“How’s it going? How’s it going? Horrible, that’s how it’s going. It’s white wedding hell and you put me in the middle of it. I don’t want to be her maid-of-honor. If I’m forced to be in this, I would much rather stand up with you!” I scream into the phone, letting my volume and words release the anger deep inside me.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, Jules. Calm down and tell me what’s going on.”
Taking a deep breath, I open my mouth to speak, but when I turn, I see Nikki staring at me with a smirk on her face. “Brianna wants her maid-of-honor to help her with the next dress.”
Plastering on a completely fake smile, I nod and bat my eyelashes. “Of course, I’ll be right in.” Then into the phone, I whisper, “I hate you for this.”
Paulie laughs and replies, “I love you, too, Julianna. Remember, best behavior.”
Suppressing my growl, I hang up the phone and head back inside. Excusing myself as I walk through the gaggle of women, I make my way to the dressing room where Bri is standing in a white lace bra and matching thong. Awkward. Turning to me, she smiles and waves her hand toward a gown hanging on the wall.
“This is the one, Jules,” she says, completely mesmerized by the A-line, lace detailed wedding dress. Compared to the other dresses, it’s half the size and much more elegant. I can see why she’s in love with it.
Not saying a word, I take it off the hanger and help her into it. My fingers run over the soft chiffon and intricate beading as she steps in. The dress is very simplistic, which I don’t picture as Bri’s, or her mother’s, taste at all.
Zipping up the back of the dress, I finally speak. “Why did you ask me to be your maid-of-honor? You have nine other women out there who know you much better than I do. Any of one of them would have been a better pick.”
Without even looking at herself in the mirror, she turns to me and lightly touches my shoulders. “You are a very important person to James Paul and I wanted you to know how important you are to me, too. I know we aren’t the best of friends, but I hope one day we will be.”
Our eyes lock as tears sting behind mine, but I refuse to cry in front of her. I quickly spin her around to the mirror and ask, “What do you think?”
Suddenly, Bri is the one with tears in her eyes as she bobs her head up and down. Grabbing my hand, she pulls me out to the showroom. The women turn in our direction but instead of the fake oohs and ahhs, they nod their head uncertain, but it doesn’t stop Bri. She jumps on the pedestal and spins around like a princess.
Facing the crowd, she looks at her mother. “This is the one.”
Mrs. Ladner walks to her daughter and faces her toward the mirror. “I don’t know, Brianna. It seems a bit…plain.”
Bri pats her mother’s hand that rests on her shoulder. “Mom, James Paul will love this dress. I know it’s the one.”
Damn, why did she say that? She is making it really hard to not like her.
Mrs. Ladner nods, not exactly happy, but says, “Alright, this is the one.”
The rest of the bridal party and family let out a fake cheer as Bri grins at them, doing another twirl. The future Mrs. Rossi, ugh it pains me to say that, goes back to the dressing room to change with a saleslady. She is barely out of the room when Nikki turns to the other girls and begins her rant.
“Can you believe that? There is no way I would pass up my dream wedding dress for what my fiancé would like.”
I snort at her comment and mutter under my breath. Nikki whips her head in my direction, giving me a piercing stare.
“What did you say?” she asks, her eyes narrowed, daring me to repeat myself.
With the sweetest smile on my face, I reiterate my comment. “I said that I feel sorry for your future husband.”
All nine bridesmaids gasp as I say that and Nikki stands up, taking a step to me. Is this chick really about to try and fight me? In a bridal store? I begin laughing as the whole situation is comical to me. Nikki starts to say something that I’m sure is exceptionally charming when Bri hooks her arm in mine.
“Jules and I will meet everyone in an hour for lunch at the Nest,” Bri calls over her shoulder as she waltzes us out the door. My eyes lock with Nikki’s and I just grin as she stands behind us with her hands on her hips. Turns out dress shopping was pretty entertaining after all.
When we’re in the parking lot walking toward her car, I ask, “Where are we going?”
She slides behind the wheel of her bright red BMW. “Shopping.”
