A memory of dancing around the living room with her dad slipped into her mind, and Amy smiled at the thought. It had taken a long time after her parents died for her to be able to think about them with anything but sadness, but the music was making Amy sweetly nostalgic. Finishing another glass of wine, Amy glanced back up at the milk crate stage.
Sean caught her eye, and with a wicked smile, he launched into a bizarre acoustic version of “Only the Good Die Young”. Amy rolled her eyes with a laugh, but she couldn’t help listening to the come-on in the lyrics and wondering if Sean meant what he was singing. Her hand reached for her necklace, and she fiddled with the pendant while her mind wandered, fantasizing about calloused fingers caressing her skin. Maybe, for this weekend at least, she could let her hair down and have some fun.
CHAPTER SIX
God bless whoever invented music, Sean thought as he locked eyes with Amy. It works like a charm every time.
He hadn’t planned on playing during the rehearsal dinner; nobody was paying him, and he didn’t usually jam in public without a pay check these days. But he’d made the snap decision while he was standing in line at the buffet behind Amy, and he was glad he had. When he dedicated the Pure Prairie League song to her, he’d thought it was a stroke of flirting genius, but he hadn’t been prepared for the level of emotion that she showed. It had almost looked like she’d had tears in her eyes when he finished, but Sean had dismissed that notion as soon as it occurred.
Still, he felt a little uneasy about her reaction, and something inside of him ached to comfort her, whether her tears were real or imagined. He had the feeling she was dragging around some baggage, too, and for the first time in a long time, he wondered what it would be like to have someone he could mess around with and actually open up to, as well. But the applause brought him back to himself, and he realized that now that he’d started, he could hardly stop after one song; that would be way too obvious, and even though he knew everyone would be whispering and wondering for the rest of the weekend, he didn’t want to give them more fuel. So he launched into another song, and another, and he forced himself to keep his eyes off the beautiful blond near the back of the porch.
When his fingers started picking the familiar chords of a Billy Joel song, his eyes found Amy’s again, and this time, she smiled at him. Tipping his head to one side, he gave her his best wink before closing his eyes and starting to sing. The next time he glanced at her, she was still watching him, and this time she was laughing. Warmth flooded his stomach. He started hamming even harder, watching her reactions. It surprised him how much he wanted to make her laugh; it felt good to see beneath the mask she wore, to watch her forget to be uptight and actually start enjoying herself.
A little voice in the back of his mind warned him that he was already too far gone to keep her at a safe distance, fling or not, but Sean realized he didn’t care. It had been too long since he’d been more than merely sexually attracted to any woman, but with Amy, he wanted to know what made her laugh, to talk with her and share things he hadn’t voiced in years. He was realistic enough to know that kind of thing wasn’t likely to accompany a wedding fling, though, so he pushed the dangerous thoughts aside and decided to concentrate on convincing Amy to have a little fun with him for the weekend. After all, he told himself, a little fun never hurt anybody.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The wedding day dawned cloudy. Amy kept watching the sky, but the rain that looked like it could fall at any minute never made an appearance, and soon Amy found herself sitting on a long pine bench facing the lake behind the inn as Sharlene and Jeremiah exchanged their vows. Even though Amy hadn’t thought of herself as a hopeless romantic in years, not since college, tears welled up in her eye at the couple’s first kiss, and she almost lost it for real when Sharlene gave her a weepy hug after the ceremony.
“It means so much that you’re here,” the bride had said, trying not to smear her makeup as she wiped her face. “And look!” She reached for the pendant Amy had given her, which was dangling on its chain just above the lace-trimmed neckline of Sharlene’s wedding dress. “It’s perfect!”
Amy squeezed her back without saying anything for a moment. When she finally found her voice, she said, “I’m really glad you emailed me, and I’m sorry we lost touch.”
“Not going to happen again!” Sharlene declared with a wet smile.
Amy nodded in agreement before stepping back to let other people congratulate the happy couple. Surreptitiously wiping her eyes, Amy wandered away from the crowd and stared at the placid waters of the lake. Stooping down, she found a small, oval pinecone on the ground at her feet¸ and giving into instinct, she pulled her arm back and flicked the cone into the water, trying to make it skip.
