by Susan Meier
With the centerpieces already at the fire hall, with instructions to the Dinner Belles that they should go on the tables around five, Isabelle headed home. She took a quick nap and, because it was a hot day, decided to rinse off before dressing for the reception. She was just stepping out of the shower when her doorbell rang.
Confused, she wrapped herself in her robe and answered the door. There, on her tiny porch, stood Barbara Beth with Ellie and Piper.
Barbara Beth said, “I’m doing your hair.”
Ellie held up a bag of makeup. “I got this from our makeup artist at the last commercial shoot. So I get your face.”
Piper smiled. “I’m just here for moral support.”
Isabelle stepped back to let them inside her living room. “Really. This isn’t necessary. I was just going to do my hair and face the way we did it for work on Thursday.”
Barbara Beth patted her cheek. “Oh, sweetie. I have so much to teach you.”
Two hours later, after a call from Finn, the Donovans and Barbara Beth left Isabelle’s apartment. They’d powdered her, made up her face, and put her hair into six different styles until they settled on the one they believed suited her best. And finally they were leaving so she could slip into her dress.
Before she closed the door, Barbara Beth said, “Remember, you don’t get there until six thirty. You make an entrance.”
Devon walked to his SUV, waving good-bye to his mother, who sat on the passenger’s side of Bob’s car, smiling. He smiled back, slid inside his vehicle, waited for them to pull out, then laid his head on the steering wheel.
It was not right for a son to have to see his mom date.
There. He’d said it.
For the love of God, he did not want to watch them holding hands, snuggling on the dance floor, or envision them leaving together to stay overnight at Bob’s house…as they had the night before.
So he had a plan. Right after the wedding dinner, he intended to hit the bar. Hard. He’d give his keys to Finn or Cade and let himself get rip-snorting drunk with Barbara Beth, a good friend who’d just want to have a laugh, nothing more. Then one of his brothers could drive him home. God knew he’d driven them home often enough.
He arrived at the fire hall and shook his head. The big red trucks sat in the driveway and the empty hall had been decorated with tiny white twinkle lights. Regular folding chairs had been made formal with white linen covers. Tables had been adorned with white linen cloths and pretty yellow-rose centerpieces.
Isabelle’s centerpieces.
And his mother was right. They were pretty.
He almost groaned over thinking like a girl until he remembered that he now owned the flower shop that had provided those centerpieces, and he had a vested interest in them being perfect. Just what the customer had ordered.
He ambled to the table where Finn and Ellie, Piper and Cade, his mom and Bob sat.
There were two empty chairs on the far side, so he walked over and pulled one out. As soon as he saw Barbara Beth, he would wave her over. She’d fit in perfectly. Everybody knew her. She was best friends with his two sisters-in-law. And she was fun. Tonight, he needed some fun.
“Everybody.”
His brothers and sisters-in-law said, “Hi, Devon” or, “Hey, Devon.” His mother took his hand. “Didn’t Izzy do a great job on the centerpieces?”
“Yes. How were the flowers at church?” he asked, trying to sound like a boss.
“They were beautiful,” Ellie said. “Izzy always comes through.”
“I think you were crazy to move her out of that job into the office,” Piper said, leaning forward. “She has a real talent for arranging flowers.”
Before Devon could answer, Mary Louise Stevens strolled over. A pretty blonde who’d never given him the time of day, she smiled sweetly at him. “Well, Devon Donovan. It’s nice to see you.”
It seemed odd for her to say that since he’d just spent two hours with her the day before at the bank, handling some wire transfers. Still, he politely rose and said, “It’s nice to see you, too, Mary Louise.”
She put her hand on his forearm. “As I was saying at the bank yesterday, it’s good to see you out of the office.”
Oh, yeah. He remembered that now. She’d all but thrown herself at him. Mostly because she’d gotten a good look at three of the family’s accounts. She’d probably faint if she realized that wasn’t even one percent of their money.
