The Wedding Contract

by H. M. Ward

  CHAPTER 13

  I already have my gear. I stashed it in the maid’s closet down the hall from our room. I head there first to make sure everything is all right. I didn’t trust leaving it in the room with Nick all day. He’s in there now, getting ready. Earlier today, he followed Sophie around without telling me. The man was up at the crack of dawn and took some sunrise shots that I don’t have. He didn’t take a shower before he left, so he came back to the room about an hour ago to get ready for tonight.

  I hoist my gear bag onto my shoulder, grab the little screwdriver, and head toward our door. I work each screw on the old knob until they’re barely hanging on. When he grabs the knob, it’ll come off in his hand leaving Nick stuck in our room. This hotel is really old, so it’s the kind of thing that could happen. And no one is around at the moment to let him out. I hear him moving around in the bathroom and grin, pleased with myself.

  After putting the screwdriver back in the maid’s closet, I head to the rehearsal with a huge smile on my face. Just as I walk upon the group, I hear Mandy’s voice behind me. “Trailer Trash.” I don’t turn, so she follows me. “You’re going to lose this bet. Ask me how I know?” She’s grinning like an evil fish.

  “I’m not asking, Mandy. Go away,” I snap at her. Turning, I see that they’ve already started. The minister is going over things with Sophie and her parents. My mother is sitting on the first row, while my father is standing in the far back corner. The bridesmaids are scattered, but close to Sophie. Everyone is here. Holy shit. Even Nick. I didn’t see him at first. He was on his knee taking a shot. I don’t see him until he rises, turns back and smiles at me.

  My heart starts to pound as an uneasy feeling settles in my chest. If Nick is already here, who was in our room? I glance around and don’t see who’s missing until Sophie voices his name. “Where is Steven?”

  His parents tell everyone he’s running a little bit late. His mother adds, “There was an issue with his shower—there wasn’t enough hot water—so Mr. Ferro allowed Steven to use his.”

  Half the bridesmaids swoon then and there, at the mere idea of Nick Ferro in a cold shower. We all look at him and picture his naked body, myself included. For a second, no one says anything, until Nick adds, “It was the least I could do. If it was my wedding, I hope someone would do the same.” He winks at me. The fucker. He knew I was going to mess with him.

  My lips part and people turn to see who Nick is looking at. I try to say something, but can’t. A moment later, Sophie’s cell vibrates. She pulls it out and presses it to her ear. Super suck. “What? Okay, don’t worry about it. We’ll just do it later than we thought.” Sophie throws an evil glare my way before she hangs up. A false, calm smile resumes, spreading from one cheek to the other. “Well, he was on his way when something went wrong. The doorknob came off in his hand and he’s locked in Nick and Sky’s room. Hotel Maintenance said they’d have the door open in about ten minutes or so.”

  Sophie’s mom presses her fingers to her lips. “Oh, but we’ll be late for dinner.”

  Mandy grins like the Jersey devil. “No prob. I’ll fix it.” She smacks her gum and calls someone. People start talking and the last thing I hear is her annoyed snapping voice, “Well, then, I’ll double it. Just fix it, or it’ll be in all the society papers and not in a good way.” Mandy sighs way too loud when she hangs up. It’s as if she were lifting weights. She smiles this huge fake smile and says, “Well, that’s taken care of, we can be as late as we want. I’ll call over when Steven arrives and they’ll just reschedule everything. I had to book the room for a few extra hours, but anything for my cousin.”

  “Oh, thank you, Mandy!” Sophie’s mom hugs the girl and the two of them disappear at the front, talking.

  Nick makes his way back to me, subtly, with his camera hiding half his face. He’s grinning. “So, that didn’t go as planned, did it?”

  CHAPTER 14

  I lift my camera and take a shot. It sucks. The light is flat and there’s nothing interesting going on. “I haven’t any idea what you mean.”

  He laughs. “Uh huh. Next time don’t stash your gear right before you plan an attack. It’ll be less noticeable.”

  I gape, turning to him. “You found it?”