I hook my seatbelt beside her and groan.
Starting the car, she giggles. “Not for the wedding.”
Quirking my eyebrow, I question, “No?”
“No, Bentley told me he owes you a new dress.”
My jaw drops and I shake my head. “What? No! He doesn’t owe me anything.”
Looking at me from the corner of her eye, she grins. “He said you’d probably say that. Told me to tell you that he picked the tree this morning and if you insist on buying, you can pay him back by cooking dinner with that fish you caught.”
Slowly shaking my head again, I laugh. The Ladners are crazy, enthusiastic and crazy, but they sure do make life interesting.
***
Grunting as I struggle to keep a bald cypress upright, my phone beeps in my pocket. Once I steady the six-feet of tree, not even a few years old, I wipe the sweat off my forehead and dig my phone out. Swiping the screen, I see it’s a text from my sister.
It took some convincing but I got her a dress!
I type back: Tell her I can’t wait to see her in it.
Grinning, I toss my phone to the side as I get back to work. Jules tried to help me gather the fishing poles off the bank and lost her footing. She would’ve slipped right into the lake if I hadn’t caught her. Needless to say, the dress wasn’t salvageable. Hopefully, this will give me a reason to see her again.
Ever since I took her fishing, I haven’t been able to get her off my mind. The woman has me feeling again, something I’ve needed. I’d fallen into a funk and haven’t figured out how to get out of it. I need Jules Rossi but I haven’t quite figured out in what way.
Chapter 8
Sitting in a sea of red in the center of Cardinals’ Nation with the smell of beer and burgers is my happy place. Having my brother and my two surrogate brothers sitting beside me makes me even happier. It’s opening day of baseball season and I’m spending it like I have every year since I turned twenty-one—sitting at the bar across from Busch Stadium with my family and the rest of St. Louis. Amid the chants of “Let’s go Cards” and the DJ playing dance tunes, we still manage to hear each other and carry on a conversation.
“Love your shirt, Jules. Didn’t know you knew how to bedazzle,” Smitty teases me with a smirk on his face.
I narrow my eyes at Paulie who laughs and holds his hands up to show his innocence. Without taking my eyes off him, I respond, “Someone’s little wifey wouldn’t let us leave the house until I wore the new shirt she’d bought me.”
Paulie pats my leg. “She’s trying to be nice, Jules, give her a break.”
Rolling my eyes, I shake my head and then ask something I’ve been wondering ever since I heard about the size of the bridal party. “Paulie, how are you going to come up with ten guys to stand up beside you?
He takes a long pull of his beer and shrugs. “Well, I’ve these guys plus cousin Sammy and Drake.”
“Okay, that’s four.”
“I’ll ask some guys from work, she’s got some cousins too, and Bentley is the best man.”
I almost spit out my beer. “What!? Her brother is the best man over Doug or Smitty?”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. I look at both the guys who are sitting there calmly. How can they not be steaming? I’m about to lose it for them.
“Well, I couldn’t pick one over the other. When Bri said she wanted you to be her maid-of-honor, I talked to these guys and they agreed it was cool that I ask Bentley.”
My mind still isn’t grasping thi
s concept. Both the bride and groom have asked two people that they hardly know to play the most important role in their wedding. Throwing my hand up, I almost spill both our beers when I ask, “How well do you guys even know each other? I mean, have you even talked to him?”
“We’ve hung out a few times, fishing and such,” Paulie answers. Then with a smug look, he turns to the guys. “Bri’s brother got Jules to go fishing, she even touched it and everything.”
Both Doug and Smitty look at me shocked, spewing off jokes and crude comments all in good fun. I may not be a girlie girl, but they both know I don’t touch fish or any other slimy creature. Pushing my chair back, I stand up. “Pardon me while I excuse myself from the ridicule and head to the ladies’ room.”
“Of course, Fisherwoman Jules,” Doug teases me and I throw a bottle cap in his direction.