He started to say, “I have a lot of work—” just as Izzy walked in the front door, and his mouth fell open. Her hair had been swept up on one side, pinned back by a pink flower. Nothing too big. Just the right size to look kind of sexy. His gaze skimmed down over a pink sparkly dress that stopped mid-thigh—and she had the legs for it. Now, not only was he dealing with the fact that she wasn’t a kid anymore, he was seeing her as a gorgeous, sexy woman. It was as if someone had waved a magic wand and she’d changed overnight.
Mary Louise stiffened. “Oh, look, it’s Izzy.”
Devon said, “Belle.”
“Excuse me?”
“She likes to be called Belle.”
Mary Louise shot him a look of confusion.
Ellie said, “She works for us now.”
Piper said, “Yeah, and that extra seat is for her.”
Mary Louise glanced at Devon. He raised his hands helplessly, though he was abundantly glad he wouldn’t have to sit by her.
Always polite, Mary Louise said, “Well, it was nice to see you.” She took a slow breath and renewed her smile as she glanced at his brothers and their wives, his mom and Bob. “It was nice to see all of you.”
She walked away and Devon sat again. Cade said, “What was that all about?”
“I think after Mary Louise got a look at a few of our bank accounts yesterday, I suddenly became interesting.”
Finn laughed.
“It’s not funny. She’s not the first woman to make a pass at me since we inherited Pap’s money. You guys are lucky you’re married already.”
Even as he said that, he glanced at the front of the hall and saw Isabelle again. She greeted the bride and groom, signed the guest book, and walked over to their table. Her shiny pink dress shimmered as she walked. Her legs were works of art.
“Hi, everybody.”
Cade, Finn, and Bob rose. It took a second for Devon to get his bearings, then he scrambled to his feet. He couldn’t believe he was so shell-shocked that he forgot his manners.
“Hey, Izzy.”
She met his gaze with a soft smile. “It’s Belle, remember?”
He swallowed. Hadn’t he just corrected Mary Louise? Why was his mind suddenly a big, empty hole? “Right. Belle.”
“We have an extra seat,” Ellie said, pointing to the empty chair beside him. “Why don’t you join us?”
His mom said, “Yes, Izzy. Join us.”
He noticed that she didn’t correct his mom about the name, but somehow that only made her request that he call her Belle hotter. Like a pet name. Or a term of endearment you’d have for a lover.
No! What the hell was happening to his brain? Yes, he took lovers. He had affairs. But Isabelle Cooper—cute little green-thumbed tomboy Izzy—was not the kind of girl to be somebody’s lover.
She smiled that pretty smile again, and all the blood in Devon’s body whooshed through him. Resisting the urge to drop his head to his hands, he reminded himself that it might take a bit of work, but he would control himself.
Isabelle said, “Thanks. I think I will join you.” She walked around the table to the empty chair beside him.
Remembering his manners, he pulled the chair out for her. Even the way she sat was pretty. Delicate. Sensual. He’d have never in a million years expected this from the girl who usually dressed like a farmer. But she was no farmer tonight. She wasn’t even an office worker. She was just a beautiful woman.
He tugged his collar away from his throat, took a breath, and sat beside her.
Piper said to Isabelle, “I he
ard your parents left a few days ago.”
She set her sparkly purse beside her plate, and Devon noticed those long pink nails again. “The house hunt has officially begun.”
Finn said, “Any idea where they want to live?”
“They love to play golf, but if my mom has her way they’ll be on the beach.”
“The beach can be pricey,” Devon said. “Your dad will hate spending that kind of money.”
She turned to face him. Her incredible green eyes held his as her pink lips lifted into a warm smile. His heart stopped.
“My mom has a way of always getting what she wants from my dad.”
The girls laughed. The men groaned. But Devon sat mesmerized by her and the knowledge that right at that moment he’d give Isabelle anything she wanted.
The DJ’s mike suddenly became live, sending a shriek of feedback through the cavernous fire hall. “And now, ladies and gentlemen, I’m pleased to announce the wedding party.”
