by Leah Atwood
But she definitely had not paid enough attention to him to know that the ends of his hair curled or that the front locks were casually tousled like he’d run a hand through them.
She began walking toward Kate but was waylaid, if a talk with Gram could be considered an interruption. Gram was in her seventies and wore an outfit reminiscent of days gone by—a pastel pink dress jacket with a matching skirt and hat with little tufts of feathers and netting affixed to the rim. The outfit was not en vogue but the clothes suited her with their soft colors and graceful lines.
“Don’t let that boy get under your skin, dear.” Gram reached out and patted her arm. She must have witnessed the most recent exchange.
“I’m not,” Dani started to protest, but the words dried on her lips. There was no point lying to Gram, whose keen eyes didn’t miss a thing.
“That’s what I thought.” Gram chuckled behind clamped lips. “I think he genuinely likes you.”
Dani rolled her eyes. “Rob’s a shameless flirt. I wouldn’t take a single word he says seriously.”
“Mmhmm.”
“What? You know my thoughts on dating at this point in my life, and you know how I feel about Rob’s attention,” she hissed. Instant guilt for her harsh tone stabbed her. “I’m sorry.”
“All’s forgiven, child.” The twinkle in Gram’s eyes was almost as obnoxious as Rob. “But no one ever said you can’t enjoy his attention for a little while. This is a wedding—indulge in the romance for a few hours.”
“Gram!” She’d thought after last night, when she’d confided to her that Rob’s flirting made her uncomfortable, that Gram would be her ally, not encourage a weekend romance. “Are you joining us in the limo?” she asked, changing the subject.
“No.” Gram gave two brisk shakes of her head. “That’s for you young ones.” Her gaze travelled, and Dani watched it land on Gramps. “I have my own knight waiting to carry me away on a white horse.”
Warm emotions tugged at Dani’s heartstrings. When the time came to marry, she would settle for nothing less than a love like her grandparents shared. They were the perfect example of a happy couple, married over fifty years. Her parents also had a wonderful marriage, and she was positive Bryce and Sophie would as well.
Contrary to the naysayers, she did believe in love, marriage, and happy endings. She wasn’t against it whatsoever, wasn’t embittered by a past relationship or anything so sordid or sad. Why was it so hard for people to accept that her career came first at this point in her life?
She gave Gram a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you in a bit.”
Two sleek, white limousines pulled up to the curb of the church’s sidewalk. A chauffeur stepped out from the one parked in front. He circled to the passenger side, and the scene was promptly repeated by the second driver. Each man wore a cap with a shiny visor, a black tuxedo and white gloves. Both men stood at attention by their respective vehicle.
Dani moved to the edge of the walkway as did the others in the crowd. A path formed, and the newlyweds coasted through, ducking their heads, smiling and laughing as lavender buds landed on and around them.
The driver of the front car opened the door. Bryce and Sophie climbed in, waving to their guests. They shared a kiss before the door was closed, creating a wave of cheers and applause.
Adult members of the wedding party filed into the second limousine. Dani found herself in the awkward spot located in the bend of the l-shaped seat, where she had to either sit up straight with no back support, or lean far back in a resting position. She chose to sit on the edge and breathed a sigh of relief that Rob was on the complete opposite side of the limo.
Champagne glasses were lined up on a miniature bar illuminated by tiny, built-in blue lights. A bottle of sparkling cider sat in a bucket of ice atop the bar.
Jay, another bandmate and groomsman, leaned forward and began passing a flute to each person. When everyone had one, he grabbed the bottle of sparkling cider and popped it open. He poured the bubbly liquid in each glass. “I propose a toast—to happy couples and good friends.”
“Hear, hear.” All eight passengers raised their flutes and clinked them.
Kate made a point of slipping off her shoes and smirked. “To feet that don’t scream.”
All the females laughed and took off their shoes. “Hear, hear,” they shouted with conviction.
With her feet freed and laughter filling the air, Dani, at long last, began to relax. Although she hadn’t known any of her car mates for longer than a few months, she was in the company of friends. Bryce and Sophie were lucky to have such a great support group.
She leaned back, the tension leaving her body. When had she become so uptight? Despite her drive and determined attitude toward her restaurant, she’d always been an easygoing person. Maybe she just needed a break. After all, she’d been going nonstop, working upward to eighty hours a week, if not more.
No, that wasn’t it. Working long hours never bothered her—owning her own restaurant was her dream, and she thrived on making it a success.
Then what was it?
Her attention was drawn back to the toasting when she heard Rob’s voice. Only, by the time her brain registered it, she had missed what he said. To her dismay, everyone else must have heard it loud and clear because they all stared at her with a mix of raised eyebrows and curious glances.
All the tension came running back at full force, clamoring for a spot in her tightened muscles.
Chapter 2
There was a small possibility he’d pushed too hard this time. Scratch that—definitely he’d gone too far. When would he learn to keep his mouth shut?
Launching a full-scale flirtation, he’d been at Dani since he arrived in Oden Bridge earlier in the week. At first he only did it because she was cute and a distraction from his reason for being there. Weddings weren’t his thing. They were so far off his grid of things he enjoyed, they didn’t even make the list of things he could tolerate.
