by Heidi McVay
Scarlett didn’t answer verbally but raised a hand, middle finger extended for him to see. His panty-melting low chuckle of amusement could be heard trailing after her as she crossed the yard to the row of hedges that separated her mother’s house from his.
By some miracle, she managed to wait until she was in the garage apartment she rented from her mom for a pittance to burst into fresh tears as she finally gave in to the urge to let the weight of what she was losing settle over her.
****
The sight of Scarlett mounting the stairs of the apartment where she’d been living over her parents’ garage for the last few years tore at Zarek. The moment she was gone, after the forced chuckle had died, he’d simply stared after her as she disappeared through the hole in the hedge. By the time he’d been eleven, and she was nine, his mother had given up on trying to dissuade them from using the hedge as a natural door.
They’d worn the ground down to the point where grass wouldn’t even grow anymore. The summer Zarek had turned twelve, she’d talked to Beth and Joe Landry one afternoon over coffee and cake. A week later, there was a stone pathway lined with flowers on each side, on both sides of the hedge, and the hedge itself had been trimmed back to make it easier for them to pass. Even now, his mother still kept it trimmed back, and in the hot July sun, the flowers were bursting in a riot of brilliant pinks and purples, beckoning him toward the hedge toward Scarlett.
Even though she was out of sight, she’d left the scent of gardenias in her wake. Scarlett always smelled like the gardenias that grew on her parents’ side of the hedge. She’d smelled the same since they were in grade school. Like flowers, fresh air, and innocence. He tracked her as she strode toward the garage apartment where she lived behind her parents' house, watching as that long dark braid bounced behind her. Her hair hung clear to her waist these days, but he hadn’t seen it down in years. At least those clear green eyes were no longer studying him in that way that always made Zarek far too aware that this woman knew him better than he knew himself. His deepest fear was that someday, those fathomless eyes would look too deep and see the truth. It was a truth that he couldn’t afford to let surface. Ever. But especially not now.
Zarek resisted the urge to follow as the phone in the back pocket of his jeans rang. He fished it out to see Tati’s number on the screen. Bracing himself for yet another litany of complaints about his choice of wedding venues, his mother’s perfectly manicured backyard, he answered the call in as gentle a tone as he could muster. “Hey, baby. Your parents make it?”
Instantly, he was treated to the sound of his fiancée barking orders at someone else in the room. “No! I said Crimson Glory roses. These are Walko roses. They’re two entirely different shades of red. Take them back to the florist and tell her that she got it wrong. My father paid for Crimson Glory roses, and that damn well better be what you bring back when you get here again.”
There was a meek answer that Zarek couldn’t entirely hear before Tatiana’s temper hit the boiling point, and her voice lowered to a hiss he was entirely too familiar with. “I don’t care what was available on short notice. Now leave and get it right, or I swear to God, my father will sue you for everything you’re worth.”
A moment later, Zarek heard a soft sound of annoyance coming from her, and then her voice shifted to the tone that he knew meant he would spend hours placating her. “Are you on your way?”
Zarek sighed and fished the keys to his mom’s Toyota from his other pocket and turned, heading for the house. “Yep.” He barely stopped to brush a kiss over his mother’s cheek as she looked up from where she was covered in cake frosting on her third attempt to bake his groom’s cake. Zarek hadn’t had the heart to tell her that it was even worse than the first two. This one wasn’t even round, but rather a stack of oblong pieces from her first two attempts cobbled together in a Frankenstein monstrosity that she was currently covering in hot pink frosting. The frosting was supposed to be red. Zarek gave her an encouraging nod as he reached for the knob of the door that led out to the garage. “Looks great!”
His mom snorted and rolled her eyes at him. “What have I told you about lying to your mother, boy? It looks like a steaming pile of pink shit, and we both know it.”
“Zarek, are you listening?” Tati’s voice was impatient on the other end of the line.
