Sweet on You (The Bridesmaids Club Book 4)

by Leeanna Morgan

  Jacob found a pen and looked down at the napkin. He wrote the first thing that popped into his head.

  Alex sighed. “Good start. But saying sorry on its own won’t work. Now you need the reasons why you’re sorry and what you’re going to do about it.”

  They worked on the list for more than fifteen minutes. By the time they’d finished, Jacob had three napkins full of words that told him he was making the biggest mistake of his life.

  With a sinking heart, he left the café. Until he made the call, he’d never know how Molly felt about him not being there. And afterward, he might wish he’d never found out.

  ***

  Molly adjusted the largest photograph in the exhibition. She lifted the left edge of the frame, stepped back, then took it another gentle nudge higher.

  “Do you want me to move it while you supervise?” David Sloane, one of the gallery owners, said from behind her.

  She glanced over her shoulder and smiled her thanks. “I’d appreciate your help. It’s a big photo and needs to be hung just right.”

  Molly was thankful for David’s help. Both owners of the gallery had been amazing. From the moment she’d arrived at the airport, nothing had been too much trouble. She’d been worried that the photographs wouldn’t arrive in time. But David had assured her that the freight company would get them to the gallery undamaged and on time. And they had.

  By the time Molly walked into the gallery, David and John had unpacked all of her photographs. They’d placed them against the walls where they thought they were best suited and were waiting for her seal of approval. Invitations had gone out to the glitterati of the art world more than a month ago and their promotions plan was up and running.

  David stood patiently beside the big photograph, moving it until she was happy with the result. “You’re a talented artist, Molly.”

  “Thank you.” She stood beside him and lost herself in the image. It was one of her favorite photographs.

  She’d taken the picture on a ranch not far from Bozeman. It had been a moody day that reminded her of Ireland. The sky had been a boiling mass of deep navy and gray clouds. A storm hadn’t been far away. Spears of sunlight had found their way through the menacing clouds, and they lit the pasture below with shafts of color.

  The photograph was all the more dramatic for its size. It pulled you into its depths, told the story that Molly had seen. You could almost taste the rain in the air, feel the wind that pushed the tall grass across the fields. It was a powerful image of the land she loved, and one that she was proud to display.

  David looked around the gallery. “Everything’s ready for tomorrow night. The caterers are arriving at five o’clock, doors open at six for a six-thirty start. How are you feeling?”

  Molly took a deep breath. “Excited and nervous. It’s a big night.”

  David nodded. “You’ve got nothing to worry about. Your photographs will sell themselves. Enjoy the evening, make new contacts, and have fun. Are you all set to meet the reporters tomorrow morning?”

  Molly nodded. “I’ll be here at ten o’clock, sharp.”

  “Great. I’ve got some other work to do, but take your time here, and I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

  While David was speaking with someone from a lighting company, Molly walked around the gallery. She was still finding it hard to believe that she was exhibiting her work in Los Angeles.

  Her cell phone beeped in her pocket. She pulled it out and smiled when she saw who the call was from. “Top of the day to you, Jacob Green. What would you be calling me at this hour for?”

  “Hi, Molly. I wanted to speak to you…”

  Jacob sounded worried, as if he had the weight of the world sitting on his shoulders. “Has something happened? Is Becky all right?”

  “Becky’s fine. Nothing’s happened. Not yet, anyway.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  She heard Jacob curse, then a loud bang, then another curse. “What’s going on?”

  “I dropped some papers and banged my head on the steering wheel.”

  Molly frowned. “And what would you be doing talking to me in your truck? You could have waited until you were more comfortable.”

  “No…I…I’ll just pick up the papers.”

  Molly waited for him to gather whatever he’d lost. Her gran had always told her that patience was a virtue and one that Molly was in short supply of. Her gran would have been happy with the progress she’d made in that area, especially since meeting Jacob. But he’d drive a saint to distraction with the amount of muttering coming down the phone.