  “I had to grab Steven another towel, and imagine my surprise when I saw all your gear on the closet floor.” He grins at me, stepping closer, closing the space between us. That gorgeous face becomes one hundred percent serious. “You don’t want to mess with me. You’re a lightweight with this kind of stuff.”

  “How would you know?”

  “Hello? I’m putting you out of business.”

  My jaw drops. “So you admit it?”

  “Of course I admit it.” Nick’s camera is pressed to his face taking another shot. When he looks over at me, something flashes in his eyes. It’s as if he doesn’t want to do it, but will destroy everything I’ve made. I’ll have to go crawling back to my parents by the time he’s through with me. I won’t even have a penny.

  I nod slowly. “So this whole time, you’ve been gunning for me.”

  “Of course. You can’t have two studios that close together. It’s ridiculous.” He starts to walk away and I follow.

  “Why me?” I mean it. I ask the question to his back and instantly hate myself for doing it. It makes me sound weak and whiny. I swallow hard, letting anger flow through my veins and wishing I could make my fingertips fire bolts straight at his face.

  Nick turns around and answers. “Because you were the best.”

  “I still am.”

  Nick offers that sexy half-crooked Ferro smirk before leaning in close and whispering in my ear. “No, you’re not—not anymore.” He walks away without another word. All my suspicions were true. Amy thought I was crazy, but I wasn’t. The guy did everything on purpose. He did everything from stealing clients to spreading rumors about me.

  I want to bury him. Before I consider what I’m about to do, I blurt out, “Care to make a wager on that?”

  Nick stops in his tracks. He looks over his shoulder at me. “Please, how much more juvenile can you get?”

  “Quite a bit, actually. But there’s already a bet going on, so this would just be a side bet anyway.”

  Steven is walking toward us, so I explain quickly about the bet for determining the better photographer. I tell him Sophie’s cousins have a lot of money and are bored. I don’t tell him the bet is with me. “I already know I can kick your ass. It’s just a matter of time and the rest of them will notice.”

  He laughs. “A little cocky, aren’t we?”

  “Me? You’re the arrogant bastard who told Mrs. Getty that I forgot my meds, but I’m nice when I’m on them.” I use air quotes for the last few words along with a deeper, doofy voice that’s meant to sound like Nick.

  His laugh grows louder as he tries not to smile. Nick looks up the road, then back at me. “And what are the terms of this bet? Because the way I figure it, after this wedding, you’re washed up anyway.”

  Ouch. “Yeah, unless people buy my stuff, which they will. And one term of the first bet will make it so they can’t buy your pictures, only mine when I win. So how about this—when I win, you close your store and jump off a bridge—gear and all.” I beam at him, smiling up into his masculine face.

  He’s really nice to look at, like seriously nice. Taunting him is one of my favorite things to do. I realize it as I’m standing here, wishing I were taller, so we could be nose-to-nose. I want to laugh in his face and show him up in every way possible. Note to self: wear heels tomorrow.

  Nick laughs my comment away, shaking his head. “Like that’ll ever happen. There is nothing you could bet that would tempt me in the slightest.”

  “No? Are you sure?” I circle him once, my eyes sweeping over his body before stopping in front of his face. “Nothing at all?” Holy shit, his smile is beautiful. It glows so brightly I’m no longer sure what he thinks I offered him.

  Nick can’t help it, his gaze dips
to the ground and then up to his camera. When he turns away he says dryly, “You’re betting your body against my business? You must think pretty highly of yourself.”

  I gasp, not realizing that’s what it sounded like. Leaning in, I punch his arm quickly. As Steven walks past us, I say hurriedly, “No! I’ll close my shop and be your model. It’s dually degrading. You wanted a topless model wearing next-to-nothing. I heard you were having a hard time finding someone. That’s what I’m offering you perv—a double slam, not to be slammed.”

  Stroking his chin with his hand, his mouth opens. I have no idea what he’s going to say. What I’m offering is humiliating enough that I expect him to take the bet, especially if he’s that confident that he’ll win.