Squeezing between the throngs of people all packed into the small bar space, I stand in line for a Port-A-Potty. With three people ahead of me, I think back to my fishing debut to keep my mind off my bladder that’s about to burst. After Paulie and Bri found us, night fishing came to a dead stop. I felt like a teenager caught by my parents, making out with my boyfriend except there had been no making out. Instead, there had been me, sliding in the mud almost into the lake when Bentley caught me. It ended with me in a fit of giggles, partly because of the new mud mask I was wearing, but more so because of the jittery feeling and desire to kiss him was stronger than I would have liked it to be.
As much as I wanted to dislike Bentley as much as I did his sister, I just couldn’t. He was easy to talk to, he pushed me to go outside my comfort zone, and he challenged me to let go of my past, something Paulie’s been begging me to do for years. Not to mention, he was easy on the eyes and I still can’t forget the way I felt with his hands on my waist.
Taking my turn in the portable bathroom, I hurry as the stench of the warm, small area is overwhelming. Swinging the door open, I step out quickly. Combined with my natural clumsiness and the couple beers I’d already had, I trip and fall into a broad body that grips my arms.
“Julianna Rossi,” he says. I cringe from his touch, his words, and the alcohol on his breath. “I’ve missed you, babe.”
Kevin tries to pull me in for a kiss, but I firmly plant my hands on his chest and push away. My eyes drift up and down his body and I have to admit, his muscular physique looks good in the too tight red Cardinals shirt he’s wearing.
“Let me go,” I say quietly, trying not to cause a scene.
His grip on my arms gets tighter, making me feel uncomfortable. Suddenly, that fear I had when I was with him last, riding in that tiny elevator, starts to creep back. His fingers curl stronger around my upper arms, pain throbs through my biceps and my body starts to tremble.
Leaning in close to my ear, he whispers, “I don’t think so.”
Frantically, darting my eyes around the party, I am hoping that my brother or one of our friends is close by. As if I willed them to be there, behind me I hear someone calling my name. Kevin and I both twist around to the voice drawing our attention. Just as quickly as I was relieved, I’m shocked when I see who it is.
Walking toward us in jeans, a red t-shirt that isn’t too tight but definitely shows off his bulging biceps, and a camo baseball cap with a STL logo on it is Bentley. His dimple and sideways smile greet me until he sees Kevin’s grip on my arms and probably the fear in my eyes. His stride gets a bit quicker and I feel Kevin’s fingers let go of me as he gets closer.
The moment I’m free of his grasp, I step toward Bentley who pulls me under his arm. It’s only the second time I’ve ever met him, but I feel more comfortable with him by my side than my ex. Glancing up at Bentley, I can see in his eyes that he’s wondering if I’m okay. I give a slight nod to let him know I’m alright. My arm slides around his torso as I try to steady my body from shaking. Adrenaline races through my body because of both the men standing before me, for two totally different reasons.
“Who’s this?” Kevin asks, looking at Bentley and sizing him up.
“Doesn’t matter,” Bentley responds, standing a bit taller although he already hovers a few inches over Kevin. “She’s leaving with me.”
Kevin scoffs as we start to walk away from him, but Bentley stops when he hears him. Remembering when I did the same thing, I recall that Bentley doesn’t let those kind of noises slide. Releasing his hold on me, he turns and takes a step back so he’s chest to chest with Kevin who may be shorter, but is still almost twice his size.
“Mess with her again, and you mess with me. Got it?” Bentley says as he stares down into Kevin’s eyes.
Kevin sneers and shakes his head. “You can have her. I don’t need the drama.”
Bentley gives a contented nod and walks back to me, taking me by the hand. He squeezes it tightly and walks us toward an empty space in the corner. My mind is so confused right now, I don’t know if I’m turned on or pissed off.
Finally away from the wall of people, in a space where we can at least move, Bentley stops and turns to face me. His index finger trails my jawline as he now looks in my eyes and his hand cups my cheek. The adrenaline won’t stop and my body quivers even more under his touch.
“You seem pretty shook up. Are you okay?” Bentley asks.