If there was any way he could have gotten out of participating in Bryce’s wedding without looking like a narcissistic jerk, he would have. But short of explaining why he hated them so much, there was nothing he could do. Even fessing up would have had repercussions worse than suffering through the ceremony.
Dani stared at him while everyone else shifted their gazes from him to her then back to him. What would she do if she knew his interest had turned real? That he wanted to know everything about her—what made her tick, her favorite movie, her hopes and dreams—all that sentimental mush.
Probably run for the hills. Ha, even he wanted to run from his attraction to her.
Because he was Robert James Jackson and, by his own rules, he didn’t do relationships or anything remotely resembling them. Hadn’t done so in ten years.
It was that threat to his resolve, his self-imposed code, which pushed him to the point of giving excessive attention. Push her away, create an artificial distance—that was his game plan, at which he was failing miserably. Worse, it was backfiring, and the attraction only continued to grow.
Their eyes locked. Hers were masked with confusion, and he realized she hadn’t heard what he said. For a second, he thought he might escape her wrath, but the silvery glint in her eyes acknowledged that she knew, had she heard what he’d said, it would have riled her. Of course, with everyone staring back and forth at them, it was blatantly obvious he was egging her on again.
A challenge rose from the depth of her glower. He recognized the steely determination of her hard-lined smile—he’d used the same one many times.
She sat up straight and was inching forward in the seat. Her eyes never left his. Was she deliberately moving in slow motion or was it his imagination? He matched her stare, unflinching, unwavering.
She raised her glass. No one else joined in. This was between him and her, and everyone else backed off, as much as the small space allowed. He raised his glass to meet hers.
“Hear.” She paused. “Hear.”
They
tapped their glasses and drained their remaining cider.
Man, he was glad Bryce and Sophie were in a limo by themselves. He hadn’t meant to cause a scene, and at least they didn’t have to be a witness to it. The car came to a stop, and he opened the door before the driver had a chance to do his job. He jumped out, in desperate need of fresh air.
Looking around, he spotted the photographer posing Bryce and Sophie in front of a pond so that the setting sun was reflected in the water behind them. From what Rob understood, this was the park where they’d met and thus, wanted wedding pictures here.
A small overhang was located at the park’s entrance. There was nothing under it except a water fountain and a trough-looking thing that he didn’t know the purpose of, nor did he care to find out. He only wanted a minute to himself.
No such luck.
“What in the world was that?” Adam, his friend and the fourth member of their band, came up behind him and grasped his shoulder, forcing him to turn.
“What was what?” he asked, keeping his voice neutral.
“Don’t play dumb. It’s not a good quality on you.” Releasing his grip, Adam took a step back. “Let her be. She’s not that type of girl.”
“It was a harmless toast. ‘To Dani, and to me not being the last man on earth.’ What’s so wrong with that?” He really, really needed to quit before he dug himself deeper, yet even that self-warning didn’t stop him.
“Look, I don’t know her well, but I know she’s like a sister to Bryce. Let her be—she’s not your type, and she’s obviously fed up with you, for good reason.”
“How do you know my type?” The bitter tone of accusation rang between them. Yep, he should have shut his mouth a minute ago.
Adam opened his mouth to speak then shut it. His jaw dropped before his facial muscles loosened and his lips spread to a wide grin. “Wait a second, this isn’t just a game, is it? You really do like her.”
He didn’t answer right away. Instead he looked over to the car where the others were gathered. Dani stood slightly away from the others while the photographer still worked on the perfect picture for the bride and groom. She was completely unmindful of her beauty and appeal, of the somersaults his stomach did every time she came near. Her dark brown, pinned up curls were coming loose. Even from here he could tell because he’d spent so much time watching her today that he could spot any difference in her appearance.
His gaze travelled lower, to where her bare feet peeked out from the bottom of her dress that she was holding to prevent it from dragging against the ground. He knew her toes were painted a shade of purple that matched her fingers. They also had a dotted silver scroll design on them. Earlier, he’d spotted a glimpse of them when she’d slipped off her shoes.
Adam cleared his throat. “I’m going to take that as a yes.”
“She’s different.” He shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“That’s how it all begins, my friend.”
Reality and memories rammed into his chest. There would be no beginning. Not with Dani, not with anyone. “Looks like they’re motioning us back.”
“Yeah, let’s go. Just promise me you’ll let up on Dani, okay? Keep the peace until we leave tomorrow.”
“Sure.” A false smile was plastered on his face. It was a role he’d continue to play, the shallow guy without a care in the world, the musician out with a different girl every week, the man who took nothing seriously.
He wouldn’t want to disappoint all those who expected it of him, now would he?
THREE HOURS LATER, some of the angst had lifted from his mood. The reception was in full swing and going off without a hitch. To everyone’s relief, the press had stayed away, largely in part to erroneous information that Caroline—the band’s manager—had leaked, stating that the wedding was next weekend.