  “Have you got your papers, yet, Jacob?”

  “I’ve got them.”

  He cleared his throat and Molly sighed. It sounded as though he was getting ready to address a special meeting and not talk to her. “Are you sure everything is all right?”

  “It’s about tomorrow night…I can’t make it.”

  His words came out in a rush. Molly ran through what he’d said, replayed his short sentence in her head. The thought of Jacob not being here left her speechless.

  “Molly?”

  “I’m here.”

  “I need to go to New York. We might have found another option for purchasing the apartment building. We could bring another business partner in, but they can only meet in New York on Friday.”

  Jacob might have been telling her she’d won a million dollars for all the notice she was taking of him. Her brain had switched off at the, I need to go to New York, part.

  She felt the same sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that her ex-husband had begun. The same feeling of being let down that had ended in tears, and ultimately, betrayal.

  She wouldn’t grovel for a moment of Jacob’s time like she had with Rowan. She wouldn’t put her needs behind that of a man who wanted nothing in life except what he felt he deserved.

  “It’s a shame you won’t be here. I was looking forward to your company.”

  “I know. I’m really sorry. I tried to postpone the meeting, but we couldn’t change the date. We can go out to dinner when you get back. You can tell me all about the exhibition.”

  There was a hopeful note in Jacob’s voice that had no place being there. After she’d left Rowan, she’d vowed that she wouldn’t let any man treat her so shamefully again.

  She wouldn’t let the disappointment she was feeling overshadow her exhibition. Opening night would be a success, with or without Jacob Green. “I’m sure someone else will be happy to tell you about tomorrow night. I’ll be staying in Los Angeles for a few extra nights. It will be old news by the time I return to Bozeman. Good luck with your meeting in New York.” She paused, stuck between, I don’t want to see you again, and, how do I end this call? She thought about what Becky would have said, but she wasn’t Becky. “I need to go now.”

  She heard Jacob’s voice as she disconnected the call. She took a deep breath, wiped the tears off her face, and pulled her shoulders back.

  It was a fine day for a walk. She would get some fresh air, explore the store down the road, and buy something nice for dinner.

  She had things to do, people that cared about her, and a hole in her heart that needed filling.

  ***

  Jacob opened the door to Angel Wings Café.

  “How did it go?” Alex asked.

  He sat at the table, still too shocked to say much.

  “I take it from your silence that Molly slammed the phone down in your ear?”

  “No. She was polite.”

  “That’s a good thing, right?”

  Jacob shook his head. “When I offered to take her out for dinner, she told me someone else could tell me how it went.”

  Alex frowned at his brother’s bent head. “I was sure we’d covered all scenarios with our script. What did she say when you told her you’d met someone in New York who might exhibit her work?”

  “I didn’t get that far. The napkins fell on the floor. I made everything up as I went along.”

>   “You’re joking?”

  Jacob shook his head. “Does it look like it?”

  “It looks like you’ve been sucker-punched and left on the side of the road. Is she still coming home with her sister and friends?”

  “No.”

  “Oh, man. This doesn’t sound good.”

  Jacob looked at his brother. “She’s never going to forgive me.”

  “Of course she will. Give her a few days to cool down, and you’ll be back to normal.”

  The bell over the door tinkled. Doris Stanley and her friend Jessie walked into the café. Their gaze landed on Jacob and they stopped in their tracks.

  Both women had a reputation for knowing exactly what was going on in everyone’s lives. Jacob had been on the receiving end of their wagging tongues once too often. It still annoyed him that they always thought the worst of what he did.

  Doris regained her equilibrium quicker than Jessie. “We don’t often have the pleasure of seeing the two Green brothers together, do we, Jessie?”

  Jessie nodded at Doris, then frowned. “Weren’t you chartering a fancy plane to take you to Los Angeles? I thought you would have left by now.”

  Jacob glanced at his brother before pushing away from the table. “I’ve got some business I need to attend do.” He slapped his hat on his head and nodded at Jessie and Doris. “Have a good day.”