Isabelle’s head snapped around so she could see the line of bridesmaids and groomsmen as the DJ announced them. Ellie, Piper, and Isabelle commented on the dresses and tuxes, with his mom adding an occasional odd comment. Devon didn’t care. He was glad for the five-minute reprieve to catch his breath.
The day Isabelle had come to work dressed differently, he’d noticed that she was gorgeous, all grown up, and sexy in a feminine way that about drove him crazy. But he also didn’t date employees. He didn’t date at all. So if he did anything with Isabelle, it would be just for sex. And…seriously…even considering that with her was wrong.
The bride and groom arrived and, finally, dinner was served. A lively conversation ensued when Cade talked about having homes on both sides of the country.
“Anytime we want, Piper and I can get in the plane, and in a few hours we’re away from the hustle and bustle of life around here.”
Isabelle laughed. “I’d hardly call Harmony Hills hustle and bustle.”
Finn said, “It’s still good to have a retreat. A place you can go to get away from things.”
Isabelle glanced at Devon, smiled, then faced his family again. “I sort of like it here.”
Had she just flirted with him?
“You mean you don’t like the idea of your parents getting a beach house and having somewhere to crash two or three times a year when you just want to get away?”
Isabelle laughed. “I never thought of that. I’ve been so busy missing my parents that I forgot there was an upside to their moving.”
“But you still miss them?” And maybe that was why she seemed to be acting so oddly around him. Maybe her unusual behavior was nothing more than her reaction to the overwhelming feeling of being alone.
“I do miss them.”
Younger members of the Dinner Belles walked around with carts, collecting empty dishes, then serving dessert. The best man made a toast. The maid of honor sang a rap song about her sister, the bride, that had everyone in stitches. As the atmosphere became more casual, Cade leaned back, slid his arm around Piper’s chair. Bob sat back and slid his arm around Devon’s mother’s chair. Finn leaned over and all but cuddled with his pregnant wife.
The only two not huddled together were him and Isabelle.
The DJ introduced the bride and groom and they danced. The bride danced with her father. The groom danced with his mother.
Devon looked at his watch. Just when he thought he’d had enough of being uncomfortable, and was getting ready to go find Barbara Beth, the DJ shifted gears, a slow song began to play, and he invited everyone to the dance floor.
Finn and Ellie rose. Bob and his mom rose. Even cantankerous Cade rose and offered his hand to his beautiful wife.
Devon glanced at Isabelle, and she smiled shyly. His heart thumped once, but he told it to stop. With everyone pairing off on the dance floor, it became painfully obvious that someone had set him up.
Isabelle knew the second he’d caught on. His demeanor changed. At first when she’d walked over, he’d appeared to be shocked. Then sort of dumbfounded by the gorgeous dress Ellie had let her borrow. Now everybody had gone out to dance, but he hadn’t offered to dance with her.
She sucked in a breath. As Barbara Beth said, she had to be bold.
“You wouldn’t like to dance, would you?”
He shook his head. “Izzy—” He sighed heavily. “Belle,” he said, correcting himself.
She remembered the cute little look her mother always used with her dad and said, “Please?”
He sighed again.
Sighed? Again? For the love of God, she was not an ogre. He should be thrilled to dance with her. She was a smart, funny woman who’d gotten a makeover to get him to notice her. And he had noticed her. He absolutely liked what he saw.
The hell with cute little looks and feminine sighs! “Oh, come on, Devon. Everybody’s dancing but us. We look like two losers.” Knowing she might have gone too far in the other direction, she smiled prettily. “What can it hurt?”
He looked away. “We’re not losers.”
“Then we should be dancing.”
With another sigh, he rose and held out his hand. She took it, her heart thrumming in her chest, her knees weak with anticipation. He might be doing this grudgingly, but if he had even one ounce of feeling for her, dancing would melt him. That is if it didn’t melt her first.
