SEALed and Delivered

by Monroe, Jill

  But it wasn’t fine. She couldn’t walk along the beach without seeing Nate pull a man there to safety.

  She couldn’t eat in her kitchen without thinking how easy it was to get him to see things her way, after she placed a plate of cookies in front of him. Even the lobby and foyer had his touches, from opening the front door and seeing his smiling face, to the baseboards he’d helped repair.

  And her bedroom? There the memories were the worst.

  The idea of sleeping in one of the guest bedrooms popped into her mind, but could she ever forget what it was like to snuggle next to Nate, no matter which bed she was in. Besides, with their increased bookings, they didn’t have a lot of rooms to spare.

  Three failed engagements, yet none of them ever devastated her the way asking Nate to leave her life had.

  She was in love with him.

  Hailey breathed in the feeling, loving that she could finally admit it to herself. Wanted to shout it to her sister. Whisper it in his ear.

  Only she’d hurt him pretty badly. It didn’t take a lot of experience with men to know that when one of them told you he loved you, and you told him to go away, it would be tough to win him back.

  Shoving off her bed, Hailey marched down the stairs and into the kitchen. There on the desk lay the box of Fate Delivery Cards she’d vowed to burn at least a dozen times, but never had. With trembling fingers she drew every card until she found the one she really wanted. His card.

  Don’t take no for an answer.

  THE MORNING OF THE WEDDING was a typical San Diego beauty. The Sutherland was a bustle of activity the way Hailey remembered it growing up. The florists arrived on time with gorgeous centerpieces for every table. The Tea Room had never looked better. Bows and greenery wound around the railing on the trellis and the rented chairs fit perfectly on the terrace. An arch of flowers marked where the bride and groom would share their vows and candles perched nearby. It was simply stunning. Rachel draped her arm over Hailey’s shoulder. “Mom would be proud.”

  Hailey nodded. “I think she would be, too.”

  “Don’t worry about Nate. In fact, I think you should look at this as closure. One more time to see him, and then it’s over. You’ll never have to lay eyes on him again,” Rachel said. After stating her opinion that she was a fool to push Nate away, her sister had stood by her faithfully the way she always had.

  Hailey gave her sister a reassuring smile, but knew she couldn’t fully agree. This time when she saw him, she’d be at a disadvantage. Nate had something she wanted, him, and she doubted he’d still be too interested in her after everything she’d said. The doorbell rang.

  “Our first guests!” her sister excitedly announced.

  Hailey, however, was filled with trepidation.

  The guests seemed to arrive in clumps, and after escorting them through the lobby and to the Tea Room and terrace, Jake’s groomsmen took over with the seating. And Nate came alone. She’d seen the man in a wetsuit, T-shirt and shorts, and naked, but he was amazing in a suit. What was it about a tie that made her want to pluck at the knot and tug that thing loose?

  He greeted her sister with a kiss to the cheek, but seemed reluctant to face her.

  Remember the card. Remember the card.

  Finally, he turned toward her and Hailey met his gaze. She heard his sharp intake of breath and felt a tiny spark of hope. His gaze ran up and down her body. He wanted her, and she went weak inside. Yes. Maybe, just maybe she could pull it off.

  “Hailey,” he said, his tone impersonal.

  “Nate.”

  Rachel had offered to escort him to the Tea Room, but Hailey knew she wanted him to herself. “Follow me,” she told him.

  He matched her steps through the lobby, both of them silent.

  “How have you been?” she asked, knowing he probably wouldn’t initiate any conversation.

  “Fine.”

  “I’m glad.”

  “You?” he asked.

  “Fine.” Lie.

  “I’m glad.” Ugh, this conversation was horrible. And painful. She didn’t have much time before she had to turn him over to someone else. Hailey cleared her throat. “I hope you don’t mind, but would you stand in the back with me? I, uh…need help with something.”

  Okay, as excuses went, it could be plausible, and very doable as it was so off the cuff. Nate nodded, and she flashed him a quick smile before she had to return to the front door. The final guests filed in and Hailey and her sister headed for the Tea Room.

  “Nate looked pretty good, don’t you think?” Rachel asked.

  “You don’t have to keep rubbing it in. I made a big mistake.”