  And before they could ask more questions, he left the café.

  CHAPTER NINE

  The next afternoon, Molly knocked on the door of the hotel room next to hers. Becky, Sally, Annie, and Rachel had arrived a few hours ago. She’d met them in the hotel lobby, and they’d commiserated over opening night nerves and men with nothing between their ears.

  After a quick meal in the hotel restaurant, they’d gone back to their rooms to get ready for tonight.

  Becky opened the door and pulled her into the room. “How are you feeling?”

  “Better now that you’re here. What do you think of this dress?” She spun in a circle with her arms wide. She’d seen the black dress in a vintage store in downtown Los Angeles. With its ruched, silk bodice and puffy organza skirt, Molly could have walked out of the pages of a 1950s fashion magazine.

  “It’s not the dress you brought with you, but it’s grand.”

  Rachel stuck her head around the edge of her bedroom. “Wow. I love your dress. You look like the actress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”

  Becky smiled. “That you do. With your pixie hairstyle and pretty makeup you could easily be mistaken for Audrey Hepburn.”

  Molly laughed. “Except I’m six-foot tall and come from the other side of the word. But thank you, you’ve made my day.”

  “It’s about to get even better,” Rachel said as she ran into her bedroom. She came back carrying the biggest bouquet of roses Molly had ever seen. “These are for you. They’re from Tess and Logan. They’re sorry they can’t be here.”

  “They’re beautiful,” Molly said. “But if I had to choose between a tropical paradise with my new husband, and here, it’d take Fiji anytime.” She smiled at the super-sized rollers in Rachel’s hair. “You wouldn’t be going someone special tonight, would you?”

  “Only to the best event in Los Angeles,” Rachel replied with a grin. “There’s an amazing photographer exhibiting at Dunbar and Sloane. And we’ve got opening night tickets.”

  “Are Sally and Annie here, too?” Molly asked. Everyone was going to meet in Becky and Rachel’s room before they caught their limousine ride to the gallery.

  “We’re in here,” Sally yelled from another bedroom. “Annie’s zip got caught in the fabric of her dress. We’ll be there in a minute.”

  Rachel went into her bedroom and Molly led her sister across to the sofa. “Jacob sent me flowers.”

  “I wondered if he would.”

  “I’ve been thinking about him. I might have over-reacted and I feel bad. He’s got a business to run. I can’t expect him to drop everything and come to Los Angeles just because of me.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Molly nodded. “I’m going to call him before we leave tonight and apologize.”

  Becky sighed. “Whatever happens, I’m here for you.”

  “I know. After I left Rowan, I never thought I’d care about another man. But I care about Jacob.”

  “You’re remembering that if he sells his four properties in Montana, he’s moving to New York? What will you do, then?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You could move to New York with him?”

  Becky’s words were softly spoken, but jolted Molly out of the thoughts running through her head. “Big cities tie me in knots and make me wish I was somewhere else. Besides, I moved to America to be closer to you. That’s worth more than any city could offer.”

  “You’d not be trying to distance yourself from Rowan, would you? I heard from Sandy O’Toole that he took his new bride to New York City last year. I think he’s still there.”

  “I don’t know where Rowan is living. He could have moved to Zambia for all I know.”

  Becky frowned. “He always was a chameleon. He’d fit in anywhere that suited him.”

  “’Twas a pity that marriage wasn’t one of those places,” Molly said sadly. “But for now, I need to call Jacob. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

  “We’ll be waiting for you.”

  Molly let herself out of Becky’s room and opened her own door. She had an apology to make and a bouquet of tulips to say thank you for.

  ***

  Three hours later, Molly found a quiet space in the gallery’s loft and sipped a glass of orange juice. The people at the opening night of her exhibition had been a mix of art critics, reporters, artists, and friends. Most of the framed photographs had sold at ridiculously high prices, and Molly couldn’t have been happier.

