by Julie Benson
In a surprisingly short time, the minister pronounced Cassie and Ty man and wife. Hoots, whistles and “whoops” filled the air as Ty’s lips covered Cassie’s. As the couple headed down the aisle to Air on a G String by Bach, Cassie looked happier than Grace had ever seen her.
Then she looked up to see AJ holding his arm out for her. “How about a truce for Cassie and Ty’s sake?”
She placed her hand in the crook of his arm and they set off down the aisle. Still smiling, she said, “In order to need a truce, I’d have to be mad at you. I hate to bruise your male ego, but my feelings aren’t anywhere near that strong.”
When they reached the end of the aisle, this time she got the satisfaction of walking away.
Chapter Fifteen
By the time Grace arrived at the reception, she’d pulled herself together. After she parked her car, she sat there for a moment, clutching the steering wheel. Thankfully the pictures hadn’t been as bad as she expected. The few times they’d been in the same photos, Cassie and Ty stood between her and AJ. She hadn’t even been close enough to him to be tantalized by his clean, outdoorsy scent. No, pictures hadn’t been nearly as rough as the torture trip down the aisle after the service.
The worst was over, and she’d survived. After the reception she wouldn’t have to see AJ again. At most they’d nod to each other if they passed each other on the street. Her stomach tightened.
Hunger. That was what the problem was. Not disappointment over not seeing AJ again.
After a deep cleansing breath, her resolve in place, she crawled out of her car. From the sea of vehicles, mostly pickups, half the town was here. Considering the private ceremony, Grace hadn’t expected the reception to be a massive event. But maybe it was a good thing. The more people the better. The bigger the buffer between her and AJ. With this many people she wouldn’t even know he was here.
How many times would she have to tell herself that before she believed it?
She made her way toward the barn, nodding and smiling at other guests. When Cassie said the reception would be in a barn, she’d wondered about her friend’s sanity, but once inside, she understood the appeal of the rustic setting. The rough barn walls provided an interesting contrast with the white draped tables. Lights strung across the ceiling danced off the elegant stemware and china. Warm, inviting, simple, yet stylish. So like Cassie herself.
Her first town social gathering, and here she was, dressed in bridesmaid finery of a flowing, bold coral dress that a strong Texas breeze would send in her face and give everyone a show. Not exactly a blend-in-be-part-of-the-community outfit.
How much she wanted to make a good impression and fit in surprised her. Because Wishing was home now.
Grace searched for a familiar face and spotted Rosalie in a far corner. They chatted about the ceremony and the outfits Cassie bought for the honeymoon. “That top you bought the day you were in my shop with the chief, sold out the next day. I told you it would.”
“Your shop is amazing.” Grace forced herself to smile, and tried to shut out memories of that day. Of AJ laughing, and how his eyes sparkled when he did. Of how shocked he’d looked when she teasingly accused him of asking her out.
He’d seemed shocked. Almost aghast. Hello. A red flag of things to come. How had she missed that?
“Speaking of the chief,” Rosalie said, “did you know he was with the FBI?”
Grace counted to ten, resisting the urge to put her fingers in her ears and say, “La, La, La, I can’t hear you.”
Please let this be the only time I have to answer this question today.
Right. If she’d wanted that, she should’ve stopped at the drugstore for markers and poster board to make a sign before coming to the reception. No, I didn’t know he was with the FBI. Other questions should be submitted in writing, and will be answered when I feel emotionally able to face them. Have a nice day.
“No, I had no idea.”
“I still can’t believe the Langstons were forging government documents. They seemed like upstanding folks, and here they were living double lives.”
“It’s scary how easily people can pull that off.” And how the rest of us overlook what we don’t want to face.
“I hate to see Chief Quinn leave,” Rosalie continued. “He’s done such good things for the town. It’s a shame to lose him. Can’t you talk him into staying? I bet you could change his mind. I saw the way he looked at you that day. I wish a man would look at me like that.”