“Need a stone for that,” Sean said from behind her. Amy repressed a delicious shiver at the sound of his voice.
“I figured. It just seemed like the thing to do.” She gestured out at the water. “It’s beautiful up here.”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “Even though it’s the back end of beyond?”
“Your words, not mine.” She paused. “And I’m not judging anyone,” she finally added, glancing up at him. “Well, except maybe you.”
He grinned at her. “I guess I deserved that.”
She nodded. “Just because I’m from the city—“ she took a deep breath. “I don’t want to spoil this.” She gestured out to the lake, hoping he’d understand that she was done bantering. “Any of it,” she added, risking a glance at his face, but his expression was unreadable.
After a beat, Sean started to walk along the lakeshore, further away from the party guests, and after a moment, Amy fell into step beside him. “It is pretty, I guess,” he admitted. “You forget how beautiful things are when you see them every day.” He glanced at her with a wide smile. “Although I doubt any guy would be able to forget you.”
Amy laughed, but her heart sped up. “Smooth.”
Sean tipped his head. “I try.”
They lapsed into easy silence as they moved along the lakeshore, and after a few minutes, Sean reached for her hand. Waiting for the flirty banter that Amy had started to expect from him, she hesitated, but Sean didn’t say anything, and Amy couldn’t shake the feeling as she laced her fingers through his that something had shifted somehow, without her being aware of it.
Walking hand in hand with him, Amy searched for something to say. “I can’t figure you out,” she finally offered.
Sean lifted his shoulders in a gentle shrug. “What’s to figure?”
“Are you really as full of yourself as you seem?” The words sounded harsh, and Amy tried to soften them. “I mean, one minute, you’re coming onto me, and the next, you’re—well, you’re confusing.”
A smile tugged at his lips. “So you’ve been thinking about me?” He tightened his fingers around hers.
Amy flushed. “Maybe a little,” she admitted, “but that’s just because I don’t know what’s going to come out of your mouth next.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. Ladies love a mystery man, right?” He grazed his thumb against her palm, and she shivered.
“I guess what I’m saying is, I’m trying to figure out who the real Sean is.”
He looked down at her, his eyes sharp. “Maybe that doesn’t matter. Can’t we just be two strangers who can’t keep their hands off each other?”
Amy’s pulse started to pound. “That isn’t what I had in mind,” she said.
Sean’s eyes sparkled. “But I promise you’ll enjoy it. Besides,” he added, “what are the chances of anything real between you and me?”
Amy dropped his hand, stung. “What do you mean?”
“Vermont, New York, it’d never last.” Sean reached for her hand again, trailing his fingers down her arm. “But we’re both adults, and I was thinking we could save ourselves a lot of frustration if we just admitted that there’s a spark here.” He took a step closer to her, and Amy looked up, studying his face.
&
nbsp; “So, what, you’re just suggesting a random wedding hook up?” She fiddled with her necklace, but her hand froze when Sean’s eyes skimmed her throat.
He cocked his head to one side. “I’m suggesting,” he purred, “that we’re two consenting adults who want to have a little fun this weekend. Unless,” he leaned closer, his lips almost brushing against hers, “I’m totally misreading you.”
Heat filled Amy’s body, and she licked her lips, wondering if she should just kiss him now and stop torturing herself. “How can you be sure you didn’t just ruin any chance you might have had with me with that little speech?”
“Because I think we’re alike, Amy. I’m not looking for anything that takes much effort, and I get the impression you aren’t, either. But I wouldn’t say no to the chance to see you let your hair down,” he murmured, lifting his hand to stroke the back of her head.
Amy shivered at his touch, and her hands went involuntarily to his chest. Her fingers curled against him, pressing her nails against his shirt with gentle pressure, and she felt a surge of satisfaction when Sean closed his eyes as a shudder passed through him. When he opened his eyes, Amy pulled her hands away and took a step back, her breath coming hard. She turned back toward the inn, trying to get a grip on her thoughts. Would it be worth it, just to feel his body pressed against mine? Glancing over her shoulder at him, she smiled slightly. He’s right; it isn’t like I’m looking for anything permanent right now. Amy tipped her head to one side and started walking again, hoping he would follow her.