  But he says, “Tempt me more, Sky. Offer one more thing and I’ll say yes.” Those sapphire eyes bore into me until my stomach is twisting in knots. I can’t look away and I have no idea what he’s thinking, but I can tell the nature of his thoughts. No guy looks at a girl like that and is picturing something of a friendly nature. Nah, Nick has me stripped naked and doing something.

  “What?” I ask, because I can’t believe he really means it. I need him to take this bet. The pieces of the messed up puzzle of my life are falling into place. If I win, he’s gone. I can take the money from slutty bridesmaid and I can expand. It’ll make sure my store has more than a toehold. My career will be set in stone. I won’t have to beg my parents for money or say I was wrong. This is beyond perfect, depending on this last part.

  Nick’s dark brows lift and he gives me a look that makes me shiver. Leaning in close to my ear, he whispers, “You close your doors and be the model on my logo forever, and—since I’ll get those parts of the bet anyway…”

  “You mean you’re trying,” I interrupt.

  He reaches out quickly and grabs my lower lip between his fingers, effectively silencing me. “I’m not trying. I’m succeeding. There’s about a snowball’s chance in hell that you’ll win. My final term, though, the one that makes or breaks this bet—open your legs for me for one night. That’s worth this wager. Think about it.” He drops my lip and steps away from me, leaving me breathless, my heart flopping down into my shoes.

  That would suck beyond measure. There’d be nothing more humiliating, or degrading. I’m practically selling myself to this guy. He’s not the novice I thought he was when I made the bet with Mandy. He’s also not as unassuming as everyone else believed. Nick Ferro is cold and cunning. I’d bet anything that handing me the thimble back last night was a way to play with my brain, so I’d second guess myself. Well, I’m not going to. I am the best and I know I can shoot better than he can.

  With every ounce of determination I can muster, I grab his shoulder and spin him around. Grabbing his tie forcefully, I pull his face down to mine. “I don’t need time to think about it. I know I can kick your ass any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Get ready to bend over Nick. You have a wager.” I toss his tie in his face before offering my hand to him. Nick grins, takes it, and shakes my hand hard, sealing our deal.

  Still holding my hand, he pulls me to him in a swift movement. “No backing out.” The yank startles me and lands my chest firmly against his. He does it on purpose, knowing it’ll throw me off balance. There’s an attraction between us. We both feel it, we both recognize it, but that’s all it is and nothing more. I’m not that dumb girl who falls for a Ferro.

  My grip on his hand tightens and I push into him harder. “Sky Thompson doesn’t run. And you better pick which bridge you’ll be jumping from. I was serious about that part.” I step back and wink at him—the way he’s been winking at me—and turn on my heel. As I walk away I can feel his hot gaze slip over my back and down to my hips.

  Look all you want, Nick. You’re not going to win.

  CHAPTER 15

  The rehearsal is basically a dry run of the wedding. The coordinator isn’t too annoying. She’s actually very helpful, otherwise I’d get stuck doing her job. It’s not until Sophie is on her dad’s arm, ready to walk down the aisle, that I notice Nick and I want the same space.

  I bump his shoulder and push him into a pew. “Move, Ferro. You’re blocking my shot.” Missing the prized picture of the bride coming down the aisle is an unforgivable offense. Apparently, Nick has a decent eye because he made a beeline for this location at the same time as me. He didn’t follow or look around—Nick knew where he wanted to be for that shot.

  Nick shoulders me back and I practically step on Sophie as she passes. Sophie smiles and gives me a deadly look that says she will kill me if I trip her on her wedding day. Nick pushes his hair away from his eyes. It’s warm and his dark hair is damp and sticking to his skin along with his dress shirt. The sudden thought of sliding my slippery body against his flashes through my mind; I chase it away with a mental broom. Thoughts like that are poisonous, but they keep popping up. The way he moves, something in the depths of his eyes, that arrogant smirk—it just makes me think it’s a mask. The man I’m seeing behind that is the real Nick. This is, well, it’s a façade and there’s nothing I’d like to do more than tear it away and see the mess beneath. I can relate to an honest mess—perfection, not so much.

  Speaking of which, my mother takes this moment to publically scold me. “Skylar, let the professional take this shot. You’re in his way.” Mom is sitting on a pew right in front of me. I suck in a breath and try to steady myself.