The woman couldn’t be more wrong.
“I’m sorry, Rosalie. There’s nothing I can do.”
Grace scanned the crowd, frantic for an escape. Her gaze landed on Zane near the dance floor, surrounded by what had to be every single female in town between the age of sixteen and fifty. “Rosalie, if you’ll excuse me, I see someone I need to speak with.”
Then without waiting for the shop owner’s permission, she rushed to join Zane. Along the way, the Talbot sisters cornered her, as well as Mary Ann with the Historical Society, and Joanne from the Lucky Star Café, all badgering her with a version of Rosalie’s request.
When Grace navigated her way across the room, the circle of women had tightened around Zane, preventing her from getting near him. Feeling as if she’d time traveled back to high school, and lacking the energy or desire to fight to catch the most popular guy in class’s attention, she turned to leave.
“Grace, wait.” The seas parted and Zane strolled toward her. The band started playing a slow country ballad. “You promised me a dance.”
Without waiting for her answer, he clasped her hand, and almost dragged her onto the dance floor. “Thanks for giving me an out. They had me cornered.”
“Right back at you. If one more person asks me to talk AJ into staying I’m going to explode.”
“We can’t have that.” Zane’s warm hand slipped around her waist, and he pulled her closer.
She waited for a rush of excitement to shoot through her. She could enjoy Zane’s company as much as AJ’s if she gave him a chance. After all, he was attractive, intelligent, and possessed a quick sense of humor. This was exactly what she needed to snap out of her funk.
She glanced into his perfect face. He gazed at her with a mixture of passion and interest that should’ve left her speechless. Where were the tingles? The need to be closer? How could a man she’d have been all over a few months ago, a man she’d have insisted was her exact type, fail to raise her pulse even a little now?
Unfortunately, the most attractive man she’d ever seen, the tall, golden-haired, muscular god holding her, wasn’t the man she wanted.
“Can you imagine vivid orange fabric, blood and guts everywhere? It would ruin the reception,” Zane teased.
“But what a great idea for a game. Zombie Wedding,” Grace said, happy for the distraction as her imagination ran with the idea. “I’d buy that one. It could spur an entire series. Zombie Baby Shower. Zombie Co-Eds featuring frat and sorority parties.”
“That’s not a bad idea. I’ll have to check into what’s on the market, but you may be onto something.” His hand twitched on her back, as he leaned toward her, invading her personal space. “We could make a good team, and not just working on the game ideas.”
She stiffened, and leaned away.
He immediately loosened his hold and put space between them. “I don’t have a snowball’s chance in Hell with you, do I?”
“Why couldn’t I have met you first?”
“Thanks for tossing me a bone, but you’re a lousy liar. You should tell him how you feel.”
She shook her head. “His job is everything. No, it’s who he is. How can a girl compete with that?”
“For me, if it meant having you, it wouldn’t be a contest.”
She laughed as he slipped back into playboy mode, flashing her a gaze filled with promise. One leaving her unmoved, except with humor. “You’re good. Almost believable.”
“Ouch.” Zane flashed a practiced hurt puppy look. “Damn.
You New York girls are hard on my ego.”
“I’d feel sorry for you, but I saw you holding court earlier. Your ego doesn’t need more stroking.” She titled her head back to look him in the eye. “How many women are you juggling right now?”
“I’d drop every one for a real shot with you.”
Laughter bubbled out of her, loud and cleansing, releasing all the tension she’d been holding in. “Thanks for the laugh. How did you know that’s exactly what I needed today?”
“Instinct.” He inclined his head in a knightly bow. “My pleasure to be of service, and if you change your mind about any other services I can offer, let me know.”
She swatted his arm as the song ended. “You are such a typical bad boy. You should come with a warning.” Then she stood on her tiptoes, and kissed Zane’s cheek. “But for some reason, I can’t help but like you.”