He did.
Just around the bend from the inn, he paused, glancing at the trees that surrounded them. “The reception’s starting soon. I won’t be free much during the party, but I was wondering—if I’ll see you after.” He swept his eyes to hers, and Amy met his gaze head on.
Her heart started to pound. “Maybe,” she said slowly, her eyes traveling over his frame before coming back to rest on his piercing gaze. “I’m driving back early tomorrow,” she finally offered, her lips dry.
Sean’s smile stretched wider. “That means you’ve got all night to play.”
“Won’t people talk?” Amy asked, her rational mind grasping for one last reason to put him off, even as her body swayed a fraction of an inch toward him.
“Only if they know.”
His words sent a shiver of anticipation heat down her torso, and she smiled slowly. “I’m not very good at secrets,” she finally said, “but I might be able to make an exception.”
***
The reception was in a big barn out back behind the Pine Tree Inn, and despite her expectations, it took Amy’s breath away. White, orange, and pale yellow paper lanterns had been hung from the tall ceiling, and the uneven slats of the ancient wood let in slivers of light, turning the old barn into a scene from a rustic fairy tale. Sharlene has really good taste, or Roxy does, Amy thought as her eyes skimmed the decorations before coming to rest on the wedding cake proudly displayed on a table at the front of the space. She laughed out loud when she saw it; fondant had been molded to look like tree bark, and each thick tier of the cake looked like a slice of a log, topped with sugar wildflowers and moss. I’ll have to ask Roxy if she did the cake, as well, or if they ordered it.
There wasn’t a band, but Amy knew Sean would be playing soon. In the meantime, however, someone had hooked up an iPod to the speaker system in the barn, and instrumental music made a nice background to the happy chatter of the wedding guests. Joanne waved to her, and Amy made her way through the crowd to a table near the stage, pulling out a chair beside Joanne with a smile.
“Isn’t it perfect?” The other woman gushed, and Amy had to admit that it was.
“I’ve never been to a wedding quite like this one,” she said honestly, looking at the pinecones arranged in the center of the table. “Was it all Sharlene’s idea?”
Joanne nodded. “Roxy made it happen, but Sharlene spent the last year playing on Pinterest, and it sure paid off!”
Amy nodded, reaching for the glass of water sitting at her place. “Roxy should advertise. Not everyone can pull something off, even if they have the inspiration.”
Joanne shook her head. “Try telling her that. I know it takes money to make money, but Roxy’s dead set against spending any more than she has to.” The woman sighed. “It’s hard to overcome a frugal upbringing, I guess, but it would be great to see somebody from our little town actually make it to the big time.”
“What about Sean?” Amy asked cautiously. “He’s pretty good. Do you know if he wants to go after a recording contract or anything?”
Joanne laughed. “Him? Nah, he’s happy to just poke around here. He plays gigs in other towns sometimes, but nothing big.”
“I wonder why?”
Joanne leaned forward. “He used to be in a band, back when we were all just kids. They talked about landing a recording contract then nonstop.”
“What happened?”
“Sean hooked up with this girl who’d just moved here, I think her name was Joy. Anyway, they hooked up and she started singing with the group, but after about a month, her folks walked in and found her slicing her thighs with a razorblade, and they shipped her off to an institution somewhere.” Joanne paused. “I really shouldn’t gossip,” she added as an afterthought, “but her family moved away, so I guess there’s no harm in you knowing about her.”
Amy shook her head. “I still don’t understand what that has to do with the band.”
“Sean was pretty broken up about losing her, and he stopped writing songs. They kind of fell apart after that.”
Amy raised an eyebrow in surprise. “He wrote his own songs?”
“Hasn’t for years. When he started playing again, it was just covers, and as far as I know, he’s never mentioned the old dreams. The rest of the band moved on to other things, anyway; Sean’s the only one still making music.”
“Hmm,” Amy chewed on her lower lip in thought. “He’s good; I’d love to hear one of his own songs,” she added without thinking.