  Nick’s gaze flicks to the side and takes in my reaction. Great. Now he has more ammo. Launch my Mom on me, turn me batshit crazy, and I’ll mess up. That’s the biggest chink in my armor and he sees it like sunlight on a bear’s bottom. I change my expression and laugh, like she’s joking, but Nick’s already seen. So has everyone else. Good old Mom just changed everyone’s opinion of me in a few seconds.

  Nick grabs my elbow. I look up at him, suspicious. “This isn’t the only spot we both want. There are three more, at least. Let’s flip for them.”

  I nod, because it seems like the fairest, fastest thing to do.

  “Aisle shot. Ready?” I nod. “Heads or tails?”

  “Heads,” I answer as Nick fishes a coin from his pocket. The rest of the wedding planning continues around us. We back into a corner, half listening, while we sort out who gets which spot.

  Nick flips the coin, catches it in his palm, and then flips it over onto the back of his hand. “Sorry, it’s tails. I get the aisle.” I don’t say anything. Nick holds the coin and says, “Ring shot, we both want the front center aisle, right?” I nod. “Call it in the air.”

  “Heads.” I always say heads.

  Nick catches it, flips the coin over, and my stomach sinks. “That’s two for me. And there’s one last shot that I’m sure we both want the same shooting location.”

  “The kiss.” The kiss at the end of the ceremony is everything. It’s the picture the couple hangs over their mantle for the next million years.

  Nick nods and flips the coin. “Call it.”

  I stick with my previous choice. “Heads.”

  Nick catches and flips the coin. My stomach sinks. “Wow, you have really bad luck. What are the odds of losing all three?”

  I roll my eyes, not wanting to answer before I walk away but I can’t help myself. “It won’t matter where I stand. I’ll still get a better shot than you.” Well, that’s what I say out loud, my face serene and my smile placid. Inside my head, I’m screaming, throwing a tantrum like a two-year-old, but with more expletives.

  Nick uses a smooth voice. “I like this side of you.” I don’t look back at him and instead keep my eyes focused on Sophie. “I hope it’s there when you lose. That confidence borders on defiance. I already have plans for us and that’ll make it all the more pleasant. See you around, Wendybird.”

  When I turn to look back at him, Nick has his arms folded over his chest and a single brow raised. He smirks at me, like he knows he’s already won. “Don’t call me that.” I shoot him the bird and keep walking.

  My mother
gasps, horrified, as I pass her, but only one voice is laughing.

  CHAPTER 16

  Deegan falls into step beside me. “Wow. You guys get along great.” He’s clean and looks nice in his suit, but like everyone else, he’s got a brow beaded with sweat. The night air is thick and soupy. It’s the kind of humidity that you can almost see.

  I stare at the ground as I walk in swift, determined strides. “Yeah, that’s the asshole who’s trying to put me out of business. We just tossed a coin for the key locations to shoot from during the wedding and I lost all three times.” Figures. I have horrible luck. Part of me says it doesn’t matter, that I’m a creative genius (or lunatic depending on who you talk to), but my point is that I will find a better spot, a better shot. Losing the coin tosses won’t screw me. I ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that insists I’m totally screwed.

  Deegan’s brows lift as his mouth gapes. He looks like a grouper or an orange roughy. Actually, I’ve never seen that fish, except on the menu at Red Lobster. Damn, I’m hungry. I glance at Deegan and notice how yummy he looks. The glance doesn’t go unnoticed.

  Deegan grins and gives me a sweet smile. “Well, maybe I can help you take your mind off both the Sith Lord and your camera-wielding nemesis after dinner. Sophie mentioned you know the island pretty well and that there’s a mermaid cove not far from here.”

  I laugh and try to hide my blush by turning away and making my hair fall forward. I press my camera to my face and snap a picture, mostly to hide my embarrassment. When we were little, we pretended we were mermaids and nicknamed the spot mermaid cove. “She told you about the cove, huh?”

  “Yup, sure did.” Deegan places his hands behind his back and walks next to me.