Still, he was glad no one involved with the preparations had slipped, an impressive accomplishment considering Bryce’s fame and the number of people involved in planning the wedding. The only reason he even knew about that number was because Bryce had stars in his eyes where Sophie was concerned. He seemed to think Rob and the others had equal enthusiasm for the wedding.
To be fair, he was happy for Bryce. Adam, Jay, and he were his best friends, the first people he’d let himself get close to in a long time. Even then, they didn’t know the real him as he’d once existed.
Sitting at his assigned table, his hand rested casually on the white linen tablecloth and his fingers were curled around a goblet of water. He lifted the glass, took a swig then set it down next to a plate with a half-eaten piece of cake. The dessert was good, but he’d never been one for sweets.
Across the banquet hall, couples danced to an upbeat song. He spotted Gracie dancing with her great-grandfather, and laughed. Bryce’s daughter had everyone wrapped around her little finger, including him. By default, he’d been the babysitter yesterday while all the women went to get their nails done and Bryce was picking up relatives at the airport.
Twenty minutes into the gig, against his adamant protests, Gracie had convinced him to paint her fingernails. How was he to resist when she turned on the tears, upset because she’d been excluded from the grown-ups’ outing? Bryce wasn’t going to let him live that one down anytime soon.
Someone tapped his shoulder. A blonde he vaguely recognized appeared at his side. She was attractive, even with the heavy makeup, but her dress was too revealing for his tastes. Contrary to his reputation, he appreciated a woman who maintained modesty. Like Dani.
“Care to dance?” The blonde stood there, posed in a stance that told him she was confident he’d say yes.
He thought to decline. “Thanks, but…” He stopped, seeing Dani on the open floor, dancing with a man he didn’t know. Unwarranted jealousy made him change his mind. He flashed his best smile and stood. “Actually, I’d love to dance.”
“Great.” She grabbed hold of his arm, and sidled up to him, closer than what made him comfortable.
They stepped onto the dance floor and he already regretted his answer.
“Here for the bride?” He would have asked her name, but didn’t want to give any indication of interest.
“Yes, Sophie and I were friends in college.”
Funny, but she didn’t seem the type of woman whom Sophie would have chosen as a friend. Just his luck, a slow song was next. The lights dimmed, and the blonde wrapped her arms around his neck as though they weren’t strangers. He placed his hands above her hips, not around her back, forcing her to put some space between them.
“You’re a guitarist, right?” she asked.
“Among other things.” That just happened to be for what he’d gained fame.
“That’s so cool. I dated a guy in a band once.”
He tuned out the vapid chatter and focused his gaze on Dani, several feet away. Her back was to him, and he had a clear view of her partner’s face. The guy appeared a lovesick puppy. Was he Dani’s boyfriend? He hadn’t stopped to consider that she might be involved, but Bryce had talked about her like she was single.
The song ended, and Rob disengaged himself from the blonde, quicker than propriety allowed. He never did find out her name, didn’t care that he hadn’t.
Before the next song began, he crossed the distance to Dani. Cocky smile in place, he tapped on the other guy’s shoulder. “May I cut in?”
To his surprise, Dani released the man’s arm with a speed that made his departure from the blonde seem slow. The poor sap was left standing with a dumbfounded expression on his face, his mouth slightly gaped open.
Dani took hold of Rob’s arm and dragged him a few feet away, closer to the edge of the dancing area.
“I knew you’d see it my way eventually.” He winked, determined that she wouldn’t know how much he wanted this dance.
“Not another word,” she warned in low tones, dropping her hand from him. “One dance—that’s it. Sadly, you’re more appealing than Webster Malone.”
His eyebrows rose. “Webst
er Malone?”
“An old family friend,” she explained with a shudder. “We went to an eighth grade dance together years ago, and he’s been chasing me since.”
“He’s a little dopey, but he looks like a nice enough guy. Why not give him a chance?”
“Don’t call him dopey. And he’s just not for me, okay?”
His smirk widened. “So what you’re saying is you like me better than at least a portion of the male population?”
Daggers shot out from her eyes, and she poked a finger to his chest. “Don’t twist my words.”
“Are we going to dance or not?”
“As long as we’re clear this dance means nothing.”
“Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart.” His arms encircled her, his fingers pressed gently against her back.
He thought she’d press away. Instead, she shifted closer to him.
Even in heels, she barely reached his shoulders. The berry scent of her hair teased his senses. When was the last time he’d noticed such a thing? He wanted to touch a curl, wrap it around his fingers to feel the silky tresses. His heart skipped a beat.
His breathing took on an erratic pace, and his palms became clammy. The bowtie choked him, or was it the onslaught of memories combined with the feelings Dani stirred in him. He couldn’t be here. Mid-song, he pushed away, breaking their contact.
Exit. Where was the closest exit? He spied the red light over a door. His heart thumped, and he thought it might explode. Escape was his only choice. Eyes trained on the exit, he left Dani. Unable to look at her for fear she might see past the façade, he continued on until humid summer air hit him.
Chapter 3
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
Heavy eyelids fought to open. Dani reached over and smacked the snooze button on her pesky alarm clock before rolling over and throwing a pillow over her head. Six a.m. came way too early when she’d gone to sleep only four hours ago.