Zarek refrained from rolling his eyes, something he seemed to be doing more these days. “Yep. The florist sent the wrong roses. That’s awful.” The words were a shot in the dark, but thankfully Tatiana didn’t seem to notice, buying him time to unlock the SUV and climb inside. He was nearly halfway to the hotel where she was staying before she paused for breath, and Zarek had not processed any of it. In fact, by the time he handed the keys to the valet and stepped into the elevator, he’d only had to make vaguely encouraging sounds. Tuning Tatiana out was also something he was doing more of these days.
When he entered the suite where she’d been spending the majority of the day, he was stunned to see the entire place looked like a bomb had gone off. It was a bomb made of tulle, silk, satin, and heels. So many fucking heels. Heels everywhere. Zarek stood in the center of the foyer of the suite, staring at the array of heels that stood in front of shoeboxes, covering every available surface. Tatiana appeared in the doorway, looking ever so slightly rumpled. That was to say, her glossy blonde hair was in a sleek ponytail, and she was barefoot. “Did a shoe store explode?” Zarek swept a hand out to indicate the mess that was the suite that was costing him more per night than his first studio apartment in LA had every month.
“Hello to you, too, Grumpy.” Tati’s voice was once more level, and she smiled at him, that devastating smile that had once made Zarek’s body react on pure instinct.
He stared at her, unwilling to be swayed as he stepped forward. “I’m serious. What’s up with the fucking shoes? We’re getting married on grass, Tati. You can’t wear heels. It’ll ruin my mother’s lawn.”
That was the wrong thing to say. Tatiana stiffened, her reed-slender form stilling as she pinned him with a glare. “Tomorrow is our wedding day, Zarek. I know you’re not going to make it about your mother’s grass.”
Okay, so he had to give her that one. Zarek gritted his teeth and then turned to survey the mess once more. “You bought all these shoes? You’re going to return the ones you decide against, right?”
His fiancée waved a careless hand. It was the wave of a woman who’d never known hard work a day in her life. Her father’s money had ensured she’d never need to either. “Forget the shoes. I have the most amazing place picked for the rehearsal dinner tonight.”
Those words made Zarek’s heart sink a little lower in his chest. “But my mother made reservations for everyone already at Galatoire’s. We’re not changing it.” His voice was firm as he followed her into the bedroom. It was, at least, marginally cleaner.
Yet again, Zarek was struck by how very unexpected this woman was. She was everything he’d once thought he wanted in a woman. She was taller than most women, coming almost to his chin, but still reed slender. She was so thin that Zarek had feared breaking her the first time he’d taken her to bed. He knew now that she wasn’t all she appeared to be. Her platinum blonde hair was the product of a high-end salon and extensions to give extra volume. No hair-pulling allowed in bed, which was a shame. He’d done it once and accidentally ended up enraging her when he’d come away with a fistful of blonde hair mid-thrust. If the tirade she’d gone into hadn’t killed his arousal, the sight of what looked like a dead, blonde rat dangling from his fingers sure as shit had.
“It’s a great restaurant, but I’m not sure there’s enough room to seat everyone.” She began, having the good grace to look a little sheepish as she spun to face him, taking a step forward. The sight of that smile never failed to make his heart skip a beat. Especially when she wore it like this, impish and mischievous like she shared a secret with only him. It was like it was only them in the entire world in those precious moments.
<
br /> Her arms snaked around his waist, and she pressed her body to his. Zarek felt some of the stress of the conversation with Scarlett drain away. Tatiana tipped her head upward and rose on her toes, her lips seeking out his, and Zarek was lost. Whenever they fought, which was sadly more often now than when they’d first started dating, one kiss was all it took to send even the shadow of anger fleeing from his mind.
He twined his arms around her waist and answered her kiss slowly, inhaling the scent of the Chanel perfume that clung to her skin. When he lifted his head, he sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, giving in as he always did. “Fine. I’ll talk to Mom. I’m sure she’ll understand.” Of course, his mother would understand. She would be disappointed, but she would put on a tolerant face for him, as she had when he’d announced his plan to move to LA and become an actor.
