hands found her cheeks, and she sensed him hovering nearer. “Brent.”
“Hmm?” His mouth found hers like a heat-seeking missile, his lips lightly grazing hers.
“Ooh, oooh…” She tried not to fall under his spell, but his kiss was sheer magic.
“Sweetheart,” he moaned softly. “It’s just you and me.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” she murmured because it was true. As long as they were around his family or Meredith or her mom, she could keep up the pretense of being Brent’s non-PDA fiancée. Enforcing the non-PDA part in private was pretty much impossible.
“Don’t be,” he whispered.
“But, I… You and I…”
“Are getting married,” he said, and Hope’s heart caught in her throat. Oh, how she wanted this to be real—with all her heart. She closed her eyes, willing all thoughts of conflict and Jackie away.
Even Meredith knew that Jackie didn’t really love Brent. They’d had no business becoming engaged in the first place. It would have been different if he’d held her the way he did Hope now. But she suspected he never had.
He kissed her gently at first and then more firmly, increasing the pressure of his lips, and she had to hang on to his shoulders for fear her knees might buckle.
“Tell me you love me?” he said, and tiny shivers raced down her spine. Then he kissed her again, and those little buggers skittered their way back up her torso again, sending ricocheting sensation throughout her body.
She feared, at any second, she might faint dead away.
“Tell me.” His voice grew husky, and her head spun. “Please say it, baby. Tell me that things have changed. Tell me how you really feel.”
The words flowed right out of her mouth before she could stop them.
“I love you,” she whispered, sliding her arms around his neck and hanging on tighter.
Brent tugged her up against him.
“That’s pretty great,” he growled. “Because I love you, too.”
Then he covered her mouth with his, and there was nobody left in the world but the two of them.
…
Hope was miles deep in Brent’s sexy kiss when a bright beam of light invaded their hiding space. Then the swath of light grew larger, bathing their heated faces in its glow. They jerked apart, and Hope realized she’d lost track of the last time she’d come up for air.
“My goodness,” Ava said. “Here’s to the bride and groom.”
“Mom.” Hope stared at her, aghast, straightening her hair. “What are you doing here?”
“Just hunting for the broom,” she said, reaching past Hope’s left shoulder and grabbing a broom handle. “Here it is.” She nodded at Brent, who appeared positively mortified. “I’ll just pretend I didn’t see this.”
She swung the door shut, but Brent halted its advance with his palm. “Maybe we should, um…” He motioned toward the hall with his chin.
Hope’s whole body vibrated, so full of Brent’s fire she couldn’t stand it. Then reality dawned, and she was doused in icy-cold guilt. How could I do this to Jackie? How could I? How could I? How could I? What’s more, her mom had caught her red-handed. No doubt with her aura extremely pink.
Then again, she wouldn’t be in this position if Jackie hadn’t thrust it upon her. What was her sister’s problem, anyway? Was Meredith right about the Martin wedding being a smoke screen? Did Jackie really have cold feet?
Even if she did, she owed it to everybody here to face the music and sort things out. Hope was annoyed by her sister’s flippant attitude at skipping out on her own wedding week. Things were so out of whack in Blue Hill. She was falling for the groom, while the groom was falling for her because he thought she was his fiancée.
The entire ordeal made her head throb. But her lips were throbbing harder from his kisses. How she wished that she was his one and only, and not her frustrating sister, who maybe didn’t even really want to marry him, anyway.
If things had worked out differently, in another universe, maybe Brent could have been Hope’s destiny. What if she’d been the one working in Boston instead of Jackie? Or what if she’d somehow met him some other way?
If he had never met Jackie, would he have fallen for Hope?
Did he really care for her as a person—not just because she had Jackie’s same dark hair and big brown eyes? Okay, slightly larger eyes. But still.
“Jackie?” Meredith called, noticing her entering the den. The others were seated on the comfy furniture and finishing up their dinner wine. “I was looking for you earlier. Where have you…” Her voice trailed off when she noted Hope’s flushed expression. Brent’s neck reddened, too,
and Meredith gave them a knowing look. “Oh.”
“I think I’ll call it a night,” Grandpa Chad said, resting his hands on his knees.
“Me, too,” Margaret said, preparing to leave with him.