Joanne cocked her head to one side. “Has our local playboy made another conquest?”
Amy flushed, remembering the lingering promise of Sean’s eyes. “Hardly,” she scoffed, trying to play it cool. There was no reason to give anyone the chance to gossip about her plans with Sean after the party, but Amy wondered if her flushed skin had given her away.
She was saved from whatever Joanne was about to say when a cheer went up around the barn and Sharlene and Jeremiah came in, hand in hand. Amy and Joanne got to their feet, applauding, and Joanne even let out a loud cat call that made Sharlene laugh as she twirled around, her beautiful cream gown swirling out around her. The couple headed for a small table placed near the cake, and Amy couldn’t see them anymore. Instead of sitting back down, her eyes scanned the barn. “Where’s the bar?”
Joanne chuckled. “The back of the barn. But hurry, the kids’ll be around to serve the food soon.”
Amy looked down at her companion. “Kids?” She asked, wrinkling her nose.
“Roxy pressed all the kids into service; she doesn’t have a catering staff or anything, and since Sharlene’s a friend, Rox wasn’t too worried about it looking professional.” Joanne shrugged. “Besides, it’s a way for them to make a little cash this weekend.”
Amy laughed. “Much more glamorous than babysitting or mowing lawns, I suppose. Want anything?”
Joanne shook her head. “Not yet; I’m saving my calories for the cake and a glass of champagne later.”
Amy nodded and wove through the crowd to the bar without difficulty, where she snagged a glass of white wine. Before she was back to her seat, however, a familiar voice filled the barn, and Amy’s eyes traveled to the stage, where Sean was leaning toward a microphone stand.
“Are y’all ready to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Bloom to the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife?”
The crowd clapped and whistled, and Sean motioned to Sharlene and Jeremiah. Standing from his chair, Jer
emiah bent over Sharlene with a practiced bow, and she put her hand in his, grinning from ear to ear. The guests parted, and Amy realized the dance floor was right in front of the stage…and her table. Weaving back toward her seat, Amy watched Sharlene and Jeremiah start to sway slowly as Sean struck up the opening notes of an old jazz standard. It sounded a little odd on the guitar, but Sean’s velvet voice made up for the strangeness, and Amy was soon mesmerized. Joanne poked her in the ribs when she sat down, and some of her wine slopped onto the table.
“Aren’t they sweet?” Joanne asked, her eyes trained on the couple.
Amy pulled her eyes away from Sean and nodded. “They look good together.” They did, too; Jeremiah was tall and broad, and Sharlene’s dress accentuated her curves, even though the top of her up-do barely grazed Jeremiah’s chin. Amy sighed wistfully, watching them. When she was a little girl, she’d envisioned her perfect wedding a million times, down to the cake, the colors of the flowers, and the cut of the dress. Over time, though, that vision had gotten rusty, until Amy finally shut the door on her dreams. She’d had too many failed relationships as an adult to continue to believe in the fairy tale wedding, and she’d done a pretty good job of convincing herself that she’d outgrown the fantasy. But watching Sharlene and Jeremiah snuggling together on the dance floor made her heart ache in an unfamiliar way, and Amy found herself suddenly remembering the hopes she’d once had.
After the dance, everyone clapped, and when Sean struck another chord, a few people joined the lovebirds on the dance floor. Amy itched to join them, but the only person she wanted to dance with was behind a microphone, so she stayed in her seat, sipping her wine and trying not to be too obvious about the way her eyes kept finding Sean.
He smiled while he sang, and sometimes he closed his eyes as if he were lost in the music. If he noticed Amy watching him, he didn’t let on more than once, but that once was enough. It was toward the end of the reception, after the cake had been cut and people were starting to say their goodnights, but Sean was still playing. He’d locked eyes with Amy for a split second though, his gaze hungry, and he leaned forward, sweeping his gaze over the barn before launching into a mournful rendition of “Closing Time”. Amy drained her glass in anticipation, and when she stood up, she could feel Sean’s eyes watching her from the stage.
Cutting Loose Page 4