Zarek watched as Tati’s eyes lit with delight that he’d given in. Those baby blues could be stormy or bright, but at this moment, they were soft and sweet. He slid his hands to her hips and pulled her in a little bit closer. “How long before your parents get here?” Zarek rumbled out the words quietly as he bowed his head to nip gently at her earlobe.
Tati gave a soft giggle and tipped her head to give him better access. “Half an hour tops.”
“I can be quick.” His voice turned to a low rumble of anticipation as he lifted his head to grin at her. “I have to be back at my mom’s in an hour to meet Scar to help her with her speech for tomorrow.”
“Scarlett?” Tatiana’s voice was instantly colder. She pulled away, stepping back out of the circle of his arms. “You were serious when you said you were going to have her in the wedding?” She was gaping at him now, her expression no longer open and loving as her blue eyes flared with the beginnings of resentment.
Zarek bit back a sigh. “Of course, I was serious, baby. She’s been my best friend for twenty years. Who else would I ask to stand up beside me on my wedding day?”
“I don’t know, Zarek. But not her. I won’t allow it. I don’t want to spend my wedding day staring at the woman whose name you said while fucking me.” Those baby blues were now icy with the force of her anger.
She was never going to let that go. Zarek scrubbed a hand over his face and sighed heavily. “This again?” He was weary of this argument. They’d had it for two straight months. “I said I was sorry. I was drunk, and I fucked up. Okay? It didn’t mean anything, and you know it.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Zarek. Stop lying to me. You think I don’t know what it means when a man says a woman’s name when he comes?” Tati’s voice grew even more venomous now as she turned to pace to the other side of the room. Zarek watched in silence, helpless to defend himself against what she said, just as he had been when he’d done it. She lifted a finger, shaking it at him as she continued, winding herself up as she did every time Scarlett was brought up in even casual conversation. It was a behavior that had started well before the mistake he’d made. The fact that his best friend was a woman had annoyed Tatiana from their first date, and it had gotten progressively worse over time.
She stopped her pacing and closed her eyes for a moment, drawing in a deep breath. Zarek tucked his hands into his pockets and waited for her to calm down. When she spoke again, her voice was still cold as she pinned him with a stare that had been the reason why he’d tried to break up with her the night it had happened. “She isn’t going to be in my wedding.”
“It’s my wedding, too.” Zarek shot back, his voice hardening. “Scarlett is a non-negotiable in my life, and that isn’t going to change, Tati.”
He watched as her beautiful face twisted in renewed irritation, her porcelain skin turning red with the force as she seethed. “Then maybe you should marry Scarlett. I can just go take care of the baby. It’ll be like it never happened. You’ll be off the hook.”
Zarek’s stomach dropped at those words. He closed his eyes as he fought back the automatic response to that threat. “Tati, stop it.” She’d made the same threats the night she’d told him she was pregnant. “We both know that there’s nothing between Scar and me. She’s my friend. That’s all.”
“Then why did you say her name, Zarek?” The woman was like a blunt instrument, hammering away at his sanity in moments like these.
Zarek drew himself up to his full height and pinned her with a hard stare, his voice low. “Enough.” The tone in his voice had an instant effect. Tatiana fell silent, her full lips pressed into a thin line of displeasure. “I’m not going to spend the rest of my life apologizing for one drunken mistake. We both fucked up that night, and you need to let it go.” Tati opened her mouth to speak, but Zarek stopped her with a slash of his hand. “No. It’s enough. I don’t want to marry her. I’m with you. The fact that I stick around after the shit you pulled should be proof enough of my loyalty to you.”
At least she had the good grace to wince slightly at his words. The night she’d threatened to end the pregnancy for the first time, had damn near sent him over the edge.
Zarek continued, his voice even lower. “She will be at the wedding tomorrow, standing beside me as I marry you. And tonight, when you meet her, you will be courteous, you will be kind, and you will not do anything to make her think that what I told her about you today is bullshit. Are we clear?”