  “What would you be doing all the way up here?” Becky asked as she climbed the last stair.

  Molly held her finger up to her lips. “Ssh. Marcus Ebbett has been trying to interview me all evening. I’m hiding.”

  “Isn’t an interview a good thing?”

  “Not with Marcus,” Molly whispered. “He has a roving eye.”

  Becky looked over the balustrade. “Which one is he?”

  “Purple jacket, yellow tie, and blue trousers.”

  “A colorful character…” Becky’s gaze roamed over the guests. “I see him. Oh, no…”

  Molly walked across to Becky and watched what was happening downstairs.

  “Right-hand side of the room, in front of the portrait of Doris. Mr. Roving Eye Ebbett has his sights set on our Rachel.”

  Molly’s gaze swung across the room and landed with a thud on Rachel. “We have to save her.”

  “Annie’s on her way.” Becky nodded at the brunette making her way swiftly across the room. Before Marcus Ebbett knew what was happening, Annie had interrupted their conversation and taken Rachel across to the cocktail bar.

  “She did all of that with a smile on her face,” Molly said in disbelief.

  “She works in a café and lawyer’s office. Annie can sense someone on the edge of normal faster than anyone I know.”

  “And what of you, Molly O’Donaghue? Are you on the edge of normal today?”

  Molly grinned at her sister. “I left normal behind hours ago. I’m so happy. I can’t believe how well everything has gone. It wouldn’t have been the same without you here.”

  “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. Have you spoken to Jacob?”

  “I tried his cell phone a few minutes ago. He’s still not answering.”

  Becky watched Molly’s face. “He’s probably gone out to dinner with his business people.”

  Molly wanted to think the same thing, but she wasn’t sure. “I left a message, and that’s the best I can do.”

  Becky turned toward the stairs. “We’ve got company.”

  Rachel and Annie came up the metal staircase, champagne flutes in their hands.

&nbs
p; “Did you see that guy in the purple jacket,” Annie said. “He was trying to eat Rachel for breakfast.”

  Rachel shuddered. “I’m too polite. He kept getting closer and all I could do was keep moving backward. And then Doris’ portrait got in the way…”

  Annie bowed deeply. “And then I arrived to save the day.”

  “You did.” Rachel laid her hand across her heart. “My hero.”

  Becky leaned over the balustrade. “Where is he now?”

  All four women peered at the guests below them.

  “There.” Molly pointed to the photograph of a bear. Marcus Ebbett was standing in front of the bear’s face, speaking with another unsuspecting female.

  “Do you think the bear might come to life and nibble his ear?” whispered Rachel.

  “A healthy bite might cure Mr. Ebbett’s issues,” Becky said with a smile.

  Molly looked at her friends. “Why are we whispering?”

  Rachel nodded toward the other guests. “We don’t want anyone to hear us. I think David and John are looking for you.”

  Molly leaned over the rail and found David without too much trouble. His red velvet jacket stood out from the crowd and looked beautiful on him. “I’ve got to go. I’ll see you later.”

  She left the loft and carefully walked down the stairs. She would make the most of tonight and worry about Jacob tomorrow. It was an important evening, and might not be happening again for a long time.

  ***

  The next afternoon, Molly knocked on Sally and Annie’s door. Everyone had been at Disneyland in the morning, enjoying as many rides as they could. They’d had their photos taken with Mickey Mouse and eaten a lunch fit for a king.

  Rachel opened the door. “Come in. We’re all getting ready to leave from here. Suitcases are nearly packed. Becky’s just squeezing in the shopping she did this morning.”

  Molly looked around the room and smiled at the big Minnie Mouse soft toy sitting on the coffee table. “How are you going to get Minnie Mouse home?”

  “It will easily fit in the plane…” Rachel’s eyes grew round. “Umm…well, I’d best finish the rest of my packing.”

  Sally walked out of a bedroom. She had her iPad in her hands and a frown on her face. “No one show Molly…” She saw Molly and stopped what she was about to say.