  “Huge,” Rachel told her, nodding in agreement.

  “I’m going to fix it right now.”

  “How?”

  “Like I do everything. Make it up as I go along. Wish me luck.”

  “I’ll do more than that,” Rachel said, and gave her a hug.

  Hailey just hoped she’d be getting a congratulatory hug after the wedding, and not one out of consolation because Nate had turned her down flat.

  Nate was waiting against the wall like she knew he would be. He’d always be there for her. She knew that now. Rachel was right. The difference between him and all those other men was that she could depend on him, lean on him. And he wanted her for who she was.

  He didn’t glance her way, as she took her place beside him. Hailey understood. She’d hurt him. She caught a whiff of his cologne—rugged and masculine and all him. She ached to have his arms around her. To breathe in his scent. To breathe in Nate. The piano music began and the guests stood. Hailey was a huge crier for anything even resembling a wedding, but she stood beside Nate dry-eyed.

  Amy looked beautiful dressed in an ivory gown and on her grandfather’s arm. Though neither the flowers in her hair, nor the dress or the veil made her truly beautiful. It was her smile. Her smile, knowing she was walking toward the man she loved, and would spend the rest of her life with. Hailey ached to have that, too. To have Nate look at her with the same kind of palpable love Jake’s gaze held for Amy.

  The music ended, and the guests found their seats. Her heart began to pound. This was it. If she didn’t make her move, didn’t give him at least some indication of how she felt, she’d lose him forever.

  Don’t take no for an answer.

  “Dearly beloved…”

  Hailey slipped her hand in his.

  At her side, Nate jerked in surprise.

  He glanced her way. This was the moment she’d been waiting for.

  “I love you,” she mouthed.

  She saw his shoulders visibly relax, a slow smile cross his face. He squeezed her hand. It was all she needed. All that trepidation and angst and worry, man he was easy. A lightness filled her heart.

  They returned their attention to the bride and groom, who were now sharing their vows.

  Then her tears came. So many times Hailey had wished she’d never met one of those prior duds, but then she would have missed this moment, this feeling with Nate. She could appreciate him the way he deserved to be appreciated.

  Amy and Jake kissed and the happy couple walked back down the aisle together. The guests followed them into the Tea Room where the reception would be held. Hailey stayed where she was, never letting go of Nate’s hand.

  “Do you need to help serve?” he asked.

  Hailey shook her head. “We hired extra stuff for that.” It was a last minute Rachel idea. Hailey wondered if her sister had guessed she’d changed her mind, knowing that if things worked out with Nate, she’d be too excited over her man to work in the kitchen. And that if things didn’t work out, the last thing Hailey would want to do is serve wedding cake.

  The bridal party and their families returned to the terrace so the photographer could take pictures.

  “Come on,” Nate said, and led her down the stairs. At the sand, she kicked off her sandals, and walked beside him. He led her almost to the exact location where they’d first
met—where she’d first surprised him with a kiss.

  “Tell me,” he urged.

  “I love you,” she said, her smile as wide as it could possibly be. “I love you so much, Nate, and I’m sorry if I hurt you. I was scared.”

  He brought her into his arms, drawing her to his chest. She heard the solid thump of his heart. “I love you, too.” And with those words he placed a kiss on the top of her head.

  She squeezed her eyes tight. “I wasn’t sure that you would ever say those words to me again, but I grabbed a little insurance just in case.”

  He looked down into her eyes. Warmth and love turning the gray almost to blue. “What kind of insurance?”

  She pulled the familiar red and black card out of the pocket of her skirt. “Your Fate Delivery Card.”

  “Don’t take no for an answer. I should have held on to that, and saved myself a lot of agony.”

  “But this way I came to you, and you’ll never have to doubt me.”

  “I never doubted you ever,” he said against her lips. Then his mouth took over. He ran his tongue along her lips until he sensually slipped it into her mouth.

  “I take it this means you’re engaged to my sister?” Rachel hollered from the terrace.

  Hailey and Nate quit kissing and began laughing.

  “So Hailey, will you marry me?”

  “Doable,” she told him.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-4266-5

  SEALED AND DELIVERED

  Copyright © 2009 by Jill Floyd.

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

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