Tatiana fairly trembled with residual annoyance, but those words were enough to pique her curiosity. “What did you tell her about me?”
Zarek did his level best not to laugh at her obvious attempt to fish for a compliment, even now, during yet another argument. “I told her you were kind. I told her that you were amazing, that you were smart and funny. I told her how much I love you, and how happy I am with you.” He knew the moment he won the battle when her posture changed, and her expression softened.
“Really?” Tatiana’s voice was hopeful in that way that made Zarek believe that she really did care what he thought. She stepped closer. “You said that?”
“Of course, I did. It’s the truth. I’m pretty sure I’d have married you eventually. The baby just kind of moved up the timeline. So please stop being so damn insecure. If I’d wanted her, I would have said or done something to make that happen years ago, Tati. I’m marrying you, no one else. We’re going to be a family.” Zarek barely recognized the pleading tone in his own voice. A family of his own. It was the only thing he’d ever really wanted. Acting was a risky career choice, and half the time, he was without a job or at least had been for the first years of his career. A family was a real thing, far more real than the grueling schedule and the false intimacy of fans who lurked outside his house and sometimes trespassed onto whatever set he was on.
Before he knew what was happening, Tatiana was in his arms, her face pressed into his chest as she began to cry softly, apologizing for her part in yet another argument.
As Zarek wrapped his arms around her, he wished to God that he could erase that one stupid moment. So now, at this moment, Zarek tightened his arms around Tatiana and whispered a half-hearted apology into her hair. This was his decision. It was the right thing and the wrong thing all wrapped up into one little blond package. Doing the right thing fucking sucked.
Chapter Two
Scarlett stared into the mirror, once more grateful that her mother wasn’t going to be present at the wedding rehearsal. She’d barely managed to escape the interrogation when she’d gone to borrow the dress she now wore from her mother. Neither Beth nor Joe Landry had grown up with money, a fact that neither of her parents ever let her forget. Scarlett remembered clearly the tiny house just outside the city limits where she’d spent the first part of her childhood before her father’s first major court case victory. It had landed him a job offer with one of the most prestigious criminal defense firms in the city, and with that job, Josiah Landry had taken his young family from the suburbs straight into the Garden District.
Her mother embraced her new lifestyle while making sure Scarlett never forgot what was important. If she had a nickel for every time she’
d heard her mother’s most common saying, she’d be rich in her own right by now. “Money can go as easily as it can come, Scarlett Jane.” Her mother would say, in her honeyed drawl. “But hard work will always pay off dividends in ways that money never can.” Usually, the words came when Scarlett was dusting or vacuuming or doing some other chore she hated.
The dress was a deep emerald green, one of her mother’s purchases for a cocktail party several years before. It had been buried deep in the closet, and Scarlett doubted the thing would ever see daylight again. A sheath dress with a delicate lace overlay, it was modest enough to suit her mother’s tastes while still retaining enough bare leg that it would almost certainly draw Sylvia’s approving smile. It had been like growing up with two mothers who were starkly different. Beth had taught her how to work hard, be a lady, and handle herself in any social situation. Sylvia had taught her how to throw a damn good left hook, given her a blunt conversation about oral sex and why it should be as important to a woman as it was to a man, and how to stand up for herself. As a result, Scarlett found herself forever walking a fine line between her inner lady and her inner bad-ass, and often the two butted heads.
It was when her inner bad-ass took over that she most often found herself in trouble.
Her hair was twisted up on her head in a bun that took about fifty thousand bobby pins to hold in position, but at least for the moment, she looked good. Scarlett turned away from the mirror and slid her feet into the strappy flat silver sandals, and headed for the door. She could do this. Absolutely. No problem. All she had to do was pretend to be thrilled to watch the man she’d been in love with for years marrying another woman. Easy peasy. There was no way that any of this could go wrong.