Nodding slowly, unable to speak, my hands move to his waist looking for something, anything to steady myself and stop this shaking. The location I selected isn’t the best idea as my pulse increases even more. Before either of us can speak again, I see Paulie walking toward us.
“Don’t say anything,” I whisper as we both pull apart.
Bentley nods as he turns to my brother and his friends. His dimple returns and I try to follow his lead, planting a fake smile on my face. Reaching us, Paulie shakes Bentley’s hand and the two make small talk, Paulie’s completely oblivious to my nervous habits that he normally picks up on so easily. I must be getting good at the fake smiles and such.
As the two men talk and I stand safely between both of them, it takes me awhile to realize that Bentley’s hand is resting in the small of my back. It’s slightly odd considering we barely know each other, but at the same time, I notice my body start to calm at his touch. How can a man have such opposite effects on me? Bentley’s deep, rich, and completely sexy voice catches my attention.
“I’ve got an extra ticket to the game,” Bentley says to my brother. Disappointed, my smile starts to fade as I think I’m about to be alone with Doug and Smitty. “I was wondering if it’d be okay if I took Jules.”
Snapping my head up to look at him, my jaw drops. “Really?” I squeak and can’t help but think that I probably sound just like Bri’s annoying voice.
Paulie laughs at my response. “Well, I think you have your answer. Have fun, sis.”
The shaking returns as I’m excited about being at the first game of the season. I keep repeating that to myself rather than the real reason—spending more time with Bentley. Exchanging goodbyes, Bentley and I head into the stadium and take our field box seats along the first base line.
Holding the tray of nachos we’re sharing, I question, “Why didn’t you ask Paulie to come?”
He shrugs as he bites into a chip. “You’re a much cuter date.”
I giggle as his compliment and elbow him. “Seriously!”
His dimple fades and a sincere look takes its place. “I wasn’t about to let you out of my sight with that tatttooed ex of yours around.”
My heart races at his comment. The sincerity of it and the fact that he knew who Kevin is completely confuses me. I watch his finger move toward my face and I assume it’s going for my jaw so I’m surprised when his rough finger touches the corner of my lip.
Grinning, he pulls his finger back. “Cheese,” he says and licks it off.
I smile and he nods toward me before he turns his attention back to the field. “I like your shirt. I’m a fan of bedazzling.”
My smile turns into laughter and I throw my napkin at him, which m
akes him crack a grin and join me. His arm slides around my shoulders as the first pitch is thrown out. Maybe walking down the aisle with him won’t be so bad after all.
***
Well, this is certainly a surprising, yet pleasant turn of events. Bri had mentioned that the Rossi siblings would be at opening day but the chances of finding them in the crowd of thousands of fans were slim to none. With my arm around Jules’ shoulder, my grin gets a little bigger and I decide to call it fate. Surprising me yet again, Jules snuggles against me and I pull her closer. I’m enjoying her affection way too much and her jasmine perfume is tempting me in ways that it shouldn’t.
Halfway through the second inning, she looks up at me. “I can’t believe you made Bri buy me a dress,” she says, a hint of entertainment tugging at her lips.
“I promised I would and I don’t break promises, Jules.”
“Big words there, Bentley Ladner,” she comments with her eyebrows high.
“Trust me,” I respond and squeeze her shoulder.
Her eyes go wide. “Wow, even bigger words you’re going to have to back up.”
She’s right, these are words I shouldn’t be saying. I don’t even know her and I’m already making big commitments that I shouldn’t. The last time I made a commitment to a woman it burned me in more ways than one. But I want to say these words, make these promises, have Jules trust me. Honestly, I just want Jules.
Pulling her closer to me, I whisper in her ear, “I’ll back them up, don’t worry.”
Her blue eyes turn up to me and she shakes her head laughing. A bold move on my part, but I’m not concerned and she shouldn’t be either.
Chapter 9
Typically the sun and margaritas equal total relaxation. Today, however, my enjoyment is being interrupted by a group of sorority girls. I’d made it through four years of college without ever having to endure this pain, but now it looks like I’m making up for that missed experience over Memorial Day weekend.
Spring Into Love Page 97