AJ stood to the left of the dance floor, leaning against the bar, a bottle of Shiner clutched in his sweaty hands, his gaze locked on Grace in Zane’s arms. When she laughed at something his friend said, blood pounded in his ears, and his vision blurred. He should walk away, but he couldn’t.
Seeing Grace in Zane’s arms, and the thought of them together, lit AJ up hotter than an Aggie bonfire.
You’ve got no right to feel anything where Grace is concerned.
She laughed again at Zane’s comment, and the fist around AJ’s heart squeezed. When she kissed his friend on the cheek, he stepped toward the dance floor before he realized what he’d done. He couldn’t rush the dance floor and grab her out of his friend’s arms.
When the song ended, Grace and Zane parted. She headed toward Cassie and Ty, while Zane made a beeline for him.
AJ’s fists clenched in his pants’ pockets; he said, “Back off, Romeo. Make a move on someone other than Grace.”
“Sorry, pal. I’m not about to waste the opportunity the way you did. Like I told Grace. I may not be the best man today, but as number two, I’ll try harder.”
“After all the years we’ve known each other, all we’ve been through—” AJ paused, took a deep breath, and held it for a second before exhaling. His breathing harsh and fast, he worked to harness his self-control before it hit the Red River and made a break for Oklahoma. “I thought we had an understanding if one of us said back off, the woman was off limits.”
“An understanding implies we talked about the issue. I don’t remember doing that. If we did, we didn’t formalize anything like we did with cell phones.”
One year Zane’s girlfriend of the month drove them nuts with calls and texts. When patience ran out, they’d instituted a cell-phones-on-vibrate rule for their annual retreats.
“No, we didn’t talk about it,” AJ began, but stopped. He shouldn’t have to spell it out for Zane. Anger tightened his throat. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing? Have you looked at Grace? She’s gorgeous. Long brown, wavy hair, and even longer legs.”
AJ froze and concentrated on his breathing, trying to shut out Zane rattling off Grace’s assets. All he could think about was grabbing his friend by his lapels, and hauling him behind the barn to beat the daylights out of him.
“Then she has those wonderful curves in between. I could spend an entire weekend exploring them, and not get bored.”
Inside his pockets, his palms itched. Breathe in and out. Otherwise he’d put his fist in the middle of Zane’s pretty boy face.
“Grace is really something,” Zane continued.
AJ stepped closer. A red haze grabbed at him, piercing him with its spiny fingers. His vision blurred as he descended on his friend of over ten years. His fingernails dug into his palms. “There are plenty of women here. Pick another one, but leave Grace alone.”
“From what I heard, you don’t have a claim on her.”
He had no right to. That was for sure.
AJ grabbed Zane by his suit lapels, the material fisted in his sweaty hands. “Stay the hell away from Grace. She’s mine. Is that clear enough for you?” He ground out the words, his voice low and guttural. Anger pulsed through him. People turned to stare. He released his friend, and swiped a hand over his flushed face.
A big stupid grin spread across his face. Zane had the nerve to laugh. “That’s as clear as the water in Lake Hope, and it’s about damn time you said so.”
“You did this on purpose?”
“Damn right. From the minute I got here, I knew there was something between you two. Hell, it was so obvious Coop spotted it. You get this silly, whipped look on your face when you say her name or when she walks into a room. The question is what’re you going to do about it?”
“It’s complicated.”
“No, it’s not, you thick-headed numbskull. You either love her or you don’t.”
“You don’t know a damn thing. You don’t know what I did. About what’s going on at work—”
“That’s what this is about? Your job? I know you want to make your dad proud, and saving the world’s all well and good, but you’re losing sight of what matters in life. As in actually having one.” Zane stepped away, stopped, and looked over his shoulder at AJ. “If you’re stupid enough to let her go, don’t bitch to me when someone scoops up the treasure you threw away.”
AJ grabbed his friend’s arm. “I have to let her go. I don’t have a choice. Not now. Not when I have nothing to offer her anymore.”
“What exactly did you do?”