But as they walked to the dance floor, the original slow song ended. Isabelle almost groaned. Then she saw Barbara Beth standing with the DJ. A confident smile lit BB’s pretty face, and she gave Isabelle the thumbs-up sign.
Another slow song began to play. Devon turned to her and, in one smooth move, took her into his arms.
All the air disappeared from her lungs. For years she’d dreamed of this moment, this man. And now here she was dancing with him.
Of course, they stood at a safe distance.
And his eyes weren’t on her. He looked out at the other couples. When he homed in on his mom and Bob, his eyes narrowed.
In her head, she tried to run down her list of “What Would Barbara Beth Do?” notes. Smile. Engage in conversation. Hold his gaze when he talked. Make him feel important. Make him feel like this whole thing was his idea.
Nothing about when they were dancing.
And technically she’d already blown the “make him feel the whole thing was his idea” instruction when she’d asked him to dance.
He whirled them around, and she used the opportunity to shift a bit closer. His jacket ran across the skin of her arm as she moved those few sacred inches, raising gooseflesh. But once she had herself settled, she realized she might have gotten a tad too close. Her breasts brushed against his chest. Their thighs bumped.
Oh, dear God. Mistake or not, this was what she wanted.
Devon’s breath jerked to a halt when Isabelle took a step closer and her breasts pressed against his chest. Her flirtations, her wanting to dance, her sweet smiles all flashed through his head. There was no denying it. She was making a move on him.
And he liked it.
He was going to have to stop her, but he liked it. He liked it a lot. He liked the way she felt in his arms and the tingle that rose when their thighs swished across each other with every step. He liked that her eyes were a shiny, sexy green that held his captive. He wanted to twirl her around, just to pull her close again and feel that bump when her breasts hit his chest, when their torsos met—
Oh, no. What was this? Where was his head? Well, actually he knew exactly where his head was and most of the blood that should be coursing through his veins and arteries. They had all gone to one spot, a spot that was encouraging him to explore what seemed to be happening between them—
Except she was his employee.
And he was something of a dog when it came to women. Which was why he only got involved with women who were looking for a good time in bed. A night, a weekend, even a week of sex—then nothing. Because he didn’t do commitments. Seeing how love had kept his mother a prisoner in a very ba
d marriage, he didn’t even want to risk getting close to someone. All of the women he dated knew he liked a good time, but he didn’t want anything serious.
Of course, what did he know about this brand new Isabelle? Maybe she didn’t want a commitment either? If she only wanted a night or a weekend, too, wouldn’t he be a fool to turn her down? And wouldn’t it be great if she did? They could have a blistering affair and no one had to be any the wiser.
“This is nice.”
Isabelle’s whisper floated up to him. He glanced down into her smiling face, the pretty green eyes, her pert pink lips. The desire to kiss her was so strong his head actually began to lower, but he stopped himself. He absolutely, positively could not lead her on. They both had to be on the same page.
“Are you looking for an affair?”
“What?”
The very fact that she said ‘what’—not even taking into consideration her confused tone of voice—told him the answer. This sexual thing he felt was something bigger and more important to her.
And he was going to have to kill it.
He stepped away from her, turned, and headed for the back door, still holding her hand. He led her through crowds of men drinking, women laughing, kids weaving through the adults. He walked her past the men on the sidewalk holding plastic cups of beer, past the lovers chatting or kissing in dark corners, the whole way to the darkest part of the area behind the fire hall.
Then he stopped.
“If you’re flirting with me because you think there can be something between us, you need to stop now.”
“What?”
“You seemed to be taking that dance in a whole different way than what I meant.”
She turned away. “Because you don’t like me.”
His eyes widened. “Is that what you think?”
“Why else would you tell me to back off?”
“Because I am attracted to you.”
She faced him again. “You’re not making any sense.”
“Isabelle, you’re gorgeous. And in that dress, you stop men’s hearts. I sighed with relief when I saw the entire ambulance crew is here. There are some old men who are probably going to need CPR if you fast dance.”