“That’s our cue,” Parker said to Elsa.
Elsa smiled around the room. “Don’t forget to turn out the lights.”
Sofia yawned. “I’m beat, too.” She glanced at William. “Honey?”
“That makes both of us.” He took Sofia’s hand. “Night.”
Derrick and Meredith stared each other down. Finally, Derrick said, “I’m not tired.”
“Me either,” Meredith said.
“Oh yes, you are,” Hope said, taking her by the elbow. That’s all she needed—the maid of honor and the best man getting into a knock-down-drag-out fight before Jackie’s arrival.
“Fine,” Meredith said. “I could use some downtime.”
Sally glanced toward the library. “I think I’ll stay up and read for a bit.”
Ava appeared helplessly lost. Her mom was such a night owl; she no doubt considered the lot of them party poopers. “Coming, Mom?”
Ava’s gaze swept the room as Derrick flipped on the TV, turning to a sports channel.
“Uh, sure. Okay. Good night, everyone.”
She and Meredith linked arms and headed out toward the carriage house.
Hope gave Brent a shy smile. “See you tomorrow?”
“Yep.” He grinned. “Can’t wait.” When she turned to go, he winked. “I’ll text you later?”
Her face burned hot. “Yes, that would be—” Wait. “No, don’t!” Brent texting her meant he’d be texting her sister’s phone. “What I mean is, please don’t.”
His smile faltered, and his forehead creased. “Why not?”
Hope racked her brain for an appropriate response. Nothing she could think of sounded kind. She didn’t want him to feel like she wouldn’t welcome his texts—if he was texting her, rather than her sister’s phone. What if he sent sweet messages, or maybe even steamy ones recounting their time in the coat closet? Nothing Hope could say to her sister would explain her way out of that.
Panicked, she blurted out the only thing that seemed reasonable. “Because I’d rather hear from you in person.”
Brent’s grin widened. “Is that so?”
The blood instantly drained from her face. Oh, no. That hadn’t come out right at all. At this rate, he’d show up at her window wanting to revisit the coat closet, and that would be very bad. No matter how good it sounded.
Stop thinking like that!
She forced herself to laugh. “I just mean, so much of our relationship has been long distance.” She assumed. “Wouldn’t it be better to communicate in person as often as we can? It is our wedding week…”
His eyes positively sparkled with desire. “That it is. Good night, Jackie.”
Oh, but the things his heated gaze did to her…. Hope all but fled down the garden path, knowing without a doubt she was in very serious trouble when it came to Brent Albright. And worse, she didn’t want it to end.
…
Ava and Meredith peppered her with questions the second she caught up with them outside the carriage house.
“Where did you disappear to for so long?” Meredith asked with a suspicious gleam.
“I promised not to say a thing,” her mom declared, all the while looking like she was itching to do just that.
Meredith gave her an exasperated look, then centered her attention squarely on Hope. “You…and Brent?”
“All right, okay. I kissed him,” she admitted. “It wasn’t, like, planned or any—”
“In the coat closet,” Ava interjected. “Under the stairs.”
Meredith surveyed Hope’s face as they walked along, and Hope tried to avoid her stare. “Has this happened before?”
“Huh?”
Meredith nudged her. “You kissing Brent?”
She grimaced. “Only slightly.”
“Weird. Jackie and Brent were never that physical. I mean, she mentioned they’d kissed, but I’ve never seen Jackie looking quite like that.”
Hope gaped at Meredith, then her mom. “Like what?”
“All pink,” Ava said.
Meredith and Ava exchanged worried glances.
“This is a very messed-up situation,” Meredith said.
Ava perused Hope again and nodded. “Yes.”
Chapter Fourteen
Brent took Jackie’s hand as they headed down the driveway for their morning walk. He’d suggested this mild form of exercise to help stretch out her muscles, since she was still too sore from yesterday to run again. She was normally so athletic—he was surprised the shorter route had caused her issues. Then again, the first part of it had basically been uphill.
Now he was regretting not sneaking down to the carriage house the previous night. He might have been able to give her painkillers. Or a massage.
He’d nearly gone, feeling certain that’s what she was hinting at. But then, Jackie had never been that bold with him, and certainly not when family and friends were nearby. Had he misinterpreted it? Maybe let their kisses go to his head?