Monday morning Grace sat in her office staring out the window. AJ was leaving today for Houston. Cassie was on her honeymoon. She’d never felt so alone. The hole in her heart widened. As if echoing her dismal mood, dark clouds rolled in and rain pinged against her window. But she refused to be hopeless. She had her work, which she’d come to love, and she’d make a good life in Wishing.
She didn’t know where she wanted to be in five years, but for right now, where she was suited her. This was her home. Funny how life changed when a person least expected it. And funny how a man could sneak in and steal a girl’s heart before she knew what happened.
Time to tell her parents she’d moved. Starting with her mom, she reached for her phone and pulled up the number. For a few minutes they chatted about the wedding before Grace broke the news. She told her mom how she’d been helping Cassie with the inn since arriving, and eased into the job offer. “Mom, I’m staying in Texas. I need a new challenge, and I think running the inn will be great. I’ve always wanted to be my own boss. Maybe I can even buy into the business one day.”
“We’ll miss you terribly, but if this makes you happy, it’s what you need to do.”
No lecture? No guilt about deserting her family? Grace leaned back in her chair, stunned, and glanced toward the door, finding Zane there. She motioned to him to come in. “Mom, a guest just came in. I have to go, but we’ll talk again soon.”
Walking toward her dressed in jeans, a black tee and cowboy boots, his tan cowboy hat in his hands, Zane was gorgeous beyond belief, but he failed to send a single tingle down her spine. She glanced past him. “Where’s Cooper?”
“He had to be back at work this morning so he left yesterday afternoon. He said to tell you goodbye.”
“Didn’t you two drive here together? How will you get to the airport?”
“I’m spending a couple of days with my grandmother before heading out. She’ll take me.” He placed the Carriage House keys on her desk. The metal plinked against the smooth wood. Three keys. His, Cooper’s, and AJ’s. Her heart hitched. When would little things like this quit tripping her up?
Slipping her fingernail underneath the metal, she lifted each key, and placed them in the drawer to her left.
“He loves you.”
Her heart clenched as she glanced at the man seated in the chair in front of her desk, as if he’d lost his mind. “No, he doesn’t. We had some fun, but that’s all it was. Nothing more.”
At least not for AJ.
“I’m a player, and can spot
one at a hundred yards. AJ is a lot of things, but that’s not one of them. The guy couldn’t play fast and loose if his life was on the line. He’s not built that way.”
I’ve never wanted a woman more, but if we make love, it would mean something, and neither of us is ready for that.
“Okay, I’ll concede he’s not a player, but that doesn’t mean there—” She stopped, not knowing what to say. Not able to go on.
“Don’t give up on him. I tried to talk sense into him, but the stupid shit is too proud for his own good. Ask him to talk to you.”
“I can’t. Not when he hasn’t given me any hope.” She stared at Zane. When she failed to pull her gaze away, he blinked a few times. His fingers toyed with the brim of his hat on his lap. “What do you know that I don’t?”
His right eye twitched. “I promised I wouldn’t tell you, and you know how he is about people keeping their word.”
“Stop with the cryptic clues, and tell me what’s going on,” she snapped.
“You’re gonna have to trust me. If you love him, you have to make the next move. That’s all I can say. The rest is up to you.”
“He’s probably already gone.”
Zane shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not.” Then he stood, walked around the desk, kissed her on the cheek, and strolled out of her office.
“Zane, get back here.”
He raised his hand and waved, but didn’t look back as he whistled and kept walking.
Go after AJ? Was Zane crazy? How dare he saunter in here, drop cryptic bombs, and stroll out. Whistling, no less.
Zane was wrong. AJ didn’t love her. He couldn’t.
I won’t doubt my decision. I can’t. If I go to AJ, and Zane’s wrong I’ll look like a pathetic, desperate fool. And that would be the only thing worse than feeling the way I do now.
What about regretting not having tried, a tiny voice inside her head asked.