He shook himself free of those thoughts. The woman he loved was struggling. He wanted her to be happy and not in pain, like she seemed to be right now as she hobbled along beside him. “You sure you’re okay?” he asked her for maybe the tenth time.
“Yeah, yeah. I just woke up a little stiff.”
“Maybe you should take a dip in that hot tub later?”
“Mmm. That’s a good idea.”
“Maybe I’ll join you?” he suggested, and she laughed.
“Not with my mom staying in the carriage house, you won’t.”
Rats. “Oh yeah. I forgot about that.”
Jackie was finally loosening up about being in Blue Hill. He was happy about that, but he was even happier about how he and she had grown closer. They were learning things about each other and sharing intimate thoughts. And when she’d let down her guard last night in the closet…
Oh, man.
The woman had nearly set his body on fire.
Brent had never known Jackie to kiss like that. She’d practically devoured him with her fiery-hot kisses. Thinking of it later, he’d become so stoked about their upcoming honeymoon that he’d had to take a cold shower before bed.
Though they’d dated for over three months, he and Jackie hadn’t slept together. She’d said she wanted to wait until after they were married, and, especially given their circumstances, Brent had understood. So he’d been totally caught off guard by the vixen under the stairs.
Not that he’d minded.
Not in the least.
Now, every moment leading up to their wedding night felt like a slow-burning fuse on a loaded stick of dynamite. He’d never experienced these feelings before or understood how desperately a man could ache to be with a woman. Physically. Emotionally. The whole nine yards. Brent couldn’t wait to make love to Jackie and show her how deeply he cared. But he was a patient man, and Saturday was only three days away.
“What are you thinking about?” she asked as they ambled along the quiet country road with morning birds chirping.
“About Saturday.” He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “I can’t wait to make you my bride.”
“And you’ll be my groom.”
“Yes,” he said in low tones. “Won’t that be fun.”
“Brent.” She swatted his arm at his innuendo.
“There’s nobody out here but us,” he said. “Besides that, I didn’t say anything too lewd.”
This caused her to laugh, and he enjoyed the sound of it. Pretty much everything felt great about being around Jackie.
Her eyebrows knitted together, and she seemed to be worrying about s
omething.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked her.
“The wedding dress comes today,” she said. “I was just wondering about how it’s going to fit.”
“Absolutely perfectly, I’m sure,” he said. “Will I get a sneak peek at it?”
“No, Mr. Groom, you will not,” she teased lightly. “Haven’t you heard? It’s bad luck to see the bride in her gown before the wedding day.”
Brent affectionately squeezed her hand. “I’m so happy we’re getting married. You’re going to make the very best wife.”
“And you’re going to make an excellent husband.” Her eyes sparkled when she gazed up at him. “It’s exciting, in a way,” she said. “Thinking of the future and the possibilities it holds.”
“It is exciting. I know we haven’t discussed this in detail, and we probably should have…” He hesitated a moment, growing uncomfortable, but if he didn’t bring it up now, he needed to sometime. “But when you hinted that that you didn’t want children—”
“I what?” She frowned and then said, “Oh, yeah. That. Maybe we should discuss this later?”
“Later?”
“Like on Friday? It’s a pretty heavy topic.”
“That’s the day before the wedding. Things will be so busy then. Don’t you think it would be best to discuss this while we have a quiet moment alone together?”
“What made you decide to bring this up now?”
“I noticed Sofia hasn’t been drinking any alcohol since she’s been here,” he said, reflecting on his observation. “And William’s been in an awfully happy mood. It made me start to wonder if maybe there’s something they’re not telling us. Like maybe there’s a new little Albright on the way.”
“That would be amazing for them.”
“It would, yeah.” The warm glimmer in her eyes only made him surer of his position. “When you and I talked about kids before, I honestly didn’t have a strong opinion.”
“And now?”
“Uh. How can I say this?” He ran a hand through his hair, feeling awkward about asking for this. He wanted to respect Jackie’s wishes, but since his thinking had changed so dramatically, he was hoping that maybe hers had, too. “Something’s changed. There’s this new vibe between us. I don’t know how or when it happened, but it has something to do with us being here.
